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CYCLOPEDIA  OP  MISSIONS: 


CX)NTAINma  A 


COMPREHENSIVE  VIEW  OF   MISSIONARY  OPERATIONS 


THROUGHOUT    THE    WORLD; 


WITH  GEOGRAPHICAL  PESCRIPTIONS,    AND    ACCOUNTS   f)F  THE    SO 
CIAL,  MORAL,  AND  RELIGIOUS  CONDITION  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 


BY 


REV.    HARVEY    NEWCOMB 

REVISED    EDITION. FOURTH    THOUSAND, 


UFIYEESITy] 


oar 


NEW   YORK:       . 
CHAKLES    SCKIBNEE,    145    NASSAU    STKEET 
1855. 


3-7 '^.r^ 

Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  ite  the  year  1854,  by 

CHARLES    SCRIBNER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern  District 

of  New  York.  . 


Taw8,  Ri'SsELL  &  Co.,  Printers 
No.  20  Beekman-street. 

Stereolyped  by 

TURNEY   &    BROTHER, 

24  Beekman  street 


PREFACE 


In  presenting  to  the  Christian  public  the  "  Cyclopedia  of  Missions,"  it  becomes 
me,  first  of  all,  to  acknowledge  the  good  Providence  of  God,  which  has  enabled  me 
to  accomplish  a  work  of  such  difficulty  and  magnitude,  in  so  short  a  time.  The  en= 
terprise  was  entered  upon  with  much  misgiving  ;  but  every  obstacle  has  been  removed 
out  of  the  way,  as  the  work  has  proceeded.  The  preparation  of  the  manuscript  was 
commenced  on  the  12th  of  January  last.  On  the  10th  of  June,  we  commenced  the 
process  of  stereotyping,  having  about  half  the  manuscript  in  hand.  The  work  of 
printing  has  progressed  as  rapidly  as  it  could  conveniently  be  done  ;  and  we  have  not 
been  delayed  a  single  day  for  want  of  copy,  though  the  manuscripts  have  often  been 
received  by  mail  the  very  day  they  w^ere  wanted.  The  whole  will  be  completed  a  lit- 
tle before  the  first  of  November,  making  more  than  four  months  occupied  in  printing. 
If  it  be  asked  how  such  a  work  could  be  thoroughly  prepared,  in  so  short  a  time,  we 
answer,  hy  division  of  labor.  There  have  been  more  than  twenty  different  persons 
engaged  upon  it.  It  has  been  a  work  of  immense  labor  ;  but  the  labor  has  been  so 
divided  that  each  one  has  had  ample  time  to  do  his  part  thoroughly.  At  the  same 
time,  a  general  unity  of  plan  and  design  has  been  secured,  an  outline  of  every  article 
having  been  furnished  by  the  Editor.  And  here  I  would  acknowledge  my  great  obli- 
gations to  those  gentlemen  who  have  kindly  consented,  at  my  request,  to  aid  me  in 
this  important  undertaking  ;  as,  without  such  aid,  it  would  have  required  years  to  ac- 
complish it.  Their  names  appear  at  the  close  of  their  several  articles,  and  will  afford 
a  sufficient  guaranty  of  thoroughness  and  accuracy.  The  articles  which  appear  with- 
out a  name  have  been  prepared,  either  in  whole  or  in  part,  by  the  Editor.  The  por- 
tions relating  to  the  missions  of  the  American  Baptist  Union  have  been  furnished  by 
the  author  of  the  valuable  and  interesting  "  History  of  American  Baptist  Missions  ;" 
and  those  of  the  Methodists  in  this  country  and  England,  by  a  respected  clergyman 
of  that  denomination,  whose  name  was  mentioned  to  me  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Meth- 
odist Missionary  Society,  as  the  most  suitable  person  to  undertake  it.  The  missions 
of  the  Presbyterian  Board,  have  been  chiefly  taken  (by  permission,)  from  Rev.  J.  C. 
Lowrie's  "  Manual  of  Missions."  The  article  on  the  church  of  Rome  and  its  missions 
was  prepared  by  a  Roman  Catholic  layman. 

We  have  aimed  to  make  the  entire  work  truly  catholic  in  its  character  and  spirit, 
giving  to  every  mission  the  degree  of  prominence  to  which  it  is  properly  entitled  by 
its  age,  importance,  and  success,  without  respect  to  the  denomination  of  Christians 
which  supports  it  ;  and  nothing  can  present  a  brighter  or  more  cheering  view  of  the 
essential  unity  of  the  different  denominations  of  evangelical  Protestants,  than  their 
operations  on  missionary  ground,  where  they  are  found  adopting  the  same  general 
measures,  preaching  the  same  Christ,  and  receiving  the  seal  of  the  same  Holy  Spirit 
upon  their  labors.  But,  while  I  hold  myself  responsible  for  the  general  character  of 
the  work,  I  would  not  be  understood  as  adopting  every  opinion  expressed,  or  of  vouch- 
ing for  every  statement  made  by  my  respected  contributors. 


IV  PREFACE. 

The  gentlemen  whohaTo  furnished  these  contributions  have  been  induced  to  under- 
take the  ivork,  from  the  interest  which  they  liave  felt  in  the  cause  of  missions,  and 
their  belief  of  the  importance  of  this  enterprise  to  that  cause.  They  have  fulfilled 
their  enpragements  faithfully,  and  with  great  promptness  ;  and  I  have  the  satisfaction 
of  believing  that  the  work  is  much  more  valuable  than  it  would  have  been,  if  I  had 
done  the  whole  myself.'  They  will  accept  this  public  expression  of  my  thanks,  as  well 
as  of  my  high  appreciation  of  their  labors.  I  would  also,  in  this  place,  return  my  sin- 
cere thanks  to  the  officers  of  the  several  Missionary  Societies,  for  the  kind  encourage- 
ment which  they  have  given  me,  in  the  prosecution  of  this  w^ork,  and  especially  to  the 
American  Board,  who  have  granted  me  the  free  use  of  their  extensive  and  valuable 
library,  and  also  encouraged  the  enterprise  by  subscribing  for  100  copies  of  the  w^ork. 
I  return  thanks,  also,  to  those  numerous  friends  of  the  cause,  who  have  given  me  kind 
words  of  encouragement,  and  subscribed  for  copies  of  the  work. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  matter  and  in  the  supervision  of  the  press,  no  pains  have 
been  spared  to  secure  accuracy  ;  and  yet  it  would  be  strange,  if,  in  so  large  a  work, 
consisting,  to  so  great  an  extent,  of  statements  of  facts  and  numbers,  no  mistakes 
should  occur.  Yet,  if  an  error  should  be  occasionally  discovered,  we  think  it  should 
not,  in  the  mind  of  a  reasonable  man,  impair  confidence  in  the  general  accuracy  of  the 
whole. 

This  volume  brings  down  the  history  and  results  of  missionary  operations  to  the 
present  time.  It  contains  a  large  amount  of  valuable  information  that  is  generally 
inaccessible,  and  only  to  be  found  in  a  few  missionary  libraries,  spread  out  in  series 
of  volumes,  extending  through  a  period  of  half  a  century. 

It  is  here  presented  in  a  convenient  form  for  reading,  consultation,  and  reference. 
It  is,  however,  not  only  a  book  to  be  consulted  for  reference,  but  a  book  to  be  read  ; 
many  of  the  sketches  and  narratives  being  of  thrilling  interest.  No  future  revision 
or  alteration  is  contemplated  in  this  volume,  beyond  the  correction  of  errors.  It  will 
always  be  as  valuable  a  record  of  the  past,  as  it  is  now.  But  if  anything  further  shall 
be  called  for,  to  bring  up  the  history  of  missions  and  the  progress  of  Christianity,  to 
any  future  time,  other  volumes  may  be  added,  either  periodically  or  occasionally,  ac- 
cording to  the  demand. 

It  will  readily  be  perceived  that  the  copyright  of  this  work  has  cost  me  no  incon- 
siderable outlay  of  means,  in  addition  to  my  own  time  and  labor  ;  as  such  contributions 
as  appear  in  this  book  could  not  be  expected  without  compensation.  It  will  require  a 
sale  of  ten  thousand  copies  to  remunerate  me.  It  has,  likewise,  been  a  very  expensive 
work  to  my  publisher  ;  and  the  price  of  the  book  has  been  put  so  low,  in  order  to  se- 
cure a  general  circulation,  that  his  profits  will  be  very  small,  and  it  will  require  a  large 
sale  to  repay  what  he  has  already  advanced.  But,  knowing  the  value  of  the  book, 
and  having  confidence  in  the  disposition  of  the  Christian  public  to  patronize  a  good 
object,  we  have  ventured  upon  the  undertaking,  with  the  confident  expectation  that 
we  should  be  sustained  by  a  remunerative  sale. 

Explanations,  Sfc. — The  sketches  of  missionary  operations  are  chiefly  given  under 
geographical  heads.  For  example,  full  accounts  of  the  missions  of  the  several  societies 
in  India  are  given  under  the  head  of  Hindostan.  Other  geographical  articles  relate 
to  Christian  lands,  as  Europe,  United  States,  &c.,  showing  the  religious  condition  and 
resources  of  the  Christian  world.  There  are  several  articles,  however,  which  derive 
their  title  from  the  people,  as  Armenians,  Nestorians,  &c.  There  are  likewise  a  num- 
ber of  articles  relating  to  the  work  of  afi&liated  societies,  which  have  an  indirect  bear- 
ing upon  missionary  operations.  All  the  missions  to  the  ancient  people  of  God,  are 
comprised  under  the  head  of  Jews.  The  notices  of  missionary  stations  are  designed 
chiefly  as  a  guide  to  finding  them  on  the  maps.  But,  when  any  interesting  informa- 
tion respecting  the  places  occupied  as  missionary  stations,  not  contained  in  the  ac- 
counts of  the  mission,  has  come  to  hand,  it  has  been  inserted  under  the  head  of  the 
station.  From  the  very  nature  of  the  case,  however,  these  notices  are  incomplete,  as 
new  stations  are  being  occupied  continually  ;  and  concerning  many  old  ones,  it  has 
been  impossible  to  find  any  information  that  would  be  of  any  value  even  in  finding  them 
on  the  maps.    There  are  also  many  articles  on  miscellaneous  topics,  connected  with  mis- 


PREFACE.  y 

sionary  operations,  the  condition  of  the  heathen,  &c.,  which  contain  valuable  informa- 
tion. The  Missionary  Societies  are  treated  under  their  several  titles,  giving  an  account 
of  their  origin,  the  number  of  their  missions,  missionaries,  converts,  amount  of  receipts, 
&c.  Thus,  a  greater  amount  of  valuable  information,  in  regard  to  the  movements  of 
the  age,  is  compressed  within  these  pages  than  was  ever  before  comprised  in  a  single 
volume,  or  any  one  series  of  volumes.  And  the  matter  here  given  to  the  public  is  not 
a  mere  compilation,  but  almost  the  whole  of  it  has  been  written  anew  expressly  for 
this  work.  As  the  materials  have  been  collected  from  a  very  wide  range,  and  to  a 
great  extent  from  original  sources,  I  have  not  thought  it  necessary  always  to  give 
specific  credit,  except  where  the  reference  might  be  of  advantage,  in  a  more  full  exa- 
mination of  the  subject. 

Maps. — The  various  maps,  which  accompany  the  work,  will  be  found  to  cover  nearly 
all  the  ground  occupied  by  foreign  missions.  They  will  generally  be  placed  near  the 
descriptions  of  missionary  operations  in  the  countries  which  they  describe.  But,  some- 
times, a  place  described  will  be  found  on  a  map  placed  at  a  distance  from  the  matter 
which  relates  to  it.  For  instance,  some  of  the  stations  of  the  Baptist  Mission  in  As- 
sam will  be  found  on  the  map  of  Bengal.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  maps,  arranged 
according  to  location:  On  Africa,  T,  viz.:  Africa  South  of  the  Equator,  South- 
ern Africa,  Western  Africa,  Liberia,  Cape  Palmas,Sherhro  Sf  MendiYoruba  ;  On  India, 
5  :  India,  Southern  India  and  Ceylon,  Western  India,  Bengal,  and  Northern  India  ; 
Burmah,  Siam,  ^c.  1  ;  China,  1  ;  Fuhchau,  1  ;  Sandwich  Islands,  1  ;  Other  Pacific 
Islci,  2  ;  New- Zealand  and  Van  Dieman^s  Land,  1  ;  Australia,  1  ;  West  Indies,  4, 
viz.  :  St.  Kitts  and  Antigua,  Jamaica,  St.  Thomas  and  St.  Croix  and  Surinam ;  In- 
dian Territory,  1  ;  Labrador  and  Greenland,  1  ;  Western  Asia,  6,  viz.  :  Armenia, 
Aintab  and  vicinity,  Nestorians,  Constantinople  and  vicinity,  Syria,  Thessalonica  ;  mak- 
ing 32  in  all.  These  maps  are  some  of  them  original,  having  been  drawn  by  mis- 
sionaries who  have  been  on  the  ground.  Others  have  been  compiled  with  much  labor. 
They  may  not  contain  all  the  stations  ;  but  where  any  are  lacking,  they  can  easily 
be  located  from  a  description,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  scale  of  miles. 

Spelling  and  Pronunciation  of  Proper  Names. — I  have  been  requested  to  give 
the  accurate  spelling  and  pronunciation  of  the  foreign  names,  which  occur  in  Mission- 
ary intelligence  ;  and  at  first  I  designed  to  do  so  ;  but  I  soon  found  that  it  was  utter- 
ly impracticable.  The  diversity  of  spelling  is  so  great  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
follow  any  rule  ;  and  as  the  missionaries,  in  spelling,  use  the  Roman  letters  to  express 
as  nearly  as  possible  the  sound  of  a  foreign  tongue,  it  would  be  presumptuous  in  me 
to  attempt,  by  any  other  combination  of  the  same  letters,  to  express  more  perfectly 
sounds  that  I  have  never  heard.  What  leads  to  the  diversity  of  spelling  is,  the  at- 
tempts of  different  persons  to  express,  by  different  combinations  of  the  Roman  charac- 
ters, sounds  that  have  no  corresponding  utterances  in  our  language.  The  most  that  I 
can  do,  is  to  give  a  few  simple  rules,  and  endeavor  to  be  consistent  with  myself  in 
spelling  the  same  words  alike  in  different  parts  of  the  book  ;  in  which  last  particular, 
however,  I  am  not  confident  that,  in  every  instance,  I  have  succeeded.  The  following 
systems  have  been  adopted  by  missionaries  in  different  parts  of  the  world  : 

I.  Chinese.— The  following  system  of  spelling  and  pronouncing  Chinese  names  is  that 
adopted  by  Williams,  in  his  "  Middle  Kingdom." 

Powers  of  the  Letters. 

1.  a  as  in  far  ;  ^  11.  au  as  oio  ; 

2.  d  as-  in  American ;  12.  eu,  as  in  colloquial  phrase  say'em. 

3.  e  as  in  men ;  13.  ia  as  in  yard ;  e.  g.  hia,  kiang,  prose,  /tea, 

4.  i  as  in  they  ;  hedng. 

5.  i  as  in  pin ;  14.  iau  is  made  by  joining  Nos.  5  and  11. 

6.  i  as  in  machine ;  15.  ie  as  in  Sierra  (Spanish.] 

7.  0  as  in  long ;  16.  iu  as  in  pew,  pure,  lengthened  to  a  diph- 

8.  u  as  in  full ;  thong. 

9.  u  as  mfune  (Fr.)  or  union  ; ^  17.  iue  is  made  by  adding  a  short  e  to  th© 

10.  ai  as  in  aisle,  longer  than  i  in  pine.    The  preceding. 

combination  ei  is  more  slender  than  ai,    18.  ui  as  in  Louisiana. 
though  the  difference  is  slight. 


Yi  PREFACE. 

Tlie  consonants  are  generally  sounded  as  they  are  in  the  English  alphabet. 

II.  Hawaiian.— The  misaionaries  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  in  reducing  the  language  to  writ- 
ing, have  adopted  a  portion  of  the  Roman  alphabet,  giving  the  vowels  the  following  sounds  : 

a  as  in  faOier;  i  as  in  machine,  or  as  long  e; 

«  as  in  theijt  or  as  long  o  in  pale ;  o  as  in  wo ;  m  as  oo  in  too. 

The  full  accent  is  usually  on  the  last  vowel  but  one,  and  a  secondary  accent  two  syllables 
before  the  full.  In  the  diphthongal  combinations,  ae,  ai,  ao,  and  au,  each  letter  retains  its  origi- 
nal sound,  but  when  spoken  in  quick  succession,  combine  together  in  a  diphthong.  Consonants 
are  not  doubled,  and  never  end  a  word  or  syllable. — Bingliam^s  History  of  the  Sandwich  Islands 

III.  Armknian  and  Turkish. — ^1.  Sounds  qf  Vowels. 

a  as  in  far.  u  as  in  but, 

«  aa  a  in  fate.  oo  as  in  moon. 

i  as  in  machine.  ai  as  i  in  ivy. 

0  as  in  note.  eu  as  the  French  eu  in  peu. 

u  as  in  unit. 
Note. — Some  of  the  above  are  but  approximations  to  the  vowel  sounds  designed  to  be  ex- 
pressed. E  and  o,  for  example,  are  not  quite  so  broad  and  open  as  the  corresponding  English 
sounds,  Ai  is  strictly  a  diphthong,  the  elements  of  which  are  indeed  the  same  as  our  long  i,  but 
not  so  closely  united  in  pronunciation.  U  in  Armenian  names  is  best  represented  as  above ; 
but  in  Turkish  words  it  corresponds  more  exactly  with  the  French  m  as  in  une.  The  sound 
represented  by  it  is  more  exactly  that  of  the  French  e  in  le,  me,  &c. 

2.  Sounds  of  Consonants. 
g  always  hard,  as  in  good,  ch  as  in  chain, 

s  as  in  sun.  zh  as  in  -pleasure. 

Gh  and  kh  are  guttural  sounds,  having  no  corresponding  sounds  or  characters  in  English 
or  French.    The  former  resembles  the  modern  Greek  y,  and  the  latter  x,  but  both  are  deeper. 
C  to  be  used  only  in  connection  with  h,  except  in  words  that  have  become  anglicized  with 
c  in  them. 

/,  sh,  and  in  general  the  consonants  not  mentioned  above,  to  be  sounded  as  in  English. 
The  combination  th  does  not  occur  ;  when,  therefore,  the  letters  occur  together,  they  are  to  be 
regarded  as  belonging  to  different  syllables,  and  each  to  have  its  own  proper  sound ;  e.  g.  Fethi, 
pronounced  Fet-hi. 

3.  Accent. — The  accent,  which  is  slight,  is  uniformly  on  the  last  syllable  in  Armenian 
proper  names,  and  nearly  so  in  Turkish.  All  the  other  syllables  should  be  uttered  fully,  and 
with  equal  stress  of  voice. 

4.  Anglicized  Proper  Names. — Names  which  have  been  long  familiar  to  English  and 
American  readers,  and  have  thus  become  anglicized,  not  to  be  changed.  Such  are  Constanti- 
nople, Smyrna,  Scio,  Mitylene,  Nicomedia,  Philadelphia,  &c.  In  fact,  being  for  the  most  part 
Greek  names,  they  do  not  strictly  fall  within  the  rules  above  given. 

Monthly  Concert. — One  object  which  I  have  had  in  view,  in  the  preparation  of 
this  work,  has  been  to  provide  the  means  of  adding  interest  and  value  to  the  Monthly 
Concert.  The  practice  of  appointing  committees  to  report  at  this  meeting  on  the  va- 
rions  portions  of  the  Missionary  Field,  is  extending  in  the  churches  ;  and  where  it  is 
well  carried  out,  it  adds  greatly  to  the  interest  of  the  meeting,  and  by  engaging  the 
leading  minds  in  the  church  in  the  personal  examination  of  the  field,  it  tends  greatly 
to  extend  and  deepen  the  missionary  spirit.  But,  whenever  this  is  attempted,  those 
engaged  in  it  are  met  with  the  insurmountable  difficulty  of  not  having  access  to  the 
materials  for  giving  a  complete  view  of  scarcely  a  single  mission  in  the  world.  This 
book  will  obviate  this  difficulty,  not  only  by  giving  a  complete,  though  brief  historical 
sketch  of  almost  every  existing  mission  in  the  world  ;  but  it  will  generally  point  out 
where  further  information  can  be  obtained.  It  also  provides  the  means  of  examining 
the  localities  on  the  maps.  And  from  these  maps,  rough  ones  may  be  constructed  for 
use  in  the  lecture  room,  (in  addition  to  BidwelPs  large  maps,)  with  very  little  labor,  and 
no  other  expense  than  a  few  sheets  of  cartridge  paper,  some  India  ink,  and  a  little  car- 
mine. And  besides  what  is  strictly  missionary,  the  work  contains  a  great  amount  of 
information  respecting  the  resources  of  Christendom  and  the  religious  movements  of 
the  age,  which  may  be  made  the  basis  of  effective  remark. 

"With  these  explanations  of  the  author's  views,  this  work,  which  has  cost  him  so 
great  an  amount  of  thought,  labor,  and  anxiety,  is  commended  to  the  kind  considera- 
tion of  the  Christian  public,  in  the  humble  yet  confident  hope  that  it  may  be  useful. 
Brooklyn,  Nov.  1,  1854. 


">:: 


CYCLOPEDI 


MiSSIOIfS 


ABBEOKUTA  :  The  capital  town  of  the 
Torubas,  in  West  Africa,  and  the  principal 
station  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in 
that  country.  It  is  situated  100  miles  inland 
North  of  Badagry  in  the  Bight  of  Benin,  and 
contains  30,000  inhabitants.  (See  Yoruba, 
and  Africa  West.) 

ABENAQUISt  A  tribe  of  Indians^  in 
Lower  Canada,  among  whom  the  American 
Board  support  a  native  missionary. 

ABYSSINIA :  A  rich,  mountainous  dis- 
trict of  Eastern  Africa,  known  to  the  ancients 
as  Ethiopia.  It  is  bounded  on  the  northwest  by 
Nubia,  on  the  northeast  by  the  Eed  Sea,  on  the 
south  by  the  country  of  the  Gallas,  and  on  the 
west  by  countries  almost  unknown.  Its  extent  is 
estimated  at  about  245,000  geographical  miles. 
The  country  rises  in  terraces  from  the  shores 
of  the  Red  Sea,  till  it  swells  into  lofty  pyra- 
mids and  abrupt  peaks,  whose  heads  are  crown- 
ed with  imperishable  snows.  Pasture  lands 
almost  entirely  destitute  of  trees,  though  well 
watered,  stretch  themselves  before  the  eye  in 
the  perspective,  through  a  great  part  of  the 
more  elevated  regions,  some  portions  of  which 
are  cultivated  with  care.  They  are  richly 
stocked  with  flocks  and  herds.  The  country  is 
plentifully  supplied  with  streams. 

For  about  1400  miles  from  its  mouth,  the 
Nile  receives  no  tributary.  Here,  in  latitude 
18°  N.  flows  in  the  Takkazie,  from  Abyssinia, 
around  whose  head-waters  is  the  modern  king- 
dom of  Tigre.  The  Blue  Nile  unites  with  this 
at  Khartum,  in  latitude  15^  37'  N.j  and 
around  its  sources  and  to  the  North,  is  Am- 
hara.  The  country,  encircled  by  its  spiral 
course,  is  Gojam.  In  latitude  9*^  35'  N.,  at  the 
verge  of  the  table  land,  which  terminates  the 
water-shed  from  the  East,  is  Ankobar  the  capi- 
tal of  the  kingdom  of  Shoa,  the  most  impor- 
tant and  best  known  of  the  kingdoms  into 
which  modern  Abyssinia  is  divided.  There  is 
every  variety  of  climate,  from  the  stifled  and  in- 
tense heat  of  the  narrow  valleys,  to  the  delicious 
and  exhilarating  atmosphere  of  the  elevated  ta- 
ble lands,  and  even  to  the  perpetual  frosts  of  the 
snow-capt  mountains.    The  year  divides  itself 


into  two  seasons — the  one  of  storms  and  inun- 
dations, and  the  other  of  drought  and  burning 
heat.  Every  tree  and  every  bush  in  Abyssinia 
not  only  retains  its  verdure,  but  bears  blossoms 
and  fruit  at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  This  re- 
gion is  rich  in  iron  and  gold,  the  latter  being" 
found  in  the  sands  on  the  shores  and  in  the 
bed  of  the  streams.  The  entrance  to  Abys- 
sinia for  Europeans  is  the  town  of  Massowah, 
built  on  an  island  in  the  Eed  Sea.  The  place 
of  greatest  note,  at  present,  is  Adowa,  which 
contains  about  6000  people.  Till  Abyssinia 
was  overrun  by  the  Gallas,  Amhara  was  the 
residence  of  the  sovereign,  who  now  makes 
Gondar  his  capital. 

InJiabitants. — The  population  is  estimated 
at  4,000,000  to  5,000,000.  The  color  of  the 
Abyssinians  varies  from  black  to  transpar- 
ent copper  color.  They  are  well  made  and 
active,  and  distinguished  from  the  negro  by 
the  regularity  of  their  features.  They  are 
not  deficient  in  the  capacities  of  the  un- 
derstanding or  the  affections  of  the  heart. 
In  the  southwestern  part  of  the  country  they 
are  better  informed  and  more  civilized  than  the 
people  of  Tigre,  who  are  rude  and  uncultivated, 
passionate  and  violent.  The  Abyssinians,  in 
their  high  mountain-home,  have  been  able  to 
maintain  their  liberty  and  independence,  never 
having  been  subdued  by  the  Turks ;  but  the 
Gallas  have  recently  made  inroads  upon  their 
territory.  The  country  is  covered  with  cities 
and  villages,  and  isolated  habitations  are  here 
and  there  seen  clinging  to  the  sides  of  the  moun- 
tains. The  houses  are  mostly  composed  of 
mud,  straw,  and  rushes.  Caves  are  also  some- 
times used  for  human  habitations.  The  dwell- 
ings of  the  superior  families  consist  of  a  num- 
ber of  rooms,  arranged  around  an  open  court. 
The  clothing  of  the  poorer  classes  is  very  sim- 
ple, consisting  of  skins  or  pieces  of  cotton. 
Their  food  is  principally  milk  and  bread,  but' 
ter,  honey,  beef,  mutton,  and  fowls. 

In  Abyssinia  the  women  are  charged  with  the 
most  oppressive  and  irksome  labors,  both  in  the 
house  and  in  the  field.  They  cultivate  the 
ground,  gather  the  harvest,  grind  the  corn,  afl 


8 


AUYSSmiA. 


procure  provisions  nnd  wafer  for  the  families, 
and  that  often  with  their  infanta  in  their  arms. 
Hut  the  iHliu'iition  of  the  children  is  better  at- 
tendeii  to  than  in  most  eastern  countries,  and 
they  are  distinguished  for  filial  affection  and 
obedience,  and  respect  for  the  aged.  The 
common  people  generally  marry,  the  sons  at 
18,  and  the  daughters  at  14.  When  arrived  at 
an  advancetl  age  most  of  them  become  monks 
or  nuns.  If  sick,  they  deliver  over  their  pro- 
perty to  their  children,  who  support  them  till 
their  death,  with  much  filial  piety.  About 
half  the  young  people  enter  into  service  at  15 
or  16,  mostly  for  tne  remainder  of  their  lives. 
The  servants  are  kindly  treated.  The  Chris- 
tians do  not  sell  their  slaves ;  but  sometimes 
give  them  away. 

Lanpiage. — The  ancient  language  of  Ethio- 
pia, called  the  Gheez,  was,  down  to  the  14th 
century,  spoken  throughout  Ethiopia ;  and  all 
the  ancient  records  are  in  this  language  ;  but 
it  has  generally  fallen  into  disuse,  and  the  pre- 
sent spoken  language  is  the  Amharic. 

Government. — The  old  Abyssinian,  or  Ethio- 
pic  empire,  is  now  broken  into  fragments,  each 
constituting  a  petty  kingdom,  the  governments 
of  which  are,  so  far  as  our  information  ex- 
tends, arbitrary  and  despotic. 

Religion. — The  fragments  of  the  old  empire 
still  profess  Christianity,  though  both  Moham- 
medans and  Pagans  have  broken  in  and  settled 
among  them.  Among  these,  the  Gallas  are 
the  most  remarkable.  About  the  year  1500 
they  poured  into  the  country  in  multitudes,  and 
seized  many  of  its  fairest  portions ;  and  they 
have  kept  up  a  perpetual  and  harassing  war- 
fare ;  but  many  of  their  tribes  have  been  made 
tributary  to  the  modern  kingdom  of  Shoa,  and 
not  a  few  of  them  have  been  reduced  to  slavery. 

The  best  writers  consider  the  conversion 
of  the  Abyssinians  to  Christianity  to  have 
taken  place  about  the  year  330,  when  Atha- 
nasius  was  Bishop  of  Alexandria.  Meropius, 
a  gentleman  of  Tyre,  a  Greek  and  a  Chris- 
tian, being  cast  away  on  the  rocks  of  Abys- 
sinia, was  slain  by  the  barbarous  natives. 
Two  young  men,  Frumentius  and  Edesius,  his 
companions,  on  whom  he  had  bestowed  a  libe- 
ral education,  being  carried  to  the  king,  he,  on 
account  of  their  diligence  and  industry,  gave 
them  their  liberty.  They  afterwards  rose  into 
favor  with  the  court,  and  were  appointed  to 
important  offices,  that  of  Frumentius  being  the 
charge  of  the  young  prince's  education.  And 
besides  instructing  him  in  the  learning  of  the 
times,  he  inspired  him  with  a  love  and  venera- 
tion for  the  Christian  religion.  After  the  king's 
death,  Frumentius,  thinking  it  his  duty  to  take 
advantage  of  the  position  in  which  Providence 
had  placed  him,  to  propagate  the  faith  among 
the  Abyssinians,  procured  ordination  as  Bishop 
of  Ethiopia,  from  Atbanasius,  Bishop  of  Alex- 
andria, and  returning,  baptized  a  great  number 
of  the  people,  ordained  a  regular  clergy,  and 
built  churches.     Ever  since  their  conversion, 


the  Abyssinians  have  received  their  Patriarchs 
from  Alexandria,  and  their  creed  has  always 
been  the  same  as  that  of  the  Copts.   (See  Copts.) 

The  first  discovery  of  the  existence  of  this 
church  appears  to  have  been  made  by  some 
adventurers  sent  out  by  John  II.,  king  of  Por- 
tugal. The  king  was  so  much  interested  in  the 
account  which  they  gave  of  these  Christians 
that  he  sent  out  Pedro  Cavilham,  to  ascertain* 
the  state  of  the  people,  who  entered  Abyssinia 
in  1490.  After  this,  several  embassies  passed 
between  the  two  courts,  and  at  length  a  sort  ot 
alliance  was  entered  into  between  the  two 
countries,  which  'excited  the  jealousy  of  their 
Mohammedan  neighbors,  and  brought  upon 
Abyssinia  a  ruinous  and  destructive  war.  Zag- 
ba  Zaba,  the  ambassador  sent  by  Abyssinia,  in 
1527,  having  published  his  creed,  was,  at  the 
instance  of  Bermudas,  thrown  into  prison  for 
heresy.  The  emperor  of  Abyssinia,  finding 
himself  engaged  in  a  war,  in  consequence  of 
his  alliance  with  Portugal,  sent  Bermudas,  a 
Portuguese  then  in  Abyssinia,  to  Rome  and 
Lisbon  for  succors.  But  before  Bermudas 
started  on  his  embassy,  the  Abuna  or  Patri- 
arch of  Abyssinia,  was  ordered  to  consecrate 
him  bishop,  and  nominate  him  his  successor. 
Bermudas  first  went  to  Rome,  and  was  con- 
secrated Patriarch  of  Ethiopia  by  the  Pope, 
and  recommended  to  the  king  of  Portugal  to 
solicit  succors  for  Ethiopia.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  emperor  died,  and  his  son  Claudius  gained 
some  advantages  over  the  Mohammedans  before 
any  Portuguese  arrived,  but  was  afterwards 
driven  to  the  mountains.  Bermudas,  on  his 
return,  succeeded  in  joining  the  young  emperor, 
with  a  few  Portuguese ;  and  in  an  encounter, 
the  Mohammedan  chief  lost  his  life,  and  Clau- 
dius was  put  in  quiet  possession  of  his  throne. 
The  Portuguese  now  demanded  that  the  em- 
peror should  embrace  the  Catholic  faith,  and 
give  up  one-third  of  his  kingdom  to  the  Por- 
tuguese. And  this  demand  was  accompanied 
with  a  threat  of  excommunication,  and  the 
loss  of  the  service  of  the  Portuguese.  The  em- 
peror replied  to  Bermudas,  declaring  that  he, 
as  Patriarch,  had  no  authority  in  the  empire, 
and  that  the  Pope  himself  w^as  a  heretic.  He 
also  ordered  Bermudas  to  be  seized  and  put 
in  prison,  and  sent  immediately  to  Alexandria 
for  an  Abuna  for  the  Abyssinian  church. 

Soon  after  this,  Ignatius  Loyola  sent  a  Pa- 
triarch, two  bishops,  and  ten  Jesuits  to  convert 
Abyssinia  to  Rome.  Claudius  was  by  no 
means  pleased  with  this  new  arrival.  Oviedo, 
the  bishop,  soon  after  his  arrival,  haughtily  de- 
manded his  submission  to  Rome,  which  demand 
was  promptly  resisted.  Yet,  Oviedo  persevered, 
growing  more  insolent  in  his  demands.  The 
matter  was  submitted  to  a  Council,  in  which 
the  emperor  entered  into  a  public  debate  with 
the  Jesuit,  and  afterwards  wrote  an  answer  to 
a  tract  published  by  the  bishop.  Being  foiled 
in  this  way,  Oviedo  resorted  to  the  terrors  of 
excommunication,  and  meanwhile  sent  a  re- 


ABYSSINIA. 


9 


quest  to  Goa  for  some  Poiiuguese  soldiers  to  aid 
in  tlie  conversion  of  the  Abyssinians.  But  this 
wise  king  was  soon  after  slain  in  battle,  in 
defending  his  dominions  from  the  invasion  of 
the  Mohammedan  king  of  Adel.  Oviedo  still 
plied  his  arts  with  the  successors  of  Claudius, 
but  with  no  better  success;  in  the  midst  of 
which,  he  was  recalled  by  the  Pope,  and  sent 
to  Japan ;  not,  however,  without  assuring  the 
Pope  that,  "  with  the  assistance  of  500  or  600 
good  Portuguese  soldiers,  he  could  at  any  time 
reduce  the  empire  of  Abyssinia  to  the  obedience 
of  the  Pontificate,"  and  intimating  that  it  was 
a  region  abounding  with  the  finest  gold. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  failure  of  these  at- 
tempts,Jhe  Jesuits  sent  another  mission  to 
Abyssinia  in  1588,  one  of  whom  was  Peter 
Pays,  who  arrived  in  Ethiopia  in  1603.  Find- 
ing Za  Dangel,  a  weak  prince,  on  the  throne, 
these  Jesuits  succeeded  in  ingratiating  them- 
selves into  his  favor,  inducing  him  not  only  to 
embrace  the  Komish  faith,  but  to  order  all  his 
subjects  to  follow  his  example.  In  this,  the 
emperor  was  strongly  opposed  by  the  Patriarch, 
his  son-in-law,  viceroy  of  the  Tigre,  and  a  ma- 
jority of  the  people.  Yet,  in  spite  of  all  en- 
treaty, and  after  being  warned  of  the  ruin  he 
was  bringing  upon  his  country,  he  persisted  in 
adhering  to  the  policy  set  on  foot  by  the  Jesu- 
its. The  result  was,  a  civil  war,  which  raged 
with  great  violence  for  a  number  of  years  ;  the 
emperor,  for  some  time  being  victorious,  and 
pursuing  the  Eomish  plan  of  burning  heretics, 
drenched  his  dominions  in  blood,  his  subjects 
rising  in  all  quarters,  and  in  one  instance, 
20,000  peasants  coming  against  him  from  the 
mountains.  At  length,  he  was  so  far  brought 
to  his  senses  as  to  proclaim  an  act  of  tolera- 
tion ;  and  on  his  death,  his  son  re-established 
the  religion  of  his  fathers,  and  drove  from  his 
dominions  those  execrable  Jesuits,  who  for  more 
than  25  years  had  been  sowing  discord,  and 
stirring  up  a  weak  prince  to  massacre  his  peo- 
ple, and  even  to  call  in  the  aid  of  Moham- 
medans to  butcher  his  own  Christian  subjects ! 

In  the  beginning  of  the  18  th  century,  a 
French  Jesuit,  Brevedent,  attempted  a  mission 
to  Abyssinia,  accompanied  by  a  physician 
named  Poncet;  but  the  former  died  on  the 
way.  The  latter  visited  Abyssinia,  and  after- 
wards published  a  book  containing  valuable 
information  respecting  the  state  of  the  country 
at  that  time.  In  1714,  Pope  Clement  XI. 
sent  out  four  German  monks  as  missionaries  to 
Abyssinia,  who  got  in  favor  with  the  emperor  ; 
but  as  soon  as  the  Abyssinian  monks  got  wind 
of  it,  they  raised  a  rebellion,  dethroned  the 
emperor,  and  placed  a  youthful  prince  on  the 
throne,  who  condemned  the  missionaries  to  be 
stoned.  A  reprieve  was  offered  them,  if  they 
would  abjure  the  faith  of  Rome.  They  recoiled 
with  horror  at  the  suggestion,  and  the  punish- 
ment was  commuted  to  exile.  But  the  monks 
urged  the  execution  of  the  original  sentence, 
and  the  emperor  yielded.    This  event,  though 


by  no  means  to  be  palliated,  shows  how  intense 
was  the  hatred  excited  by  the  intrigues  of  the 
Jesuits,  against  Rome ;  and  how  the  persecut- 
ing spirit,  which  they  introduced,  recoiled  upon 
their  own  heads. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  Abyssinians  have 
preserved  their  ancient  faith,  both  against  the 
sword  of  Mohammed  and  the  more  insidious 
and  dangerous  arts  of  the  Jesuits.  Yet,  whe- 
ther there  remains  any  vitality  or  spiritual  life 
among  them,  may  be  questioned.  The  Edin- 
burgh Encyclopedia  says  :  "  The  religion  of 
Abyssinia  consists  of  a  motley  collection  of 
traditions,  tenets,  and  ceremonies,  derived  from 
the  Jewish  and  Christian  churches.  In  their 
form  of  worship,  Judaism  seems  to  predominate. 
The  rites  of  Moses  are  strictly  observed.  Both 
sexes  are  circumcised ;  meats  prohibited  by  the 
Jews  are  abstained  from  ;  brothers  marry  the 
wives  of  their  deceased  brothers ;  women  ob- 
serve the  legal  purifications ;  Saturday  and 
Sunday  are  held  sacred  as  sabbaths  ;  and  per- 
sons under  Jewish  disqualifications  are  pro- 
hibited from  entering  the  church.  They  have 
festivals  and  saints  innumerable.  One  day  is 
consecrated  to  Balaam's  ass ;  another  to  Pon- 
tius Pilate  and  his  wife,  because  he  washed  his 
hands  before  pronouncing  sentence  on  Christ, 
and  because  she  warned  him  to  have  nothing 
to  do  with  that  just  person.  The  Epiphany  is 
celebrated  with  peculiar  festivity,  and  they  have 
four  seasons  of  lent,  in  which  many  abstain 
even  from  fish.  They  so  abound  in  legends  and 
miracles,  that  the  Jesuits  were  obliged  to  deny 
that  miracles  are  a  sufficient  proof  of  the  truth 
of  a  religion.  Images  they  abhor,  but  have 
their  churches  hung  round  with  pictures,  to 
which  they  pay  the  highest  veneration.  Their 
canon  of  Scripture  is  the  same  as  ours.  Upon 
the  whole,  it  may  be  said  that  the  religion  of 
the  Abyssinians  is  a  monstrous  heap  of  super- 
stitions, giving  rise  to  disputes  and  persecutions, 
without  producing  any  salutary  effect  upon  the 
sei?timents  and  conduct  of  its  professors." 

Bishop  Gobat,  however,  says  that,  "  Al- 
though the  Christian  religion  in  Abyssinia  has 
entirely  degenerated  into  superstition,  yet  there 
is  still  sufficient  of  it  to  attach  us  to  the  Chris- 
tians of  that  country,  and  to  engage  us  to  con- 
sider them  as  brethren."  He  thinks  their  rn 
ligion  exerts  some  good  effects  upon  them  ;  yet 
he  says,  "  They  have  no  idea  of  the  salutary 
doctrines  of  Christianity ;  such  as  justification 
by  faith ;  the  work  of  grace  ;  and  the  sanctify- 
ing influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;"  and  that 
"their  morals  are  exceedingly  corrupt.  But, 
in  the  midst  of  the  chaos  of  corruption,  there 
are  some  traces  of  goodness,  which,  like  pre- 
cious stones,  have  remained  dispersed  among 
the  moral  ruins  of  Abyssinia." 

Mohammedans. — The  Mohammedans  appear 
to  have  lately  multiplied  in  Abyssinia.  They 
live  on  friendly  terms  with  the  Christians'. 
They  are  engaged  principally  in  trade,  and 
have  the  exclusive  traffic  in  slaves,,  tlio  Chris- 


10 


ABYSSINIA. 


tiuns  never  engaging  in  it.  They  are  ignorant 
of  their  own  crwd,  and  pay  little  attention  to 
the  rites  of  Islamism  ;  and  in  morals,  they  are, 
in  every  respeet,  inferior  to  the  Christians. 

Falas/uKs  or  Jeics.—T\\c  Falashas  live  entirely 
separate  from  the  Christians,  and  are  much 
,M......  :.r,„>rant.     They  are  chiefly  found  in  the 

I  .d  of  Gondar  and  Shelga,  and  to 
1  Acst  of  the  LakeTsana.    They  have 

the  8ame  superstitions,  a  little  modified  after 
the  Jewish  fashion. 

The  Cumaountcs  are  a  people  few  in  number, 
inhabiting  the  mountains  about  Gondar,  prin- 
cipally engaged  in  agriculture.  Bishop  Gobat 
r(",-:ii(ls  tliem  as  Deists.  They,  however,  have 
priests,  and  assemble  in  private  houses,  where 
they  have  a  repast,  which  they  call  "  Corban," 
communion  or  Eucharist. 

The  Zalanttf  are  a  migratory  people,  who 
are  said  to  believe  in  the  existence  of  one  God, 
but  to  have  no  other  religion. 

MISSION. 

ChurdL  Missionary  Society.— ThQ  attention 
of  this  Society  has  been,  for  many  years,  di- 
rected to  this  interesting  country.  In  1815, 
the  Society's  missionaries  at  Malta  learned  that 
a  native  of  Abyssinia  had  been  engaged  for 
some  years  at  Cairo  in  translating  the  Scrip- 
tures into  Amharic,  the  principal  vernacular 
Abyssinian  language.  This  Amharic  version 
of  the  entire  Bible  was  purchased  for  the  Brit- 
ish and  Foreign  Bible  Society  in  1820,  by 
Rev.  W.  Jowett.  In  1826,  Rev.  Samuel  Go- 
bat  and  Rev.  Cliristian  Kugler,  were  sent  to 
Egypt,  with  the  view  of  entering  on  a  mission 
to  Abyssinia ;  and  after  various  hindrances, 
they  arrived  at  Massowah  on  the  28th  of  De- 
cember, 1829,  where  they  were  received  in  a 
friendly  manner.  They  carried  with  them  por- 
tions of  the  Amharic  Scriptures,  which  had 
been  printed  by  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  and  which  the  people  gladly  received. 
They  obtained  permission  to  fix  their  residence 
at  Adowah  ;  while  Mr.  Gobat  proceeded  fur- 
ther into  the  interior,  and  remained  some  time 
at  Gondar,  the  capital,  distributing  the  Scrip- 
tures and  conversing  with  the  people.  But 
war  breaking  out,  and  the  whole  country  be- 
ing thrown  into  disturbance,  he  was  detained 
at  that  place  till  October,  1830,  when  he  joined 
Mr.  Kugler  at  Adowah,  in  the  province  of  Ti- 
gre.  On  the  29th  of  December,  Mr.  Kugler  was 
called  to  his  rest ;  and  his  peaceful  death  made 
a  strong  impression  upon  the  natives,  who  said 
they  had  never  seen  a  man  die  in  such  full  confi- 
dence of  the  Saviour.  Soon  after  this,  the  chief 
Sebagdis,  who  had  shown  himself  very  friendly 
to  the  mission,  and  who  refused  to  go  out  to 
battle  on  the  Sabbath,  was  attacked  and  slain. 
After  his  death,  each  of  the  chiefs  contended 
for  the  mastery,  and  the  country  was  kept  in 
a  state  of  civil  war.  Mr.  Gobat  soon  after  left 
the  country,  and  arrived  at  Cairo.  In  1833 
he  visited  England,  where  he  published  his 


Journal,  containing  a  full  account  of  his  re- 
sidence in  Abyssinia;  and  several  other  mis- 
sionaries were  preparing  to  return  with  him 
to  that  country.  On  the  20th  of  December, 
1834,  Messrs.  Gobat  and  Isenberg  arrived  at 
Massowah,  in  Abyssinia,  where  they  were  re- 
ceived by  the  governor,  with  much  civility.  In 
1836,  Mr.  Gobat  was  visited  with  a  protracted 
illness,  which  obliged  him  to  withdraw  from 
his  labors.  Rev.  J.  H.  Knox  died  at  Cairo  on 
his  way  to  Abyssinia ;  and  the  mission  was  re- 
inforced by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  C.  H.  Blum- 
hardt.  Opposition  began  to  manifest  itself, 
on  the  part  of  the  ecclesiastics,  on  learning  that 
the  missionaries  rejected  some  of  the  rites  of 
their  church,  and  set  up  worship  of  their  own ; 
but  the  governor  reftised  to  listen  to  their  com- 
plaints. 

In  1837,  Rev.  L.  Krapf  joined  the  mission, 
at  Adowah ;  and  in  March  of  the  following 
year,  a  Frenchman  and  an  Italian  priest  ar- 
rived at  the  same  place,  their  object  being  to 
revive  the  Roman  Catholic  Mission  in  Abys- 
sinia. The  people  having  had  enough  of  Ro- 
manism, were  aroused  by  their  appearance; 
and  this  contributed  to  raise  the  clamor  against 
the  Protestant  mission,  so  that  the  governor 
could  no  longer  resist  it,  and  they  were  obliged 
to  leave  the  country  ;  which  they  did  with  sor- 
rowful hearts,  reaching  Cairo  on  the  24th  of 
June.  But  the  Papists  penetrated  to  Gondar, 
and  were  active  in  endeavoring  to  re-establish 
their  mission.  Messrs.  Isenberg  and  Krapf, 
having  received  an  invitation  from  the  king 
of  Shoa  to  visit  his  country,  determined  to  at- 
tempt an  entrance  into  Abyssinia  by  the  way 
of  Zeila,  south  of  the  straits  of  Babel  Mandel, 
Shoa  lies  to  the  southward  of  Amhara,  the 
province  where  the  mission  was  located.  They 
left  Suez  on  this  enterprize  January  27, 1839, 
and  after  encountering  many  difficulties,  reach- 
ed Shoa  on  the  31st  of  May,  and  met  with  a 
favorable  reception  from  the  king.  They  re- 
mained there,  continually  occupied  in  discus- 
sion and  preaching,  till  November  6th,  when 
Mr.  Isenberg  returned  to  England.  Mr.  Krapf 
continued  in  Shoa,  laboring  among  the  Abys- 
sinian Christians,  having  secured  the  confidence 
of  the  king  of  Shoa  to  a  very  remarkable  de- 
gree, so  that  the  king  assured  him  of  his  pro- 
tection as  long  as  he  should  live.  Mr.  Krapf 
had  made  an  expedition,  with  the  King  of 
Shoa,  among  the  Galla  tribes,  by  whom  the 
slave  trade  was  carried  on  to  a  considerable 
extent;  but  it  was  considered  a  favorable 
time  to  labor  for  its  abolition.  The  Commit- 
tee were  so  impressed  with  the  providential 
openings,  not  merely  as  regarded  Abyssinia  it- 
self, but  also  the  heathen  Galla  tribes,  that 
they  resolved  to  form  the  Abyssinian  into  a 
new  mission,  to  be  called  the  East  African 
Mission,  and  Messrs.  Mullheisen  and  Mijller 
were  sent  out  to  reinforce  it.  As  this  mission 
will,  hereafter,  extend  beyond  the  bounds  of 
Abyssinia,  it  will  be  treated  under  the  head  ot 


^'^  0?  THB*^^ 

[TJSIVBRSITT] 


AFRICA. 


11 


Afriza  East,  which  see. — GobaVs  Abyssinia; 
Edinburgh  Encyclopedia  ;  Reports  and  Period- 
icals of  tlte  Church  Missionary  Society  ;  African 
Repository  for  January,  1850. 

APAKEAITU  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  Eiraeo,  South  Sea. 

AFIUOA  :  The  continent  of  Africa  is  a 
vast  peninsula,  in  the  form  of  an  irregular 
triangle,  of  which  the  north  is  its  base. 
"  Africa,"  says  the  learned  Prof.  Guiyot,  "  is 
the  most  singular  in  its  form  of  all  the  conti- 
nents. Its  mass,  nearly  round,  or  ellipsoidal, 
is  concentrated  upon  itself.  It  projects  into 
the  ocean  no  important  peninsula,  nor  any- 
where lets  into  its  bosom  the  waters  of  the 
ocean.  It  seems  to  close  itself  against  every 
influence  from  without.  Thus  the  extension  of 
the  line  of  coasts  is  only  14,000  geographical 
miles,  for  a  surface  of  8,720,000  square  miles  ; 
so  that  Africa  has  only  one  mile  of  coast  ibr 
623  miles  of  surface." 

Africa  is  separated  from  Europe  on  the 
north  by  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  and  from 
Asia  on  the  east,  by  the  Isthmus  of  Suez,  the 
Red  Sea,  and  the  Indian  Ocean.  On  tlie  south 
is  the  Southern  Ocean,  and  on  the  west,  the 
Atlantic.  The  equinoctial  line  divides  it  into 
two  parts  of  nearly  equal  length.  It  extends 
from  Cape  Blanco,  opposite  Sicily,  in  lat. 
37*^  21'  N.,  to  the  extreme  point  of  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  (Cape  Needles,)  in  34°  52'  _S., 
being  nearly  72  degrees,  or  5,000  English 
miles  in  length.  Its  breadth  at  the  Equator 
is  computed  at  4,760  English  miles.  Its  super- 
ficial extent  has  never  been  accurately  deter- 
mined. It  is  estimated  in  the  Encyclopedia 
Britannica,  which  is  among  the  latest  authori- 
ties, at  8,550,000  geographical  square  miles, 
which  does  not  vary  materially  from  that  of 
Prof.  Guizot,  as  above.  It  is  larger  than 
either  Europe  or  Australia,  but  smaller  than 
Asia  and  America. 

Progress  of  Discovery. — The  ancients  have 
transmitted  to  us  very  little  knowledge  of  this 
great  continent  We  derive  the  first  infor- 
mation concerning  the  interior  of  Northern 
Africa  from  the  Arabs,  who,  by  means  of  the 
camel,  were  able  to  penetrate  across  the  great 
desert  to  the  very  centre  of  the  continent, 
along  the  two  coasts  as  far  as  the  Senegal  and 
the  Gambia  on  the  west,  and  to  Sofala  on  the 
east.  On  this  latter  coast,  they  not  only  ex- 
plored to  an  extent  far  beyond  any  supposed 
limits  of  ancient  discovery,  but_  planted  colo- 
nies at  Sofala,  Mombas,  Melinda,  and  at 
various  other  places.  But  the  Portuguese 
were  the  first  to  give  any  thing  like  an  accu- 
rate outline  of  the  two  coasts,  and  to  complete 
the  circumnavigation  of  Africa.  The  dis- 
covery of  America  and  the  West  Indies  gave 
rise  to  the  horrid  traffic  in  African  slaves  ; 
but  this  traffic  has  been  the  means  of  a  more 
extended  knowledge  of  the  coast  between  the 
Senegal  and  Cameroons,  and  of  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  people.    With  the  English 


and  French  settlements  in  Africa  began  a 
systematic  survey  of  the  coast,  and  portions  of 
the  interior. 

In  1788,  a  society  was  formed  in  London 
for  promoting  the  exploration  of  Inner  Africa. 
Under  its  auspices,  important  additions  were 
made  to  the  geography  of  Africa  by  Houghton, 
Mungo  Park,  Hornemann  and  Burckhardt. 
In  1831,  this  association  was  merged  in  the 
Royal  Geographical  Society. 

During  the  last  sixty  years,  more  has  been 
done  to  make  us  acquainted  with  the  geography 
of  Africa  than  during  the  whole  of  the  1700 
years  since  Ptolemy.  Mungo  Park  com- 
mences the  era  of  unceasing  endeavors  to 
explore  the  Interior.  He  proceeded  in  1795 
from  the  river  Gambia  on  the  west  coast  to 
the  Joliba,  or  Niger,  traced  this  river  as  far  as 
Silla,  explored  the  intervening  countries,  deter- 
mined the  southern  confines  of  the  Sahara, 
and  returned  in  1797.  In  1805,  he  embarked 
on  a  second  journey,  with  the  intention  of  fol- 
lowing this  river  to  its  mouth.  He  passed 
Timbuktu,  and  reached  Bonsee,  where  he  was 
killed  by  the  natives. 

Hornemann,  in  1799,  penetrated  from  Cairo 
to  Murzuk,  and  transmitted  from  that  place 
valuable  information  respecting  the  countries 
to  the  south,  especially  Bornu ;  but  no  intel- 
ligence was  received  from  him,  and  it  is  sup- 
posed that  he  soon  after  perished. 

In  1822,  Denham,  Clapperton,  and  Oudney 
crossed  the  Great  Desert,  and  reached  the 
great  Lake  Tsad,  Feb.  4,  1823.  The  sur- 
rounding country  was  explored  as  far  as  Sa- 
katu  in  the  west,  and  Mandara  in  the  south. 
Oudney  died  in  Bornu.  Clapperton  crossed 
the  Kawara,  from  the  coast  of  Guinea,  and 
arrived  at  Sakatu,  at  which  place  he  also  died. 
His  servant,  Richard  Lander,  returned  to  Eng- 
land after  having  explored  a  part  of  the  ad- 
joining regions.  Major  Laing  succeeded  in 
reaching  Timbuktu  from  Tripoli,  but  was 
murdered  on  his  return,  in  the  desert.  In 
1827  and  1828,  Caillie  set  out  from  the  Rio 
Nunez  on  the  western  coast,  reached  Timbuktu, 
and  returned  from  that  place  through  the 
Great  Desert  to  Marocco. 

The  termination  of  the  Joliba,  Kawara,  or 
Niger,  remained  in  obscurity  till  1830,  when 
it  was  ascertained  by  Lander  and  his  brother, 
who  succeeded  in  tracing  the  river  from  Yaouri 
down  to  its  mouth.  The  great  Niger  expe- 
dition, consisting  of  three  large  steam  vessels, 
was  despatched  by  the  British  Government  in 
1845,  under  Captain  Trotter  ;  but  it  proved  a 
failure,  and  resulted  in  a  melancholy  loss  of 
life.  Mr.  Duncan,  one  of  the  survivors  of  the 
expedition,  made  some  additions  to  our  geo- 
graphical knowledge,  between  the  Kawara  and 
the  coast,  by  his  journey  to  Adafoodiah,  in 
1845-6  ;  but,  in  a  second  journey,  in  attempt- 
ing to  reach  Timbuktu,  he  met  with  an  un- 
timely death 

A  much  greater  number  of  travelers  havo 


la 


Al'UlCA. 


exploretl  the  region  of  the  Nile,  among  the 
most  distinguished  of  whom  are,  Bruce,  Brown, 
Bunkhiirdt,  Cailliaud,  liuppell,  llusseger, 
Bcke,  and  the  Egyptian  expeditious  up  the 
Nile. 

Though  tlie  Dutch  settlement  in  South 
Africa  was  founded  as  earlv  as  1G50,  not  much 
information  concerning  the  interior  of  that 
portion  of  the  continent  was  gained  till  the 
end  of  the  18th  century,  when  a  series  of  jour- 
neys was  commenced  by  Sparrmann,  and  fol- 
lowed up  by  Yaillant,  Barrow,  Trotter,  Somcr- 
ville,  Lichtenstcin,  Bruchell,  Campbell,  Thom- 
son, Smith,  Alexander,  and  Harris. 

Within  the  last  five  or  six  years,  a  number 
of  important  discoveries  have  been  made  in 
various  parts  of  Inner  Africa,  and  the  present 
time  bids  fair  to  outstrip  all  previous  periods 
in  lifting  the  veil  that  has  hitherto  enveloped 
Central  Africa  in  impenetrable  mystery.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Krapf  and  llebmann,  missionaries  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  East  Africa, 
have  explored  the  interior,  from  that  direction, 
with  untiring  perseverance,  since  1847.  (See 
Africa,  Eastern.)  At  several  hundred  miles 
from  the  coast,  they  have  discovered  high 
mountains,  covered  with  perpetual  snow,  which 
is  the  more  interesting  from  the  position  being 
so  near  the  equator. 

In  South  Africa,  also,  missionaries  have 
been  pioneers  of  geographical  discovery.  (See 
Africa,  Soxdhern.) 

A  caravan,  of  native  traders  recently  made 
a  journey  across  the  whole  continent,  from  the 
coast  of  Zanzibar  to  Benguela,  in  which  they 
crossed  Nyassa,  the  great  lake  of  South  Africa. 

To  the  north  of  the  equator,  the  mission  to 
Lake  Tsad,  originated  by  Mr.  James  Richard- 
son, promises  to  exceed  in  importance  all  pre- 
vious expeditions  to  Central  Africa.  He  left 
England  in  1849,  for  the  purpose  of  concluding 
commercial  treaties  with  the  chiefs  of  Northern 
Africa,  as  far  as  Lake  Tsad,  by  which  legiti- 
mate trade  might  be  extended,  and  the  slave 
trade  abolished.  Drs.  Barth  and  Overweg  ac- 
companied Mr.  Richardson,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  scientific  observations.  The  party 
started  from  Tripoli,  March  23,  1850,  after 
having  minutely  surveyed  the  mountainous 
region  to  the  south  of  that  place.  The  first 
year,  they  successfully  crossed  the  whole  of 
Sahara,  in  a  very  circuitous  westerly  direction, 
and  thus  explored  a  great  portion  of  Northern 
Africa,  which  had  never  before  been  \nsited  by 
any  European.  Their  route  from  Ghat  to 
Kano,  leading  them  through  the  powerful 
kingdom  of  Air,  or  Asben,  was  highly  inter- 
esting. The  second  year,  they  explored  a 
large  portion  of  Sudan,  in  different  directions. 
Messrs.  Barth  and  Overweg  reached  Kuka,  the 
capital  of  Bornu,  but  Richardson  died  on  the 
way,  in  March,  1851.  Dr.  Barth  penetrated 
350  miles  to  the  south,  as  far  as  Yola,  the 
capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Adamana;  and 
Overweg  navigated    Lake  Tsad   in  a  boat, 


which  had  been  conveyed  in  pieces  across  the 
Sahara,  on  the  backs  of  camels.  In  September, 
1851,  they  set  out  together  on  a  journey  to 
Borgu,  a  mountainous  country  lying  to  tlie 
northeast  of  Lake  Tsad,  about  midway  be- 
tween it  and  Egypt.  Tliey  went  in  company 
with  a  sheikh  of  Bornu,  with  a  large  army ; 
but  the  party  were  attacked  and  put  to  flight, 
and  Barth  and  Overweg  saved  their  lives  by  a 
quick  retreat.  Returning  to  Kuka,  they  set 
out  to  the  southward,  accompanied  by  about 
10,000  horse  and  the  same  number  of  foot  sol- 
diers. They  ^plored  the  country  beyond 
Mandara,  the  farthest  point  of  Denliam's  jour- 
ney, and  found  it  to  be  one  of  great  fertility. 
The  third  year.  Dr.  Barth  made  a  journey  to 
Maseiia,  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of  Bagher- 
mi,  to  the  southeast  of  Lake  Tsad ;  while 
Overweg  traveled  in  a  southwesterly  direction, 
and  reached  within  150  miles  of  Yacoba,  the 
gr^at  town  of  the  Fellatalis.  But  on  his  re- 
turn to  Kuka,  he  was  seized  with  a  fever,  of 
which  he  died  after  a  short  illness.  Dr.  Barth 
was  about  to  start  for  Timbuktu  ;  and  a  rein- 
forcement, consisting  of  Dr.  Vogel  and  two 
sappers  and  miners,  was  sent  to  his  assistance 
on  the  20th  of  February,  1852.  The  latest  in- 
formation obtained  by  these  expeditions  is 
summed  up  in  a  valuable  article  in  the  new 
edition  of  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  now  in 
course  of  publication,  of  which  free  use  has 
been  made  in  the  preparation  of  this  article. 

Topography. — The  physical  configuration  of 
Africa  may  be  considered  under  two  heads  : 
the  great  Plain  of  Northern  Africa  ;  and  the 
great  Table  Lands,  with  their  mountain  ranges 
and  groups,  of  Central  and  Southern  Africa. 
The  great  Plain  comprises  the  Sahara,  the 
Lake  Tsad  region,  and  the  valley  of  the  Lower 
Nile.  The  Sahara  is  by  no  means  a  plain 
throughout,  but  for  the  greater  part  it  rises 
into  table-lands,  interspersed  with  mountain 
groups  of  6,000  feet  elevation,  and  probably 
more ;  and  the  term  plain  can  only  be  applied 
to  it  in  a  general  way,  to  distinguish  it  from 
the  more  elevated  region  to  the  south.  The 
Sahara  has  often  been  pictured  as  an  immense 
and  monotonous  expanse  of  sand.  But  no- 
thing could  be  more  erroneous,  as  the  greatest 
variety  exists  in  the  physical  configuration  of 
its  surface,  as  well  as  in  its  geological  features. 
The  western  half  is  surrounded  by  a  broad  belt 
of  plains  and  depressions,  the  central  parts 
being  formed  by  extensive  table-lands  and 
mountainous  regions,  comprising  the  kingdom 
of  Air  or  Asben,  lately  explored  by  Messrs. 
Richardson,  Barth,  and  Overweg.  The  route 
of  Dr.  Barth,  in  his  journey  to  Agadez,  the 
capital  of  that  kingdom,  was  girded  by  moun- 
tain ranges  and  groups,  rising  to  3,000  and 
4,000  feet ;  and  Mount  Dogem,  the  culminating 
point  in  that  region,  is  even  between  4,000 
and  5,000  feet  high.  The  eastern  portion  of 
Sahara  appears  for  the  greater  part  to  be  a 
considerably  elevated  table-land,  comprising 


AFRIUA. 


13 


the  mountainous  country  of  Borgu.  The  nar- 
row valley  of  the  Nile  forms  the  eastern  boun- 
dary of  the  Great  Desert. 

To  the  south  of  the  Desert,  Africa  may  be 
considered  as  one  connected  mass  of  elevated 
land,  rising  more  or  less  above  the  sea,  and 
comprising  the  most  extensive  table-lands,  as 
well  as  high  mountain  groups  and  chains. 
Commencing  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and 
traversing  the  three  terraces  which  rise  one 
above  another  from  the  coast,  an  almost  unin- 
terrupted table-land  has  recently  been  ascer- 
tained to  extend  to  the  north  for  at  least  1,000 
geographical  miles.  The  southern  portion  is 
formed  by  the  basin  of  the  Orange  river,  fol- 
lowed by  the  desert  of  Kalihari,  which  is 
again  succeeded  by  the  basin  of  the  river 
Sesheke  and  Lake  Ngami,  with  many  other 
rivers,  traversing  a  region  which  presents  a 
dead  level,  its  elevation  at  Lake  Ngami  being 
2,825  feet.  That  region  probably  is  in  con- 
nection with  the  basin  of  Zambezi.  Farther 
north  the  ground  ascends  to  the  line  of  water- 
parting  with  the  basins  of  Congo  river  and 
Lake  Nyassa.  In  this  region  are  supposed  to 
be  the  celebrated  Mountains  of  the  Moon,  run- 
ning, not  as  formerly  supposed,  east  and  west, 
but  having  a  direction  from  north  to  south, 
and  running  parallel  to  the  eastern  coast, 
forming  the  southern  continuation  of  the  Abys- 
sinian table-land.  It  is  a  remarkable  feature 
that  the  most  elevated  peaks  rise  on  the  outer 
edge  of  this  table-land,  and  even  between  it 
and  the  coast,  as  isolated  cones.  One  of  them, 
the  Abba  Yared,  rises  out  of  the  northern  edge 
of  the  Abyssinian  table-land  to  the  height  of 
15,000  feet.  The  system  of  the  Atlas  moun- 
tains is  quite  distinct  from  either  of  these  two 
divisions.  It  occupies  the  northwestern  region 
of  Africa,  consisting  of  several  ranges,  and  its 
highest  summits  are  said  to  reach  an  altitude 
of  15,000  feet 

Rivers. — Africa  is  emphatically  a  land  of 
deserts,  resulting,  of  course,  in  a  scarcity  of 
rivers.  Many  of  the  smaller  rivers  and  lakes, 
and  not  a  few  of  the  larger  ones,  present  only 
dry  water-courses  during  certain  periods  of 
the  year.  Even  Lake  Tsad  is  said  at  times  to 
be  nearly  dry.  With  the  rains,  floods  are 
prevalent  all  over  the  country,  even  in  the 
desert,  as  the  recent  observations  made  by  the 
expedition  under  Richardson  testify.  That 
traveler  relates  that,  when  on  the  borders  of 
the  kingdom  of  Air,  on  the  30th  of  Sep.  1850, 
rain  had  been  seen  in  the  south,  and  black 
clouds  covering  the  zone  in  the  heavens  ;  and 
Iq  an  hour  afterwards,  the  cry  was  heard  in 
the  encampment,  "  The  wady  is  coming  !" 
Going  out  to  look,  he  saw  a  white  sheet  of 
foam  advancing  from  the  south,  between  the 
trees  of  the  valley.  In  ten  minutes  after,  a 
river  of  water  came  pouring  along,  and  spread 
all  around  them,  converting  the  place  of  their 
encampment  into  an  isle  of  the  valley.  The 
current  in  its  deepest  part  was  powerful,  ca- 


pable of  carrying  away  sheep  and  cattle,  and 
uprooting  trees. 

Africa  is  chiefly  drained  into  the  Atlantic 
ocean  and  its  branch  the  Mediterranean  Sea, 
the  river  system  of  the  Indian  Ocean  being 
very  inconsiderable.  The  Nile  is  the  oldest  of 
historical  rivers,  and  afforded  the  only  means  of 
subsistence  to  the  earliest  civilized  people  on 
earth  ;  but  the  origin  or  source  of  the  river  it- 
self remains  an  enigma  to  this  day.  The  area 
drained  by  this  river  is  at  least  2,000,000 
English  square  miles. 

The  river  Senegal  has  a  length  of  1,100 
miles,  and  has  its  sources  in  the  same  elevated 
tract  of  land  as  those  of  the  Kawara.  The 
Gambia  and  Rio  Grande,  south  of  the  Sene- 
gal, are  also  considerable  rivers.  The  Ka- 
wara, or  Niger,  is,  next  to  the  Nile,  the  largest 
of  the  African  rivers.  Its  sources,  like  that  of 
the  Nile,  are  still  unknown.  It  appears  to  be 
the  Ahmar,  which  is  said  to  rise  in  a  high  group 
of  mountains  east  of  Sierra  Leone.  As  far 
as  Timbuktu  it  is  called  Joliba,  and  its  course 
is  pretty  well  known  ;  but  from  that  place  to 
the  Yaouri,  it  is  as  yet  unexplored.  Thence 
down  to  the  mouth,  it  was  first  traced  by  Lan- 
der. It  is  there  called  Kawara,  in  general, 
though  it  has  several  names  in  the  different 
languages  of  the  tribes  which  inhabit  its 
shores.  The  Tshadda  is  its  principal  tribu- 
tary, extending  far  into  the  heart  of  Inner 
Africa.  It  was  recently  explored  by  Dr.  Earth 
in  its  upper  course,  where  it  flows  through  the 
kingdom  of  Adamana.  The  length  of  the 
Kawara  is  about  3,000  miles,  and  it  drains 
about  1,500,000  square  miles. 

South  of  the  equator,  the  west  coast  receives 
many  large  rivers  which  are  yet  unexplored. 
Such  are  the  Zaire  or  Congo,  the  Goanza,  and 
the  Nourse,  or  Cunene.  The  Swakop  has  re- 
cently been  explored  by  Mr.  Galton.  The 
Orange  river  is  about  1,000  miles  in  length. 
Its  head  streams  are  the  Ki,  Garicp  or  Vaal, 
and  the  New  Gariep,  consisting  of  the  Cale- 
don  and  Cradock.  The  Orange  river  drains 
350,000  English  square  miles. 

Rounding  the  southern  extremity  of  Africa, 
and  proceeding  up  its  eastern  coast,  the  Lim- 
popo is  the  first  river  requiring  notice.  Its 
head  streams  and  middle  course  are  known,  but 
whether  it  empties  into  the  sea  at  Delagoa  Bay, 
or  at  Inhambane,  is  a  matter  of  doubt.  The 
Zambezi  is  the  largest  river  of  the  eastern 
coasts.  Its  sources  are  not  known  but  it  is 
probable  that  its  head-streams  are  the  Ses- 
heke and  Chobe,  recently  discovered  by  Messrs. 
Livingston  and  Oswell. 

Africa  possesses  several  considerable  lakes, 
of  which  lake  Tsad  is  probably  the  largest  and 
most  interesting.  It  contains  about  100 
islands  of  large  size,  scattered  over  the  lake. 
They  are  wooded  and  inhabited  by  the  Biddu- 
ma,  a  Pagan  tribe,  who  have  remained  inde- 
pendent of  the  Mohammedan  nations  living 
around  the  lake.    Dr.  Overweg  was  received 


14 


APRICA. 


by  them  with  great  kindness,  on  his  landing 
upon  tlicir  islands.  I^ake  Tsad  hius  no  connec- 
tion with  the  Kawara  or  the  Nile,  but  forms 
an  inland  rt^ceptacle  receiving  the  waters  of 
some  of  the  most  distant  regions  of  Inner 
Africa. 

Lake  Fittri  forms  a  distinct  hydrographical 
system  between  it  and  the  Nile,  with  which 
it  has  no  connection.  Lake  Tsana  or  Dem- 
bea  is  the  chief  lake  within  the  basin  of  the 
Nile,  80  far  as  known.  It  is  situated  on  the 
table-land  of  Abyssinia,  at  an  elevation  of 
6,110  feet.  Other  lakes  on  the  Abyssinian 
table-lands  are  Zuwai,  Haik,  and  Ashangi. 

In  Inner  Africa,  a  number  of  considerable 
lakes  are  reportetl  to  exist,  but  only  two  are 
known  with  any  degree  of  certainty,  south  of 
the  equator,  the  Nyassa  and  Ngami.  Nyassa, 
the  great  lake  or  sea  in  10^  south  latitude,  is 
as  yet  only  approximately  laid  down  on  the 
maps,  according  to  native  information,  and 
whether  it  be  the  feeder  of  a  large  river,  or 
merely  a  recipient  lake,  is  unknown.  Another 
lake  in  that  region  has  recently  been  reported 
by  the  natives  to  Dr.  Krapf,  as  being  situated 
west  of  Mombas,  beyond  Kilimanjaro,  and  in 
the  country  of  Uniamezi.  (For  a  description 
of  Ngami,  see  SoiUh  Africa.)  These  are  fresh 
water  lakes  ;  besides  which  there  are  numerous 
small  salt  and  natron  lakes  in  various  parts  of 
A  frica. 

Climate. — "  The  general  climate  of  Africa," 
says  Malte  Brun,  "  is  that  of  the  torrid  zone  ; 
more  than  three-fourths  of  the  continent  being 
situated  between  the  tropics.  The  great  mass 
of  heated  air,  incumbent  in  these  hot  regions, 
has  ready  access  to  its  northern  and  southern 
parts,  situated  in  the  zones  called  temperate,  so 
that  the  portions  of  them  adjoining  the  tropics 
are  equally  torrid  with  the  regions  actually 
inter-tropical.  Nothing  really  moderates  the 
heat  and  dryness  of  the  African  climate,  except 
the  annual  rains,  the  sea  breezes,  and  the  eleva- 
tion of  the  surface.  These  three  circumstances 
are  sometimes  united  in  a  greater  degree  under 
the  equator  than  in  the  temperate  zones.  It  is 
not  impossible  that  in  the  centre  of  Africa, 
there  may  be  lofty  table  lands,  like  those  of 
Quito,  or  valleys  like  the  valley  of  Cashmere, 
where,  as  in  those  two  happy  regions,  spring 
holds  an  eternal  reign."  Recent  discoveries  in 
the  interior  of  Africa  favor  this  hypothesis. 
Rev.  Dr.  Krapf,  in  his  recent  missionary  tours 
in  north-eastern  Africa,  has  discovered  ranges 
of  mountains  covered  with  perpetual  snow. 

The  greatest  heat  is  not  found  under  the 
equator,  but  to  the  north  of  it,  in  consequence 
of  the  northern  portion  being  of  greater  ex- 
tent than  the  southern,  and  of  less  elevation. 
The  highest  temperature  is  found  throughout 
the  Sahara,  particularly  in  its  eastern  portions, 
toward  the  Red  Sea.  In  upper  Egypt  and  Nu- 
bia, eggs  may  be  baked  in  the  hot  sands,  and 
the  saying  of  the  Arabs  is,  "  In  Nubia  the  soil 
is  like  fire,  and  the  wind  like  a  flame."    The 


regions  along  the  Atlantic  and  Mediterranean 
coasts  are  rendered  more  temperate  by  the  in- 
fluence  of  the  sea.  To  the  south  of  the  Great 
Desert,  where  the  country  becomes  more  ele- 
vated, the  temperature  decreases.  The  inten- 
sity of  radiation,  and  its  influence  upon  the 
temperature,  are  very  great  in  Northern  Africa. 
While  in  the  day  time,  the  soil  of  the  Sahara 
rapidly  absorbs  the  solar  rays,  during  the  night 
it  cools  also  so  rapidly  that  often  ice  is  formed. 
Africa  is  not  much  under  the  influence  of  regu- 
lar winds,  except  the  monsoons  of  the  Indian 
ocean.  From  hurricanes,  Africa  is  nearly  ex- 
empt, except  its  southern  extremity,  to  which 
at  times  the  Mauritius  hm*ricanes  extend. 
Northern  Africa  is  exposed  to  the  hot  winds 
and  storms  from  the  Sahara,  which  are  called 
in  Egypt  Khamsin ;  in  the  Mediterranean, 
Sirocco  ;  and  in  the  western  regions,  Har mat- 
tan.  Extreme  heat  and  dryness  are  the  char- 
acteristics of  these  winds,  which,  raising  the 
sand,  filling  the  air  with  dust,  and  prodigiously 
favoring  the  powers  of  evaporation,  are  often 
fatal  to  the  vegetable  and  animal  creation  in 
the  regions  visited  by  them. 

The  People. — From  the  shores  of  the  Medi- 
terranean to  about  latitude  20^  north,  the  pop- 
ulation of  Africa  consists  largely  of  tribes 
not  originally  native  to  the  soil,  but  Arabs 
and  Turks,  planted  by  conquest,  with  a  consi- 
derable number  of  Jews,  the  children  of  the 
dispersion ;  and  the  recently  introduced  French. 
The  Berbers  of  the  Atlas  region,  the  Tuaricks 
and  Tibbus  of  the  Sahara,  and  the  Copts  of 
Egypt  may  be  viewed  as  descendants  of  the 
primitive  stock,  while  those  to  whom  the 
general  name  of  3Ioors  is  applied  are  perhaps 
of  mixed  descent,  native  and  foreign.  From 
the  latitude  stated,  to  Cape  Colony,  tribes 
commonly  classed  together  under  the  title  of 
the  Ethiopic  or  negro  family  are  found,  though 
many  depart  very  widely  from  the  physiogno- 
my of  the  negro,  which  is  most  apparent  in 
the  natives  of  the  gold  coast.  In  the  Cape 
Colony,  and  on  its  borders,  the  Hottentots 
form  a  distinct  variety,  closely  resembling  the 
Mongolian  races  of  Asia.     (See  Hottentots.) 

The  Copts,  (pron.  Ckoobt  or  Ckibt,)  are  re- 
garded as  the  descendants  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians.  They  do  not  now  compose  more 
than  one-sixth  of  the  population  of  Egypt,  not 
exceeding  in  number  150,000,  of  which  10,000 
reside  at  Cau-o.  In  some  parts  of  Upper 
Egypt  there  are  villages  exclusively  inhabited 
by  Copts.  Their  complexion  is  somewhat  dark- 
er than  that  of  the  Arabs,  their  foreheads  flat, 
hair  soft  and  woolly,  nose  short  but  not  flat, 
mouth  wide,  lips  thick,  eyes  large,  high  cheek 
bones.  They  are  not  an  unmixed  race,  their 
ancestors,  in  the  earlier  ages  of  Christianity, 
having  intermarried  with  the  Greeks,  Nubians, 
and  Abyssinians.     (See  Copts.) 

The  countries  above  Egypt  are  inhabited  by 
two  tribes  of  people  resembling  each  other  in 
their  physical  characters,  but  of  distinct  Ian 


AFRICA. 


u 


guage  and  origin ;  the  Eastern  Nubians,  and 
Nubians  of  tiie  Nile,  the  latter  called  Berber- 
ines. 

The  country  of  the  Nubians  is  limited  on  the 
west  by  that  of  the  Tibbus,  who  are  spread 
over  the  eastern  portions  of  the  Sahara,  as  far 
as  Ferran  and  Lake  Tsad.  Their  color  is  not 
uniform,  some  being  quite  black,  and  others 
copper-colored.  They  are  a  pastoral  people, 
and  live  in  square  villages,  a  portion  of  which 
is  devoted  to  their  flocks. 

"  All  that  is  not  Arabic  in  the  kingdom  of 
Marocco,"  says  Dr.  Latham,  "  in  the  French 
provinces  of  Algeria,  in  Tunis,  Tripoli,  and 
Ferran,  is  Berber.  The  language  also  of  the 
ancient  Cyrenaica,  indeed  the  whole  country 
bordering  on  the  Mediterranean,  between  Tri- 
poli and  Egypt,  is  Berber.  The  extinct  lan- 
guage of  the  Canary  Isles  was  Berber  ;  and, 
finally,  the  language  of  Sahara  is  Berber.  The 
Berber  languages  are  essentially  inland  lan- 
guages. As  a  general  rule,  the  Arabic  is  the 
language  for  the  whole  of  the  sea  coast,  from  the 
Delta  of  the  Nile  to  the  straits  of  Gibraltar, 
and  from  the  straits  of  Gibraltar  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Senegal.  The  Berber  nation  is  one  of 
great  antiquity,  and  from  the  times  of  the  ear- 
liest history,  has  been  spread  over  the  same  ex- 
tent of  country  as  at  present. 

The  Moors  inhabit  large  portions  of  the  em- 
pire of  Marocco,  and  are  spread  all  along  the 
Mediterranean  coast.  They  are  a  mixed  race, 
grafted  upon  the  ancient  Mauritanian  stock, 
whence  their  name.  After  the  conquest  of 
Africa  by  the  Arabs,  they  became  mixed  with 
their  conquerors.  Having  conquered  Spain,  in 
their  turn,  they  intermarried  with  the  natives 
of  that  country,  from  which  they  were  after- 
wards driven  back  to  Mauritania.  They  are  a 
handsome  people,  having  a  resemblance  to  the 
European.  They  are  also  intellectual  and  not 
altogether  unlettered ;  but  they  are  cruel, 
bloodthirsty,  and  revengeful.  Their  religion  is 
Mohammedan.  They  generally  lead  a  settled 
life  as  merchants,  mechanics,  or  agriculturists, 
but  there  are  many  wandering  tribes ;  and 
along  the  coast  of  Marocco,  they  carry  on 
piracy  with  armed  boats. 

At  two  different  periods,  separated  from  each 
other  by  perhaps  a  thousand  years,  Africa  was 
invaded  by  Arabic  tribes,  which  took  a  lasting 
possession  of  the  districts  they  conquered,  and 
whose  descendants  form  no  inconsiderable  por- 
tion of  the  population  of  North  and  Central 
Africa,  while  their  language  has  superseded  all 
others  as  that  of  civilization  and  religion.  The 
second  of  these  was  effected  by  the  first  succes- 
sors of  Mohammed,  who  conquered  Egypt,  and 
subsequently  the  whole  north  of  Africa,  as  far 
as  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic,  in  the  course  of 
the  first  century  of  the  Hegeira,  or  the  seventh 
of  the  Christian  era. 

After  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the 
Jews  spread  rapidly  over  all  the  Roman  pos- 
sessions in  Africa ;  and  when  Philip  II.  drove 


them  from  Spain,  thousands  of  families  took 
refuge  on  the  opposite  shores  of  Africa.  They 
are  now  numerous  in  all  the  northern  towns. 
They  live  in  great  degradation,  except  in  Al- 
giers, where  the  French  have  given  them  free- 
dom and  independence. 

Ever  since  the  conquest  of  Egypt  by  Sultan 
Selim,  Turks  have  settled  in  the  north  of 
Africa,  and  as  they  were  the  rulers  of  the 
country,  the  Turkish  became  the  language  of 
the  government ;  but  they  can  hardly  be  con- 
sidered as  permanent  settlers. 

For  a  description  of  the  Abyssinians,  see 
Abyssinia.  The  Ethiopian  race  comprehends 
by  far  the  greater  number  of  African  nations, 
extending  over  the  whole  of  the  middle  and 
South  of  Africa,  except  its  southernmost  pro- 
jection towards  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  A 
line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  the  Senegal  in 
the  west  to  Cape  Jerdaffur  in  the  east,  forms 
its  northern  limits  ;  but  this  race  are  not  all 
negroes.  The  latter  are  only  one  of  its  numer- 
ous offshoots.  The  principal  negro  nations  are 
the  Mandingoe.%  who  are  numerous  and  power- 
ful, and  partially  civilized,  in  Senegambia,  and 
farther  inland,  around  the  head  waters  of  the 
Kawara,  where  they  have  established  a  great 
many  kingdoms  and  smaller  sovereignties. 
They  are  black,  with  a  mixture  of  yellow,  and 
their  hair  is  completely  woolly.  The  iVolofs  or 
Yolofs,  whose  language  is  totally  different  from 
those  of  their  neighbors,  are  the  handsomest 
and  blackest  of  all  negroes,  although  they  live 
at  a  greater  distance  from  the  equator  than 
most  of  the  other  black  tribes,  their  principal 
dwelling-places  being  between  the  Senegal  and 
the  Gambia,  along  the  coast  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  Foulahs  or  Fellatahs  occupy  the  central 
parts  of  Sudan.  Their  color  is  black,  with  a 
striking  copper  hue.  They  are  one  of  th.Q 
most  remarkable  nations  in  Africa,  very  in- 
dustrious, live  in  commodious  and  clean  habita- 
tions, and  are  mostly  Mohammedans.  Of  the 
principal  nations  of  Guinea,  among  whom  the 
negro  type  is  particularly  distinct,  especially 
around  the  Bight  of  Benin,  are  the  Feloofs, 
near  Caramanca,  very  black  yet  handsome, 
and  the  Ashanti,  who  surpass  all  their  neigh- 
bors in  civilization.  In  South  Guinea  we 
meet  with  three  principal  nations,  the  Con- 
go, the  Abunda,  and  the  Benguela  negro&s. 
The  next  great  branch  of  the  Ethiopic  race 
comprehends  the  Galla,  who  occupy  an  im- 
mense tract  in  Eastern  Africa,  from  Abyssinia 
as  far  as  the  inland  Portuguese  possessions  in 
Mozambique,  to  the  south  of  the  equator.  An 
interesting  tribe  of  them,  the  Somali,  have 
lately  been  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  Eu- 
ropeans, a  widely  scattered  nation,  who  lead  a 
pastoral  life  on  the  uplands,  and  also  nearer  to. 
the  coast  of  the  Indian  Ocean  from  Cape  Jer- 
daffur southward  to  a  considerable  distance. 
They  seem  to  be  of  a  mild  and  peaceful  dis- 
position, while  the  other  Galla  tribes  are  a 
warlike  race.    The  Kafifres,  Hottentots,  and. 


16 


AFRICA- 


Bashmcn,  occupy  the  irrcatcr  portion  of  South- 
ern A  fricii.  (iii'ii  Kaffrcs  ixnd  Hottentots.)  The 
island  of  Madaf^iLscur  is  inhabitcd.by  a  race  of 
Malay  ori^^in,  exhibiting  traces  of  Negro  and 
Arabic  mixture. 

The  toUil  population  of  Africa  is  vaguely 
eetimated,  according  to  the  most  recent  re- 
searches, at  100,000,000. 

Lanirmges. — The  Arabic  is  the  language  of 
the  North,  and  the  Mandingo  is  used  from 
the  Senegal  to  the  Niger.  But  the  languages 
or  dialects  of  the  negroes  are  as  multifarious 
as  the  nations.  According  to  Seetzcn,  the 
languages  of  Africa  must  amount  to  100  or 
1.50  ;  but  some  trace  them  to  a  common  origin. 
Rev.  John  Leighton  Wilson,  late  missionary 
of  the  American  Board  at  the  Gaboon,  in  an 
article  in  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra  for  November, 
1847,  says :  "  Too  little  is  yet  known  of  the 
numerous  and  diversified  dialects  of  Africa,  to 
determine  with  certainty  the  precise  number  of 
families  which  they  form. 

"  In  the  northern  half  of  the  continent,  or 
that  portion  of  it  inhabited  by  the  black 
races,  the  number  of  languages  is  very  great, 
the  different  families  of  which  show  very  little, 
if  any,  affinity  for  each  other ;  while  in  the 
southern  division,  one  great  family  prevails 
over  nearly  the  whole  of  it,  even  to  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope." 

Government. — ^Most  forms  of  government 
may  be  found  in  Africa.  Despotism,  however, 
in  its  worst  and  most  offensive  shape,  is  by  far 
the  most  prevalent ;  and,  with  few  exceptions, 
slavery  and  anarchy  reign  triumphant  through- 
out Africa. 

Industry,  in  Africa,  is  at  the  lowest  ebb. 
The  Africans  have,  of  themselves,  generally 
made  little  progrc^  in  the  arts.  All  the  more 
laborious  occupations  are  imposed  on  the  fe- 
males. In  some  parts,  the  wives  of  kings  and 
petty  princes  till  the  land  for  the  support  of 
their  lords.  The  Mandingoes,  however,  have 
made  considerable  advances  in  civilization,  and 
the  Ovas  of  Madagascar  are  an  industrious 
people. 

Commerce. — An  extensive  intercourse  has 
been  carried  on,  from  the  remotest  antiquity, 
between  very  distant  parts  of  the  continent,  in 
consequence  of  the  natural  adaptation  of  the 
products  of  one  part  to  supply  the  wants  of 
another.  Thus  Northern  Africa  supplies  Cen- 
tral Africa  with  dates  and  salt,  and  receives,  in 
return,  gold  dust,  ivory,  gums,  palm-oil,  feath- 
ers and  slaves.  Egypt  and  the  towns  in  the 
Barbary  States  have  always  been  the  great 
seats  of  trade,  which  is  carried  on  wholly  by 
'Caravans,  numbering  from  500  to  2000  camels. 

Slave  Trade. — Slaves  have  been  the  staple 
article  of  export  from  the  African  coast ;  and 
•in  some  years  as  many  as  110,000  or  120,000 
have  been  carried  across  the  Atlantic.  In  or- 
der to  supply  slaves  for  the  market,  a  wholo 
'Sale  system  of  brigandage  and  robbery  has 
ft)ecn  organized  in  many  extensive  districts,  the 


people  being  hunted  down  like  game  by  the 
petty  princes,  and  by  the  Mohammedans,  who 
affect  to  believe  that  they  are  entitled  to  cap- 
ture and  sell  the  "  idolators,"  to  serve  as  beasts 
of  burden  in  another  hemisphere. 

The  sufferings  and  misery  which  result  from 
this  traffic,  the  merciless  waste  of  human  life, 
and  the  "  horrors  of  the  middle  passage,"  no 
tongue  can  tell,  no  imagination  can  paint ;  yet 
these  are  but  the  lesser  evils  of  this  horrid 
trade.  Its  deepest  wound  has  been  inflicted 
upon  the  moral  and  social  condition  of  the 
country.  It  has  undermined  all  the  deep  foun- 
dations of  society,  dissolved  the  bonds  of  friend- 
ly alliance  between  adjoining  villages,  destroy- 
ed the  peace  of  families,  and  extinguished  the 
last  remaining  spark  of  parental  affection. 
Even  the  mother  will  sell  her  own  child  for  a 
few  strings  of  beads  or  a  gallon  of  rum.  It  is 
gratifying,  however,  to  know  that  the  efforts 
of  the  British  government,  together  with  the 
influence  of  the  American  colony  at  Liberia, 
have  nearly  extinguished  the  inhuman  traffic 
irpon  a  large  extent  of  the  western  and  south- 
eastern coasts,  where  it  has  heretofore  been  car- 
ried on  to  the  greatest  extent. 

The  traffic  has  also  received  a  considerable 
check  on  the  eastern  coast,  in  consequence  of  a 
treaty  for  its  suppression  between  the  British 
Government  and  the  Imaum  of  Muscat. 

Religion. — Christianity  is  professed  in  Abys- 
sinia, and  in  Egypt  by  the  Copts,  but  its  doc- 
trines and  precepts  are  little  understood  or 
obeyed.  Mohammedanism  prevails  in  all  the 
northern  countries  ;  but  the  native  mind  gen- 
erally is  surrendered  to  superstitions  of  indefi- 
nite number  and  character.  The  labors  of 
Christian  missionaries  have,  however,  especially 
in  South  Africa,  done  much  towards  turnijig 
the  benighted  Africans  from  idols  to  the  living 
God.     (See  Western  and  Southern  Africa.) 

The  social  condition  of  Africa  is,  of  course, 
extremely  depressed.  The  lowest  form  of  polyg- 
amy is  diffused  all  over  Africa ;  and  although 
forbidden  in  Abyssinia,  the  marriage  tie  is  there 
so  slight  as  hardly  to  have  any  sensible  influ- 
ence ;  and  morals  are  in  a  state  of  almost  total 
dissolution.  Cannibalism  formerly  prevailed 
to  a  frightful  extent  throughout  Africa ;  and 
though  checked  by  the  motive  of  providing 
slaves  for  market,  is  still  found  to  exist  in  some 
parts.  Among  some  considerable  nations,  the 
exposure  of  children,  and  the  slaughter  of 
those  that  are  deformed  or  maimed,  is  not  only 
tolerated  but  enforced.  In  some  parts  human 
blood  is  mixed  with  the  mortar  used  in  the 
construction  of  temples.  McCvllocJCs  Geogra- 
phy; Malte  Brun;  McQueen's  Geographical 
Survey;  Cmdor's  Dictimmry  of  Geography ; 
and  especially  the  Encyclopedia  Britannica. 

MISSIONS. 

Africa,  notwithstanding  its  terrible  climate, 
bad  government  and  petty  wars,  forms  one  of 
the  most  interesting  missionary  fields  in  the 


AFRICA,  EASTERN. 


17 


world.  Its  native  inhabitants,  though  deeply 
degraded,  are  found  peculiarly  susceptible  to 
religious  influences.  And  wherever  the  gospel 
has  been  preached  long  enough  to  penetrate 
through  their  ignorance  and  superstition,  it 
has  generally  found  a  congenial  soil.  No  mis- 
sions in  the  world  have  been  more  successful, 
in  proportion  to  the  means  employed,  than 
those  of  the  Moravians  and  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  South  Africa,  and  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  West  Africa. 


The  way  is  opening  up  for  the  extension  of 
Christian  missions  into  the  interior  ;  and  so 
much  preparatory  work  has  already  been  ac- 
complished, in  reducing  the  languages  to  writ- 
ing and  translating  the  Scriptures,  that  we 
may  look  for  rapid  changes,  and  confidently 
hope  that  the  day  is  not  distant  when  a  large 
portion  of  the  continent  will  be  Christianized. 
The  results  of  the  missionary  work  in  Africa 
will  be  seen  by  the  following 


TABULAE  YIEW. 


Western  Africa. 

Ohorch  Missionary  Society 

Wesleyan  do 

English  Baptist    do 

German  Miss.  Societies 

United  Synod  of  Scotland 

American  Baptist  Union 

American  Board 

American  Prot.  Episcopal 

American  Methodist  Epis 

Amer.  Miss.  Association.' 

Amer.  Presb.  Board 

Southern  Bap .  Convention 

Total  West  Africa 

Southern  Afrki-v. 

United  Brethren. 

Ix)ndon  Missionary  Society 

Wesleyan  do 

Free  Church  of  Scotland,  and  \ 

United  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church  J 

French  Protestant  Mssions 

American  Board 

Rhenish  Missionary  Society 

Norwegian  do 

Berlin  do 

Total  South  Africa 

Afkican  Islands. — London  Miss.  Soc. 
East  Africa. — Church  Miss.  Soc 

Total  Africa 


§ 

1 

S 

a  a 
II 

1 

1^ 

II 

1 

2 

1 

05 

1 

6 

•a 

3 

en 

1 

Scholars  or 
Persons  un 
der  Instruc 
tion. 

R 

22 

116 

24 

79 

23 

1 

11 

22 

2,976 

69 

5822 

.S 

12 

27 

22 

5 

6,608 

48 

3919 

1 

3 

15 

2 

118 

7 

450 

3 

4 

10 

1 

58 

3 

16 

10 

fi 

4 

1 

1 

6 

2 

2 

4 

1 

16 

1 

46 

3 

11 

7 

4 

4 

1 

2 

1 

22 

5 

70 

11 

26 

22 

4 

11 

11 

101 

11 

213 

11 

10 

1100 

200 

3 

14 

12 

2 

3 

1 

6 

2 

32 

2 

100 

3 

5 

15 

15 

6 

6 

5 

114 

7 

179 

1 

15 

13 

13 

11 

600 

11 

400 

20 

93 

279 

127 

100 

53 

3 

29 

56 

11,687 

162 

11,457 

.S 

8 

29 

8 

1882 

6935 

fi 

28 

32 

25 

4301 

60 

3883 

5 

44 

46 

4206 

7877 

2 

10 

20 

20 

8 

109 

4 

12 

15 

14 

14 

1283 

12 

310 

1 

12 

38 

29 

9 

13 

15 

8 

166 

11 

155 

1 

15 

26 

1604 

760 

1 

2 

4 

1 

8 

13 

833 

170 

24 

139 

223 

63 

9 

35 

|15 

41 

14,384 

83 

20,090 

1 

2 

3 

1170 

2 

2 

8 

5 

3 

47 

236 

513 

195 

112 

88 

44 

97 

27,241 

245 

31,547 

Owing  to  the  manner  in  which  some  of  the 
societies  make  their  returns,  it  was  not  possi- 
ble to  make  the  foregoing  table  perfect  in  all 
its  parts,  as  several  items  are  not  reported  at 
all,  by  many  of  them.  But  few  of  the  socie- 
ties give  any  account  of  the  female  members 
of  the  missions  ;  and  but  few  give  any  distinct 
intimation  whether  their  laborers  are  clergy- 
men or  not.  But  on  several  points  of  chief 
importance  they  are  complete,  viz.  :  the  whole 
number  of  laborers,  communicants,  and  schol- 
ars in  school.  These  items  will  indicate 
very  clearly  the  state  of  the  work.  Deducting 
the  females  and  native  helpers,  it  appears 
that  there  are  less  than  four  hundred  Euro- 
pean and  American  missionary  laborers,  on 
the  whole  continent  of  Africa  ;  which  will  give 
270,000  to  each  laborer.  This  presents  an  ap- 
palling aspect  of  the  destitution  of  that  dark, 
benighted  land.  On  the  other  hand  we  have 
a  mosi  encouraging  and  cheering  view  of  the 
2 


success  of  missionary  labor  in  this  portion  of 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  which  fally  sustains 
what  we  have  said  of  the  susceptibility  of 
the  African  character  to  religious  impression  ; 
for  we  have  but  little  less  than  eighty  converts 
to  each  missionary  laborer  on  the  continent 
and  islands  of  Africa.  The  missions  are  gen- 
erally represented  as  in  a  prosperous  condition, 
except  that  in  some  portions  of  South  Africa, 
they  have  suffered  from  the  Kafire  war,  and  in 
Madagascar,  the  converts  still  suffer  persecu- 
tion. These  statistics  can  be  corrected  at  any 
future  time  on  referring  to  the  January  and 
February  numbers  of  the  London  Missionary 
Eegister  for  the  current  year. 

AFRICA,  Eastern.  East  Africa,  according 
to  McCulloch,  comprises  the  region  to  the  north 
of  the  Zambezi  river,  round  by  the  sea  coast, 
to  the  confines  of  Abyssinia.  The  Encyclo- 
pedia Britannica  makes  it  extend  from  Natal 
to  the  Red  Sea,  (which  would  take  in  a  per- 


18 


A1«RICA,  EASTERN. 


tioii  of  the  limits  we  have  allotted  to  Southern 
Africa.)  comprisiiif?  Sofala,  Moztimbiqiie,  Zan- 
zibar, and  the  Somali  country.  But  little  is 
known  of  that  region  beyond  the  coast.  The 
Sofala  country,  extending:  from  Dela<,^oa  Bay 
to  the  Zambezi  river,  is  Hat,  sandy,  and  marshy, 
gradually  ascending  towards  the  interior.  The 
soil  is  very  fertile  and  produces  chiefly  rice. 
In  the  interior  gold  and  other  metals  and  pre- 
cious stones  are  found. 

Mozambi([uc  extends  from  the  Zambezi  to 
Cape  Delgoda,  and  is  similar  in  its  natural  fea- 
tures to  the  Sofala  coast.  The  country  is  in- 
habited by  the  large  and  powerful  tribe  of  the 
Macuas.    The  principal  river  is  the  Zambezi. 

Zanzibar  or  Sawahili  coast  extends  from 
Cape  Delgoda  to  the  river  Jub,  near  the  equa- 
tor. The  coast  is  generally  low,  and  has  out 
few  bays  or  harbors.  Its  northern  portion  is 
rendered  dangerous  by  a  line  of  coral  reefs. 
The  region  possesses  a  great  number  of  rivers, 
but  none  of  the  first  magnitude.  The  climate 
is  similar  to  that  of  other  tropical  coasts  of 
Africa,  hot  and  unhealthy.  In  some  portions, 
however,  the  elevated  ground,  which  is  more 
temperate  and  healthful,  approach^  near  to 
the  coast. 

The  island  of  Zanzibar  is  the  residence  of 
the  Imaum  of  Muscat,  (whose  dominion  ex- 
tends a  considerable  distance  along  the  coast,) 
and  is  the  seat  of  an  extensive  commerce. 
Mombas,  on  a  small  island  close  to  the  main 
shore,  possesses  the  finest  harbor  on  the  coast. 

The  Somali  comprises  the  eastern  horn  of 
Africa,  from  the  equator  northward  to  the  Bay 
of  Tudjurra,  near  the  Red  Sea.  The  coast  is 
generally  bold  and  rocky ;  and  the  extensive 
region  it  encloses,  presents  a  slightly  ascending 
plain,  traversed  by  large  and  fertile  valleys. 
Along  the  Arabian  gulf,  the  coast  is  very 
abrupt,  and  girded  with  a  range  of  mountains, 
the  highest  of  which,  Jebel  Ahl,  reaches  an 
elevation  of  6,500  feet.  The  Somali  country 
is  famous  for  its  aromatic  productions.  The 
inhabitants  belong  to  the  Galla  tribe. — En- 
cyclopedia Britannica  ;  Harris's  Highlands  of 
Ethiopia;  7 he  Nile  and  its  Tributaries;  Mc- 
CuUoch's  Geography ;  African  Repository,  Jan. 
1850. 


Church  Missionary  Society. — The  Abys- 
sinian Mission,  which  was  commenced  in  1829, 
was,  in  1841,  changed  into  the  East  African 
Mission,  embracing  a  much  wider  range  than 
was  originally  contemplated  by  it.  (See  Abys- 
sinia.) Mr.  Krapf  \vrites  from  Ankobar,  in 
1841,  that  the  people  of  Shoa  manifested  a 
great  desire  for  the  word  of  God,  and  that 
they  besieged  his  house  from  morning  till  even- 
ing, to  procure  copies  of  the  Scriptures.  He 
had  translated  the  four  Gospels  into  the  Galla 
language. 

During  the  year  1842,  the  Mission  was  inter- 
rupted by  various  causes  ;  but  a  treaty  of 


friendship  and  commerce  was  concluded  be« 
tween  the  British  Government  and  the  King 
of  Shoa,  which  provides  protection  for  British 
subjects  in  the  territories  of  Shoa.  Mr. 
Krapf  undertook  a  difficult  and  dangerous 
journey  to  the  capital  of  Abyssinia,  in  order 
to  ascertain  what  encouragement  the  new 
Abuna  would  give  to  missionary  operations  in 
Abyssinia.  He  afterwards  proceeded  to  Alex- 
andria to  meet  Messrs.  Isenberg  and  Miihlie- 
sen,  who  were  on  their  way  to  join  him. 

About  this  time  there  arose  a  fierce  dispute 
between  the  more  enlightened  party  and  the 
monks,  in  the  Shoa  province,  respecting  some 
frivolous  points  of  speculation ;  and  the  monks 
prevailed  with  the  king,  by  threatening  excom- 
munication, which  gave  the  more  ignorant  and 
bigoted  party  the  ascendancy.  Mr.  Krapf  be- 
fore leaving  expressed  a  fear  that  their  influ- 
ence might  prove  unfavorable  to  the  mission. 
And,  on  his  return,  with  the  brethren,  he  found 
that  the  king  had  prohibited  their  retm-n,  and 
all  efforts  to  induce  the  chiefs  of  the  countries 
lying  between  the  sea  and  Abyssinia  to  let 
them  pass  were  unavailing. 

Messrs.  Isenberg  and  Muhliesen  proceeded 
to  Abyssinia  by  the  way  of  Massowah,  to  ascer- 
tain the  disposition  of  the  new  Abuna,  and 
see  whether  there  might  not  be  an  opening  for 
the  renewal  of  the  mission  at  the  Capital. 
But  in  this  they  were  disappointed.  They 
found  the  enemies  of  the  mission  in  the  ascen- 
dancy ;  the  Abuna  gave  them  no  encourage- 
ment ;  and  the  chief  Oubea  ordered  them  to 
quit  Abyssinia.  They  had  no  alternative  but 
to  return  to  Cairo.  But  during  their  stay  in 
Abyssinia,  they  were  able  to  dispose  of  more 
than  two  thousand  copies  of  the  Scriptures. 

Dr.  Krapf,  meantime,  visited  Aden,  in  order  to 
concert  a  plan  for  reaching  the  Galla  tribes  in 
Eastern  Africa,  from  the  Indian  Ocean  ;  and 
from  that  place  he  wrote  a  letter  to  the  com- 
mittee, asking  their  approval  of  the  plan, 
which  he  afterwards  received  ;  but  while  waltz- 
ing for  it  he  went  to  Massowah,  and  learning 
the  difficulties  encountered  by  his  associates,  he 
remained  on  the  frontier  of  Tigre,  and  em- 
ployed himself  in  the  distribution  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

After  receiving  the  approval  of  the  com- 
mittee, Dr.  and  Mrs.  Krapf  sailed  for  Zanzibar, 
but  were  driven  back  and  exposed  to  great 
danger ;  and  after  a  very  trying  voyage  they 
arrived  at  Zanzibar,  Jan.  7,  1844.  There  he 
was  kindly  received  by  the  Imaum  of  Muscat, 
to  whom  they  were  introduced  by  the  British 
Consul,  The  Imaum  wrote  a  letter  to  the 
governors  on  the  coast,  after  this  manner  ; 
"  This  note  is  given  in  favor  of  Dr.  Krapf,  the 
German,  a  good  man,  who  desires  to  convert 
the  world  to  God.  Behave  ye  well  toward 
him,  and  render  him  services  every  where." 
After  remaining  there  about  two  months,  he 
proceeded  on  his  way,  touching  at  several 
places,  and  arrived  at  Mombas,  a  small  island 


AFRICA,  EASTERN. 


19 


at  the  mouth  of  the  Tiiaca  river,  about  4°  south 
latitude,  which  he  selected  as  the  site  of  the 
mission.  After  his  arrival  there,  Mrs.  Krapf 
was  called  home,  some  of  her  last  words  being, 
"  Do  uot  praise  me  in  your  account  of  my  last 
hours ;  but  tell  our  friends  that  the  Saviour  has 
pardoned  me,  a  poor  miserable  sinner."  She 
had  endured  great  hardships,  in  the  tossings  to 
and  fro  to  which  they  had  been  subjected  for 
months  previous. 

After  this  afflictive  bereavement,  Dr.  Krapf 
devoted  himself  with  energy  and  zeal  to  the 
work  of  his  mission,  giving  his  first  attention 
t-o  the  study  of  the  languages  spoken  in  those 
regions.  He,  however,  made  several  excur- 
sions among  the  Wonica  and  Wakamba  tribes 
on  the  continent,  declaring  to  them  the  blessed 
gospel,  and  surveying  the  ground  Math  refer- 
ence to  future  operations.  He  found  the  natives 
extremely  degraded,  indulging  to  a  fearful  ex- 
tent in  habits  of  intoxication,  and  frequently 
selling  their  children  to  obtain  the  means  of 
indulgence.  He  also  applied  himself  to  the 
work  of  translation ;  and  three  years  after  the 
establishment  of  the  mission,  he  had  translated 
Genesis,  Acts,  Komans,  Galatians,  Peter,  and 
1  John  into  the  Sooahelee  language ;  and 
Luke  and  John  into  both  Sooahelee  and  Won- 
ica. He  had  also  compiled  a  dictionary  of 
10,000  words  of  the  Sooahelee,  Wonica  and 
Wakamba  languages.  In  1846,  Eev.  J.  Eebb- 
man  was  appointed  to  this  mission.  Dr.  Krapf 
had  suffered  from  severe  and  repeated  attacks  of 
fever,  which  greatly  impaired  his  constitution. 
He  had,  however,  continued  his  missionary 
tours,  in  which  he  gathered  much  valuable 
information  respecting  the  interior  tribes, 
laboring  to  preach  the  gospel  every  where ; 
and  wherever  he  could  make  himself  under- 
stood, the  natives  Vould  repeat  what  they 
heard  to  others,  and  thus  spread  the  message 
of  salvation. 

On  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Rebbman,  immediate 
arrangements  were  made  for  commencing  a 
mission  among  the  Wonicas,  and  New  Rabbai 
was  selected  as  the  location  ;  which  is  situated 
about  four  miles  to  the  west  of  the  extremity 
of  the  bay,  at  a  considerable  elevation,  com- 
manding an  extensive  view.  The  people,  with 
one  mind,  cheerfully  gave  their  consent  to  the 
establishment  of  the  mission,  assuring  the  mis- 
sionaries of  their  friendship  and  protection. 
Both  Dr.  K.  and  Mr.  R.  were  laid  aside  some 
weeks  with  the  fever  ;  and  before  they  had 
fully  recovered,  they  set  out  in  great  weakness, 
for  the  new  mission.  Dr.  K.  saying,  "  The  mis- 
sion MUST  be  commenced ;  and  should  death 
or  life  result  to  me,  I  can  now  'have  no  regard 
to  sickness  whatever."  They  found  this  place 
more  salubrious  than  Mombas ;  and  though 
encountering  many  difficulties,  yet  met  with 
some  encouragement.  Although  of  a  peace- 
able disposition,  the  Wonicas  are  deeply  sunk 
in  ignorance,  indifference,  superstition,  and 
sensuality.     In  Sept.  1847,  after  laboring  13 


months,  they  had  established  a  small  school  and 
erected  a  small  cottage  for  worship,  which 
would  hold  60  or  80  persons,  but  only  a  few  had 
been  induced  to  attend.  These  indefatigable 
missionaries  continued  to  make  exploring  tours 
in  the  interior,  and  in  one  of  their  excursions 
to  the  north,  they  came  in  sight  of  the  Galla 
country,  so  long  the  object  of  desire  on  the 
part  of  Dr.  Krapf.  Their  journeys  to  the 
west  opened  a  new  country,  of  which  the  phys- 
ical _  character  and  the  disposition  of  the  in- 
habitants present  facilities  for  missionary  labor 
of  the  most  encouraging  kind.  The  Wakam- 
bas,  with  whom  the  missionaries  are  in  daily 
intercourse,  carry  on  a  traffic  with  the  main 
body  of  their  tribe,  from  400  to  600  miles  dis- 
tant in  the  interior.  Three  groups  of  moun- 
tains, 4,000  to  5,000  feet  high,  enclose  the 
Faita  country,  whose  inhabitants  are  estimated 
at  170,000  souls  ;  and  Dr.  Krapf  thinks  there 
are  no  insurmountable  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
establishing  a  mission  among  them.  In  1848, 
Mr.  Rebbman  explored  the  country  beyond 
Faita,  called  Jagga,  travelling  on  foot  amidst 
a  thorny  jungle,  infested  by  wild  beasts,  for 
seven  days.  But  having  ascended  the  second 
range  of  mountains,  he  felt  as  if  walking  in 
the  Jura  mountains,  in  the  Canton  of  Basle, 
so  cool  was  the  air,  so  beautiful  the  scenery. 

It  will  be  recollected,  that  in  1843,  the  mis- 
sionaries were  forcibly  driven  from  Abyssinia, 
through  the  influence  of  the  emissaries  of 
Rome.  Since  that  time  the  Jesuits  themselves 
have  been  obliged  to  leave  the  country.  In 
June,  1849,  Mr.  Lieder  writes  that  the  young 
king  of  Shoa,  Beshaheh  Ouered,  had  written  to 
the  Queen  of  Great  Brjtain,  desiring  a  renew- 
al of  the  friendly  intercourse  that  had  existed 
between  the  British  Government  and  his  fa- 
ther, and  to  Dr.  Krapf,  requesting  his  return. 
The  young  king,  only  14  years  of  age,  had  re- 
nounced the  heterodox  notions  of  liis  father, 
and  delivered  hundreds  of  persons  whom  the 
late  king  had  thrown  into  prison,  because  they 
would  not  embrace  his  views.  He  had  also 
taken  the  Metropolitan,  Amba  Salame,  (see 
Abyssinia,)  as  his  spiritual  guide.  Amba 
Salame  himself,  had  also  written  to  Mr.  Lieder 
for  two  good  teachers,  as  he  was  anxious  to 
open  a  school  of  a  superior  character,  in  Gon- 
dar.  And  the  king  of  Abyssinia  and  the 
Abuna  had  both  written  to  Bishop  Gobat, 
proposing  that  he  should  undertake  the  super- 
inteudance  of  the  Abyssinian  Convent  at  Je- 
rusalem ;  in  consequence  of  which  the  Com- 
mittee determined  to  establish  a  mission  at  Je- 
rusalem, to  provide,  among  other  objects,  for 
the  instruction  of  Abyssinian  pilgrims. 

Dr.  Krapf  and  his  associates,  in  their  reports 
for  1849,  speak  discouragingly  of  their  pros- 
pects at  the  new  station  of  B,ahhsd-Empia, 
owing  to  the  depths  of  ignorance  and  super- 
stition to  which  the  people  were  reduced. 
Their  minds  are  enslaved  by  sorcery ;  and 
many  cruel  customs,  such  as  putting  to  death 


20 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


all  ilefDrmed  chiKlroii,  prevail  amon^  them  ; 
yet  the  missionuriw  huil  bwn  encouraj^ed  by 
the  awakening  of  a  i)Oor  cripple.  This  year 
the  mission  recciveu  a  reiutbrcemcut ;  but 
one  of  the  newly  arrived  missionaries  was  cut 
off  by  intiaramatory  fever  soon  after  their  ar- 
rival. 

They  had  continued  to  prosecute  the  ex- 
ploring tours,  showing  wonderful  openings  for 
the  entrance  of  the  Gospel  into  the  interior. 
In  the  mean  time,  Dr.  Krapf  prosecuted  the 
study  of  tlie  languages,  and  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures,  with  zeal  and  success.  He  has 
come  to  the  conclusion  that,  from  the  Galla 
boundary  down  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
there  is  one  family  of  languages,  which  he  calls 
the  Suaheli  stock ;  which  stock,  he  thinks, 
from  specimens  he  has  received  of  West  Afri- 
can languages,  commences  on  the  southern 
bank  of  the  Gaboon  River. 

Tlie  report  of  the  mission  for  1850  is  en- 
couraging. The  poor  cripple  noticed  the  pre- 
vious year  had  been  baptized  and  died  in  hope ; 
and  two  others  had  made  an  open  profession 
of  their  belief  in  Christianity,/one  of  whom 
was  the  father  of  a  family,  in  independent  cir- 
cumstances, and  the  other  a  learned  Moham- 
medan, the  Cadi  of  his  village,  who  gave  up 
his  office,  and  the  gains  attached  to  it,  for  the 
Gospel's  sake,  and  placed  himself  under  the 
instruction  of  the  missionaries. 

The  missionary  tours  have  been  continued  ; 
and  Dr.  Krapf  gives  the  following  view  of  the 
great  results  to  which  his  discoveries  may  lead  : 

"  When  once  the  time  has  fully  come  that 
the  Hamitic  race  shall  be  made  acquainted 
with  the  Gospel,  and  be  received  into  the  fa- 
mily of  God's  children  on  earth,  the  high 
roads  of  Africa  will  take  every  observer  by 
surprise.  It  will  then  be  manifested  that  the 
facilities  of  communication  on  the  African 
continent,  are  not  inferior  to  those  of  Europe, 
Asia  and  America.  God's  Providence  has 
certainly  paved  the  way  for  the  speedy  ac- 
complishment of  his  sublime  designs.  The 
Niger  will  carry  the  messengers  of  peace  to 
the  various  states  of  Nigritia,  while  the 
Tshadda,  together  with  the  Congo,  will  convey 
them  to  the  western  centre  of  Africa,  toward 
the  northern  tribes  of  Uniamesi.  The  differ- 
ent branches  of  the  Nile  will  lead  the  mission- 
aries toward  the  same  centre  from  the  north 
and  north-east,  while  the  Jub  and  the  Dana 
will  bring  them  in  from  East  Africa  ;  and  the 
Kiliraani  will  usher  them  in  from  the  south, 
The  sources  of  thi'se  great  rivers  are  not  so  dis- 
tant from  each  other  as  our  present  geograph- 
ical knowledge  would  lead  us  to  believe.  Shall 
we  propose,  therefore,  and  undertake  the  form 
ation  of  a  mission  chain,  linking  together  the 
eastern  and  western  coasts  of  Africa?  Or, 
shall  we  follow  up  the  water-courses  of  the 
continent,  by  establishing  missions  at  the 
sources  and  estuaries  of  those  gi-eat  rivers  ^ 
The  Tshadda,  the  Congo,  the  Nile  and  the  Kill 


mani  rivers,  take  their  rise  either  from  the 
great  lake  in  Uniamesi,  or  very  near  it.  And 
if  the  communication  with  Central  Africa  shall 
be  found  so  simple  and  so  easy,  why  should  we 
question  the  speedy  spread  of  Christianity  and 
Christian  civilization  in  Africa?" 

In  these  tours,  the  missionaries  obtained 
much  valuable  geographical  information  ;  and 
among  other  objects  of  interest,  they  saw  a 
range  of  mountains,  the  tops  of  which  were 
covered  with  perpetual  snow.  After  the  com- 
pletion of  these  tours,  Dr.  Krapf  visited  Eng- 
land, in  order  to  print  his  translations,  and  to 
confer  with  the  Society  upon  future  plans  for 
the  East  African  Missicm.  He  also  visited 
Germany,  where  he  selected  three  pious  me- 
chanics to  accompany  him  to  Africa,  and  one 
of  the  students  at  Basle,  who  was  ordained  by 
the  Bishop  of  London.  Dr.  Krapf  having 
fully  explained  to  the  .Committee  his  views 
upon  the  East  African  Mission,  he  returned  at 
the  beginning  of  1851,  with  the  view  of  e&- 
tablishing  new  stations,  retaining  Rabbai  as 
a  starting  point  on  the  coast.  He  returned 
accordingly,  with  his  new  associates ;  and,  after 
their  arrival  at  Rabbai,  he  began  preparations 
for  going  with  Mr.  Pfefiferle  to  Usambara,  to 
redeem  a  pledge  given  to  King  Kmeri,  of  es- 
tablishing a  mission  among  his  people.  But 
Mr.  Pfefierle  soon  after  died  of  nervous  fever, 
the  fever  of  the  country,  and  Dr.  K.  prosecuted 
the  journey  alone,  with  some  native  servants, 
who  deserted  him  in  the  hour  of  danger.  He 
was  attacked  by  robbers  on  the  way,  and 
obliged  to  give  up  the  object,  and  to  return  to 
the  coast.  But  while  attempting  to  reach  the 
river  Dana,  he  was  again  attacked,  and  came 
near  losing  his  life.  And,  after  a  fatiguing 
journey,  suffering  from  hunger  and  thirst,  and 
amid  many  perils,  he  at  length  reached  the  sta- 
tion. But,  with  indomitable  resolution,  he 
still  pursues  his  object  of  establishing  a  chain 
of  missions  across  the  continent ;  but  thinks 
they  cannot  at  once  penetrate  far  into  the  in- 
terior, but  that  they  must  first  occupy  a  nearer 
post. 

Dr.  Krapf  afterwards  visited  Usambara,  and 
King  Kmeri  received  him  well,  and  desired 
that  the  mission  might  be  established  on  a 
mountain  thirty  or  forty  miles  from  the 
estuary  of  the  river  Pangani ;  and  offered 
to  order  a  considerable  number  of  his  sub- 
jects to  build  houses  and  cultivate  the  land 
for  him  ;  and  also  to  afford  them  protection 
and  give  them  an  opportunity  to  carry  on  their 
labors.  A  wide  door  for  usefulness  here  pre- 
sented itself,  but  at  the  latest  dates,  he  had  not 
entered  upon  the  work. 

AFRICA,  Southern  :  The  region  south  of 
Cape  Negro,  on  the  west,  and  of  the  river 
Zambezi,  on  the  east,  embracing,  within  its 
limits,  the  English  colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope. 

Topop-aphy. — ^The  country  consists  of  three 
successive  plateaus,  increasing  in  elevation  ac- 


iTJNIVERSITr] 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


21 


cording  to  their  distance  from  tlie  sea,  and  sep- 
arated from  each  other  by  as  many  chains  of 
mountains.  The  first  of  these  is  called  the 
Lange  Kloof,  or  Long  Pass ;  and  between  it 
and  the  sea  is  an  irregular  belt  of  fertile  land, 
well  watered  with  small  streams  and  frequent 
rains,  from  20  to  60  miles  in  breadth.  It  is 
well  wooded  with  forest  trees,  and  from  its 
proximity  to  the  ocean  has  a  mild  climate. 
The  next  chain  is  the  Great  Black  Mountain, 
(Groote  Zwaite  Bergen.)  It  is  more  lofty  and 
rugged  than  the  first,  consisting,  in  many 
places,  of  double  and  treble  ranges,  and  some- 
times rising  to  the  height  of  4,000  feet.  Be- 
tween these  two  is  a  belt  of  about  the  same 
area  as  that  outside  the  first,  composed  in  some 
parts  of  barren  hills,  in  others,  of  naked 
arid  plains  of  clay,  called  Karroo,  interspersed 
with  fertile  and  well-watered  patches  of  land. 
The  third  chain  of  mountains,  called  the  Niew- 
veldt  Gebirgte,  unites  toward  the  east,  with  the 
Schneeuw-bergen  (Snow  Mountain,)  the  high- 
est in  South  Africa,  its  most  elevated  peak  be- 
ing 10,000  feet  above  the  sea ;  and  covered 
with  perpetual  snow.  Between  this  and  the 
second  range  is  an  arid,  desert  plain,  nearly 
300  miles  in  length  by  80  to  100  in  width, 
called  the  Great  Karroo.  This  is  not  a  sandy 
plain,  like  the  great  desert,  but  ot  sort  of  table- 
land, thinly  covered  with  an  argillaceous  soil, 
impregnated  with  iron,  upon  a  substratum  of 
rock.  It  is  about  3,000  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  The  beds  of  numberless  rivulets,  in 
which  water  is  rarely  to  be  found,  cross  it  like 
veins,  in  a  thousand  directions.  Mr.  Moffat 
says,  the  entire  country,  extending  in  some 
places  hundreds  of  miles  on  each  side  of  the 
Orange  river,  and  from  where  it  empties  into 
the  Atlantic  to  beyond  the  24th  degree  of  east 
longitude,  appears  to  have  the  curse  of  G-ilboa 
upon  it.  It  is  rare  that  rains  to  any  ex- 
tent or  quantity  fall  in  those  regions.  Ex- 
treme drought  continues  for  years  together. 
The  fountains  are  few  and  precarious,  and  some 
of  them  have  dried  up  altogether. 

From  the  west  coast  the  country  ascends, 
in  a  similar  manner  towards  the  interior,  by 
successive  plateaus,  separated  by  mountain 
chains.  The  Roggeveldt  (Rye-field,)  the  lofti- 
est of  these,  rises  to  more  than  5,000  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  To  the  north  of  all,  and 
near  the  boundary  line  of  the  territory,  there 
is  a  chain  of  mountains  9,000  feet  in  height. 
The  whole  tract  of  country  to  the  north  is 
much  more  sandy,  barren  and  thinly  inhabited 
than  that  to  the  east,  which,  as  it  recedes  from 
the  Cape,  seems  to  increase  in  fertility  and 
beauty. 

The  third  great  chain  of  mountains  forms 
the  watershed,  or  division  between  the  streams 
which  flow  north,  into  the  country  of  the  Bos- 
jesmans  or  Bushmen,  and  those  which  run 
southwest,  through  the  colony.  On  its  northern 
side,  rise  the  tributaries  of  the  Orange  river, 
and  on   its  south  the  Great  Doom,  (Thorn.) 


Gamba,  Camtoos,  Sunday,  Great  Fish,  and  other 
rivers.  On  the'  west  coast,  the  principal 
streams  are  the  Great  Berg,  (Mountain,)  and 
Olifant  or  Elephant  river.  Both  are  naviga- 
ble for  small  craft  about  twenty  miles.  On 
the  south  coast  are  the  Brecde  or  Broad  river, 
the  Gauritz,  Camtoos,  ^unday  and  Great  Fish. 
The  Broad  river  is  navigable  for  small  craft 
about  30  miles.  Considering  the  extent  of  the 
coast,  good  harbors  are  few.  Saldanha  Bay, 
Cape  Town,  is  the  best. 

The  Great  Lake.— On  the  1st  of  June,  1849, 
Rev.  David  Livingston,  son-in-law  of  Mr. 
Mafiat,of  Kolobeng,  more  than  200  miles  N. 
E.  by  N.  from  Kuruman,  proceeded  on  a  tour 
of  discovery  to  Lake  Ngami,  300  miles  N.  W. 
from  Kolobeng.  But  by  the  circuitous  route 
which  he  pursued,  he  traveled  about  600 
miles.  After  proceeding  about  300  miles 
through  the  desert  of  Kalihari,  the  party ' 
struck  on  a  magnificent  river,  the  Zouga,  and 
following  it  to  its  source,  it  proved  to  be  the 
Great  Lake.  The  banks  of  this  river  are  beau- 
tiful, covered  with  gigantic  trees,  some  of  them 
bearing  fruit.  Two  of  the  Boabob  variety 
measured  70  to  76  feet  in  circumference.  The 
higher  they  ascended  the  broader  the  river  be- 
came. It  has  a  periodical  rise  of  water,  sup- 
posed to  be  occasioned  by  the  melting  of  the 
snow  on  the  mountains.  Its  waters  are  clear 
and  soft,  and  it  is  said  to  be  connected  with 
other  large  rivers,  running  from  the  north. 
Another  party  visited  this  lake  in  1852,  and 
ascertained  its  length  to  be  sixty-five,  and  its 
average  breadth  12  miles.  It  is  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  2,825  feet  above  the  sea.  Mr.  Living- 
ston found  a  tribe  of  natives  on  the  banks  of 
the  Zouga,  called  Bakoba  or  Bayciye,  in  whom 
he  was  deeply  interested.  They  are  a  totally 
distinct  race  from  the  Bechuanas,  their  com- 
plexion being  darker,  and  they  speaking  a  dif- 
ferent language.  He  admired  their  frank, 
manly  bearing.  They  listened  to  the  state- 
ments which  he  made  respecting  the  Divine 
Word,  and  seemed  to  understand  them. 
They  were  found  dwelling  around  the  lake, 
and  on  the  banks  of  all  the  rivers  to  the  north, 
which  seemed  to  open  a  highway  capable  of 
being  quickly  traversed  by  boats.  Thus  is  the 
way  opening  in  every  direction,  for  the  en- 
trance of  the  gospel  into  that  dark  region. 

In  1851,  Messrs.  Livingston  and  Orwell 
again  started  for  the  north,  but  in  a  more  east- 
erly direction,  when  they  reached  the  latitude 
of  17^  25'  S.,  and  discovered  the  Ohobe  and 
Sesheke,  deep  and  constantly  flowing  rivers, 
supposed  to  be  the  feeders  of  the  Zambezi. 
The  Zouga  was  ascertained  to  be  absorbed  in 
sands  and  salt  pans.  The  country  through 
which  the  former  rivers  flow,  is  level  and  very 
fertile. 

Capt.  Vardon  explored  the  region  north- 
east of  Kolobeng,  tracing  the  Limpopo  river 
to  a  considerable  distance.  In  1851,  Mr.  Gal 
ton   explored   a  part  of  South  Africa  from 


92 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


Walfish  Bay,  on  the  west  coast  as  far  as  lat. 
17°  58'  8.  and  21°  E.  long.,  accurately  deter- 
mining the  whole  region. 

In  1852,  a  journey  was  made  by  Mr.  Plant, 
from  Natal  to  Delagoa  Bay,  in  which  he  dis- 
covered that  St.  Lucia  Bay  leads  into  an  ex- 
tensive inlet,  hitherto  unknown. 

Climate— The  climate  is  in  general  temper- 
ate and  healthy,  but  unsteady,  disagreeable, 
and  not  well  suited  to  agriculture.  In  the 
south-western  districts,  the  rains  in  the  cold 
season  are  profuse,  but  of  rare  occurrence  in 
the  summer.  In  the  more  northerly  districts, 
sometimes  no  rain  falls  for  years  ;  which,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Moffat  attributes  to  the  universal 
destruction  of  the  forests.  Generally,  through- 
out the  colony,  the  rain,  when  it  does  come, 
pours  down  in  torrents,  occasioning  great  dam- 
age. Sometimes  the  southeast  wind  is  a  spe- 
cies of  Simoom,  excessively  hot,  and  loaded 
with  an  impalpable  sand.  The  mean  tempera- 
ture of  the  Cape  is  about  67  1-2°  Fahr.,  the 
coldest  being  57°  and  the  hottest  79^.  Yet 
Mr.  Moffat  thinks  the  climate  of  the  colony 
perhaps  the  healthiest  to  be  found  in  any 
part  of  the  world.  With  reference  to  the  cli- 
mate of  the  whole  of  Southern  Africa,  Mr. 
Moffat  says,  "  It  varies  from  that  in  which 
thunder-storms  and  tornadoes  shake  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  scorching  rays  of  an  almost  ver- 
tical sun  produce  the  mirage,  to  that  which  is 
salubrious  and  mild,  within  the  boundaries  of 
the  colony  along  Kaffre-land  to  the  fruitful 
and  well-watered  plains  of  the  Zulu  country, 
in  the  vicinity  of  Port  Natal ;  while  the  more 
mountainous  and  elevated  regions  are  visited 
by  keen  frosts  and  heavy  falls  of  snow." 

Native  Population. — AVhen  the  Cape  was 
first  discovered  by  Bartholomew  Diaz,  and 
when  it  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  Dutch 
in  1662,  the  whole  of  what  is  now  designated 
as  the  colony  was  inhabited  by  the  Hottentots 
proper. 

The  Kaffres  proper  live  beyond  the  fish  river, 
on  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  colony.  They 
form  one  tribe  of  the  great  Bcchuana  family. 
Their  national  character  is  bold  and  warlike. 
Their  country  is  bounded  by  the  ocean  on  the 
south,  and  a  range  of  mountains  on  the  north, 
and  beyond  them  lie  the  Amopomlo  and  Zulu 
tribes,  belonging  to  the  same  family.  North 
of  Kaffre-land,  between  the  Winterberg  moun- 
tains and  the  higher  branches  of  the  Yellow 
river,  lies  the  country  inhabited  by  the  Basu- 
tos,  a  tribe  of  Bechuanas.  Beyond  the  Basu- 
tos  to  the  north  of  Orange  river,  lie  the  other 
Bechuana  tribes,  whose  numbers  and  extent 
are  yet  unknown. 

The  country  from  the  limits  of  the  desert  to 
the  west  coast  is  called  Great  Namaqualand, 
and  contains  a  thin  population  of  the  Hotten- 
tot race.  To  the  north  of  the  Namaquas,  lie  the 
Damara  tribes,  of  whom  comparatively  little 
is  known,  except  that  they  approximate,  in 
physical  ajjpearance  and  color,  to  the  negroes 


on  the  west  coast.  These  tribes  inhabit  a 
country  extending  from  the  tropic  of  Capri- 
corn to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  shore  of  the  Indian  ocean. 

The  tribes  which  have  been  mentioned  arc 
those  which  have  been  the  objects  of  mission- 
ary labor.  (See  Cape  Colony,  Kaffres,  Hot- 
tentots.) —  3IcCul loch's  Geography  ;  Mojfafs 
Labois  and  Scenes  in  Southern  Africa,  C/iav.  L; 
Encyclopedia  Britannica. 


Moravian  Mission. — Missionary  operations 
were  first  commenced  in  South  Africa,  by  the 
United  Brethren.  In  1737,  George  Schmidt 
arrived  at  Cape  Town,  a  free  passage  having 
been  granted  him  by  the  Dutch  East  India 
Company.  His  object  was  to  make  known 
the  gospel  to  the  Hottentots;  and  he  soon 
commenced  his  labors  at  Bavian's  Kloof,  after- 
wards called  Genadendal,  (Vale  of  Grace.) 
Though  obliged  to  preach  through  an  inter- 
preter, his  self-denying  efforts  were  followed  by 
considerable  success.  The  Hottentots  regarded 
him  with  sentiments  of  unfeigned  love  and 
admiration  ;  and  in  the  course  of  a  few  years 
a  number  of  them  received  his  message  as  the 
truth  of  God.  Finding  himself,  however, 
much  embarrassed  in  his  operations  by  the  in- 
terference of 'the  colonial  government,  he  re- 
paired to  Europe  in  1744  to  obtain  a  removal 
of  his  grievances.  But  he  not  only  failed  to 
secure  this  important  object ;  the  Dutch  East 
India  Company  even  refused  to  sanction  his 
return  to  the  scene  of  his  labors  ;  and  for  fifty 
years  the  harvest  which  he  had  begun  to  gath- 
er, was  left  without  a  reaper. 

At  length,  however,  in  July,  1792,  Marsveld, 
Schwinn  and  Kuhnel  were  permitted  to  search 
for  the  few  sheep,  who  had  been  left  so  long 
without  a  shepherd  at  Genadendal.  They  found 
a  part  of  the  wall  of  the  old  mission-house 
standing  ;  and  in  the  garden  attached  to  it 
were  some  of  the  fruit-trees  which  Schmidt 
had  planted.  An  aged  female  whom  he  had 
baptized,  and  who  still  retained  a  remem- 
brance of  her  beloved  teacher,  rejoiced  exceed- 
ingly when  she  was  told  that  the  new  mission- 
aries were  his  brethren.  The  Hottentots, — 
some  of  whom  recollected  their  old  pastor,  while 
many  had  heard  of  his  brief  but  beneficent  ca- 
reer,— rallied  around  his  successors ;  and  before 
the  end  of  1793,  seven  persons  were  baptized. 
Great  opposition,  however  was  encountered, 
from  the  Dutch  farmers,  or  boers,  as  they  arc 
called,  who,  thinking  the  instruction  of  the 
Hottentots  likely  to  prove  injurious  to  their 
temporal  interests,  manifested  their  hostility 
by  poisoning  the  minds  of  the  natives,  and  by 
threatening  violence  against  the  missionaries. 
They  also  preferred  charges  against  them,  to 
the  colonial  government,  thereby  securing  or- 
ders for  embarrassing  their  proceedings.  By 
these  means  the  mission  was  for  a  long  time 
kept  in  a  state  of  constant  alarm.    In  one 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


23 


instance,  a  numerous  body  of  the  colonists  rose 
in  arms,  to  obtain  a  redress  of  alleged  griev- 
ances, among  which  was  the  attempt  to  evan- 
gelize the  Hottentots ;  in  consequence  of  which, 
the  missionaries  were,  at  one  time,  driven  from 
their  post. 

Mr.  Schwinn,  while  traveling  to  Cape 
Town,  on  one  occasion,  was  refused  either  lodg- 
ing or  refreshment  by  the  colonists,  and  was 
compelled  to  ride  all  night,  attended  by  a  sin- 
gle Hottentot,  through  a  desert  country  infest- 
ed with  runaway  slaves.  Through  all  these 
trials,  hoAvever,  the  native  converts  stood  by 
their  teachers,  in  the  greatest  extremities. 

But  in  1795,  the  colony  was  taken  posses- 
sion of  by  the  British  Government,  and  the 
mission  at  Bavian's-Kloof,  was  taken  under 
protection  by  the  new  government.  After  this, 
they  enjoyed  more  quietness  and  peace,  a  con- 
siderable number  of  new  people  came  to  them, 
and  the  word  of  God  was  owned  and  blessed 
to  the  conversion  of  souls.  A  Church  was 
built,  and  before  the  close  of  the  year,  twenty 
adult  converts  were  baptized.  Still  their  ene- 
mies were  not  quiet.  In  February,  1796,  some 
of  the  neighboring  farmers  assembled  a  hundred 
armed  men,  with  the  design  of  murdering  the 
missionaries,  and  destroying  their  settlement ; 
but  the  plot  was  discovered  by  the  govern- 
ment, and  prevented.  Afterwards  the  boers 
undertook  to  starve  the  missionaries  and  their 
people,  by  refusing  them  provisions,  which  oc- 
casioned much  sufiering.  But  the  Lord  turned 
the  hearts  of  some  of  the  worst  of  their  perse- 
cutors, who  acknowledged  the  utility  of  their 
labors,  and  sent  a  wagon  load  of  corn  to  the 
settlement,  at  a  lower  price  than  it  would  have 
been  sold  elsewhere. 

The  mission  now  began  to  be  visited  by  per- 
sons of  influence  at  Cape  Town,  who  bore  hon- 
orable testimony  to  its  good  effects ;  and 
among  others,  Mr.  Borrow,  who  gives  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  what  he  saw  :  "  Early  on 
Sunday  morning,  I  was  awakened  by  some  of 
the  finest  voices  I  had  ever  heard,  and  looking 
out,  saw  a  group  of  Hottentot  women  neatly 
dressed  in  calico,  sitting  on  the  ground,  and 
chanting  their  morning  hymn.  The  mission- 
aries were  middle-aged  men,  plain  in  their 
dress,  meek  and  humble  in  deportment,  but  in- 
telligent and  lively  in  conversation,  zealous  in 
their  cause,  but  free  from  bigotry.  Every 
thing  partook  of  their  characteristic  neatness 
and  simplicity.  Their  church  was  a  neat  plain 
building,  and  their  mill  the  best  in  the  colony. 
Their  garden  produced  abundance  of  vege- 
tables. Almost  every  thing  had  been  done  by 
the  work  of  their  hands,  their  society  requiring 
every  one  to  understand  some  trade.  They  have 
upwards  of  six  hundred  Hottentots,  and  their 
numbers  are  daily  increasing.  These  live  in 
huts  dispersed  over  the  valley,  to  each  of 
which  is  attached  a  piece  of  land,  and  their 
housas  and  gardens  are  very  neat  and  comfort- 
able ;  and 


occupations.  On  Sunday  they  all  regularly 
attended  public  worship,  and  it  is  astonishing 
how  neat  and  clean  they  appear  at  church. 
Their  deportment  was  truly  devout.  The  dis- 
course of  the  missionary  was  short,  pathetic, 
and  full  of  good  sense.  The  women  sung  in  a 
plaintive  and  affecting  style,  and  their  voices 
were  sweet  and  harmonious." 

In  1798,  a  reinforcement  arrived  from  Eu- 
rope, and  the  old  church  was  converted  into 
dwellings,  and  a  new  one  built,  capable  of 
holding  1,500  persons,  the  settlement  having 
increased  to  1,230.  Eighty-four  were  baptized 
during  this  year. 

In  the  summer  of  1800,  an  epidemic  fever 
raged  for  some  months,  carrying  off  sometimes 
eight  or  ten  a  day.  To  meet  the  occasion  an  ar- 
rangement was  made  by  which  each  missiona- 
ry and  his  wife  visited  a  certain  district  every 
week,  making  a  circuit  of  four  or  five  miles,  at 
great  peril  to  their  own  lives.  They  found  the 
poor  people  lying  in  the  greatest  misery,  upon 
nothing  but  a  sheep-skin  spread  on  the  bare 
ground,  without  medical  aid,  and  often  with- 
out food ;  the  convalescent  tormented  with 
hunger,  and  the  poor,  naked  children  crying 
for  food.  When  they  spoke  to  them,  in  those 
circumstances,  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  they  were 
cheered  by  seeing  them  listen  with  eagerness, 
seeming  to  forget  all  their  sufferings,  and  re- 
signing themselves  to  the  will  of  the  Lord,  ex- 
pressing their  confident  hope  that  he  M'^ould 
receive  them  to  himself,  and  extolling  his  good- 
ness, in  sending  them  teachers  to  instruct  them 
in  the  knowledge  of  their  Eedeemer. 

By  this  time,  (1801,)  the  fame  of  Bavian's- 
Kloof  had  spread  far  and  wide,  and  the  natives 
came  in  companies,  some  of  them  the  distance 
of  a  six  weeks'  journey.  One  poor  woman 
came,  who  said  she  understood  Bavian's-Kloof 
to  be  an  asylum  for  poor  sinners  like  herself 
who  had  become  tired  of  the  service  of  Satan, 
and  were  desirous  of  finding  rest  for  their 
souls.  Peace  being  concluded  between  the 
English  and  Dutch,  the  colony  was  restored  to 
the  latter,  and  the  new  governor  proved  friend- 
ly to  the  mission,  and  one  of  the  missionaries 
was  appointed  chaplain  to  the  colony.  At  the 
suggestion  of  Gen.  Jansen,  the  Governor,  the 
name  of  the  place  was  changed  to  Gnadenthal, 
or  Genadendal,  which  means  GracevaJe. 

In  January,  1806,  the  colony  was  again  con 
quered  by  the  British ;  but  the  government 
continued  friendly  to  the  mission.  In  1807,  a 
new  settlement  was  formed  at  Groenckloof,  or 
Green-glen,  in  the  high  road  between  Cape 
Town  and  Saldanha  Bay,  and  Messrs.  Schmitt 
and  Kohrhammer  removed  there  with  their 
wives  in  1808.  They  soon  gathered  a  settlo- 
ment  around  them,  and  their  labors  were 
blessed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  many  were 
turned  to  the  Lord,  giving  evidence  of  repent- 
ance and  faith.  The  following  remarks  of  one 
of  these  converts  is  a  specimen  of  the  feelings 
generally  expressed,   giving   evidence  of  the 


/f^>0-^   Ot  tW¥ 


■Jl 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


geuuiuencss  of  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart : 
"  I  se^'ui  to  be  surrouiuled  by  my  sins,  like  a 
man  sUvmling  iu  the  midst  of  the  tire,  and  am 
ready  to  be  consumed  by  the  anguish  of  my 
spirit ;  but  in  this  situation,  I  stretch  out  my 
arms  toward  heaven,  and  exclaim,  Lord  Jesus, 
sufllr  some  droi)s  of  thy  heavenly  grace  to 
quench  the  Uame  which  threatens  to  destroy 
me." 

The  mission  still  continued  to  enjoy  the  pro- 
tection of  government  and  the  blessing  of  God, 
and  Uie  converts  made  good  progress  iu  their 
knowledge  of  divine  truth.  The  heathen  from 
a  distance  were  led  in  a  remarkable  manner, 
as  by  some  unseen  influence  on  their  minds,  to 
flock  to  the  mission  settlements.  One  Avoman 
siiid  that  her  father  one  day  called  his  family 
around  him  and  said,  "  My  dear  children, 
though  you  are  Hottentots  and  despised  by 
men,  yet  })ehave  well ;  for  I  believe  that  God 
will,  at  some  future  time,  send  us  teachers  from 
a  distant  country.  I  may  not  live  to  see  that 
day,  but  you  will  hereafter  know  that  I  have 
told  you  the  truth.  As  soon  as  you  hear  that 
such  persons  have  arrived,  hasten  to  them,  and 
obey  their  instructions."  Soon  after  the  old 
man's  death,  the  teachers  arrived,  and  as  soon 
as  the  daughter  heard  of  it,  she  went  to  them, 
was  instructed  in  the  way  of  salvation,  and 
after  some  time,  was  received  into  the  church. 

In  1815,  Rev.  C.  J.  Latrobe,  Secretary  of 
the  United  Brethren's  Society,  visited  the  mis- 
sion, accompanied  by  four  male  and  two  female 
missionaries.  This  visit  was  productive  of 
muc;h  good  ;  and  while  there,  he  made  an  ex- 
pedition into  the  interior,  accompanied  by 
three  of  the  missionaries,  and  the  surveyor  of 
the  government,  and  selected  a  site  for  a  new 
station,  on  the  banks  of  Witte  Revier,  near  the 
frontiei*3  of  KaSraria,  which  was  afterwards 
called  Shiloli. 

In  December  of  this  year,  the  inhabitants 
of  Genadendal  were  suddenly  involved  in  dis- 
tress, by  the  descent  of  a  torrent  from  the 
mountains,  which  overwhelmed  the  greater 
part  of  their  premises  with  destructive  violence, 
and  occasioned  great  damage.  But  when  the 
missionaries  spoke  to  the  poor  Hottentots  of 
the  damage  done  to  their  grounds,  they  replied, 
that  they  had  cause  to  thank  the  Lord  for  his 
mercy,  that  notwithstanding  their  great  de- 
merit, they  had  been  chastised  with  so  much 
lenity. 

In  1817,  the  Governor  of  the  colony,  Jjord 
Somerset,  visited  the  mission  at  Genadendal, 
and  after  expressing  the  highest  gratification 
at  what  he  saw,  presented  them  with  three 
hundred  dollars  for  the  use  of  the  school. 

On  the  7th  of  April,  1818,  Rev.  H.Schmitt, 
and  his  wife,  with  three  single  men '  and  the 
widow  of  Kohrhammer,  commenced  the  mis- 
sion at  Shiloh,  or  Witte  Revier,  or  White  river, 
Considerable  numbers  of  natives  began  to  at- 
tend on  their  preaching,  when  they  were  in- 
volved in  the  greatest  calamities  by  a  predar 


tory  excursion  of  the  Koflres,  which  resultxid  in 
the  loss  of  their  cattle,  and  the  murder  of  nine  of 
their  Hottentots,  and  compelled  tlie  missiona- 
ries to  leave  the  station.  On  the  18th  of  May, 
Mr.  Hoftman  visited  Witte  Revier,  and  found 
the  mission  premises  burnt,  and  everything 
destroyed.  But,  in  October,  peace  having 
been  concluded  between  the  Kaftres  and  the 
colonial  government,  the  mission  was  resumed, 
and  rapid  and  interesting  improvements  were 
effected  at  the  new  settlement.  Rev.  H.  P. 
Hallbeck  says,  in  1821 :  "  On  the  spot  where, 
two  years  ago,  wc  knelt  in  the  iVceh  track  of 
an  elephant,  and  offered  up  our  first  prayer  for 
the  prosperity  of  this  establisliment,  I  now 
found  a  beautiful  orange  tree,  adorned  at  once 
with  ripe  fruit  and  fragrant  blossoms;  and  short- 
ly after  my  arrival,  I  was  invited  to  tea,  under 
the  huge  yellow  tree,  in  the  shade  of  which,  but 
lately,  there  were  no  assemblies  but  those  of 
wild  buffaloes,  elephants,  and  other  dreaded 
inhabitants  of  the  desert." 

The  Tambookics  were  a  wild  race,  on  the 
borders  of  the  Kaffres ;  and  the  missionaries 
frequently  complain  of  their  intractableness, 
indifference,  superstition  and  insubordination  ; 
yet,  from  the  fii'st,  they  appear  to  have 
regarded  the  missionaries  with  esteem  and  ven- 
eration, going  to  them  for  advice  and  for  the 
settlement  of  their  difficulties ;  and  down  to 
the  period  of  the  breaking  up  of  the  station, 
during  the  late  Kaffre  war,  they  have  been 
gradually  improving,  and  assimilating  more 
and  more  to  the  habits  and  usages  of  Europe- 
ans. The  gospel  appears  also  to  have  taken 
effect  upon  the  hearts  of  many  of  them. 

In  July,  1822,  the  settlements  at  Genadendal 
and  Groenckloof  again  suffered  severely  by 
flood,  involving  them  almost  in  complete  ruin. 
The  buildings  were  damaged  to  the  amount  of 
thousands  of  dollars,  and  the  huts  of  the  Hot- 
tentots, together  with  their  grounds,  very  much 
injured.  They  also  lost  a  great  many  cattle. 
At  the  same  time  the  settlement  at  Enon  was 
suffering  severely  from  famine. 

In  1826,  the  missionary  writes  :  "  A  new 
dwelling-house  is  building  under  the  inspection 
of  a  Hottentot  mason  of  Genadendal,  and  I 
am  surprised  at  the  neatness  and  accuracy  with 
which  the  work  is  done.  This  Hottentot  has 
not  his  equal,  as  a  mason,  either  among  the 
Africans  or  Europeans,  in  the  neighborhood. 
He  is  an  excellent  character  and  a  pattern  of 
sobriety,  industry,  and  Clu'istian  temper  :"  thus 
showing  the  effect  of  missions  in  elevating  the 
general  character  of  the  heathen,  and  qualify- 
ing them  for  the  arts  of  civilized  life. 

In  the  year  1822,  the  Brethren  were  solicited 
by  government  to  undertake  the  religious  in- 
struction of  a  number  of  lepers,  for  whom  the 
Hospital  Hemel-en-Aarde  had  been  erected,  in 
a  romantic  situation,  at  the  foot  of  a  mountain 
called  the  "  Tower  of  Babel,"  near  the  sea. 
Rev.  J.  P.  Lietner,  in  obedience  to  this  re- 
quest, removed  there  witt  his  wife,  in  Decern- 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


25 


ber  of  that  year,  and  the  poor  patients  were 
overjoyed  at  their  arrival.  Some  of  them,  who 
had  previously  belonged  to  the  church,  at  the 
stations,  exclaimed,  "  Now  we  know  that  Jesus 
has  heard  our  prayers  and  sent  us  help  ;  for  we 
have  often  entreated  him  to  send  our  teachers 
to  us."  Others  who  had  spent  their  time  in 
fiddling  and  dancing,  now  broke  their  fiddles 
and  became  serious  and  attentive  hearers  of 
the  word.  This  mission  has  been  continued  to 
the  present  time ;  but  the  hospital  was  subse- 
quently removed  to  Eobbin's  Island,  that  the 
patients  might  enjoy  the  benefits  of  searbath- 
ing,  the  missionaries  accompanying  them. 

The  year  1832  was  signalized  by  an  encour- 
aging work  of  grace  among  the  neighboring 
farmers.  They  had  begun  to  attend  public 
worship  at  the  different  stations,  and  in  several 
families  a  striking  change  had  taken  place.  "  In 
view  of  this  work,  our  churches  have  been 
filled  with  attentive  hearers,  our  schools  with 
crowds  of  children,  and  both  churches  and 
schools  have  been  filled  with  the  hallowed  pre- 
sence of  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  has  wrought 
a  marvelous  change  in  the  hearts  of  many, 
both  old  and  young.  Wonderful  indeed  has 
been  the  revival  of  religion  around  us,  by 
which  the  tone  of  society  has  been  changed, 
and  the  farmers,  who  in  former  years  opposed 
the  work,  are  now  brethren  and  fellow  labor- 
ers in  Christ,  sympathising  in  our  sorrows,  and 
rejoicing  in,  and  praying  for  our  success." 

The  awakening  among  the  farmers  contin- 
ued throughout  the  years  1833  and  1834,  and 
the  converts  among  them  remained  steadfast 
in  the  faith.  One  of  the  brethren  called  on  a 
woman  who  was  dangerously  ill,  who  grasped 
his  hand  and  with  great  fervency  exclaimed, 
"  The  Lord  himself  sent  you  to  this  land,  in 
order  to  be  the  means  of  saving  my  soul  from 
perdition  :  this  I  wanted  to  tell  you  before  I 
die."  She  informed  him  that  she  was  awakened 
by  a  conversation  he  had  with  her  in  1829, 
every  word  of  which  she  remembered.  Her 
husband  also  had  been  awakened,  and  had  es- 
tablished family  prayer. 

There  has  continued  to  be,  down  to  the  pre- 
sent time,  a  steady  increase  of  numbers  at  the 
several  settlements,  the  natives  sometimes 
crowding  in,  in  great  numbers.  There  has, 
also,  been  a  steady  improvement  in  industry, 
agriculture,  mechanical  employments,  houses, 
dress  and  the  arts  of  civilized  life.  And  gen- 
erally, every  year,  there  has  been  evidence  of 
the  special  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the 
conversion  of  souls,  and  sometimes  in  large 
numbers.  The  converts  have  for  the  most 
part,  given  evidence  of  growth  in  grace,  and 
general  improvement ;  though  almost  every 
year  it  has  been  necessary  to  cut  off  some 
members  for  disorderly  conduct.  The  general 
influence  of  the  gospel  in  elevating  the  charac- 
ter of  the  natives,  has  been  very  marked  and 
striking.  The  Governor  of  the  colony  on  visit- 
ing Genadendal,  in  1849,  remarked  to  Eev.  Mr. 


Teutsch,  "Tour  missionaries  have  been  the 
greatest  benefactors  of  the  Hottentots  ;  and 
you  have  conferred  the  greatest  benefits  on  the 
Colony." 

Great  eagerness  has  often  been  manifested 
to  hear  the  word.  In  1849,  Eev.  Mr.  Franke, 
on  visiting  the  out-stations  of  Gocdverwacht, 
some  distilnce  from  Groenckloof,  remarks : 
"  Every  time  we  visit  that  spot,  our  hearts  are 
gladdened.  Every  word  appears  to  be,  as  it 
were,  devoured  by  those  hungering  souls,  many 
of  whom  come  from  a  distance,  some  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  miles.  They  are  constantly 
making  inquiries  whether  they  will  not  soon 
again  be  visited,  and  great  joy  is  manifested 
by  the  arrival  of  the  missionary  among  them." 
And  often  at  the  settlements  the  crowds  are 
too  great  to  be  accommodated  in  the  churches, 
and  many  stand  outside.  But  at  some  of  the 
stations  the  settlements  have  grown  so  large 
that  many  of  the  people  have  to  go  to  an  in- 
convenient distance  to  find  employment,  which 
frequently  takes  them  for  weeks  from  Christian 
privileges. 

Th^  missions  generally  have  large  farms 
connected  with  each  station  ;  and  in  several  in- 
stances the  government  has  appropriated  three 
thousand  acres  of  land  to  a  station.  Besides 
this,  they  have  various  kinds  of  mechanical* 
employments  in  operation.  These  arrange- 
ments, while  they  furnish  employment  for  the 
natives,  and  instruction  in  agriculture,  and  the 
mechanic  arts,  and  afford  a  partial  support  to 
the  missions,  occupy  too  much  of  the  time  and 
attention  of  the  missionaries  in  secular  pur- 
suits. 

In  1839,  at  the  request  of  the  colonial  gov- 
ernment, a  mission  was  commenced  among  the 
Fingoes,  who  being  delivered  from  a  state  of 
bondage  among  the  Kaffi'cs,  found  refuge  to 
the  number  of  many  thousands  within  the  col- 
ony. This  new  station  was  called  Clarkson, 
and  the  number  of  Fingoes  residing  there  was 
1,000.  They  had  large  herds  of  oxen,  with 
flocks  of  sheep  and  goats,  and  had  settled  every 
place  in  the  vicinity  where  the  soil  was  capa- 
ble of  cultivation.  The  Fingoes  received  the 
missionaries  with  open  arms,  and  their  atten- 
tion to  the  word  was  truly  edifying.  Such 
was  their  eagerness  to  hear,  and  the  concourse 
of  people,  that  they  were  obliged  to  hold  the 
service  in  the  open  air  ;  and  very  soon  the  most 
pleasing  traces  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
on  their  hearts  were  visible.  In  April,  1840, 
this  became  still  more  marked.  At  one  of 
their  meetings,  the  Fingoes  poured  in  from  all 
quarters,  and  great  emotion  was  manifest 
among  them,  which  was  shown  in  various 
ways,  some  weeping  for  themselves  and  others 
for  their  unbelieving  parents  and  relations  ; 
and  in  the  afternoon,  there  were  few  dry  eyes 
in  the  congregation.  The  blessing  of  God  has 
continued  to  follow  the  labors  of  his  servants 
at  this  station.  The  Fingoes  are  the  relics  of 
several  inland  tribes,  who  have  been  expelled, 


96 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


and  almost  anuilulatcd  by  their  more  power- 
ful ueiglibors.  llicy  took  refuge  M-ith  the 
Kaffres,  who  treated  them  as  serfs  ;  and  when 
the  colonial  trooi)S  overran  a  large  portion  of 
KafTriiria,  they  put  themselves  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  British  government. 

The  efiFect  of  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves, 
or  apprentices  as  they  were  then*  called,  was 
greatly  to  increase  the  number  of  those  who 
flocked  to  the  mission  stations,  and  especially, 
of  the  children  in  school.  The  missionaries  at 
Gcnadendal,  speaking  of  the  genuine  effects  of 
the  admission  of  the  gospel  into  the  heart,  as 
manifested  by  the  converts,  say,  "And  among 
none  more  so  than  the  lately  enfranchised 
slaves,  whose  growth  in  grace  and  knowledge 
is  most  encouraging."  In  one  instance,  a  man 
came  a  distance  of  two  or  three  hundred  miles, 
to  obtain  a  missionary  for  a  settlement  of 
emancipated  slaves,  and  oflfered  a  salary  of 
$500,  but  was  obliged  to  return  wiUiout 
one. 

In  the  Diary  of  the  station  at  Genadendal 
for  1841,  it  is  stated  that  "  The  emancipated 
slaves  seem  animated  by  an  uncommon  desire 
after  spiritual  blessings.  There  is  a  fire  in 
their  hearts  which  has  not  been  kindled  by 
,  man,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Freedom  ap- 
pears, by  the  divine  blessing,  to  have  awak- 
ened in  their  minds  the  feeling  that  they  are 
beings  who  belong  not  to  time  only,  but  to 
eternity.  'The  chains,'  said  one  of  them, 
*  were  on  my  limbs  from  infancy.  I  could  not 
come  to  the  house  of  God,  but  was  obliged  to 
live  like  a  brute.  Now,  God  has  broken  my 
chains,  and  I  am  here  ;  but  my  heart  is  quite 
blank ;  I  am  old,  and  can  understand  but  little. 
My  God !  let  but  some  drops  of  heavenly  dew 
fall  upon  my  barren  soul !'  " 

The  Kaflre  wars  have  affected  the  missions 
of  the  United  Brethren  less  than  those  of  some 
other  societies ;  yet  several  of  their  missions 
were  disturbed,  and  some  of  them  temporarily 
abandoned  in  consequence.  Companies  were 
drafted  into  the  Colonial  army  from  the  differ- 
ent stations,  which  took  them  away  from  the 
means  of  grace.  However,  they  were  led 
thereby  to  prize  them  more  highly.  They  kept 
up  meetings  at  their  camps,  which  were  attend- 
ed by  the  Dutch  farmers,  to  their  edification  ; 
and  the  British  officers  bore  honorable  testi- 
mony to  the  good  conduct  of  the  Christian 
Hottentots.  Yet  some  of  the  young  men  re- 
turned with  habits  of  dissipation,  which  led  to 
their  prompt  discipline,  and  was  the  means  of 
introducing  the  temperance  reformation  among 
the  converts.  Various  measures  were  resorted 
to,  from  time  to  time,  to  prevent  the  use  of  in- 
toxicating liquors.  The  farmers  were  en- 
treated not  to  furnish  them  to  the  Hottentots  ; 
but  this  failing,  Bishop  Hallbeck  addressed  an 
earnest  letter  to  the  congregation  at  Groenc- 
kloof  on  the  subject,  and  a  general  resolution 
was  passed  that  no  brandy,  and  but  a  limited 
quantity  of  wine  should  be  brought  into  the 


settlement ;  and  on  a  petition  from  Genaden- 
dal, the  civil  commissioner  refused  to  license 
the  sale  of  liquors  at  that  place. 

Schools  have  been  sustained  from  the  begin- 
ing  at  all  the  stations,  with  increasing  interest ; 
and  especially  the  infant  school  is  spoken  of 
from  time  to  time,  as  producing  a  very  happy 
effect,  not  only  upon  the  children,  but  the  pa- 
rents. 

In  1837,  an  institution  was  opened  at  Gena- 
dendal, for  training  Hottentot  assistants,  with 
eleven  boarding  pupils ;  and  the  foundation 
stone  was  laid,  on  the  first  of  November,  for  a 
two-story  building,  74  feet  by  23.  The  first  ex- 
amination proved  highly  satisfactory,  and  those 
present  were  not  a  little  astonished  to  hear 
several  of  the  pupils  explain  everything  with 
fluency  in  English,  when  called  on  to  solve  va- 
rious problems  with  the  use  of  the  globe.  At 
the  latest  dates,  the  whole  number  of  pupils 
admitted  was  26,  of  whom  11  had  received  ap- 
pointments as  assistants  ;  two  of  whom,  how- 
ever, had  been  cast  off  for  improper  conduct. 
There  were,  in  1851,  ten  pupils  in  the  institu- 
tion, five  of  whom  were  Kaffres. 

After  the  mission  at  Genadendal  had  been 
in  operation  a  sufficient  time  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  public,  the  frecpent  visits  of  the 
English  at  the  station  suggested  the  idea  of 
collecting  a  library  of  religious  books  for  their 
use,  which  was  effected  and  proved  a  means  of 
much  good  to  strangers,  who,  from  time  to 
time,  became  temporary  residents  of  the  mis- 
sion settlement. 

The  brethren  early  introduced  the  practice 
of  speaking  individually  to  all  the  people,  on 
the  concerns  of  the  soul,  which  they  found  very 
profitable.  Mr.  Lehman,  describing  such  a 
conversation,  in  1841,  says,  "  Many  of  those 
with  whom  we  conversed  declared  that  they 
had  been  led  to  us  by  a  secret  impulse  ;  and 
that  though  at  first  they  could  not  comprehend 
much,  they  now  began  to  understand  and  relish 
the  word,  and  could  not  be  sufficiently  thank- 
ful for  the  grace  of  God."  Their  pious  ex- 
pressions, on  these  occasions,  were  often  truly 
edifying.  An  officer  of  the  church,  on  recov- 
ering from  a  severe  illness,  acknowledged  his 
backslidings,  and  said,  "  I  was  like  a  dying, 
half-withered  tree ;  but  my  Saviour  in  mercy 
remembered  me  and  visited  me  with  sickness. 
As  the  gardener  saws  off  the  whole  crown  of 
a  withered  tree,  leaving  only  the  stump  to  pro- 
duce new  and  healthy  branches,  so  has  my 
Saviour  done  for  me."  A  Fingo  captain  said, 
"  My  Saviour  has  not  only  purchased  me  with 
his  blood,  but  in  the  days  of  my  ignorance  and 
misery,  he  showed  himself  an  Almighty  Ee- 
deemer  in  me,  and  subdued  my  desperately 
wicked  heart.  Now  I  sincerely  believe  he  will 
keep  me  so  that  the  powers  of  darkness  shall 
not  be  able  to  separate  me  from  him."  An- 
other, on  being  asked  where  true  sanctification 
was  to  be  found,  replied,  "  On  Golgotha,  at 
the  foot  of  the  cross.    When  I  am  not  there 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


27 


in  spirit,  I  have  no  power  to  resist  sin."  One 
on  being  asked  wherein  meetness  for  heaven 
consisted,  replied,  "  It  is  his  grace  alone  on 
which  I  build.  He  forgives  my  sins,  for  the 
sake  of  his  precious  blood.  I  come  to  him 
daily  as  a  beggar."  One  who  had  been  a  slave, 
said  her  mistress  used  to  reprove  her,  and  she 
laughed  at  her ;  but  haviug  through  God's 
mercy,  been  convinced  of  sin,  she  had  gone 
and  asked  her  pardon.  "O,  I  am  happy," 
said  another,  "  for  I  love  my  Saviour.  He  is 
my  treasure." 

The  genuineness  of  the  work  is  also  indi- 
cated by  the  happy  deaths  of  the  converts,  no- 
tices of  Avhich  appear  in  the  journals  of  the 
missionaries  every  year.  We  mention,  as  spe- 
cimens, two  remarkable  cases,  in  extreme 
youth.  Also  one  of  advanced  age.  Char- 
lotte Orzom,  a  youth  of  fifteen,  died  in  Febru- 
ary, 1841.  She  had  been  baptized  the  year 
before.  On  being  visited  by  a  missionary,  she 
said,  "  Ah,  I  love  the  Lord  with  all  my  heart ! 
With  my  whole  heart,  I  cleave  to  thee,  and 
thou  wilt  come  and  dwell  with  me.  This  is 
my  consolation.  In  joy  and  pain,  my  soul  de- 
pends on  thee  with  humble  confidence,  thou 
rock  of  my  salvation !"  In  two  hours  after- 
wards, she  was  with  the  Lord. 

Eev.  Mr.  Fritsch,  writing  from  Elim,  in 
1849,  says,  "  Of  late,  we  have  been  much  edi- 
fied by  the  happy  departure  of  several  mem- 
bers of  our  flock.  We  were  particularly 
struck  with  the  happy  frame  of  a  young  girl, 
eleven  years  of  age,  who  expressed  the  happi- 
ness she  enjoyed  in  the  prospect  of  soon  going 
to  her  Saviour,  and  entreated  all  who  were 
present  to  remain  faithful  to  Jesus,  that  she 
might  meet  them  in  eternity.  Her  grand- 
father, who  soon  followed  her,  after  a  short  ill- 
ness, said,  "  I  suffer  great  pain,  but  what  is  it, 
compared  with  the  torments  which  my  Saviour 
endured  for  me  on  the  cross  ?" 

In  1845,  some  new  regulations  were  intro- 
duced, among  which  were  the  annual  contribu- 
tion of  a  small  sum  by  every  able-bodied  in- 
habitant, toward  the  expenses  of  the  place ; 
the  formation  of  a  Missionary  Association  ; 
for  securing  a,  better  attendance  of  the  child- 
ren at  school ;  and  for  the  more  effectual  ban- 
ishment of  spirituous  liquors.  Missionary  col- 
lections had  previously  been  taken  up  at  some 
of  the  stations.  In  1843,  the  Fingoes  at 
ClarksoD,  after  an  address  from  their  mission- 
ary, came  forward  with  the  utmost  cheerful- 
ness, the  smallest  offering  being  Is.  6rf.  sterling, 
and  the  largest  Is.  Gd.  At  Shiloh,  the  first 
public  contribution  was  made  in  1844,  when 
young  and  old  pressed  to  the  boxes,  with  coun- 
tenances beaming  with  joy.  Showing  that, 
among  the  first  effects  of  "the  gospel  is  a  bene- 
volent desire,  and  a  readiness  to  make  sacrifices, 
that  others  may  participate  in  its  benefits. 

In  1849,  the  station  at  Shiloh,  was  destroyed 
by  the  Kaffres.  It  was  a  frightful  scene  ;  but 
the  missionaries  escaped.    Some  of  the  people, 


however,  joined  the  rebels,  but  mostly  by  con- 
straint. Many  of  the  houses  were  burnt  down, 
and  the  church  was  changed  into  a  castle.  In 
April,  1850,  Messrs.  Bonatz  and  Gysin  visited 
Shiloh,  and  found  all  the  huts  of  the  Kaffres 
and  Fingoes  burnt ;  some  houses  of  the  Hotten- 
tots were  standing,  but  occupied  by  the  English 
and  Fingoes.  The  dwelling-house  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, with  its  blackened  walls,  bore  wit- 
ness of  sad  events.  The  Mamre  and  Goshen 
stations  have  also  been  broken  up  by  the  war. 
The  following  table  presents  the  state  of 
the  mission  before  these  sad  events. 


Genadendal,  ' 
Groenckloof,  - 
Elim,  -  -  . 
Enon,  -  -  - 
Shiloh,  -  - 
Clarkson, 
Kobben  Island, 

Total, 


911 
558 
369 
120 
152 


949 
345 


92 


2210   1882   1731 


536 
212 
364 

26 
464 
113 

16 


2846 
1341 
1214 
304 
762 
323 
45 


6835 


The  whole  number  of  male  European  labor- 
ers at  these  stations  is  29. — Choides's  History  qf 
Missions  ;  London  Missionary  Register. 

London  Missionary  Society. — The  London 
Missionary  Society,  three  years  after  its  fir|^ 
formation,  in  1795,  sent  out  to  Southern 
Africa,  four  laborers,  two  of  whom.  Dr.  Yan- 
derkemp  and  Mr.  Edmonds,  were  appointed  to 
that  part  of  the  colony  bordering  on  Kaffra- 
ria ;  and  the  other  two,  to  the  country  north 
of  the  colony,  inhabited  by  different  tribes 
of  Bushmen  or  Bosjesmans.  Dr.  Yanderkemp 
was  a  son  of  a  minister  of  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  at  Rotterdam,  He  was  born 
in  1747,  educated  at  the  University  of  Ley- 
den,  and  for  some  time  practiced  as  a  physi- 
cian. In  1791,  the  loss  of  his  wife  and  child 
at  sea  was  the  means  of  his  awakening  and 
conversion  ;  after  which,  he  devoted  himself  to 
the  self-denying  labors  of  a  missionary.  Mr. 
Moffat  says  of  him :  "  He  came  from  a  uni- 
versity, to  stoop  to  teach  the  alphabet  to  the 
poor  native  Hottentot  and  Kaffi-e ;  from  the 
society  of  nobles  to  associate  with  beings  of 
the  lowest  grade  in  the  scale  of  humanity  ; 
from  stately  mansions,  to  the  filthy  hovel  of  the 
greasy  African  ;  from  the  army,  to  instruct 
the  fierce  savages  the  tactics  of  a  heavenly  war- 
fare, under  the  banner  of  the  Prince  of  Peace ; 
from  the  study  of  physic,  to  become  the  guide 
to  the  balm  in  Gilead  and  the  physician  there ; 
and,  finally,  from  a  life  of  earthly  honor  and 
ease,  to  be  exposed  to  perils  of  waters,  of  rob- 
bers, of  his  own  countrymen,  of  the  heathen, 
in  the  city,  in  the  wilderness." 


d8 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


In  1799,  Dr.  Vandcrkemp,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Edmonds,  proceeded  through  many 
clangers,  to  the  land  of  the  wild  and  warlike 
Kaif"rcs  ;  and  after  no  little  parley  and  delay, 
the  chief  gave  his  consent  that  they  should  re- 
main in  his  dominions.  They  selected  a  spot 
for  a  house,  felled  trees,  and  cut  down  long 
grass  for  a  thatching,  and  then  kneeled  down 
on  the  grass,  thanking  the  Lord  Jesus  that  he 
had  provided  them  a  resting-place,  and  pray- 
ing "  that  from  under  this  roof,  the  seed  of  the 
gospel  might  spread  northwards  through  all 
Africa."  But,  the  next  year,  Mr.  Edmonds 
went  away,  and  Dr.  Yanderkemp  was  left 
alone.  He  labored  on  alone  for  some  time, 
but  owing  to  untoward  circumstances,  left 
Kaffreland  for  Graaff  Reinet ;  but  not  until 
he  had  sown  some  good  seed ;  for  thirty 
years  afterwards,  an  aged  woman  was  admit- 
ted to  the  church  who  received  the  gospel  from 
his  lips. 

After  this,  the  Doctor  and  Mr.  Read  at^ 
tempted  to  establish  a  mission  among  the  Hot- 
tentots near  Algoa  Bay  ;  but  after  much  opposi- 
tion from  the  colonists,  and  sundry  attacks  trom 
the  plundering  Hottentots,  they  were  obliged  to 
take  refuge  with  about  300  Hottentots,  whom 
they  had  collected  in  Fort  Frederick.  After  the 
cession  of  the  colony  to  the  Dutch,  a  spot  was 
granted  them  on  Kooboo,  where  they  com- 
menced the  station  called  Bethelsdorp  ;  which, 
however,  from  its  sterility  and  want  of  water, 
was  unsuitable  for  a  mission  farm.  Five  years 
after  its  commencement,  they  wrote  to  the  di- 
apctors  that  they  had  been  without  bread  for  a 
long  time,  and  did  not  expect  to  procure  any 
for  three  or  four  months,  nor  had  they  any  veg- 
etables. Yet  notwithstanding  all  these  discour- 
aging circumstances,  there  were  many  indica- 
tions of  the  Divine  blessing  on  their  labors. 
The  progress  of  their  scholars  was  astonishing, 
and  above  all,  their  facility  in  acquiring  reli- 
gioas  knowledge,  considering  the  apathy,  stu- 
pidity, and  aversion  to  eflfort,  which  character- 
ize the  natives.  Dr.  Yanderkemp  closed  his 
useful  labors,  Dec.  15, 1811,  after  breathing 
out  the  Christian  assurance,  "  All  is  well." 

Bethelsdorp,  under  many  difficulties  and  dis- 
advantages, grew  and  multiplied.  In  1822  it 
was  in  a  most  flourishing  condition,  having 
large  schools  and  other  institutions,  and  a 
printing  press.  New  churches  were  also 
planted  at  Pacaltsdorp,  Theopolis,  and  other 
places,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Rev.  J. 
Campbell. 

A  mission  was  commenced  at  Kat  river, 
among  the  Kafifres,  in  1816,  by  Mr.  Joseph 
Williams.  Short  as  Dr.  Yanderkemp's  labors 
were  among  the  Kafifres,  he  left  a  savor  of 
the  gospel  behind  him,  which  still  remained. 
The  commencement  of  the  mission  wjvs  most 
auspicious.  Temporary  houses  were  raised, 
ground  was  cleared  for  cultivation,  a  water- 
course and  a  dam  were  constructed,  and  the 
Kafi&-es  assembled  for  instruction.     A  little 


more  than  two  years  after,  Mr.  Williams  was 
removed  by  death.  His  lonely  widow,  how- 
ever, found  sympathy  in  the  hearts  of  the  na- 
tives, who  had  just  begun  to  appreciate  their 
teachers.  She  instructed  her  half-ci\ilized  at- 
tendants to  prepare  the  wood  and  make  the 
coffin,  and  with  a  weeping  band,  followed  the 
desire  of  her  eyes  to  the  silent  dust.  No  suc- 
cessor was  appointed,  at  that  time,  and  the 
mission  to  the  Kaffres  was  suspended. 

At  the  same  time  that  Dr.  Yanderkemp 
proceeded  to  the  land  of  the  Kaffres,  Messrs. 
Kircherer,  Kramer  and  Edwards,  took  up  their 
course  for  Zak  river,  between  400  and  500 
miles  north  from  Cape  Town.  Mr.  Kircherer 
had  been  designated  to  Kaffreland.  But  the 
Bushmen,  on  making  a  treaty  with  Mr.  Fisch- 
er, one  of  the  colonists,  who  was  a  good  man, 
beheld  him  solemnly  appealing  to  God  to  wit- 
ness the  transaction,  and  observed  that  he  was 
in  the  habit  of  assembling  his  family  for  wor- 
ship morning  and  evening,  and  were  thus  led  to 
inquire  about  God,  and  solicit  a  Christian 
teacher.  Mr.  Fischer  took  some  of  their  prin- 
cipal men  to  the  Cape,  to  see  what  could  be 
done  for  them.  And  Providence  so  ordered  it, 
that  they  arrived  just  before  the  missionaries, 
who  received  it  as  a  call  from  God  to  labor  in 
that  quarter.  They  received  great  kindness 
and  attention  from  the  government,  and  assist- 
ance from  the  farmers,  who  accompanied 
them  to  the  spot,  and  loaded  them  with  things 
requisite  to  commence  the  station. 

Zak  river  became  the  finger-post  to  the  Na- 
maquas,  Corannas,  Griquas,  and  Bechuanas ; 
for  it  was  by  means  of  that  mission  that 
these  tribes  and  their  condition  became  known 
to  the  Christian  world.  The  farmers  contin- 
ued friendly,  and  many  Hottentots  and  Bas- 
tards flocked  to  the  station ;  but  the  Bush- 
men, for  whom  the  mission  was  designed,  could 
never  appreciate  its  object.  The  missionary's 
life  was  more  than  once  threatened  by  them  ; 
but  his  labors  were  blessed  to  the  conversion 
of  a  number  of  Hottentots  and  Bastards,  who 
afterwards  became  pillars  in  the  Griqua  JMis- 
sion.  Mr.  Kircherer  having  left,  the  mission, 
with  no  small  regret,  was  abandoned  in  1806. 

In  1814,  another  mission  was  commenced 
among  the  Bushmen  at  Colesberg,  south  of 
the  Great  river,  by  Messrs.  Smith  and  Cor- 
ner. The  settlement  was  commenced  with 
about  500  Bushmen.  For  some  time,  how- 
ever, they  were  jealous  of  the  missionaries, 
fearing  that  they  were  employed  to  deliver 
them  into  the  hands  of  the  farmers,  between 
whom  and  themselves,  there  had  been  a  long 
and  a  mortal  enmity.  But  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore the  light  and  power  of  the  gospel  reached 
their  hearts,  and  many  of  them  believed.  A 
church  arose,  and  with  it  the  usual  results 
!  of  Christianity  appeared,  among  which  were 
j  extensive  gardens,  cultivated  by  the  hands  that 
used  only  to  handle  the  bow  and  spear,  as  they 
I  roamed  wildly  over  the  country. 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


Another  mission  was  commenced  among  the 
Bushmen  at  Hephzibah.  But  in  consequence 
of  some  conflict  between  the  ^((tpiiers  and  the 
Bushmen,  the  missionaries  were  ordered  by 
government  to  retire  within  the  colony  ;  and 
so  these  stations,  in  the  midst  of  much  pro- 
mise, were  broken  up.  Some  of  the  Bush- 
men had  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  the 
principles  of  Christianity,  and  appeared  to 
receive  it  into  their  hearts;  and  they  were 
zealous  in  endeavoring  to  convey  it  to  their 
countrymen.  And  the  experiment  proved  that 
the  conversion  of  this  wdd,  untractable  race 
was  not  impossible.  The  last  effort  of  the  so- 
ciety to  establish  a  mission  among  this  people 
was  attempted  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Caledon 
river  ;  but  the  mission  was  afterwards  trans- 
ferred by  Dr.  Philip  to  the  Paris  Society. 
•  In  the  month  of  January,  1806,  the  Orange 
or  Gariep  river  was  crossed  by  the  missiona- 
ries of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  for  the 
pui7)ose  of  carrying  the  gospel  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  wild  and  desolate  regions  of  Great 
Namaqualand.  Of  this  region,  Mr.  Moffat 
Bays,  "As  an  inhabited  country,  it  is  scarcely 
possible  to  conceive  of  one  more  destitute  and 
miserable."  On  his  way  there,  he  met  a  per- 
son who  had  spent  years  in  that  country,  and 
on  inquiring  about  it,  his  reply  was,  "  Sir,  you 
will  find  plenty  of  sand  and  stones,  a  thinly 
scattered  population,  always  suffering  for  want 
of  water,  on  plains  and  hills  roasted  like  a 
burnt  loaf,  under  the  scorching  rays  of  a  cloud- 
less sun  ;"  of  the  truth  of  which,  he  says  he  had 
ample  demonstration.  The  inhabitants  are 
Hottentots,  distinguished  by  all  the  singular 
characteristics  of  that  nation,  which  includes 
Hottentots,  Corannas,  Namaquas  aud  Bush- 
men. After  a  long  journey  of  great  hard- 
ships, and  much  suffering  for  want  of  adequate 
supplies,  the  missionaries  arrived  at  the  Orange 
river,  where  they  waited  at  a  place  which  they 
named  Silent  Hope,  till  Christian  Albrecht 
visited  Great  Namaqualand  and  returned  with 
encouraging  prospects,  when  they  went  forward 
to  the  spot  selected,  which  they  named  Happy 
Deliverance.  Their  prospects  were  alternately 
bright  and  gloomy.  Their  proximity  to  Afri- 
caner added  not  a  little  to  their  anxieties.  But 
he  came  to  them  and  welcomed  them  to  the 
country,  because  they  were  sent  by  the  En- 
glish, saying  that  though  he  hated  the  Dutch, 
he  loved  the  English,  because  he  had  heard 
they  were  friends  of  the  poor  l:i3lick  man.  This 
man,  being  driven  to  desperation,  by  the  op- 
pressions of  the  Dutch  boers,  had  risen  upon 
his  master,  and  putting  himself  at  the  head  of 
his  tribe,  had  become  the  terror  of  the  whole 
country. 

Africaner,  hearing  that  it  was  the  intention 
of  the  missionaries  to  remove  to  another  place, 
came  to  them  and  entreated  them  not  to  leave 
that  part  ^f  the  country.  They  did,  however, 
remove  to  Warm  Bath,  about  100  miles  west 
of  Africaner's  neighborhood.      Here  they  re- 


sumed their  labors,  among  a  mixed  population 
of  Namaquas  and  Bastards  from  the  Colony, 
whom  they  found  it  difficult  to  manage.  For 
a  season  their  prospects  were  cheering,  and 
their  labors  blest ;  though  they  labored  in  a 
debilitating  climate,  in  want  of  the  necessaries 
of  life,  spreading  their  scanty  fare  upon  the  lid 
of  a  wagon  chest  for  a  table.  While  here, 
their  congregation  was  increased,  by  that  des- 
perado, Africaner,  who  with  part  of  his  people, 
drew  near  and  attended  occasionally  the  in- 
structions of  the  missionaries,  who  visited  his 
place  in  return.  But  some  jealousy  and  per- 
haps alarm  were  excited  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  of  the  station,  which  induced  him  to 
retire  to  his  former  place.  But  Abraham  Al- 
brecht's  health  failing,  he  took  an  affectionate 
leave,  on  the  14th  of  May,  1810,  accompanied 
by  his  brother,  leaving  the  mission  in  charge 
of  Mr.  Tromp.  After  a  tedious  journey,  he 
expired  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Botmas,  at  Honing 
Berg,  on  the  30th  of  July.  His  last  wor(S 
were,  "  I  go  to  Jesus  ;  I  am  a  member  of  his 
body."  After  this.  Christian  Albrecht  pro- 
ceeded to  the  colony,  married  a  lady  of  supe- 
rior education,  and  returned  to  his  field  of  la- 
bor. But  in  consequence  of  the  imprudence 
of  some  of  the  people  at  Warm  Bath,  in  join- 
ing an  expedition  against  Africaner,  he  be- 
came enraged  and  vowed  vengeance  on  tho 
mission.  For  a  whole  month,  the  missionaries 
were  kept  in  the  greatest  terror,  and  at  length 
were  obliged  to  flee,  and  return  to  the  colony. 
Africaner  and  his  men  soon  arrived,  and  after 
obtaining  what  booty  they  could  find,  set  fire 
to  the  premises,  and  left  them  in  ruins.  In 
Dec,  1811,  they  set  out  to  return  again  to 
the  scence  of  their  labors  and  trials.  After 
a  most  distressing  journey,  they  arrived  at 
Silver  Fountain,  the  residence  of  Cornelius 
Kok ;  where,  five  days  after,  Mrs.  Albrecht 
breathed  her  last.  The  Namaqua  mission  was 
resumed  at  Pella,  south  of  the  river,  where 
they  were  joined  by  about  500  of  the  Warm 
Bath  people.  Mr.  Christian  Albrecht,  having 
occasion  to  go  to  the  Cape  for  medical  advice, 
suddenly  expired,  leaving  behind  him  a  bright 
testimony  of  zeal,  love,  and  self-denial.  But 
before  leaving  the  country  he  had  the  unspeak- 
able joy  of  making  peace  with  Africaner,  and 
seeing  the  standard  of  the  Prince  of  Peace 
raised  in  the  very  village  of  the  man 
who  once  "breathed  out  threatenings  and 
slaughter,"  against  not  only  his  fellow  heathen 
but  against  the  saints  of  the  Most  High.  Kev. 
J.  Campbell,  on  his  first  visit  to  Africa,  while 
passing  through  Namaqualand,  had  written  a 
conciliatory  Letter  to  Africaner,  to  which  the 
chief  returned  a  favorable  reply  through  Mr. 
Albrecht,  who  sent  Mr.  Ebner  to  occupy  a  sta- 
tion at  Africaner's  Kraal.  Mr.  Ebner's  la^ 
bors  were  blessed,  and  in  a  short  time,  Africa- 
ner and  his  two  brothers,  David  and  Jacobus, 
with  a  number  of  others,  were  baptized.  Yet 
he  does  not  appear  to  have  been  altogether  the 


30 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


man  for  the  plnce  ;  for  by  some  means  he  got 
the  ill-will  of  the  natives,  and  on  the  arrival 
of  Mr.  Moffat,  in  Jan.,  1818,  he  was  in  great 
danger  of  losing  his  life ;  and  he  soon  after 
left  the  mission. 

Soon  after  Mr.  MoflRit's  arrival,  Christian 
Africaner  made  his  appearance,  and  inquired 
if  he  was  the  missionary  appointed  by  the  di- 
rectors in  London  ;  and  being  answered  in  the 
affirmative,  seemed  pleased,  and  said  as  Mr.  M. 
was  young:,  he  hoped  he  would  live  long  with 
him  and  his  people.  He  then  ordered  a  num- 
ber of  women  to  come,  who  soon  made  their 
appearance,  bearing  bundles  of  native  mats, 
and  long  sticks  like  fishing  rods.  Africaner, 
pointing  to  a  spot  of  ground,  said,  "  There 
you  must  build  a  house  for  the  missionary." 
A  circle  was  formed  and  the  women  fixed  the 
poles,  tied  them  down  in  the  hemispheric  form, 
covered  them  with  the  mats,  and  in  about  half- 
an  hour  the  house  was  done,  "all  ready  for  ha- 
bitation. 

Soon  after  Mr.  Moffat  commenced  his  servi- 
ces, which  were  attended  every  morning  and 
evening,  he  was  cheered  with  tokens  of  the 
Divine  presence  ;  and  in  none  were  these  to- 
kens more  marked  than  in  the  chief,  Africa- 
ner, of  whose  wonderful  change  and  devoted 
piety,  Mr.  M.  has  given  a  thrilling  account. 
But  as  the  memoir  of  this  Christian  chief  is 
a  common  book  among  us,  the  sketch  will  not 
be  repeated  here. 

After  some  time,  Mr.  Moffat  visited  the 
Cape,  for  the  double  purpose  of  procuring 
supplies,  and  of  introducing  Africaner  to  the 
government ;  and  while  there,  he  was  appoint- 
ed by  the  Society  to  the  Bechuana  mission. 

The  mission  which  was  commenced  and  af- 
terwards broken  up  on  the  Zak  river,  after  rai- 
CTating  for  a  few  years,  finally  settled  down  at 
Griqua  Town  in  1804,  with  Messrs.  Anderson 
and  Kramer,  and  a  mixed  multitude  of  dis- 
tinct tribes,  having  different  languages,  cus- 
toms, &c.  Mr.  Anderson  says,  when  he  went 
among  the  Griquas,  they  were  without  the 
smallest  marks  of  civilization  ;  excepting  one 
woman,  they  had  not  one  thread  of  European 
clothing.  The  missionaries'  lives  were  in  dan- 
ger, the  natives  afterwards  having  confessed 
that  they  had  frequently  meditated  killing  them 
but  were  overawed  by  what  they  had  learned 
of  an  Almighty  power.  They  were  in  the  hab- 
it of  plundering  one  another,  and  seemed  to 
see  no  wrong  in  this  or  any  of  their  actions. 
A^iolcut  deaths  were  common.  Their  usual 
manner  of  living  was  disgusting,  and  devoid 
of  all  shame.  But  after  a  series  of  hardships, 
requiring  much  faith  and  patience,  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  missionaries  were  attended  with 
a  blessing  which  produced  a  great  change. 
The  people  became  honest  in  their  dealings, 
abhorring  those  acts  of  plunder  which  had  be- 
come so  common  among  them.  They  entirely 
abandoned  their  former  manner  of  life,  and  de- 
cency and  modesty  prevailed  in  their  families. 


The  Griquas  at  first  showed  great  aversion  to 
the  labor  of  cultivating  the  ground.  But  af- 
ter some  time,  they  were  prevailed  upon  to 
try  the  experiment ;  and  this  Avas  followed  by 
a  great  and  visible  improvement  in  them  as  a 
body.  As  early  as  1809,  the  congregation 
consisted  of  eight  hundred  persons,  who  re- 
sided at  or  near  the  station.  In  1810,  they 
were  threatened  with  an  attack  from  a  maraud- 
ing party  of  Kaffres.  Mr.  Jantz,  the  mis- 
sionary, with  the  people,  set  apart  a  day  of 
fasting  and  prayer,  and  at  the  same  time  sent 
a  pacific  message  with  a  present  to  the  Kaflres, 
who  immediately  retired.  The  mission  con- 
tinued to  flourish,  till  in  1814,  Mr.  Anderson 
received  an  order  from  the  colonial  govern- 
ment to  send  down  twenty  Griquas  for  the 
Cape  regiment.  This  demand  greatly  exasper- 
ated the  natives,  and  produced  such  an  excite- 
ment that  Mr.  Anderson  was  obliged  to  leave 
them  ;  while  the  refusal  of  the  natives  to  com- 
ply with  the  order,  led  to  the  introduction  of 
a  restrictive  system  by  which  the  missionaries 
were  prevented  from  crossing  the  northern 
boundaries  of  the  colony.  Mr.  Anderson  was 
succeeded  by  Messrs.  Moffat  and  Helm,  the 
former  of  whom,  in  his  book,  bears  honorable 
testimony  to  his  zeal,  perseverance  and  success 
as  well  as  to  the  warmth  with  which  his  mem- 
ory was  cherished  by  the  natives.  One  object 
of  Mr.  Moffat's  appointment  was  to  make  a 
vigorous  stand  against  interference  on  the  part 
of  the  missionaries  with  the  government  of  the 
people.  The  former  chief  of  the  Griquas, 
Adam  Kok,  had  abandoned  Griqua  Town,  and 
the  acknowledged  chief,  Berend,  lived  at  the  dis- 
tance of  fifty  miles,  and  paid  very  little  attention 
to  their  interests.  The  consequence  was,  they 
were  without  any  regular  government.  The 
hint  was  given  them  to  appoint  one  of  their 
own  number  to  take  the  government  of  the 
village.  The  idea  was  eagerly  embraced.  The 
choice  fell  unanimously  on  Andries  Water- 
boer,  a  man  who  had  been  educated  at  the  sta- 
tion, and  employed  as  an  assistant  teacher  in 
the  school,  but  who  possessed  neither  name  nor 
riches.  The  missionaries  took  no  part  in  the 
matter ;  but  the  choice  afforded  them  entire 
satisfaction.  This  was  a  new  era  in  the  mis- 
sion, as  it  relieved  the  missionaries  from  con- 
stant attention  to  the  secular  affairs  of  the 
people.  Waterboer,  however,  feeling  his  in- 
sufficiency, spent  several  evenings  every  week 
in  conversing  with  them  on  the  subject  of  his 
duties  and  responsibilities.  His  administra- 
tion was  not  unattended  with  difficulty  and 
trouble  ;  but  by  the  blessing  of  God,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  establishing  the  principles  of  order 
and  peace.  He  always  continued,  however,  to 
preach.  He  obtained  afterwards  a  liberal  sal- 
ary and  supplies  from  the  colonial  government, 
and  was  able,  at  length,  to  present  the  Griquas 
in  a  most  favorable  aspect.  The  mission  re- 
ceived a  new  impulse  in  1831,  since  which  time 
it  has  continued  to  increase,  and  to  extend  its 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


31 


influence  around,  having  been  blessed  in  no 
ordinary  degree.  Mr.  Helmore,  liaving  been 
appointed  to  Lekatlong,  a  station  of  Bechua- 
nas  connected  witli  the  Griqua  Mission,  190 
of  their  members  were  transferred  to  his  care, 
and  a  new  chm*cli  was  formed,  and  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  chief,  100  of  the  Basutos  returned 
home,  and  connected  themselves  with  the 
French  mission. 

Mr.  Moffat  states  that  the  missionaries  ex- 
perienced great  difiBcuIties,  and  were  frequently 
in  imminent  peril  of  their  lives,  in  consequence 
of  holding  the  office  of  agent  of  the  colonial 
government.  He  says,  "  More  than  twenty 
years'  experience  among  the  aborigines  beyond 
the  bounds  of  the  colony,  has  convinced  the 
writer  that  the  two  offices  are  incompatible." 
The  reason  is  that  it  places  them  in  a  suspi- 
cious attitude  toward  the  natives.  But  it  is 
the  testimony  of  those  well  acquainted  with 
the  subject,  that  without  this  official  character, 
they  were  able  to  exert  a  wide  and  strong  in- 
fluence over  the  natives,  to  restrain  their  war- 
like, marauding  and  revengeful  disposition. 

A  mission  was  commenced  by  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton, among  the  Bechuanas,  at  Lithakoo ; 
though  with  but  the  reluctant  consent  of  Mo- 
thibi,  the  chief.  These  people  have  no  notion 
of  idolatry,  and  no  religious  ideas  of  any  kind, 
so  that  they  can  only  be  approached,  at  first, 
through  motives  of  self-interest,  which,  how- 
ever, when  resorted  to,  must  ultimately  react 
against  the  missionary's  object.  In  conse- 
quence of  a  disastrous  defeat  of  a  marauding 
expedition  against  the  Bakuenas,  Mothibi, 
and  a  majority  of  his  people  removed  to  the 
Kuruman  river,  in  June,  1817.  In  1820,  Mr. 
Moffat  arrived,  in  company  with  Mr.  Campbell ; 
and  in  1821,  the  former  became  permanently 
connected  with  the  mission,  where  he  now  re- 
mains. This  mission  passed  through  perils  and 
dangers  almost  incredible,  which  are  described 
by  Mr.  Moffat  with  graphic  power.  First,  they 
were  the  objects  of  suspicion  to  the  natives, 
who  ordered  them  to  leave,  and  threatened 
their  destruction.  Then  the  country  was  vis- 
ited with  a  long  and  terrible  drought,  which 
threatened  to  destroy  every  thing.  A  rain- 
maker was  sent  for,  who  charged  it  upon  the 
missionaries  ;  but,  after  having  deceived  and 
fleeced  the  people,  he  was  obliged  to  flee  for  his 
life.  Afterwards  a  new  station  was  commenced, 
at  a  place  more  favorable  for  water  ;  but  no 
sooner  had  they  commenced  operations,  than 
the  whole  country  was  thrown  into  a  scene  of 
the  wildest  excitement  and  confusion,  and  no- 
thing but  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  and  at- 
tacks from  banditti,  seemed  to  be  the  order  of 
the  day.  Several  times  the  mission  was  scat- 
tered. But  at  length,  after  unheard  of  confu- 
sions and  terrors,  hardships  and  disasters, 
things  settled  down  into  comparative  quiet, 
and  the  appearances  at  tlie  station  were  indi- 
cative of  the  long  desired  change.  And  short- 
ly after  the  return  of  Mr.  Hamilton  from  a  visit 


to  the  Cape,  they  were  favored  with-  the  man- 
ifest outpouring  of  the  Spirit  from  on  high. 
The  simple  gospel  now  melted  the  hearts  of 
men  who  had  scorned  to  weep.  The  missiona- 
ries were  taken  by  surprise.  So  long  accus- 
tomed to  indifference,  the  scene  overwhelmed 
their  minds.  Their  chapel  became  a  Bockim 
and  the  sympathy  spread  from  heart  to  heart, 
so  that  even  infants  wept.  An  emancipated 
slave,  named  Aaron  Josephs,  who  had  come  to 
the  station  for  the  education  of  his  children,  was 
awakened,  and  giving  evidence  of  a  saving 
change,  was  received  into  the  church.  The 
services  on  this  occasion  gave  a  new  impulse 
to  the  work,  and  soon  the  sounds  predominant 
throughout  the  village  were  those  of  singing 
and  prayer.  Those  that  were  awakened  held 
prayer-meetings  from  house  to  house;  and 
when  there  were  none  able  to^  engage  in  prayer 
they  would  sing  till  a  late  hour.  Before  the 
dawn  of  morning  they  would  assemble  again 
at  some  house  for  worship,  before  going  to  la- 
bor. Aaron  and  two  other  men  now  came 
forward  and  offered  to  build  a  school-house, 
that  might  serve  as  a  place  of  worship,  at  their 
own  expense.  And  as  all  gave  their  assistance, 
the  building  was  soon  completed.  Many  im- 
portant improvements  were  also  made  in  the 
outward  affairs  of  the  mission,  in  which  there 
was  no  lack  of  native  assistance,  while  the  lan- 
guage and  translations  were  attended  to.  On 
the  first  Sabbath  in  July,  1829,  six  of  the  con- 
verts, after  a  careful  examination  had  shown  a 
good  knowledge  of  divine  truth  and  a  simple 
faith  relying  alone  on  the  merits  of  Christ, 
were  baptized  and  received  into  the  church. 
And  Providence  had  so  ordered,  that  a  large 
number  were  present  from  Philipolis,  Camp- 
bell, Griqua  Town,  and  Boochaup,  who  were 
profitably  impressed  by  the  solemnity.  There 
were  present,  also,  parties  from  the  interior, 
who  had  come  there  to  trade.  The  place  was 
crowded  to  excess.  In  the  evening,  they  sat 
down  at  the  table  of  the  Lord,  and  enjoyed  a 
cheering  and  encouraging  season.  The  con- 
verts clothed  themselves  in  decent  raiment ; 
and  soon  after  a  sewing  school  was  started,  to 
teach  the  women  and  girls  to  make  their  own 
garments.  The  same  gospel  which  had  taught 
them  that  they  were  spiritually  miserable, 
blind  and  naked,  discovered  to  them  also  that 
they  needed  outward  reform,  and  thus  prepared 
their  minds  to  adopt  those  modes  of  comfort, 
cleanliness  and  convenience,  which  they  had 
been  accustomed  to  view  only  as  the  peculiar- 
ities of  a  strange  people.  And  the  same  im- 
provement was  manifest  in  the  other  depart- 
ments of  household  economy. 

Prospects  continued  cheering.  The  desire  for 
instruction  was  great,  and  the  experience  of 
the  inquirers  and  converts  was  such  as  to  give 
good  evidence  of  grace.  "  I  seek  Jesus,"  one 
would  say,  and  another,  "  I  am  feeling  after 
God.  I  have  been  wandering  among  beasts  of 
prey  ;  the  day  has  dawned,  and  I  see  my  dan- 


32 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


^er."  Another,  "  I  have  been  sloping  in  a 
lion's  deu ;  or  been  blown  to  and  fro  like  a  cal- " 
abash  uj)on  the  water,  and  might  have  sunk." 
A  woman,  who  was  about  to  die,  called  her 
husband  and  friends,  and  addressed  them  :  "  I 
am  going  to  die.  Weep  not  because  I  am 
going  to  leave  you,  but  weep  for  your  sins,  and 
weep  for  your  souls.  With  me  all  is  well,  for 
do  not  suppose  that  I  die  like  a  beast,  or  that 
I  shall  sleep  forever  in  the  grave.  No,  Jesus 
has  died  for  my  sins  ;  he  has  said  he  will  save 
me  ;  I  am  going  to  be  with  him." 

The  people  now  made  rapid  progress  in  civ- 
ilization ;  and  as  the  country  had  been  blessed 
with  plentiful  rains,  they  hegwa.  to  adopt  Eu- 
roi)can  modes  of  cultivation,  and  to  increase 
the  variety  of  their  agricultural  productions. 
And  the  spiritual  affairs  of  the  station  kept  pace 
with  external  improvement.  Progress  was 
made  in  reading,  and  knowledge  increased ; 
and  early  in  the  year  1830,  the  foundations  of 
a  church  were  laid. 

Mr.  Moffat,  having  completed  the  translation 
of  the  gospel  of  Luke,  repaired  to  the  Cape  to 
get  it  printed,  and  returned  with  the  treasure, 
together  with  a  hymn  book  in  the  native  lan- 
guage, a  printing  press,  type,  paper  and  ink, 
having  learned  to  print  during  his  absence  ; 
also  bringing  with  him  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ed- 
wards, as  a  reinforcement.  Nothing  could  ex- 
ceed the  surprise  of  the  natives,  when  they 
saw  a  white  sheet,  after  disappearing  for  a 
moment,  emerge  spangled  with  letters.  The 
mission  continued  to  prosper  after  this.  Mr. 
Moffat  made  frequent  excursions  into  the 
interior  to  visit  other  tribes,  where,  in  the 
midst  of  great  peril  and  strange  adventures,  he 
was  mercifully  preserved,  and  permitted  to 
scatter  some  seeds  of  divine  truth,  and  prepare 
the  way  for  other  labors.  He  afterwards  made 
a  visit  to  England,  where  he  spent  several 
years  in  the  translation  and  printing  of  the 
Scriptures  and  other  books  for  the  mission 
among  the  Bechuanas. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1843,  he  returned  to 
his  field  of  labor,  where  he  arrived  on  the  13th 
of  December,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Ash  ton  and  Inglis,  as  a  reinforcement.  He 
met  a  warm  reception.  "  Many  were  the  hearty 
welcomes,"  says  he,  "  we  received,  all  appearing 
emulous  to  testify  their  joy.  Old  and  young, 
even  the  little  children  would  shake  hands  with 
us.  Some  gave  vent  to  their  joy  with  an  air 
of  heathen  wildness,  and  some  in  silent  floods 
of  tears  ;  while  others  whose  hearts  had  sick- 
ened with  deferred  hope,  would  ask  again  and 
again,  "  Do  our  eyes  indeed  behold  you  ?"  Thus 
we  found  ourselves  again  among  a  people  who 
loved  us  and  who  had  longed  for  our  return. 
It  has  afforded  us  hallowed  delight,  and  often 
called  forth  from  our  hearts  the  liveliest  feelings 
of  gratitude  to  God,  to  witness  the  progre&s  of 
the  knowledge  of  divine  things,  and  of  the  pow- 
er of  the  gospel,  among  the  people  connected 
with  thLs  place,  as  well  as  at  our  out-statious." 


The  missions  of  the  Society,  embracing  ma- 
ny stations  not  named  in  the  foregoing  sketch, 
though  subject  to  occasional  interruptions 
from  the  predatory  excui-sions  of  hostile  tribes, 
from  the  former  wars  with  the  Kaffres,  and 
from  hostile  boers,  enjoyed,  in  general,  contin- 
ued prosperity,  till  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Kaffre  war,  in  1846,  when  the  stations  in  Kaf- 
freland  were  abandoned. 

The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  has  been 
manifested  at  most  of  the  stations  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent,  every  year ;  and,  as  the  result  of 
seasons  of  refreshing,  additions  have  been 
made  to  various  churches,  in  different  years, 
varying  from  a  few  individuals  to  ten,  twenty, 
and  even  as  high  as  ninety  at  one  time.  In  1839, 
the  Caledon  Institution  was  favored  with  a  re- 
markable awakening.  Its  beginnings  were  at 
first  small,  and  without  noise  ;  it  continued,  till 
men,  women,  and  children,  became  anxious 
about  their  salvation.  At  one  public  meet- 
ing, after  service,  Mr.  Helms  asked  all  to  re- 
main who  felt  anxious  about  their  souls,  and 
only  fourteen  retired  out  of  three  or  four  hun- 
dred. A  great  moral  reformation  took  place ; 
122  were  added  to  the  church,  and  the  mem- 
bers appeared  to  walk  worthy  of  their  profes- 
sion, their  character  being  marked  by  humility, 
their  views  simple  and  scriptural,  with  much 
spirituality  of  mind,  and  disposition  to  converse 
about  the  things  of  God.  The  next  year  re- 
ports the  work  as  still  continuing,  and  as  hav- 
ing produced  great  changes  in  many  families, 
many  having  been  brought  in,  who  were 
considered  as  hardened  beyond  hope.  In  1843, 
Mr.  Helms  wrote  :  "  We  have  still  the  spirit 
of  prayer,  sinners  are  awakened,  and  the  new 
converts  are  growing  in  grace." 

In  1847,  a  revival  commenced  at  Gossiep, 
an  out-station  of  the  Griqua  Mission,  among 
the  young  people,  as  the  result  of  which,  ninety 
were  added  to  the  church,  of  whom  the  mis- 
sionaries say,  the  following  year,  "  Generally, 
the  new  converts  give  us  great  satisfaction." 
In  1851,  there  was  a  gracious  work  at  Long 
Kloof,  which  continued,  with  very  little  inter- 
mission, to  the  following  year,  and  fifty  of  the 
converts  had  been  received  into  the  church. 

The  effects  of  the  gospel  are  visible,  also,  in 
outward  things,  at  all  the  stations.  The  re- 
port of  the  Caledon  Institution  for  1849,  says, 
"  the  people  are  gradually  and  steadily  ad- 
vancing, not  only  in  knowledge,  but  in  civili- 
zation, which  is  chiefly  seen  in  their  adoption 
of  better  clothing,  the  increase  of  domestic 
comforts,  and  the  superior  quality  of  their 
food.  And,  as  long  ago  as  1841,  Dr.  Philip, 
while  on  a  tour  among  the  missions,  writes 
from  Caledon  :  "  This  station  presents  a  most 
gratifying  spectacle  to  those  who  saw  it  in 
former  times.  In  1823,  the  people  were  in 
rags.  Few  of  them  had  any  covering  on,  ex- 
cept the  filthy  sheep-skin  kaross.  Their  huts 
were  of  the  most  wretched  description.  They 
were  given  to  drunkenness,  and  its  kindred 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


33 


vices,  and  tlie  ground  on  which  they  resided 
lay  waste.  In  1825,  and  the  two  Ibllowing 
years,  their  condition  was,  if  possible,  still  more 
miserable,  and  the  lands  were  in  the  possession 
of  the  neighboring  boers.  The  people  are 
now  dressed  in  British  manufactures,  and  make 
a  very  respectable  appearance  in  the  house  of 
God.  The  children  who  formerly  went  naked, 
and  presented  a  most  disgusting  appearance, 
are  decently  clothed.  Instead  of  a  few  wretch- 
ed huts,  resembling  pig-styes,  we  have  now  a 
rising  and  regular  village ;  and  the  valley  on 
which  it  stands,  which  till  lately  was  unculti- 
vated, is  now  laid  out  in  gardens.  While  re- 
ligion was  low  among  the  people,  we  could 
not  get  them  to  build  decent  houses  ;  but  last 
year  the  walls  of  forty  houses  were  raised." 

Among  the  Fingoes,  who  are  constant  in 
their  attendance  on  the  means  of  grace,  a 
marked  and  pleasing  change  is  exhibited  in 
their  outward  appearance.  In  1843,  Mr.  Pass- 
more  wrote  : "  The  red  clay,  used  for  anointing 
their  bodies,  has  been  superseded  by  the  cleans- 
ing waters  of  the  spring,  and  the  kaross  and 
blanket  have  given  place  to  garments  of  Eu- 
ropean manufacture.  Many  have  made  great 
progress  in  several  branches  of  knowledge. 
The  desire  for  instruction  is  very  great.  In 
the  summer,  many  of  them  come  from  their 
work,  and  remain  in  school  till  half-past  nine 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  before  they  go  home 
for  refreshment,  and  they  purchase  with  avidity 
all  the  books  that  are  published." 

Mr.  Solomon,  on  arriving  at  Griquatown,  in 
December,  1843,  writes  :  "  I  found  the  great 
majority  of  them  no  longer  living  in  their  mat 
huts,  covered  with  their  filthy  karosses,  subsist- 
ing on  roots  and  game,  but  dwelling  in  Europe- 
an houses,  many  of  them  of  stone  or  brick  ; 
decently  clothed  in  European  attire  ;  cultivat- 
ing all  the  ground  capable  of  cultivation  ;  pos- 
sessing flocks  and  herds ;  and  enjoying  many  of 
the  comforts  of  life.  I  found  many  of  them  in- 
telligent and  respectable,  in  every  sense  of 
the  term,  who  would  reflect  credit  on  any 
community."  He  says,  also,  that  the  influence 
of  the  mission  was  not  confined  to  that  parti- 
cular spot,  but  had  extended  to  some  distance 
in  all  directions  ;  and  that  there  were  several 
outposts  where  churches  had  been  gathered, 
some  of  them  containing  100  to  200  members, 
walking  as  becometh  Christians. 

Testimonies  of  this  kind  might  be  given  to 
an  indefinite  extent ;  but  we  have  room  for 
but  one  incident  more  on  this  point,  which 
will  show  that  the  change  is  perceived  by  the 
heathen,  and  its  cause  acknowledged  :  A  Fin- 
go,  traveling  through  Hankey,  where  the  so- 
ciety have  a  station,  sat  down  to  rest  at  the 
door  of  the  place  of  worship,  and  looking 
round  on  the  houses,  behind  which  the  gardens 
were  concealed,  asked  one  of  the  deacons  how 
the  people  got  food  in  such  a  place.  The 
deacon  told  him  to  look  at  him,  and  see  if  he 
was  not  healthy  and  well  clothed.  He  then 
3 


called  a  fine  child,  and  told  the  man  to  look  at 
it,  and  see  if  it  was  not  well  fed.  The  stranger 
assented,  but  seemed  perplexed.  The  deacon 
then  told  him  if  he  would  attend  service  the 
next  day,  he  would  see  that  it  was  so  with 
them  all.  The  Fingo  rose  to  depart,  and  lift- 
ing up  his  eyes  and  right  hand  to  heaven,  ex- 
claimed, "  It  is  always  so  where  that  God  is  wor- 
shipped .'" 

The  following  incident,  which  occurred  in 
1848,  at  Long  Kloof,  shows  the  influence  of 
the  schools  upon  children,  even  of  a  tender 
age,  and  their  reflex  influence  upon  the  parents. 
A  man  utterly  regardless  of  divine  things  was 
induced  by  a  relative  to  send  two  children  to 
the  school,  a  boy  of  eight  and  a  girl  of  six 
years.  After  a  few  weeks  he  came  for  the 
boy,  as  he  wanted  him  to  herd  calves.  The 
boy  objected  to  going,  "  because,"  said  he, 
"  there  is  nothing  good  taught  at  the  place  0 
where  father  lives."  "  But,"  said  the  father, 
"  what  can  such  a  thing  as  you  learn  here  ?" 
"  Father,"  said  the  boy, "  I  have  learned  some- 
thing." "  Repeat  it,  then,"  said  the  father. 
The  boy  replied,  "  '  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  ? '  Does 
father  know  who  Jesus  Christ  is  ?  He  is  the 
Son  of  God.  Does  father  know  who  are  sin- 
ners ?  All  are  sinners."  This  conversation 
so  affected  the  father  that  he  returned  home 
without  the  boy,  and  in  a  few  weeks  came 
back,  an  altered  man,  having,  as  he  said,  "  met 
with  the  precious  word  of  God." 

Polygamy  has  been  found  to  be  a  great  hin- 
drance to  the  progress  of  the  gospel.  The 
people  seemed  to  have  no  idea  of  the  sinfulness 
of  the  practice.  But  the  missionaries  gave  no 
countenance  to  it,  and  required  the  converts 
to  give  up  all  but  one  wife,  and  to  prefer  the 
first  one.  Sechele,  the  chief  at  Kolobeng,  was 
the  chief  rain-doctor  of  his  district,  and  had 
been  reckless  of  human  life.  But,  from  the 
commencement  of  the  mission,  he  attended 
school  and  all  other  services.  The  truth  took 
hold  of  his  heart,  and  he  professed  it  boldly 
among  his  people.  But  the  great  sacrifice  he 
had  to  make  was  the  renunciation  of  polygamy. 
His  surplus  wives  were  the  most  amiable 
women,  and  the  best  scholars  of  any  in  the 
town.  Soon,  the  chief  sent  two  of  them  to 
their  parents,  with  the  message  that  the  word 
of  God  had  come  between  him  and  their 
daughters.  The  others  were  properly  disposed 
of.  Each  of  them  carried  away  all  that  be- 
longed to  her,  and  the  chief  supplied  each  of 
them  with  new  clothing.  As  soon  as  it  was 
known  that  he  had  renounced  his  wives,  a  gen- 
eral consternation  seized  both  old  and  young. 
The  town  was  as  quiet  as  if  it  had  been  Sun- 
day. Not  a  single  woman  was  seen  going  to 
her  garden.  Councils  were  held  during  the 
night,  in  order  to  intimidate  him.^  But  he 
remained  firm,  and  after  being  tried  in  various 
ways  for  two  months,  he  was  baptized. 


84 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


Many  very  intcrcstinj^  cases  arc  moutioned, 
to  show  the  effect  of  the  gospel,  in  producing 
a  spirit  of  liberality.  At  all  the  stations  thej^ 
have  generally  shown  a  disposition  to  contri- 
bute according  to  their  ability.  A  poor 
woman,  a  cripple,  hired  herself  out  to  earn 
something  to  give  to  the  missionary  cause. 
When  the  time  for  the  missionary  meeting 
came,  she  asked  her  mistress  for  five  shillings, 
who,  in  reply,  told  her  that  sober  and  indus- 
trious people  ought  not  to  give  anything,  but 
rather  drunkards,  who  squandered  their  money. 
She  replied,  "  Mistress,  such  persons  can  do  as 
thev  choose,  but  we  feel  that  we  must  give" 

At  the  conclusion  of  a  Sabbath  sei-vice  at 
Port  Elizabeth,  the  missionary  called  on  a 
man  to  offer  prayer.  He  commenced  by  al- 
luding to  the  condition  of  himself  and  country- 
men before  they  heard  the  gospel,  when  they 
%  indulged  in  vice,  and  when  they  were  ready  to 
murder  each  other ;  but  when  he  came  to 
speak  of  God's  goodness  in  having  sent  the 
gospel  to  them,  and  in  having  made  them  par- 
takers of  its  blessings,  his  voice  faltered,  and 
his  heart  seemed  too  full  for  utterance.  He 
said,  "  How  can  we  ever  love  thee  as  we  ought 
to  do,  for  thy  love  to  us  ? "  He  could  go  no 
further,  but  sat  down,  and  continued  sobbing 
all  the  time  of  the  last  hymn.  This  man,  who 
was  a  poor  Fingo,  obtained  his  living  by  work- 
ing on  the  beach,  up  to  his  waist  in  water, 
landing  goods  ;  and  he  brought  the  missionary 
eight  shillings  for  the  jubilee  fund,  and  a  sove- 
reign as  liis  annual  subscription.  In  1843, 
there  was  extreme  scarcity  from  want  of  rain 
in  all  the  villages,  yet,  that  year,  the  churches 
in  South  Africa,  out  of  their  deep  poverty, 
contributed  £1,600  for  the  support  and  exten- 
sion of  the  gospel. 

The  society  have  turned  their  attention  to 
the  raising  up  of  a  native  agency.  In  1844 
Mr.  Moffat  writes  :  "  The  state  of  our  mission 
is  very  promising,  with  regard  to  the  native 
agents  employed  in  teaching  and  addressing 
the  people.  Six  men  are  connected  w^ith  Ku 
ruman,  and  these,  from  what  I  know  of  them, 
are,  through  the  divine  blessing,  calculated  to 
do  much  good.  It  is  truly  delightful  to  ob- 
serve the  fervent  zeal  of  these  godly  men.  In 
my  opinion,  this  is  the  only  means  by  which 
the  interior  of  the  country  can  have  a  stated 
ministry."  And,  again,  in  1846  :  "  At  all  our 
stations  the  simple,  but  evangelic  labors  of  our 
native  assistants  are  receiving  the  divine  bless- 
ing." 

In  the  report  of  the  society  for  1847,  the 
directors  say,  "  During  the  greater  part  of  last 
year,  this  field  of  the  society's  labors  has  been 
the  theatre  of  war,  and  scenes  have  daily  oc- 
curred over  which  the  friends  of  humanity  and 
religion  must  bitterly  mourn.  Thousands  of 
lawless  Kaffres  invaded  the  colony,  destroying 
the  villages,  stealing  the  cattle,  and  slaughter- 
ing the  inhabitants.  During  the  progress  of 
these  events,  the  four  missionary  stations  of 


the  society  in  Kaffreland  were  ruined ;  the 
missionaries  and  their  people  were  compelled 
to  seek  refuge  in  the  colony ;  their  property 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  ;  and  the  sev- 
eral settlements,  with  their  houses  and  chapels, 
were  totally  destroyed.  All  the  Christian  in- 
stitutions and  villages  within  the  colony  occu- 
pied bv  our  brethren  suffered  in  various  de- 
grees, but  the  flourishing  settlement  of  Kat 
River  most  severely."  The  reports  of  the  mis- 
sionaries generally  speak  of  the  bad  effects  of  . 
the  war,  in  engendering  dissipation  and  vice  ; 
but  they  bear  testimony  to  the  good  conduct 
generally  of  the  church-members,  who  were 
called  into  active  service  in  the  army. 

In  the  report  of  the  society  for  1852,  the 
directors  say :  "  The  war  has  continued  through- 
out the  year  to  spread  desolation  and  death. 
Alarm  and  distress  have  been  universally  prev- 
alent throughout  the  eastern  districts,  and  many 
valuable  lives  have  been  sacrificed.  A  portion 
of  the  Hottentots,  who,  on  all  former  occa- 
sions, proved  loyal  and  able  defenders  of  the 
colony,  have  been,  unhappily,  induced  to  unite 
with  the  hostile  Kaffres.  But  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  the  conduct  of  the  colonists  has 
been  calculated  to  produce,  in  the  minds  of  the 
colored  people,  distrust,  estrangement,  and  en- 
mity. At  the  commencement  of  the  contest, 
the  governor,  in  his  proclamation,  doomed  the 
Kaffres  ami  tJieir  allies  to  extermination,  and  the 
British  settlers  joined  heartily  in  the  design. 
Extermination  was  the  watchword  in  the  field, 
and  the  motto  inscribed  on  their  banners, — 
producing,  in  the  minds  of  the  native  popula- 
tion, the  impression  that  it  was  a  war  of  races. 
But  the  only  stations  of  the  society  at  which 
disaffection  to  the  government  has  been  man- 
ifested, are  those  of  Kat  River  and  Theopo- 
lis  ;  and,  from  its  thirty-five  stations,  from  four 
only  have  the  missionaries  been  obliged  to  re- 
tire." 

In  the  report  for  1853,  they  say :  "  This 
deadly  conflict  has  at  length  terminated,  and, 
as  might  have  been  foreseen,  by  the  triumph 
of  the  British  arms.  The  principal  Kaffi-e 
chiefs  have  been  driven,  with  their  people,  out 
of  their  country,  and  their  lands  allotted  to 
British  set^Jjj^s  and  colonists,  and  on  the  widely 
extended  frontier  there  will  be  military  posts, 
from  -which  the  troops  and  settlers  are  to  guard 
the  colony  against  the  return  of  the  exiled 
natives."  But  they  justly  complain  of  a  treaty 
which  has  been  concluded  between  the  British 
government  and  the  Dutch  boers,  by  which  the 
territory  north  of  the  Yaal  river  has  been 
ceded  to  the  latter,  as  the  Free  Dutch  Republic, 
without  any  provision  for  the  protection  and 
freedom  of  the  British  missionaries,  some  of 
whom  have  been  laboring  among  the  abori 
gines  for  more  than  twenty  years,  or  for  the 
numerous  and  prosperous  Christian  churches 
which  they  have  gathered.  In  this  treaty,  the 
boers  engage  not  to  subject  the  natives  to 
slavery,  but  no  security  was  taken,  and  the 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


35 


directors  have  no  confidence  that  it  will  be 
executed.  Already,  three  of  the  society's  mis- 
sionaries and  the  natives  among  whom  they 
were  stationed,  have  suffered  grievous  outrage 
and  wrong  from  the  Dutch  emigrants.  During 
the  month  of  August,  1852,  they  attacked  the 
native  tribes,  among  whom  Messrs.  Livingston, 
Inglis  and  Edwards  labored;  the  men  were 
killed,  and  the  women  and  children  captured  ; 
the  property  taken  as  spoil,  and  their  villages 
destroyed.  The  house  of  Mr.  Livingston  was 
broken  open,  his  property  stolen,  and  his  books 
torn  to  pieces  and  scattered  to  the  winds. 
And,  in  the  month  of  October,  these  three 
missionaries,  after  a  mock  trial,  were  sentenced 
to  be  banished  from  the  countij^.  And,  on 
application  by  the  directors  to  the  home  gov- 
ernment for  redress,  they  were  coolly  informed 
that  the  treaty  with  the  Dutch  emigrants  had 
been  confirmed  by  the  government,  thereby 
precluding  the  expectation  of  future  liberty 
for  the  British  missionaries,  or  of  freedom  for 
the  native  tribes.  Rev.  Mr.  Helmore  writes, 
Jan.  25,  1853  :  "  The  boers  are  subjugating 
the  Bechuana  tribes  to  their  iron  yoke.  Ma- 
musa  is  destroyed ;  the  missionaries  of  Matebe 
and  Mabotsa  are  driven  out  of  the  country ; 
Kolobeng  is  destroyed.  Kuruman  and  Lekat- 
long  are  the  only  stations  of  our  society  that 
yet  exist  in  the  Bechuana  country.  Alas  !  for 
the  tribes  beyond  us,  still  enshrouded  in  the 
black  cloud  of  heathenism." 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  remark 
that,  according  to  the  statements  of  Dr.  Philip, 
Mr.  Moffat,  and  others,  the  missions  in  South 
Africa  have  met  with  greater  hindrances  from 
the  opposition  of  the  colonists  and  the  inter- 
ference of  the  colonial  government,  than  from 
all  other  sources,  and  that  the  oppressive  policy 
pursued  by  the  colonial  government  towards 
the  natives,  has  been  one  of  the  chief  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  their  success. 

Much  complaint  is  made  of  the  canteens,  or 
grog-shops,  by  which  the  mission  settlements 
have  been  infested,  and,  in  some  instances,  suc- 
cessful attempts  have  been  made  to  counteract 
their  influence,  by  introducing  the  pledge  of 
total  abstinence.  At  Dysaldorp,  the  Total 
Abstinence  Society,  in  1844,  numbered  420 
members,  and  was  the  means  of  a  great  moral 
reformation. 

^  Here,  as  in  all  parts  of  the  world  where  mis- 
sions have  been  successful,  the  emissaries  of 
Popery  have  come  in  to  take  possession  of  the 
harvest.^  In  1846,  Dr.  Philip  says  there  were 
priests  in  all  the  villages,  and  some  of  these 
are  represented  as  men  of  learning  and  ability, 
and  they  were  employing  every  means  that 
their  zeal  could  dictate  to  make  converts. 

The  native  converts,  in  speaking  of  their 
own  religious  feelings,  manifest  a  simple-hearted 
piety,  a  knowledge  of  their  own  hearts,  and  of 
the  gospel,  in  its  adaptedness  to  their  wants, 
with  an  implicit  faith,  truly  remarkable  ;  and 
the  death-beds  of  the  departed  have  shown  that 


this  faith  was  able  to  sustain  them  in  that  hour 
which  brings  nought  but  terror  and  wailing  to 
the  heathen. 

The  latest  intelligence  from  these  missions 
is  encouraging.  The  report  of  the  society  for 
1853  states  that,  "Although  the  stations 
throughout  the  colony  have  suffered,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Kaffre  war,  some  diminution  in 
their  temporal  resources,  and  the  men  who  en- 
tered the  military  levies  have  been  exposed  to 
the  influence  of  the  camp  and  the  battle-field  ; 
yet  these  evils  have  been  far  less  than  might 
have  been  dreaded.  Even  at  the  Kat  River 
settlement,  Rev.  James  Read  has  collected 
the  scattered  members  of  the  church,  and  re- 
commenced the  schools ;  and  at  every  other 
station,  with  the  solitary  exception  of  Theopo- 
lis,  the  believers  have  walked  together  in  the 
fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  comfort  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  have  been  multiplied."  But 
beyond  the  bounds  of  the  colony,  it  has  been 
otherwise.  Yet  it  is  gratifying  to  learn  that 
the  members  of  the  churches,  at  the  stations 
which  have  been  broken  up,  have  generally 
sought  refuge  at  other  mission  settlements,  and 
that  their  conduct,  in  these  trying  circum- 
stances, has  been  such  as  to  honor  their  pro- 
fession. . 

While  the  surrounding  country  has  been 
subjected  to  the  lawless  attacks  of  the  emi- 
grant boers,  the  station  at  Kuruman  has  been 
unmolested.  Mr.  Moffat  writes,  in  November, 
1852,  that  he  is  going  on  with  the  work  of 
translation,  and  that  the  state  of  the  work  is 
more  encouraging  than  in  former  times ;  the 
people  are  more  settled  in  their  habits,  and 
better  informed  ;  the  grounds  at  and  near  the 
station  are  becoming  more  generally  cultivated. 
Mr.  Ashton  writes,  January,  1853,  that  they 
had  just  admitted  two  young  women  to  the 
church  who  were  baptized  in  infancy,  thus 
bringing  in  the  fruits  of  the  second  generation. 
At  the  station  at  Long  Kloof,  within  the 
colony,  and  at  an  out-station  not  far  distant, 
an  interesting  work  of  grace  commenced  in 
1852,  about  the  time  the  men  returned  from 
the  war.  To  the  missionary  it  was  an  over- 
powering time.  Many  who  had  grown  old  in 
sin,  as  well  as  the  youth  of  both  sexes,  were 
crowding  around  to  speak  with  him  of  the  con- 
cerns of  their  souls.  In  the  report  for  1853, 
the  work  is  noticed  as  still  continuing.  Sev- 
enty-three had  been  received  into  the  church, 
as  the  fruits  of  the  revival,  and  the  church  was 
apparently  in  a  healthy  state. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Livingston  has  returned  from 
his  third  journey  into  the  interior  of  the 
country,  having  penetrated  300  or  400  miles 
northward  beyond  the  limits  of  his  former 
travels.  He  found  a  country  abounding  with 
rivers,  some  of  much  greater  magnitude  than 
he  had  hitherto  seen  in  Africa,  and  an  interest- 
ing population,  far  more  numerous  than  the 
native  tribes  further  south.  Though  speaking 
different  languages,  they  generally  understood 


86 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


the  Sichuana,  in  which  Dr.  L.  preached  to 
tliem  the  gtwpel.  They  recciveu  him  with 
kindness,  and  ne  purposes,  with  the  sanction 
which  he  has  receive(i  from  the  directors,  to 
return  and  establish  a  mission  among  them. 

In  1848,  Rev.  J.  J.  Freeman,  Home  Secre- 
tary of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  paid  a 
visit  to  South  Africa,  for  the  purpose  of  devis- 
ing means  for  rendering  the  missions  more  effi- 
cient ;  to  inquire  into  the  best  means  of  econ- 
omizing the  society's  funds ;  and  to  aid  in  car- 
rying into  eflfcct  any  new  arrangements.  He 
visited  all  the  stations,  and  gave  a  highly  en- 
coui-aging  account  of  their  condition  ;  but  he 
agrees  with  Mr.  Moffat  and  Dr.  Philip,  in  his 
views  of  the  oppression  exercised  towards  the 
natives  by  the  Dutch  boers  and  other  colonists, 
as  well  as  by  the  impolitic  measures  of  the 
colonial  government ; — bv  means  of  which,  the 
cause  of  missions  is  greatly  embarrassed.  And 
he  expresses  the  fear  that  the  native  tribes, 
though  yet  numerous,  may  be  destined  to  ex- 
tinction. Slavery  among  the  Dutch  emigrants 
still  exists.  Mr.  Freeman  gives  an  account 
of  a  party  of  them  visiting  a  peaceable  settle- 
ment of  natives,  and  demanding  the  orphan 
children  ;  and,  on  being  refused,  they  took  the 
children  of  the  people  by  force,  and  on  resist- 
ance being  made,  shot  down  the  men,  and  car- 
ried off  their  children. 

The  following  table  will  exhibit  the  present 
condition  of  the  several  mission  stations : 


by  the  Kaffre  war  and  the  Dutch  boers.  Not- 
withstanding the  excitement  and  the  unsettled 
state  of  things,  consequent  upon  a  state  of 
war,  this  table  presents  the  churches  in  a 
healthy  state.  The  yearly  additions  have,  in 
some  cases,  been  large ;  while  the  average  is 
eleven  to  a  missionary,  which  is,  we  fear, 
greater  than  the  average  yearly  additions  to 
our  country  churches.  The  aggregate  of 
church  members  shows  the  number  of  converts 
to  be  equal  to  134  to  each  missionary.  This, 
taken  in  connection  with  all  the  incidental 
good  accomplislied,  shows  a  large  return  for 
the  labor  bestowed. — Moffat's  Southern  Africa ; 
Dr.  Philip's  Researches  in  South  Africa ;  Re- 
ports of  the  London  Missionary  Society;  Lon- 
don Missionary  Register;  Freeman's  Tour  in 
South  Africa. 

Wiesleyan  Missionary  Society. — The  first  mis- 
sionary sent  to  South  Africa  by  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  was  John  McKenny  of  Colo- 
raine,  Ireland.  Some  pious  soldiers  m  an  En« 
glish  regiment,  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in 
1812,  requested  the  English  Wesleyan  Confer- 
ence, to  send  them  a  man  to  preach  the  gospel. 
Mr.  McKenny  offered  himself  for  this  service. 
On  his  arrival  at  Cape  Town,  in  August, 
1814,  he  applied  to  the  Governor,  Lord  Somer- 
set, for  permission  to  preach,  but  this  was  re- 
fused ;  and  after  several  efforts  at  usefulness,  in 
some  other  way,  he  was  ordered  to  Ceylon  the 
next  year,  to  join  the  band  of  missionaries 
which  had  gone  out  with  Dr.  Coke. 

Barnabas  Shaw,  a  name  which  will  ever  be 
remembered  in  connection  with  South  Africa, 
offered  himself  for  the  mission  field  in  1815. 
On  his  way  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  he  and 
his  devoted  wife  buried  their  only  little  one" in 
the  '•'  deep,  deep  sea."  On  their  arrival,  they 
applied  to  the  Governor  for  the  usual  license 
to  exercise  his  ministry  at  Cape  Town.  "  His 
excellency  replied,  that  considering  the  high 
and  responsible  office  which  he  sustained,  to- 
gether with  the  adequate  supply  of  clergy- 
men for  both  the  Dutch  and  English  popula- 
tion, and  that  several  of  the  slaveholders  were 
opposed  to  the  instruction  of  the  colored 
classes,  he  could  not  grant  the  sanction  required. 
These  restrictions  on  religious  liberty  had  been 
imposed  by  the  Dutch  government  in  1804. 
But  Mr.  Shaw  believing  that  the  command 
of  the  "  King  of  kinp,"  could  not  be  counter- 
manded by  any  earthly  authority,  proceeded  to 
open  his  commission  as  God's  ambassador,  on 
the  following  Sabbath  day  to  a  congregation 
composed  of  soldiers.  His  heart,  however, 
was  set  on  preaching  Christ  to  the  perishing 
heathen,  and  he  earnestly  looked  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  do  so.  Just  at  this  juncture, 
Refv.  H.  Schemlen,  missionary  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  arrived  in  Cape  Town, 
with  some  Namaquas.  Mr.  Shaw  sought  an 
interview  with  them,  and  was  encouraged  by 
The  stations  marked  *  have  been  broken  up  I  Mr.  Schemlen  to  attempt  a  mission  among  the 


Paarl 

Caledon  Institution 

Pocaltsdorp 

Hanke V  &  Kruis  Fontein 

Port  Elizabeth 

Uitenhage 

Graham's  Town 

Graaf  Reinet 

Colesberg 

Geor:ge  Town 

Somerset 

Kat  River*  (before  the  war  in  1860) 

Cradock  

liOng  Kloof  or  Avontuur 

Fort  Beaufort 

DysaWorp 

BetheLsdorp  

King  William's  Town 

Knapp's  Hope  *  (1850) 

Peelton*  (1850) 

Griqua  Town 

liekatlong 

Philopolis 

Kururaan 

Mamusa  *  (1850) 

Mabotsa*  (1852) 

Kolobeng  • 

Matebe  * 


Stations 28 


127 
230 

241 

214 

67 

36 

32 

177 

600 

27 

199 

164 

171 

91 

72 

16 

40 

550 

460 

324 

187 

115 

6 


S2|4,501 


12 


353 


105 

70 
91 
85 
30 
50 
350 

250 
125 
40 
16 


200 
120 
125 


70 


3,483  1,757 


APRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


37 


heathen  beyond  the  Orange  river.  But  the 
difficulties  surrounding  him  were  many  and 
great.  He  had  not  yet  the  sanction  of  the 
committee  for  such  an  undertaking  ;  then  the 
expense  would  be  great,  and  besides,  his  wife's 
health  was  very  feeble.  But  in  this  emergency 
this  intrepid  and  devoted  woman  urged  her 
husband  to  undertake  the  arduous  enterprise, 
and  pledged  her  personal  property  to  sustain 
it,  should  the  committee  in  London  not  be 
willing  to  bear  the  expense.  This  decided 
him.  A  wagon  and  oxen,  with  other  neces- 
saries, were  immediately  purchased,  and  Bar- 
nabas Shaw  and  his  wife,  without  knowing 
where  they  should  find  a  resting  place,  or  to 
whom  they  should  go,  set  off  on  their  journey 
through  the  African  wilderness.  They  soon 
crossed  the  bounds  of  civilLzation  ;  and  with 
the  thermometer  sometimes  standing  llOo  in 
the  shade,  they  plodded  on  their  weary  journey, 
and  on  the  evening  of  the  27th  day,  they  met 
a  party  of  Hottentots,  accompanied  by  a  chief, 
who  encamped  near  them.  Mr.  Shaw  entered 
into  conversation  with  them,  and  to  his  sur- 
prise and  delight  the  chief  informed  him  that 
having  heard  of  the  "  Great  Word,"  he  was  on 
his  way  to  Cape  Town  to  seek  a  Christian 
missionary,  to  teach  him  and  his  people  the 
way  of  salvation,  Th^y  had  already  traveled 
200  miles,  and  there  were  yet  nearly  300  more 
before  they  could  reach  Cape  Town.  It  was 
certain  that  they  could  obtain  no  missionary 
there  ;  and  that  a  peculiar  providence  arranged 
this  meeting.  Had  either  party  started  but 
half  an  hour  earlier  on  their  journey,  they 
must  have  missed  each  other,  they  coming 
from  Little  Namaqualand,  and  Mr.  Shaw  fac- 
ing toward  Great  Namaqualand.  The  delight 
of  this  poor  heathen  chief  may  be  imagined, 
when,  after  listening  to  his  affectionate  state- 
ment, Mr.  Shaw  informed  him  that  he  was  a 
missionary  of  the  Cross  looking  for  a  people 
to  whom  he  might  preach  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
when  he  agreed  to  go  back  with  him  to  his 
tribe,  the  chief  wept  aloud,  "  and  rejoiced  as 
one  that  had  found  great  spoil."  They  pur- 
sued their  way  through  deep  forests,  and  across 
the  most  rugged  and  precipitous  mountains, 
(over  which  even  14  oxen  could  hardly  draw 
the  wagon,)  and  when  within  two  or  three 
days'  journey  of  their  destination,  the  chief 
hurried  on  to  inform  his  people  of  his  success. 
On  the  last  day  of  the  journey,  between  20 
and  30  Namaquas,  mounted  on  young  oxen, 
came  hurrying  on  to  meet  and  welcome  the 
missionaries.  They  approached  at  full  gallop, 
their  eyes  sparkling  with  delight,  and  having 
saluted  them,  set  off  again  at  the  top  of  their 
speed  to  announce  their  approach,  when  the 
whole  town  turned  out  to  meet  them.  vNext 
day  a  council  was  held,  which  was  opened  with 
prayer,  and  a  sermon  from,  "  This  is  a  faithful 
saying,"  &c.,  and  before  the  termination  of  the 
discourse,  the  chief  and  many  of  his  people 
wept  aloud.     After  which  Mr.  Scfiemlen,  on 


behalf  of  Mr.  Shaw,  propounded  a  series  of 
questions,  relating  to  the  establishment  of  a 
mission,  to  all  of  which  most  satisfactory  an- 
swers were  given.  This  devoted  German  mis- 
sionary, having  seen  them  safely  at  their  desti- 
nation, left  them  for  his  own  field  of  labor,  dis- 
tant four  weeks'  journey. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shaw  found  themselves  sur- 
rounded by  heathen,  far  from  friends,  and 
scarcely  yet  able  to  speak  the  language,  so  as 
to  make  themselves  understood.  They  took  up 
their  abode  in  a  hut,  with  neither  chimney, 
door,  or  window,  and  without  furniture,  sleep- 
ing on  a  mat  laid  upon  the  bare  ground.  The 
day  was  devoted  to  manual  labor — building  a 
house  and  tilling  the  ground,— and  the  evenings 
to  communicating  religious  instruction.  With- 
in one  month  of  his  arrival,  he  was  rejoiced  to 
^ee  some  fruit  of  his  labor.  Soon  a  chapel 
was  erected,  a  school  commenced,  a  class 
formed,  and  a  deep  religious  feeling  extended 
itself  among  the  people.  In  the  month  of 
June,  Mr.  Shaw  admitted  17  adults  into  the 
Christian  churcli  by  the  ordinance  of  baptism  ; 
in  July  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered  for 
the  first  time,  and  in  December,  the  first  Love' 
Feast  was  held.  The  converts  delivered  their 
sentiments  with  great  freedom  and  simplicity, 
of  which  the  following  are  specimens  :  "  Peter 
Links  rose  and  said, '  I  was  formerly  an  enemy 
to  missionaries,  and  when  some  wished  to  have 
one,  I  opposed  it ;  but  now  I  am  thankful  for 
the  word.  I  love  it.  It  has  taught  me  that  I 
am  a  great  sinner.  When  I  felt  this  I  wan- 
dered about  eating  bitter  bushes  hoping  there- 
by to  make  atonement  for  my  sins ;  but  I  never 
found  peace  till  I  heard  Jesus  came  to  save 
the  lost.  I  am  thankful  for  what  the  book 
says,  '  Come,  let  us  reason  together,  though 
your  sins  be  as  scarlet,'  &c.  I  have  been  like 
a  poor  little  silly  lamb,  which  is  only  just  be- 
ginning to  go.  When  the  ewe  goes  from  it 
a  short  distance,  it  turns  aside,  first  to  one 
bush  and  then  to  another.  The  ewe  has  her 
eye  upon  it,  and  goes  back  again  to  it,  and 
does  all  she  can  to  induce  it  to  follow  her  and 
will  not  forsake  it.  So  the  Lord  has  done  for 
me.'  The  chief  followed.  His  remarks  were 
very  brief :  'All  the  sins  I  have  committed,' 
said  he,  '  from  my  childhood  to  the  present 
time,  seemed  to  be  placed  before  my  mind.' 
Yery  soon  afterward  he  found  mercy,  and  told 
Mr.  Shaw,  that  '  though  he  had  been  extreme- 
ly sorrowful  on  account  of  the  weight  of  his 
sins,  the  burden  had  been  removed  by  the 
grace  of  God,  and  his  mind  was  now  'filled 
Avith  peace  and  joy.'  Old  Trooi  rose  up  and 
said,  *  When  I  first  saw  my  sins  I  felt  pain  in 
my  heart ;  and  by  night,  when  all  the  people 
were  sleeping  in  their  huts,  I  could  not  close 
my  eyes.  I  got  up  and  went  out.  I  wandered 
to  and  fro.  I  lay  down  on  my  hands  and 
knees  to  pray.  When  I  found  one  who  told 
me  what  I  should  do  to  be  saved,  I  was  so  de- 
lighted that  I  knew  not  how  to  go  away. ' " 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


In  the  depths  of  the  African  wilderness  that 
sanic  Divine  Spirit,  which  had  moved  his  peo- 
ple in  England  to  undertake  the  mission,  was 
enlightening  the  darkness  of  this  people,  and 
leadnig  them  to  the  enjoyment  of  a  personal 
salvation  through  the  labors  of  their  solitary 
Biissionary.  Early  in  1818,  Rev.  E.  Edunrds 
arrived  at  Lily  Fountain,  (the  name  of  the  sta- 
tion,) to  assist  Mr.  Shaw.  His  coming  was 
most  oj)portune,  and  greatly  delighted  the  peo- 
ple. In  gratitude  for  his  an-ival,  the  natives 
cheered  them  with  "  songs  in  the  night."  In 
tlieir  state  of  ignorance  they  had  often  danced 
at  midnight  to  the  sound  of  the  kommet-pot, 
and  now,  beneath  the  same  bright  moon,  in  the 
calm  stillness  of  the  night,  the  mission  party 
are  startled  from  their  slumbers  by  the  sound 
of  distant  music.  They  rise  and  listen,  and 
as  it  comes  nearer,  they  discover  it  to  be  A'- 
happy  band  of  the  redeemed  heathen  going 
from  hut  to  hut,  and  the  song  that  rose  on  the 
midnight  air  was  "  a  new  song  " — a  hymn  of 
praise,  in  their  own  language,  to  their  Redeem- 
er, one  verse  of  which  according  to  their  cus- 
tom was  often  repeated : 

"  Faith  loves  the  Saviour  and  beholds 

His  sufferings,  death  and  pain  ; 

And  this  shall  ne'er  be  old  nor  cold. 

Till  wo  with  him  shall  reign." 

As  they  went  onward  they  called  on  the  head 
of  each  family  to  engage  in  prayer,  and  thus 
left  in  their  track  the  cloud  of  incense  rising  up 
from  the  domestic  altar,  acceptable  before  God. 

The  committee  had  sent  out  with  Mr.  Ed- 
wards a  forge  and  some  iron,  with  other  means 
of  improvement.  They  set  to  work,  and  made 
ploughshares  and  other  implements  of  indus- 
try, and  soon  agriculture  began  to  show  its 
happy  effects  around  them.  Nothing  surprized 
them  more  than  the  heated  iron,  and  the  sparks 
from  the  anvil.  It  was  to  them  the  day  of 
wonder ;  and  as  the  Greeks  bemoaned  the  lot 
of  their  ancestors,  who  had  not  lived  to  see 
Alexander  on  the  throne  of  Darius,  so  the  Nor 
maqiLas  seemed  to  lament  the  lot  of  their  fath- 
ers who  had  died  before  a  forge  was  set  up 
in  their  camp. .  A  school-house  was  built,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Edwards,  education 
began  more  rapidly  to  difinse  its  blessings. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  difficulties  attend- 
ing the  introduction  of  letters  among  a  barba- 
rous people,  Mr.  Shaw,  when  in  England, 
about  1841,  stated  in  the  hearing  of  the  wri- 
ter, that  for  weeks  he  had  tried  in  vain  to 
make  the  Namaquas  understand  that  the  large 
letters  he  had  traced  on  cards  and  hung  up 
before  them,  each  stood  for  a  separate  sound, 
and  that  their  combination  gave  a  word  or 
idea.  They  looked  astonished  and  burst  into 
a  loud  laugh.  He  was  growing  disheartened  ; 
but  recollecting  they  had  a  name  for  each  bul- 
lock, he  again  hung  up  his  letters  on  a  tree, 
while  the  Namaquas  sat  in  a  circle  on  the 
ground,  and  pointing  to  the  first  letter  said, 
"There  is  bullock  A,"  and    to  the  second, 


"  There  is  bullock  B,"  and  so  on.  Their  eyes 
brightened  ;  they  had  caught  the  idea,  and  he 
had  no  more  trouble. 

A  good  chapel  and  a  mission  house  were 
erected.  Meanwhile  the  work  of  God  deep- 
ened in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  An  awaken- 
ing commenced.  Even  the  children  held  meet- 
ings for  prayer  by  themselves.  Clad  in  their 
karosses  of  sheepskin,  they  bowed  before  the 
Lord,  and  sung  joyful  hosannas  to  the  Son 
of  David. 

The  news  of  this  good  work  spread  from 
tribe  to  tribe,  and  soon  the  cry  was  heard  from 
distant  places,  "Come  over  and  help  us."  Some 
of  the  Lily  Fountain  people  went  on  a  visit  to 
a  tribe  of  Mulattoes,  about  sixty  miles  off,  car- 
rying with  them  two  little  girls  who  had  been 
taught  to  read  and  sing  ;  and  so  eager  were 
those  poor  heathen  to  learn  something  of  the 
way  of  life,  that  they  kept  the  two  little  girls 
reading,  praying,  singing  and  answering  ques- 
tions incessantly,  scarcely  allowing  them  any 
rest  day  or  night.  A  desire  was  thus  awak- 
ened in  the  breasts  of  many  to  be  "  taught  the 
way  of  God  more  perfectly."  One  of  the  men 
of  the  tribe  soon  arrived  at  the  station,  and 
told  the  missionaries  that  the  people  living 
near  him,  who  had  never  heard  a  sermon  or 
seen  a  missionary,  were^^ longing  for  the  gospel. 
Mr.  Shaw  visited  the  tribe,  (in  Bushman-land,) 
and  preached  there  a  few  days. 

In  February,  1819,  a  Hottentot  from  a  dis- 
tant tribe,  arrived  at  the  station,  and  address- 
ing the  missionaries  said,  "  My  errand  in  com- 
ing here  is  to  request  that  you  will  come  and 
teach  us,  at  our  place,  the  good  tidings  of  the 
gospel.  I  am  now  an  old  man,  and  have  long 
thought  of  the  world.  I  now  desire  to  forget 
the  world  and  seek  something  for  my  soul. 
We  have  many  people — Bastards,  (Griquas,) 
Hottentots,  and  Bushmen,  all  of  them  earnest- 
ly desiring  the  gospel.  I  could  not  sleep,  but 
rose  early  in  the  morning,  and  went  to  one  of 
my  friends,  whose  house  was  a  considerable 
distance  from  mine,  to  speak  with  him.  I 
found  him  in  the  very  same  state  of  mind  with 
myself,  longing  to  hear  the  gospel  and  greatly 
troubled.  I  stood  amazed,  and  said  this  must 
be  from  God  ;  if  it  be  not  from  him  I  know 
not  from  whence  it  has  come.  I  will  go  to 
the  Khamies  mountain  and  hear  for  myself. 
He  said,  if  you  (the  missionary,)  will  go  with 
me,  or  come  to  us,  we  will  send  a  wagon  and 
oxen  for  you.  If  I  cannot  procure  men  (though 
I  am  now  old)  I  will  come  myself;  and  be  as- 
sured I  will  never  leave  you.  I  will  give  all 
my  cattle  over  to  the  other  people,  and  live 
free  from  worldly  care ;  but  you  must  come 
soon." 

Could  it  be  possible  that  a  mind  thus 
drawn  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  (or  those  anxious 
ones  in  the  tribes  he  represented,)  would  be 
left  to  grope  its  way  in  darkness  ?  No,  at  the 
very  time  these  words  were  being  uttered  in 
Africa,  the  Committee  in  London  were  raak- 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


39 


ing  arrangements  to  reinforce  the  mission ; 
and  soon  the  Rev.  J.  Archbcll,  with  his  excel- 
lent wife  were  on  their  way.  They  arrived  at 
Lily  Fountain  in  July  ;  and  two  weeks  after, 
in  company  with  Mr.  Shaw,  they  proceeded  to 
open  the  new  station  in  Bushmanland,  at  a  place 
called  Reed  Fountain,  about  two  days'  journey 
from  Lily  Fountain  to  the  east.  The  old  Ho1> 
tentot  received  them  with  joy ;  ground  was 
selected,  and  a  station  formed,  where  the  word 
of  life  was  dispensed  and  eagerly  received  by 
this  people. 

The  pious  natives  of  Khamies  Berg  (or 
mountain)  continued  to  improve  both  in  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  matters ;  and  were  as  a 
city  set  on  a  hill.  Their  light  shone  in  wor- 
shiping God  in  their  families.  Mr.  Shaw 
testifies  concerning  them  : — "  Oft  have  I  heard 
them  engaged  in  family  prayer,  before  the 
sun  had  gilded  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  nor 
were  their  evening  devotions  neglected.  As 
I  have  stood  by  the  mission  house,  with  the 
curtains  of  night  drawn  around  us,  I  could 
hear  them  singing  their  beautiful  evening 
hymn: 

"0  Christ  eternal,  light  divine. 

Who  constantly  on  us  doth  shine  ; 
Thy  presence  shall  be  with  us  here, 

Though  neither  sun  nor  moon  appear." 

Then  falling  on  their  knees  they  felt  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Most  High,  and  the  fulfilment  of 
the  promise,  *  The  habitation  of  the  just  shall 
be  blessed.' "  The  happy  change  was  thus 
illustrated  by  one  of  their  old  men  :  "  Myn- 
heer, before  we  received  the  gospel  we  were 
like  an  egg  before  the  chicken  is  hatched  ;  we 
were  surrounded  with  darkness,  and  could  see 
nothing  ;  but  when  the  gospel  came  it  broke 
the  shell,  and  now  we  see  the  light  of  day  ! " 
Religion  also  led  to  temporal  comfort.  When 
the  mission  commenced  in  1816,  the  habits  of 
the  people  were  filthy  in  the  extreme,  so  that 
the  effluvia  from  a  congregation  of  them  was 
enough  to  make  the  missionary  sick.  But  no 
sooner  did  they  receive  the  gospel  than  they 
washed  and  clothed  themselves.  Instead  of 
living  on  roots,  or  by  the  chase,  and  creeping 
into  a  smoky  hut,  or  a  hole  in  the  earth  to  sleep, 
they  built  houses  and  cultivated  the  soil  and 
received  the  reward  of  their  labor ;  so  that  of 
many  a  spot  in  South  Africa  it  may  now  be 
said,  "  There  he  maketh  the  hungry  to  dwell, 
that  they  may  prepare  a  city  for  habitation, 
and  sow  fields  and  plant  vineyards,  which  may 
yield  the  fruits  of  increase."  Geo.  Tiwmvson 
Esq.,  and  also  Sir  James  E.  Alexander  nave 
both,  in  their  respective  volumes  of  Travels, 
put  on  record  a  most  pleasing  testimony  con- 
cerning this  mission  and  others  established  by 
Mr.  Shaw  and  his  associates  in  South  Africa. 
In  1820,  Mr.  Shaw  undertook  a  journey  to 
some  of  the  tribes  beyond  the  Orange  river  in 
order  to  explore  the  country  and  to  avail  him- 
self of  any  opening  which  might  be  presented 
for  the  further  spread  of  the  gospel.    His  jour- 


nal contains  a  record  of  dangers  and  toils 
and  efforts,  which  has  few  parallels  even  in 
missionary  history.  Besides  the  burning  sun 
and  wind,  they  were  constantly  exposed  to 
wild  beasts  and  to  savage  men  ;  often  in  dan- 
ger of  dying  by  hunger  and  thirst,  or  losing 
their  way  in  the  wilderness,  or  being  dashed  to 
pieces  over  the  precipices  round  which  they 
had  to  climb.  But  God  preserved  them ; 
and  after  fourteen  weeks'  absence,  they  re- 
turned in  safety.  He  made  his  report  to  the 
committee  in  London,  and  applied  to  the  col- 
onial governor.  Sir  K.  Donkin,  who  kindly  per- 
mitted and  encouraged  him  to  open  missions 
among  the  chiefs  he  had  visited,  many  of  whom 
had  requested  to  have  Christian  teachers  sent 
to  them. 

In  1821,  the  mission  Avas  enlarged  by  the 
arrival  of  three  more  missionaries.  Mr.  Arch- 
bell  and  the  Hottentot  assistant  missionary, 
Jacob  Links,  being  sent  to  the  Great  Nama- 
quas,  Messrs.  Kay  and  Broadbent  were  sent  to 
commence  a  mission  in  the  Bechuana  country, 
and  Mr.  Hodgson  to  remain  at  the  Cape,  where 
permission  had  at  leug*th  been  obtained  to 
communicate  religious  instruction  to  the  slave 
population.  The  Albany  and  Kafiraria  mis- 
sion had  been  commenced  the  year  before  by 
Wm.  Shaw,  (brother  of  Barnabas,)  and  two 
missionaries  were  also  appointed  to  Madagas- 
car. The  next  year  the  devoted  William 
Threlfall  was  sent  to  assist  Mr.  William 
Shaw.  Being  again  reinforced  in  1823,  Mr. 
W.  Shaw  opened  a  mission  among  the  Kalfres 
under  the  protection  of  the  Kaffre  monarch, 
Pato,  and  Mr.  Threlfall  and  Mr.  Whitvmrth 
proceeded  to  open  a  mission  still  farther  east, 
in  Delagoa  Bay.  While  Mr.  Edwards  left 
Khamies  Berg  to  establish  a  station  among 
the  Cor  annas,  on  the  banks  of  the  Orange 
river,  at  a  place  called  Moos.  This  and  the 
station  at  Maquasse  (about  three  degrees  east 
of  the  junction  of  the  Oradock,  and  one  day's 
journey  north  of  Orange  river,)  were  much 
interfered  with  by  incursions  of  savage  tribes 
in  their  vicinity.  Mount  Coke,  on  the  Bufialo 
river,  was  established  the  following  year.  The 
missionaries  were  engaged  in  their  great  work, 
learning  the  languages,  building  school-houses 
and  places  of  worship,  and  preaching  the  word 
of  life  with  considerable  success  when  an 
event  transpired  which  filled  them  with  the 
deepest  sorrow.  They  were  called  to  resign 
part  of  their  number  to  become  the  first  mar- 
tyrs of  the  Methodist  missions  to  South 
Africa.  Among  the  first  fruits  of  Barnabas 
Shaw's  ministry  at  Khamies  Berg,  in  1816,  was 
the  family  of  the  Links.  This  converted  Hotten- 
tot family  alone  furnished  three  native  teachers 
of  such  decided  piety  and  suitable  knowledge 
of  the  truth  as  to  be  very  useful  in  the  mission. 
One  of  these  was  Jacob  Links,  who  was  at  firet 
employed  as  interpreter.  But  his  progress  in 
knowledge  and  piety  was  such  that  he  soon  bo- 
gan  to  preach  himself,  and  accompanied  Mr. 


40 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


Shaw  in  his  various  visits  to  neighboring 
trilu's.  He  was  very  useful ;  in  1818,  the  con- 
ference accepted  him  us  an  assistant  mission- 
ary, and  phieed  his  name  upon  the  minutes. 
Besides  his  own  language,  (the  Namaqua,)  he 
could  preach  in  the  l>utch,  and  he  also  learned 
English,  that  he  might  have  access  to  its  reli- 
gious literature.  As  an  instance  of  his  shrewd- 
uess  :  One  day  he  and  Mr.  Shaw  encountered 
a  Dutch  boer,  who  stoutly  denied  that  the  Bi- 
ble or  the  gospel  was  ever  intended  for  Hot- 
tentots. Links  looked  him  in  tlie  face  and 
replied,  "  Master,  you  told  me  that  our  names 
did  not  stand  in  the  Book.  Will  you  now  tell 
me  whether  the  name  of  Dutchman  or  English- 
man is  to  be  found  in  it  ?"  No  answer  was 
given,  and  Jacob  continued,  "  Master,  you  call 
us  heathens.  That  is  our  name.  Now  I  find 
that  the  Book  says  that  Jesus  came  as  a  light 
to  lighten  the  heathen,  so  we  reati  our  name  in 
the  Book  !  "    The  Dutchman  was  silenced. 

On  another  occasion,  Mr.  Shaw  says,  "At 
the  time  of  our  going  into  Namaqualand,  most 
of  the  distant  (Dutch)  farmers  not  only  disap- 
proved of  the  heathen  being  instructed,  but 
some  of  them  endeavored  to  turn  it  all  into 
ridicule.  One  of  them  declared  to  me  that  he 
believed  the  Namaquas  were  only  a  species  of 
wild  dog,  and  had  no  souls.  I  therefore  called 
Jacob  Links,  who  was  with  me  at  the  time, 
and  offered  to  prove  that  Jacob,  though  a  dog, 
could  both  read  and  write  better  than  the  far- 
mer. I  believe  the  farmer  could  do  neither  ; 
and  finding  himself  in  an  awkward  situation, 
he  called  for  his  horse  and  rode  hastily  away." 
In  gratitude  for  his  recognition  as  an  assistant 
missionary  by  the  committee  in  London,  Jacob 
Links  wrote  them  the  following  very  interesting 
letter,  which  gives  additional  particulars  of  his 
personal  history.  This  letter  was  written  in 
Dutch,  in  a  very  good  hand.  Only  three  years 
previous  to  its  date  the  writer  of  it  was  an  ig- 
norant Hottentot ;  let  the  reader  bear  this  in 
mind,  and  then  answer  the  question  to  his  own 
conscience,  whether  or  no  the  gospel  of  Christ 
is  adequate  to  elevate  and  save  the  most  de- 
graded of  mankind  ?  The  following  is  a  lite- 
ral translation  : 


EINE,     ) 

>•    L 

nen ;— Tl 


"Africa,  Leelie  Fonteine 
Nov.  19,  1819 
'^Unknown  but  Reverend.  Gentlemen :— The 
salutations  which  you  sent,  I  received  from 
our  beloved  teachers,  and  wish  you  and  the  So- 
ciety much  peace  and  prosperity  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  I  have  long  been  desirous  of 
writing  you  concerning  my  former  and  present 
state,  but  on  account  of  weakness  in  the  Dutch 
language,  I  have  been  hindered.  I  hope,  how- 
ever, your  goodness  will  excuse  and  wank  at 
my  fault.  Before  I  heard  the  gospel  I  was  in 
gross  darkness,  ignorant  of  myself  as  a  sinner, 
and  knew  not  that  I  had  gfn  immortal  soul  ; 
nor  had  I  any  knowledge  of  him  who  is  called 
Jesus.    I  was  so  stupid  that  when  a  Hottentot 


camo  by  us  who  prayed  to  the  Lord,  I  thought 
he  was  asking  his  teacher*  for  all  these  things 
of  which  he  spoke  in  his  prayer.  Sometime 
after  this  another  Namaqua  came  upon  our 
place.  He  spoke  much  of  sin  and  also  of  J  e- 
sus.  By  means  of  his  conversation  I  was  very 
sorrowful  and  much  affected,  and  knew  not 
what  to  do.  My  mother  having  some  leaves 
of  an  old  Dutch  psalm  boolfj  I  thought  if  I  ate 
them  I  might  then  find  comfort.  I  ate  the 
leaves  up  but  my  sorrow  was  not  lessened.  I 
then  ^ot  upon  the  roof  of  an  old  house  to  pray, 
thinking  if  I  were  high  the  Lord  would  hear 
me  better  ;  but  I  found  no  deliverance.  I  then 
ate  all  sorts  of  bitter  bushes,  for  I  thought  the 
Lord  might  possibly  have  mercy  on  me.  But 
my  heaviness  did  not  then  go  away.  I  then 
heard  that  I  must  give  my  cause  over  to  Jesus, 
and  tried  to  do  so,  by  which  I  found  much 
lighter.  There  was  then  no  one  in  this  coun- 
try to  tell  us  of  Jesus,  and  I  desired  to  go  to 
the  Great  river,  (the  Orange  river,  near  200 
miles  off,)  to  learn  from  the  word.  I  was  now 
persecuted  both  by  black  and  white.  I^he 
[Dutch]  farmers  said  if  we  were  taught  by  mis- 
sionaries we  should  be  seized  as  slaves.  Some 
said  I  had  lost  my  senses  ;  and  my  mother  be- 
lieving this  to  be  the  case,  wept  over  me.  Af- 
ter this  a  missionary  on  his  journey  to  Pella, 
remained  some  weeks  with  our  chief ;  but  as 
I  was  tending  cattle  in  the  Bushman-land,  I 
heard  nothing.  Then  our  chief  and  four  other 
persons  went  to  seek  one  who  could  teach  us. 
I  was  at  this  full  of  joy  ;  and  when  they  re- 
turned, and  I  saw  the  teacher  (Mr.  Shaw) 
whom  the  Lord  had  sent  us,  it  was  the  happi- 
est day  for  me  that  I  ever  knew.  Through  the 
word  that  the  Lord  gave  the  missionary  to 
speak  I  learnt  that  my  heart  was  bad,  and  that 
nothing  but  the  precious  blood  of  Christ  could 
cleanse  me  from  my  sins.  I  also  found  Jesus 
to  be  the  way  of  life  and  the  sinner's  friend  ; 
and  I  now  feel  the  most  tender  pity  for  all 
those  who  are  ignorant  of  God.  I  often  feel 
sweetness  for  my  soul  whilst  I  speak  about  the 
gospel,  and  my  own  experience  in  the  Lord. 
Before  our  English  teacher  came  we  were  all 
sitting  in  the  shadow  of  death.  The  farmers 
around  us  told  us  that  if  we  prayed  they  would 
flog  us,  and  some  of  them  eY&a  threatened  to 
shoot  us  dead  if  we  attempted  to  pray.  They 
said  we  were  not  men  but  baboons,  and  that 
God  was  blasphemed  by  the  prayers  of  Nama- 
quas, and  would  punish  us  for  daring  to  call 
upon  him.  Now,  however,  we  thank  the  Lord 
that  he  has  taught  us  by  his  servants,  and  thAt 
he  hath  also  given  His  son  to  die  for  us.  We 
hear  likewise,  that  many  people  in  England  ro- 
member  us  in  their  prayers  ;  and  we  hope  they 


*  This  was  the  Jate  Mr.  Albrecht,  missionary  at  Pella. 
The  Hottentot  above  mentioned  held  service  among  the 
people  where  be  happened  to  go.  Jacob  Links  heard  him 
pray,  but  had  no  idea  of  God  as  a  Being  to  be  thus  ad- 
dressed. 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


41 


will  not  forget  us.    The  society  ot  all  praying 
people  are  by  me  saluted. 

An  unworthy  Namaqua, 

JACOB  LINKS." 

This  monument  of  the  mercy  of  God  con- 
tinued to  grow  in  grace  and  knowledge,  and 
with  great  acceptance  to  exercise  his  abilities 
in  preaching  Christ  to  his  own  people  and  to 
the  tribes  around  them.  About  this  time  a 
deep  feeling  of  commiseration  for  the  perish- 
ing heathen  beyond  the  Orange  river,  had  ta- 
ken hold  of  the  church  at  Lily  Fountain.  And 
notwithstanding  the  distance  and  the  danger, 
Jacob  Links  had  already  offered,  if  no  Euro- 
pean missionary  could  be  obtained,  that  he 
would  take  one  of  his  Christian  brethren  with 
him,  and  go  and  live  among  the  G-reat  Nama- 


this  time  (early  in  1825)  the  Rev.  W.  Threl- 
fall  arrived  at  Lily  Fountain.  Mr.  Threlfall 
was  a  young  man  of  amiable  spirit  and  man- 
ners, of  deep  piety  and  of  great  promise  as  a 
Christian  missionary.  He  left  a  home  in  Eng- 
land where  the  attractions  of  wealth  and  so- 
cial enjoyment  presented  their  charms  in  vain 
to  detain  him  from  the  settled  purpose  of  his 
heart  to  preach  Christ  to  the  heathen.  He 
was  appointed  to  Africa  in  1822.  But  his  de- 
cided predilection  was  for  Madagascar,  and  he 
hoped  to  be  allowed  to  proceed  there  from  Af- 
rica. When  on  the  point  of  embarking,  (in 
addition  to  a  donation  of  £100  which  he  for- 
warded to  the  Missionary  Society,)  he  nobly 
intimated  to  the  committee  that  if  the  low 
state  of  their  funds  was  the  difficulty  which 
prevented  their  assent  to  commence  a  mission 
in  Madagascar,  if  they  would  furnish  another 
missionary  to  go  with  him,  he  would  himself 
meet  that  difficulty.  There  never  went  fortli 
a  more  devotad  missionary  than  W.  Threlfall. 
On  landing  in  Africa  and  beholding  what  had 
been  done  already  by  the  labors  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, he  was  so  delighted  that  he  wept  for 
joy.  After  laboring  in  Albany  for  a  time,  he 
proceeded  to  Delagoa  Bay.  He  made  great 
proficiency  in  acquiring  the  language  ;  but  in 
the  midst  of  his  labors  and  usefulness  his 
health  failed  and  he  set  sail  for  Cape  Town. 
On  the  voyage  he  and  all  on  board  were  pros- 
trated with  fever  ;  eleven  of  the  crew  died,  in- 
cluding first  and  second  mates,  and  the  helm 
of  the  ship  was  tied  a-lee,  for  no  one  had 
strength  to  steer,  and  she  drifted  in  distress, 
till  discovered,  when  she  was  run  into  Table 
Bay.  Believing  himself  dying,  Mr.  Threlfall 
took  his  pocket  book  and  wrote,  "  My  request 
to  my  beloved  father  is,  that  whatever  proper- 
ty he  intended  to  give  me  may  be  devoted  to 
the  missionary  cause."  The  vessel  was  pro- 
hibited from  entering  the  harbor,  and  no  com- 
munication allowed  between  her  and  the  town. 
No  one  would  venture  to  the  ship.  In  this 
awful  emergency  the  Rev.  J.  W/iitworth,  Wes- 
leyan  missionary,  then  at  the  Cape,  volunteered 


to  go  on  board  the  infected  vessel  and  attend 
to  the  sufferers,  and  under  express  stipulation 
that  he  was  not  to  return  till  the  quarantine 
was  taken  off.  Providing  himself  with  medi- 
cines, (fee,  he  went  on  board,  and  God  not  only 
preserved  him  but  also  made  him  the  instrument 
of  raising  up  all  the  rest ;  and  on  the  25th  of 
May,  Mr.  Threlfall,  with  the  captain  and  crew 
landed,  praising  God  for  their  deliverance. 
Mr.  Threlfall  then  proceeded  to  Lily  Fountain 
to  join  Mr.  Shaw,  and  concert  measures  with 
him  for  extending  the  cause  of  Christ  among 
the  heathen.  Mr.  Shaw  was  delighted  with 
him.  His  piety  and  zeal  and  love  for  souls 
was  ever  apparent.  After  regaining  his  health 
in  some  good  measure,  he  projected  a  mission  to 
the  Great  Namaquas  on  the  north-west ;  and 
finding  "  a  true  yoke-fellow"  in  Jacob  Links, 


quas,  and  teach  them  the  way  of  life.    Just  at!  levpry  thing  was  soon  arranged,  and  he,  with  Ja- 


cob Links  and  Jonas  Jager,  a  native  exhorter, 
left  Lily  Fountain  on  their  perilous  journey 
in  June,  1825.  Mr.  Shaw  heard  from  the  party 
up  to  Aug.  6th.  They  were  at  that  date  suffer- 
ing much  from  the  disturbed  state  of  the  coun- 
tries through  which  they  were  passing,  and  also 
from  deficiency  of  food ;  but  still  trusting  in 
God.  No  further  information  arriving,  and 
several  months  passing  over,  fears  began  to 
be  entertained  for  their  safety,  which  were 
soon  afterwards  confirmed.  It  appears  that  a 
cruel  ruffian,  well  known  to  the  different  tribes 
in  Namaqualand  as  a  blood-thirsty  savage, 
who  lived  by  plunder  and  murder,  had  with 
some  others  like  minded,  placed  himself  in  Mr. 
Threlfall's  path,  and  offered  to  become  guide  to 
the  party.  One  night  while  they  were  asleep, 
he  and  his  confederates  rose  and  murdered 
them.  Jonas  Jager  was  shot  while  asleep. 
They  then  turned  on  Jacob  Links  and  shot 
him,  his  last  breath  being  spent  in  warning 
and  exhorting  his  murderers  and  commending 
his  soul  to  his  Eedeemer.  Mr.  Threlfall  at- 
tempted to  fly,  but  a  shot  struck  him  and  he 
fell,  and  the  cruel  assassin  came  up  and  pierced 
him  near  the  heart  with  his  assagay,  and  killed 
him. 

The  only  motive  for  this  dreadful  act  was 
to  obtain  the  few  trifling  articles  which  they 
had  taken  with  them  to  provide  food.  Both 
Jacob  and  Jonas  left  wives  and  families  to  be- 
moan their  loss,  and  all  of  them  were  under 
thirty  years  of  age ;  cut  down  thus  mysteriously 
in  their  bloom,  at  a  time  when  the  Church  was 
expecting  great  results  from  their  holy  and 
zealous  efforts. 

Information  having  reached  the  chief  Afri- 
caner, he  pursued  and  at  length  arrested  the 
party,  and  then  sent  information  to  the  British 
authorities  at  the  Cape.  The  murderer  was 
sent  to  the  colony  to  be  executed.  On  his  way 
he  was  led  through  Lily  Fountain,  and  the 
whole  village  turned  out  to  see  him ;  but 
mark  the  change  Christianity  had  wrought. 
The  friends  of  the  murdered  men  crowded 
round  him,  not  to  upbraid  or  torment,  Ibut  to 


42 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


exhort  him  to  think  of  his  awfiil  condition, 
and  earnestfy  repent  before  he  left  the  world ; 
and  with  an  exonplification  of  the  most  ex- 
alted Christian  charity,  Martha,  the  sister  of 
Jacob  Links,  said  to  the  uuhappy  wretch— 
•  Although  yOQ  haTe  munloreil  my  brother, 
nevertheleaB,  I  am  sorry  for  you,  because  yon 
are  indifl^voit  to  the  mlvation  of  yoor  sonL" 
The  death  of  Mr.  ThrelM  produced  a  deep 
sensation  in  England,  as  well  as  in  AJrica; 
and  the  Christian  bard,  JUbii<^;oM«ry,  celebrat- 
ed his  untimely  end  in  one  of  his  most  beautiful 
and  pathetic  productions.  There  was  no  re- 
serve in  the  cmring  iThich  Mr.  Threlfall  laid 
npon  the  miswfmaiy  altar;  his  life,  his 
blood,  his  property,  his  aU,  were  joyfuUy  000- 
secrated  in  sndi  a  serrice.     And,  although, 


themsdves  among  the  savages  of  Eaffiraria. — 
From  their  labors  have  resulted  19  stations, 
besides  those  of  Wesley  ville  and  Coke's  Mount, 
in  the  Albany  and  Kaffraria  District.  In  the 
Port  Natai  atid  Amaziua  Distriet  ihssre  are  five 
stations ;  and  in  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  Dis- 
trict there  are  nine,  all  of  which  with  full  infor- 
mation will  be  found  in  the  tabular  view  at 
the  end  of  this  article. 

The  peculiar  difficulties  which  our  misdon- 
ariee  have  to  encounter  in  their  labors  among 
these  peonle,  arise  from  their  feudal  customs, 
their  wandering  life,  (being  herdsmen,)  and  the 
restless  and  warlike  spirit  of  the  Kaffi^es  on  the 
east  coast.  But,  notwithstanding  these  diffi- 
culties the  Gospel  has  been  planted ;  schools 
and  churches  gathered;  education  and   the 


none  living  know  where  he  sleeps — his  devoted  |  press   have  he&n  introduced ;  hundreds  have 
life  has  not  heesa  in  vain,  either  to  the  posterity,  .been  truly  converted  to  God ;  the  savagism 


of  Ham,  or  to  the  living  Church  of  God.  Re- 
deemed Afrka  wiU  yet  place  his  name  in  the 
calendar  of  her  saints  and  martyrs;  and 
iHien  "the  Chief  Shqoherd  shall  appear," 
Thrdfall  shall  *"  be  with  him  in  glory.'' 

It  is  but  just  io  add,  that  the  wish  he  penned 
in  his  monorandnm  l>ook,  on  board  the  plague 
Am^  was  honored,  after  hk  death,  by  his  ex- 
cdL^t  father,  so  tiiat,  including  his  own  do- 
nalioos  and  his  effects,  the  noble  sum  of  nearly 
$8,000  was  preseitted,  in  his  behalf,  to  md 
mi^onary  cause. 

Ajiimated  by  suc^  an  example,  his  brethren 
followed  un  his  efibrt  Great  Namaquahnd 
was  altered;  andtintheooantiywhereheMl, 
ibe  society  in  whose  service  he  sacrifioed  his 
fife,  has  now  two  stations,  two  missionaries, 
six  local  preadios,  and  tiraoitf-one  teachera, 
with  nearly  400  church  membeis,  and  more 
than  1800  Great  Xamaquas  under  religiDos  in- 
struction. 

Barnabas  Shaw  came  home  to  England,  to 
recrait  his  health  in  1837 ;  but  he  shortly  afti»> 
ictomed  to  Africa,  to  resume  his  labors,  and 
after  45  years  of  ministerial  toil  and  sufi^ing, 
this  **  Apostle  of  Wesleyan  Miasioiis  in  Soom 
Airica,"  is  still  at  his  po^  diligently  emploved ; 
while  his  son,  on  the  qpoi  wnere  he  first  ^w 
tiaefaiealhof  fife^becune  the  sncoessor  of  his 
Tenoable  fether,  in  the  care  of  the  Skawties 
Berg  Ghirc^  till  forced  firam  hia  positioii  by 
iaifaire  of  health  in  1848. 

W.  Shaw,  the  brother  of  Bainahas,  mean^ 
i^die,  was  engaged  with  his  associates  in  ex- 
tenfiog  the  Gospel  on  tiweasi  eoaBt^andin 
tiie  interior,  among  the  Bechoanasi,  as  fer  np 
asPIaalberginkL28. 

The  JBrnoi  nission  was  of^pnally 


of  the  unreclaimed,  in  some  measure,  softened 
down ;  and  a  large  number  are  now  before  the 
Throne,  who  have  died  rejoicing  in  the  faith 
which  the  missionaries  first  carried  to  them  30 
years  ago.  An  hutitutionfor  training  native 
teaAen  is  in  qporation  in  Kaffiraria,  and  also  a 
vnntiMg  press,  from  whidli,  besides  Bibles, 
Hymn  Boo^  &C  there  is  regularly  issued  a 
periodical  in  the  KaflGre  language.  There  isalso 
anotha*  press  at  Grahams  Town,  and  another 
among  ue  BeAuanai,  The  langui^^  employ- 
ed by  the  missionaries  are  ih%  Engiith,  the 
Dutdh^  the  Kaffre,  the  Basso,  the  SesutOj  the 
6rre6o,  and  the  Sickuana. 

The  leading  authorities  for  this  article  are 
the  "  Annual  Bg^orts/*  and  "  Misskmary  No- 
tices/* of  the  Wesl^an  MissiooaiT  Society; 
the ""  Annuai  Minutes  "  of  the  Wesleyan  Con- 
ference ; "  The  WesUyan  Methodist  Magazine  T 
'^  Shames  Memoriab  ef  £buf&  M^"^^  '^ 
«  Ms§q£s  SanA,  4/riai."— Rev.  Wiluam  But^ 


It  is  especially  gratifying  to  see,  in  the  self- 
denying  luNMS  of  all  denominations  on  mis- 
sionazy  ground,  and  the  blessed  results  that 
foUow,  ue  substantial  nnify  of  Protestant 
Christians.  The  Apostle  expressed  his  earnest 
deare,  tiiat  the  {Hrimitive  dis^iks,  to  whom  he 
wrote,  might  all  speak  the  same  thing,  and  be 
joined  together  in  one  mind  and  one  spirit ; 
and  this  is  fuffilled  in  the  foreign  missionary 
fidd.  B^f  whatever  diverse  names  they  are 
called,  wbe&er  Moravian,  Wesleyan,  ^isco- 
pal,  Presbyterian,  or  Bap&t,  they  qpeak  the 
same  \m^gn^  <jt  Canaan,  and  their  ccmverts, 
whether  «'PaiihiaaB,  Medes,  the  dwdl^s  in 
Mesopotamia,"  or  Hottentots,  Kaffires,  Hindoos, 
with  ^the  aettiers  who  wait  out  frtom  li  Chinese,  or  Xew  Zealanders.  all  hear  in  their 
England,  in  the  hope  tiat  it  would  connect  it-i  own  tongne,  and  speak  alflce  the  language 
■elf  with  the  -HbtJarfofa,  and  uHimalely  provide  |  of  penitence  and  feith.  And,  in  the  forgoing 
the  means  for  extendisg  itself  among  ttie£G^iT' sketch,  we  find  the  €rerman  Presbyterian 
tribes.  ^  Tfaoe  hopes  have  been  realized;!  taking  bv  the  hand  the  English  Wesleyan,  and 
and  the  br^iren  oecopying  tbem  have  sac-[  going  a  mar  months'  joum^  into  the  wilder- 
oeedvely  given  way  to  the  new  miaaionaries  ness,  to  introdnce  him  into  tbe  field :  and  soon 
sent  oat  from  England^  and   have   planted  1  we  hear  the ''song  in  the  night,'' rising  up  from 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


43 


the  joyous  hearts  of  those  who  have  receired 
the  Gospel  firom  his  hands. 

The  following  tables  give  a  comprehensive 
and  cheering  view  of  the  results  of  the  labors 
of  the  Wesleyan  Missionaries  in  South  Africa. 


There  is  a  slight  discrepancy  between  these 
statistics  and  the  table  at  the  end  of  the  article 
on  Africa,  that  ha\'ing  been  made  out  for  the 
year  1852,  and  these  for  1854.  A  comparison 
of  the  two  will  show  the  growth. 


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AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


45 


Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts. — Soon  after  the  Colony  of  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  came  into  the  possession  of  the 
British  Government,  in  1806,  a  colonial  chap- 
lain was  appointed;  but  for  a  considerable 
period,  but  little  interest  was  felt  in  the  reli- 
gious condition  of  the  population,  and  no  effort 
was  made  for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen. 
In  1820,  the  Society  sent  out  Eev.  W.  Wright 
to  Cape  Town,  where  he  was  succeeded  in 
1831  by  Rev.  Dr.  E.  J.  Burrow.  In  1840,  a 
second  clergyman  was  added  to  the  Society's 
list.  In  1847,  there  were  found  in  all  only  13 
clergymen  and  one  catechist,  ministering  to 
widely  scattered  congregations,  throughout  a 
territory  which,  exclusive  of  the  recent  addi- 
tions of  British  Kaffraria,  the  Sovereignty, 
and  Natal,  was  as  large  as  Great  Britain  itself. 
In  that  year,  the  Diocese  of  Cape  Town  was 
constituted,  including,  together  with  all  the 
British  possessions  in  South  Africa,  the  Island 
of  St.  Helena ;  and  Bishop  Gray  having  been 
consecrated  on  St.  Peter's  Day,  1847,  arrived 
at  Cape  Town  Feb.  28,  1848.  The  change 
which  had  been  effected  in  the  short  space  of 
three  years,  at  the  time  of  the  Society's  Jubi- 
lee in  1851,  "  shows,"  the  Society  say  in  their 
report,  "  how  the  presence  of  a  single  man,  full 
of  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  extension 
of  Christ's  Kingdom,  can,  with  God's  blessing, 
infuse  life  and  energy  wherever  he  goes."  At 
that  time,  the  Bishop  of  Cape  Town  had  made 
four  visitations,  which  had  been  performed  on 
foot  or  in  a  wagon ;  or,  occasionally  on  horse- 
back. In  1850,  he  crossed  the  Orange  River, 
to  visit  the  boers  at  Bloem  Fontein  and  Yrede 
Dorp,  whence  he  descended  to  Peter  Maritz- 
burg.  On  his  way  back,  he  passed  throughout 
Kaffraria,  sometimes  into  spots  before  uuvis- 
ited  by  travelers,  or  at  least  unknown  to  geo- 
graphers, for  the  purpose  of  bearing  the  Gospel 
to  those  savage  tribes. 

*'  The  clergy  h?ive  been  multiplied  nearly 
four-fold ;  two  Archdeacons,  Merriman  and 
Welby,  prove  themselves  noble  coadjutors  of 
their  noble-hearted  Bishop,  and  between  forty 
and  fifty  active  laborers  were,  in  1851,  engaged 
in  missionary  labor  throughout  the  long-neg- 
lected diocese.  New  churches  were  springing 
up  in  every  direction,  and  the  colonists  were 
exhibiting  their  sense  of  the  benefits  conferred 
upon  them,  by  making  some  efforts  on  their 
part  to  correspond  with  those  of  the  church 
at  home.  A  Collegiate  Institution  has  been 
established  at  Woodlands,  near  Cape  Town, 
which  is  in  active  and  efiicieut  operation.  A 
Mission  has  been  organized  to  the  Mohamme- 
dans in  and  about  Cape  Town;  and  other 
missions,  on  a  scale  of  unusual  magnitude,  are 
contemplated  to  the  Kaffres  and  Zulus. — So- 
ciety's  Report,  at  its  Third  Jubilee,  in  1851, 
p.  f)4. 

Scotch  Missions. — Some  time  about  the  year 
1820,  the  Glasgow  Missionary  Society  sent 
out  Rev.  W.  R.  Thompson  as  missionary,  and 


Mr.  John  Bennie  as  catechist,  to  accompany  a 
colony  of  people  from  Glasgow,  who  went  out 
with  the  intention  of  settling  on  the  border 
of  Kaffraria,  the  Society  hoping  a  door  would 
be  opened  for  missionary  operations  among  the 
natives  ;  but  the  vessel  which  contained  them 
suffered  shipwreck,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
company  were  lost.  The  missionaries,  however, 
were  saved ;  and  the  Government  appointed 
Mr.  Thompson  as  a  missionary  to  the  Kaffres, 
in  conjunction  with  Rev.  John  Brownlee,  the 
catechist,  to  be  supported  by  the  society.  The 
Mission  is  located  on  the  river  Chumie,  at  the 
residence  of  the  chief  Gaika.  Soon  after  the 
mission  was  established,  Sicana,  the  chief  of  a 
Kraal  near  Kat  River  Mission,  died.  In  the 
morning  of  the  day  of  his  decease,  it  being 
Sabbath,  he  went  to  the  place  of  worship,  and 
told  the  people  that  God  had  aflQicted  him 
with  sickness,  and  that  he  should  die  that  day, 
resigning  his  soul  and  body  into  His  hands ; 
and  advising  them  to  remove  to  the  Teacher, 
as  the  situation  of  all  without  Christ  was 
wretched.  He  died  at  the  time  signified,  and 
all  his  people  removed  to  the  station  at  Chu- 
mie in  June.  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  pour  out 
his  spirit  in  this  wilderness,  and  in  June,  1823, 
five  Kaffres  were  baptized,  and  there  were  as 
many  more  candidates. 

December  16, 1823,  Rev.  Mr.  Ross  and  hig 
wife  arrived  as  a  reinforcement.  At  this  time, 
the  schools,  both  male  and  female,  were  well 
attended,  and  the  progress  of  the  children  en- 
couraging. A  printing  press  was  in  operation. 
From  the  chiefs  of  different  tribes  the  mission- 
aries had  received  warm  invitations  to  become 
their  instructors. 

In  1830,  a  new  and  commodious  church  had 
been  built,  which  would  hold  400  persons,  and 
not  less  than  300  attendants  every  Sabbath. 
Morning  prayer  was  daily  attended  by  about 
150  persons,  who  were  assembled  in  the  even- 
ing and  questioned  on  what  they  had  heard  in 
the  morning.  The  settlement  was  in  a  flour- 
ishing state.  The  Kafires  had  built  a  great 
number  of  houses  for  themselves,  and  had  well- 
cultivated  gardens.  A  new  station  had  been 
formed  at  Lovedale,  12  miles  from  Chumie,  to 
which  Messrs.  Ross  and  Bennie  had  been  as- 
signed. And  the  Gospel  of  John  had  been 
translated  into  the  Kaffre  language.  In  183«, 
another  station  had  been  added,  named  Bal- 
four, and  it  was  stated  that  other  societies 
were  supplied  with  portions  of  Scripture  from 
their  press. 

The  Glasgow  Missionary  Society  was  origi- 
nally formed  of  a  union  of  members  of  the 
Established  Church  of  Scotland,  and  Dissent- 
ers. On  the  9th  of  January,  1838,  this  union 
was  amicably  dissolved,  the  members  of  the 
Established  Church  retaining  the  old  name, 
and  the  Dissenters  taking  the  name  of  the 
Glasgow  African  Missionary  Society,  and  re 
taining  the  stations  of  Chumie,  Iggibigha, 
Glenthorn,  and  Kirkwood  :  while  the  old  So 


O --  Of  TSM     '^**2^ 


46 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


ciety  took  Lovedalc,  Burnshill,  Pirric,  and 
Kweleha, 

On  the  28lh  of  February,  1813,  the  mission- 
ary brethren  at  Lovedale  formed  themselves 
into  a  session,  for  the  purpose  of  conducting 
the  ecclesiastical  aflUirs  of  the  station.  At 
their  first  meeting,  it  was  resolved  to  observe 
the  first  Monday  of  the  month  as  a  day  of 
prayer  for  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  and  at  the  morning  and  evening 
service  of  that  day  to  direct  the  attention  of 
the  natives  to  the  subject.  On  the  18th  of  the 
same  month,  Jacob,  one  of  the  young  men  of 
their  seminary,  professing  to  see  himself  as  a 
lost  and  undone  sinner,  and  to  put  confidence 
alone  in  Christ,  was  received  as  a  candidate 
for  baptism. 

At  Lovedalc,  public  worship  is  kept  up  both 
on  the  Sabbath  and  week  days.  Four  meet- 
ings are  held  on  the  Sabbath.  On  week  days 
there  is  a  meeting  at  sunrise,  and  in  the  evening 
the  people  are  called  together  and  examined 
on  the  passage  read  in  the  morning. 

At  Firrie  the  church  was  enlarged,  Mr. 
Ross,  the  missionary,  building  the  walls,  his 
son  doing  the  wood-work  of  the  roof  during 
Lis  vacation,  native  assistants  did  the  plaster- 
ing and  built  the  seats,  Mrs.  Ross  glazed  the 
windows,  and  the  native  women  laid  the  floor, 
which  was  of  clay,  and  whitewashed  the  whole 
within  and  without,  coloring  the  inside  with 
yellow  ochre,  which  the  school  girls  brought 
two  miles.  When  all  hands  set  to  work  with 
equal  alacrity  upon  the  spiritual  building,  how 
soon  will  its  walls  go  up  ! 

The  station  at  Kweleha  was  abandoned,  on 
account  of  the  oppressive  conduct  of  a  native 
chief. 

After  the  division  which  took  place  in  the 
Church  of  Scotland  in  1843,  the  Glasgow  Mis- 
sionary Society  became  merged  in  the  foreign 
mission  scheme  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scot- 
land ;  and  its  missionaries  all  being  in  South 
Africa,  were  placed  under  the  care  of  the  latter 
body.  The  vote  of  dissolution  and  transfer 
was  passed  on  the  29th  of  October,  1844.  At 
the  time  of  the  transfer,  there  was  a  mission 
seminary,  valued  at  2000/.  to  3000/.,  free  from 
debt,  with  twelve  or  fourteen  native  youths  in 
prraaration  for  the  ministry  ;  and  some  of  the 
pupils  trainefl  in  the  seminary  were  engaged  in 
communicating  Christian  knowledge  to  their 
countrjmien. 

The  mission  continued  to  prosper  till  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Kaffre  war,  in  1846,  when 
the  missionaries  and  their  people  were  obliged 
to  flee,  some  taking  refuge  at  the  Kat  River 
settlement,  and  some  in  other  places.  Mr. 
Gowan  returned  to  Scotland,  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Gorrie  repaired  to  Cape  Town,  to  labor 
among  the  colonists.  Mr.  Gowan  thus  de- 
scribes the  desolation  left  behind  :  "  Burnshill 
station  is  destroyed,  and  several  others  have 
been  burned.  Some  of  the  missionaries  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  their  lives.    The  houses  at 


Lovedale  have  been  converted  into  a  garrison. 
The  seminary  is  occupied  by  200  soldiers,' witii 
commissariat  and  military  stores.  The  walls 
of  our  hous6s  are  loop-holed,  and  om*  gardens 
converted  into  cattle  kraals." 

In  1848,  the  missionaries  were  again  at  their 
posts ;  and  at  Lovedale,  where  they  had  been 
for  some  time,  every  thing  was  full  of  hope. 
At  the  other  stations,  things  presented  a  sad 
appearance.  The  loss  occasioned  by  the  war 
was  about  1,258/.,  of  which  the  government 
repaid  about  1^9/.  The  personal  loss  to  the 
missionaries  was  over  500/.  In  1849,  the  semi- 
nary at  Lovedale  was  reopened,  with  seven 
native  and  ten  European  pupils ;  and  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Colony  had  granted  100/.  per 
annum  towards  the  expense  of  the  seminary, 
and  12/.  a  year  to  each  native  teacher,  after 
leaving  the  institution. 

In  1850,  Rev.  Mr.  Macfarline  makes  the  fol- 
lowing comparison  of  the  present  with  the 
past :  "  When  our  missionaries  began  their 
labors,  the  Kafire  language  had  not  been  re- 
duced to  letters.  The  Scriptures,  Catechisms, 
school  books,  and  other  publications  are  now 
translated.  Native  husbandry  was  conducted 
with  wooden  instruments  instead  of  iron,  and 
was  unworthy  of  the  name.  Now,  wheat  and 
barley  are  grown  in  luxuriance,  and  oxen  are 
trained  for  the  plough.  Polygamy  was  almost 
universal,  and  the  women  were  treated  as  brute 
beasts.  Now,  Christian  females  refuse  to 
marry  in  such  circumstances.  They  dress  in  a 
becoming  manner,  and  some  of  them  earn  their 
bread  by  the  use  of  the  needle.  Then  tlierc 
was  little  or  no  Sabbath  beyond  the  mission 
premises.  Now,  the  Sabbath  is  generally  re- 
spected over  the  district.  There  are  prol)ably 
a  thousand  native  Christians  in  the  district, 
and  these  are,  in  many  cases,  educated,  and  able 
to  instruct  others.  The  worship  of  God  may 
be  heard  from  many  a  Kaffre  hut.  The  native 
mind  has  been  found  equal  to  any  ordinary  de- 
gree of  culture.  Both  sons  and  daughters  of 
the  missionaries  are  employed  in  the  work. 
All  is  full  of  hope." 


i 

^ 

X 

i 

Slations. 
Lovedale 

g 
s 

M 

^ 

1 

2 

2 

220 

1540 

7700 

35 

Burnshill 

2 

2 

270 

1890 

9450 

17 

l>irrie 

1 

1 

168 

1155 

5775 

Total 

6 

5 

655 

4585 

22,925 

52 

In  1852,  Mr.  Ross  and  his  assistant  were 
compelled,  for  the  fifth  time,  to  leave  the  sta- 
tion at  Pirrie,  on  account  of  the  war.  The  rest 
of  the  brethren  were  laboring  under  many 
difficulties,  yet  with  encouraging  success. — 
There  were  then  21  candidates  for  baptism  at 
Lovedale.  The  foregoing  table  will  show  the 
state  of  the  mission,  at  the  several  stations,  in 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


47 


1844,  before  the  war ;  the  returns  since  the 
resumption  of  the  missions,  being  very  incom- 
plete. — Lomlon  Missionary  Register.    ■ 

Glasgow  African  Missionary  Society. — The 
help  of  native  assistants,  in  the  conduct  of 
meetings,  was  beginning  to  be  called  in  requi- 
sition at  Ohumie,  in  1843.  At  Iggibigha, 
in  1842,  a  man  and  two  women,  after  being 
under  the  closest  observation  for  four  years, 
were  baptized,  as  the  first  fruits  of  missionary 
labor  at  the  stations ;  and  soon  after,  another, 
who  was  a  candidate  for  baptism,  died,  saying, 
among  his  last  words,  "  I  love  to  go  to  Jesus ;  I 
cast  myself  upon  him.  God  has  taught  me  to 
hope  in  Him  who  died  for  me  ;  I  desire  to 
dwell  with  him  for  ever.  I  am  going  home." 
The  first  Christian  marriage  was  celebrated 
this  year ;  the  heathen  father  of  the  young 
woman,  after  much  persuasion,  with  prayer  on 
the  part  of  the  young  man,  relinquishing  the 
usual  present  of  cattle,  which  was  regarded 
as  a  heathenish  claim.  The  operations  at  Glen- 
thon  have  been  suspended. 

Our  schools  are  supported,  at  these  stations, 
and  the  missionaries  itinerate  in  the  villages 
around,  making  these  preaching  places;  and 
they  say  not  a  few  of  their  candidates  for 
baptism  come  from  these  schools.  As  an  il- 
lustration of  the  cruelty  of  heathenism,  they 
relate  that  a  girl,  who  was  afflicted  with  epilep- 
tic fits,  was  left  to  fall  into  the  fire,  burning 
herself  severely,  and  was  then  carried  out  and 
left  in  the  field,  where,  after  remaining  in  this 
condition  a  day  or  two  in  great  distress,  she 
was  carried  ofi"  and  devoured  by  the  wolves. 

This  mission  continued  to  prosper,  till  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Kafifre  war,  in  1846,  when 
the  stations  at  Ohumie  and  Iggibigha  were 
burnt  and  laid  in  ruins,  the  missionaries  taking 
refuge  at  the  Kat  River  settlement.  On  the 
27th  of  July,  1847,  this  society  transferred  its 
missionary  operations  to  the  care  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church. 

The  Kaffre  war  has  been  most  disastrous  to 
the  operations  of  this  society.  It  has  laid 
waste  the  mission  stations,  scattered  the  mis- 
sionaries and  converts,  suspended  entirely  the 
work  of  iitstructiou,  and  done  an  amount  of 
evil,  which  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated.  And 
yet  there  is  no  disposition  to  abandon  the  field. 
The  following  table  will  show  the  condition  of 
the  stations  in  1844,  before  the  war.  Whether 
they  have  recovered  from  the  disasters  of  the 
war,  we  have  no  means  of  knowing.  These 
facts  have  been  gathered  from  the  London 
Missionary  Register. 


Stations. 

1 

i 

Assistants. 

Na-  lEuro- 
tives.  pean. 

a 

J 

Chumie 

1 
1 

1 

2 
2 

1 

44 
13 

90 

Iggibigha 

Kirkwood 

'• 

Total 

3 

4 

3 

57 

90 

French  Protestant  Missions. — The  "  Soci'ete 
des  Missions  Evang'eliques  de  Paris,"  which  was 
formed  in  1822,  sent  its  first  missionaries  to 
South  Africa,  to  labor  among  their  refugee 
countrymen,  together  with  the  Hottentots  of 
Wagonmaker  Valley,  near  Talbagh.  But  the 
farmers  generally  being  unfavorable  to  the  in- 
struction of  their  slaves,  and  the  colonists  being 
adequately  supplied  with  religious  teachers, 
they,  upon  the  advice  of  Dr.  Philip,  determined 
on  the  establishment  of  a  mission  beyond  the 
bounds  of  the  Colony.  Messrs.  Lemue  &  Rol- 
land,  therefore,  leaving  Mr.  Bisseux  with  the 
descendants  of  the  French  Refugees,  set  for- 
ward on  the  9th  of  January,  1830,  and  were 
soon  after  joined  by  Dr.  Philip ;  and  after  vis- 
iting the  various  stations  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  they  determined  to  establish 
themselves  in  connection  with  Lattakoo,  among 
the  Bechuanas,  where  they  arrived,  July  24, 
1830,  after  a  toilsome  journey  of  nearly  ten 
weeks,  from  Bethelsdorp.  They  immediately 
set  about  the  study  of  the  Sichuana  language 
with  such  ardor,  that  they  suffered  in  health, 
and  were  obliged  to  relax  for  some  time,  for 
which  purpose,  they  visited  Griqua  Town. 

On  the  first  of  September,  1831,  Mr.  Bis- 
seux writes  from  Wagonmaker  Yalley,  that  he 
was  about  to  baptize  ten  slaves,  the  first  fruits  of 
his  ministry ;  and  that  the  Gospel  had  wrought 
an  advantageous  change  in  the  manners  of 
many.  On  the  22nd  of  January,  1832,  Mr. 
Pellissier  joined  the  mission  at  Lattakoo,  and 
in  pursuance  of  an  arrangement,  previously 
made,  visited  the  Chief  of  the  Baharootzes 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  new  station  ; 
but  the  design  was  frustrated  by  the  jealousy 
of  the  chiefs  ;  and  in  this  journey  he  had  a 
narrow  escape  from  two  lions,  by  which  he 
was  pursued. 

On  the  21st  of  March,  1833,  another  rein- 
forcement arrived,  consisting  of  one  missionary, 
and  one  male  and  one  female  assistant.  On 
the  17th  of  February,  1832,  the  three  mission- 
aries set  forward  to  renew  the  attempt  to  es- 
tablish a  mission  among  the  Baharootzes.  For 
three  weeks  they  passed  through  vast  solitudes, 
which  the  want  of  water  prevented  being  cul- 
tivated ;  after  which,  they  traveled  many  days 
through  an  inhabited  country,  till  they  reached 
Mosika,  the  residence  of  Mokatla,  the  chief  of 
the  Baharootzes.  The  town  (fonsisted  of  a 
great  number  of  huts,  scattered  at  the  foot  of 
two  high  hills,  forming  a  chain  of  mountains,  in- 
tersected with  valleys.  The  chief  received  them 
with  apparent  cordiality,  and  on  the  Sabbath, 
ordered  all  work  to  cease,  and  the  missionaries 
addressed  a  congregation  of  not  less  than 
eight  hundred  persons.  But,  in  consequence 
of  the  jealousy  of  Moselekatsi,  king  of  the 
Zulus,  to  whom  Mokatla  was  tributary,  they 
were  obliged  to  leave  the  country ;  and,  by  the 
advice  of  Dr.  Philip,  they  repaired  to  Motito, 
seven  or  eight  miles  from  Old  Lattakoo,  Ma- 
90 1  hura,  the  chief,  having  desired  that  missionaries 


48 


I, 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


should  settle  there.  Moselckatsi,  having  made 
war  upon  the  Baharootzes,  and  driven  them 
out  of  their  country,  many  of  them  were  hunted 
out  in  the  desert,  by  the  missionaries,  and  in- 
duced to  settle  at  the  new  station.  Motito  has 
a  good  supply  of  water,  and  the  laud  is  good 
for  cultivation. 
At  AVagoumaker  Valley,  in  1833,  there  was 

auitc  an  awakening  among  the  people,  and 
lere  were  about  forty  who  gave  evidence  of 
piety.  The  mission  at  Motito  was,  at  this  time, 
the  advanced  guard,  being  eighty-five  leagues 
north  of  the  colony,  and  no  other  settlement 
bemg  so  far  in  the  interior.  But  the  prospect 
seemed  discouraging.  The  mission  was  estab- 
lished for  the  special  benefit  of  a  tribe  of  Be- 
chuanas,  called  Batlapis,  residing  at  Old  Lat- 
takoo.  But,  none  of  them  had  as  yet  come 
to  reside  at  the  station ;  and  when  the  mis- 
sionaries, after  a  fatiguing  ride  of  two  hours, 
inhaling  the  sand  which  the  wind  raised  around 
them,  arrived  at  the  miserable  dirty  village 
of  the  chief,  they  were  met  with  the  great- 
est indifierence,  except  when  the  chief  wished 
to  ask  a  favor,  when  the  men  would  be  seen 
retiring  to  the  rocks  from  all  quartei*s,  for 
prayer !  Yet,  the  settlement  at  Motito  was 
greatly  improved  at  the  end  of  the  first  year. 
The  few  people  collected  there  were  attentive 
to  the  Gospel ;  schools  were  established,  and 
the  chief  sent  his  son  and  daughter. 

In  1833,  the  station  called  Caledon,  a  settle- 
ment at  the  junction  of  the  Caledon  and  Or- 
ange rivers,  was  ceded  to  the  Society  by  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  and  taken  posses- 
sion of  by  Mr.  G.  P.  Pellisier.  But,  finding 
that  the  13osjesman3,  who  had  been  collected 
there,  had  abandoned  the  spot,  he  turned  his 
attention  to  the  Bechuanas  wandering  near 
Philipolis ;  and  a  chief  with  1,200  followers 
was  induced  to  join  him.  In  a  short  time, 
the  appearance  of  the  station  was  entirely 
changed.  The  people  had  laid  out  a  great 
number  of  gardens ;  and  the  inhabitants  at 
the  station  amounted  to  about  1,800,  most  of 
them  Batlapis. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  1833,  a  station  was 
commenced  at  Morija,  54  leagues  east  of  Cal- 
edon, near  the  residence  of  Moshesh,  the  chief 
of  the  Bcchuana  Bassoutos ;  and  the  chief 
quit  his  mountain,  and  settled  with  his  people 
at  the  station.  •  The  plan  of  a  new  town  was 
speedily  traced,  and  all  hands,  old  and  young, 
were  soon  busied  in  collecting  and  preparing 
bamboos,  laths,  reeds  and  rushes.  They  set  to 
the  work  with  vigor,  and  pursued  it  with  alac- 
rity, until  a  new  town  arose  before  their  eyes. 
The  site  of  the  mission,  which  was  secured 
by  regular  purchase,  was  considered  to  bo  the 
best  in  the  whole  country. 

In  1834,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  at 
Motito,  and  J-he  "  sound  of  the  church-going 
bell,"  was  first  heard  in  the  valley  of  Motito ; 
five  adults  were  baptized,  and  the  inhabitants 
greatly  improved  in  their  condition.     Mahura, 


having  offended  Moselekatsi,  whose  power  was 
dreaded,  flew  from  old  Lattikoo,  taking  most 
of  his  people  with  him,  so  that  the  hrtpe  of 
reaching  them  by  this  mission  was  given  up. 
The  inhabitants  of  Caledoi^  had  increased  to 
2,500  ;  and  some  of  the  people  gave  evidence 
of  being  truly  awakened.  The  prompt  and 
unexpected  assemblage  of  so  many  people 
there  was  considered  as  an  event  unequalcd  in 
the  missions  in  that  country.  On  account  of 
the  departure  of  Mahura  from  Motito,  and 
Mr.  Roiland  not  being  required  there,  ho  com- 
menced a  new  station  in  1835,  at  Beersheba, 
18  leagues  from  Caledon,  within  the  territory 
claimed  by  Moshesh.  The  missionaries  at  Mo- 
rija had  just  began  to  preach  in  the  native 
language. 

In  1836,  a  great  change  was  visible  at 
Wagonmaker's  Valley,  and  the  hostility  of  the 
colonists  to  the  instruction  and  baptism  of 
slaves  was  giving  way.  The  departure  of  Mar 
hura  from  Old  Lattikoo,  had  proved  advanta- 
geous to  Motito,  in  opening  the  way  for  many 
natives  to  settle  there  without  fear.  The 
name  of  Caledon  was  changed  to  Bethulia ; 
and  the  station  was  considered  to  be  in  a  re- 
markably prosperous  condition,  with  evidence 
of  the  special  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
The  first  general  conference  of  the  missiona- 
ries, which  they  have  continued  to  hold  annu- 
ally since,  was  held  on  the  5th  of  July,  1835, 
at  Beersheba. 

In  1837,  a  religious  awakening  occurred 
among  the  Bassoutos  at  Beersheba,  and  the  la- 
bors of  the  last  six  months  were  blessed  to 
many  souls.  A  new  station  was  formed  among 
the  same  people  at  Thaba  Bossioil,  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Gosselin,  and  another  at  MoMlong, 
among  the  Lighoijas,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Daumas, 
who  was  very  cordially  received  by  the  people, 
the  women  presenting  their  children  to  him, 
and  saying,  "  Come !  see  your  father !" 

In  1838,  the  station  at  Motito  had  increased 
in  population  to  1,000  ;  but  had  been  visited 
with  sore  trial  by  the  severe  and  protracted 
illness  of  Mrs.  Lemue,  in  view  of  which  Mr. 
Lemue  had  presented  to  his  mind  the  alterna- 
tive of  sacrificing  his  wife  or  the  mission.  If 
he  remained,  he  was  persuaded  she  could  not 
survive  another  season.  If  he  left,  he  feared 
that  the  people,  intimidated  by  Mahura  would 
be  scattered  abroad.  At  Bethulia  28  persons 
were  baptized.  The  administration  of  the  or- 
dinance was  a  scene  of  deep  interegt.  "The 
audience,  which  had  kept  a  profound  silence, 
because  they  felt  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  at 
length  interrupted  it  to  give  free  course  to 
tears,  which  the  scene  before  them  called 
forth."  After  the  baptism  of  the  candidates, 
they  presented  their  young  children,  to  conse- 
crate them  to  the  Lord,  in  the  same  ordinance. 
In  the  afternoon,  the  Church,  with  this  new 
addition,  making  48  in  all,  sat  down  to  the  ta- 
ble of  the  Lord.  The  converts  generally  were 
faithful    and    steadfast,    maintaining    family 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


prayer,  and  other  religious  duties.  Fifty-five 
more  professed  converts  vrere  candidates  for 
baptism,  and  there  was  about  the  same  num- 
ber of  inquirers.  Civilization  also  keeps  pace 
with  the  gospel.  All  who  embrace  the  gospel 
adopt,  as  much  as  possible,  the  manners  of  the 
civilized.  At  Morija,  Molapo,  eldest  son  of 
Moshesh,  and  second  chief,  was  received  as  a 
candidate  for  baptism  with  ten  others.  Great 
progress  had  been  made  in  the  observance 
of  the  Sabbath,  throughout  the  whole  tribe, 
and  the  people  were  anxious  to  learn  to  read. 
The  station  was  also  advancing  rapidly  in 
temporal  things.  The  new  station  at  Thaba 
Bossiou  is  on  an  isolated  hill  of  a  pentago- 
nal form,  about  400  feet  high,  on  the  summit 
of  which  are  the  towns  of  Moshesh  and  his 
father  Mokachane,  from  which  22  villages  are 
seen.  The  missionary  is  greatly  encouraged 
by  the  appearance  of  things.  Moshesh,  on  a 
neighboring  chief  inviting  him  to  join  him  in 
a  marauding  expedition,  sent  this  reply  :  "  Go 
tell  your  master  that  there  is  a  house  of  prayer 
at  Thaba  Bossiou.  I  learn  there  to  make 
power  to  consist  in  wisdom,  and  not  in  the 
number  of  cattle.  My  children  at  Morija  are 
got  ahead  of  me ;  it  is  time  that  I  should  get 
instruction."  At  Beersheba,  the  following 
year,  after  a  rigid  examination,  42  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  church  by  baptism.  In  this  ex- 
amination, Mr.  Holland  availed  himself  of  the 
assistance  of  some  of  the  elder  members,  who, 
from  their  knowledge  of  the  persons  brought 
out  many  things  by  their  questions  which  he 
would  not  have  thought  of. 

In  1841,  Eev.  Mr.  Casalis  writes  from  Tha- 
ba Bossiou,  on  the  eighth  year  after  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  mission,  that  in  his  view,  there 
were  three  periods  in  the  missionary  work : 
during'  the  first,  the  natives  manifest  indiffer- 
ence and  apathy,  arising  from  ignorance  of  the 
true  object  of  the  missionary.  To  remove  this 
ignorance,  in  this  instance,  required  five  years. 
The  second  era  was  distinguished  by  a  remark- 
able effusion  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  en- 


riched the  church  with  many  enlightened  mem- 
bers. The  third  period  was  that  of  thought- 
ful, argumentative  opposition ;  and  this  spirit 
had  already  begun  to  manifest  itself ;  the  loss 
of  those  Avho  unite  with  the  church  giving  se- 
rious offence  to  those  that  are  wedded  to  their 
sins.  This  was  very  strong  among  the  villages 
around,  and  had  manifested  itself  decidedly  at 
other  stations,  especially  among  the  polyga- 
mists,  who  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  giv- 
ing up  their  wives.  ITie  aged  chief,  Moka- 
chane was  baptized  at  this  station,  saying,  "  I 
have  done  so  much  evil  to  Moshesh,  by  my  per- 
nicious counsels  and  flatteries,  that,  as  long  as 
I  Jive,  I  shall  not  cease  my  endeavors  to  c^aw 
him  to  God  by  my  words  and  my  prayers."  Per- 
secution had  manifested  itself  at  some  of  the 
stations.  A  young  convert  on  the  Hart  river, 
was  subject  to  the  bitter  opposition  and  railing 
of  his  father  and  wife,  and  his  life  was  re- 
peatedly threatened  by  the  people  ;  but  his  re- 
ply was,  "  you  may  kill  the  body,  but  you  have 
no  power  to  kill  the  soul."  This  year  a  very 
successful  attempt  was  made  at  several  sta- 
tions to  secure  contributions  for  the  support  of 
the  gospel,  the  people,  in  their  poverty  exhib- 
iting great  liberality. 

In  August,  1841,  a  new  station  was  formed 
among  the  Corannas  at  Friedau,  183  miles 
east  of  Motito,  by  Kev.  J.  A.  Pfrimmer. 

At  Morija,  in  1843,  an  awakening  spread 
far  around  the  station  in  more  than  100  vil- 
lages. The  members  of  the  church  continued 
to  make  progress  in  grace.  They  were  simple, 
affectionate,  united  and  zealous.  There  were 
about  thirty,  who  were  regarded  as  having 
truly  received  the  gospel  during  the  year.  In 
1851,  Mr.  Freeman,  the  missionary,  says,  "  By 
dividing  280  villages  into  28  districts,  12,000 
souls  are  placed  under  the  instruction  of  the 
word  of  God  by  means  of  native  teachers." 

The  latest  intelligence  gives  the  results  of 
missionary  labor,  at  the  several  stations  of  this 
society,  as  seen  in  the  following  table  : 


Stations. 


^%, 


a  g 


^^ 


Wagonmaker's  Yalley,  now  Wellington, 

Bethulia, 

Carmel, 

Beersheba, 

Bethesda,  

Morija, 

Thaba  Bossiou, 

Berea, 

Mekuatling, 

Motito,    • 

Friedau,      -      • 


13 


1830 
1833 
1846 
1835 
1843 
1833 
1827 
1843 
1837 
1833 


6000 
2500 


4000 


300 
400 

600 


250 

190 
100 


44 
200 

40 
391 

22 
326 
121 

23 

16 


100 

80 


15 

106 

146 
9 

41 


14   1  12,5001,8401,183  310  25  31 


60 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


Tho  Kuiiro  wai  '  ' ' '1  so  much  de^truo- 

tiou  and  confu«it  ^  missions,  that  for 

several  years  no  i* ,. .  :^  received.  Prcvi- 
0U8  to  this  time  the  missions  were  generally  in  a 
prosperous  state;  evidences  of  the  presence  of 
the  llolv  Spirit  apix^areii  at  all  the  stations, 
and  atldi'ilons  were  yearly  made  to  the  churches. 
The  church  members  gave  gratifying  evidence 
of  piety  amidst  temptiitiou,  and  in  many  in- 
stances,  persecution.  Many,  even  of  non-pro- 
faBors,  were  abandoning  polygamy,  and  other 
heathen  customs.  Civilization  was  generally 
advancing,  the  schools  prosperous,  many  learn- 
ing to  read,  and  the  work  of  translation  and 
Printing  the  scriptures  was  going  forward, 
[any  also  had  died  in  the  triumplis  of  faith. 
In  1846,  a  new  station  was  established  at 
Carmcl,  between  Bethulia  and  Becrsheba,  for 
the  training  of  native  schoolmasters.  An 
awakening  had  taken  place  among  the  youth, 
and  sixtetMi  of  them  were  candidates  for  bap- 
tism. At  Bethesda,  in  1851,  the  brethren  say, 
"  Never  was  our  spiritual  horizon  more  encour- 
aging than  at  present.  Some  young  persons 
have  been  awakened."  At  Thaba  Bossiou  the 
station  had  been  greatly  disturbed  by  politi- 
cal commotions,  and  by  the  conduct  of  the 
three  sons  of  Moshesh,  who  had  renounced 
their  profession  of  the  gospel. 

On  some  of  the  points  embraced  in  this  tar 
ble,  the  returns  are  imperfect ;  but  enough  ap- 
pears to  show  that  the  labors  of  this  society 
nave  been  quite  successful ;  and  from  the  ex 
amination  we  have  given  the  subject,  we  think 
tho  number  admitted  as  communicants  may  be 
regarded  as  giving  credible  evidence  of  piety. 
It  has  been  the  practice  of  the  missionaries  to 
keep  them  standing  a  long  time  as  candidates 
after  professing  conversion,  before  admitting 
them  to  the  church. 

American  Board. — In  1834,  the  Board  re- 
solved on  a  mission  among  the  Zulus;  the 
design  being  to  establish  one  mission  among 
the  maritime  tribe,  under  Dingaan,  near  Port 
Natal,  and  one  in  the  interior,  among  the 
tribe  of  which  Moselekatsi  was  chief.  To  the 
former. were  designated  Rev.  Messrs.  Aldin 
Grout  and  George  Champion,  missionaries,  and 
Newton  Adams,  M.  D.,  physician,  with  their 
wives  ;  and  to  the  latter.  Rev.  Messrs.  Daniel 
Lindlay,  Alexander  E.  Wilson,  M.  D.,  and 
Henry  I.  Venable,  missionaries,  with  their 
wives.  ITiey  sailed  December  3, 1834,  in  the 
Burlington,  and  arrived  at  Cape  Town  on  the 
5th  of  February,  1835.  The  brethren  destined 
for  the  interior  commenced  their  journey  of 
1000  miles,  on  the  19th  of  March,  in  three 
large  wagons,  drawn  by  twelve  yoke  of  oxen, 
accompanied  by  Rev.  Mr.  Wright,  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  London  Society,  residing  at 
Griqua  Town,  which  place  they  reached  May 
16,  48  days  after  leaving  Cape  Town.  Here 
they  were  detained  five  months  to  recruit  their 
cattle.  They  were  kindly  and  hospitably  en- 
tertained by  the   English   missionaries;   and 


they  occupied  themselves  in  learning  the  Sl- 
chuana  language,  and  in  preparing  a  small 
spelling-book  in  the  Sitibeli,  the  language 
spoken  by  the  tribe  to  which  they  were  going. 
The  brethren  destined  to  the  maritime  tribe 
were  detained  at  the  Cape,  in  consequence  of 
a  war  between  the  KafFres  and  the  Colony,  as 
their  route  lay  through  Kaffraria.  Mean- 
while, they  were  employed  in  missionary  labor 
at  the  Cape ;  and  the  church  under  the  care 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  presented  them  with  £45 
to  defray  their  expenses.  In  July  they  sailed 
for  Algoa  Bay,  near  Bethelsdorp  ;  and  leaving 
their  wives  at  Bethelsdorp  and  Port  Elizabeth, 
with  the  missionaries  at  these  places,  they 
sailed  from  Algoa  Bay,  December  7,  and  reached 
Port  Natal  on  the  20th.  About  30  white 
men  then  resided  at  Port  Natal,  as  hunters 
and  traders,  by  whom  they  were  kindly  receiv- 
ed, and  furnished  with  cattle  for  their  wagon. 
A  fortnight  brought  them  to  the  residence  of 
Dingaan,  about  160  miles  from  Port  Natal. 
The  chief  consented  that  they  should  come  to  his 
country,  but  proposed  that  they  should  first 
stop  at  Natal,  till  he  should  see  the  effect 
of  a  school  which  they  might  open  at  his 
place ;  to  which  they  consented.  Mr.  Cham- 
pion was  left  at  Natal  to  make  arrangements, 
and  the  other  two  returned  to  Algoa  Bay  for 
their  families  and  effects.  On  their  arrival, 
Mrs.  Grout  was  found  to  be  ill  beyond  hope  of 
recovery.  She  died  of  consumption,  on  the 
24th  of  February  following,  full  of  faith,  and 
rejoicing  that  she  had  been  counted  worthy 
to  leave  her  country  and  home  on  such  an  er- 
rand. 

January  22, 1836,  Messrs.  Lindlay  and  Te- 
nable proceeded  from  Griqua  Town  to  visit 
Moselekatsi,  and  reached  his  place  about  the 
middle  of  May.    The  chief  gave  his  consent 
to  their  commencing  a  mission  among  his 
people  ;  but  their  impressions  of  his  character 
were  unfavorable,  and  the  extent  of  his  terri- 
tory and  number  of  his  people  fell  short  of 
their    expectations.     The  mission  was  com- 
menced at  Mosika  on  the  16th  of  June,  1836. 
But  having  entered  their  houses  before  the 
mud  floors  were  sufficiently  dried,  all  of  them 
but  Dr.  Wilson  were  attacked  with  fever,  and 
Mrs.  Wilson  died,  after  being  sick  eight  days. 
The  survivors  were  afflicted  with  distressing 
rheumatism  for  three  or  four  months.    And 
they  had  scarcely  recovered,  when  the  Dutch 
farmers,  having^^lsedn  plundered  of  their  cattle 
by  Moselek5atsi,  invaded  his  country,  destroyed 
fourteen  villages,  slaughtered  great  numbers 
of  his  people,  and  carried  off*  6000  head  ot 
cattle.    They  threatened  to  renew  the  attack, 
and  advised  the  missionaries  to  leave  the  coun- 
try, which  they  did,  taking  their  course  over- 
land, to  join  the  brethren  at  Port  Natal,  where 
they  arrived  July  27, 1837,  after  a  journey  of 
ten  weeks,  in  which  they  traveled  not    less 
than  1300  miles,  over  the  worst  roads  they  had 
seen  in  Africa. 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


61 


Messrs.  Grout  and  Champion  and  Dr.  Adams 
arrived  with  their  families,  at  Port  Natal,  on 
the  21st  of  May,  1836.  Diugaan  gave  them  a 
cordial  reception,  with  permission  to  form  a 
station  at  his  capital.  Mr.  Champion  was 
destined  to  the  interior  station  at  Ginani, 
about  midway  between  Natal  and  the  chief's 
residence ;  Dr.  Adams  to  Umlazi,  6  miles  from 
Port  Natal ;  and  Mr.  Grout  to  divide  his  la- 
bors between  the  two.  The  king  sent  seven 
girls  and  four  boys  to  be  taught  by  the  mis- 
sionaries. At  the  end  of  eight  or  nine  months, 
Mr.  Champion  had  ten  boys  and  twenty  fe- 
males under  instruction,  with  a  congregation 
on  the  Sabbath  of  about  200.  But  the  des- 
potic power  of  Dingaan,  who  held  his  subjects 
m  abject  slavery,  was  a  serious  obstacle  in  the 
way.  Dr.  Adams  had  about  fifty  children  in 
his  school,  besides  a  morning  class  of  adults. 
The  Sabbath  school  for  adults  contained  250, 
and  that  for  others,  under  the  care  of  Mrs. 
Adams,  250  to  300.  She  also  instructed  30  or 
40  females  twice  a  week  in  sewing.  The  Sab-, 
bath  congregation  was  about  600,  assembled 
in  the  shade  of  a  great  tree.  Four  boys  were 
taken  as  boarding  scholars.  The  press  had 
been  set  up  at  Umlazi,  and  two  or  three  ele- 
mentary books  printed  for  the  schools.  Mr. 
Lindley  commenced  a  station  at  the  Illovo 
Biver,  15  miles  north-west  of  Natal,  and  Messrs. 
Yenable  and  Wilson,  at  Klangezoa,  30  miles 
farther  from  Port  Natal.  Mr.  Grout,  with 
the  permission  of  the  committee,  returned  to 
the  United  States,  bringing  his  own  mother- 
less child  and  that  of  Dr.  Wilson. 

The  Dutch  emigrants,  after  having  destroyed 
the  power  of  Moselekatsi,  proceeded  toward 
Port  Natal.  And,  although  Dingaan  did  not 
claim  jurisdiction  over  the  territory,  they 
thought  it  prudent  to  gain  his  consent ;  and 
for  this  purpose,  they  sent  their  governor,  Mr. 
Ratief,  with  a  number  of  attendants,  to  con- 
sult him.  Just  before,  some  of  Dingaan's  cat- 
tle had  been  carried  off  by  a  party  of  Mantalis, 
disguised  as  boers.  Dingaan  required  Eatief 
to  see  the  cattle  returned  before  he  would 
treat  with  them ;  and  he  accordingly  pursued 
the  party  of  marauders,  and  recovered  the  cat- 
tle, without  bloodshed,  and  returned  with  them 
to  Dingaan's  capital,  with  about  60  of  his 
men,  who,  three  days  after  their  arrival,  were 
all  treacherously  seized  and  put  to  death.  At 
the  same  time,  a  party  of  soldiers  were  sent  to 
attack  the  boers  at  their  encampment;  by 
whom,  however,  although  surprised  in  the 
night,  they  were  repulsed.  The  farmers  now 
rallied  their  forces,  and  with  the  newly  arrived 
emigrants  and  whites  and  Hottentots  at  Port 
Natal,  prepared  to  attack  the  treacherous 
chief.  The  missionaries  were  obliged  to  retire ; 
and  leaving  Mr.  Lindley  at  Port  Natal  to 
watch  the  course  of  events,  they  sailed,  with 
their  families,  for  Port  Elizabeth,  on  the  30th 
of  March.  By  this  time  a  righteous  Provi- 
dence had  made  a  vagabond  of  Moselekatsf. 


Four  times  he  was  attacked  and  plundered, 
after  the  breaking  up  of  the  mission. 

The  Zulus  were  victorious  in  a  pitched  bat- 
tle with  the  people  residing  at  Natal,  and  on 
the  23d  of  April,  they  invaded  that  place,  and 
Mr.  Lindley  left  on  board  a  vessel,  and  after 
visiting  Delagoa  Bay,  joined  his  family  and 
associates  at  Port  Elizabeth,  on  the  22d  of 
June.  The  war  continuing,  Mr.  Yenable  re- 
moved with  his  wife  to  Cape  Town,  and  de- 
voted himself  to  evangelical  labors  amongst  a 
destitute  class  of  its  inhabitants.  They  after- 
wards returned  to  the  United  States,  and  Mr. 
and  Mrs  Champion  soon  followed.  The  for- 
mer, at  their  own  request,  received  an  honora- 
ble discharge  from  the  service  of  the  Board. 
The  latter  waited,  with  the  hope  of  being  able 
to  return  ;  but  his  wife's  health  had  received 
such  a  shock  from  the  hardships  she  had  en- 
dured in  Africa  as  to  give  little  prospect  of 
that  cherished  hope  ever  being  realized.  After 
laboring  several  years  in  the  ministry  in  this 
country  he  was  attacked  with  a  pulmonary 
complaint ;  and  having  visited  Santa  Cruz,  in 
the  West  Indies,  with  the  hope  of  being  bene- 
fited, he  entered  into  his  rest,  at  the  age  of  31. 
His  life  was  one  of  rare  consecration  to  the 
cause  of  Christ.  Possessing  an  ample  fortune, 
and  the  esteem  of  a  most  respectable  circle  of 
friends,  he  left  all  and  entered  on  the  mission- 
ary work ;  and  his  fondest  desire  to  the  last, 
was,  to  resume  his  missionary  labors,  and  spend 
his  life  among  the  degraded  Zulus  in  South 
Africa.  His  wife,  after  a  few  years  of  suffer- 
ing, followed  him  to  the  grave,  leaving  a  son 
an  orphan.  Mr.  Champion,  after  providing 
for  his  family,  left  the  residue  of  his  estate  to  the 
Board.  Dr.  Wilson  returned  to  this  country,  and 
afterwards  joined  the  West  African  Mission. 

The  Colonial  Government  resolved  to  take 
military  possession  of  Port  Natal,  and  the 
boers  gained  a  decided  victory  over  Dingaan, 
and  took  his  capital,  .and  drove  him  from  his 
dominions.  Umpandi,  the  brother  of  Din- 
gaan, to  save  his  life,  as  was  supposed,  from 
the  jealous  cruelty  of  his  brother,  withdrew 
from  the  Zulu  territory.  Being  joined  by  a 
majority  of  his  people,  he  was  declared  king, 
defeated  Dingaan  in  a  bloody  battle,  and  com- 
pelled him  to  flee.  The  Dutch  afterwards 
chased  Dingaan  to  a  great  distance. 

Mr.  Lindley  and  Dr.  Adams  with  Mrs. 
Adams,  returned  to  Port  Natal  on  the  12th 
of  June,  1839.  Mrs.  Lindley  was  detained  till 
autumn,  by  the  illness  of  one  of  their  children. 
Meanwhile,  the  English  withdrew  their  mili- 
tary force,  and  left  the  boers  and  the  natives 
to  themselves.  Mr.  Lindley  immediately  com- 
menced his  labors  for  the  intellectual  and 
spiritual  good  of  the  emigrants. 

Mr.  Grout  returned  to  Port  Natal,  from  the 
United  States,  with  Mrs.  Grout,  June  30, 1840. 
By  this  time,  a  congregation  of  500  had  been 
collected  by  Dr.  Adams  at  Umlazi,  with  a 
Bible  class,  and  a  Sabbath  school  of  200  chil- 


52 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


drou.  Mr.  Grout  accompanietl  a  Dutch  dele- 
gation to  the  residence  of  Unipandi,  and  ob- 
taineil  his  nennission  for  the  settlement  of  a 
miasionarv  in  the  Zulu  country.  Passing  by 
Ginani.  where  Messrs.  Grout  and  Champion  for- 
merly resideil,  they  found  the  buildings  burnt, 
and  the  place  solitary.  A  station  was  after- 
wards formed  in  the  Zulu  country,  at  a  place 
calleil  lukanyezi,  which  means  astar.  Thirty- 
Beven  villages  were  so  near  this  place  that 
their  inhabitants  could  be  collected  lor  worship 
on  the  Sabbath.  The  attendance  on  preaching 
at  lukanyezi  was  about  250,  and  at  Umlazi 
about  800  at  two  different  places.  Each  sta- 
tion had  a  school  of  about  fifty  pupils.  Mr. 
Adams  had  a  school  for  girls  once  a  week,  and 
a  prayer  meeting  for  adult  females,  both  classes 
being  instructed  in  needlework.  One  of  the 
women  gave  evidence  of  having  been  born 
again.  The  mission,  up  to  this  date  (1841) 
hod  printed  55,380  pages,  more  than  half  of  it 
portions  of  the  word  of  God. 

ISIr.  Lindley,  at  his  own  request,  received  a 
dismission  from  the  service  of  the  Board,  in 
order  to  accept  the  appointment  of  minister 
of  the  Eeformed  Dutch  church,  with  liberty 
to  resume  his  connection,  should  unexpected 
changes  render  it  expedient. 

At  length,  the  interest  and  confidence  of  the 
people  in  the  mission  awakened  the  jealousy 
of  Umpandi ;  and  some  of  the  people  being 
accused  by  those  who  wished  to  obtain  his  favor, 
of  forsaking  him  and  attaching  themselves  to 
Mr.  Grout,  sentence  of  death  was  passed  upon 
them,  before  they  knew  anything  of  the  matter. 
At  daybreak,  on  the  morning  of  July  25th, 
1842,  it  was  announced  at  Mr.  Grout's  window 
that  an  army  was  upon  the  place.  Not  know- 
ing whether  it  was  for  him,  or  the  people,  or  for 
both,  he  commended  himself  and  his  family  to 
God,  before  leaving  his  room.  An  attack  was 
made  on  the  six  places  nearest  the  mission 
house,  upon  those  who  had  been  most  friendly 
to  the  mission,  with  orders  to  put  to  death 
every  man,  woman,  and  child,  in  three  of  them. 
Mr.  Grout  immediately  left  the  station,  and  ar- 
rived at  Umlazi  with  his  family  early  in  Au- 
gust ;  and  about  a  month  afterwards,  he  com- 
menced a  new  station  on  the  Umgeni  river,  six 
miles  north-east  of  Port  Natal,  where  he  imme- 
diately collected  a  congregation  of  600  to  1000 
attentive  hearers.  Meanwhile,  the  English, 
after  some  conflict  with  the  boers,  again  took 
possession  of  Port  Natal, 

Since  the  overthrow  of  Dingaan,  the  Zulus, 
weary  of  his  intolerable  cruelty,  and  the 
scarcely  less  bloody  proceedings  of  his  succes- 
sor, had  been  escaping  from  their  country  and 
taking  refuge  near  Natal,  until,  including  the 
country  about  100  miles  back,  they  amounted 
probably  to  24,000. 

In  view  of  the  repeated  disasters  which  the 
mission  had  experienced,  and  the  discouraging 
aspect  of  things,  as  well  as  of  the  fact  that 
the  Wesleyan  Methodists  were  extending  their 


missions  nearly  to  Port  Natal,  the  Prudential 
Committee  decided  that  it  was  inexpedient 
to  continue  the  mission  ;  and  on  the  151st  of 
August,  1843,  a  letter  was  sent,  instructing 
the  brethren  to  bring  it  to  a  close.  Previous 
to  this,  the  native  settlements  about  Umlazi 
and  Umgeni  had  received  great  accessions  of 
emigrants  from  the  Zulu  country.  The  Colo- 
nial Government,  in  creating  a  new  colony  at 
Port  Natal,  had  officially  announced  that  no 
laws  should  be  allowed,  recognizing  any  dis- 
tinction on  account  of  color ;  that  no  attack 
should  be  made  upon  any  people  without  the 
colony,  by  persons  not  acting  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Colonial  Government ;  and  that 
slavery  should  not  bo  tolerated  in  any  form. 
A  commissioner  had  also  arrived,  who  declared 
himself  in  favor  of  giving  the  natives  land  on 
which  they  might  form  distinct  settlements ; 
of  having  one  or  more  missionaries  in  each 
district;  and  of  employing  all  the  influence 
of  the  Government  to  induce  the  people  to 
conform  to  the  instructions  of  the  missionaries. 
Dr.  Adams  had  also  visited  Umpandi,  and  a 
request  had  been  received  from  him  that  a 
colonial  agent  and  a  missionary  might  be  sent 
to  reside  near  him.  About  the  middle  of  No- 
vember, Mr.  Grout  had  about  10,000  people 
around  him,  within  the  extent  of  an  ordinary 
New-England  parish,  and  a  congregation  of 
500  to  1000  on  the  Sabbath,  to  whom  ho 
preached  in  the  open  air,  under  a  scorching 
African  sun. 

It  was  in  these  circumstances  that  the  breth- 
ren received  the  decision  of  the  Committee. 
They  at  once  began  making  arrangements  for 
carrying  it  into  effect.  Hearing  of  a  vessel  to 
sail  from  Cape  Town  for  the  United  States, 
Mr.  Grout  immediately  proceeded  to  that 
place.  On  his  arrival  there,  a  strong  desire 
was  manifested  by  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel 
and  others,  that  the  mission  should  not  be 
given  up.  A  public  meeting  was  called. 
After  hearing  Mr.  Grout's  statement,  addresses 
were  made  by  Dr.  Philip,  the  American  con- 
sul, and  others,  and  a  collection  of  about  $800 
was  raised  to  defray  Mr.  Grout's  expenses,  till 
he  could  communicate  with  the  Prudential 
Committee.  Dr.  Philip  wrote  to  the  commit- 
tee, declaring  that,  rather  than  have  it  given 
up,  he  would  visit  America  to  beg  for  the  mis- 
sion. A  joint  letter  was  also  written,  to  the 
same  effect,  by  all  the  ministers  at  Cape  Town. 
The  Committee,  therefore,  could  not  hesitate 
to  authorize  the  missionaries  to  resume  their 
labors  at  Natal. 

Before  leaving  Cape  Town,  Mr.  Grout  re- 
ceived the  most  encouraging  assurances  from 
the  Governor  of  the  Colony,  together  with  the 
appointment  of  government  missionary,  with 
a  salary  of  £150  a  year,  with  the  same  offer  to 
Dr.  Adams ;  and  Mr,  Lindley  was  appointed 
preacher  to  the  boers. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  new  Colony  there 
■^ere  supposed  to  be  100,000  Zulus,  besides 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


53 


20,000  immediately  around  the  two  stations 
occupied  by  Mr.  Grout  and  Dr.  Adams. 

Dr.  Adams  was  ordained  as  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel  at  Cape  Town,  on  the  10th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1844,  the  ser\-ices  being  performed  by 
Drs.  Philip  and  Adamson  and  Messrs.  Faure 
and  Brown,  clergymen  of  that  place. 

On  returning  to  Port  Xatal,  having,  by 
some  means,  lost  the  right  of  resuming  his 
station  at  Umgeni,  Mr.  Grout  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  a  site  on  the  Umvote  river,  about  forty 
miles  north  of  Port  Natal,  which  he  regarded 
as  a  most  eligible  post,  well  watered  and  well 
wooded,  with  good  arable  and  pasture  grounds. 
Under  date  of  October  15,  Dr.  Adams  wrote 
that  they  had  about  100  under  instruction  in 
the  day  schools ;  and  that  there  had  never  been 
a  time  before,  when  the  people,  young  and  old, 
manifested  so  much  interest  in  learning. 

On  the  18th  of  April,  1846,  Rev.  James  C. 
Bryant,  who  had  been  for  about  five  years 
settled  as  pastor  over  a  united  and  attached 
people  in  Littleton,  Mass.,  sailed  for  this  mis- 
sion, with  his  wife,  and  arrived  August  15. 
About  the  middle  of  January  following,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lewis  Grout  also  arrived  from  the 
United  States.  Mr.  Alden  Grout  resigned  his 
appointment  from  the  Government,  (which 
resignation  was  kindly  accepted,)  and  resumed 
his  connection  with  the  Board,  in  April,  1845. 
Dr.  Adams  had  previously  declined  the  ap- 
pointment. 

In  1846,  five  commissioners  were  appointed 
by  the  Colonial  Government,  for  locating  the 
natives,  and  adjusting  their  relations  to  the 
emigrant  farmers,  and  among  them  were 
Messrs.  Adams  and  Lindley ;  it  being  the 
wish  of  the  Lieutenant-Governor  to  effect  the 
safe  and  permanent  settlement  of  all  classes ; 
to  secure  the  country  lying  between  the  allot- 
ments assigned  to  the  natives,  so  as  to  impose 
a  restraint  upon  their  migratory  habits  ;  to 
stimulate  them  to  industry  by  establishing 
markets ;  and  also  to  make  provision  for  the 
new  villages  that  would  spring  up,  and  for  the 
internal  management  and  defence  of  the  whole 
district. 

In  September,  1846,  Mr.  Bryant  wrote  from 
Umlazi,  that,  within  a  few  months  previous, 
there  had  been  unusual  seriousness  among  the 
natives,  and  that  a  few  gave  good  evidence  of 
piety.  The  converts,  of  their  own  accord,  had 
established  a  prayer  meeting  among  them- 
selves ;  and,  in  December.  Mr.  Grout  wrote 
from  Umvoti,  that  the  respect  and  attention 
with  which  many  listened  to  preaching,  was 
truly  gratifying ;  and  he  was  not  without  a 
hope  that  a  young  married  couple  had  been 
truly  converted.  They  were  married  in  a 
Christian  way,  pledging  themselves  to  abandon 
polygamy  ;  and  very  soon  after  commencing 
house-keeping,  they  set  up  family  prayer. 

In  pursuance  of  the  plans  df  the  Colonial 
Government,  five  allotments  of  land  were  made 
to  the  natives,  comprising  about  2500  square 


miles,  with  a  population  of  about  50,000.  The 
missionaries  of  the  Wesleyan  Society  agreed 
to  leave  their  American  brethren  in  the  undis- 
turbed possession  of  the  coast  between  the 
Uratogela  and  Umzinkulu  rivers,  a  distance 
of  160  miles. 

In  1847,  five  stations  had  been  commenced, 
and  permanent  buildings  erected  at  two  of 
them.  Dr.  Adams  had  removed  twelve  miles 
south-west,  to  be  nearer  the  centre  of  his  dis- 
trict, and  the  name  Umlazi  had  been  transfer- 
red to  his  new  abode,  the  place  he  left  being 
called  Umlazi  River.  Six  were  admitted  to 
the  church  at  Umlazi,  this  year,  as  the  result 
of  what  seemed  clearly  to  be  a  gracious  visita- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit.  There  had  also  been 
some  seriousness  at  Umvoti,  and  a  native 
helper  had  there  been  admitted  to  the  church. 
Two  or  three  boys,  also,  were  regarded  as 
hopeful  converts. 

Speaking  of  an  evening  school,  which  he 
had,  of  sixteen  regular  attendants,  Mr.  Grout 
says :  "  They  do  not  confine  their  study  of 
books  to  the  particular  hour  appropriated  to 
their  instruction,  but  seize  also  upon  other 
opportunities.  Not  unfrequently  have  I  seen 
them  reading  or  studying  at  intervals  of  labor, 
or  reading  the  Scriptures  together,  by  the  light 
of  a  wood  fire  in  the  evening.  I  have  seen  the 
same  young  men  and  boys,  eight  or  ten  in  num- 
ber, singing  their  morning  and  evening  hymn 
of  praise  to  God  in  their  own  tongue ;  and  I 
learn  that  one  of  their  number  is  in  the  habit 
of  leading  the  rest  in  prayer  at  these  times." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ireland  arrived  at  Port  Natal 
on  the  13th  of  February,  1848,  and  were  fol- 
lowed soon  after  by  Rev.  Andrew  Abraham, 
Rev.  Hyman  A.  Wilder,  and  Rev.  Joseph 
Tyler,  with  their  wives.  At  this  period,  free 
schools  had  been  established  at  each  of  the 
stations.  A  few  of  the  pupils  could  read  all 
the  books  which  the  mission  had  printed. 
Among  the  pupils  were  several  pious  young 
men,  who,  it  was  hoped,  would  become  future 
helpers  in  the  missionary  Avork.  At  Umlazi, 
most  of  the  congregation  had  committed  to 
memory  the  Catechism,  the  Commandments, 
and  many  passages  of  Scripture.  The  num- 
bers that  assembled  at  the  different  stations 
for  public  worship  varied  from  50  to  1000, 
who  listened  with  great  apparent  interest,  and 
behaved  with  decorum  during  all  the  services. 
This  disposition  to  assemble  and  listen  to 
preaching  is  an  interesting  feature  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  one  that  promises  much  for  its  suc- 
cess. Evidences  of  the  special  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  were  manifested  at  all  the  differ- 
ent stations,  this  year,  and  twenty-four  were 
received  into  the  several  churches.  Some  op- 
position had  been  manifested,  but  it  was  short- 
lived. At  the  close  of  1848,  which  seems  to 
be  a  later  date,  15  members  had  been  added 
to  the  church  at  L^mlazi  and  16  at  Umvoti, 
Prayer-meetings  had  been  sustained  at  all  the 
stations,  and  the  native  converts  took  part  in 


64 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


tbem  with  a  ffood  dorree  of  readiness  and  pro- 
priety. And  Mrs.  Gront  and  Mrs.  Adams 
field  weekly  pniyer-meetings  with  the  females. 
The  monthly  concert  was  sustained  at  Umvoti 
and  Umlazi,  and  was  the  most  spirited  meeting 
of  all.  AH  the  male  members  took  part  in  it 
with  delight  and  to  edification.  About  fifteen 
dollars  had  been  contributed  at  Umvoti,  to 
support  a  native  missionary  among  their  des- 
titute countrymen,  and  about  seventeen  dollars 
at  Uralazi. 

December  23, 1850,  Mr.  Bryant  was  called 
to  his  rest.  He  was  an  excellent  missionary, 
and  the  close  of  his  course  was  eminently  in 
keeping  with  his  life.  Rev.  Jacob  Ludwig 
Dohne,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  went  to 
South  Africa  in  1836,  in  connection  with  the 
Berlin  Missionary  Society,  was,  at  his  request, 
and  the  strong  recommendation  of  the  breth- 
ren of  the  mission,  appointed  by  the  Board ; 
and  in  the  year  1851,  the  mission  was  rein- 
forced by  llev.  Seth  B.  Stone  and  Rev.*  Wil- 
liam Mellen,  with  their  wives.  At  the  close 
of  1850,  there  were  churches  at  nine  of  the 
eleven  stations,  containing  123  members,  36 
of  whom  were  received  during  the  year.  Re- 
gular preaching  was  maintained  at  23  places. 
Three  free  schools,  taught  by  pious  natives, 
contained  89  pupils.  The  printing  press  was 
in  operation,  and  317,100  pages  had  been 
printed.  The  average  population  connected 
with  each  station  was  about  3000. 


The  distance  between  the  extreme  stations 
is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The 
neai-est  English  missionary  station  is  150  miles 
from  the  most  southerly  station,  at  Umtwa- 
lumi. 

Dr.  Adams  died  on  the  16th  of  September, 
1851,  in  the  midst  of  his  usefulness.  His  end 
was  peace. 

Evidences  of  an  incipient  civilization  are 
making  their  appearance  at  the  older  stations. 
At  Umvoti,  for  instance,  nearly  eighty  persons, 
men,  women,  and  children,  come  decently  clad 
to  the  Sabbatjb  worship,  and  some  persons  are 
usually  clad  while  at  work  during  the  week. 
Three  families  live  in  civilized-looking  houses, 
and  some  seven  or  eight  natives  are  erecting 
similar  habitations.  These  are  substituting 
iron  pots  for  cooking,  in  place  of  the  old 
earthen  ;  and  are  using  spades,  axes,  saws,  and 
other  kindred  instruments  of  husbandry  and  the 
arts.  One  native  has  procured  a  cart  and  oxen, 
and  thus  takes  produce  to  the  market.  House- 
hold furniture  is  naturally  found  in  the  im- 
proved houses,  and  clothing  to  correspond,  and 
some  have  procured  writing  materials,  and 
learned  how  to  use  them. 

The  following  table  will  show  the  state  of 
the  mission  at  the  close  of  the  year  1851,  and 
the  statistics  of  the  following  year,  which  are 
not  so  full,  will  not  materially  vary  the  re- 
sult: 


ZULU  MISSION. 


Native  Assistants 

Out-stations 

Sabbath  Preaching  Places  for  Missionaries    - 
Week-day  Preaching  Places      .        -        -        . 
Average  Sabbath  Congregation  at  the  Stations 

Schools 

Male  Pupils 

Female  Pupils 

Total 

Christian  Marriages       -        -        .        -        . 

Children  Baptized 

Churches 

Members  received  during  the  year     -        .        - 

Suspended     

Excommunicated 

Died 

Male  Members  in  good  standing         .        .        . 
Female     do.  do.  .... 

Whole  number  of  Church  Members  -        -        - 
Candidates  for  admission        .        .        -        . 


3 
2 
1 

150 

1 

3 

17 

20 

2 

3 

1 

13 


150 
.1 


7 
7 

12 

4 

800 

12 


188 

15 

16 

9 

50 

1 

1 

1 

91 

75 

166 

28 


*  Jlr.  Dohne  makes  it  a  rule  to  go  from  kraal  to  kraal  daily,  visiting  and  preaching  to  the  people. 


APRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


55 


Eight  churches  have  been  organized  in  this 
mission,  the  largest  of  which  has  fifty-five 
members,  and  the  smallest  four.  The  gospel 
is  preached  on  the  Sabbath,  and  at  other  times, 
at  each  of  the  twelve  stations,  and  with  more 
or  less  regularity  at  seven  out-stations,  either 
on  the  Sabbath  or  during  the  week.  Sabbath 
schools  also  are  sustained,  and  weekly  meetings 
for  prayer  and  religious  instruction.  Eighteen 
persons  were  received  into  the  churches  during 
the  year  1852.  The  report  of  the  mission 
speaks  also  of  twenty-five  other  cases  regarded 
as  "hopeful."  "Such  is  t^j^  beginning  of 
things.  The  work  moves  on  as  yet  slowly. 
Still  the  light  is  spreading — knowledge  is  in- 
creasing. The  fallow  ground  is  being  broken 
up,  and  the  seed  is  falling,  some  by  the  way- 
side, some  on  stony  ground,  some  among 
thorns,  and  some  on  good  ground,  as  in  other 
parts  of  the  world.  The  harvest  is  not  yet ; 
but  it  will  surely  come.  The  number  of  per- 
sons constituting  the  Sabbath  congregations 
varies  from  thirty  or  forty  up  to  two  hundred." 

In  the  report  of  his  station  for  1852,  Mr. 
Lindley  remarks : 

"With  several  of  my  church  members,  I 
continue,  as  I  ever  have  been,  well  pleased. 
With  most,  I  see  no  cause  to  find  serious  fault ; 
yet  my  observation  and  experience,  during  the 
past  year,  have  tended  to  weaken  my  confi- 
dence in  the  religious  professions  of  this  people. 
They  do  not  give  such  evidence  as  I  could  wish 
of  a  thorough  change  of  heart.  And  this  ques- 
tion, always  a  difficult  one,  has  now  become 
painful :  '  How  much  allowance  ought  to  be 
made  for  imperfection  in  the  Christian  charac- 
ter of  those  who  have  barely,  and  but  lately, 
emerged  from  the  depths  of  a  truly  degrading 
heathenism  ? ' " 

Rhenish  Missionary  Society. — In  the  summer 
of  1829,  this  society  sent  to  South  Africa 
four  graduates  of  their  Mission  Seminary,  at 
Barmen.  They  sailed  in  company  with  Dr. 
Philip  and  the  missionaries  of  the  Paris 
Society.  Soon  after  their  arrival,  two  of 
them,  Messrs.  LiJckhoff  and  Zahn,  entered 
into  the  service  of  two  local  associations  at 
Stellenbosch  and  Tulbagh ;  but  afterwards 
these  associations  transferred  their  chapels  and 
other  buildings  to  the  Rhenish  society.  The 
other  two  proceeded  with  Dr.  Philip  farther 
into  the  interior,  and  purchased'  the  property 
of  a  boer,  near  Olanwilliam,  which  they  named 
Wupperthal.  This  estate  contained  60,000 
acres  of  land,  on  which  they  established  a  mis- 
sion* colony.  WTioever  promised  to  submit  to 
its  regulations  received  a  piece  of  land,  and 
aid  in  the  erection  of  a  dwelling  house.  He 
was  required  to  clothe  himself,  shun  theft  and 
drunkenness,  remain  with  his  family,  and  yield 
obedience  to  the  missionaries.  Thus  speedily 
arose  the  flourishing  African  Wupperthal, 
which,  crowned  with  beautiful  gardens,  looks 
like  a  village  in  Germany.  The  new  settlers 
were  instructed  in  all  sorts  of  trades  ;  and  the 


oldest  colonists  already  enjoy  considerable  pros- 
perity. Mr.  Zahn  established  a  similar  colony 
in  1844,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Kokfontein, 
where  he  bought  954  acres  for  thp,  sura  of 
$3  500,  on  the  following  plan :  Each  family 
receives  a  piece  of  land  for  a  house  and  garden, 
for  which  he  pays  a  rent  of  $12.  The  rent 
pays  the  interest  on  the  money  which  Mr. 
Zahn  borrowed  for  the  purpose,  in  Cape  Town, 
and  the  surpWs  is  applied  to  the  liquidation  of 
the  principal ;  and  when  the  property  becomes 
free,  these  families  will  own  their  pla'ces. 

The  Dutch  boers  call  these  colonies  "  Insti- 
tutes" and  are  very  hostile  to  them,  because 
they  interfere  with  their  designs  of  oppressing 
the  natives.  Artisans,  some  of  whom  are  sent 
out  by  the  society,  settle  in  these  colonies,  and 
instruct  the  natives  in  the  various  handicraft 
occupations.  The  Institute  of  Wupperthal 
maintains  itself  and  requires  no  assistance 
from  home.  A  strict  discipline  is  kept  up, 
and  every  one  exerts  himself  to  earn  a  living, 
and  to  leave  off  the  former  habits  of  filth  and 
theft.  But  some  of  the  German  colonists,  who 
have  settled  among  them,  have  set  them  a  bad 
example,  and  the  society  have  determined  to 
send  no  more  such  colonists  in  future. 

In  1830,  three  more  missionaries  were  sent 
from  Barmen,  and  2  new  stations  were  founded. 
One  of  them,  called  Ebenezer,  at  the  mouth  of 
Elephant  River,  was  also  an  Institute.  The 
other  was  at  Worcester.  The  station  at  Ebe- 
nezer, being  dependent  for  its  fertility  upon 
the  overflow  of  the  river,  often  suffers  severely 
from  drought,  as  the  river  sometimes  does  not 
overflow  for  six  or  seven  years.  There  are 
300  or  400  inhabitants  at  this  station,  most  of 
whom  are  baptized.  On  account  of  its  drought, 
this  station  would  have  been  given  up,  but  for 
the  fact  that  it  furnishes  an  important  starting 
point  for  the  intercourse  with  the  territories  of 
Naraaqua  and  Damara.  The  society  have  also 
stations  at  Saron,  near  Tulbagh  and  at  Kom- 
maggas,  in  the  north-west  corner  of  the  col- 
ony. 

At  all  the  stations,  buildings  for  the  schools, 
and  churches,  and  dwelling-houses  for  the  mis- 
sionaries, have  been  erected  ;  and  everywhere 
a  formal  living  in  community  has  been  organ- 
ized ;  that  is,  in  every  missionary  community 
there  are  chosen,  from  among  the  baptized  na- 
tives, elders  or  presbyters  who  form  the  church 
session  to  the  missionary,  and  who  maintain 
discipline  over  the  community.  Clerks  and 
church  officers  are  chosen,  native  assistants  are 
educated,  who  especially  give  their  aid  in  the 
schools.  Missionary  associations  are  establish- 
ed ;  and  the  people,  though  nearly  all  very 
poor,  contribute  according  to  their  ability  to 
the  support  of  their  ministers.  The  preaching 
of  the  gospel  has  nowhere  encountered  systema- 
tic opposition  from  the  natives  themselves  ;  and 
the  government  has  shown  itself,  for  the  most 
part,  very  favorable  to  the  operations  of  the 
missionaries.     But  the  boers  are  bitter  foes  of 


50 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


the  missionaries,  because  they  rescue  the  ne- 
groes from  their  cruel  oppressors. 

Until  tlie  ywir  1840,  the  missionaries  of  the 
society  yi  Africa  had  not  advanced  farther 
to  the  nortli  than  Kbenezer.  Is  ear  to  the 
boandarv  of  Komniaggas,  Mr.  Sckmelen,  an 
esteemed  Uennan  missionary,  was  stationed,  in 
connection  with  the  Loudon  Missionary  So- 
ciety. At  an  earlier  period  he  had  been  in 
Namaqualand,  on  the  other  side'of  the  Orange 
River,  and  he  was  now  worn  out  with  age. 
The  Loudon  Missionary  Society  declined  to 
send  him  any  assistants,  because  they  had  given 
up  the  western  coasts  of  South  Africa,  to  be 
occupied  by  the  Rhenish  Society ;  thus 
Schmelen  turned  to  this  society,  and  prayed 
for  fellow-laborers.  The  first  brother  sent  him 
was  Kleinschmidt,  who  went  out  to  hun  in 
the  year  1840  ;  and  in  the  following  year,  five 
others  went. 

In  the  year  1842,  three  of  the  brethren  re- 
moved into  Great  Namaqualand,  and  as  far  as 
the  tropic  of  Capricorn,  where  the  boundaries 
of  Negroland  or  Damara  close,  opposite  to  the 
territory  of  the  Yellow  Kamaquas.  The  next 
year  they  were  followed  by  two  other  missiona- 
ries into  Little  Namaqualand ;  and  when,  in 
1848,  the  old  Schmelen  died,  Kommaggas  con- 
tinued to  be  occupied  by  one  of  the  society's 
missionaries.  They  have  to  the  south  of  the 
Orange  River,  in  Little  Namaqua,  three  star 
tions,  Kommaggas,  Kokfontein,  and  Fella, 
with  several  out-stations.  In  these  are  placed 
three  missionaries,  with  several  native  assist- 
ants. They  carry  on  their  labors  among  some 
two  thousand  Namaquas,  who  are  scattered 
over  many  hundred  miles  of  these  deserts, 
and,  besides  their  Namaqua  tongue,  for  the 
most  part  understand  also  the  Dutch.  About 
three  hundred  had  been  baptized  in  1850, 
and  the  desire  to  obtain  baptism  was  universal. 
The  people  are  poor  andiilthy  ;  but  little  grain 
is  grown ;  and  for  cattle  little  grass  can  be 
found.  The  whole  country  is  now  English  ter- 
ritory ;  and  thus  it  is  sure  to  happen  that  the 
rapacious  boers  will  take  from  these  poor  people 
their  last  wells  and  their  fertile  strips  of  land. 

Of  the  three  brethren  who  proceeded  into 
Great  Namaqualand,  two  advanced  to  where 
the  Zwakop  flows  into  Whale-bay,  and  forms 
the  northern  boundary  of  Namaqualand.  The 
third  remained  in  the  heart  of  the  country, 
and  built  himself  a  house  and  a  church  near  a 
beautiful  fountain,  and  called  the  place  Betha- 
ny. From  this  centre  he  commenced  his  labors 
all  round,  in  a  wide  circle,  which  is  larger  than 
all  Ireland.  But  very  few  people  reside  in 
these  districts,  only  some  three  thousand  ;  who, 
in  order  to  find  food  for  their  small  cattle,  travel 
incessantly  from  one  pasturage  to  another,  keep 
as  long  as  possible  by  their  teachers  in  Bethany, 
but  must  always  soon  pull  down  their  huts,  in 
order  to  set  them  up  again,  for  a  short  time,  in 
more  suitable  localities.  The  missionary,  too, 
travels  the  greater  part  of  the  year,  and  visits 


all  the  separate  parties  in  the  desert,  remains 
with  each  a  few  weeks  or  months,  teaches  and 
administers  the  sacraments,  and  then  returns 
again  to  the  centre  at  Bethany.  With  each 
troop  is  a  native  assistant,  who  carries  on  the 
work  of  instruction  in  the  absence  of  the  mis- 
sionary. About  1000  were  baptized  in  1850,  of 
whom,  probably,  the  half  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  missionaries  usually  employ  an  in- 
terpreter, as  the  pronunciation  of  the  Nama- 
qua dialect  is  too  difiicult.  But  they  have 
already  succeeded  in  fixing  the  language  by 
writing,  and,  brides  a  catechism,  they  have 
translated  the  Gospel  of  Luke  into  that  tongue ; 
and  by  the  assistance  of  the  British  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society  have  had  it  printed  at  the 
Cape,  and  distributed  among  the  people.  The 
large  circuit  of  the  desert  of  Great  Namaqua- 
land is  divided  into  two  parts  ;  and  a  second 
missionary  has  been  sent. 

The  two  missionaries  who  proceeded  in  the 
year  1842,  to  the  northern  boundaries  of  Nama- 
qualand, met  with  a  very  friendly  reception 
from  Jonker,  the  Namaqua  chief  of  that  dis- 
trict, who  had  dwelt  before  in  Little  Nama- 
qualand, and  had  there  been  baptized.  They 
were  the  means  of  suppressing  the  desolating 
warfare  which  had  hitherto  been  waged  be- 
tween the  Namaquas  and  the  Damaras,  and  of 
establishing  peace.  Upon  this  they  thought 
that  the  door  was  opened  to  them  to  visit  the 
populous  tribes  that  live  to  the  north,  towards 
the  Niger ;  but  disputes  in  their  own  neigh- 
borhood prevented  all  extension  of  missionary 
undertakings  ;  and,  on  account  of  them,  the 
locality  was  abandoned  to  the  Wesley ans,  who 
claimed  prior  occupancy.  But  Jonker  with 
his  people  have  relapsed  into  the  abominations 
of  heathenism;  and  they  have  become  the 
worst  robbers  and  murderers,  so  that  the  mis- 
sionaries in  that  district  have  no  more  danger- 
ous foe  than  that  Jonker,  who  formerly  sat  at 
their  feet.  Directly  after  the  missionaries 
abandoned  Jouker's  locality,  two  brethi-eii 
were  sent  out  to  their  aid  in  1845.  They  now 
divided  themselves ;  two  went  forward  into 
Damaraland,  and  one  established  at  AVhalc-bay 
the  station  of  Scheppmansdorf,  of  the  highest 
importance  for  intercourse  by  sea;  and  one, 
somewhat  farther  to  the  south,  and  towards 
the  interior,  founded  the  flourishing  Rehoboth, 
at  some  hot  springs  which  are  pretty  numerous 
in  that  district,  and  the  country  round  about 
is  rather  fertile.  The  Namaqua  tribe,  which 
has  settled  there  to  the  number  of  1800  souls, 
is  not  compelled,  by  the  want  of  food  for  ^^heir 
cattle,  to  disperse  at  every  instant ;  but  reside 
so  constantly  that  the  chief  and  several  of  his 
principal  retainers  have  begun  to  build  for 
themselves  stone  houses  near  the  beautiful 
church  and  school,  a  thing  hitherto  unheard  of 
in  Namaqualand.  The  congregation  numbers 
four  hundred  baptized  persons,  and  about  one 
hundred  participants  of  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
and  though  it  has  existed  only  for  a  short  time, 


AFRICA,  SOUTHERN. 


67 


it  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  of  the  mission- 
ary communities.  The  two  elders,  the  four 
deacons  and  deaconesses,  discharge  their  offices 
in  an  exemplary  manner ;  public  worship  is 
very  regularly  attended ;  a  strict  discipline  is 
administered.  Amidst  the  tumults  of  war, 
always  raging  around,  Kehoboth  has  hitherto 
been  preserved  as  a  community  of  peace.  A 
missionary  association  has  also  been  formed. 

The  two  missionaries  who  resolved  to  pene- 
trate northwards  into  Damaraland,  and  to 
whom  lately  two  other  brethren  have  gone, 
have  had  to  struggle  with  very  great  difficul- 
ties among  the  rude  and  savage  negro  tribes. 
Without  an  interpreter  and  without  any  assist- 
ance, they  had  to  master  a  language  to  which 
they  were  perfect  strangers,  and  which,  from 
the  hoarse  throats  of  the  people,  sounds  unin- 
telligible in  the  highest  degree,  and  appears  to 
be  extremely  copious  in  inflections.  It  would 
seem  that  the  Damara  language  is  allied  to 
that  of  the  Kaffres.  The  missionaries  have, 
with  unspeakable  pains  and  labor,  reached 
that  point,  that  they  can  both  preach  in  the 
language,  and  they  have  printed  some  little 
books  in  it.  At  first  they  kept  together  at 
one  station  ;  but  they  have  now  three  separate 
stations,  and  will  probably  extend  them  to  a 
wider  circle,  as  soon  as  the  travels  undertaken 
to  explore  the  country  beyond  Whale-bay  to- 
wards Lake  Ngami  have  opened  paths  into 
the  interior.  In  Damaraland,  though  the  mis- 
sionaries cannot  yet  speak  of  the  fruits  of  their 
labors,  they  can '  speak  of  many  lovely  buds 
and  blossoms. 

This  mission  has  planted  an  offshoot,  far 
into  the  interior  of  the  country.  On  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  Cape  colony,  not  far 
from  the  middle,  lie  the  Karroo  mountains,  on 
one  extremity  of  which  live  a  tribe  of  Bastards, 
on  the  other  a  tribe  of  Kaffres,  that  have  been 
separated  from  their  kindred  tribes,  and  have 
wandered  up  and  down  for  many  years.  Among 
both  tribes  a  mission  has  been  commenced  ; 
in  1845,  among  the  Bastards  (600),  of  whom 
150  have  been  baptized ;  in  1847,  among 
the  Kaffres  (700),  of  whom  already  100  are 
baptized.  The  two  stations  are  called  Aman- 
delboom  and  Schietfontein.  They  would  all 
have  the  prospect  of  pleasing  prosperity,  if 
the  hostile  Dutch  boers  did  not  penetrate  to 
them,  with  an  intention  to  drive  out  the  tribes, 
and  to  seize  upon  their  fine  pasture  lands  for 
their  own  herds. 

In  1854,  the  mission  was  in  a  prosperous 
condition.  Of  its  seventeen  stations,  ten  are 
within  the  limits  of  the  colony,  four  among 
the  Namaquas,  and  three  among  the  Hereros. 
Scheppmansdorf,  the  most  northerly  of  the 
Namaqua  stations,  is  near  Whalefish  Bay. 
New  Barmen  lies  about  two  hundred  mi' 
north-east  from  Scheppmansdorf.  Of  the  other 
two  Ilerero  stations,  Otjimbingue  is  situated 
five  days'  journey  west  of  New  Barmen,  and 
Schmelen's  Expectation  is  one  day  east  of  the 


same  place.  The  following  table,  though  im- 
perfect, will  give  a  pretty  correct  idea  of  the 
condition  of  the  different  stations  : 


'6 

^1 

II 

Stations. 

I 

1 

If 

Is 

ftaj 

g  ■+^  2 

5 

(S 

a^ 

a^l 

Stellenbosh      -    - 

1830 

2400 

900 

292 

Sarepta    -    -    -    - 

1843 

400 

145 

72 

Worcester  -    -    - 

1832 

200() 

303 

120 

Tulbagh  -    -    -    - 

1830 

1000 

190 

75 

Saron     ~    .    9    . 

1846 

500 

109 

58 

Ebenezer       -    -    - 

1834 

300 

158 

60 

Wupperthal     -    - 

1830 

400 

217 

117 

Amandelboom  -    - 

1845 

800 

182 

48 

Schietfontein    -    - 

1847 

800 

191 

88 

Kommaggas 

1829 

400 

200 

72 

Richtersfeld      -    - 

1843 

400 

107 

41 

Steinkopf    -    -    - 

1821 

600 

250 

60 

Pella 

1849 

400 

? 

? 

Bethany      -    -    - 

1814 

300 

240 

70 

Beersheba     -    -    - 

1842 

600 

462 

190 

Rehoboth    -    -    - 

1845 

900 

430 

160 

Kam       -    -    -    - 

1842 

400 

209 

90 

Scheppmansdorf     - 

1846 

300 

47 

30 

New  Barmen 

1848 

500 

0 

3 

Otjimbingue      -    - 

1849 

200 

0 

1 

13000 

4,340 

1,647 

Berlin  Missionary  Society. — This  society 
commenced  operations  in  South  Africa  in 
1833.  One  of  the  stations  first  occupied  by 
its  missionaries  was  Beaufort.  Some  of  them 
went  among  the  Oorannas  and  Kaffres.  Since 
1838,  they  have  had  stations  at  Cape  Town 
and  Zoar.  Its  stations  in  1847  were,  Zoar, 
Bethel,  Itembia,  Emmaus,  Bethany,  and  Priel. 
The  number  of  its  missionaries  is  14  ;  of  bap- 
tized persons,  907  ;  of  scholars,  418. 

Norwegian  Protestant  Missionary  Society. — 
This  society  have  recently  commenced  a  mis- 
sion near  Port  Natal,  where  they  have  sent 
four  missionaries  ;  but  we  have  no  particulars 
concerning  their  operations. 

The  following  table  presents  a  general  sum- 
mary of  missionary  operations  in  Southern 
Africa.  The  United  Brethren  and  the  Wes- 
leyans  do  not  distinguish,  in  their  reports,  be- 
tween ordained  missionaries  and  assistants.  _  In 
several  other  respects,  the  returns  are  wanting, 
leaving  the  table  incomplete  ;  but,  in  the  most 
important  particulars,  they  are  so  nearly  full 
as  to  give  a  fair  impression  of  the  work.  The 
missionaries  of  the  Society  for  Propagating  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts  are  chiefly  employed 
in  ministering  to  the  established  churches  in 
the  colony,  and  the  results  of  their  labors  are 
not  reported. 


58 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


MisBionaries. 

Assistants. 

^ 

1 

«' 

ii 

g 

s 

a 

Societies. 

d 

(3  d 

1 

1 

5< 

II 

1 

1 

5 

3 

d 
S 

1 

1 

1 

le- 
ts-3 

Moravians, 

8 

29 

8 

1882 

1733 

6935 

London  Missionary  Soc, 

28 

32 

4301 

60 

3483 

Scotch  Missions, 

10 

8 

3 

9 

109 

French  Protest.  Missions, 

11 

14 

1 

1183 

310 

312 

American  Board, 

12 

12 

7 

9 

166 

12 

188 

28 

Weslevan  Society, 

42 

39 

154 

646 

4970 

7479 

41,790 

Gospei  Propagation  Soc., 

50 

Rhenish  Miss.  Society, 

20 

21 

6 

10 

1647 

13,000 

Norwegian  Miss.  Society, 
Berlin  Miss.  Society, 

»      6 

6 

14 

907 

418 

Total, 

137 

225 

154 

10 

672 

14,258 

11,878 

62,037 

AFRICA,  WESTERN  :*  That  part  of  the 
continent  of  Africa,  which  lies  along  the  At- 
lantic ocean,  from  the  Southern  borders  of  the 
Great  Desert  of  Sahara,  in  latitude  16°  or  17° 
north,  to  Cape  Negro,  near  the  river  Nourse, 
or  the  Southern  boundary  of  Benguela,  in 
about  the  same  latitude  South.  It  varies  in 
width,  from  200  to  350  miles,  and  bears  about 
the  same  geographical  relation  to  the  continent 
of  Africa,  that  the  Atlantic  States  do  to  North 
America.  The  Kong  Mountains  form  the 
eastern  boundary  of  the  northern  half  of  West 
Africa,  and  the  Sierra  del  Crystal  mountains 
the  eastern  boundary  of  the  Southern  half 
The  former  take  their  rise  about  200  miles 
east  of  the  Gulf  of  Benin,  and  run  in  a  north- 
westerly direction,  keeping  nearly  parallel  to 
the  sea-coast,  and  not  more  than  200  miles  dis- 
tant, until  they  reach  the  latitude  of  Sierra 
Leone,  where  they  make  an  immense  sweep 
into  the  interior,  inclining  to  the  north-east, 
until  they  lose  themselves  in  the  sands  of  the 
Desert  700  or  800  miles  from  the  sea-coast,  and 
more  than  1 500  miles  from  their  starting  point. 
The  latter  rise  nearer  to  the  sea-coast,  and  for 
the  first  hundred  miles  are  in  sight  of  it ;  after 
which,  they  bear  off  in  a  southerly  direction, 
for  200  miles,  and  then  resume  a  parallel  line 
to  the  sea-coast,  till  their  termination,  in  the 
latitude  of  Benguela,  1000  or  1200  miles  from 
the  place  of  beginning. 

The  three  grand  divisions  of  Western  Africa, 
are  Senegambia,  Upper  or  Northern  Guinea, 
and  Southern  Guinea  or  Southern  Ethiopia. 
The  first  of  these  extends  from  the  southern 


♦  For  the  principal  portion  of  the  introductory  part  of  this 
article,  embracing  the  geography  of  the  country  and  the 
character  and  the  condition  of  the  people,  the  author  is 
indebted  to  a  work  on  Western  Africa,  in  preparation  for 
the  press,  by  Rev.  John  Leighton  WiUon,  the  manuscript 
of  which  was  kindly  loaned  for  the  purpose  by  the  writer  ; 
the  chapters  on  these  subjects  having  been  copied,  with 
some  slight  abridgment,  but  in  manv  parts,  nearly  verba- 
tim .  The  paragraph  on  moral  a/ndition  is  condensed  from 
a  printed  pamphlet  by  the  same  writer. 


borders  of  Sahara  to  Cape  Verga,  10°  north 
latitude,  reaching  inward  700  miles.  The 
second  extends  from  Cape  Yerga  to  the  Cam- 
eroon mountains,  in  the  Gulf  of  Benin,  a  dis- 
tance, on  the  coast,  of  more  than  1500  miles, 
but  not  more  than  250  miles  wide.  The  third 
extends  from  the  Cameroon  mountains,  in  49 
north  latitude,  to  Benguela. 

The  physical  aspect  of  the  country  presents 
some  of  the  richest  and  most  exuberant  nat- 
ural scenery  in  the  world.  In  the  vicinity  of 
Sierra  Leone,  Cape  Mount,  and  Cape  Messu- 
rado,  the  eye  rests  upon  bold  headlands  and 
high  promontories,  enveloped  in  the  richest 
tropical  verdure.  In  the  region  of  Cape  Pal- 
mas,  there  are  extended  plains,  somewhat  un- 
dulated, and  beautified  with  almost  every  vari- 
ety of  the  palm  and  palmetto.  On  the  Derwin 
coast,  the  country  rises  to  high  table  land,  of 
the  richest  aspect,  and  of  immense  extent. 
The  Gold  Coast  presents  hills  and  dales  of 
almost  every  conceivable  form  and  variety. 
And,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fernando  Po  and 
the  Cameroons,  mountain  scenery  presents  it- 
self of  exceeding  beauty  and  surpassing  mag- 
nificence. 

The  western  coasts  of  Africa  are  watered  by 
four  great  and  noble  rivers ;  the  Senegal  and 
Gambia  in  Senegambia,  the  Niger  in  Northern 
Guinea,  and  the  Congo  in  Southern  Guinea  ; 
besides  which,  are  several  small  rivers  and 
streams,  which  run  into  the  Gulf  of  Guinea. 

The  discharge  of  the  rivers  and  small  streams 
is  frequently  obstructed  by  the  heavy  swells 
from  the  open  ocean,  and  ^orm  themselves  into 
back  waters  or  lagoons,  in  consequence  of 
the  exposed  condition  of  the  searcoast.  These 
lagoons  are  separated  from  the  ocean  by  a 
narrow  sand  bank,  thrown  up  by  the  outer 
swell.  They  are  sometimes  200  or  300  miles 
long,  but  generally  only  a  few  feet  deep,  and 
seldom  more  than  a  quarter  or  half  a  mile  wide. 
They  furnish  great  facilities  of  intercourse  and 


ft 


;UFI7ERSIT7] 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


59 


commerce  to  the  maritime  tribes,  but  are  too 
shallow  for  ordinary  shipping.  Tlie  coast  of 
Africa  is  greatly  wanting  in  good  bays  and 
harbors. 

The  extent  of  territory  belonging  to  the 
English  colony  at  Sierra  Leone,  is  about  3000 
miles.  The  British  possess  also  several  small 
settlements  on  the  coast  of  Guinea,  viz.,  Cape 
Coast  Castle,  Succondee,  Dix  Cove,  Annamaboe, 
AJcra  and  Lagos.  The  town  of  Bonny  is  sit- 
uated at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Niger,  and  haa 
been  a  groat  mart  for  the  slave  trade.  The 
Islands  of  Ascension  and  St.  Helena  belong 
to  Great  Britain ;  the  Madeira  and  Cape  De 
Verde  Islands,  to  the  Portuguese.  The  Por- 
tuguese have  also  formed  settlements  bglow 
the  Niger,  on  the  coasts  of  Congo,  Loangho 
and  Benguela. 

Climate. — The  heat  is  seldom  oppressive  on 
the  sea-coast.  Alternate  land  and  sea-breezes 
blow  fresh  every  day.  The  mercury  seldom 
rises  to  90°,  and  usually  ranges  between  74  and 
84°.  In-doors,  the  air  is  seldom  oppressive. 
During  the  Harmatton  winds,  the  mornings 
are  cool,  and  the  wind  blows  very  strongly. 
On  the  coast  of  Senegambia  the  heat  is  op- 
pressive, but  not  so  on  the  coast  of  Guinea. 
In  the  interior,  beyond  the  reach  of  the  land 
and  sea  breezes,  the  climate  no  doubt  would 
be  oppressive. 

Inhabitants. — The  inhabitants  of  Western 
Africa  are  divided  into  three  great  families, 
corresponding  with  the  three  grand  geograph- 
ical divisions.  Although  these  families  belong 
to  one  race,  yet  there  are  marked  and  essential 
differences  between  them. 

In  Senegambia  there  are  three  leading  fami- 
lies, Icnown  as  the  Jalofs,  Mandingoes,  _  and 
Foulahs.  By  many  it  is  doubted  whether  either 
of  these  are  pure  negroes.  The  Foulahs  are 
evidently  a  mixed  race.  They  are  Mohamme- 
dans, while  the  inhabitants  of  Northern  and 
Southern  Guinea  are  essentially  Pagan. 

Northern  Guinea  is  inhabited  by  the  Nigri- 
tian  family,  so  called  from  their  supposed  de- 
scent from  the  great  negro  families  living  in 
the  valley  of  the  Niger.  They  are  here  sub- 
divided into  six  or  seven  families. 

Southern  Guinea  is  inhabited  by  the  Nilotic 
family,  so  called  from  their  supposed  descent 
from  the  ancient  nations  of  the  Nile.  They  are 
spread  over  the  whole  of  the  south  half  of  the 
continent.  They  differ  in  many  respects  from 
the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Guinea.  They  are  not 
so  robust  and  energetic  as  the  Nigritian  race. 
Their  forms  are  more  slender,  their  features 
are  better,  and  they  are  characterized  by  more 
shrewdness  and  pliancy  of  character. 

Government. — There  are  no  extended  politi- 
cal organizations  in  Western  Africa,  excepting 
the  kingdoms  of  Ashantee  and  Dahomey,  and 
neither  of  these  is  larger  or  more  powerful 
than  the  second-rate  kingdoms  of  Europe. 
As  a  general  thing,  the  people  live  together 
in  small  independent  communities,  varying  in 


population  from  1000  to  20,000.  The  form 
of  government,  nominally,  is  monarchy,  but 
in  reality,  it  is  more  patriarchal  than  mon- 
archical. 

Social  Condition. — Though  greatly  debased 
by  their  heathenism,  yet  the  inhabitants  of 
Western  Africa  are  not  to  be  ranked  among 
the  lowest  of  the  human  race.  They  have 
fixed  habitations  ;  they  cultivate  the  soil,  have 
herds  of  domestic  animals  ;  and  show  as  much 
foresight  as  most  other  people  in  providing  for 
their  future  wants.  They  have  made  consid- 
erable proJSciency  in  most  of  the  mechanic 
arts,  and  evince  a  decided  taste  and  capacity 
for  commercial  pursuits.  They  have  no  writ- 
ten literature,  (excepting  the  Mohammedans 
among  them ; )  but  they  have  abundance  of 
unwritten  lore,  in  the  form  of  fables,  allego- 
ries, traditions,  and  proverbial  sayings,  in 
which  are  displayed  no  small  share  of  close 
observation,  lively  imagination,  and  extraordi- 
nary shrewdness  of  character. 

Moral  Condition. — Selfishness,  the  control- 
ling principle  of  the  heathen  heart,  has  full 
sway  here.  The  principles  of  justice,  the 
rights  of  individuals,  the  rules  of  decency,  the 
voice  of  humanity,  the  ties  of  kindred  and 
friendship,  are  trampled  under  foot.  Theft, 
falsehood,  fraud,  deceit,  duplicity,  injustice, 
and  oppression,  are  favorite  agents  and  con- 
stant companions.  Intemperance,  licentious- 
ness, gluttony  and  debauchery  furnish  the 
aliment  upon  which  it  feeds.  It  is  almost 
impossible,  says  Mr.  Wilson,  to  say  what  vice 
is  preeminent  among  these  degraded  natives. 
Falsehood  is  universal.  No  man  speaks  the 
truth,  who  can  find  a  motive  for  telling  a  lie. 
Theft,  fraud,  and  intemperance,  are  considered 
as  praiseworthy  acts.  Chastity  is  an  idea  for 
which  they  have  no  word  in  their  language, 
and  of  which  they  can  scarcely  form  a  concep- 
tion. Envy,  jealousy,  and  revenge,  enthrone 
themselves  in  every  heart,  and  wield  their 
triple  sceptre  with  uncontrolled  power.  Hence, 
there  can  be  no  confidence  between  man  and 
man,  no  sympathy  of  interests, — in  fact,  no 
such  thing  as  society.  As  might  be  expected, 
in  such  a  state,  their  intellectual  faculties  are 
obtuse  and  circumscribed,  almost  beyond  con- 
ception. Beyond  a  few  local  associations,  the 
ideas  of  the  most  intelligent  native  on  the 
coast  of  Africa  are  not  one  particle  above  the 
speculations  of  a  child  in  this  country  of  two 
or  three  years  of  age.  And  over  such  minds, 
superstition  reigns  with  absolute  sway.  Al- 
though the  African  is  by  nature  preeminently 
social,  yet  polygamy,  ivitchcraft,  and  the  slave 
trade,  together  with  the  general  influence  of 
heathenism,  render  him  an  entire  stranger  to 
social  happiness.  Even  cannibalism  prevails 
to  some  extent,  in  connection  with  punishment 
for  witchcraft.  A  man's  importance  in  so- 
ciety is  regulated  by  the  number  of  his  wives ; 
I  but  between  them  and  himself,  there  exists  no 
affection.    The  African  woman  detests  her 


60 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


husband  above  all  others,  and  strifes,  jealous- 
iee,  and  endlt>*«  bickerings,  nrovail  among  the 
women  of  his  houseliold.  The  belief  in  witch- 
craft sunders  all  the  ties  of  nature,  brings 
fatal  8usj)icion  upon  the  nearest  relatives,  and 
fills  the  minds  of  all  with  a  fearful  sense  of 
insecurity.  Their  persons,  houses,  and  almost 
every  article  of  property,  must  be  guarded  bv 
/(tislies,  and  a  man  must  be  careful  what  path 
ne  walks,  whose  house  he  enters,  on  what  stool 
he  sits,  and  what  he  touches.  The  cere- 
mony of  "  taking  oflf  the  fetish  "  must  be  per- 
formed before  a  particle  of  food  or  drink  is 
tasted.  The  hair  of  the  head,  and  the  parings 
of  the  nails,  are  concealed  with  studied  care ; 
and  yet,  notwithstanding  these  and  a  thousand 
other  expedients,  yet  more  silly  and  stupid, 
these  people  enjoy  no  sense  of  security,  but 
are  WTetched  and  miserable  among  themselves, 
and  know  not  where  to  turn  for  relief. 

Religioxis  Belief,  and  Superstitious  Customs 
and  Traditions. — It  has  been  found  very  diffi- 
cult to  ascertain  or  describe  the  religious  views 
of  the  Pagan  tribes  of  Africa,  owing  partly 
to  their  indefiuiteness,  and  partly  to  their  habits 
of  concealment  in  relation  to  what  might  ex- 
pose them  to  ridicule.  The  belief  in  One 
Great  Supreme  Being,  the  Creator  and  Up- 
holder of  all  things,  Mr.  Wilson  thinks  is  uni- 
versal. This  conviction  stands  out  in  every 
man's  creed  ;  so  much  so,  that  any  theory  of 
Atheism  would  strike  them  as  absurd  and  in- 
defensible. Their  conceptions  of  the  character 
and  attributes  of  God,  however,  are  extremely 
low.  They  think  of  his  power  over  the  natural 
world  as  great  and  irresistible ;  but  they  have 
no  just  ideas  of  his  moral  purity ;  but  ascribe 
to  him  motives  and  feelings  utterly  at  variance 
with  his  true  character.  The  tribes  along  the 
coast  have  a  name  for  Jehovah,  and  most  of 
them,  two  or  more,  significant  of  his  character 
as  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Benefactor.  The 
general  impression,  however,  is,  that  He  exer- 
cises very  little  agency  in  the  government  of 
the  world,  feeling  too  little  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  men,  or  being  too  far  off,  to  concern 
himself  with  what  is  transpiring  upon  earth. 
On  some  great  occasions,  his  name  is  invoked, 
and  in  the  Grebo  country  he  is  called  upon 
three  times,  in  a  loud  voice,  to  witness  any  very 
solemn  transaction,  as  the  establishment  of 
peace  after  war,  the  ratification  of  some  great 
treaty,  or  other  measures  of  national  imix)rt> 
ance.  The  same  thing  ia  done  by  an  indivi- 
dual when  he  is  about  to  drink  the  "  red  wood 
ordeal."  Whether  the  practice  of  calling  upon 
God  three  times,  about  which  they  are  very 
particular,  has  any  reference  to  the  Trinity  is 
matter  of  conjecture ;  but  it  is  not  improbable 
that  it  may  have  been  liandcd  down  by  tradi- 
tion, or  borrowed  from  Christianity. 

The  belief  in  a  future  state  of  existence  is 
also  general ;  but  they  have  no  very  definite  or 
consistent  views  as  to  what  that  state  is. 
Some    believe  in  transmigration,  and  hence 


animals  in  certain  localities,  as  the  monkeys 
about  Fishtown,  are  regarded  as  sacred,  be- 
cause they  are  suj)posed  to  be  animated  by  the 
spirits  of  their  deceased  friends.  The  soul  of 
one  man  is  supposed  to  have  been  revived  in 
another,  especially  when  there  is  any  marked 
resemblance  between  the  two.  The  Mpongwe 
people  suppose  there  is  a  place  where  the  spi- 
rits of  the  dead  will  be  ultimately  collected ; 
and  the  Grebos  connect  with  it  the  idea  of  an 
ordeal  that  must  be  passed  through  in  going 
to  that  place,  which  may,  perhaps,  have  been 
derived  from  the  Popish  doctrine  of  Purgatory, 
taught  by  the  Portuguese  missionaries,  who 
visited  this  coast  in  the  IGth  and  17th  centu- 
ries. But  at  present,  the  spirits  of  the  dead 
ar^ supposed  to  mingle  freely  with  the  living  ; 
hence  their  dreams  and  sudden  impressions 
upon  their  minds  are  regarded  as  visitations 
from  the  dead  ;  and  any  hints  or  admonitions 
received  from  such  som-ces  will  be  more  readily 
followed  than  the  dictates  of  reason  and  com- 
mon sense.  Sometimes  the  living  are  repri- 
manded by  the  dead  for  their  remissness  in 
duty,  and  not  unfrequently  the  streets  and 
precincts  of  the  largest  towns  are  swept  and 
thoroughly  cleansed,  in  obedience  to  some  such 
hint  from  the  dead. 

The  idea  of  a  future  state  of  rewards  and 
punishments  is  not  clearly  developed  ;  but  a 
separate  burying  place  is  kept  for  atrocious 
criminals,  and  there  is  a  repugnance  felt  to 
mingling  with  the  notoriously  wicked  and 
cruel. 

Fetishism  and  Devil-worship  are  the  charac- 
teristic and  leading  forms  of  religion  of  the 
Pagan  tribes  of  all  Africa.  The  two  things 
are  entirely  distinct  in  themselves  ;  but  they 
run  together  at  so  many  points,  and  have  been 
so  much  confounded  by  those  who  have  written 
on  the  subject,  that  it  is  by  no  means  an  easy 
task  to  set  them  in  their  separate  and  true 
light.  A  Fetish,  strictly  speaking,  is  little 
less  than  a  charm,  amulet,  or  talisman,  worn 
about  the  body,  or  suspended  from  some  part 
of  the  dwelling,  and  is  intended  either  to 
guard  the  owner  from  some  apprehended  evil, 
or  to  secure  for  him  some  coveted  good.  On 
some  parts  of  the  coast  it  is  called  a  grigri, 
(greegree,)  at  other  places,  a  juju,  ( jewjew,) 
and  others  still,  a,  fetish,  all  implying  the  same 
thing.  It  may  be  a  piece  of  wood,  in  the 
form  of  an  ornament,  the  horn  of  a  goat  or 
sheep,  a  piece  of  metal  or  ivory,  or  any  thing 
else  that  has  been  consecrated  by  one  of  the 
priests.  There  are  several  classes  of  these  fe- 
tishes, for  which  they  have  separate  names : 
those  worn  about  their  persons ;  such  as  are 
siispended  over  the  doors,  and  in  different  parts 
of  their  dwellings,  corresponding  somewhat  to 
the  penates  of  the  ancient  Komans ;  such  as 
may  be  found  along  their  highways,  to  protect 
their  farms  and  fruit  trees  from  depredation ; 
such  as  are  used  in  war ;  and  finally,  such  as 
belong  to  the  town  and  are  kept  in  a  house  at 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


61 


the  entrance  of  the  village,  or  at  the  residence 
of  the  chief. 

The  fetishes  are  supposed  to  possess  extra- 
ordinary and  varied  powers.  They  preserve 
the  life  and  health  of  one  who  uses  them,  and 
guard  not  only  from  visible  evils,  but  from  the 
secret  machinations  of  witchcraft,  so  much 
dreaded  by  the  simple-minded  African.  The 
fetish  is  also  supposed  to  be  able  to  j^rotect  itself 
against  violence ;  which  power  the  superstitious 
people  are  afraid  to  test.  If  the  fetish  fails,  in  a 
given  instance,  it  only  proves  that  this  particu- 
lar one  has  no  efficacy,  and  it  is  thrown  away  for 
a  better  one ;  but  every  one  is  considered  effec- 
tive till  experience  has  proved  the  contrary. 
And,  if  nine  out  of  ten  fail,  the  success  of  the  one 
is  balanced  against  the  failure  of  the  nine,  and 
the  successful  one  is  the  more  valued.  They  talk 
to  their  fetishes,  try  to  stir  them  up  to  action  in 
great  emergencies,  pour  rum  upon  them,  and  act 
as  if  they  supposed  they  possessed  life  and  intel- 
ligence :  but  in  no  other  sense  can  their  fetishes 
be  considered  objects  of  religious  worship.  As 
a  general  thing,  they  are  regarded  as  inanimate 
objects,  without  intelligence,  but  nevertheless, 
exercising  a  silent  mysterious  influence,  either 
for  their  protection  and  preservation,  or  to  the 
injury  of  their  fellow  men.  They  regard  this 
as  an  established  fact ;  and  think  it  as  easy  to 
see  the  connection  between  the  fetish  and  the 
result,  as  between  poison  taken  into  the  stom- 
ach and  death  that  follows. 

The  practice  of  wearing  and  using  fetishes 
is  universal.  They  may  be  seen  along  every 
path,  at  the  gate  of  every  village,  over  the 
door  of  every  house,  and  around  the  neck  of 
every  one.  The  young,  especially  those  who 
have  had  some  intercourse  with  the  civilized 
world,  show  some  skepticism  on  the  subject ; 
but  the  older  people,  especially  when  they  be- 
come contemplative,  and  feel  the  infirmities  of 
age,  cling  to  them  with  greater  tenacity.  The 
people,  however,  have  less  feeling  of  security 
than  if  they  had  none  of  these  charms  ;  and 
they  never  rely  upon  them  in  any  very  trying 
or  dangerous  emergency.  Indeed,  when  flying 
from  imminent  danger,  they  will  tear  off  their 
fetishes  and  throw  them  away,  to  relieve  them- 
selves of  the  incumbrance. 

Fetishes  are  extensively  employed  to  protect 
property,  and  to  punish  offenders.  They  are 
made  fast  to  fruit  trees,  set  upon  the  borders  of 
a  farm,  or  tied  around  the  neck  of  a  goat ;  by 
which  it  is  supposed  that  trespassers  will  be 
punished.  And  so,  when  any  great  national 
law  has  been  adopted,  a  fetish  is  made,  to 
punish  the  offender.  But  this  is  more  fre- 
quently done,  when  they  are  too  feeble  to  take 
the  execution  of  the  law  into  their  own  hands. 
The  use  of  fetishes  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  belief  in  witchcraft. 

Devil-worship. — The  only  thing  in  Western 
Africa  that  can  strictly  be  regarded  as  religious 
worship,  is  that  which  is  offered  to  the  spirits 
of  the  dead,  aud  usually  denominated  "  Devil- 


worship."  Some  of  them  are  regarded  as  good 
spirits,  and  their  aid  and  protection  sought, 
others  are  considered  as  evil  spirits,  and  their 
displeasure  deprecated.  But  it  is  doubtful 
whether  they  have  any  idea  of  evil  spirits  dis- 
tinct from  those  which  are  supposed  to  have 
proceeded  from  wicked  men.  The  presence  of 
some  spirits  is  courted ;  houses  are  built  for 
their  accommodation,  and  occasional  offeringg 
of  food,  drink,  clothing,  and  furniture  are  taken 
to  these  houses  for  their  use.  They  place  large 
quantities  of  cloth,  beads,  knives,  pipes,  tobac- 
co, and  ornaments  in  the  coffin,  and  large  ar- 
ticles of  furniture  around  the  grave  outside, 
for  the  use  of  the  dead. 

There  are  also  other  spirits,  whose  presence 
is  much  dreaded.  They  are  supposed  to  cause 
sickness,  drought,  wars,  pestilence,  and  other 
forms  of  national  evil;  and,  in  some  places, 
they  make  offerings  to  the  devil  to  appease  his 
wrath,  and  induce  him  to  withdraw  the  scourge. 
On  the  Gold  coast,  there  are  stated  occasions 
when  the  people  turn  out  at  night  to  drive  the 
devil  away  from  town  with  clubs  and  torches. 
At  a  given  signal,  the  whole  community  start 
up,  commence  a  most  hideous  howling,  beat 
about  in  every  nook  and  corner  of  their  houses, 
then  rush  into  the  streets  like  frantic  maniacs, 
beat  the  air  with  their  clubs,  brandish  their 
torches,  and  scream  at  the  top  of  their  voices. 
Soon,  some  one  announces  that  the  devil  is 
leaving  the  town  by  some  particular  gate, 
when  they  all  rush  in  that  direction,  and  pur- 
sue him  for  miles  from  the  town. 

Supposed  demoniacal  possessions  are  very 
common,  and  the  feats  performed  by  those 
who  are  believed  to  be  under  the  influence  of 
these  agents,  are  not  unlike  those  described  in 
the  New  Testament.  Frantic  gestures,  con- 
vulsions, foaming  at  the  mouth,  feats  of  super- 
natural strength,  furious  ravings,  bodily  lace- 
rations, gnashing  of  the  teeth,  and  other  things 
of  a  similar  nature,  characterize  all  those  cases 
which  they  regard  as  being  under  the  influence 
of  evil  spirits.  But  some  of  these,  Mr.  Wilson 
says  he  found  out  had  been  occasioned  by  the 
administration  of  powerful  narcotics,  and  oth- 
ers were  the  natural  results  of  a  highly  excited 
state  of  the  nerves.  But  there  were  other  ex- 
hibitions of  feeling  and  actions,  which  could 
scarcely  be  ascribed  to  either  of  these  causes. 
However,  we  cannot  tell  what  effects  may  be 
produced  by  frequent  and  violent  strain  upon 
the  nervous  system. 

In  the  beginning,  it  is  not  easy  to  distin- 
guish these  possessions  from  an  ordinary  attack 
of  disease ;  and  when  it  is  determined  to  be 
a  possession,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  ascertain 
what  kind  of  a  spirit  it  is.  On  the  Pongo  coast> 
there  are  four  or  five  classes  of  these  spirits  ; 
and  when  a  man  is  known  to  be  possessed,  he 
passes  through  the  hands  of  the  priests  of  these 
different  orders,  till  some  one  pronounces  it  to 
be  a  case  with  which  he  is  acquainted  and  is 
able  to  cure.    A  temporary  house   is  built 


0:i 


AililCA,  WESTEUN. 


dancing  commcnoos,  a  variety  of  ceremonies 
arc  ])erforuied,  meilicines  are  ndniinistorod,  and 
nfior  a  fortuiglit  spent  in  this  way,  uij^ht  and 
day,  the  friends  of  the  invalid  furnishing  abun- 
dance of  rum  and  food  for  the  performers,  he 
is  pronounced  cured.  A  house  is  then  built 
near  his  own  residence,  for  the  accommodation 
of  this  outcast  doil,  who  is  henceforth  to  be- 
come his  tutelar  god ;  and  so  long  as  he  treats 
him  with  proper  respect,  and  obeys  the  injunc- 
tions imposed  on  him  when  he  was  healed,  he 
will  do  well.  But  if  the  disease  returns,  it  is 
evidence  of  neglect  of  duty  towards  his  patron 
spirit,  and  the  ceremonies  must  be  repeated. 

The  spirits  who  are  objects  of  worship  in 
the  country,  are  supposed  to  inhabit  certain 
great  rocks,  trees,  mountains,  rivers,  caverns, 
and  groves ;  and  these  places  are  always  sa- 
cred. They  are  passed  in  silence,  and  not  with- 
out dropping  some  kind  of  offering,  if  nothing 
more  than  u  leaf  of  a  tree,  or  a  shell  picked 
up  on  the  beach.  To  these  places  they  carry 
oiferings  of  food,  drink,  cloth,  or  furniture ;  but 
they  must  be  presented  by  the  priest,  who 
pretends  to  hold  intercourse  with  these  spirits. 
When  the  priests  would  make  an  impression 
upon  the  people,  one  of  their  own  number  is 
concealed  in  some  recess  of  the  grove,  or  cor- 
ner of  the  rock,  and  answers  are  given  to  the 
questions  proposed,  but  always  in  an  unnatural 
tone.  There  is  no  danger  of  the  exposure  of 
the  trick,  for  no  one  has  courage  to  venture 
near  the  spot,  lest  a  legion  of  angry  spirits 
should  rush  out  and  tear  him  in  pieces.  One 
of  these  oracles  near  the  mouth  of  the  Cavali 
river  has  acquired  great  celebrity ;  and  it  is 
visited  by  pilgrims  from  the  distance  of  nearly 
200  miles ;  and  as  offerings  are  always  brought, 
it  is  a  source  of  considerable  revenue  to  the 
king  of  Cavali,  It  has  been  visited  by  several 
white  men,  and  found  to  be  nothing  but  a  cav- 
ern, in  which  is  an  echo,  that  the  priests  inter- 
pret to  moan  whatever  they  please,  and  the 
people  arc  simple  enough  to  credit  the  word 
of  men,  of  whose  dishonesty  they  have  daily 
proofs. 

These  patron  spirits  are  supposed  also  to  in- 
habit certain  animals,  and  hence  such  become 
sacred.  At  Fishtown,  on  the  Grain  coast, 
certain  monkeys  found  in  the  wood  about  the 
grave-yard  are  sacred,  because  it  is  thought 
they  are  animated  by  the  spirits  of  their  de- 
parted friends.  At  DLxcove,  on  the  Gold 
coast,  the  crocodile  is  sacred.  At  Papo  and 
Whidah,  on  the  slave  coast,  a  certain  kind 
of  snake  is  sacred.  At  Calabar  and  Bonny 
the  shark  is  sacred,  and  human  victims  are 
occasionally  offered  to  it.  At  the  Gaboon,  the 
natives  will  not  eat  the  parrot,  because  it  talks, 
and,  as  they  say,  is  too  much  like  man  ;  but  in 
reality,  perhaps,  because  they  have  some  suspi- 
cion that  these  birds  have  the  spirits  of  their 
forefathers.  A  certain  tiger,  at  Cape  St. 
Catherine,  is  also  sacred. 

These  animals  have  the  sagacity  to  find  out 


that  they  arc  not  liable  to  be  molested,  and 
therefore  appear  to  be  very  presuming-.  'I'he 
monkeys  about  Fishtown  are  quite  tiiino  ;  the 
alligator  at  Dixcove  will  come  at  cull,  and  fol- 
low a  man  with  a  white  fowl  in  his  hand,  to 
the  distance  of  half  a  mile  from  his  den  ;  the 
snake  at  Papo  has  become  so  much  domestica- 
ted that  it  may  be  handled  with  impunity,  and 
so  far  trained  that  it  will  bite  or  refrain  from 
biting,  according  to  the  pleasure  of  its  keeper. 
The  shark  at  Benin  will  come  up  to  the  river's 
edge  every  day,  to  see  if  a  victim  is  prepared 
for  him ;  and  the  tiger  of  St.  Catherine  will 
traverse  the  streets  of  the  village  at  night,  and 
will  burrow  somewhere  during  the  day,  in  the 
immediate  neighborhood,  without  any  appa- 
rent apprehension  of  being  disturbed. 

The  spirits  of  the  dead  are  supposed  to  take 
an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  world  ; 
hence,  when  in  great  distress,  they  go  into  the 
woods  and  call  upon  them  for  help,  in  the  most 
piteous  strains.  They  sometimes  send  messa- 
ges to  their  friends  in  another  world,  by  one 
that  is  about  to  die.  Mr.  Wilson  says  he  has 
known  mothers  who  have  shunned  their  own 
sons,  lest  they  should  use  some  unfair  means 
to  get  them  out  of  this  world,  with  the  hope 
that  they  would  do  them  more  service  in  an- 
other. They  frequently  invoke  the  spirits  of 
their  forefathers,  when  about  to  discuss  any 
important  matter ;  and  the  leading  men  in  the 
Pongo  country  rub  their  foreheads  with  chalk 
that  has  been  kept  in  the  skull  of  some  great 
chief,  for  the  purpose  of  imbibing  his  wisdom 
and  courage. 

The  practice  of  sacrificing  human  beings  to 
the  manes  of  the  dead,  which  is  more  common 
in  Ashantee  and  Dahomey  than  any  where  else, 
grows  out  of  this  belief  in  a  future  existence. 
The  victims  offered  at  the  death  of  any  member 
of  the  royal  family,  or  of  any  great  personage, 
and  which  are  repeated  at  stated  periods  after- 
wards, are  intended  to  be  servants  or  escorts  to 
such  persons  in  another  w^orld.  _  They  have  no 
right  conceptions  of  a  purely  spiritual  state  of 
existence,  and  hence  they  reason  from  the  visi- 
ble to  the  invisible.  Although  they  have  no 
distinct  impression  of  the  resurrection,  they 
suppose  that  their  deceased  friends  have  all 
the  bodily  wants  which  they  had  in  this  world, 
and  that  they  would  be  gratified  by  the  same 
kind  of  attentions  that  Avould  be  acceptable 
here. 

A  deranged  man  is  regarded  as  one  who  has 
lost  his  soul,  and  the  same  is  said  of  the  imbe- 
cility of  age.  In  sleep,  they  suppose  it  not 
uncommon  for  th#  soul  to  wander  out  of  the 
body,  and  sometimes  to  come  in  conflict  with 
other  w^andering  spirits.  If  a  man  wakes  up 
in  the  morning  with  pains  in  his  bones  or 
muscles,  he  suspects  at  once  that  his  spirit  has 
been  wandering  about  in  the  night,  and  has 
received  a  severe  flagellation  from  some  other 
spirit. 

PFtYcAcro/iJ.— Nearly  allied  to  the  foregoing, 


AFRICA,  WESTERN 


63 


is  the  universal  belief  in  witchcratt,  which  is, 
perhaps,  the  heaviest  curse  that  rests  on  Africa, 
and  one  of  the  last  evils  to  be  rooted  out  of 
the  African  mind.  In  its  leading  and  essen- 
tial features,  it  docs  not  differ  materially  from 
that  form  of  it  which  prevails  in  other  parts 
of  the  world.  (See  Witchcraft.)  A  person 
who  professes  this  art,  is  supposed  to  exercise 
nothing  less  than  omnipotent  power,  not  only 
over  the  minds  and  bodies  of  his  fellow  men, 
but  over  wild  animals  and  the  elements  of  na- 
ture. He  can  transform  himself  into  a  tiger 
and  keep  the  community  in  a  state  of  agita- 
tion for  months  or  years  ;  he  can  turn  himself 
into  an  elephant,  and  destroy  their  farms  and 
fruit  trees.  He  can  turn  another  man  into  an 
elephant,  so  that  he  may  be  shot  by  his  own 
father  or  brother.  The  wind  and  the  light- 
ning are  his  agents,  and  they  never  fall  upon 
any  one  but  they  have  been  directed  by  his 
machinations.  It  is  not  known  how  this  mys- 
terious power  is  acquired.  By  some  it  is  sup- 
posed to  be  secured  by  eating  a  certain  kind 
of  leaf  in  the  woods,  and  by  others  to  be  con- 
ferred by  evil  spirits.  No  very  logical  proofs 
are  required  to  show  that  a  man  has  exercised 
these  extraordinary  powers.  It  is  known  that 
he  once  had  a  pique  at  one  of  his  fellow  men, 
and  because  this  man  happened  to  die  the  same 
day  that  an  elephant  was  killed,  he  is  suspect- 
ed of  having  turned  him  into  that  elephant, 
and  so  arranged  every  thing  that  he  should  be 
put  to  death.  A  thunder  storm  passes  over  a 
village,  a  house  is  struck  with  lightning,  and 
some  one  is  killed.  The  whole  community  is 
thrown  into  the  most  direful  agitation.  The 
inquiry  is  raised,  "  Who  brought  the  lightning 
down  upon  that  man  ?"  the  meaning  of  which 
is  little  else  than  "  Who  had  a  grudge  against 
him  ?"  The  friends  and  family  of  the  deceas- 
ed have  the  right  to  single  out  the  person  and 
require  him  to  drink  the  "  redwood  draught." 
This  is  a  sure  and  infallible  test  of  guilt  or  in- 
nocence. No  man  can  hesitate  submitting  to 
it,  without  acknowledging  his  guilt.  This 
draught  is  a  decoction  made  from  the  inner 
bark  of  a  large  forest  tree,  called  by  the  Gre- 
bos,  gimi,  and  by  the  Ashantees,  adum.  The 
bark  is  pounded  in  a  mortar,  and  then  thrown 
into  a  pot  of  water  until  the  strength  is 
extracted,  when  it  is  drawn  off  for  use.  Its 
appearance  is  like  the  water  of  a  tan  vat,  and 
it  is  both  astringent  and  narcotic,  and  when 
taken  in  large  quantities,  it  acts  as  an  emetic. 
The  accused,  before  he  takes  the  draught,  makes 
confession  of  all  the  evil  deeds  he  has  commit- 
ted in  his  past  life,  and  then*  invokes  God  to 
make  *'  redwood  draught "  kill  him  if  he  is 
guilty  of  the  crime  with  which  he  is  charged, 
but  if  he  is  innocent  to  let  it  pass  off  without 
harm.  He  is  required  to  drink  more  or  less 
according  to  circumstances.  If  he  vomits 
freely,  he  is  declared  innocent.  But  if  other- 
wise, he  is  the  more  strongly  suspected,  an  ad- 
ditional portion  is  administered,  and  if  death 


follows,  it  seals  his  guilt.  The  greatest  indig- 
nities are  then  heaped  upon  his  body,  some- 
times even  before  life  is  extinct.  Women  and 
children  are  summoned,  and  required  to  beat, 
kick,  and  spit  upon  it ;  and  even  the  friends 
and  relatives  of  the  victim  have  to  join  in  these 
outrages,  or  else  they  are  suspected  of  partici- 
pating in  his  crime.  And  besides  this,  the  fa- 
mily are  heavily  fined,  and  it  is  a  long  time 
before  the  stain  upon  their  character  is  wiped 
out. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  accused  comes  off 
clear  it  is  the  occasion  of  great  exultation. 
He  is  washed,  decked  out  in  his  best,  and  pa- 
rades the  streets  with  no  little  pride  and  com- 
placency. He  receives  presents  from  all  his 
friends,  and  the  party  who  accused  him  wrong- 
fully are  mulcted  in  a  large  sum.  But  a  man 
who  has  drank  this  portion  once,  is  not  entire- 
ly exempt  from  it  in  the  future. 
^  The  use  of  the  "  redwood  draught"  is  not  en- 
tirely confined  to  the  case  of  persons  suspected 
of  witchcraft.  It  is  used  as  a  punishment  for 
some  other  crimes  ;  and  when  it  is  the  deter- 
mination of  those  who  administer  it  to  kill  the 
man,  it  can  be  forced  upon  him  in  such  quan- 
tities as  to  insure  the  result.  This  mode  of 
punishment  appears  to  have  been  adopted  for 
the  purpose  of  exonerating  the  administra- 
tors of  justice  from  the  responsibility  of  put- 
ting men  to  death  in  cases  of  doubtful  guilt. 
They  say  it  was  the  "  redwood  "  that  killed 
him  ;  and  it  is  the  general  impression  that  the 
"  redwood  "  has  in  itself  the  discrimination  to 
detect  guilt ;  and  thus  the  people  exonerate 
themselves  from  the  tedious  process  of  search- 
ing out  evidence.  They  never  assign  any  rea- 
son for  the  use  of  this  ordeal,  except  that  tlieir 
fathers  did  it,  and  because  of  the  many  marvel- 
ous stories  they  can  tell  of  the  wonderful  feats 
of  this  mysterious  agency. 

A  different  article  is  used  in  Lower  Guinea 
for  this  ordeal.  It  is  a  small  shrub  with  a  red 
root,  from  which  the  decoction  is  made,  called 
by  the  Mpongwe  people  nkazya.  This  is  a 
diuretic  and  narcotic  ;  and  if  it  operates  freely 
as  the  former,  and  does  not  affect  the  brain  to 
produce  delirium,  the  man  is  considered  inno- 
cent ;  but  if  it  produces  vertigo,  he  is  guilty. 
Small  sticks  are  laid  on  the  ground,  a  few  feet 
apart,  and  after  having  taken  the  draught,  he 
is  required  to  step  over  them.  If  he  does  this 
without  difficulty,  he  is  innocent ;  but,  if  he 
fancies  they  are  great  logs,  and  raises  his  feet 
high  to  get  over  them,  he  is,  of  course,  guilty. 
The  quantity  in  this  case  is  not  more  than  half 
a  pint ;  but  in  the  other  it  is  half  a  gallon  or 
a  gallon. 

The  natives  on  the  Grain  Coast  have  another, 
called  the  "  hot  oil  ordeal,"  which  is  used  to 
detect  petty  thefts,  and  in  cases  where  women 
are  suspected  of  infidelity  to  their  husbands. 
The  suspected  person  is  required  to  plunge  the 
hand  into  a  pot  of  boiling  oil.  If  it  is  with- 
drawn without  pain,  he  is  innocent.     If  he 


u 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


soflers  pain,  he  is  guilty,  and  is  fined  or  punished 
88  Uie  case  may  reauire. 

rra</»</am\— Although  the  Africans  have  no 
knowletlj^e  of  letters,  they  have  a  great  deal  of 
what  may  bo  called  unwritten  literature,  in  the 
form  of  'legends,  traditions,  fables,  and  pro- 
verbial sayings.  Their  fables  are  highly  dra- 
matic, animals  being  made  to  act  and  speak 
with  life  and  naturalness.  They  have  several 
traditions,  which  would  seem  to  have  been 
derived  from  the  Bible.  They  believe  in  the 
common  origin  of  the  human  race,  and  have  a 
curious  legend  to  account  for  the  difference 
between  the  white  and  black  man,  for  which 
see  Ashaiitee  and  Gold  Coast.  They  have  tradi- 
tions also  of  a  deluge  and  of  the  advent  of  the 
Saviour,  but  coupled  with  much  that  is  extra- 
vagant and  gross. 

Among  all  the  tribes  of  both  Upper  and 
Lower  Guinea,  there  are  many  unmistakeable 
traces  of  Judaism.  The  existence  of  twelve 
families  in  most  of  the  large  communities  on 
the  coast ;  the  extreme  care  taken  to  keep 
them  distinct ;  the  rigid  interdiction  of  mar- 
riages between  members  of  the  same  family  ; 
and  various  other  customs,  show  that  they 
have  views  akin  to  those  of  the  Israelites.  On 
the  Gold  Coast,  they  divide  time  into  weeks, 
have  their  lucky  and  unlucky  days,  and  observe 
the  new  moons  with  as  much  interest  as  the 
Israelites.  Circumcision  is  practiced  among 
all  the  tribes  in  Western  Africa,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  those  on  the  Grain  Coast ;  and  the 
neglect  of  it  exposes  a  man  to  much  ridicule. 
The  practice  of  sprinkling  the  blood  of  ani- 
mals, as  they  invariably  do,  on  the  door-posts 
of  their  houses,  and  about  the  places  where  their 
fetishes  are  kept,  would  seem  to  indicate  a 
Jewish  origin.  In  the  house  of  the  chief- 
priest,  there  is  usually  an  allar  with  two  horns, 
and  criminals  fly  to  it  and  lay  hold  of  these 
horns,  as  the  Jews  did  of  old,  and  no  one  can 
remove  them  but  the  chief-priest  himself.  They 
have  their  stuted  ablutions  and  their  purifica- 
tions ;  they  shave  their  heads  and  wear  the 
poorest  kind  of  clothes  as  marks  of  mourning. 
At  the  funerals,  the  women  are  the  chief 
mourners,  and  the  time  of  mourning  corres- 
ponds with  that  of  the  Jews. 

Funerals. — African  funerals  are  attended 
with  great  pomp  and  display.  The  corpse  is 
washed,  painted,  and  decked  out  in  the  grand- 
est style.  It  is  then  laid  on  boards,  or  in  a 
rude  cofiBn,  in  a  conspicuous  place,  during  the 
funeral  ceremonies,  which  occupy  the  greater 
part  of  the  day  ;  the  character  depending  up- 
on the  standing  of  the  man.  At  an  early  hour, 
the  friends  and  townsmen  of  the  deceased  as- 
semble in  a  circle,  in  front  of  the  house.  A 
bullock  tied  by  the  fore  feet  is  brought  to  be 
slaughtered  in  honor  of  the  dead.  Every  visitor 
is  expected  to  bring  some  kind  of  present,  to  be 
laid  in  or  beside  the  coffin.  The  male  relatives 
and  others,  to  the  number  sometimes  of  forty  or 
fifty^  get  within  the  circle,  and  keep  up  a  rapid 


I  discharge  of  muskets  for  hours.  When  the  cere- 
monies have  been  continued  long  enough,  as 
they  suppose,  to  gratify  the  dead  man,  two 
bearers  take  the  coffin  on  their  heads  to  carry 
it  to  the  burying  ground.  But  sometimes  the 
dead  refuses  to  go,  and  the  bearers  are  whirled 
round,  first  one  way  and  then  another,  and 
finally  run  back  into  the  town.  Some  one 
then  comes  and  soothes  and  coaxes  the  dead 
man  to  consent  to  be  carried  to  the  grave 
yard.  The  bearers  start  off  again  in  a  trot ; 
but  before  they  get  out  of  town,  they  are  vio- 
lently forced  aga-inst  some  man's  house,  which 
is  an  accusation  that  the  owner  has  been  acces- 
sory to  his  death  ;  and  he  is  forthwith  arrested 
and  subjected  to  the  red-wood  ordeal.  After 
some  delay,  the  corpse  is  deposited  at  the  usual 
place  of  burial,  and  the  bearers  run  and  plunge 
themselves  into  the  water.  The  female  rela- 
tives assemble  morning  and  evening  to  mourn 
for  the  dead,  for  one  month ;  after  which  they 
wash  themselves,  put  aside  all  the  badges  of 
mourning,  and  resume  their  wonted  duties. 
The  wives  of  the  dead  man  are  then  divided 
among  the  brothers  of  the  deceased ;  but  before 
they  enter  upon  this  new  arrangement  they  are 
permitted  to  go  and  visit  their  respective 
families. 


Many  of  the  efforts  hitherto  made  to  intro 
duce  the  gospel  into  West  Africa,  it  is  well 
known,  have  been  singularly  disastrous.  The 
United  Brethren  directed  their  attention  to  the 
Gold  Coast  as  early  as  1736  ;  but  after  repeat- 
ed attempts  to  establish  themselves  at  Chris- 
tiansborg,  extending  through  a  period  of  nearly 
forty  years,  and  after  eleven  of  their  number 
had  fallen  by  the  diseases  incident  to  the  cli 
mate,  they  relinquished  the  undertaking  as 
impracticable  and  hopeless.  In  1795  two 
missionaries  were  sent  to  Sierra  Leone  by  the 
English  Baptist  Missionary  Society  ;  but,  owing 
to  the  indiscretion  of  one  and  the  ill-health  of 
the  other,  the  enterprise  was  abandoned.  In 
the  following  year  three  societies,  the  Scottish 
Missionary  Society,  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety, and  the  Glasgow  Missionary  Society, — 
made  a  joint  effort  to  establish  a  mission  among 
the  Foulahs ;  but  this  plan  was  defeated  by 
the  combined  agency  of  disease  and  dissension  ; 
and  the  only  one  of  six  laborers  who  promised 
to  accomplish  anything,  was  cruelly  murdered. 
Two  years  later  (1797)  the  Glasgow  Mission- 
ary Society  attempted  to  introduce  the  gospel 
among  the  Timnehs,  and  sent  out  two  mission- 
aries for  this  purpose  ;  but  they  were  grievously 
disappointed  in  the  character  of  their  agents. 
And  even  those  societies  which  have  been  able 
to  maintain  their  position  till  the  present  time, 
have  suffered  frequently  and  severely  from  the 
loss  of  valued  missionaries.  The  hope  may  be 
indulged,  however,  that  a  better  acquaintance 
with  the  diseases  of  West  Africa  will  cause  a 
diminution  in  the  number  of  deaths.    The  oc- 


APEICA,  WESTERN. 


65 


casional  return  of  missionaries  to  their  native 
land  is  already  proving  higlily  beneficial.  It 
may  be  found  also,  as  many  expect,  that  a  resi- 
dence upon  the  hills  and  mountains  of  the  in- 
terior will  be  comparatively  free  from  danger, 
But  whatever  may  be  the  obstacles,  the  gospel 
must  be  carried  to  all  parts  of  Africa,  in  obe- 
dience to  the  Saviour's  last  command ;  and  we 
may  encourage  ourselves  with  the  hope  that 
"Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her  hands 
unto  God." 

Church  Missionary  Society. — This  society 
sent  missionaries  to  the  Susoo  country  in  1804 ; 
but  one  of  them  left  the  service,  and  the  other. 
Mr.  Renner,  remained  as  chaplain  at  Sierra 
Leone.  In  1806,  Messrs.  Bretscher  and  Prasse, 
with  Mr.  Renner,  went  to  the  Susoo  country, 
and  met  with  a  friendly  reception  from  several 
chiefs ;  and  a  trader  named  Curtis  gave  Mr. 
Renner  a  house  and  garden,  in  a  pleasant  lo- 
cation, on  condition  that  he  would  teach  his 
children.  Messrs.  Bretscher  and  Prasse  built 
a  house  at  another  town  called  Fantimania, 
further  up  the  country.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Prasse 
died.  This  station  was  reinforced  in  1809,  by 
the  arrival  .of  Messrs.  Barnett  and  Wenzel ; 
but  Mr.  Barnett  soon  after  died  of  fever. 

Supposing  that  the  slave  trade  had  exerted 
such  an  influence  upon  the  adults  that  there 
was  no  hope  of  doing  them  any  good,  they  did 
not  attempt  to  preach,  but  confined  their  efforts 
to  the  children,  thus  erroneously  limiting  the 
power  of  the  gospel  Some  of  the  children 
they  ransomed  from  slavery,  and  others  they 
supported.  In  1810,  Mr.  Bretscher  had  thirty 
boys  in  a  school-house,  which  he  had  built  ; 
and  Mrs,  Renner  had  a  school  of  twenty- 
eight  girls,  all  neatly  dressed  in  frocks  and 
gowns,  made  with  their  own  hands.  But  they 
were  often  much  straitened.  At  one  time, 
they  could  not  even  buy  a  basket  of  rice,  and 
they  had  not  provisions  for  a  fortnight.  But 
Fananda,  a  chief  about  40  miles  distant,  who 
had  been  educated  in  England,  being  applied 
to,  offered  to  thresh  two  tons  of  rice  for  them, 
leaving  them  to  pay  when  they  could,  assuring 
them  that  Jie  looked  more  to  the  good  object 
they  had  in  view  than  to  the  money.  But 
they  met  with  much  opposition  from  the  slave- 
traders,  who  feared  the  effect  of  Christianizing 
the  natives,  upon  their  inhuman  traffic,  which 
exerted  a  most  debasing  influence  on  the  peo- 
ple ;  thus  in  effect  making  gain  of  the  souls  as 
well  as  the  bodies  of  men. 

In  1813,  Mr.  Bretscher  visited  England,  and 
returning  with  his  wife  and  seven  other  per- 
sons, was  shipwrecked  with  the  loss  of  $13,000 
worth  of  stores.  A  new  station  was  now  com- 
menced on  the  Rio  Dembia,  called  Gambler, 
and  one  had  been  recently  established  on  the 
Bullom  shore. 

At  Canoffee  a  church  had  been  erected,  and 

on  the  7th  of  August,  1815,  50  children  were 

baptized.    But  by  the  arrival  of  a  slaver,  every 

thing  was  thrown  into  confusion,  the  mission 

5 


premises,  school-house,  and  church  at  Bashia 
were  burnt,  and  the  missionaries  compelled  to 
leave,  saving  nothing  but  a  single  trunk  and  a 
bed,  Mrs.  Meisner  being  taken  into  the  field, 
from  a  sick  bed,  in  a  blanket.  Other  indig- 
nities were  heaped  upon  the  missionaries,  and 
they  were  threatened  with  death.  They,  how- 
ever, escaped  to  Canoffee. 

On  the  13th  of  February,  1815,  Rev.  J.  C. 
Sperrhacker  and  wife,  and  four  other  persons 
arrived  as  a  reinforcement ;  but  Mr.  S.  was 
removed  by  death  soon  after  his  arrival,  and 
several  other  missionaries  fell  victims  to  the 
yellow  fever. 

In  January,  1816,  Rev.  Edward  Bickersteth, 
secretary  of  the  society,  visited  the  mission ; 
and  in  vi^ew  of  the  repeated  fires,  and  violent 
opposition  of  the  people,  he  directed  the  station 
at  Bashia  to  be  abandoned.  He  also  brought 
about  a  change  of  policy  in  the  mission ;  re- 
minding the  missionaries  that  their  great 
business  was  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  inducing 
them  to  make  the  attempt.  But  in  conse- 
quence of  the  continued  hostility  of  the  dealers 
in  human  flesh,  the  stations  among  the  Susoos 
and  the  Bulloms  were  both  broken  up,  and  the 
missionaries  and  most  of  their  pupils  retired 
within  the  colony. 

After  the  abolition  of  the  slave  trade,  a 
great  number  of  negroes  with  hundreds  of 
children,  were  rescued  from  slave  ships,  and 
settled  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  and 
fed  and  clothed  at  the  expense  of  the  govern- 
ment. To  provide  for  these  children,  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  obtained  a  grant 
of  land  at  Leicester  Mountain,  and  erected  the 
necessary  buildings  for  what  was  called  the 
"  Christian  Institution."  This  was  afterwards 
changed  into  a  sort  of  college,  where  a  su- 
perior education  might  be  given  to  the  most 
promising  youths,  to  qualify  them  to  labor  as 
missionaries,  or  to  fill  important  stations  in 
the  Colony.  Some  years  afterwards,  the  es- 
tablishment was  removed  to  Regent's  Town, 
and  subsequently  to  Fourah  Bay.  The  mission- 
aries also  established  schools  for  the  children 
of  the  recaptured  slaves,  in  their  different  vil- 
lages, in  Avhich  they  were  countenanced  and 
assisted  by  the  government.  The  preaching 
of  the  gospel  was  also  commenced  among  the 
adults,  and  in  many  instances  crowned  with 
great  success. 

When  these  people  were  brought  together 
at  Regent's  Town,  in  1813,  they  were  in  a  most 
deplorable  condition.  In  1816,  about  1100 
congregated  at  that  place,  from  almost  every 
tribe  in  that  part  of  the  continent.  A  church 
had  been  erected,  and  much  improvement  made 
in  their  condition.  In  June,  of  that  year,  Mr. 
Johnson  was  appointed  to  the  care  of  Regent's 
Town ;  but  the  aspect  of  things  appeared  dis- 
couraging. Natives  of  22  different  nations 
were  collected  together,  mostly  taken  from  the 
holds  of  slave-ships.  They  were  in  a  state  of 
continual  hostility,  with  no  means  of  commu- 


66 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


nicating  with  each  otlier,  but  a  little  broken 
English.  When  clothing  was  given  them,  they 
would  sell  it,  or  throw  it  away.  None  of  them 
lived  in  the  married  state,  but  they  herded 
together  like  brutes.  From  ten  to  twenty  of 
them  were  crowded  together  in  a  single  hut. 
Many  of  them  were  gnastly  as  skeletons,  and 
six  or  eight  of  them  sometimes  died  in  a  day. 
Only  six  children  were  born  in  a  year.  Super- 
stition tyrannized  over  their  minds,  and  there 
was  little  desire  for  instruction.  Hardly  any 
land  was  cultivated  by  them.  Some  would  live 
by  themselves  in  the  wootls,  and  others  sub- 
sisted by  thieving  and  plunder.  Many  of  them 
would  prefer  any  kind  of  refuse  meat  to  the 
rations  they  received  from  Government. 

So  many  negroes  continued  to  arrive  from 
slave  vessels,  that  Mr.  Johnson  had  to  issue 
rations  twice  a  week  for  a  thousand  persons. 
He  was  greatly  tried  with  their  indifference, 
when  he  attempted  to  preach  Christ  to  them, 
and  was  often  on  the  point  of  giving  up  in  dis- 
couragement. But  he  soon  began  to  see  that 
his  labors  were  not  in  vain.  The  people  were 
beginning  to  improve  in  appearance  and  man- 
ners. Their  natural  indolence  began  to  give 
{)lace  to  habits  of  industry.  Those  who  had 
ived  in  the  woods  came  and  asked  for  lots  in 
the  town,  which  was  now  regularly  laid  out  in 
streets,  and  built  upon  with  avidity.  The 
church,  which  originally  contained  500,  was 
five  times  enlarged,  in  the  course  of  a  few 
years. 

In  the  course  of  a  year  from  the  commence- 
ment of  Mr.  Johnson's  labors,  an  astonishing 
progress  was  made.  One  evening,  when  he  was 
praying,  and  was  much  cast  down,  a  young 
man  followed  him  and  said,  "  Massa,  me  want 
to  speak  about  my  heart.  For  some  time  my 
heart  bad  too  much.  When  I  lie  down,  or  get 
up,  or  eat  or  drink,  me  thinks  about  sins  com- 
mitted in  my  own  country,  and  since  me  came 
to  Regent's  Town ;  and  me  dont  know  what 
to  do."  He  was  pointed  to  the  "  Lamb  of  God, 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world." 
The  next  week,  several  more  came  on  the  same 
errand.  And  from  this  time,  the  work  of 
grace  made  progress.  Young  persons  were 
seen  retu-ing  to  the  woods  for  prayer,  and  little 
groups  assembled  by  moonlight  to  chant  the 
praises  of  the  Redeemer.  Both  old  and  young 
appeared  anxious  to  be  instructed  in  the  way 
of  salvation.  Polygamy,  greegrees,  and  the 
worship  of  the  devil,  were  universally  aban- 
doned. In  April,  1818,  when  Mr.  Johnson 
sailed  for  England,  the  number  of  communi- 
cants was  263.  All  the  people  were  decently 
clothed,  and  most  of  the  females  had  learned  to 
make  their  own  apparel.  About  400  couples 
were  married.  Their  heathen  customs  were 
laid  aside ;  and  for  a  year  before  Mr.  J.  left, 
not  an  oath  had  been  heard,  nor  a  solitary  case 
of  drunkenness  witnessed  by  him.  The  schools 
contained  upwards  of  500  scholars,  and  an 
equal  number  regularly  attended  church  every 


day,  at  morning  and  evening  prayers ;  while 
the  average  attendance  at  public  worship  on 
the  Sabbath  was  from  1200  to  1300. 

At  this  time,  the  town  contained  19  streets, 
made  plain  and  level,  with  good  roads  round 
the  town.  A  large  stone  church  rose  in  the 
midst  of  the  habitations ;  a  government  house, 
parsonage,  hospital,  school-houses,  store-houses, 
a  bridge  of  several  arches,  some  native  houses, 
and  other  dwellings,  all  of  stone,  were  finished 
or  in  process  of  erection.  Gardens,  fenced, 
were  attached  to  every  dwelling.  All  the  land 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood  was  under  cul- 
tivation, producing  a  profusion  of  vegetables 
and  fruits,  and  about  75  of  the  natives  had 
learned  various  trades. 

The  parting  of  the  natives  with  Mr.  Johnson 
was  very  affecting.  Hundreds,  of  both  sexes, 
followed  him  five  miles  to  Freetown,  and  on 
his  embarkation,  said,  "  Massa,  suppose  no  wa- 
ter live  here,  we  go  with  you  all  the  way,  till 
no  feet  more  move  1 " 

After  his  departure,  a  mortal  sickness  broke 
out  in  the  settlement,  which  carried  off  many 
of  the  people,  as  well  as  several  of  the  devoted 
friends  and  agents  of  the  society,  Mr.  Wil- 
helm  took  charge  of  the  station,  during  Mr. 
Johnson's  absence.  On  the  Slst  of  January, 
1820,  Mr.  Johnson  arrived  at  Freetown,  on  his 
return.  The  news  of  his  arrival  soon  reached 
Regent's  Town,  and  a  number  of  the  people 
came  down  that  night,  and  many  more  in  the 
morning,  and  he  says  he  never  in  his  life  shook 
hands  with  so  many  persons  in  one  day.  The 
joy  of  the  people  was  beyond  all  bounds.  In 
1822,  his  wife  returned  to  England,  in  a  feeble 
state  of  health ;  and  in  1823,  he  embarked  for 
England  to  meet  her;  but  on  the  way,  was 
seized  with  a  violent  fever,  of  which  he  died. 

The  society,  at  this  time,  had  stations  at 
Bathurst,  Charlotte,  Gloucester,  Kent,  Leopold, 
Waterloo,  Wilberforce,  and  York,  villages  of  re- 
captured Africans ;  in  several  of  which,  their 
efforts  were  crowned  with  success  similar  to 
that  at  Regent's  Town,  particularly  at  Glou- 
cester, under  Rev.  Mr.  During,  where  the  work 
of  grace  and  the  general  improvement  were 
quite  as  remarkable. 

The  committee  of  the  society  attribute  the 
distinguished  success  of  these  two  missionaries, 
under  God,  to  their  tender,  affectionate  spirit. 
They  say  that  the  parental  spirit  is  that  which 
is  alone  likely  to  influence  a  people  in  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  liberated  Africans.  "  The 
magisterial  spirit,  which,  in  its  mildest  actings, 
must  still  tend  to  coercion  and  restraint,  will 
repel  and  shut  up  the  minds  of  men  who  have 
known  little  of  Europeans,  but  as  tyrants  and 
oppressors."  Sir  Charles  McCarthy,  who  vis- 
ited them  in  1821,  states  that  some  of  them 
had  "  all  the  appearance  and  regularity  of  the 
neatest  village  in  England,  with  a  church,  a 
school,  and  a  commodious  residence  for  the 
missionaries  and  teachers,  though  in  1817  they 
had  not  been  more  than  thought  of." 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


67 


Having  thus  given  a  sketcli  of  the  early  his- 
tory of  this  mission,  instead  of  following  it  in 
detail  during  the  succeeding  thirty  years,  we 
shall  give  a  topical  notice  of  its  general  pro- 
gress, with  the  most  prominent  points  of  inter- 
est, down  to  the  present  time. 

Reverses,  for  want  of  Laborers. — For  a  num- 
ber of  years,  the  mission  experienced  sad  re- 
verses in  the  loss  of  many  of  its  most  valued 
missionaries.  By  a  mortal  sickness  prevailing 
in  Sierra  Leone,  and  by  disasters  at  sea,  in  the 
short  space  of  seven  or  eight  months,  in  the 
spring  and  summer  of  1823,  the  society  lost 
no  less  than  fourteen  of  its  friends  and  fellow 
laborers,  eleven  of  whom  were  missionaries 
and  their  wives,  and  among  them,  Rev.  Mr. 
Johnson,  who  died  at  sea,  as  before  stated,  and 
Rev.  Mr.  During  and  Mrs.  Diirin^,  who  per- 
ished, as  was  supposed,  by  shipwreck,  the  vessel 
in  which  they  sailed  for  England  never  having 
been  heard  of.  The  following  year,  the  mis- 
sion was  reinforced  by  the  addition  of  seven 
new  laborers ;  but  before  the  close  of  the  next 
year,  an  equal  number  was  removed  by  death, 
and  three  others  returned  home.  The  follow- 
ing year,  six  returned  home,  and  three  were 
removed  by  death.  And  for  several  years,  the 
loss  of  health  and  the  death  of  missionaries 
were  most  discouraging.  In  some  instances, 
this  mortality  could  be  traced  to  excessive 
labor,  soon  after  arriving  in  the  country.  The 
society  appointed  a  medical  committee,  who 
entered  into  an  examination  of  the  subject, 
and  reported  a  precautionary  plan,  which  was 
adopted,  with  good  effect,  in  succeeding  years. 
They  also  adopted  the  rule  of  allowing  all  their 
missionaries  to  return  to  England  once  in  six 
years,  in  order  to  recover  from  the  debilitating 
effects  of  the  climate. 

In  consequence  of  this  loss  of  laborers,  the 
affairs  of  the  mission  were  thrown  into  great 
confusion.  Regent's  Town  was,  for  two  or 
three  years  after  the  death  of  Mr.  Johnson, 
destitute  of  a  resident  clergyman,  and  the  at- 
tendance upon  public  worship  on  the  Sabbath 
had  fallen  off  to  about  250 ;  and  the  Christian 
Institution,  for  want  of  instructors,  was  quite 
deserted.  In  1826,  Mr.  Betts  gives  a  deplora- 
ble account  of  the  state  of  things  at  this  sta- 
tion ;  and  similar  reverses  were  experienced  at 
other  places,  most  of  the  stations  having  been 
left  to  the  care  of  native  assistants,  who  had 
not  yet  acquired  the  ability  and  experience 
necessary  for  assuming  such  responsibilities. 

There  was  a  general  falling  off  of  attendance 
on  public  worship,  and  loss  of  interest  in  Di- 
vine things.  Yet,  most  of  the  communicants 
remained  steadfast,  though  suffering  some 
decline  of  interest.  The  society  made  great 
efforts  to  supply  the  deficiency  of  laborers ; 
and  for  a  time,  there  was  no  lack  of  self-devo- 
tion, on  the  part  of  missionary  candidates, 
who  were  willing  to  enter  the  breach.  But 
the  loss  of  valuable  lives  -was  appalling.  At 
length,  however,  this  frightful  mortality  in  a 


measure  c6ased ;  and,  as  soon  as  the  stations 
were  supplied  with  missionaries,  they  began  to 
revive,  and  to  advance  with  a  steady  progress, 
which  has  continued,  with  slight  interruptions, 
to  the  present  time. 

Evils  of  Connection  with  Government. — As 
in  South  Africa,  so  here,  the  connection  of  the 
missions  with  the  Government,  has  proved  a 
serious  evil.  Although  the  Government  were 
influenced  by  the  kindest  intentions,  yet  the 
connection  proved  a  constant  source  of  embar- 
rassment. Its  relations  to  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  were  two-fold  :  first,  in  regard  to 
the  ministry  j  and  second,  in  the  management 
of  education.  In  1823  or  1824,  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  between  the  Society  and  the 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colonial  Depart- 
ment, by  which  they  were  to  take  upon  them- 
selves the  preparation  and  support  of  all  the 
English  clergymen  of  the  colony,  subject  to 
the  approval  of  the  Secretary  ;  while  the  Gov- 
ernment should  provide  for  the  education  of 
the  inhabitants,  in  the  country  parishes,  and 
erect  houses  of  worship,  and  provide  houses 
and  gardens  for  the  residence  of  the  clergy- 
men and  teachers. 

In  1827,  the  Governor  of  the  Colony  intro- 
duced some  new  regulations,  considerably  af- 
fecting the  Society's  proceedings,  as  well  as  its 
relation  to  the  government.  The  villages  of 
liberated  Africans  were  formed  into  three  divi- 
sions :  The  River  District,  comprising,  Kis- 
sey,  Wellington,  Allen  Town,  Hastings,  Water- 
loo and  Calmcmt,  all  lyin^  to  the  south-east  of 
Freetown ;  the  Central,  or  Mountain  Dis- 
trict, on  the  eastern  border  of  the  colony,  on 
the  Bunco  river,  and  the  Timneh  country ;  the 
Western  or  Sea  District,  comprising  York, 
Kent,  and  the  Bananas.  This  regulation  was 
approved  by  the  Society.  Another  regulation, 
which  was  also  approved,  relieved  the  mission- 
aries of  the  civil  superintendence  of  the  set- 
tlements ;  this  office  having  been  found  bur- 
densome and  embarrassing  to  the  mission. 

In  August,  1826,  Gov.  Campbell,  thinking 
that  he  could  place  the  education  of  the  libe- 
rated African  children  on  a  more  economical 
footing,  and  to  give  them  early  habits  of  in- 
dustry, directed  that  the  boys  should  not  be 
kept  in  school  beyond  the  age  of  ten  or  twelve 
years ;  after  which,  they  should  be  distributed 
among  the  liberated  adults,  to  be  actively  em- 
ployed. The  missionaries  were  released  from 
the  charge  of  the  schools,  except  occasional 
inspection,  and  natives  were  appointed  to  con- 
duct them. 

This  arrangement  greatly  diminished  the  at- 
tendance on  the  schools  ;  and  the  missionaries 
afterwards  finding  that  they  could  exert  no 
beneficial  influence  upon  the  schools,  broke  off 
all  connection  with  them,  and  established 
schools  of  their  own. 

The  missionaries  at  Freetown  greatly  de- 
plored the  obstacles  to  the  due  performance  of 
their  spiritual  duties,  which  had  arisen  out  of 


68 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


their  connection  with  the  Government ;  and 
contrasttnl  their  circumstances  unfavorably 
with  tlioso  of  the  Wesleyans,  who  were  not 
hampered  with  any  such  connection. 

The  Government  not  having  fulfilled  their 
part  of  the  arrangement  respecting  the  sup- 
port of  religion,  bv  which  they  agreed  to  fur- 
nish houses  of  public  worship  and  dwellings 
for  the  clergy,  the  society  applied,  in  1846,  for 
a  termination  of  the  arrangement,  which  was 
agreed  to ;  and  the  Committee  believed  the 
change  would  facilitate  the  operations  of  the 
Society. 

Sierra  Leone,  as  a  Nursery  of  Missionaries 
for  tlie  Interior. — The  missionaries  regard  the 
collection  of  persons  from  so  many  different 
tribes  in  the  interior,  at  Sierra  Leone,  as  a  pro- 
vidential arrangement  for  the  supply  of  labor- 
ers for  the  evangelization  of  Africa  ;  and,  with 
this  in  view,  they  have  directed  their  efforts 
both  to  the  education  of  native  helpers,  and 
to  the  acquisition  of  the  languages  of  the  dif- 
ferent tribes  repesented  in  the  colony. 

The  work  of  reducing  these  languages  to 
writing  was  commenced  as  early  as  1829,  and 
has  been  steadily  prosecuted  ever  since.  The 
society's  report  for  1853  says  that  some  pro- 
gress had  been  made  in  this  department  during 
the  year.  A  Tirmieh  English  Dictionary  had 
been  prepared  by  Mr.  Schlenker ;  and  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  had  been  translated 
into  that  language  by  Mr.  Schmid.  Rev.  S. 
W.  Koelle  had  completed  his  grammar  of  the 
Yei  and  Bornu  languages.  He  has  also  pre- 
pared specimens,  counting  of  250  words  and 
short  sentences,  translated  into  200  different 
languages  or  dialects,  showing  that  no  fewer 
than  200  different  nations,  speaking  150  differ- 
ent languages,  besides  numerous  dialects  of 
the  same,  have  their  representatives  in  Sierra 
Leone.  These  tribes  or  nations  lie  along  4,000 
miles  of  coast,  beginning  from  beyond  the 
Senegal,  in  the  north,  to  the  Portuguese  settle- 
ments, south  of  the  line.  They  extend  in  the 
interior  through  the  whole  course  of  the  Niger, 
from  its  sources  in  the  mountains  behind  Sierra 
Leone  to  its  estuaries,  comprising  Timbuctoo, 
the  emporium  of  African  commerce,  and  the 
vast  provinces  subdued  by  the  Mohammedan 
Foutahs,  besides  numerous  small  tribes.  And 
even  southern  Africa  has  also  its  representa- 
tives. There  are  those  in  Sierra  Leone  who 
can  tell  of  their  native  towns  in  that  part  of 
the  southern  continent  which  has  been  hitherto 
a  perfect  blank  on  the  maps,  which  require  a 
day  or  more  to  pass  from  one  end  to  the  other. 
They  also  tell  of  broad  and  deep  rivers,  of  nar 
tions  of  tall  and  strongly-built  warriors,  of  sav- 
age cannibals,  and  of  peaceable  and  generous 
nomadic  hunters.  "  Their  breasts  heave  with 
emotion  when  a  friendly  inquiry  is  made  re- 
specting their  fatherland,  and  appeal  in  fervid 
language  and  moving  eloquence  to  those  who 
possess  the  best  gift  of  God  to  a  fallen  world." 

The  Africans  generally  entertain  a  strong 


affection  for  their  native  land  ;  and  when 
Christianized  they  manifest  an  earnest  desire 
that  their  own  countrymen  should  partake  of 
the  same  benefits.  The  evangelization  and  ed- 
ucation of  these  liberated  Africans  will,  there- 
fore, furnish  the  agency  required  to  carry  the 
gospel  to  the  interior.  And  it  has  been  ascer- 
tained that  the  gospel  message  is  readily  re- 
ceived from  their  lips  by  their  countrymen. 
In  a  number  of  tours  to  the  interior,  under- 
taken by  the  missionaries,  they  have  discovered 
a  desire  for  the  gospel,  and  a  willingness 
to  listen  to  it,  from  their  friends,  who  nave 
learned  it  in  the  colony.  It  appears,  also,  that 
the  fact  of  these  friends  having  been  liberated, 
provided  for  and  educated,  by  the  English, 
has  created  a  favorable  impression  upon  the 
native  tribes,  and  prepared  them  to  receive  the 
missionaries  with  open  arms.  In  view  of  this 
state  of  things,  much  progress  has  been  made 
in  reducing  the  different  languages  of  the  in- 
terior to  writing,  and  preparing  the  way  for 
future  missionary  operations. 

Education. — Schools  have  been  maintained 
at  all  the  stations,  from  the  commencement. 
And  the  high  school,  already  noticed,  has 
been  sustained  with  various  degrees  of  effi- 
ciency, until  the  present  time.  A  few  years 
ago,  extensive  buildings  were  erected,  and  it 
now  holds  the  relation  of  a  college  to  the  oth- 
er educational  institutions  of  the  colony.  Re- 
ligious instruction  is  made  prominent  in  all  the 
studies  and  exercises.  The  report  of  the  Prin 
cipal,  Rev.  E.  Jones,  for  the  year  1852,  pre- 
sents an  interesting  view  of  the  advancing 
character  of  the  studies  prosecuted  by  the  stu- 
dents, and  the  increasing  importance  of  the 
institution.  During  the  year  two  of  the 
students  were  sent  to  the  Yoruba  mission,  and 
three  appointed  to  labor  in  the  colony.  The 
number  remaining  at  the  close  of  the  year, 
was  17. 

In  1843,  a  grammar  school  was  organized, 
as  an  intermediate  step  between  the  village 
schools  and  the  Christian  Institution.  In  this 
school  it  was  intended  to  give  a  sound  religious 
and  general  education  to  boys  and  youths  who 
have  received  some  previous  training  in  the 
lower  schools ;  and  those  who  give  proof 
of  suitable  dispositions  and  qualifications,  will 
be  admitted  into  the  Christian  Institution. 
The  report  of  this  school  for  1852,  was 
highly  satisfactory.  The  number  of  pupils 
was  73. 

A  high  school  for  females  has  also  been  es- 
tablished, which  in  1852  was  in  a  flourishing 
condition,  containing  26  pupils,  of  whom  15 
were  boarders,  and  in  their  report  for  that 
year,  the  directors  of  the  society  say  that 
their  village  schools  present  a  peculiarly  hope- 
ful character. 

Native  Agency. — It  has  been  a  leading  ob- 
ject with  the  Society,  from  the  first,  to  train 
up  a  native  agency.  As  early  as  1820,  two 
young  men,  while  pursuing  their  studies,  visit- 


AFRICA,  WESTERl^. 


ed  their  countrymen  evenings  and  Sundays,  to 
teach  them  the  gospel ;  in  1822,  both  of  them 
had  charge  of  stations,  and  were  doing  well 
During  the  trying  period  alluded  to,  when  the 
Society  was  deprived  of  so  many  of  its  mis- 
sionaries by  death,  many  of  the  stations  and 
even  the  Christian  Institution,  were  left  wholly 
to  the  charge  of  natives.  In  1827,  the  Com- 
mittee tried  the  experiment  of  educating  two 
African  youths  in  England,  under  the  care  of 
a  clergyman. 

But  in  1829,  the  missionaries  express  their 
deep  concern  at  the  numerous  disappointments 
which  they  had  met  with  in  their  expectations 
of  raising  up  efficient  native  assistants  ;  and 
at  one  time,  a  correspondence  was  opened  with 
the  Episcopal  church  in  the  United  States, 
with  the  design  of  procuring  persons  of  color 
competent  to  act  as  missionaries. 

Yet  in  their  report  for  1838,  the  Committee 
present  a  more  cheering  aspect  of  this  subject. 
They  say  that  the  native  assistants,  proceeding 
generally  from  the  Institution  at  Fourah  Bay, 
increase  in  efficiency.  In  1844,  they  say  the 
prospect  of  reaching  the  point  at  which  they 
nave  all  along  aimed  in  this  matter  was  never 
before  so  encouraging.  Some  of  them  were 
found  qualified  to  go  forth  to  distant  stations 
in  the  interior,  with  the  entire  confidence  of 
the  missionaries.  One  of  them  named  Samuel 
Crowther,  was  torn  from  his  country  and  kin- 
dred in  early  life,  and  consigned  to  the  hold  of 
a  Portuguese  slaver ;  rescued  by  a  British  crui- 
ser ;  and  carried  into  Sierra  Leone,  where  he 
received  Christian  training,  first  in  a  village 
school,  and  afterwards  in  the  Fourah  Bay  Insti- 
tution. His  course  was  satisfactory  and  con- 
sistent ;  and  as  he  appeared  to  possess  qualifica- 
tions for  the  ministry,  he  was  sent  to  England, 
where  he  completed  his  education  at  the  Soci- 
ety's Institution  in  Islington,  and  was  after- 
wards ordained  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  and 
sent  by  the  Society  to  Sierra  Leone  with  the 
intention  of  his  being  employed  as  a  missionar 
ry  to  the  Yoruba  country,  of  which  he  was  a 
native.  In  1850,  two  other  native  Africans, 
Messrs.  Nicol  and  Matthews,  were  ordained  by 
the  Bishop  of  London,  and  sent  out  by  the 
Society. 

In  the  report  for  1852,  the  Committee  say, 
that  many  of  the  stations  formerly  under  the 
care  of  European  missionaries,  have  now  been 
placed  in  charge  of  natives,  with  occasional 
European  superintendence.  The  whole  of  the 
Mountain  district  had  been,  for  the  last  year, 
under  the  superintendence  of  one  European 
missionary,  and  had  kept  up  its  character  for 
regular  attendance  upon  the  means  of  grace. 
Mr.  Denton  writes  from  Sierra  Leone  in  1852, 
that  Mr.  Crowther  had  visited  and  preached  in 
all  the  Mountain  churches,  and  that  his  ser- 
mons had  been  deeply  interesting  and  profitable 
to  the  people.  On  any  point,  where  there  was 
the  least  danger  of  misapprehension,  he  had  re- 
course to  his  native  language,  and  thus  render- 


ed Gospel  truth  clear  and  plain  to  their  under- 
standings. 

Translations. — It  is  an  interesting  fact  that 
the  work  of  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
the  BuUom  language,  was  commenced  pre- 
vious to  the  year  1818,  by  a  native,  Mr.  George 
Caulker,  a  chief  at  the  Plantain  Islands.  In 
1820,  he  had  completed  the  book  of  Genesis, 
and  was  proceeding  with  the  Psalms  and  New 
Testament.  He  had  also  translated  the  Prayer 
Book.  He  belongs  to  one  of  the  principal 
families  in  Sherbro,  and  was  educated  in  Eng- 
land. 

In  1837,  arrangements  were  made  for  carry- 
ing on  the  work  of  translation  vf ith  vigor,  and 
portions  of  Scripture  and  elementary  works 
have  been  translated,  by  different  missionaries, 
into  the  Timneh,  Haussa,  Yoruba,  and  Susa 
languages,  and  in  some  of  them  the  Liturgy. 
Thus  is  the  way  preparing  for  the  more  efficient 
prosecution  of  the  missionary  work  in  the  in- 
terior. 

Character  and  Ability  of  the  Natives. — 
Rev.  Mr.  Diiring  says,  "  six  years'  experience 
has  taught  me  that  Africans  can  learn  any 
thing.  I  have  seen  them  rise  from  the  chains 
of  the  slave  dejiler,  to  become  industrious  men 
and  women,  faithful  subjects,  pious  Christians, 
affectionate  husbands  and  wives,  tender  fathers 
and  mothers,  and  peaceable  neighbors."  But 
cautions  are  given  against  elevating  them  too 
suddenly,  as  in  this  way  they  rise  so  high  in 
their  estimation  of  themselves,  that  they  prove 
useless  in  the  end. 

Calls  for  Instruction. — The  calls  for  instruc- 
tion from  every  quarter,  are  beyond  the  means 
of  the  society  to  supply ;  and  petitions  come 
in  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  villages,  and 
from  distant  tribes,  pleading  earnestly  for  mis- 
sionaries. One  of  the  newly  arrived  missiona- 
ries relates  that,  on  his  way  from  Freetown  to 
Gloucester,  there  were  many  children  on  the 
road,  who,  when  they  saw  him  as  he  passed, 
said  one  to  another,  "  New  white  man — new 
Mission !  "  and  all  exclaimed,  "  Thank  God  !  " 

Missionary  Tours. — The  missionaries  have 
been,  for  a  number  of  years,  in  the  practice  of 
making  tours  among  the  neighboring  tribes, 
and  into  the  interior,  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
ploring the  country,  and  ascertaining  where 
openings  exist  for  missionary  labor.  In  most 
cases,  they  find  the  people  ready  to  listen  with 
eagerness  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and 
the  chiefs  desirous  of  receiving  missionaries. 
Their  journals,  however,  furnish  many  painful 
proofs  of  the  sufferings  entailed  on  the  interior 
of  Africa,  by  the  foreign  slave  trade.  The 
petty  warfare,  which  is  carried  on  between  the 
chiefs,  with  all  its  attendant  cruelties,  may 
almost  always  be  traced  to  that  cause. 

At  the  close  of  1848,  Captain  Forbes,  of 
the  English  ship  "Bonetta,"  informed  the 
missionaries  that,  near  Cape  Mount,  he  had 
met  with  individuals  of  an  African  tribe, 
which  possessed  a  written  language,  and  that 


70 


AI'RICA,  WESTEliN. 


he  hiul  brought  with  him  some  of  their  books, 
aud  a  man  who  could  read  them.  This  created 
a  lively  interest  at  8ierra  Leone,  as  it  had 
been  generally  a&ii'rted  and  believed  tliat, 
among  one  hundred  and  fifty  languages  of 
Africa,  not  one  had  been  raised  by  the  natives 
to  a  written  language.  In  the  hope  that  this 
discovery  might  be  improved  to  the  furtherance 
of  the  Gospel,  Mr.  Koellc  was  immediately  sent 
by  the  local  committee  at  Sierra  Leone,  to 
visit  the  tribe,  and  investigate  the  circum- 
stances respecting  the  language.  lie  made 
the  tour  in  about  four  months,  at  the  cost  of 
much  suffering  from  privation  and  illness.  He 
discovered  that  the  art  of  writing  was  of  re- 
cent invention,  and  confined  to  the  single  tribe 
of  Vei,  on  the  coast.  The  writing  is  syllabic, 
about  two  hundred  characters  representing  all 
the  syllables  in  the  language.  Mr.  K.  found 
the  inventor,  who  lived  about  twenty  miles  in 
the  interior.  He  was  a  man  about  forty  years 
of  age,  of  great  intelligence  and  much  religious 
feeling.  He  had  learned  the  Roman  alphabet, 
from  an  American  missionary,  when  a  child.  He 
stated  that,  after  he  was  grown  up,  and  about 
sixteen  years  previous  to  Mr.  K.'s  visit,  he  re- 
ceived the  first  impulse  to  express  his  language 
in  writing  from  a  dream.  He  told  the  dream  to 
a  few  of  his  companions,  who  assisted  him  to 
invent  the  characters,  and  to  procure,  through 
the  favor  of  the  chief  of  his  tribe,  the  means 
of  establishing  schools,  and  teaching  the  peo- 
ple. But  war  soon  broke  out,  the  town  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  the  tribe  depressed  and  dis- 
persed, and  they  had  had  no  schools  since. 
Vet,  in  the  chief  town,  all  the  grown  up  peo- 
ple were  able  to  read,  and  in  all  the  towns, 
there  were  some  who  could  read  They  had  a 
considerable  number  of  books,  on  various  sub- 
jects ;  but  the  religion  found  in  them  was 
mainly  Mohammedan.  In  consequence  of  this 
report,  it  was  determined,  as  soon  as  the  way 
should  be  opened,  to  establish  a  mission  among 
the  Vei  tribe. 

General  Improvemerit. — The  general  improve- 
ment of  the  natives,  and  of  the  country  as  a 
consequence,  has,  from  the  beginning,  steadily 
kept  pace  with  the  prosperity  of  the  mission. 

In  1821,  Mr.  Johnson  writes  that  the  gen- 
tlemen of  Freetown  were  so  fully  convinced 
of  the  good  effects  produced  by  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  that  they  publicly  confessed  that, 
above  all  other  institutions,  the  mission  had 
proved  the  most  beneficial  to  Africa,  and 
acknowledged  that  the  gospel  was  the  only 
efificient  means  of  civilizing  the  heathen.  The 
same  year,  the  experiment  was  tried  of  calling 
the  natives  from  the  Christian  villages  to  serve 
on  juries  at  the  colonial  sessions ;  and  the  re- 
sult was  so  satisfactory,  that  the  practice  was 
continued;  and  the  chief-justice  observed  that, 
ten  years  before,  when  the  population  was  only 
4,000,  there  were  forty  cases  on  the  calendar 
for  trial,  while  at  that  time,  with  a  population 
of  16,000,  there  were  only  six,  and  not  a  single 


case  from  any  village  that  was  under  the 
superintendence  of  a  missionary  or  a  school- 
master. 

Tlie  Work  of  Grace. — From  the  time  that 
the  truth  began  to  be  fairly  understood  by 
these  people,  the  work  of  divine  grace  on  their 
hearts  has  been  noticed  by  the  missionaries,  in 
their  rcjports,  from  year  to  year.  Mr.  Gerber 
writes  from  Kent,  in  1826  :  "  Since  the  begin- 
ning of  last  month,  there  has  arisen  among  the 
inhabitants  of  this  settlement  not  only  a  long- 
ing after  the  bread  of  life,  but  also,  a  contin- 
ued inquiry  after  the  way  of  salvation  ;  and, 
instead  of  being  annoyed,  as  formerly,  with 
settling  daily  palavers,  and  silencing  noisy 
school  children  at  night,  I  am  now  rejoiced 
with  different  prayer-meetings  in  the  town, 
and  by  the  school-children  singing  at  night, 
and  before  day-break  in  the  morning."  This 
is  but  a  specimen  of  the  notices,  which  frequent- 
ly occur  in  the  journals  of  the  missionaries, 
evincing  the  special  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
in  awakening,  convincing,  and  converting  the 
people,  so  recently  turned  from  the  most  do- 
basmg  heathenism.    . 

CJiarader  of  Converts. — The  fruits  of  divine 
grace  are  manifest  in  the  character  of  the  con- 
verts. The  committee,  speaking  of  the  ac- 
counts given  of  them  by  Mr.  Johnson,  say  that 
this  gracious  influence  is  manifest  in  their 
acknowledgment  of  the  hand  of  Providence 
in  bringing  them  from  their  own  country ;  in 
the  manner  in  which  convictions  of  sin  are 
awakened  or  deepened ;  in  the  conflicts  of  the 
Christian  mind ;  in  their  sense  of  the  divine 
forbearance  and  mercy ;  in  a  watchful  jealousy 
over  the  state  of  their  hearts ;  in  their  faith  and 
patience  under  afflictions ;  and  in  their  culti- 
vation of  domestic  happiness. 

And,  in  regard  to  their  feelings  and  conduct 
toward  each  other,  Mrs.  Jesty  writes,  "  They 
dwell  in  love,  and  live  a  life  of  prayer  and 
praise,  to  Him  who  loved  them,  and  gave  him- 
self for  them.  The  hearts  of  many  of  them 
seem  to  be  full  of  the  love  of  Christ  the  whole 
day ;  and  when  merry,  they  sing  Psalms. 
Such  vocal  music  resounds  from  all  parts  of 
the  town.  A  dispute  is  seldom  known  among 
them.  Their  benevolence  was  especially  man- 
ifested, on  the  arrival  of  new  cargoes  of  liber- 
ated Africans,  taken  from  the  slave  ships. 
Formerly,  their  chief  interest  was,  to  know 
whether  any  of  their  relatives  were  among 
them.  But  after  the  love  of  God  entered  their 
hearts,  thfey  would  rush  to  the  landing,  and 
seizing  the  poor,  famished  creatures,  bear  them 
off  on  their  shoulders  to  their  own  dwellings, 
and  take  care  of  them  as  tenderly  as  if  they 
had  been  their  own  near  relations.  They  also 
attended  prayer-meetings,  took  part  in  the 
exercises,  and  generally  maintained  family 
worship.  Mr.  Norman  writes  from  Regent's 
Town,  in  1821 :  "  A  spirit  of  prayer  is  poured  '• 
out  on  the  people  in  a  remarkable  mannei* ;  ] 
so  that  we  md,  as  we  pass  through  the  streets,  j 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


n 


on  returning  from  evening  school,  that  almost 
every  house  is  become  a  house  of  prayer." 
And  Mr.  Johnson  says,  the  sami3  year, "  Family 
prayer  is  observed  by  all  the  communicants, 
and  by  some  who  have  not  yet  been  admitted 
to  the  Lord's  table,  in  their  respective  houses." 

Twenty  years,  or  more,  after  this.  Rev.  J. 
F.  Sessing,  in  speaking  of  the  character  of  some 
of  these  converts  who  had  emigrated  to  Jamai- 
ca, in  the  West  Indies,  says  :  "  They  can  read 
and  write,  both  males  and  females.  They 
work  nine  hours  a  day,  and  are  most  conscien- 
scious  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties.  In  order 
to  find  time  to  cultivate  their  own  grounds, 
they  commence  their  labor  at  5  A.  M. ;  and 
yet,  early  as  they  go  to  work,  they  never  leave 
home  without  first  collectively  singing  a  hymn, 
and  offering  up  a  prayer  for  protection  and 
guidance  during  the  day ;  and  they  never  re- 
tire in  the  evening,  without  doing  the  same." 

The  Sabbath  is  strictly  observed  by  the 
native  Christians,  and  to  a  great  extent,  by 
the  people  generally,  who  have  come  under 
Christian  instruction ;  though  at  some  places, 
there  is  great  complaint  of  a  relapse,  in  this 
respect.  It  is  stated  that,  in  1845  two  cap- 
tains of  vessels  landed  at  a  village  of  about  500 
inhabitants,  where  no  missionary  or  catechist 
resided,  in  order  to  purchase  poultry ;  but  the 
people  would  not  sell  on  the  Lord's  day.  The 
people  of  Abbeokuta  go  a  long  distance  to 
market,  and  travel  in  large  parties  for  protec- 
tion against  kidnappers.  An  interval  of  seven- 
teen days  elapses  between  one  market  day  and 
another ;  so  that  if  they  lose  the  day,  they 
must  wait  for  another.  And  yet,  notwithstand- 
ing these  difficulties,  the  converts  determined 
not  to  travel  on  the  Sabbath,  though  they  ran 
the  risk  of  having  to  travel  in  small  companies 
and  of  losing  their  market  day. 

The  reports  of  the  missionaries  abound  in 
accounts  of  the  expression  of  pious  feeling,  on 
the  part  of  the  natives,  couched  in  simple  lan- 
guage, yet  corresponding  with  the  experience 
of  true  Christians  in  all  ages ;  also,  in  a  va- 
riety of  personal  narratives  of  thrilling  interest, 
and  of  peaceful  and  happy  deaths  ;  which,  how- 
ever, it  is  impossible  for  us  to  give  in  detail. 
One  of  the  communicants  at  Kent,  who  had 
been  torn  from  his  kindred  and  country  in 
childhood,  and  suffered  great  hardships  on 
board  the  slave  ships,  declared  that  his  com- 
passion for  the  man  who  kidnapped  him  was 
so  great,  and  his  desire  for  his  salvation  so 
strong,  that,  when  thinking  of  it,  he  could  not 
sleep  at  night. 

Church  Discipline.  —  Church  discipline  is 
strictly  maintained  in  the  native  churches  of 
the  Society  in  Sierra  Leone.  Any  palpable  in- 
consistency in  a  professed  member  of  the  church 
is  noticed  and  reproved ;  and,  if  not  corrected, 
the  person  is  removed  from  the  list  of  mem- 
bers. This,  under  God,  is  often  made  the 
means  of  bringing  the  careless  or  disobedient 
to  a  better  mind.    In  most  congregations,  there 


is  a  "  backsliders'  class,"  who  are  under  instruc- 
tion and  probation,  previous  to  their  re-admis- 
sion. 

Remaining  Superstitions. — With  a  people  so 
recently  raised  from  the  lowest  depths  of  super- 
stition, it  is  not  surprising  to  find  them  some- 
times returning  to  their  former  habits,  or  re- 
taining, in  their  ignorance,  some  of  their  old 
ideas.  Among  the  things  earliest  associated 
with  the  African  mind,  is,  a  disposition  to  trust 
in  charms,  or  greegrees,  as  they  call  them.  One 
missionary  says  he  believes  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  colony  would  press  to  the  baptismal 
font,  if  they  might  be  allowed  to  regard  it 
merely  as  the  best  of  all  greegrees ;  and  com- 
municants have  been  found  wearing  their  gree- 
grees at  the  communion  table.  Yet,  this  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at,  when  we  consider  that  the 
same  thing  is  encouraged,  in  a  different  form, 
by  the  greater  portion  of  nominal  Christians, 
and  even  by  some  Protestants. 

Desire  for  the  Word  of  God. — Mr.  Kissling 
says,  "As  soon  as  the  natives  can  put  letters 
together  to  form  syllables,  and  syllables  to  form 
words,  they  are  anxious  to  get  a  Bible  ;  and, 
if  attending  our  places  of  worship,  a  Prayer 
Book  also.  Nor  is  it  from  mere  curiosity  that 
they  desire  it.  Many,  I  am  sure,  use  them  in 
private  as  well  as  in  church  ;  and  when  assem- 
bled around  their  family  altar,  and  by  the  side 
of  the  sick,  and  on  their  visits  to  their  heathen 
countrymen."  During  the  eight  years  ending 
May,  1838,  2860  copies  of  the  Scriptures  had 
been  issued,  and  most  of  them  paid  for.  In 
18-16,  Mr.  Beale  writes  :  "  Seven  years  ago,  a 
large  stock  of  Scriptures  was  always  on  hand ; 
but  latterly,  as  fast  as  they  have  arrived,  they 
have  been  purchased  by  eager  applicants.  The 
last  two  shipments  were  hailed  by  the  people 
with  peculiar  joy.  They  completely  beset  my 
house,  and  within  a  fortnight  after  each  arri- 
val, nearly  the  whole  of  the  smaller  Bibles, 
1500  in  number,  were  exhausted." 

Missionary  Spirit. — ^The  native  Christians 
manifest  an  earnest  desire  to  impart  the  word 
of  life  to  their  destitute  countrymen ;  and  in 
order  to  cultivate  this  spirit,  the  missionaries, 
at  an  early  period,  organized  missionary  asso- 
ciations at  the  stations,  and  took  up  regular 
contributions.  These  societies  hold  anniver- 
sary meetings,  at  which  addresses  arc  made  by 
the  natives,  as  well  as  by  the  missionaries. 
Collections,  respectable  in  amount,  have  been 
reported  from  th^se  auxiliaries  every  year.  In 
1851,  the  amount  collected  at  one  station  was 
£123  5s.  8d.  This  amount  was  given  by  134 
communicants  and  fifty  candidates,  including 
£30  5s.  lid.  from  150  children  in  school. 

Timneh  {or  Timmanee)  Mission. — In  the  au- 
tumn of  1840,  an  expedition  was  sent  into  the 
Timneh  country,  and  it  was  ascertained  that  a 
favorable  opening  existed  for  preaching  the 
Gospel ;  and  Rev.  C.  F.  Schlenker  and  Messrs. 
N.  Denton  and  AV.  0.  Thompson  were  set 
apart  for  the  work,  and  entered  upon  their 


72 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


labors.  The  location  fixed  upon  for  the  mission 
Wiis  Port  Lokkoh,  {which  see.)  The  missionaries 
devotoil  thcnisolves  to  truiislatious,  schools,  and 
proachinj;  the  (iosi)el ;  but  at  the  latest  dates 
nothing  of  special  interest  had  occurred.  The 
people  are  Mohammedans ;  and  "  that  perni- 
cious s}'stem,"  says  Mr.  Bchmid, "  appears  to 
present  a  most  formidable  barrier  against  the 
reception  of  Christian  truth."  The  station  is 
now  imder  the  charge  of  a  native  teacher,  and 
Mr.  Schmid  visits  it  once  a  quarter,  inspects 
the  school,  and  preaches  to  the  natives. 

Yoruha  Mission. — We  liave  abeady  alluded 
to  the  early  history  and  ordination  of  Rev. 
Samuel  Crowther,  a  native  African.  On  the 
3d  of  December,  1843,  Mr.  Crowther  preached 
in  English,  his  first  sermon  in  Africa,  in  the 
Mission  church,  Freetown,  which  excited  great 
interest.  On  the  9th  of  January  following,  he 
established  a  service  at  the  same  place  in  Yo- 
ruba,  his  native  language.  The  novelty  of  the 
occasion  brought  together  a  large  number  of 
people,  Torubas,  Ibos,  Calabaa,  &c.  The  ser- 
vice was  continued,  Mr.  T.  King  officiating 
after  Mr.  Crowther  left. 

For  a  considerable  time  previous,  there  had 
been  a  movement  among  the  liberated  Afri- 
cans of  the  Yoruba  tribe,  towards  their  native 
land.  For  the  purpose  of  making  arrange- 
ments to  enable  them  to  carry  the  Grospel  with 
them,  Mr.  Townsend  visited  their  country, 
arriving  in  January,  1843,  at  Abbcokuta, 
where  he  met  the  chief,  Sodeke,  who  appeared 
friendly,  expressed  a  desire  for  the  return  of 
his  people,  and  for  missionaries  to  accompany 
them ;  and  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Governor  of 
Sierra  Leone,  expressing  his  thanks  to  the 
British  Government  for  what  it  had  done  for 
his  people,  and  his  determination  to  suppress 
the  slave-trade  in  his  country.  Mr.  Townsend 
found  many  liberated  Africans  from  Sierra 
Leone,  at  Abbeokuta ;  and  he'  describes  some 
very  affecting  scejies,  on  their  meeting  their 
friends  and  relatives.  The  country  he  found 
to  be  salubrious  and  fruitful.  (See  YoriAa.) 
^  On  hearing  Mr.  Thompson's  report,  the  de- 
sire of  the  Yorubas  to  return  to  their  country 
was  greatly  increased;  and  hundreds  imme- 
diately began  preparations  for  leaving  the  col- 
ony. On  the  4th  of  November  following,  the 
inhabitants  of  Hastings  addressed  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Graf,  their  missionary,  expressing  their 
desire  to  return  to  their  country,  and  present- 
ing^  through  him,  to  the  Society,  a  request  for 
a  missionary.  This  was  responded  to,  by  the 
appointment  of  Andrew  Wilhelm,  a  native 
teacher  of  established  character,  to  accompany 
them.  A  farewell  meeting  was  held,  and 
addresses  and  parting  advice  given  to  the  emi- 
grants by  Mr.  Graf  and  several  of  the  natives. 
The  Committee  decided  on  occupying  Ab- 
beokuta as  a  missionary  station ;  and  Mr. 
Townsend  went  to  England  to  receive  ordina- 
tion, in  order  to  accompany  Mr.  Crowther, 
who  had  been  appointed  to  the  new  mission. 


He  returned  to  the  colony  in  December,  1 844 ; 
and  on  the  18th  of  that  month,  Ilev.  Messrs. 
Thompson,  Golmer,  and  Crowther,  with  their 
wives  and  four  native  teachers,  sailed  in  an 
American  vessel  that  happened  to  be  at  Free- 
town, carrying  with  them  a  frame  house,  con- 
structed for  Mr.  Townsend  in  England.  They 
were  favored  with  a  prosperous  voyage,  and 
arrived  safely  at  Badagry  on  the  17th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1845.  There  they  heard  that  Sodeke, 
the  chief  of  Abbeokuta,  was  dead,  and  were 
advised  not  to  proceed  till  after  the  funeral 
ceremonies  were  over.  Soon  after,  the  Yoru- 
bas were  attacked  by  the  king  of  Dahomey, 
and  a  serious  war  broke  out,  the  consequence 
of  the  slave-trade.  Being  thus  prevented  from 
going  immediately  into  the  interior,  they  com- 
menced missionary  labors  at  Badagry,  among 
a  mixed  population.  The  Gospel  was  preached 
under  the  shade  of  a  tree.  Mr.  Townsend's 
frame  house  was  put  up,  and  a  native  house 
erected.  The  service  was  conducted  in  the 
Yoruba  language,  the  greater  part  of  the  Lit- 
urgy having  been  translated  by  Mr.  Crowther. 

After  a  detention  of  eighteen  months  at 
Badagry,  Rev.  Messrs.  Townsend,  and  Crow- 
ther succeeded  in  reaching  Abbeokuta,  leav- 
ing Mr.  Golmer  at  Badagry ;  which  was  to  be 
maintained  as  a  branch  of  the  mission,  to  keep 
open  the  communication  with  the  coast.  As 
soon  as  their  arrival  in  the  vicinity  was  an- 
nounced, the  crier  was  commissioned  to  give 
public  notice  that  the  heaviest  punishment 
would  be  visited  on  any  one  who  should  dare 
to  insult  or  steal  from  the  strangers  who  were 
coming.  The  whole  of  the  Lord's  day  previ- 
ous to  their  arrival  was  spent  by  the  chiefs  in 
wrangling  with  each  other  for  the  right  of  re- 
ceiving the  missionaries,  in  their  respective 
districts.  On  their  arrival  at  the  ferry  of  the 
river  Ogun,  they  were  met  by  a  party  of  Sierra 
Leone  people ;  and  on  the  opposite  bank,  an- 
other la^-ge  party,  dressed  out  in  their  English 
clothes,  were  ready  to  welcome  them. 

After  visiting  all  the  chiefs,  which  it  took 
them  four  days  to  accomplish,  an  assembly  of 
the  chiefs  was  convened,  to  hear  from  them 
their  intentions,  on  coming  into  their  country. 
The  meeting  was  conducted  with  great  deco- 
rum. Mr.  Crowther  addressed  them,  giving  a 
history  of  the  proceedings,  and  explaining  the 
objects  of  the  mission.  He  then  read  a  letter 
from  the  Governor  of  the  Colony  to  them. 
Their  answer  was  highly  satisfactory,  ex- 
pressing their  gratitude,  and  promising  their 
cooperation  in  carrying  out  the  objects  of  the 
mission.  They  immediately  set  about  the 
erection  of  buildings ;  but  in  the  mean  time, 
commenced  service  partly  under  the  shelter  of 
a  narrow  pii\zza,  and  partly  in  the  open  air, 
and  were  listened  to  attentively  by  all.  They 
also  learned  that  Andrew  Wilhelm,  the  native 
teacher  who  had  preceded  them,  had  been 
faithfully  laboring  to  prepare  their  way. 

Under  date  of  August  21,  Mr.  Crowther 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


73 


states  that  his  mother,  from  whom  he  had  been 
torn  away  about  twenty-five  years  before,  came 
with  his  brother,  in  quest  of  him.  Their  meet- 
ing was  most  affecting ;  and  she  readily  received 
the  truth  from  the  lips  of  her  son,  and  became 
one  of  the  first  fruits  of  the  mission. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1848,  Rev.  J. 
Smith,  and  Eev.  J.  C.  Miiller,  with  their  wives, 
arrived  at  Badagry  ;  but  in  the  course  of  three 
weeks,  Mrs.  Miller  was  carried  off'  by  the  fever, 
and  the  alarming  illness  of  Mrs.  Townsend, 
oblig-ed  her  husband  to  return  with  her  to 
England.  At  Badagry,  there  was  very  little 
that  was  encouraging.  The  same  friendly 
feeling  continued  at  Abbeokuta.  Rev.  Mr. 
Miiller  considered  the  Yorubas  a  superior  class 
of  Africans ;  and  their  minds  were  prepared 
to  receive  the  truth.  They  were  not  so  dull 
and  corrupt  as  those  on  the  coast.  Already, 
the  blessing  of  God  had  attended  the  labors  of 
the  missionaries.  On  the  6th  of  Feb.,  1848, 
just  before  sailing  for  Europe,  Mr.  Townsend, 
after  receiving  satisfactory  evidence  of  their 
true  conversion,  baptized  three  women,  one 
of  whom  was  Mr.  Orowther's  mother,  and  two 
men.  On  this  occasion,  a  large  number  as- 
sembled in  the  church.  The  three  women  were 
neatly  dressed  in  white.  The  candidates  re- 
ceived Christian  names  at  their  baptism.  Af- 
ter the  service,  Mr.  Crowther  preached  an  im- 
pressive sermon,  which  was  listened  to  with  the 
deepest  attention.  The  number  of  candidates 
for  baptism,  at  this  time,  was  about  100. 

From  Badagry,  Mr.  Marsh,  as  an  instance 
of  the  cruel  bondage  of  superstition,  writes, 
April  17, 1849,  that  there  exists,  among  the 
Popos,  at  Badagry,  a  custom,  bearing  resem- 
blance to  monastic  vows.  The  people  are  mostly 
under  vows  to  some  idols,  which  cannot  be 
violated  by  themselves  or  others,  with  im- 
punity. Under  these  vows,  they  are  often  shut 
up  for  a  long  time  in  their  idol  temples.  There 
were,  at  that  time,  about  five  hundred  young 
men  and  women,  shut  up  in  these  temples. 
When  these  come  out,  they  are  regarded  as 
sacred,  and  any  one  who  touches  their  heads 
or  treads  on  their  feet,  must  pay  a  large  sum 
of  money,  or  if  unable,  must  be  sold  or  put  to 
death.  In  crossing  from  one  part  of  the  town 
to  another,  Mr.  Smith  passed  a  piece  of  ground 
where  these  victims  of  superstition  were  put 
to  death,  which  was  literally  strewed  with 
human  bones ;  so  truly  are  the  "  dark  places 
of  the  earth  full  of  the  habitations  of  cruelty." 

Three  years  after  the  establishment  of  the 
mission  at  Abbeokuta,  so  great  was  the  bless- 
ing of  God  upon  it,  that  there  were  five  hun- 
dred constant  attendants  on  the  means  of 
grace,  eighty  communicants,  and  nearly  two 
hundred  candidates  ;  and  the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ  had  become  a  topic  of  conversation  in 
the  war  expedition,  on  the  farms,  and  in  the 
market  places.  The  people  pressed  eagerly  to 
hear  the  word,  and  were  deeply  moved  with  it, 
sometimes  speaking  out  and  inquiring  what 


they  should  do.  Those  who  came  to  oppose,  were 
convinced.  The  word,  also,  exercised  a  general 
and  pervading  influence  over  the  people  at 
large  ;  and  there  was  a  waning  of  the  power  of 
idols  and  of  the  ancient  superstitions.  Yet,  the 
converts  were  subject  to  persecution  from  those 
who  adhered  to  the  old  customs.  The  priests  of 
the  national  superstition,  being  nearly  deserted, 
set  up  a  persecution  in  four  or  five  of  the  town- 
ships of  which  the  District  of  Abbeokuta  is 
composed,  putting  the  converts  in  stocks, 
cruelly  beating  them,  threatening  them  with 
death,  and  fining  them  to  a  heavy  amount ;  but 
at  length,  on  the  urgent  request  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, the  principal  chiefs  interfered,  and  put 
a  stop  to  these  cruel  proceedings.  The  attempt 
to  renew  persecution  was  again  made,  in  1850. 
The  cause  was  believed  to  be  the  close  blockade 
of  Lagos,  by  the  British  squadron,  by  means 
of  which  no  slaves  could  be  shipped  ;  which  so 
enraged  the  head  slave  trading  chief  at  Abbeo- 
kuta, that  he  sought  to  annoy,  defeat,  and 
drive  away,  if  possible,  the  friends  of  the  mis- 
sion, even  threatening  death  to  those  who  ven- 
tured to  go  to  church.  But  the  British  Con- 
sul, Capt.  Beecroft  soon  arrived  at  Abbeokuta, 
and  effectually  stirred  up  the  chiefs  to  protect 
the  converts. 

The  priests  are  inveterate  against  Christian- 
ity, and  do  what  they  can  to  oppose  it ;  but 
they  and  the  chiefs  seemed  to  be  held  under  a 
remarkable  restraint.  They  have  a  way  of 
consulting  their  gods,  through  an  Oracle,  which 
is  their  great  superstition.  This  oracle  has 
again  and  again  been  consulted  by  them,  in 
regard  to  the  missionaries,  but  has  never  been 
induced  to  utter  a  word  against  them ;  but 
from  first  to  last,  it  has  said  that  the  welfare  of 
the  country  was  in  the  hands  of  the  white 
people,  and  that  they  must  be  permitted  to 
teach  what  they  please.  Their  oracles  are  in 
the  hands  of  the  heathen  priests,  who,  by  a 
certain  process,  ai'rive  at  a  conclusion  as  to  the 
will  of  the  god.  But,  though  they  are  open 
and  avowed  persecutors  of  Christianity,  they 
are  unable  to  make  their  oracles  utter  a  word 
against  it. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  year  1850,  it  became 
evident  that  the  various  parties  interested  in 
the  slave  trade  were  preparing  for  a  desperate 
and  combined  attempt  to  crush  the  rising 
Christianity  of  Abbeokuta,  and  expel  the  mis- 
sionaries from  the  land.  At  length,  an  inva- 
sion was  attempted  by  the  king  of  Dahomey. 
On  the  hostile  army  appearing  before  Badag-ry, 
some  of  the  boys  at  the  missionary  boarding 
school  were  taken  away  to  places  of  safety  ; 
but  Rev.  Mr.  Gollmer  remained  at  his  post. 
On  Sunday  evening,  March  2,  the  enemy  ap- 
proached Abbeokuta.  Many  of  the  Christian 
converts  went  from  public  worship  and  from 
their  special  prayer  meetings,  to  man  the  walls, 
for  the  whole  male  population  was  summoned 
to  the  defence.  Many  of  the  timid  inhabitants 
fled,   but  the  missionaries  remained  at  their 


u 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


posts,  with  a  stcdfast  coufidcuce  in  God. 
MasBOS  of  well  trained  warriors,  male  and  fe- 
male, armed  with  musketa,  bore  down  upon  the 
town,  defended  only  with  a  mud  wall.  They 
fought  with  desixjration,  but  were  completely 
routed,  with  great  loss  ;  while  the  loss  of  the 
Yorubas  was  small.  The  missionaries  exerted 
themselves  to  save  the  lives  of  the  prisoners, 
and  they  were  at  length  exchanged  for  the 
means  of  defence  against  future  attacks.  The 
immediate  moral  effect  upon  the  inhabitants  of 
Abbeokuta  was  most  striking.  The  victory 
was  by  them  unanimously  attributed  to  the 
goodness  of  the  Christian's  God.  All  persecu- 
tion ceased.  The  principal  chiefs  sent  their 
children  to  the  schools.  And  it  was  hoped 
that  great  advantage  would  accrue  to  the 
cause  of  Christ,  from  this  deep  and  bloody 
plot  against  the  very  existence  of  the  mission 
at  Abbeokuta.  It  is  thus  that  the  Lord  makes 
the  WTath  of  man  to  praise  him. 

An  attack  was  made  on  Badagry,  and  near- 
ly the  whole  town  reduced  to  ashes ;  but  the 
premises  of  the  mission  escaped.  At  this 
stage,  the  British  cruisers  interfered,  and  drove 
away  Kosoko,  the  usurper  of  Lagos,  who  made 
the  attack,  and  the  most  decisive  measures 
were  taken  to  put  down  the  slave  traffic. 
Treaties  were  made  with  Abbeokuta  and 
Lagos,  in  which  protection  was  secured  both 
to  the  missionaries  and  to  lawful  commerce. 
In  the  course  of  the  persecutions  which  have 
been  alluded  to,  many  instances  are  mentioned 
of  constancy  in  the  converts,  which  would  have 
done  honor  to  the  early  Christian  martyrs. 

The  mission  is  extending  its  operations  on 
every  side,  and  making  exploring  expeditious 
into  the  interior,  and  bringing  to  light  con- 
stantly new  fields  of  labor,  to  which  the  way 
is  already  prepared,  by  all  these  tribes  being 
represented  among  the  liberated  Africans  in 


the  Colony ;  so  that  they  are  likely  to  prove 
Josephs,  lost  and  recovered  again,  to  save  their 
people,  not  from  temporal,  but  from  eternal 
death. 

Present  State  of  the  Missions. — The  report 
of  the  society,  for  1852,  represents  the  work  as 
going  forward  at  the  different  stations,  with  a 
steady  progress.  The  Yoruba  country  had 
continued  to  be  the  scene  of  "  wars  and  rumors 
of  wars;"  but  from  the  threatened  danger 
Abbeokuta  had  been  happily  pr&servcd.  The 
missionary  work  has  been  successfully  pros- 
ecuted, and  several  new  stations  commenced. 
But,  in  consequence  of  the  war,  and  other  cir- 
cumstances, Badagry  was  reduced  to  a  small 
and  unimportant  place ;  and  the  mission  has 
been  removed  to  Lagos,  about  36  miles  east  of 
Badagry.  Lagos  is  a  large  and  populous  town, 
having  water  communication  far  into  the  in- 
terior, as  well  as  for  hundreds  of  miles  along 
the  coast.  It  has  hitherto  been  a  great  slave 
mart ;  but  the  British  government  have  occu- 
pied the  place,  and  driven  out  the  traffic. 

Several  deaths  occurred  among  the  mission- 
aries in  1852 ;  but  a  considerable  reinforce- 
ment was  sent  out,  and  Eev.  0.  E.  Vidal,  D.  D., 
having  been  consecrated  Bishop  of  Sierra 
Leone,  arrived  at  Freetown  Dec.  27, 1852,  and 
preached  his  first  ordination  sermon  on  the 
admission  of  Messrs.  Maser,  Kefer,  and  Gerst 
to  deacon's  orders. 

The  report  for  1853,  represents  the  pastoral 
work  within  the  colony  as  in  a  satisfactory 
state  of  progress,  and  the  educational  establish- 
ments as  in  a  hopeful  condition.  Xot  much 
progress  was  making  at  the  Timneh  mission  ; 
but  the  year  has  been  one  of  peace  to  the 
Yoruba  mission.  A  good  beginning  had  been 
made  at  Lagos. 

The  following  table  will  show  the  state  of 
these  missions  in  1853  : 


DlbTKICrS  AND 
PRLVCIPAL 
STATIONS. 

II 

II 

Clergy- 

Teachers. 

a 

3 

i 

a 

Baptisms 
during 

11 

u 

Seminarists  and  Scholars. 

men. 

M'le. 

Fem. 

the  year. 

3 

1 

5? 

d 

ciS 

£ 

i 

'A 

-2 

"a 

< 

d 

1 

M 

0 

11 

3  C   S 

H 

1 

i 
1 

Freetown  District .... 

River  Distnct 

Mountain  District.... 
Sea  District 

1818 
1820 
1816 
1819 
1840 
1846 
1845 

4 
2 
6 
3 

1 
4 
3 

"22" 

7 

1 
2 

6 
2 

18 

3 

1 
4 

2 

1 
3 

16 
12 
20 
10 

13 
6 

79 

1 

1 
2 

4 

1 

2 

976 
500 
926 
335 
6 
233 

8 
38 
21 
11 

51 

161 
113 
111 
44 
3 
31 
2 

13 
14 
18 
12 
2 
8 
2 

598 
252 
481 
248 
38 

454 
209 
367 
235 

7 

155 
101 

929 
429 
729 
227 
6 
357 

1,981 
890 

1,577 

710 

51 

512 

101 

Timneh  Mission 

Abbeokuta  Diatrict... 
Coast  District 

Totals 

9 

2,976 

129 

465 

69 

1,617 

1,272 

256 

2,677 

5,822 

English  Baptist  Missionary  Society. — Allu- 
sion has  already  been  made  to  an  unsuccessful 
effort  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  to 
introduce  the  Gospel  into  Sierra  Leone  in 
1795.  From  the  failure  of  that  enterprise  to 
1840,  this  society  appears  to  have  attempted 
nothing  for  West  Africa.    At  length,  how- 


ever, it  was  resolved  that  measures  should  be 
taken,  having  in  view  the  exploration  and  oc- 
cupancy of  an  entirely  new  field.  The  Kev. 
John  Clarke  and  Dr.  Prince,  who  had  both 
resided  for  some  years  in  Jamaica,  were  invited 
to  go  forth  as  pioneers,  and  lay  the  foundation 
of  the  contemplated  mission.    They  arrived  at 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


76 


the  island  of  Fernando .  Po,  January  1,  1841 ; 
and  on  the  following  Sabbath  public  worship 
was  held  in  Clarence,  where  they  first  landed. 
(See  Fernando  Po.)  They  subsequently  vis- 
ited the  adjacent  coast,  to  ascertain  the  feasi- 
bility of  commencing  missionary  operations. 
Such  was  their  report  to  the  society  at  home 
that  the  latter  soon  sent  out  a  number  of  ad- 
ditional laborers,  a  part  of  whom  were  station- 
ed on  the  island  of  Fernando  Po,  and  a  part 
upon  the  main  land.  The  agency  of  colored 
persons  from  Jamaica  is  to  be  employed  ex- 
tensively in  this  mission ;  and  a  number  have 
already  joined  their  white  brethren. 

The  prospects  of  this  enterprise  were  quite 
flattering  till  near  the  close  of  1845.  At  that 
time  three  stations  had  been  commenced  upon 
the  main  land ;  making  the  whole  number  of 
stations  four,  and  the  ou1>stations  five.  There 
were  also  five  missionaries,  three  male  Euro- 
pean assistant  missionaries,  and  nine  male 
colored  teachers. 

Early  in  the  year  1846,  however,  all  the 
missionaries  on  Fernando  Po  were  ordered  by 
the  Spanish  authorities  to  desist  from  their 
appropriate  work,  twelve  months  being  allowed 
them  to  dispose  of  the  mission  property. 

This  year  was  also  one  of  peculiar  trial,  in 
the  removal  of  two  of  the  missionaries,  Messrs. 
Thompson  and  Sturgeon,  by  death.  The 
Spanish  consul  regarding  their  labors  as  a 
great  benefit  to  the  people,  consented  to  let 
them  remain,  provided  they  would  give  up 
preaching  and  cease  to  teach  the  Bible  in  their 
schools.  But  this  proposition  they  declined, 
and  employed  the  interval  allowed  them  for 
removal  in  their  usual  labors.  Two  Catholic 
priests  were  left  at  Clarence,  but  they  have 
since  returned  to  Spain.  Seven  persons  were 
baptized,  during  the  year.  Meanwhile,  the 
providence  of  God  was  opening  other  doors 
at  Bimbia  and  Cameroons.  The  former  of 
these  is  healthy,  and  surrounded  by  140  vil- 
lages. The  report  for  1851  states  that  cheer- 
ing information  of  success  had  been  received 
from  Mr.  Johnson  at  Cameroons.  The  attend- 
ance on  preaching  was  good,  there  were  several 
inquirers,  and  14  or  15  gave  evidence  of  piety. 
This  year  the  mission  was  again  afilicted  with 
the  loss  by  death  of  two  of  its  mi^ionaries, 
Messrs.  Merrick  and  Newbegin ;  but  one  addi- 
tional missionary  was  sent  out,  and  Mr.  Saker, 
who  was  on  a  visit  to  England,  returned  to  his 
field  of  labor.  In  1852,  Kev.  J.  Wheeler  re- 
turned home,  not  being  able  to  endure  the 
climate. 

In  the  report  for  May,  1853,  the  committee 
say  that,  notwithstanding  the  reduction  of  mis- 
sionary strength,  the  blessing  of  God  evidently 
rests  on  the  enfeebled  labors  of  the  remnant. 
At  all  of  the  three  stations  there  have  been 
conversions,  and  the  labors  of  the  negro  teach- 
ers have  been  the  means  of  salvation  to  many. 
The  ca.re  of  the  churches  has  of  necessity  been 
committed  to  native  helpers,  who  have  shown  no 


small  capacity  and  fitness  for  the  ofiice.  The 
work  of  translation  has  been  prosecuted,  and 
several  thousand  pages  of  the  word  of  God 
printed.  Tet,  the  work  has  met  with  opposi- 
tion, and  more  than  once,  at  the  Cameroons,  the 
lives  of  the  people  attending  Christian  wor- 
ship have  been  threatened. 

The  latest  complete  returns  from  this  mis- 
sion are  for  the  year  1849,  as  follows  : 


?f 

s- 

•jU 

^■■s 

i 

i 

It. 

I 

n 

1 

2 

i§ 

1 

^^3 

d3^ 

s 

a 

6 

G^ 

.^ 
S 

^ 
& 

Fernando     Po,    Qar-  "1 
ence,  &c J 

3 

3 

1 

8 

2 

5 

113 

Cameroons  

1 

1 

'?ft 

5 

fi 

350 

Bimbia,  Jubilee,  &c. . . . 

3 

4 

2 

1 

100 

— 











Totals.     . 

' 

3 

5 

11 

2 

25 

118 

7 

450 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. — I.  Sierra 
Leone. — ^The  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society 
commenced  a  mission  at  Sierra  Leone  in  the 
year  1796— (not  in  1811,  as  stated  in  "  T/ie 
Missionary  Guide-Book"  p.  21).  During  the 
eleven  years  preceding,  that  Society  had  es- 
tablished missions  in  jNova  Scotia,  Newfound- 
land, and  the  West  Indies  ;  and  the  success 
which  God  had  vouchsafed  to  those  efforts 
encouraged  the  Wesleyan  Conference  to  at- 
tempt to  open  a  field  of  missions  on  the  west 
coast  of  Africa.  Sierra  Leone  was  chosen  as 
the  place  where  to  begin  these  efforts  ;  and 
this  was  the  first  mission  of  any  kind  to  that 
part  of  Africa. 

In  1795,  the  venerable  Dr.  Coke,  the  father 
of  Wesleyan  missions,  united  himself  with  a 
scheme  then  on  foot,  by  gentlemen  of  different 
denominations,  for  the  civilization  of  the  Fou- 
lahs,  in  West  Africa.  This  expedition,  which 
originated  in  motives  so  purely  benevolent, 
proved  an  entire  failure,  not  merely  from  the 
want  of  adaptation  in  the  agents  employed, 
but  from  a  mistake  akin  to  that  of  the  Mora- 
vians, when  they  thought  they  could  first  civ- 
ilize and  then  evangelize  the  Esquimaux. 
From  similar  causes,  this  expedition  failed. 
The  persons  engaged  and  sent  forth  by  Doctor 
Coke  on  this  mission,  were  a  band  of  mechan- 
ics, with  a  surgeon  at  their  head  ;  and  they 
were  directed  to  teach  the  Foulalis  the  arts  of 
civilized  life.  On  arriving  in  the  colony,  they 
became  discontented,  and  were  soon  dispersed. 
Some  died,  and  others  returned  home,  without 
ever  having  reached  the  scene  of  their  intended 
labors  in  the  interior.  The  enterprise  "  came 
to  naught,"  for  its  fundamental  principle  was 
not  that  ordained  by  the  great  head  of  the 
Church,  for  establishing  Christian  missions 
among  heathen  nations.  This  was  the  only 
mivstake  of  the  kind,  which,  in  their  long  expe- 
rience, the  Wesleyans  ever  fell  into,  and  may 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


be  exensed  in  view  of  the  immature  views  en 
tertained  of  the  missionary  enterprise  nearly 
seventy  years  ago  *  The  Wesloyan  Conler- 
once  felt  the  rebuke,  and  promptly  rectified  the 
mistake,  so  far  as  it  was  connected  with  them, 
for,  in  the  annual  minutes  of  the  Conference 
held  in  August  of  that  year,  J1796)  we  find 
the  following  entry :  "  Dr.  Coke  laid  before 
the  Conference  an  account  of  the  failure  of  the 
colony  intended  to  be  established  in  the  Fou- 
lah  country  in  Africa ;  and,  after  prayer  and 
mature  consideration,  the  Conference  unani- 
mously judged,  that  a  trial  should  be  made  in 
that  part  of  Africa,  an  the  p^'oper  missionary 
plan.  The  two  brethren  above-mentioned, 
Messrs.  A.  Murdoch  and  W.  Patten,  having 
voluntarily  offered  themselves  for  this  import- 
tant  work,  the  Conference  solemnly  appomted 
them  for  it,  and  earnestly  recommended  them 
and  their  great  undertaking  to  the  public  and 
private  prayers  of  the  Methodist  Society." 

Little  infoi-mation  can  now  be  obtained  as 
to  the  extent  or  results  of  the  enterprise  thus 
set  on  foot  by  the  Conference.  No  report  was 
published  for  many  years  afterwards ;  and  the 
only  sources  from  whence  to  glean  our  scanty 
knowledge  of  this  mission,  are  the  "Annual 
Minutes,"  and  the  "Arminian  Magazine." 
We  cannot,  therefore,  tell  how  many  agents 
were  sent  out,  or  what  amount  of  success  they 
continued  to  have.  But,  that  a  commence- 
ment was  made,  and  considerable  good  accom- 
plished, and  that,  too,  very  soon,  is  evident 
from  the  following  notice,  being  part  of  a 
Narrative  of  Methodist  Missions,  first  drawn 
up  by  a  Christian  of  another  denomination 
for  the  Edinburgh  ^^  Missionary  Magazine," 
and  thence  copied  into  the  "  Arminian  Maga- 
zine," for  February,  1797  :— «  There  are  also 
in  Sierra  Leone,  upon  the  coast  of  Africa,  400 
persons  in  connexion  with  the  Methodist  Soci- 
etv,  of  whom  223  are  blacks  and  mulattoes." 
The  next  reference  to  this  mission  turns  up  in 
1804,  when  the  preacher,  Mr.  Brown,  appealed 
earnestly  to  Dr.  Coke  for  ministerial  help. 


•  In  explanation  of  the  above  we  find  a  note  in  the  Mis- 
sionary Magazine,  published  in  Edinburg  in  August,  1796, 
which  says  :— '•  Wo  understand  that  the  mission  to  the 
Foulah  country,  which  is  said  to  have  failed,  was  not  pro- 
perly a  Methodist  mission  ;  as  the  famihes  that  went  out 
with  Mr.  Macaulay,  with  the  design  to  settle  on  the  bor- 
ders of  that  country,  were  not  sent  by  the  Methodist  Con- 
ference. They  were  mechanics,  who  had  been  members 
of  the  Methodist  Societies  in  England,  some  of  whom  had 
oflSciated  as  local  preachers,  and  who  had  been  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  Coke  to  Mr.  Macaulay.  But  it  seems  they 
had  either  not  rightly  understood  the  engagements  they 
had  entered  into,  or  had  not  fully  counted  the  cost.  We 
therefore,  insert  this  note,  lest  any  of  our  readers,  by  at- 
taching the  common  idea  to  the  phrase  Methodist  Missim, 
should  be  led  to  conclude  that  these  persons  must  have 
been  missionaries,  sent  out  by  that  body  of  people,  for  the 
express  purpose  of  preaching  to  the  heathen  :  whereas, 
they  were  neither  so  sent,  nor  was  their  mission  so  imme- 
diately to  preach,  as  to  form  a  Christian  colony,  and  open 
a  friendly  intercourse  with  the  natives  of  the  Foulah 
country."  This  explanation  wiU  also  eerve  to  correct  a 
mistake  in  Mr.  Moister's  work,  '*  Memorials  of  Missicmai'y 
Labors  in  Western  Africa,"  (London,  1850,  p.  31,)  where 
he  seems  to  make  Dr.  Coke  and  the  Conference  responsible 
for  the  whole  undertaking.  Other  writers  besides  Mr.  M. 
have  fallen  into  the  same  mistake. 


Mr.  B.  was  assisted  by  Mr.  Gordon,  and 
though  only  local  preachers,,  they  faitlifully 
cared  for  the  little  flock  that  had  been  gath- 
ered. They  had  also  the  assistance  of  a  colored 
preacher,  a  devoted  young  man.  In  1808  we 
find  a  communication  from  this  native  preacher, 
Mingo  Jordan,  to  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  giving  an 
account  of  his  labors  as  a  missionary  among 
the  Maroons,  from  1805  up  to  1808,  and  stat- 
ing that,  including  the  Maroons  that  had  been 
converted,  the  number  of  church  members  in 
and  around  Sierra  Leone  amounted  to  100.  He 
earnestly  requests  in  his  letter  a  supply  of. 
hjmn-books  and  some  wearing  apparel  for  the 
preachers.  Dr.  Colje  tried  to  sustain  the  mis- 
sion until  he  could  find  a  suitable  man  to  go 
and  take  the  general  superintendence  of  it ; 
and,  in  1811,  he  sent  out  Rev.  George  Warren 
for  this  purpose,  who,  on  his  arrival  in  Sierra 
Leone,  was  received  with  open  arms  by  the 
officers  and  members  of  the  church  which  had 
been  gathered  there.  Mr.  Warren's  report  to 
Dr.  Coke  gives  the  following  as  the  statistics 
of  the  mission,  as  he  found  it : — "  The  society, 
at  our  arrival,  amounted  to  110  ;  a  great  pro- 
portion of  these  profess  to  enjoy  a  sense  of 
the  divine  favor ;  and  the  society  in  general, 
as  far  as  I  can  learn,  conduct  themselves  with 
considerable  propriety.  I  found  among  them, 
at  my  coming,  three  local  preachers,  two  of 
whom  meet  classes,  and  six  class-leaders  be- 
sides. Since  this,  one  brother,  who  had  been 
in  the  country  for  his  health,  has  returned. 
Seven  have  been  admitted  on  trial,  while  sev- 
eral more  appear  to  be  under  serious  impres- 
sions.* Sierra  Leone  had  then  about  4,000 
inhabitants,  only  about  one  in  forty  being  Eu- 
ropean. The  rest  were  Nova-Scotians,  Maroons, 
Timnehs,  Bidloms,  Kroomen,  and  recaptured 
slaves.  The  places  of  worship  were  two 
Methodist  chapels,  one  Episcopal,  and  one 
Baptist  church. 

To  do  anything  like  justice  to  our  sketch  of 
this  mission,  it  is  necessary  that  we  be  allowed 
to  state  briefly  what  was  the  condition  of  soci- 
ety then  at  Sierra  Leone.  Even  at  the  present 
day,  after  the  Gospel  (like  the  disinfecting  fluid 
acting  on  this  mass  of  moral  corruption)  has 
removed  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  elements 
of  death,  the  population  of  Sierra  Leone  is 
unique,  having  no  parallel  in  any  other  part 
of  the  world.  But  what  was  the  state  of  that 
anomalous  population,  as  a  field  for  Christian 
missions,  more  than  fifty  years  ago  ?  All  the 
elements  of  the  worst  forms  of  heathenism  were 
here  united  to  the  most  degrading  vices  of 
civilization.  And,  in  the  midst  of  these  abom- 
inations, missionaries  were  set  down  to  attempt 
to  spread  the  blessings  of  a  sanctifying  Chris- 
tianity through  such  "  a  hell  upon  earth  "  as  this 
place  then  was.  At  that  time  the  colony  was  but 
ten  square  miles  in  extent.  It  was  originally 
settled  with  the  avowed  object  -of  the  moral 


*  See  MethMist  Magazine  for  1807,  p.  283 ;  ^  1808,  p 
572  ;  for  1812,  p.  316,  and  pp.  §37  and  795. 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


77 


improvement  of  the  natives.  But  at  the  close 
of  the  war  with  the  United  States,  the  negroes 
who  had  served  under  the  British  flag,  either 
on  land  or  in  the  navy,  were  located  in  Nova 
Scotia,  or  the  Bahama  Isles.  Being  dissatis- 
fied with  their  situation,  numbers  of  them  made 
their  way  to  Loudon,  where  they  were  found, 
collected  together,  in  the  most  deplorable  state, 
"  subject  to  every  misery,  and  familiar  with 
every  vice."  Public  attention  was  called  to 
their  condition,  chiefly  by  the  efforts  of  the 
celebrated  Granville  Sharpe,  and,  in  1787, 
"The  African  Company"  was  formed.  The 
committee  purchased  land  from  the  negro 
princes  at  Sierra  Leone,  on  which  to  locate 
these  pests  of  London  society ;  and,  a  few 
months  after,  400  blacks  and  about  60  whites 
embarked  for  Sierra  Leone.  The  whites  are 
said  to  have  been  chiefly  women  of  the  most 
abandoned  character.  Such  were  the  materi- 
als of  the  first  English  colony  in  Western 
Africa.  A  company  of  American  refugee 
slaves  and  London  prostitutes  sent  out  by  Brit- 
ish philanthropy  to  enlighten  and  civilize  Af- 
rica I  The  results  may  be  anticipated.  From 
the  combined  influence  of  the  climate  and  the 
vicious  habits  of  the  colonists,  the  mortality 
was  fearful.  In  a  few  months,  nearly  one  half 
of  them  had  either  died  or  escaped  from  the 
colony,  and,  in  little  more  than  a  year,  the 
whole  were  dispersed,  and  the  town  burnt  to 
ashes  by  an  African  chief. 

In  the  year  1791,  another  association  was 
formed,  by  whose  efforts  a  few  of  the  dispersed 
colonists  were  again  collected,  and  about  1200 
more  negroes  were  transported  from  Nova 
Scotia.  About  three  years  after,  Sierra  Leone 
was  destroyed  by  a  French  squadron  ;  and,  in 
1808,  disappointed  and  dismayed  by  the  spirit 
of  the  colonists,  and  the  various  disasters  which 
overtook  the  colony,  the  company  transferred 
their  whole  establishment  to  the  British  gov- 
ernment. From  this  period  may  be  dated  the 
rising  prosperity  of  Sierra  Leone.  Law  and 
order  soon  reigned  throughout  the  colony,  and 
provision  was  made  for  its  defence.  The  Brit- 
ish crown  had,  just  the  year  before,  declared 
the  slave  trade  to  be  piracy,  and  it  now  decreed 
that  all  captured  slaves,  rescued  from  slave 
ships  by  the  English  cruisers,  should  be  brought 
into  Sierra  Leone,  as  their  asylum.  Such  are 
the  sources  whehce  the  population  of  Sierra 
Leone  has  been  drawn,  numbering  41,73.5  in 
the  year  1847,  and  which  presents  in  that 
place  the  representatives  of  about  200  different 
nations  of  Africa,  each  with  its  own  language, 
superstitions,  and  abominable  wickedness,  and, 
when  landed  there,  possessing  no  idea  of  order, 
discipline,  honesty,  or  morality. 

Among  these  wretched  outcasts  of  man- 
kind, the  Wesley  an  missionaries  have  been  la- 
boring from  the  first;  and  surely  in  such  a 
place,  whatever  good  has  been  achieved  must 
bo  attributed  alone  to  the  hand  of  God. 
When  to  these  considerations  we  add  the  dead- 


ly character  of  the  climate,  some  Idea  may  be 
formed  of  the  nature  of  that  sphere  where  the 
Wesleyan  missionaries  have  been  toiling  for 
half  a  century.  It  has  been  the  grave  of  our 
missionaries,  and  frequently  at  a  time  too  when 
they  had  just  become  qualified  for  usefulness 
among  this  polyglot  people.  From  1811  to 
1850,  there  were  sent  from  England,  as  nearly 
as  can  be  ascertained,  by  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society,  about  123  missionaries,  includ- 
ing their  wives  ;  and  of  these  there  were  no 
fewer  than  54  who  died,  while  many  others  re- 
turned home  on  account  of  the  failure  of  their 
health.  Nor  was  this  merely  aft^  a  length- 
ened course  of  labor.  In  consequence  of  the 
unhealthiness  of  the  climate,  the  Committee, 
after  a  short  trial  of  seven  years,  restricted  the 
period  of  service  first  to  three,  and  then  to  two 
years ;  and  it  was  only  in  a  few  instances  that 
this  period  was  exceeded.  Many  died  within 
the  first  year,  some  in  a  few  months,  a  few 
weeks,  or  even  a  few  days,  after  their  landing. 
Instances  were  not  wanting  of  husbands  and 
wives  lying  ill  in  different  rooms  of  the  same 
house  at  the  same  time,  and  dying  within  a 
short  time  of  each  other.  The  frequent  sick- 
ness and  death  of  so  many  of  the  missionaries, 
and  the  early  return  of  others  to  England,  could 
not  fail  to  affect  materially  the  progress  of  the 
missions.  Stations  were  sometimes  left  with 
only  one  missionary,  or  without  any  mission- 
ary at  all. 

The  events  and  circumstances  which  we  have 
placed  before  the  reader  will,  in  a  great  meas- 
ure, explain  why  the  400  members  connected 
with  the  mission  in  1797  should  have  dwindled 
to  1X0  in  1811,  when  Mr.  Warren  arrived  to 
take  charge  of  the  mission.  He  entered  on  his 
work  with  great  zeal,  and  extensive  prospects 
of  usefulness,  but  fell  a  victim  to  the  climate 
the  year  after  he  landed  there.  William  Davis 
then  ofiered  himself  for  the  vacant  post,  and 
Samuel  Brown  was  sent  out  to  assist  him,  in 
the  various  openings  of  usefulness  which  pre- 
sented themselves.  The  work  soon  spread  from 
Free  Town  to  Wellington,  Hastings,  Waterloo, 
Murraytown,  &c.,  on  the  east,  and  to  York  and 
Plantains  Island  on  the  South.  And  notwith- 
standing the  occasional  checks  to  which  the 
mission  has  been  subject,  among  the  greatest 
of  which,  may  be  reckoned  each  fresh  cargo  of 
slaves,  yet  this  mission  has  been  crowned  with 
continued  prosperity.  And  some  of  the  most 
remarkable  instances  of  powerful  awakenings 
and  revivals  with  which  the  Wesleyan  missions 
have  been  blest  have  taken  place  in  Sierra  Le- 
one. Here  thousands  of  the  afflicted  children 
of  Ham,  drawn  up  from  the  reeking  holds  of 
the  slave  vessels,  have  been  made  the  joyful 
partakers  of  a  richer  liberty  than  British  pTii- 
lanthropy  could  confer  upon  them.  And  it 
is  the  testimony  of  gentlemen  who  resided 
there  for  years,  that  the  religious  experience  of 
"  the  converts  to  Christianity  in  that  country 
is  generally  clear  and  satisfactory,  and  will 


78 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


bear  u  comparison  with  that  of  the  professors 
of  religion  in  more  highly  favored  lands." 

Schools  have  also  been  established  for  the 
training  of  the  rising  generation,  in  which 
over  3,()00  children  are  receiving  an  evangeli- 
cal etlucation  ;  and  an  Institution  for  the  train- 
ing of  a  native  ministry  is  in  successful  opera- 
tion. 

Nor  have  the  labors  of  the  missionaries  and 
their  zealous  associates,  the  native  preachers, 
been  restricted  to  the  heathen  within  the  col- 
ony. They  have  brought  the  word  of  life  to 
thousands  of  idolators  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
colony ;  so  that  the  Kossos  and  the  heathen 
round  Murray  town  have  turned  to  God  from 
"  dumb  idols."  At  the  close  of  the  year  1852, 
one  of  those  remarkable  movements  took 
place  at  Sierra  Leone,  which  occasionally  start- 
les the  church  and  the  world,  evincing  a 
special  omnipotent  agency  over  the  minds  of 
men,  and  indicating  to  us  how  vast  are  those 
resources  of  influence  which  God  has  in  reserve 
and  by  which  he  may  yet  accelerate  the  con- 
version of  the  world  to  the  faith  of  Christ. 
The  nature  of  this  movement  may  be  best  seen 
from  the  communications  of  the  missionaries  at 
Sierra  Leone,  under  date  of  December  24, 
1852.  Rev.  Messrs.  Fletcher  and  Gilbert 
write,  "  The  Committee  will  be  glad  to  hear 
that  the  idolators  of  Sierra  Leone  are  casting 
their  idols  *  to  the  moles  and  the  bats.'  The 
kingdom  of  Satan  is  falling  as  lightning  to  the 
ground.  A  few  weeks  since,  Mr.  George,  our 
schoolmaster  at  Murraytown,  came  to  the  mis- 
sion house,  and  requested  that  one  or  two 
missionaries  would  come  immediately  to  that 
place,  as  the  idolators  wxre  giving  up  their 
idols.  As  it  was  past  five  on  Sunday  evening 
when  he  came,  we  postponed  it  until  the  next 
day.  On  the  following  morning  Mr.  Reay 
and  myself  rose  at  four  o'clock,  and  started  oflF 
to  the  village.  We  arrived  just  as  it  was  get- 
ting light,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  the  con- 
stable's house.  We  were  rather  surprised  to 
find  his  piazza  full  of  idols,  and  other  supersti- 
tious stuff  which  had  been  brought  to  him  the 
day  previous.  He  very  kindly  look  us  to  the 
houses  of  the  idolators.  We  talked  to  them 
about  their  souls,  and  exhorted  them  to  look 
to  Christ  as  their  Saviour,  Redeemer  and  God. 
One  man  who  voluntarily  gave  up  his  idol  to  us, 
said  he  had  been  an  idolater  twenty-five  years, 
but  now  he  intended  to  go  to  the  Chapel.  On 
Sunday  I  Avent  to  Murraytown  and  preached 
to  those  people  who  had  lately  given  up  their 
idols.  The  Chapel,  which  had  been  lately  re- 
built, was  crowded  ;  and  all  paid  great  atten- 
tion, while  I  enforced  the  words, '  Little  child- 
ren, keep  yourselves  from  idols.'  On  the  same 
day  I  baptized  28  males  and  females,  25  of 
whom  were  adults  ;  and  I  received  5  as  mem- 
bers on  trial  ;  but  some  of  these  were  back- 
sliders. As  I  looked  upon  these  people  as  they 
knelt  down  to  be  baptized,  my  feelings  over- 


At  Free  Town  such  a  number  of  idols 
were  given  up  as  no  one  suspected  the  place  to 
have  contained.  The  people  took  the  matter 
into  their  own  hands,  and  seemed  to  be  simul- 
taneously moved  by  an  invisible  impulse,  bo- 
coming  such  enthusiastic  Iconoclasts,  that  Mr. 
l^'letcher  tells  us  all  other  work  was  suspended. 
In  crowds,  but  not  tumultuously,  they  paraded 
through  the  streets,  carrying  the  heathen  dei- 
ties in  procession,  to  deliver  them  up  to  the 
magistrates  and  missionaries.  Mr.  Fletcher 
turned  his  apartments  into  a  museum  for  the 
exhibition  of  those  unsightly  abominations, 
and  thousands  of  people  came  to  look  at  them. 
The  fame  of  this  movement  has  spread  fail 
along  the  coast,  producing  deep  impressions 
among  the  various  tribes,  and  leading  the  re- 
lenting heathen  in  many  instances  to  say  with 
Ephraim — "  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with 
idols  ?"  The  work  is  extensive  and  spreading, 
and  is  another  of  those  illustrations  which  fre- 
quently occur  to  show  how  powerful  and  effi- 
cient are  the  resources  of  Him  in  whose  hand 
are  the  hearts  of  all  men,  and  before  whose  Al- 
mighty Spirit  every  obstacle  must  give  way. 
The  proximity  of  Sierra  Leone  to  Liberia,  in- 
vests this  great  work  with  an  additional  inter- 
est, as  both  of  these  colonies  bear  a  relation  to 
the  evangelization  of  Africa,  the  value  of  which 
is  incalculable.  Events  like  these  give  a  pow- 
erful impetus  to  a  mission ;  and  it  is  so  in  this 
case.  The  prospects  in  Sierra  Leone,  were 
never  so  bright  as  now.  The  schools  are 
well  attended,  and  the  chapels  cannot  hold  all 
who  desire  the  word  of  God.  The  Native 
Training  Institution  is  also  doing  well.  At 
a  late  public  examination  of  the  students, 
held  in  the  presence  of  the  Colonial  Sec- 
retary and  other  official  persons  and  resi- 
dents in  the  colony,  the  students  were  exam- 
ined as  to  their  knowledge  of  Theology,  Latin, 
Greek,  Mathematics,  English  Grammar  and 
Geography,  and  acquitted  themselves  most  sat- 
isfactorily. One  of  their  number  has  been  just 
recommended  by  the  district  meeting  as  a  can- 
didate for  the  holy  ministry. 

Those  who  remember  the  struggles  and  dif- 
ficulties which  marked  the  early  history  of  this 
mission,  can  best  appreciate  its  present  encour- 
aging condition,  and  see  with  delight  their 
hopes  not  only  realized,  but  even  far  exceeded. 

In  1811  there  was  but  one  missionary,  three 
local  preachers,  110  members,  and  about  100 
children  in  the  schools,  with  two  small  chapels. 
Now  there  are  thirty-one  chapels,  (some  of 
which  are  very  large,)  seven  mfesionaries,  107 
local  preachers,  over  6000  church  members, 
3608  scholars,  and  more  than  11,000  persons 
in  the  pastoral  care  of  the  missionaries.  "Ac- 
cording to  this  time,"  it  may  well  be  said, 
"  what  hath  God  wrought  ?  "  For  more  defi- 
nite information  on  the  present  state  of  the 
mission,  see  the  Tabular  View  near  the  end  of 
this  article. 

11.  The  Gambia  District. — This  mission  was 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


79 


commenced  by  the  Wesleyan  Society  in  the 
year  1821.  It  lies  further  north  than  any 
other  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa ;  and  the  field 
is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Wesleyan  Society. 
That  portion  of  Western  Africa  which  is  drain- 
ed by  the  rivers  Senegal  and  Gambia,  is  named 
Senegambia.  The  tribes  inhabiting  this  district 
of  country  are  chiefly  the  Jaloqfs,  which  lie 
to  the  north;  the  Mandingoes,  who  inhabit 
tl\,e  sea-board  ;  and  the  Foulahs,  who  are  chiefly 
found  deep  in  the  country,  to  the  east. 

The  Jaloofs  and  Mandingoes  are  mostly 
Mohammedans;  but  they  are  very  difierent 
from  each  other  in  their  opinions  and  disposi- 
tions. One  -portion  of  them,  called  Mara- 
boots,  or  "religious  people,"  are  excessively 
superstitious,  and  put  implicit  confidence  in 
their  "  greegrees,"  (charms,)  which  they  hang 
about  them  in  great  numbers  and  variety. 
They  also  practice  witchcraft,  of  all  sorte. 
Mohammedanism  has  been  carried  to  the  west 
of  Africa  by  its  priests  in  the  capacity  of 
schoolmasters,  using  the  Arabic  language ; 
and,  though  grossly  ignorant  themselves,  they 
have  acquired  a  powerful  hold  over  the  native 
mind. 

The  Foulahs,  who  are  a  wandering  people, 
are  mostly  Pagans,  and  are  greatly  oppressed 
by  the  Mandingoes,  who  abuse  and  plunder 
them  without  any  ceremony.  The  French,  the 
Portuguese,  and  the  English,  have  settlements 
on  the  coast  in  these  parts,  as  the  rivers  Sene- 
gal and  Gambia  are  exceedingly  advantageous 
for  trade.  The  Gambia,  especially,  whose 
source,  in  the  Tenda  country  is  said  to  be 
only  a  few  days'  journey  from  the  renowned 
Niger,  can  be  navigated  by  vessels  of  large 
burden  for  nearly  400  miles,  and  with  small 
craft  for  nearly  700  miles.  Ships  from  Europe 
supply  the  whole  country  on  both  sides  of  its 
banks,  on  which  lie  numerous  towns  and  vil- 
lages, the  centres  of  trade  to  the  country  for 
hundreds  of  miles  inland. 

The  mission  schools,  which  were  established 
by  the  missionary  Dart,  about  the  year  1820, 
in  the  island  of  St.  Louis,  a  French  settlement 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Senegal,  were  not  kept 
up  ;  neither  were  others  that  were  established 
in  the  island  of  Goree,  near  Cape  Verd ;  and 
the  first  standing  missions  that  we  meet  with 
are  these  at  the  Gambia.  Not  far  from  its  estu- 
ary, which  is  twelve  miles  broad,  is  the  island 
of  St.  Mary,  in  lat.  30  degs.  30  min.  north,  and 
long.  15  degs.  10  min.  west,  close  to  the  south- 
ern shore.  It  is  four  miles  long  by  one  broad. 
The  English  have  had  a  settlement  here  since 
1816.  The  principal  town  is  Bathurst,  on  the 
north  side,  feeing  the  main  branch  of  the  river. 
It  contains  a  number  of  excellent  houses, 
among  which  may  be  noted  the  government 
house,  the  hospital,  the  Wesleyan  chapel,  with 
the  dwellings  of  the  merchants,  &c.  The 
population  in  1846  was  3689,  of  whom  only 
50  were  white  persons ;  the  rest  were  Mandin- 
goes, Jaloofe,  and  liberated  slaves.     Several 


missionaries  have  died  here ;  and  the  schools 
which  were  opened  here  by  the  Society  of 
Friends,  in  the  year  1823,  as  also  those  which 
they  established,  at  the  same  time,  on  the 
neighboring  coast  at  Birkow,  Mahmadi,  and 
Sandani,  have  sunk  under  the  unhealthiness 
of  the  climate.  The  immediate  foundress  of 
these  schools  was  the  celebrated  Hamiah  Kil- 
ham,  that  spirited  lady  who,  for  ten  years  to- 
gether, itinerated  the  west  coast  of  Africa, 
commenced  schools  in  many  places,  and  in 
each  of  them  devoted  her  particular  attention 
to  the  languages  and  dialects,  of  which  she 
printed  a  number  of  valuable  specimens.  She 
had  herself  brought  up  and  educated  two  Afri- 
can youths  in  England,  and  it  was  with  the 
assistance  of  these  she  opened  the  schools  at 
Birkow.  But  she  fell  a  victim  to  the  country 
fever  in  the  year  1832.  The  Wesleyan  mission 
has  stood  better,  inasmuch  as  it  still  continues ; 
though  one  Christian  messenger  after  another 
has  sunk  into  the  grave,  and  almost  yearly 
some  such  mournful  tidings  reach  us  from  this 
station.  The  Wesleyan  mission  commenced 
its  labors  in  1821,  at  a  place  called  Mandara- 
nee,  in  the  territory  of  the  king  of  Combo,  on 
the  south  bank  of  the  river,  about  eight  miles 
from  St.  Marys.  This  locality,  however, 
proved  to  be  ineligible,  and  the  health  of  the 
missionaries,  Morgan  and  Baker,  having  failed, 
the  mission  was  removed  to  Bathurst,  where, 
as  also  in  Melville  Town  and  Soldier  Town  on 
the  island,  and  in  Berwick  Town  on  the  conti- 
nent, they  have  new  chapels  which  are  very 
regularly  frequented  by  native  converts  and  the 
heathen. 

The  Rev.  Richard  Marsliall  and  his  wife  were 
sent  out,  in  1823,  to  strengthen  and  extend  the 
mission  at  St.  Marys.  Mr.  Morgan  and  Mr. 
Hawkins  were  then  laboring  there ;  but  in  a 
short  time  we  find  Mr.  Marshall  laboring  alone. 
He  toiled  on,  however,  assisted  in  the  school 
department  by  his  devoted  companion.  But 
in  August,  1830,  he  was  laid  low,  and  in  five 
days  the  malignant  fever  carried  him  off.  As 
soon  as  an  opportunity  offered,  the  desolate 
widow,  with  her  little  infant,  embarked  for 
England,  taking  with  her  an  African  girl, 
Sally,  to  take  care  of  them  during  the  voyage. 
But  great  bodily  weakness  and  extreJbe  mental 
suffering  soon  prostrated  her,  and  within  48 
hours  of  the  ship  reaching  the  port  of  Bristol, 
Mrs.  Marshall,  unable  to  proceed  to  her  friends 
in  the  north  of  England,  died  among  strangerS; 
though  on  her  native  shore,  leaving  her  baby  in 
the  hands  of  his  African  nurse,  both  strangers  in 
a  strange  land.  One  cold  morning  in  the  month 
of  October  of  that  year,  several  young  men,  can- 
didates for  the  missionary  ministry  of  Method- 
ism, were  passing  through  the  streets  of  London, 
on  their  way  to  meet  the  secretaries  and  com- 
mittee, to  be  examined  in  reference  to  their 
qualifications,  and  the  fields  of  labor  to  which 
they  should  be  sent.  Just  as  they  arrived  at 
the  Old  Mission  House  in  Hatton-Garden,  they 


80 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


met  a  negro  girl,  canving  in  her  arms  a  poor, 
sickly-looking  white  child.  They  spoke  to  her, 
and  while  her  sable  arms  were  folded  affection- 
ately round  her  little  charge,  and  the  tears 
flowed  down  her  face,  she  told  them  of  her 
country,  and  of  the  missionary  and  his  dear 
wife,  whom  she  had  so  much  loved  ;  how  they 
had  toiled  and  suffered  for  Africa,  and  how 
they  were  dead,  and  no  one  to  carry  on  the 
work ;  and  here  she  stood  before  the  commit- 
tee, that  had  sent  out  the  man  of  God  and  his 
wife,  bearing  back  the  missionary's  orphan 
boy,  and  pleading  that  poor  Africa  be  not 
given  up.  The  devoted  creature's  appeal,  ut- 
tered with  an  energy  and  a  pathos  truly  affect- 
ing, produced  an  immediate  and  powerful  im- 
pression upon  tlie  missionary  candidates ;  and 
one  of  their  number,  William  Moister,  imme- 
diately offered  himself  to  fill  the  vacated  post. 
In  a  few  weeks  he  was  on  his  way ;  and  when 
he  arrived  opposite  Bathurst,  and  it  became 
known  that  there  was  a  missionary  and  his 
wife  on  board,  the  Christian  natives  gathered 
to  the  beach,  plunging  into  the  water  to  meet 
the  boat,  out  of  which  they  lifted  them  and 
carried  them  ashore.  They  set  them  down 
and  then  wept  aloud  for  joy,  kissing  their 
hands  again  and  again,  and,  as  they  bedewed 
them  with  their  tears,  exclaiming, "  Tank  God, 
tank  God,  Mr.  Marshall  die,  but  God  send  us 
nuder  minister ! "  They  proceeded  to  the  mis- 
sion house ;  but  the  wild  flowers  had  grown 
upon  the  unused  steps  during  the  few  preced- 
ing months.  Mr.  Moister  entered  upon  his 
work  in  faith,  and  his  labors  were  soon  owned 
of  God ;  and  others  having  been  sent  to  his 
assistance,  he  extended  the  mission  to  Macar- 
thys  Island,  a  most  important  position  for  a 
mission.  This  move  brought  them  into  con- 
nexion with  the  Foulak  tribe,  the  very  people 
that  were  the  objects  of  Dr.  Coke's  benevolent 
but  unsuccessful  enterprise  in  1796.  Macar- 
thy's  Island  is  situated  in  the  Gambia  river, 
about  250  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  is  nearly 
seven  miles  long  and  one  broad,  having  the 
Gambia  on  both  sides.  From  the  central 
situation  of  this  island  its  trade,  in  gold,  ivory, 
hides,  and  beeswax — its  being  the  resort  of 
the  shipping,  and  the  facilities  which  its  noble 
river  affords  for  communication  with  the  coast 
and  the  interior — no  better  position  can  be 
found  in  all  Africa  for  a  missionary  station. 
Here,  therefore,  the  Wesleyan  committee  estab- 
lished a  stroni^  centre  of  operation,  including, 
as  part. of  their  plan,  an  institution  for  educa- 
ting the  sons  of  the  neighboring  kings  and 
chiefs.  The  committee  were  encouraged  to 
engage  in  this  enterprise  by  the  noble  munifi- 
cence of  a  single  individual — Dr.  Limine,  of 
Southampton — and  whose  benevolent  zeal  is 
the  more  to  be  appreciated,  inasmuch  as  he  was 
not  connected  with  the  Wesleyan  denomina- 
tion of  Christians.  From  1833  to  1848,  Dr. 
Lindoe  and  his  family  expended  upon  the  Fou- 
lah  Missimi  over  ^19,000.    A  tract  of  600 


acres  of  land  having  been  given  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, the  wandering  and  persecuted  Faur 
lahs  were  invited  to  settle  upon  it.  School 
houses  were  built,  and  the  llev.  Mr.  Macbrair, 
formerly  the  Society's  missionary  in  Egypt, 
was  sent  out  to  Macartliy's  Island  to  translate 
the  Scriptures  into  the  language  of  the  Man- 
dingoes  and  Foulahs.  Several  able  native 
missionaries  were  raised  up,  upon  whom  the 
work  has  since  chiefly  devolved,  and  the  society 
there,  with  the  genuine  spirit  of  a  missionary 
church,  are  laboring  and  praying  that  the  na- 
tions contiguoua  to  them  may  also  be  favored 
with  the  light  of  saving  truth.  The  record 
of  mortality  in  this  mission  is  truly  painful. 
During  the  past  32  years,  out  of  24  persona 
sent  out,  15  have  left  the  field  disabled,  and  12 
have  fallen  into  the  arms  of  death  I  And  yet 
men  are  found  who,  with  their  lives  in  their 
hand,  rush  forward  and  offer  themselves  for 
these  posts  as  often  as  they  are  left  unfilled  by 
the  ravages  of  disease  and  death.  The  longest 
term  of  service  was  that  of  Rev.  W.  Fox,  who 
was  enabled  to  stand  his  ground  for  ten  years. 
And  next  to  him  was  Rev.  H.  Badger,  who, 
after  spending  twelve  years  in  the  South  Afri- 
can missions,  went  to  the  Gambia  in  1848,  and 
remained  there  until  the  death  of  his  noble 
wife  last  year  obliged  him  also  to  retire.  The 
late  Mrs.  Badger  was  one  of  the  most  devoted 
female  missionaries  that  ever  was  sent  out  by 
any  Christian  society.  Twenty  years  of  her 
life  she  devoted  to  the  instruction  and  salva- 
tion of  the  African  race,  in  the  West  Indies, 
at  Sierra  Leone,  and  at  the  Gambia.  The 
languages  employed  at  the  Gambia,  beside  the 
English,  are  the  Jaloof,  the  Mandingo,  and  the 
Fotdah.  For  information  as  to  the  present 
state  of  this  mission,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  table  near  the  end  of  this  article. 

Ill  The  Cape  Coast  District—With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  German  Mission  at  Akropong 
and  Ussa,  the  only  missions  on  the  Gold  Coast 
are  those  of  the  Wesleyan  Society.  This  coast 
runs  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  Adirio  or 
Yolta,  to  Cape  Appolina,  a  distance  of  about 
240  miles.  The  leading  power  in  this  district 
of  Africa  is  the  Ashantee  nation,  the  capital  of 
which  is  Coomassie  or  Kumasi.  The  coast  of 
Guinea,  of  which  the  Gold  Coast  is  a  part, 
first  became  known  to  Europeans  in  the  six- 
teenth century.  At  that  period  the  spirit  of 
discovery,  which  during  the  middle  ages,  had 
been  confined  to  the  Arabs,  manifested  itself 
in  Europe  in  a  most  remarkable  manner.  The 
Portuguese,  who  led  the  way,  prosecuted  their 
researches  with  enthusiastic  ardor,  and  along 
the  western  coast  of  Africa,  and  from  various 
points  penetrated  into  the  interior.  The  Eng- 
lish first  commenced  trading  with  Guinea  in 
the  latter  end  of  the  reign  of  Edward  YI.; 
but  the  merchants  who  engaged  in  such  com- 
merce were  exposed  to  considerable  risk,  -"ji 
consequence  of  the  pretensions  of  the  Portu- 
guese, who  having  built  the  fort  of  St.  George 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


81 


del  Mina,  endeavored  to  enforce  their  claim  to 
an  exclusive  right  to  trade  with  the  Gold 
Coast,  as  well  as  the  other  parts  of  Western 
Africa.  The  Dutch  deprived  the  Portuguese 
of  their  forts  and  settlements,  on  the  Gold 
Coast ;  and  their  attempt  to  serve  the  English 
in  the  same  way,  led  to  the  war  between  the 
Dutch  and  English  in  1667.  At  its  conclusion 
the  English  company  were  left  in  possession  of 
only  one  fort,  that  of  Cape  Coast  Castle.  But 
they  soon  extended  themselves  on  the  coast 
again.  At  this  time  the  Fantees  governed 
the  whole  country  round  Cape  Coast—having 
the  powerful  and  warlike  Ashnntees  on  the 
nor^  of  them.  The  eruption  of  the  Ashan- 
toes  into  the  Fantee  country  first  brought 
them  into  collision  with  the  British,  in  the 
year  1807.  The  Ashantees  desolated  the 
country — and  their  great  military  power  may 
be  imagined  from  the  fact  of  the  immense  and 
disciplined  armies  they  brought  into  the  field. 
It  is  stated  that,  in  some  of  the  wars  in  which 
this  powerful  people  engaged,  often  30,000  men, 
and  in  two  instances,  as  many  as  100,000,  have 
been  left  dead  on  the  field  of  battle.  In  the 
war  of  1807  they  took  the  Dutch  fort  at  Cor- 
mantine,  they  then  fiercely  attacked  the  Bri- 
tish fort  of  Annamaboe,  when  a  negociation 
ensued,  and  Ckibbu,  the  author  of  the  war,  had 
to  be  given  up  to  them.  A  second  and  a  third 
invasion  followed,  until  the  Fantees  were  com- 
pletely subdued,  and  the  British  found  that,  to 
retain  their  own  possessions  they  must  concili- 
ate these  powerful  conquerors.  An  embassy 
therefore  was  sent  to  Coomassie,  a  treaty  con- 
cluded, and  a  resident  appointed  to  represent 
British  interests  at  the  capital.  Symptoms  of 
disquietude,  follov/ed  by  another  treaty,  having 
occurred,  the  Home  Government  resolved  to 
try  harsher  measures,  and  appointed  Sir 
Charles  McCarthy  Governor  of  Cape  Coast." 
He  adopted  a  warlike  policy.  Hostilities  were 
commenced  between  the  British  and  the  As- 
hantees, in  which  at  first  the  British  were  suc- 
cessful, but  in  the  fatal  battle  near  Assamacow, 
Sir  Charles  was  defeated  and  slain,  and  his 
army  cut  to  pieces.  As  an  illustration  of  the 
spirit  and  temper  of  the  savage  Ashantees,  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  they  cut  the  heads  of 
Sir  Charles  and  several  of  his  officers  from 
their  bodies,  and  having  seized  the  Secretary 
of  the  General,  Mr.  Williams,  they  confined 
him  in  a  room  where  the  heads  were  kept. 
They  also  tore  open  Sir  Charles'  body  and  took 
out  his  heart,  and  having  divided  it,  it  was 
eaten  by  the  Ashantee  Generals,  in  order  that 
they  might,  as  they  imagined,  imbibe  his 
bravery.  His  flesh  having  been  dried,  was  dij- 
vided,^  together  with  his  bones,  among  the 
captains  of  the  army,  who  kept  their  respective 
shares  about  their  persons,  as  charms  to  in- 
spire them  with  courage. 

About  two  years  from  this  period,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1826,  another  and  a  decisive  battle 
was  fought,  in  which  the  British  were  victo- 
6 


rious.  Among  the  trophies  was  a  human 
head,  enveloped  in  a  silk  handkerchief,  and  a 
paper  covered  with  Arabic  characters  ;  and 
over  the  whole  was  thrown  a  tiger  skin,  the 
emblem  of  royalty.  On  the  supposition  that 
this  was  the  head  of  the  unfortunate  General 
McCarthy,  it  was  afterwards  sent  to  England 
by  Colonel  Purdon ;  but  it  was  really  the 
head  of  the  old  king  Osai  Tutu  Quamina,  (a 
sovereign  remarkable  for  his  prowess)  which  the 
new  king  carried  about  with  him  as  a  charm. 
It  is  said  that  on  the  morning  of  the  battle,  he 
offered  it  a  libation  of  rum,  and  invoked  it  to 
cause  all  the  heads  of  the  whites  to  come  and 
lie  near  it ;  and  during  the  day,  when  intelli- 
gence was  brought  to  him  of  the  death  of  any 
of  his  principal  officers,  he  immediately,  in  the 
heat  of.  the  battle,  offered  human  sacrifices  to 
their  shades. 

But  the  blow  struck  by  the  British  was  so 
decisive  that  the  Ashantee  monarch  had  to 
submit  to  the  terms  imposed  on  him,  whicli 
were,  that  he  should  lodge  4000  ounces  of  gold 
in  the  castle  at  Cape  Coast,  to  be  appropriated 
in  purchasing  arms  and  ammunition  for  the  Bri- 
tish allies,  in  case  the  Ashantees  should  again 
commence  hostilities ;  and  that  two  of  the 
royal  family  of  Ashantee  should  be  sent  to 
Cape  Coast  as  hostages.  To  these  terms  he 
was  obliged  to  conform,  and  in  April,  1831, 
his  son  Quantimissah,  and  his  nephew  Ansah, 
arrived  at  the  Castle.  These  princes  were 
kindly  treated ;  they  received  a  good  education, 
under  the  direction  of  the  African  Committee, 
by  whom  the  British  Government  now  con- 
ducts the  affairs  of  the  Gold  Coast ;  and 
through  the  faithful  ministry  of  Rev.  J.  Dun- 
well,  the  first  Wesleyan  missionary  to  the 
Gold  Coast,  they  both  became  convinced  of 
the  truth  and  excellence  of  the  Christian  relig- 
ion, the  public  profession  of  which  they  assumed 
during  their  subsequent  visit  to  England, — 
Quantamissah  receiving  in  baptism  the  name 
of  William,  and  Ansah,  that  of  John.  They 
returned  to  Africa  with  the  Niger  Expedition, 
and  were  accompanied  to  Coomassie  by  the 
Rev.  T.  B.  Freeman,  Wesleyan  missionary  at 
Cape  Coast  Castle.  The  favorable  impression 
produced  on  the  mind  of  the  Ashantee  monarch, 
by  these  two  princes,  as  well  as  by  a  few  na- 
tive Christians  who  had  returned  to  Coomassie 
from  Sierra  Leone,  to  which  they  had  been 
carried  as  rescued  slaves,  by  the  British  cruis- 
ers, were  thus  the  meaiks  employed  by  Provi- 
dence for  opening  Ashantee  to  the  labors  of 
the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

Here  we  leave  the  narrative  for  the  present, 
in  order  to  glance  at  the  work  which  had  pre- 
viously been  begun  in  the  regions  on  the  south 
of  the  Ashantee  kingdom  nearer  thet  sea. 
Between  Coomassie  and  the  South  Atlantic 
Ocean  there  are  several  kingdoms,  as  Asin, 
Aquapim,  Akim,  Fantee,  &c.,  over  which  the 
monarchs  of  Ashantee  formerly  claimed  supreme 
sovereignty.    And  it  is  humiliating  to  reflect 


82 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


that  though  three  Protestant  jpowcrs  of  Europe 
— the  Danes,  the  Dutch,  aud  the  English— have 
saccoaaivcly  had  intercourse  with  these  and 
other  parts  of  Guinea  for  three  centuries,  yet 
until  a  comparatively  late  period,  but  few  at- 
tempts have  been  mtule  to  communicate  to  the 
native  population  the  light  and  blessings  of 
Christianity.  In  the  year  1751,  a  clergyman 
of  the  Church  of  England  went  out  under  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  to  the  Gold  Coast,  to  see  what 
couldl)e  done  in  establishing  a  mission  there. 
During  the  four  years  of  his  stay  he  oCBciatcd 
as  chaplain  of  the  troops  and  residents  at  Cape 
Coast  Castle,  but  was  much  discouraged  in  his 
attempts  to  establish  the  faith  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  natives.  His  health  having  failed 
he  returned  to  England  in  1756,  and  published 
an  account  of  his  efforts.  Before  leaving,  he 
had  sent  home  three  native  boys  from  Cape 
Coast,  who  were  placed  by  the  society  to 
which  he  belonged,  in  a  school  in  Islington, 
under  the  care  of  Mr.  Hickman,  with  whom 
they  are  reported  as  having  made  considerable 
proficiency  in  useful  learning,  and  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  Christian  religion.  One  of  these 
youths,  of  the  name  of  Quaque,  was  afterward 
sent  to  the  University  of  Oxford,  and  having 
completed  his  education  there,  he  received  or- 
dination, aud  returned  to  exercise  the  Christian 
ministry  in  his  native  countrj'.  He  was  chai> 
lain  at  Cape  Coast  Castle  for  more  than  fifty 
years ;  but  does  not  appear  to  have  been  in- 
strumental in  turning  any  of  his  countrymen 
to  Christianity.  Nor  will  this  excite  surprise, 
when  it  is  known  that  on  his  death-bed  he 
gave  evidence  that  he  had  at  least  as  much 
confidence  in  the  influence  of  the  Fetish,  as  in 
the  power  of  Christianity.  The  case  of  this 
individual  furnishes  matter  for  grave  consider- 
ation on  the  part  of  those  who  are  anxious  to 
promote  the  enlightenment  and  salvation  of 
Africa.  It  yields  no  support  to  the  theory  of 
Christianizing  heathen  lands,  primarily  or 
chiefly,  by  bringing  natives  to  England  or  the 
United  States,  for  education,  with  a  view  to 
their  being  employed  as  the  principal  instruc- 
tors of  their  countrymen ;  and  shows  that  if 
on  their  return,  they  are  left  to  their  own  re- 
sources, it  is  more  likely  that  they  will  sink 
down  again  to  the  level  of  their  former  state, 
than  that  they  will  prove  the  regenerators  of 
their  country.  Instructed  natives  may  main- 
tain their  consistency,  and  act  a  useful  part, 
where  they  are  placed  under  the  eye  and  direc- 
tion of  the  missionaries ;  but  if  they  be  thrown 
back  into  heathen  society  without  such  sup- 
port, it  ought  not  to  excite  surprise,  should 
the  result  prove  that  the  time  and  care  cm- 
ployed  upon  their  culture  have  been  expended 
m  vain.  Some  English  chaplains,  who  were 
sent  to  the  Gold  Coast  after  the  deceovse  of 
Quaque,  successively  died  soon  after  their  arri- 
val at  Cape  Coast  Castle. 

About  twenty-four  years  since,  a  mission 


was  commenced  by  the  Bask  Missionary  Society 
at  Danish  Akra,  and  in  the  adjoining  country 
of  Aquapim ;  but  this  truly  philanthropic  un- 
dertaking does  not  appear  to  have  met  with 
the  desired  success.  The  missionaries  encoun- 
tered opposition  in  quarters  where  they  ought 
to  have  found  encouragement  and  support ;  * 
several  of  them  were  removed  by  death,  and 
the  last  survivor,  Mr.  Riis,  returned  to  Europe 
in  1840. 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  Gold  Coast  about 
the  time  that  the  providence  of  God  directed 
the  attention  of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  So- 
ciety to  it.  It  was  in  the  autumn  of  1834  that 
the  committee  of  this  society  were  inducai,  by 
a  peculiar  train  of  inviting  circumstances,  to 
send  a  missionary  on  a  visit  of  observation  to 
the  Gold  Coast.  A  few  native  youths,  who 
had  learned  to  read  the  English  translation  of 
the  Bible,  in  the  excellent  government  school 
at  Cape  Coast  Castle,  became  so  interested  by 
the  contents  of  the  sacred  volume,  that  they 
agreed  to  meet  at  regular  times  for  the  pur- 
pose of  reading  it  together,  and  of  carefully 
inquiring  into  the  nature  and  claims  of  the 
Christian  religion.  The  formation  of  this  in- 
teresting society  took  place  in  October,  1831  ; 
and,  in  the  year  1833,  William  De  Graft,  one 
of  these  native  youths,  and  who  himself  had 
begun  to  read  the  Scriptures  privately  in  the 
spirit  of  prayer  and  inquiry,  received  at  Dix 
Cove,  where  he  was  then  residing,  a  request 
from  his  young  friends  at  Cape  Coast  Town, 
that  he  would  engage  some  suitable  person, 
who  might  be  proceeding  to  England,  to  pur- 
chase for  their  use  a  number  of  copies  of  the 
New  Testament.  Shortly  after,  the  late  ex- 
cellent Captain  Potter,  master  of  a  merchant 
vessel  from  the  port  of  Bristol,  arrived  at  Dix 
Cove ;  to  whom  De  Graft  applied  as  one  likely 
to  execute  with  promptness  and  care  the  com- 
mission for  the  purchase  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  captain  was  surprised  at  receiving  such 
an  application  from  a  native  young  man,  and 
became  so  greatly  interested  by  the  information 
which  his  questions  elicited,  that  he  was  led  to 
ask  whether  the  instructions  of  a  missionary 
would  not  be  highly  appreciated  by  those  native 
inquirers  after  the  true  religion  ?  De  Graft 
replied  in  the  affirmative,  but  appeared  doubt- 
ful whether  so  high  a  privilege  was  attainable. 
Captain  Potter  next  proceeded  to  Cape  Coast, 
where  he  saw  the  other  members  of  the  meet- 
ing or  society,  and,  having  consulted  President 
Maclean,  he  returned  to  England,  resolved  to 
exert  himself,  in  order  that,  on  his  next  voy- 
age, he  might,  together  with  copies  of  the 
scriptures,  take  out  a  Christian  missionary 
who  should  "  preach  the  word  "  to  those  who 
were  already  united  in  seeking  the  way  to 
eternal  salvation,  and  proclaim  the  gospel  of 
Christ  to  other  portions  of  the  heathenish  na- 
tive population  of  the  Gold  Coast.  Immedi- 
ately after  his  arrival  at  Bristol,  Capt.  Potter 
communicated  to  the  Wesleyan  Missionarv 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


88 


Committee  in  London  his  views  as  to  the  pro- 
mising opening-  for  missionary  exertion  in  that 
part  of  Africa,  and  generously  offered  to  take 
a  missionary  with  him  on  the  next  voyage, 
who  might  make  personal  observation  and  in- 
quiry upon  the  spot ;  and,  should  he  conclude 
that  the  prospect  was  not  such  as  to  warrant 
his  continuance  for  the  purpose  of  commencing 
a  mission,  Captain  Potter  engaged  that  in 
that  case  he  would  bring  him  back  to  England 
without  any  expense  to  the  missionary  society. 
This  noble  offer  met  with  acceptance  on  the 
part  of  the  missionary  committee,  and  the  Eev. 
Joseph  Dunwell  was  selected  for  the  interesting 
service. 

This  devoted  missionary  embarked  with 
Capt.  Potter  at  Bristol,  Oct.  11th,  1834.  The 
entries  in  his  private  journal  sufficiently  indi- 
cate the  views  with  which  he  entered  upon  his 
arduous  undertaking.  He  landed  at  Cape 
Coast  Castle  on  or  about  January  1,  1835, 
and  immediately  wrote  to  President  Maclean 
informing  him  of  his  arrival,  and  stating  the 
objects  contemplated  by  the  Wesleyan  Mission- 
ary Committee,  in  sending  him  to  that  part  of 
Africa.  The  President  gave  him  a  kind  recep- 
tion. By  the  native  young  men  who  formed 
the  society  for  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
Mr.  Dunwell  was  received  "  as  an  angel  of 
God."  They  at  once  placed  themselves  under 
his  care,  and  he  commenced  his  ministry  at 
Cape  Coast  town  on  the  first  Sabbath  after  h\3 
landed.  Speaking  of  the  congregation  to 
whom  he  preached  his  first  sermon,  composed 
of  the  members  of  the  above  mentioned  soci- 
ety and  a  few  others,  Mr.  D.  remarks,  "  The 
deepest  attention  was  manifested ;  joy  beamed 
on  every  countenance,"  and  adds,  "  Their  gra- 
titude is  without  bounds,  and  they  say,  '  we 
never  did  think  of  the  missionaries  coming  to 
teach  black  men.' " 

One  class  of  persons,  however,  the  fetish 
men,  speedily  took  the  alarm,  and  used  their  in- 
fluence to  prevent  the  people  from  attending 
Christian  worship,  and  many  of  their  steadfast 
votaries  employed  ridicule  and  threats  for  the 
purpose  of  deterring  their  friends  and  neigh- 
bors from  listening  to  the  truths  of  the  gospel. 
But  in  spite  of  such  opposition,  the  people 
flocked  to  the  ministry  of  Mr.  D.  at  Cape  Coast 
Castle,  Annamaboe,  and  other  places  which 
he  visited.  And  under  the  Divine  blessing, 
the  great  doctrines  of  Christianity  produced 
their  salutary  effect  on  many  minds,  and 
the  _  number  of  those  who  felt  interested  in  the 
subject  of  their  personal  salvation  steadily  in- 
creased. Mr.  Dunwell,  in  his  correspondence 
at  the  time,  mentioned  with  much  satisfaction 
a  striking  instance  of  decision  in  the  case  of  a 
woman  who  brought  out  her  household  gods 
and  publicly  burned  them  in  the  presence  of 
her  heathen  neighbors. 

The  mission  soon  assumed  a  most  promising 
appearance.  The  large  room  in  which  public 
service  was  held  in  Cape  Coast  town  proved 


too  small,  and  a  subscription  was  commenced 
among  the  natives  for  the  erection  of  a  suita- 
ble place  of  worship.  Mr.  Dunwell  had  se- 
cured great  respect  among  all  classes  of 
society,  and  was  receiving  applications  from 
distant  places  to  afford  them  also  the  benefit 
of  his  latiors.  But  in  the  midst  of  the  antici- 
pations which  this  hopeful  state  of  things  in- 
spired, he  was  attacked  by  fever,  under  which 
he  sunk  in  a  few  days  ;  and  left  the  societies 
which  he  had  been  instrumental  in  forming 
"  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd."  He  died  June 
14,  1835.  Upon  his  dying  bed  no  word  of 
discouragement  or  regret  escaped  his  lips, 
on  account  of  his  having  so  early  sacrificed 
his  life  in  the  missionary  enterprise ;  but  a 
quenchless  zeal  for  the  cause  of  his  Divine 
Master  sustained  him  to  the  last,  and  all  the 
solicitude  he  manifested  was  for  the  infant 
church  formed  by  his  instrumentality. 

This  aflflictive  dispensation  produced  the 
deepest  feeling  among  all  who  took  any  inter- 
est in  the  mission.  On  the  following  morning 
a  native  wrote,  "  Sad  news  in  the  town  ;  the 
shepherd  is  taken  away !  The  poor  missionary 
is  dead !"  Great  numbers  of  the  native  people 
and  the  resident  English  gentlemen  attended 
his  funeral,  at  which  his  Excellency,  the  Presi- 
dent officiated.  On  the  day  after  the  funeral, 
the  church  met  to  take  into  consideration  the 
painful  circumstances  of  their  bereaved  state. 
The  artless  manner  in  which  a  record  of  this 
meeting  was  made  in  the  minute-book  of  the 
Society,  will  best  explain  the  conclusion  that 
was  adopted  :  "  I  met  the  class  on  purpose  to 
know  whether  they  would  continue  in  the  pro- 
fessions they  had  recently  entered  into,  or  re- 
turn to  their  former  ways,  in  consequence  of 
the  death  of  their  missionary?  They  said, 
They  would  remain  in  the  new  'profession :  for 
though  tJie  missionary  was  dead,  God  lives. ^^ 
Another  appeal  was  forwarded  to  London, 
which  was  replied  to  by  the  Committee  in  the 
appointment  of  Mr.  Wrigley  and  his  wife  to 
the  vacant  station.  Tliey  arrived  in  Sept., 
1836,  and  were  followed  next  year  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Harrop  ;  but  in  a  short  time  Mrs.  Wrig- 
ley sunk  under  the  hand  of  death,  and  both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrop,  within  a  few  weeks  of 
their  arrival  on  the  coast,  were  attacked  by 
fever  and  in  a  few  days  after  were  both  laid  in 
the  grave.  Mr.  Wrigley  was  but  just  recover- 
ing from  an  attack  of  the  fever  when  he  was 
bereaved  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harrop.  But 
though  left  alone  he  toiled  on  at  the  erection 
of  the  large  new  chapel,  and  preached  the 
gospel  till  November,  when  he  also  was  taken 
ill  and  died.  The  arrival  of  Rev.  Thomas  B. 
Freeman  and  his  wife  early  in  January,  1838, 
once  more  revived  the  drooping  spirits  of  the 
native  church.  Mr.  Freeman  had  zealously 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  mission  when  he 
was  attacked  with  the  seasoning  fever  ;  and 
while  watching  with  solicitude  at  his  sick  bed, 
Mrs.  Freeman  was  seized  with  a  violent  inflam- 


84 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


matory  complaint,  which  tcrmiuatcd  licr  valu- 
able liYo  in  a  few  hours.  Mr.  Freeman  gradu- 
ally recovered  his  health  ;  and  from  that  period 
to  the  present,  except  during  his  occasional  visr 


its  to  England,  has  been  engaged  in  the  exe* 
cution  of  plans  which  have  coutributeti  great- 
ly, under  the  Divine  blessing,  to  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  mission  on  the  Gold  Coast. 


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AFRICA,  WESTEEN. 


85 


^  Mr.  Freeman  is  a  colored  mau,  and  though 
not  born  in  Africa,  yet  of  African  parentage. 
He  has  received  the  benefits  of  a  thorough  ed- 
ucation, which  added  to  his  great  natural  abil- 
ities, and  all  sanctified  by  a  zeal  for  Christ  and 
for  Africa  which  nothing  can  quench,  renders 
him  an  agent  of  preeminent  ability.  On  his 
arrival  at  Cape  Coast  in  1838,  he  found  that, 
notwithstanding  the  bereavements  which  death 
had  made  in  the  missionary  ranks,  the  cause 
of  God  was  in  a  state  of  increasing  prosperity, 
chiefly  by  the  labors  of  the  local  preachers  and 
class  leaders,  so  that  there  were  over  450 
church  members  scattered  over  the  district 
where  the  missionaries  and  their  devoted  assist- 
ants had  itinerated.  There  were  also  a  few 
schools,  with  five  or  six  places  of  worship,  one 
of  which  could  hold  from  6  to  700  persons,  and 
was  well  filled  with  attentive  hearers.  The 
new  chapel  at  Cape  Coast  was  completed  soon 
after  Mr.  Freeman's  recovery.  This  is  proba- 
bly the  largest  place  of  worship  out  of  Sierra 
Leone,  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa ;  and  on 
the  day  of  dedication  it  was  crowded  to  its 
utmost  capacity  by  a  deeply  interested  con- 
gregation of  Africa's  sons  and  daughters.  The 
Gospel  had  been  introduced  in  Annamaboe  by 
the  lamented  Mr.  Dunwell,  and  the  claims  of 
Christianity  were  first  introduced  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Winnebah,  on  the  east  of  Cape  Coast 
Town,  by  William  I)e  Graft,  who  had  now  be- 
come a  local  preacher  and  a  useful  agent '  of 
the  Society.  Mr.  Freeman  had  also  the  joy 
of  seeing  the  gospel  established  and  extended 
in  Akra,  and  at  Domonasi,  Dix  Cove,  and  sev- 
eral other  places.  But  it  is  in  connection  with 
his  visits  to  Ashantee  (pronounced  As-hanti,) 
that  Mr.  Freeman's  name  has  come  so  pro- 
minently before  the  public  of  late  years. 

The  territory  over  which  the  king  of  Ashan- 
tee reigns,  including  the  dependencies  of  that 
power,  are  not  much,  if  at  all,  inferior  in  ex- 
tent to  England  and  Wales  united.  The  pop- 
ulation is  estimated  by  Mr.  Beecham  at  over 
4,000,000 ;  while  the  capital  city,  Coomassie, 
(pronounced  Kumasi,)  is  said  to  contain  at  least 
100,000  persons.  They  are  a  powerful  race  of 
men,  but,  to  a  frightful  degree  reckless  of  human 
life ;  and  some  of  their  manners  and  customs 
are  not  to  be  exceeded  on  earth  for  blood- 
thirstiness  and  brutality.  Their  monarchy  is 
very  powerful — they  have  a  large  army,  of  over 
150,000  men,  well  disciplined,  and  also  great 
wealth,  which  they  delight  to  exhibit  in  truly 
barbarian  magnificence. 

This  remarkable  people  claim  a  remote  an- 
tiquity, but  from  the  want  of  written  records 
among  them,  little  can  be  known  of  their  early 
history.  The  mountains  of  Kong,  on  the  north 
of  their  territory,  seem  to  have  opposed  a  suc- 
cessful barrier  to  the  desolating  tide  of  Moham- 
medanism as  it  swept  over  the  regions  through 
which  the  Niger  rolls  its  course.  During,  or 
about,  the  thirteenth  century,  that  portion  of 
the  pure  Negro  race  which  could  not  brook 


the  Mohammedan  rule,  took  refuge  to  the 
south  of  this  great  mountain  range,  and  have 
there  maintained  their  independence  to  the 
present  day.  Among  all  the  negro  kingdoms, 
Ashantee  holds  the  foremost  place ;  and  the 
conversion  of  such  a  people  to  the  faith  of 
Christ,  should  it  take  place,  would  be  "  life 
from  the  dead  "  to  the  nations  around  them. 
And  hence  the  surpassing  interest  which  at- 
taches to  any  opening  for  the  Gospel,  however 
small,  among  this  remarkable  people.  (See 
Ashantee  and  tlie  Gold  Coast.) 

]\Ir.  Freeman  felt  the  importance  of  attempt- 
ing to  introduce  Christianity  into  Ashantee, 
and  at  length  an  opportunity  offered ;  and 
leaving  the  mission  at  Cape  Coast  under  the 
care  of  William  De  Craft,  he  made  preparation 
for  the  arduous  undertaking.  As  an  evidence 
of  their  desire  to  spread  the  Gospel  among 
their  countrymen,  it  may  here  be  mentioned, 
that  the  native  Christians  at  Cape  Coast  not 
only  were  willing  to  relinquish  the  benefits  of 
their  missionary's  care  for  several  months,  that 
he  might  perform  this  service,  but  they  also 
contributed  of  their  own  little  means  $600 
toward  the  expenses  of  his  journey.  Ilefer- 
ring  those  who  desire  more  information  on  this 
interesting  subject  than  the  limits  of  this  arti- 
cle will  allow,  to  the  published  Journals  of  Mr. 
Freeman,  we  will  merely  state  a  few  facts  in 
conclusion.  He  left  Cape  Coast  on  the  29ih 
of  January,  1839,  accompanied  by  a  few  at- 
tendants, and,  after  being  detained  at  various 
towns  along  his  route  by  the  superstitious  fears 
of  the  Ashantee  king,  who  could  not  compre- 
hend why  a  missionary  should  want  to  see 
him  and  visit  his  capital,  no  stranger  ever 
having  gone  there,  except  to  trade  or  conclude 
a  treaty,  or  for  some  secular  object ;  and  yet, 
under  the  idea  that  Mr.  Freeman  was  a  pow- 
erful fetishman,  whose  wrath  it  would  be  im- 
politic to  provoke,  the  king  at  length  gave 
consent  that  he  might  approach  the  capital. 
Mr.  Freeman  afterward  learned,  that  previous 
to  leave  being  granted  for  his  approach,  a  sac- 
rifice of  two  human  victims  had  been  made 
with  a  view  to  avert  any  evil  that  might, 
without  such  precaution,  result  from  his  visit. 
Great  preparations  were  made  for  his  recep- 
tion. At  length,  on  the  1st  of  April,  he 
entered  Coomassie,  and  was  received  in  the 
spacious  market  place,  by  the  king  and  his 
officers  and  army,  with  others,  to  the  amount 
of  over  40,000  persons.  And  there  he  stood, 
the  first  herald  of  the  Gospel  that  had  ever 
entered  the  dark  and  blood-stained  capital  of 
Ashantee  to  offer  to  its  monarch  and  its  people 
the  religion  of  purity  and  peace. 

The  king,  though  kind,  would  not  commit 
himself  as  to  the  establishment  of  schools  and 
a  mission  station  in  his  capital,  but  requested 
time  to  think  of  it,  and  wished  Mr.  Freeman 
to  return  soon  again  and  he  should  give  him 
an  answer.  After  a  delay  of  fifteen  days,  in 
consequence  of  a  "  custom "  for  a  deceased 


86 


AFRICA,  TVESTERN. 


relative,  to  whose  shade  42  human  beings  were 
sacrificed  in  two  days,  while  Mr.  F.  was  there, 
he  was  alloweil  to' depart;  having  striveu  to 
coimniinicate  to  the  monarch  and  his  coimscl- 
lors,  as  far  as  they  were  disposed  to  give  him 
audience,  as  full  an  exposition  of  the  Gospel 
as  he  posi^bly  could.    He  evidently  made  a 

good  impression  at  Coomassie,  and  though  the 
oor  was  not  opened,  yet,  by  his  being  kindly 
received  in  his  avowed  character  as  a  mission- 
ary, its  bolts  had  been  drawn,  and  he  hoped  a 
future  visit  would  result  in  a  free  access  for 
the  Gospel.  The  publication  of  Mr.  F.'s  jour- 
nal greatly  increased  the  interest  already  exists 
ing  on  behalf  of  Ashantee,  and  a  special  fund 
of  825,000  was  soon  raised  to  open  a  mission 
in  tliat  kingdom.  Accompanied  by  the  two 
Ashantee  princes,  who  had  iust  returned  from 
England,  the  youngest  of  whom  is  heir  to  the 
throne,  Mr.  Freeman  set  out  on  a  second  visit 
to  Coomassie  in  November,  1841.  He  was 
kindly  received,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining 
ground  for  a  mission-house  and  permission  to 
cstablisli  a  school,  and  have  the  Gospel  preach- 
ed in  the  streets  and  markets  of  Coomassie 
without  any  restraint.  And  though  little  has 
as  yet  been  accomplished  in  the  way  of  gath- 
ering a  church,  yet  the  fact  that  ten  or  twelve 
hundred  persons  statedly  attend  Christian  wor- 
ship in  the  capital  of  Ashantee  is  cause  of 
great  encouragement,  and  we  look  forward 
with  hope  that  this  citadel  of  the  Powers  of 
Darkness  will  yet  be  surrendered  to  the  Cap- 
tain of  our  Salvation. 

In  addition  to  introducing  the  gospel  into 
Ashantee,  Mr.  Freeman  was  enabled  the  next 
year  to  visit  Sode/ce,  the  powerful  chief  of 
Abbeokuta,  and  obtained  permission  to  preach 
the  gospel  and  open  a  school  in  the  capital, 
which  Mr.  F.  considers  to  be  larger  than  even 
Coomassie ;  so  that  there  are  now  Christian 
missions  in  Ashantee,  Badagry,  and  Abbeo- 
kuta, besides  Cape  Coast  Town,  Dix  Cove, 
Annamaboe,  Domouasi,  Akra  and  other  im- 
portant places.  The  queen  of  Jabin  also,  haS 
lately  applied  to  Mr.  Freeman,  very  earnestly 
requesting  him  to  establish  a  mission  in  her 
dominions. 

Badagry  and  Abbeokuta  have  been  descri- 
bed by  travelers,  particularly  by  Laivier,  as  the 
seat  of  the  most  sanguinary  superstitions,  and 
the  scene  of  the  worst  atrocities  and  cruelties 
of  the  slave-trade ;  and  yet  even  here  have  the 
returned  and  christianized  emigrants  from 
Sierra  Leone  been  kindly  received  by  the 
savage  monarch,  and  the  foundation  of  a  Chris- 
tian church  been  laid.  But  for  further  infor- 
mation we  must  refer  the  reader  to  the  forego- 
ing tables.  An  institution  for  training  a 
native  ministry  is  in  operation  at  British  Akra, 
under  the  care  of  Mr.  Wharton.  All  the  re- 
ports for  1853  from  this  district  speak  of  the 
continued  prosperity  of  the  work  in  highly 
gratifying  terms.  A  recent  letter  of  the  gen- 
eral superintendent  says : "  Never  has  the  work 


of  God  in  this  district  been  kno^Mi  to  assume 
so  cheering  an  aspeet.  The  influence  of  Chris- 
tianity is  rapidly  extending  itself  into  the  in- 
terior. All  the  out  stations,  except  perhaps 
Kumasi,  are  in  a  healthy,  vigorous,  and  flour- 
ishing condition — the  pastoral  visits  to  the 
stations  in  the  interior  delight  us  much  ;  they 
are  means  of  grace  to  ourselves."  The  writer 
goes  on  to  exemplify  this  latter  statement  by 
the  details  of  a  recent  journey  taken  for  the 
double  purpose  of  opening  a  new  native  chapel 
at  Abuadi,  which  has  been  built  by  the  chief 
of  that  town,  at  his  own  expense,  and  presented 
to  the  mission,  dnd  of  laying  the  foundation  of 
a  chapel  at  Thinquah,  whore  the  Gospel  is  ex- 
tending its  power  among  the  people. — Wedeii- 
an  Missi&nai'y  Notices,  Annual  Reports,  and  the 
Annual  Minutes  and  Magazine;  Fox's  History  oj 
Missions  on  the  IVest  Coast  of  Africa ;  Moist  er's 
Missionary  Memorials  of  Western  Africa  ;  Blurnr 
luirdt's  Manual  of  Missionary  History  and  Ge- 
ography ;  and  Beccham's  Ashantee  and  the  Gold 
Coast.— B^EX.  W.  Bdtler. 

American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. — 
This  mission  is  restricted  to  that  part  of  the 
coast  of  Africa  known  as  Liberia,  and  to  the 
Bassa  tribe  of  its  inhabitants,  a  people  occu- 
pying a  strip  of  the  coast,  ninety  miles  in  length 
lying  between  Junk  river  and  the  river  Scsters, 
extending  nearly  seventy  miles  in  the  interior. 
They  are  supposed  to  be  about  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  thousand  in  number. 

The  first  missionaries  sent  by  the  Board  to 
Africa  were  Rev.  Lott  Carey  and  Rev.  Collin 
Teage,  two  colored  men,  who  were  ordained  at 
Richmond,Va.,in  January,1821,andsoonafter- 
ward3  sailed  for  Liberia  as  emigrants  of  the 
American  Colonization  Society.  This  society 
had  then  no  colony  upon  the  coast,  and  Messrs. 
Carey  and  Teage  went  to  Freetown,  in  the 
PJnglish  colony  of  Sierra  Leone.  In  February, 
1822,  they  removed  to  Monrovia,  a  settlement 
planted  by  colonists  from  America,  and  com- 
menced their  labors  as  missionaries.  During 
the  following  year  a  church  was  formed  and 
six  persons  were  added  to  it  by  baptism,  and 
in  1824  nine  more  were  baptized,  and  a  house 
of  worship  was  erected.  Of  this  church  Mr. 
Carey  became  the  pastor,  his  associate  having 
meanwhile  returned  to  Sieira  Leone.  He 
was  a  man  of  unusual  intelligence  and  energy 
of  character,  and  his  career  was  one  of  great 
usefulness  to  the  people  of  his  race,  with  whom 
he  was  brought  in  contact  on  the  shores  of 
Africa. 

Early  in  1825  Rev.  Calvin  Holton  was  ap 
pointed  to  this  mission  by  the  Board,  and  sailed 
for  the  American  colonies  which  had  been 
planted  on  the  coast.  He  had,  however,  scarce 
ly  arrrived,  when  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  fevei 
which  in  that  climate  seldom  fails  to  attack 
Europeans  from  other  latitudes.  Meanwhile, 
the  mission  was  sustained  by  Mr.  Carey  with 
the  aid  of  two  or  three  pious  assistants  whom 
he  found  among  the  emigrants.    He  provided 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


8T 


most  of  the  resources  by  which  it  was  kept 
alive,  for  the  allowance  of  the  Board  was  at 
this  time,  very  small,  and  gave  direction  and 
character  to  all  its  operations.  These  em- 
braced the  emigrant  colonists  at  Monrovia,  also 
the  natives  dwelling  upon  the  coast,  especially 
those  at  Grand  Mount,  where  he  preached  and 
established  schools.  In  September,  1826,  he 
was  elected  vice-agent  of  the  colony,  and  sub- 
sequently, on  the  return  of  Mr.  Ashmun  to 
the  United  States,  he  was  appointed  for  the 
interim  to  the  post  of  governor,  the  duties  of 
which  he  was  discharging  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  Serious  depredations  had  been  made 
upon  the  property  of  the  colony  by  some  na- 
tives, and  Mr.  Carey  had  called  out  the  troops, 
and  was  making  arrangements  for  its  defense 
when  the  accidental  explosion  of  a  large  mass 
of  gunpowder  suddenly  put  an  end  to  his  life. 
At  the  period  of  his  death  the  church  of  which 
he  was  pastor  contained  a  hundred  members. 
It  was  committed  to  the  charge  of  Mr.  Teage, 
who  now  returned  from  Sierra  Leone,  and  of 
Mr.  Waring,  one  of  its  members  lately  ordained 
a  minister.  The  agencies  which  had  been  es- 
tablished by  Mr.  Carey,  long  survived  his 
death,  and  continued  to  bless  the  race  for  which 
he  had  toiled.  The  church  at  Monrovia  soon 
numbered  two  hundred  members,  and  the  in- 
fluences of  the  gospel  were  extended  to  the 
natives  of  the  coast,  of  whom  nearly  a  hundred 
were  united  with  the  several  churches  of  the 
colony. 

In  1830,  Rev.  Benjamin  Skinner  was  ap- 
pointed a  missionary  to  Africa,  and  arrived  at 
Monrovia  with  his  family  in  December.  Soon 
after  their  arrival  they  wtre  all  prostrated 
with  the  fever  of  the  coast,  and  in  the  course 
of  the  following  six  months  they  all  fell  vic- 
tims to  its  ravages,  Mr.  Skinner  himself  dy- 
ing at  sea  on  his  passage  to  the  United  States. 
After  these  disastrous  issues  of  the  attempts  of 
the  managers  to  employ  missionaries  in  Africa, 
five  years  elapsed  before  any  reinforcement 
was  sent  to  the  mission.  During  the  interval 
the  gospel  was  preached,  and  public  worship 
and  the  ordinances  of  religion  were  maintained 
by  preachers  who  were  appointed  from  among 
the  pious  emigrants.  The  most  conspicuous 
of  these,  in  addition  to  those  already  named, 
were  Rev.  A.  W.  Anderson,  Rev.  John  Lewis, 
and  Rev.  Hilary  Teage  son  of  Collin  Teage. 
In  the  summer  of  1834,  Dr.  Ezekiel  Skinner, 
father  of  the  missionary,  went  to  reside  in  Li- 
beria. He  had  been  a  physician,  and  also  a 
minister  in  Connecticut,  and  now  emigrated 
to  Liberia  from  motives  of  philanthropy  to- 
wards the  race  for  whose  interests  his  son  had 
sacrificed  his  life.  This  gentleman  was  sub- 
sequently chosen  governor,  and  exerted  both 
his  personal  and  official  influence  in  favor  of 
the  mission  and  the  spiritual  objects  it  was  in- 
tended to  promote. 

In  1835  Rev.  W.  G.  Crocker  and  Rev.  W. 
Myine  oflered  themselves  to  the  Board,  and 


were  appointed  missionaries  to  Africa.  Their 
proposal  was  a  noble  sacrifice,  which  the  man- 
agers, though  they  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to 
solicit  it,  yet  were  unwilling  to  decline.  They 
were  persons  of  education  and  of  high  qualifi- 
cations for  the  service  to  which  they  devoted 
themselves.  They  sailed  from  Philadelphia 
on  the  11th  of  July,  1835,  and  arrived  after  a 
brief  passage,  at  Monrovia,  and  immediately 
repaired  to  Millsburg,  a  town  in  the  vicinity, 
in  order  to  go  through  with  the  process  of 
acclimation.  They  were  soon  all  attacked  with 
the  fever  of  the  coast,  which  terminated  the 
life  of  Mrs.  Mylne,  the  only  lady  of  the  com- 
pany. Mr.  Mylne  and  Mr.  Crocker,  though 
with  reduced  strength,  were  soon  able  to  enter 
upon  their  labors  as  missionaries,  and  for  this 
purpose  they  selected,  with  the  advice  of  Dr. 
Skinner,  Edina  as  the  place  of  their  residence. 
This  was  a  settlement  of  the  Colonization  So- 
cieties of  Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Mecklin  river,  opposite  Bassa 
Cove,  the  principal  trading  place  of  the  Bassa 
tribe,  a  numerous  people  whose  language  was 
widely  spoken  along  the  coast  and  in  the  in- 
terior. They  began  to  acquire  the  language 
with  the  aid  of  a  young  colonist  who  could 
speak  both  Bassa  and  English.  They  iffade 
themselves  acquainted  with  the  people  of  the 
country  by  several  excursions  into  the  interior, 
and  at  the  same  time  preached  and  established 
schools  among  the  emigrant  colonists  both  at 
Bassa  Cove  and  Edina.  At  the  former  place 
a  house  of  worship  was  erected  by  funds  which 
they  collected,  and  during  the  year  1836  six- 
teen persons  were  baptized  and  added  to  the 
church  of  which  Mr.  Mylne  was  temporarily 
the  pastor. 

During  the  same  period,  also,  Mr.  Crocker 
was  able  so  far  to  master  the  language  as  to 
prepare  a  spelling-book  and  small  vocabulary 
of  words  and  phrases  ;  to  which  was  also  ap- 
pended a  brief  outline  of  the  facts  of  divine 
revelation.  These  were  printed  in  December, 
1836,  and  contributed  very  perceptibly  to  the 
progress  of  the  schools  and  to  the  general  intel- 
ligence of  the  tribe.  It  was  not  till  June,  1837, 
that  the  mission  buildings  at  Edina  were  ready 
to  be  occupied,  and  at  this  time  the  missiona- 
ries, who  had  sufiered  repeatedly  from  attacks 
of  disease,  established  themselves  there  and 
commenced  their  work  more  immediately 
among  the  native  population.  They  had  also 
frequently  visited  a  district  up  the  river,  whose 
chief  manifested  so  great  interest  in  their 
labors,  that  in  October,  1837,  Mr.  Crocker 
took  up  his  residence  at  Madebli,  the  princi- 
pal village  of  the  district.  The  chief's  name 
was  Sante  Will,  and  he  claimed  to  be  an  im- 
portant patron  of  the  mission,  and  was  the 
first  to  entrust  his  sons  to  the  care  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. The  number  of  children  now  sent 
to  the  school  at  Edina  was  quite  as  large  as 
could  be  provided  for,  and  many  of  them  were 
sons  of  th«  principal  chiefs  among  the  Bassas  ; 


88 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


the  son  of  kinjf  Kobor  luinjr  the  most  promi 
ncnt.  both  for  intelligonco  and  for  excollencc 
cf  character. 

The  mission  at  Ediiia  wrw  now  ftilly  C8tab- 
lished,  but  it«  heroic  comhietoro,  though  tho,y 
appear  to  have  taken  a  nu).st  hopeful  view  of 
their  condition  and  pr<)spect8,  yet  found  tiieni- 
8plve«  in  the  midst  ()f  igiuu-anee  and  stupidity, 
of  degrading  supei*stitions  and  brutal  wrongs, 
such  as  could  scarcely  have  been  found  in  any 
other  portion  of  the  world.  The  coloninls  in 
the  neighboring  settlenu'nt.s  often  presented 
an  example  and  exerted  an  intluence  nio.st  un- 
fri(>ndly  to  the  interests  of  the  mission  ;  while 
the  nativcij  of  the  coast  were  so  debjised  by 
barbarian  piussions,  and  so  brutalized  by  siiper- 
stitions,  lus  hardly  to  be  capable  of  conntre- 
hen«ling  spiritual  truth.  In  addition  to  this, 
thev  were  near  the  marts  in  which  the  horricl 
tralVic  in  slaves  wius  constantly  carried  on,  in 
many  instances  by  the  very  persons  to  whom 
they  were  engaged  in  preacliing  the  gosi)el. 
They,  however,  were  not  dishearteiu'd,  and 
even  prei)ar(Hl  to  extend  the  iiitluence  of  the 
mission  to  other  tribes,  both  on  the  coast  and 
in  the  interior. 

I*. January,  1838,  this  mi.saion  was  strength- 
ened by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Ivory  Clarke  and 
his  wife,  who,  so  soon  as  they  had  recovered 
from  the  acclimating  fever — which  with  them 
wa.s  unusually  mild — entered  upon  the  studv 
of  the  language  and  the  performanct!  of  such 
labors  jus  their  inex^)erience  would  admit.  Th(> 
prospects  of  the  mission  were  brightened  i)y 
this  accwssion,  but  only  for  a  brief  sea.son  ;  for 
Mr.  Mylne,  who  had  siillered  from  repeatcid 
fevers,  in  the  following  May  wjih  obliged  to 
return  to  the  United  States,  and  with  a  consti- 
tution hopelessly  shattered,  to  withdraw  from 
the  service  of  the  IJoard.  The  station  at  Edina 
was  now  committcid  to  the  care  of  Mr.  ( llarke, 
assisted  by  two  of  the  emigrant  colonists ; 
while  Mr.  Crocker  still  dwelt  at  Madcjbli,  en- 
gaged in  preaching,  teaching  in  the  schools, 
and  tran.slating  tlu;  Scriptures ;  in  the  hitter 
of  wiiich  \\v  wius  assisted  by  tlu^  young  ])rin('(! 
alrea<ly  mentioned,  the  son  of  king  Kober,  the 
great  chief  of  the  Haasas.  In  Heptember,  1  H.'li), 
the  mission  welcomed  to  Kdina,  Mi.ss  Itizpah 
Warren,  a  lady  who  had  been  annointed  by 
the  Board  a  missionary  teacher,  harly  in  the 
following  8umuu?r  she  was  married  to  Jiev.  \V. 
G.  Crocker,  and  went  to  reside  with  him  at 
the  village  of  ^fadebli,  where  she  was  soon 
attacked  by  the  tierce  fever  of  the  climate  and 
died  in  eight  davs,  on  the  28th  of  August, 
1840.  Mr.  Crocker  was  iirst  attacked,  but 
recovering  from  the  imnuMliate  violence  of  the 
disease,  he  wiw  able,  after  the  d(!ath  of  his 
wife,  to  escape  to  Cape  l*alnuus,  and  thus  to 
prolong  his  life  by  a  chang(!  of  climate.  'I'hus 
cnfe(!bled  by  disea.se  and  <lepressed  by  sorrow, 
he  retm-ned  to  Madebli  in  October,  and  again 
entered  upon  the  lal)ors  of  the  mission.  Karly 
in  1840,  Messrs.  Alfred  A.  Con.staiitinc  and 


Josejdi  I'^iehling  oflered  themselves  to  the 
Hoard  lus  missionarii's  either  to  the  western 
coast  or  to  the  interior  of  Africa.  An  imjjn's- 
sion  at  that  tinu^  prevailed  that  the  clinnite  of 
tlu^  interior  might  be  found  less  injurious  to 
iMU'opean  constitutions  than  lhati>f  the  coast; 
and  tlu»  ib-itish  government  was  prej)aring  an 
expedition  to  luscend  the;  Niger  for  the  purpose 
of  intro<lueing  among  the  tribes  of  the  country 
the  arts  and  the  commerce  of  Europe.  Jn  ac 
cordanci!  with  this  impression,  and  the  hopes 
which  were  inspired  by  the  Niger  cxj)edition, 
the  new  missionaries  were  sj)eeially  designated 
by  the  nmnagci-s  to  the  country  lying  uj)on 
that  river.  They  accordingly  sailed  with  their 
wives  in  SeptendKT,  18-10,  and  reached  l'>(linu 
on  th(!  .'Id  of  December;  and  here  tliey  deter- 
mine<l  to  pass  the  neriod  of  tlu'ir  acclimation, 
and  also  to  await  tne  results  of  the  expedition 
that  wjus  about  to  ascend  the  Niger. 

The  African  fever  soon  seized  them  with  its 
accustomed  violence,  and  within  six  weeks  of 
their  arrival,  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ]<Melding  be- 
came it«  victims.  Mr.  atid  Mrs.  Const antine, 
though  they  survived  the  fever,  were  wholly 
luiable  to  engage;  in  the  labors  of  tlu;  mi.ssion. 
They  remained  at  Kdiiui,  hoj)ing  to  regain 
their  health  by  nuiking  excursions  along  tlu^ 
coiust/,  and  in  which  they  were  also  able  to 
extend  their  aenuuintance  with  the  character 
of  its  people.  Meanwhile,  the  Jb-itish  expedi- 
tion made  its  disastrous  i)as.sage  up  the  Niger, 
late  in  the  summer  of  J 84 1.  'I'Ik;  frightful 
d(!strnction  of  hunum  life  which  attended  it, 
and  the  reduced  aiul  disabled  condition  in 
which  it  returned  to  tlu;  coast,  put  an  end  to 
the  hones  with  whleh  it  hiid  been  undertaken, 
of  finding  a  nu)re  salubrious  climate!  in  the 
interior.  The  design  of  establishing  a  branch 
of  the  mission  there  was  entirely  abandoned. 
Mr.  Constantino,  no  longer  able  to  (;ndure  the 
climate  of  Africa,  retiu'ned  with  his  wife  to 
America  in  June,  184*2,  and  soon  after  dis- 
solved his  coniKJction  with  tlu!  Hoard. 

Jn  duly  of  the  ))receding  year,  Mr.  (Crocker, 
in  conse(|uenee  of  <lee,Iining  health,  had  ro- 
turned  to  the  United  States.  Jl(!  had  left  the 
mission  with  the  utmost  reluctance,  at  what  to 
him  was  tin;  period  of  it><  greatest  interest  and 
promise.  Much  good  laid  been  accomplislKul ; 
schools  had  b(!en  established,  and  W(!r(!  largely 
attended ;  ])rejudices  and  sujwrstitions  luul 
b(!en  ov<',rconi(! ;  and  more  than  all,  the  power  (;f 
tlu;  gosfx'l  had  been  disjjlayed  in  th(!  conversion 
of  several  of  tlu;  natives  and  a  large  nundxT  of 
theetnigrants.  The;  churches  coniKK'.lcd  with  tlu- 
mission  were  multiplied  and  enlarg(!d,  anel  their 
m(!inbers  had  begun  tf»  appreciate  th(;ir  obli- 
gations to  spread  the  gosfx;'  among  those  who 
knew  it  not.  A  new  station  was  also  estab- 
lishe<l  at  Hexley,  a  little  town  on  the  M(!cklin, 
six  miles  from  I'idina ;  and  a  })rinting  im'MH 
had  been  received,  and  a  [)rinter  only  was 
want,ed  in  order  to  put  to  ])ress  se^veral  por- 
tions of  the  New  Testament,  and  other  volunu^s 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


89 


which  the  missionaries  had  prepared  in  the 
Bassa  language.  Mr.  Crocker,  in  hastening 
away,  as  he  felt  obliged  to  do  in  order  to  save 
the  remnant  of  his  enfeebled  constitution,  was 
compelled  to  abandon  all  these  interests  and 
prospects,  over  which  he  had  long  watched 
with  the  fondest  care.  After  his  departure, 
the  entire  charge  of  the  mission  devolved  upon 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarke,  who  had  under  their 
direction  three  or  four  assistants  employed 
either  as  teachers  or  preachers.  The  press  was 
set  in  operation  in  September,  1842,  under  the 
superintendence  of  a  printer  olDtained  from  the 
cftlony,  and  several  books  were  printed  for  the 
schools,  and  also  for  circulation  among  the  few 
who  could  read.  Two  schools  were  maintain- 
ed, one  at  Edina  and  one  at  Bexley,  contain- 
ing, together,  about  90  pupils,  of  whom  55 
were  natives.  Companies  were  also  assembled 
at  both  the  stations  on  the  Sabbath,  and  often 
on  several  evenings  during  the  week,  for  in- 
struction in  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  and  of 
Christian  morals.  An  out-station  was  estab- 
lished at  Duawi's  town,  a  large  village  30  or 
40  miles  in  the  interior,  at  which  the  chief 
promised  to  build  a^chool-house,  and  to  sup- 
port a  teacher,  if  Mr.  Clarke  would  provide 
one.  The  school  was  begun  by  a  young  native, 
who  had  for  several  years  been  under  the  in- 
struction of  the  missionaries. 

Mr.  Crocker,  on  reaching  the  United  States, 
abandoned  all  hope  of  ever  returning  to  the 
mission,  so  shattered  did  his  constitution  ap- 

Eear  to  have  become.  He  however  soon  betook 
imself  to  the  South,  and  after  a  residence  of 
several  months  in  a  more  friendly  climate,  he 
found  himself  so  far  restored  that  he  again 
presented  himself  to  the  Board  and  asked  to 
be  sent  back  to  his  place  in  the  mission  which 
he  had  loved  so  well.  His  proposal  was  gladly 
accepted,  and  he  sailed  from  IBoston,  January 
1,  1844,  in  company  with  Mrs.  Crocker,  he 
having  been  married  a  little  time  before  to 
Miss  Mary  B.  Chadbourne,  of  Newburyport. 
He  reached  the  coast  on  the  24th  of  February, 
apparently  in  excellent  health  ;  but  on  the  sec- 
ond day  after  his  arrival,  while  engaged  in  the 
services  of  the  pulpit  at  Monrovia,  he  was 
fatally  seized  with  a  violent  hermorrhage  of 
the  stomach,  and  died  after  an  illness  of  two 
days.  The  fall  of  this  rare  missionary,  in  a 
manner  thus  unexpected,  seemed  to  blight  the 
prospects  of  the  mission  and  almost  to  extin- 
guish the  hopes  of  its  friends.  Scarcely  had 
the  intelligence  of  his  return  been  spread  along 
the  coast  v/hen  the  tidings  of  his  death  carried 
mourning  to  every  village  and  almost  every 
dwelling.  He  was  a  missionary  of  truly  apos- 
tolic stamp,  and  his  name  deserves  to  be  en- 
rolled among  the  foremost  of  the  heroic  men 
who  in  different- ages  of  the  church  have  braved 
every  peril  and  at  length  sacrificed  life  itself 
for  the  benefit  of  the  benighted  children 
of  Africa, 
Mrs.  Crocker,  thus  early  widowed  on  the 


desolate  shore  of  a  distant  continent,  attached 
herself  to  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarke, 
at  Edina,  and  immediately  set  about  prepar- 
ing for  the  labors  of  the  mission,  on  which  she 
was  soon  able  to  enter.  In  January,  1845,  the 
principal  station  was  removed  from  Edina  to 
Bexley,  a  locality  deemed  more  favorable  to 
health  and  nearer  to  the  Bassa  people  ;  but  a 
subordinate  station  was  still  maintained  at 
Edina  and  new  out-stations  were  commenced 
at  Zuzo  and  at  Little  Bassa,  the  latter  under 
the  charge  of  the  young  Chief  Kong  Kober, 
or  as  he  now  chose  to  style  himself  Lewis 
Kong  Crocker,  in  honor  of  his  lamented  teach- 
er. At  these  several  stations  the  assistants, 
under  the  guidance  of  the  missionary  and  of- 
ten associated  with  him,  preached  the  Gospel 
to  the  people.  The  ladias  of  the  mission  were 
engaged  in  schools,  while  Mr.  Clarke  employed 
himself  as  much  as  possible  in  translating  the 
Scriptures,  and  preparing  books  for  instructing 
the  natives  in  useful  and  religious  knowledge. 
He  compiled  a  dictionary  of  the  Bassa  lan- 
guage, and  translated  the  gospels  and  some  of 
the  epistles  of  the  New  Testament,  which  by 
the  close  of  1846  were  ready  for  the  press ; 
but  which  appear  never  to  have  been  pub- 
lished. 

The  health  of  Mrs.  Crocker  was  rapidly 
declining,  and  after  one  or  two  unavailing  voy- 
ages along  the  coast  she  was  obliged  to  aban- 
don the  mission  and  return  to  this  country. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarke,  who  had  generally  been 
blessed  with  better  health  than  their  associates, 
now  began  to  experience  the  injurious  effects 
of  that  pestilential  climate.  Mr.  Clarke  had 
often  represented  the  condition  of  the  mission, 
and  appealed  in  the  most  earnest  manner  for 
its  relief,  but  none  had  offered  themselves  for 
the  perilous  service,  and  the  solitary  mission- 
ary, fearing  that  if  he  went  away,  all  would  bo 
lost,  determined  to  remain  at  his  post  until  his 
ability  to  labor  was  entirely  exhausted.  He 
carried  forward  the  work  of  translating  the 
Scriptures  and  preparing  books  ;  he  increased 
the  number  of  the  schools,  and  perfected  their 
organization,  and  in  all  the  villages  of  the 
tribe  he  preached  the  gospel  amd  urged  the 
people  to  repent  and  be  converted.  These  lar 
bors  were  attended  with  most  beneficial  results. 
The  morals  and  manners  of  the  people  were 
greatly  improved — all  the  interests  of  civiliza- 
tion were  promoted,  and  many  of  the  natives 
in  the  villages  where  the  missionary  had 
preached,  embraced  the  Gospel  and  were  bap- 
tized in  accordance  with  its  requirements. 
But  the  life  of  the  missionary  was  rapidly 
wearing  away  ,•  yet,  though  repeatedly  urged 
by  the  Executive  Committee  to  return  to  the 
United  States,  he  lingered  at  his  post  in  the 
hope  that  some  one  would  at  length  come  to 
take  his  place.  The  hope  was  constantly  defer- 
red, and  without  its  being  realized  he  was  pros- 
trated by  disease,  and  compelled  to  leave  the 
mission,  in  April,  1848.      He  died  after  a  few 


00 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


days,  at  sea,  on  his  passage  to  America,  on  the 
26th  of  the  same  month. 

Thus  terminated  another  period  of  effort 
and  trial,  of  hope  and  of  disappointment  for 
the  Bassa  people— a  worthy  succession  of  noble- 
hearted  men  haJ  laid  down  their  lives  in  the 
service  of  the  mission  till  now  none  were  left 
to  carry  forward  the  plans  which  had  been 
formed  and  the  labors  which  had  been  begun. 
Mrs.  Crocker  and  Mrs.  Clarke  of  necessity  re- 
mained in  the  United  States,  and  the  interests  of 
the  mission  were  committed  wholly  to  the  care 
of  native  assistants.  The  station  at  Bexley 
was  placed  under  the  charge  of  llev.  Jacob 
Yonbrunn,  assisted  by  two  teachers,  while  that 
at  Little  Bassa  was  superintended  by  Lewis 
Kong  Crocker.  The  schools  at  both  were  main- 
tained, and  were  well  attended.  Public  worship 
was  also  held  on  the  Sabbath,  and  each  year 
witnessed  some  accessions  to  the  native  church. 
The  assistants  proved  themselves  to  be  men  of 
fidelity  and  discretion,  but  the  mission,  as  was 
to  be  anticipated,  was  shorn  of  its  energy  by 
the  bereavements  it  had  sustained. 

After  many  unsuccessful  attempts  by  the 
Board  to  revive  the  mission.  Rev.  Messrs.  J. 
S.  Goodman  and  H.  B.  Shermer,  were  ap- 
pointed for  this  pui-pose,  and  sailed  with  their 
families  and  Mrs.  Crocker,  from  Norfolk,  Va., 
November  27,  1852.  They  reached  Bexley 
on  the  15th  of  the  following  January,  in  ex- 
cellent health,  and  were  welcomed  by  the  na- 
tive assistants  and  the  Christian  disciples  with 
enthusiastic  delight.  They  found  that  the  pro- 
perty of  the  mission  had.  been  carefully  pre- 
served by  the  assistants  ;  that  the  schools  and 
the  public  worship,  on  the  Sabbath,  were  still 
well  sustained,  and  that  the  persons  who  had 
represented  the  Board,  during  an  interval  of 
more  than  four  years,  had  commanded  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  their  countrymen.  Mrs. 
Crocker  immediately  put  in  requisition  her 
previous  attainments  in  the  language  and 
knowledge  of  the  people,  in  reorganizing  the 
mission,  and  the  other  members  entered  upon 
such  labors  as  their  circumstances  would  per- 
mit. 

But  the  period  of  prosperity  was  again  des- 
tined to  be  short,  and  as  before,  so  now  again, 
the  little  missionary  band  was  soon  to  be  in- 
vaded by  death,  and  to  be  bereft  of  more  than 
half  its  members  within  a  year  of  their  arrival 
in  the  country.  Mrs.  Shermer  died  at  Bexley 
in  September,  1853,  and  Mrs.  Crocker  at  Mon- 
rovia, in  November  of  the  same  year.  Mr. 
Shermer  was  so  reduced  by  repeated  attacks 
of  disease  that  he  was  soon  obliged  to  return 
to  the  United  States.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Goodman 
are  now  the  only  missionaries  remaining  to  oc- 
cupy the  stations,  and  prosecute  the  labors  of 
the  mission,  and  the  health  even  of  these  has 
begun  to  yield  beneath  the  noxious  climate 
that  perpetually  reigns  along  that  pestilential 
coast. — See  Professor  GammelVs  History  of  Am. 
Baptist  Missions. — Pkof.  "W.  Gammell. 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


MisHionaries  aud 
Assistants. 

1 
I 

c 
s 
S 

1 

Minis!  Lay  Teachers, 
terH.  1          &c. 

Scholars. 

STATIONS. 

a 

s 

•E 

e 
< 

i 
1 

American. 

i 

rt 
5« 

1, 

i 

4J 

1 

1 

Bexley ) 

Little  Baasa/ 

1842 
1845 

¥\ 

^|. 

" 

31  |, 2 

43 

ToUl.... 

VI 

2  1  2  1171  ai  1  12 

43 

American  Presbyterian  MissiONs.-The  mis- 
sions of  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States,  (0.  S.)  in  Africa  are  found  in 
Liberia, — at  Monrovia,  Sinoe,  Kentucky,  and 
Settra  Kroo ;  and  near  the  Equator,  on  the 
island  of  Corisco.  These  are  two  distinct  mis- 
sionary fields,  distant  from  each  other  more 
than  a  thousand  miles.  Each  has  its  own  fea- 
tures of  interest,  and  both  are  highly  impor- 
tant spheras  of  Christian  benevolence. 

The  mission  to  Liberia  was  commenced  in 
1832,  but  has  been  repeatedly  suspended,  on 
account  of  the  death  or  the  return  to  this 
country  of  the  missionaries.  The  Rev.  Messrs. 
John  B.  Pinney  and  Joseph  Barr  were  the 
brethren  first  appointed  to  this  field.  Mr.  Barr 
was  called  suddenly  to  his  rest  by  an  attack 
of  cholera  in  Richmond,  Ya.,  while  on  his  way 
to  embark  for  Africa.  His  removal  was  a  se- 
rious loss,  as  he  was  a  man  qualified  by  nature 
and  grace  for  eminent  usefulness. 

Mr.  Pinney  proceeded  alone  on  his  mission, 
and  arrived  at  Monrovia,  in  February,  1833. 
After  a  few  months  spent  in  making  the  requi- 
site inquiries  and  arrangements,  he  returned  on 
a  visit  to  this  country  to  confer  with  the  Com- 
mittee concerning  the  plans  of  the  mission, 
and  to  enlist  recruits  for  its  service.  Previous 
to  his  return,  two  brethren  had  been  accepted 
as  missionaries  for  this  field  ;  and  in  Novem- 
ber the  missionary  company,  consisting  of  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Pinney,  Laird  and  Cloud,  with 
Mrs.  Laird,  and  Mr.  James  Temple,  a  colored 
young  man,  who  was  a  candidate  for  the  min- 
istry, embarked  at  Norfolk  for  Liberia.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Laird  and  Mr.  Cloud  were  called  to 
their  rest  within  a  few  months  after  their  arri- 
val at  Monrovia,  leaving  a  memorial  of 
piety  singularly  pure  and  devoted.  Mr.  Tem- 
ple returned  to  the  United  States,  and  Mr. 
Pinney  was  again  left  alone  in  the  mission. 
For  a  time  he  discharged  the  duties  of  Gov- 
ernor of  the  colony  with  great  benefit  to  all  its 
interests  ;  but  withdrawing  from  this  post  as 
soon  as  it  was  practicable  for  him  to  resigi: 
its  duties,  he  resumed  his  missionary  labors. 
Having  been  joined  in  September,  18.34,  by 
Mr.  J.  F.  C.  Finley,  Mr.  Pinney  had  a  house 
built  for  the  use  of  the  mission  on  a  small 
farm,  at  Millsburgh,  a  few  miles  from  Moiu-o- 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


91 


via.  One  or  t^^o  colored  assistants  were  en- 
gaged as  teachers  for  schools  among  the 
natives  ;  and  Mr.  E.  Tytler,  a  colored  man  and 
a  licensed  preacher,  was  employed  among  the 
Bassas,  a  native  trilDC,  at  a  station  selected  by 
Mr.  Pinney  on  the  St.  Johns,  eighteen  miles 
from  the  sea. 

The  health  of  Messrs.  Pinney  and  Finley 
having  given  way,  they  were  compelled  to  re- 
turn to  this  country  in  1835.  Mr.  Tytler  con- 
ducted a  small  school  for  two  or  three  years 
longer  among  the  Bassas,  but  no  very  encour- 
aging results  appear  to  have  followed  his  la- 
bors. The  mission  was  now  virtually  sus- 
pended. 

Considerable  hesitation  was  felt  about  re- 
suming the  work  of  missions  in  Africa.  The 
loss  of  several  valuable  lives,  and  the  failure  of 
the  health  of  other  brethren,  proved  extremely 
discouraging  to  many  persons.  Yet  others 
were  clear  in  their  convictions  that  the  Church 
ought  not  to  abandon  this  missionary  field. 
The  door  was  open,  and  all  things  invited  the 
labors  of  the  servants  of  Christ,  with  the 
exception  of  the  deleterious  climate.  To 
guard  against  this,  it  was  thought  that  a  more 
healthy  station  could  be  found  than  those  pre- 
viously occupied,  and  it  was  considered  expe^ 
dient  for  missionaries  to  return  after  a  few 
years  to  their  native  country,  on  a  visit  for  the 
sake  of  health.  Brethren  of  approved  quali- 
fications had  offered  themselves  specially  for 
this  field.  It  appeared  therefore  to  be  the 
duty  of  the  Board  to  make  another  effort  to 
establish  this  mission. 

Accordingly  in  1839,  the  Eev.  Oren  K. 
Canfield  and  Mr.  Jonathan  P.  Alward,  with 
Mr.  Pinney,  the  pioneer  of  the  mission,  made 
an  exploring  vi^it  along  the  coast  for  nearly  a 
hundred  and  fifty  miles,  during  which  they 
were  led  to  select  a  station  among  the  Kroo 
people,  about  half-way  between  Cape  Palmas 
and  Moiu'ovia.  An  interesting  account  of 
the  Kroos  is  given  in  the  annual  report  of  the 
Board  for  1840.  They  are  described  as  the 
most  intelligent  and  enterprising  of  the  na- 
tives on  the  western  coast,  having  farms  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  and  always  opposed 
to  the  slave-trade.  Their  distinctive  name  is 
probably  derived  from  the  fact  that  many  of 
them  are  empjoyed  as  crcAvs  on  board  of  trad- 
ing-vessels. This  leads  them  to  visit  various 
parts  of  the  coast,  although  they  commonly  re- 
turn to  their  own  country  after  a  few  years 
spent  in  this  service. 

The  return  of  African  fever  soon  forbade  Mr, 
Pinney's  attempt  to  resume  his  missionary  la- 
bors ;  but  the  other  brethren  enjoyed  good 
health,  and  after  completing  their  exploration, 
they  returned  home,  were  married,  and  Mr.  Al- 
ward was  ordained ;  and  then  they  proceeded, 
in  February,  1841,  to  their  chosen  work,  with 
many  hopes  of  a  useful  if  not  a  long  life. 
These  hopes  were  destined  to  be  disappointed. 
Mr.  Alward  was  called  to  his  rest  in  the  fol- 


lowing April,  and  Mr.  Canfield  in  May  of  the 
next  year.  They  were  both  men  of  devoted 
piety,  and  were  qualified  to  be  eminently  use- 
ful in  the  missionary  work.  Their  bereaved 
companions  returned  to  their  friends  in  this 
country  ;  and  for  a  month  the  station  was  un- 
der the  charge  of  a  colored  female  teacher, 
who  had  accompanied  Messrs.  Canfield  and 
Alward.  The  Rev.  Eobert  W.  Sawyer  and  his 
wife,  who  had  arrived  at  Monrovia  in  Decem- 
ber, 1841,  then  succeeded  the  brethren  whom 
they  had  hoped  to  join  at  Settra  Kroo  ;  but 
in  December,  1843,  Mr.  Sawyer  was  called  to 
join  them  in  the  Saviour's  presence.  He  was 
a  man  worthy  to  be  their  associate,  both  in 
the  church  on  earth  and  in  heaven.  Previous 
to  his  death,  schools  had  been  established,  and 
at  one  time  thirty  boys  and  six  girls  were 
boarded  and  lodged  on  the  mission  premises, 
enjoying  the  benefits  of  Christian  instruction 
and  example. 

In  the  year  1842,  three  colored  ministers  be- 
came connected  with  the  mission.  One  of 
these,  the  Rev.  James  Eden,  had  been  for  some 
years  at  Monrovia,  where  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  This  station  he  contin- 
ued to  occupy  until  his  peaceful  death,  at  an 
advanced  age,  in  1846.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Wilson  and  the  Rev.  James  M.  Priest  reached 
Monrovia  in  1842.  Mr.  Wilson's  station  was 
at  Sinou,  where,  however,  he  was  not  permit- 
ted long  to  labor,  having  been  called  to  his  re- 
ward in  1846.  He  was  a  man  of  energy,  and 
his  talents  and  piety  gave  promise  of  no  ordi- 
nary usefulness.  Mr.  Priest  was  at  first  sta- 
tioned at  Settra  Kroo,  but  removed  to  the  sta- 
tion at  Sinou  in  1846,  where  he  has  been  much 
encouraged  in  his  work.  Mr.  Washington 
McDonough,  a  colored  teacher,  was  sent  out 
also  in  1842,  and  he  has  continued  to  be  con- 
nected with  a  station  among  the  Kroos  until 
the  present  time. 

At  Settra  Kroo  the  education  of  native 
youth  continued  to  engage  the  attention  of 
Mrs.  Sawyer,  who  with  great  devotedness  had 
remained  at  her  post,  although  she  was  the 
only  white  woman  in  sixty  miles  of  the  sta- 
tion. She  was  assisted  by  Mr.  McDonough, 
and  by  Cecilia  Yan  Tyne,  an  excellent  colored 
teacher,  until  the  return  of  the  latter  for  health 
in  1844.  In  the  same  year  the  Rev.  James 
M.  Connelly  joined  the  mission,  with  whom 
Mrs,  Sawyer  was  united  in  marriage  in  the  fol- 
lowing December.  They  continued  at  Settra 
Kroo,  engaged  in  faithful  efforts  for  the  con- 
version of  the  people,  but  meeting  with  no 
marked  encouragement,  until  they  were  com- 
pelled to  return  to  this  country  by  the  failure 
of  health  in  1850.  Since  that  time  the  sta- 
tion among  the  Kroos  has  been  under  the  care 
of  Mr.  McDonougb ;  a  small  school  has  been 
maintained,  but  no  brighter  days  have  been 
witnessed. 

In  January,  1847,  the  Rev.  Harrison  W. 
Ellis,  a  colored  man,  formerly  a  slave,  who 


92 


AFRICA,  WESTERN 


with  his  family  had  been  redeemed  from  bond- 
age by  Christian  friends  in  the  South,  wiis 
Bcut  as  a  missionary  to  Monrovia.  As  he  pos- 
sessed considerable  talent  and  energy,  and  nad 
acquired  more  than  ordinary  learning  for  a 
person  so  unfavorably  situated,  it  was  reasona- 
ble to  expect  that  his  efforts  to  do  good  would 
prove  encouraging  to  those  who  had  taken 
such  a  kind  and  liberal  interest  in  his  welfare. 
He  was  for  some  time  minister  of  the  church 
in  Monrovia,  and  gave  some  attention  to  a 
school;  but  he  is  not  now  connected  with 
either.  To  the  want  of  grace — more  grace — 
may  be  ascribed  his  not  fulfilling  the  expecta- 
tions of  his  friends  ;  but  we  would  hope  that 
he  may  yet  become  a  useful  laborer  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord.  At  Kentucky,  a  set- 
tlement a  few  miles  from  Monrovia,  Mr.  H. 
W.  Erskine,  a  colored  teacher  and  a  licentiate 

greacher,  has  been  stationed  since  1849,  and 
as  met  with  much  encouragement  in  his  work. 
About  twenty  members  are  connected  with  the 
church  at  this  station.  Mr.  B.  V.  11.  James, 
another  colored  teacher,  who  had  been  for 
some  years  under  the  patronage  of  a  society 
of  ladies  in  New  York  for  promoting  edu- 
cation in  Africa,  became  connected,  at  the 
instance  of  his  former  patrons,  with  the  mis- 
sion of  the  Board  at  Monrovia  in  1849.  He 
has  continued  to  be  faithfully  and  successfully 
employed  in  a  large  school  at  that  place. 

The  llev.  David  A.  Wilson  and  his  wife 
arrived  at  Monrovia  in  July,  1850.  Mr.  Wil- 
son joined  this  mission  with  a  special  view  to 
the  work  of  Christian  education,  and  he  has 
had  the  charge  of  the  Alexander  High  School, 
an  academy  established  by  the  Board  in  1849. 
The  number  of  scholars  has  never  been  large, 
but  their  progress  in  study  has  evinced  capa- 
city to  make  respectable  acquirements.  This 
institution,  it  is  hoped,  will  train  up  many 
young  men  for  the  Church  and  the  State,  It 
may  form  the  germ  of  a  college  in  future  years. 
Besides  teaching  in  this  academy,  Mr.  Wilson 
pr(;aches  to  the  church,  at  present  without  a 
pastor.  His  work  is  one  of  vital  importance 
to  Liberia. 

The  repeated  bereavements  of  the  mission 
on  the  Liberia  coast  had  led  to  the  inquiry 
whether  a  more  healthy  location  could  not  be 
discovered  elsewhere;  and  the  comparative 
exemption  from  fever  enjoyed  by  the  mission- 
aries of  the  American  Board  on  the  Gaboon 
river,  turned  the  attention  of  many  to  the  re- 
gion near  the  Equator.  Accordingly,  in  1849, 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  James  L.  Mackey  and  George 
W.  Simpson  and  their  wives  went  out  to  form 
a  new  mission  in  this  part  of  the  African  field. 
They  were  greatly  aided  in  their  inquiries  by 
the  counsels  of  the  brethren  connected  with 
the  American  Board,  and  particularly  of  the 
Rev.  J.  Leighton  Wilson,  a  respected  minister 
of  our  body,  who  had  been  long  a  missionary — 
first  at  Cape  Palmas  and  afterwards  at  the 
Gaboon — and  who  is  now  one  of  the  Secreta- 


ries of  the  Board.  After  making  full  exami- 
nation of  various  places,  they  were  led  to  select 
the  island  of  Corisco  as  their  station.  This  is 
a  small  island,  four  miles  long  from  north  to 
south,  and  about  the  same  in  breadth  at  the 
south  end,  but  at  the  north  not  exceeding  a 
mile — having  a  circumference  of  al^out  tifteeii 
miles,  and  an  irregular  surface,  diversified  willi 
narrow  valleys  and  steep  hills  of  no  great 
height.  It  is  fifty-five  miles  north  of  the 
equator,  and  from  fifteen  to  twenty  miles  from 
the  mainland.  Its  population  is  about  4,000, 
and  its  situation,  midway  in  the  sea-line  of  the 
Bay  of  Corisco,  affords  a  ready  access  to  peo- 
ple of  the  same  language,  the  Benga,  who 
live  on  the  shores  of  the  bay  and  on  the 
sea-coast.  In  this  part  of  Africa  there  are  no 
roads,  and  journeys  can  be  most  conveniently 
made  in  boats  along  the  coast  or  on  the  rivers, 
so  that  the  situation  of  the  missionaries  on  an 
island  is  rather  an  advantage  than  a  hindrance 
to  their  intercourse  with  the  natives.  The 
chief  inducement,  however,  for  choosing  Co- 
risco as  the  site  of  the  mission,  was  the  hope 
that  it  would  prove  a  healthy  place.  It  con- 
tains few  local  causes  of  disease,  while  it  is 
removed  from  the  malaria  of  the  coast  on  the 
mainland,  and  enjoys  the  atmosphere  of  the 
sea. 

Thus  far  the  missionaries  have  enjoyed 
remarkable  health  for  foreigners  in  Africa. 
Mrs.  Mackey  was  early  called  to  her  rest  by  a 
disease  not  connected  with  her  new  abode. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Simpson,  in  the  mysterious  prov- 
idence of  God,  were  lost  at  sea  with  all  on 
board  the  ship  except  a  native  sailor,  their 
vessel  having  been  struck  by  a  typhoon.  This 
sad  event  occurred  in  April,  1851,  causing 
great  sorrow  to  the  friends  of  this  new  mis- 
sion. The  other  missionaries — Mr.  Mackey, 
and  Miss  Sweeny,  who  embarked  for  Corisco  in 
August,  1851,  and  was  married  to  Mr.  Mackey 
in  1852,  and  the  Rev.  George  McQueen,  Jr., 
who  joined  the  mission  in  the  same  year — have 
all  enjoyed  good  health.  The  Rev.  Messrs. 
Edwin  T.  Williams  and  William  Clemens  and 
their  wives  sailed  for  Corisco  in  August,  1853. 

Small  schools  for  boys  and  girls  have  been 
opened,  religious  worship  has  been  conducted 
on  the  Lord's-day,  and  Mr.  Mackey  has  exerted 
a  happy  influence  over  the  natives  by  his  medi- 
cal skill.  Already  many  of  their  superstitious 
practices  have  been  abandoned,  the  Sabbath 
is  in  some  degree  honored,  and  the  influence 
of  the  mission  is  visible  in  the  improved  con- 
duct of  the  people.  The  principal  employment 
of  the  missionaries,  however,  has  been  the 
acquisition  of  the  native  language.  Some 
interesting  tours  have  been  made  on  the  main- 
land, one  extending  nearly  one  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  into  the  interior,  which  have  tended 
to  confirm  the  hope  that  this  mission  will  afford 
a  door  of  entrance  to  a  very  large  population. 
Its  location  on  an  island  may  remind  the  reader 
of  the  celebrated  island  of  lona,  on  the  borders 


I 


AFRICA,  WESTERN 


98 


of  Scotland — the  home  of  a  Presbyterian  and 
missionary  clergy  in  the  sixth  century.  May 
Corisco  become  to  Africa  what  lona  was  to 


Great  Britain,  Ireland,  and  many  parts  of  the 
continent  of  Europe!  —  Lowrie's  Manual  of 
Missions. 


TABULAR   VIEW. 


inssioNs. 

NAMES  OF  STA- 
TIONS. 

d 

Missionaries  and  Assistants. 

1 

a 

Scholars. 

mnis- 
ters. 

Lay  Teachers 
and  others. 

i 

1 

1 

American. 

Boarding. 

Day. 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

3 

LIBERIA           .     ... 

Monrovia 

1842 
1850 
1847 
1841 
1850 

1 
1 

4 

1 
1 

2 
1 
3 

40 
33 
41 

4 
"9 

12 

78 

18 
28 

6 

78 
28 

18 
55 

KROO  PEOPLE, 

NEAR  THE  EQUATOR 

Sinoe 

Total 1 

•t 

M 

6 

114 

. 

12 

148 

6 

179 

American  Board.— On  the  Sabbath  evening 
following  the  meeting  of  the  Board  in  1833, 
Eev.  John  Leighton  Wilson,  their  first  mission- 
ary to  Western  Africa,  received  his  instructions, 
in  the  presence  of  a  numerous  audience,  in  the 
First  Presbyterian  church  in  Philadelphia; 
and  on  the  24th  of  November  following,  he 
embarked  at  Baltimore,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Stephen  R.  Wyncoop,  to  explore  his  future 
field  of  labor.  After  examining  the  coast  from 
Grand  Cape  Mount  to  Cape  Palmas,  a  distance 
of  300  miles,  they  fixed  on  Cape  Palmas  as  the 
site  of  the  mission,  and  returned  to  this  coun- 
try, arriving  at  New  York,  April  13,  1834. 
In  the  commencement  of  this  mission,  the  com- 
mittee instructed  their  missionaries  to  have  a 
primary  regard  to  the  preservation  of  health 
and  life,  and  to  extend  their  operations  gradu- 
ally, as  their  knowledge,  experience,  ability, 
and  the  blessing  of  God  should  enable  them 
to  do  so.  The  object  of  this  mission  was,  to 
prepare  the  way  for  an  extensive  system  of  op- 
erations among  the  populous  nations  of  West- 
ern Africa, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson,  with  a  colored  female, 
embarked  from  New  York,  Nov.  4, 1834,  and 
arrived  at  Cape  Palmas  the  following  month, 
where  they  were  received  by  the  native  popu- 
lation with  joyful  acclamations.  The  frame 
house,  which  Mr.  Wilson  had  carried  out  with 
him  on  his  former  visit,  he  found  erected  on 
the  spot  he  had  selected,  and  furnished.  They 
were  subjected,  during  their  acclimation,  to 
considerable  suffering  from  fever,  Mrs.  W.  hav- 
ing had  two  attacks,  and  Mr.  W.  three,  the 
last  of  which  brought  him  to  the  borders  of 
the  grave.  After  their  recovery,  they  enjoyed 
good  health.  Schools  were  commenced,  and 
by  the  following  year,  Mr.  W.  had  prepared  a 
small  elementary  book  in  the  native  language. 

On  the  25th  of  December,  1836,  Rev.  David 
White  and  his  wife,  and  Mr.  James,  a  colored 
man,  and  a  printer,  arrived,  as  a  reinforcement. 
In  about  a  month  after  their  arrival,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  White  both  died  of  fever ;  but  they  ex- 
pressed no  regret,  in  the  prospect  of  death,  that 
they  had  devoted  themselves  to  Africa.     Mr. 


and  Mrs.  Wilson  were  prosecuting  their  labors, 
with  good  health,  comfort,  and  success.  During 
the  year,  Mr.  W.  made  three  tours  of  explora- 
tion in  the  interior,  performing  his  journeys 
mostly  on  foot.  Their  boarding  school  num- 
bered 50,  one-fourth  of  whom  were  females. 
One  boy  gave  evidence  of  piety,  and  others 
were  inquiring.  In  April,  there  were  four  or 
five  candidates  for  admission  to  the  church.  In 
1837,  Mr.  Wilson  succeeded,  by  his  judicious 
interposition  and  influence,  in  suppressing  a 
tumultuous  rise  of  the  native  population  against 
the  colonists,  before  it  resulted  in  bloodshed. 
And  about  this  time,  he  commenced  preaching 
to  a  native  congregation  of  about  600.  But 
this  mission,  in  common  with  otners,  suffered 
from  the  crisis,  which  occasioned  a  reduction 
of  the  appropriations  to  the  missions.  Two 
of  the  day  schools,  and  one-third  of  the  board- 
ing scholars  in  the  seminary,  were  dismissed. 
The  effect  of  this  was  disastrous  upon  the  mis- 
sion, the  natives  not  being  able  to  appreciate 
the  cause. 

Dr.  A.  E.  Wilson  having  left  the  mission  in 
South  Africa,  on  account  of  the  war  between 
Dingaan  and  the  Dutch  boers,  arrived  with 
his  wife  at  Cape  Palmas,  Oct.  4, 1839.  Their 
attacks  of  fever,  in  the  process  of  acclimating, 
were  slight,  and  the  mission  generally  enjoyed 
good  health.  Two  native  youths  were  admit- 
ted to  the  church  during  the  year,  and  others 
were  in  an  inquiring  state  of  mind.  Early  in 
September,  1840,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  com- 
menced a  new  station  at  Fishtown,  ten  or 
twelve  miles  from  Fair  Hope,  the  original  and 
principal  station.  There  were,  also,  three  out- 
stations,  and  six  preaching  places  connected' 
with  the  mission.  The  church  numbered  23, 
12  of  whom  were  natives.  Religious  knowl- 
edge was  increasing,  and  many  had  discarded 
their  greegrees.  Yet,  there  was  great  apathy 
on  the  subject  of  religion.  On  the  13th  of 
October,  1841,  Dr.  A.  E.  Wilson  died  of  an 
epidemic  dysentery,  meeting  death  with  much 
cheerfulness  and  joy.  Stephen  Williams,  also, 
a  native  African,  employed  as  an  interpreter, 
died  of  the  same  disease,  and  in  a  similar  state 


94 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


of  mind.  Mrs.  Wilson  removed  to  Fair  Hope, 
and  took  charge  of  the  female  department  of 
the  seraiuarv.  On  tJie  3d  of  February,  1842, 
Ri'v.  Messrs*  Wallcer  and  Griswold,  with  Mrs. 
Wiilker,  joined  the  mission  at  Cape  Pahnas. 
Up  to  this  time,  the  amount  of  printing  in  the 
native  lanjruage,  at  this  mission,  was  2,252,132 
pages.  Mrs.  Walker  died  of  fever,  May  2, 
1842,  her  chief  concern  being  lest  her  death 
should  deter  others  from  coming  to  the  field. 

But  this  mission  experienced  no  small  em- 
barrassment, from  being  situated  within  the 
bounds  of  the  colony.  The  native  teachers 
and  pupils,  though  from  distinct  tribes,  and 
owing  no  fealty  to  the  colony,  were  required 
to  do  military  duty ;  and  it  became  obvious 
that  the  leading  object  of  the  colony,  and  that 
of  the  mission,  in  respect  to  the  natives  of 
Africa,  were  far  from  being  the  same.  There 
was  also  too  much  reason  to  believe  that  the 
colonists,  as  a  body,  regarded  the  missionaries 
and  their  enterprise  with  jealousy  and  ill-will. 
And,  as  it  never  entered  into  the  plan  of  the 
West  African  mission  that  its  principal  oper- 
ations should  long  be  at  Cape  Palmas,  it  was 
determined  to  seek  a  location  elsewhere ;  and, 
accordingly,  Messrs.  Wilson  and  Griswold,  on 
the  17th  of  May,  commenced  a  voyage  east- 
ward, with  this  object  in  view ;  and,  after 
touching  at  a  number  of  points,  fixed  on  a 
location  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gaboon  River, 
which  seemed  decidedly  more  favorable  than 
any  other  they  had  seen.  Though  so  near  the 
equator,  the  climate  at  the  Gaboon  is  more 
salubrious  than  at  Cape  Palmas. 

The  chiefs  received  them  in  a  friendly  man- 
ner, and  they  selected  a  site  about  eight  miles 
from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  20  north  of 
the  equator.  As  soon  as  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments could  be  made,  the  mission  was  removed 
to  this  place,  the  stations  at  Fishtown  and 
Bocktown  being  transferred  to  the  Episcopal 
Missionary  Society.  At  the  new  station,  the 
first  school  was  opened  in  July,  1842,  with  15 
pupils;  and  in  the  course  of  a  year,  three 
schools  were  established,  with  50  pupils,  and 
public  worship  was  held  at  the  station,  and  at 
three  other  towns,  within  the  distance  of  three 
miles,  where  the  people  assembled  in  good 
numbers.  They  appeared  friendly,  and  one 
head  man  renounced  his  greegrees  in  presence 
of  the  people  of  his  town,  and  had  them  sunk 
in  the  river.  They  rested  from  labor  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  such  was  their  regard  for  the 
commandment  that  they  refused  to  furnish 
wood  for  a  British  war  steamer  on  that  day. 

On  the  23d  of  August,  1843,  Mr.  Griswold 
and  Mrs.  M.  H.  Wilson  were  united  in  mar- 
riage. On  the  1st  of  January,  1844,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Campbell  and  Bushnell  sailed  from 
Boston  for  this  mission,  and  arrived  at  Cape 
Palmas  on  the  9th  of  March,  where  they  were 
both  taken  with  the  acclimating  fever,  of 
which  Mr.  Campbell  died.  Near  the  close  of 
1843,  Mr.  Griswold  commenced  a  new  station 


at  Oshunga,  Prince  Glass's  town,  where  a 
boarding-school  for  girls  was  opened  with  six 
pupils.  The  people  were  anxious  for  schools, 
and  at  King  Duka's  town,  had  built  a  school-' 
house  and  residence  for  the  teacher.  This 
people  had  made  considerable  advances  in 
civilization. 

July  21, 1843,  the  members  of  the  church 
who  had  removed  from  Cape  Palmas,  with  a  few 
others,  met  and  organized  themselves  into  a 
church,  adopted  articles  of  faith,  and  elected 
Mr.  Wilson  their  pastor.  On  the  30th,  B.  B. 
Wisner,  a  native  of  Cape  Palmas,  was  admit- 
ted to  the  church,  and  the  Lord's  Supper  ad- 
ministered for  the  first  time.  The  church 
consisted  of  fifteen  members,  of  whom  seven 
were  native  Africans.  July  14,  1844,  Mr. 
Griswold  rested  from  his  labors;  and  Mrs. 
Griswold,  whose  health  was  suffering  from  the 
climate,  returned  to  the  United  States. 

In  July,  1845,  Prince  Glass's  town  was 
bombarded  by  a  French  brig-of-war,  and  taken 
possession  of  by  armed  men,  the  natives  having 
fled  to  "  the  bush."  The  missionaries  were 
exposed  to  great  danger,  both  from  cannon 
balls  and  musket  shot,  which  were  scattered 
profusely  on  their  premises,  and  with  apparent 
design.  After  this,  the  French  admiral  spent 
nearly  three  months  at  the  Gaboon,  without 
having  any  intercourse  with  the  mission ;  but 
in  FebruaiT,  1846,  the  commander  expressed 
his  regret  that  the  mission  premises  had  been 
endangered ;  and  in  the  following  summer, 
Commodore  Read,  of  the  frigate  United  States, 
arrived  off  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  during 
his  stay,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  received  much 
kindness  from  him  ;  and  he  left  a  letter  to  the 
French  admiral,  which  was  delivered  to  him 
in  September,  and  after  that,  they  received  the 
most  civil  treatment  from  the  French  officers 
and  the  local  authorities.  The  Roman  mis- 
sionaries brought  there  by  their  ships  of  war, 
did  not  appear  to  be  doing  much. 

The  Committee  have  adopted  a  rule,  in  re- 
lation to  this  mission,  similar  to  the  one  adopted 
by  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  allowing  a 
periodical  return  of  the  missionaries  to  their 
native  land,  to  recruit  their  health  ;  and  in  ac- 
cordance with  this  rule,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson 
visited  this  country  in  1847.  Their  visit  was 
highly  useful ;  and  in  June  of  the  following 
year,  they  returned  to  their  field  of  labor,  with 
the  greatest  possible  cheerfulness,  accompanied 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  Preston  and  Wheeler,  and  Mrs. 
Preston,  as  a  reinforcement.  April  23, 1848, 
Mrs.  Walker  departed  this  life,  two  months 
after  the  birth  of  an  infant.  She  never  regret- 
ted having  gone  to  Africa.  Early  in  the 
morning  of  tlie  day  of  her  death,  Mrs.  Walker 
sent  for  the  he^  men  in  the  towns,  and  they 
came,  and  wept  like  children  ;  and  nearly  every 
man,  woman,  and  child  came,  feeling  that  they 
were  losing  one  of  their  best  friends.  She 
was  followed,  the  last  of  January,  1849,  by 
Mrs.  Griswold,  who  was  suddenly  called  home, 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


95 


Bpeaking  sweetly  and  confidingly  of  her  Savior,  j  hilly  and  apparently  salubrions  ;  and  the  way 
in  her  lucid  moments,  and  manifesting  entire  is  open  for  missionary  efforts  among  numerous 


submission  to  His  Avill.  February  25,  1850 
Mrs.  Bushnell  entered  into  peaceful  rest,  she 
having  returned  from  her  visit  to  the  United 
States,  though  in  a  consumption,  that  she 
might  finish  her  course  in  the  beloved  field  of 
her  missionary  labor. 

In  1849  and  1850,  the  mission  was  reinforced 
by  the  arrival  of  Eev.  Mr.  Best  and  Dr.  Ford, 
the  former  about  six  months  before  the  latter. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.   Preston,   who  had  arrived  in 

1848,  had  commenced  a  new  station  among 
the  I3akali,  about  25  miles  above  Baraka,  in 

■  August,  1849.  Messrs.  Wilson  and  Bushnell 
preached  in  Mpongwe,  and  Mr.  Walker  in 
Mpongwe  and  Bakali ;  and  in  these  dialects, 
the  Gospel  was  preached  in  ninety  villages,  in 

1849.  Eleven  members  were  received  to  the 
church  in  that  year.  But  polygamy,  in  its 
lowest  forms,  was  found  to  be  a  great  hindrance 
to  the  Gospel,  and  the  evil  was  greatly  aggra- 
vated by  the  introduction  of  American  rum, 
which  was  exerting  a  most  pernicious  influence 
along  the  coast. 

Rev.  Mr.  Porter  and  his  wife  arrived  as  a 
reinforcement,  June  6, 1851  ;  and  early  in  the 
following  year,  Messrs.  Walker  and  Preston 
returned  to  their  field  of  labor.  The  Gospel 
of  St.  John,  in  Mpongwe,  translated  by  Mr. 
Bushnell,  was  printed  in  New  York,  in  1852, 
under  his  superintendance,  while  on  a  visit  to 
this  country  for  his  health.  Mr.  Wilson,  being 
on  his  periodical  visit  to  this  country,  was  de- 
clared by  physicians  to  be  under  the  influence 
of  a  chronic  disease,  unfitting  him  for  a  longer 
residence  at  the  Gaboon.  He  accordingly  ac- 
cepted the  appointment  of  a  secretaryship  in 
the  General  Assembly's  Board  of  Missions. 
The  Committee,  in  their  annual  report  for 
1853,  bear  honorable  testimony  to  his  excel- 
lence as  a  missionary,  and  express  their  deep 
regret  for  the  loss  of  his  valuable  services. 

Early  in  1851,  the  brethren  at  Baraka  suf- 
fered from  an  unusual  prevalence  of  fever. 
Mr.  Porter,  who  had  recently  arrived,  was  called 
away  by  means  of  it  on  the  6  th  of  July.  He 
died  in  the  full  faith  and  consolation  of  the 
Gospel,  and  Mrs.  Porter  followed  him  on  the 
16th  of  the  same  month.  Both  of  them  said 
that  they  did  not  regret  having  joined  the  mis- 
sion, and  hoped  that  their  early  death  would 
not  deter  others  from  entering  the  field.  The 
Committee  say,  in  their  report  for  1853,  that 
the  actual  danger  to  life,  as  the  Gaboon  mission 
is  now  conducted,  is  not  greater  there  than  in 
many  other  missions,  which  awaken  but  little 
apprehension. 

The  labors  of  this  mission  are  directed  to 
three  communities,  each  probably  the  repre- 
sentatives of  migrations  from  the  interior : 
the  Mpongwes,  Bakales,  and  Pangwes.  _  The 
last  of  these  have  but  recently  made  their  ap- 
pearance. The  country  has  been  explored  to 
some  distance  in  the  interior,  and  found  to  be 


friendly  tribes ;.  but 
enter  in  and  reap  the  harvest.  The  labors  of 
the  mission  have  been,  to  a  great  extent,  pre- 
paratory ;  and  its  direct  results  are  not  so 
clearly  seen,  as  they  will  probably  be  a  few 
years  hence. 

The  report  of  the  mission  for  1853,  repre- 
sents the  health  of  the  missionaries  to  have 
been  generally  good  throughout  the  year. 
And,  though  a  spirit  of  opposition  had  begun 
to  manifest  itself  among  those  who  do  not  like 
the  restraints  of  Christianity,  yet,  the  truth 
is  making  progress.  The  intercourse  of  the 
missionaries  with  the  people  and  with  the  gov- 
ernment has  been  most  friendly  throughout  the 
year.  But,  owing  to  the  diminished  force  of 
the  mission,  they  have  been  able  to  occupy  but 
two  stations. 


Number  of  stations, 
Missionaries, 

Physician,       -        -        - 
Female  helpers, 
Native  helpers. 
Church  members. 
Scholars  in  the  schools,    - 


3 

4 
1 
2 
4 
22 
70 


United  Presbyterian  Synod  of  Scotland. 
— When  the  converted  negroes  of  Jamaica 
obtained  their  freedom,  their  thoughts  were  at 
once  directed  to  their  heathen  friends  in  Africa. 
Many  said,  "  Wo  must  carry  the  gospel  to 
Africa."  The  missionaries  constituting  the 
Jamaica  Presbytery,  representing  the  Scottish 
Missionary  Society,  the  United  Secession 
Church,  and  the  Scotch  Free  Church,  entered 
fully  into  the  feelings  of  the  colored  people 
around  them,  and  resolved  to  embody  them  in 
action.  Old  Calabar  was  selected  as  their 
field  of  labor,  the  King  and  chiefs  having  sent 
a  formal  request  that  a  mission  might  be  com- 
menced among  them.  The  Secession  Synod 
having  also  sanctioned  the  movement.  Rev. 
Mr.  Waddell  was  designated  to  kike  charge  of 
the  enterprise.  He  accordingly  proceeded  to 
Scotland,  and  was  soon  followed  by  five  others. 
One  of  these  was  an  Englishman,  who  had 
lived  eighteen  years  in  Jamaica,  a  printer  by 
trade ;  another  was  his  wife,  a  colored  woman  ; 
another  was  a  negro  lad,  about  sixteen  years 
of  age  ;  the  remaining  two  were  both  persons 
of  color.  A  merchant  of  Liverpool  granted 
the  free  use  of  a  fine  schooner,  the  Warree,  to 
the  mission  as  long  as  she  should  be  wanted  ; 
and  he  also  subscribed  £100  to  keep  her  in  a 
sailing  condition. 

The  mission  sailed  from  Liverpool,  January 
6, 1846  ;  and  arrived  at  Fernando  Po,  April 
3.  They  proceeded  with  as  little  delay  as 
practicable  to  Old  Calabar,  and  were  cordially 
received  by  th,e  natives.  On  the  6th  of  May 
they  opened  a  school  in  Duke  Town,  about 
fifty  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Old  Calabar 


96 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


Bivor,  in  a  house  of  Kiug  Eyamba.    Every 
thing  seemed  to  bo  propitious. 

This  mi^ou  hus  bci'U  prosecuted  with  con- 
siderable suceess.  lu.lb.>3,  it  Imd  three  stations, 
Roek  Town,  Duke  Town,  und  Old  Town.  Its 
prt)6pcetii  oie  becoming  more  and  more  favor- 
ttble.  A  few  have  applied  for  baptism,  but,  at 
the  latest  dates,  none  had  been  admitted  to  the 
ordinance.  The  number  of  seholai-s  in  the 
schools  was  about  200.  There  were  connected 
with  this  mission,  in  1862,  ten  European  agents, 
including  females,  four  of  the  number  being 
ordained  missionaries.  From  the  beginning 
the  missionaries  have  publicly  preached  the 
word  on  the  Sabbath,  and  already  several  atro- 
cious customs  have  fallen  before  its  influence, 
among  which  is  the  use  of  the  poisoned  nut, 
as  a  test  of  witchcraft.  The  missionaries  have 
made  several  exploring  tours  into  the  interior ; 
and  they  say  that  these  regions  present  a  wide 
field  for  missionary  labor  ;  that  they  are  easy 
of  access,  by  water  communication  on  the 
rivers ;  and  that  the  country  becomes  more 
elevated,  and  the  atmosphere  purer  and  more 
bracii\g,  in  proportion  to  the  distance  from  the 
coast. 

Stations, 3 

Missionaries,     -        -        -        -        -        -    4 

European  male  assistants,       -        -        -       1 

Do.  female,  ....  5 
African  assistants,    -        -        -        -        -    6 

American  Episcopal  Mission. — The  For- 
eign Missionary  Society  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States,  as 
early  as  the  year  1822,  entertained  the  design 
of  establishing  a  mission  in  Western  Africa, 
and  considerable  sums  were  collected  for  the 
purpose.  But  the  design  was  frustrated 
chiefly  through  the  difliculty  of  obtaining  suit- 
able men,  till  1834,  when  it  was  determined  to 
establish  a  school  at  Cape  Palmas,  and  Mr. 
James  M.  Thompson,  secretary  to  the  colonial 
agent,  with  his  wife,  were  appointed  teachers ; 
and  the  Maryland  Colonization  Society  made 
a  grant  of  ^and,  as  a  site  for  the  mission, 
about  two  miles  from  the  town  of  Harper,  on 
the  main  government  road  leading  to  the  Ca- 
valla  river.  The  situation  is  pleasant  and  sa- 
lubrious, and  well  adapted  to  a  manual  labor 
school.  The  work  of  preparation  was  imme- 
diately commenced,  the  land  was  cleared,  and 
suitable  buildings  erected. 

In  March,  1836,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thompson 
commenced  a  school  in  a  small  building,  near 
their  residence  in  the  town  of  Harper,  with  20 
to  30  scholars.  In  the  summer  of  this  year, 
Mr.  John  Paine  and  Rev.  L.  B.  Minor,  of  the 
1'heological  Seminary  at  Alexandria,  Va., 
were  appointed  to  this  mission.  Kev.  Thomas 
S.  Savage,  M.  D.,  who  had  the  advantage  of 
several  years'  practice  as  a  physician,  preceded 
them,  in  order  to  become  acclimated  and  pre- 
pare for  their  reception  before  their  arrival. 
Messrs.  Minor  and  Payne,  after  spending  some 


time  in  presenting  the  cause  to  the  churches, 
and  collecting  funds,  arrived  at  Ca]X3  Palmas, 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1837.  They  lonnd  that 
Mr.  Thompson  had  made  a  good  commence- 
ment, having  three  acres  of  land  under  good 
cultivation,  with  a  small  thatched  house  on  the 
premises,  but  still  residing  at  Harper. 

The  Cape  itself  was  at  this  time  mostly  oc- 
cupied with  houses  belonging  to  the  Agrincy, 
and  older  colonists.  Commencing  with  the 
main  land  was  a  native  town,  of  about  1,500 
inhabitants.  The  houses  or  huts  were  con- 
structed of  narrow  strips  of  boards,  four  or 
five  feet  in  height,  three  or  four  inches  wide, 
and  half  an  inch  thick,  placed  perpendicularly 
in  the  ground,  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  cir- 
cle. On  this  is  placed  the  roof,  made  of  palm 
leaves,  running  high  up  to  a  point,  like  a  sugar- 
loaf.  This  town  had  its  grce-gree  place,  where 
some  sort  of  religious  ceremonies  were  per- 
formed, said  to  be  addressed  to  the  Devil. 

March  4, 1837,  Dr.  Savage,  with  the  mission 
family,  removed  from  the  Cape,  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  mission  house  at  Mount  Vaughan, 
as  the  station  was  named,  after  the  foreign 
secretary  of  the  society.  The  missionary  ope- 
rations were  formally  opened  on  Easter  day, 
which  was  kept  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humilia- 
tion and  prayer.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Payne,  and 
Mr.  Minor,  who  arrived  July  4,  passed  safely 
through  the  acclimating  fever. 

Dr.  Savage  made  several  tours  among  the 
native  tribes,  and  found  them  friendly,  and  de- 
sirous of  instruction.  It  was  supposed  that, 
within  50  miles,  there  were  70,000  accessible 
to  missionary  effort ;  all  of  whom  belonged  to 
on%  stock,  and  spoke  dialects  of  the  same  lan- 
guage, (Grebo.) 

The  care  of  the  newly  arrived  missionaries, 
during  their  acclimation,  together  with  the  re- 
sponsibilities and  labors  of  the  mission,  so  af- 
fected the  health  of  Dr.  Savage,  as  to  make  it 
necessary  for  him  to  return  to  the  United 
States,  which  he  did  in  June,  1838.  But 
he  expressed  the  firm  belief  that,  under  dii- 
ferent  circumstances,  his  health  would  have 
continued  good.  He  did  not  regard  the  cli- 
mate as  fatal  to  the  white  man's  health. 
"  With  a  moderate  share  of  prudence,"  he  says, 
"  we  can  live  here,  and  enjoy  good  health." 

In  1838,  Mr.  E.  S.  Byron,  of  Boston,  was 
sent  out  as  a  teacher.  Dr.  Savage  having  been 
united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Metcalf,  of  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  returned  with  his  wife  and 
Mr.  George  A.  Perkins  and  wife,  missionary 
teachers  to  Cape  Palmas,  where  they  arrived 
on  the  19th  of  January,  1839.  Mrs.  Savage 
was  removed  by  death  on  the  16th  of  April 
following. 

The  mission  was  embarrassed  by  the  jealous- 
ies between  the  natives  and  the  colonists  : 
the  missionaries  being  identified  with  the  lat- 
ter, found  it  difficult  to  gain  access  to  the  na- 
tives. This  led  them  to  the  conclusion  that, 
in  the  selection  of  mission  stations,  they  should 


I 


TJSltBRSITT; 


AFKICA,  WESTERN. 


97 


disconnect  themselves  from  the  colonies,  and 
hold  themselves  neutral  between  the  natives 
and  colonists. 

Two  unsuccessful  attempts  had  been  made 
to  establish  a  station  at  Garraway,  a  native 
town  about  30  miles  to  the  windward  of  Cape 
Palmas.  It  was  opposed  by  the  Bushmen,  on 
the  ground  that  the  effect  of  it  would  be  to 
stop  the  trade  in  rum.  At  the  leeward,  they 
succeeded  in  establishing  two  out-stations,  with 
teachers  in  each. 

Mr.  Thompson,  the  colored  teacher,  who 
commenced  the  mission,  died  of  a  protracted 
and  painful  illness,  which  he  bore  without  a 
murmur,  and  departed  in  the  exercise  of  a  firm 
hope  and  triumphant  faith  in  the  Redeemer. 
Mr.  Minor  returned  to  the  United  States  for 
his  health.  On  the  23d  of  January,  1840,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Stewart, 
of  Baltimore,  and  on  the  15th  of  February, 
they  sailed  for  Africa,  accompanied  by  Rev. 
Joshua,  Smith,  who  was  sent  out  by  the  Board 
to  labor  among  the  colonists. 

This  year,  the  mission  commenced  the  forma- 
tion of  a  native  town,  near  the  principal  sta- 
tion, to  be  composed  of  such  native  families  as 
were  willing  to  abandon  their  superstitious  and 
idolatrous  practices,  and  come  under  the  influ- 
ence of  Christianity  and  civilization.  In  this 
town,  those  educated  at  the  mission  afterwards 
settled ;  and  it  soon  began  to  assume  an  ap- 
pearance of  civilization. 

In  1839,  three  years  from  its  commence- 
ment, there  were  in  connection  with  the  mis- 
sion, nine  missionaries  and  teachers,  three 
stations,  70  native,  children  in  schools,  a 
church  of  It  members,  and  a  population  of 
10,000  or  12,000,  whom  they  were  reaching 
with  their  instructions.  Rev.  Dr.  Savage  was 
rector  of  the  Church  at  this  station,  by  whom 
two  services  were  held  on  the  Sabbath.  A 
Sunday  school  was  held  in  the  chapel  for  the 
colonists,  and  another  for  the  children  and 
other  members  of  the  mission ;  and  religious 
services  were  regularly  held  at  the  out-stations 
and  native  towns. 

For  some  time  previous  to  March,  1840,  an 
unusual  seriousness  had  been  observed  at  the 
principal  station,  which  continued  to  increase ; 
and  in  April,  nineteen  appeared  to  give  evi- 
dence of  a  saving  change.  Many  were  inquir- 
ing the  way  of  life ;  and  at  the  station  at 
Cavalla,  unwonted  attention  to  the  word  was 
manifested,  and  there  was  one  case  of  deep 
conviction. 

In  1841,  a  new  station  was  commenced  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Minor,  at  Taboo,  on  the  coast,  about 
40  miles  to  the  leeward,  and  beyond  the  bounds 
of  the  colony,  where  the  people  expressed  a 
strong  desire  for  a  mission.  The  station  at 
Garraway  was  abandoned,  and  the  teacher 
removed  to  Rockbookah,  the  capital  of  the 
Bahbas,  whose  chief  had  two  sons  in  the 
school. 

The  committee,  in  their  report  for  1842, 


complain  of  the  restrictions  put  upon  the  mis- 
sion, by  the  colonial  government,  and  of  their 
compulsory  laws,  requiring  military  duty  of 
the  youth  in  the  schools,  as  threatening  the 
mission  with  serious  difficulties. 

The  year  1841  was  a  time  of  unusual  sick- 
ness, both  among  missionaries,  colonists,  and 
natives,  though  less  fatal  than  at  some  other 
times.  During  this  sickness,  Mr.  Smith,  at 
Cavalla,  was  roused  eai'ly  one  morning  by  an 
unusual  noise,  and  on  looking  out,  saw  men, 
women,  and  children,  running  towards  the 
woods,  shouting  and  making  various  noises, 
and  when  they  seemed  to  reach  the  end  of  their 
race,  the  report  of  two  guns  was  heard.  On 
inquiry,  he  was  informed  that  the  native  doc- 
tors had  directed  the  people  to  beat  their 
houses  with  sticks,-  and  chase  away  the  sick- 
ness to  the  bush ! 

In  1842,  death  again  invaded  the  missionary 
circle.  Miss  Coggeshall,  who  had  recently  ar- 
rived, was  stricken  down,  after  a  short  illness. 
Rev.  Dr.  Savage  had  been  united  with  Miss 
M.  V.  Chapin ;  who,  after  entering  on  h/?r 
duties,  and  advancing  the  female  department 
of  the  high  school  at  Cape  Palmas  to  a  h'g;h 
degree  of  prosperity,  was  suddenly  called  to 
her  rest,  cheerfully  yielding  up  her  spirit  to 
the  Saviour  whom  she  served.  The  following 
year,  Rev.  Mr.  Minor,  whose  health  had  for 
some  time  been  declining,  was  removed  by 
death,  uttering,  with  his  last  breath,  prav^'s 
for  the  mission,  and  exhortations  to  his  breth- 
ren to  "  go  forward."  Mrs.  Minor  returned  -o 
this  country.  Rev.  Dr.  Savage  visited  this 
country  for  his  health,  and  returned  with  a  rt> 
inforcement,  consisting  of  Rev.  E.  W.  Hening 
and  wife  and  two  female  teachers.  The  reports 
of  the  missionaries  this  year  were  decidedly 
favorable,  the  divine  blessing  having  followed 
their  labors. 

The  report  for  1846,  in  a  review  of  the  mis- 
sion the  10th  year  from  its  commencement, 
says, "  the  result  of  past  efforts  is  beginning  to 
show  itself  in  the  growing  up  of  a  generation 
of  young  persons  educated  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord,  who  are  already  ^ou' 
dering  assistance  in  the  mission,  and  lr>m 
among  whom  we  may  expect,  at  no  distant 
day,  to  select  candidates  for  the  minist  ^." 
There  were  then  24  persons,  including  ns+i/e 
assistants,  engaged  in  the  mission.  Relii^i'  «s 
services  were  regularly  held  in  five  differ-yit 
places,  and  other  points  were  frequently  visited. 
The  boarding  schools  contained  about  150 
children.  More  than  that  number  attended 
the  Sunday  schools,  and  about  1500  were  regu- 
lar hearers  of  the  gospel.  The  number  of  com- 
municants was  about  fifty. 

Since  that  time,  the  mission  has  been  stead- 
ily progressing,  without  many  marked  inci- 
dents requiring  notice.  In  1846,  the  mission 
was  again  bereaved  by  the  death  of  Rev.  E.  J. 
P.  Messenger,  of  the  acclimating  fever,  soon 
after  his  arrival,  and  also  of  Mrs.  C.  L.  Patch. 


98 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


Thi-  i  'thor  incml)cr  of  the  mis- 
sion -Ml!  .  and  the  senior  mission- 
ary, lit.  V.  1 ..  .  Siivago,  M.  I).,  was  so  com- 
pletely proalratitl  aa  to  he  oblige*!  to  resign,  and 
return  to  the  Uniteil  States.  The  committee 
this  year  resolved  to  give  the  missionaries  leave 
to  rt'turn  to  the  United  States  every  fourth 
year.  The  year  following,  Rev.  Mr.  Hening 
and  wife  returned  to  this  country,  on  account 
of  the  loss  of  his  sight,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aj> 
pleby  resigned  their  appointments,  in  conse- 
quence of  her  ill  health. 

To  show  how  much  labor  can  be  performed 
by  one  man,  even  in  the  climate  of  Africa,  the 
committee  state  that,  during  the  year  1847, 
Rev.  Mr.  Payne  preached  every  Sabbath  morn- 
ing to  about  200  natives ;  conducted  the  mis- 
sion Sunday  school  every  Sabbath  afternoon ; 
preached  four  times  a  week  in  the  native  towns 
in  the  vicinity  ;  lectured  every  Thursday  even- 
ing to  the  pupils  and  mission  family ;  conduct- 
ed daily  evening  service  for  the  schools;  de- 
voted two  hours  each  dav  to  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures ;  made  three  visits  to  each  of 
the  more  remote  stations ;  and  officiated  in  the 
colony  forty-five  times. 

In  1848,  the  mission  was  strengthened  by 
the  addition  of  two  ordained  missionaries,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Jacob  Rambo  and  C.  C.  Hoffman,  and 
a  lady  of  high  qualifications  as  assistant ;  and 
in  1849,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hening  returned  to 
Africa,  accompanied  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Stokes,  a 
colored  clergyman,  and  Miss  AVilliford  of 
Georgia.  Dr.  Perkins,  the  missionary  physi- 
cian, was  obliged,  on  account  of  ill-health,  to 
relinquish  his  connection  with  the  mission. 

In  the  year  1851,  Rev.  John  Payne,  senior 
missionary,  was  elected  by  the  General  Con- 
vention, Missionary  Bishop  at  Cape  Palmas 
and  parts  adjacent ;  and  the  vestry  of  Trinity 
Church,  New  York,  appropriated  $5,000  to- 
wards the  endowment  of  the  Episcopate.  On 
the  11th  of  July  following,  he  was  consecrated 
in  St  Paul's  church,  Alexandria,  Va. 

In  1852,  the  mission  was  reinforced  by  Rev. 
G.  W.  Home  and  three  male  and  three  female 
assistants ;  and  it  was  determined  to  occupy 
Monrovia  and  Bassa  Cove,  as  stations  within 
the  colony.  Bishop  Payne  returned  to  Africa 
July  7, 1852  ;  and  active  measures  were  com- 
menced by  him  for  vigorous  and  enlarged  oper- 
ations. He  held  his  first  confirmation  in  the 
new  chiu-ch  at  St.  Mark's,  in  the  colony,  on 
Christmas  day,  in  presence  of  a  large  congre- 
gation.   Twenty-five  persons  were  confirmed. 

In  March,  1852,  a  small  newspaper,  called 
"  The  Cavalla  Messenger,"  was  commenced  at 
the  mission,  printed  in  Grebo  and  English  by 
two  young  native  Christians. 

From  Bishop  Payne's  report,  dated  Cape 
Palmas,  June  6, 1853,  we  gather  the  following 
summary  of  the  results  of  the  mission :  Since 
its  commencement  in  1836,  there  have  been 
connected  with  the  mission  31  white  mission- 
aries, male  and  female.    Four  principal  star 


tions  have  been  established,  at  FisJitoiim,  Rock 
town,  Cape  Palmas,  and  Cavalla.  At  all  these 
points  native  boarding  schools  have  been  main- 
tained. Day  schools  have  also  been  taught,  in 
which  many  heathen  children  have  learned  to 
read.  Sunday  schools,  also,  have  been  sus- 
tained. The  gospel  has  been  preached  to 
nearly  the  whole  Grebo  tribe,  numbering  about 
25,000,  and  a  congregation  of  colonists  has 
been  supplied  with  stated  services.  More  than 
100  have  been  received  into  the  church.  Some 
of  these  have  died  in  the  faith,  others  have 
apostatized,  and  about  80  still  remain  members 
of  the  church;  A  high  school  has  been  es- 
tablished at  Mount  Vaughan,  for  training  col- 
onist teachers  and  missionaries.  Six  youths 
have  been  sustained  at  an  annual  expense  of 
$75.  A  female  colonist  day  school  is  in  oper- 
ation at  Mount  Vaughan,  with  40  to  45  schol- 
ars. The  Grebo  native  dialect  has  been 
reduced  to  writing,  and  many  portions  of 
Scripture  and  other  books  printed  in  it.  A 
printing  press  is  in  operation.  A  wide-spread 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  Christianity  has  been 
produced  in  the  native  mind,  and  an  cxpectar 
tion  raised  that  it  must  supersede  the  religion 
of  the  country.  Two  churches  were  in  process 
of  erection,  and  the  means  had  been  raised  for 
a  third,  and  an  orphan  asylum  is  being  erected 
at  the  point  of  the  Cape.  There  were  in  the 
mission  two  colonist  and  three  native  candi- 
dates  for  orders. 

TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


flshtown 

Rocktown 

Cape  Palmas 

Monnt  Vaughan, 

Cavalla 

Taboo  

Green  Hill 

Sinee 

Bassa  Cove 

Monrovia 

Clay- Ashland  . . . 


-d 

m 

?, 

« 

•^ 

•a 

S 

1 

^ 

s 
s 

§ 

^ 

£ 

6 

r)^ 

rg 

4 

2000 

.') 

12 

5 

1600 

7 

16 

3 

3000 

9 

9 

1 

60 

5 

1900 
1500 

50 
1 

20 

2 

100 
10 
15 

50 


Total I  11  im  4|  17  |10,000|101  |  8|213  |  60 


Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
United  States — Mission  in  Liberia. — The 
Church  of  Christ  has  a  profound  interest  in 
the  great  experiment  now  being  tried  on  the 
West  Coast  of  Africa;  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  feeling  that  God  had 
thrown  a  portion  of  the  responsibility  upon 
her,  was  early  on  the  ground  ;  and  has  already 
expended  much  treasure  and  devoted  many 
consecrated  lives,  to  Africa's  evangelization, 
in  Liberia.  The  mortal  remains  of  her  sons 
and  daughters  are  lying  in  African  grave- 
yards, and  she  stands  pledged  by  every  sacred 
engagement  to  carry  on  this  work.  This  field 
was  her  earliest  foreign  mission.    Among  the 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


99 


emigrants  who  left  tlie  United  States,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Liberian  Colony,  were 
several  members  of  the  Methodist  E.  Church, 
and  with  them  several  local  preachers.  On 
their  arrival  in  Liberia  they  at  once  set  up 
those  religious  services  with  which  they  had 
been  familiar  in  this  country.  They  built 
places  of  worship  and  held  their  class  and  oth- 
er meetings.  But  they  desired  regular  minis- 
terial help,  and  the  church  in  this  country  be- 
came increasingly  interested  in  their  case,  until 
at  lengtk,  in  1832,  the  Rev.  Melville  B,  Cox 
was  appointed  and  sent  forth  as  the  first 
missionary  of  the  Methodist  E.  Church  to  Af- 
rica. He  arrived  there  9th  March,  1833,  and 
though  in  feeble  health,  entered  at  once  upon 
the  duties  of  his  mission.  He  gathered  to- 
gether all  the  members  and  officers  of  the 
church  then  in  Monrovia,  and  organized  a 
branch  of  the  Methodist  E.  Church,  under  the 
authority  of  the  General  Conference  in  Amer- 
ica. The  Swiss  mission  at  Monrovia  having 
been  broken  up  by  the  sickness  and  death 
of  most  of  its  agents,  the  remainder  of  the 
missionaries  were  ordered  to  Sierra  Leone,  and 
Mr.  Cox  purchased  their  premises,  and  was 
thus  furnished  with  the  means  of  at  once  enter- 
ing upon  his  labors.  His  love  for  the  heathen 
soon  led  him  to  devise  means  for  preaching  the 
gospel  in  the  regions  beyond  the  colony.  The 
plan  of  action  which  he  proposed  as  sketched 
by  himself,  was,  "■  (1)  To  establish  a  mission  at 
Grand  Bassa ;  (2)  Another  at  Sego,  on  the 
Niger;  (3)  To  establish  a  good  school  at 
Monrovia,  on  the  model  of  the  Maine  Wesley- 
an  Seminary  ;  and  (4)  Another  mission  either 
in  the  interior,  or  at  Cape  Mount.  He  held  a 
camp-meeting  commencing  March  29,  the  first 
probably  ever  held  on  that  continent ;  or- 
ganized Sunday  schools  ;  communicated  with 
the  MissionaryBoard  at  home  ;  and  was  pro- 
ceeding with  his  projects  of  usefulness,  when 
he  experienced  the  first  attack  of  the  African 
fever  on  the  12th  of  April.  He  rallied,  how- 
ever, but  again  took  cold  and  was  again  re- 
duced, and  on  the  21st  of  July,  this  devoted 
missionary  slept  in  Jesus.  This  result,  how- 
ever, had  not  come  upon  him  unexpectedly. 
He  had  contemplated  it  as  probable  before  he 
left  the  United  States.  But  when  his  own  ease 
or  life  was  weighed  against  the  salvation  of 
Africa,  he  conferred  nat  a  moment  with  flesh 
and  blood.  He  was  willing  to  sacrifice  all,  if 
by  so  doing  the  great  cause  in  which  he  en- 
gaged could  thereby  be  promoted — joyfully 
willing  that  Christ  should  be  magnified  in  his 
body  whether  by  life  or  death.  On  his  way 
south,  before  leaving  the  United  States,  he 
visited  Middletown  University,  and  on  taking 
leave  of  a  young  friend  there,  he  said  to  him, 
"  If  I  die  in  Africa,  you  must  come  and  write 
my  epitaph."  "  I  will,"  was  the  reply  ;  "  but 
wJiat  sImU  I  write  ?"■  "  Write,"  replied  Mr.  Cox, 
"  Let  a  thousand  fall  before  Africa  be 
GIVEN  ur !"     These  words,  so  worthy  a  mis- 


sionary of  the  Cross,  have  become  a  motto  for 
many  who  have  followed  him,  even  to  an  early 
grave  in  Africa.  He  had  been  appointed  to 
superintend  the  mission,  and  Rev.  Messrs. 
Spaulding  and  Wright,  with  Miss  Farrington, 
were  commissioned  as  his  assistants.  But  they 
were  delayed  and  did  not  arrive  in  Liberia 
until  the  1st  of  Jan.,  1834,  nearly  six  months 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Cox.  He  had  left  a 
request  that  Bro.  Spaulding,  on  his  arrival, 
should  preach  his  funeral  sermon  from  the  text, 
"BeMd,  I  die ;  but  god  shall  be  with  you." 
His  successors  entered  into  his  labors,  but 
were  soon  attacked  by  the  African  fever,  and 
only  five  weeks  after  her  arrival  in  Liberia  the 
estinlable  Mrs.  Wright  was  laid  beside  Mel- 
ville Cox,  and  on  the  29th  of  the  next  month 
her  husband  was  carried  to  the  same  humble 
resting  place.  Shortly  after,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Spaulding  were  obliged,  by  prostration  of 
health,  to  sail  for  the  United  States,  and  Miss 
Farrington  was  thus  left  alone,  resolved,  to 
use  her  own  words,  to  "  ofier  her  soul  upon  the 
altar  of  God,  for  the  salvation  of  that  long- 
benighted  continent."  In  1834  the  Rev.  John 
Seys  was  sent  out,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Fran- 
cis Burns  and  Unice  Sharp,  (both  colored,)  Mr. 
B.  being  a  local  preacher  and  Unice  a  teacher. 
They  found  on  their  arrival,  13  preachers, 
6  teachers  in  the  schools,  and  a  membership 
of  191.  This  year  missions  were  established 
at  New  Georgia,  Edina,  and  at  Grand  Bassa. 
Considerable  prosperity  attended  their  labors, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  year  they  reported  an 
accession  to  their  numbers  of  160,  of  whom 
20  were  native  Africans;  but  three  of  the 
preachers  had  been  removed  by  death,  and  18 
of  the  colonists  had  been  cruelly  massacred  at 
Port  Cresson,  by  king  Joe  Harris.  Arrange- 
ments were  also  made  for  establishing  a  mission 
in  the  Condo  country,  and  another  at  Bushrod 
Island.  Dr.  Goheen,  as  missionary  physician, 
arrived  with  two  teachers  in  1837  ;  and  at  the 
close  of  that  year  the  statistics  of  the  mission 
were  reported  as  follows :  15  missionaries,  one 
physician,  7  school  teachers,  221  scholars,  and 
6  Sabbath  schools  with  300  scholars,  the  church 
members  being  418.  The  work  of  God  was 
extended  by  the  establishment  of  four  new 
stations,  at  Jacks  Town,  Since,  Junk,  and 
Boporo.  In  1838  a  printing  office  and  a  period- 
ical [Africa's  Luminary)  were  established,  and 
an  academy  under  the  charge  of  Mr.  Barton, 
of  Allegany  College,  was  organized.  A  manual 
labor  school  was  established  at  White  Plains, 
for  the  purpose  of  giving  instruction  in  the 
various  agricultural  and  mechanical  branches. 
The  steady  light  which  shone  forth  to  the  dark 
regions  around  them,  in  connection  with  the 
few  missions  which  they  had  already  estab- 
lished among  the  heathen  tribes,  led  to  many 
earnest  invitations  from  chiefs  and  people  to 
give  them  also  the  benefits  of  the  gospel. 
Deputations  would  frequently  arrive  from  such 
tribes  as  the  Dey,  the  Goulah,  the  Pessah,  the 


100 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


Bfussa,  the  (Inoah,  und  the  Grcbo  jxioplc,  aslc- 
injj;  t'lir  missioimrii^s  and  schools.  Mr.  Soys 
visitiNl  many  of  their  tribes,  as  far  as  150  miles 
into  the  interior,  and  established  as  many  mis- 
sions and  schools  as  the  means  at  liis  disposal 
would  allow.  Cape  Palmas  also  was  added 
to  the  stations  in  the  mission,  and  a  strong  in- 
terest established  there. 

At  the  close  of  1845  there  were,  17  raission- 
ari(«,  about  20  chapels,  837  church  members, 
and  16  dav  schools  with  363  pupils,  12  Sab- 
bath schools  and  488  scholars.  In  December 
of  this  year  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Benham,  Wil- 
liams, and  Hoyt,  arrived,  to  reinforce  the 
mission.  A  few  days  afterwards,  intelligence 
was  received  at  Monrovia  that  Capt.  Boll,  of 
the  United  States  slooi>of-war  Yorktoum.,  had 
captured  a  slave-ship,  the  Pons  of  Philadelphia, 
with  756  slaves  on  board.  She  had  been  only 
three  days  out  from  Cabenda,  where  she  had 
shipped  913  slaves,  and  during  those  three 
days  such  was  the  barbarity  practiced  and  the 
diseases  engendered  that  20  died  ;  and  during 
the  fourteen  days  the  captors  were  getting  her 
•to  Monrovia,  150  more  died.  Governor  Rob- 
erts, Judge  Benedict,  and  Dr.  Lugcnbccl,  with 
Bome  of  the  missionanes,  went  on  board  the 
slaver,  and  there  witnessed  a  scene  of  horror 
which  language  is  inadequate  to  describe.  The 
Buffering  and  dying  creatures  were  landed,  and 
distributed  among  the  colonists ;  and  one  hun- 
dred of  the  children  were  taken  in  charge  by 
the  mission,  to  be  brought  up  and  educated  at 
the  expense  of  the  Missionary  Society. 

Bishop  Payne  estimates  that  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Liberian  Republic  will  eventually  ex- 
tend itself  600  miles  along  the  coast,  and  200 
into  the  interior.  "Here,  then,"  to  use  his 
own  words,  "a  territory  containing,  besides 
American  colonists,  120,000  square  miles,  and 
not  far  from  5,000,000  of  aborigines,  is  the 
sphere  to  which  Providence  directs  American 
pnilanthropy  and  Christianity."  Forty  years 
since,  in  his  celebrated  speech  on  the  Slave- 
Trade,  before  the  British  Parliament,  Mr.  Pitt 
made  the  following  remarks  :  "  We  may  live," 
said  he,  "  to  behold  the  natives  of  Africa  en- 
gaged in  the  calm  occupations  of  industry,  in 
the  pursuits  of  just  and  legitimate  commerce. 
We  may  behold  the  beams  of  science  and  phi- 
losophv  breaking  in  upon  that  land,  which  at 
some  Iiappy  period  in  still  later  times,  may 
blaze  with  full  lustre,  and,  joining  their  influ- 
ence to  that  of  pure  religion,  may  illuminate 
and  invigorate  the  most  distant  extremities  of 
that  immense  continent."  That  happy  period 
has  dawned  upon  Africa ;  for  these  glowing 
anticipations  are  now  being  realized  in  the 
Republic  of  Liberia.  The  Board  of  Missions 
of  the  Methodist  E.  Church  have  evinced  a 
laudable  anxiety  to  meet  their  part  of  the 
great  responsibility  growing  out  of  such  a 
state  of  things  as  this.  But  the  impractica- 
bility and  inutility  of  depending  in  any  mea- 
sure upon  the  labors  of  white  missionaries  for 


its  accomplishment,  has  led  them  to  transfer 
the  duties  of  the  mission  entirely  to  colored 
ministers.  So  that,  at  present,  the  only  white 
agent  of  the  Board  in  the  Republic  is  Mr. 
Home,  the  principal  of  the  Monrovia  acad- 
emy. This  decision  has  been  made  on  the 
following  grounds:  They  believe  that,  (1) 
Whites  may  not  expect  sufficient  health  to 
enable  them  to  perform  sufficient  labor,  without 
frequent  interruptions  of  long  continuance,  even 
if  they  escape  with  their  lives ;  while,  on  the 
contrary,  colored  men  do  generally,  after  their 
acclimation,  enjoy  as  good  health  as  in  Amer- 
ica. (2)  The  ccHorcd  missionaries,  by  a  previous 
residence  in  the  country,  have  to  some  extent 
become  acquainted  with  native  habits,  preju- 
dices, and  language.  (3^  The  membership 
of  the  Methodist  Mission  in  Liberia  has  now 
become  so  large,  and  of  such  a  character,  that 
we  may  confidently  look  to  it  as  the  source 
from  which  to  obtain  our  future  supply  of 
laborers,  in  proportion  as  the  necessity  for 
their  labor  becomes  apparent,  and  the  genius 
of  Christianity  tends  to  render  the  piety  and 
talents  of  every  one  in  the  church  available. 
And,  finally.  Because  the  results  of  this  great 
experiment  in  Liberia  have  exhibited  to  the 
world  the  competency  of  colored  men  to 
govern  themselves,  and  to  take  charge  of  all 
matters  of  importance.  With  the  requisite 
amount  of  piety,  they  are  as  capable  of  attend- 
ing to  religious,  as  to  secular,  concerns — to  the 
a^irs  of  the  Church  as  well  as  to  matters 
of  State.  Up  to  1850,  the  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Methodist  E.  Church  had  sent  to  Libe- 
ria twenty-five  white  agents  :  Melville  B.  Cox, 
in  1832,  who  died  in  six  months  after  his  arri- 
val ;  in  1833,  Messrs.  Wright  and  Spaulding 
and  their  wives,  and  Miss  Farrington.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wright  both  died  within  three  months 
of  their  arrival,  and  the  others,  after  a  few 
months,  were  obliged  to  return  to  America, 
broken  down  by  frequent  attacks  of  African 
fever.  In  1835,  John  Seys  and  his  wife  were 
sent  out,  and  they  also  had  to  return,  leaving 
four  of  their  children  in  the  grave-yard  of 
Monrovia.  In  1836,  J.  B.  Barton  was  sent ; 
and  after  a  brief  residence,  he  returned  to  the 
United  States  to  recruit  his  health,  and  then 
went  back  to  Liberia,  where  he  soon  after  died. 
The  same  year  Squire  Chase  went  out,  but  was 
forced  to  return,  and  though  he  went  back 
again,  he  had  again  to  leave,  and  died  from 
the  effects  of  the  African  climate,  shortly  after 
his  second  return  from  that  coast  Dr.  Goheen, 
the  missionary  physician,  went  out,  with  Mr. 
Jayne,  the  printer,  in  1837,  but  both  were 
obliged  to  come  back.  The  next  year.  Miss 
Wilkins  and  Miss  Beers  were  sent ;  the  latter 
left ;  the  former  still  lives  and  labors,  the  de- 
voted matron  of  the  mission  school  for  native 
girls  at  Millsburg,  the  only  one,  of  all  the  white 
missionaries  sent  out  by  this  Board,  now  living 
in  Africa.  J.  Barton  and  W.  Stocker  went 
out  in  1839  ;  the  latter  died  in  seven  months ; 


APRICA,  WESTERN. 


101 


the  former  lived  two  years,  and  then  fell  a 
victim  to  the  fever.  Mr.  Pingree  joined  the 
mission  in  1842,  and  then  returned ;  and  in 
1845,  Messrs.  Benham,  Hoyt,  and  Williams, 
with  their  wives,  arrived ;  but  Mr.  Williams 
died  in  a  month  after  his  arrival ;  and  the  rest, 
enfeebled  by  disease,  returned  at  dififerent 
times.  Mr.  Bastion  and  his  wife  next  went 
out ;  but  Mrs.  B.  and  their  child  died,  and  he 
returned.  Now  during  all  this  time,  but  four 
of  the  colored  preachers  have  died,  though 
tlieir  numbers  have  been  to  the  whites  as  ten  to 
one.  Nor  have  they  been  under  the  necessity 
of  leaving  Liberia  to  recruit  their  health. 

The  General  Conference  of  1852,  arranged 
to  send  Bishop  Scott  to  visit  the  mission  and 
preside  in  the  annual  Conference  there  in  1853. 
He  went,  and  spent  more  than  two  months 
there,  and  gave  the  whole  work  a  thorough  in- 
spection, and  made  such  arrangements  as  it  is 
hoped  will  tend  to  the  greater  efficiency  of 
the  mission.  Here,  in  substance,  is  a  descrip- 
tion of  his  first  Sunday  and  first  sermon  in 
Africa,  with  other  leading  points  in  his  report : 
"  Sabbath  morning  came,  and  at '  the  sound  of 
the  church-going  bell '  I  repaired  to  the  place 
of  worship,  and  there,  to  a  well-clad,  well-be- 
haved, intelligent  assembly,  preached  my  first 
sermon  in  Africa,  from  the  text,  '  For  tlie  pro- 
mise is  unto  you,'  Sfc.  I  said  it  was  an  intelli- 
gent audience.  I  will  describe  it.  There  sat 
the  President  of  Liberia,  and  his  wife,  each 
having  a  Bible  and  Hymn  Book,  (and  this 
was  the  case  with  all  present ;)  just  beyond  sat 
the  Vice-President ;  in  the  next  pew  was  the 
tall  and  fine-looking  figure  of  Chief-Justice 
Benedict,  and  near  him  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Eepresentatives.  And  there  we  had 
our  first  interview,  in  God's  name,  with  our 
colored  brethren  in  Africa.  I  visited  all  the 
settlements,  except  Marshall,  in  which  churches 
are  established.  These  are  luminous  spots,  ray- 
ing out  light  along  the  dark  coast  of  that  conti- 
nent. I  also  visited  Bexley,  Louisiana,  Lexing- 
ton, Puddington,  and  Mount  Tubman  ;  all  in- 
teresting places,  and  concerning  which  I  have 
many  pleasing  reminiscences.  In  my  interview 
with  the  King  of  Cape  Palmas,  the  King  treat- 
ed me  as  the  father  of  all  America,  and  said  : — 
'  Merica  been  here  twenty  years  and  yet  (al- 
luding to  the  colonists  and  the  natives,)  we  are 
two  people.  We  want  one  school  for  both. 
I  want  bring  our  people  (said  he,  suiting  the 
action  to  the  word,)  half  round  ;  by  and  by, 
bring  them  whole  round :  not  do  this  all  at 
once.'  The  Government  of  the  Eepublic  of 
Liberia,  which  is  formed  on  the  model  of  our 
own,  and  is  wholly  in  the  hands  of  colored 
men,  seems  to  be  exceedingly  well  adminis- 
tered. I  never  saw  so  orderly  a  people.  I  saw ' 
but  one  intoxicated  colonist  while  in  the  coun- 
try, and  I  heard  not  one  profane  word.  The 
Sabbath  is  kept  with  singular  strictness,  and 
the  churches  are  crowded  with  attentive  and 
orderly  worshipers." 


The  Bishop  also  gives  an  account  of  the 
meeting  of  the  Conference,  and  of  the  value  of 
our  African  missions.  He  says,  "  At  length 
the  time  of  meeting  the  Conference  arrived, 
and  we  entered  on  business.  The  Conference 
had  its  president  and  secretary,  and  proceeded 
to  business  with  as  much  form  and  accuracy  as 
we  are  accustomed  to  do  at  home.  On  Sabbath 
our  religious  exercises  were  held  under  the 
shade  of  two  large  tamarind  trees,  at  the  con- 
clusion of  which  I  ordained  eight  to  the  office 
of  elder.  After  having  surveyed  the  whole 
ground,  I  am  well  satisfied  with  the  church  in 
Liberia.  While  there  I  witnessed  some  of  the  " 
clearest,  brightest  and  strongest  evidences  of 
religion  I  ever  became  acquainted  with  in  my 
life.  The  African  mission  is  one  of  great  pro- 
mise to  the  church  of  God  ;  it  is  not  only  des- 
tined to  bless  Liberia,  but  to  pour  the  blessings 
of  light  and  salvation  all  over  the  continent  of 
Africa ;  and  God  designs  to  awaJieu  and 
Christianize  its  millions  through  the  agency  of 
her  own  sons." 

The  Bishop  enumerates  the  leading  difficul- 
ties with  which  this  mission  has  had  to  contend. 
The  first  is  the  want  of  missionaries  who  can 
speak  the  language  of  the  natives,  and  the  conse- 
quent necessity  of  still  employing  interpreters — 
then  there  is  the  custom  of  dashing  (or  making 
presents,)  which  the  natives  tenaciously  endea- 
vor to  keep  up  ;  then  there  is  the  difficulty  of 
polygamy  which  keeps  hundreds  from  deciding 
for  God;  then  their  vicious  domestic  organization 
which  makes  the  wives  the  mere  slaves  of  their 
lazy  husbands ;  then  their  superstitions,  their 
greegrees  and  witches ;  and  then  there  is  the 
vice  and  debasement  which  the  natives  con- 
stantly contract  in  their  intercourse  with  the 
ships  and  traders  on  the  coast.  Holding  offices 
under  government,  and  engaging  in  trade,  by 
the  preachers,  used  formerly  to  exist — but  of 
late  it  is  discontinued. — Amiiial  Reports,  and 
Msssionary  Advocate ;  National  Magazine  ;  Lon- 
don Watchman ;  Cox's  Life ;  Hoyfs  Laiul  of 
Hope. — Rev.  W.  Butler. 

TABULAR    VIEW. 
MEMBERS. 


STATIONS. 


Monrovia 

Lower  Caldweli  Circuit. 
Upper  Caldwell  Circuit . 
MiUsburgh  and  White " 

Plains 

Heddington  and  Rob- 

ertsville 

Marshall  Circuit 

Bassa  and  Edina  Circuit 
Sinou  and  Reedsville'l 

Circuit. .' J 

Cape  Palmas ■. 

Total 


(3 

k 

t 
A 

1 

1 

>5 

1 

19 

15 

6 

16 
17 

i 

ll 

7 

.. 

2 

58 

.. 

5 

8 

48 

3 

1 
5 

6 

8 

2 

18 

4 

116 

115 

4 

19 

^25  35 
10  00 
40  00 


15  00 

135  00 
150  00 


$1,*543  01 


lod 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


DAY  AND   SUNDAY 

SCHOOLS. 

STATIONS. 

>% 

1 

« 

1 
t 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

! 

eg 

1 

1 

* 

1 
1 

1 

1 

i 

•  Monrovia 

1 

80 

84 

155 

90 

140 
120 
120 

'5 
10 
15 

10 
10 

10 

11 

8 

12 

16 
20 

8 

1 

2 
2 
1 

'4 
3 
1 

88 
128 

*36 

"44 
200 
300 
300 

1 
3 
2 
3 

1 

'4 
2 
3 

1 

'2 

1 

*2 
1 

1 

40 
84 
55 
81 
10 

i()3 

80 
50 
10 

*  "5 

'62 
10 

10 
20 
10 
10 

1 
3 
2 

2 

2 
3 
2 

i  Lower  Caldwell  Circuit 

3 

Upper  Caldwell  Circuit *  . 

2 

Millsburgh  and  White  Plains 

1 

Uoddinpton  and  Robertsville 

Marsha  1  Circuit 

Bassa  and  Edina  Circuit 

Sinou  and  Readsville  Circuit 

4 
3 

Cape  Palmas 

1 

Cajx;  Mount 

Lanesborough  and  Peter  Harris's    .... 
Total 

15 

789 

50 

85 

14 

1096 

20 

7 

513 

127 

15 

Southern  Baptist  Convention.— The  South- 
ern Baptist  Convention  have  a  flourishing  mis- 
sion in  Liberia ;  and  they  are  commencing  one 
also  in  the  Yoruba  country.  The  board  say,  in 
their  report  for  1853,  that  their  mission  in  JA- 
beria  is  exercising  an  immediately  salutary 
influence ;  and  that  the  facilities  for  beneficial- 
ly affecting  the  heathen  are  abundant.  The 
missionaries  are  all  colored  men,  and  though 
none  of  them  have  had  the  advantage  of  thor- 
ough mental  training,  yet  they  are  in  advance 
of  the  people  among  whom  they  labor,  in  piety, 
talents,  and  knowledge.  The  reports  of  the 
different  stations  indicate  a  healthy  state  of 
the  churches,  and  in  several  of  the  churches 
revivals  have  been  experienced  the  past  year. 
In  the  year  1852,  the  Board  sent  Rev.  Mr. 
Boweu  on  an  exploring  tour  to  the  Yoruba 
country ;  and  his  report  was  so  favorable  that 
they  immediately  resolved  on  sending  out  a 
missionary  force  to  occupy  three  stations  in 
that  field,  and  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  S.  Dennard,  John 
H.  Lacy,  and  W.  H.  Clarke  were  subsequently 
appointed  ;  and  the  intention  was  to  send  out 
three  more.  Messrs.  Lacy,  Dennard,  and 
Bowcn  reached  Lagos  Aug.  28, 1853.  It  was 
determined  that  they  should  locate,  and  for 
the  present,  remain  together  at  Ajaye.  Mr. 
Dennard,  having  gone  to  the  coast  on  business, 
writes,  Jan.  10, 1854,  conveying  the  sorrowful 
news  of  the  death  of  his  wife.  Mr.  Lacy  has 
returned  to  this  country  on  account  of  the  in- 
flamed condition  of  his  eyes.  At  the  latest 
advices,  Mr.  Dennard  was  at  Lagos,  and  Mr. 
Bowen  at  Ijaye.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Board 
in  April,  Mr.  Clark  was  expected  to  sail  in 
May,  and  the  Board  were  corresponding  with 
other  brethren,  with  reference  to  this  mission. 
[See  Yoruba  and  Map.) 

The  report  for  1854  gives  a  cheering  view 
of  the  state  of  the  mission  at  Liberia.    The 


churches  have  been  visited  with  revivals  the 
past  year,  and  some  of  them  have  received 
large  accessions. 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


Liberia. 

Cape  Palnias 

Sinou 

Bas.sa  Cove 

Bexley 

Edina 

Junk 

Monrovia 

New  Georgia 

New  Virginia 

Caldwell 

Millb'burg \ 

Louisiana J 

YOKUBA. 

Awaye "| 

Ishakki Y 

Igboho J 

Stations 14     ' 


80 


13     11    153t    SOf    lit    30t 


*  No  returns. 


f  Incomplete. 


American  Missionary  Association. — The 
mission  of  this  society  in  West  Africa,  is  called 
the  Mendi  Mission,,  and  is  situated  in  the  Sher- 
bro  country.  This  name  is  generally  given  to 
a  section  of  country  lying  south  and  south-east 
from  the  colony  of  Sierra  Leone,  between  70 
and  80°  N.  latitude,  and  from  the  13th  degree 
of  longitude  west  from  Greenwich,  eastward 
into  the  interior.  It  embraces  not  only  the 
Sherbro  country  proper,  but  the  Mperi  country, 
the  Bulloms,  Jong,  Boom,  Timneh,  Boompe, 
and  Looboo  countries,  and  sometimes  even  a 
portion  of  the  Mendi  country.    In  general  that 


APRICA,  WESTERN. 


103 


part  of  it  which  lies  near  the  coast  is  low,  with 
numerous  rivers  running  into  each  other,  by 
which  it  is  really  divided  into  several  islands, 
Ascending  the  Jong  river  some  30  or  40  miles 
from  the  ocean,  we  reach  the  high  lands  at 
Wela,  or  following  the  line  of  the  Boom  for  a 
much  greater  distance,  the  highlands  are  reach 
ed  as  you  enter  the  Boompe  country.  At  the 
native  town  Tissana,  or  the  mission  station 
Mo-Tappan,  there  is  a  considerable  fall  of 
w^ater,  as  there  is  also  at  Wela,  on  the  Jong. 
At  these  places  Indian  corn,  beans,  melons  and 
many  other  kinds  of  vegetables  that  are  com- 
mon to  the  gardens  of  the  United  States  are 
easily  cultivated.  Of  some  of  them  three  or 
four  successive  crops  are  produced  in  the  same 
season.  Small  villag;es,  or  African  towns,  are 
very  frequent  all  along  the  numerous  rivers. 
The  population  of  these  towns  varies  from  50 
up  to  1000,  or  more,  inhabitants.  There  are 
also  scores  of  sites  of  towns  destroyed  in  the 
numerous  wars  instigated  by  the  slave  trade, 
that  curse  of  Western  Africa. 

The  general  condition  of  the  people  of  that 
part  of  Africa,  before  the  establishment  of  the 
mission,  was  that  of  heathen.  Many  of  the 
chiefe,  however,  are  Mohammedans  some  of 
whom  can  read  the  Arabic  readily,  and  pos- 
sess parts  of  the  Koran.  The  government  of 
the  country  is  generally  in  the  hands  of  these 
men.  The  last  few  years  has  developed  the 
existence  of  idolatry  much  more  wide  spread 
than  the  missionaries  had  previously  any  idea 
of.  Many  of  their  idols,  of  the  most  hideous 
and  revolting  form,  have  been  voluntarily  given 
up  to  the  missionaries. 

The  history  of  this  mission  properly  com- 
mences with  the  seizure  of  the  schooner  Amis- 
tad,  by  Lieut.  Gedney,  U.  S.  N.,  near  the  east 
end  of  Long  Island,  in  1839.  He  found  on 
board  the  vessel  about  forty  Africans  and  two 
Spaniards,  one  of  whom  declared  himself  the 
owner  of  the  negroes  and  claimed  the  Lieu- 
tenant's protection. 

After  an  examination  before  a  judge  of  the 
United  States  District  Court,  for  Connecticut, 
the  Africans  were  committed  to  the  jail  at 
New  Haven,  for  trial  on  a  charge  of  murder 
on  the  high  seas.  When  ft  was  ascertained  that 
they  were  recently  from  Africa,  and  had  been 
illegally  bought  at  Havana,  to  be  carried  to 
Principe,  to  be  enslaved,  and  that  they  had  risen 
upon  their  enslavers,  and  recovered  their  liber- 
tv,  much  interest  was  excited  in  their  behalf. 
A  few  friends  of  freedom  met  at  New  York 
and  appointed  a  committee  to  receive  dona- 
tions, employ  counsel,  and  act  as  circumstances 
might  require.  Legal  counsel  were  employed, 
native  African  interpreters  were  obtained,  and 
a  committee  of  gentlemen  at  New  Haven  un- 
dertook to  secure  suitable  instruction  for  these 
unfortunate  and  benighted  pagans. 
^  Hon.  John  Quincy  Adams,  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  the  Committee,  consented  to  act  as 
senior  counsel,  and  the  cause  was  jfinally  argued 


by  him  and  Hon.  Eoger  S.  Baldwin  before  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  at  the 
city  of  Washington,  February  and  March,  1841. 
The  following  letter  addressed  to  a  member 
of  the  Committee,  gives  the  result : 

"  Washington,  9th  March,  1841. 

"  The  captives  are  free ! 

"  The  part  of  the  decree  of  the  District  Court, 
which  placed  them  at  the  disposal  of  the  Pre- 
sident of  the  United  States,  to  be  sent  to  Af- 
rica, is  reversed.  They  are  to  be  discharged 
from  the  custody  of  the  Marshal— /rce. 

"  The  rest  of  the  decision  of  the  courts  below 
is  affirmed. 

"  '  Not  unto  us — not  unto  us,'  &c. 

"  But  thanks— thanks !  in  the  name  of  human- 
ity and  of  justice,  to  you.      J.  Q.  Adams." 

As  these  Africans  had  been  instructed  in 
the  elements  of  knowledge,  as  particular  care 
had  been  taken  to  enlighten  them  on  the  sub- 
ject of  Christianity,  and  as  they  all  expressed 
a  strong  desire  that  some  of  their  religious 
teachers  should  accompany  them  to  their  nor 
tive  land,  the  Committee  deemed  it  a  duty  to 
make  their  return,  after  such  a  providential 
train  of  circumstances,  the  occasion  of  plant- 
ing a  mission  in  the  heart  of  Africa.  As 
the  funds  had  been  contributed  by  persons  of 
various  denominations,  most  of  whom  were  of 
anti-slavery  principles,  it  was  thought  proper 
to  make  the  mission  anti-slavery  and  anti-sec- 
tarian in  its  character.  Accordingly  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  adopted : 

'^Resolved,  That  it  would  be  contrary  to  the 
feelings  and  principles  of  a  large  majority  of 
the  donors  to  the  Amistad  fund,  and  of  the 
friends  of  the  liberated  Africans,  to  connect 
their  return  with  any  missionary  society  that 
solicits  or  receives  donations  from  slave- 
holders." 

A  passage  was  secured  for  them  in  a  vessel 
bound  for  Sierra  Leone,  and  a  farewell  public 
meeting  held  in  the  Broadway  Tabernacle, 
New  York,  Nov.  27,  1841  ;  by  the  Union 
Missionary  Society  ;  when  the  instructions  of 
the  Committee  were  delivered  by  S.  S.  Joce- 
lyn  to  the  missionaries  under  appointment, 
viz.,  Rev.  James  Steele,  Rev.  William  Ray- 
mond and  Mrs.  Raymond ;  and  parting  coun- 
sels were  given  to  the  Mendians,  some  of  whom 
took  part  in  the  exercises. 

They  arrived  at  Sierra  Leone,  January  IS, 
1842,  after  a  passage  of  fifty  days.  All  their 
stores,  tools  and  implements  of  agriculture 
were  admitted  free  of  duty,  and  even  without 
examination.  Governor  Ferguson  proffered 
every  necessary  assistance.  Soon  after  arriv- 
ing, Messrs.  Steele  and  Raymond  became  sat- 
isfied of  the  impracticability  of  their  reaching 
the  Mendi  country,  and,  ascertaining  that  part 
of  the  Amistads  belonged  to  the  Sherbro 
country,  and  that  all  were  willing  to  go  there, 
Mr.  Steele,  accompanied  by  Cinque  and  sev- 


104 


Ai^RICA,  WESTERN. 


oral  others,  ^-isitod  Shci-bro.  King  irenry 
Tiicker,  to  whom  tliey  went,  lived  at  Kaw- 
Meiuli,  (a  town  of  the  yherbro)  and  seemed 
willing  to  receive  the  people  into  his  territory. 
The  eonditions  were,  however,  too  hard  to  be 
accepted,  and  Mr.  Kuymoud,  with  the  Afri- 
cans, spent  the  ue^t  miny  season  at  York, 
Sierra  L'one.  Mr.  Steele  was  compelled  by 
ill  health  to  return  to  the  United  States. 

In  November,  1842,  a  location  was  selected 
for  the  mission  about  a  mile  below  the  village 
of  Kaw-Mendi,  and  IGO  square  rods  of  laud 
were  obtained,  half  a  mile  on  the  river,  extend- 
ing- a  mile  back,  for  which  was  paid  an  annual 
rent  of  $100. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  missionary  and  the 
Africans  at  Kaw-Mendi,  the  King  ordered  a 
swivel  to  be  loaded  and  fired,  as  a  token  of 
joy.  The  women  and  girls  began  to  sing  and 
dance.  A  multitude  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren flocked  around  to  see  the  white  woman, 
having  never  seen  one  before.  In  the  morn- 
ing, many  people  were  drawn  together  by  their 
singing  and  praying  at  family  devotions.  On 
Lord's  day,  Mr.  Raymond  held  religious  servi- 
ces, and  preached  his  first  sermon  here  from 
John  iii.  16  :  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world," 
Ac.  The  king  attended,  and  seemed  much 
impressed. 

The  influence  of  the  mission  on  the  slave- 
ti*ade,  on  the  king,  and  on  the  people,  quickly 
became  apparent.  A  flourishing  school  was 
soon  in  operation,  and  Mr.  Raymond  felt 
greatly  encouraged.  His  language  was,  "  This 
mission  is  evidently  planted  by  God  himself. 
I  am  more  and  more  satisfied  of  it.  It  will 
prosper." 

On  the  first  Lord's  day  in  January,  1845,  he 
organized  a  church  with  five  members.  His 
cares  and  labors  were  great ;  but  he  was  per- 
mitted to  see  fruits  abounding  amidst  the  diffi- 
culties with  which  the  mission  was  surrounded. 
A  t^jrrible  war  commenced  in  the  Sherbro 
country  in  1845.  Many  towns  were  burned. 
Hundreds  fled  from  the  scenes  of  war  to  the 
mission,  as  a  place  of  refuge.  The  persons  and 
property  of  all  connected  with  it  were  respect- 
ed. Its  character  as  a  place  of  freedom,  peace, 
temperance,  and  Christianity,  was  kown  far  and 
wide.  Rev.  Henry  Badger  at  that  time  wrote, 
"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  a  mission  being  establish- 
ed in  the  midst  of  war  ?  Here  is  one,  and  it  has 
advanced  during  the  war  more  than  previously. 
A  school  has  been  formed,  and  is  doing  well. 
The  Mission  Establishment,  at  first  regarded 
with  much  suspicion,  is  now  looked  upon  with 
great  respect.  It  is  a  sanctuary.  And  while 
other  towns  and  places  are  consumed  by  fire, 
and  their  inhabitants  destroyed  by  sword,  or 
can-ied  into  slavery,  tliis  flourishes  and  im- 
proves." 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Raymond,  in  Nov. 
1845,  the  mission,  with  its  school  of  over  sixty 
children,  was  for  eight  months  under  the  care 
of  Thomas  Bunyan,  a  native  Meudian,  who 


had  previously  acted  as  an  interpreter  and 
teacher.  Two  missionaries  sailed  from  New 
York  for  the  mission,  April  8,  1848.  One  of 
them,  Mr.  Carter,  died  eight  days  after  his 
arrival  at  the  mission  ;  the  other,  Geo.  Thonij^ 
son,  labored  there  alone  for  two  years,  suilur- 
ing  much  of  the  time  from  sickness.  During 
this  time,  there  was  much  deep  religious  inter- 
est manifested  by  those  about  the  mission,  and 
many  were  received  into  the  mission  church  : 
the  first  one  was  Te-i7}e,  one  of  the  girls  taken 
in  the  ^\juistad.  The  next  reinforcement  con- 
sisted of  Mr.  and  Mi-s.  Brooks,  and  Mar-Grvy 
another  one  of  the  girls  taken  in  the  schooner, 
who  had  been  at  school  in  Ohio.  Mrs.  Brooks 
died  before  reaching  the  mission.  They  were 
followed  to  Africa  in  Dec.  1850,  by  a  company 
of  eight ;  and  Dec.  25,  1852,  another  company 
of  seven  newly  appointed  missionaries  sailed 
from  New  York  for  that  mission.  Since  that 
time,  only  one  missionary  has  joined  the  mission. 

TABULAR   VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


Kaw-Mendi 

Good  Hope .... 
Mo-Tappan . ; . . 

Total 


1842 
1853 
1853 


One  female  assistant  not  located. 

Besides  the  stations  which  appear  in  the 
foregoing  table,  the  missionaries  are  under 
instruction  to  open  a  station,  either  at  Mo- 
Bwavi,  in  the  Looboo  country,  or  at  Wcla,  in 
the  Timneh  country. — Rev.  George  Whipple. 

Basle  Missionary  Society.  —  The  Basle 
Missionary  Society  turned  its  attention  to  the 
Gold  Coast  in  1826  ;  and  four  of  its  agents 
arrived  at  Christiansborg,  near  Akra,  in  1828. 
Three  of  them  soon  died  ;  and  the  fourth  found 
himself  under  the  necessity  of  taking  the  place 
of  the  Danish  chaplain,  who  had  also  deceased, 
only  to  follow  him,  however,  in  1831.  In  1832 
three  other  laborers  reached  Christiansborg; 
one  of  them,  a  physician,  soon  fell  a  victim 
to  the  climate ;  and  another  did  not  long  sur- 
vive. In  1835,  Riis,  who  alone  remained,  went 
to  Akropong,  which  is  a  considerable  place  in 
the  Aquapim  mountains,  north-east  from  Akra. 
He  was  kindly  received  by  the  king  and  his 
people,  and  he  commenced  his  labors  among 
them.  Two  fellow-laborers  came  to  his  aid  in 
1836,  but  both  soon  deceased.  At  length,  after 
many  disappointments,  a  new  plan  was  adopts 
ed.     Riis  (accompanied  by  Widmann,  and  a 


^-^- 


^i 


AFRICA,  WESTERN. 


105 


colored  man  who  liad  been  educated  in  Swit- 
zerland,) conducted  twenty-four  Christian  ne- 
groes from  Jamaica  to  Akropong,  where  they 
arrived  in  1843.  A  chapel  was  erected  at  this 
place  in  1844.  This  mission  has  been  prose- 
cuted to  the  present  time ;  and  at  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  Society,  held  July  6,  1853,  its 


affairs  were  in  a  prosperous  and  hopeful  condi- 
tion. The  number  of  laborers  was  16,  and  the 
Qougregations  had  increased.  The  station  at 
Christiansborg  had  been  particularly  favored. 
It  has  stations  at  Akropong,  and  at  Ussu, 
(Danish  Akra.) 


TABULAR  VIEW   OP   MISSIONS   IN   WESTERN   AFRICA. 


SOUIETLKS. 


<f, 


Church  Missionary  Society 

English  Baptist  ilission 

English  Wesleyan  Mission 

Basle  Missionary  Society 

American  Board 

Scotch  Missions 

Presbyterian  Board 

Episcopal  Board 

Southern  Baptist  Convention 

American  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
American  Baptist  Union 

Totals 


2976 
118 
8021 

22 

114 
101 
600 
1185 
17 


5921 
450 
5343 


120   4   42  239   17   7   11  13,154  642  154  12,877 


It  will  be  seen,  by  the  foregoing  statements, 
that  a  good  beginning  has  been  made  in  the 
evangelization  of  Western  Africa.  Many  val- 
uable lives  have  been  sacrificed,  in  the  attempt 
to  plant  the  gospel  on  these  inhospitable  shores. 
But  they  have  not  been  sacrificed  in  vain.  If 
more  than  13,000  souls,  or  a  moiety  of  them, 
have  been  saved  through  the  instrumentality 
of  these  missions,  it  would  be  worth  the  sacri- 
fice of  every  missionary  who  has  landed  there. 
But,  the  results  of  these  self-sacrificing  labors 
reach  far  beyond  what  appears  in  these  statis- 
tical tables.  A  large  amount  of  preparatory 
work  has  been  accomplished ;  native  helpers 
have  been  raised  up ;  communications  have 
been  opened  into  the  interior,  and  the  way 
prepared  for  establishing  missions  among  a 
great  number  of  large  tribes,  inhabiting  the 
more  elevated  and  healthy  portions  of  the  con- 
tinent, who  are  in  a  more  hopeful  condition 
for  missionary  labors  than  those  on  the  coast. 
And,  experience  has  removed,  in  a  great  de- 
gree, the  dangers  of  acclimation  on  the  coast, 
A  large  number  of  the  native  languages  have 
been  mastered,  and  a  number  of  them  reduced 
to  writing.  A  good  beginning  has  also  been 
made  in  the  departments  of  translation  and 
printing. 

Rev.  Dr.  Krapf,  of  the  mission  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  Eastern  Africa,  has  made 
to  the  mission  at  Gaboon  a  deeply  interesting 
proposal — the  forming  of  a  South  African  con- 
tinental mission  line,  from  the  Gaboon  to  the 
starting  point  of  their  mission  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Zanzcbar.    North  of  the  equator,  this 


would  be  difficult,  on  account  of  the  variety 
of  languages  and  the  hostility  of  the  different 
tribes.  But  it  is  a  remarkable  feature  of  all 
the  dialects  south  of  the  equator,  spoken  by 
the  black  man  as  distinguished  from  the 
Hottentots  and  Kaffres,  that  these  dialects  all 
have  a  common  language  for  their  basis.  The 
people,  likewise,  are  essentially  one  people  in 
manners  and  customs.  It  has  been  discovered, 
that,  by  an  intercourse  of  a  few  weeks,  the  na- 
tives of  the  eastern  coast,  and  of  the  Gaboon, 
converse  with  each  other.  This  great  family 
of  languages  seems  also  to  be  remarkable  for 
the  excellence  of  its  structure.  The  place  of 
meeting  on  this  continental  mission  line  would 
be  some  one  of  the  central  mountains,  supposed 
to  divide  the  great  basins  from  which  flow  the 
waters  of  the  Nile,  and  of  the  Zaire,  and  of 
the  shorter  rivers  running  into  the  Indian 
ocean.  These  mountains  may  be  800  or  1000 
miles  from  either  coast ;  and  it  is  a  cheering 
fact  that  three  or  four  hundred  miles  of  the 
eastern  portion  have  already  been  traversed  by 
Dr,  Krapf  and  his  associates.  The  missionary 
aspects  of  the  two  opposite  sides  of  the  conti- 
nent have  some  strong  points  of  resemblance. 
On  the  east,  a  healthful  upland  was  found  much 
nearer  the  coast  than  was  expected ;  and  moun- 
tains are  seen  from  more  than  one  of  the  Ga- 
boon stations.  The  shores  of  the  Gaboon  are 
healthful,  compared  with  most  rivers  of  Africa, 
but  will  probably  not  compare  with  the  eleva- 
ted table  lands  of  the  interior ;  and  no  more 
will  the  coast  from  the  east.  A  thick  jungle 
covers  the  plains  and  valleys  on  both  sides, 


106 


AMERICAN  BOARD. 


creating  the  necessity  of  traveling  on  foot 
But  the  opening  of  the  rivers  to  navigation 
may,  in  a  measure,  obviate  this.  And  the 
increasing  desire  for  missionaries  among  the 
interior  tribes,  shows  that  Providence  is  open- 
ing wide  the  doors  for  the  entrance  of  the 
gospel  on  every  side. 

AHMEDNUGGUR :  The  city  of  Ahmed- 
nuggur  is  situated  on  the  table  land  of  the 
Ghauts,  in  Hiudoostan,  in  a  plain  12  or  15 
miles  in  extent  each  way,  and  is  about  175 
miles  north-east  from  Bombay.  It  contains 
about  50,000  souls,  and  the  population  is  in- 
creasing since  it  has  become  a  military  station. 
It  was  once  the  seat  of  the  Mussulman  power 
in  tliis  part  of  India,  and  appears,  from  its 
palaces,  mosques,  aqueducts,  and  numerous 
ruins,  to  have  been  a  place  of  much  splendor. 
It  is  four  or  five  miles  in  circuit,  and  entirely 
surrounded  by  a  high  wall  of  stone  and  clay. 
It  was  occupied  as  a  mission  station  by  the 
American  Board  in  1831. 
^  AHURIRI :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand. 

AINTAB  :  A  large  garrison  town  on  the 
northern  frontier  of  Syria,  in  the  pashalic  of 
Aleppo.  It  is  65  miles  north  of  Aleppo,  50 
miles  east  of  Scanderoon,  and  30  miles  west 
of  Bir.  It  has  a  population  of  35,000  to 
40,000.  It  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
stations  of  the  American  Board  among  the 
Armenians. 

AITUTAKI :  One  of  the  Hervey  islands, 
and  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

AK-HISSAR:  An  out-station  of  the 
American  Board  among  the  Armenians ;  it  is 
the  ancient  Thyatira,  the  seat  of  one  of  the 
Apocalyptic  churches ;  population  7000. 

AKRA  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  Africa,  on  the  Gold  coast, 
a  short  distance  to  the  east  of  Cape  Coast 
Castle. 

AKROFUL :  An  outrstation  of  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  West  Africa.     (See  Annamaboe.) 

AKROPONG :  A  station  of  the  Basle  'Mis- 
sionary Society,  on  Cape  Coast,  Africa. 

AKYAB  :  The  name  of  a  district  and  a 
city  in  Arracan,  one  of  the  provinces  of  British 
Burmah.  The  city  contams  from  16,000  to 
20,000  inhabitants.  Since  1840  the  city  has 
been  a  station  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sion in  Arracan. 

ALBANY  :  A  district  and  town  in  Sierra 
Leone,  West  Africa,  occupied  by  the  Wesleyan 
and  Church  Missionarv  Societies. 

ALDERVILLE,  in  Upper  Canada  :  A  sta- 
tion of  the  Wesleyan  Miss.  Society  among  the 
Indians;  commenced  in  "'817;  has  now  two 
missionaries,  several  out-&'  ations,  80  members, 
an  industrial  school  with  54  pupils,  and  over 
700  attendants  on  public  worship, 

ALEPPO  :  A  town  of  SjTia,  the  capital 
of  a  pashalic  situated  in  the  vast  plain  which 


extends  from  tlie  Orontes  to  the  Eupliratea. 
It  is  built  on  eight  hills  or  einincnces,  and  is 
three  and  a  half  miles  in  circunifcTence,  sur- 
rounded by  an  ancient  strong  stone  wall  forty 
feet  high.  It  is  a  station  of  the  London 
Jews'  Society,  and  some  Protestants  are 
found  among  the  Armenian  and  Greek  popu- 
lation. 

ALLAHABAD  :  A  large  city  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Ganges  and  the  Jumna,  in  Northern 
India,  a  station  of  the  Presbyterian  Board. 

ALLEN  TOWN  :  Station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  among  the  liberated  Afri- 
cans in  the  river  district  of  .Sierra  Leone, 
W.  Africa,  south-east  of  Freetown. 

AMALONGUA  :  Station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Zulus,  near  Port  Natal, 
in  South  Africa. 

AMAPURA  :  Tlie  ancient  capital  of  the 
Burman  Empire,  situated  on  the  Irrawaddy, 
seven  miles  below  Ava,  the  present  capital. 
The  government  was  removed  in  1824. 

AMBALA  :  A  station  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  in  Northern  India,  nearly  equi-distant 
from  Lodiana,  Saharunpur,  and  Sabatten. 

AMBOYNA:  One  of  the  Molucca  or 
Spice  islands,  in  lat.  3°  41'  south,  and  long. 
128°  10'  east.  It  belongs  to  the  Dutch,  and 
contains  a  population  of  29,660.  The  Nether- 
lands Missionary  Society  have  a  flourishing 
mission  on  this  island.  (See  Indian  Archi- 
pelago.) 

AMERICA  :  (See  United  States,  Canada, 
Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  Labrador  and 
Greenland,  Indians,  Mexico,  and  South  America.) 
i>AMERICAN  BOARD  OF  COMMIS- 
SIONERS FOR  FOREIGN  MISSIONS  : 
Of  all  the  foreign  missionary  boards  and 
societies  now  preeminent  among  the  bene- 
volent institutions  of  the  United  States, 
the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  was  first  in  the  date 
of  its  organization.  Yet  it  must  not  be 
supposed  that  the  spirit  of  benevolence — or 
even  what  may  be  regarded  as  more  specifi- 
cally the  missionary  spirit — had  previously  no 
existence  in  the  American  churches.  Nor 
must  it  be  supposed  that  all  the  influence  on 
the  churches,  which  led  them  to  enter  on  the 
foreign  missionary  work,  was  exerted  by  any 
one,  or  any  few  individuals.  The  missionary 
spirit  is  but  the  Christian  spirit  looking  upon 
the  unevangelized ;  and  from  the  first  settle- 
ment of  New  England  there  had  been  much 
of  this  spirit  in  the  churches.  Earnest,  and 
by  no  means  unsuccessful,  efforts  for  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  native  Indian  tribes,  had  been 
made  by  the  Mayhews,  Eliot,  Sargent,  Brain- 
ard,  Wheelock,  Kirkland,  and  many  others, 
extending  through  a  period  of  more  than  160 
years,  from  1643  to  1808,  before  Mills  or  Hall, 
Judson  or  Newell,  ofiered  themselves  as  mis- 
sionaries to  the  heathen. 

About  the  commencement  of  the  present 
century  it  began  to  be  obvious  that  the  mis- 
sionary feeling  was  rising  and  extending  in 


AMERICAN   BOARD. 


107 


the  IJnited  States,  and  wonld  be  likely  soon  to 
open  for  itself  new  channels  of  effort ;  and  "  no 
man  was  the  leader  of  the  movement  f^  God 
was  working  for  his  own  cause.  In  1799,  the 
Massachusetts  Missionary  Society  was  formed 
at  Boston.  In  1804  the  constitution  was  modi- 
fied, and  the  object  of  the  society  was  defined 
to  be  "  to  diSuse  the  gospel  among  the  people 
of  the  newly-settled  and  remote  parts  of  our 
country — among  the  Indians  of  the  country, 
dnd  through  more  distant  regions  of  the  earth, 
as  circumstances  shall  invite  and  the  ability 
of  the  society  shall  admit."  Under  this  con- 
stitution this  society,  had  the  means  been  fur- 
nished it,  might  have  sent  missionaries  to  any 
of  the  "  distant  regions  of  the  earth ; "  and 
some  of  the  sermons  preached  at  the  annual 
meetings  of  the  society,  as  also  sermons  before 
other  missionary  societies  in  the  earlier  years 
of  this  century,  and  especially  one  by  Dr. 
Griffm  before  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  1806,  urge  the  claims 
of  the  heathen,  and  the  greatness  and  excel- 
lency of  a  universal  missionary  work,  with 
eloquence  and  earnestness  which  have  seldom, 
if  ever,  been  surpassed.  Dr.  Parish,  the 
preacher  before  this  society  in  1807,  alludes 
to  '•'  five  societies  in  Massachusetts  for  propa- 
gating the  gospel,"  to  "  similar  societies  in  all 
the  states  of  New  England,"  and  to  "  mission- 
ary societies  in  the  middle  states,"  as  then 
existing.  The  Connecticut  Evangelical  Maga- 
zine, commenced  in  1800 ;  the  Massachusetts 
Missionary  Magazine,  commenced  in  1803 ; 
the  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Maga- 
zine, commenced  the  same  year ;  the  General 
Assembly's  Missionary  Magazine  or  Religious 
Intelligencer,  commenced  in  1805  ;  diffused 
among  the  churches  much  intelligence  in  re- 
gard to  missionary  operations  in  foreign  lands. 
Mr.  N orris,  of  Salem,  when  applied  to  by  Dr. 
Spring,  in  1806,  to  aid  in  endowing  a  Theologi- 
cal seminary  at  Andover,  found  himself  em- 
barrassed by  a  previous  determination  as  to 
th©  use  of  his  means.  "  My  great  object,"  he 
said,  "  is  the  foreign  missionary  enterprise  ;  " 
and  he  gave  $10,000  to  the  Theological  school 
because  convinced  that  the  effort  to  establish 
it  was  one  with  this  enterprise,  for  "  we  must 
raise  up  ministers  if  we  would  have  men  to  go 
as  missionaries."  The  same  year,  1806,  Rob- 
ert Ralston  remitted  for  himself  and  others 
of  Philadelphia  $3,357  to  aid  the  Baptist 
Mission  at  Serampore.  Dr.  Carey,  of  that 
mission,  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  $6,000 
from  American  Christians  in  1806  and  1807. 

There  were  thus  many  indications  of  a  mis- 
sionary spirit  in  the  churches  of  the  United 
States.  Still  it  is  true,  that  as  yet,  "American 
Christians  had  never  combined  in  any  great 
enterprise  or  plan  for  spreading  the  knowledge 
of  Christ,  or  advancing  his  kingdom ;  had 
never  sent,  from  their  shores,  a  single  mis- 
sionary, with  the  message  of  heavenly  mercy, 
to  any  portion  of  the  widely  extended  pagan 


world"  abroad.  The  different  eflbrts  which 
"  had  been  made  for  the  benefit  of  some  of  the 
native  tribes  of  the  American  forest "  had  been 
"  scattered  and  transient,"  and  "  without  any 
general  union,  or  any  expansive  and  systematic 
plan  of  operations-." 

In  1806,  Samuel  J.  Mills  became  a  member 
of  Williams  College.  While  a  child  he  had 
heard  his  mother  say,  "  I  have  consecrated  this 
child  to  the  service  of  God  as  a  missionary," 
and  from  the  time  of  his  conversion,  in  1802, 
he  had  ardently  desired  to  engage  in  the  mis- 
sionary work.  In  college,  while  laboring  faith- 
fully to  promote  true  piety  among  the  students, 
he  kept  this  work  constantly  in  mind.  In 
1807  he  invited  Gordon  Hall  and  James  Rich- 
ards to  a  walk,  and  led  them  to  a  retired  spot 
in  a  meadow,  where  they  spent  all  day  in  fast- 
ing and  prayer,  and  in  conversing  on  the  duty 
of  missions  to  the  heathen.  He  was  surprised 
and  gratified  to  learn  that  the  subject  was  not 
new  to  these  brethren,  but  that  their  hearts 
were  already  set  upon  engaging  in  such  a 
work.  September  7,  1808,  a  society  was  pri- 
vately formed  at  Williams  College,  by  these 
and  a  few  other  pious  students,  the  object 
of  which,  the  constitution  says,  "shall  be  to 
effect,  in  the  persons  of  its  members,  a  mission 
or  missions  to  the  heathen."  The  5th  article 
provided  that  "no  person  shall  be  admitted 
who  is  under  an  engagement  of  any  kind 
which  shall  be  incompatible  with  going  on  a 
mission  to  the  heathen  ;  "  and  the  6th  article 
was,  "  Each  member  shall  keep  absolutely  free 
from  every  engagement  which,  after  his  prayer- 
ful attention,  and  after  consultation  with  the 
brethren,  shall  be  deemed  incompatible  with 
the  objects  of  this  society,  and  shall  hold  him- 
self in  readiness  to  go  on  a  mission  when  and 
where  duty  may  call." 

Designing  now  so  to  operate  on  the  public 
mind  as  to  lead  to  the  undertaking  of  a  foreign 
missionary  work,  and  proceeding  with  great 
modesty,  and  great  practical  wisdom,  they  re- 
published and  circulated  some  impressive  mi&- 
sionary  sermons,  and  opened  a  correspondence 
with  some  of  the  eminently  wise  and  good  men 
among  the  clergy  of  the  country,  such  as  Rev. 
Messrs.  Griffin,  Worcester,  Morse,  and  Dana. 
With  the  same  end  in  view,  and  to  influence 
young  men,  one  of  the  number  transferred  his 
relation  to  Middlebury  College  in  Vermont. 
Mills  visited  Yale  College,  and  some  efforts 
were  made  at  other  institutions. 

In  the  autumn  of  1809  Richards  became  a 
member  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Ando- 
ver, and  "  labored  with  diligence  and  success 
in  promoting  a  spirit  of  missions  among  the 
students."  Mills  followed  him  to  Andover  in 
the  spring  of  1810,  and  Hall  soon  joined  them. 
At  least  one  other  young  man  was  there  also, 
whose  thoughts  had  been  independently  direct- 
ed to  the  same  great  subject — Samuel  Nott, 
Jr.  "  There  seemed  now  to  be,"  says  one  who 
was  there,  "  a  movement  of  the  Spirit,  turning 


108 


AMERICAN   BOARD. 


the  anouuon  :uid  the  hearts  of  the  students  in 
the  seminary  to  the  eomlition  of  the  perishing 
heathen."  Several  had  already  come,  or  soon 
came  to  the  resolution  of  spending  their  lives 
in  pagan  lauds,  among  whom  were  Adoniram 
Judsmi,  Jr.,  and  Samuel  Newell.  The  faculty 
of  the  seminary  were  consulted  and  approved 
the  di-sigu,  and  on  the  25th  of  June,  1810, 
according  to  previous  arrangement.  Rev.  Dr. 
Spring  of  Newbur}T)0rt,  and  Rev.  Samuel 
Worcester  of  Salem,  met  with  the  professors 
and  a  few  others,  for  further  consultation.  It 
was  thought  the  time  for  action  had  come,  and 
the  young  men  were  advised  to  present  their 
case  to  the  General  Association  of  Massachu- 
setts, which  was  about  to  meet  at  Bradford. 
The  next  day  Rev.  Messrs.  Spring  and  Wor- 
cester rode  together  in  a  chaise  to  Bradford, 
and  during  that  ride,  between  those  two  men, 
"  the  first  idea  of  the  American  Board  of  Com- 
missioners for  Foreign  Missions  was  suggested ; 
and  the  form,  the  number  of  members,  and  the 
name,  were  proposed."  On  Thursday,  June 
28th,  Messrs.  Judson,  Nott,  Newell,  and  Hall, 
came  before  the  Association  and  presented  a 
written  paper  in  which  they  stated  •'  that  their 
minds  had  been  long  impressed  with  the  duty 
and  importance  of  personally  attempting  a 
mission  to  the  heathen ; "  and  they  solicited 
the  opinion  and  advice  of  the  Association  as  to 
their  duty,  and  as  to  the  source  to  which  they 
might  look  for  support  in  their  contemplated 
work.  The  subject  was  referred  to  a  commit- 
tee, who  reported  the  next  day,  recommending 
"  that  there  be  instituted  by  this  Association  a 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions, 
for  the  purpose  of  devising  ways  and  means, 
and  adopting    and  prosecuting  measures  for 

})romoting  the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  heathen 
ands."  The  report  was  adopted,  and  the  fol- 
lowing persons  were  chosen  to  constitute,  in 
the  first  instance,  that  Board :  His  excellency 
John  Treadwell,  Esq.,  Rev.  Timothy  Dwight, 
D.  D.,  Gen.  Jedediah  Huntington,  and  Rev. 
Calvin  Chapin,  of  Connecticut ;  Rev.  Joseph 
Lyman,  J).  D.,  Rev.  Samuel  Spring,  D.  D., 
William  Bartlett,  Esq.,  Rev.  Samuel  Worces- 
ter, and  Dea.  Samuel  H.  Walley,  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

The  commissioners  had  their  first  meeting 
at  Farmington,  Connecticut,  on  the  5th  of  the 
following  September,  five  only  being  present. 
A  constitution  was  adopted,  and  officers  were 
chosen.  The  Prudential  Committee  appointed 
consisted  of  William  Bartlett,  Esq.,  and  Rev. 
Messrs.  Spring  and  Worcester.  Mr.  Worces- 
ter was  chosen  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  an 
address  to  the  Christian  public  was  prepared, 
accompanied  by  a  form  of  subscription. 

A  beginning  was  thus  made ;  but  though 
the  objects  of  the  Board  were  regarded  with 
favor  by  some  liberal  individuals,  it  was  doubt- 
ful whether  means  could  be  very  soon  secured 
in  this  country  to  send  out  and  support  a  dis- 
tant mission.    Yet  four  young  men  were  ready 


and  waiting  to  be  sent.  The  eyes  of  the  Pru- 
dential Committee  wore  turned  to  the  London 
Missi#iury  Society,  which  was  already  in  suc- 
cessful operation,  and  in  Jan.,  1811 ,  Mr.  Judsou 
was  sent  to  England  to  confer  with  the  Direc- 
tors of  that  society  on  various  points,  and  to 
ascertain  whether  any  satisfactory  arrangement 
could  be  made  for  prosecuting  the  work  of 
missions  in  concert;  so  that  American  mis- 
sionaries might  for  a  time  receive  their  sup- 
port in  part  from  the  London  society  without 
committing  themselves  wholly  to  its  direction. 
No  such  arrangement,  however,  was  made. 

In  June,  1812,  an  act  of  incorporation  for 
the  Board  was  obtained  from  the  Legislature 
of  Massachusetts.  The  second  annual  meeting 
was  held  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  Sept.  18, 1811 ; 
seven  members  being  present.  Donations  to 
the  amount  of  $1,400  had  been  received. 
Messrs.  Judson,  Nott,  Hall  and  Newell  were 
appointed  as  missionaries  to  labor  under  the 
direction  of  this  Board  ;  and  it  was  resolved, 
as  soon  as  practicable,  to  establish  a  mission 
in  the  East,  attention  being  turned  specially  to 
the  Burman  Empire,  and  another  in  the  West, 
among  the  Indians  of  this  continent.  Late  in 
January,  1812,  Messrs.  Newell  and  Hall,  who 
had  been  attending  to  medical  studies  in  Phil- 
adelphia, returned  hastily  with  the  intelligence 
that  a  vessel  was  to  sail  from  that  port  in 
about  two  weeks  for  Calcutta,  and  would  ac- 
commodate the  missionaries.  The  Prudential 
Committee  immediately  met.  It  was  short 
notice,  and  only  about  1,200  dollars  were  at 
their  disposal ;  yet,  on  the  27th  of  Jan.  they 
resolved  to  send  out  the  four  missionaries. 
Then  another,  Mr.  Luther  Rice,  desired  to  join 
the  mission,  and  they  "  dared  not  reject  his  re- 
quest." Measures  were  at  once  taken  to  se- 
cure, if  possible,  the  requisite  funds,  and  in 
about  three  weeks,  more  than  $6,000  was  col- 
lected. The  missionaries  were  ordained  on 
the  6th  of  Feb.,  in  the  Tabernacle  at  Salem, 
and  after  some  delay  sailed,  Messrs.  Judson 
and  Newell,  with  their  wives,  in  the  Caravan, 
from  Salem,  Feb.  19,  and  Messrs.  Nott,  Hall, 
and  Rice,  with  the  wjfe  of  Mr.  Nott,  in  the 
Harmony  from  Philadelphia,  about  the  same 
time. — See  Tracy's  History  of  tlie  A.  B.  C.  F. 
M. ;  Life  of  Dr.  Worcester,  Vol.  II,  Clvap.  2  ; 
Memoir  of  Dr.  Judson,  page  39  and  on  ;  and  Re- 
ports of  t/ie  Board. 

From  this  small  beginning  the  Board  has 
gone  on  until  now  its  annual  receipts  are  about 
§300,000,  and  it  has  under  its  care,  in  different 
parts  of  the  world,  near  400  missionary  la- 
i)orers,  male  and  female,  sent  from  this  coun- 
try, and  more  than  200  native  helpers.  The 
annual  meetings,  which  are  held  in  September, 
from  being  attended  by  seven  members,  as  in 
1811,  or  by  nine  as  in  1812,  in  the  parlor  of  a 
private  dwelling,  have  come  to  be  occasions 
of  fully  as  deep  and  extensive  interest  as 
any  annually  recurring  religious  occasion  in 
the  United  States.    They  commence  usually 


AMERICAN  BOARD. 


109 


on  Tuesday  afternoon  and  close  in  the  forenoon 
of  the  next  Friday.  They  are  always  open  to 
the  public,  and  can  be  held  only  in  towns  of 
considerable  population,  that  lodgings  may  be 
furnished  for  the  many  hundreds  who  come 
together  from  every  section  of  the  country. 
The  largest  houses  of  worship  are  not  sufficient- 
ly large  to  accommodate  all  who  wish  to 
hear,  and  usually  on  "Wednesday  and  Thurs- 
day evenings  simultaneous  meetings,  for  pop- 
ular address,  are  held  in  two  and  sometimes  in 
three  different  houses.  This  is  the  case  also 
on  Thursday  afternoon,  when  the  Lord's  Supper 
is  celebrated. 

Organization,  Mode  of  Operation,  ^c. — The 
officers  of  the  Board  are  chosen  annually,  by 
ballot,  and  are,  at  present,  a  President,  Vice- 
President,  Kecording  Secretary,  Treasurer,  two 
Auditors,  four  Corresponding  Secretaries,  and 
a  Prudential  Committee  of  eight.  This  com- 
mittee, whose  members  receive  no  compensa- 
tion for  their  services,  meets  at  the  missionary 
house  at  least  once  every  week,  on  Tuesday 
afternoon,  for  the  transaction  of  business. 
There  are  now  about  200  corporate  members 
of  the  Board  residing  in  at  least  21  different 
States  of  the  Union.  These  alone,  by  the  char- 
ter, are  voting  members,  forming  the  body  cor- 
porate ;  but  the  payment  of  $50,  if  the  person 
be  a  clergyman,  or  $100,  if  a  layman,  consti- 
tutes any  one  an  honorary  member,  who  may 
share  fully  in  the  deliberations  of  the  annual 
meetings.  About  9,000  persons  have,  since 
the  beginning,  been  thus  constituted  honorary 
members.  There  is  also  a  small  number  of 
corresponding  members,  residing  mostly  in 
foreign  lands,  and  chosen,  as  are  the  corporate 
members,  by  ballot. 

This  Board  is  neither  an  ecclesiastical  nor 
a  denominational  body,  and  is  not  supported 
by  denominations  as  such,  but  by  individual 
Christians.  The  Commissioners  were  at  first 
appointed  by  the  General  Association  of  Mass- 
achusetts, which  is  Congregational,  with  pow- 
er to  adopt  their  own  form  of  organization  and 
their  own  rules  and  regulations.  By  its  char- 
ter, obtained  from  the  Legislature  of  Massa- 
chusetts, in  1812,  the  Board  elects  its  own  mem- 
bers without  limitation  as  to  numbers,  or  resi- 
dence, or  religious  denomination  ;  but  not  less 
than  one-third  of  the  members  must  at  all  times 
be  respectable  laymen,  and  not  less  than  one- 
third  respectable  clergymen.  In  1812,  the  Sec- 
retary, in  behalf  of  the  Board,  suggested  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
"  the  expediency  of  forming  an  institution  simi- 
lar to  theirs,  between  which  and  theirs  there 
might  be  such  cooperation  as  should  promote 
the  great  object  of  missions  amongst  the  une- 
vangelized  nations."  The  Assembly,  however, 
while  they  urged  the  churches  under  their  care 
to  aid  in  this  good  work,  thought  "  the  business 
of  foreign  missions  might  probably  be  best 
managed  under  a  single  Board,"  and  so  decli- 
ned forming  any  separate  institution.    At  the 


very  next  meeting  of  the  Board,  (Sept.,  1812) 
thirteen  new  members  were  elected,  from  seven 
different  states,  of  whom  eight,  4  from  New 
York,  2  from  New  Jersey,  and  2  from  Penn- 
sylvania, were  Presbyterians.  In  1831,  of  62 
corporate  members,  31  were  Presbyterians, 
24  Congregationalists,  6  Reformed  Dutch,  and 
one  Associate  Reformed ;  and  of  the  70  or- 
dained missionaries,  39  were  Presbyterians,  29 
Congregationalists,  and  2  Reformed  Dutch. 
Until  the  division  of  the  General  Assembly 
in  1837,  most  of  the  efforts  of  Presbyterian 
churches  in  the  United  States  for  foreig-n  mis- 
sions were  made  through  this  Board  ;  and  this 
is  still  true  of  what  are  called  New  School 
Presbyterian  churches,  and  also  of  the  Reform- 
ed Dutch  and  the  Associate  Reformed  churches. 
Missionaries  from  these  different  denominations 
have  always  been  sent  out  without  distinction, 
and  generally  without  even  considering  their 
ecclesiastical  relations  in  designating  them  to 
their  fields  of  labor. 

The  missions  thus  formed,  are  not  controlled 
by  ecclesiastical  bodies ;  though  they  may 
themselves  be  considered  as  in  some  sense, 
such  bodies.  They  are  organized  and  governed 
as  communities,  the  votes  of  a  majority  of  the 
missionaries  and  male  assistant  missionaries 
deciding  all  questions,  in  their  regular  meet- 
ings. Thus  the  missions  provide  for  the  organi- 
zation, government  and  care  of  churches,  which 
they  form,  and  may  enter  into  organizations 
among  themselves,  for  fraternal  or  ecclesiasti- 
cal purposes,  as  associations  or  presbyteries, 
according  to  circumstances  and  the  views  and 
preference  of  the  majority.  So  far  as  any  use 
of  the  funds  of  the  Board  is  involved,  the  ac- 
tion of  the  mission  is,  of  course,  subject  to  the 
revision  of  the  Prudential  Committee. 

By  its  charter  the  Board  is  limited  to  the 
work  of  "  propagating  the  Gospel  in  heathen 
lands,  by  supporting  missionaries  and  diffusing 
a  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures."  Its 
missions  are  conducted  with  reference  to  the 
ultimate  complete  evangelization  of  the  nations 
or  communities  to  which  they  are  sent.  They 
are  not  regarded  as  permanent  institutions,  but 
are  established  to  plant  the  institutions  of  the 
Gospel,  and  to  prepare  the  people  themselves 
to  support  these  institutions ; — to  gather 
churches  which  are  expected  to  be  ultimately 
self-supporting  churches,  sustaining  their  own 
religious  teachers^  and  acting  for  the  still  fur- 
ther propagation  of  the  truth.  A  leading  ob- 
ject therefore,  has  ever  been,  as  fast  as  possible, 
to  educate  and  train  a  pious  native  ministry, 
who  may  be  fitted  to  act  as  pastors  of  the  na- 
tive churches,  and  as  evangelists  in  gathering 
churches.  For  this  purpose  not  only  have 
schools  of  a  lower  order  been  established,  but 
seminaries,  in  which  native  young  men  of  piety 
and  promise  might  be  thoroughly  educated, 
and  also  boarding-schools  for  girls,  from  which 
educated  native  preachers  and  teachers  might 
obtain  suitable  partners  for  life. 


110 


AMERICAN   BOARD. 


With  the  same  end  in  view,  to  raise  up  Chris- 
tian ohurc'lu^  and  conimunitiet?,  which  shall  be 
indepenilont  of  all  foreign  aid  and  foreign  iu- 
Btruction,  much  labor  has  been  expended  to  re- 
duce unwritten  languages  to  a  written  form, 
to  prepare  faithful  translations  of  the  Scrip- 
taree,  and  to  give  a  Christian  literature  to 
those  for  whose  evangelization  the  missions 
have  been  established.  By  the  missionaries  of 
this  Board  fifteen  diflFerent  languages  have 
been  reduced  to  writing,  and  the  Scriptures 
have  been  translated  wholly  or  in  part  into 
more  than  twenty  languages.  Still  it  is  ever 
inculcated  upon  the  missionaries  that  they  are 
to  regard  themselves  as  sent,  emphatically,  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  thus,  with  Divine  assist- 
ance, to  turn  men  individually,  and  at  once, 
"  from  darkness  to  light ;  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  unto  God  ;"  and  that,  in  all  ordinary 
cases,  every  other  work  is  to  be  subordinate  to 
this  in  the  labors  of  the  missions.  In  relation  to 
other  societies  the  Board  acts  strictly  upon  the 
principle  of  non-interference ;  in  agreement 
with  others  considering  "  certain  great  centres 
of  human  society  and  marts  of  commerce,  as 
common  ground  "  to  some  extent,  but  in  all 
other  cases  avoiding  fields  of  labor  which  are 
already  occupied  by  others. 

Results — Statistics,  ^c. — The  operations  of  the 
Board  have  been  crowned  witn  many  tokens 
of  Divine  favor.  This  is  not  the  place  to  give 
particular  accounts  of  revivals,  with  which  the 
missions  have  been  favored ;  these  accounts 
will  be  found  in  the  notices  of  the  several  mis- 
sions ;  but  simple  reference  may  here  be  made 
to  revivals  at  Ceylon  in  1819, 1821,  1824,  and 
'25, 1830  and  '31,  and  1835  ;  to  the  great  re- 
vival at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  in  1838,  '39  and 
'40,  as  the  fruits  of  which  more  than  twenty 
thousand  persons,  giving  hopeful  evidence  of 
piety,  were  received  into  the  churches ;  to  revi- 
vals among  the  Nestorians  in  1846, 1849, 1850, 
and  1851  ;  to  repeated  revivals  among  the 
Choctaws  and  other  tribes  of  Indians  on  this 
continent ;  and  to  the  reformation  among  the 
Armenians,  obviously,  a  work  of  Divine 
grace,  and  a  work  of  deep  interest  and  great 
promise,  though  differing  from  many  of  the  re- 
vivals already  referred  to,  which  has  been  in 
progress  for  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years.  In 
all,  from  the  beginning,  more  than  forty  thous- 
and hopeful  converts  have  been  gathered  into 
churches  connected  with  the  dififerent  missions. 
None  but  those  who  are  thought  to  give  evi- 
dence of  true  piety  are  received  to  the  churches 
and  much  care  is  exercised  by  the  missionaries 
in  receiving  members. 

The  receipts  and  expenditures  of  the  Board, 
for  each  year  since  its  organization,  and  for 
each  period  of  four  years,  are  presented  in  the 
following  table. 

It  is  a  fact  of  great  significance,  that  all 
missionary  societies  and  boards,  after  a  certain 
period  in  their  history,  begin  to  receive  back 
their  expenditures    from  the  missions  which 


they  have  planUnl.  The  sum  thus  received  by 
this  Board  in  1853  was  $12,905,  which  is  more 
than  one  twenty-fifth  part  of  their  whole 
receipts.  And  this  proportion  is  much  greater 
in  the  case  of  the  large  London  societies,  which 
have  been  much  longer  in  operation. 


i 

■1 

Rocoipts. 

Periods  of  4 
YeaiB. 

Expen- 
ditures. 

Periods. 

A. 

(S 

1811 
1812, 

$999  52 

$900 

$0,609 

13,611  60 

1813, 

ll,3(fl  18 

8,611 

1814 

12,265  56 

7,078 

1815, 

9,493  89 

6,027 

1^ 

$46,732 

$30,415 

1816, 

12,601  03 

15,934 

1817, 

29,948  63 

20,485 

1818, 

34,727  72 

30,346 

1819, 

37,620  63 

40,337 

2. 

114,698 

113,102 

1820, 

39,949  45 

57,621 

1821, 

46:354  96 

46,771 

1822, 

60,087  87 

60,474 

1823, 

65,758  94 

66,380 

3. 

202,151 

231,246 

1824, 

47,483  68 

54,157 

1826, 

65,716  18 

41,469 

1826, 

61,616  25 

59,012 

1827, 

4. 

88,341  89 

253,157 

103,430 

258,068 

1828, 

102,009  64 

107,676 

1829, 

106,928  26 

92,533 

?f!?' 

83,019  37 

84,798 

1831, 

100,934  09 

98,313 

5. 

392,891 

383,320 

1832, 

130,574  12 

120,954 

1833, 

145,847  77 

149,906 

1834, 

152,386  10 

159,779 

1835, 

6. 

163,340  19 

592,148 

163,254 

593,893 

1836, 

176,232  15 

210,407 

1837, 

252,076  56 

254,589 

1838, 

236,170  98 

230;642 

1839, 

244,169  82 

227;491 

7. 

908,649 

923,129 

1840, 

241,691  04 

246,601 

1841, 

235,189  30 

268,914 

1842, 

318,396  53 

201,147 

1843, 

8. 

244,254  43 

1,039,531 

256,687 

1,033,349 

1844, 

236,394  37 

244,371 

1845, 

255,112  96 

216,817 

1846, 

262,073  55 

257,605 

1847, 

211,402  76 

264,783 

1848, 

9. 

964,983 

254,056  46 

282,330 

983,570 

1849, 

291,705  27 

263,418 

1850, 

251,862  28 

264,329 

1851, 

10. 

274,902  21 

1,072,526 

274,830 

1,084,907 

1852. 

301,732  70 

257,727 

1853, 

314,922  88 

616,655 

310,607 

568,334 

6,205,120 

6,203,339 

It  will  be  seen,  that  with  only  one  exception, 
in  each  period  of  four  years  there  has  been  an 
advance  upon  the  receipts  of  the  previous 
period.  But  though  there  has  been,  on  the 
whole,  constant  progress,  the  receipts  have 
often  fallen  below  the  expenditures,  and  there 
have  been  seasons  of  great  pecuniary  embar- 
rassment in  the  operations  of  the  society.  In 
1837  embarrassments  of  this  kind  occurred, 
the  sad  effects  of  which  were  deeply  and  widely 
felt.    For  some  years  previous  to  1836  the 


AMERICAN  BOARD. 


Ill 


means  provided  had  been  sufficient ;  tlie  Pru- 
dential Committee  felt  encouraged  to  enter 
upon  new  and  enlarged  operations,  and  the 
call  was  specially  for  men,  while  the  churches 
supposed  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  regard 
to  means.  In  the  mean  time  laborers,  in  an- 
swer to  the  call,  offered  their  services  in 
increasing  numbers,  and  within  four  years, 
from  1833  to  1836  inclusive,  no  less  than  185 
new  laborers,  male  and  female,  were  sent 
abroad.  Expenses  were  thus  greatly  increas- 
ed, and  the  receipts  did  not  increase  in  pro- 
portion. At  the  annual  meeting  in  1836  it 
was  announced  that  64  missionary  laborers 
were  then  under  appointment,  who  were  ex- 
pecting soon  to  be  sent  abroad  ;  but  there  was 
a  balance  of  about  ^39,000  against  the  trea- 
sury at  the  close  of  the  financial  year,  (July 
31,)  and  that  balance  was  increasing.  The 
voice  of  the  meeting,  however,  and  the  voice 
of  the  churches,  still  was  "  let  the  missionaries 
be  sent ; "  and  the  means  seemed  likely  to  be 
provided.  From  October,  1836,  to  February, 
1837,  the  receipts  greatly  increased,  and  in  the 
mean  time  60  laborers,  male  and  female,  had 
embarked  for  their  respective  fields.  But  now 
there  came  a  financial  crisis  in  the  affairs  of 
the  country.  Pecuniary  difficulties  began  to 
press  upon  the  business  community  with  very 
great  severity ;  the  receipts  of  the  Board 
rapidly  diminished,  and  the  debt  rapidly  in- 
creased. The  committee  felt  obliged  to  stop. 
Laborers  under  appointment  were  detained, 
and  new  missionaries  were  appointed  only  on 
condition  that  they  would  not  be  sent  out,  and 
must  be  at  no  expense  to  the  Board,  until  the 
state  of  the  treasury  should  warrant  it.  Thus 
discouraged,  many  turned  from  regarding  the 
heathen  world  and  looked  for  other  fields  of 
labor,  and  never  since  have  there  been  so  many 
ready  to  offer  themselves  for  the  foreign  ser- 
vice. But  this  was  not  all.  Difficulties  still 
increasing,  the  committee  felt  called  upon,  in 
June,  to  curtail  the  appropriations  which  had 
been  made  in  the  missions  for  the  year  1838, 
by  $40,000  ;  and  the  missions  were  informed 
of  the  painful  necessity,  and  required  to  con- 
tract their  operations.  With  60  more  laborers 
to  be  supported,  the  pecuniary  means  of  the 
missions  were  thus  reduced  $45,000  below 
what  had  been  allowed  in  1836.  The  effect 
was  deeply  painful.  Every  missionary  was 
embarrassed,  and  every  branch  of  missionary 
operations  crippled.  Schools  were  broken  up 
or  greatly  reduced,  and  in  Ceylon  alone  5,000 
children  were  dismissed  from  under  Christian 
instruction  "  to  the  wilderness  of  heathenism  ; " 
the  facilities  for  preaching  were  abridged ;  the 
operations  of  presses  were  greatly  diminished ; 
native  teachers  and  other  helpers  were  de- 
prived of  employment ;  native  Christians  were 
disheartened,  and  the  opposing  heathen  tri- 
umphed. 

Still  the  influence  of  this  reverse  was  not 
simply  evil.  The  missions,  the  Christain  public 


at  home,  and  the  I'rudential  Committee  all  learn- 
ed some  important  lessons  ;  and  a  new  impulse 
was  given  to  missionary  effort,  particularly  in 
the  rural  districts  of  the  country,  where  the  in- 
telligence of  the  disastrous  influence  of  such 
reduced  appropriations  was  received.  The 
financial  embarrassments  were  felt  first  and 
most  severely  in  the  cities  and  larger  towns ; 
those  in  such  communities  who  would  have 
given  liberally,  found  themselves  deprived  of 
the  means  of  giving;  the  country  churches 
were  thus  called  upon  to  come  with  more  lib- 
erality to  the  support  of  the  missionary  work, 
and  in  these  churches  the  amount  contributed, 
and  doubtless  also  the  number  of  contributors, 
greatly  increased. 

Such  painful  consequences  of  financial  diffi- 
culty have  never  since  occurred,  and  it  is 
believed  will  never  again  occur  in  the  history 
of  this  society.  The  treasury  was  not  fully 
relieved  until  1842.  Indeed,  in  1841  the  debt 
had  increased  to  $57,000  ;  and  for  five  years 
again,  from  1847  to  1851,  there  was  a  constant 
balance  against  the  treasury.  In  1848  this 
balance  was  $59,890.  But  while  all  proper 
economy  has  been  used,  and  the  appropriations 
to  the  missions  have  been  limited  to  the  lowest 
safe  amount,  the  operations  have  been  steadily 
carried  forward,  and  contributions  have  been 
so  increased  as  again  to  relieve  the  Board. 

Until  1838  the  Board  had  no  permanent 
building  for  the  accommodation  of  its  business 
at  Boston,  which  has  ever  been  the  centre  of 
its  operations ;  and  much  inconvenience  and 
loss  had  been  experienced  from  frequent  remo- 
vals. This  year  an  eligible  site  was  purchased 
in  Pemberton  Square,  and  a  substantial  build- 
ing erected ;  the  whole  expense  being  met 
from  permanent  funds,  which  could  not  be  used 
to  sustain  the  missions  or  to  pay  the  debts. 
In  addition  to  this  building,  the  Board  now 
has  invested  funds,  of  which  the  interest  only 
may  be  used,  amounting  to  $96,000. 

The  missions  now  under  the  care  of  the  Board 
are  the  following,  of  each  of  which  a  particular 
notice  will  be  found  in  its  appropriate  place : 

The  mission  to  the  Zulus,  and  the  Gaboon 
mission,  in  Africa  ;  the  mission  to  Greece, 
and  the  mission  to  the  Jews,  in  Europe  ;  the 
mission  to  the  Armenians,  the  Syrian  mission, 
the  Assyrian  mission,  and  the  mission  to  the 
Nestorians,  in  Western  Asia ;  the  Bombay, 
Ahmednuggur,  Satara,  Kolapur,  Madras,  Ar- 
cot,  Madura,  and  Ceylon  missions,  in  Southern 
Asia ;  the  Canton,  Amoy,  and  Fuh-chau  mis- 
sions, in  China ;  missions  to  the  Choctaws, 
the  Oherokees,  the  Dakotas,  the  Ojibwas,  the 
Senecas,  the  Tuscaroras,  and  the  Abenaquis, 
among  the  North  American  Indians ;  and  the 
Micronesian  mission  in  the  NorthPacific  Ocean. 
The  large  and  successfui  Sandwich  Islands  mis- 
sion has  just  passed  from  under  the  care  of  the 
Board  as  an  organized  mission,  it  being  merg- 
ed in  the  Christian  community  of  the  islands, 
which  have  been  virtually  christianized ;  but 


112 


AMERICAN  BAPTIST  UNION. 


necessary  aid  is  still  furnished  for  the  support 
of  roligioos  and  educational  institutions. 

The  following  table  presents  the  more  im- 
portAut  8tAtij?tica  of  the  missions  at  different 


periods,  separated  by  intervals  of  ten  yeai-g, 
commencing  "vvith  1823,  eleven  years  after  the 
first  missionaries  wore  sent  out. 


, 

t 

i 

i 

0 

E 

a 

i 

.1 

8 

.1 
25 

1 

29 

1 

1 

10 

1 

as 

1 

o 

42 

66 

1 
1 

I 

8 

1 

1 
1 

-2  . 

|i 
it 

1 

1 

1 

bo 

.s 

1 

'fcl 

1 

1 

lo" 

1 

a  « 

"is 

1* 

1823.... 

4 

10 

3,000 

1S33.... 

24 

66 

85 

44 

137 

4 

50 

39 

1,940 

6 

2 

204 

1 

50 

534 

66,000 

1843.... 

26 

86 

131 

39 

178 

14 

116 

62 

20,797 

16 

442,066,185 

7 

624 

22 

699 

610 

30,778 

1863.... 

28 

111 

38 

167 

1 

26 

205 

39 

192 

103 

26,714 

11 

958,132,478 

9 

487 

23 

645 

712 

21,993 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  MISSIONARY 
UNION :  This  is  the  name  at  present  adopt- 
ed by  the  Foreign  Missionary  Association  of  the 
regular  or  Calvmistic  Baptists  of  the  non-slave- 
holding  States,  and  with  few  exceptions,  it  is 
entirely  dependent  on  them  for  its  maintenance 
and  direction.  Existing,  at  first,  with  a  different 
organization,  and  under  the  name  of  the  Bap- 
tist Triennial  Convention,  it  was  founded  at 
Philadelphia,  in  May,  1814,  near  the  date  at 
which  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States  entered 
upon  the  work  of  propagating  the  Gospel 
among  the  heathen.  It  owes  its  origin  to  a 
series  of  events  which  have  always  been  deemed 
extraordinary  and  providential,  and  are,  on 
that  account,  worthy  of  a  brief  narration. 

In  the  earliest  company  of  missionaries  sent 
to  the  east,  by  the  American  Board  of  Com- 
missioners for  Foreign  Missions,  were  Rev. 
Adoniram  Judson  and  Rev.  Luther  Rice,  who 
in  separate  ships,  sailed  from  the  United  States 
in  1812.  During  the  passage  to  Calcutta,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Judson  found  reason  to  change  their 
sentiments  respecting  the  mode  and  the  subjects 
of  Christian  baptism.  On  their  arrival  in  In- 
dia they  repaired  to  Serampore,  and  on  making 
knowm  their  views,  were  baptized  by  immersion 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Ward,  one  of  the  missionaries  of 
the  English  Baptist  mission,  who  were  stationed 
there.  A  few  weeks  later  Rev.  Mr.  Rice 
avowed  a  similar  change  in  his  sentiments,  and 
was  also  baptized  at  Serampore.  It  was  this 
unexpected  announcement  that  these  American 
Missionaries,  who  had  already  arrived  in  the 
East,  had  become  Baptists  and  had  thrown 
themselves  on  the  Baptist  churches  of  the 
United  States  for  the  means  of  prosecuting  the 
self-denying  and  heroic  mission  they  had  un- 
dertaken, that  first  enlisted  the  general  sym- 
pathy of  that  denomination  in  this  country, 
and  led  to  the  formation  of  their  earliest  foreign 
missionary  organization. 

Immediately  on  the  receipt  of  letters  from 
Messrs.  Judson  and  Rice,  containing  this  an- 
nouncement, a  society  was  formed  in  Boston, 
which  was  styled,  "  The  Baptist  Society  for 


Rre.  I.  R.  Wokcestkb. 

Propagating  the  Gospel  in  India  and  other 
Foreign  Parts."  The  new  Society,  whicli  was 
designed  to  be  the  parent  of  numerous  auxil- 
iaries, immediately  pledged  to  Mr.  Judson  an 
adequate  support  in  the  prosecution  of  his  mis- 
sion, whenever  the  Commissioners  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  should  discontinue  their  patronage ; 
and  at  the  same  time,  thinking  that  such  an 
arrangement  might  be  more  acceptable  to  him 
as  well  as  more  advantageous  in  its  results,  they 
proposed  that  he  should  become  connected  with 
the  English  Baptist  Mission  at  Serampore. 
This  proposal  was  very  wisely  and  fortunately 
declined  by  the  managers  of  that  mission,  who 
urged  upon  their  American  brethren  the  forma- 
tion of  a  general  missionary  society,  in  the 
United  States.  At  this  juncture,  early  in  the 
year  1814,  Mr.  Rice  arrived  in  America  from 
Calcutta,  having  returned  for  the  special  pur- 
pose of  enlisting  the  Baptist  churches  of  the 
country  in  the  enterprise  of  forming  missions 
among  the  heathen.  He  was  immediately  ap- 
pointed traveling  agent  of  the  society  already 
formed,  and  was  directed  to  visit  the  churches 
in  the  middle  and  southern  states,  and  at  the 
same  time,  an  address  to  the  members  of  the 
denomination  was  prepared  by  the  society's 
managers,  setting  forth  the  obligations  which 
God  in  his  providence  had  imposed  on  them, 
in  consequence  of  the  secession  of  Messrs. 
Judson  and  Rice  from  the  missions  which  they 
had  been  sent  to  establish.  Through  the  agency 
of  these  causes,  numerous  local  societies  for 
missions  were  soon  formed  in  nearly  all  the  older 
states,  most  of  them  auxiliary  to  the  society 
originally  established  at  Boston.  The  appeal 
which  had  been  made  was  not  disregarded,  and 
as  a  consequence  of  the  awakened  sense  of  ob- 
ligation, a  general  meeting  of  ministers  and 
laymen,  delegates  from  societies  and  religioua 
bodies  in  different  parts  of  the  Union,  assem- 
bled at  Philadelphia,  in  May,  1814.  At  this 
meeting  was  formed,  "  The  General  Missionary 
Convention  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in 
the  United  States  of  America,  for  Foreign 
Missions."    The  Constitution  provided  that  the 


AMERICAN  BAPTIST  UNION. 


113 


Convention  should  meet  once  in  three  years 
and  that  it  should  be  composed  of  persons  who 
should  annually  contribute  one  hundred  dollars 
or  who  should  represent  societies  contributiug 
that  sura.  The  affairs  of  the  Convention  were 
entrusted  to  a  board  of  managers  who  were  to 
be  elected  once  in  three  years,  and  in  whom 
was  vested  the  appointment  of  the  Secretary, 
Treasurer,  and  other  officers,  and  also  of  all 
the  missionaries.  By  a  subsequent  alteration 
in  its  Constitution,  the  Convention  for  a  con- 
siderable period,  embraced  not  only  the  foreign, 
but  also  the  home  missions  of  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination, and  also,  for  a  still  longer  period, 
the  management  of  the  Columbian  College,  an 
institution  of  learning  established  at  Washing- 
ton, in  the  District  of  Columbia.  These  latter 
objects,  however,  were  always  regarded  as  se- 
condary, and  were  at  length  entirely  laid  aside, 
and  the  Convention  left  to  its  own  proper  work 
of  founding  and  directing  foreign  missions. 

The  Triennial  Convention,  thus  collecting  its 
members  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  con- 
tinued, with  the  slight  exceptions  already  stated, 
unchanged  in  its  organization  till  the  year  1845, 
when,  in  common  with  similar  associations  in 
other  denominations,  its  councils  became  dis- 
tracted and  its  treasury  embarrassed  by  the 
sectional  feuds  generated  by  the  discussion  of 
the  institution  of  slavery.  At  this  time  the 
churches  in  most  of  the  slaveholding  States, 
becoming  dissatisfied  with  the  principles  avow- 
ed by  its  managers,  united  in  a  separate  organi- 
zation, under  the  name  of  the  "  Southern  Bap- 
tist Convention."  In  November,  1845,  at  a 
special  meeting  of  the  Triennial  Convention,  an 
H  entire  change  was  effected  in  its  composition 
and  a  new  Constitution  adopted,  which  declared 
its  single  object  to  be  to  "  diffuse  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  means  of 
missions,  throughout  the  world."  According 
to  its  new  Constitution,  the  principle  of  repre- 
sentative membership  is  laid  aside,  and  the  as- 
sociation is  now  composed  of  life  members  who 
are  made  such  by  the  payment  of  one  hundred 
dollars.  Its  name  has  likewise  been  changed  to 
the  "  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union." 
Its  meetings  are  annual,  and  its  affairs  are  com- 
mitted to  a  board  of  managers  composed  of  75 
persons,  of  whom  at  least  one -third  must  not 
be  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and  who  appoint 
from  their  own  number  an  executive  commit- 
tee of  nine  persons,  by  whom,  in  connection 
with  two  corresponding  secretaries  and  a  trea- 
surer, missionaries  are  appointed,  missions  are 
established,  and  all  the  actual  business  of  the 
society  is  transacted.  The  members  of  the 
Union,  as  has  been  stated,  generally  belong  to 
the  Baptist  churches  in  the  non-slaveholding 
States,  but  this  results  from  the  influence  of 
common  sentiments  and  not  from  any  provi- 
sion of  its  Constitution.  It  is  in  reality  as 
comprehensive  as  was  the  convention  which 
preceded  it,  and  of  which  it  is  the  legal  and 
lineal  successor. 


Thus  organized  arid  composed,  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  (Foreign)  Missionary  Union,  from 
the  humble  beginnings  with  which  it  com- 
menced, has  steadily  advanced  in  its  work  and 
has  extended  its  missions  from  Rangoon  in  the 
kingdom  of  Burmah,  where  the  first  was  estab- 
lished, to  all  parts  of  that  kingdom,  to  Siam, 
China  and  Assam,  to  the  Teloogoos  in  India, 
to  the  western  coast  of  Africa,  to  Greece,  Ger- 
many and  France,  and  to  the  Indians  of  the 
American  continent.  In  the  number  of  its 
missions,  in  the  extent  of  its  resources,  and  the 
amount  of  its  annual  revenues,  it  ranks  second 
only  to  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
among  the  foreign  missionary  organizations 
of  the  United  States.  Its  missionaries  have 
been  sent  forth  for  the  simple  purpose  of 
preaching  the  Gospel.  They  have  been  in  all 
cases  instructed  to  make  this  their  great  object 
and  to  regard  the  introduction  of  science  and 
art,  the  education  of  the  young  and  even  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  as  subsidiary  to 
it.  The  number  of  those  who  have  been  ap- 
pointed and  sent  from  this  country,  and  who 
are  now  in  the  employment  of  the  managers  of 
the  Union,  is  sixty-six  missionaries  and  sixty- 
four  female  assistants,  exclusive  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty  preachers,  teachers,  and  other  as- 
sistants who  have  been  appointed  from  among 
the  native  converts  in  the  several  countries 
where  the  missions  have  been  established. 
These  missionaries  are  now  engaged  in  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  in  the  languages  of  upwards  of 
twenty  different  divisions  of  the  human  race. 
They  have  established  twenty-one  organized 
missions,  embracing  84  stations  and  five  hun- 
dred and  thirty-nine  out-stations,  and  in  the 
churches,  192  in  number,  which  they  have 
planted  in  the  different  parts  of  the  world,  are 
embraced  about  15,219  persons  who  have  been 
converted  by  their  labors.  Their  schools  are 
88,  and  contain  1,992  pupils. 

Of  these  missions  the  most  interesting  and 
successful  are  those  among  the  Burmans  and 
Karens  in  the  kingdom  of  Burmah  and  the 
neighboriug  provinces,  and  those  in  several  of 
the  states  of  Germany.  The  Karens  present  a 
singular  example  of  a  people  for  the  most  part 
without  any  form  of  idolatry,  but  possessed  of 
singular  moral  sensibility  and  unusually  dis- 
posed to  receive  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Oppressed  and  despised  by  their 
Burman  masters,  they  have  hailed  the  advance- 
ment of  English  power  in  the  East,  and  have 
entered  with  gladness  into  the  freedom  and  se- 
curity which  it  everywhere  brings.  They  have 
received  Christianity  from  the  teaching  of  the 
missionaries  with  an  eagerness  which  has  sel- 
dom been  paralleled  among  any  other  portion 
of  mankind.  After  these  no  other  missions  of 
the  Union  have  had  a  success  equal  to  that 
which  has  been  bestowed  on  the  mission  in 
Germany.  It  was  commenced  by  the  baptism 
of  a  devoted  and  liberal  minded  German,  Mr. 
J.  G.  Ouckeu,  in  the  waters  of  the  Elbe  at 


lU 


AMERICAN   BAPTIST   UNION. 


Hambarg,  in  1833,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Soars,  who 
at  thiit  time  was  residing:  iu  Gcrniftuy  as  a 
student  Since  then,  by  theprsevering'labors 
of  this  earliest  convert,  a  mission  has  been  es- 
tablished which,  without  a  single  missionary 
sont  from  the  United  States,  now  extends 


through  nearly  all  tho  states  of  Germany  and 
into  Denmark  and  Holland. 

The  following  table  presents  a  comprehen- 
sive view  of  tho  missions  of  the  Union,  and 
their  results : 


MISSIONS  OP  THE  UNION,  1853-54. 


iOSSQLONS. 


Iff  Asia: 

Haulmain  Burman 

Maulraain  Karcu 

Tavoy 

Arracan 

Bassein 

Bangoon 

Proine j 

Shwaygyeen 

Toungoo  

Siam 

HoDgkong  

Ningpo 

Assam 

Teloogoo 

Whole  number  in  Asia 14. 

IrAtbica:  Bassa 1. 

InEpkofk: 

French 

German 

Greek 

Whole  n  umber  in  Europe. .  8. 

IsDiAN  MiaaiONB : 

Qjibwa 

Shawanoe 

Cherokee 

Whole  number  in  America.  3. 

Totals 21. 


1 

i 

1 

1 

"E 

1 

a 

S 

1 

a 

k 

•2-? 

■H 

11 

a 

1 

.a 

to 
a 

* 

3 

1 
S 

1 

.a 

3 

t 

£ 

1 

2 

5 

5 

10 

5 

3 

6 

170 

c 

100 

100 

1 

15 

6 

6 

11 

19 

14 

29 

869 

2 

44 

3 

40 

84? 

1 

20 

4 

4 

8 

22 

22 

68 

1,046 

2 

96 

15? 

300 

17 

396 

2 

2 

2 

3 

5 

8 

1 

2 

60 

1 

16 

15 

1 

50 

5 

3 

8 

56 

60 

470 

5,000 

1 

80 

20? 

280 

21 

360 

2 

32 

5 

6 

11 

29 

26 

433 

1,673 

1 

180 

180 

1 

2 

2 

2 

4 

2 

.. 

... 

1 

2 

1 

8 

2 

i 

8 

11 

.. 

1 

3 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

2 

7 

1 

7 

8 

36? 

43? 

1 

4 

4 

5 

9 

4 

1 

1 

35 

2 

21 

2 

20? 

41? 

1 

4 

2 

1 

8 

4 

1 

4 

.. 

., 

6 

75 

75 

1 

4 

4 

8 

2 

1 

2 

14 

8 

86 

3 

86 

8 

6 

7 

13 

3 

3 

i2 

79 

8 

73 

5 

216 

8 

289 

1 
19 

132 

2 
49 

2 
50 

4 

1 

1 

1 

9 

1 

13 

1 

50 

2 

63 

98 

159 

124 

1,027 

8,873 

13 

614 

65 

1,168 

78 

1,682 

2 

•• 

2 

2 

4 

4 

1 

.... 

17 

1 

31 

1 

12 

2 

43 

8 

9 

1 

2 

16 

8 

83 

330 

1 

4 

1 

4 

44 

388 

5 

5 

31 

44 

681 

4,618 

3 
55 

397 

2 
8 

- 

5 

1 

1 

.... 

10 

1 

52 

1 

52 

12 

48 

53 

714 

4,958 

1 

4 

1 

52 

2 

56 

2 

2 

2 

8 

1 

1 

21 

1 

6 

2 

74? 

3 

80? 

8 

3 

8 

2 

3 

10? 

100 

2 

45 

2 

46 

5 

8 

2 

2 

4 

6 

10 

69 

1,250? 

1 

86 

•• 

1 

85 

10 

10 

7 

8 

15 

» 

14 

79 

1,371 

4 

136 

2 

74 

6 

210 

84 

539 

66 

64 

129 

220 

192 

1,820 

15,219 

19 

685 

69 

1,306 

88 

1,992 

*  Including  theological  and  normal. 


The  officers  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionai-y  Union  chosen  at  the  annual  meeting 
in  May,  1854,  are  as  follows,  viz. : 

Hon.  George  N.  Briggs,  L.L.  D.,  President ; 
Rev.  Bartholomew  T.  Welsh,  D.D.,  Kev.  Silas 
Bailey,  D.D.,  Vice-Presidents. 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Shailer,  D.D.  Recording  Sec- 
retary. 

The  Board  of  Managers  is  composed  of  75 
members,  who  are  annually  elected,  and  of 
whom  at  least  one-third  are  not  ministers  of 
the  Gospel.  Of  this  Board,  the  officers  in  1854 
were  as  follows : 

Hon.  Ira  Harris,  Chairmain. 
"  Rev.  Sewall  S.  Cuttting,  Recording  Secre- 
tary. 
Executive  Officers  : 

Rev.  Solomon  Peck,  D.D.,  Corresponding 
Secretary  for  the  Foreign  Department. 

Rev.  Edward  Bright,  D.D.,  Corresponding 
Secretary  for  the  Home  Department. 

Richard  E.  Eddy,  Treasurer. 


The  subjoined  table  will  present  a  complete 

view  of  the  financial 

growth  and  present  ro- 

sources  ( 

)f  the  "  Missionary  Union"  : 

Contributions  to  the  American  Baptist 

Missionary  Union. 

1815 

$13,476  10 

1830 

21,622  00 

1816 

not  recorded. 

1831 

15,266  00 

1817 

11,986  87 

1832 

16,556  00 

1818 

10,240  78 

1833 

27,600  30 

1819 

8,076  51 

1834 

23,941  20 

1820 

12,296  21 

1835 

30,747  00 

1821 

7,758  16 

1836 

40,547  06 

1822 

3,615  27 

1837 

45,567  00 

1823 

4,944  29 

1838 

34,583  21 

1824 

9,127  63 

1839 

51,289  30 

1825 

5,186  20 

1840 

57,781  00 

1826 

9,499  50 

1841 

52,598  68 

1827 

9  246  35 

1842 

50,706  20 

1828 

10,639  00 

1843 

45,883  04 

1829 

9,158  60 

1844 

62,062  29 

AMERICAN  AND   FOREIGN  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


116 


1845 

71,876  21 

1851   97,900  00 

1846 

100,150  02 

1852  104,755  90 

184Y 

85,009  24 

1853  114,697  97 

1848 

85,894  42 

1854  122,757  42 

1849 

88,902  99 

1850 

89,818  00 

$1,663,763  92 

Prof.  W.  Gammjjix. 

AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  CHRIS- 
TIAN UNION :  This  Society  was  organ 
ized  in  the  city  of  New- York  in  the  month  of 
May,  1849.  It  was  formed  by  the  union,  or  fu- 
sion rather,  of  three  societies  which  had  existed 
for  several  years.  (1)  There  was  The  Foreign 
Evangelical  Society.  The  history  of  this  soci- 
ety is  as  follows:  Shortly  after  the  French 
Revolution  of  July,  1830,  several  Christian 
brethren  in  Paris  wrote  to  gentlemen  in  New- 
York, — some  of  whom  had  formerly  resided  in 
France,  in  pursuit  of  commercial  business,  and 
others  had  visited  that  country  as  travelers, — 
to  say  that  the  new  constitution  to  which  that 
Revolution  had  given  existence,  granted  to 
Protestants  a  large  amount  of  religious  liberty, 
and  thus  opened  the  door  for  evangelical  effort. 
The  communication  of  this  cheering  intelli- 
gence was  accompanied  by  an  earnest  entreaty 
for  help,  from  Christians  of  this  land — a  land 
which  had  been  blest  by  receiving  into  its  bo- 
som thousands  of  the  excellent  but  persecuted 
Huguenots,  at  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict 
of  Nantes,  and  for  whose  liberties  La  Fayette 
and  thousands  of  other  brave  Frenchmen  had 
suffered  and  bled. 

This  appeal  was  not  made  in  vain.  The  sum 
of  $2,000  was  raised  and  sent,  and  the  sugges- 
tion was  made  that  a  Home  Missionary  Socie- 
ty, or  something  equivalent,  should  be  formed, 
to  carry  forward  the  work  in  France.  This 
led  to  the  formation  of  The  Evangelical  Society 
of  France  in  the  year  1833.  In  1834,  at  the 
request  of  that  Society,  a  small  association 
was  formed  in  New  York,  called  The  French 
Association.  This  association  two  years  later 
took  the  name  of  The  Evangelical  Association. 
In  the  month  of  May,  1834,  at  the  request  of 
that  committee,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baird,  (now  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Baird,)  agreed  to  go  to  France  in  the 
spring  of  1835,  with  his  family,  for  three  years, 
and  make  Paris  his  home,  for  the  purpose  of 
learning  what  could  be  done  by  the  American 
churches  to  aid  their  Protestant  brethren  in 
France.  This  mission  was  fulfilled,  and  not 
only  was  much  information  acquired  in  rela- 
tion to  France,  Belgium,  Italy,  and  other  Pa- 
pal countries  on  the  Continent,  but  a  good  deal 
was  done  in  that  period  to  promote  the  cause 
of  temperance  in  the  northern  portions  of  it. 
Besides  what  The  Fiench  Association  was  en- 
abled to  do  for  the  cause  of  the  gospel  in  France 
during  those  three  years,  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society  was  induced  to  make  grants 
to  the  amount  of  $4,500  ;  whilst  the  Amer- 
ican Bible  and  Tract  Societies  also  did  much. 

In  the  spring  of  1838,  Dr.  Baird  returned 


and  reported  to  two  public  meetings  in  New 
York  the  state  of  things  in  France  and  other 
parts  of  Europe.  In  the  month  of  May,  1839, 
The  Foreign  Evangelical  Society  was  organ- 
ized, for  the  promotion  of  the  work  in  Papal 
countries  generally.  The  gentlemen  who  form- 
ed it  were  members  of  the  Presbyterian,  Con- 
gregational, and  Reformed  Dutch  Churches. 
This  Society  existed  from  1839  to  1849.  Dur- 
ing this  period  of  ten  years  the  interest  which 
was  felt  in  the  evangelization  of  the  Papal 
world,  steadily  and  perceptibly  increased.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Baird  returned  to  Europe,  and  his 
family  made  Paris  and  Geneva  their  home  for 
four  years  more,  whilst  he  on  the  one  hand 
traveled  extensively  on  the  Continent  in  pros- 
ecution of  the  work,  and  on  the  other,  re- 
turned twice  to  this  country  for  the  same  object. 
At  the  end  of  ten  years  the  society  had  mis- 
sionaries in  France,  Belgium,  Sweden,  Canada, 
Hayti,  and  South  America,  besides  having 
aided  the  work  in  Germany,  Poland,  Russia, 
and  Italy.  The  receipts  of  tlie  Society  were 
$10,127  in  1840,  $13,725  in  1841,  $15,733  in 
1842,  $9,303  in  1843,  $12,392  in  1844,  $16,- 
037  in  1845,  $19,930  in  1846,  $14,670  in  1847, 
$19,214  in  1848,  and  23,805  in  1849  :  making 
in  all,  the  sum  of  $154,345,  received  during  a 
period  of  ten  years  ;  all  of  which  sum  was  ex- 
pended in  the  various  branches  of  the  Society's 
operations.  The  receipts  of  The  French  Asso- 
ciation, and  The  Evangelical  Association,  which 
preceded  The  Foreign  Evangelical  Society, 
were  $19,759.  Besides  all  this,  there  passed 
through  the  hands  of  Dr.  Gurdon  Buck,  a 
member  of  the  Board,  for  the  Grande  Ligne 
Mission  in  Canada  from  first  to  last,  nearly  if 
not  quite,  $20,000,  not  including  some  $6,000 
which  were  granted  to  that  mission  by  the  For- 
eign Evangelical  Society,  and  which  also  passed 
through  Dr.  Buck's  hands. 

(2)  In  the  year  1843,  The  American 
Protestant  Society  was  formed.  It  owed 
its  existence  to  the  fact  that  the  immigra- 
tion of  Roman  Catholics  from  Europe  had 
become  very  great,  and  was  increasing  every 
year  with  a  fearful  rapidity.  It  was  felt  that  this 
foreign  and  un-Protestant  element  was  becom- 
ing very  large,  and  demanded  special  and  appro- 
priate effort.  Indeed,  a  similar  movement  in 
some  respects,  had  been  made  some  years  earlier, 
when  an  "American  Reformation  Society" 
was  formed  by  the  exertions  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Brownlee  and  others.  And  although  that  So- 
ciety did  not  exist  long,  it  prepared  the  way 
for  The  American  Protestant  Society,  of  which 
we  are  speaking. 

This  Society  existed  from  1843  to  1849. 
Its  objects  were  :  1.  To  enlighten  Protestants 
of  this  country  in  regard  to  the  errors  of  Rome ; 
2.  To  convert  and  save  the  votaries  of  Rome 
who  are  among  us.  In  prosecution  of  these 
objects,  the  press  was  employed  and  a  goodly 
number  of  colporteurs  and  other  missionaries 
were  maintained — laboring  among  the  Irish, 


110 


AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  CHRISTIAN  UNION. 


German  aiul  iMlur  forcij^u  Romanists  in  the 
country.  'J'he  Society  interested  itself  greatly 
in  the  winter  of  1848-'4y  in  behalf  of  the 
I'ortugiieso  exiles  from  Madeira,  who  were  in 
IViuidad,  and  took  measures  to  bring  them 
to  this  country.  The  receipts  of  the  Society 
were  about  §4,000  in  1844,  36,742  in  1845, 
^9,014  in  1846,  «19,365  in  1847,  $24,672  in 
1848  and  $28,363  in  1849  ;  making  a  total  of 
^92,160,  all  of  which  was  laid  out  in  prosecut- 
ing the  good  work  in  our  own  country. 

(3)  In  the  year  1843  also,  an  association  was 
forniid,  in  New- York,  called  The  Philo-Italian 
Society,  which  afterwards  took  the  name  of 
The  Christian  Alliance.  This  society,  as  well 
as  the  American  Protestant  Society,  embraced 

good  men  of  many  if  not  all  the  evangelical 
enominations.  It  is  known  that  its  object 
was  to  aid  in  causing  the  truth  to  enter  into 
Italy — a  diificnlt  work  before  the  year  1848, 
as  rep:ards  all  parts  of  that  country,  and  still 
a  diflicult  work  excepting  in  the  kingdom 
of  Sardinia  alone.  As  this  society  did  not 
publish  its  proceedings,  we  are  not  able  to  say 
anything  of  them  further  than  that  it  em- 
ployed an  active  agent,  a  Protestant  Italian 
ibr  years  on  the  confines  of  Italy,  who  lost  no 
opportunity  for  sending  tracts  and  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  into  that  country.  Nor  are  we 
able  to  state  the  amount  of  its  receipts. 

It  was  by  the  union  of  these  three  societies 
in  the  month  of  May,  1849,  that  Tlie  Ameri- 
can and  Foreign  Christian  Union  was  formed. 
The  new  Board  of  directors  as  well  as  the  offi- 
cers, were  chosen  from  among  the  boards  and 
officers  of  the  three  societies.  The  new  society 
undertook  the  work  and  assumed  the  responsi- 
bilities of  the  three  societies,  and  entered  at 
once  upon  its  appropriate  labors. 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  that  the  field  of 
this  society's  operations  includes  our  own 
country  and  foreign  lands.  As  to  its  objects, 
and  the  mode  by  which  it  aims  to  accomplish 
them,  the  following  article  (No.  II.)  of  its  con- 
stitution is  full  and  explicit :  "  The  object  of 
this  society  shall  be  by  missions,  colportage, 
the  press,  and  other  appropriate  agencies,  to 
diffiLse  and  promote  the  principles  of  religious 
liberty,  and  a  pure  and  evangelical  Chris- 
tianity, both  at  hoine  and  abroad,  wherever  a 
corrupted  Christianity  exists." 

The  society  contemplates  imparting,  so  far 
as  it  may  be  able,  a  pure  Christianity  to  those 
ifho  now  only  know  a  corrupt  form,  whether 
in  this  land  or  in  foreign  countries.  It  may 
well  deem  its  field  a  great  and  important  one. 
The  present  Po{)e  says  that  there  are  two  hun- 
dred millions  of  Roman  Catholics  in  the  world. 
The  present  Emperor  of  Russia  says  that  there 
are  fifty  millions  of  followers  of  the  Greek 
Church  in  his  vast  empire.  These  two  esti- 
mates make  two  hundred  and  fifty  millions, 
and  ecfual  the  fourth  part  of  the  human  race. 
And  although  his  holiness  may  make  quite  too 
high  an  estimate  of  the  number  of  his  "  child- 


ren," yet  if  M'c  include  all  the  members  of  the 
Oriental  Churches,  (in  the  Turkish  Empire, 
Independent  Greece,  the  Ionian  Isles,  and  the 
Austrian  Empire)  we  shall  certainly  find  that 
the  Church  of  Rome  and  the  six  Oriental 
Churches  embrace  not  much  less  than  one 
quarter  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  globe.  And 
how  important  that  these  two  hundred  and 
fifty  millions  should  have  the  true  gospel  1 
They  embrace  powerful  nations  —  France, 
Austria,  Russia,  to  say  nothing  of  the  Italian, 
the  Spanish,  and  the  Portuguese  races. 

The  society  has  made  a  noble  beginning. 
In  the  ycai- ending  in  May,  1854,  {tha  Jiflh  of 
its  existence,)  it  employed  between  130  and 
140  missionaries  of  all  classes,  at  home  and 
abroad,  (more  than  half  of  whom  were  ordained 
ministers)  belonging  to  seven  different  nations 
and  speaking  as  many  languages.  Of  these, 
90  labored  among  the  Romanists  in  the  United 
States.  Besides  this,  the  Society  aided  the 
work  directly  and  indirectly  in  many  ways, 
both  at  home  and  abroad.  In  the  two  first 
years  of  its  existence,  1850  and  '51,  it  expend- 
ed nearly  $15,000  for  the  removal  to  Illinois 
of  some  500  or  600  Portuguese  exiles,  to  whom 
we  have  already  referred.  It  publishes  a 
monthly  Magazine  of  48  pages,  The  American 
and  Foreign  Christian  Union,  which  has  a 
large  circulation,  and  two  monthly  sheets,  one 
in  English  and  the  other  in  German.  It  has 
issued  quite  a  number  of  excellent  books  and 
tracts  relating  to  Romanism,  and  is  constantly 
publishing  more.  Its  receipts  were  $57,223  in 
1850,  $45,707  in  1851,  $55,653  in  1852, 
$67,597  in  1853  and  $75,751  in  the  year  end- 
ing in  May,  1854.  Making  a  total  of  $301,- 
931  in  five  years,  all  of  which,  save  a  balance  of 
$2,706,  was  expended  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
work  at  home  and  abroad. 

This  important  society,  still  in  its  infancy, 
has  indeed  a  great  work  on  its  hands.  Be- 
sides all  its  other  objects,  it  has  the  cause  of 
"  Religious  Liberty,"  the  "  Protection  of  Amer- 
ican citizens  when  abroad  in  their  rights  of 
conscience  and  public  worship,"  the  "  Defence 
of  the  public  schools,"  and  the  proper  "  Ten- 
ure of  church  property"  to  look  after.  The 
great  meetings  which  it  held  in  the  city  of 
New-York,  in  behalf  of  some  of  these  objects, 
in  January,  1853  and  1854,  (the  Madiai,  and 
religious  rights  of  Americans  when  abroad) 
exerted  a  happy  influence,  and  are  an  earnest 
of  what  it  may,  with  God's  blessing,  be  expected 
to  achieve  in  the  future. — Officer  op  the  Soc. 
AMERICAN  INDIAN  mSSION  ASSO- 
CIATION.—This  Association  is  connected 
with  the  Baptist  churches  in  the  South-west.  It 
was  organized  in  Cincinnati,  on  the  26th  of  Oo- 
tober,  1842,  and  the  Executive  Board  located  at 
Louisville.  At  its  first  annual  meeting,  the  year 
following,  six  missionaries  were  under  appoint- 
ment, four  of  whom  were  in  the  field,  and  the 
amount  of  receipts  was  $3,000.  The  next  report 
gives  15  missionaries  and  assistants ;  75  bap- 


AMERICAN   MISSIONARY    ASSOCIATION. 


117 


tisms;  receipts  $8,090.  The  third,  seventeen 
laborers,  two  small  schools,  and  about  forty 
baptisms.  The  report  for  1852,  shows  $15,811, 
receipts ;  four  missions,  located  among  the 
Ohoctaws,  Creeks,  "Weas,  Piankeshaws,  Mia- 
mies,  and  Putawatamies  ;  with  six  stations  and 
eight  out^stations ;  28  missionaries  and  as- 
sistants ;  21  churches ;  126  baptisms  during 
the  year;  165  pupils  in  schools;  and  over 
L300  communicants.     (See  Indians.) 

AMERICAN  MISSIONARY  ASSOCI- 
ATION.— This  society  was  formed  at  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  September  3,  1846,  by  a  convention  of 
friends  of  missions,  who  were  dissatisfied  with 
what  they  understood  to  be  the  position  of  ex- 
isting missionary  bodies,  relative  to  slavery, 
oppression,  idolatry,  polygamy,  caste,  &c.,  &c. 
Among  the  declared  objects  sought  to  be  at- 
tained by  the  Convention,  were  the  following  : 
To  institute  arrangements  for  the  propagation 
of  a  pure  and  free  Christianity,  and  for  gather- 
ing and  sustaining  churches  in  heathen  lands, 
from  which  these  and  other  like  forms  of  ini- 
quity should  be  excluded  by  terms  of  admis- 
sion, or  by  disciplinary  process  ;  to  unite  evan- 
gelical Christians  in  an  effort  to  give  the  Gos- 
pel to  those  who  were  destitute  of  it,  without 
insisting  upon  those  points  on  which  the  best 
and  most  enlightened  friends  of  Christ  still  dif- 
fer ;  and  to  secure  a  more  direct  responsibility 
in  the  management  of  the  society,  by  giving 
to  its  evangelical  supporters  a  vote  in  the  con- 
trol of  its  operations. 

In  the  address  issued  by  the  Convention,  it 
was  said  that  the  crisis  then  apparent  in  the 
cause  of  missions,  afforded  a  favorable  oppor- 
tunity "  for  the  review  of  existing  usages  and 
methods  of  missionary  effort ;  of  comparing 
them  with  the  New  Testament  standard ;  of 
discarding  whatever  might  be  found  wrong  or 
defective,  and  supplying  their  place  in  such 
manner  as  might  be  found  to  accord  with  pri- 
mitive teachings  and  examples."  The  Consti- 
tution of  the  Association  provides  that  "  any 
person  of  evangelical  sentiments,  who  professes 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  not  a 
slaveholder,  or  in  the  practice  of  other  immo- 
ralities, and  who  contributes  to  its  funds,  may 
become  a  member  of  the  society."  Its  affairs 
are  managed  by  an  Executive  Committee  of 
twelve,  subject  to  the  revision  of  the  annual 
meeting.  Churches  or  local  missionary  bodies, 
agreeing  to  the  principles  of  the  society,  may 
appoint  and  sustain  missionaries  of  their  own, 
through  the  agency  of  this  body.  "  The  so- 
ciety, in  collecting  funds,  in  appointing  officers, 
agents,  and  missionaries,  and  in  selecting  fields 
of  labor,  and  conducting  the  missionary  work, 
will  endeavor  particularly  to  discountenance 
slavery,  by  refusing  to  receive  the  known  fruits 
of  unrequited  labor,  or  to  welcome  to  its  em- 
ployment those  who  hold  slaves." 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  the  Association, 
the  Union  Missionary  Society,  the    Committee 


for  the  West  Indian  Mission,  and  the  Western 
Evangelical  Missionary  Association  were  merged 
in  it,  and  their  missions  were  transferred  to  its 
care.  These  missions  were  in  the  island  of 
Jamaica  ;  among  the  Ojibwa  or  C/iippeway  In- 
dians of  Minnesota ;  and  in  Western  Africa. 
The  society  has  now,  in  addition  to  these,  a 
mission  in  the  Sandwich  Islands;  in  Siam ; 
among  the  fugitives  in  Canada;  among  the 
Chinese  and  other  foreigners  in  California  ;  and 
a  number  of  home  missionaries  in  the  destitute 
parts  of  the  United  States  ;  it  has  also  recently 
undertaken  a  mission  to  the  Copts  in  Egypt. 

Missionaries  and  assistant  missionaries,  male 
and  female,  in  Africa  13  ;  Jamaica  21  ;  Siam 
6  ;  Sandwich  Islands  2  ;  Canada  2  ;  California 
2  ;  among  the  Ojibwa  Indians  19  ;  for  the  Copts 

2:    Total, 90 

Native  teachers  and  assistants,      -      -  9 

Churches  in  the  Foreign  field,  -  -  -  14 
Number  of  Church  members,      -        -    1160 

The  following  table  shows  the  receipts  of  the 
society,  for  each  year  since  its  formation  : 
First  year  ending  Sept.  1, 1847,      $13,033  67 
Second"      "  «    1848,        17,095  74 

Third    «      «  «     1849,        21,982  96 

Fourth "      «  "     1850,        25,159  56 

Fifth    "      "  "    1851,        34,535  47 

Sixth    «      "  «     1852,        30,233  54 

Seventh,       «  «    1853,        42,496  20 


Total,     184,537  14 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  aggregate  of 
the  society's  receipts  for  the  first  seven  years  of 
its  existence,  has  been  $184,537  14,  and  its 
average  increase  about  24  per  cent,  per  annum. 

The  home  missionaries  of  the  Association 
are  specially  instructed  to  discourage  intempe- 
rance and  slavery,  and  labor  for  their  removal. 
The  churches  to  which  they  minister,  as  well 
in  the  slave  states  as  elsewhere,  regard  slave- 
holding  as  a  disciplinable  offence,  and  exclude 
those  who  practice  it  from  their  communion. 
Twelve  churches  have  been  formed  on  these 
principles  in  Kentucky  and  North  Carolina, 
and  are  reported  to  be  in  a  prosperous  condition. 
The  number  of  home  missionaries  aided  by 
the  Association,  the  first  year  of  its  existence, 
was  four ;  in  the  seventh  year,  ninety.  The 
number  of  churches  under  their  care  was  one 
hundred  and  eight.  The  whole  number  of 
church  membei-s  is  not  known,  a  portion  of  the 
missionaries  having  made  their  reports  to  an 
auxiliary  society. — Rev.  Geo.  Whipple. 

AMHERST  :  A  town  in  the  province  of 
Maulmain,  in  British  Burmah.  It  was  founded 
in  1826  by  Lord  Amherst,  at  which  time  it  be- 
came a  station  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis^ 
sion  in  Burmah.  It  is  the  burial-place  of  Mi's. 
Ann  H.  Judson. 

AMOY  :  A  city  of  China,  situated  on  an 
island  of  the  same  name,  on  the  coast  north- 
ward from  Canton ;  being  one  of  the  five  j)orts 
open  to  the  foreign  trade. 


118 


ANEITEUM— ARMENIANS. 


ANEITEUM  :  An  island  of  New  ITebrides, 
where  is  a  station  of  the  Loudon  Missionary 
Society. 

ANXAMABOE:  On  the  Gold  Coast, 
West  Africa,  lat.  5°  10'  N.  lou^.  1°  5'  W.  A 
station  of  the  Wcsleyan  Missionary  Society, 
commenced  in  1835  :*has  now  1  missionary,  3 
cbapcls,  5  local  preachers,  15  teachers,  237 
scholars,  254  members,  and  900  attendants  on 
public  worship. 

ANTIG  U  A  :  One  of  the  West  India  Isles, 
lat.  17^  8'  N.  long.  61^  52'  W.  A  district  of 
the  Wcsleyan  Missionary  Society,  commeuccd 
in  1786  ;  has  now  17  missionaries,  8  stations, 
44  chapels,  42  local  preachers,  508  teachers, 
12,000  members,  5,523  scholars,  and  33,G50 
attendants  on  public  worship. 

AOTEA:  (Beecham-Dale)  in  New  Zea. 
land.  A  station  of  the  AVesleyan  Missionary 
Society.  Commenced  in  1823.  Has  now  one 
missionary,  10  chapels,  26  local  preachers,  315 
mcmbers,'590  scholars,  and  600  attendants  on 
public  worship. 

APIA  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society  on  the  Island  of  Upolu,  one  of  the 
Samoan  group. 

ARABIAN  COAST  :  An  outrstation  of 
the  "W'esleyan  Missionary  Society,  in  South 
Ajnerica.     (See  Demerara.) 

ARABKIR  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  among  the  Armenians,  in  the  Eastern 
part  of  Asia  Minor,  not  far  from  the  Euphra- 
tes. Population  6000  in  the  town,  and  15,000 
including  the  immediately  surrounding  dis- 
trict. 

ARCOT  :  A  city  of  Eastern  Hindoostan, 
seventy  miles  S.  W.  of  Madras.  It  is  the 
centre  of  a  very  populous  district,  and  was 
occupied  by  the  American  Board  in  1852. 

ARMENIANS :  Armenia,  in  the  most 
flourishing  period  of  its  history,  was  divided 
into  fifteen  provinces,  the  central  one  of  which 
was  Ararad,  the  second  cradle  of  the  human 
race.  (Gen.  8  :  4,  Jer.  51 :  27,  and  in  Heb., 
2  Kings  19  :  37,  Is.  37  :  38.)  Its  situation  is 
at  the  eastern  extremity  of  Asia  Minor,  lying 
at  short  distances  from  the  Mediterranean  on 
the  south-west,  the  Black  sea  on  the  north- 
west, the  Caspian  sea  on  the  north-east,  and 
at  a  much  greater  distance  from  the  Persian 
Gulf  on  the  south-east.  Its  western  boundary 
is  not  far  from  six  hundred  miles  east  of  Con- 
stantinople. It  extends  about  430  miles  in 
longitude,  and  about  300  in  latitude  ;  having 
on  the  north  the  ancient  Albania,  Iberia,  and 
Colchis ;  on  the  west,  Pontus  and  Cappadocia ; 
on  the  south,  Mesopotamia  and  Assyria ;  and 
on  the  east,  Media  Atropatane,  or  the  modern 
Aderbaijan.  It  is  an  elevated  region,  abound- 
ing in  lofty  mountains,  and  having  a  climate 
of  considerable  severity.  Several  large  and 
celebrated  rivers  go  out  from  it ;  the  Euphror 
tes  and  Tigris  towards  the  Persian  Gulf ;  the 
Jorokh  (Akampsis)  to  the  Black  sea ;  the 
Aras  (Araxes)  and  the  Koor  (Cyrus)  to  the 


Caspian  Sea.  Some  portions  of  the  country, 
particularly  the  province  of  Ararad  (Ararat) 
which  in  the  Bible  gives  name  to  the  whole 
of  Armenia,  are  of  great  fertility. 

History. — The  Armenian  race  is  claimed  to 
be,  and  probably  is,  of  the  highest  antiquity. 
The  father  of  it,  according  to  their  own  tradi- 
tion, was  Haig,  a  son  of  Togarmah,  the  son  of 
Gomer,  who  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Japhet. 
Hence  to  this  day,  in  their  own  language,  they 
call  themselves  Haik  ;  their  country,  also,  they 
designate  by  the  same  name,  or  by  the  deriva- 
tive Ilaiasdan.  The  seventh  of  the  dynasty 
of  Haig  was  the  famous  hero  Aram,  from  whom 
the  names  Armenia  and  Armenian  originated, 
by  which  the  country  and  people  have  been 
known  among  foreigners  for  many  ages.  That 
distinguished  monarch,  after  freeing  his  own 
territory  from  invaders,  against  whom  the  Ar- 
menians seem  to  have  had  to  maintain  a  con- 
stant resistance,  extended  his  arms  into  Cappa- 
docia, and  gave  laws  and  his  name  successive- 
ly to  the  regions  called.  First,  Second,  and 
Third  Armenia ;  which,  united  under  the  gen- 
eral name  of  Armenia  Minor,  extended  from  the 
Euphrates  to  Cajsarea,  and  from  the  mountains 
of  Pontus  to  those  of  Cilicia.  Armenia  Minor 
passed  early  into  the  hands  of  the  Romans, 
but  deserves  even  at  this  day,  on  account  of 
the  number  of  its  Armenian  inhabitants,  to 
retain  its  ancient  name. 

The  principal  foreign  relations  of  Armenia, 
during  the  early  part  of  its  history,  were  doubt- 
leas  with  the  neighboring  kingdoms  of  Assyria, 
Media,  and  Babylon.  The  minute  details  giv- 
en by  Armenian  historians  of  this  traditionary 
period,  are,  of  course,  entitled  to  little  confi- 
dence, although  the  occasional  intermingling 
of  this  portion  of  their  history  with  that  of 
Scripture,  gives  us  certain  stand-points  of  in- 
terest and  certainty  from  which  to  view  it. 
In  328  A.  C,  Alexander,  whose  empire  absorb- 
ed so  many  oriental  monarchies,  extended  his 
conquests  over  Armenia,  and  extinguished  the 
dynasty  of  Haig,  which  is  said,  with  a  few 
grafts  upon  it  of  foreign  stocks,  to  have  held 
during  eighteen  centuries  uninterrupted  pos- 
session of  the  throne.  After  the  death  of  A  lex- 
ander,  Armenia  was  ruled  by  governors, 
sometimes  of  Greek  and  sometimes  of  native 
origin,  who  derived  their  authority  from  So 
leucia  and  Macedonia,  and  at  times  laid  claim 
to  entire  independence.  It  was  next  subdued 
by  the  power  that  overturned  the  empire  of 
the  Seleucida;  in  the  East  and  formed  an  im- 
passable barrier  to  the  ambition  of  Rome. 
A.  C.  149,  Arshag  the  Great,  (Arsaces,  called 
also  Mithridates  I.)  grandson  of  the  founder 
of  the  Parthian  Empire,  placed  his  brother 
Yagharshag  (Valarsaces)  upon  the  throne  of 
Armenia.  Thus  commenced  this  branch  oi 
the  ArsacidiE,  under  whose  reign  of  577  years, 
the  Armenians  enjoyed  greater  prosperity  than 
during  any  other  period  of  their  history.  Dik- 
ran  (Tigraues)  the  fourth  of  this  dynasty,  was 


'Uiri7BRSIT7] 


ARMENIANS. 


119 


an  ally  of  Mihrtad,  (Mithridates)  the  great 
king  of  Pontus,  in  his  wars  with  Sylla  and 
Lucullus.    Thus  he  became  involved  in  a  war 
with  Eome,  which  Pompey  ended  by  imposing 
upon   him  humiliating   conditions  of  peace. 
New  alliances  against  Rome  led  to  the  over- 
running of  his  country  by  Anthony,  in  his  Par- 
thian wars,  34  A.  0.    The  part  north  of  the 
Aras  was  given  to  his  son,  who  was  soon  ex- 
pelled, and  the  remainder  became  permanently 
tributary  to  Augustus.     With  this  division  the 
reigning  family,  after  the   leading  members 
had  died  in  captivity,  was  also  divided.    The , 
northern  branch,  alternately  upheld  and  de- 
throned by  the  Romans  and  Persians,  was  at 
length  supplanted  by  Georgian  princes,  who 
again  yielded  to  a  brother  of  the  king  of  Per- 
sia, and  finally  after  a  separation  of  85  years 
the  whole  country  was  reijnited  under  the 
southern  branch.    This  branch  had  its  capital 
at  Medzpin,  (Nisibis.)     From  a  remote  anti- 
quity the  north-west  part  of  Mesopotamia  was 
inhabited  by  a  race  resembling  the  Armenians 
in  person,  manners,  and  language  ;  and  at  the 
commencement  of  the  Christian  era,  constitu- 
ted, according  to  Armenian  report,  under  the 
name  of  Mesopotamia  of  the  Armenians,  an 
integral  part  of  their  kingdom,  and  was  the 
residence  of  the  court  for  228  years.    Abgar, 
one  of  their  sovereigns,  they  say,  transferred 
the  seat  of  government  to  Oorfa,  and  was  there 
converted  to  Christianity.     Having  believed 
in  Christ  from  mere  report,  he  corresponded 
with  him,  received  from  him  his  portrait  miracu- 
lously impressed  upon  a  handkerchief,  and  was 
then  instructed  and  baptized,  together  with 
many  of  his  people,  by  Thaddeus,  whom  the 
apostle  Thomas,  in  obedience  to  the  command 
of  Christ,  sent  on  this  mission,  and  who  extend- 
ed his  labors,  with  success,  to  other  places. 
But  the  successors  of  Abgar  apostatized  from 
the  faith,  and  martyred,  besides  many  common 
Christians,  several  of  the  apostles  and  disciples 
of  our  Lord,  and  nearly  exterminated  Chris- 
tianity from  the  country.    The  third  in  suc- 
cession from   Abgar  having   obtained   from 
Vespasian,  A.D.  75,  the  dominion  of  the  whole 
of  Armenia  proper,  by  ceding  to  the  Romans 
his  possessions  in  Mesopotamia,  removed  his 
court  to  the  province  of  Ararat.    In  A.D.  302 
Durtad  (Tiridates)  the  king  and  his  court  were 
baptized  and  the  nation  received  Christianity. 
The  instrument  of  this  great  work  was  Gre- 
gory the  Illuminator,  since  the  highest  saint  in 
the  Armenian  calendar.     Without  receiving 
the  stories  of  his  numerous  and  wonderful  mi- 
racles, we  must  admit  him  to  have  been  a  re- 
markable man.      Their  conversion  to  Chris- 
tianity increased  their  hatred  to  the  Armenian 
royal  house  of  the  Sassanian  dynasty  of  Persia, 
which  inflicted  on  the  country  unspeakable 
misery  until  A.  D.  381,  Armenia  was  divided 
between  the  king  of  Persia  and  the  emperor 
of  Constantinople.     It  was  not,  however,  until 
A.  D.  428  that  the  Arsacidaj  dynasty  came  to 


an  end  and  the  country  was  reduced  to  the 
condition  of  a  dependent  province. 

This  brief  sketch  allows  no  details  of  the 
subsequent  conflicts  of  the  Armenians  against 
their  Magian  persecutors  of  Persia ;  their  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  khalifs  of  Mohammed, 
A.  D.  637 ;  the  miseries  which  they  suffered 
from  the  rival  claims  of  the  courts  of  Damas- 
cus and  Constantinople  ;  their  varying  fortunes 
to  the  invasion  of  the  Seljookian  Turks,  from 
which  they  suffered  terrible  massacres,  A.  D. 
1049  ;  of  the  petty  independent  kingdom  in 
Cilicia  with  its  changing  relations  to  Moghul, 
Crusader,  Turkish,  etc.,  neighbors,  to  its  over- 
throw by  the  sultans  of  Egypt  and  its  annexor 
tion  to  that  dominion,  A.  D.  1375  ;  of  the 
awful  devastations  inflicted  by  the  waves  of 
invasion  that  rolled  over  them  under  the  g-ui- 
dance,  successively  in  the  13th  and  14th  cen- 
turies, of  Chingiz  Khan  and  Timurlane  ;  and 
the  final  conquest  effected  by  the  Turkmans 
and  Osmanli  Turks,  the  latter  of  whom  still 
rule  over  a  large  part  of  Armenia ;  Russia 
since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
having  obtained  a  large  portion  of  it  from 
Turkey  and  Persia,  between  whom  it  was  for 
a  long  time  shared.  Few  countries  have  a  his- 
tory more  painful  than  Armenia. 

Tke  Armenian  Church. — Receiving  Chris- 
tianity in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth  century, 
the  Armenians  received  it  in  the  form  which 
had  then  become  common  in  the  East.  Its 
subsequent  development  was  natiu'ally  in  the 
same  line  of  direction  as  in  other  national 
churches  starting  from  substantially  the  same 
point  of  departure.  While  soon  separated,  on 
the  doctrine  relating  to  the  person  of  Christ, 
from  the  Roman  and  Greek  churches,  it  has 
never  ceased  to  be  much  influenced  by  them. 
Previous  to  the  invention  of  the  Armenian 
character  by  the  learned  monk  Mesrob,  A.  D. 
406,  writing  was  done  among  them  in  the 
Syriac  and  Greek  characters,  and  the  state  of 
letters  was  very  low.  This  invention  intro- 
duced a  new  era,  the  first  and  most  important 
literary  effort  being  the  translation  of  the  Bible 
into  Armenian,  A.  D.  411,  by  Mesrob  and 
Isaac  the  Catholicos.  The  version  was  made 
from  the  Septuagint,  and  of  course  has  all  the 
faults  of  the  latter  with  some  serious  ones  of 
its  own.  It  is  still  in  use,  and  has  been  a  boon 
of  immense  value  to  the  nation.  It  is  held  in 
considerable  estimation  by  Biblical  scholars. 
It  is  the  oldest  Armenian  book  extant,  the 
next  being  the  history  of  the  nation  by  Moses 
Chorenensis,  which  was  written  about  half  a 
century  later.  The  Armenians  were  unaffected 
by  the  Arian  and  Nestorian  heresies,  but  in 
the  year  491  a  synod  of  their  bishops  rejected 
the  decisions  of  the  council  of  Chalcedon,  while, 
most  inconsistently,  it  also  anathematized 
Eutyches.  Although  strenuously  contending 
for  the  formula  of  one  nature  in  Christ,  and 
thereby  cut  off  as  heretical  and  schismatical 
by  the  Greek  and  Romish  Churches,  modern 


120 


ARMENIANS. 


missionaries  nr.  \  dii^posed  to  regard 

the  Armoniuns  ;  more  ii)  termiuolofry 

than   in  idea  rn.m  uu  .-iihodox  faitli  on  tliut 
point    Tijey  agree  with  the  Greeks  and  otlier 
oriental  Churches  in  rejecting  the  "  filio-que  " 
from  the  Niccne  creed  and  maintaining  the 
procc»ion  of  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the  Father 
only.     With  some  dillerence   in    forms  and 
modes  of  worship,  the  religions  opinions  of  the 
Armenians  arc  mostly  like  those  of  the  Greeks. 
The  sign  of  the  cross  is  used  on  all  occasions 
but  made  by  the  Greeks  with  three  fingers,  by 
the  Armenians  with  two,  by  the  Jacobites  with 
one — the  Greek  usage  pointing  to  the  Trinity, 
the  Armenian  to  the  two  natures  made  one  in 
the  person  of  Christ,  and  the  Jacobite  to  the 
Divine  unity.    They  profess  to  hold  to  the 
seven  sacraments  of  the  Latin  church  ;  but  in 
fact  extreme  unction  exists  among  them  only 
in  name,  the  prayers  so  designated  being  inter- 
mingled with   those  of  confirmation,  which 
latter  rite  is  performed  by  the  priest  at  the 
time  of  baptism.    Infants  are  baptized,  as 
commonly  in  the  Greek  and  other  oriental 
churches,  by  a  partial  immersion  in  the  fount 
and  three  times  pouring  water  on  the  head. 
Converted  Jews,  etc.,  though  adults,  are  bap- 
tized in  the  same  manner,  for  the  reason  tlfet, 
according  to  the  tradition  of  their  church, 
the  Saviour  was  thus  baptized  in  Jordan. 
They  readily  admit  to  their  communion  Ro- 
manists and  Protestants  baptized  by  sprink- 
ling, differing  in  this  from  the  Greeks,  who, 
claiming  orthodoxy  to  their  church  alone  and 
denying  salvation  to  all  others,  receive  none, 
however  previously  baptized,  without  rebap- 
tizing  them.     They  believe  firmly  in  transub- 
stantiation,  and  adore  the  host  in  the  mass, 
which  stupendous  perversion  of  the  sacrament 
is  followed  by  the  same  evils  that  are  witnessed 
from  it  in  the  Romish  Church.    The  people 
partake,  however,  in  both  kinds,  the  wafer 
or   broken  bread  (unleavened)    being  dipped 
in  undiluted  wine,  (the  Greeks  use  leavened 
bread  and  wine  mixed  with  water,)  and  laid 
carefully  on  the  tongue.    It  must  be  received 
fasting.    They  reject  the  Latin  purgatory,  but 
believing  that  the  souls  of  the  departed  may 
be  benefited  by  the  aid  of  the  Church,  (which, 
of  course,  must  be  paid  for,)  they  pray  for  the 
dead.     Saint-worship  is  carried  to  an  extraor- 
dinary length,  the  addresses  to  saints  being 
often  grossly  idolatrous,  and  the  mediation  of 
Christ  lost  sight  of  in  the  liturgical  services 
of  the  Church  as  it  is  in  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple.   The  cross  and  pictures  of  the  saints  are 
also  objects  of  worship  as  possessing  inherent 
eflBcacy.    The  Supreme  Being  is  likewise  re- 
presented under  the  form  of  an  aged,  venerable 
man,  with  whom,  and  the  Son  under  the  form 
of  a  yoiing  man,  and  th6  Holy  Spirit  symbol- 
ized as  a  dove,  the  Virgin  Mary  is  associated 
in  the  same  picture.    The  perpetual  virginity 
of  the  latter  is  held  as  a  point  of  preeminent 
importance.     Confession  to  the  priesthood,  in 


order  to  absolution,  is  deemed  essential  to  sal- 
vation,   rcnanccs  are  imposed  ;  but  absolution 
is  without  money,  and  indulgences  arc  never 
given.     Baptism    confers    regeneration    and 
cleansing  from  sin,  original  and  actual ;  spirit- 
ual life  is  maintained  by  penances  and  sacra- 
ments ;  and  the  priest  holds  in  his  hand  the 
passport  to  heaven.     The  merit  of  good  works 
IS  acknowledged,   particularly  of  asceticism. 
Monachism,  celibacy,  fasting,  etc.,  are  viewed 
as  in  other  Eastern  and  Western  churches  ; 
the  number  of  fast-days,  when  no  animal  food 
of  any  kind  can  be  eaten,  is  165  in  the  year. 
On  the  fourteen  great  feast-days  the  observance 
of  the  day  is  more  strict  than  that  of  the  Sab- 
bath, which  last  is  as  in  Roman  Catholic 
countries.    Minor  feasts  are  even  more  numer- 
ous than  the  days  in  the  year.    The  church 
services  arc  performed  in  the  ancient  tongue, 
not  now  understood  by  the  common  people, 
and  in  a  manner  altogether  perfunctory  and 
painful  to  an  enlightened  mind.    There  are 
nine  different  grades  of  clergy,  each  receiving 
a  distinct  ordination  by  the  laying  on  of  hands. 
Four  of  these  are  below  the  order  of  dea- 
con, and  are  called  porters,  readers,  exorcists, 
and   candle-lighters.    After   these   come  the 
sub-deacons,  the  deacons,  the  priests,  then  the 
bishops,  and  last  of  all,  the  catholicos.    The 
catholicos  is  ordained  by  a  council  of  bishops. 
He  is  the  spiritual  head  of  the  church,  who 
alone  ordains  bishops,  and  can  furnish  the  mei- 
ron  or  sacred  oil  used  by  bishops  in  ordaining 
the  inferior  clergy,  and  in  the  various  ceremo- 
nies of  the  church.  The  priests  are  obliged  to  be 
married  men,  and  can  never  rise  higher  than 
the  priesthood,  except  in  case  of  the  death  of  a 
wife,  when,  not  being  allowed  to  marry  a  second 
time,  they  may  enter  among  the  vartabeds,  an 
order  of  celibate  priests,  who  are  attached  to 
the  churches  as  preachers,  (the  married  priests 
do  not  usually  preach,)  or  live  together  m  mo- 
nasteries, and  from  among  whom  the  bishops, 
etc.,  on  whom  the  law  of  celibacy  is  imposed, 
are  taken.    The  ecclesiastical  polity  is  modi- 
fied somewhat  according  to  the  political  gov- 
ernments under  which,  in  the  countries  of  their 
dispersion,  the  Armenians  live.     Originally, 
there  was  but  one  head  to  the  church,  whose 
residence  was  at  the  seat  of  the  imperial  or 
kingly  government.     Subsequently,  in  the  dis- 
tracted condition  of  civil  affairs,  rival  catholi- 
coses  rose  up.    At  present  three  are  acknowl- 
edged— one  at  Aghtamar,  in  the  Lake  Van ; 
one  at  Sis,  with  a  small  body  of  folloTvers  in 
the  ancient  Cilicia  and  neighboring  territory  ; 
and    one  at  Echmiadzin,   acknowledged    by 
the  Armenians  in  Europe,  Asia  Minor,  and 
Armenia  proper.     There  are  two  patriarchs, 
one  at  Constantinople  and  the  other  at  Jeru- 
salem ;  the  latter,  however,  being  of  little  ac- 
count compared  with  the  former.    This  office  is 
not  an  ecclesiastical,  but  a  civil  one,  as  an  eccle- 
siastic the  patriarch  being  only  a  bishop,  hav- 
ing properly  no  spiritual  authority  above  that 


"ARMENIANS. 


121 


afiy  otlier  bishop.  He  receives  his  appoint- 
ment from  the  Sultan,  on  a  nomination  of  the 
primates  of  the  nation.  His  powers  are  defined 
by  an  imperial  Jirman,  and  he  ranks,  civilly, 
with  the  great  pashas  of  the  empire.  The 
Armenian  patriarchate  of  Jerusalem,  the  juris- 
diction of  which  is  very  limited,  dates  back  to 
A.  D.  1311,  and  owes  its  existence  to  the  Sul- 
tan of  Egypt.  Mohammed  II.,  on  the  capture 
of  Constantinople  in  1453,  finding  a  patriarch 
with  spiritual  jurisdiction  over  the  whole 
Greek  church,  sagaciously  continued  him  at 
the  head  of  the  Greeks  that  he  might  govern 
them  through  him ;  and  transferring  the  Ar- 
menian bishop  of  Brusa  to  the  capital,  he  made 
him,  in  like  manner,  patriarch  of  the  Arme- 
nians. As  this  officer  is  made  responsible  for 
the  good  conduct  of  his  people,  he  is  clothed 
with  such  prerogatives  as  are  necessary  to  ena- 
ble him  to  maintain  his  authority.  Important 
limitations  have  recently  {see  article  on  Turkey) 
been  imposed,  but  his  powers  are  still  great. 
Heretofore  there  has  been  so  little  check  that 
his  power  has  been  almost  absolute  in  respect 
to  the  infliction  of  punishment.  A  prison 
exists  within  his  own  precincts,  over  which  he 
has  had  entire  control.  A  note  from  him  to 
the  Porte  (Turkish  government^  has  been,  in 
most  cases,  sufficient  to  secure  tlie  banishment 
of  any  person,  ecclesiastic  or  layman,  to  a  dis- 
tant part  of  the  empire.  If,  owing  to  the  rank 
or  influence  of  the  individual,  difficulty  inter- 
posed in  procuring  the  order,  a  bribe  was  ready 
and  generally  settled  the  question.  The  patri- 
arch's sanction  being  required  to  such  applica- 
tions, it  has  been  easy  to  practice  the  heaviest 
oppressions  by  defeating  attempts  to  procure 
the  official  passports  needed  to  go  from  place  to 
place,  or  licenses  for  occupying  houses  or  shops, 
or  prosecuting  trades,  marrying,  burying  the 
dead,  etc.,  etc. ;  and  as  our  history  will  show, 
the  power  to  oppress  thus  possessed,  has  been 
wielded  with  terrible  severity,  to  prevent  the  in- 
troduction of  a  purer  faith  and  practice  among 
this  people.  The  despotic  power  of  the  patri- 
archs is  practically,  however,  much  modified 
by  the  power  of  the  primates  of  the  commu- 
nity, who  are  chiefly  bankers,  and  all  of  them 
men  of  great  wealth.  The  patriarch  is  really 
the  creature  of  the  primates,  and  can  do  little 
without  their  approval.  A  permanent  central- 
ization of  power,  like  that  of  Rome,  is  hindered 
by  the  intrigues  of  rival  parties  in  this  body, 
making  and  unmaking  and  controlling  the 
patriarch,  who  is  thus,  in  general,  merely  the 
tool  of  the  party,  which,  for  the  time  being, 
by  influence  derived  from  its  relations  to  those 
in  high  places  of  the  Turkish  government,  or 
by  its  more  liberal  use  of  money,  happens  to 
be  in  the  ascendant.  As  circumstances  change 
and  parties  fluctuate,  measures  in  process,  or 
in  prospect,  are  liable  to  be  interfered  with 
and  frustrated  ;  and  it  will  be  seen  how  perse- 
cution has  often  been  averted,  and  quiet  secured 
to  missionaries  and  their  native  coadjutors  in 


the  prosecution  of  their  evangelical  labors,  by 
jealousies  and  party  feuds  among  the  spiritual 
and  temporal  leaders  of  the  Armenian  com- 
munity. The  patriarch  enjoys  the  title  of  arch- 
bishop, and  has  the  appointment  of  bishops  to 
their  sees,  but,  as  before  stated,  does  not  or- 
dain to  the  office.  One  of  the  darkest  features 
of  the  state  of  the  church  is  the  universality 
of  simony  in  practice,  although  condemned  in 
its  standards,  and  denounced  in  words  ;  but  it 
is  notorious  that  the  patriarch  has  to  expend 
large  sums  in  obtaining  and  retaining  his 
office,  to  reimburse  which,  and  for  his  own 
emolument,  he  sells  to  the  bishops  their  sees,. 
who  again  ordain  to  the  priesthood  for  money. 
The  moral  character  of  the  priests  (being  mar- 
ried men)  is  superior  to  that  of  the  vartabeds 
and  higher  clergy,  that  of  the  latter  being 
generally  confessedly  bad.  Their  acquaintance 
with  the  scriptures  is  very  limited ;  many 
among  them  are  unable  to  read  them  in  the 
ancient  tongue.  The  state  of  education  in 
general  is  lamentably  low.  A  gross  supersti- 
tion has  taken  the  place  of  true  religion,  and 
the  light  of  truth  and  holiness,  recently  re- 
kindled, beginning  to  shine  with  more  than  its 
pristine  splendor  among  that  people,  had  well 
nig^h  gone  out  in  utter  darkness.  The  annals 
of  the  Armenian  church  for  the  last  few  cen- 
turies are  a  record  of  corruption,  intrigue,  and 
crime,  that  cannot  be  contemplated  without 
the  deepest  sorrow  and  disgust.  There  is  little, 
indeed,  in  its  history,  from  the  beginning,  to 
cheer  the  heart,  but  the  unshrinking  fii-mness 
with  which  it  has  in  successive  ages  adhered 
to  the  profession  of  its  faith  and  the  Christian 
name,  under  the  dreadful  oppression  of  pagan 
and  Mohammedan  conquerors  and  the  strong- 
est worldly  inducements  to  apostatize  ;  and  it 
has  also  resisted  wily  efforts,  repeatedly  put 
forth,  and  in  some  instances  with  sanguine 
expectation  of  success,  to  subject  it  to  the  iron 
rule  of  Rome. 

Language  and  Literature. — Many  of  the 
Armenians  claim,  for  their  nation,  that  it  has 
preserved  the  language  of  Noah,  unaffected  by 
the  confusion  of  tongues  at  Babel,  and  therefore, 
that  it  has  the  original  speech  of  our  first  parents 
in  Paradise;  without  conceding  this  modest 
claim  we  are  probably  safe  in  allowing  their 
language  a  very  early  origin.  Its  relations 
with  other  languages  are  fewer  than  those 
which  obtain  in  the  case  of  most  others  ;  yet 
it  clearly  belongs  to  the  Indo-Germanic  family. 
It  is  enriched  very  considerably  from  the  San- 
scrit ;  and  it  has  no  affinity  with  the  Semitic 
tongues.  As  found  in  its  earliest  existing,  as 
well  as  later  forms,  it  abounds  in  gutturals,  and 
is  harsh  to  the  ear  of  the  foreigner ;  but  it  has 
strength,  flexibility,  and  compass,  and  is  capa- 
ble of  expressing  thought  by  evolving  from  it- 
self, without  drawing  from  abroad,  new  terms 
for  the  purpose.  The  conversion  of  the  nation 
to  Christianity,  led  naturally  to  the  introduo- 
I  tion  of  certain  words  from  the  Greek,  and  im- 


122 


ARMENIANS. 


pressed  a  new  character  upon  it  in  several  re- 
spects. It  has  also  received  accessions  from 
other  languages,  and  as  now  spoken,  differs 
very  considerably  from  the  ancient  tongue  pro- 
served  in  books.  The  Ararat,  or  eastern  dia- 
lect, spoken  in  Armenia,  (excepting  the  pasha- 
lie  of  Erzrftm,)  and  to  the  east  of  it,  has  de- 
parted less  from  the  ancient  than  the  Constan- 
tinopolitan  or  western  dialect.  The  latter  has 
become  moulded  in  its  idioms  and  construction 
by  the  Turkish,  and  is  usually  spoken  with  an 
infusion  of  Turkish  words.  As  now  cultivated, 
it  is  becoming  purified  from  these,  and  receiv- 
ing, as  needed,  added  wealth  from  the  ancient 
or  original  Armenian.  There  has  been  little 
published  in  this  dialect  as  yet,  by  adherents 
to  the  Armenian  Church,  but  the  publications 
of  convents  at  Vienna  and  Venice  and  Eomish 
and  Protestant  missionaries  have  ushered  in  a 
new  era  for  this  form  of  the  Armenian  tongue, 
and  the  new  intellectual  life  called  into  action 
by  missionary  labors,  and  the  contact  of  the 
occidental  civilization  with  that  of  the  Orient, 
has  begun  the  creation  of  a  valuable  literature 
in  it.  The  modern  dialects  differ  from  the  an- 
cient language,  chiefly  in  the  disuse  of  certain 
words,  the  introduction  of  certain  words  and 
phrases  not  known  to  the  ancient,  and  a  change 
m  grammatical  forms,  collocations  of  words  and 
idiomatic  expressions.  The  literature  of  the 
ancient  consists  mainly  of  historical,  ecclesias- 
tical, liturgical,  doctrinal,  and  polemical  writ- 
ings of  the  so-called  Christian  Fathers ;  and  of 
these  some  are  well  worthy  the  study  of  the 
learned. 

Amount  of  Population  and  where  found. — The 
number  of  the  Armenians  is  variously  esti- 
mated at  from  2  1-2  to  6  or  7  millions.  It  is 
impossible  to  ascertain  it  with  any  degree  of 
accuracy.  They  have  become  widely  dispersed 
from  their  original  seat,  everywhere,  like  the 
Jews,  preserving  their  distinct  nationality  and 
characteristics.  Multitudes  of  them  were  car- 
ried away  captives,  by  Saracens  and  Greeks ; 
Toghrul  and  Timurlane  carried  thousands  to 
unknown  countries ;  the  Egyptians  removed 
60,000  to  Egypt;  and  it  is  known  that  the 
Persians  have  always  carried  their  captives 
into  servitude.  Multitudes,  moreover,  have,  at 
various  periods,  been  induced  by  oppression  at 
home,  voluntarily  to  seek  an  asylum  in  distant 
countries,  to  say  nothing  of  other  multitudes 
that  commerce  has  enticed  away.  We  are  not 
surprised,  therefore,  at  finding  them,  not  only 
in  almost  every  part  of  Turkey  and  Persia,  but 
also  in  India,  as  well  as  in  Russia,  Poland,  and 
many  other  parts  of  Europe. 

C/iaractfT^-A  sad  depravation  of  morals  pre- 
vails among  all  the  populations  of  the  East ; 
but  in  respect  to  moral  traits  the  Armenians 
compare  favorably  with  other  races.  Physi- 
cally, they  are  athletic  and  vigorous  :  the  Ar- 
menian porters  of  Smyrna  and  Constantinople, 
are  men  of  great  strength.  In  the  mountains 
of  Cilicia  and  in  some  other  localities,  we  still 


find  traces  of  the  martial  spirit,  for  which  once 
the  nation  was  distinguished  ;  but  in  general, 
ages  of  subjection  hav(;  disposed  them  to  (luiet 
submission,  and  abandoning  hope  of  political 
restoration  as  a  nation,  to  seek  compensation 
in  the  diligent  cultivation  of  the  arts  of  peace. 
The  Armenians  are  cultivators  of  the  soil,  ar- 
tizans,  and  merchants ;  in  industry,  enterprise, 
shrewdness,  and  perseverance  they  take  pre- 
cedence of  other  populations  in  the  East,  and 
make  themselves  indispensable  to  the  Turks 
who  rule  over  them.  They  build  palaces  for 
the  Sultan  and  his  ministers,  make  his  powder 
and  cast  his  cannon,  collect  and  disburse  his 
revenue,  and  in  fine,  make  themselves  every 
where  indispensable  to  the  government,  and  in 
the  business  transactions  of  society.  They 
have  supplanted  the  Jews  in  their  special  pre- 
rogative of  dealers  in  money.  The  Armenian 
bankers  of  Constantinople,  from  their  wealth 
and  relation,  as  creditors,  to  pashas  and  minis- 
ters of  state,  have  much  consideration  and  in- 
fluence, while  in  demeanor  servile  to  those 
from  whom  their  wealth  is  gained,  and  often 
made  to  suffer  under  the  pressure  of  despotic 
power.  The  employment  most  congenial  to 
the  Armenian,  and  in  which  he  reaps  the  most 
sure  and  richest  harvest  of  success,  is  that  of 
traffic.  Through  the  agency  of  the  merchants 
of  this  class  the  products  of  the  far  East  and 
the  West  are  exchanged  across  the  countries 
of  Western  and  Central  Asia,  and  by  means 
of  the  constant  intercourse  thus  kept  up,  a  bond 
of  sympathy  is  maintained  between  the  most 
distant  portions  of  the  race.  Sedate  and  staid, 
the  Armenian  is  a  striking  contrast  to  the  vi- 
vacious and  talkative  Greek  ;  but  in  solid  qual- 
ities of  mind  and  heart  is,  to  say  the  least,  not 
his  inferior.  With  less  of  imagination  and 
emotion,  the  bent  of  his  mind  is  more  to  the 
practical  and  the  real.  He  learns  languages  with 
less  facility  than  many  others,  but  in  mathe- 
matics, in  the  physical  sciences,  and  in  intel- 
lectual and  moral  science,  he  shows  an  aptitude, 
and  makes  proficiency  equal  to  that  of  any 
European  race. 

The  Armenians  show  a  high  degree  of  reli- 
gious sentiment,  manifesting  itself  not  merely 
in  a  zealous  and  bigoted  devotion  to  a  religion 
of  forms,  but  in  an  impressibility  under  the 
presentation  of  the  great  truths  relating  to 
man's  spiritual  condition  and  prospects.  In 
this  respect  they  differ  greatly  from  races  like 
the  Greek,  Persian,  and  others  ;  and  furnish  a 
ground  of  hope,  which  the  remarkable  progress 
of  an  evangelical  reformation  among  them  is 
daily  strengthening,  that  they  will  receive,  and 
spread  throughout  the  vast  regions  over  which 
they  are  scattered,  the  blessings  of  a  pure  and 
saving  Christianity. 

Preparation  for  a  work  of  Evangelization. — 
It  was  a  favorable  circumstance  that  the  er- 
rors and  corruptions  introduced  into  the  Arme- 
nian Church  had  never  been  reduced  to  sys- 
tematic form  and  set  forth  by  authority  of 


ARMENIANS. 


123 


Synod  or  Council,  as  was  done  in  the  Council 
of  Trent  for  the  Romish  Church.  No  Synod- 
ical  decision  had  ever  rejected  the  word  of  God 
as  the  ultimate  authority  to  bind  the  con- 
science ;  and,  however  practically  the  tra- 
ditions of  men  and  authority  of  the  Church 
were  exalted  above  the  Bible,  the  sentiment 
has  been  inwrought  into  the  Armenian  mind, 
too  deeply  to  be  eradicated,  that  the  Scrip- 
tures, (not  including  the  Apocryphal  books, 
which  though  sometimes  read  in  the  churches, 
have  never  been  considered  canonical)  are  the 
court  of  last  resort,  against  whose  decisions 
nothing  can  be  made  to  stand.  The  writings 
of  their  own  fathers  contain  abundant  testi- 
mony to  the  true  Protestant  doctrine  on  this 
point.  The  Bible  was  locked  up  from  the 
mass  of  the  people  in  the  ancient  language, 
but  the  educated  among  them  could  read  it, 
and  there  was  no  ecclesiastical  rule  to  forbid 
the  reading  on  the  part  of  any.  The  New 
Testament  was  even  used  as  a  common  text- 
book in  commencing  the  study  of  the  language 
in  the  schools.  The  honor  of  having  made 
the  first  attempt  in  modern  days  for  the  refor- 
mation of  the  Armenian  church,  is  due  to 
a  priest  by  the  name  of  Debajy  Oghlu,  about 
A.  D.  1760.  He  lived  in  the  quarter  of  Con- 
stantinople called  Psamatia.  He  appears  to 
have  been  acquainted  with  the  character  of 
Luther,  of  whom  he  speaks  in  terms  of  decided 
approbation,  in  a  book  which  he  wrote  on  the 
errors  of  the  Church,  and  in  which  he  casti- 
gates both  clergy  and  people  with  an  unspar- 
ing hand.  But  while  he  makes  constant  re- 
ference to  the  Bible,  testing  every  principle 
and  ceremony  by  that  high  standard,  and 
severely  reproves  superstition  and  vice,  he  ex- 
hibits no  correct  appreciation  of  the  only  wea- 
pon that  can  overthrow  error,  the  doctrine  of 
justification  by  faith  alone  through  grace. 
His  book  was  never  printed,  but  copies  of  it 
were  circulated  from  hand  to  hand,  and  at  the 
beginning  of  the  present  reformation  in  the 
Church  they  were  brought  out  from  the  ob- 
scurity in  which  they  had  been  kept,  and  used 
with  considerable  effect.  How  much  influence 
this  book  may  have  had  in  preparing  the  way 
for  the  reformation  now  in  progress,  cannot  be 
known. 

In  the  year  1813,  the  British  and  Russian 
Bible  societies,  becoming  interested  in  the 
Armenians,  undertook  to  aid  them  with  a  sup- 
ply of  the  word  of  God,  copies  of  which  were 
very  rare  and  dear.  An  edition  of  the  Arme- 
nian Bible  (the  version  of  the  5th  century,) 
was  commenced  by  the  latter  society  at  St 
Petersburgh,  and  by  the  former  at  Calcutta. 
In  1815,  the  former  edition,  (of  5,000  copies) 
was  completed  ;  the  latter  edition  (of  2,000 
copies)  was  furnished  two  years  afterwards. 
The  Russian  Society  also  soon  published  an 
edition  of  2,000  copies  of  the  ancient  Arme- 
nian New  Testament  by  itself.  The  report  of 
the  British  Society  for  1814,  says,  "  The  print- 


ing of  the  Armenian  Testament  has  awakened 
great  attention  among  the  Armenians,  parti- 
cularly in  Russia ;  and  a  fervent  desire  has 
been  manifested  on  their  part  to  possess  that 
invaluable  treasure."  The  Emperor  Alexan- 
der being  at  that  time  a  warm  promoter  of  the 
objects  of  the  Bible  Society  throughout  his 
dominions,  archbishops  and  bishops,  governors 
and  generals,  and  nearly  all  the  nobility  of  the 
empire  were  among  the  patrons  and  supporters 
of  the  institution.  Among  the  rest  was 
Eprem  (Ephraim)  the  Catholicos  of  the  Ar- 
menian Church,  having  his  residence  in  Rus- 
sian Armenia,  who  was  elected  one  of  the  vice- 
presidents  of  the  society,  and  strongly  favored 
its  efforts  in  behalf  of  his  own  co-religionists. 
The  British  Society  also  put  into  circulation 
among  the  Armenians  of  Turkey  large  num- 
bers of  New  Testaments  previous  to  1823  ;  and 
in  that  year  we  find  it  publishing  at  Constan- 
tinople an  edition  of  5000  copies  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  of  3,000  copies  of  the  four 
gospels  alone.  These  were  widely  distributed 
through  various  agencies.  The  teachers  of 
schools,  some  of  the  priests  and  deacons  and  all 
of  the  higher  clergy,  having  made  the  ancient 
language  their  special  study,  were  prepared  to 
be  benefited  by  these ;  and  in  the  sequel  the 
reformation  began  among  the  teachers.  But 
the  discovery  then  made  that  that  language 
was  not  understood  by  the  mass  of  the  people, 
led  to  the  issuing  by  the  Russian  Society  of 
the  New  Testament  translated  into  the  Arme- 
no-Turkish,  in  1822,  and  in  the  following  year 
by  the  British  Society  in  the  vulgar  Armenian 
tongue.  A  portion  of  the  Armenians  of  Tur- 
key (perhaps  one-third,  chiefly  in  the  more 
southern  parts  of  Asia  Minor,)  have  lost  en- 
tirely the  use  of  their  vernacular  tongue,  and 
speak  only  Turkish ;  and  it  was  for  them  espe- 
cially that  the  first  named  translation  was  in- 
tended, being  in  the  Turkish  language  written 
with  the  Armenian  character.  These  transla- 
tions were  very  defective,  yet  were  useful. 
They  have  since  been  supplanted  by  new  and 
greatly  improved  translations  made  and  pub- 
lished under  the  auspices  of  the  British  and 
American  Bible  Societies  by  missionaries  of 
the  American  Board.  Up  to  this  period,  the 
Armenian  ecclesiastics  made  no  opposition,  so 
far  as  is  known,  to  the  circulation  of  the  Bible 
among  their  people,  and  some  of  them  favored 
it ;  but  when  Messrs.  Lewis  and  Baker,  agents 
of  the  Bible  Society  in  1823,  sought  the  ap- 
probation of  the  Patriarch  at  Constantinople 
to  the  printing  of  a  version  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament in  the  modern  Armenian,  which  the 
common  people  could  understand,  that  digni- 
tary refused  his  sanction  in  the  most  positive 
terms.  He  even  threatened  that  if  such  a 
work  were  attempted,  he  would  prohibit  the 
perusal  of  it,  and  punish  such  as  should  be 
found  in  the  possession  of  it ;  and  the  clergy 
generally,  so  far  as  they  were  consulted,  unan- 
imously reprobated  the  plan  of  such  a  transla- 


124 


ARMENIANS 


tion.  nierarcbism  dreads  the  lipht  of  God's 
word,  and  must  chiinj^'c  its  nature  before  it  can 
tolerate  any  movcmeut  towards  truly  spiritual 
reform. 

Mission  op  thk  American  Board.— Early 
in  1621,  Mr.  Parsons,  of  the  mission  to  S}Tia 
and  the  Holy  Land,  on  his  first  visit  to  Jerusa- 
lem, found  there  some  Armenian  pilgrims,  with 
whom  he  had  an  interesting  conversation  on 
religious  subjects.  Deeply  interested  in  their 
appearance,  he  ventured  to  suggest  the  thought 
of  having  a  mission  from  the  American 
churches  sent  to  Armenia  itself.  The  sugges- 
tion was  favorably  received.  Mr.  Fisk  soon 
after  ^^TOte  from  Smyrna  to  Boston,  recom- 
mending this  measure.  Before  any  thing  liad 
been  heard  from  them  on  the  subject,  it  had 
also  been  thought  of  in  Boston,  and  subse- 
quent events  decided  the  adoption  of  the  plan. 
One  of  these  events  was  the  conversion,  at 
Beirut,  of  three  Armenian  ecclesiastics,  as  the 
first  fruits  of  the  labors  of  the  brethren  there. 
Considering  the  small  number  of  Armenians 
in  Syria,  and  that  the  brethren  of  that  mission 
were  not  sent  to  them,  that  the  first  conver- 
sions should  be  from  among  thera  is  a  singular 
fact  Two  of  the  converts,  Dionysius  Cara- 
bet  and  Hagop  (Yacob  or  Jacob  Agha)  were 
bishops  ;  the  other,  Krikor^  (Gregory  Worta- 
bet)  was  a  distinguished  preacher  (vartabed). 
ThifSQ  persons,  by  their  correspondence  with 
Constantinople  and  other  parts  of  Turkey,  did 
much  towards  preparing  the  minds  of  their 
countrymen  for  the  interesting  spiritual  work 
which  afterwards  commenced  among  them. 
Another  circumstance  was  also  influential. 
Mr.  King, — now  Rev.  Dr.  King,  of  Athens, — 
on  leaving  Syria  in  1825,  addressed  a  farewell 
letter  to  the  Roman  Catholics,  stating  the 
reasons  why  he  could  not  be  a  Papist.  This 
letter  was  translated  into  Armenian  by  Bishop 
Dionysius,  and  a  copy  in  manuscript  was  sent 
to  some  Armenians  of  distinction  in  Constan- 
tinople. An  extraordinary  effect  was  pro- 
duced on  those  who  read  it.  A  meeting,  it  is 
said,  was  called  in  the  patriarchal  church,  at 
which  the  letter  was  read,  and  the  references 
to  Scripture  examined,  and,  as  if  by  common 
consent,  it  was  agreed  to  do  something  for  the 
improvement  of  their  church.  Out  of  this 
grew  immediately  the  famous  school  of  Pesh- 
timaljian.  This  individual  was,  in  many  re- 
spects, an  extraordinary  man.  He  was  a  crit- 
ical and  accurate  scholar  in  the  ancient  Arme- 
nian tongue ;  deeply  versed  in  all  the  lore  of  his 
own  nation  ;  familiar  with  the  theology  of  the 
Eastern  and  Romish  churches, — the  doings  of 
their  councils,  and  the  general  history  of  the 
Church  ; — and,  withal,  a  diligent  student  of 
the  Bible.  Disgusted  with  the  superstitions 
around  him  and  the  character  of  the  clergy, 
he  was  easily  led,  by  the  writings  of  certain 
French  infidels,  for  a  time  to  regard  all  reli- 
gion as  a  delusion  and  a  lie  ;  but  afterwards 
was  brought  back  to  the  ground  that  the 


Bible  is  the  true  word  of  God,  and  the  oply 
standard  of  faith.  It  is  a  rcniarkai)le  circum- 
stance that  such  a  man  should  have  been 
placed  at  the  head  of  a  school  established 
within  the  precincts  of  the  Patriarchate,  and 
had  committed  to  him  the  training  of  the  can- 
didates for  the  priesthood,  the  completion  of 
the  regular  course  of  study  in  this  instit\ition 
being  required  as  a  condition  to  ordination. 
Cautious  although  he  was,  in  speaking  of  the 
errors  of  the  Church, — and  even  timid  and 
sometimes  time-serving  in  the  presence  of  the 
bigoted, — in  a  silent,  unostentatious  manner, 
he  gradually  l(?d  his  pupils  into  new  paths  of 
inquiry,  and,  almost  before  they  were  aware  of 
it  themselves,  they  came  to  believe  that  the 
church  may  err,  and  actually  does  err,  in  many 
of  her  teachings.  Afterwards,  when  the  Gos- 
pel began  to  take  effect,  and  he  saw  some  of 
his  former  pupils  boldly  advocating  the  doc- 
trines of  evangelical  religion,  he  became 
alarmed,  and  tried  to  keep  them  ba^'k  ;  but, 
subsequently  convinced  that  they  were  right, 
and,  in  fact,  only  carrying  into  practice  what 
they  had  learned  of  himself,  he  ever  after 
strongly,  though  still  privately,  encouraged 
them  in  their  endeavors  for  the  spiritual  re- 
generation of  their  countrymen.  Never,  till 
the  day  of  his  death,  in  the  year  1838,  did  he 
so  far  overcome  his  native  timidity,  as  openly 
to  avow  himself  an  evangelical  man  ;  but  it  is 
impossible  to  calculate  the  amount  of  influence 
exerted  by  him,  in  preparing  the  minds  of  men 
to  experience  the  power  of  the  gospel,  as 
taught  by  foreign  laborers  when  they  came 
into  that  field  of  evangelization.  All  the  first 
converts  under  the  labors  of  the  missionaries 
of  the  Board  in  Constantinople,  and  many  of 
the  later  ones,  were  from  among  the  alumni  of 
Peshtimaljean's  school. 

The  establishment  of  a  mission  among  the 
Armenians  of  Turkey  was  resolved  upon  by 
the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  Board  in  the 
year  1829.  As  a  preparatory  step,  Rev.  Eli 
Smith,  and  Rev.  H.  G.  0.  Dwight  wej:c  sent  to 
explore  the  field.  The  tour  was  commenced 
in  the  spring  of  1830,  and  occupied  somewhat 
more  than  a  year  ;  and  a  mass  of  new  informor 
tion  was  obtained,  both  in  regard  to  the  Ar- 
menians and  the  Nestorians,  which  has  since 
been  of  essential  service  in  prosecuting  mission- 
ary operations  in  that  part  of  the  world.  Early 
in  the  year  1831,  the  Rev.  W.  Goodell,  then  at 
Malta,  was  instructed  to  proceed  to  Constan- 
tinople with  his  family.  They  arrived  on  the 
9tti  of  June  of  the  same  year;  and  shortly 
after,  he  called  upon  the  Armenian  patriarch, 
and  sought  his  cooperation  in  establishing 
schools  on  an  improved  plan  among  the  people. 
The  patriarch  received  him  with  true  oriental 
politeness,  and  promised  to  furnish  some  school- 
masters, or  priests,  to  learn  the  new  system  of 
instruction,  so  as  to  be  able  to  open  schools ; 
but  the  promise  was  all  he  did  in  the  matter 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1832,  Rev.  H.  G.  0 


A  Of  THB^ 

'UiriVBIlSITY] 


k 


AEMENIiffS. 


125 


Dwiglit  took  up  his  permanent  residence  at 
Constantinople,  with  his  family,  having  been 
appointed  to  labor  among  the  Armenians. 
Kev.  W.  G.  Schaiiflfler  joined  the  Constantino- 
ple station  tha  last  of  July  of  the  same  year, 
his  labors  being  confined  chiefly  to  the  Jews. 

The  number  of  Armenian  visitors  at  the 
mission  gradually  increased  ;  and  early  in  the 
year  1833,  Hohannes  Sahakyan,  a  pupil  in  the 
school  of  Peshtimaljian,  became  a  deeply  inte- 
rested inquirer,  and  an  earnest  student  of  the 
Scriptures,  in  which  he  found  sympathy  and 
aid  from  his  beloved  preceptor.  The  follow- 
ing year  he  found  a  friend  to  whom  he  com- 
municated his  views,  and  who,  after  some 
opposition,  embraced  them.  Mr.  Sahakyan 
soon  became  a  most  efficient  instrument  in 
promoting  the  truth,  as  he  has  continued  to  be 
up  to  the  present  time ;  and  never,  from  that 
moment,  has  the  mission  been  without  the  most 
satisfactory  evidence  of  the  special  presence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  among  the  Armenian  peo- 
ple. On  the  18th  of  July,  1833,  Mr.  Sahakyan 
and  his  companion,  in  a  very  solemn  manner, 
committed  themselves  to  the  instruction  and 
guidance  of  the  missionaries.  One  of  them 
was  employed  as  a  translator  of  the  mission, 
and  the  other  as  teacher  of  a  school  for  Arme- 
nian youth.  They  v/ere  soon  brought  into  the 
clear  light  of  the  gospel,  and  led  to  trust,  with 
a  calm  and  joyful  confidence,  in  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  only  and  all-sufficient  Saviour. 

But  opposition  now  began  to  manifest  itself. 
By  secret  clerical  interference,  both  Armenian 
and  Eoraish,  the  school  was  broken  up.  An 
Armenian  jeweler  of  great  respectability  and 
influence,  and  strongly  attached  to  the  doc- 
trines and  rites  of  his  church,  had  his  mind 
wrought  up  into  a  state  of  great  alarm,  in 
reference  to  the  course  of  these  two  young 
men,  by  the  secret  insinuations  of  a  Roman 
priest.  They  were  represented  as  being  the 
hired  tools  of  certain  foreigners,  employed  to 
seduce  the  people,  and  lead  them  into  danger- 
ous heresy.  The  jeweler  prevailed  upon  Pesh- 
timaljian to  summon  the  delinquents  before 
him,  in  order  to  examine  them  as  to  the  alleged 
heresy.  He  himself  was  present,  and  began 
the  examination  with  great  sternness  and  se- 
verity ;  charging  them  with  violating  their 
obligations  to  the  church,  and  dishonoring 
God.  They  were  proceeding  to  vindicate 
themselves,  when  Peshtimaljian  took  the  busi- 
ness wholly  out  of  their  hands,  and  poured 
upon  the  astonished  jeweler  such  a  flood  of 
light,  from  history  as  well  as  Scripture,  to  show 
that  their  church  is  wrong,  and  in  many  things 
idolatrous,  that  even  the  young  men  themselves 
were  amazed.  They  afterwards  had  an  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  for  themselves,  Peshtimal- 
jian aiding  them  in  their  references  to  the 
Scriptures  whenever  their  own  memories  failed; 
and  the  result  was,  that  the  jeweler  was  not  only 
entirely  satisfied  that  they  were  in  the  right, 
but  immediately  became  himself  an  open  and 


powerful  advocate  of  the  evangelical  doctrines 
The  circumstance  of  the  closing  of  the  school 
became  a  subject  of  some  notoriety,  and  some 
minds  were  by  this  means  put  upon  a  new  train 
of  thought.  Mr.  Sarkis  Varjabed,  teacher 
of  grammar  in  the  school  of  Peshtimaljian, 
became  a  convert  at  this  time,  and  was  after- 
wards highly  useful  to  the  mission  as  a  trans- 
lator. 

In  the  autumn  of  1833,  the  missionaries 
were  invited  to  witness  the  ordination  of  fifteen 
Armenian  priests  at  the  Patriarchal  church  in 
Constantinople.  None  had  been  ordained  for 
many  years,  in  consequence  of  the  new  rule 
which  required  that  only  such  as  had  received 
a  regular  education  at  the  school  of  Peshtimal- 
jian should  be  eligible  for  ordination.  Nearly 
all  the  candidates  on  the  present  occasion  were 
comparatively  well  educated  men  ;  and  one  of 
them  had  a  high  reputation  for  learning.  He 
had  a  peculiarly  serious  and  devout  appear- 
ance, and  when,  some  days  afterwards,  the 
missionaries  called  upon  him  in  one  of  the 
cloisters  of  the  patriarchate,  he  seemed  deeply 
impressed  by  the  remarks  made  to  him  on  tho 
solemn  responsibilities  resting  upon  the  oJ95ce- 
bearers  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  feelingly 
begged  an  interest  in  their  prayers.  This  was 
Der  Kevork,  a  man  whose  subsequent  influence 
in  promoting  the  reformation  was  highly  im- 
portant. 

Up  to  this  period,  the  missionary  press  had 
remained  in  Malta,  and  had  been  chiefly  em- 
ployed in  printing  in  Greek  and  Italian.  On 
the  23d  of  December,  1833,  the  Eev.  Daniel 
Temple,  and  Mr.  Homan  Hallock,  missionary 
printer,  arrived  in  Smyrna  with  the  press, 
accompanied  by  bishop  Dionysius,  as  Arme- 
nian translator.  But  a  combination  of  Arme- 
nian and  Romish  influences  induced  the  Pasha 
peremptorily  to  order  Mr.  Temple's  departure 
from  Smyrna  with  only  ten  days'  notice.  The 
Pasha,  however,  who  had  acted  hastily  and 
under  a  misapprehension  of  the  facts  in  the 
case,  revoked  his  order,  on  hearing  the  expla- 
nations of  the  American  consul ;  but  it  was 
thought  best  that  the  bishop  should  return  to 
Beirut,  where  he  had  formerly  resided ;  the 
Armenians  being  incensed  against  him  on 
account  of  his  having  married  and  become  a 
Protestant. 

The  indications  of  the  special  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  became  more  numerous  and  deci- 
sive. The  meetings  at  Mr.  Goodell's  residence 
had  been  gradually  increasing  in  solemnity  and 
interest.  On  the  first  Monday  of  Jan.  1834, 
the  monthly  concert  was  observed,  for  the  first 
time,  in  the  Turkis]|  language.  Intelligence 
was  communicated  from  the  missions,  and 
every  heart  seemed  deeply  interested,  and 
many  eyes  were  suffused  with  tears.  The 
native  brethren  there  received  a  new  impulse 
to  go  on  with  their  labors  for  the  salvation 
of  their  own  countrymen.  ITie  number  stea- 
dily increased  of  those  who  frequented  the 


126 


AMtfENIANS. 


hoiL<»os  (»f  the  mi&uonarics.  and  the  mam  topics 
of  in(|uirv  were  deeply  practical  ami  spiritual, 
relatiug  Ilirectly  to  the  salvation  of  tJie  soul. 
In  the  course  of  the  year,  two  or  three  priests 
in  Constttutinople  were  awakened,  and  tho- 
roughly convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  evan- 
gelical system.  The  Bible  was  much  sought 
for  and  read ;  many  eyes  were  opened  to  see 
the  folly  of  their  own  sui)erstitions ;  and  a 
few,  it  is  believed,  were  added  to  the  number 
of  sincere  believers  in  Jesus  Christ.  The  two 
young  men  whose  interesting  history  has  been 
briefly  given,  and  who  became  native  assist- 
ants, were  active  in  spreading  the  truth,  and 
exerted  no  small  amount  of  instrumentality  in 
bringing  about  the  results  that  followed. 

Every  effort  made  to  induce  the  Armenian 
ecclesiastical  authorities  to  take  the  lead  in 
enlarging  and  improving  their  schools  having 
provetl  a  failure,  the  mission  at  length  deter- 
mined to  cstalDlish,  independently,  a  high 
school  in  Pera,  the  objects  being  to  educate 
promising  boys  and  young  men  in  useful 
Dranches,  to  stimulate  the  Armenians  to  efforts 
in  this  department,  and  to  furnish  a  model 
school  for  them  to  imitate.  The  school  was 
opened,  October  27, 1834,  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Mr.  Paepati,  a  native  of  Scio, 
who  had  been  educated  in  America,  and  who, 
by  his  religious  character,  as  well  as  his  intel- 
lectual training,  proved  himself  to  be  well 
fitted  for  this  post. 

Rev.  John  B.  Adger  joined  the  Smyrna 
station  in  the  month  of  October,  1834.  Two 
new  stations  were  occupied,  one  at  Brusa  and 
the  other  at  Trebizond.  Rev.  B.  Schneider 
arrived  at  Brusa  with  his  family  on  the  15th 
of  July,  1834.  The  Greek  bishop  forbade  his 
people  furnishing  the  missionary  with  a  house, 
although  one  had  previously  been  pledged  to 
him  by  a  prominent  member  of  the  Greek 
community.  But  the  independence  of  the 
owner  enabled  Mr.  Schneider  to  secure  a  resi- 
dence in  spite  of  the  bishop.  And,  after  some 
opposition,  he  was  enabled  to  open  a  school 
of  70  children,  his  labors  at  first  being  divided 
between  the  Armenians  and  Greeks.  Rev.  T. 
P.  Johnson  first  visited  Trebizond  in  Novem- 
ber, 1834.  Through  priestly  interference,  he 
was  foiled  in  three  successive  attempts  to  pro- 
cure a  house,  and  at  last  he  only  secured  a 
contract  for  one,  on  condition  that  he  should 
obtain  a  firman  or  imperial  order,  from  Con- 
stantinople, which  he  succeeded  in  doing, 
through  the  kind  interposition  of  Commodore 
Porter,  the  United  States  Minister  at  the 
Porte ;  and  he  removed  there  with  his  family 
in  the  spring  of  1835.  The  breaking  out 
of  the  plague,  however,  prevented  him  from 
having  much  intercourse  with  the  people  for 
some  months.  At  the  capital,  the  number 
of  those  who  declared  themselves  Protestants 
rapidly  increased.  Not  only  in  the  city  proper, 
but  throughout  the  suburbs  and  the  villages 
on  the  Bosphorus,  wherever  Armenians  were 


found,  there  nnu^s  ;m  iiicrcasiii";  disposition  to 
talk  on  religioim  subjects.  The  missionaries 
avoided  controversy  al>out  forms  and  ceremo- 
nies; and  instead  of  attacking  directly  the 
superstitions  of  the  church,  determined  to 
"  know  nothing  but  Christ  and  him  crucified." 
Cases  of  true  conversion  were  every  now  and 
then  occurring,  among  whom  was  Der  Kevork, 
before  alluded  to.  He  had  charge  of  a  school 
of  about  400  boys,  supported  by  the  Arme- 
nians themselves,  and  m  no  way  connected 
with  the  missionaries.  He  soon  introduced 
the  custom  of  reading  the  Scriptures  daily, 
and  explaining'  them  to  the  whole  school ;  and 
he  also  formed  a  class  of  twentv  of  his  most 
promising  scholars,  for  the  critical  study  of  the 
New  Testament  under  his  immediate  direction. 

One  room  in  Mr.  Goodell's  house  was  always 
open  for  Armenians  to  come  together  for 
prayer ;  and  in  some  instances  family  prayer 
was  established  by  the  new  converts,  and  a 
prayer-meeting  was  maintained  by  a  few  pupils 
m  the  high  school,  which  had  now  increased 
to  thirty  pupils,  and  had  also  grown  greatly  in 
favor  with  the  people.  The  English,  French, 
Italian,  Armenian,  Turkish,  Greek,  and  He- 
brew languages  were  taught,  as  well  as  the 
mathematics,  geography,  &c.,  and  lectures  were 
given,  illustrated  by  experiments  on  various 
branches  of  the  natural  sciences.  Mr.  Paspati 
having  left  for  Paris,  Mr.  Hohannes  Sahakyan 
was  appointed  to  the  superintendency  of  the 
school,  assisted  by  several  other  teachers.  Yia- 
itors  of  all  classes  were  numerous,  and  the  lec- 
tures were  attended  by  many  deeply-interested 
spectators.  Externally,  friendly  relations  were 
still  preserved  with  the  ecclesiastical  authori- 
ties of  the  Armenian  church  ;  but  they  already 
began  to  manifest  their  uneasiness  at  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Bible,  and  the  popularity  and 
success  of  the  school  established  by  the  mis- 
sion. Matteos,  the  newly  appointed  bishop  of 
Brusa,  was  one  of  the  earliest  friends  of  the 
mission,  having  imbibed  many  enlightened 
views  of  the  truth.  Even  after  his  removal  to 
Brusa,  he  expressed,  by  letter,  the  most  friendly 
sentiments;  and  when  Mr.  Schneider  called 
upon  him,  soon  after  his  arrival,  he  avowed, 
in  very  decided  terms,  his  approbation  of  the 
school  recently  established  by  the  mission  in 
Brusa.  Not  many  months  elapsed,  however, 
before  this  school  was  entirely  broken  up, 
through  the  influence  of  this  same  prelate, 
who  also  endeavored,  in  other  ways,  to  circum- 
scribe the  operations  of  the  missionaries.  He 
afterwards  made  himself  notorious  as  Matteos 
Patriarch,  the  persecutor  of  the  Protest- 
ants IN  Turkey.  This  fact  shows  how  little 
dependence  could  be  placed  upon  professions 
of  friendship  made  by  the  high  ecclesiastics, 
who,  though  often  convinced  of  the  truth,  yet 
having  no  fixed  principles,  are  ready  to  do  any 
thing  to  please  the  rich  and  influential  among 
their  people. 

The  Brusa  station  was  strengthened  by  the 


ARMENIANS. 


127 


arrival  of  the  Eev.  P.  0.  Powers  and  wife,  in 
February,  1835,  who  took  up  their  abode  in 
the  Armenian  quarter  of  the  town. 

The  preparation  of  books  and  tracts  in 
Armeno-Turkish  and  the  modern  Armenian 
language,  became  more  and  more  an  object 
of  attention,  and  Mr.  Hallock,  the  missionary 
printer,  visited  the  United  States  to  superintend 
the  manufacture,  at  New  York,  of  punches  for 
making  Armenian  type  for  the  press  in  Smyrna; 
and  the  liberal  sum  of  $5000  was  appropriated 
to  this  object,  and  for  the  purchase  of  materials 
for  a  foundry  and  printing  office,  by  the  Pru- 
dential Committee.  Mr.  Sarkis,  one  of  the 
pious  Armenians  in  Constantinople,  and  an 
eminent  scholar  in  his  own  language  and  liter- 
ature, removed  to  Smyrna,  to  be  employed  as 
translator,  in  connection  with  the  press,  under 
the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Adger. 

Early  in  1836,  two  weekly  meetings  were 
established  in  Constantinople,  one  of  which 
was  conducted  by  Mr.  Goodell,  and  the  other 
by  Mr.  Schauffler,  in  the  Turkish  language, 
which  afforded  constant  evidence  of  the  pro- 
gress of  the  work.  The  houses  of  the  mission- 
aries were  frequented  by  ecclesiastics,  as  well 
as  laymen,  some  four  of  the  former,  chiefly 
from  among  the  parochial  clergy,  appearing  to 
be  sincere  inquirers  after  the  truth.  One  of 
these,  attached  to  the  Patriarchal  Church,  pro- 
posed, of  his  own  accord,  that  the  missionaries 
should  publish  a  new  and  revised  edition  of  the 
modern  Armenian  New  Testament,  so  that  all 
the  people  might  have  access  to  the  Word  of 
God  in  an  intelligible  language.  He  offered  to 
subscribe  500  piastres,  (about  $23)  himself,  to- 
wards the  object,  and  to  procure  more  from 
others.  Some  of  the  most  influential  vartabeds 
at  the  patriarchate  were  disposed  to  encourage, 
rather  than  hinder  educational  efforts. 

It  was  now  not  an  uncommon  thing,  to  hear  of 
one  and  another  of  the  bishops  and  vartabeds, 
preaching  what  were  called  evangelical  ser- 
mons. Subsequent  facts,  however,  have  shown, 
in  regard  to  most  of  them,  that  public  opinion, 
at  that  time  somewhat  clamorous  for  reform, 
more  than  personal  conviction  and  interest  in 
the  subject,  led  to  this  new  style  of  address. 

One  of  the  converts,  who  was  rather  promi- 
nent as  a  reformer,  was  publicly  accused  of  in- 
fidelity by  a  priest ;  and  on  the  following  Sab- 
bath, one  of  the  vartabeds  of  the  Church  de- 
nounced him  before  the  people,  as  a  heretic  and 
an  infidel,  whose  case  was  soon  to  be  tried  by 
a  council  of  ecclesiastics  and  laymen.  The 
council  was  afterwards  held,  and  although  the 
accused  declared  plainly  that  he  had  no  confi- 
dence whatever  in  the  mediation  of  the  saints, 
and  that  he  received  the  Gospel  as  his  only  and 
all-sufficient  guide ; — yet  he  was  fully  acquitted. 

The  most  diligent  and  persevering  efforts 
were  made,  by  certain  adherents  of  the  Koniish 
Church,  to  stir  up  the  Armenians  against  the 
missionaries.  No  direct  means  had  been  used 
by  them,  to  enlighten  that  portion  of  the  Ar 


menian  race,  who  acknowledge  the  supremacy 
of  the  Pope.  They  may  amount,  perhaps,  to 
15,000  or  20,000,  having  a  Patriarch  of  their 
own.  In  July,  1836,  this  functionary  came  out 
with  a  public  denunciation  of  all  the  books  cir- 
culated by  the  missionaries,  including  the  New 
Testament,  and  he  expressly  prohibited  his 
people  from  purchasing  or  procuring  from 
them  copies  of  an  edition  of  the  Armenian 
Scriptures  which  had  been  printed  at  their  own 
press  in  Venice. 

Indications  now  began  more  and  more  to 
manifest  themselves,  that  the  Word  of  God  was 
operating  like  silent  leaven,  especially  in  the 
schools  where  it  was  daily  read  as  a  text  book  ; 
and  many  interesting  incidents  are  mentioned 
in  the  journals  of  the  missionaries,  to  illustrate 
the  influence  that  was  operating  upon  the 
minds  of  the  people  ;  which  Mr.  Goodell  cha- 
racterized as  a  simple  and  entire  yielding  up  of 
the  heart  and  life  to  the  sole  direction  o/"  God's 
Word  and  Spirit." 

The  gospel  had  now  been  proclaimed  to  mul- 
titudes of  people  by  conversation  in  private 
circles,  both  in  the  Turkish  and  Armenian 
languages,  and  a  formal  expository  service  had 
been  held  in  Turkish,  by  Mr.  Goodell,  for  some 
time.  The  first  regular  sermon  in  the  Arme- 
nian tongue,  was  preached  by  Mr.  Dwight,  on 
the  9th  of  September,  1836,  to  a  small  select 
company  in  his  own  house.  The  monthly  con- 
cert of  prayer  increased  in  interest.  Female 
education,  which  had  been  almost  entirely  neg- 
lected, was  beginning  to  attract  attention. 
At  Constantinople  parents  were  beginning  to 
provide  instruction  for  their  daughters,  and 
one  of  the  evangelical  brethren  had  a  class  of 
Armenian  girls  who  were  learning  to  read.  In 
Smyrna,  a  school  of  40  Armenian  girls  was 
established  by  the  mission,  in  the  summer  of 
1836,  with  the  express  approbation  of  a  num- 
ber of  influential  men  in  the  community. 
Owing  to  one  or  two  jealous  spirits,  however, 
a  meeting  of  the  community  was  soon  called, 
and  it  was  agreed  to  take  the  new  enterprise 
into  their  own  hands ;  and  it  was  cheerfully 
relinquished  to  them  by  the  missionaries. 

In  Brusa,  there  were  many  who  professed  to 
be  friendly  to  the  missionaries  ;  but  in  general, 
the  silence  and  insensibility  of  death  reigned 
among  them.  Bishop  Matteos  showed  more 
openly  a  hostile  disposition.  The  station  at 
Trebizond  was  reinforced  in  August,  1836,  by 
the  arrival  of  the  Kev.  W.  C.  Jackson  and 
wife. 

The  principal  bankers  in  the  country,  at 
that  time,  belonged  to  the  Armenian  commu- 
nity. According  to  the  system  then  prevail- 
ing, the  Pashas  and  governors  of  the  empire 
derived  their  support,  not  by  a  salary  from  the 
government,  but  by  taxes,  levied  by  them- 
selves, on  the  produce  of  the  territory  over 
which  they  had  jurisdiction,  and  by  extortion. 
Every  Pasha  had  his  banker,  who  furnished 
him  with  money  on  interest,  when  out  of  office, 


128 


ARMENIANS. 


or  when  newly  ftppoiiitcd  to  ofBoc,  recciviii}? 
his  pay  by  participuliiif?  in  the  spoils  filched 
afterwards  I'rom  tlie  poor  people.  This  ar- 
rangement gave  great  i)ower  to  these  capital- 
ists ;  and  neiu-ly  all  the  important  appointments 
of  the  government  were  in  their  hands.  With- 
in their  own  community  their  word  was  law. 
Patriarchs,  as  we  have  shown,  were  elect- 
ed and  deposed  by  them  ;  and  through 
them,  bishops  and  vartabeds  received  their 
appointments  to  dioceses  and  churches.  A 
few  of  the  richest  and  most  powerful  of 
these  men  decided  nearly  every  question  of  any 
importance  pertaining  to  the  civil  or  ecclesi- 
astical affairs  of  the  Armenian  nation.  As  a 
class,  they  were  ignorant  and  bigoted,  and, 
therefore,  quite  ready  to  believe  any  misrepre- 
sentations of  Protestantism  which  their  own 
religious  guides  should  give  them.  In  this 
state  of  things,  any  office-bearer  in  the  church, 
high  or  low,  might  be  deterred  from  acting,  in 
his  official  capacity,  according  to  the  policy 
dictated  by  his  own  mind.  Some  rival  in  the 
holy  orders,  even  much  lower  than  himself  in 
rank,  might,  through  his  superior  influence 
with  one  or  more  of  these  bankers,  procure  the 
removal  from  office  of  the  obnoxious  individ- 
ual. In  the  year  1837,  it  was  resolved  in  the 
counsels  of  the  Armenian  community,  that  is, 
by  a  few  bankers,  as  a  first  step,  to  break  up 
the  High  School.  In  preparation  for  this,  a 
large  college  had  been  founded  some  months 
before,  at  Scutary  ;  and  the  public  school,  su- 
perintended by  Der  Kevork,  in  the  quarter  of 
Hass  Keuy,  had  been  committed  to  the  gene- 
ral supervision  of  one  of  the  gieat  bankers  re- 
siding there,  a  truly  noble-spirited  man,  that  it 
might  be  remodeled  according  to  his  own  wishes, 
so  as  to  make  it  a  firs1>rate  school.  As  learn- 
ing was  now  becoming  popular,  these  were 
necessary  steps  in  order  to  reconcile  the  people 
to  the  shutting  up  of  the  Armenian  High 
School.  In  January,  1837,  the  parents  of  the 
scholars  of  the  missionaiy  school  were  sum- 
moned before  the  Yicar,  and  peremptorily  or- 
dered to  withdraw  their  sons  from  the  school. 
Sorrow  was  depicted  on  every  face,  as  the 
pupils  came  bacK  to  get  their  books,  and  say 
their  farewells. 

The  plan  of  the  opposing  party  in  this  case, 
was,  after  breaking  up  the  school,  to  procure 
from  the  Turkish  government,  the  banishment 
of  Mr.  Sahakyan,  its  principal,  and  several  oth- 
ers who  were  considered  most  influential 
among  the  evangelical  brethren.  Great  was 
^  their  astonishment  when  they  heard  that,  no 
sooner  was  this  hated  individual  released,  by 
their  act,  from  his  connection  with  the  mission, 
than  he  was  engaged  by  the  banker  of  Hass 
Keuy,  to  take  the  superintendence  of  the  great 
national  school,  which  had  been  placed  by 
them  in  his  hands !  Every  effort  was  made  by 
the  anti-evangelical  party  to  persuade  him  to 
change  his  purpose  ;  but  he  remained  firm,  and 
declai'cd  that  if  they  did  not  allow  him  to 


manage  the  school  in  his  own  way,  he  would 
leave  the  Armenian  community  altogether. 
They  were  obliged  to  yield,  and  soon  a  school 
of  600,  instead  of  40,  as  before,  was  in  suc- 
cessful operation,  under  the  superintendence  of 
Mr.  Hohannes  Sahakyan  ;  havjng  Der  Kevork, 
the  pious  priest,  for  one  of  his  principal 
teachers ! 

The  Hass  Keuy  school  was  formally  adopted 
as  the  school  of  the  nation,  and  Mr.  Sahakyan 
received  a  regular  appointment  from  the  Arme- 
nian Synod  as  its  principal.  He  had  there- 
fore, more  liberty  of  action,  and  could  give 
religious  instruction  officially.  He  devoted  an 
hour  a  day  to  this  special  purpose,  in  a  select 
class  of  sixty  of  the  most  advanced  pupils,  ha- 
sides  more  general  instruction,  and  the  daily 
good  influence  exerted  by  himself  and  Der 
Kevork. 

There  was  a  liberal  course  of  study  adopted, 
and  the  school  was  arranged,  throughout,  af- 
ter the  model  of  the  mission  school.  Lectures 
were  given  in  the  natural  sciences,  the  whole 
of  the  philosophical  apparatus  of  the  mission 
having  been  purchased  and  paid  for,  by  the 
directors. 

This  institution  became  deservedly  popular ; 
there  was  now  much  more  boldness,  on  the  part 
of  the  enlightened  Armenians,  in  spreading  the 
truth  ;  and  the  light  of  truth  and  piety  seemed 
to  be  kindled  in  every  part  of  the  city. 

Inquiry  was  extending,  also,  at  the  interior 
stations,  and  the  spirit  of  opposition  was  like- 
wise awakened. 

In  September,  1837,  a  convention  of  mis- 
sionaries was  held  in  Smyrna,  the  chief  object 
of  which  was,  to  ascertain,  by  prayerful  in- 
quiry, the  mistakes  and  deficiencies  of  the  past, 
both  in  regard  to  personal  qualifications  for 
the  work,  and  the  means  and  measures  adopted 
for  bringing  the  claims  of  the  gospel  in  con- 
tact with  the  hearts  of  the  people.  Eecent 
afflictive  dispensations  in  the  mission  had  pro- 
duced a  mellowed  tone  of  Christian  feeling, 
which  greatly  prepared  the  minds  of  the  breth- 
ren for  a  profitable  discussion  of  these  subjects. 
The  Lord  was  felt  to  be  indeed  present,  and  it 
is  believed  that  each  one  returned  to  the  toils 
of  missionary  life,  with  a  more  prayerful  and 
confiding  spirit,  and  a  more  fixed  purpose  of 
heart,  to  make  the  salvation  of  the  soul  the 
immediate  and  all-absorbing  object  of  labor, 
and  the  preaching  of  "  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 
crucified,"  the  grand  means. 

Mr.  Adger  was  enabled  to  commence  an  ex- 
pository service  in  Smyrna,  in  the  Armenian 
language,  at  which  some  five  or  six  were  usually 
present.  His  translator,  Mr.  Sarkis,  froni 
Constantinople,  had  increasing  intercourse 
with  the  people  ;  and  Armenian  mothers  began 
to  be  eloquent  in  their  lamentations  over  the 
neglected  education  of  their  daughters.  Up 
to  the  first  of  January,  1838,  there  were 
printed,  at  the  Smyrna  press,  about  two  and  a 
half  million  pages  in  the  Armenian  language. 


ARMENIANS. 


129 


A  pocket  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  in 
ancient  Armenian,  was  completed  on  the  last 
day  of  the  year  1837. 

The  plague,  that  scourge  of  Turkey,  was 
permitted  this  year  to  enter  the  family  of  Mr. 
Dwight,  and  a  beloved  wife  and  child  became 
its  victims.  This  afflictive  dispensation  called 
forth  the  tenderest  expression  of  sympathy 
from  the  native  brethren  and  other  friends  of 
the  missionaries  ;  and,  in  various  ways,  it  was 
truly  a  sanctified,  though  most  sorrowful  event. 
This  terrible  disease,  in  its  annual  visitations 
to  the  capital,  and  other  parts  of  the  Turkish 
empire,  has  proved  a  far  more  serious  obsta- 
cle to  missionary  labor,  than  can  well  be 
imagined  in  America.  The  season  of  the 
plague  was  a  season  of  non-intercourse,  to  a 
very  great  extent.  Schools  must  be  closed  ; 
public  worship  suspended  ;  and  the  giving  and 
receiving  of  visits,  in  a  great  measure  inter- 
rupted. This  has  happened,  again  and  again, 
at  all  the  stations.  Sometimes,  when  the  mis- 
sionaries had  made  a  successful  and  promising 
beginning  of  some  new  plan  of  usefulness,  this 
dreadful  scourge  would  come  down  upon  them 
with  all  its  violence,  and  suddenly  arrest  the 
enterprise,  and  frustrate  all  their  hopes.  And 
in  such  a  country  as  Turkey,  when  a  school  is 
closed,  or  public  worship  suspended  for  several 
months,  more  ground  may  be  lost  than  can  be 
gained  in  a  whole  year.  But  for  16  years 
past,  since  quarantines  have  been  established, 
Constantinople  has  not  been  visited  with  the 
plague,  showing  that  it  did  not  originate  there. 

As  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  gained  a  hold 
on  the  hearts  of  the  people,  superstitions  gave 
way;  and,  as  error  became  eradicated  from 
the  mind,  the  external  symbols  of  that  error 
were  naturally  removed  from  use  and  from 
sight.  The  progress  of  correct  religious  opin- 
ion was  evinced,  especially,  by  the  gradual  dis- 
appearance of  pictures  from  the  Armenian 
churches.  In  one  instance,  near  the  beginning 
of  the  year  1838,  the  vartabed  and  leading 
men  in  the  large  village  of  Orta  Keuy,  on  the 
Bosphorus,  went  together  to  the  church,  and 
carefully  removed  every  picture,  except  the 
altar  pieces,  which  were  so  situated  that  they 
could  not  be  approached  for  worship.  This  is 
the  village  in  which  the  missionaries  resided, 
when  they  first  began  to  get  access  to  the  Ar- 
menians. The  patriarch  Stepan  remarked  to 
one  of  the  native  brethren,  that  many  of  the 
observances  in  their  church  were  not  prescribed 
by  the  gospel,  and  that  probably  they  would 
not  exist  ten  years  longer. 

The  reformation  was  daily  gaining  strength. 
The  converted  Armenians  were  active  and 
prayerful.  They  delighted  in  the  communion 
of  saints  ;  and  they  also  sought  and  found  fre- 
quent opportunities  for  religious  conversation 
with  their  fellow-countrymen,  who,  as  yet,  had 
not  felt  the  power  of  the  gospel.  Mr.  Sahak- 
yan  continued  his  connection  with  the  High 
School  at  Hass  Keuy,  and  his  opportunities 


for  usefulness  were  many  and  great.  But,  such 
was  the  opposition  of  the  leading  Armenians 
to  Mr.  Sahakyan,  that  its  distinguished  patron 
determined  to  abandon  it  altogether ;  and, 
before  the  close  of  the  year  1838,  most  of  the 
teachers  were  dismissed,  and  the  school  reduced 
to  its  former  footing.  Many  of  the  people 
were  strongly  in  favor  of  its  continuance,  and 
particularly  the  leading  men  of  the  village 
where  it  was  located  ;  and  they  sent  a  delega- 
tion to  the  patriarch,  to  implore  his  aid,  to 
prevent  the  approaching  disaster.  All  they 
obtained  from  him  was  fair  promises,  that  were 
never  fulfilled. 

Mr.  Sahakyan,  being  thrown  out  of  em- 
ployment, was  very  gladly  taken  up  by  the 
mission.  The  necessity  had  for  some  time 
been  felt,  of  having  a  man  to  superintend  the 
distribution  of  books,  which  were  rapidly  in- 
creasing in  number.  To  this  post  Mr.  Sahak- 
yan was  appointed,  with  the  confident  expec- 
tation that  it  would  prove  a  station  of  great 
usefulness. 

The  kingdom  of  Christ  now  began  to  make 
evident  inroads  on  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  in 
the  interior  of  the  country.  Two  Armenian 
priests,  in  Nicomedia,  who  had  never  seen  a 
missionary,  had  been  converted  to  the  truth. 
One  of  them  afterwards  came  to  Constantino- 
ple, and  visited  the  missionaries.  He  appeared 
to  be  a  man  of  a  most  devout  and  humble 
spirit,  who  had  inward  experience  of  the  grace 
of  God.  The  doctrine  of  salvation,  by  grace 
alone,  was  quite  familiar  and  very  precious  to 
him  ;  and  he  readily  discriminated  between  a 
living  and  a  dead  faith.  In  1832,  Mr.  Goodell 
left  with  an  old  priest  at  Nicomedia,  as  he 
was  passing,  a  copy  of  the  Armeno-Turkish 
New  Testament,  and  gave  to  some  Armenian 
boys  several  tracts  in  the  same  language. 
One  of  these  tracts — a  translation  of  the 
Dairyman's  Daughter — fell  into  the  hands  of 
another  priest,  whom  Mr.  Goodoll  did  not  see. 
The  perusal  of  it  was  the  means  of  his  awaken- 
ing and  conversion ;  and,  through  his  influ- 
ence, another  priest  was  brought  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth,  and  their  united  prayers 
and  efforts  were  now  directed  to  the  enlighten- 
ment and  conversion  of  their  flock.  The  spirit 
of  inquiry  began  to  spread  among  the  people. 

In  the  spring  of  1838,  Mr.  Dwight  visited 
the  place  and  found  16  men,  who  appeared  to 
be  truly  enlightened  and  converted.  He  was 
received  by  them  with  the  greatest  cordiality, 
and  they  seemed  to  hang  on  his  lips  like  men 
hungering  for  the  bread  of  life. 

The  two  priests,  Der  Yertaness,  and  Der 
Harutun,  removed,  of  their  own  accord,  to 
Constantinople  ;  and  were  subsequently  placed 
together,  as  the  only  priests  in  a  village  church 
on  the  Bosphorus.  Here  they  could  act  with 
a  good  degree  of  independence,  and  many  op- 
portunities of  doing  good  were  presented. 
During  the  summer  of  1838,  the  Patriarch 
Stepan,  being  an  old  acquaintance,  spent  sev- 


130 


ARMENIANS. 


eral  weeks  with  them ;  and  they  had  free  con- 
▼crsfttlons  toprotlior   on  religious  subjects,  the 

T'tTi^iinli  r.iH  i.illv  as.-;enting  to  their  views. 

f„  1,  ;,'  \\rn  ,  a'lulTrebizond  every  possible 
ol>sttu-lf  >vjus  thrown  in  the  way  of  the  progress 
of  the  truth  ;  and  yet  the  Word  of  God  could 
not  be  bound.  In  both  places  there  were  in- 
creasing friendliness  on  the  part  of  the  people, 
more  extended  intercourse,  and  the  special 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Among  those 
whose  minds  seemed  to  be  especially  opened  to 
religious  impressions  at  Trebizond,  were  the 
vartabed  himself,  or  acting  bishop,  and  also  a 
priest  of  the  Church.  At  Brusa,  the  two 
teachers,  Mr.  Serope,  and  Mr.  Ilohannes, 
seemed  to  be  growing  in  grace  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  Christ.  An  influential  and  dis- 
tinguished man  became  a  serious  inquirer  for 
the  way  of  salvation,  and  opposition  thus  far, 
was  overruled  for  good.  In  October,  1838,  Mr. 
Schneider  began  a  regular  preaching  service 
at  his  own  house,  every  Sabbath,  in  the  Turkish 
language,  for  the  benefit  of  both  Armenians 
and  Greeks.  The  Kev.  E.  Riggs  joined 
tiie  station  at  Smyrna,  with  his  family,  on  the 
2d  of  November,  1838. 

By  a  series  of  intrigues,  commenced  near  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1839,  the  leading  bankers 
were  gradually  dispossessed  of  much  of  their 
former  power  ;  and  three  or  four  men  from  the 
artisan  classes,  stood  before  the  nation  as  its 
guides  and  dictators,  and  especially  as  defenders 
of  its  ancient  faith,  and  the  zealous  extirpators 
of  heresy.  One  of  these  was  the  Sultan's  chief 
architect,  and  another  was  his  second.  An- 
other was  superintendent  of  the  government 
powder  works.  The  first  two  were  employed 
at  the  time,  in  erecting  the  most  splendid  of 
all  the  imperial  palaces ;  and  this  brought 
them  into  closer  contact  with  the  Sultan  than 
was  enjoyed  by  any  of  the  bankers  ;  and  he 
was  so  much  delighted  with  their  work,  that  he 
seemed  ready  to  grant  them  any  request  they 
might  make.  The  expulsion  of  Protestantism 
from  the  land  was  an  object  that  lay  near  their 
hearts  ;  and  they  now  resolved  to  make  use  of 
the  strong  arm  of  the  Sultan  to  effect  it.  Ac- 
cusations were  presented  against  the  evangeli- 
cal brethren,  and  the  most  false  and  scandalous 
representations  were  made,  as  to  the  character 
and  tendencies  of  Protestantism,  calculated 
not  only  to  prejudice  the  minds  of  the  Turkish 
cabinet,  ])ut  to  excite  the  feelings  of  the  popu- 
lace. The  Sultan  was  easily  persuaded,  and 
the  architects  and  powder-maker  were  fully 
authorized  to  call  upon  the  civil  power,  to  aid 
them  in  extirpating  this  dangerous  heresy. 

But  the  Patriarch  Stepan,  was  altogether 
too  mild  a  man  for  their  purpose ;  and  it  was 
reported  and  believed  that  his  ^mpathies  were 
with  the  evangelical  party.  They  procured 
from  the  interior  of  the  country,  Hagopos,  a 
man  who  had  once  been  Vicar  of  the  Patri- 
archate of  Constantinople,  and  who  was  noto- 
rious for  his  bigotry  and  sternness  of  charac- 


ter, to  be  associated  with  Stepan,  as  assistant 
Patriarch.  He  soon  had  the  whole  power 
virtually  put  into  his  hands,  and  Stei)an  sunk 
to  a  mere  cypher.  On  the  19th  of  Febrnary, 
Mr.  Sahakyan  was  arrested,  and  thrown  into 
the  Patriarch's  prison,  without  even  the  form 
of  an  examination,  and  without  being  informed 
of  the  charges  alleged  against  him.  He  wus 
a  mild,  amiable,  inoffensive  man  ;  of  unblem- 
ished character,  and  against  whom,  as  a  subject 
and  a  citizen,  not  the  slightest  imputation 
could  be  brought.  And  yet,  while  the  same  so 
called  Christian  Patriarchate  would  use  all 
possible  means  to  protect  felons  of  every  de- 
scription, who  belonged  to  the  Armenian  com- 
munity, even  to  the  murderer  himself,  from  the 
regular  action  of  the  Turkish  law,  it  could 
rudely  seize  an  innocent  man,  and  deliver  him 
over  to  the  civil  authorities,  to  be  punished  for 
daring  to  think  and  act  for  himself,  in  matters 
pertaining  only  to  his  own  soul  and  God ! 

The  Armenian  Patriarchal  power  at  Con- 
stantinople has  always  been  a  persecuting 
Eower,  but  more  especially  within  the  last  one 
undred  and  fifty-  years,  during  which,  much 
blood  even  has  been  shed  by  it,  in  the  endeavor 
to  prevent  proselytism  from  that  Church  to  the 
Church  of  Rome.  In  the  present  instance, 
therefore,  the  ecclesiastical  authorities  of  the 
Church  were  only  acting  out  the  true  spirit  of 
the  establishment.  Mr.  Boghos  Fizika  was 
also  arrested  and  put  into  the  same  prison 
with  Mr.  Sahakyan.  Four  days  afterwards, 
these  two  individuals  were  put  under  charge 
of  a  Turkish  police  officer,  who  was  armed 
with  pistols  and  sword,  and,  without  the  least 
show  of  trial  or  expressed  accusation,  they 
were  sent  into  banishment  by  an  imperial  fir- 
man, to  a  monastery  near  Kaisery,  (the  an- 
cient Cajsarea  of  Cappadocia,)  about  400  miles 
east  of  Constantinople.  The  Patriarch  Stepan 
took  leave  of  them  with  tears.  He  did  not 
participate  in  the  act  of  his  compeers,  and 
knew  well  its  deep  injustice.  The  police  offi- 
cer, a  Turk,  stopped  at  his  mother's  house  in 
Scutary,  and  sent  back  word  that  Mr.  Fizika 
was  too  feeble  to  bear  the  fatigues  of  the  jour- 
ney ;  but  the  most  positive  orders  were  returned 
to  carry  him  to  Kaisery,  either  alive  or  dead. 
At  Nicomedia,  he  was  refreshed  with  an  in- 
terview with  the  evangelical  brethren :  and 
having  recruited  his  health,  he  went  on  his 
way.  But  the  Turkish  officer  who  conducted 
him,  finding  they  had  friends  there,  treated  Mr. 
Sahakyan  with  the  greatest  cruelty,  for  the 
purpose  of  extorting  money,  till  he  was  com- 
pelled to  give  an  order  for  $100  to  secure 
relief.  On  their  arrival  at  Kaisery,  the  Arme- 
nians, on  being  informed  that  they  had  been 
banished  merely  because  they  received  the 
Bible  as  the  only  infallible  guide,  replied  that 
the  Patriarch  might  as  well  banish  them  all, 
for  they  were  all  of  the  same  opinion. 

The  greatest  efforts  were  now  made  at  the 
capital  to  frighten  the  brethren  into  submit- 


ARMENIANS, 


131 


sion.  Very  few  dared  to  Tisit  the  mission- 
aries, and  those  only  under  cover  of  the  dark- 
ness. On  the  3d  of  March,  a  Patriarchal  bull 
was  issued  by  Hagopos,  adjunct  Patriarch, 
forbidding  the  reading  of  all  books  printed  or 
circulated  by  the  missionaries ;  and  all  who 
had  such  books  in  their  possession  were  re- 
^  quired  to  deliver  them,  without  delay,  to  their 
'  bishop  or  confessor.  The  brethren,  though 
appalled  by  such  violent  proceedings,  still  ex- 
hibited great  constancy  ;  and  seemed  ready  to 
suffer  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods,  and, 
if  need  be,  imprisonment,  banishment,  and  the 
bastinado,  for  their  Master's  sake. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  Der  Kevork,  the 
pious  priest  of  Hass  Keuy,  was  arrested  and 
thrown  into  prison.  Eight  days  after,  the 
Patriarch  Stepan  was  deposed  from  office,  and 
permitted  to  retire  to  his  convent  at  Armash, 
near  Nicomedia ;  and  on  the  following  day, 
his  assistant,  Hagopos,  was  installed  in  his 
place.  During  the  same  week,  the  Greek 
Patriarch  issued  a  bull,  excommunicating  all 
who  should  buy,  sell,  or  read  the  books  of  the 
Lutherans  or  Calvinists,  as  the  missionaries 
were  called  ;  and  an  imperial  firman  was  also 
published,  requiring  all  the  patriarchs  to  look 
well  to  their  flocks,  and  guard  them  against 
foreign  influence  and  infidelity.  It  was  now 
quite  evident  that  the  Sultan  himself  was  an 
interested  party  in  these  transactions.  After 
lying  in  prison  for  more  than  a  month,  Der 
Kevork  was  banished  into  the  interior  ;  and 
two  vartabeds,  who  had  presided  over  dioceses 
as  bishops,  one  more  teacher,  and  several  other 
persons,  were  sent  into  exile  about  the  same 
time.  As  there  was  no  examination  of  any 
case,  some  who  were  made  the  victims  of  this 
cruel  fanaticism,  had  never  in  any  way  been 
associated  with  the  evangelical  men,  but  were 
made  to  participate  in  their  punishment  by  a 
mere  mistake. 

April  28,  the  Patriarch  issued  a  new  bull, 
more  violent  than  the  former,  threatening  ter- 
rible anathemas,  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  against  all  who  should 
be  found  having  any  intercourse  with  the  mis- 
sionaries, or  reading  their  books  ;  and  also 
against  all  who  neglected  to  inform,  when  made 
acquainted  with  offenders.  Within  two  or 
three  days,  a  rich  banker,  who  had  been  for 
years  on  friendly  terms  with  the  missionaries, 
and  who  was  especially  the  patron  of  Mr. 
Boghos  Fizika,  was  arrested  and  imprisoned 
in  the  hospital,  as  an  insane  person  :  this  is  a 
method  of  persecution  not  unfi-equently  resorted 
to  in  this  country.  The  banker  was  released 
after  about  a  week's  confinement,  on  paying  a 
large  sum  towards  the  college  at  Scutary,  to 
atone  for  the  mischief  he  had  done  by  his 
insanity ! 

The  list  of  suspected  persons  had  now  swell- 
ed to  a  very  large  number  ;  and  a  strong  effort 
was  being  made  to  procure  the  expulsion  of  the 
iBdissionaries  themselves  from  the  country.  Mul- 


titudes of  persons  of  diverse  characters,  were 
active,  from  diverse  motives,  in  keeping  alive 
the  spirit  of  fanaticism.  The  native  brethren 
were  at  their  wits'  end,  and  even  the  missiona- 
ries could  not  see  how  God  was  going  to 
deliver  his  people.  Providence  solved  the 
problem,  however,  with  the  greatest  imagina- 
ble ease.  The  persecuting  powers  were  sud- 
denly thrown  into  the  deepest  consternation, 
by  a  demand  from  the  Sultan  to  all  the  Patri- 
archs, that  each  should  fornish  him  with  seve- 
ral thousand  men,  to  recruit  his  broken  army, 
and  enable  him  to  prosecute  his  war  with  Mo- 
hammed AH  of  Egypt.  Though  an  unprece- 
dented demand,  it  must  be  promptly  obeyed. 
Public  attention  was  now  entirely  absorbed 
in  this  subject,  and  the  doomed  Protestants 
were  for  the  moment  forgotten.  The  army 
was  raised,  and  marched  to  the  field.  It  was 
estimated  to  consist  of  80,000  men ;  and  on 
the  plains  of  Nezib,  near  Aleppo,  it  encoun- 
tered an  Egyptian  force  of  about  the  same 
number.  The  battle  was  fought  on  the  24th 
of  June,  1839,  and  the  Turkish  troops  were 
utterly  defeated,  and  scattered  in  all  directions. 
Tidings  of  this  disaster,  however,  never  reached 
the  ears  of  the  Sultan  Mahmud.  He  died  in 
his  own  palace,  on  the  Bosphorus,  on  the  first 
day  of  July.  His  son,  Abdul  Mejid,  was 
girded  with  the  imperial  sword,  on  the  11th  ; 
and  a  few  days  after,  the  news  reached  the 
capital  that  the  Capudan  Pasha  had  treacher- 
ously surrendered  up  the  whole  Turkish  fleet 
to  Mohammed  AH.  Thus,  both  the  army  and 
navy  were  gone,  and  a  mere  boy  of  seventeen 
was  upon  the  throne,  in  the  place  of  the  great 
Mahmud ;  and  the  entire  dissolution  of  the 
empire  seemed  inevitable.  Nothing  but  the 
intervention  of  the  great  powers  of  Europe 
prevented  this  catastrophe. 

By  this  rapid  succession  of  remarkable 
events,  God  rebuked  the  persecutors  of  his 
people,  and  effectually  removed  from  them  the 
power  of  carrying  into  effect  their  unholy  de- 
signs. Judgment  succeeded  judgment.  A  fire 
broke  out  in  Pera,  which  consumed  between 
three  and  four  thousand  houses,  destroying  an 
immense  amount  of  property  and  several  lives. 
Immediately  after,  a  meeting  of  the  Armenian 
Synod  was  called,  and,  after  much  violent 
debating,  it  was  resolved  that  a  part  of  the 
exiles  should  be  recalled.  Mr.  Sahakyan,  be- 
ing considered  a  "  ring-leader,"  was  to  be  left 
in  perpetual  banishment.  AH  the  others  re- 
turned to  their  homes  before  winter  set  in. 
Some  of  them  were  restored  to  their  former 
stations.  The  converted  brethren,  generally, 
soon  took  courage.  They  cautiously  resumed 
their  intercourse  with  the  missionaries,  and 
gradually  became  bolder  than  ever  in  their 
efforts  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
In  the  mean  time,  at  the  suggestion  of  others, 
Mr.  Sahakyan  wrote  two  or  three  letters,  suc- 
cessively, to  the  Patriarch,  petitioning  for  his 
own  release.    They  were  couched  in  terms  of 


132 


ARMENIANS. 


great  respect,  bnt  as  they  contained  no  confes- 
sion of  error,  and  no  promise  of  future  submis- 
sion, his  request  was  denied.  The  bishop  of 
Kaisery  also  wrote  to  the  Patriarch  in  his 
behalf,  saying  that  he  had  watched  Mr.  S. 
very  ila^ely,  and  hud  "  found  no  fault  in  him ; " 
but  this  application  also  failed.  But,  through 
the  intervention  of  an  English  gentleman,  who 
was  one  of  the  physicians  of  the  palace,  the 
Patriarch,  by  recpiest  of  the  Sultan,  after  many 
delays,  and  sorely  against  his  will,  sent  an  order 
for  the  release  of  Mr.  S.  on  the  10th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1840. 

Steps  were  taken  to  make  this  persecution 
general ;  and  similar  measures  of  oppression 
and  cruelty  were  resorted  to  at  Brusa,  Trebi- 
zond,  and  other  places. 

But,  while  these  violent  measures  imposed 
an  outward  check  upon  the  work,  it  was  evi- 
dent that  the  truth  was  spreading ;  even  the 
measures  taken  to  check  the  reformation,  be- 
ing in  many  instances  the  means  of  awakening 
inquiry  ;  and  at  the  very  time  when  the  storm 
was  raging  at  the  capital,  and  at  different 
points  on  the  sea-coast  of  the  empire,  the  mis- 
sion was  pushing  its  advanced  posts  into  the 
very  heart  of  the  enemy's  country.  In  April, 
Mr.  Jackson,  from  Trebizond,  visited  Erzrum, 
almost  in  the  centre  of  ancient  Armenia,  in 
order  to  make  arrangements  for  commencing 
operations  in  thaX  town.  While  he  was  there, 
a  letter  was  publicly  read  in  the  church  from 
the  Patriarch,  warning  the  people  against  in- 
tercourse with  the  Americans,  and  against 
patronizing  their  schools  and  reading  their 
books ;  and  ordering  them  to  seize  such  books, 
wherever  they  could  be  found,  and  to  commit 
them  to  the  flames.  This  did  not  prevent  Mr. 
Jackson  from  procuring  a  dwelling  house, 
which  he  accomplished  through  the  kind  as- 
sistance of  the  British  consul,  and  on  the  11th 
of  September,  1839,  he  removed  there  with 
his  family.  In  February  of  the  same  year, 
the  station  at  Constantinople  was  strengthened 
by  the  arrival  of  the  Eev.  0.  Hamlin  and  wife, 
he  being  designated  to  open  a  seminary  for 
Armenian  boys. 

The  first  Monday  in  January,  of  the  year 
1840,  was  observed  as  a  day  of  special  fasting, 
humiliation  and  prayer,  throughout  all  the 
mission  stations  of  the  Board  in  Turkey.  The 
events  of  the  preceding  year,  and  the  existing 
state  of  things  in  the  country,  rendered  it  a 
season  of  deep  interest.  It  became  more  and 
more  evident  that  the  persecuting  power  had 
received  a  check  from  which  it  would  not  im- 
mediately recover.  The  efforts  of  the  persecu- 
tors to  dest/oy  the  truth  had  only  made  it 
more  extensively  known  ;  while  the  injustice, 
violence  and  cruelty  of  the  clergy  had  brought 
them  into  contempt. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1840,  in- 
tercourse was  resumed  with  most  of  those 
whom  the  persecution  had  temporarily  repell- 
ed from  the  missionaries,  and  there  was  evi- 


dently no  diminution  of  interest  in  religious 
inquiry.  One  striking  providence  after  an- 
other occurred,  calculated  to  lead  the  hearts 
of  the  faithful  to  repose  in  God,  and  to  be 
"  nothing  terrified  by  their  adversaries."  lu 
several  instances,  signal  judgments  followed 
the  persecutor,  so  that  even  the  enemies  them- 
selves were  constrained  to  acknowledge  that 
God  himself  was  uttering  his  reproving  voice. 
The  sudden  manner  in  which  the  late  Sultan 
was  cut  off,  and  his  forces  by  land  and  sea  de- 
stroyed, at  the  very  time  when  he  was  aiding 
by  his  authority  to  vex  the  church,  has  already 
been  noticed.  The  chief  instrument  in  induc- 
ing him  to  use  his  mighty  power  for  such  a 
purpose,  was,  by  the  Sultan's  death,  deprived 
of  his  influence ;  and  shortly  after,  his  wife 
was  removed  by  death,  and  he  himself  brought 
down  to  the  grave's  mouth.  Another  power- 
ful man,  who  had  actively  opposed  and  perse- 
cuted the  evangelical  brethren,  within  a  short 
space  of  time  lost  two  daughters  by  sudden 
death  ;  a  third  daughter  became  deranged,  and 
also  a  daughter-in-law ;  his  wife  was  deformed 
by  sickness,  and  also  made  nearly  blind,  and 
he  himself  became  a  miserable  invalid.  And 
soon  after  the  young  Sultan  came  upon  the 
throne,  a  charter  of  rights  was  granted  to  the 
people,  without  their  asking  for  it,  providing 
for  some  fundamental  changes  in  the  internal 
administration  of  the  government.  In  the 
presence  of  all  the  foreign  ambassadors,  the 
sovereign  solemnly  pledged  himself  to  guard,  as 
far  as  in  him  lay,  the  liberty,  property,  and 
honor  of  every  individual  subject,  without  re- 
ference to  his  religious  creed.  No  one  was  to 
be  condemned,  in  any  case,  without  an  impar- 
tial trial,  and  no  one  was  to  suffer  the  penalty 
of  death,  without  the  sanction  of  the  Sultan 
himself.  Under  this  charter  changes  the  most 
momentous,  particularly  for  the  Christian  and 
Jewish  population,  have  already  taken  place 
in  Turkey ;  and  everything  now  mdicates,  that 
according  to  the  honest  intention  and  policy 
of  the  present  government,  there  is  ultimately 
to  be  a  complete  carrying  out  of  its  provisions, 
in  every  part  of  the  empire. 

Under  the  old  system,  bankers  were  needed 
to  furnish  capital  to  the  pashas,  until  they 
should  procure  their  supplies  from  the  op- 
pressed people.  An  important  part  of  the 
new  system,  however,  was,  that  thenceforward 
the  ruling  pashas  and  governors  throughout 
the  country,  should  each  receive  a  fixed  salary 
from  the  government ;  and  in  no  case  meddle 
with  the  collection  of  taxes.  Accordingly, 
near  the  beginning  of  the  year  1840,  all  the 
bankers  of  the  government  received  orders 
to  settle  up  their  accounts,  as  they  were  to 
be  no  longer  needed  in  the  capacity  in  which 
they  had  heretofore  served  the  state.  This 
threw  many  of  them  into  great  distress,  and 
some  it  completely  ruined.  One  was  driven,  in 
his  desperation,  to  the  crime  of  suicide.  Thus 
did  God  put  another  obstacle  out  of  the  way, 


ARMENIANS. 


133 


which  hitherto  had  seriously  obstructed  the 
progress  of  his  kingdom. 

In  the  spring  of  1840  the  Greek  Patriarch, 
who  had  joined  hands  with  the  Armenian  Pa- 
triarch in  persecuting  the  people  of  God,  was 
suddenly  deposed  from  office,  by  order  of  the 
Turkish  government ;  and  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore the  Armenian  Patriarch  followed  him  into 
retirement.  He  became  so  odious,  on  account 
of  his  overbearing,  violent  spirit,  as  well  as  his 
follies,  that  he  was  obliged  to  resign  to  save  him- 
self from  being  deposed ;  and  Stepan,  who  had 
been  ejected  for  his  mildness  and  his  forbear- 
ance towards  Protestants,  was  reelected  to  the 
Patriarchate,  first  by  vote  of  the  principal 
bankers,  and  afterwards  by  acclamation,  in 
an  immense  popular  assembly. 

On  the  24th  of  May,  1840,  Mr.  Sahakyan 
returned  from  his  banishment,  and  his  presence 
tended  greatly  to  strengthen  the  native  breth- 
ren. He  soon  commenced  a  series  of  active 
labors  for  the  good  of  his  countrymen.  Priest 
Vertaness  also,  not  being  able  conscientiously 
to  perform  all  the  duties  required  of  him  as 
priest,  quietly  and  unostentatiously  withdrew ; 
and  resolved  to  devote  his  whole  time  in  labor- 
ing for  the  spread  of  the  truth  among  his 
countrymen.  He  thus  abandoned,  voluntarily, 
a  situation  in  which  he  was  honored  and  sup- 
ported, for  one  in  which  he  was  exposed  to 
constant  suspicion,  reproach  and  persecution, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  with  very  uncertain 
means  of  subsistence.  Priest  Kevork  seemed 
to  be  "  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
preaching  more  boldly  than  before  his  banish- 
ment, that  there  is  but  "  one  name  given  under 
heaven  among  men  whereby  we  must  be 
saved ;"  and  ready  to  suffer  again,  if  need  be, 
for  his  beloved  Lord  and  Master.  The  doc- 
trinal views  of  the  converted  Armenians 
seemed,  in  general,  wonderfully  clear ;  which 
was  the  more  surprising,  considering  the  im- 
mense rubbish  of  superstition  and  error  that 
originally  encumbered  their  minds.  The  stan- 
dard doctrine  of  the  reformation  in  Europe — 
salvation  by  grace  alone,  without  the  deeds  of 
the  law,  was  usually  the  great  central  truth, 
first  apprehended  by  their  awakened  and  inquir- 
ing minds,  and  made  the  ground  of  satisfactory 
repose. 

The  number  of  inquirers  steadily  increased, 
and  indeed  nearly  all  who  called  upon  the  mis- 
sionaries, came  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  reli- 
gious conversation.  The  story  had  been  very 
industriously  circulated,  especially  during  the 
persecution,  that  the  Americans  were  a  nation 
of  infidels,  without  even  the  form  of  religion  ; 
and  that  the  missionaries  were  aiming  to  con- 
vert all  the  Armenians  to  infidelity,  and  only 
pretended  at  first  to  believe  the  Bible,  so  as  the 
more  easily  to  draw  people  into  their  snares ; 
and  in  more  than  one  instance,  their  visitors 
showed  at  first  no  little  anxiety  to  know  ex- 
actly what  was  the  truth  of  the  matter ;  and 
whether  we  have  any  churches  in  America, 


and  whether  any  number  of  people  ever  assem- 
ble for  worship  on  the  Sabbath ! 

Before  the  end  of  the  year  1840,  a  room  in 
the  business  quarter  of  the  city,  for  receiving 
visitors,  and  for  conference  on  religious  sub- 
jects, was  procured  and  kept  open  on  two 
stated  days  of  each  week,  and  gradually  be- 
came a  place  of  much  resort  for  religious 
inquiry. 

About  the  same  time,  the  book  depository 
was  removed  to  the  heart  of  the  city ;  and  in 
the  most  public  manner  the  products  of  the 
press,  so  lately  anathematized  by  the  Patri- 
arch, were  daily  sold  by  an  agent,  who  was 
himself  an  Armenian.  More  than  three  hun- 
dred dollars'  worth  of  books,  in  the  different 
languages,  were  sold  at  Constantinople  during 
the  year  1840. 

A  weekly  meeting  in  the  Armenian  lan- 
guage, commenced  by  Mr.  Dwight  in  the 
autumn  of  1839,  with  only  three  individuals, 
and  that  privately,  for  fear  of  the  persecutors, 
gradually  increased,  and  before  the  end  of 
1840,  it  was  held  twice  a  week,  publicly,  and 
more  than  25  different  individuals  had  at- 
tended. 

November  24, 1840,  a  boarding-school  for 
Armenian  boys  and  young  men  was  opened  at 
Bebek,  on  the  Bosphorus,  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Mr.  Hamlin,  with  three  pupils, 
and  within  about  a  week,  applications  had 
been  made  for  15  boarding  scholars,  though 
their  means,  at  first,  would  allow  them  to  re- 
ceive only  12.  An  effort  was  soon  made  to 
crush  the  infant  seminary,  though  it  proved 
entirely  futile,  and  was  in  itself  not  a  little 
ludicruus.  A  deputation  from  the  village 
of  Bebek  itself,  consisting  of  the  Armenian 
priest,  two  Greek  priests,  one  of  the  village 
rulers,  and  several  of  the  inhabitants,  called 
upon  the  Armenian  Patriarch,  and  expressed 
to  him  their  deep  regret  that  such  a  danger- 
ous man  as  Mr.  Hamlin  should  be  allowed  to 
reside  in  their  quarter.  They  accused  him  of 
eating  meat,  eggs,  butter,  milk,  &c.,  both  in 
Lent  and  also  on  Wednesdays  and  Fridays, 
the  days  of  their  weekly  fast !  He  also  taught 
his  scholars  that  it  is  no  more  wricked  to  eat 
butter  than  oil ;  or  meat  than  bread  ;  or  eggs 
than  olives !  Another  grievous  offence  was, 
that  neither  Mr.  H.  nor  his  scholars  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross ;  nor  worshiped  the  Virgin 
Mary,  or  the  saints !  Of  course,  they  said,  he 
must  be  a  confirmed  infidel,  and  he  can  teach 
nothing  better  in  his  school  than  the  works 
of  Voltaire!  The  Patriarch  was  too  well 
informed,  and  too  well  disposed,  to  be  moved 
by  such  an  applicatioa ;  and  the  petitioners 
had  leave  to  withdraw. 

During  the  month  of  June,  1840,  Mr.  Ham- 
lin and  Mr.  Dwight  visited  Nicomedia.  The 
brethren  there  were  sorely  threatened,  during 
the  reign  of  violence  at  the  capital,  but  no 
serious  persecution  was  actually  attempted. 
They  had  had  little  spiritual  aid  or  comfort 


;  M 


134 


ARMENIANS. 


from  abroad.  Thoy  had  hocn  thrown  upon 
their  Bibles  for  rehpious  teachinjr.  and  upon 
the  Holy  Spirit  for  their  expounder  of  reli- 
gious truth,  and  upon  God  as  their  only 
protector;  and  they  had  grown  rapidly  in 
knowledsrc  and  grace.  The  missionaries  sat 
with  them,  on  the  Sabbath,  conversing  of  the 
tilings  of  God,  for  ten  hours,  and  so  intense  was 
their  interest  that  they  would  have  sat  for  ten 
hours  more. 

While  they  were  there,  a  stranger  from  a 
neighboring  town,  a  merchant,  being  in  Nico- 
media  on  Imsiness,  had  the  curiosity  to  call 
upon  them.  He  said  that  the  report  of  them 
had  reached  his  place  through  the  Patriarch's 
letter  of  warning,  and  that  he,  in  common  with 
many  of  his  brethren,  was  very  anxious  to  know 
what  this  new  way  was.  They  explained  to 
him  their  views,  and  gave  him  a  copy  of  the 
New  Testament  in  the  modern  Armenian,  and 
also  several  tracts,  and  he  took  his  leave,  ex- 
pressing his  high  gratification  with  the  inter- 
vieAV.  In  this  way  was  the  knowledge  of  the 
gospel  first  carried  to  Adabazar,  the  residence 
of  this  individual.  It  is  situated  about  27 
miles  directly  east  of  Nicomedia. 

The  reaction  after  the  persecution,  was  not 
confined  to  the  capital.  In  Brusa  and  Trebi- 
zond  the  demand  for  books  increased,  and  there 
were  some  who  gave  evidence  of  being  truly 
converted ;  and  even  at  the  new  station  at 
Erzrum  there  were  signs  of  promise. 

The  Rev.  H.  J.  Van  Leunep  was  connected 
with  the  Smyrna  station  during  April,  1840. 
The  labors  of  the  missionaries  here  were  chiefly 
through  the  press,  and  during  the  year  1840 
more  than  six  millions  of  pages  were  printed 
in  the  Armenian  and  Armeno-Turkish  lan- 
guages alone.  The  most  important  work  in 
the  latter  was  the  Pentateuch,  translated  under 
M  r.  Goodell's  supervision.  Its  publication  was 
hailed  with  joy  by  multitudes.  The  Armenians 
of  Smyrna  also  established  a  press,  and  pub- 
lished a  newspaper. 

The  year  1841  opened  with  many  indicar 
tions  that  a  thorough  reformation  was  going 
forward  in  the  Armenian  community.  A  very 
marked  difference  was  observed  in  the  general 
style  of  preaching  in  the  Armenian  churches 
at  the  capital.  There  was  a  growing  desire 
to  study  the  scriptures,  and  a  disposition  to 
comi)are  every  doctrine  and  practice  with  the 
written  Vord  ;  and  this  could  not,  with  safety, 
be  disregarded.  It  was  not  an  uncommon 
thing  to  hear  of  sermons  on  repentance,  on  the 
Sabbath,  on  the  Judgment  day,  &c.,  altogether 
based  upon  the  Bible  ;  and,  in  some  instances, 
the  jjreachei-s  borrowed  largely  from  the  publi- 
cations of  the  missionaries  for  their  materials  ; 
and  they  had  repeated  applications  to  furnish 
matter  directly  for  sermons,  for  one  of  the 
most  respectable  vartabeds  in  Constantinople. 
Another  of  the  vartabeds  went  so  far  even  as 
to  combat  the  prevailing  error  of  substituting  I 
Mary  and  the  saints  as  mediators  for  Christ,  I 


declaring  that  the  name  of  Christ  is  the  only 
one  given  under  heaven,  among  men,  whereby 
we  can  be  saved. 

As  the  reformation  advanced,  instances  of 
pungent  conviction  of  sin,  and  a  strong  and 
deep  apprehension  of  spiritual  things  became 
more  common  than  had  before  been  noticed. 
Some  persons  of  infamous  character  became 
the  subjects  of  an  entire  change,  so  that  many 
of  those  who  were  without,  were  constrained 
to  speak  of  the  change  as  most  wonderful. 
The  converted  brethren  also,  with  scarcely  an 
exception,  appeared  to  be  growing  in  grace, 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  in 
an  active  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  others. 

Priest  Vertaness  was  full  of  activity  and 
hope.  Almost  every  day  he  brought  word 
of  some  new  and  interesting  case  of  inquiry  in 
some  part  of  the  city.  His  whole  time  was 
occupied  in  going  from  house  to  house.  In 
the  spring  of  1841,  a  report  came  to  Constan- 
tinople that  a  number  of  Armenians  in  Nico- 
media were  about  going  over  to  the  Jesuits ; 
and  the  Patriarch  commissioned  this  same 
priest  Yertaness  to  go  there  with  all  speed, 
and  endeavor  to  bring  them  back  to  their 
mother  church.  Thus  fortified  by  a  commis- 
sion from  the  highest  power,  he  had  perfectly 
free  access  to  every  family  in  the  Armenian 
community  in  that  town.  He  was  quite  suc- 
cessful in  the  object  of  his  mission,  and  while 
he  heartily  and  faithfully  obeyed  the  Patriarch, 
and  endeavored  to  persuade  men  not  to  suffer 
themselves  to  fall  into  the  clutches  of  Eome, 
he  also  labored  still  more  zealously  to  bring 
them  to  a  sense  of  their  sins  against  God,  and 
to  a  hearty  reception  of  Christ  alone,  as  the 
Saviour  of  their  souls.  His  visit  was  a  great 
comfort  to  the  brethren  in  Nicomedia,  as  well 
as  an  advantage  to  the  cause  at  large. 

In  Adabazar  regular  meetings  for  prayer  and 
reading  the  Scriptures,  were  held  every  Sab- 
bath, and  from  25  to  50  were  usually  present. 
One  of  the  priests  seemed  to  have  become  obe- 
dient to  the  faith.  A  handbill  tract,  contain- 
ing simply  the  ten  commandments,  in  the 
modern  tongue,  without  note  or  comment,  was 
the  means  of  opening  many  eyes  to  see  the 
folly  and  sin  of  picture  worship.  One  year 
previously  there  could  not  probably  have  been 
found  a  single  soul,  among  the  4,000  Arme- 
nian inhabitants  of  Adabazar,  who  was  not 
groping  in  the  deepest  spiritual  darkness.  Now 
two  scores  or  more  were  convinced  of  the  er- 
rors of  their  Church,  and  ready  to  take  the 
Bible  as  their  only  religious  guide,  and  several 
appeared  to  be  truly  converted  men,  and  were 
willing  even  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  Christ. 
All  this  took  place  before  any  missionary  had 
visited  them.  In  the  autumn  of  1841,  Mr. 
Schneider,  in  compliance  with  their  oft-repeat- 
ed invitations  for  a  missionary  to  visit  them, 
went  to  Adabazar,  and  returned  from  the 
visit  with  the  most  cheering  impressions,  that 
what  had  been  done  was  truly  the  work  of 


ARMENIANS. 


135 


God's  Spirit.  A  spirit  of  inquiry  was  found 
to  be  extending  itself  through  many  of  the 
neighboring  villages. 

In  Constantinople  a  most  singular  state  of 
things  existed.  The  Patriarch  was  personally 
well-disposed  towards  the  evangelical  party, 
but  still,  by  no  means  a  decided  friend,  and 
easily  influenced  by  the  bankers.  His  Vicar, 
or  rather  colleague,  for  such  he  became,  though 
by  no  means  bigoted,  probably  not  much  of  a 
believer  in  anything,  was  time-serving  and 
somewhat  cunning.  A  strong  portion  of  the 
tradesmen  were  in  favor  of  a  change  of  Pa- 
triarch, and  as  a  most  ready  means  of  accom- 
plishing their  object,  they  spread  the  story 
everywhere,  that  Stepan,  the  occupant  of  the 
see,  was  a  Protestant,  and  was  playing  into 
the  hands  of  the  missionaries.  As  an  evidence 
of  this,  they  pointed  triumphantly  to  the  Sem- 
inary at  Bebek,  consisting  altogether  of  Ar- 
menian boys,  and  yet  their  parents  were  not 
ordered  to  keep  them  at  home.  It  was  neces- 
sary for  the  poor  Patriarch  to  do  something. 
The  Vicar  summoned  before  him  a  priest 
and  two  laymen,  who  had  children  there,  and 
privately  told  them  to  remove  their  boys  ;  but 
charged  them  not  to  speak  about  it  in  public. 
The  priest  obeyed,  but  after  a  few  days,  brought 
his  boy  back.  The  Vicar  again  ordered  him 
to  remove  his  child.  He  again  obeyed,  but 
soon  returned  him  as  before.  This  was  repeat- 
ed four  or  five  times.  At  length  the  school 
was  voluntarily  suspended  for  a  few  weeks ; 
and  then  went  on  more  prosperously  than 
ever. 

A  fierce  quarrel  soon  broke  out  between 
the  bankers  and  the  tradesmen,  in  reference 
chiefly  to  the  alleged  mismanagement  of  the 
pecuniary  aflairs  of  their  college  at  Scutary, 
which  kept  the  whole  community  in  a  state 
of  intense  excitement  and  agitation  for  many 
months  ;  and,  in  the  mean  time,  the  mission- 
aries and  the  native  brethren  were  left  to  pros- 
ecute their  labors  unmolested.  The  real  cause 
of  this  rupture  is  to  be  traced  to  the  domineer- 
ing spirit  of  some  of  the  bankers,  to  whose 
irresponsible  rule,  the  increasing  intelligence 
of  the  tradesmen  was  teaching  them  no  longer 
quietly  to  submit.  The  latter  succeeded  in 
procuring  the  appointment,  by  the  people,  of 
a  committee  of  counsellors,  consisting  of  24 
persons,  to  whom  every  question  of  importance, 
pertaining  to  the  business  matters  of  the  Ar- 
menian community,  was  to  be  referred.  After 
a  brief  interval  of  repose,  a  list  of  charges, 
which  had  been  made  out  by  the  united  efforts 
of  some  of  the  bankers,  and  some  of  the  clergy, 
was  presented  by  the  Patriarch  to  the  Porte, 
against  these  24  men  ;  one  of  which  was,  that 
they  had  formed  the  plan  of  placing  themselves 
and  the  people  under  the  protection  of  Russia, 
and  thus  bidding  defiance  to  the  Turks !  The 
whole  24  were  immediately  thrown  into  prison. 
As  soon  as  the  people  heard  of  it,  they  rushed 
to  the  Sublime  Porte,  to  the  number  of  from 


4  to  6,000,  and  called  upon  the  Grand  Vizir 
either  to  release  their  representatives,  or  im- 
prison them  all.  This  officer  replied  that  their 
own  bankers  and  Patriarch  were  their  accusers. 
The  people  exclaimed,  "  We  do  not  acknowl- 
edge the  authority  of  our  bankers  or  clergy ; 
we  are  subjects  of  the  Sultan."  It  soon  be- 
came evident  that  the  true  policy  of  the  gov- 
ernment was  to  yield,  and  the  prisoners  were 
accordingly  released.  The  people  then  de- 
manded the  immediate  removal  of  the  Patri- 
arch. Upon  this  the  bishops  and  vartabeds 
were  all  summoned  to  the  Porte,  and  the 
tradesmen  were  called  upon  to  select  from 
among  them  the  one  they  would  prefer  as  Pa- 
triarch. The  reply  was,  "  We  will  have  none 
of  these  men ;  they  are  all  alike  bad  men  ; 
men  who  live  by  extorting  money  from  the 
poor  people.  We  want  none  of  them.  We 
will  take  time  to  consider  the  matter."  The 
assembly  was  then  dismissed,  and  the  clergy 
went  away  in  disgrace.  As  they  passed  through 
the  crowd,  remarks  like  the  following  were 
heard  from  the  lips  of  the  people  :  "  There  go 
our  oppressors !"  "  Whoever  goes  with  them 
goes  to  destruction !"  "  Let  no  man  step  his 
foot  again  in  the  Armenian  Ckurch,  on  the 
peril  of  his  salvation,  so  long  as  these  men  are 
there !"  "  Behold  the  deceivers  and  robbers 
of  the  people!"  For  some  days  afterwards, 
the  wickedness  of  the  clergy  was  a  subject  of 
universal  remark.  Many  said,  "  We  thought 
that  Stepan,  our  present  Patriarch,  was  one 
of  the  best  of  them  ;  and  we  called  him  a  dove, 
but  he  has  proved  to  be  a  raven.  He  has  be- 
trayed his  people  into  the  hands  of  the  Mo- 
hammedans !  If  he  is  the  best,  what  must  the 
others  be  ?" 

This  struggle  continued  for  several  months, 
each  party  alternately  triumphing,  and  suc- 
cumbing, until  at  last  a  peremptory  order  was 
issued  by  the  Sultan,  that  the  belligerents 
should  forthwith  make  peace,  and  that  a  cer- 
tain number  of  men  should  be  regularly  chosen, 
to  be  associated  with  the  Patriarch  in  adminis- 
tering the  affairs  of  the  community.  Subse- 
quently it  was  arranged  that  two  committees 
should  be  appointed,  one  for  ecclesiastical,  and 
the  other  for  secular  matters,  and  the  Patri- 
arch be  the  chairman  of  each ;  and  this  order 
of  things  still  prevails. 

The  Patriarch,  Stepan,  was  soon  removed 
from  office,  and  as  the  people  and  bankers 
could  not  agree  upon  any  of  the  prominent 
candidates,  they  selected  an  obscure  old  bishop, 
by  the  name  of  Asduadzadur,  who  had  always 
been  an  eccentric  character,  and  was  now  in 
his  dotage.  This  also  was  so  overruled  as  to 
work  mightily  for  the  spread  of  the  truth  in 
the  land.  Such  was  the  peculiar  oddity  and 
capriciousness  of  this  man,  that  nobody  wished 
to  go  to  the  Patriarchate  for  any  purpose,  ex- 
cept through  dire  necessity.  Everybody  seem- 
ed to  feel  that  the  less  they  had  to  do  with  theii- 
Patriarch  the  better.    And  when  any  thing 


136 


ARMENIANS. 


was  said  about  the  need  of  adopting  rigorous 
mciusurcs  to  check  the  spread  of  ProtcKtautism, 
tlie  reply  usually  was,  "  What  docs  that  con- 
cern us  ?    Let  every  man  do  as  he  likes." 

The  Vicar  of  the  new  Patriarch  was  one  of 
those  exiled  for  Protestantism,  in  the  year 
1839.  lie  was  formerly  acting  bishop  atTre- 
bizond,  and  there  became  pretty  thoroughly 
enlightened  as  to  the  errors  of  his  Church. 
His  exaltation  to  the  office  of  Patriarch's  Yi- 
car,  was  as  unexpected  to  him  as  it  was  to  the 
missionaries  and  to  the  evangelical  brethren 
generally  ;  and  that  also  was  of  God.  Only 
a  short  time  previous  he  had  applied  to  the 
mission  for  employment  in  the  Dook-makiug 
department. 

The  brethren  were  still  exempt  from  perse- 
cution, though  they  did  not  rest  from  prayer 
and  labor.  They  walked  "  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord  and  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
and  "  were  multiplied."  It  was  a  period  of 
quiet  and  steady  increase  to  the  church.  There 
was  among  the  native  brethren,  a  very  delight- 
ful increase  of  spirituality  of  mind,  and  an 
extraordinary  spirit  of  prayer.  They  often  as- 
sembled in  small  circles  to  ask  for  God's  bless- 
ing on  the  means  of  grace ;  and  often,  after 
sermon  on  the  Sabbath,  would  several  of  them 
remain,  in  order  to  have  a  season  of  social 
prayer.  If  the^  found  any  individual  in  the 
congregation  giving  indications  of  special  se- 
riousness, they  did  not  fail  to  stop,  and  con- 
verse and  pray  with  him. 

The  year  1842  was  distinguished  for  the 
special  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The 
whole  city  of  Constantinople  was  filled  with 
rumors  of  "  the  new  doctrines,"  and  they  form- 
ed the  topics  of  discussion  in  almost  all  assem- 
blies of  Armenians.  The  minds  of  some  were 
wonderfully  wrought  upon.  The  thoughtless 
and  gay  became  sober  and  prayerful ;  the 
worldly  became  spiritually  minded ;  the  proud 
became  meek  and  lowly ;  opposers  and  perse- 
cutors were  disarmed,  and  a  few  were  trans- 
formed into  decided  friends  and  helpers. 
Priests  and  vartabeds,  and  even  monks,  were 
obedient  to  the  faith;  of  which  the  mission- 
aries give  in  detail  some  most  interesting  in- 
stances. 

The  zeal  of  the  Armenian  Christian  breth- 
ren, in  endeavoring  to  enlighten  and  reclaim 
their  own  countrymen,  whether  far  or  near, 
was  one  of  their  most  striking  characteristics. 
In  the  summer  of  1842,  several  of  them  met 
in  a  retired  spot  among  the  hills  that  surround 
the  capital,  and  after  uniting  in  prayer  for  the 
guidance  and  blessing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they 
resolved  to  send  forth  one  of  their  number,  at 
their  own  expense,  on  a  missionary  tour  among 
the  Armenians  in  the  interior  of  Asia  Minor. 
The  individual  selected  for  this  service  was 
priest  Vertaness,  who  readily  accepted  the 
call,  and  soon  proceeded  on  his  way.  It  was  a 
tour  attended  with  many  good  results. 

Nor  did  they  forget  the  claims  of  other  races 


around  them,  who  were  living  in  ignorance  of 
the  Gospel.  With  the  Jews  especially,  they 
had  almost  daily  conversation  in  reference  to 
the  one  only  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ ;  and  this 
was  the  more  remarkable,  since  there  could 
scarcely  be  found  among  the  other  classes  of 
people  in  Turkey,  any  other  feeling  than  that 
of  contempt  for  the  outcast  children  of  Abra- 
ham. 

There  was  also  a  very  marked  increase  of 
interest  and  religious  inquiry  among  females. 
Hitherto  the  important  element  of  female  influ- 
ence had  been  in  a  great  measure  wanting  in  the 
reformation.  The  cause  of  this  was  two-fold ; 
first,  the  extreme  ignorance  and  consequent 
bigotry  of  the  female  portion  of  the  population, 
there  never  having  been  the  least  provision  for 
their  education  ;  and,  secondly,  the  difficulty  of 
access  to  them,  and  of  their  availing  themselves, 
even  when  disposed,  of  the  privileges  of  the 
gospel,  owing  to  the  peculiar  customs  of  society 
in  the  East  respecting  the  seclusion  of  women. 
The  priests,  from  their  official  character  as  con- 
fessors, have  free  access  to  the  females  of  the 
community.  The  pious  priests  were  not  back- 
ward in  availing  themselves  of  this  privilege, 
and  chiefly  through  their  instrumentality,  in 
the  years  1842  and  1843,  several  of  the  Arme- 
nian females  became  deeply  interested  in  relig- 
ious concerns,  and  some  few  gave  evidence  of 
being  truly  converted.  From  that  time  they 
began  to  form  a  part  of  the  regular  visitors, 
and  some  few  became  regular  attendants  at  the 
preaching  service  in  the  Seminary.  About 
the  same  time  Mr,  Dwight  opened  a  week-day 
preaching  service  in  Armenia,  exclusively  for 
females. 

The  distribution  of  the  publications  of  the 
press  became  an  important  branch  of  labor, 
and  quite  sufficient  to  occupy  the  best  part  of 
one  man's  time.  Mr.  Homes  was  designated 
to  this  particular  work,  and  he  soon  found  that 
in  connection  with  his  other  labors,  he  was 
fully  and  most  usefully  employed.  There  was 
a  constantly  increasing  demand  for  books,  so 
that  by  the  spring  of  1843,  it  was  impossible 
to  procure  a  supply  from  the  press  and  bindery 
in  Smyrna,  with  the  limited  funds  they  had,  to 
meet  seasonably  all  the  orders  that  came  in. 
Eight  or  ten  booksellers  at  the  capital  were 
kept  constantly  supplied,  and  the  products  of 
the  press  were  also  sent  to  almost  every  part  of 
the  interior,  even  into  Russia,  Georgia,  and 
Persia.  An  Armenian  archbishop  near  Odessa, 
on  receiving  some  of  these,  expressed  the  great- 
est joy ;  and  remarked  that  they  ought  to  be 
grateful  towards  those  who  were  engaged  in 
preparing  such  excellent  books  for  their  coun- 
trymen. More  than  40,000  volumes  and  tracts 
were  issued  from  the  Smyrna  depot  to  the  dif- 
ferent stations,  during  the  year  1842.  The 
translation  of  the  whole  Old  Testament  into 
the  Armeno-Turkish  language,  to  which  Mr. 
Goodell  had  devoted  his  undivided  attention  and 
strength  for  many  years,  was  happily  completed 


ARMENIANS. 


137 


on  the  6th  of  November,  1841,  and  was  pub- 
lished at  Smyrna,  in  the  spring  of  1842  ;  and 
before  the  end  of  the  following  winter,  the  re- 
vision of  the  New  Testament  in  the  same  lan- 
guage was  also  finished  by  Mr.  Goodell,  and 
the  translation  published.  And  by  its  side  may 
be  placed  an  edition  of  the  New  Testament  in 
the  modern  Armenian,  published  about  the 
same  time  in  Smyrna,  as  revised  by  Mr.  Adger. 
The  expense  of  the  latter  work  was  defrayed 
by  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society, 
while  that  of  the  former  came  from  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society. 

One  of  the  most  striking  traits  of  the  re- 
formed Armenians  is,  their  reverence  and 
love  of  the  Word  of  God.  Some  have  been 
known  to  sit  up  all  night  to  read  and  study  the 
Bible,  when  it  was  first  furnished  to  them  in 
an  intelligible  language ;  and  the  prevailing 
desire  of  all  seemed  to  be,  to  understand  what 
God  teaches  through  his  Word,  and  to  conform 
their  belief  and  practice  wholly  to  his  teach- 
ings. A  distinguished  Armenian  having  pub- 
lished a  book  against  Protestantism,  under  the 
direction  and  at  the  expense  of  the  Jesuits,  the 
Vicar  of  the  Patriarch  condemned  the  proce- 
dure, admitted  that  there  were  errors  in  their 
church,  and  said  that  this  book  would  call  forth 
a  reply  from  the  missionaries,  which  would  ex- 
pose these  errors  to  the  people. 

The  seminary  still  survived  all  the  shocks  it 
received  from  the  jealousy  and  hatred  of  its 
enemies.  For  several  months  the  most  vigorous 
efforts  were  made  by  bankers,  priests,  varta- 
beds,  and  bishops,  especially  those  who  were 
endeavoring  to  uphold  the  Scutary  College,  to 
crush  this  institution ;  when  lo !  the  Scutary 
College  was  closed  in  spite  of  all  their  efforts, 
and  the  mission  Seminary  still  lived  and  flour- 
ished ! 

The  Rev.  G.  W.  Wood,  who  arrived  at  Con- 
stantinople with  his  wife,  in  the  summer  of 
1842,  was  associated  with  Mr.  Hamlin  in  the 
instruction  of  the  seminary,  the  number  of 
scholars  being  25,  all  of  whom  boarded  in 
the  establishment.  Besides  the  incalculably 
important  bearing  of  such  an  institution  on 
the  cause  of  evangelical  religion  in  Turkey,  it 
proved  itself  to  be  highly  useful  also  as  an  ob- 
ject of  attraction  to  visitors,  drawing  them 
within  the  sound  of  the  gospel,  and  those,  too, 
often  of  a  class  that  could  not  be  induced  to 
go  for  instruction  to  the  private  house  of  a 
missionary. 

Two  of  those  who  were  numbered  with  the 
converted  brethren,  in  the  autumn  of  1842, 
became  disaftected,  and  left,  the  occasion  being 
a  paragraph  or  two  in  the  Missionary  Herald, 
respecting  the  probability  and  desirableness, 
in  certain  circumstances,  of  a  separation  of 
the  evangelical  brethren  from  the  Armenian 
Church.  Mr.  Southgate,  (afterwards  bishop) 
of  the  American  Protestant  Episcopal  Church', 
first  directed  their  attention  to  the  article,  and 
translated  the  paragraphs  alluded  to  for  them, 


neither  of  them  being  acquainted  with  the 
English  language. 

The  work  progressed  also  at  the  interior 
stations.  But  success,  as  usual,  awakened 
opposition  ;  and  an  enlightened  priest,  at  Erz- 
rum,  who  had  begun  to  preach  the  truth  to  his 
people,  was  suspended  from  office,  and  basti- 
nadoed by  the  bishop  with  his  own  hands. 
The  sufferer,  after  counting  25  blows,  swooned 
away,  and  in  this  condition  was  bound  with  a 
chain,  and  thrown  into  prison,  where  he  re- 
mained till  the  next  morning.  After  being 
released,  he  told  the  bishop,  in  the  presence  of 
witnesses,  that  he  should  continue  to  read  and 
teach  the  gospel.  This  same  bishop  was  once  a 
serious  inquirer,  and  even  suffered  persecution 
for  Protestantism.  He  was  one  of  the  exiles 
in  1839  ;  but,  since  his  restoration  to  power, 
he  has  been  a  bitter  and  violent  persecutor. 

The  Providence  of  God  wonderfully  favored 
the  brethren  in  Adabazar.  In  the  spring  of 
1842,  the  vartabed  gave  them  formal  permis- 
sion to  meet  every  Sabbath  day  in  a  private 
house,  for  prayer  and  reading  the  Scriptures ; 
and  there  were  usually  from  25  to  50  present. 
Enemies  they  still  had,  however,  who  were 
always  watchful  for  opportunities  of  thwarting 
and  distressing  them.  A  visit  from  the  bishop 
of  the  diocese, — the  ex-patriarch  Stepan, — in 
the  spring  of  1843,  seemed  to  offer  such  an 
opportunity.  It  was  represented  to  him  that 
a  new  sect  had  sprung  up  among  them,  which 
had  embraced  very  strange  and  heretical  no- 
tions, and  was  spreading  its  poison  in  all  direc- 
tions. He  took  down  the  names  of  the  lead- 
ing men  of  this  so-called  sect,  whom  he  after- 
wards summoned  before  him,  and  asked  them 
to  give  an  account  of  themselves.  They  re- 
plied that  they  had  not  separated  themselves 
from  the  Armenian  Church,  but  that  they  re- 
ceived the  Scriptures  as  the  only  rule  of  faith 
and  practice  ;  that  they  tried  to  keep  holy  the 
Sabbath  day  ;  that  they  endeavored  to  refrain 
from  lying,  swearing,  and  blasphemy,  and  in 
all  things  to  follow  strictly  the  rules  of  Christ. 
The  bishop,  after  questioning  them  still  fur- 
ther, for  his  own  satisfaction,  decided  that 
there  was  no  fault  in  them  at  all  in  this  mat- 
ter, and,  expressing  the  wish  that  all  the  Ar- 
menians would  do  the  same,  dismissed  them. 

At  Nicomedia,  the  work  received  a  new  im- 
pulse in  1842,  when  the  attendance  on  a 
weekly  prayer-meeting  was  suddenly  increased 
from  six  or  eight  to  40  or  50.  Many  minds 
were  in  an  inquiring  state.  Opposition  was 
made,  but  the  bishop  gave  a  decision  similar 
to  that  he  had  given  at  Adabazar,  and  pub- 
licly charged  his  people  to  abstain  from  med- 
dling with  these  men.  The  awakening  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit  were  also  felt  in 
Smyrna  to  some  extent,  as  in  almost  every 
part  of  the  Armenian  field. 

In  1843,  a  young  Armenian,  who  had,  in  an 
unguarded  moment,  embraced  Mohammedan- 
ism, and  afterwards  returned  to  his  former 


138 


AKMENLAJS'S. 


profession,  was  publicly  bchciuletl  in  the  streets 
of  Constant iiioplo,  in  opposition  to  the  renion- 
Btranci>8  of  Sir  Stratford  Canninjif,  the  liritish 
minister  ;  in  coiiscciuence  of  which,  that  gen- 
tleman, in  behalf  of  his  government,  anil  backed 
by  the  French,  Prussian,  and  Russian  ambassa- 
dors, demanded  from  the  Sultan  a  written  pledge 
that  no  person  who  had  embraced  the  Moham- 
medan religion,  and  afterwards  returned  to 
Christianity,  should,  on  that  account,  be  put  to 
death.  The  Turks  yielded,  through  necessity, 
after  holding  out  for  several  weeks,  and  the 

E ledge  required  was  given,  signed  by  the  Sultan 
imself,  the  conccdexl  interpretation  of  which 
is,  that  henceforth,  no  person  should  be  per- 
secuted FOR  his  religious  OPINIONS  IN  TUR- 
KEY. So  plainly  was  the  finger  of  God  mani- 
fest in  this  whole  transaction,  that  His  Excel- 
lency, Sir  Stratford  Canning,  afterwards  dis- 
tinctly acknowledged  that  God  alone  had 
done  it,  and  added,  that  to  him  it  seemed  litr 
tie  less  than  a  miracle.  No  reference  was 
made,  in  these  proceedings,  to  the  persecuted 
people  of  God  in  Turkey  ;  yet,  in  this  indirect 
way,  the  foundation  was  laid  for  their  full  en- 
joyment of  religious  liberty. 

During  the  winter  of  1843-4,  the  stations 
in  Turkey  were  favored  with  a  visit  from  the 
Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.D.,  Secretary  of  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions,  and  the  Rev.  Joel  Hawes,  D.D.,  a 
corporate  member  of  the  Board.  An  oppor- 
tunity was  thus  afforded  for  full  consultations 
on  various  subjects,  having  a  practical  bearing 
on  the  missionary  work,  the  results  of  which 
clearly  attested  the  expediency  of  the  measure. 
An  important  change  followed  in  reference  to 
one  department  of  labor.  The  mission  to  the 
Greeks  in  Turkey  was  abandoned.  Mr.  Riggs, 
of  Smyrna,  and  Mr.  Ladd,  of  Brusa,  hitherto 
laboring  exclusively  in  this  department,  now 
gave  themselves  up  to  the  work  among  the 
Armenians.  Mr.  Benjamin,  of  Athens,  joined 
the  station  at  Trebizond,  with  a  view  to  the 
same  field.  Mr.  Calhoun  removed  fi^om  Smyrna 
to  Syria,  and  Mr.  Temple,  much  to  the  regret 
of  all  who  knew  him,  returned  to  America,  as, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-four,  it  would  not  have  been 
wise  for  him  to  attempt  the  acquisition  of  a 
new  and  difficult  language. 

From  1843  to  1846,  there  was  no. long 
period  of  exemption  from  persecution,  though, 
throughout  the  whole  field,  the  spirit  of  inquiry 
and  discussion  wonderfully  spread,  and  believ- 
ers were  multiplied.  On  the  whole,  there  was 
a  very  decid(id  increase  in  the  size  of  the  con- 
gregations on  the  Sabbath,  though,  both  at 
Trebizond  and  Erzrum,  it  became  necessary, 
during  a  portion  of  the  time,  to  suspend  pub- 
lic worship,  on  account  of  the  hostility  of  the 
hierarchy.  There  was,  indeed,  such  a  hunger- 
ing for  the  "Word,  as  has  probably  been  rarely 
witnessed  in  this  world.  Family  worship — 
consisting  of  reading  the  Scriptures  and 
prayer  in  the  vulgar  tongue,  was  established 


in  many  households  ;  and  often  did  the  request 
come  from  females,  living  in  different  (juarters 
of  the  city,  that  meetings  might  be  oi)ened  in 
their  neighborhood  expressly  for  the  women. 

To  meet  the  wants  of  the  times,  and  in  obe- 
dience to  what  seemed  plainly  to  be  a  provi- 
dential intimation,  a  female  seminary  was 
opened  at  Pera  in  the  autumn  of  1845.  It 
was  kept  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Goodell,  in 
whose  family  the  pupils  boarded,  and  Miss  Lo- 
vell,  who  had  arrived  from  America  for  the 
purpose  the  preceding  spring,  took  charge  of 
the  educational  department.  The  school 
opened  with  eight  scholars,  which  were  as 
many  as  could  then  be  sustained  by  the  funds, 
though  many  parents  were  sadly  disappointed 
when  they  were  told  no  more  could  be  re- 
ceived. 

In  the  autumn  of  1844,  the  Patriarch  As- 
duadzadiir,  resigned  his  office,  and  Matteos, 
formerly  bishop  of  Brusa,  but  then  of  Smyrna, 
was  appointed  in  his  place.  The  former,  be- 
fore his  resignation,  became  more  and  more 
openly  intolerant  towards  Protestantism.  By 
his  orders,  priest  Vertaness  was  again  subjected 
to  persecution,  being  divested  of  his  office,  cast 
into  prison,  and  afterwards  rudely  banished. 
The  new  Patriarch  was  a  vacillating  man ; 
well  convinced  of  the  errors  of  his  Church,  and 
sometimes  appearing  to  favor  reform,  but  ex- 
tremely afraid  of  offending  the  party  that  was 
strongest  for  the  time  being.  Peshtimaljian 
represented  him  as  a  man  of  enlightened  views, 
but  without  principle,  and  always  governed  by 
what  he  considered  the  prevailing  opinions  and 
wishes  of  those  whom  he  desired  to  please. 
"  In  short,"  said  the  teacher,  "  he  is  just  like 
an  empty  cistern.  If  you  put  your  head  to  its 
mouth  and  say  boo,  the  cistern  says  boo ;  if  you 
say  bah,  the  cistern  answers  bah.''  Matteos  is 
a  man  of  more  than  common  ability  and 
shrewdness,  and  withal  exceedingly  plausible 
in  his  manner,  and  deep  in  his  schemes. 

Soon  after  he  came  into  power,  many  of  the 
evangelical  brethren  called  upon  him  ;  some 
in  obedience  to  custom,  and  others  by  special 
invitation.  To  all  he  manifested  a  friendly 
spirit ;  and  professed  to  be  in  favor  of  educar 
tion  and  even  of  reform,  and  opposed  to  perse- 
cution.- He  was,  however,  exceedingly  anx- 
ious that  both  the  missionaries,  and  the  "  Bible- 
men"  in  the  Armenian  community  should 
"  keep  still,"  and  avoid  all  "  agitation." 

The  position  of  the  Patriarch  was  a  most 
difficult  one.  The  enemies  of  the  truth  were 
clamorous  for  some  decisive  measures  which 
should  effectually  check  the  alarming  tendency 
to  Protestantism.  They  would  neither  allow 
their  Patriarch  to  let  the  matter  rest,  nor  to 
make  any  compromise.  Already  had  the  re- 
port gone  abroad  that  Matteos  himself  was  a 
Protestant.  And  in  sober  truth  he  knew  and 
doubtless  acknowledged  to  his  own  soul,  that 
the  Protestants  were  right  and  his  own  Church 
wrong.    But  he  knew  well,  that  the  great 


A.RMENIANS. 


139 


mass  of  wealth  and  influence  in  the  Armenian 
community  was  on  the  other  side.  He  was 
ambitious  ;  and  now  that  he  had  attained  to 
the  highest  post  in  his  nation,  he  was  resolved 
to  keep  it.  He  found  the  evangelical  breth- 
ren much  less  disposed  to  yield  in  matters  of 
faith  and  conscience,  than  his  own  indiflerentism 
had  led  him  to  expect.  As  the  only  means  of 
saving  himself,  he  firmly  resolved  to  sacrifice 
the  Protestants.  From  that  moment,  all  his 
powers,  personal  and  official,  were  employed 
in  the  effort  to  eradicate  Protestantism  from 
the  land.  And,  in  the  persecution  that  fol- 
lowed, Eev.  Mr.  Dwight  {Christianity  revived 
in  the  East,  pp.  211,  213,)  states  that  the  Rt. 
Eev.  Horatio  Southgate,  missionary  Bishop  of 
the  American  Episcopal  Church  to  the  Otto- 
man Empire,  appeared  before  the  public  as  a 
sympathiser  and  counsellor  with  the  Patriarch  ; 
which  Mr.  D.  substantiates  by  extracts  from 
published  documents,  bearing  the  bishop's  sig- 
nature. It  is  but  just,  however,  to  state  that 
the  church  to  which  Bishop  S.  belonged,  has 
since  utterly  repudiated  his  favorite  policy,  in 
the  conduct  of  Eastern  missions.  (See  Orien- 
tal Christians.) 

Almost  every  shopkeeper  and  artisan  in 
Turkey  depends  for  the  chief  profits  of  his  bu- 
siness, upon  the  patronage  of  some  wealthy 
and  influential  individuals ;  and  young  men  es- 
pecially, have  very  little  prospect  of  advanc- 
ing in  the  world,  without  the  assistance  of 
some  such  friend.  The  Patriarch,  by  a  skill- 
ful manoeuvre,  threw  a  large  number  of  the  ad- 
herents to  the  gospel,  into  the  greatest  distress. 
He  secretly  directed  all  the  faithful  among  his 
own  flock,  who  stood  in  the  relation  of  patrons, 
or  regular  customers  to  any  of  the  evangelical 
brethren,  silently  to  withdraw  their  patronage. 
The  consequence  was,  that  many  who  supposed 
they  were  in  a  fair  way  of  obtaining  a  compe- 
tent support,  found  themselves  suddenly  with- 
out any  business.  Some  of  these  had  friends 
depending  on  them  for  daily  food  ;  when  all  at 
once,  it  appeared  that  they  had  not  the  ability 
to  provide  for  their  own  wants.  And  they 
soon  found,  also,  that  all  appeals  and  remon- 
strances were  useless,  unless  accompanied  by  a 
pledge  to  withdraw  from  the  preaching  of  the 
missionaries  and  cease  to  open  their  mouths  in 
favor  of  evangelical  views.  Another,  and  still 
more  threatening  measure  of  opposition  was, 
that  all  the  priests  were  ordered  to  hand  over 
to  the  Patriarch  the  names  of  those  who  did 
not  come  to  confession  and  receive  absolution, 
and  partake  of  the  communion  in  their  respec- 
tive churches.  Those  whose  consciences  were 
fully  enlightened  (and-  they  were  specially 
aimed  at  in  the  measure,)  were  not  able  to 
conform  to  these  rites,  because  of  the  supersti- 
tion and  idolatry  involved.  Now,  excommu- 
nication was  threatened  to  disobedience,  the 
consequences  of  which,  in  a  temporal  point  of 
view,  must  necessarily,  in  a  community  organ- 
ized as  this  was,  be  very  serious.    There  was 


a  delay,  however,  in  following  up  this  part  of 
the  plan,  perhaps  in  order  to  see  what  would 
be  the  result  of  the  other.  The  experiment 
was  to  be  made  throughout  the  country,  as 
well  as  in  the  metropolis,  and  orders  similar  to 
the  above  were  sent  to  the  bishops  in  the  inte- 
rior, wherever  Protestants  were  found. 

In  the  mean  time,  some  few  of  the  ecclesias- 
tics themselves  were  showing  strong  inclina- 
tions towards  the  evangelical  side  of  the  ques- 
tion. Two  or  three  vartabeds,  as  well  as 
some  of  the  priests,  had  gone  so  far  as  to  per- 
severe, from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  in  attending 
the  public  preaching  of  the  missionaries. 
Others  were  known  to  be  friendly.  Something 
must  be  done  at  once  to  check  this  tendency 
to  Protestantism  among  the  spiritual  guides 
of  the  people.  Bedros,  vartabed,  was  the  first 
selected  to  be  made  an  example  of.  It  was 
known  through  the  whole  city  that  he  had  em- 
braced evangelical  views,  and  the  Patriarch, 
as  a  test  of  his  opinions,  had  already  ordered 
him  to  perform  mass  on  a  certain  occasion, 
which  Bedros  had  declined  on  conscientious 
grounds.  The  Patriarch  now  instructed  him 
to  proceed  forthwith  to  a  town  on  the  Russian 
frontier,  ostensibly  to  take  charge  of  a  diocese. 
The  real  object,  however,  was,  plainly  to  get 
him  into  a  position,  from  whence  he  might 
easily  be  conveyed  as  a  prisoner  to  the  monas- 
tery of  Echmiadzin.  The  vartabed  very  po- 
litely declined  the  honor  of  this  appointment, 
and  the  Patriarch  was  not  then  prepared  to 
resort  to  force.  After  some  little  delay,  it 
was  arranged  that  Bedros  should  proceed  to 
the  monastery  at  Jerusalem.  The  Patriarch 
drew  up  a  paper  for  him  to  sign,  in  which  he 
was  required  to  promise  that  he  would  perform 
all  the  rites  of  the  Church,  and,  in  all  re- 
spects, be  obedient  to  his  superiors.  This  he 
resolutely  persisted  in  refusing,  on  the  ground 
that  there  were  many  things  in  the  ceremo- 
nies of  his  Church,  which  he  could  not  con- 
scientiously perform.  He  never  got  nearer 
Jerusalem  than  Beirut ;  from  whence  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Aleppo  and  Aintab.  For  several 
years  he  labored  in  these  towns  and  their 
vicinity,  with  great  zeal  and  fidelity  for  the 
spiritual  good  of  his  countrymen,  though  in 
the  midst  of  many  persecutions,  trials  and 
dangers.  He  distributed  large  numbers  of 
evangelical  books,  and  preached  the  gospel 
successfully  to  many  people.  He  was  suddenly 
cut  off  by  the  cholera  in  the  autumn  of  1849  ; 
but  his  end  was  peace. 

But  Priest  Vertaness  was  fairly  in  the  Pa- 
triarch's hands,  being  already  a  prisoner  at  the 
monastery  of  Armash,  whither  he  had  been  . 
sent  by  the  preceding  Patriarch.  And  this 
priest  had  been  adding  sin  to  sin,  by  preaching 
to  the  monks,  most  zealously  and  faithfully, 
salvation  through  the  blood  of  Chriit  alone, 
without  the  deeds  of  the  law.  Several  of  them 
were  awakened  and  convinced,  and  some,  it 
was  hoped,  really  believed;   and  word  was 


140 


ARNfENIANS. 


brought  to  Constantinople  that  if  the  Protes- 
tant priest  Wtts  not  removed,  all  the  inmates 
of  the  monastery  would  soon  become  corrupt- 
ed. An  imperial  tirman  was  forthwith  pro- 
cured (February,  1845,)  by  Mattcos  Patriarch, 
for  the  further  banishment  of  priest  Yertaness 
to  Kaiscry  (Cajsarea,)  where  Mr.  Sahakyan 
had  been  conlined  six  years  before,  for  a  like 
offence.  While  on  his  way  to  that  place,  in 
charge  of  a  Turkish  officer,  he  everywhere 

E reached  the  Gospel,  for  which  he  was  "  in 
onds  ;"  nor  could  he,  in  the  place  of  his  se- 
cond banishment,  cease  to  make  known  "  Christ 
and  him  crucified,"  to  all  unto  whom  he  had 
access.  In  July  of  the  same  year,  the  Sultan, 
on  the  occasion  of  a  great  feast,  gave  orders  to 
have  all  the  exiles  in  the  country  set  at  liber- 
ty ;  and  Vertaness  returned  to  Constantinople 
on  the  4th  of  August.  Letters  afterwards 
came  to  the  Patriarch  from  Kaisery,  saying 
that  Vertaness  had  seduced  many,  and  that  if 
he  had  remained  there  much  longer,  all  would 
have  gone  after  him. 

Before  this,  a  highly  respectable  inhabitant 
of  Trebizond,  Tateos  by  name,  who  had  been 
a  member  of  the  Armenian  municipal  council, 
became  much  interested  in  the  study  of  the 
Bible.  Being  a  man  of  some  property,  he 
went  on  a  tour  to  Constantinople,  Smyrna, 
Brusa,  Nicomedia,  and  Adabazar,  solelv  for 
the  purpose  of  becoming  acquainted  witn  the 
missionaries  and  native  brethren  in  those 
places,  and  learning  more  of  the  work  of  God's 
Spirit,  as  well  as  of  the  truths  of  his' Word. 
He  returned  to  Trebizond,  very  much  strength- 
ened in  his  faith,  and  quickened  in  his  zeal  for 
the  truth.  Just  before  his  arrival,  the  most 
stringent  measures  had  been  adopted  to  com- 
pel the  evangelical  brethren  to  submit  to  the 
Church,  in  obedience  to  a  very  urgent  denun- 
ciatory letter  from  the  Patriarch  Matteos. 
Nearlj^  one-half  of  the  reputed  Protestants  had 
been  induced  to  recant,  and  the  persecuting 
party,  fearing,  with  good  reason,  that  the  in- 
fluence of  such  a  man  might  turn  the  scale, 
resolved  to  put  him  out  of  the  way,  with  all 
possible  despatch.  Accordingly,  just  as  the 
steamer  was  leaving  for  Constantinople,  he  was 
decoyed  on  board  by  stratagem,  and  immediate- 
ly thrust  down  into  the  hold,  and  there  confined, 
by  order  of  the  Turkish  pasha,  who  acted  at 
the  instigation  of  the  Armenian  vartabed. 
AiTived  at  Constantinople,  he  was  conducted 
first  to  the  Patriarchate,  and  from  thence  to 
the  Armenian  hospital,  to  be  confined  in  the 
mad-house,  in  a  sitting  posture,  and  fastened 
with  two  chains,  one  from  his  neck  to  the  wall, 
and  the  other  from  his  feet  to  the  floor.  On 
the  Sabbath,  the  eighth  day  of  his  imprison- 
ment, while  the  Armenian  congregation  were 
engaged  in  singing  in  the  chapel  in  Pera,  he 
entered  the  room — a  free  man !  Much  suppli- 
cation had  been  made  for  him,  and  his  sudden 
appearance  among  them,  without  their  know- 
ing how  he  had  been  liberated,  strongly  re- 


minded them  of  the  case  of  Peter.  They  uni- 
ted in  special  thanksgiving  to  God  for  his 
deliverance,  and  took  courage.  His  case  had 
been  made  known  to  Sir  Stratford  Canning, 
and  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  his  re- 
monstrances caused  the  Patriarch  to  loosen  his 
grasp  upon  this  innocent  victim  of  his  oppres- 
sion. 

The  Patriarch  labored  with  the  most  un- 
wearied diligence  to  overthrow  the  Seminary 
at  Bebek  ;  but  his  opposition  only  increased 
its  prosperity. 

Another  method  adopted  by  the  Patriarch 
and  his  party,- was  to  engage  the  Protestants 
in  public  discussions  ;  but  in  this,  also,  they 
were  signally  defeated,  the- Protestants  mani- 
festly having  the  best  of  the  argument,  till  as 
a  last  resort,  they  were  treated  with  brow- 
beating and  abuse. 

About  this  time,  a  censorship  of  the  press 
was  established,  which  threatened  to  be  a  se- 
rious obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  distribution 
of  evangelical  books  ;  but  the  object  of  the 
law  being  to  shut  out  inflammatory  political 
works,  the  character  of  the  missionaries  with 
the  Turkish  officers  aflbrded  a  sufficient  protec- 
tion to  the  books  circulated  by  them. 

Among  the  evangelical  brethren,  a  tempe- 
rance society  was  formed,  which  was  the  first 
one  of  the  kind  that  ever  existed  in  Turkey. 
This  movement  was  rendered  the  more  inter- 
esting from  its  being  entirely  self-prompted. 
It  has  been  since  carried  out  to  the  extent 
that  the  principle  of  total  abstinence  is  of  al- 
most universal  adoption  by  the  Protestants, 
wherever  found. 

The  missionary  circle  was  invaded  by  the 
hand  of  death.  Mrs.  Yan  Lennep  died.  Sept 
27, 1844,  less  than  a  year  from  the  time  of 
her  embarkation  from  America.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Yan  Lennep  had  been  removed  from  Smyrna 
to  Constantinople  during  the  preceding  spring, 
for  the  express  purpose  of  taking  charge  of 
the  female  seminary  then  in  prospect,  and  her 
early  removal  was  on  this  account  an  uncom- 
monly grievous  affliction  to  the  mission. 

The  persecution  which  had  broken  out  anew 
at  Constantinople,  extended  its  fury  to  other 
parts  of  the  empire,  and  was  prosecuted  with 
the  same  bitter  spirit.  Instances  of  cruelty 
and  suffering,  shocking  to  humanity,  occurred, 
the  details  of  which  we  are  obliged  to  omit 
It  raged  with  the  greatest  violence  and  fury 
at  Trebizond,  where  the  evangelical  party  were 
harassed,  turned  out  of  their  houses,  imprisoned 
and  banished,  or  "  compelled  to  lolaspheme," 
till  scarcely  one  of  them  was  left,  and  even  the 
house  of  the  missionary,  Mr.  Bliss,  was  attack- 
ed and  pelted  with  stones  till  all  the  windows 
were  broken  in. 

But  in  most  cases,  these  violent  measures 
only  tended  to  confirm  the  individuals  in  their 
new  views,  as  they  more  clearly  developed  the 
true  spirit  of  the  ruling  authorities  in  the 
Church  ;  and,  in  some  instances,  the  persecu- 


[tjitivbksitt; 


ARMENIANS. 


141 


tors  themselves  were  convinced  and  con- 
verted. 

A  young  man  of  superior  mind  and  attain- 
ments, belonging  to  the  Papal  Armenian 
denomination,  who  had,  for  some  time,  given 
the  most  satisfactory  evidence  of  piety,  was 
called  to  his  rest  in  the  spring  of  1844.  He 
had  been  greatly  troubled  by  his  priest,  who 
made  every  effort  to  reclaim  him,  even  to  the 
very  last  moment  of  his  life.  Mugurdich,  for 
that  was  his  name,  was  very  decided,  and  a  few 
days  before  his  death  he  made  a  formal  renun- 
ciation of  his  Church,  in  writing  ;  and  peace- 
fully committed  his  all  to  Christ.  His  body 
was  not  permitted  burial  in  the  graveyard,  or 
with  the  usual  religious  ceremonies,  but  at  a 
late  hour  of  a  very  dark  and  stormy  night,  it 
was  carried  out  by  common  street  porters,  un- 
der the  direction  of  a  Turkish  police  ofQcer, 
and  placed  under  the  ground,  in  the  midst  of 
a  waste  place  about  a  mile  from  the  city.  They 
had  previously  attempted  to  frighten  him 
back  to  his  Church  by  threatening  to  bury 
him  like  a  dog,  and  faithfully  did  they  execute 
the  threat ;  though,  as  he  told  them  at  the 
time,  they  could  do  him  no  real  harm,  for  they 
could  not  reach  his  soul. 

Aji  attempt  was  made  to  reclaim  a  husband 
and  sons,  by  refusing  Christian  burial  to  the 
wife  and  mother,  although  she  had  remained 
faithful  to  the  Church  to  the  very  last.  They 
would  not  yield,  however,  and  after  the  great- 
est trouble,  and  being  obliged  to  keep  the 
body  an  unwonted  time,  they  were  at  length 
compelled  to  carry  it  out,  amid  the  jeers  and 
spittings  of  the  crowd,  and  bury  it  at  a  distance 
from  the  city,  in  the  corner  of  a  Mussulman's 
farm. 

Hitherto,  the  Evangelical  Armenians  had 
remained  members  of  the  ecclesiastico-civil 
community  in  which  they  were  born.  They 
lived  in  different  degrees  of  conformity  with 
the  requisitions  of  the  Church,  according  to 
the  amount  of  light  they  had,  and  their  readi- 
ness to  endure  reproach  and  suffering  for 
Christ's  sake.  Some  absented  themselves  en- 
tirely from  the  public  services  in  their  church- 
es, feeling  that  to  be  present  where  there  was 
so  much  of  superstition  and  idolatry,  was  vir- 
tually to  sanction  Avhat  their  consciences  con- 
demned. Others  were  occasionally  present  to 
hear  a  sermon,  though  they  made  it  a  point  to 
retire  from  the  other  parts  of  the  service. 
Others  still,  chiefly  those  who  were  only  intel- 
lectually convinced  of  the  truth,  were  as  regu- 
lar in  the  external  observance  of  the  forms  of 
the  Armenian  religion  as  custom  required  ; 
and,  it  should  be  mentioned,  that  previous  to 
the  Protestant  movement,  a  great  diversity 
had  existed  in  this  respect,  in  the  practice  of 
different  individuals,  and  there  had  never  been 
in  the  Armenian  Church  any  of  that  rigor 
in  enforcing  ecclesiastical  rules  and  obser- 
vances, wliich  so  characterises  the  Church  of 
Rome. 


According  to  the  fundamental  laws  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  every  individual  of  its  Chris- 
tian subjects  must  be  enrolled  in  some  one  of 
the  existing  communities,  having  a  Patriarch 
at  his  head.  To  secede  from  one  body,  in  or- 
der to  join  another,  had  repeatedly  been  for- 
bidden by  the  Sultan,  and  was  always  attended 
with  danger  ;  although  Papal  diplomacy  and 
Papal  gold  had  often  atoned  for  the  offence, 
where  the  secession  was  to  the  Papal  faith. 
To  detach  oneself  from  one  community  with- 
out coming  into  connection  with  another, 
was  equivalent  to  a  renunciation  of  every  civil 
right  and  privilege,  and  necessarily  exposed 
the  individual  to  all  the  evil  consequences  of 
complete  outlawry.  To  make  this  fully  under- 
stood, it  will  be  necessary  to  enter  somewhat 
into  detail. 

In  the  city  of  Constantinople,  as  well  as  in 
other  large  towns  in  Turkey,  each  trade  is  in- 
corporated, and  its  affairs  are  regulated  by  a 
committee,  consisting  of  a  small  number  of  the 
most  wealthy  and  powerful  individuals  in  the 
business  ;  and  no  person  is  permitted  to  open 
a  shop,  without  a  license  from  this  committee. 
Frequently,  a  single  individual,  who  may  be 
called  the  presiding  officer,  has,  in  practice,  if 
not  in  form,  the  whole  matter  of  granting  and 
withholding  licenses,  in  his  own  hands.  A 
Turkish  officer  presides  over  all  the  trades, 
whose  official  sanction  is  necessary  to  give 
force  and  effect  to  the  doings  of  the  trade 
committees.  Every  journeyman,  and  appren- 
tice even,  must  be  furnished  with  a  permit,  to 
show  to  the  Turkish  police  officers,  whenever 
he  is  challenged  in  the  streets,  and  if  he  fails 
to  produce  one,  he  is  liable  to  be  thrown  into 
prison,  as  a  disorderly  man  and  a  vagrant. 
On  taking  out  these  licenses,  each  individual 
is  required  to  give  two  or  more  sureties  for 
good  conduct,  and  the  Patriarch  is  held  as 
general  surety  for  the  whole  community.  If 
the  evangelical  Armenians  had  declared  that 
they  no  longer  acknowledged  the  authority  of 
the  Patriarch,  it  would  have  been  tantamount 
to  civil  rebellion,  and  they  would  have  been 
dealt  with  as  outlaws.  In  spiritual  matters, 
those  who  were  decided  among  them,  carefully 
abstained — as  they  were  taught  by  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  had  learned  from  the  Word  of 
God  to  do — from  all  participation  in  supersti- 
tion and  idolatry.  They  attended  regularly 
upon  the  ministry  of  the  missionaries,  and  sat 
down  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  with  them,  as 
guests ;  because  they  could  neither  profitably 
nor  conscientiously  unite  in  this  service  at  the 
Armenian  Church.  They  retained  connection, 
however,  with  their  own  people,  and  generally 
cherished  the  hope,  amounting  in  some  cases 
to  a  strong  expectation  that,  by  degrees,  the 
great  body  of  the  Armenians  would  come 
over  to  the  evangelical  faith,  and  thus  a  serious 
rupture  be  avoided.  The  Patriarch  Matteos 
effectually  cut  off  this  hope. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1846,  he  re- 


142 


ARMENIANS. 


8olve<l  to  ontor  upon  more  coercive  measures. 
The  first  subuTt  selocte*!  for  the  new  experi- 
meDt,  was  IViest  Vertaness,  whose  zealous  and 
penevering  labors  for  the  spread  of  pure 
Christianity,  were  doubly  odious  on  account 
of  his  being  a  member  of  the  priesthood,  and 
who  had  already  been  twice  banished  for  his 
religion.  One  of  the  Patriarch's  beadles  was 
sent  to  his  lodgings,  together  with  the  chief 
municipal  officer  of  the  Armenians  in  that 
quarter,  in  order  to  arrest  him.  The  owner  of 
tne  house,  who  was  friendly  to  his  lodger, 
though  not  himself  a  Protestant,  did  not  scru- 
ple to  tell  a  falsehood,  declaring  that  Verta- 
ncss  was  absent,  and  thus  sent  the  officers 
away.  The  priest  made  his  escape  the  same 
night  to  anotlier  part  of  the  city,  where  he  re- 
mained for  several  weeks,  concealed  in  the 
house  of  a  friend. 

On  Sunday,  Jan.  25,  after  the  usual  morning 
services  in  the  patriarchal  church  were  finished, 
the  house  was  darkened  by  extinguishing  the 
candles,  and  the  great  veil  was  drawn  in  front 
of  the  main  altar,  and  a  bull  of  excision  and 
anathema  was  solemnly  read  against  Priest 
Yertancss,  including  all  the  followers  of  the 
"  modern  sectaries."  He  was  styled  by  the 
Patriarch  "  a  contemptible  wretch,"  who, 
"  following  his  carnal  lusts,"  had  forsaken  the 
Church  and  was  going  about  as  a  "  vaga- 
bond," "  babbling  out  errors,"  and  being  an 
"  occasion  of  stumbling  to  many."  He  was 
said  to  be  "  a  traitor,  and  murderer  of  Christ, 
a  child  of  the  devil,  and  an  oflspring  of  Anti- 
christ, worse  than  an  infidel  or  a  heathen,"  for 
teaching  "  the  impieties  and  seductions  of 
modern  sectaries,  (Protestants)."  ♦'  Where- 
fore," says  the  Patriarch,  "  we  expel  him  and 
forbid  him  as  a  devil,  and  a  child  of  the  devil, 
to  enter  into  the  company  of  believers.  We 
cut  him  off  from  the  priesthood,  as  an  ampu- 
tated member  of  the  spiritual  body  of  Christ, 
drid  as  a  branch  cut  off  from  the  vine,  which 
is  good  for  nothing  but  to  be  cast  into  the  fire. 
By  this  admonitory  bull,  1  therefore  command 
and  warn  my  beloved  in  every  city,  far  and 
near,  not  to  look  upon  his  face — regarding  it 
as  the  face  of  Belial ;  not  to  receive  him  into 
your  holy  dwellings  ;  for  he  is  a  house-destroy- 
ing and  ravening  wolf ;  not  to  receive  his  sal- 
utation, but  as  a  soul-destroying  and  deadly 
Eoison  ;  and  to  beware,  with  all  your  house- 
olds,  of  the  seducing  and  impious  followers 
of  the  false  doctrine  of  the  modern  sectaries 

e'rotcstants)  ;  and  to  pray  for  them  to  the 
od  who  remembereth  not  iniquity,  if  per- 
chance they  may  repent  and  turn  from  their 
wicked  pathe,  and  secure  the  salvation  of  their 
souls,  through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  blessed  for  ever. 
Amen," 

This  bull  of  excision  and  anathema  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  violent  denunciatory  discourse  from 
the  Patriarch,  against  all  the  Protestants  in 
general,  and   the  priest  in  particular,  which 


called  forth  many  loud  "  amens  "  from  the  in- 
flamed people. 

On  the  following  day  the  ^rektest  activity 
prevailed  among  the  priests,  m  every  part  of 
the  city  and  8ubu;'bs.  All  moved  like  the  dif- 
ferent parts  of  a  machine,  as  if  by  one  impulse, 
and  it  was  not  difficult  to  trace  the  direction 
from  which  that  impulse  had  come.  The  reso- 
lute Patriarch  was  determined  not  to  trust 
merely  to  the  impression  made  upon  the  people 
by  the  anathema,  and  his  accompanying  de- 
nunciations on  the  preceding  day.  He,  there- 
fore, issued  orders  to  his  clergy  to  see  that  the 
temporal  penalties  threatened  in  that  instru- 
ment were  immediately  inflicted  to  the  very 
letter.  The  priests  went  forth  simultaneously 
to  their  work, — most  of  them  apparently  with 
good-will,  but  some  reluctantly,  their  sympa- 
thies being  with  the  innocent  victims  of  op- 
pression, rather  than  with  the  oppressor.  The 
Armenian  heads  of  all  the  trade  corporations 
in  the  city  were  commanded  to  withdraw  their 
countenance  from  all  Protestants  who  would 
not  recant.  The  keepers  of  khans  and  the 
owners  of  houses  were  ordered  to  eject  all 
lodgers  and  tenants  who  would  not  comply 
with  this  condition.  Families  were  also 
visited  by  the  priests,  wherever  any  one  lived 
who  was  suspected  of  heresy,  and  it  was  en- 
joined upon  them  to  expel  the  offending  mem- 
ber, or  separate  from  it,  even  though  it  were 
a  son  or  daughter,  brother  or  sister,  husband 
or  wife.  The  Protestant  brethren  were  sum- 
moned to  repair  immediately  to  the  Patriarch- 
ate in  order  publicly  to  recant  and  become 
reconciled  to  the  Church.  To  give  force  to 
the  whole,  the  threat  was  issued  that  all  who 
refused  to  aid  in  carrying  out  these  measures 
against  the  "  new  sectaries,"  should  themselves 
be  anathematized. 

A  wild  spirit  of  fanaticism  now  reigned. 
Before  it,  all  sense  of  right,  all  regard  to  truth 
and  justice,  all  "  bowels  of  mercies  "  vanished 
away.  Even  the  strong  and  tender  afiection 
subsisting  between  husbands  and  wives,  bro- 
thers and  sisters,  parents  and  children,  was, 
in  some  instances,  exchanged  for  the  cruel  and 
relentless  hate  of  the  persecutor.  The  very 
constancy  of  the  people  of  God  provoked  still 
more  the  wrath  of  their  enemies.  Their  readi- 
ness to.sufier  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their 
goods  was  considered  as  a  proof  that  large 
temporal  rewards  had  been  offered  them  by 
the  missionaries ;  and  their  unwavering  fidel- 
ity to  Christ  was  interpreted  into  obstinacy. 
Some  on  the  side  of  the  Church,  who  at  first 
were  signally  wanting  in  zeal,  in  furthering 
the  Patriarch's  violent  measures,  were  stimu- 
lated into  active  persecutors,  by  what  appeared 
to  them,  in  their  religious  indifferentism,  as 
mere  stubbornness  on  the  part  of  the  Protest- 
ants. 

The  leading  men  in  the  different  trade  cor- 
porations, showed  more  resoluteness  than  any 
other  class,  in  attempting  to  force  the  eyan- 


AEMENIANS. 


143 


g-elical  brethren  to  a  compliance  with  the 
Patriarch's  demands ;  and  they  could  urge 
motives  more  potent  than  almost  any  other  of 
a  worldly  nature.  Whatever  method  of  coer- 
cion was  resorted  to,  whether  by  priests  or 
people,  it  was  everywhere  publicly  declared  to 
be  by  the  express  command  of  the  Patriarch 
Matteos. 

During  the  week  after  the  jBrst  anathema 
was  read,  although  many  were  forcibly  driven 
from  their  houses  and  shops,  and  prevented 
from  doing  business  to  support  themselves  and 
families,  and  some  were  expelled  from  the 
paternal  roof,  and  otherwise  afflicted,  yet  not 
one  was  induced  to  recant.  On  the  following 
Sabbath,  the  passions  of  an  ignorant  and  su- 
perstitious people  were  still  more  inflamed  by 
a  second  anathema,  which,  like  the  first,  was 
read  in  all  the  churches,  and  accompanied  by 
the  most  violent  denunciations  from  the  Patri- 
arch, the  bishops,  and  the  vartabeds.  In  this 
bull  it  was  declared  that  not  only  the  "  cursed 
nonentity,  Yertaness,"  "  falsely  called  priest," 
was  anathematized  by  '  the  "  holy  Church," 
but  likewise  "  all  that  were  of  his  senti- 
ments." They  were  together  pronounced  to 
be  "  accursed,  and  excommunicated,  and  ana- 
thematized, by  God,  and  by  all  his  saints, 
and  by  us,""  that  is,  Matteos  Patriarch. 
"  Wherefore,"  he  says,  "  whoever  has  a  son 
that  is  such  an  one,  or  a  brother,  or  a  partner, 
(in  businessj  and  gives  him  bread,  or  assists 
him  in  making  money,  or  has  intercourse  with 
him  as  a  friend,  or  does  business  with  him,  let 
such  persons  know  that  they  are  nourishing  a 
venomous  serpent  in  their  houses,  which  will 
one  day  injure  them  with  its  deadly  poison, 
and  they  will  lose  their  souls.  Such  persons 
give  bread  to  Judas.  Such  persons  are  ene- 
mies of  the  Holy  faith  of  Christianity,  and 
destroyers  of  the  holy  orthodox  Church  of  the 
Armenians,  and  a  disgrace  to  the  whole 
nation.  Wherefore,  their  houses  and  shops 
also  are  accursed ;  and  whoever  goes  to  visit 
them,  we  shall  learn,  and  publish  them  to  the 
Holy  Church,  by  terrible  anathemas." 

The  spirit  of  exasperation  knew  no  bounds. 
One  after  another,  the  brethren  were  summoned 
before  the  Patriarch,  or  the  local  ecclesiastical 
authorities  of  their  particular  quarter  of  the 
city,  and  required  to  sign  a  paper  of  recanta- 
tion, on  penalty  of  being  "  terribly  anathema- 
tized," which  involved  their  being  deprived  of 
all  business  and  treated  as  outlaws.  The  first 
paper  presented  for  their  signature  was,  in 
substance,  a  confession  that  under  "  the  wicked 
enticements  of  Satan"  they  had  "  separated 
from  the  spotless  bosom  of  the  Holy  Church," 
and  joined  the  "  impious  sect"  of  the  Protest- 
ants ;  which  now  they  saw  to  be  "  nothing  else 
but  an  invention  of  arrogance,  a  snare  of  Sa- 
tan, a  sect  of  confusion,  a  broad  road  which 
lead-eth  to  destruction."  Wherefore  repenting 
of  their  "  impious  deeds,"  they  fled  for  pardon 
*  to  the  bosom  of  the  holy  and  immaculate 


Armenian  Church,"  and  confessed  that  "  her 
faith  is  spotless,  her  sacraments  divine,  her 
rites  of  apostolic  origin,  her  ritual  pious  ;"  and 
promised  to  receive  "  whatever  this  same  holy 
Church  receiveth,  whether  it  be  a  matter  of 
faith  or  ceremony,"  and  "  to  reject  with  ana- 
themas," "  whatever  doctrines  she  rejects." 

This  first  paper  not  being  sufficiently  expli- 
cit to  suit  some  of  the  persecuting  party,  an- 
other was  drawn  up  in  the  form  of  a  creed, 
to  which  all  were  required  to  subscribe,  as  the 
only  condition  of  being  restored  to  the  favor 
of  the  Patriarch,  that  is  to  their  civil  privileges. 
This  creed  contained  substantially  all  the  er- 
rors of  Popery.  It  acknowledged  that  good 
works  justify  a  man  as  well  as  faith ;  that  the 
Church  is  infallible ;  that  there  are  seven  sa- 
craments ;  that  baptism  by  water,  and  private 
confession  to  a  priest  are  essential  to  salvation ; 
that  the  soul  of  one  dying  without  full  pen- 
ance for  his  sins,  is  after  death,  purified  by  the 
prayers  of  the  church,  by  the  bloodless  sacri- 
fice of  the  m£iss,  and  by  the  alms-giving  of  his 
friends  ;  that  the  bread  and  wine  of  commun- 
ion are  the  true  body  and  blood  of  Christ ; 
that  Mary  is  the  mother  of  God  ;  that  "  the 
holy  anointed"  material  crosses  are  worthy  of 
adoration,  as  also  relics  and  pictures  ;  that  the 
intercession  of  the  saints  is  acceptable  to 
God  ;  and  that  the  Patriarchs  rule  the  Church 
as  Christ's  vicegerents.  It  also  required  those 
who  subscribed  it  to  join  in  anathematizing 
all  who  call  the  worship  of  the  holy  cross,  and 
of  relics  and  pictures,  idolatry,  and  who  reject 
the  ceremonies  of  the  church  as  superstitious. 

These  two  papers,  the  first  having  been  com- 
monly called,  The  Paper  of  Recantation,  and 
the  second.  The  Patriarch  Matteos's  New  Creed, 
were  issued  under  the  high  authority  of  the 
Patriarch  himself,  and  sent  by  him  through- 
out the  country  for  the  signature  of  the  Pro- 
testants. In  Smyrna,  in  Nicomedia,  in  Ada- 
bazar,  in  Trebizond,  and  in  Erzrum,  the  evan 
gelical  brethren  were  summoned  before  their 
respective  ecclesiastical  rulers,  and  presented 
with  identically  the  same  creed,  which,  they 
were  told,  had  been  received  from  the  Patri- 
arch, and  which  they  were  required,  by  his 
command,  to  sign. 

One  individual,  a  very  respectable  merchant 
who  was  in  partnership  with  his  father-in-law, 
was  driven  from  his  shop,  and  separated  also 
from  his  wife  and  children,  and  defrauded  of 
his  property  for  refusing  to  yield  to  these  re- 
quisitions of  the  Patriarch.  Another,  who 
was  in  the  silk  business,  was  summoned  before 
the  Patriarch,  who,  when  he  found  no  signs  of 
repentance,  so  far  forgot  himself,  as  to  address 
this  brother  with  rude  and  angry  profaneness ; 
and,  declaring  that  he  and  all  like  minded 
with  him  are  accursed,  he  drove  him  away. 
The  individual  returned  to  his  shop,  but  was 
soon  followed  by  a  beadle  from  the  Patriarch, 
who  summoned  his  partner  before  this  digni- 
tary.   The  partner  was  required  forthwith  to 


lU 


ARMENIANS 


dissolve  all  connection  with  the  heretic,  which 
fear  led  him  to  do  without  delay.  Since  the 
shop  and  most  of  the  capital  belonged  to  the 
partner,  the  brother  was  at  once  reduced  to 
circumstances  of  the  deepest  distress.  As  a 
still  further  act  of  coercion,  the  Patriarch  sent 
for  his  father,  and  enjoined  it  upon  him  to 
drive  his  own  son  from  home,  and  deprive  him 
of  his  inheritance.  This  command,  in  sub- 
stance, was  afterwards  committed  to  writing, 
and  addressed  to  a  priest,  under  the  Patriarch's 
own  seal,  two  other  sons  being  now  included 
in  it.  The  following  is  a  literal  translation  of 
the  original,  which  the  writer  of  this  article 
has  seen,  with  the  Patriarch's  own  signature 
and  seal  attached : 

"  My  beloved  Priest. — This  Khachadur,  a 
penitent,  has  said  '  I  have  sinned,'  and  pro- 
mised to  confess  to  you,  and  to  commune  in 
the  bosom  of  our  church.  But  his  three  sons, 
(one  of  whom  was  the  silk  merchant^  are  im- 
penitent and  hardened  in  iniquity.  If  tney  come 
to  the  house  of  their  father,  he  is  not  to  re- 
ceive them,  and  he  is  not  to  retain  them  as 
his  heirs ;  but  let  them  be  stripped  of  their 
inheritance,  if  they  do  not  turn  from  their 
wickedness.  Farewell." 
Janmrv  18,  (0.  S.)  1846,  At 
the  Patriarchate  of  the  Ar- 
menians, Constantinople. 

(Sealed) 


Matteos 
Patriarch. 


Many  other  cases  of  like  cruelty  and  oppres- 
sion are  related  by  the  missionaries  as  speci- 
mens of  the  cruelties  practiced  upon  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  by  their  enraged  persecutors. 

Nearly  forty  individuals  in  Constantinople 
had  their  shops  closed  and  their  licenses  to 
trade  taken  away,  and  were  thereby  prevented 
from  laboring  for  an  honest  livelihood.  Nearly 
seventy  were  obliged  to  leave  father,  mother, 
brother,  sister,  husband,  wife,  or  child,  for 
Christ's  sake  ;  and  were  forced  by  the  Patri- 
arch's orders  from  their  own  hired  houses,  and 
sometimes  even  from  houses  owned  by  them- 
•selves.  In  order  to  increase  their  distress, 
bakers  were  repeatedly  and  stringently  order- 
ed not  to  furnisn  them  with  bread,  and  water- 
carriers  to  cut  off"  their  supply  of  water.  As 
multitudes  of  families  in  the  metropolis  depend 
eutkely  upon  the  latter  for  all  the  water  they 
use,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  water-carriers 
are  bigoted  Armenians,  this  measure  operated 
with  great  severity.  Many,  who  were  thrown 
out  of  business,  were  compelled  to  dissolve 
partnerships,  and  to  bring  their  accounts  to  a 
forced  settlement,  which  involved  their  entire 
ruin.  And  the  greatest  activity  prevailed 
among  the  Patriarch's  agents,  to  ascertain 
where  debts  were  due  from  any  of  the  anathe- 
matized to  a  faithful  son  of  the  Church  ;  and 
the  latter,  however  reluctant  he  might  be  per- 
sonally to  distress  his  friend,  was  compelled  to 
urge  an  immediate  settlement.    In  short,  there 


was  displayed  the  greatest  ingenuity  in  invent- 
ing various  refined  methods  of  afflicting  the 
people  of  God,  so  as  if  possible  to  "  compel 
them  to  blaspheme."  Large  numbers  of  sus- 
pected Protestants  were  carried  before  the 
Patriarch,  and  urged  to  submit  to  the  Church 
and  sign  the  creed  ;  but  only  four  or  five  of 
those  who  were  previously  known  to  the  mis* 
sionaries  as  decidedly  evangelical  in  sentiment, 
were  led  to  give  in  their  adhesion  to  the  Par 
triarch  ;  and  they  almost  immediately  renounc- 
ed the  forced  confession  they  had  made,  and, 
returning  to  the  Protestants,  were  anathemar 
tizod  with  the  rest.  Attempts  were  also  made, 
but  without  success,  to  persuade  them  by  mild- 
er means,  and  even  by  offers  of  pecuniary  ad- 
vantage, to  return  to  their  mother  church. 

Nothing  could  be  more  evident  than  that 
the  suffering  brethren  had  special  grace  given 
them  from  above,  to  enable  them  to  bear  as 
they  did  these  severe  trials.  Driven  from  their 
houses  and  shops,  their  families  and  friends, 
and  having  no  certain  dwelling-place;  and 
many  of  them  reduced  to  penury  ;  subject  to 
constant  insult  in  the  streets,  and  sometimes 
to  personal  injury ;  and  having  every  reason 
to  apprehend  persecution  in  still  more  violent 
forms,  they  yet  exhibited  a  calm  and  quiet 
spirit  of  endurance,  a  readiness  to  suffer  the 
loss  of  all  for  Christ,  and  a  peace  and  joy  in 
the  midst  of  their  sufferings,  which  could  be 
accounted  for  only  on  the  supposition,  that 
God  was  with  them  in  very  deed.  One,  who 
in  fact  spoke  the  feelings  of  many,  said  one 
day  to  a  missionary,  "My  daily  prayer  to 
God  is,  that  even  if  there  should  not  be  left  a 
single  person  except  myself  to  witness  for  the 
truth.  He  would  still  give  me  faith  to 
stand  firm  for  the  doctrine  of  salvation  by 
grace  in  Christ  alone.  I  know  that  all  the 
resistance  we  now  make  to  error,  we  are  mak- 
ing for  coming  generations.  We  may  never 
reap  the  fruits  ourselves,  but  our  exercise  of 
firmness  and  faith  now,  will  enable  thousands, 
and  perhaps  millions,  in  after  days  to  enjoy 
the  rights  of  conscience  in  pure  and  holy  wor- 
ship." 

Another  brother,  to  whom  an  offer  of  up- 
wards of  20,000  piastres  (about  $1,000)  was 
made  by  a  rich  friend,  on  condition  that  he 
would  conform  to  the  Church,  replied :  "  If 
you  knew  anything  of  the  value  of  the  Gospel, 
or  the  preciousness  of  faith  in  Christ,  you 
would  not  have  thought  to  influence  me  either 
by  a  thousand,  or  a  hundred  thousand  dollars." 

Many  of  whom  the  missionaries  had  known 
but  little,  were  led  by  these  violent  measures 
to  take  a  decided  stand  for  the  truth  ;  and  in 
the  midst  of  the  most  violent  ragings  of  the 
enemy,  the  missionaries'  houses  and  the  room 
in  the  Khan,  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  kept  for 
the  reception  of  visitors,  were  more  than  ever 
thronged.  The  persecuted  brethren  wrote  let- 
ters to  the  Patriarch  and  to  the  primates  of 
the  Armenian  community,  setting  forth  their 


ARMENIANS, 


145 


doctrinal  views,  declaring  their  attachment  to 
their  nation,  and  expressing  their  desire  to  be 
further  enlightened,  yet  declaring  that  they 
could  do  nothing  against  their  consciences. 
But  they  found  no  relief ;  and  at  length,  they 
presented  a  petition  to  Eeshid  Pasha,  Turk- 
ish Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  containing  a 
plain,  dignified  statement  of  their  grievances. 

This  petition  was  treated  with  respect ;  but, 
orwing  to  the  influence  of  some  of  the  Arme- 
nian primates,  it  procured  no  relief.  Subse- 
quently, a  letter  was  addressed  by  the  persecu- 
ted brethren  to  the  English,  Prussian,  and 
American  Ministers,  asking  for  the  influence 
of  these  high  public  functionaries  to  procure 
their  release  from  present  suffering,  and  the 
guarantee  of  their  civil  rights.  The  kindest 
interest  was  taken  in  their  case  by  the  liberal- 
minded  and  humane  gentlemen  who  occupied 
these  posts,  and  repeated  efforts  were  made  to 
procure  for  them  exemption  from  suffering  ; 
but  the  persecution  still  went  on.  There  was 
evidently  a  connivance  of  some  of  the  Turkish 
authorities  in  this  thing,  and  the  Patriarch 
was  so  much  encouraged  by  his  success,  thus 
far,  that  he  sent  to  the  Porte  the  names  of 
thirteen  leading  men  among  the  Protestants, 
requesting  their  banishment.  The  reply  of 
the  Porte  was  fatal  to  his  plans.  The  sub- 
stance of  it  was,  that  having  adopted  the  prin- 
ciple of  freedom  of  conscience,  they  could  not 
banish  men  for  imputed  religious  errors.  The 
English  Ambassador,  Sir  Stratford  Canning, 
had  already  been  urging  upon  the  attention 
of  the  Turkish  ministry,  the  pledge  given  three 
years  before  by  the  Sultan,  and,  in  accordance 
with  the  true  spirit  of  this  pledge,  it  was  now 
decided  that  the  persecution  of  the  evangelical 
Armenians  could  not  be  allowed.  The  humane 
endeavors  of  the  American  charge,  Mr.  Brown, 
and  subsequently  of  the  American  minister, 
Mr.  Carr,  and  also  of  the  Prussian  minister, 
Mr.  Le  Coq,  contributed  essentially  to  bring 
about  this  happy  issue.  A  petition  from  the 
suffering  brethren,  directly  to  the  Sultan  him- 
self, no  doubt,  had  its  share  of  influence.  By 
the  agency  of  Sir  Stratford,  lleshid  Pasha 
summoned  before  him  the  Patriarch,  and 
charged  him  to  desist  from  his  persecuting 
course. 

The  persecution  began  the  last  week  in  Jan- 
uary, and  it  was  now  past  the  middle  of  March, 
and  during  the  whole  of  this  interval,  the 
Protestants  had  struggled  in  vain,  until  this 
moment,  to  procure  their  civil  and  social  rights. 
As  regularly  as  the  Sabbath  came  round,  the 
Armenian  churches,  in  and  around  the  capital, 
rung  with  anathemas  against  all  the  followers 
of  the  "  new  sect."  None  were  more  violent 
in  their  public  addresses  than  the  Patriarch 
himself,  who  seemed  determined  that  the  exci- 
ted passions  of  an  uninformed  and  bigoted 
populace  against  the  so  called  "  infidels  "  and 
"  atheists,"  should  not  subside,  so  long  as  he 
oculd  find  fuel  to  feed  the  flame.  The  most 
10 


foolish  calumnies  in  regard  to  the  religious 
views  and  practices  of  the  Protestants,  were 
uttered  from  all  the  pulpits,  and  even  publish- 
ed in  books  under  the  Patriarchal  sanction. 
In  one  of  the  latter,  having  the  imprimatur  of 
the  Patriarch  upon  the  title  page,  it  was  cool- 
ly asserted  of  the  whole  Protestant  Church, 
that  it  formally  approves  of  polygamy,  adultery, 
and  theft,  and  sanctions  rebellion  against  the 
civil  powers !  With  such  examples,  and  such 
untiring  effort  on  the  part  of  their  spiritual  lead- 
ers, in  the  use  of  means  like  these,  to  stimulate 
the  fanatical  feelings  of  the  people,  it  was  not 
strange  that  the  brethren  could  not  pass 
through  the  streets  without  being  abused  by 
the  most  filthy  language,  and  even  spit  upon 
and  stoned.  Great  care  was  taken,  particu- 
larly after  it  was  known  that  the  foreign  am- 
bassadors were  keeping  an  eye  on  all  these 
proceedings,  not  to  exceed,  if  possible,  the 
bounds  of  the  law ;  so  that  when  even  as  many 
as  threescore  and  ten  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, who  had  refused  to  bow  the  knee  in  idol- 
atry, had  been  sent  to  wander  houseless  in  the 
streets,  it  was  still  declared  that  there  was  no 
persecution ! 

To  the  missionaries,  however,  it  was  known 
that,  for  the  faith  of  Christ,  they  were  driven 
out,  and  for  the  love  of  Christ  they  could  not 
refuse  to  take  them  in.  Very  providentially, 
the  Kev.  Mr.  Allan,  missionary  to  the  Jews, 
from  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland,  had,  a  short 
time  previously,  secured  a  large  house,  with 
reference  to  a  preaching  place,  as  .well  as  a 
dwelling  for  his  family ;  and,  with  true  Chris- 
tian sympathy  and  generosity,  he  opened  his 
doors  for  the  oppressed.  Twenty  individuals  of 
the  persecuted,  found  a  comfortable  lodging- 
place  there.  For  the  rest,  the  missionaries  hired 
such  tenements  as  could  be  found,  at  the  same 
time  providing  the  starving  with  bread,  while 
they  were  cut  off  from  all  means  of  procuring 
their  own  subsistence.'*  A  statement  was  drawn 
up  of  the  grievous  things  that  had  befallen 
the  brethren  in  Turkey,  accompanied  by  an 
appeal  to  evangelical  Christians  throughout 
the  world  for  sympathy  and  aid ;  and  the 
generous  contributions  that  flowed  in  from  all 
quarters  of  the  globe,  wherever  the  story  had 
gone,  and  pious  hearts  were  found,  showed 
how_  strong  a  bond  of  union  is  the  love  of 
Christ.  Letters  of  the  tenderest  Christian 
sympathy  were  received,  accompanied,  by  dona- 
tions for  the  sufferers,  from  every  Protestant 
country  in  Europe,  from  England,  Malta,  and 
India,  as  well  as  from  the  United  States  ;  and 
in  this  spontaneous  movement  in  behalf  of  the 
persecuted  people  of  God,  denominational  dis- 
tinctions were  forgotten.  Nearly  or  quite  five 
hundred  dollars  were  contributed  by  foreign 
Protestant  residents  upon  the  ground,  who 
naturally  felt  the  more  deeply,  because  they 
were  personal  spectators  of  the  sufferings  they 
were  called  upon  to  relieve. 

By  these  means  the  brethren  who  were  scat- 


146 


AEMENIANS. 


toed  orer  an  area  of  8  or  10  miles  were  brought 
together,  and  had  opportunity  to  meet  for 
prayer,  to  become  acquainted  and  sympathise 
with  each  other  ;  thus  forming  a  bond  of  union, 
which  remains  to  this  day. 

The  Patriarch  had  now  received  such  lessons 
from  high  quarters,  as  greatly  to  modify  his 
expectations  of  putting  down  Protestantism 
by  force ;  and  he  was  even  compelled,  reluct- 
ftntly,  to  issue  public  orders  to  his  clergy,  in 
certain  cases,  against  persecution  ;  though  it 
is  known  that  secret  instructions  were,  at  the 
same  time,  given  of  a  contrary  nature. 

Printed  copies  of  the  Patriarch's  two  ana* 
themas  were  sent  to  every  part  of  Turkey,  to 
be  read  in  all  the  churches  ;  and  similar  scenes 
followed  in  Nicomedia,  Adabazar,  Trebizond, 
Erzrum,  Brftsa,  Smyrna,  and  other  places ;  and 
in  some  of  them,  scenes  of  a  still  more  revolt- 
ing character  were  enacted. 

Sir  Stratford  Canning,  whose  noble  efforts 
for  religious  liberty  in  Turkey  are  worthy  of 
all  praise,  did  not  cease  to  urge  upon  the 
Turkish  government  the  necessity  of  securing 
to  its  Protestant  subjects  the  right  of  pursuing 
their  lawful  callings  without  molestation.  Be- 
tween thirty  and  forty  in  Constantinople  alone, 
were  still  excluded  from  their  shops  and  their 
business,  on  the  plea  that  they  were  without 
eureties.  The  Ambassador  represented  that 
the  demands  of  the  law  might  be  met,  by  their 
becoming  sureties  for  one  another.  This  im- 
portant concession  was  at  length  made  by  the 
government,  and  Reshid  Pasha,  the  Minister 
of  Foreign  Affairs,  or  Grand  Vizer,  as  he  soon 
after  became,  gave  orders  that  the  Protestants 
be  permitted  to  resume  their  business  on  this 
condition.  This  decision,  which,  with  a  limited 
application,  had  already  released  four  imprison- 
ed watchmakers,  being  now  made  general,  vir- 
tually settled  the  question  of  religious  liberty 
for  the  Protestants  in  Turkey.  The  immediate 
relief  afforded  was  important,  though  far  from 
being  entire.  The  brethren  were  still  tried  in 
various  ways.  Many,  from  the  very  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  could  not  hope  to  regain 
the  situations  from  which  they  had  been  thrust. 
Others  were  still  subject  to  secret  persecution, 
which  was  the  harder  to  bear,  because  it  could 
not  easily  be  traced  to  its  proper  source,  and 
brought  in  a  tangible  form  under  the  cogni- 
zance of  the  civil  courts.  The  Patriarch, 
seeing  which  way  the  current  was  turning, 
very  adroitly  attempted  to  set  himself  forth 
before  the  world  as  a  friend  of  religious  liberty, 
and  a  sympathizer  with  the  suffering ;  although, 
at  the  same  time,  he  was  repeating  his  ana- 
themas in  his  own  church  every  Sabbath-day, 
and  exciting  the  people,  by  his  appeals  to  their 
fanaticism,  as  before.  This  kept  alive  the 
spirit  of  persecution,  and  various  arts  were 
practiced,  often  successfully,  to  prevent  the 
brethren  who  had  opened  their  shops,  from 
doing  any  business.  Numberless  vexations 
were  practiced  from  time  to  time,  and  there 


was  often  a  great  want  of  promptness  in  the 
Turkish  courts  in  relieving  the  innocent  suf- 
ferers of  their  oppressions,  even  when  they  had 
tangible  ground  of  complaint.  These  irregu- 
larities, however,  were  to  be  expected  in  such 
a  country,  and  under  such  circumstances. 
There  was  still  satisfactory  proof  that  the 
Turkish  government  was  disposed  to  be  sincere 
and  consistent  in  its  declarations  in  favor  of  re- 
ligious liberty.  A  vizirial  letter,  dated  early 
in  June,  1846,  commanding  the  Pasha  of 
Erzrum  to  see  that  the  civil  rights  of  the 
Protestants  were  not  infringed,  so  long  as  they 
were  faithful  subjects  of  the  Sultan,  is  worthy 
of  mention,  as  the  first  imperial  document  ever 
issued  by  the  Turkish  government,  for  the  pro- 
tection of  its  Protestant  subjects. 

In  the  course  of  the  persecutions  that  have 
now  been  described  the  Patriarch  was  incessant 
in  his  efforts  to  break  up  the  Mission  Seminary 
at  Bebek.  He  succeeded  at  different  times, 
in  getting  away  seventeen,  in  all,  out  of  twenty- 
seven  students  ;  but  five  of  these  soon  returned, 
and  ten  others  joined  the  institution,  several  of 
whom  were  pious  and  promising  young  men, 
who  having  been  driven  by  persecution  from 
their  business,  were  led  to  consecrate  them- 
selves to  the  service  of  God  in  the  ministry, 
and  to  seek  from  the  Mission  Seminary  the  in- 
tellectual and  moral  discipline  they  needed  for 
this  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Everett,  who  had 
been  connected  with  the  Smyrna  station  since 
April,  1845,  removed  to  Constantinople  in  the 
summer  of  1846,  and  Mrs.  Everett  was  asso- 
ciated with  Miss  Lovell  in  the  instruction  of 
the  Female  Seminary. 

For  nearly  six  months  continuously,  the  ana- 
thema had  been  publicly  repeated  every  Sab- 
bath in  the  Patriarchal  Church,  as  well  as  in 
other  churches,  until  many  of  the  people  be- 
gan to  grow  weary  of  the  sound ;  and  the 
changes  were  so  frequently  rung  on  the  various 
forms  of  denunciation,  which  had  been  contrived 
to  give  force  to  the  bull,  that  their  efficiency 
seemed  rapidly  wasting  away.  And  yet,  up 
to  the  middle  of  the  vear  1846,  through  the 
influence  of  the  Church  authorities,  bread  and 
water  were  still  withheld  from  many  Protest- 
ant families,  by  the  regular  dealers  in  those 
articles,  and  everything  was  done,  that  could 
with  safety  be  attempted,  to  vex  those  who  re- 
mained steadfast  in  the  truth.  The  sufferers 
had  again  and  again  petitioned  to  their  Patri- 
arch, and  to  the  primates  for  relief,  but  they 
were  uniformly  repulsed  with  the  declaration 
that  there  was  no  hope  of  any  melioration  of 
their  condition,  except  by  unconditional  sMb- 
mission  to  the  Church.  Hitherto,  no  one  had 
voluntarily  separated  himself  from  the  Arme- 
nian community.  Those  who  were  called 
schismatics,  had  become  such  by  the  exscind- 
ing act  of  the  Patriarch  himself,  who  was  the 
sole  author  of  the  schism,  and  who  seemed  to 
try  every  method  in  his  power  to  render  the 
separation  perpetual. 


ARMENIANS 


147 


On  the  21st  of  June,  1846,  he  gave  the 
finishing-  blow  to  this  work,  by  a  public  official 
act,  which  resulted,  through  necessity,  in  the 
organization  of  the  Evangelical  Protestant 
Churches  in  Turkey.  On  that  day,  it  being 
the  day  of  a  solemn  festival  for  the  Church,  he 
issued  a  new  bull  of  excommunication  and  ana- 
thema against  all  who  remained  firm  to  their 
evangelical  principles,  decreeing  that  it  should 
be  publicly  read  at  each  annual  return  of  this 
festival,  in  all  the  Armenian  Churches  through- 
out the  Ottoman  Empire.  Thus  were  the 
Protestants  cut  off  and  cast  out  forever.  And 
although  they  had  no  power  to  organize  them- 
selves into  a  civil  community,  yet  nothing 
could  be  plainer  than  their  duty,  immediately 
to  secure  to  themselves  and  their  children,  as 
far  as  they  were  able,  the  full  possession  of  all 
the  spiritual  privileges  of  the  Gospel. 

They  made  a  written  request  to  the  mission- 
aries, for  aid  in  a  matter  in  which  they  them- 
Belves  had  had  no  experience.  Accordingly,  a 
meeting  was  held  in  Constantinople,  of  dele- 
gates from  the  different  stations  of  the  mission 
to  Turkey.  The  Eev.  Messrs.  Allan  and 
Koenig,  missionaries  of  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland  to  the  Jews  of  Constantinople,  and 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Pomroy,  then  pastor  of  a  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Bangor,  Maine,  and  now 
one  of  the  Secretaries  of  the  Board,  who  was 
providentially  on  a  visit  to  the  Levant  at  that 
time,  were  also  present  by  invitation,  and  took 
part  in  the  deliberations.  All  felt  that  God 
was  there  ;  and  the  overwhelming  importance 
of  the  business  on  which  they  were  convened, 
and  their  sense  of  their  own  ignorance  and  im- 
potence, seemed  to  compel  them  to  throw  them- 
selves directly  upon  him.  Much  prayer  was 
offered,  both  by  the  members  of  the  convention 
and  the  native  brethren,  and  to  this  it  must  be 
ascribed  that  although  there  were  representa- 
tives of  four  different  denominations  of  Chris- 
tians among  them,  yet  the  most  entire  harmony 
of  feeling  pervaded  their  deliberations,  and  the 
result  was  attained  by  a  unanimous  vote. 

On  the  1st  day  of  July,  1846,  the  Evangeli- 
cal Armenians  in  Constantinople,  to  the  num- 
ber of  forty,  three  of  whom  were  females, 
came  together  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
themselves  into  a  Church.  The  plan  of  organ- 
ization, as  drawn  up  at  the  above  mentioned 
meeting,  was  read  and  explained,  article  by 
article,  and  those  present  gave  their  solemn 
assent  to  the  whole,  and  with  perfect  unanimity, 
adopted  it  as  theirs,  and  were  thus  constituted 
into  The  First  Evangelical  Armenian 
Church  of  Constantinople.  After  the  names 
of  the  church  members  had  been  recorded,  a 
pastor  was  chosen  by  ballot,  and  without  pre- 
vious consultation,  the  choice  fell  unanimously 
on  Mr.  Apisoghom  Khachaduryan.  The  other 
church  officers  were  then  elected,  and  the  meet- 
ing was  adjourned.  Although  the  whole  had 
occupied  from  four  to  five  hours,  the  deepest  in- 
terest was  maintained  throughout;  much  ten- 


derness of  feeling  was  manifested,  and  many 
eyes  were  suSused  with  tears. 

The  articles  of  church  organization  here 
adopted,  provide  for  the  trial  of  offenders  by  a 
standing  committee,  or  church  session,  chosen 
for  a  limited  time,  and  consisting  of  deacons 
and  "  helpers,"  who,  after  conducting  a  case  to 
its  close,  report  their  proceedings  with  the  evi- 
dence, to  the  male  members  of  the  Church, 
and  a  vote  is  taken  of  assent  or  dissent.  In 
the  event  of  dissent,  the  case  goes  up  to  the 
pastors  and  delegates  of  the  associated  churches, 
whose  decision  in  all  cases,  is  final.  Provision  is 
made  for  appeal  to  this  body,  before  which  the 
trial  of  ministers  accused  of  offences  is  to  be  had. 
The  Confession  of  Faith  is  similar  to  those  of 
the  orthodox  Calvinistic  churches  in  this  coun- 
try. (  For  these  documents  in  full,  see  "  Chris- 
tianity Revived  in  the  East,"  Appendix  F.) 

In  one  week  from  the  organization  of  the 
church,  the  person  chosen  was  publicly  ordained 
to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  as  pastor 
of  the  newly  formed  Church.  Under  the  cir 
cumstances  it  was  necessary  to  perform  the 
ordination  by  an  ecclesiastical  council  invited 
by  the  Church,  and  which  consisted  of  the 
missionaries  of  the  board  resident  at  Constan- 
tinople, and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Allan  of  the  mission 
of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  to  the  Jews 
of  the  capital. 

A  scene  so  new  as  a  Protestant  ordination  in 
the  capital  of  the  Turkish  Empire  drew  forth  a 
crowd  to  the  chapel,  several  of  whom  were  of  the 
Patriarch's  party.  The  strictest  silence,  how- 
ever, prevailed,  and  the  most  fixed  and  solemn 
attention  was  given  to  every  part  of  the  service. 

As  an  act  of  justice  to  themselves,  the  mem- 
bers of  this  new  church  lost  no  time  in  setting 
forth  before  the  world  the  declaration  of  their 
faith,  and  their  reasons  for  the  step  they  had 
taken.  This  document  will  be  found  in  the  ap- 
pendix of  "  Christianity  Revived  in  the  East." 

In  the  course  of  the  same  summer,  churches 
were  formed  on  the  same  basis,  in  Nicomedia, 
Adabazar,  and  Trebizond ;  with  the  most  evi- 
dent good  results,  although  the  original  num- 
ber of  members  was,  in  each  case,  small.  It 
is  not  known  that  the  least  objection  was  ever 
made  to  these  organizations,  by  the  Turkish 
government,  or  any  of  its  officers.  Indeed,  the 
sympathies  of  the  Mohammedans  were  with 
the  persecuted,  rather  than  with  their  enemies. 
The  use  of  pictures  in  worship ;  the  invoca- 
tion of  saints  ;  and  the  doctrine  of  transub- 
stantiation  and  priestly  absolution,  are  as  ab- 
horrent to  the  Koran  as  they  are  to  the  Bible. 
The  government  of  the  Sultan  had  ordered 
that  the  Protestants  be  no  longer  molested  in 
their  civil  rights,  on  account  of  their  religious 
sentiments.  Their  shops  were  reopened,  but 
it  was  comparatively  easy  for  their  busy  ene- 
mies to  prevent'traffic  with  them,  without  open- 
ly infringing  the  law,  and  this  was  repeatedly 
done.  They  could  not  be  imprisoned  or  ban- 
ished merely  for  their  religious    sentiments; 


148 


ARMENIANS. 


but  false  claims  of  debt  could  and  did  imprison 
them  ;  and  false  charges  of  vicious  conduct, 
established  by  i>erjury,  could  and  did  secure 
their  banishment.  In  Constantinople  consider- 
able sums  of  money  were  paid  by  different  indi- 
viduals to  avoid  imprisonment  for  pretended 
debts  ;  and  more  than  a  score  of  Protestants, 
at  different  times,  were  shut  up  with  felons  for 
alleifcd  crimes  which  false  witnesses  had  proved 
agamst  them,  and  which  they,  from  the  very 
organization  of  the  Turkish  courts,  could  not 
disprove.  As  an  example  of  the  length  to 
which  the  Patriarch  could  even  now  go  in  his 
persecuting  measures,  the  following  story  is 
related  :  A  place  of  Protestant  worship  was 
opened  in  the  city  proper,  fpr  the  accommoda- 
tion of  many  families  who,  on  account  of  the 
distance,  could  not  often  be  present  at  the 
chapel  in  Pera.  The  house  hired  for  this  pur- 
pose vcfxs  built  by  a  former  Patriarch,  though 
now  owned  by  his  brother,  who  was  a  worthy 
member  of  the  Protestant  community  and 
Church.  It  was  situated  near  the  Patriarchate, 
which  no  doubt  was  an  additional  cause  of 
vexation  to  this  dignitary.  At  that  time  no 
other  house  could  be  obtained  in  all  Constanti- 
nople, for  such  a  purpose.  By  a  cunning  de- 
vice, the  Patriarch  procured  the  imprisonment 
of  Stcpan,  the  owner  of  the  house,  by  the  Tur- 
kish police,  on  charge  of  flogging  one  of  his 
priests  1  The  priest  had  been  sent  by  his  su- 
perior to  Stepan's  house,  in  his  absence,  to 
endeavor  to  persuade  his  wife  to  separate  from 
him  ;  and  the  injured  husband  merely  called 
at  the  priest's  door,  and  warned  him  not  to  en- 
ter his  house  again,  on  pain  of  civil  prosecu- 
tion. This  was  a  sufficient  ground  for  a  pre- 
text, the  futility  of  which  was  transparent  on 
the  trial,  the  whole  object  and  aim  of  the 
charges  being  to  prevent  the  holding  of  Pro- 
testant worship  in  the  house  in  question.  The 
Patriarch  first  claimed  the  house  as  the  pro- 
perty of  the  Church,  having  been  built  by 
a  Patriarch.  And  when  this  was  decided 
against  him,  he  begged  that  Stepan  might  be 
removed  from  the  house,  since  all  his  neigh- 
bors were  complaining  against  him  as  a  dis- 
turber of  the  peace.  This  also  was  set  aside. 
After  several  other  vain  shifts  on  the  part  of 
the  Patriarch  to  accomplish  his  object,  the 
Judge  at  length  took  up  the  same  side,  and 
said  to  Stepan,  "  The  government  gives  you  no 
permission  to  hold  meetings  in  that  house." 
"  Sir,"  said  Stepan,  with  solemn  earnestness, 
"  I  beg  that  you  will  not  fatigue  yourselves 
with  efforts  to  prevent  us  from  meeting  ;  for  I 
declare  that  not  only  I,  but  all  the  Protestant 
Armenians  also,  are  ready  to  shed  our  blood 
for  this  thing.  Consult  together,  if  you  please, 
as  to  the  best  method  of  getting  rid  of  us, 
whether  by  exiling,  drowning,  or  by  cutting  off  j 
our  heads ;  but  it  is  useless  to  try  to  prevent  j 
us  from  meeting.  The  Holy  Gospel  commands  \ 
us  to  meet ;  it  is  a  matter  of  conscience  and  | 
duty  with  us  ;  and  we  can  never  cease  to  meet  i 


for  the  worship  of  God."  The  Judge  had  no 
rq)ly  to  make  to  this  noble*answer,  but  merely 
directed  his  clerk  to  record  that  "  the  Protes- 
tants say  it  is  a  matter  of  faith  and  conscience 
with  them  to  hold  meetings."  Stepan  was 
soon  liberated. 

In  interior  places,  where  the  new  order  of 
things  was  not  so  well  understood,  and  whero 
the  local  governors  were  more  completely 
the  creatures  and  the  tools  of  rich  and  influen- 
tial Armenians,  it  was  still  more  easy  to  afflict 
the  Protestants  with  impunity.  In  Nicome- 
dia,  after  religious  liberty  had  been  proclaimed 
to  the  Protestants,  the  brethren  were  often 
abused  in  the  streets,  and  their  houses  stoned. 
In  Adabazar,  a  Protestant  teacher  was  put  in 
chains  and  sent  to  prison,  on  the  general 
charge  of  disturbing  the  peace,  though  no  one 
in  the  town  was  really  more  peaceable  than 
he.  At  Trebizond,  a  mob  of  women  attacked 
with  heavy  stones,  two  females  who  were  re- 
turning from  the  preaching  of  the  missionaries, 
and  because  their  husbands  endeavored  to 
shield  them  from  harm,  these  husbands  were 
thrown  into  prison,  and  there  stretched  out, 
with  their  faces  downwards,  upon  the  cold, 
damp  ground,  and  their  feet  confined  in  the 
stocks!  In  this  painful  position  they  were 
left  for  a  whole  day,  without  food,  so  that  one 
became  insensible,  and  was  more  dead  than 
alive  when  he  was  removed.  The  other  was 
carried  to  Constantinople,  and  there  kept  in 
close  confinement  for  several  months,  his  per- 
secutors, who  were  influential,  insisting  upon 
it  that  he  was  a  disturber  of  the  peace  and  a 
dangerous  man.  In  the  same  place,  on  the  oc- 
casion of  the  death  of  a  Protestant  brother,  the 
house  where  the  body  lay  was  assailed  by 
stones  from  a  furious  mob,  and  every  effort 
was  made  to  prevent  the  burial.  This  neces- 
sary duty  could  only  be  performed,  at  last,  un- 
der shelter  of  the  night,  and  by  paying  twenty- 
one  dollars  for  permission  to  dig  a  grave  in 
the  public  highway  1  At  Erzrum  an  infuriated 
mob  forced  its  way  into  the  house  of  Dr. 
Smith,  and  bore  away  a  priest  of  the  church, 
who  had  escaped  thither  to  avoid  persecution, 
he  being  a  Protestant  in  sentiment.  They 
afterwards  returned  with  renewed  fury,  broke 
Into  the  house  a  second  time,  felled  to  the 
ground  a  native  assistant  and  also  a  patient  of 
the  doctor,  and  destroyed  seven  or  ei^ht  hun- 
dred dollars'  worth  of  books  and  furniture. 

Even  in  the  capital  itself,  at  the  burial  of 
the  first  Protestant  adult  after  the  separation, 
the  procession,  in  returning  from  the  grave, 
was  followed  by  a  mob  of  Armenians,  who 
first  began  to  shout  in  a  highly  insulting  and 
disgraceful  manner,  using  the  most  filthy  lan- 
guage ;  and  afterwards  to  hurl  stones,  some  of 
which  were  of  an  enormous  size.  The  mob 
thus  followed  the  procession  for  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  or  more,  when  they  amounted  to  at  least 
a  thousand  persons.  Several  of  the  Armenian 
brethren,  and  one  at  least  of  the  missionaries, 


ARMENIANS. 


149 


were  struck  with  tlie  stones,  though  providen- 
tially no  one  was  seriously  injured.  In  all 
these  cases,  and  numberless  others  of  a  similar 
kind,  the  Turkish  tribunals  were  immediately 
appealed  to  for  redress ;  and  this  was,  sooner 
or  later,  almost  sure  to  be  obtained,  though 
not  always  to  the  full  extent  that  was  due. 
At  Nicomedia  the  governor  ordered  the  civil 
and  ecclesiastical  leaders  of  the  Armenian 
community  to  desist  from  their  oppressions, 
saying,  "  The  Protestants  no  longer  belong  to 
you,  and  you  have  no  right  to  interfere  with 
their  religion."  A  file  of  soldiers,  even,  was 
sent  on  one  occasion  to  disperse  the  mob.  At 
Trebizond,  police  officers  were  regularly  sta- 
tioned at  the  entrance  of  the  Protestant  place 
of  worship,  as  long  as  such  a  step  was  consid- 
ered necessary.  By  the  prompt  and  decisive 
intervention  of  the  United  States  Minister  at 
the  Porte,  the  damages  sustained  at  Erzrum 
by  Dr.  Smith  were  repaid,  and  four  of  the 
leaders  in  the  mob  were  imprisoned.  And  in 
Constantinople,  the  police  took  effectual  meas- 
ures to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  dis- 
graceful scenes  as  those  described  in  connec- 
tion with  the  first  funeral. 

The  position  of  the  Protestants  was  still  an 
anomalous  one  in  Turkey.  They  were  separ- 
ated from  the  Armenian  community,  but  not 
united  with  any  other.  The  Turkish  govern- 
ment was  determined  they  should  not  be  mo- 
lested by  the  Patriarch  or  his  ministers,  but 
exactly  what  to  do  with  them  was  not  so  easily 
decided.  According  to  the  municipal  regula- 
tions of  Constantinople,  neither  marriage, 
baptism,  nor  burial  can  be  performed  without 
the  cognizance  of  the  civil  power.  A  certifi- 
cate from  the  Patriarch  must  be  presented  to 
the  head  of  the  police,  to  procure  a  permit  for 
marriage.  The  name  of  every  child  baptized 
must  be  communicated  by  the  Patriarch  to  the 
same  officer,  for  enrolment ;  and  previous  per- 
mission must  be  obtained,  through  the  Patri- 
arch, from  the  Board  of  Health,  for  every  burial. 
Besides  this,  no  person  can  travel  in  the  coun- 
try without  a  passport,  and  no  passport  can  be 
obtained  without  the  Patriarch's  voucher  for 
the  honesty  of  the  man.  At  first  it  seemed  to  be 
the  plan  of  the  government,  that  while  the 
Protestants  should  be  entirely  separated  from 
the  Patriarch,  so  far  as  religious  matters  were 
concerned,  he  might  still  be  left  to  act  for 
them  as  their  civil  representative  at  the  Porte. 
This  was  soon  found  to  be  utterly  impractica- 
ble. There  seemed  to  be  two  principal  ob- 
jections to  organizing  them  regularly  into  a 
separate  civil  community  ;  namely,  the  fewness 
of  their  numbers,  and  the  strong  objections  of 
certain  parties  having  great  influence  with  the 
government.  They  were  consequently  left  for 
more  than  a  year  and  a  half  with  their  rights 
acknowledged,  and  yet  without  any  regular 
provision  for  secm'ing  those  rights  from  inva- 
sion ;  and  subject,  in  the  interval,  to  frequent 
grievances  and  even  oppressions,  such  as  have 


been  described.  And  it  is  always  to  be  under- 
stood, that  Protestants  in  the  interior  were 
exposed  to  greater  trials  of  this  sort  in  pro- 
portion to  the  remoteness  of  their  situation 
from  the  capital. 

But  though  the  patience  of  the  evangelical 
Armenians  was  long  tried  in  various  ways, 
through  their  imperfect  acknowledgment  by 
the  government,  still  there  was  a  gradual 
melioration  of  their  condition  evidently  going 
on,  which,  to  such  as  were  watching  with 
reasonable  expectations,  the  signs  of  the  times, 
was  highly  encouraging.  It  is  impossible  for 
those  who  have  never  been  in  like  circumstan- 
ces, to  conceive  of  the  degree  of  satisfaction 
and  encouragement  felt  by  the  Protestants 
when  they  were  for  the  first  time  permitted  to 
bury  their  dead  in  peace,  under  the  protection 
of  the  civil  power,  and  to  procure  a  permit 
for  marriage,  and  a  passport  for  traveling, 
without  the  mediation  of  the  Patriarch.  The 
second  adult  funeral  among  them  was  in  strik- 
ing contrast  with  the  first.  It  occurred  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  in  the  procession  were  from 
100  to  150  native  Protestants,  with  their  pas- 
tor at  their  head,  carrying  a  copy  of  the  Scrip- 
tures in  his  hand.  All  marched  silently  and 
solemnly,  at  mid-day,  through  the  most  public 
street  of  Pera,  to  the  Protestant  burying- 
ground,  under  the  protection  of  a  body  of  the 
police.  It  was  a  new  and  wonderful  spectacle 
for  Turkey;  and  shop-keepers  and  artisans 
along  the  way  turned  aside  from  business  for 
the  moment,  and  inquired.  What  new  thing  is 
this?  Hitherto  the  funeral  processions  of 
native  Christians  had  been  accompanied  with 
gilded  crosses  elevated  in  the  air,  and  candles, 
and  priestly  robes,  and  chantings.  It  was 
whispered  from  mouth  to  mouth,  "  These  are 
the  Protestants.  See  how  the  government 
protects  them !"  Some  of  the  Mussulmans 
said,  "  Look  !  There  are  no  crosses !  no  sing- 
ing !    This  is  as  it  should  be." 

Several  hundreds  of  people  of  different 
classes  gathered  around  the  grave,  where  a 
hymn  was  sung,  and  a  short  but  earnest  and 
appropriate  address  was  delivered  by  the  pas- 
tor. Many  went  home  from  that  burial  with 
new  and  more  correct  impressions  of  what 
Protestantism  really  is.  The  moral  influence 
of  the  whole  spectacle  was  highly  salutary, 
and  it  was  felt  by  all  that  an  important  point 
had  been  gained  to  the  Protestant  cause.  The 
internal  growth  of  the  community  was  ever 
in  advance  of  the  external.  No  week  passed 
without  furnishing  evidence  of  the  special  pre- 
sence of  God's  Spirit. 

But  in  eight  short  months  a  heavy  affliction 
befell  the  church  in  the  capital  in  the  death  of 
its  beloved  and  useful  pastor.  His  labors,  and 
cares,  and  anxieties  had  been  abundant,  and 
he  was  the  object  of  many  a  shaft  from  the 
enemy.  He  was  sometimes  thrown  into  vary 
exciting  scenes,  in  the  midst  of  mobs,  raised 
in  the  streets  to  vex  the  Protestants.    Only  a 


160 


ARMENIANS. 


short  time  previous  to  hia  death,  he  visited 
Nicomedia;  aud  while  there,  was  called  to 
attend  the  funeral  of  a  Protestant  brother. 
As  the  procession  passed  along  the  street, 
thousands  of  hostile  Armenians  were  assem- 
bled, to  meet  it  with  insults  and  abuse.  Ar- 
rived at  the  place  of  burial,  this  rabble  gath- 
ered around  the  grave,  and  Mr.  Khachaduryan 
took  the  opportunity  of  preaching  to  them  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  They  listened  in  perfect 
silence,  and  then  went  quietly  to  their  homes. 
The  pastor  returned  to  Constantinople,  over- 
come by  exertion  and  excitement.  Within  a 
week,  he  was  exposed  to  the  worrying  influence 
of  a  similar  outrage,  at  the  funeral  of  a  Pro- 
testant child,  in  the  capital.  His  last  disease 
immediately  developed  itself,  which  was  pro- 
nounced by  a  judicious  physician  to  be  a  dis- 
ease of  the  brain,  induced  by  excessive  mental 
effort  and  excitement,  a  disease  in  this  form, 
scarcely  known  in  the  country.  During  most 
of  his  illness  he  was  delirious,  but  his  ruling 
passion  was  constantly  showing  itself.  Scarce- 
ly anything  else  was  heard  to  proceed  from 
his  lips  but  the  name  of  the  beloved  Saviour,  or 
what  pertained  to  his  kingdom  and  glory.  The 
report  went  abroad  among  his  superstitious 
enemies  that  God  had  smitten  him  with  raving 
madness  and  despair,  in  consequence  of  the 
anathemas  of  the  Church,  which  rested  upon 
him  ;  and  great  would  have  been  their  glory- 
ing, had  his  sun  thus  set  under  a  cloud.  But 
the  earnest  supplications  of  his  Church  were 
heard ;  the  cloud  was  lifted  up ;  the  laboring 
mind  was  unshackled ;  and  the  departing 
saint  was  permitted  to  magnify  the  grace  of 
Christ,  by  declaring  how  abundantly  ho  was 
sustained  in  that  solemn  hour.  A  short  time 
before  he  died,  in  answer  to  inquiries,  he  said, 
that  his  heart  was  "  full  of  sin,  but  Jesus  Christ 
was  his  righteousness,  his  sanctification,  and 
his  redemption  ;"  and  that  his  hope  was  "  not 
at  all  in  his  own  merits  ;  but  only  in  the  free 
and  infinite  grace  of  God." 

A  brother  of  the  deceased,  Mr.  Simon  Kha- 
chaduryan, was  shortly  after  elected,  and  or- 
dained pastor  in  his  place.  He  had  been 
educated  at  the  Bebek  Seminary,  and  possess- 
ed rare  qualities  for  the  oflBce  to  which  he  was 
called,  and  which  he  still  continues  to  adorn. 

Two  other  pupils  of  the  same  seminary,  Mr. 
Avedis,  and  Mr.  Mugurdich,  were  licensed  to 
preach   the   Gospel.     The  latter  was  subse- 

2uently  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  Evangelical 
Ihurch  in  Trebizond,  and  the  former  as  co-pas- 
tor in  Constantinople.  Another  pastor  was 
ordained  in  Nicomedia  in  the  latter  part  of 
November,  1847.  This  was  Mr.  HarCitun  Mi- 
Dosian.  His  ordination  was  attended  by  circum- 
stances of  peculiar  interest.  His  little  flock  had 
been  for  many  years  exposed  to  alntost  constant 
persecution.  Oftentimes  they  were  driven 
from  the  abodes  of  men,  and  compelled  to  hold 
their  worship  in  the  distant  fields ;  and  even 
there,  they  were  never  sure  of  being  left  un- 


molested. Now  they  had  a  place  for  publie 
worship  in  the  very  heart  of  the  city;  and 
there,  at  raid-day,  on  the  Sabbath,  the  ordina- 
tion services  were  iMirformcd — no  one  daring 
to  "  molest  them  or  make  them  afraid." 

Missionary  tours  performed  through  various 
parts  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  brought 
to  light  many  encouraging  facts  in  regard  to 
the  extent  of  the  work  of  reform.  In  no  place 
was  there  a  more  remarkable  movement  than 
at  Aintab,  a  town  situated  about  three  days* 
ride  north-east  from  Aleppo.  Some  copies  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  other  books  from  the  mis- 
sion press,  hijd  found  their  way  to  this  town, 
chiefly  through  the  agency  of  Bedros  vartabed, 
who  labored  as  a  colporteur  in  those  parts  ; 
and  a  few  individuals,  by  the  blessing  of  God 
on  the  simple  reading  of  the  word,  had  their 
eyes  opened  to  see  the  errors  of  their  Church. 
Soon  after,  the  Patriarchal  bull  against  priest 
Vertaness  and  the  other  evangelical  brethren, 
was  received  from  Constantinople,  and  publicly 
read  in  the  Church.  Those  who  had  been  con- 
vinced of  the  truth  now  learned,  for  the  first 
time,  that  there  existed  in  the  Armenian  com- 
munity a  body  of  men  who  take  the  Bible  as 
their  only  guide.  This  greatly  encouraged  and 
strengthened  them.  Soon  after,  a  vartabed 
came  to  Aintab,  and  began  to  preach  the 
evangelical  doctrines  in  the  Armenian  Church, 
in  the  most  bold  and  zealoas  manner.  He  was 
interesting  in  his  appearance,  and  eloquent  in 
his  speech  ;  and  with  great  fearlessness  did  he 
expose  the  errors  of  his  Church,  and  with 
great  power  set  forth  the  peculiar  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel.  Very  many  were  convinced  by 
him  of  the  truth,  and  were  led  to  renounce 
their  previous  errors,  and  openly  avow  tl\pm- 
selves  as  Protestants.  It  seemed  as  though 
the  whole  fabric  of  superstition  in  Aintab 
must  speedily  fall.  It  was  soon  discovered 
that  this  new  and  zealous  preacher  of  the  evan- 
gelical doctrines,  was  himself  evangelical  only 
in  name.  His  moral  character  proved  to  be 
infamous,  and  he  -was  sent  away  in  disgrace. 
The  fruits  of  his  preaching,  however,  remained, 
although  he  proved  so  unworthy  an  instrument. 
The  evangelical  brethren  immediately  prepared 
a  letter,  signed  by  eighty-two  heads  of  families, 
requesting  that  a  missionary  might  forthwith 
be  sent  to  them.  Mr.  Van  Lennep,  of  Con- 
stantinople, went  in  obedience  to  the  call, 
though  not  to  remain  permanently,  as  they  had 
hoped.  His  visit  was  timely  and  useful.  The 
place  was  afterwards  visited  by  Mr.  Johnston, 
by  Dr.  Smith,  and  by  Mr.  Schneider ;  and  a 
flourishing  church  was  gathered,  and  one  of  the 
largest  congregations  of  Protestants  in  the 
Turkish  empire !  The  condition  of  the  Ar- 
menians in  all  that  section  of  the  country  was 
highly  encouraging. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1847, 
Rev.  Isaac  G.  Bliss  and  wife  arrived  in  the 
country  from  America,  and  proceeded  to  join 
Mr.  Peabody  in  his  labor  in  Erzrfira.      An 


ARMENIANS. 


151 


evangelical  Armenian  Church  had  been  organ- 
ized there  in  April,  and  another  was  formed 
in  Brusa  in  July,  making  seven  in  all. 

In  the  year  1 847  Sir  Stratford  Canning  re- 
turned for  a  season  to  his  native  land,  and 
Lord  Cowley  was  appointed  to  occupy,  tempo- 
rarily, his  place.  He  proved  himself  to  be  as 
warm  and  firm  a  friend  of  religious  freedom  as 
his  predecessor.  He  exerted  himself  with  the 
most  unremitting  zeal  to  secure  to  the  Pro- 
testant Armenians  a  distinct  recognition  on  the 
part  of  the  Porte,  and  a  formal  organization, 
which  should  place  them  on  the  same  footing 
with  all  other  Christian  communities  in  the 
empire ;  and  his  noble  efforts  were  crowned 
with  complete  success.  On  the  15th  of  No- 
vember, 1847,  he  procured  from  the  Turkish 
Government  an  imperial  decree,  recognizing 
native  Protestants  as  constituting  a  separate 
and  independent  community  in  Turkey.  In 
this  high  official  paper  it  was  declared  that 
"  no  interference  whatever  should  be  permitted 
in  their  temporal  or  spiritual  concerns,  on  the 
part  of  the  patriarchs,  monks,  or  priests  of 
other  sects."  This  decree  was  immediately 
sent  to  all  the  Pashas  in  the  interior,  under 
whose  jurisdiction  Protestants  were  known  to 
exist.  An  individual  elected  by  the  new  com- 
munity was  formally  recognized  by  the  gov- 
ernment as  the  agent  and  representative  of  the 
Protestants  at  the  Porte. 

The  evangelical  brethren  in  Constantinople 
immediately  appointed  a  day  for  special 
thanksgiving  and  prayer.  Great  was  the  joy 
of  the  Protestants  in  every  part  of  the  land, 
though  still  it  was,  in  many  cases,  rejoicing 
with  trembling.  At  the  different  missionary 
stations  greater  boldness  in  attending  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  was  noticed,  and  a 
new  impulse  seemed  to  be  given  to  the  spirit 
of  inquiry.  The  special  influences  of  the 
Spirit  were  extensively  enjoyed,  though  in  no 
case,  except  at  the  Female  Seminary  in  Con- 
stantinople, was  the  movement  general  enough 
to  be  designated  as  a  revival  of  religion.  In 
the  district  of  Geghi,  south-west  of  Erzrum, 
containing  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand 
souls,  Mr.  Peabody  found  very  promising  indi- 
cations of  an  extensive  religious  awakening. 
The  vartabed  himself  was  the  most  decided 
evangelical  man  in  the  community.  For  per- 
sonal security,  he  was  obliged  to  flee  to  Erzrum, 
where,  after  a  sufficient  trial,  he  was  received 
into  the  Evangelical  Church.  At  Aintab,  the 
development  was  more  rapid,  perhaps,  than  any- 
where else.  Mr.  Schneider,  of  the  Brusa  station, 
spent  the  summer  of  1848  in  labors  there, 
during  which  time  the  congregation  steadily 
increased,  and  many  were  affected  to  tears,  un- 
der the  preaching  of  the  Word.  A  very  intel- 
ligent priest  became  obedient  to  the  faith,  and 
his  sincerity  was  called,  more  than  once,  to  the 
severe  test  of  persecution.  At  a  communion 
season  in  October,  1848,  seventeen  persons 
were  added  to  the  Church,  five  of  whom  were 


females.  During  the  same  month.  Dr.  Smith 
returned  to  Aintab,  where  he  took  up  his  resi- 
dence as  a  missionary  of  the  Board,  together 
with  his  wife.  The  importance  of  the  station 
was  such,  that  it  was  determined  that  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Schneider,  of  Brusa,  should  become  per. 
manently  connected  with  it ;  the  same  steamer 
which  brought  away  Mr.  Schneider  from 
Ghemlik,  the  port  of  Brusa,  carried  back  thither 
to  occupy  his  place,  the  Eev.  Oliver  Crane  and 
wife,  who  had  just  arrived  from  America. 

Among  the  evangelical  Christians  at  Ain- 
tab a  most  commendable  zeal  had  shown  itself 
for  the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  the  towns  and 
villages  around.  Several  attempts  had  been 
made  by  individuals  to  labor  as  colporteurs, 
but  they  were  never  suffered  to  remain  long  in 
a  place.  The  Armenian  primates  easily  suc- 
ceeded in  persuading  the  Turkish  authorities 
to  order  them  away  as  vagabonds.  A  novel 
experiment  was  made,  early  in  the  year  1849, 
to  accomplish  the  object  in  view  without  sub- 
jecting themselves  to  the  charge  of  being  mere 
idlers,  and  "  busybodies  in  other  men's  matters." 
Five  individuals  who  had  trades,  went  forth  to 
different  towns,  with  their  tools  in  one  hand,  and 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit  in  the  other.  Wherever 
they  went  they  worked  at  their  trades,  while,  at 
the  same  time,  they  labored  for  the  spiritual 
good  of  the  people.  The  experiment  succeeded 
to  admiration.  The  spirit  of  religious  inquiry 
was  spreading  from  Aintab  in  almost  all  direc- 
tions. The  congregation  in  the  town  itself 
had  become  so  large,  that  two  places  were 
opened  for  worship  at  the  same  time.  And 
from  various  towns  and  villages  throughout 
the  country,  the  most  urgent  appeals  came 
from  souls  hungering  for  the  bread  of  life. 

In  November,  1848,  Mr.  Hohannes  Sahak- 
yan,  having  spent  several  years  in  study  in 
America,  was  licensed  at  Constantinople  to 
preach  the  gospel ;  and  in  the  following  spring, 
he  was  ordained  as  pastor  of  the  evangelical 
Armenian  Chm-ch  in  Adabazar,  where  he  has 
been  since  laboring  with  great  diligence  and 
success.  Mr.  Khachadur,  a  pupil  of  the  Be- 
bek  Seminary,  was  licensed  as  a  preacher  in 
February,  1849. 

In  Trebizond,  formal  permission  was  given 
by  the  governor  to  the  Protestants,  to  use  as  a 
burying-ground  a  piece  of  land  purchased  for 
this  purpose  three  years  previously.  As  long 
ago  as  January,  1848,  a  vizirial  letter  had 
been  procured,  through  the  generous  efforts  of 
Mr.  Carr,  the  United  States  Minister  at  the 
Porte,  ordering  the  authorities  in  Trebizond 
to  see  that  the  Protestants  be  permitted  to 
have  a  cemetery  of  their  own,  but  various  dif- 
ficulties had  prevented  an  earlier  accomplish- 
ment of  the  design. 

The  following  table  presents  a  comprehen- 
sive view  of  the  present  state  of  the  mission. 
The  figure  at  the  left  of  each  group  of  out- 
stations,  indicates  the  station  under  whose  su- 
pervision they  respectively  are. 


'."^ 


152 


ARMENIANS. 


oSao 

fir 


WE 


ii^o<oos-«a>o<it^( 


Mlff||||l  i 


•^  a>  <31  tl^  M  t«  M 

Isrs 


feSSSfSSS 


When  Ck)mmenced. 


CO  bO»9b9tOi«-1 


Preachers. 


I  toiofcototeo 


Females. 


a  to  M  to  CO  to  -» 


Total. 


Preachers, 


M  M  fcO  CO  CO  to 


ClM         MUlM® 


Assistants. 


tSkOtOtOtOCO^MM 


HJ  (-•  CO  I*!' »*>■  CO 


0>M        MfcOMCO 


Places  of  Stated 
Pi-eaching. 


1  O  K>  «;»  C3  C<  to  K)  to  M  •«  M  M    tO  M  Or  M^  Ol 
'  O  O  ©  ©  O  Cn  ©  ©  tn   ©  ©  ©  ©  en  «»  ©  O 


O.  M  •«  !(».  to  Wi  *. 
O  Ifk   CO  to  ©  <o 


Average  Sabbath 
Congregations. 


Seminaries. 


Pupils  in  Sem- 
inaries. 


High  Schools. 


Pupils  in  High 
Schools. 


Female  Boarding 
Schools. 


Pupils  in  Female 
Board'g  Schools. 


Free  Schools. 


Male  Pupils  in 
Free  Schools. 


Female  PupUs  in 
Free  Schools. 


;k-§ 


ooto«j<^C>&ie;<©< 


,  C  «T  CO 


O©        (O©        CO 


Total  of  all 
Pupils. 


Teachers,  Church 
Members. 


Pupils,  Church 
Members. 


Number  of 
Churches. 


Members  re- 
ceived. 


Excommunica- 
tions. 


Number  of 
Members. 


to  ( 

CO-a-i  < 


Whole  Do.  from 
beginning. 


to      tota«;«eoC7'tototoi-i      eoto      toco©o>cn 
S>*».«'toa>to©©«D>-'ooe;»©to©©cooi©ic 


®  to  CO  ©  )f».  M  *. 
©  en  ©  w  it  *>  en 


Number  of  Enrolled 
Protestants. 


ARMENIANS. 


163 


The  year  1848  "vvas  remarkable  ior  the  num- 
ber and  extent  of  its  conflagrations  in  the  city 
of  Constantinople  ;  and  among  tlie  providen- 
tial interpositions  in  behalf  of  the  Protestant 
cause,  must  be  mentioned  the  fact,  that  in  five 
or  six  different  instances  the  devouring  element 
approached  so  near  to  the  chapel  and  Female 
Seminary  in  Pera,  as  to  leave  but  a  faint 
hope  that  they  could  escape  ;  and  once  even 
they  actually  began  to  burn,  but  the  flames 
were  speedily  extinguished.  Again  and  again 
was  it  shouted  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  "  The 
Protestant  Chapel  is  consumed  ;"  but  in  each 
case,,  an  unseen  hand  was  stretched  out  to  ar- 
rest the  destroyer,  and  save  the  Protestant 
cause  from  so  great  a  disaster. 

The  Patriarch  Matteos'  plans  for  the  over- 
throw of  Protestantism  in  the  country,  had 
met  with  a  most  signal  failure.  His  own  re- 
moval from  office  wound  up  the  scene.  He 
was  found  guilty  of  various  frauds  upon  the 
public  treasury,  and  according  to  the  ofl&cial 
announcement  of  the  case  in  the  French  jour- 
nal of  Constantinople,  "of  acts  of  injustice 
inconsistent  with  patriarchal  dignity."  He 
was  accordingly  degraded,  and  sentenced  to 
banishment.  A  friendly  banker,  however,  be- 
came surety  for  him,  and  procured  his  release 
from  this  part  of  the  punishment.  He  has 
since  been  living  in  retirement  on  the  shores  of 
the  Bosphorus. 

Our  limits  will  not  permit  us  even  in  the 
brief  manner  in  which  that  of  the  previous 
years  has  been  given,  to  continue  the  sketch  of 
this  interesting  portion  of  missionary  history. 
We  can  only  add  a  few  words.  In  1850  the  posi- 
tion of  the  Armenian  Protestants  was  improv- 
ed and  its  permanency  secured  by  a  firman  of 
the  Sultan,  obtained  through  the  interposition 
of  Sir  Stratford  Canning,  now  Lord  Stratford 
de  Pedcliffe,  as  the  completion  of  his  noble  ef- 
forts in  behalf  of  the  rights  of  conscience  in 
Turkey,  which  gives  to  the  Protestants  all  the 
privileges  granted  to  the  other  Christian 
communities.  What  had  before  been  done 
was  liable  to  be  reversed  by  a  change  of  ad- 
ministration, or  of  the  policy  of  the  govern- 
ment. This  is  beyond  recall ;  and  the  firman 
given  in  1853,  in  answer  to  the  demands  of 
Russia  for  another  object,  to  the  Protestants 
as  to  the  other  rayah  (non-mussulman)  com- 
munities, carries  forward  the  cause  of  religious 
liberty  another  step  by  declaring  these  com- 
munities on  an  equality  before  the  law  with 
the  Mohammedan  population.  What  is  to  be 
the  issue  of  the  fearful  conflict,  which  while 
we  write,  Turkey  is  waging  for  national  exist- 
ence, is  unknown  to  us ;  but  the  analogy  of 
the  past,  and  the  continued  progress  of  the 
work  of  enlightenment  and  spiritual  regenera- 
tion within  her  borders,  encourage  the  hope 
that  it  will  be  auspicious  to  the  interests  of 
the  Saviour's  kingdom.  A  mighty  social, 
moral,  and  religious  revolution  is  in  progress  ; 
and  this  political  changes  may  favor,  but  cannot 


defeat.  We  may  confidently  expect  that  the 
religious  freedom  granted  to  others  will  soon 
be  secured  equally  to  the  Mohammedans,  so  as 
to  allow  the  profession  of  Christianity  by 
them  ;  and  when  that  shall  come,  the  work 
accomplished  among  the  Armenians  will  be  a 
noble  preparation  for  another  and  still  more 
glorious  one  among  those  heretofore  excluded 
from  the  direct  efforts  of  the  Church  for  their 
salvation. 

The  progress  for  the  last  six  years  of  the 
mission  under  review  can  easily  be  learned 
from  the  reports  and  other  publications  of  the 
Board.  The  cost  at  which  Protestantism  is 
still  professed,  keeps  the  increase  of  the  Pro- 
testant civil  community,  as  yet,  healthfully 
low  ;  while  evidence  of  the  spread  of  evangel- 
ical sentiments  and  the  leavening  influence  of 
the  Gospel  is  multiplying  on  every  hand.  In 
some  places  the  outward  development  is  more 
rapid  than  in  others.  The  greatest  is  in  Cili- 
cia  and  on  the  borders  of  Mesopotamia.  Dur- 
ing the  year  embraced  in  the  report  for  1853, 
five  new  churches  were  organized  ;  one  in  Eo- 
dosto,  on  the  European  shore  of  the  Marmora ; 
one  in  Smyrna ;  one  in  Marsovan  ;  one  in 
Killis ;  and  one  in  Kessab.  Ten  others  pre- 
viously existed :  viz.,  three  in  Constantinople, 
and  one  each  in  Nicomedia,  Adabazar,  Brusa, 
Trebizond,  Erzrum,  Sivas,  and  Aintab.  The 
increase  of  members  in  their  communion  dur- 
ing the  year  was  90 ;  making  the  total  to  be 
351 ;  which  at  the  end  of  1853  was  increased 
to  395.  The  number  in  the  Protestant  civil 
community  was  about  2,000  ;  of  whom  about 
160  were  in  Kessab,  a  village  of  the  Aintab 
district,  in  which  two  years  before  not  an 
avowed  Protestant  was  to  be  found.  Brusa 
has  ceased  to  be  a  station  of  the  mission ;  the 
missionaries  having  been  transferred  to  other 
places,  and  this  left  to  the  care,  under  the  over- 
sight of  the  Constantinople  station,  of  the  na- 
tive pastor,  Mr.  Stepan  Khachaduryan,  bro- 
ther to  the  two  brothers  who  succeeded  one  the 
other  in  the  pastorate  at  the  capital.  The 
press,  formerly  at  Smyrna,  has  been  removed 
to  the  capital.  The  Female  Boarding  School, 
now  having  25  pupils,  has  become  established 
in  the  suburb  of  Hasskeuy.  The  seminary  at 
Bebek  has  enlarged  its  numbers  to  50,  and  is 
yearly  sending  forth  educated  young  men  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  occupy  other  posts  of 
importance  in  connection  with  the  work  of 
the  mission.  On  both  these  schools  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  descended  and  wrought  a  work  of 
conversion  and  sanctification  in  the  hearts  of 
their  pupils.  The  churches  maintain  discipline 
with  great  strictness,  and  exhibit  a  gratifying 
spectacle  of  Christian  consistency  and  activity. 
The  converted  Armenians  are  indeed  a  zealous 
and  effective  body  of  evangelists,  whose  labors 
are  not  confined  to  any  one  class  or  place.  In 
all  the  divisions  of  society  the  influence  of  the 
Gospel  is  becoming  more  extended  and  power- 
ful.   A  most  encouraging  feature  of  the  re* 


154 


ARBAH— ASHANTEE. 


formation  is  tho  wide  extent  of  its  influence 

Sjographically  considered.  Mr.  Layard,  of  the 
hurch  of  Eugland,  who  has  gained  so  deserv- 
ed a  celebrity  by  his  discoveries  at  Nineveh,  in 
his  recent  nublication,  gives  incidents  pleasing- 
ly illustrating  this ;  and  in  a  passage,  too  long 
for  quotation,  in  which  ho  eulogizes  the  Amer- 
ican missionaries  for  their  "judicious,  earnest, 
and  zealous  exertions,"  and  speaks  of  the 
changes  for  the  better  which  they  are  cflect> 
iug  in  the  Armenian  Church  and  on  its  cler- 
gy, he  says  that  "  there  is  now  scarcely  a  town 
of  any  importance  in  Turkey  without  a  Pro- 
testant community."  (Nineveh  and  Babylon, 
p.  405.)  In  the  reports  of  the  Board  for  1852 
and  1853,  lists  of  towns  containing  considera- 
bly more  than  100  names  are  introduced,  in 
which  there  is  so  decided  a  development  of  a 
spirit  of  inquiry,  in  connection  with  the  fact 
of  the  presence  in  each  of  truly  enlightened, 
and  one  or  more  of  whom  hope  is  entertained 
that  they  are  truly  regenerated,  individuals,  as 
to  impose  an  urgent  necessity  for  evangelical 
instruction  to  be  extended  to  them.  "  From 
every  part  of  the  land,"  says  Mr.  Dwight, 
"  comes  to  us  one  appeal, '  Send  us  preachers,' 
*  Send  us  preachers.'  "  And,  says  Mr.  Schnei- 
der of  the  Aintab  station,  '•  We  are  constantly 
receiving  calls  for  some  one  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel. These  calls  wax  more  loud  and  more 
earnest  every  month.  Sometimes  I  almost 
fear  to  have  the  post  arrive,  lest  some  such 
appeal,  to  which  we  cannot  respond,  come  to 
increase  our  perplexity." 

The  mission  in  connection  with  the  mission  of 
the  Board  to  the  Jews  in  Turkey,  has  ten  fonts 
of  t}^e  in  the  Armenian,  Greek,  Bulgarian, 
and  Hebrew  languages.  There  are  enrolled 
Protestants  in  places  where  the  mission  has 
no  laborers,  and  who,  therefore,  are  not  inclu- 
ded in  the  tabular  view  :  viz.,  IJivrik,  23  ; 
Mashgerd,  10,  etc.  The  whole  number  in 
the  country  is  not  known, 

PRINTING. 

Whole  number  of  vela,  printed  in  the  year. .  19,000 

"            "       "  tracts      "            "       "    ..  13,000 

"            "       "  pages  of  Scripture      "    ..  1,672,000 

"            "       "      "  tracts  and  books "    ..  3,596,600 

Whole  No.  of  copies  printed  during  the  year  32  000 

*'        "       Pagea        "            "        "       "  6,268'600 

«'        "        copies  from  the  beginning 1  043  210 

"        "        pages      "       "          "        121,780,060 

During  the  present  year  (1854)  at  least  eight 
missionaries,  with  their  wives,  are  expected  to 
be  added  to  the  mission,  and  the  following 
places  to  be  speedily  occupied  as  stations,  viz., 
Tocat,  Kaisery,  Sivas,  and  perhaps  Oorfa,  Ma- 
rash,  and  Kharpoot. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  foregoing  article, 
free  use  has  been  made  of  Smith  and  Dwight's 
Researches  in  Armenia,  and  Dwight's  Christian- 
ity Revived  in  the  East. — Rev.  G.  W.  Wood. 

ARRAH  :  A  town  in  Bahar,  35  miles  W. 
by  S.  from  Patna,  in  Cochin,  India  ;  a  station 
of  Gosner's  Missionary  Society. 

ARORANGAI:   A  station  of  the  London 


Missionary  Society  on  the  Island  of  Raroton- 
ga,  one  of  the  Hervey  Ishinds. 

ARRACAN  :  A  province  of  the  Burman 
Empire  ceded  to  the  English  East  India  Com- 
pany, in  182G.  It  lies  on  tho  eastern  shore 
of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and  embraces  1G,500 
square  miles,  and  contains  a  population  of 
about  250,000.  It  is  divided  into  four  dis- 
tricts, Akyab,  Sandoway,  Aeng  and  Rarasu. 
It  is  the  seat  of  a  flourisliing  mission  of  tho 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  which 
was  begun  in  1835. 

ASCENSION  ISLAND:  An  island 
in  Micronesia,  three  hundred  miles  from 
Strong's  Island,  a  station  of  the  American 
Board. 

AS-HAN'  TEE  :  Ashantee  is  included  in 
that  general  division  of  Western  Africa  which 
has  been  denominated  Guinea.  The  empire  of 
Ashantee  is  not  so  much  one  state,  as  an  assem- 
blage of  states,  owing  a  kind  of  feudal  obedience 
to  the  sovereign  of  Ashantee.  The  empire,  ac- 
cording to  Dupuis,  extends  westward  from  the 
river  Volta,  about  four  degrees,  and  about  four 
degrees  inland  from  the  Gold  coast,  comprising 
an  area  of  about  60,000  square  miles.  It 
embraces,  also,  several  provinces  east  of  the 
Volta.  Over  the  whole  of  this  territory  the 
king  of  Ashantee  exercises  absolute  sway, 
all  the  kings,  viceroys,  or  caboceers,  being  his 
absolute  and  unconditional  vassals.  But  the 
power  of  the  king  is  somewhat  limited,  by  the 
principle  of  the  ancient  Medes  and  Persians, 
that  a  law  once  passed  can  never  be  changed ; 
and  the  caboceers  and  captains  claim  to  be 
heard  on  all  questions  relating  to  war  and  for- 
eign politics,  which  are  considered  in  a  general 
assembly.  The  king  employs  a  number  of 
boys,  trained  for  the  purpose,  who  are  placed 
as  spies  on  the  great  men,  and  report  to  the 
king  all  they  see  and  hear ;  thus  verifying  the 
words  of  Solomon  :  "  Curse  not  the  king,  for  a 
bird  of  the  air  shall  carry  the  voice,  and  that 
which  hath  wings  shall  tell  the  matter." 
Speaking  against  the  king  is  punished  as  trear 
son.  The  king  has  the  property  as  well  as  the 
lives  of  his  people  in  his  power.  He  is  the 
legal  heir  of  all  his  people,  and  can  claim  all 
their  gold  at  their  death.  The  produce  of  the 
gold  mines  is  the  property  of  the  king.  The 
gold  contained  in  the  soil  of  the  market  place 
of  Kumasi  also  belongs  to  the  king ;  and  on 
two  occasions,  the  washings  of  this  soil  yielded 
1600  ounces  of  gold.  Frequently,  after  a  rain, 
lumps  of  gold  are  laid  bare  ;  but  they  are 
covered  up  again,  for  any  one  picking  them 
up  would  lose  his  head.  On  the  public  recep- 
tion of  visitors  at  the  capital,  the  king  is  mag- 
nificently attired  in  silk,  with  necklaces,  brace- 
lets, knee-bands  and  ankle-strings  of  gold  and 
beads,  with  various  other  ornaments,  some  of 
which  are  of  massive  gold.  The  throne  is 
covered  with  plates  of  gold ;  and  all  his  at- 
tendants are  decked  in  a  corresponding  stylei, 
each  bearing  the  emblems  of  his  office  :  alto^ 


ASHANTEE. 


155 


tlier  presenting  a  very  imposing  appearance. 

n  these  occasions,  the  market  place,  which  is 
about  a  mile  in  circumference,  is  generally 
crowded.  When  Mr.  Freeman  was  received, 
he  estimated  the  number  present  at  40,000, 
half  of  whom  were  soldiers.  The  Ashautee 
monarchy  is  hereditary ;  but  instead  of  de- 
scending from  father  to  son,  it  passes  from 
brother  to  brother.  A  female  cannot  ascend 
the  throne  ;  but  if,  when  the  last  of  the  line  of 
brothers  dies,  his  sister  has  a  son,  the  crown 
descends  to  him. 

Domestic  slavery  exists  in  Ashantee,  and  the 
lives  and  services  of  the  slaves  are  at  the  dis- 
posal of  their  masters.  Yet  the  treatment  of 
tlie  slaves  is  not  uniformly  harsh  and  severe  ; 
and  sometimes  a  slave  becomes  heir  to  his  mas- 
ter ;  and  in  many  instances,  they  rise  to  power 
and  office.  The  foreign  slave-trade,  says  Bee- 
cham,  is  valued  by  the  native  princes,  not  only 
for  its  profit,  but  as  an  outlet  for  a  redundant 
slave  population,  which  often  becomes  so  great 
by  reason  of  captives  taken  in  war,  as  to  be 
l^ared. 

Polygamy  prevails  in  Ashantee  to  a  fright- 
ful extent.  It  is  said  that  the  law  allows  tlie 
king  to  have  3333  wives  ;  about  half  a  dozen 
of  whom  are  kept  at  the  palace  at  a  time,  and 
the  rest  live  on  his  plantation,  or  at  the  capi- 
tal, where  two  streets  are  devoted  to  their  use, 
into  wliich  no  one  is  permitted  to  enter  ;  and 
when  they  go  abroad,  no  one  is  allowed  to  look 
upon  them.  The  chief  men  of  the  nation  have 
as  many  wives  as  they  are  able  to  procure.  Mar- 
riages are  contracted  without  consulting  the 
woman,  and  often  in  infancy  and  childhood. 
In  Ashantee  and  the  neighboring  countries, 
where  polygamy  prevails,  the  husband  lives 
separate  from  his  wives,  who  dwell  in  houses 
or  sheds,  contiguous  to  each  other,  in  the  form 
of  a  square.  In  some  cases,  they  remain  with 
their  mothers  after  marriage.  They  cook  and 
carry  food  to  their  husband,  but  are  not  al- 
lowed to  eat  with  him.  Sometimes  his  child- 
ren eat  with  him,  but  more  frequently,  he  eats 
alone.  The  children  are  left  chiefly  to  the 
care  of  their  mothers,  and  grow  up  without 
correction,  till,  when  the  perverseness  of  the 
boy  can  be  no  longer  endured,  the  father  pun- 
ishes him  by  cutting  off  an  ear.  Unfaithful- 
ness on  the  part  of  a  wife,  is  punished  with 
severity ;  both  parties  being  sometimes  pun^ 
ished  with  death,  but  more  frequently  with  a 
fine  from  her  parents  and  her  paramour,  in  de- 
fault of  which,  her  husband  cuts  off  her  nose.  If 
she  is  found  listening  to  his  private  conversa- 
tion, she  loses  an  ear.  In  Ashantee  one  of 
the  king's  sisters  is  made  governor  of  all  the 
women  in  the  kingdom.  The  women  of  As- 
hantee, as  in  most  heathen  lands,  are  made  the 
drudges  of  the  men,  the  heaviest  work  being 
put  upon  them. 

Roads  have  been  made  from  Kumasi,  or 
Coomassie,  the  capital  of  Ashantee,  to  the 
most  distant  parts  of  the  empire,  and  these  are 


intersected  by  numerous  cross-roads.  The 
population  of  the  capital  has  been  estimated 
at  100,000.  and  of  the  whole  kingdom,  at 
4,000,000.  ' 

Homes. — The  Ashantees,  and  other  natives 
contiguous  to  the  coast,  build  their  houses  of 
mud  and  sticks,  with  a  verandah  in  front,  from 
which  the  door  opens  intS  an  open  court, 
around  which  are  built  huts  or  sheds,  for  the 
different  members  of  the  household.  All  the 
houses  in  the  capital  of  Ashantee  are  of  this 
sort,  except  the  castle  of  the  king,  which  is  of 
stone. 

Arts. — The  Ashantees  are  ingenious  artists 
in  the  precious  metals  which  their  country  pro- 
duces. Iron  is  manufactured  to  a  considerable 
extent.  They  carve  and  work  in  wood  with 
no  little  skill.  The  art  of  tanning  leather  is 
understood.  They  have  made  considerable  pro- 
gress in  weaving,  and  have  done  something  at 
pottery. 

Trade. — The  spirit  of  trade  does  not  prevail 
as  much  with  the  Ashantees  as  with  some  of 
the  adjoining  countries,  and  the  trade  is  mostly 
confined  to  the  king  and  his  chiefs,  who  carry 
on  a  considerable  traffic  with  the  interior. 

Religion. — The  notion  of  a  Supreme  Being 
lies  at  the  foundation  of  their  religious  system. 
He  is  called  Yankumpon,  from  yanku,  friend, 
and  pon,  great.  Another  name  used  by  the 
Pantees,  Yehmi,  from  yeh,  to  make,  and  emi, 
me,  recognizes  him  as  the  Creator.  The  As- 
hantees also  give  him  a  title  which  signifies  eter- 
nal existence.  They  have  a  curious  tradi- 
tion of  the  creation,  which  represents  God  as 
having  created  three  white  men  and  three 
black,  with  as  many  women  of  each'color,  and 
allowing  them  to  fix  their  destiny,  by  the 
choice  of  good  and  evil.  A  box  or  calabash, 
and  a  sealed  paper  were  placed  on  the  ground. 
The  black  men,  who  had  the  first  choice,  took 
the  box,  in  which  they  found  only  a  piece  of 
gold,  some  iron,  and  other  metals,  which 
they  did  not  know  how  to  use.  The  white 
men  opened  the  paper,  and  it  taught  them 
every  thing.  The  blacks  were  left  in  Afri- 
ca, under  the  care  of  inferior  deities,  while  the 
whites  were  conducted  to  the  water-side,  where 
God  communicated  with  them  every  day,  and 
taught  them  to  build  a  vessel,  which  carried 
them  to  another  country,  &c.  To  this  tradi- 
tion, it  is  supposed  their  polytheism  may  be 
traced ;  which  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Yorubas.  (See  Yoruba.)  To  the  innumerable 
objects  of  worship  in  nature  is  added  images 
of  the  same.  But  they  do  not  profess  to  wor- 
ship the  objects  themselves  but  the  spirits, 
which  make  their  abode  in  them.  To  these 
they  make  offerings,  having  such  crude  notions 
of  spiritual  beings  as  to  suppose  that  they  re- 
quire food. 

The  notion  of  a  future  state  universally  pro- 
vails.  It  is  believed  that,  at  death,  the  soul 
passes  into  another  world,  where  it  exists  in  a 
state  of  consciousness  and  activity.    They  be- 


156 


ASIA. 


licve  that  the  spirits  of  their  denarted  relatives 
exercise  a  guardian  care  over  them,  and  lience 
prayers  are  oQ'ered  to  them.  They  have,  how- 
ever, no  correct  ideas  of  the  immateriality  of 
separate  spirits  ;  nor  do  they  appear  to  have 
anv  just  i^a  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 

They  believe  in  the  existence  of  the  devil, 
an  evil  being  supposed  to  be  ever  at  hand  for 
purposes  of  miscliief ;  but  he  does  not  appear 
to  bo  an  object  of  worship  with  the  Ashan- 
tees. 

Traces  of  the  Sabbath  are  found  in  this  part 
of  Africa,  the  year  being  divided  into  moons, 
and  the  moons  into  weeKs,  the  seventh  day  of 
which  is  regarded  as  sacred.  Along  the  coast, 
the  sacred  day  is  Tuesday ;  on  which  the  peo- 
ple rest  from  labor,  dress  in  white,  and  mark 
themselves  with  white  clay.  They  have  also 
their  "  lucky  "  and  "  unlucky  days." 

The  priests  or  "  fetish-men,"  are  a  numerous 
order,  and  employ  a  variety  of  stratagems  and 
impostures  to  keep  up  their  influence.  The 
word  ''fetish,''  seems  to  be  employed  as  a  gene- 
ral term  for  things  sacred ;  thus,  the  deities 
themselves  are  called  fetishes,  as  well  as  the 
religious  rites,  and  the  offerings  presented. 
These  acts  of  worship  are  daily  performed  by 
the  people,  and  they  consult  their  deities  by 
various  superstitious  practices,  answering  to 
the  lot,  to  ascertain  what  course  of  conduct  to 
pursue  ;  a  practice  which  necessarily  leads  to 
the  subjection  of  judgment  and  reason  to  blind 
superstition.  It  would  be  tedious  to  describe 
all  the  ceremonies  by  which  this  worship  is 
carried  on.  It  is  by  consulting  the  deities  by 
means  of  oracles,  that  the  priests  hold  their 
sway  over  the  minds  of  the  people ;  and  on 
great  occasions,  when  the  questions  to  be  de- 
termined are  of  public  importance,  human  sar 
orifices  are  offered,  sometimes  to  the  number 
of  many  hundreds.  This  consulting  of  the 
fetish  is  also  connected  with  witchcraft.  Oaths 
are  administered  by  it;  and  accused  persons 
are  tried  by  what  is  called  the  "  oath-draught," 
which  is  the  drinking  of  a  poisonous  draught 
as  a  test  of  guilt  or  innoccncy,  in  which  it  is 
supposed  that  the  spirit  or  fetish  goes  down 
withit,  and  searches  the  heart  of  the  accused, 
and  if  it  finds  him  innocent,  returns  with  it,  as 
he  vomits  it  up ;  but  if  guilty  the  fetish  re- 
mains to  destroy  him.  It  will  readily  be  per- 
ceived that  such  a  system,  in  the  hands  of  wily 
priests  and  powerful  chiefs,  is  capable  of  being 
made  an  engine  of  immense  oppression  and 
cruelty.  To  obtain  a  supply  of  victims  for 
their  altars,  is  the  principal  end  for  which  the 
national  deities  are  supposed  to  promote  war  ; 
and  the  sacrifice  of  their  prisoners  becomes  a 
religious  obligation.  Hence,  dreadful  are  the 
scenes  of  barbarity  exhibited  after  a  victorious 
campaign. — Beecham's  Asltantee  and  tJie  Gold 
Coast.  The  English  Wesleyans  have  a  mission 
to  Ashantee  and  the  Gold  Coast,  for  which  see 
Western  Africa. 
ASIA  :  An  immense  continent,  presenting 


every  possible   variety  of  climate,   from   the 
dreary  confines   of  the    polar  world,  to  the 
heart  of  the  tropical    regions.     Every  thing 
in  Asia  is  on  a  vast  scale  :   its  mountains, 
its    table-lands,  its   deserts.      The    grandest 
feature,    and    one  which  makes  a  complete 
section  of  the  continent,  is  a  chain  of  moun- 
tains, which,  at  various  heights,  and  under 
various  names,  but  with  very  little,  if  any,  in- 
terruption, crosses  Asia  from  the  Mediterra- 
nean sea  to  the  Eastern  ocean,    "i'aurus,  Cau- 
casus, and  the  Himalaya,  are  the  best  known 
portions  of  this  chain.     On  the  one  side  it  has 
Southern  Asia;  the  finest  and  most  extensive 
plain  in  the  world,  covered  with  the  richest 
tropical  products,  and  watered  by  magnificent 
rivers  proceeding  from  this  great  store-house, 
and  filled  with  populous  nations  and  great  em- 
pires.    On  the  other  side,  this  chain  serves  as 
a  bulwark  to  the  wide  table-land  of  Thibet, 
which,  though  under  the  latitude  of  the  south 
of  Europe,  has  many  of  the  characteristics  of  a 
northern  region.    To  the  north,  the  recent 
observations  of  Humboldt  exhibit  three  par- 
allel chains,  the  Eientim  or  Moor  Tagh,  the 
Thiunchan  or   Celestial  Mountains,  and  the 
Altaian,  which  also  support  table-lands.     But 
these  do  not  exceed  4,000  to  5,000  fcet,  accord- 
ing to  Humboldt,  and  in  many  places  enjoy  a 
mild  and  temperate  climate,  yielding  not  only 
grain,  but  wine  and  silk.     Elsewhere,  they  are 
covered  with  rich  pastures,  and  tenanted  with 
numerous  wandering  races,  at  once  pastoral 
and  warlike,  whose  victorious  bands  have  over- 
run and  subjugated  the  empires  of  the  South. 
The  Altaian  chain  separates  Middle  Asia  from 
Siberia  :  a  long  range  of  the  bleakest  land  on 
the  face  of  the  earth.     Some  of  the  southern 
districts  have  been  found,  by  the  Russians,  ca- 
pable of  supporting  numerous  herds  of  cattle  ; 
but  the  rest  is  abandoned  to  wild  animals,  not 
generally  of  a  ferocious  character,  but  covered 
with  rich  and  precious  furs,  which  afford  a 
grand  object  for  hunting  and  trade.     Asia  has 
been  the  scene  of  the  most  remarkable  events 
in  the  history  of  the  human  race.     In  Asia, 
man  was  created,  and  fell.     In  Asia,  his  re- 
demption was  accomplished  by  the  incarna- 
tion, sufferings,  and  death  of  the  Son  of  God  : 
and  from  thence  proceeded  the  messengers  of 
the  Saviour,  the  heralds  of  His  gospel,  who 
published  those  tidings  of  Divine  mercy,  which 
are  now  proclaimed  on  every  continent,  and  on 
many  of  the  remotest  islands  of  the  sea.    Asia 
was  the  nursery  of  learning,  and  of  the  arts,  in 
their  earliest  infancy.    It  has  been  the  school, 
and  also  the  victim  of  the  successive  forms  of 
false  philosophy,  and  of  idol  worship.     In  Asia 
have   existed  some  of  the  greatest  empires, 
through  which  have  originated  the  most  ex- 
traordinary revolutions  in  the  affairs  of  the 
world.     This   immense  continent,  moreover, 
teems  with  nations,  and  contains,  on  the  most 
moderate  estimate,  500,000,000  of  mankind. — 
Hook's  Year  Book  of  Missions. 


ASIA. 


157 


Races  of  People. — Not  only  the  majority  of 
the  human  race,  in  number,  but  also  the 
greatest  variety  of  the  species,  is  found 
within  xhe  limits  of  Asia.  The  first  family, 
the  Caucasian,  comprises  all  the  original  in- 
habitants of  the  mountainous  region  lying 
between  the  Black  Sea  and  the  Caspian,  from 
about  the  38th  to  the  42d  degree  of  N.  lati- 
tude. It  includes  the  mountaineers  of  the  val- 
leys of  the  Caucasus,  such  as  the  Abasians, 
Ossetes,  Lesghians,  and  Kisti ;  and  in  the  more 
level  country,  the  Georgians,  Mingrelians,  and 
Armenians.  In  personal  form,  this  family  may 
be  described  as  European,  but  in  mind,  Asi- 
atic. The  face  is  of  an  oval  form ;  the  fore- 
head high  and  expanded ;  the  nose  elevated, 
with  a  slight  convexity  ;  the  lips  moderate  in 
size,  and  the  chin  full  and  round.  The  com- 
plexion is  fair,  but  without  the  clearness  of 
the  European.  The  eyes  are  generally  dark, 
and  the  hair  black.  The  stature  is  nearly 
et][ual  to  the  European,  and  the  form  symmet- 
rical and  handsome. 

2.  The  second  is  the  Arabian,  called  Semitic, 
on  the  hypothesis  that  they  are  descended  from 
Shem.  It  embraces  all  the  aboriginal  inhab- 
itants of  Palestine,  i^ia  Minor,  Syria,  and 
Arabia,  from  the  east  coast  of  the  Mediterra- 
nean and  Red  Sea,  up  to  the  west  coast  of  the 
Persian  Gulf.  A  brunette  complexion ;  black 
or  dark  brown  eyes  ;  long,  lank,  black  hair ; 
large  bushy  heads  ;  an  oval  face,  in  bold,  dis- 
tinct relief,  with  a  nose  always  elevated,  and 
not  unfrequently  aquiline ;  high  forehead — 
are  among  the  most  prominent  characteristics 
cif  the  family.  From  the  condition  of  the 
country  they  inhabit,  they  have  naturally  be- 
come divided  into  two  opposite  and  hostile 
classes,  the  roving  and  predatory,  and  the 
settled  and  industrious. 

3.  Between  the  Caspian  Sea  and  the  Per- 
sian Gulf,  to  the  west,  the  ocean  to  the  south, 
India  to  the  east,  and  an  indefinite  line  to  the 
north,  there  are  several  races  which  have 
much  rasemblance,  but  which  differ  enough  in 
person,  mind,  and  language,  to  be  classed  as  sep- 
arate families.  The  first  of  these,  beginning 
at  the  west,  is  the  Persian :  complexion  fair, 
without  transparency  ;  hair  long,  straight,  and 
almost  jet  black  ;  beard  abundant  and  bushy  ; 
features  regular  and  handsome ;  stature  little 
short  of  the  European  standard,  but  less  ro- 
bust. The  present  inhabitants  of  Persia,  how- 
ever, are  much  mixed  with  the  blood  of  Ara- 
bian and  Turkish  settlers. 

The  next  of  these  families  is  the  Turkish  or 
Scythian.  The  parent  country  of  this  family 
lies  between  the  35th  and  60th  degrees  of  lat- 
itude, from  the  Hindoo  coast  to  the  Belar 
Tagh,  and  from  the  Caspian  Sea  to  the  west- 
ern boundary  of  the  desert  of  Cobi,  where  they 
are  mixed  with  the  Mongols.  The  complexion 
of  this  family  is  a  light  brunette  ;  hair  gene- 
rally black,  strong  and  long  ;  eye,  light  brown, 
somewhat  contracted  ;  skull  remarkably  glob- 


ular ;  proportions  of  the  face  symmetrical ; 
body  stout,  but  shorter  than  the  liluropcan. 
They  have  made  little  progress  in  civilization. 

In  the  south-east  angle  of  what  is  commonly 
considered  Persia,  are  three  races  of  men,  the 
Belochees,  Brahoos  and  Dehwars.  The  first  of 
these  have  dark  brown  complexion,  black  hair, 
long  visage,  elevated  features,  with  tall,  active, 
but  not  robust  persons.  The  Brahoos,  have 
thick,  short  bones,  and  are  a  squab  instead  of 
a  tall  people.  The  Dehwars  have  blunt  fea- 
tures, high  cheek-bones,  bluff  cheeks,  short  per- 
sons, and  are  an  ill-favored  race. 

To  the  north  of  these  is  the  Afghan  race, 
marked  by  a  brown  complexion,  black  hair, 
sometimes  brown,  a  profusion  of  beard,  high 
noses,  high  cheek-bones,  long  faces,  a  robust 
person,  and  a  stature  short  of  the  European. 

Among  the  high  mountains  and  narrow  ele- 
vated valleys,  east  of  the  Afghans,  exists  a 
people  called  Kaffres  or  infidels,  by  their  Mo- 
hammedan neighbors.  They  are  described  as 
remarkable  for  fairness,  possessing  occasionally 
light  hair,  blue  eyes,  and  great  personal  beauty. 
They  speak  many  languages  unknown  to  Eu- 
ropeans. 

4.  Proceeding  eastward,  we  come  to  the 
great  and  numerous  Hindoo  family,  spread 
from  the  7th  to  the  35th  degree  of  N.  latitude, 
and  from  the  68th  to  the  95th  of  E.  longitude. 
Correctly  speaking,  this  is,  perhaps,  not  one 
family,  but  an  aggregate  of  races,  bearing 
such  a  general  resemblance  to  each  other  as 
the  European  varieties  do  among  themselves. 
The  color  is  commonly  black,  or  at  least  a 
deep  brown  ;  and  hence  the  name  of  Hindoo, 
applied  to  them  by  their  Tartar  and  Persian 
invaders  ;  for  that  word,  in  Persian,  is  equiva- 
lent to  negro  in  ours.  The  hair  is  long,  coarse 
and  black  ;  beard  of  the  same  color  ;  the  eye 
black  or  deep  brown  ;  the  face  oval,  and  the 
features  handsome  ;  except  softie  defect  in  the 
lower  limbs,  the  person  is  well  formed.  The 
stature  is  short  of  the  European,  and  the  body 
spare  and  deficient  in  strength.  Clearness  and 
subtlety,  rather  than  depth  and  vigor,  charac- 
terize their  intellectual  capacities.  JBut  this 
race  is  subdivided  into  several  others,  having 
distinct  peculiarities,  as  the  Cashmerians,  the 
Bengallees,  the  Oriyas,  the  Telingas,  the  Mah- 
rattas,  and  the  Hindoo-Chinese,  inhabiting  a 
country  from  the  7th  to  the  36th  degrees  of  N. 
latitude,  from  the  eastern  limits  of  the  Hindoo 
country,  to  the  western  limits  of  China,  and 
consisting  of  several  different  varieties,  viz.,  the 
semi-barbarous  people  of  Cassay,  Cachar  and 
Assam,  and  to  the  south  and  east  of  these,  the 
Arracanese,  Burmese,  Peguans,  Laos  or  Shans, 
Siamese  and  Cambojans  ;  and  east  of  thern, 
the  Anam  race,  comprising  the  Cochin-Chi- 
nese and  Tonquinese. 

5.  The  Chinese.    (See  China.) 

6.  Near  the  Chinese  is  another  great  fam- 
ily, bearing  it  some  resemblance,  and  yet  a 
distinct  class,  the  Japanese.    They  occupy  a 


158 


ASIA. 


country  of  ffreat  extent  and  fine  temperature, 
extending  rrom  30°  to  45°  N.  Their  color 
is  tawny,  stature  short  but  robust,  uose  llat- 
tish,  eyelids  thick  and  putted,  eyes  dark,  lower 
limbs  large  and  thick. 

North-east  of  China  arc  the  Coreans,  occu- 
pying a  peninsula  equal  in  extent  with  Great 
Britain.  They  are  superior  in  strength  to  the 
Chinese  and  J  apauese,  but  inferior  in  mental 
capacity. 

7.  The  inhabitants  of  two-thirds  of  the 
?uperficies  of  Asia,  from  the  seats  of  the  fam- 
ilies already  specified,  to  the  frozen  ocean,  re- 
main to  be  described.  These  have  a  common 
resemblance,  in  some  important  features  ;  but 
it  is  only  such  a  resemblance  aa  exists  in  all 
the  families  already  mentioned,  from  the  east- 
ern shore  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  eastern  con- 
fines of  Hindoostau.  The  first  of  these  races 
comprises  the  inhabitants  of  Bootan,  a  stout, 
active  race,  their  stature  rising  occasionally  to 
six  feet.  They  are  a  long  settled  agricultural 
race,  having  a  peculiar  language  of  their  own. 
West  of  these  is  the  Yorklia  family,  a  short, 
robust  people,  of  an  olive  complexion.  North 
of  these,  on  the  terrace  of  the  Himalaya,  at 
an  elevation  of  12,000  to  13,000  feet  above 
the  sea,  are  the  Tibetian  family,  having  a  Tartar 
countenance,  angular  face,  broad  across  the 
cheek-bones,  small  black  eyes,  and  very  little 
head.  They  are  short,  squat,  broad-shoulder- 
ed, and  sluggish  both  in  mind  and  body. 

We  come  now  to  the  Mongolian  family, 
inhabiting  the  vast  plateau  and  extensive  as- 
cents between  the  Himalaya  and  Altai  ranges, 
as  far  as  the  140th  degree  of  longitude,  and 
then  between  the  former  and  the  right  l3ank 
of  the  Amur.  Their  general  features  are, 
forehead  low  and  slanting  ;  head  square,  broad 
cheek-bones,  chin  prominent;  body  short, 
broad,  square,  and  robust.  Hair  black,  long, 
and  lank,  beard  scant.  There  are  two  great 
divisions  of  this  family,  the  Eastern  and  West- 
ern Tartars,  the  former  being  the  present  lords 
•of  China. 

The  true  Mongols  extend  westward  from 
1160  longitude  to  the  sea  of  Aral,  a  sweep 
of  at  least  3,000  miles,  and  embrace  the 
communities  known  as  Mongols,  Kalkas, 
Eluths,  Ogurs,  Kokonors,  Kami,  and  Kalumes. 
These  were  the  instruments  of  the  conquests 
of  Jenghis  Khan  and  his  sons.  They  have 
firm  and  robust  bodies,  lean  and  pallid  coun- 
tenances, high  and  broad  shoulders,  short  and 
distorted  noses,  pointed  and  prominent  chins, 
a  low  and  deep  upper  jaw,  long  teeth,  distant 
from  each  other,  eyelids  stretched  out  from 
the  temple  to  the  nose,  eyes  black  and  un- 
steady, an  expression  oblique  and  stem,  ex- 
tremities bony  and  nervous,  large  and  muscu- 
lar tliighs,  short  legs,  and  stature  equal  to  the 
European.  The  country  of  the  Mongols  is 
cold,  elevated  and  dry,  few  parts  of  it  being 
fit  for  culture,  and  a  great  portion  of  it  con- 
sisting of  deserts  or  seas  of  sand.    It  abounds, 


however,  in  game  and  wild  animals.  With 
the  exception  of  a  very  small  number,  they 
live  exclusively  on  animal  food ;  and  their 
clothing  and  dwellings  are  for  the  most  ])art 
made  of  animal  tegument  or  fibre.  Their 
employment  consists  in  tending  cattle,  the 
chase,  and  war.  The  native  capacity  of  this 
family  is  sufficiently  attested  by  the  production 
of  such  men  as  Attila,  Jenghis,  Timur,  llabe, 
and  Kublay  Khan  ;  as  well  as  in  the  conquest, 
retention,  and  government  of  China  for  200 
years. 

Between  the  Altai  range  and  river  Amur, 
tribes  exist  almost  as  numerous  as  in  any 
equal  extent  of  the  American  continent, 
and  far  more  distinct  in  physical  form.  And 
near  to,  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Amur  are 
four  nations,  called  Soloni,  Kertching,  Daguri, 
and  Natkis,  all  of  which  have  languages  wholly 
different  from  their  immediate  neighbors,  the 
Manchoos ;  rude,  dull,  without  the  knowledge 
of  letters,  living  on  fish. 

Sherbani,  the  grandson  of  Jenghis  Khan, 
led  a  colony  of  Mongols  into  Siberia,  amount- 
ing to  15,000  families,  and  his  descendants 
reigned  there  for  300  years,  till  conquered  by 
the  Russians ;  so  that  the  Mongols,  though 
originally  foreigners,  now  form  a  considerable 
part  of  the  population  of  Siberia.  Besides 
these,  there  are  a  number  of  families,  distinct 
from  each  other,  inhabiting  these  regions. 
Among  all  the  native  races  to  the  north  of  the 
Altai  mountains,  letters  are  wholly  unknown, 
agriculture  is  scarcely  practiced,  and  to  obtain 
food  and  clothing  nearly  the  whole  time  of  the 
people  is  consumed  in  fishing  and  the  chase. — 
Abridged  from  McCulloch. 

Relipon. — Maltebrun  gives  the  following 
raournnil,  but  just  picture  of  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious condition  of  the  immense  population  of 
this  vast  continent :  "  The  mental  torpor  sub- 
sisting in  combination  with  some  virtuous, 
mild,  and  hospitable  feelings,  keeps  alive  the 
empire  of  religious  superstition,  under  the  yoke 
of  which  we  find  all  the  eastern  and  central 
parts  of  Asia  languishing ;  while  the  Christi- 
anity of  the  Greek  Church  slowly  penetrates 
by  the  north,  and  Mohammedanism  still  flour- 
ishes in  the  western  regions.  Polygamy,  sup- 
ported by  the  same  spirit  throughout  Asia, 
with  the  single  exception  of  Japan,  debases 
family  connections,  and  deprives  life  of  its  en- 
dearments, by  taking  from  the  female  all  con- 
sideration and  influence  ;  at  the  same  time, 
being  averse  to  the  laws  of  nature,  it  diminishes 
the  population,  and  deteriorates  the  human 
race." 

Population. — We  have  no  means  of  ascertain- 
ing with  any  degree  of  certainty  the  extent 
and  population  of  this  vast  continent.  The 
following  estimate,  which  we  find  in  Harper's 
new  Universal  Gazeteer,  is  probably  somewhat 
above  the  mark  : 


ASIA. 


159 


Turkey  in  Asia, 

Arabia, 

Persia, 

Hindoostan, 

Further  India, 

China  Proper, 

Chinese  dependencies 

Turkestan, 

Russia, 

Islands, 

Total 


area  in  sq.  milafi 

Population. 

516,000 

13,700,000 

834,000 

10  000,000 

900,000 

16,700,000 

1,665,090 

168,697,277 

917,575 

25,182,540 

1,300,000 

367,000,000 

3,810,000 

76,800,000 

700,000 

12,000,000 

5,200,000 

7,400,000 

1,075,400 

55,326,676 

16,918,065 

752,806,493 

Pop.  according  to  Religious  Profession. 


Budhists,        -        -        _        - 
Brahminists,        -         .        - 
Mussulmans,     .        -        -        - 
Shamans,       -        -        -        - 
Sikhs,        ...        - 
Sect  of  Lao  Kiun  in  China, 
Sect  of  Confucius, 
Sect  of  Sinto  ia  Japan, 
Ghebirs,        -        .        ,        - 
Jews,        -        -        .        -        , 
Christians  of  all  denominiations, 


360,000,000 

150,000,000 

130,000,000 

9,000,000 

5,000,000 

-      2,500,000 

-  1,500,000 
1,300,000 

-      500,000 
800,000 

-  50,000,000 


TABULAR  VIEW  OF  MISSIONS  IN  ASLi. 


India,  including  Ceylon,  Burmah,  and  Siam. 

Church  Missionary  Society, 

London  Missionary  Society, 

Gospel  Propagation  Society, 

General  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  (Eng.)  .     .     . 

Baptist  Missionary  Society,  (Eng.) 

English  Wesleyan  Society, 

American  Board, 

American  Baptist  Miss.  Union,  including  China, 

American  Presbyterian  Board, 

Irish  Presbyterians, 

Scotch  Presbyterians, 

German  Missionary  Societies, 

Free-Will  Baptists,  .     .     . ,     . 

American  Missionary  Association, 

China. 

American  Board, 

Church  Missionary  Society, 

American  Episcopal  Church, 

Southern  Baptist  Board, 

German  Societies, 

Methodists,  North  and  South, 

Wesleyans, 

American  Presbyterian  Board, 

English  Presbyterians, 

Asiatic  Islands. 
Gospel  Propagation  Society  in  Borneo,  .    .    .    . 

Rhenish  Society  in  Borneo, 

Gosner's  Society  in  Java, 

Netherlands  Society,  Amboyna,  Celebas,  Java,  ] 
and  Samarang, j 

Westbrn  Asia. 

Church  Missionary  Society, 

American  Board,  in  Syria,  Assyria,  and  Persia,    . 
Among  the  Jews  in  Syria, 

Totals 


-g 

1 

1 

6 

a 
5 

1 

1 

53 

83 

6,182 

625 

24,036 

21 

47 

23 

1,024 

44 

8,919 

48 

4,629 

5,500 

5 

225 

40 

35 

1,656 

81 

3,492 

37 

2,137 

4,936 

30 

35 

24 

926 

215 

8,042 

19 

49 

124 

8,873 

78 

1,682 

13 

25 

6 
25 

226 

2,932 
9,405 

60 

2,179 

3,274 

3 

3 
5 

47 

151 

3 

10 

1 

26 

6 

130 

3 

6 

2 

3 

62 

1 

3 

24 

8 

200 

2 

5 
4 

90 

80 

2 

8 

1 

3 

2 

12 

23 

146 

1 

2 
3 

5 

68 

550 

3 

19 

10,000 

3 

3 

6 

2 

77 

9 

24 
5 

4 

29 

22 

554 

206 

577 

176 

28,372 

1,084 

84,168 

160 


ASSAM. 


Owing  to  the  imperfect  reports  of  the  mis- 
Bions,  it  is  impossible  to  make  such  a  table  as 
this  complete;  and  it  is  possible  that  some 
slight  errors  may  be  discovered  in  the  statis- 
tica;  but  it  is  an  approximation  sufficiently 
uear  to  give  a  fair  view  of  the  present  state  of 
the  missionary  work  on  the  continent  of  Asia, 
as  compared  with  its  vast  population.  De- 
ducting the  50,000,000  nominal  Christians 
from  the  estimate  of  the  population,  wc  have 
left  about  700,000,000  of  Mohammedans, 
Jews,  and  heathens  in  Asia,  which  would  give 
more  than  1,000,000  to  each  missionary.  But 
then  it  is  to  be  considered  that  the  modern 
missionary  enterprise  commenced  but  a  little 
more  than  fiftv  years  ago ;  and  besides  these 
missionaries,  there  are  now  probably  not  less 
than  2,000  native  assistants  laboring  for  the 
evangelization  of  their  countrymen  on  the 
same  field.  More  than  1600  have  been  re- 
ported ;  some  of  the  societies  make  no  reports 
of  native  assistants ;  and  most  of  the  reports 
are  very  deficient  on  this  head.  And  then,  a 
vast  amount  of  preparatory  work  has  been 
done  in  the  way  of  education  and  the  printing 
and  circulation  of  books.  The  20,000  con- 
verts from  heathenism,  and  the  80,000  pupils 
in  the  mission  schools,  and  the  millions  of 
pages  of  Bible  truth  in  circulation,  must  be 
now  exerting  a  powerful  influence  in  sapping 
the  foundations  of  heathenism. 

ASSAM  :  The  country  known  as  Assam, 
lies  on  the  north-western  frontier  of  Burmah, 
and  from  that  frontier  stretches  across  the 
plains  of  the  Brahmaputra,  from  70  to  100 
miles  in  breadth  towards  the  Himmalaya 
mountains.  On  the  north-east  it  reaches  to 
the  borders  of  China.  Its  inhabitants  are  of 
many  diflerent  races,  though  they  are  known 
by  the  common  name  of  Shuans  or  Shans,  a 
term  which  has  given  rise  to  the  English  name 
Assam.  It  was  foriierly  an  independent  state, 
but  in  1822  it  was  incorporated  with  the  Em- 
pire of  Burmah  and  in  1826  it  was  ceded  to 
the  English.  The  tribes  that  inhabit  the  coun- 
try are  numerous,  and  differ  widely  from  each 
other,  the  most  important  being  the  Assamese, 
the  Klmmtis,  the  Singphos  and  the  Nagas. 

Mission — American  Baptist  Union. — The 
attention  of  the  Board  was  first  directed  to 
the  inhabitants  of  this  country  by  Captain 
Francis  Jenkins,  Commissioner  of  the  Gover- 
nor-General of  India  for  Assam.  This  gentle- 
man feeling  a  lively  interest  in  the  singular 
people  whom  he  had  been  appointed  to  govern, 
m  1834  addressed  a  letter  to  some  of  his 
friends  in  Calcutta,  requesting  them  to  invite 
some  of  the  missionaries  of  the  American 
Baptists  to  come  and  settle  in  the  country. 
Captain  Jenkins  also  promised  to  contribute 
1000  rupees  for  the  establishment  of  a  mission 
on  the  arrival  of  the  first  missionary,  and  1000 
more  on  the  arrival  of  a  printing-pre??.  This 
proposal  was  communicated  to  the  Board  of 
managers  and  was  favorably  received  by  them, 


being  recommended  by  several  special  conside- 
rations. The  latiguage  of  the  people  was  similar 
to  the  Burman,  and  the  characters  used  in  print- 
ing were  essentially  the  same.  'J'he  proposed 
mission  also  appeared  to  open  a  nearer  access  to 
China,  which  was  at  that  time  barred  to  all 
missionary  effort  by  the  exclusive  policy  puN 
sued  by  its  government.  It  was  imagined  that 
while  the  Imperial  officers  were  carefully  ex- 
cluding foreigners  from  the  ports,  the  mission- 
aries from  Assam  might  join  the  caravans  that 
traded  to  the  interior  of  China,  and  thus  bear 
the  Gospel  tQ  the  very  centre  of  the  empire. 

With  views  like  these,  the  Board  determined 
to  comply  with  the  request  of  Captain  Jen- 
kins, and  immediately  referred  the  matter  to 
the  missionaries  at  Maulmain  to  carry  their 
plan  into  execution.  It  was  at  the  time  when 
Rev.  Mr.  Brown  and  Mr.  Cutter,  a  printer, 
had  just  been  obliged  to  leave  Rangoon,  and 
they  were  immediately  selected  to  commence 
the  proposed  mission  at  Sadiya — the  place 
deemed  most  eligible  for  the  purpose.  These 
gentlemen  with  their  families  reached  Calcut- 
ta in  September,  1835,  where  they  provided 
themselves  with  a  printing-press,  a  standing- 
press,  and  a  suitable  supply  of  paper  and  oth- 
er materials  for  their  work  ;  securing  at  the 
same  time  from  the  Board  the  assurance  of  an 
additional  press  and  a  complete  apparatus  for 
printing  to  be  sent  from  this  country.  Thus 
provided,  they  embarked  at  Calcutta,  in  boats, 
on  the  Brahmaputra,  and  after  a  passage  of  four 
months  they  reached  Sadiya  on  the  23d  of 
March,  1836.  They  were  kindly  received  by 
Captain  Jenkins,  who  immediately  fulfilled  his 
promise  to  the  mission,  and  continued  for  many 
years  its  liberal  benefactor  and  constant  frienoL 

Sadiya  is  the  principal  town  of  a  district, 
bearing  the  same  name.  It  is  beautifully  sit>- 
uated  in  the  north-eastern  portion  of  Assam, 
about  400  miles  north  of  Ava,  and  half  that 
distance  from  the  Chinese  frontier.  It  coi>- 
tains  a  large  population,  composed  of  the  sev- 
eral races  that  occupy  the  country.  Among 
these  people  the  missionaries  immediately  pro- 
pared  to  commence  their  labors.  So  soon  as 
a  suitable  building  could  be  erected,  the  ladies 
of  the  mission  established  schools,  Mrs.  Brown 
for  boys  and  Mrs.  Cutter  for  girls,  both  of 
which  were  well  attended.  Meanwhile  Mr. 
Brown  and  Mr.  Cutter  employed  themselves  in 
learning  the  condition  of  the  people,  in  per- 
fecting their  acquaintance  mth  the  language,  • 
in  the  printing  of  which  they  decided  to  adopt 
the  Roman  instead  of  the  Burman  or  other 
oriental  alphabet.*    Mr.  Cutter  soon  printed 


*  The  idea  of  using  the  Roman  alphabet  in  the  printing 
of  books  in  the  languages  of  India,  was  first  commended 
to  the  missionaries  in  1834,  by  Mr.  E.  T.  Trevelyan,  a  gen- 
tleman connected  with  the  government  in  Bengal,  a  dis- 
tinguished oriental  scholar  and  an  intelligent  and  devoted 
friend  of  missions.  The  method  was  for  a  time  adopted 
by  the  missionaries  of  several  denominations  in  India,  but 
has  been  wholly  abandoned.  It  is  often  referred  to 
in  the  midsionary  correspondence  of  the  time  as  Trevel- 


ASSAM. 


161 


a  spelling-book  for  the  schools,  and  Mr.  Brown 
began  to  prepare  works  for  the  press,  both  in 
the  Assamese  and  Shyan  languages. 

In  April,  1837,  Rev.  Miles  Bronson,  and 
Rev.  Jacob  Thomas,  with  their  wives,  arrived 
at  Calcutta  as  missionaries  to  Assam.  They 
had  sailed  from  Boston  in  the  preceding  Oc- 
tober, having  with  them  an  additional  printing 
press,  and  a  full  supply  of  all  the  materials  for 
printing.  They  soon  again  embarked  at  Cal- 
cutta on  the  Brahmaputra,  for  the  distant 
place  of  their  destination.  They  had  been 
several  weeks  on  their  passage  against  the  ra- 
pid current  of  the  river,  and  had  nearly  reached 
Sadiya,  when  Mr.  Bronson  having  become  dan- 
gerously ill  of  the  jungle  fever,  Mr.  Thomas 
was  hastening  forward  in  a  small  boat  to  pro- 
cure medical  assistance  for  his  associate.  He 
had  already  come  within  sight  of  the  town  of 
Sadiya,  and  even  of  the  mission  premises,  when 
two  trees,  whose  roots  were  united,  suddenly 
fell  from  the  loosened  bank  of  the  river,  direct- 
ly upon  the  boat  in  which  he  was  seated, 
crushing  the  boat  and  causing  Mr.  Thomas  to 
drown.  A  calamity  so  unexpected  could  not 
but  darken  the  prospects  of  the  mission.  A 
few  days  afterwards,  Mrs.  Thomas  and  her  as- 
sociates reached  Sadiya,  where  they  were  wel- 
comed by  the  mission  families. 

So  soon  as  the  newly-arrived  missionaries 
were  prepared  to  enter  upon  their  appropriate 
labors,  it  was  found  expedient  to  distribute 
their  labors  among  the  several  races  of  the 
province.  Mr.  Brown  gave  his  attention  prin- 
cipally to  the  Assamese  and  the  Khamtis ; 
Mr.  Bronson  to  the  Singphos  ;  while  Mr.  Cut- 
ter was  constantly  occupied  at  the  two  presses 
and  in  the  supervision  of  the  schools  of  the 
mission.  It  should  also  be  remarked  that  a 
leading  object  had  in  view  by  the  Board  in 
establishing  the  mission  in  Assam  was,  if  pos- 
sible, to  penetrate  the  northern  parts  of  Bur- 
mah  and  Siam,  and  also  the  upper  provinces 
of  China.  In  accordance  with  this  general 
design,  Mr.  Kincaid,  of  the  Burman  mission, 
attempted  a  journey  from  Ava  to  Sadiya,  in 
1837.  He  was  able  only  to  reach  Mo-gaung, 
whence  he  returned  to  Ava,  through  the  many 
perils  of  a  general  insurrectipn  of  the  provin- 
ces of  the  north.  For  the  same  purpose,  also, 
the  missionaries  at  Sadiya  made  several  excur- 
sions eastward,  and  proceeded  almost  to  the  con- 
fines of  China.  These  excursions  led  to  no 
other  result  than  to  make  them  acquainted 
with  new  multitudes  of  heathen,  who  were 
already  accessible  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  The  entrance  to  Burraah  proper  and 
to  China,  however,  continued  to  be  controlling 
objects  of  inquiry  and  aspiration  both  to  the 
missionaries  and  the  Board,  till  the  barriers 
that  so  long  shut  them  out  of  these  countries 
were  finally  broken  down. 

In  May,  1838,  Mr.  Bronson  and  his  family 
removed  to  Jaipur,  an  important  post  of  the 
East  India  Company,  on  the  river  Dihing, 
11 


three  or  four  days'  journey  south-east  from  Sar 
diya.  It  was  in  this  region  that  the  Sing- 
phos, the  people  to  whom  he  was  particularly 
sent,  were  the  most  numerous.  It  was  also 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Nagas,  a 
people  living  among  the  hills,  who  had  been 
visited  by  the  missionaries,  and  had  awakened 
the  interest  of  the  English  residents.  Mr. 
Bronson  was  warmly  welcomed  to  Jaipur  by 
Mr.  Bruce,  a  friend  of  the  mission,  who  was 
then  residing  there  as  the  Company's  agent 
for  promoting  the  culture  of  the  tea-plant. 
Other  British  officers  and  residents  then  at 
Jaipur  contributed  liberally  towards  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  new  station,  and  the  personal 
comfort  of  the  missionary  and  his  family ;  and 
several  of  the  ladies  of  the  post  joined  with 
Mrs.  Bronson  in  opening  schools  and  teaching 
the  heathen  children  who  attended  them.  At 
about  the  same  period,  Captain  Jenkins,  in 
addition  to  his  previous  benefactions,  also  con- 
tributed 500  rupees  for  replenishing  the  fonts 
of  type,  and  offered  500  more  towards  the 
support  of  a  superintendent  of  the  schools,  in 
case  one  was  appointed  by  the  Board.  The 
interest  which  this  gentleman  manifested  in 
the  plans  and  operations  of  the  mission  is  a 
high  testimonial  to  the  beneficent  results  which 
it  was  producing  aniong  the  people  over  whom 
he  ruled.  Not  only  was  he  the  constant  ad- 
viser of  the  missionaries  in  all  their  enterprises, 
but  he  often  addressed  communications  direct- 
ly to  the  Board,  suggesting  such  measures  as 
he  deemed  important  to  its  growth  and  pros- 
perity, and  coupling  with  his  suggestions  the 
most  liberal  offers  of  aid  in  carrying  them 
into  execution. 

In  1839,  the  labors  of  the  mission  at  both 
its  stations  were  for  a  time  interrupted  by  an 
insurrection  among  the  Khamtis,  who  had  unit- 
ed portions  of  other  tribes  in  a  league  against 
the  power  of  the  English.  They  began  with 
an  attack  upon  Sadiya,  and  a  large  number 
of  the  English  soldiers  and  residents  werc^lain 
in  the  fury  of  the  onset.  The  missionaries  at 
this  station  fled  to  the  cantonments  of  the 
troops,  where  they  remained  in  safety  till  the 
insurrection  was  quelled,  when  they  removed 
to  Jaipur.  At  the  time  of  the  insurrection, 
Mr.  Bronson  was  absent  on  a  tour  among  the 
Nagas,  among  whom  he  was  preparing  to  es- 
tablish a  station.  He  immediately  hastened 
back  to  Jaipur,  where  he  found  the  schools 
broken  up,  and  the  whole  population  distract- 
ed with  alarms.  The  whole  body  of  the  mis- 
sionaries being  now  at  Jaipur,  it  was  deemed 
best  to  remove  thither  also  the  entire  property 
of  the  mission,  and  abandon  altogether  the 
station  at  Sadiya.  The  expenses  of  the  re- 
moval were  generously  defrayed  by  Mr.  Bruce ; 
but  in  consequence  of  the  agitation  and  alarm 
produced  among  the  people  by  the  insurrec- 
tion, it  was  several  months  before  the  mission 
fully  recovered  from  the  shock  it  had  sus- 
tained.    Sadiya  was  soon  afterwards  aban- 


162 


ASSAM. 


donoil  by  tiit-  government  ofliccrs  and  P^ngllsh 
residents,  most  of  whom  also  removed  to  Jai- 
pur. Meanwhile  the  missionaries,  in  the  sus- 
pension of  their  external  labors,  devoted 
themselves  with  the  more  assiduity  to  the 
study  of  the  language,  the  preparation  of 
tracts  and  books,  and  the  translation  of  the 
Scriptures.  In  the  spring  of  1839,  the  Gospel 
of  Matihcw,  translated  by  Mr.  Brown,  was 
printed  at  the  mission  press. 

In  January,  1840,  Mr.  Bronson  made  a 
second  visit  to  the  Nagas  among  the  hills 
around  Jaipur.  Finding  them  now  in  a  quiet 
condition,  and  apparently  eager  for  instruction, 
he  determined  immediately  to  settle  among 
them,  and  establish  a  branch  of  the  mission. 
He  was  greatly  encouraged  in  this  undertak- 
ing by  several  English  officers  and  re^dents, 
of  whom  Mr.  Bruce  contributed  600  rupees 
and  Capt.  Hannay  250  for  the  establishment 
of  schools.  In  the  following  March  Mr. 
Bronson,  having  made  the  necessary  preparur 
tions,  removed  his  family  to  the  country  of  the 
Nagas,  and  commenced  his  labors  among  the 
people. 

In  May,  Kev.  Cyrus  Barker  and  his  wife, 
and  Miss  Rhoda  Bronson,  sister  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Bronson,  were  added  to  the  mission.  They 
had  sailed  from  the  United  States  with  an  ap- 
pointment specially  to  the  Nagas  ;  but  finding 
that  Mr.  Bronson  had  already  begun  the  sta- 
tion among  the  hills,  Mr.  Barker  decided  to 
devote  himself  to  the  Assamese,  while  Miss 
Bronson  soon  went  to  join  her  brother  at  his 
new  residence.  But  the  several  departments 
of  the  mission  were  scarcely  organized  when 
changes  and  afflictions  began  to  fall  upon 
them.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown  were  obliged 
temporarily  to  leave  the  mission  to  recruit 
their  health.  Mr.  Bronson  soon  found  the 
climate  of  the  hills  exceedingly  unhealthy; 
and  on  account  of  the  severe  illness  of  mem- 
bers of  his  family,  he  was  soon  obliged  to  re- 
turn .to  Jaipur,  where  Miss  Bronson  died  of 
fever  in  December,  1840,  before  she  had 
scarcely  begun  her  work  as  a  missionary.  Mr. 
Barker,  after  acquiring  the  language  at  Jai- 
pur, selected  as  the  place  of  his  residence  Sib- 
sagor,  a  flourishing  post  of  the  East  India 
Company  on  the  Brahmaputra,  about  three 
days'  journey  below  Jaipur.  He  settled  here 
with  his  family  in  May,  1841,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing July  was  followed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Brown.  This  place  proved  to  be  particularly 
favorable  to  the  culture  of  the  tearplant,  and 
soon  withdrew  most  of  the  English  residents 
from  Jaipur, — from  which,  without  entirely 
abandoning  it  as  a  station,  the  missionaries  at 
length  also  removed  to  Sibsagor.  Mr.  Bron- 
son, however,  went  to  Nowgong,  a  flourishing 
town  in  Central  Assam,  to  which  he  was  spe- 
cially invited  by  Captain  G.  T.  Gordon,  an 
English  officer  who  had  long  been  a  friend  and 
benefactor  of  the  mission.  The  misvsionaries, 
too,  at  all  the  stations,  finding  the  other  races 


comjiarativcly  inaccessible  to  the  gospel,  de» 
termincd  to  restrict  their  labors  to  the  Assam- 
ese population.  At  Nowgong,  Mrs.  Bronson, 
with  the  aid  of  Captain  Gordon,  soon  opened 
a  large  mission  school,  in  which  she  employed 
as  assistants  two  native  converts  from  Calcut-  * 
ta.  This  school  still  continued  to  flourish, 
and  has  been  productive  of  much  religious 
benefit  to  its  members. 

Meanwhile  Mr.  Cutter  still  continued  at 
Jaipur,  conducting  the  presses  belonging  to 
the  mission.  The  Gospels  of  Matthew  and 
John,  and  also  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  had 
been  translated  by  Mr.  Brown,  and,  together 
with  school  books  prepared  in  various  lan- 
guages, were  now  printed  for  the  use  of  the 
numerous  schools.  In  the  winter  of  1842-3, 
the  insurrectionary  spirit  began  again  to  show 
itself  among  the  people,  and  Jaipur  was  for 
several  weeks  exposed  to  attacks  from  parties 
of  insurgents.  During  this  time  Mr.  Cutter 
was  obliged  to  take  down  the  presses,  and  con- 
ceal them  with  the  other  property  belonging  to 
the  mission.  On  the  restoration  of  tranquil- 
lity they  were  again  set  up  and  put  in  opera- 
tion ;  but  the  events  which  had  occurred,  and 
the  exposed  condition  of  the  mission  property, 
decided  the  missionaries  on  the  total  abandon- 
ment of  Jaipur,  and  the  removal  of  the  sta- 
tion to  Sibsagor.  This  was  accomplished 
with  the  approbation  of  the  Board  in  Novem- 
ber, 1843.  At  about  the  same  time,  in  order 
to  prevent  a  concentration  of  the  mission  at 
too  few  points,  Mr.  Barker  removed  into  Cen- 
tral Assam,  first  to  Tezpur,  and  then  to  Gow- 
ahatti,  the  residence  of  Major  Jenkins — for 
this  was  now  his  military  rank, — and  the  most 
important  town  in  the  province.  Here  a  sta- 
tion was  begun,  and  Jaipur  was  wholly  aban- 
doned. 

The  three  stations  of  Sibsagor,  Nowgong, 
and  Gowahatti,  into  which  the  mission  was 
now  divided,  still  continue  to  be  the  centres  of 
its  operation,  which  have  been  for  some  time 
past  entirely  restricted  to  the  Assamese  popu- 
lation, instead  of  embracing  the  Khamtis,  the 
Singphos,  and  the  Nagas,  as  was  originally 
designed.  A  church  was  constituted  at  each 
of  the  stations  #)on  after  its  establishment, 
and  these  churches  have  gone  gradually  for- 
ward in  winning  converts  to  the  gospel  from 
the  heathen  population  of  the  country.  At 
each  of  these  stations,  also,  the  work  of  preach- 
ing, translating,  and  teaching  has  been  con- 
stantly prosecuted  by  the  ^lissionaries,  with 
only  such  hindrances  as  usually  attend  the  dis- 
semination of  the  gospel  among  men.  In  ad- 
dition to  the  strictly  religious  schools  which 
are  directly  supported  by  the  mission,  there 
are  also  others  which  are  sustained  in  a  great 
degree  by  English  residents ;  and  though 
taught  generally  by  native  assistants,  either 
belonging  to  the  country  or  brought  from  Cal- 
cutta, are  yet  under  the  general  care  of  the 
mission,  and  are  to  be  numbered  among  its 


ASSAM. 


163 


fruits.  These  scliools  have  become  very  nu- 
merous, and  are  widely  scattered  among  the 
villages  of  the  country.  But  the  school  to 
which  the  missionaries  attach  the  most  import- 
ance, and  which  has  been  productive  of  the 
best  results,  is  the  Orphan  Institution  at  Now- 
gong*.  It  aims  to  collect  from  all  parts  of  the 
province  destitute  orphan  children,  and  train 
them  to  useful  occupations  and  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  gospel.  It  went  into  operation  in  1844, 
and  for  several  years  past  it  has  numbered 
from  fifty  to  seventy  members.  Its  expenses 
for  several  years  were  wholly  defrayed,  and  are 
still  very  much  lightened,  by  the  generous 
contributions  of  the  philanthropic  English 
residents  in  Assam.  Many  of  its  pupils  have 
become  Christians,  and  several  have  been 
employed  as  assistants  in  the  mission.  Prior 
to  1846,  only  here  and  there  a  native  convert 
had  been  baptised,  but  in  the  course  of  that 
year  seven  of  the  elder  pupils  of  the  Nowgong 
institution,  and  several  other  persons  at  the 
same  station,  were  admitted  to  the  church. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  1847,  the  church  at 
Gowahatti  numbered  twenty-seven  members, 
and  those  of  the  three  stations  contained  to- 
gether upwards  of  sixty  native  disciples. 

In  1846,  Mrs.  Brown  visited  the  United 
States,  and  awakened  an  increased  interest  in 
behalf  of  the  mission  among  the  churches  and 
the  members  of  the  Board,  and  early  in  the  fol- 
lowing year,  two  missionaries.  Rev.  A.  H. 
Danforth,  and  Rev.  Ira  J.  Stoddard,  offered 
their  services  to  the  managers,  and  were  ap- 
pointed to  Assam — the  former  to  join  the  sta- 
tion at  Gowahatti ;  the  latter  to  relieve  Mr. 
Bronson  in  the  charge  of  the  orphan  institu- 
tion at  Nowgong.  They  arrived  at  the  places 
of  their  destination  early  in  the  spring  of  1848. 
In  the  following  year,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brown, 
and  Mrs.  Cutter,  were  obliged,  by  ill  health,  to 
come  for  a  season  to  the  United  States.  They 
remained  here  until  the  summer  of  1850,  when 
they  returned  to  their  stations,  accompanied 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  Whiting  and  Ward,  and  their 
wives,  and  Miss  Shaw,  a  teacher,  all  of  whom 
were  appointed  to  the  mission.  They  reached 
Assam  in  the  following  June.  Mr.  G.  Dauble, 
a  gentleman  who  had  been  employed  as  a 
teacher  at  Dacca,  in  Bengal,  by  the  Basle  Mis- 
sionary Society,  came  to  Assam  in  1850,  and 
having  become  a  Baptist,  was  temporarily  con- 
nected with  the  Nowgong  institution.  He  was 
afterwards  ordained  as  a  missionary,  and  in  1851, 
married  to  Miss  Shaw.  He  died  at  Nowgong 
in  March,  1853.  Rev.  Cyrus  Barker,  also,, 
after  a  long  period  of  declining  health,  em-' 
barked  for  the  United  States,  and  died  at  sea, 
in  January,  1850.  His  family  now  live  in  this 
country.  Mr.  Cutter,  the  printer,  was  also 
dismissed-  from  the  mission  in  the  autumn  of 
1852. 

The  translation  of  the  New  Testament  in 
Assamese,  was  completed  by  Mr.  Brown,  and 
printed  at   Sibsagar  in  1849.     Since  then  it 


has  passed  through  other  editions ;  and  several 
books  of  the  Old  Testament  have  also  been 
printed,  together  with  a  long  list  of  books  to 
be  used  in  the  schools.  The  English  ofGcers 
and  residents  in  the  province,  still  continue  to 
evince  their  wonted  interest  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  mission,  and  in  the  results  which  it  aims 
to  accomplish  for  the  people.  The  religion  of 
the  Brahmins  has,  for  some  time,  been  losing 
its  hold  on  the  popular  mind,  and  the  impres- 
sion is  widely  prevailing,  not  only  in  Assam, 
but  in  other  parts  of  India,  that  it  must  give 
place  to  the  religion  which  is  taught  by  the 
English.  This  however  is  only  a  negative  and 
comparatively  unimportant  result.  The  mis- 
sionaries have  still  before  them  their  great 
work  of  persuading  the  people  to  embrace  the 
gospel — a  work  for  which,  thus  far,  a  prepara- 
tion only  has  been  made,  but  which  has  of 
itself  scarcely  begun  to  be  accomplished. — See 
Professor  Gammell's  History  of  Am.  Baptist 
Missions,  and  recent  Reports  of  Managers  of 
Missionary  Union. — Prof.  W.  Gammell. 


TABULAR 

VIEW. 

a 

Missionaries  and 
Assistants. 

1 

? 

Minis- 
ters. 

Lay  Teach- 
ers, &c. 

Scholars^.. 

i 

"-A 

i 

d 
< 

1 

E 

< 

' 

1 

Day 
Sch':s 

1 

a 

Sibsagor... 
Nowgong. . 
Gowahatti 

1841 
1841 
184S 

2 
2 

6 

\ 



2 
3 

2 

7 

1 

1 

Ich. 

10 

48 
15 

216 

Totals.. 

79 

8  Sch'ls. 

289 

ATHENS:     ^^^  Greece. 

AUCKLAND  :  Capital  of  New  Zealand, 
in  lat.  360  51'  S.  long.  174°  45'  E.  _A  station 
of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  com- 
menced in  1823.  Population  1800,  has  now  4 
missionaries,  5  chapels,  26  local  preachers,  53 
teachers,  291  members,  492  scholars,  and  810 
attendants  on  public  worship.  Auckland  con- 
tains besides  a  college  and  seminary  for  the 
education  of  the  sons  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionaries in  Australia  and  Polynesia,  having 
now  70  students  ;  and  there  is  also  a  native  in- 
stitution, giving  the  benefit  of  an  education  in 
the  English  and  Maori  languages  to  native 
young  men,  to  fit  them  for  future  usefulness. 
Also,  a  station  of  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

AUSTRAL  ISLANDS  :  A  group  of  five 
islands  in  the  Southern  Pacific,  between  22^ 
27'  and  27°  36'  S.  lat,  and  144©  11'  and  150° 
47'  W.  long.  The  names  of  the  islands  are, 
Raivavai,  Tubuai,  Rurutu,  Rimatara,  and 
Rapa. 

AUSTRALASIA  :     The    Encyclopedia 


164 


AUSTRALIA. 


Britannica  gives  the  followinff  as  the  boundar 
rics  of  Australasia  :  "  Take  tno  tn^uator  as  the 
northern  line,  from  132^  to  176^  K.  lonjf. ; 
continue  a  line  on  the  meridian  to  the  GSth 
pnruilel,  (bendinjr  a  little  to  take  in  NewZear 
ian<l,)  for  the  eastern  ;  a  line  on  the  same  par- 
allel to  65'->  E.  long^.  for  the  southern ;  and  a 
slanting'  point  on  the  equator,  so  as  to  include 
Kerg^uelands  Land,  and  pass  on  the  eastern 
side  of  Timorlant,  Cerara,  Mysol,  and  Sal- 
walty,  for  the  western  boundary ;  those  lines 
will  embrace  the  whole  of  the  Australasian 
Islands,  viz.,  Australia  or  New  Holland,  Van 
Dieniiin's  land  or  Tasmania,  New  Guinea, 
and  the  Louiscade  Archipelago,  New  Britain, 
New  Ireland  and  neighborinpr  islands,  Solo- 
mon's L^huids,  New  Hebrides,  New  Caledonia, 
New  Zealand  and  isles  to  the  southward,  Ker- 
gueland  Islands,  St.  Paul  and  Amsterdam,  and 
numerous  coral  reefs  and  islets. 

AUSTRALIA,  or  NEW  HOLLAND  lies 
between  10^  30'  and  39°  S.  lat.  and  between 
112-  20'  and  153°  40'  E.  long.  Its  extreme 
length  is  about  2603  miles,  and  its  average  width 
1200,  making  about  2,690,810  square  miles ; 
the  continent  of  Europe  embracing  3,684,841, 
which  will  give  the  reader  a  comparative 
idea  of  the  size  of  this  new  continent.  The 
prevailing  features  of  the  country  are  barren 
and  wooded  plains,  traversed  by  long  ridges  of 
precipitous,  but  not  very  lofty  mountains, 
and  rivers  which  often  spread  into  marshes, 
and  do  not  continue  their  course  to  any  great 
distance  in  proportion  to  the  extent  of  the 
country.  There  are  few  deep  bays  ;  nor  does 
the  sea,  so  far  as  yet  discovered,  receive  any 
river,  whose  magnitude  corresponds  to  that  of 
the  land.  Great  portions  of  that  part  which 
has  been  explored  are  unfit  for  cultivation,  or 
even  for  traveling.  There  are,  however,  fine 
meadow  tracts,  on  a  grand  scale,  where  the 
richest  herbage  grows  spontaneously,  and 
where  industry  may  raise  the  most  plentiful 
crops.  In  its  geographical  features  and  in 
some  of  its  productions,  Australia  differs  wide- 
ly from  all  other  portions  of  the  known  world. 
The  discovery  of  gold  has  recently  attracted 
comiderable  attention,  and  drawn  great  num- 
bers of  emigrants  from  Great  Britain  to  that 
far  off  land. 

Lihahiiants. — We  have  no  definite  and  reliar 
ble  information  as  to  the  number  of  the  abo- 
riginal population  ;  but  it  is  supposed  to  be 
about  15,000.  Major  T.  S.  Mitchell,  however, 
who  has  made  three  tours  into  the  interior, 
thinks  there  are  less  than  6,000.  This  gentle- 
man expresses  a  high  opinion  of  their  charac- 
ter. He  says  that,  in  manners  and  general 
intelligence,  they  appear  superior  to  any  class 
of  white  rustics  he  had  seen.  The  tribes  of 
the  northern  Coast  of  Australia  possess  a 
peculiar  interest,  on  account  of  their  proximity 
to  the  Indian  Archipelago.  Here,  within  a 
circle  of  .500  miles,  may  be  found  a  large  num- 
ber of  distinct  tribes,  varying  in  color  from 


the  black  of  the  negro  to  the  freckled-yellow 
of  the  Polynesian  mountaineer,  and  differing 
in  social  condition  as  much  as  in  person. 

'J'he  British  colony  of  New  South  Wales 
was  originally  a  penal  settlement,  to  which 
criminals  were  transported  from  Great  Britain- 
After  this,  it  was  opened  to  independent  and 
bounty  emigrants.  And,  within  a  few  years 
past,  the  discovery  of  gold  has  caused  a  great 
rush  of  emigration.  In  1810,  the  population 
was  but  8,923.    In  1851,  it  was  264,000. 

MISSIONS. 

United  Brethren. — The  Moravians  estab- 
lished a  mission  to  the  aborigines  of  Austra- 
lia in  1849,  aud'have  one  missionarv  laboring 
at  Lake  Boga ;  but  no  specific  results  are  yet 
reported. 

Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospei.  in 
Foreign  Parts. — New  South  Wales  having 
been  occupied  by  the  British  Government 
as  a  penal  settlement,  chaplains  were  ap- 
pointed as  their  services  were  required.  In 
1795  the  Society  began,  on  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  local  chaplain,  to  pay  two  school- 
masters in  the  settlement.  In  1798,  Rev.  C. 
Haddock  became  the  Society's  first  mission- 
ary in  Norfolk  Island.  In  1825,  when  the 
population  of  Australia  was  31.133,  there  were 
only  10  chaplains  maintained  by  the  Govern- 
ment, and  but  14  in  1837,  when  the  population 
had  more  than  doubled.  In  1836,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam G.  Boughton  was  consecrated  bishop,  and 
£2,000  were  granted  by  the  Society  for  Pro- 
moting Christian  Knowledge,  and  £1,000  by 
the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  to  aid  the  work  ;  and  soon 
after  10  missionaries  were  sent  out  by  the  lat- 
ter Society.  Year  after  year,  more  clergymen 
were  sent  out,  and  considerable  grants  of 
money  were  placed  by  the  Society  at  the 
Bishop's  disposal.  In  1843  the  Society  was 
assisting  to  maintain  40  clergymen  in  Austra- 
lia, and  10  in  Yan  Dieman's  Land ;  and  in 
1851,  the  number  aided  was  about  50.  In  1847, 
the  Diocese  was  divided,  and  three  new  sees, 
Newcastle,  Adelaide,  and  Melbourne  were  con- 
stituted. The  increase  of  clergy  since  that 
time  will  be  seen  by  the  following  table : 

1847  1850 

Newcastle  ....  17  27 

Adelaide   ....    11  22 


Melbourne 


1851 

20 


A  meeting  has  been  held,  attended  by  the 
four  bishops  of  Australia,  and  the  bishops  of 
New  Zealand  and  Yan  Dieman's  Land,  and  a 
Board  of  Missions  constituted,  for  the  propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel  among  the  aboriginal 
inhabitants  of  the  Australian  continent  and 
the  islands  of  the  W^estcrn  Pacific. 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. — The  Wes- 
leyan  Society  opened  a  mission  in  New  South 
Wales,  in  1815  ;  in  South  Australia  in  1838  ; 
and  the  following  year  they  began  their  opera- 
tions in  Western  Australia,  at  a  place  called 


AUSTRALIA. 


166' 


Perth.  Fifty  years  ago,  New  South  Wales 
was  a  penal  settlement.  There  were  a  few 
thousand  settlers,  also,  scattered  over  the  coun- 
try, engaged  chiefly  in  rearing  sheep  and  in 
agricultural  pursuits.  The  rest  of  the  popula- 
tion were  aborigines.  A  few  of  the  settlers 
who  had  been  Methodists  in  England,  and  had 
gone  to  Australia  either  as  farmers  or  as  school 
teachers,  finding  themselves  without  religious 
services,  and  being  surrounded  by  criminals 
on  the  one  hand,  and  by  heathens  on  the  other, 
dreaded  the  consequences  to  themselves  and 
their  children;  and  in  the  year  1812  one  of 
these  settlers  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Mis- 
sionary Committee  imploring  help.  The  state 
of  society  was  frightful  in  the  extreme.  The 
most  debasing  crimes  were  openly  perpetrated  ; 
and  when  any  one  remonstrated,  the  reply  was, 
"  It  is  the  custom  of  the  country ! "  The  writer 
of  the  letter  alluded  to,  pleads  most  earnestly, 
for  himself,  and  in  behalf  of  the  little  com- 
pany associated  with  him,  and  also  for  the 
aborigines  ;  and  intimates  that  light  might 
yet  break  forth  from  that  place  to  the  thous- 
ands of  isles  by  which  Australia  is  surrounded. 
Such  was  the  foundation  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sions to  Australia.  What  finite  mind  can 
grasp  the  results  of  those  labors  which  were 
then  so  earnestly  invited  !  A  day  is  coming 
fvhen  the  great  Southern  Commonwealth, 
Duilt  up  by  Gold,  and  Commerce,  and  Agri- 
culture, and  Manufactures,  may  stand  almost 
peerless  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  repos- 
ing upon  freedom  and  evangelical  faith,  and 
looking  back  with  meek  adoration  upon  the 
humility  of  her  origin  ! 

The  first  class  meeting  ever  held  in  Austra- 
lia was  on  the  evening  of  March  6, 1812  ;  and 
by  July,  a  division  of  that  little  band  had 
formed  three  such  small  companies,  united  to 
pray  and  exhort  one  another  to  "  work  out 
their  own  salvation,"  two  at  Sydney,  and  one 
at  Windsor.  "  We  have  here,"  says  the  writer 
of  the  letter,  "  in  society,  the  following  persons: 
in  Sydney,  Mr.  John  H.,  who  leads  a  class  in 
his  own  house,  consisting  of  Mrs.  H.,  Mrs.  B,, 
and  Mrs.  T.,  and  three  of  the  senior  girls  in  the 
school.  Mr.  B.  has  also  a  class  in  his  house,  on 
a  Friday  evening,  consisting  of  Mr.  H.,  J.  F., 
T.  J.,  and  a  soldier  or  two  of  the  75th  Regi- 
ment. Our  meetings  are  generally  very  com- 
fortable and  profitable.  At  Windsor  we  have 
a  class  under  the  care  of  Mr.  E.,  consisting  of 
six.  Mr,  E.  is  a  pious,  sensible  young  man, 
sent  here  from  Ireland,  where  he  was  converted 
while  under  sentence  of  death  for  forgery.  He 
was  bred  to  the  bar.  Being  of  an  humble,  af- 
fectionate disposition,  and  zealous  in  the  cause 
of  God,  I  doubt  not,  (especially  could  his  re- 
proach be  wiped  away,)  he  would  make  a  useful 
man  among  us.  He  hte  been  employed  for  some 
months  past  in  teaching  school,  and  he  goes 
some  miles  into  the  country  on  the  Sunday, 
where  he  reads  the  Church  Liturgy,  and  ex- 
pounds, or  preaches,  to  the  settlers,  several  of 


whom  are  thankful  for  his  labors."  Such  was 
the  first  class,  and  such  was  the  first  preacher 
of  Methodism  in  Australia  !  This  little  band 
of  20  Christians  assembled  at  Windsor,  on  the 
3rd  of  April,  to  hold  their  first  Love  Feast. 
They  enjoyed  a  season  of  great  blessing,  and 
at  the  close  of  the  service,  they  resolved  them- 
selves into  a  Committee  of  Consultation,  to 
see  what  could  be  done  to  obtain  the  ordinances 
of  the  Gospel  for  themselves,  and  the  blessings 
of  an  itinerant  ministry  for  Australia.  They 
appointed  one  of  their  number  to  address  the 
Missionary  Committee  in  London,  on  their  be- 
half, and  to  plead  for  the  sake  of  the  perishing 
thousands  of  settlers,  convicts,  and  savages 
around  them,  to  send  them  a  missionary  ;  at 
the  same  time  engaging  to  meet  his  support. 
The  communication  bears  date  July  20,  1812. 

And  thus  originated  that  action,  which,  un- 
der the  blessing  of  God,  has  resulted,  (1st)  In 
the  establishment  of  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
British  Colonial  Churches,  having  had  an  inde- 
pendent Conference,  and  nearly  100,000  persons 
under  its  pastoral  care  ;  which  (2d)  has  also 
rescued  from  sin  and  a  sinner's  doom,  hundreds 
of  those  whose  crimes  had  driven  them  from 
their  native  land  ;  for  the  Missionaries  have 
sought  out  the  unhappy,  branded  exiles  ;  and 
in  many  a  delightful  instance  have  those 
"  banished  ones,"  in  "  the  land  of  their  captivi- 
ty," repented  beneath  the  influence  of  Chris- 
tian admonition,  and  found  mercy  at  the  hand 
of  God  ;  and  the  morning  of  eternity  alone 
will  tell  how  many  of  those  children  of  crime 
and  punishment  shall  be  welcomed  in  Heaven, 
by  the  parents  and  friends,  who  in  shame  and 
despair  had  seldom  dared  to  mention  their 
names  on  earth ;  and,  (3)  such  was  the  agency 
from  which  originated  the  Australian  and 
Polynesian  Wesleyan  Missions,  to  the  abori- 
ginies  of  the  southern  hemisphere,  and  which 
this  day  yields  (including  members,  scholars, 
and  regular  hearers,)  a  result  of  more  than 
25,000  christianized  heathens,  to  the  pastoral 
care  of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 
"  What  hath  God  wrought !"  To  Him  alone 
be  all  the  glory  ! 

In  answer  to  their  request,  the  Missionary 
Committee  sought  out  a  suitable  man,  in  the 
person  of  Mr.  Leigh,  who  arrived  at  Australia 
in  August,  1815.  He  was  joyfully  received, 
and  was  favored  with  great  and  increasing 
prosperity.  Soon  three  chapels  were  erected, 
at  Sydney,  Winsdor  35  miles,  and  Castlereagh, 
50  miles  from  Sydney,  and  four  Sundaj^-schools 
were  commenced,  a  circuit  was  formed,  em- 
bracing 15  preaching  stations,  extending  over 
150  miles  of  the  colony.  Mr.  Lawry  was  sent 
to  help  Mr,  Leigh,  in  the  following  year.  The 
Committee  say  in  the  report,  "  As  many  of  the 
aboriginal  natives  of  the  country  are  occa- 
sionally met  with  by  Mr.  Leigh  on  his  excur- 
sions, it  is  hoped  that,  on  the  arrival  of  Mr. 
Lawry,  not  only  will  the  calls  of  the  settlers 
for  religious  help  be  met,  but  something  eftec- 


166 


AUSTRALIA. 


taal  be  done  by  the  brethren  for  the  civiliza- 
tion and  Christian  instruction  of  the  natives 
themselves,  Mr.  Lawry  was  encouraged  by 
the  Committee  to  make  the  attempt,  and  to 
consider  this  one  of  the  objects  of  his  mission." 
In  1817,  the  missionaries  had  the  pleasure  of 
entertaining  eight  missionary  brethren,  (among 
whom  was  that  devoted  man  who  twenty-two 
years  afterwards  became  "  The  Martyr  of  Er- 
romanga,")  sent  out  by  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  to  what  was  then  called,  Otaheite. 
During  their  visit  to  the  Wesleyan  mission 
stations  in  Australia,  they  zealously  engaged  in 
preaching  the  Gospel,  and  conducted  them- 
selves toward  the  Missionaries,  and  the  work 
in  which  they  were  employed,  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  leave  behind  them  "  a  sweet  savor  of 
Christ." 

The  Rev.  Walter  Lawry  arrived  in  Sydney, 
May  1,  1818,  and  was  joyfully  met  by  Mr. 
Leigh.  The  population  of  the  colony  was 
then  about  20,000,  of  whom  not  one  in  five 
had  any  opportunity  of  attending  public  wor- 
ship ;  and  in  some  districts  the  runaway  con- 
victs, who  prowled  around  the  homes  of  the 
settlers,  made  it  dangerous  to  leave  their  resi- 
dences to  go  any  distance  to  the  house  of  God, 
even  had  there  been  places  of  worship  provided. 
The  itinerancy,  therefore,  was  the  only  mode 
of  searching  out  these  destitute  people.  There 
were  at  this  time  only  four  chaplains  in  all 
the  colony ;  and  it  is  due  to  truth  and  charity 
to  state  that  these  clerical  gentlemen  welcomed 
the  Methodist  itinerants  to  their  adopted  coun- 
try with  hearty  good  will,  and  showed  them- 
selves ready  on  all  occasions  to  assist  them. 
The  missionaries  had  gi-eat  trials  to  pass 
through.  The  roads  were  few,  the  rides  long, 
and  the  lodgings  often  very  indifferent.  Fre- 
quently had  they  to  lie  on  boards  or  on  the 
ground,  with  their  saddle-bags  for  a  pillow, 
their  only  covering  being  their  top-coat.  But 
the  cause  of  God  was  triumphing,  and  this 
reconciled  them  to  every  privation.  In  such 
circumstances  and  with  such  encouragement, 

"  Labor  was  rest,  and  pain  was  sweet." 

The  cause  of  God  gained  strength.  Chapels 
were  erected,  churches  and  congregations  gath- 
ered, and  missionaries  multiplied  to  meet  the 
growing  necessities  of  this  great  work.  But 
here  we  must  leave  the  delightful  record  of 
prosperity,  as  the  great  object  of  this  publica- 
tion is  to  trace  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
Christian  religion  among  the  heathen. 

The  providence  of  God  overruled  the  mis- 
sions in  Australia  so  as  to  accomplish  this 
gi'cat  end ;  for  while  the  Gospel  was  gaining 
its  triumphs  among  the  Anglo-Saxon  settlers 
and  the  convicts,  and  thus  turning  a  colony 
which  was  once  literally  "•  a  den  of  thieves," 
into  a  peaceful  Christian  community,  the  at- 
tention of  these  renewed  and  enlightened  peo- 
ple was  turned  in  pity  toward  the  degraded 
aborigines  around  them,  as  well  as  to  those 


heathen  in  the  isles  of  the  South  Seas,  with 
which  they  now  began  to  have  commercial 
relations.  Accordingly  in  1820,  a  fom-th  mis- 
sionary was  appointed  for  New  South  Wales, 
whose  labors  were  to  be  devoted  exclusively 
to  the  aboriginal  population,  and  whose  civil- 
ization and  moral  improvement  were  then 
considered  by  many  to  be  utterly  hopeless 
An  institution  for  the  children  of  the  aborigi 
nal  natives  had  been  established  at  Paramatta, 
under  the  Governor's  auspices  ;  allotments  of 
ground  for  cultivation  were  made ;  and  an 
annual  general  friendly  meeting  was  estab- 
lished by  proclamation.  This  meeting  was 
well  attended  by  most  of  the  tribes  in  the  col- 
ony. They  were  kindly  treated,  and  good  im- 
pressions were  made  upon  their  minds  ;  but  it 
was  found  that  unless  Christian  missionaries 
were  obtained,  to  reside  among  them,  who 
"  would  have  compassion  on  the  ignorant,  and 
on  them  that  are  out  of  the  way,"  and  teach 
them  "the  path  of  life,"  little  good  could 
otherwise  be  accomplished.  The  Governor 
nobly  offered  to  bear  the  expense  for  two  years 
out  of  his  private  purse,  and  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  supplied  the  man. 

Mr.  Walker  commenced  with  a  tribe  who 
understood  English,  and  through  whom  he 
endeavored  to  acquire  the  native  language. 
The  commencement  of  the  mission  was  very 
encouraging.  The  fact  of  a  missionary  being 
appointed  expressly  for  their  benefit  and  in- 
struction, impressed  them  with  surprise  and 
conciliated  their  regard.  The  only  object  of 
worship  to  which  Mr.  Walker  found  them  dis- 
posed to  pay  any  adoration  was  the  Avaxing 
moon.  They  were  also  much  influenced  by 
fear  of  the  evil  spirit,  and  had  a  terror  of 
darkness.  But  the  missionary  had  hard  work 
to  make  any  impression  whatever  upon  them. 
Nevertheless,  though  they  had  sunk  so  low, 
they  so  much  the  more  needed  the  application 
of  that  only  power  which  could  awaken  the 
torpor  of  their  minds,  and  conquer  their  savage 
habits.  As  a  sample  of  some  of  the  difficul- 
ties which  our  missionary  had  to  encounter 
with  his  flock  of  wild  Papoos,  take  the  follow- 
ing :  Mr.  Walker  says,  "  They  arc  very  idle 
and  vagrant ;  and  the  colonists  often  encour- 
age their  vices.  For  instance,  if  they  cut 
wood,  or  do  any  other  trifling  work  for  them, 
they  are  rewarded  by  the  colonists  with  what 
they  call  bidl ;  sometimes  this  is  composed  of 
a  mixture  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  at  others 
it  is  the  washing  of  liquor  puncheons.  When 
they  are  permitted,  they  take  a  bucket  of  boil- 
ing water,  put  it  into  the  puncheon,  when  they 
agitate  it  until  it  has  drawn  out  the  strength 
of  the  liquor.  They  then  surround  the  pun- 
cheon and  drink  till  they  are  intoxicated. 
Quarreling  of  course  ensues.  I  was  lately  re- 
turning from  Paramatta  to  Sydney,  having 
visited  the  Native  Institution,  when  I  fell  in 
with  a  tribe  of  these  revelers.  Some  were  not 
at  all  intoxicated,  others  were  fearfully  so; 


k 

^^^TOut  both  the  dranken  and  the  sober  knew  me. 
^^^H  asked  them  to  go  into  the  woods,  knowing 
^^^Bf  the  convicts  met  them  they  would  be  ex- 
^Hcited  to  fight,  and  probably  to  murder  one 
^^another  ;  all  followed  me.  But  such  a  noise  I 
never  heard  before  ;  and  so  much  wanton  bar- 
barity I  never  witnessed.  The  men  would 
take  their  waddies,  which  are  made  of  hard 
wood,  about  three  feet  long,  and  four  or  five 
inches  in  circumference  at  tlie  end,  and  strike 
the  heads  of  their  women  with  such  violence 
that  I  expected  nothing  less  than  the  death  of 
some  of  them,  as  the  husbands  stood  up  to 
defend  their  wives.  When  one  man  lifted  up 
his  waddy  to  strike  another,  I  stepped  in  be- 
tween them.  I  then  turned  round  and  found 
another  bleeding  most  profusely.  Before  I 
had  wiped  away  the  blood  from  the  head  of 
one,  another  would  be  in  danger.  At  last  I 
declared  I  would  not  live  with  so  quarrelsome 
a  people.  This  produced  a  clamor  which  made 
the  woods  ring,  and  all  vociferated,  "  Parson, 
do  stay,"  a  hundred  times  repeated.  This 
threat  of  leaving  them,  acted  like  oil  on  the 
angry  waters.  It  ended  the  row  ;  and  all 
proceeded  peaceably  to  their  homes.  Though 
degraded  to  such  an  extent,  yet  they  were  not 
willing  to  lose  their  best  e&rthly  friend.  They 
had  become  conscious  of  his  value.  Mr.  Walk- 
er employed  all  his  strength  in  visiting  them 
at  their  temporary  settlements,  gaining  their 
confidence,  and  giving  them  elements  of  in- 
struction. He  established  preaching,  and  class 
and  prayer  meetings  among  them.  He  also 
kept  a  school,  where  he  taught  the  children. 
Some  fruit  of  his  labor  was  given  him.  One 
youth  in  particular,  of  the  name  of  Thomas, 
became  truly  converted  to  God,  and  soon  learn- 
ed to  read  the  Bible,  and  began  to  be  useful 
in  holding  meetings.  But  he  sickened  and 
died,  as  did  also  another  equally  pious,  though 
not  so  efficient  as  Thomas.  Both  of  these 
youths  died  well — "  the  first-fruits  "  of  the  Aus- 
tralian aborigines  to  Christ.  But  here  a  new 
difficulty  arose.  They  are  so  superstitious  that 
they  believe  the  place  where  one  has  died  to 
be  equally  fatal  to  themselves.  They  therefore 
fled  from  the  mission  house,  lest  they  also 
should  die.  This  dispersion,  and  the  ill-health 
of  the  missionary,  together  with  the  unsettled 
habits  of  this  tribe,  and  the  vices  they  had  ac- 
quired by  their  intercourse  with  the  lower 
classes  of  the  colonists,  all  proved  unfriendly 
to  this  enterprise,  and  the  committee  resolved 
to  try  what  could  be  done  among  those  tribes 
which  were  located  in  the  interior  and  more 
distant  parts  of  the  country,  and  which,  by 
their  position,  were  more  out  of  the  reach  of 
many  of  those  counteracting  causes  to  which 
allusion  has  been  made.  They  therefore  open- 
ed a  mission  at  Wellington  Bay,  where  there 
were  six  tribes,  the  Bathurst,  the  Murrylong, 
the  Nury,  the  Bendjanz,  the  Mudjee,  and  the 
My  awl. 
-fimong  these  tribes  the  agents  of  the  So- 


AUSTEALIA 


167 


ciety  labored  for  a  time,  but  with  small  suo- 
cess,  owing  chiefly  to  their  migratory  hab- 
its, joined  to  their  want  of  appreciation  of 
those  means  which  were  adopted  for  their 
benefit.  Had  the  committee  been  able  to 
have  incurred  the  expense  of  adopting  some 
vigorous  and  extensive  plan  of  localizing  the 
tribes,  and  thus  bringing  them  under  constant 
and  regular  instruction,  success,  on  a  large 
scale,  might  have  been  realized.  But  they 
were  unable  to  do  this,  and  the  mission  to 
these  people  was  therefore  suspended  in  1828. 
But  the  committee,  finding  themselves  in  a 
better  position  in  1836,  again  renewed  their 
efforts  among  the  Australian  aborigines,  and 
three  missionaries  were  sent  out.  They  loca- 
ted themselves,  two  at  Port  Philip,  in  South 
Australia,  and  the  other  at  Perth,  on  Swan 
River,  in  Western  Australia.  These  missions 
have  been  blest  with  considerable  success,  and 
have  been  strengthened  from  time  to  time  by 
an  increase  of  agents. 

In  1838  a  mission  among  the  aborigines 
was  commenced  at  a  place  called  Buntingdale, 
(now  called  Geelong)  in  Australia  Felix,  and 
two  missionaries  were  placed  there.  The  gov- 
ernment kindly  donated  a  tract  of  land  for  the 
use  of  the  natives  brought  under  Christian  in- 
struction. From  that  time,  to  the  present, 
considerable  prosperity,  mingled  with  many 
trials,  has  attended  their  labors.  The  mission- 
aries have  mastered  the  languages  of  the  na- 
tives ;  schools  have  been  opened  at  each  sta- 
tion ;  the  printing-press  has  also  been  brought 
into  requisition ;  and  school-books,  with  Cat- 
echisms and  the  Holy  Scriptures,  printed  for 
their  benefit.  An  institution  for  training  na- 
tive young  men  for  usefulness  among  their  own 
tribes,  is  in  operation  at  Perth,  in  Western 
Australia.  It  has  now  been  open  for  about 
eight  years,  and  has  from  twenty  to  thirty 
students. 

Farms  have  been  attached  to  each  of  these 
three  missions,  and  also  sheep-raising,  by  which, 
not  only  is  a  large  part  of  the  expense  of  the 
missions  provided  for,  but  the  tribes  which  have, 
in  each  case,  settled  on  the  mission  reserve,  are 
thereby  trained  to  remain  in  a  settled  home, 
where  they  are  stimulated  to  industry,  and  en- 
joy those  comforts  of  life,  which,  in  their  hea- 
then state,  they  never  knew.  At  each  station, 
delightful  instances  of  the  saving  power  of  the 
Gospel  are  constantly  witnessed  among  these 
once  degraded  people,  who,  30  years  ago,  were 
regarded  as  almost,  if  not  altogether,  beyond 
the  reach  of  civilization  or  renewal.  They  are 
now  beginning  to  repay  the  labor  and  suffer- 
ings endured  on  their  behalf,  and  have  been 
thus  brought  into  connection  with  that  Christi- 
anity which  stands  as  the  only  barrier  between 
them   and  utter  destruction. 

The  statistics  of  the  mission  to  the  aborigines 
are  not  separated,  in  the  following  table,  from 
those  which  have  reference  to  the  English 
population. 


168 


AUSTRALIA. 


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AVA— BAPTIST    MISSIONARY    SOCIETY. 


169 


'It  is  to  be  lamented  that  the  rapid  in- 
flux of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  during  the 
past  five  or  six  years,  has  made  serious 
encroachment  upon  their  little  settlements, 
and  upon  the  means  adopted  for  their  wel- 
fare ;  and  which  has  also  left  the  aborigi- 
nal missions  unaugmented,  in  the  anxiety 
of  the  committee  to  provide  ministers  and 
Christian  institutions  for  the  gold  seekers  and 
others,  who  have  of  late  flocked  by  thousands 
to  Australia.  But  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  when 
"  the  gold  fever  "  is  over,  and  society  settles 
down  into  calmness,  and  begins  its  efforts  to 
improve  the  country  of  their  adoption,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  Christians  of  Australia,  which 
are  now  being  counted  by  tens  of  thousands, 
will  remember  in  mercy  those  aborigines  in 
whose  country  they  have  found  a  home  of 
comfort  and  of  wealth.  It  was  worthy  the 
wisdom  of  Him  "  who  worketh  all  things  after 
the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  to  convert  "  the 
hid  treasures"  of  Australia  into  a  lure  by 
which  should  be  drawn  to  that  far-off  land,  a 
Protestant  population,  whose  evangelical  zeal, 
at  some  future  day,  will  convert  the  millions 
in  the  Isles  of  Malaysia  and  Polynesia,  to  the 
faith  of  Christ.  Already  are  the  Wesleyans 
of  Australia  moving  in  this  great  enterprise. 
They  have  guaranteed  soon  to  sustain  all  their 
ministers,  now  nearly  sixty  in  number  ;  they 
have  also  received  from  the  parent  body  a 
separate  and  independent  ecclesiastical  organi- 
zation ;  and  they  have  adopted  the  missions  to 
the  Papoos,  and  those  in  Polynesia,  as  their 
own  special  responsibility,  to  God  and  to  his 
Church.  And  in  future  years  it  will  be  grate- 
fully remembered,  that  the  same  year  which 
witnessed  their  organization  as  an  independent 
church,  also  witnessed  the  establishment  of 
their  Missionary  Society  for  the  heathen  of 
Australasia. — Wesleyan  Missimiary  Notices  and 
^Annual  Reports,  and  The  Arminian  Magazine. 
— Eev.  W.  Butler. 

AVA  :  The  capital  of  Burmah,  situated 
on  the  Irrawaddy,  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
from  its  mouth.  It  has  been  at  different  pe- 
riods a  station  of  the  American  Baptist  mis- 
sion in  Burmah. 

AYARUA :  A  station  of  the  Loudon 
Missionary  Society  on  the  island  of  Earoton- 
ga,  one  of  the  Hervey  Islands. 

AW  A  YE  :  A  station  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  in  Yoruba,  West  Africa, 
do  miles  north  of  Abbeokuta. 

BAD  AGE Y  :  A  town  and  port  in  West 
Africa  on  the  Gold  Coast,  in  the  Bight  of 
Benin,  50  miles  N.  N.  E.  of  Whydah,  at 
first  the  coast  station  of  the  mission  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  to  the  Yorubas. 
But,  in  consequence  of  the  wars  of  the  native 
tribes,  the  town  was  subsequently  reduced  in 
importance  and  in  the  number  of  its  inhabit- 
ants, and  the  station  was  transferred  to  Lagos. 
The  Wesleyans  also  have  a  station  there. 

BADDAGAME :    A  station  of  the  Church 


Missionary  Societv  in  Ceylon,  10  miles  north 
of  Point  de  Galle" 

BAD  RIVEE  :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Ojibwa  Indians,  near 
Lake  Superior. 

BAGDAD  :  A  large  city  on  the  Tigris, 
the  metropolis  of  an  extensive  pashalic  which 
bears  its  name.  The  Jewish  population  is 
6,000,  and  the  whole  trade  of  the  town  is  in 
their  hands.  It  is  a  station  of  the  London 
Jews'  Society,  whose  missionaries  have  been 
visited  by  crowds  of  Jews,  eager  for  instruc- 
tion. 

BAHAMAS  :     See  West  Indies. 

BAHAEUTSE  :  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  about  25 
miles  from  Touns ;  inhabited  by  a  numerous 
tribe  of  the  Baharutse,  who  were,  some  time 
ago,  driven  from  their  own  country,  which  was 
a  considerable  distance  to  the  north. 

BAPTIST  MISSIONAEY  SOCIETY, 
(ENGLISH  :)  The  origin  of  this  Society  is 
traced  to  the  workings  of  the  mind  of  Eev. 
William  Carey,  which  had  been  intensely  di- 
rected to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  for 
nine  or  ten  years  previous.  He  was  at  this 
time  pastor  of  a  small  Baptist  church  at  Moul- 
ton.  He  was  born  in  obscurity,  in  the  county 
of  Northampton,  Aug.  17, 1761,  made  a  pub- 
lic profession  of  religion  in  1783  ;  and  was  or- 
dained, 1787.  Under  the  pressure  of  poverty, 
first  as  a  journeyman  shoemaker,  and  after- 
wards as  a  village  schoolmaster,  he  had  ac- 
quired several  languages.  With  the  earliest 
dawn  of  missionary  purpose  in  his  mind,  was 
associated  the  study  of  geography  and  history. 
He  addicted  himself  to  the  construction  of 
maps  of  the  world ;  in  doing  which,  he 
reflected  much  on  its  spiritual  destitution. 
In  1784,  at  a  meeting  of  the  association  to 
which  he  belonged,  at  Nottingham,  it  was 
resolved  to  set  apart  an  hour  on  the  first  Mon- 
day evening  of  every  month,  "  for  extraordii> 
ary  prayer  for  the  revival  of  religion,  and  for 
the  extending  of  Christ's  kingdom  in  the 
world."  This  was  done  at  the  suggestion  of 
the  venerable  Mr.  Sutcliff.  This  concert  of 
prayer  has  since  become  almost  universal  in 
the  churches.  At  these  meetings,  Mr.  Carey 
was  incessantly  introducing  and  descanting 
upon  the  importance  and  practicability  of  a 
mission  to  the  heathen,  and  of  his  own  wil- 
lingness to  engage  in  it.  But  he  met  with 
little  sympathy.  Some  regarded  him  as  in- 
fatuated, and  denounced  his  project  as  wild 
and  hopeless ;  and  others  hesitated,  amid 
doubts  and  fears.  On  one  occasion,  a  request 
being  made  for  a  topic  for  discussion,  at  a 
meeting  of  ministers,  Mr.  Carey  proposed 
"  The  duty  of  Christians  to  attempt  the  spread 
of  the  Gospel  among  heathen  nations ; "  when 
Mr.  Eyland,  father  of  Dr.  Ryland,  expressed 
great  surprise,  and  called  him  an  enthusiast  for 
entertaining  such  a  notion. 

While     laboring    as  a  schoolmaster  and 


170 


liAl'TlST    MISSION  Alt  V   fcJUClETY. 


prcnohinpr  at  Moulton,  he  wrote  an  essay,  which 
was  afterwards  published  under  th«  title  of 
"An  Inquiry  into  the  obligation  of  Christians 
to  use  means  for  the  convei-sion  of  the  heathen." 
This  appeal  i)roduced  a  strong  impression.  In 
1788,  Air.  Carev  became  pastor  of  a  church  in 
Leicester.  AVhile  there,  his  anxiety  for  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel  abroad  increased,  till  it 
became  an  habitual  and  irrepressible  passion 
of  his  soul.  In  1791,  at  a  ministers'  meeting, 
he  urged  forward  the  discussion,  "  whether  it 
were  not  practicable,  and  our  bounden  duty,  to 
attempt  somewhat  towards  spreading  the  Gos- 
pel in  the  heathen  world."  About  this  time, 
two  sermons  were  preached  on  the  subject  by 
Mr.  Sutcliff  and  Mr.  Fuller  which  deepened 
the  impression.  At  the  anniversary  of  the 
association  at  Nottingham,  in  May,  1792,  Mr. 
Carey  preached  a  sermon  from  Isa.  54  :  2,  3, 
arranged  under  two  divisions.  (1)  *•  Expect 
great  things  from  God,  (2)  attempt  great 
Slings /or  God,"  which  produced  such  a  pow- 
erful impression  as  led  the  association  to  resolve 
that  a  plan  for  a  missionary  society  should  be 
presented  at  the  fall  meeting  ;  and  on  the  se- 
cond of  October,  the  plan  was  adopted,  the 
society  formed,  and  a  contribution  of  £13  2s. 
6fZ.  made  on  the  spot.  Several  meetings  were 
held  soon  after,  and  the  contributions  in- 
creased. 

Mr.  Carey  had  his  attention  directed  to  the 
South  Seas  ;  and  he  proposed  to  go,  if  any  so- 
ciety would  send  him  out,  with  the  means  of 
support  for  one  year.  But,  after  the  formation 
of  the  society,  he  became  acquainted  with  the 
fact  that  a  Mr.  Thomas,  who  had  been  a  surgeon 
in  the  East  Indies,  and  afterwards  had  become 
a  preacher,  was  collecting  funds  for  a  mission 
in  Bengal ;  and  sought  to  unite  the  two  ob- 
jects. And  the  committee,  having  satisfied 
themselves  as  to  the  character  of  Mr.  Thomas, 
and  being  fully  of  opinion  that  a  door  was 
opened  in  the  East  Indies  for  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen,  agreed  to  invite  him  to 
go  out  under  the  patronage  of  the  Society, 
agreeing  to  furnish  him  with  a  companion,  if 
one  could  be  obtained.  Mr.  Carey  was  asked 
if  he  was  inclined  to  accompany  him,  to  which 
he  answered  in  the  affirmative.  While  they 
were  discussing  the  matter,  Mr.  Thomas  came 
in,  and  Mr.  Carey  rising  from  his  seat,  they 
fell  on  each  other's  necks  and  wept.  "  From 
Mr.  Thomas'  account,"  said  Mr.  Fuller,  "  there 
is  a  gold  mine  in  India,  but  it  seems  almost  as 
deep  as  the  centre  of  the  earth.  "Who  will 
venture  to  explore  it ? "  "I  will  go  down," 
said  Mr.  Carey,  "  but  remember,  that  yaa  must 
hold  the  ropes."  This  they  solemnly  engaged 
to  do. 

But  Mr.  Carey  found  difficulties  in  his  way. 
His  wife  was  utterly  adverse  to  the  mission, 
and  refused  to  accompany  him.  She  consented, 
however,  to  his  taking  with  him  their  eldest  son 
Felix. 

An  effort  was  made  in  London,  in  behalf  of 


the  object ;  but  it  was  viewctl  with  great  dis- 
trust, and  the  leading  men  were  afraid  of  com- 
mitting the  denomination  to  the  Society.  Mr. 
Thomas  visited  different  parts  of  the  country, 
to  awaken  interest  and  collect  funds.  Mr.  Carey 
made  repeated  attempts  to  persuade  his  wife 
to  accompany  him  ;  but  she  resolutely  refused. 
Yet,  he  considered  his  duty  to  God  paramount, 
and  amidst  the  severest  struggles  of  mind,  re- 
solved to  go,  intending  to  return  for  her  as  soon 
as  he  had  secured  a  footing  for  the  mission.  But, 
being  dissappointed  of  sailing  at  the  time  set, 
in  the  interval  before  another  vessel  was  to 
sail,  Mr.  Carey  visited  her  again,  with  the 
hope  that  she  might  change  her  mind  ;  but  she 
still  refused.  Mr.  Thomas,  however,  took  up 
the  case  of  his  friend,  and  after  renewing  his 
appeals  with  reiterated  urgency,  she  yielded, 
and  accompanied  her  husband.  They  em- 
barked, June  13,  1793,  and  arrived  at  Bala- 
sore,  on  the  7th  of  November.  For  the  history 
of  the  early  trials  and  struggles  of  this  mission, 
the  reader  is  referred  to  the  appropriate  head, 
under  the  article  "  Hindoostan." 

In  1795,  the  Society  determined  on  establish- 
ing a  mission  in  Africa  ;  and  two  young  men 
were  sent  out,  who  reached  Sierra  Leone  on  the 
first  of  December  the  same  year.  But  one  of 
them  was  obliged  to  return  on  account  of  his 
health  the  next  year,  and  the  other  embroiled 
himself  in  disputes  with  a  principal  person  in 
Sierra  Leone,  so  that  the  Governor  insisted  on 
his  leaving  the  colony,  and  he  was  discharged 
from  the  service  of  the  Society. 

The  organization  of  this  Society  is  very 
simple,  a  contribution  of  10s.  G</.,  constituting 
membership,  with  the  right  of  voting  at  its 
meetings.  Its  officers  are  chosen  at  the  an- 
nual meeting  by  ballot.  Its  affairs  are  con- 
ducted by  a  committee  of  36  ;  and  all  honor- 
ary and  corresponding  members  of  the  com- 
mittee, together  with  all  ministers  who  are 
members  of  the  Society,  and  officers  of  Lon- 
don auxiliaries,  are  entitled  to  vote  at  the 
meetings  of  the  Committee. 

This  Society  have  extended  their  missions  to 
the  different  portions  of  India,  and  haA-e  them 
now  in  operation,  in  Calcutta,  Bengal,  North- 
ern India,  Madras  and  Ceylon  ;  also,  in  the 
West  Indies  :  in  Jamaica,  Trinidad,  Bahamas, 
and  Hayti ;  in  Africa,  and  in  France.  The 
table  at  the  close  of  this  article  exhibits  the 
present  state  of  their  missions,  and  shows  the 
success  which  has  attended  their  labors. 

Receipts. — The  following  table  shows  an  ap- 
proximation to  the  aggregate  receipts  of  the 
society  from  its  organization  to  March  31, 
1853,  with  the  average  annual  receipts  for 
the  periods  specified.  It  is  not,  however,  per- 
fectly accurate,  as  no  financial  statements  ap- 
pear in  the  reports  for  the  first  five  years  ;  and 
in  two  other  years  in  which  they  are  lacking, 
we  have  given  the  amounts  of  the  preceding 
and  following  years  : 


BAEAKA— BASLE   MISSIONARY   SOCIETY. 


171 


1792  to  1812,  20  years, 

£54,647= 

= Annual 

average,  £2,732 

1813  "  1816,    4     " 

30,646 

" 

"             7,661 

1817   "  1820,    4     " 

39,011 

'< 

"             9,752 

1821  "  1824,    4     " 

55,099 

<' 

"           13,774 

1825  "  1828,    4      " 

43,553 

u 

"           10,888 

1829   "  1832,    4      " 

56,086 

tt 

"           14,021 

1833   "  1836,    4      " 

70,317 

" 

"           19,079 

1837  "  1840,    4     " 

78,970 

<< 

"           19,742 

1841  "  1844,    4      " 

106,854 

«t 

"           26,713 

1845  "  1848,    4     " 

89,317 

22,329 

1849  "1852-3  4     " 

72,082 

<< 

18,020 

1854            " 

24,759 
£627,341 

The  receipts  for  tlie  year  ending  March  31, 
1853,  were  £17,225.  These  receipts  present 
the  same  general  feature  contained  in  the 
financial  reports  of  all  missionary  societies  :  a 
general  and  steady  advance  in  the  contribu- 
tions. The  large  amount  for  the  period  end- 
ing in  1844,  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  it 
includes  a  special  jubilee  fund,  collected  for  the 
Society's  50th  anniversary. 


TABULAR   VIEW. 


STATIONS. 

§ 

1 

1 
1 

i 
1 
1 

Church  Members. 

1 

60 
.9 
3 

Is 

1 

1 
1 
a 

6 

3 

§ 

It 
II 

< 

J 

1 

i 

H 

1 

1 

& 

^ 
& 

i 

1 

i 

a 

1 

India 

Ceylon 

4 
2 
4 

27 
13 
67 

33 
2 
7 
1 
1 

92 
11 
24 

5 

1 

561 
17 
18 

1140 

516 

2656 

90 
57 
99 

52 
4 
71 

38 

74 

197 

1498 
1020 
4695 

82 
36 
19 

10 

3 

209 

44 
37 
16 

2451 

1041 

753 

5 

6 

40 

147 

176 

2039 

West  Indies 

Africa 

France  

Totals , 

10 

107 

44 

133 

596 

4312 

246 

127 

309 

7213 

137 

222 

97 

4245 

51 

2362 

BARAK  A :  Station  of  the  American 
Board  in  West  Africa,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Gaboon  river. 

BARAPUTSA  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa. 

BARBADOES  :     See  West  Indies. 

B ARODA  :  The  chief  city  of  a  district  of 
the  same  name,  in  India,  230  miles  from  Bom- 
bay and  78  from  Surat :  Pop.  100,000.  Near 
the  city  is  a  bridge,  over  the  River  Yisuamitra, 
which  is  remarkable  as  being  the  only  one  in 
Gujerat.  A  station  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society. 

BARRA  POINT  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Society  in  West  Africa,  near 
St.  Mary's. 

BARRIPORE  :  A  station  of  the  Gospel 
Propagation  Society  in  India,  16  miles  south- 
east of  Calcutta. 

BARTICA  GROVE  :  A  station  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  British  Guiana. 

BASLE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  :  A 
seminary  was  established  at  Basle,  in  Switzer- 
land, in  1815,  for  the  education  of  missionaries 
to  the  heathen.  That  year,  a  Russian  army 
was  encamped  on  one  side  of  the  town,  and  a 
Hungarian  army  on  the  other,  and  a  torrent 
of  bombs  was  opened  upon  the  town.  But  the 
Lord  sent  a  violent  east  wind,  which  had  such 
an  effect  upon  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  that  the 
bombs  were  exhausted  in  the  air  before  they 
could  reach  the  houses.  In  consequence  of  this 
remarkable  deliverance,  the  people  of  God  re- 
solved to  establish  a  mission  seminary,  to  train 
up  pious  teachers  for  the  heathen.  The  first 
year,  they  had  only  a  few  rooms,  and  a  small 
number  of  scholars,  their  income  being  £50 ; 
but  in  the  sixth  year,  they  were  able  to  build 
a  missionary  college,  their  receipts  having  in- 


creased to  £5,000.  More  than  40  auxiliary 
societies  had  been  formed,  in  Switzerland,  Ger- 
many, and  France.  This  institution  has  since 
sent  out  a  large  number  of  valuable  and  de- 
voted laborers,  who  have  been  employed  iu 
different  parts  of  the  world.  It  has  furnished 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  many  of  their 
most  efficient  laborers.  In  1842,  the  institu- 
tion had  sent  out  175  missionaries,  and  28 
more  were  pursuing  their  studies. 

It  was  no  part  of  the  original  plan  to  send 
out  missionaries  to  the  heathen  ;  but  in  1821, 
a  society  was  regularly  organized,  (Die  Evau- 
gelische  Missionsgesellschaft  zu  Basel,)  with  the 
design  of  engaging  fully  in  the  missionary 
work.  Its  first  representatives  went  forth  in 
the  following  year.  It  now  has  16  mission- 
aries in  Western  Africa ;  28  in  India  ;  and  3 
in  China.  It  has  also  a  mission  in  North 
America.  From  the  last  report  it  appears 
that  the  receipts  of  the  previous  year  were 
304,298  fr.  The  disbursements  were  as  fol- 
lows : — for  the  African  mission,  71,291  fr. ;  for 
the  India  mission,  156,849  fr. ;  for  the  Chinese 
mission,  21,193  fr. ;  for  North  America,  1,443 
fr. ;  for  the  Missionary  Institute,  39,815  fr. ; 
for  other  expenses,  22,221  fr.  The  payments 
exceeded  the  receipts  in  the  sum  8,514  fr.  One 
year  before,  the  debt  of  the  society  was  55,000  fr. 
Towards  the  liquidation  of  this  amount,  26,402 
fr.  have  since  been  paid,  12,568  fr.  having  been 
received  from  the  city  of  Basle  for  this  purpose. 

BASSETERRE  :  A  station  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  St.  Kitts,  West  Indies. 

BATH :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  Jamaica,  West  Indies. 

BASSEIN  :  A  district  and  a  city  in  Bur- 
mah,  near  the  borders  of  Arracan,  and  the  seat 
of  a  mission  of  the  Am.  Baptist  Missionary 


172 


BASSA  COVE— liKTHABAKA. 


Uuion.  The  mission  is  principally  for  the 
Karens. 

BASSA  C0YP3 :  A  settlement  on  the  W. 
coast  of  Africa,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mechlin 
river,  a  station  of  the  Am.  Baptist  and  Epis- 
copal Missions  in  Liberia. 

J3ATAVIA  :  A  city  and  seaport  of  Java, 
capital  of  the  Dutch  possessions  in  the  east, 
and  of  residency  of  same  name,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Jaccatra  river,  on  the  north  coast  of  the 
island.  Pop.  in  1842,  53,861,  of  whom  about 
3,000  were  Europeans,  the  rest  Chinese,  Java- 
nese, Malays,  &c. 

BATHURST  :  A  village  of  recaptured  Af- 
ricans, in  the  parish  of  St.  James,  Sierra 
Leone,  "West  Africa,  a  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society.  Also  a  station  of  the 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  in  Great  Na-. 
ma(jualand,  South  Africa. 

BATnCALOA :  A  town  and  district  on 
an  island  three  miles  in  cii'cumference,  on  the 
east  coast  of  Ceylon,  66  miles  S.  S.  E.  from 
Trincomale.  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

BATTICOTTA :  A  station  of  the  Am. 
Board,  in  the  northern  part  of  Ceylon,  about 
6  miles  north-west  of  Jaffnapatam,  and  7  miles 
south-west  from  Tillipally.  It  is  the  seat  of 
the  male  seminary,  now  in  charge  of  Mr. 
Hastings. 

BAU  :  One  of  the  Feejee  Islands,  about  two 
miles  in  circumference,  most  inconveniently 
situated  for  every  thing  except  defence.  The 
town  is  continually  in  ruins  from  fire,  some 
part  of  it  being  constantly  ignited  by  careless 
or  malicious  people.  It  is  one  of  the  largest 
towns,  and  the  metropolis  of  Feejee.  A  sta- 
tion of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

BEAUFORT :  A  station  of  the  United 
Brethren,  in  Jamaica,  West  Indies* 

BEECHAM-DALE :  See  Aotea. 

BEERSHEBA  :  A  station  of  the  Rhenish 
Missionary  Society,  in  Great  Namaqualand, 
South  Africa,  near  Bethany. 

BEERSHEBA:  Station  of  the  French 
Protestants,  in  South  Africa,  on  the  Caledon 
river,  60  miles  south-west  of  Plaatberg. 

BEKA  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  Kaffraria,  South  Africa. 

BELGAUM  :  A  town  in  the  province  of 
Bejapoor,  India,  lat.  15°  53'  N.,  and  long.  74° 
42'  E.  Its  climate  is  healthy,  but  all  external 
trade  is  stopped  for  six  montlis  in  tlie  year,  by 
the  rains.  Population  in  1820,  7,654,  one- 
third  Mahrattas,  one-sixth  Mohammedans,  one- 
eighth  Jains,  and  one-ninth  Brahmins.  A 
station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

BELIZE  :  A  town  of  400  houses,  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  a  river  of  the  same  name,  in 
Honduras  Bay.  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society. 

BELLARY  :  A  fortified  town  in  the  Balar 
gaut  ceded  districts,  India,  and  the  head  quar- 
ters of  a  civil  and  military  division ;  lat.  15<^ 
6'  N.,  long.  70°  59'  E.    The  town  is  large  and 


populous.  Population  of  the  district,  927,857. 
A  station  of  the  London  Missionary  So(?iety. 

BENARES  :  A  large  and  celebrated  city, 
in  the  Presidency  of  Bengal,  capital  of  a  pro- 
vince and  district  of  the  same  name.  It  is  sit- 
uated on  the  north  bank  of  the  Ganges,  460 
miles  north-west  of  Calcutta.  l*opulation 
632,000.  It  is  the  most  holy  city  of  the  Hin- 
doos, the  ecclesiastical  metropolis  of  India,  and 
is  resorted  to  by  pilgrims  from  all  quarters. 
Benares  is  crowded  with  mendicant  priests. 
There  are  said  to  be  8,000  houses  occupied  by 
Brahmins,  who  live  upon  the  alms  and  offer- 
ings of  the  pilgrims.  This  city  is  believed  by 
the  Hindoos  to  form  no  part  of  the  terrestrial 
globe,  but  to  rest  upon  the  point  of  Siva's  tri- 
dent ;  hence,  they  say,  no  earthquake  can  ever 
affect  it. 

BERBICE  :  A  colony  in  British  Guiana, 
about  70  miles  east  of  Georgetown,  in  which 
there  are  several  stations  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

BEREA :  Station  of  the  French  Protes- 
tants in  South  Africa,  on  the  Caledon  river. 

BERHAMPORE  :  A  town  in  Bengal,  sit- 
uated on  the  east  bank  of  the  Cossinibazar 
river,  about  six  miles  south  from  Moorshedabad. 
Population  20,000.  It  became  a  station  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society  in  1824. 

BERHAMPORE :  A  town  in  Orissa,  in 
Hindoostan,  on  the  coast  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal. 
It  is  the  most  southern  station  of  the  General 
Baptists  in  Orissa. 

BERLIN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY: 
An  institution  was  formed  at  Berlin,  in  1800, 
by  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  designed 
to  qualify  pious  young  men  for  missionaries. 
The  number  of  students  who  had  been  educa- 
ted there,  amounted,  in  1825,  to  40.  The  So- 
ciety has  14  missionaries  in  South  Africa ;  but 
it  has,  in  general,  assisted  other  bodies  of 
Christians  in  the  work  of  evangelizing  the 
heathen,  rather  than  sought  to  establish  mis- 
sions itself. 

BERLIN  MISSIONARY  UNION  FOR 
CHINA  :  This  society  was  formed  in  June, 
1850,  during  a  visit  of  Dr.  Giitzlaff  to  Berlin. 
Dr.  F.  W.  Krummacher  was  chosen  President, 
and  Prof.  Lachs,  Secretary.  The  object  of  the 
society  is  to  send  forth  European  laborers,  male 
and  female,  and  also  to  support  institutions  for 
the  training  of  native  preachers ;  and  it  hopes 
to  aid  in  evangelizing,  not  only  China,  but 
Thibet  and  the  adjacent  countries. 

BERMUDAS :  A  numerous  cluster  of 
small  islands  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  extending 
about  45  miles  from  S.  W.  to  N.  E.,  and  hav- 
ing their  northern  point  in  long.  63°  28'  W., 
lat.  320  34'  N.  Population  9  or  10,000.  The 
AYesleyan  Missionary  Society  have  several 
stations  on  these  islands.     (See  West  Indies.) 

BETHANY  :  A  station  of  the  Berli^ 
Missionary  Society  in  S.  Africa. 

BETHABARA  :  A  station  of  the  Morar 
vians  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 


BIBLE  SOCIETIES. 


1T3 


BETHEL :  A  station  of  tlie  Berlin  Mis- 
sionary Society,  South  Africa. 

BETHEL  :  A  station  of  the  Moravians 
an  St.  Kitts,  W.  L 

BETHELSDORP  :  Station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  a  settlement  of  Hot- 
tentots in  South  Africa,  450  miles  east  of 
Cape  Town,  and  7  miles  north  of  Fort  Fred- 
eric. 

BETHESDA:  Station  of  the  French 
Protestants  in  South  Africa,  73  miles  N.  E. 
of  Cape  Town. 

BETHESDA  :  A  station  of  the  Moravians 
on  St.  Kitts,  W.  L 

BETHULIA  :  Station  of  the  French  Pro- 
testant Society  in  South  Africa,  54  miles  S.  E. 
of  Philipolis.  Inhabitants,  2,500,  chiefly 
Batlapis. 

BETTIGHERRY  :  A  station  of  the  Ger- 
man Missionary  Society  in  India. 

BETHANY :  A  station  of  the  Rhenish 
Missionary  Society  in  Great  Namaqualand, 
South  Africa. 

BEULAH  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  the  Society  Islands. 

BEXLEY:  A  settlement  in  Western  Af- 
rica, on  the  Mechlin  river,  six  miles  from  the 
coast,  the  chief  station  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist Mission. 

BEIRUT  :  The  ancient  Bcrytus.  a  seaport, 
and  the  chief  town  of  the  Druses.  Its  streets 
are  narrow  and  irregular,  and  the  suburbs  are 
nearly  as  large  as  the  town,  consisting  of 
houses  interspersed  with  gardens  planted  with 
trees,  which  give  it  a  beautiful  appearance. 
The  environs  are  laid  out  in  plantations  full  of 
fine  trees,  and  a  stream  descending  from  Mount 
Lebanon  winds  through  the  country  to  the 
sea.  The  mountains  enclose  a  fine  plain  filled 
with  mulberry-trees,  on  which  is  reared  the 
Quest  silk  in  Syria.  Population  estimated  from 
12,000  to  20,000.  Beirut  is  the  first  commer- 
cial port  of  Syria,  and  is  visited  by  the  Turk- 
ish and  European  steamers,  and  vessels  from 
different  parts  of  the  world.  The  people  are 
divided  into  different  sects,  but  are  principally 
of  the  Arab  race,  and  speak  the  Arabic  lan- 
guage. Beirut  is  the  principal  station  of 
the  American  Board  in  Syria. 

BHAGALPUR  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  in  North  India. 

BHINGAR:  In  Hindoostan,  two  miles 
east  of  Ahmednuggur,  and  was  occupied  as  a 
station  by  that  mission  in  1846.     Pop.  4,000. 

BIABOU:  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  on  the  Island  of  St.  Vin- 
cent, W.  I. 

BIBLE  SOCIETIES  :  Orz^m.— Until  the 
formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  in  1804,  it  is  believed  that  there  did 
not  exist  in  the  world  any  society  having  for 
its  sole  object  the  distribution  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  without  note  or  comment  among 
the  people  generally.  An  association  had  ex- 
isted in  London  for  several  years,  having  for 


its  object  the  supply  of  the  Scriptures  to  the 
soldiers  and  sailors.     It  was  afterwards  some- 
what remodeled,  and  called  the  "  Naval  and 
Military  Bible  Society,"  but  its  efforts  were  di- 
rected to  a  single  point,  and  were  somewhat 
limited   even    there.      A  society  called  the 
"  French    Bible     Society,"    was    formed    in 
France,  in  1792,  but  its  operations  were  impe- 
ded from  various  causes,  and  after  struggling 
along  for  a  few  years,  the  society  disposed  of 
the  Bibles  on  hand,  settled  up  their  accounts, 
and  dissolved  in  August,  1803.    It  is  not,  how- 
ever, to  be  supposed  that  no  effort  had  been 
put  forth  to  furnish  a  supply  of  Bibles  for  the 
destitute  generally,  for  the  several  missionary 
societies  in  England  and  Scotland  published 
large  editions  of  Bibles  and  Testaments,  as  well 
as  other  religious  books,  and  tracts.      One 
society  alone,  "The   Society   for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,"  formed  in  1698,  printed 
the  New  Testament  in  Arabic,  the  whole  Bible 
in  the  language  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  four 
editions  of  it  in  the  Welsh  language,  besides 
many  editions  in  English.    The  operations  of 
this    society  are    still    increasing.      By   the 
efforts  of  these    societies  many  copies  of  the 
Scriptures  were  put  in  circulation,  while  as  yet 
there  was  no  general  society  to  supervise  the 
effort,  and  carry  forward  the  work  with  an 
energy  and  system  becoming  its  importance. 
The  supply  of  an  edition  of  the  Welsh  Bible, 
for  distribution  in  that  principality,  seems  to 
have  been  the  moving  spring  of  the  establish- 
ment of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Charles,  a  Welsh  minister,  had 
urged  that  something  should  be  done,  and  at 
length,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Hughes,  a  dissenting 
minister,  who  had  traversed  the  ground,  wrote 
and  published  an  essay,  setting  forth  the  im- 
portance of  the  subject,  the  necessity  of  speedy 
and  vigorous  action,  and  suggesting  the  forma- 
tion of  a  large  national   institution.    Thcjge 
hints  rested  with  weight  in  the  minds  of  many 
benevolent  men,  a  general  meeting  was  invited, 
and  the   British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society 
was  duly  organized  on  the  7th  of  March,  1804. 
Immediately  after  the  formation  of  the  society 
a    correspondence    was    opened    with    many 
friends  of  the  Bible,  in  all  the  large  cities  on 
the  continent  of  Europe,  and  in  other  places 
more  distant,  unfolding  the  views  entertained, 
as  well  as  the  plans  proposed  ;  urging  cooper- 
ation either  by  the  formation  of  distinct  soci- 
eties, or  becoming  auxiliary,  and  offering  pecu- 
niary aid  if  needed.    It  was  not  long  before  a 
response  came  from  Germany.    The  friends  of 
the  cause  at  the  city  of  Nurenberg  assembled 
and   formed  a  Bible  Society  on  the  general 
principles  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Society, 
calling  it  the  "  Nurenberg  Bible  Society."  In 
about  two  years  the  seat  of  the  society  was 
transferred  to  Basle,  as  possessing  more  facili- 
ties for  printing  and  distributing  the  Scrip- 
tures.    The   Society  is  now  kno^^^n  as  the 
"  German  Bible  Society." 


IH 


BIBLE   SOCIETIES. 


Other  places  soon  followetl,  and  in  a  few 
ycai-s  the  pront  work  wius  fairly  under  way. 
In  ten  years  from  the  formation  of  the  British 
and  Foreipn  Bible  Society,  and  mainly  through 
their  advice  and  cooperation,  8*2  large,  inde- 
pendent Bible  societies  had  been  formed  in 
Kurope,  several  having  many  auxiliaries  of 
their  own  ;  five  important  branches  had  been 
established  in  Asia,  four  of  them  auxiliary  to 
the  British  Society,  viz.,  Calcutta,  Colombo, 
Bombay  and  Java,  and  one,  viz.,  Astrachan, 
auxiliary  to  the  Russian.  Two  auxiliary  so- 
cieties had  been  formed  in  Africa,  viz.,  one  on 
the  isles  of  Mauritius  and  Bourbon,  and  the 
other  at  St.  Helena.  One  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  Bible  societies  had  been  formed 
on  the  American  continent,  exclusive  of  one 
at  Quebec,  and  one  at  Pictou,  with  the  "  Nova 
Scotia  Bible  Society,"  established  at  Halifax, 
with  branches  in  all  the  principal  towns  in  that 
Province.  Two  auxiliaries  to  the  British  So- 
ciety were  formed  in  the  West  Indies,  viz.,  one 
at  »famaica,  of  colored  people,  and  one  at  An- 
tigua. The  same  time  that  the  work  was  thus 
advancing  in  the  four  great  quarters  of  the 
globe,  no  less  than  559  societies  auxiliary  to 
the  great  parent  society  in  London,  had  been 
formed  within  the  British  dominions. 

The  following  table  will  exhibit  the  names 
of  the  several  large  independent  societies  on 
the  continent  of  Europe,  and  in  Asia  and  Af- 
rica, previous  .to  the  formation  of  the  Amer- 
ican Bible  Society,  with  the  date  of  their  sev- 
eral organizations.  j 

TABLE. 

DATE  OF 
XAHE.  ORGANIZATION. 

German  Bible  Societv May  10,  1804 

Berlin  Bible  Society.' Feb.  11,  1805 

Rati8bon  (Catholic)  Bible  Society 1805 

Dublin  Bible  Society  ^afterwards  aux.^ . .  1806 

Hibei-nian  Bible  Soc.  (afterwards  aux.) . .  1807 

Edinburgh  Bible  Soc.  (afterwards  aux.) .  July  31,  1809 

Hungarian  Bible  Society 1811 

Zurich  Bible  Society Sept.,  1812 

Wirtembcrg  Bible  Society 1812 

Finni.sh  Bible  Society 1812 

Koninpsburgh  Bible  Society 1812 

Chur  Bible  Society  (Catholic) 1813 

Schafiliaufien  Bible  Society 1813 

RuBsian  Bible  Society  with  ten  large  aux- 

iliaricfl,  formed  in  1813, 1814,  and  1815  Jan.  23,  1813 

St.  Gall  Bible  Society July  3,  1813 

Island  of  Gothland  Bible  Society Oct.  13,  1813 

Gothenburg  Bible  Society Nov.  4,  1813 

Wettera.s  Bible  Society 1813 

Berne  Bible  Society 

Amsterdam  English  Bible  Society Uarch  23,  1814 

Netherlands  Bible  Society,  with  33  branch 

Bocietie.? 

Hanover  Bible  Society  with  an  auxiliary 

at  Osnaburg July  25,  1814 

Elberfield  Bible  Society  with  auxiliaries. .  July,  1814 

Prussian  Bib.  Soc.  with  many  auxiliaries  Aug.  2,  1814 

Thuringian  Bible  Society Aug.  10,  1814 

Saxon  Bible  Society Sept.  16,  1814 

Lubec  Bible  Society Oct.  12,  1814 

Hambro-Altona  Bible  Society 1814 

Swedish  Bible  Society  1814 

Danish  Bible  Society 

Stras))urg  Bible  Society Dec.  30,  1814 

Lausanne  Bible  Society Dec.  30, 1814 

Geneva  Bible  Society Dec.  31,  1814 

Eichslicld  Bible  Society March  15,  1815 


DiTB  OF 

NAMK.  ORQANI/anOR 

Cleve  Bible  Society igjj 

Bremen  Bible  Society ',,',[  April.  1 8H 

Lund  Bible  Society ij<]{ 

Iceland  Bible  Society ,,[,  Julv,  181{ 

Brunswick  Bible  Society ■'  j„no  ix\  181{ 

Na8.sau  Hamburg  Bible  Society Jan.  1    ]81( 

Frankfort  Bible  i^ociety Jan.  4   ISlf 

New  Wied  and  Wied  Runckel  Bible  Soc,  Jan!  8,'  1816 

ASIA. 

Calcutta  ^auxiliary)  Bible  Society igll 

Colombo  (auxQiary;  Bible  Society 1 812 

Bombay  (auxiliary)  Bible  Society iglJ 

Java  (auxiliary)  Bible  Society June  4,  1814 

Astrachan  (auxiliary)  Bible  Society 1816 

AHtlCA. 

Mauritius  and  Bourbon  j^aux.)  Bible  Soc.  1812 

St.  Helena  (auxiliary)  Bible  Society 1814 


The  establishment  of  the  American  Bible 
Society  forms  a  grand  era  in  the  Bible  opera- 
tions on  the  globe.  It  is  believed  that  the 
first  Bible  Society  in  the  United  States,  was 
the  Philadelphia  Bible  Society,  which  was 
formed  in  the  year  1808,  but  not  very  long 
after  this  Bible  societies  were  also  formed 
in  Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Virginia, 
and  other  southern  states,  while  the  active  sx- 
ertions  of  Messrs.  Mills  and  Schcrmerhorn,  who 
performed  a  missionary  four  to  the  south-west 
and  west,  in  1814,  aided  by  the  Philadelphia, 
Connecticut,  and  New  York  Bible  Societies, 
were  instrumental  in  arousing  the  churches, 
and  procuring  ultimately,  the  establishment  of 
Bible  societies  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
Mississippi,  and  Louisiana,  comprehending 
both  state  and  county  societies,  so  that  on  the 
establishment  of  the  American  Bible  Society, 
in  1816,  there  existed  more  than  fifty  Bible 
Societies  in  the  United  States  in  active  opera- 
tion, forty-three  of  which  became  at  once  aiuc- 
iliary  to  the  National  Institution. 

■  The  subject  of  forming  a  national  society, 
had  been  agitated  from  year  to  year,  among 
friends  of  the  Bible  cause  in  various  parts  of 
the  country,  but  nothing  definite  had  been 
efiected,  until  the  year  1815,  when  a  plan  was 
sketched  by  the  New  Jersey  Bible  Society, 
and  sent  out  to  the  sister  societies  for  concur- 
rence. This  plan  met  with  very  general  favor, 
and  not  long  after,  the  managers  of  the  New- 
York  Bible  Society  expressed  their  views  in  a 
series  of  resolutions,  approving  of  the  plan,  and 
concluding  by  requesting  the  Hon.  Eiias  Bou- 
dinot,  then  President  of  the  New  Jersey  Bible 
Society,  to  invite  a  general  meeting  to  be  held 
in  the  city  of  New  York  on  the  second  Wed- 
nesday in  May,  1816.  This  was  done,  and  the 
meeting  was  held  accordingly,  and  61  dele- 
gates, from  ten  different  states  in  the  Union, 
appeared  with  credentials  from  between  30 
and  40  different  local  societies;  the  subjects 
involved  were  all  carefully  examined,  and  on 
the  second  day  of  meeting,  viz.  Thursday,  May 
11th,  1816,  a  constitution  was  adopted,  and 
"The  American  Bible  Society"  was  duly 
organized. 

From  that  time  to  the  present,  the  American 


BIBLE  SOCIETIES. 


175 


Bible  Society  has  gone  steadily  onward,  en- 
larging its  operations  from  year  to  year  until 
its  influence  has  been  felt  to  some  extent  by 
almost  every  nation  under  heaven.  Every 
State  and  Territory  in  the  Union  has  cooperated 
in  the  good  work,  either  directly  or  through 
societies  auxiliary  to  the  national  institution, 
of  which,  up  to  May,  1853,  there  were  1457, 
with  2500  branches,  scattered  throughout  the 
United  States.  For  about  twenty  years,  most 
if  not  all  of  the  evangelical  denominations  co- 
operated harmoniously  in  the  operations  of 
the  American  Bible  Society.  At  length,  in 
1835,  a  disagreement  arose  between  the  Bap- 
tist denomination  and  the  Managers  of  the 
American  Bible  Society,  in  relation  to  the 
principles  on  which  new  versions  should  be 
made  in  foreign  languages;  and  in  conse- 
quence of  the  action  of  the  latter,  in  adopting 
a  resolution  to  the  etfect  that  they  "  feel  at 
liberty  to  encourage  only  such  versions  as 
conform  in  the  principles  of  their  translation 
to  the  common  English  version,  at  least  so 
far  as  that  all  the  religious  denominations, 
represented  in  this  Society,  can  consistently 
use  and  circulate  said  versions  in  their  several 
schools  and  communities,"  the  principal  part 
of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  the  United 
States  withdrew  from  the  Am.  B.  S.,  and  in 
1837,  they  formed  the  American  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society;  a  provisional  organization, 
under  the  same  name,  having  been  formed  in 
Kew  York  the  year  before.  This  Society  now 
has  about  350  auxiliaries.  But  a  portion  of 
those  who  left  the  American  Bible  Society,  on 
this  occasion,  were  desirous  of  making  an  en- 
tire revision  of  the  English  version.  This  pro- 
duced a  division  in  the  American  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society,  which  led  to  the  formation  of 
the  Am.erican  Bible  Union  in  1850. 

We  have  sketched  the  history  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  on  the  foregoing 
pages,  from  its  formation  in  1804  to  the  form- 
ation of  the  American  Society  in  1816.  Its 
progress  for  the  thirty-seven  years  which  have 
transpired  since  that  time  has  been,  in  a  most 
emphatic  sense,  upward  and  onward.  From  a 
handful  of  men  at  the  beginning,  not  more 
than  could  sit  around  a  table,  it  has  become  a 
Samson  in  strength,  stretching  its  giant  arms, 
laden  with  blessings,  to  the  utmost  limits  of 
the  world.  The  Bible  Societies  in  continental 
Europe,  as  well  as  in  Asia  and  Africa,  have 
experienced  many  changes  in  the  last  thirty- 
seven  years.  Some  which  were  then  formed 
have  ceased  to  exist,  and  many  others  have 
been  organized,  and  at  the  present  time  Bible 
societies  are  found  in  successful  operation  in 
every  European  nation,  as  well  as  in  many  im- 
portant places  in  Asia,  on  the  African  coast, 
and  in  many  isles  of  the  sea.  It  might  be 
difficult  to  name  them  all,  were  we  to  attempt 
the  task,  but  we  are  safe  in  the  assertion  that 
as  many  as  one  hundred  independent  societies 
are  now  in  operation,  exclusive  of  many  hun- 


dreds of  auxiliaries  and  branches  which  are 
clustering  around  them.  Such  is  a  very  brief 
sketch  of  the  origin .  and  progress  of  Bible  so- 
cieties to  the  present  time.  We  turn  now  to 
trace  the 

Results. — ^Very  great  and  .encouraging  re- 
sults may  be  stated  here  in  very  few  words. 
The  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  cele- 
brated a  jubilee  on  the  8th  of  March,  1853,  on 
entering  the  fiftieth  year  of  their  existence, 
and  then  reported  that  the  society  had  issued 
Bibles  and  Testaments  to  the  number  of  25,- 
402,309  copies,  and  had  expended  in  that  work 
four  millions  of  pounds  sterling,  about  twenty 
millions  of  dollars.  The  number  of  languages 
and  dialects  in  which  it  had  printed  and 
circulated  the  Scriptures  was  148.  The  num- 
ber of  its  auxiliaries  direct,  was  4,257. 

The  American  Bible  Society,  from  its  insti- 
tution, in  1816,  up  to  May  1, 1853,  a  p'eriod 
of  thirty-seven  years,  has  put  into  circulation, 
9,088,352  copies  of  the  Scriptures,  in  many  dif- 
ferent languages,  raising  from  various  sources 
about  four  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars,  at 
least  $400,000  of  which  has  been  expended  to 
aid  in  furnishing  the  Scriptures  for  distribution 
among  the  heathen. 

In  addition  to  what  has  been  accomplished 
by  these  two  great  national  institutions,  with 
their  host  of  auxiliaries,  the  Bible  societies  in 
continental  Europe,  in  Asia,  and  in  Africa, 
have  published  and  circulated  some  five  or  six 
millions  of  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in 
the  various  languages  spoken  there  ;  while  the 
American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  during 
the  sixteen  years  of  its  existence,  has  put  into 
circulation  more  than  half  a  million  of  copies 
of  the  Scriptures,  in  35  different  languages, 
and  as  many  more  in  English,  and  expended 
more  than  half  a  million  of  dollars,  nearly 
265,000  of  which  was  expended  in  the  foreign 
work.  The  aggregate  of  all  these  operations 
is  the  publication  and  circulation  of  nearly 
50,000,000  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in 
almost  all  the  languages  spoken  upon  eartli, 
and  the  expenditure  in  this  important  work  of 
at  least  thirty  millions  of  dollars.  Such  arc 
the  great  results  of  the  operations  of  Bible 
societies  in  the  last  fifty  years.  These  results 
encourage  the  hope  that  the  time  promised  is 
at  hand,  when  the  gospel  shall  blossom  and 
bud,  and  fill  the  face  of  the  world  with  fruit. 
For  the  details  of  this  subject,  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  Annual  Reports  of  the  Brit,  and 
Foreign  Bib.  Soc.  ;  Owen's  History  of  the  first 
ten  years  of  tliat  society ;  the  Annual  Reports  of 
the  Am.  Bib.  Soc.  ;  and  the  Annual  Reports  of 
the  Am.  and  For.  Bib.  Soc. ;  and  also  to  Strick- 
land's History  of  the  Am.  Bib.  Soc,  published  in 
1849. — Rev.  J.  Greenleaf. 

The  following  table  embodies  much  valuable 
information,  showing  the  progressive  advance- 
ment of  the  Bible  cause  in  this  country  for 
the  last  22  years  ;  and  the  proportion  of  do- 
mestic and  foreign  appropriations : 


176 


BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


BBCBZFTS 


OP  THK  AMKRICAN   BIBLE   SOCIETY  AS  THE   RESULT  OF   DONATIONS,  AND   THE 
Al'rROPRIATIGNS   MADE   OP   TUE   SAME. 


Yew. 

Receipts. 

Period*. 

Donations 
for  For.  Dis. 

Appropriated 
for  For.  Uses. 

reriods. 

For  Home  Uses. 

1832,  .  . 

1833,  .  . 

1834,  .  . 

1835,  .  . 

1836,  .  . 

1837,  .  . 

1838,  .  . 

1839,  .  . 

1840,  .  . 

1841,  .  . 

1842,  .  . 

1843,  .  . 

1844,  .  . 

1845,  .  . 

1846,  .  . 

1847,  .  . 

1848,  .'  . 

1849,  .  . 

1850,  .  . 

1851,  .  . 

1852, 

$47,564 
46,091 
54,570 
62,868 

58,781 
35,728 
44,365 
53,285 

211,093 
192,159 
249,644 
314,571 
424,168 

13,789 
6,589 
3,631 
5,840 

6,418 
2,686 
3,843 
2,419 

1,247 

1,091 

1,526 

965 

1,938 

10,762 

1,483 

631 
15,300 
17,000 
35,500 

68,431 
85,091 
73,480 
57,237 

47,788 

142,662 

107,068 
176,164 
257,33^1 
376,380 

39,070 

6,326 

20,230 

19,465 

48,030 
61,840 
74,530 
65,244 

10,549 
30,794 
16,619 
15,518 

67,606 

68,468 

104,551 

73,946 

23,945 

13,792 

1,500 

18,000 

94,505 

91,804 

117,794 

120,065 

9,500 
11,188 
17,900 

9,100 

1,391,635 

332,027 

1,059,609 

BIMBIA :  A  station  of  the  English  Bap- 
tists at  Old  Calabar,  West  Africa. 

BINTENNE  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
on  an  island  on  the  east  coast  of  Ceylon. 

BIRKLANDS  :  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  in  South  Africa,  containing 
a  large  population  of  Kaffres. 

BLACK  TOWN  :  The  fortified  and  most 
populous  portion  of  the  city  of  Madras,  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  Hindoostan.  It  was  occupied 
as  a  station  of  the  Am.  Board,  in  1849. 

BLINK  WATER  :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  on  the  Buffalo  river, 
in  South  Africa. 

BLUEFIELDS  :  A  station  of  the  Gospel 
Propagation  Society,  in  Jamaica,  W.  I.  ' 

BLYENDAAL  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  in  Berbice. 

BOMBAY  :  A  city  on  the  west  coast  of 
India,  occnpying  an  island  of  the  same  name, 
8  miles  in  length  N.  to  S.,  and  2  or  3  in 
width.  The  population,  as  reported  in  1851, 
is  556,000.  Of  these,  297,000  are  Hindoos, 
speaking  the  Mahratta  and  Gujathe  languages, 
and  124,000  are  Mohammedans.  The  rest  are 
Parsees,  Jains,  &c.  The  Mohammedans  gen- 
erally speak  Hindostanee.  The  Parsees  of 
Bombay  are  about  100,000  in  number,  while 
the  Jains  number  only  a  few  thousands.  The 
Roman  Catholics  are  numerous.  Bombay,  next 


to  Madras,  is  the  oldest  of  the  British  posses- 
sions in  India,  and  commands  the  whole  Trade 
of  the  north-west  coast,  and  of  the  Persian 
Gulf.  The  Am.  Board  commenced  its  mission 
here  in  1812. 

BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES  :  The 
Bible  itself  is  a  series  of  inspired  tracts,  gath- 
ered into  a  sacred  volume.  Wickliff  was  the 
author  of  more  than  one  hundred  volumes 
against  Popery,  besides  commentaries  on  the 
Scriptures,  and  numerous  tracts,  which  were 
extensively  read,  notwithstanding  they  were 
ordered  to  be  burned.  Some  of  his  tracts, 
borne  to  Bohemia  by  an  Oxford  student  in 
1389,  sowed  the  seeds  of  truth  in  the  heart  of 
John  Huss,  whose  writings  in  turn  were 
blessed  to  Martin  Luther,  who  was  the  author 
of  740  tracts  and  books,  which  bore  no  incon- 
siderable part  in  the  Great  Reformation.  The 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  y^iJi^ 
formed  in  England  in  1701,  partly  "  to  dis- 
perse both  at  home  and  abroad,  Bibles  and 
tracts  of  religion."  In  1750,  was  formed  the 
first  institution  of  a  catholic  character,  of 
which  there  is  any  notice — "The  Society  for 
Promoting  Religious  Knowledge  among  the 
Poor,"  and  its  works  were  extensively  useful. 
In  1756,  similar  institutions  were  formed  in 
Edinburgh  and  Glasgow.  Near  the  close  of 
the  last  century,  the  deluge  of  infidel  publica- 


BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


nr 


tions,  the  ofispring  of  the  French  Eevolution, 
prompted  Mrs.  Hannah  More  to  prepare  a 
series  of  tracts,  entitled  "  The  Cheap  Keposi- 
tory  Tracts,"  which  had  an  immense  and  use- 
ful circulation.  More  than  2,000,000  copies 
were  scattered  abroad.  The  demonstration  of 
the  power  of  a  cheap,  popular  religious  litera- 
ture, in  the  success  of  Mrs.  More's  efforts,  and 
the  benevolent  zeal  of  the  Eev.  George  Bur- 
der,  let  to  the  formation  of 

The  Religious  Tract  Society,  London,  in 
1799  ;  which  may  be  regarded,  perhaps,  as  the 
parent  of  the  numerous  and  respectable  pro- 
geny of  tract  societies  throughout  the  world. 
The  object  of  their  organization  was  to  publish 
and  circulate  evangelical  truth,  in  simple,  un- 
sectarian  forms.  The  committee  was  composed 
of  equal  numbers  of  churchmen  and  dissenters  ; 
and  their  first  address  declares  that  its  publi- 
cations shall  contain  "  nothing  of  the  shibboleth 
of  sect ;  nothing  to  recommend  one  denomina- 
tion, or  to  throw  odium  on  another  ;  nothing 
of  the  acrimony  of  contending  parties  against 
those  that  differ  from  them ;  but  pure  good- 
natured  Christianity,  in  which  all  the  followers 
of  the  Lamb,  who  are  looking  for  the  mercy 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life, 
can  unite  with  pleasure,  as  in  one  great  com- 
mon eause.  Kor  should  any  worldly  scheme 
be  interwoven  with  the  truth,  or  attempted  to 
be  concealed  under  its  folds.  Here  should  not 
be  seen  the  slightest  vestige  of  any  carnal  end, 
in  any  form  or  for  any  purpose,  however  lauda- 
ble some  may  think  it ;  nothing  but  divine 
truth,  unmingled,  unadulterated,  and  pure  as  it 
came  from  heaven,  fit  for  the  whole  human 
race  to  imbibe." 

The  site  occupied  by  the  Society's  edifice  in 
London  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  in  his- 
torical association  to  be  found  in  the  metro- 
polis. It  adjoins  St.  Paul's  church-yard,  where 
Wickliff  met  his  persecutors,  and  Tyndale's 
Testaments  and  Luther's  writings  were  com- 
mitted to  the  flames,  and  where  martyrs  suf- 
fered for  the  truth.  It  is  a  befitting  spot  for 
the  multiplication  of  those  gospel  writings 
which  symbolize  the  revived  power  and  ulti- 
mate triumph  over  all  error  and  opposition, 
of  the  Gospel  itself,  in  all  lands.    . 

The  publications  of  the  "  Religious  Tract 
Society"  are  about  5,000  in  number,  and  are 
so  varied  in  character,  style  and  language,  as 
tx)  meet  the  wants  of  all  classes.  Besides  a 
valuable  series  of  tracts  and  children's  tracts, 
several  hundred  books  for  the  young,  a  rich 
variety  of  standard,  practical  treatises,  and 
many  helps  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  the 
Society  issues  four  or  five  periodicals  for  young 
and  old,  with  a  wide  and  useful  circulation. 
Of  "  The  Leisure  Hour,"  about  80,000  are  circu- 
lated; of  the  "  Sunday  at  Home,"  about45,000  ; 
and  of  the  "  Child's  Companion"  about  40,000. 

The  total  circulation  of  the  London  Soci- 
ety's publications  exceeds  six  hundred  millions 
of  copies.    Its  total  annual  receipts  are  about 
12 


£70,000  or  about  $350,000,  including  £8,000 
or  £10,000  in  donations.  Its  total  receipts  for 
the  first  fifty  years  were,  in  donations  £152,552, 
and  for  sales  £1,023,215  =  £1,202,242,  or 
about  $6,000,000.  Its  gratuitous  issues  an<? 
grants  of  money,  paper,  engravings,  &c.,  for 
the  foreign  Christian  press  in  fifty  years, 
amounted  to  £155,372,  or  about  $750,000.^ 

The  fruits  of  these  stupendous  operations 
are  found  in  every  part  of  the  world,  and  many 
have  been  garnered  for  the  great  day.  A  fact 
of  pleasing  interest  in  the  early  history  of  thir 
society  must  conclude  our  condensed  sketch 
Scarcely  were  its  own  foundations  laid,  and  it^j 
special  work  commenced,  before  its  founden 
and  early  managers  were  providentially  led  to 
consider  the  necessity  of  a  kindred  society  fa  ■ 
the  circulation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Th< 
secretary  and  committee  of  the  Tract  Society 
became  the  founders  of  the  British  and  For 
eign  Bible  Society  in  1804,  and  the  Rev.  John 
Hughes,  secretary  of  the  former,  became  thr> 
first  secretary  of  the  latter.  Thus  were  linkec? 
together  by  parental  and  filial  ties  two  of  tho 
most  influential  and  useful  of  the  benevolen/ 
institutions  of  the  world. 

The  American  Tract  Society  was  formed 
in  New  York,  May  11, 1825,  and  has  become 
the  largest  institution  of  its  class  in  the  world 
A  brief  sketch  of  its  history  befits  these  pages 
Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  Religious 
Tract  Society,  London,  the  Massachusetts  So- 
ciety for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  com- 
menced in  1803  the  publication  of  tracts  and 
books.  The  Connecticut  Tract  Society,  Rev. 
Dr.  Dwight,  president,  and  Jeremiah  Evarts, 
secretary,  was  formed  in  1807,  and  other  kin- 
dred institutions  came  into  being.  The  tracts 
of  Hannah  More  found  their  way  to  Boston, 
and  reached  the  youthful  members  of  a  com- 
mercial firm,  by  whom  they  w6re  highly 
prized.  They  caused  several  numbers  to  be 
reprinted,  and  were  in  the  habit  of  accompa- 
nying the  packages  of  goods  sent  from  their 
store  to  various  parts  of  the  country,  with 
some  of  these  tracts.  During  long  and  useful 
lives.  Homes  and  Homer  continued  the  active 
friends  of  the  Society  which  owed  its  origin 
in  a  considerable  degree  to  their  influence.  In 
1814  the  New  England  (afterwards  the  Amer- 
ican) Tract  Society,  was  formed  at  Boston^ — a 
suggestion  at  a  meeting  of  half  a  dozen  Chris- 
tian friends  having  led  to  the  contribution  of 
sums  for  printing  several  tracts,  and  after  a 
few  months  of  deliberation  and  experiment,  to 
the  organization  of  a  society  which  put  in 
circulation  about  4,250,000  of  publications  in 
the  t€n  succeeding  years.  Other  societies, 
catholic  or  denominational,  were  formed  in  va- 
rious parts  of  the  United  States,  and  the  total 
circulation  previous  to  1825,  reached  about 
10,000,000  copies. 

In  1824,  a  correspondence  commenced  be- 
tween the  New  York  Religious  Tract  Society 
and  the  American  Tract  Society  at  Boston, 


178 


BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


which  resulted  in  a  ])nl)lic  mcotinp  held  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  March  11,  1825,  at  which 
the  plan  of  a  national  tract  society  was 
adoptetl,  to  bo  8ubnnttx}d  to  the  principal  tract 
societies;  and  a  subscription  for  the  erection 
of  a  tract-house  was  commenced  with  $5,000 
by  Mr.  Arthur  Tappan,  $3,000  by  Mr.  Moses 
Allen,  and  $1,000  each  by  W.  W.  Chester 
and  Ilichai'd  T.  Haines,  which  were  aftei-wards 
increased  to  more  than  $25,000  by  donors  in 
New  York  city.  A  convention  of  delep^ates 
from  various  tract  societies  assembled  in  New 
York,  May  10,  1825,  tlie  Rev.  Dr.  Milnor, 
chairman  ;  the  constitution  was  approved,  and, 
on  the  succeeding  day  the  organization  was 
effected,  and  the  corner  stone  of  the  tract- 
house  laid  with  solemn  religious  services ;  S. 
V.  S.  Wilder,  Esq.,  president;  Rev.  Wm. 
A.  Hallock,  secretary;  Moses  Allen,  Esq., 
treasurer ;  Rev.  Drs.  Milnor,  Spring,  Knox  and 
Edwards,  and  Rev.  Messrs.  Sommers  and  Sum- 
merfield,  Publishing  Committee.  It  was  near 
the  close  of  this  meeting  that  the  lamented 
Summerfield  made  his  last  public  address,  in 
which  he  said,  "  In  all  the  anniversaries  I  have 
ever  attended,  in  Europe  or  America,  I  have 
never  been  so  conscious  of  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  and  Christian  love  pervading 
every  heart.  Again  and  again  I  could  not  re- 
frain from  weeping.  The  very  atmosphere  we 
breathe  is  the  atmosphere  of  heaven ;  *  one 
which  angels  come  down  to  inhale,  and  in  which 
God  himself  delights  to  dwell."  Of  the  insti- 
tution so  auspiciously  formed,  the  American 
Tract  Society  at  Boston,  became  a  branch, 
transferring  its  stereotype  plates,  and  render- 
ing the  most  efficient  cooperation  to  the  pre- 
sent time.  Other  catholic  societies  also  be- 
came auxiliaries  of  the  new  institution. 

"  The  basis  of  union"  was  declared  in  the 
first  address  of  the  Executive  Committee  to 
the  Christian  public  to  be  the  following  great 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  in  which  evangelical 
believers  are  agreed :  "  Man's  native  sinfulness : 
the  purity  and  obligation  of  the  law  of  God  • 
the  true  and  proper  divinity  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ;  the  necessity  and  reality  of  his 
atonement  and  sacrifice;  the  efficiency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  the  work  of  renovation ;  the 
free  and  full  offers  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  duty 
of  men  to  accept  it ;  the  necessity  of  personal 
holiness ;  and  an  everlasting  state  of  rewards 
and  punishments  beyond  the  grave." 

Besides  the  preparation  of  a  series  of  tracts 
and  children's  tracts  for  domestic  circulation, 
the  claims  of  the  Christian  press  in  Pagan 
lands  were  recognised  from  the  outset,  and 
appropriations  were  made  for  this  object  in 
the  second  and  third  years,  as  in  all  the  subse- 
quent years  of  its  history.  The  principles  gov- 
erning foreign  grants  were  drawn  up  by  Jere- 
miah Evarts,  Esq.,  then  the  far-sighted  Secre- 
tary of  the  A.  B.  C.  F/  M.  How  extensive 
and  useful  this  cooperation  with  the  missionary 
work  has  been,  will  appear  hereafter. 


Volume  Enterprise. — In  the  third  year,  the 
Society  commenced  the  Volume  Eutcnrrisc,  by 
stereotyping  Doddridge's  Rise  and  Progress, 
at  the  expense  of  benevolent  friends,  followed 
by  Baxter's  Saint's  Rest,  and  Call  to  the  Un- 
converted, Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  and 
other  practical  works.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Plumer, 
of  Virginia,  prompted  an  enterprise  for  sup- 
plying the  southern  Atlantic  States  with  these 
volumes,  which  was  extended  to  other  states. 
Agents  were  raised  up  who  visited  congrega- 
tions in  various  parts  of  the  country  to  pro- 
mote the  circulation  of  good  books  by  the  aid 
of  voluntary  distributors ;  and  the  foundations 
were  laid  for  the  employment  of  the  standard 
religious  press  as  a  means  of  popular  evangel- 
ization. The  various  "  Boards  of  Publication," 
and  the  unprecedented  activity  of  religious 
book-publishing,  may  be  traced,  in  a  good  de- 
gree, to  the  prosperity  and  success  of  the  "  Vol- 
ume Enterprise." 

Systematic  Distribution  of  Tracts. — In  the 
fourth  year  attention  was  directed  to  systematic 
tract  visitation,  or  the  employment  of  faithful 
personal  effort  for  the  salvation  of  individual 
souls,  in  connection  with  the  systematic  distri- 
bution of  religious  tracts.  Harlan  Page,  then 
the  Society's  depositary,  enlisted  his  energies 
in  this  work,  and  furnished  an  illustration  of 
the  efficiency  of  the  principle  underlying  this 
system  of  doing  good.  Numerous  auxiliary 
societies  were  formed,  especially  in  our  great 
cities  and  larger  towns,  which  still  persevere 
in  the  tract-mission  work,  and  are  widely  use- 
ful to  the  neglected  classes  of  the  population. 
The  New  York  City  Tract  Society  employs  26 
missionaries,  including  three  for  German  and 
other  emigrants,  and  one  for  seamen,  who 
have  associated  with  them  1,110  visitors,  and 
distribute  annually  about  1,500,000  tracts. 
The  results  are  most  cheering,  as  appears  from 
the  following  statistics  for  1853  :  Tracts  dis- 
tributed in  English  and  other  languages, 
1,579,756,  embracing  6,319,030  pages ;  Bibles 
and  Testaments  supplied  to  the  destitute,  2,434 ; 
volumes  lent  from  ward  libraries,  5,416  ;  child- 
ren gathered  into  Sabbath-schools,  2,247  ;  into 
public  schools,  284 ;  into  Bible  classes,  121 ; 
into  church,  1,602 ;  temperance  pledges  ob- 
tained, 562;  district  prayer-meetings  held, 
1,483  ;  backsliders  reclaimed,  32  ;  persons  re- 
ported as  hopefully  converted,  ]'73  ;  converts 
united  in  the  evangelical  churches,  154. 

Colportage. — In  May,  1841,  the  system  of 
Colportage  commenced.  The  Volume  Enter- 
prise had  not  reached  the  destitute  classes,  and 
tract  visitation  had  been  restricted  mainly  to 
large  cities  and  towns.  The  combination  of 
the  elements  of  both  enterprises,  systematically 
applied  to  the  destitute,  constituted  the  basis 
of  the  new  movement ;  and  competent  agen- 
cies for  directing  and  superintending  the  labors 
of  colporteurs  had  been  providentially  trained 
in  the  Volume  Enterprise.  The  annual  report 
for  1841  presented  a  view  of  the  destitutions 


BOOK   AND    TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


179 


of  the  country.  The  secretary  for  this  depart- 
ment, (Mr.  Cook,)  immediately  after  the  anni- 
versary at  New  York,  addressed  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Society  at  Boston,  and  made  an 
appeal  for  men  and  funds  to  begin  the  colpor- 
teur enterprise ;  he  has  been  the  author  of 
all  the  public  documents  and  appeals  relating 
to  it.  From  the  four  or  five  candidates  who 
presented  themselves  the  next  morning,  two 
were  selected  and  commissioned;  Mr.  Asa 
Prescott,  now  a  pastor  in  Illinois,  who  went 
to  a  destitute  part  of  Indiana ;  and  Eev.  P. 
Follansbee,  who  labored  with  great  acceptance 
for  four  years  in  Kentucky,  and  then  entered 
on  his  gracious  reward.  They  were  the  first 
American  colporteurs.  The  number  increased 
from  11  in  1841,  to  508  in  1850,  and  619  in 
1854,  for  the  whole  or  part  of  the  year. 

In  the  summer  of  1842,  one  of  the  secreta- 
ries made  an  official  extended  tour  at  the  West, 
and  became  familiar  with  the  condition  and 
wants  of  the  German  emigrant  population. 
His  representations  led  to  the  successful  appli 
cation  of  colportage  to  the  various  classes  of 
emigrants,  Germans,  French,  Irish,  Welsh 
Dutch,  Norwegian,  and  Spanish,  both  Protes- 
tant and  Papal.  An  average  of  about  100 
colporteurs  are  employed  among  them;  and 
perhaps  no  feature  of  the  Society's  work  is 
more  important  and  hopeful  than  this.  Some 
of  the  most  cheering  records  of  modern  evan- 
gelization may  be  found  among  the  reports  of 
the  German  and  Norwegian  colporteurs.  The 
first  German  colporteur  in  this  country  was 
Leger  Eitty,  a  converted  Eoman  Catholic. 

The  plan  pursued  in  the  prosecution  of  col- 
portage is  as  follows  ;  the  qualifications  of  the 
colporteur  having  been  investigated  and  a 
commission  issued,  he  is  supplied  with  the  pub- 
lications of  the  Society  and  proceeds  to  his 
prescribed  field,  ordinarily  one  or  two  counties. 
He  goes  from  house  to  house,  selling  his  books 
when  practicable,  but  supplying  the  families  of 
the  poor  and  the  erring  gratuitously,  accom- 
panying his  visits  with  personal  religious  con- 
versation and  prayer  ;  holding  prayer-meetings, 
deliveriug  public  addresses,  forming.  Sabbath- 
schools,  promoting  temperance,  and  advancing 
the  kingdom  of  the  Eedeemer  in  all  appropri- 
ate ways.  Monthly  reports  of  his  labors  are 
made  to  the  Superintendent  of  colportage,  and 
quarterly  reports  both  to  the  Superinten- 
dent and  to  the  Committee.  Superintending 
agencies  are  established  at  important  commer- 
cial centres,  with  depositories,  as  at  Eochester, 
Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  Eichmond,  New  Or- 
leans, Mobile,  St.  Louis,  Cincinnati,  Chicago, 
&c.,  with  experienced  agents,  having  each  the 
oversight  of  30,  50,  or  100  colporteurs.  Mi- 
nute attention  is  thus  given  to  the  wants, 
character  and  labors  of  this  self-denying  baud  of 
Christian  men.  They  also  have  .the  oversight 
of  the  Society's  general  agents,  as  they  tra- 
verse their  fields,  and  come  in  contact  with  the 
colporteurs,  and  of  the  executive  officers,  who 


occasionally  convene  them,  and  spend  several 
days  in  intercourse  with  them.  It  is  much 
due,  under  God,  to  these  precautions  that  the 
system  has  thus  far  worked  without  friction  or 
disappointment. 

Among  the  three  thousand  different  persons 
enlisted  in  this  cause,  since  the  enterprise  be- 
gan, more  than  1000  have  been  connected  with 
about  60  different  colleges,  universities  and 
theological  seminaries,  of  about  20  different 
denominations,  engaged  in  a  course  of  train- 
ing  for  the  gospel  ministry.  And  besides 
accomplishing  untold  good  to  others,  their  dis- 
cipline has  been  of  much  benefit  to  themselves, 
in  preparing  them  for  the  practical  duties  of 
pastoral  life.  Many  who  are  usefully  employed 
in  the  sacred  office  in  this  or  other  lands  will 
unite  in  the  testimony  recently  borne  by  the 
first  American  colporteur  :  "  Among  all  the 
means  of  preparation  which  the  Lord  has 
spent  upon  me,  1  look  upon  my  colporteur  lar 
bors  as  holding  an  important,  if  not  the  most 
important  place,  except  the  agency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit." 

The  statistics  of  colportage  furnish  an  im- 
pressive illustration  of  its  practical  efficiency 
and  usefulness.  In  the  first  13  years  of  the  en- 
terprise, no  less  than  3,820,101  families  have 
been  visited,  with  1,887,225  of  whom  the  colpor- 
teurs had  religious  conversation  or  prayer,  gen- 
erally both.  The  number  of  religious  books  sold 
to  these  households  was  3,900,739;  and  the  num- 
ber granted  to  the  destitute  was  1,068,662,  of 
the  pecuniary  value  of  $178,000.  The  aggro- 
gate  circulation  of  books  by  the  Society  dur- 
ing these  thirteen  years  was  7,875,224.  The 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  the  families 
reached  by  colportage  may  be  inferred  from 
the  fact  that  483,135  of  them  habitually  neg- 
lected evangelical  worship ;  541,397  were  des- 
titute of  all  religious  books  except  the  Bible, 
and  235,002  had  not  a  copy  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  The  number  of  Eoman  Catholic 
families,  or  other  errorists,  was  365,166.  The 
number  of  prayer-meetings  held  or  public  meet- 
ings addressed  was  100,169.  These  statistics 
embrace  the  emigrant  population,  and  relate 
to  all  the  States  and  Territories  in  the  Union, 
They  are  worthy  of  attention  and  study  on  the 
part  of  Christian  philanthropists. 

The  bearings  of  such  a  wide-spread  system 
of  evangelical  effort,  among  our  unevan- 
gelized  population,  cannot  but  be  the  most 
happy,  on  all  interests,  civil,  social  and  reli- 
gious. As  a  practical  demonstration  of  evan- 
gelical unity ;  as  an  illustration  of  the  power 
of  the  Christian  press,  and  a  restraint  and  cor- 
rective for  the  ills  of  a  corrupt  literature ;  as 
a  means  of  awakening  the  spirit  of  active 
piety  ;  as  an  agency  for  exploring  and  reveal- 
ing our  moral  wastes,  and  dispensing  the 
means  of  grace  among  the  scattered  house- 
holds in  our  new  settlements,  as  well  as  among 
the  neglected  abodes  of  crowded  cities  •,  as  a 
well-adapted  agency  for  reaching  the  emigrant 


180 


BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


cla.>^rs,  who  crowd  our  shores ;  as  an  instru 
iiKMilaUty  for  imj)UJ-ting  the  truth  in  love  to 
papist.-;,  'iulidels  uud  others  who  come  not  to 
the  oYuugelioal  sanctuary,  and  are  not  other- 
wise blessed  with  saving  truth ;  as  the  hand- 
maid of  the  Sabbath-School  and  temperance 
and  Bible  and  Sabbath  observance  enterpri- 
ses ;  as  a  cementing  influence,  in  Church  and 
State  ;  and  above  all  as  a  heaven-blessed  means 
of  edifying  the  body  of  Christ,  converting 
souls  and  promoting  the  revival  of  God's 
■work  among  men,  Colportage  has  demon- 
strated its  claim  to  the  regard  of  those  who 
love  their  country,  and  especially  of  those  who 
love  the  Redeemer's  Kingdom. 

Foreign  Distribution. — The  enterprises  of 
the  American  Tract  Society  in  foreign  and 
pagan  lands,  have  been  carried  forward  stear 
dily,  almost  from  its  foundation.  Limiting  its 
appropriations  to  the  preparation  and  circula- 
tion of  publications  accordant  with  its  princi- 
ples, and  aiming  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  mis- 
sions and  societies  especially  of  American  ori- 
gin, in  all  parts  of  the  world,  it  has  come  to 
be  identified  with  almost  every  plan  for  fur- 
nishing the  nations  with  a  Christian  literature. 
The  following  schedule  of  the  appropriations 
in  money,  amounting  to  ^423,794,  aside  from 
«  the  grants  of  publications,  engravings,  &c.,  up 
to  1B54,  will  show  how  wide  is  the  sphere  of 
its  operations  in  this  department.  There  have 
been  remitted  in  cash  to  the  Sandwich  Islands 
$2.5,300  ;  Java,  Borneo  and  Malacca,  $800 ; 
China,  the  various  missions,  $49,150 ;  Siam, 
$20,300  ;  Assam,  $3,900  ;  Burmah  and  Karens, 
$32,G00  ;  Northern  India,  $37,500  ;  Calcutta, 
$800  ;  Orissa,  $10,250  ;  Teloogoos,  $2,600  ; 
Madras,  $19,750  ;  Madura.  $7,750  ;  Ceylon, 
$32,300 ;  Bombay,  $14,198  ;  Ahmcdnuggur, 
&c.,  $2,901  ;  xifrica,  $4,200 ;  Nestorians, 
$4,500;  Syria,  $5,750;  Turkey,  $35,930; 
Greece,  $21,200;  Italy,  $2,800;  Russia  and 
Poland  $22,900  ;  Sweden,  $2,200  ;  Denmark, 
$1,400  ;  Berlin,  $2,800  ;  Hamburg,  $19,200  ; 
Bremen,  Barmen,  Calw  and  Hungary,  $4,550  ; 
Basle,  $1,500  ;  Belgium  and  Holland,  $2,650  ; 
Societies  in  France,  $23,020  ;  Spain,  $1,400  ; 
Moravian  missions,  $3,000;  Indian  missions, 
$3,144  :  add  grants  for  the  blind,  $1,500— to- 
tal, $423,794. 

The  number  of  books  and  tracts  approved 
for  distribution  in  foreign  lands  is  2,885,  in- 
cluding 282  volumes  ;  and  the  Society  and  the 
institutions  it  aids,  have  issued  publications  in 
one  hundred  and  nineteen  languages  and  dialects, 
as  follows : 

Seneca,  Mohawk,  Delaware,  Ojibwa,  Otoe, 
or  Iowa,  Wea,  Putawatomie,  Shawanoe,  Kan- 
sas, Osage,  Ottawa,  Abenaquis,  Sioux,  or 
Dakota,  Pawnee,  Creek,  Choctaw.  Cherokee, 
Nez  Perces,  Creole,  or  Negro-German,  Negro- 
English,  English,  Welsh,  Irish,  French,  Low 
Breton,  Flemish,  Spanish,  Portuguese,  Italian, 
Dutch,  German,  Romanese,  Lithuanian,  Bohe-| 
raian,  Hungarian  or  Magyar,  Slavonian,  Up- 1 


per  "Wendish,  Nether  Wcndish,  VandaliaD, 
Servian,  Wallachian,  Croatian,  Danish,  Nor^ 
wegian,  Icelandic,  Greenlandish,  Esquimaux, 
Swedish.  Polish,  Judco-Polish,  Finnish,  Lap- 
pish, Russ,  Rival-Estonian,  Dorpat-Estonian, 
Mongolian,  Lettish,  Tartar-Turkish,  Thibetan, 
Bulgarian,  Armenian,  Armeno-Turkish,  He- 
brew, Hebrew-German,  Hebrew-Spanish,  Mo- 
dern Greek,  Greco-Turkish,  Arabic,  Syriac, 
Nestorian,  Persian,  Grebo,  Mpongwe,  Bakali, 
Bassa,  Kaffre,  Zula,  Sessuto,  Wanika,  Kinika, 
Timneh,  Mahratta,  Goojuratee,  Latin,  Tamul, 
Cingalese,  Teloogoo,  Oriya,  Bengali,  Canarese, 
Malayalim,  Tulu,  Ilindui,  or  Dev  Nagare, 
Hindoostani,  or  Urdu,  Panjabi,  or  Gurmukhi, 
Cashmire,  Burman,  Peguan,  Salong,  Sgau  Ka- 
ren, Sho  Karen,  Kemmee,  Siamese,  Assamese, 
Tai,  or  Khamti,  Singpho,  Naga,  Chinese, 
Japanese,  Malay,  Bugis,  Javanese,  Lettinese, 
Dyak,  Hawaiian,  Marquesas,  Feejee.  Total, 
119. 

One  or  two  illustrations  of  the  usefulness  of 
tract  distribution  abroad,  from  the  countless 
instances  in  the  records  of  this  branch  of  bene- 
volence, must  suffice.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Duff,  the 
eminent  Scotch  missionary  from  India,  stated 
at  the  last  anniversary  of  the  American  Tract 
Society,  that  a  missionary  visited  the  west  of 
Bengal,  and  found  that  several  years  before  his 
visit,  a  tract  called  the  "  Ten  Commandments" 
had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a  Hindoo  devotee. 
The  devotee,  had  died  unaffected,  but  the  good 
seed  had  come  in  contact  with  the  soil  of 
honest  hearts,  and  did  a  noble  work.  Very 
soon  one  hundred  souls  were  baptized,  all  the 
fruit  of  that  single  tract. 

The  present  amazing  revolution  in  China, 
threatening  the  existence  of  the  Tartar  dynasty 
and  the  overthrow  of  idolatry  in  that  vast 
Empire,  may  be  traced,  in  the  wonder-working 
Providence  of  God,  to  the  influence  of  a 
Chinese  tract,  which  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Tae-Ping-Wang,  the  insurgent  chief,  in  1834. 
Leang-Afa,  the  faithful  native  preacher,  was 
the  author  of  "  Good  Words  to  admonish  the 
Age,"  copies  of  which  he  distributed  among 
the  literati  during  the  examinations  at  Canton, 
in  1833-4,  suffering  persecution  for  his  zeal. 
The  head  of  the  present  movement  was  among 
the  literati,  and  gained  his  first  knowledge  of 
the  Christian  scheme  from  the  tract  thus 
placed  in  his  hand.  Ten  years  later  "  he  is 
found  traveling  through  Kwangsi,  preaching 
the  new  doctrine ;"  and  in  1846,  receiving  the 
instructions  of  the  American  missionary.  As 
the  insurgent  army,  of  which  he  is  the  leader, 
advances  in  its  progress  toward  the  capital  of 
the  Empire,  400  printers  are  employed  in  mul- 
tiplying copies  of  the  Pentateuch  and  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew,  Gutzlaff's  version,  so  num- 
bered as  to  indicate  the  purpose  of  printing 
the  sacred  volume  entire  ;  and  one  account  re- 
presents the  forces  of  the  chief,  as  "  an  army  of 
colporteurs,"  scattering  publications  more  or 
less  pure  in  their  religious  tenets,  among  the 


BOOK   AND    TRACT    SOCIETIES. 


181 


provinces  they  traverse.  They  are  described 
by  a  missionary  as  follows :  "  These  tracts 
show  a  very  correct  knowledge  of  all  the  most 
important  points  of  Christian  doctrine,  and 
were  prepared  and  printed  by  the  insurgents 
themselves.  One  of  them  contains  a  summary 
of  the  Ten  Commandments,  each  command- 
ment being  accompanied  by  a  brief  explana- 
tion and  a  verse  of  a  hymn.  Forms  of  prayer 
are  also  given,  one  of  which  contains  several 
of  the  petitions  of  the  Lord's  Prayer.  Prayer 
is  offered  for  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
to  change  the  corrupt  heart,  and  for  the  inter- 
cession of  Jesus  Christ  as  Mediator.  The  ob- 
servance of  the  Sabbath  is  enjoined,  as  also 
morning  and  evening  worship,  and  giving  of 
thanks  at  meals.  These  precepts,  it  is  believed, 
are  strictly  observed  by  the  whole  army. 
Theft  and  opium-smoking  are  both  capital 
offences." 

Wliatever  may  be  the  issue  of  this  remark- 
able movement,  and  how  much  soever  of  super- 
stition may  be  mingled  in  the  religious  ele- 
ments of  the  insurrection,  it  is  an  impressive 
illustration  of  the  power  of  the  Christian  press, 
and  a'  demonstration  of  the  efficiency  of  the 
humblest  means  when  employed  by  the  Pro- 
vidence and  Spirit  of  God  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  vast  results. 

Religious  Periodicals.  —  Besides  the  enter- 
prises thus  noticed,  the  Tract  Society  has  be- 
come one  of  the  most  extensive  publishers  of 
Religious  Periodicals  in  the  world.  In  1843  the 
''American  Messenger,"  a  monthly  newspaper  of 
a  highly  evangelical,  practical  character,  was 
commenced,  and  it  has  advanced  in  circulation 
from  year  to  year,  till  it  has  reached  the  immense 
number  of  204,000  copies  monthly,  or  about 
two  and  a  half  million  copies  in  a  year.  The 
"AmerikaniscJier  BotscJmfter,"  (American  Mes- 
senger in  German)  was  issued  m  1847,  and  has 
gained  a  circulation  (about  25,000  monthly) 
greater  than  any  religious  periodical  in  that  lan- 
guage. "  T/ie  Child's  Paper,"  a  beautifully  illus- 
trated newspaper  for  the  young,  began  Jan. 
1852,  and  already  reaches  more  families  than 
were  supplied  with  juvenile  papers  of  all  classes, 
at  the  time  it  was  issued ;  while  most  others  have 
since  improved  in  character  and  in  circulation. 
The  number  printed  monthly  is  not  far  from 
300,000  copies,  requiring  the  time  of  a  power- 
press  forty-six  days  for  each  monthly  issue,  print- 
ing two  papers  each  stroke  of  the  press.  A 
demand  has  arisen  for  the  "  Child's  Paper"  in 
Great  Britain,  and  several  thousand  copies  are 
sent  monthly  to  Edinburgh,  Scotland.  Since 
these  enterprises  commenced,  there  have  been 
printed  of  the  American  Messenger,  16,125,600 
copies  ;  of  the  Botschafter,  1,366,000  ;  and  of 
the  Child's  Paper,  6,611,000  ;  total,  24,102,- 
600. 

Publications. — ^The  publications  of  the  soci- 
ety printed  in  this  country,  now  number  about 
2,000,  including  more  than  400  books.  Of 
these  65  volumes  and  186  tracts  and  children's 


tracts  are  in  the  German  language  ;  21  books 
and  102  tracts  in  the  French;  13  books  and 
65  tracts  in  the  Spanish ;  22  books  and  tracts 
in  the  Portuguese;  16  in  the  Italian;  35  in 
the  Welsh ;  27  in  the  Dutch ;  44  in  the  Banish; 
28  in  the  Swedish ;  and  4  in  the  Hungarian ; 
the  remainder  being  in  English.  They  em- 
brace as  rich  and  varied  a  collection  of  stand- 
ard works  in  practical  theology  as  exists  in 
any  language.  The  style  of  printing  and  illus- 
tration in  which  they  are  issued  does  credit  to 
American  art.  In  cheapness  they  are  believed 
to  be  unrivaled.  The  circulation  of  some  of 
the  tracts  has  exceeded  half  a  million  copies  ; 
and  of  particular  volumes,  200,000  or  300,000. 
Baxter's  Call  has  had  a  circulation  of  400,000 
copies  ;  the  Pictorial  Tract  Primer,  300,000  ; 
and  D'Aubigne's  History  of  the  Reformation, 
82,000,  sets  of  4  or  5  volumes.  The  aggregato 
circulation  of  tracts  has  been  about  140,000,000, 
and  of  volumes  about  10,000,000,  embracing 
15,000  libraries;  making  a  total,  including 
24,102,600  copias  of  periodicals,  of  about  one 

HUNDRED  AND  SEVENTY-FIVE  MILLIONS  OF  PUB- 
LICATIONS. If  to  this  be  added  the  publications 
distributed  in  foreign  lands  by  the  society's 
friends,  estimated  to  average  20  pages  each, 
21,115,200  copies,  it  will  make  a  grand  total 

of  about  TWO  HUNDRED  MILLIONS  OF  PUBLICA- 
TIONS, or  an  average  of  more  than  one  for  each 
family  of  the  human  race. 

Tract  House. — The  Tract  Society's  House  is 
a  spacious  edifice  near  the  City  Hall,  New- 
York,  about  80  feet  on  Nassau  street,  and  100 
feet  on  Spruce  street,  and  is  five  stories  high 
in  front  and  six  stories  in  the  rear,  with  a  cen- 
tral court  for  light  and  air.  It  was  built  in, 
1825  on  the  site  previously  occupied  by  a  small 
tavern  or  grocery,  and  rebuilt  in  1846  to  pro- 
vide for  new  machinery,  and  to  meet  the  in- 
creasing necessities  of  the  Society's  business. 
Its  fifty  apartments  are  heated  throughout  by 
steam.  Besides  the  two  stores  and  offices  now 
rented  to  others,  it  furnishes  accommodations 
for  nearly  thirty  printing  and  hydraulic  press- 
es, propelled  by  steam,  and  for  neiuly  300 
persons  engaged  in  the  executive,  commercial 
and  manufacturing  departments  of  the  Soci- 
ety's service.  A  debt  of  about  $40,000  still 
incumbers  the  estate  of  the  Society.  The 
first  building  was  the  scene  of  the  extensive 
revivals  of  religion,  connected  with  the  labors 
of  Harlan  Page  ;  and  a  daily  prayer-meeting 
of  the  employees  in  the  Tract  House,  now 
hallows  all  its  influences  for  good.  The  meet- 
ings of  every  committee  are  uniformly  opened 
with  prayer. 

Executive  Officers  of  the  American  Tract  So- 
ciety.— Hon.  Thomas  S.  Williams,  President ; 
Rev,  Wm.  A.  Hallock,  D.D.,  Rev.  0.  Eastman 
and  Rev.  R.  S.  Cook,  Corresponding  Secreta- 
ries ;  Rev.  Charles  G.  Sommcrs,  Recording 
Secretary,  0.  R.  Kingsbury,  Assistant  Secre- 
tary ;  Moses  Allen,  Esq.  Treasurer  and  Isaac 
W.  Brinckerhoff,  Depositary. 


182 


BOOK  AND   TRACT  SOCIETIES 


THE  AMERICAN   TRACT  SOCIETY'S  RECEIPTS,  ISSUES,  GRANTS,   ETC.,   DURING  TWENTY-NINE  YEAR& 


mSTED. 

cmcrnjkTKD. 

GIU.VISI. 

Foreign 

i 

Grants  iu 
Cash. 

DonatiuDB. 

Saloa. 

Total. 

Pages. 

Pages. 

Pages. 

1 

$6,925  56 

$3,233  22 

$10,158  78 

18,053,500 

.3,611,500 

148,000 

215 

2 

8,666  96 

21,843  06 

*30,413  01 

36,114,500 

24,768,232 

1,648,056 

3 

12,464  88 

82,670  20 

45,134  68 

63,667,000 

46,321,784 

8,806,704 

10.3 

4 

25,173  18 

84,980  80 

60,153  98 

68,316,000 

48,896,262 

2,992,881 

""$650 

92 

5 

11,755  65 

48,454  59 

60,210  24 

63,429,930 

62,360,444 

6,086,261 

300 

67 

6 

8,784  82 

34,137  77 

42,922  69 

68,786,000 

68,622,704 

4,163,800 

300 

73 

7 

24,474  78 

37,430  29 

61,905  07 

88.647,000 

'  66,160,457 

4,788,110 

5,044 

46 

8 

31,229  25 

.  31,117  68 

62,846  83 

39,700,808 

48,400,607 

7,480,607 

10,000 

35 

9 

35,212  25 

81,169  26 

66,381  51 

51,534,624 

57,633,070 

9,956,829 

20,000 

46 

10 

60,727  42 

31,580  39 

92,307  81 

63,804,652 

53,916,358 

8,635,267 

30,000 

55 

11 

66,638  04 

47,673  37 

104,211  41 

101,293,684 

72,4iB0,229 

9,839,760 

+35,500 
f36,()00 

55 

12 

71,932  36 

59,058  92 

130,991  28 

125,682,000 

96,851,174 

10,867,616 

41 

13 

37,173  74 

54.558  36 

91,732  10 

48,377,100 

86,479,621 

8,893,743 

10,000 

48 

14 

55,852  81 

75,226  96 

131,079  77 

124,744,000 

119,733,856 

10,631,676 

30.000 

33 

15 

41,475  49 

76,120  67 

117,596  16 

117,970,000 

123,687,707 

15,973,446 

20,000 

34 

16 

41,751  61 

57,210  98 

98,962  59 

95,958,500 

80,581,565 

11,908,265 

25,000 

26 

17 

34,941  03 

66,214  11 

91,155  14 

100,108,000 

94,329,045 

15,604,610 

15,000 

32 

IS 

42,433  98 

49,904  13 

•96,240  53 

78,844,000 

80,806,460 

18,682,456 

15,000 

64 

19 

56,680  31 

61,804  13 

108,484  44 

96,118,000 

91,471,456 

24,315,121 

20,000 

41 

20 

62,306  38 

86,296  01 

*152,376  78 

157,018,000 

152,727,229 

26,749,445 

6,000 

68 

21 

71,132  16 

82,784  00 

153,916  16 

116,173,000 

123,642,593 

30,705,246 

15,000 

73 

22 

67,770  88 

92,360  24 

160,131  12 

150,013,696 

153,575,624 

35,926,208 

10,000 

48 

23 

105,915  15 

129,744  31 

235,659  46 

217,499,000 

211,730,285 

40,948,459 

11,000 

68 

24 

94,081  43 

164,218  73 

258,300  16 

298,264,000 

234,409,300 

47,890,225 

14,000 

145 

26 

105,894  80 

202,371  92 

308,266  72 

307,636,200 

280,697,500 

58,138,820 

15,000 

73 

26 

109,897  76 

200,720  33 

310,618  09 

285,914,500 

269,984,615 

56,638,543 

20,000 

78 

27 

116,406  41 

226,343  50 

342,749  91 

316,518,500 

283,296,568 

65,164,181 

20,000 
20,000 

28 

147,374  64 

237,252  21 

384,626  85 

287,479,500 

268,902,315 

72,224,841 

157 

L^ 

156,033  48 

269,126  12 

415,158  60 

303,851,000 

315,100,857 

73,224,824 

20,000 

TG 

1 

$1,700,996  71 

$2,515,505  15 

$4,224,191  67 

3,861,416,594 

3,621,076,917 

682,932,900 

$423,794 

1 
1 

♦  Including  receipts  from  rents,  2d  year,  $13  ;  18th  year,  $3,902  42  ;  20th  year,  $3,774  39. 
t  Including  grants  for  the  blind,  11th  year,  $500 ;  12th  year,  $1,000. 


The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 
was  organized  by  the  General  Assembly  in 
1840.  Its  great  design  was  to  cooperate  with 
the  Christian  ministry  in  publishing  divine 
truth.  One  of  the  specific  objects  of  the  Board 
is,  to  counteract  the  influence  of  licentious  lit- 
erature. Another  is,  "  to  furnish  a  thoroughly 
sound  Calvinistic  literature."  It  does  not, 
however,  attempt  to  furnish  exclusively  doc- 
trinal works,  but  also  such  as  are  practical 
and  devotional.  A  large  portion  of  its  issues 
arc  of  the  latter  description,  and  such  as  may 
be  read  without  ofifence  by  all  evangelical 
denominations. 

Pvtblishing  Department. — During  the  year 
ending  March  31,  1854,  the  Board  have  pub- 
lished 16  new  books,  one  of  which  is  in  the 
German  language.  Of  these  books,  there  have 
been  printed  38,250  copies.  They  have  also 
added  to  their  Catalogue  9  tracts  in  12mo, 
and  1  in  18mo,  of  which  have  been  printed 
26,000  copies.  They  have  also  printed  25,000 
copies  of  the  Presbyterian  Family  Almanac. 
Total  copies  of  new  books  and  tracts,  89,250. 
The  reprints  of  former  publications  during  the 
year,  amount  to  506,500  copies.  Total  amount 
of  copies  published  during  the  year,  595,750. 
The  aggregate  number  of  volumes  published 
by  the  Board,  from  their  organization  in  1840, 
to  March  31, 1853,  has  amounted  to  2,020,450. 
The  aggregate  number  of  tracts  published  dur- 
ing the  same  period  has  amounted  to  2,131,450. 


The  total  number  of  volumes  and  tracts  pub- 
lished by  the  Board,  from  1840,  to  March  31, 
1853,  has  amounted  to  4,151,900. 

Besides  this,  the  Board  printed  and  circu- 
lated, the  last  year,  15,000  copies  of  the  Home 
and  Foreign  Eecord,  and  of  the  Sabbath- 
School  Visitor,  41,000. 

Receipts. — The  receipts  of  the  past  year  have 
been,  for  books  and  tracts  sold,  $77,648  ;  dona- 
tions for  salaries  and  expenses  of  colporteurs, 
$15,866  ;  for  Sabbath-School  Visitor,  $6,111  ; 
for  distribution  of  books  and  tracts,  $1,413  ; 
for  stereotyping  certain  books,  $1,175.  The 
aggregate  amount  of  sales,  from  the  1st  of  April, ' 
1841,  to  April  1, 1853,  is  $466,573  75.  The 
aggregate  receipts  fo'^  colportage,  from  April  1, 

1847,  to  April  1,  1853,  have  amounted  to 
$47,677  10.  The  aggregate  receipts  for  distri- 
bution, from  April  1,  1848,  to  April  1,  1853, 
have  amounted  to  $6,085  19.  Total  amount 
of  receipts  for  colportage  and  distribution, 
during  the  periods  above  mentioned,  being 
$53,762  29.  The  total  increase  of  receipts  from 
all  sources,  the  year  past,  amounts  to  $12,- 
052  35,  which  is  nearly  14  per  cent,  compared 
with  the  receipts  of  1844.  It  appears  that  the 
income  of  the  Board  has  been  trebled  in  ten 
years,  and,  indeed,   compared  with   that  of 

1848,  the  year  in  which  the  colporteur  enter- 
prise commenced,  the  increase  has  been  nearly 
as  great,  presenting  $103,544  46,  instead  of 
$38,213  92,  or  $65,330  54  increase. 


BOOK   AND   TRACT    SOCIETIES. 


183 


The  Colporteur  Enterprise. — "  This  branch  of 
service  is  every  year  increasing  in  interest,  and 
opening  before  the  Church  most  pleasing  pros 
pects  of  great  and  permanently  beneficial  re- 
sults." The  following  summary  will  show 
what  has  been  done  the  past  year  : 

1.  Whole  number  of  Colporteurs,  151 ;  of 
whom  one  was  in  India,  six  in  the  British  Pro- 
vinces, three  in  Maine,  two  in  New  Hampshire, 
twenty-two  in  New  York,  four  in  New  Jersey. 
sixteen  in  Pennsylvania,  one  in  Maryland,  two 
in  Virginia,  ticelve  in  North  Carolina,  six  in 
South  Carolina, //it^m  in  Georgia,  two  in  Flo- 
rida, one  in  Alabama,  one  in  Mississippi,  one 
in  Louisiana,  five  in  Texas,  one  in  Arkansas, 
two  in  Kentucky,  one  in  Michigan,  six  in  Ten- 
nessee, nine  in  Ohio,  three  in  Iowa,  fourteen  in 
Indiana,  ten  in  Illinois,  four  in  Missouri,  and 
one  in  Wisconsin ;  or  144  distributed  in  25 
States  of  the  Union. 

2.  Distribution  of  Booh. — Sales  91,885  vol- 
umes. Gifts,  9,581  volumes.  To  which  add 
28,000  volumes  distributed  by  the  Synods  of 
Pittsburgh  (23,000)  and  Virginia  (5,000),  and 
6,517  included  in  the  report  of  donations ;  the 
total  is  135,983  volumes. 

Distribution  of  Tracts. — By  the  colporteurs, 
871,547  pages ;  by  the  Synods  of  Pittsburgh 
(25,000)  and  Virginia  (23,000)— -48,000,  and 
included  in  the  report  of  donations  381,000  ; 
making  a  total  of  1,300,547  pages. 

4.  Families  visited,  65,734 ;  and  2,451  in  Sy- 
nod of  Pittsburgh  ;  total,  68,185. 

5.  Presbyterian  families  without  the  Con- 
fession of  Faith,  2,340. 

6.  Families  without  any  religious  book  ex- 
cept the  Bible,  1,603. 

7.  Time  spent  by  colporteurs,  41  years  and 
a  few  days. 

Of  the  practical  results  of  this  enterprise,  the 
Board  say,  in  their  report : — "  By  the  testimo- 
nies of  clergymen  of  our  own  and  other  church- 
es, as  well  as  those  of  colporteurs,  and  by  the 
opinions  of  others,  well  qualified  to  judge,  we  are 
satisfied  that  the  books  of  this  Board  are  exert- 
ing a  most  potent  and  salutary  influence  on  the 
religious  character  of  our  nation.  This  is  done,  as 
well  by  a  positive  effect  in  informing  men's 
minds  and  moving  their  hearts,  as  by  the  indi- 
rect, but  no  less  valuable  operation  of  convert- 
ing wrong  tastes  and  moulding  religious  think- 
ing to  some  definite  shape.  The  historical, 
biographical,  and  practical  works  are  extend- 
ing and  deepening  the  impressions  of  a  com- 
mon Christianity  and  a  common  Protestantism, 
and  aiding  other  influences  in  fixing  upon  the 
hearts  of  our  people  the  great  principle,  that 
the  Christianity  of  the  Bible  is  the  strong  de- 
fence, as  it  is  the  true  source,  of  our  civil  and 
religious  liberty.  Of  actual  conversions  through 
the  instrumentality  of  books  and  tracts,  our 
colporteurs  relate  numerous  pleasing  accounts." 

Gratuitous  Distribution. — The  Board  have 
made  donations  of  books  and  tracts  the  past 
year,  exclusive  of  those  given  away  by  colpor- 


teurs, to  the  amount  of  $2,358,  viz.  :  to  Sab- 
bath-schools, 2,535  volumes;  to  naval  and 
military  stations  and  ships-of-war,  142 ;  to 
humane  institutions,  60  ;  to  literary  and  theo- 
logical institutions,  226  ;  to  ministers,  850 ; 
to  feeble  churches,  1376  ;  to  individuals  for 
gratuitous  distribution,  1328  ;  total,  voluraos, 
6,517,  and  381,032  pages  of  tracts ;  9,581  vols, 
and  871,547  pages  of  tracts  have  been  given 
away  by  colporteurs. 

The  aggregate  number  of  volumes  given 
away,  independent  of  the  donations  made  by 
colporteurs,  from  1847,  when  the  Board  com- 
menced making  donations,  to  1854,  is  32,285. 
The  aggregate  number  of  pages  of  tracts  given 
away  during  the  same  period,  is  1,467,300. 

The  "Methodist  Book  Concern,"  New 
York,  is  the  extensive  and  enterprising  pub- 
lishing agency  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  North.  By  a  recent  decision  of  the 
Courts  a  pro  rata  portion  of  its  accumulated 
funds  have  been  or  are  to  be  paid  over  to  the 
Methodist  Church,  South ;  and  the  latter  or- 
ganization formed  an  establishment  in  1854, 
for  publishing  at  the  South.  From  the  im- 
perfect data  available,  we  can  only  give  the 
facts  of  1853-4,  as  follows :  the  number  of 
volumes  of  general  catalogue  books  printed, 
680,500 ;  number  of  Sunday-school  books, 
1,128,000  ;  number  of  tract  books,  110,000, 
making  the  issues  of  a  single  year,  of  larger 
or  smaller  books,  not  far  from  2,000,000.  The 
"  Sunday-School  Advocate,"  has  a  circulation 
of  about  115,000,  semi-monthly.  The  "  Mia^ 
sionary  Advocate"  has  a  monthly  circulation 
of  50,000.  The  Christian  Advocate  and 
Journal,  weekly,  a  circulation  of  33,000.  llie 
statistics  of  the  "  Concern"  at  Cincinnati,  0., 
are  not  included,  for  the  most  part,  in  the 
above. 

The  American  Baptist  Publication  So- 
ciety was  formed  in  1824.  Its  publications, 
denominational  and  general,  now  number  450, 
of  which  208  are  volumes.  Of  the  tracts,  218 
are  in  English,  15  in  German  and  3  in  French. 
The  receipts  for  1853-4  were  $49,612,  of 
which  $35,218  were  for  sales  of  publications. 
The  number  of  colporteurs  employed  was  62, 
including  13  students  for  short  periods,  who 
sold  18,866  books  ;  granted  609  books  and 
236,308  pages  of  tracts ;  visited  32,690  fami- 
lies and  3,758  vessels  and  canal  boats ;  held 
1,081  meetings  ;  preached  1,558  sermons,  and 
organized  10  churches,  and  7  Sunday-schools. 
The  Society  has  a  building  fund  of  $25,000. 

Congregational  Board  of  Publication. — 
The  Doctrinal  Tract  Society  w^s  formed  in 
1829.  For  about  20  years  its  operations  were 
confined  to  the  publication  of  Doctrinal 
Tracts,  setting  forth  and  defending  the  doc- 
trinal views,  which  have  from  the  beginning, 
distinguished  the  leading  divines  among  the 
orthodox  Congregationalists  of  New  England. 
In  1850,  its  constitution  was  revised,  so  as  to 
embrace  the  publication  of  books  ;  Kev.  Sew- 


184 


BOOK   AND    TRACT   SOCIETIES. 


all  Harding,  was  appointed  Secretary  and 
General  Agent ;  and  un  act  of  incorporation 
wod  obtained.  The  obiect  of  the  Society  is 
thu3  stated  in  the  second  article  of  its  consti- 
tation  : 

"  It  is  the  object  of  this  Society  to  procure 
oud  circulate  such  tracts  and  books,  as  are 
adapted  to  explain,  prove,  vindicate  and  illus- 
trate the  peculiar  and  essential  doctrines  of  the 
gospel,  and  to  discriminate  between  genuine  and 
spurious  religious  affections  and  experience." 

In  their  report  for  1852,  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee say  :  "  In  pursuance  of  this  object,  the 
Society  first  published  a  series  of  tracts,  forty- 
five  in  number,  on  important  subjects  of  Chris- 
tian doctrine  and  practice.  More  recently  they 
have  given  their  attention  to  the  publication 
of  books  ;  and  they  design  to  make  this  Soci- 
ety, for  the  Congregational  churches  of  our 
land,  what  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publi- 
cation is  for  the  Presbyterian  churches.  And 
it  might  be  appropriately  called,  as  it  is  in 
fact,  the  Congregational  Board  of  Publication. 
"We  have  commenced  the  work  of  publishing 
the  writings  of  the  most  distinguished  New 
England  theologians  ;  and  we  hope  to  be  able 
to  continue  this,  until  we  have  issued  editions 
of  the  works  of  that  class  of  men,  so  distin- 
guished for  their  theological  acumen,  and 
whose  writings  and  labors  have  been  so  highly 
appreciated,  and  bo  signally  blessed,  in  the 
formation  and  prosperity  of  our  religious  char- 
acter and  institutions." 

IJ8T   OP  PRINCIPAL   BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


American 

"         Boston 

**         Miscellaneous 

Basle,  Switzerland 

Prussian,  Berlin 

Calcutta  and  others,  India 

Evangelical  Society,  Brussels  . . . 

Jaffna,  Ceylon 

Italian  Committee,  Geneva 

Lower  Saxony,  Hamburg 

Hamburg  Mission 

Monthly  ReL  London 

Paris 

Stirling,  Scotl'nd  (Peter  Drum-  \ 

mond) J 

St.  Peteruburgh,  RuBsia 

Stockholm,  Sweden 

Toulouse,  France 

Toronto 

Copenhagen,  Sweden 

Rel.  Tract  Society,  London 

Soc.  for  Promoting  Rel.  Knowl. ") 

England J 

Meth.  Epis.  Tract  Society 


Book  Concern. , 


"         <«  "        (South) 

Pres.  Board  of  Publication. . 

Bap.  Board  of  Pub 

Cong.  Board  of  Pub 

Evang.  Knowl.  Soc.  Prot.  E^ii 


1825 
1814 

1844 
1815 
1823 
1839 
1825 
1848 
1820 


1820 
1847 
1830 
1808 
1835 

1820 
1799 

1750 

1853 

1854 

1840 

1824 
1854 


TOTAL  CIRCULATION. 


220,000,000 

*  4,217,000 

*  5,783,000 
2,000,000 
2,000,000 

25,000,000 
2,000,000 
8,500,000 
1,000,000 
7,500,000 
1,733,475 
2,000,000 

11,604,576 

10,000,000 

4,396,000 
6,000,000 


1,000,000 
600,000,000 

20,000,000 

f      for  1853-4, 
\  2, 000, 000  books. 

f   vols.  202,945, 
\  tracts,  2,131,450 


*  Previous  to  1825. 
For  Sunday-School  Publication  Societies,  see  Sunday- 
Schools. 


General  Inore.\se  op  Religious  Books. — 
The  foregoing  statements  show  the  mo.st  grat- 
ifying results  of  the  Christian  press,  in  furnish- 
ing to  the  mus.ses  a  truly  Christian  literature. 
But  vast  and  beyond  calculation  as  they  appear, 
they  by  no  means  present  a  complete  view  of 
the  immense  diffusion  of  religions  truth,  by 
this  instrumentality,  for  the  last  half  century. 
The  improvements  in  the  art  of  printing,  the 
more  general  diffusion  of  wealth,  the  enterprise 
of  Christian  societies,  and  the  progress  of  reli- 
gion, have  greatly  stimulated  the  production 
and  circulatiou  of  books,  and  especially  good 
books.  In  England,  a  century  ago^  the  sales 
of  books  and  periodicals  amounted  to  less  than 
$500,000  per  annum.  Now,  they  exceed  $10,- 
500,000.  In  1471,  Sweynheira  and  Pannartz, 
printers  at  Rome,  whose  entire  stock  of  books 
was  12,000  volumes,  tell  the  Pope,  in  a  peti- 
tion, "You  will  admire  how  and  where  we 
could  procure  a  sufficient  quantity  of  paper,  or 
even  rags,  for  such  a  number  of  volumes," 
which  1,000  reams  of  paper  would  have  pro- 
duced I  Isaiah  Thomas,  in  his  History  of  the 
Art  of  Printing,  says,  "  The  paper  manufac- 
tured and  used  for  book  printing  (in  1810)  may 
be  calculated  at  about  70,000  reams,  (probably 
equal  in  weight  and  size  to  30,000  reams  of 
the  style  now  used,)  a  considerable  part  of 
which  is  used  for  spelling  and  other  small 
school-books.  The  price,  at  $3  50  a  ream, 
amounts  to  $245,000,  and  it  may  weigh  about 
630  tons."  Such  was  the  book-trade  in  this 
country  less  than  forty  years  ago.  In  1848. 
the  sum  of  $142,122  was  paid  for  paper  alone 
by  the  American  Bible,  Tract,  and  Sunday- 
school  societies — $67,000  by  the  Tract  Society 
— an  amount  exceeding  one-half  the  amount 
paid  in  the  whole  country  in  1810.  Probably 
a  single  private  publishing  house  pay  as  much 
as  all  these  societies  together — possibly  as 
much  as  all  publishers  in  1810. 

As  late  as  1825,  publishers  of  religious  books 
often  resorted  to  subscriptions  to  secure  them- 
selves from  loss.  Such  works  as  are  now  abun- 
dant, at  the  lowest  prices,  could  hardly  be 
procured  at  bookstores  ;  and  bookstores  were 
few  in  number,  and  of  doubtful  success.  An 
examination  of  the  files  of  the  New  York  Ob- 
server shows  that  the  whole  number  of  reli- 
gious books  noticed  in  any  way  in  its  columns 
in  1826,  was  seventeen.  For  months  together, 
there  was  no  advertisement  of  a  religious  book. 
Scott's  Commentary  was  offered  for  $24.  In 
1835,  the  "new  publication"  list  \\2i(\.  twenty- 
four  new  books  by  the  trade.  At  this  period 
commenced  the  vigorous  prosecution  of  the 
"  volume  circulation  "  by  the  American  Tract 
Society,  and  other  institutions  were  stimulated 
to  effort,  or  brought  into  being.  The  issues 
of  the  book-trade  rapidly  increased,  and,  in 
1841,  the  Observer's  "  new  publication "  list 
noticed  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  religious 
works  by  the  trade — exclusive  of  all  by  pub- 
lishing societies — or  five  times  as  many  as  in 


BRAHMINS. 


185 


1835.  In  1841,  colportage,  or  the  systematic 
circulation  of  good  books,  especially  among 
the  destitute,  commenced,  and  it  has  been  con- 
stantly increasing  since.  Other  institutions 
have  greatly  extended  their  efforts  for  the  dis- 
tribution of  good  books.  But  the  book-trade 
has  also  stretched  forward  its  successful  enter- 
prises simultaneously ;  and  one  hundred  and 
sixty-eight  religious  books  issued  by  the  trade, 
are  noticed  in  the  Observer  of  1848,  or  an  ad- 
vance of  seven  hundred  per  cent,  on  the  issues 
of  1835.  Publishers  now  issue  editions  of 
3,000  or  5,000  copies  of  such  books,  as  in  1826, 
they  would  have  regarded  it  hazardous  to  pub- 
lish, except  by  subscription.  The  bookselling 
business  was  never  so  safe,  lucrative,  and  pros- 
perous as  now.  Several  extensive  houses  are 
engaged  exclusively  in  the  publication  of  reli- 
gious books  ;  and  it-  is  probable  that  one  of 
them  issues  more  practical  religious  works  an- 
nually, than  were  sold  by  the  whole  corps  of 
booksellers  in  the  United  States  twenty-five 
years  ago.  Thus  showing  that  the  production 
and  circulation  of  cheap  religious  books  by 
benevolent  societies,  while  it  may  deprive  the 
trade  of  a  certain  class  of  books,  far  more  than 
compensates  for  this  loss  by  the  taste  which  it 
creates  for  solid  and  religious  reading. 

The  foregoing  statements  respecting  the 
operations  of  benevolent  institutions,  including 
the  Christian  press,  show  that  they  are  the 
right  arm  of  the  missionary  enterprise,  in  all 
lands.  The  domestic  missionary  who  wisely 
avails  himself  of  the  aid  he  may  derive  from 
Sabbath-school  publications,  tracts,  books  and 
periodicals,  either  as  a  means  of  edification  and 
salvation  for  the  people  of  his  charge,  or  as  an 
instrumentality  for  extending  his  influence  be- 
yond the  boundaries  of  his  congregation,  may 
multiply  his  power  for  good  indefinitely.  And, 
by  calling  in  the  help  of  a  faithful  colporteur, 
to  penetrate  the  '  regions  beyond,'  and  convey 
the  knowledge  of  Christ  to  the  destitute  and 
erring  whom  he  may  not  personally  reach,  the 
leaven  of  the  Gospel  may  be  made  to  pervade 
the  masses  of  the  people,  and  a  demand  be  crea- 
ted for  pulpit  ministrations,  such  as  might  not 
exist  in  long  years,  were  these  auxiliary  in- 
fluences neglected  or  overlooked.  And  so  of 
the  Foreign  Missionary.  If  succeeding  gener- 
ations of  missionaries  are  to  profit  by  the  ex- 
perience of  their  predecessors,  the  results  of 
that  experience  must  be  committed  to  the 
press.  If  the  schools  on  heathen  ground  are 
to  be  made  the  source  of  abiding  good,  there 
must  be  a  Christian  literature  provided  for  the 
generations  of  readers  thus  trained.  If  the  G  os- 
pel  is  to  be  proclaimed  beyond  the  restricted 
precincts  of  the  several  missions,  and  any 
considerable  portion  of  the  existing  generation 
of  heathen  are  to  have  the  word  of  life,  it  must 
be  conveyed  to  them  by  the  printed  page.  If 
the  mountains  of  superstition  and  error  and 
ignorance  are  to  be  lifted  off  from  the  heathen 
mind,  the  lever  of  the  press  must  be  applied. 


If  the  advances  made  from  year  to  year  in  the, 
acquisition  of  languages  and  in  the  adaptation 
of  truth  to  simple  minds,  are  to  be  perpetuated, 
the  missionaries  must  employ  their  pens,  and 
the  printing-press  must  embody  and  multiply 
the  results  of  missionary  toil.  The  stupendous 
undertaking  of  printing  a  Christian  literature  for 
the  world  must  be  prosecuted  with  steady  zeal 
and  enlarged  liberality.  The  improvements 
constantly  making  in  all  that  relates  to  the 
printing  art  must  be  potent  to  the  missionary 
cause  ;  and  the  religious  literature  of  standard 
worth  in  the  English  language  must  be  made 
the  heritage  of  the  reading  world.  The  sys- 
tems of  aggressive  Christian  effort  nv^w  asso- 
ciated with  the  press  in  America,  should  be- 
come a  part  of  the  machinery  of  missions  uni- 
versally ;  so  that  native  piety  may  find  active 
employment,  and  the  unevangelized  hordes  be 
approached  with  adapted  agencies  for  their 
elevation  and  salvation.  Way-side,  fire-side 
preaching,  oral  and  printed,  should  attend  and 
complement  the  more  formal  proclamations  of 
divine  truth,  until  the  time  comes  when  none 
need  say  to  his  brother,  "  know  the  Lord, 
for  all  shall  know  him  from  the  least  even 
unto  the  greatest." 

BOODALOOR  ;  A  station  of  the  Gospel 
Propagation  Society  in  India. 

BOOTAN :  A  village  in  the  district  of 
Maulmain  in  Burmah — an  out-station  of  the 
Maulmain  Baptist  mission. 

BOEABORA  :  One  of  the  Society  Islands 
and  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

BORNEO  :     See  Indian  Archipelago. 

BOSJESMANS  :  The  same  as  Bushmen, 
which  see. 

BRAHMA:  The  supreme  god  of  the 
Hindoos.  In  Hindustani,  the  word  is  a  neuter 
noun,  derived  by  grammarians  from  the  verb 
hrih  to  grow,  and  the  suflQx  man,  and  thus 
means  that  which  grows,  or  the  Supreme  Being 
regarded  under  the  aspect  of  development,  and 
revealed  by  the  creation  of  worlds.  The  word, 
however,  is  used  in  a  secondary  sense,  also, 
and  means  the  Supreme  Absolute  Spirit,  not 
regarded  as  a  creative  force,  but  shut  up  in 
himself  without  external  manifestations  of  any 
kind. 

BRAHMINS  :  The  name  employed  to 
designate  that  body  or  order  of  priests,  who 
have  always  been  the  sole  guardians,  precep 
tors  and  ministers  of  the  Hindoo  religion. 
This  order  is  of  extreme  antiquity,  and  they 
and  their  followers  are  universally  acknowl- 
edged as  a  tribe  sprung  from  the  Caucasian 
variety  of  the  human  species.  Their  sacred 
books  or  vedas  represent  them  as  invading  In- 
dia from  the  north-west,  through  Afghanistan 
and  the  Punjaub,  at  a  very  early  period,  when 
they  seem  to  have  made  more  considerable  pro- 
gress in  literature,  philosophy,  mathematics 
and  medicine,  than  their  cotemporaries  in 
other  regions  of  the  world. 


186 


BUAll.\li.S..-.M. 


BRAEMINISM  :  Tho  religion  of  tlie  Brah- 
mins, which  is  the  prevailing  religion  of  II in- 
doostan,  and  professed  by  about  150,000,000  of 
people,  is  one  of  the  grossest  impositions  ever 
made  ujwn  nn  ignorant  and  degraded  people, 
by  a  cormpt  and  avaricious  priesthood,  bear- 
ing, in  many  particulars,  a  striking  resem- 
blance to  Popery. 

lileas  of  God. — The  Hindoos,  in  general,  en- 
tertain vague,  incongruous,  and  unworthy  no- 
tions of  the  Deity.  Some  call  him  the  invisi- 
ble and  ever  blessed  ;  others  ascribe  to  him  a 
form  ;  others  suppose  he  exists  like  an  incon- 
ceivably small  atom ;  sometimes  he  is  repre- 
sented as  male,  and  at  other  times,  as  female ; 
sometimes  both  male  and  female,  producing  a 
world  by  conjugal  union ;  sometimes  the  ele- 
ments assume  his  place,  and  at  other  times  he 
is  a  deified  hero.  According  to  the  Hindoo 
theology,  Brdime,  the  great  Being,  is  the 
supreme,  eternal,  uncreated  Being.  I3ramha 
the  first  created  being,  by  whom  he  made  and 
governs  the  world,  is  the  prince  of  good  spir- 
its.— ^Veeshnu,  or  Vishnoo,  is  the  great  pre- 
server of  men.  He  is  said  to  have  appeared 
on  earth  nine  times,  in  so  many  incarnations. 
Seeva,  or  Siva,  is  the  destroyer.  This  three- 
fold divinity,  armed  with  almighty  power,  has 
under  him  no  less  than  333,000,000  of  inferior 
deities.  These  are  represented  in  innumerable 
forms,  by  dumb  idols  of  wood  and  stone.  The 
Hindoos  also  worship  men,  cows,  monkeys,  ti- 

fers,  serpents,  trees,  stones,  rivers,  and  even  Satan 
imself. 
Character  of  their  gods. — The  Hindoo  gods 
are  represented  as  practising  without  restraint 
every  species  of  wickedness  that  can  be  im- 
agined ;  and  their  sacred  books  arc  filled  with 
details  of  these  disgusting  abominations,  too 
polluting  to  be  recited.  In  obscenity,  nothing 
can  be  compared  with  one  of  these  sacred 
books,  called  Bhagawata.  Yet  it  is  the  de- 
light of  the  Hindoos,  and  the  first  book  they 
put  in  the  hands  of  their  children  ;  as  if  they 
deliberately  intended  to  form  them  to  dissolute 
habits.  The  most  frightful  images  are  made 
as  representations  of  their  gods.  Doorga,  the 
wife  of  Siva  or  Seeva,  the  Destroyer,  is  repre- 
sented with  a  frowning  countenance  and  naked 
breast.  Her  right  foot  treads  on  a  lion.  She 
has  four  hands,  in  one  of  which  she  holds  an 
infant  by  the  hair  of  the  head,  while  its  body 
is  pierced  through  with  a  trident  she  holds  in 
the  second  hand.  The  other  two  hands  are 
filled  with  weapons  of  destruction  ;  and  she  is 
ornamented  with  a  necklace  of  human  skulls. 
Siva,  also,  is  represented  in  a  most  terrific 
form,  ornamented  with  serpents,  covered  with 
the  ashes  of  a  funeral  pile,  alighting  in  cemeter- 
ies, and  accompanied  by  a  train  of  ghosts  and 
goblins.  In  this  character,  human  victims,  or 
the  blood  of  beasts,  is  necessary  to  appease 
their  wrath. 

Character  of  their  Priesthood. — The  Brah- 
mins are  the  legal  priests  of  Hindoostan  ;  and 


from  them  it  is  called  Brahminism.  They  ex- 
alt  themselves  above  every  other  ela.>^s  of  their 
countrymen.  They  are  arrogant,  subtle,  ava- 
ricious,  deceitful,  selfish,  and  vicious.  They 
make  great  pretensions  to  learning  and  sanc- 
tity ;  while  they  are  really  ignorant  and  ex- 
ceedingly dissolute  and  destitute  of  principlo. 
Hindooism,  from  the  foundation  to  the  top- 
stone,  is  one  cold  system  of  selfishnt^ss.  Its 
ultimate  object  is  the  aggrandizement  of  the 
priesthood  ;  and  to  accomplish  this,  they  keep 
the  people  in  darkness  and  ignorance.  Their 
sacred  books  are  kept  in  a  language  unknown 
and  forbidden  to  tne  people,  and  can  be  ex- 
plained only  by  the  Brahmins.  All  learning 
is  monopolized  by  them ;  and  the  people  are 
discouraged  from  any  attempts  to  elevate  their 
intellectual  condition.  In  their  domestic  and 
social  capacity,  nothing  can  be  done  without  a 
Brahmin  ;  and  a  Brahmin  cannot  work  with- 
out a  fee  or  a  feast.  All  offerings  made  to  the 
gods,  go  to  these  avaricious  priests  ;  and  the 
giving  of  presents  and  distribution  of  money 
to  Brahmins  is  the  most  effectual  way  of  gain- 
ing the  favor  of  the  gods,  and  obtaining  the 
pardon  of  sin.  The  Brahmin  is  revered  as  a 
god,  and  addressed  and  worshiped  as  a  god. 
The  people  fall  down  before  him,  and  lick  the 
very  dust  of  his  feet.  They  believe  that  the 
Brahmin  can,  by  his  enchantments  and  right- 
eousness, control  both  the  gods  and  men  ;  and 
this  gives  him  a  wonderful  preeminence.  In 
all  things  he  domineers  over  the  multitude ; 
works  on  their  fears ;  turns  every  superstition 
to  his  own  account ;  and  takes  every  advan- 
tage of  their  ignorance,  superstition,  and  cre- 
dulity, to  enrich  himself  and  increase  his 
power.  The  pride  and  dissimulation,  and  the 
intrigue  and  dishonesty  of  a  Brahmin,  are 
proverbial. 

Religions  Mendicants, — Monkery  is  a  very 
necessary  appendage  to  every  system  of  priest- 
craft ;  and,  of  course,  might  be  expected  to 
find  a  place  in  Brahminism.  The  monks  of 
Brahminism,  like  those  of  Popery,  are  divided 
into  numerous  classes ;  and  several  of  the 
highest  of  these  classes  are  only  open  to  the 
Brahmins.  Some  persons  become  ascetics  by 
inheritance,  and  in  consequence,  enjoy  certain 
revenues  ;  others  become  such  from  necessity  ; 
others,  on  account  of  their  pretended  sanctity 
and  abstraction  from  the  world  ;  others,  on 
account  of  a  vow,  devote  themselves  to  what 
they  call  a  religious  life.  Most  of  them  pre- 
tend to  be  religious  teachers.  The  Hindoos 
entertain  the  idea  that  religion  is  some  wild 
vagary,  attainable  only  by  priests  and  devo- 
tees, but  not  practicable  for  people  in  common 
life.  These  Religious  Orders  are  beggars  by 
profession ;  and  it  is  esteemed  meritorious  to 
give  to  them.  They  are  a  great  scourge  to  the 
country,  contributing  greatly  not  only  to  im- 
poverish it,  but  also  to  corrupt  and  debase  the 
morals  of  the  people.  These  idle  and  pretend- 
ed devotees  assemble  sometimes  in  armies  of 


BRAHMINISM. 


187 


ten  or  twelve  thousand,  and,  under  pretense  of 
making  pilgrimages  to  certain  temples,  lay 
whole  countries  under  contribution.  They  ai-e 
generally  robust  and  stout.  They  wear  no 
clothes,  and  commit  all  manner  of  excesses. 
These  men  inflict  voluntary  penances  upon 
themselves,  of  an  extraordinary  character. 
They  sometimes  hold  up  one  arm,  in  a  fixed 
position,  till  it  becomes  stiff,  and  remains  in 
that  situation  during  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
Some  clench  their  fists  very  hard,  and  keep 
them  so  till  their  nails  grow  into  their  palms, 
and  appear  through  the  back  of  their  hands. 
Others  turn  their  faces  over  their  shoulders, 
and  keep  them  so,  till  they  fix  their  heads 
looking  backwards.  By  such  means  they  in- 
crease their  celebrity,  and  become  objects  of 
greater  veneration.  The  supposed  Jwliness  of 
these  men  seems  to  sanctify,  in  the  minds  of 
the  people,  all  their  licentiousness  and  abomi- 
nations. 

Character  of  their  Worship. — From  what  we 
have  seen  of  the  character  of  their  gods,  it 
may  be  readily  perceived  what  kind  of  wor- 
ship would  be  supposed  to  be  pleasing  to  them. 
The  most  unbridled  and  disgusting  licentious- 
ness is  made  a  part  of  the  public  worship  of 
these  false  gods  ;  and  every  temple  has  a  com- 
pany of  dancing  girls,  who  are  married  to  the 
fvds,  and  are  kept  for  purposes  of  impurity, 
n  the  presence  of  some  of  the  most  celebrated 
idols,  among  which  is  Juggernaut,  all  distinc- 
tions of  sex  and  caste  are  abolished,  so  that 
men  may  gratify  their  evil  desires  with  impu- 
:uty. 

Hindoo  notions  of  sin, — The  notions  of  sin, 
inculcated  in  the  Hindoo  sacred  books,  like 
pvery  other  part  of  the  system,  are  calculated 
T/-)  exalt  the  priesthood.  Even  the  Brahmins, 
their  religious  teachers,  show  the  most  stupid 
deficiency  in  distinguishing  between  good  and 
evil.  They  call  good  evil,  and  evil  good ; 
light  darkness,  and  darkness  light.  Lying  is 
good,  if  it  result  in  immediate  benefit ;  to 
speak  the  truth  is  evil,  if  it  terminate  in  im- 
mediate loss.  Meats  and  drinks,  divers  wash- 
ings and  corporeal  inflictions,  make  up  their 
righteousness,  while  sin  is  really  but  a  trans- 
gression of  the  laws  of  caste.  To  lie,  steal, 
cheat,  deceive,  commit  adultery,  and  wallow 
like  swine  in  moral  turpitude,  is  too  trifling  a 
thing  to  be  named ;  it  is  only  what  their  gods 
did  before  them.  But  to  eat  with  a  man  of 
another  caste,  however  respectable  he  may  be, 
or  to  drink  out  of  the  same  cup,  is  a  sin  only 
pardonable  by  a  large  sum  of  money.  He  who 
breaks  his  word  with  a  Brahmin,  or  occasions 
him  any  detriment,  directly  or  indirectly,  in 
his  temporal  concerns,  will,  according  to  the 
Hindoo  scriptures,  be  condemned,  in  his  second 
birth,  to  become  a  devil.  He  will  not  be  per- 
mitted to  dwell  on  the  earth  or  live  in  the  air  ; 
but  will  be  obliged  to  make  his  abode  in  a 
thick  forest,  among  the  branches  of  a  bushy 
tree,  where  he  shall  never  cease  to  groan  by 


night  and  day,  cursing  his  unhappy  lot,  and 
deprived  of  all  food  but  toddy,  mixed  with  the 
slaver  of  a  dog,  which  he  shall  drink  oat  of  the 
skull  of  a  death's  head.  It  is  in  this  way  that 
oflenccs,  imaginary  or  of  small  account,  are 
menaced  with  endless  punishment ;  while 
adulterers,  perjurers,  robbers,  and  other  real 
offenders,  are  absolved  by  the  Brahmins  of 
their  actual  crimes,  for  selfish  objects,  and  as- 
sured of  a  recompense  after  death. 

Hindoo  ideas  of  Atonement. — The  fact  that 
all  false  systems  of  religion  contain  devices  of 
atonement  for  sin,  is  a  strong  testimony  that 
an  atonement  is  necessary  ;  while  the  Gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ  alone  reveals  the  only  true  and 
rational  method  of  reconciliation  between  of- 
fending man  and  offended  Deity.  But,  the 
blind  heathen,  conscious  of  his  guilt,  resorts 
to  vain  and  foolish  expedients  for  taking  away 
sin.  Brahminism  abounds  in  atonements. 
Holy  bathing,  reading  the  shastras,  pilgrimage, 
fasting,  giving  to  the  Brahmins,  feeding  devo- 
tees or  religious  beggars,  building  temples,  with 
the  endless  routine  of  sacrifices,  penances,  and 
religious  austerities,  which  make  up  a  very  im- 
portant part  of  Hindooism,  constitute  their 
atonements  for  sin.  Some  of  these  penances 
are  very  expensive,  and  most  of  them  attended 
with  great  bodily  mortifications ;  while  others 
are  disgusting,  filthy,  and  degrading.  Among 
these  are,  drinking  the  water  in  which  a  Brah- 
min has  washed  his  foot,  and  taking  atonement 
pills,  which  are  composed  of  the  milks,  curds, 
clarified  butter,  and  excrement  of  a  cow.  A 
man  in  Bombay  had  been  performing  a  penance 
of  a  very  painful  character  for  sixteen  years. 
He  sat  in  a  miserable  shed,  holding  on  his  left 
hand  a  vessel  of  about  ten  pounds  weight, 
which  contains  the  sacred  shrub.  His  whole 
arm  was  withered,  and  the  finger  nails  had  shot 
out  like  ram's  horns,  five  or  six  inches  in  length. 
Another  man  sat  in  the  open  air,  for  three 
months,  during  the  coldest  part  of  the  year, 
almost  naked ;  confining  himself  to  a  spot  about 
eight  feet  in  diameter.  Passing  a  rod  of  iron 
through  the  tongue ;  hanging  suspended  by 
the  legs  from  a  tree,  over  a  slow  burning  fire, 
inhaling  the  smoke  and  sparks  ;  leaping  on  a 
plank  set  full  of  sharpened  plates  of  iron; 
lying  on  a  bed  made  of  a  plank  set  with  iron 
spikes ;  looking  at  the  meridian  sun  for  whole 
days  in  succession  ;  falling  on  the  face,  mark- 
ing the  place  of  the  head,  rising  and  falling 
again  from  the  marks,  and  repeating  this,  till 
a  specified  distance  has  been  measured ;  swing- 
ing through  the  air,  suspended  from  a  hook  in- 
serted in  the  back  ;  and  other  penances,  too 
numerous  and  too  foolish  to  be  mentioned,  are 
resorted  to  as  expedients  for  taking  away  sin, 
and  accumulating  righteousness.  And  their 
sacred  books  prescribe  even  the  most  indecent 
crimes,  as  atonements  for  sin. 

Fate— Accountability. —The  Hindoos  are  the 
most  cold-blooded  fatalists  in  the  world.  Every 
occurrence  in  life  is,  according  to  their  notions, 


188 


BRAHMINISM. 


the  result  of  dire  necessity.  If  they  arc  pros- 
perous, it  is  fate.  If  they  are  in  distress,  it  is 
fate.  To  lie,  cheat,  or  steal,  hfuie.  To  be 
idle,  dissipattnl,  poor,  and  imprisoned,  is  fate. 
The  poor  sufll-ror  apparently  feels  no  remorse 
that  his  own  sin  has  brought  misery  oii  him. 
lie  only  curses  his  hard  fate.  When  the  cri- 
minal is  detected  and  condemned,  he  seems 
never  to  regard  himself  as  suffering  the  just 
iwnalty  of  the  law  ;  it  is  all  fate.  The  Hindoo 
Avritings  teach,  that  it  is  the  Great  Spirit 
which  is  diffused  through  every  form  of  ani- 
mated matter  ;  that  actions  of  every  kind  are 
his.  By  this  doctrine,  all  accountability  is  de- 
stroyed, and  liability  to  punishment  rendered 
preposterous. 

JSotioiis  of  FiUurity. — The  Hindoo  scriptures 
teach  that  the  soul  must  pass,  in  certain 
circumstances,  into  eight  million  four  hundred 
thousand  different  animal  bodies,  after  it  leaves 
the  humjin.  Yet,  the  people  are  wholly  in  the 
dark  on  the  subject  of  futurity.  They  say 
they  can  know  nothing  about  it.  Beyond  the 
present  life,  all  is  impenetrable  darkness  to  the 
Hindoos. 

Different  Ages  of  the  World. — The  Hindoos 
hold  that  there  are  four  ages  of  the  world,  the 
first  three  of  which  are  already  past.  The 
first  was  the  golden  age,  of  1,728,000  years 
duration  ;  the  second,  the  silver  age  of  1,296,000 
years ;  the  third,  the  brazen  age,  of  864,000 
years ;  and  the  fourth,  which  is  the  present, 
the  iron  age,  of  432,000  years.  They  believe 
that  in  the  first  age,  men  were  as  tall  as  trees, 
and  lived  many  thousand  years  :  but  as  every 
age  became  worse  and  worse,  the  people  dimin- 
ished in  size,  and  their  lives  were  shortened  ; 
that  even  the  Brahmins  themselves,  the  gods 
of  the  people,  have  lost  their  holiness,  and  are 
now  filled  with  covetousness  and  many  vices. 
Thus  they  account  for  the  prevailing  vice  and 
degradation,  instead  of  tracing  it  to  the  deprar 
vity  of  their  own  hearts. 

Caste. — There  is  no  part  of  the  Hindoo  sys- 
tem, which  exerts  such  despotic  sway,  and  so 
effectually  prevents  all  improvement,  as  caste. 
They  were  originally  divided  into  four  castes 
or  tribes,  viz.,  the  Brahmins,  the  Ksliatriyas  or 
Ketras,  the  Vaisyas  or  Bices,  and  the  Siulres  or 
Sooders,  each  of  which  is  again  subdivided  into 
a  large  number  of  branches.  Every  indivi- 
dual remains  invariably  in  the  caste  in  which 
he  was  born,  practices  its  duties,  and  is  debar- 
red from  ever  aspiring  to  a  higher,  whatever 
may  be  his  merit  or  his  genius.  The  members 
of  each  tribe  must  adhere  invariably  to  the 
profession  of  their  ancestors,  and  continue  from 
generation  to  generation,  to  pursue  one  uni- 
form walk  of  life.  In  consequence  of  this  un- 
natural distinction  of  caste,  all  motives  to  ex- 
ertion, inquiry,  or  improvement,  are  completely 
extinguished  among  the  Hindoos ;  for  the  most 
honorable  actions,  the  most  beneficial  discov- 
eries, the  most  virtuous  conduct,  secure  no  re- 
spect or  advantage  to  a  person  of  inferior 


caste.  None  of  the  high  castes  will  eat  with 
any  of  the  low  castes.  The  fourth  and  most 
numerous  castes  are  the  Sudres  or  Sooders. 
Their  business  is  servile  labor ;  and  whenever 
the  original  spirit  of  the  institution  has  not 
been  infringed  on,  their  degradation  is  inhu- 
man. They  are  compelled  to  work  for  the 
Brahmins,  being  considered  as  created  solely 
for  their  use.  They  are  not  allowed  to  collect 
property  because  such  a  spectacle  would  give 
pain  to  the  Brahmins.  To  them,  the  Vedas, 
or  sacred  books,  must  never  be  read.  There 
is  also  a  race,  of  the  most  degraded  and  uni- 
versally insulted  outcasts,  called  Parayas.  In 
many  places,  their  very  approach  is  sufficient 
to  pollute  a  whole  neighborhood.  They  must 
not  enter  a  street  where  the  Brahmins  live. 
When  they  transgress,  the  higher  classes  will 
not  assault  them,  for  it  is  pollution  even  to 
touch  them  with  a  long  pole ;  but  through  the 
medium  of  others,  they  often  beat  thc>m  at 
pleasure,  and  sometimes  put  them  to  dcatli, 
without  dispute  or  inquiry.  For  every  species 
of  labor,  there  is  a  distinct  class  of  men.  This 
division  of  labor  is  regulated  according  to 
caste.  The  divisions  of  the  former,  however, 
are  so  much  more  extensive  than  the  nominal 
grades  of  the  latter,  that  different  individuals 
of  the  same  caste  are  engaged  in  different  oc- 
cupations. Still,  whatever  be  a  man's  capaci- 
ties, he  can  never  rise  above  the  calling  of  his 
father.  He  will  perform  only  that  kind  of 
labor  to  which  his  own  subdivision  of  caste 
are  accustomed.  One  man  of  low  caste  may 
be  a  dobee  or  washerman,  and  another  of  the 
same  caste,  a  coolie  or  carrier  of  burdens,  and 
a  third,  a  palanquin  bearer.  But  a  dobee 
would  scorn  to  act  as  a  coolie.  Even  the  foot 
pedlar  will  not  carry  his  own  pack  of  goods ; 
nor  will  the  Hindoo  servant,  who  provides  for 
his  master's  table,  bring  from  the  market  a 
piece  of  meat,  or  a  basket  of  vegetables.  He 
must  employ  a  coolie.  The  coolie  in  his  turn 
can  do  nothing  that  does  not  come  within  the 
sphere  of  his  business.  The  first  missionaries 
in  Southern  India  undertook  to  accommodate 
Christianity  to  the  prevailing  prejudices  of  the 
people.  The  Kev.  Hollis  Read,  who  has  tra- 
veled extensively  among  the  Hindoos,  regards 
caste  as  one  of  the  most  exceptionable  features 
of  Hindooism  ;  and  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta  has 
become  so  well  convinced  of  its  utter  incon- 
sistency with  Christianity,  that  he  has  address- 
ed two  charges  to  the  missionaries  of  the 
Church  of  England,  requiring  them  no  longer 
to  tolerate  the  distinction  of  caste  in  the  nar 
tive  churches.  "  The  main  barrier  to  all  per- 
manent improvement,"  says  he, "  is  the  heathen 
usages  of  caste,  in  the  Christian  churches." 
He  says,  "  the  different  castes  sat  on  different 
mats,  on  different  sides  of  the  church,  to  which 
they  entered  by  different  doors.  They  ap- 
proached the  Lord's  table  at  different  times, 
and  had  once  different  cups,  or  managed  to  get 
the  catechists  to  change  the  cup,  before  the 


BRAHMINISM. 


189 


lower  castes  began  to  communicate ;  they 
would  allow  no  persons  at  baptism,  of  an  in- 
ferior caste  ;  and  they  had  separate  divisions 
in  the  burial  grounds."  The  usages  of  caste 
enter  so  deeply  into  the  social  constitution  of 
the  Hindoos,  that  every  thing  is  affected  by  it 
It  creates  great  inconvenience,  and  constitutes 
the  greatest  barrier  against  improvement  either 
of  the  social  or  religious  condition  of  the  peo- 
ple. There  can  be  nothing  more  at  variance 
with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  than  the  spirit  of 
caste. 

Rev.  Dr.  Allen,  late  missionary  at  Bombay, 
makes  the  following  statements  respecting  the 
bearing  of  Caste  upon  the  missionary  work  : 

''  The  missionaries  of  the  American  Board, 
in  India  and  Ceylon,  have  always  required  a 
renunciation  of  Caste,  just  as  much  as  of  idol- 
atry, and  other  parts  of  heathenism,  of  all  con- 
verts l^efore  they  were  baptized.  No  arrange- 
ments, nor  accommodations,  nor  changes  have 
ever  been  made  in  the  scats,  or  in  the  sitting 
in  tlie  churches,  or  in  the  administration  of  the 
ordinances  on  account  of  the  Caste.  Caste 
was  in  no  respect  recognized.  All  were  treated 
as  of  one  class,  as  much  as  Christians  in  this 
country  are  so  treated. 

"  It  would  naturally  be  expected  that  such 
a  public  renunciation  of  Caste,  and  such  sub- 
sequent treatment  of  it,  would  be  sufficient  to 
extinguish  it  in  the  church.  But  experience 
has  shown  that  it  was  not  sufficient.  Caste 
has  been  found  to  be  surprisingly  insidious  in 
its  influence  ;  and  to  be  capable  of  assuming 
almost  any  complexion  and  shape,  suited  to  the 
native  character  and  their  circumstances.  In 
some  places,  as  in  the  north  part  of  Ceylon, 
Caste,  though  religious  in  its  origin,  yet  retains 
now  but  little  of  its  religious  character.  It 
has  now  become  chiefly  a  social  distinction, 
and  is  valued  as  conferring  personal  and  fam- 
ily respectability.  In  proportion  as  it  loses  its 
religious  character,  it  becomes  easy  for  those 
who  have  abandoned  it  to  be  restored  to  their 
former  state.  This  state  of  feeling  in  the  com- 
munity presents  a  constant  motive  for  those 
native  Christians  who  were  originally  of  high 
Caste,  to  abstain  from  those  things  in  their 
habits,  and  from  those  persons  in  their  social 
intercourse,  which  affect  their  personal  or  fam- 
ily respectability.  In  such  circumstances, 
Caste  becomes  analogous  to  the  civil  distinc- 
tions of  society,  and  resembles  those  antipa- 
thies and  aversions  which  exist  between  differ- 
ent classes  and  races  of  people. 

"  The  lower  castes  are  also  very  uncleaivin 
their  food,  drink,  &c.  In  some  districts  where 
I  have  been,  their  food  consisted  chiefly  of 
cattle  and  other  creatures,  that  died  of  them- 
selves in  the  adjacent  cities  and  villages.  They 
appeared  almost  to  live  on  carrion,  and  their 
roads  and  houses  are  exceedingly  offensive,  dis- 
gusting and  filthy.  Now  the  Brahmins  never 
eat  any  kind  of  meat ;  and  the  Hindoos  of  all 
respectable  castes  hold  the  eating  of  beef  in  tlie 


greatest  abhorrence.  With  what  feelings,  then, 
must  all  such  castes  regard  the  Pariars  or 
Parayas  and  Mahars  ;  and  what  must  be  their 
involuntary  shrinking  from  contact,  or  close 
personal  intimacy  with  them  ?  The  Brahmins 
and  other  high  castes  naturally  and  necessarily 
feel  far  more  aversion  to  associate  intimately 
with  Mahars  and  Pariars,  and  to  have  personal 
contact  with  them,  than  the  most  refined  and 
delicate  people  in  this  country  would  feel  in 
associating  intimately  with  the  most  degraded 
and  filthy. 

"  It  should  not  appear  strange,  then,  in  view 
of  these  things,  if  persons  recently  converted 
from  the  darkness  and  ignorance  of  heathen- 
ism, should  yield  to  the  influence  and  motives 
which  continually  surround  them,  and  exhibit 
the  feelings,  and  perform,  or  refuse  to  perform 
the  actions  which  are  ascribed  to  Caste  ;  esp&- 
cially  when  they  know  what  respect  was  for- 
merly shown  to  such  feelings  and  actions  by 
some  of  the  best  men,  (as  Schwartz,  and  his 
fellow-laborers,)  ever  engaged  in  the  mission- 
ary cause ;  and  know  also,  how  such  feelings 
and  actions  are  still  regarded  in  some  native 
churches,  and  by  some  missionaries.  Feelings 
of  this  character  are  sometimes  developed  un- 
expectedly and  in  much  strength,  where  none 
were  supposed  to  exist.  These  facts  show  the 
importance  of  continually  watching  such  a 
hydra-headed  monster  as  Caste.  Various 
ways  and  means  have  been  tried  to  develop 
these  feelings,  and  so  to  extinguish,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  spirit  in  which  they  originate. 

"  The  Madras  Missionary  Conference  '  re- 
commend a  love  feast,  at  which  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  including  the  pastor  and 
teachers,  shall  partake  of  a  simple  and  suitable 
repast.'  This  custom  has  been  observed  in  the 
missions  of  the  American  Board,  and  with 
very  good  effect.  When  the  spirit  of  Caste 
at  these  meetings,  or  on  any  other  occasions, 
has  appeared,  it  has  been  made  the  subject  of 
admonition,  or  suspension,  or  exclusion  from 
the  church,  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
offence. 

"  During  a  residence  of  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  century  in  India,  I  had  opportunities  of 
seeing  missionary  operations  and  mission 
churches  in  Bengal,  in  Madras,  in  Ceylon,  and 
in  Bombay ;  and  I  can  fully  concur  in  the  sen- 
timent of  the  Madras  Missionary  Conference, 
that '  Caste  is  one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to 
the  progress  of  the  Gospel  in  India.  It  meets 
and  thwarts  the  missionary,  not  only  in  bear- 
ing the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ  to  the 
unconverted  Hindoos,  but  also  in  building  up 
the  native  church  in  faith  and  love ;  and  to 
tolerate  it  in  any  form,  is  to  oppose  the  law  of 
Christ.'  And  again,  in  a  communication  of 
a  subsequent  date,  they  say, '  We  have  long 
regarded  Caste  as  a  most  formidable  opponent 
to  genuine  Christianity,  and  a  deadlier  enemy, 
in  some  respects,  to  the  souls  of  this  people, 
than  even  idolatry.    We  are  called  to  unceas- 


190 


BRAIIMINISM. 


ing  effort  to  extinguish  its  spirit  and  power  in 
native  Christians  who  have  openly  renounced 
it.'  '  Caste  is  a  deudlior  enemy  to  the  souls  of 
the  Hindoos  tlian  idolatry,'  on  account  of  its 
assuming,  as  experience  shows,  almost  any 
compleocion— adapting  itself  to  circumstances 
and  exigencies,  and  then  again  assuming  its 
positive  character.  In  the  system  of  Hindoo- 
ism,  it  is  decidedly  religious  in  its  nature — and 
yet,  in  connection  with  the  Danish  and  Ger- 
man missions,  it  became  so  far  divested  of  its 
religious  character  that  it  was  admitted  into 
the  church,  and  there  tolerated  for  a  long  time, 
as  containing  only  civil  and  social  distinctions 
not  inconsistent  with  the  principle  and  spirit 
of  Christianity.  After  it  had  gained  admis- 
sion into  the  native  Christian  community,  it 
again  assumed  a  religious  character,  and  those 
of  high  Caste  became  as  much  Attached  to  it, 
and  as  reluctant  to  abandon  its  usages,  as  the 
heathen  around  them.  And  considering  how 
little  was  known  of  the  nature  of  this  peculiar 
feature  of  Hindooism,  when  the  first  mission- 
aries of  the  Board  went  to  India  and  Ceylon, 
and  the  state  of  the  Protestant  churches  in 
India,  in  connection  with  the  high  character 
and  great  veneration  of  Schwartz  and  his  fel- 
low-laborers, who  formed  these  churches  and 
presided  over  them,  there  is  cause  for  gratitude 
and  thankfulness,  that  Caste  has  never  been 
knowingly  admitted  into  any  of  our  mission 
churches  ;  has  never  been  recognized  by  any 
arrangements  to  favor  it ;  and  when  its  spirit 
has  been  manifested  in  any  manner  which  has 
called  for  the  consideration  of  the  missionaries 
and  their  churches,  discipline  has  been  admin- 
istered in  the  way  of  admonition,  suspension, 
and  excommunication,  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  offence.  Thus,  while  in  looking  back 
we  see  reason  to  thank  God,  the  present  state 
of  this  cause  is  such,  that  in  looking  forward 
we  see  reason  to  take  courage." 

Superstitions.^-Ukc  the  votaries  of  all  false 
religions,  the  Hindoos  are  very  superstitious. 
And,  in  proportion  to  their  ignorance  and  de- 
gradation, their  absurd  superstitions  have  do- 
minion over  them.  There  is  scarce  an  occur- 
rence in  life,  which,  to  the  superstitious  Hindoo, 
is  not  ominous  of  good  or  evil ;  and  scarcely 
an  hour  of  the  day  when  he  is  not  bound  to 
the  performance  of  gome  ceremony,  or  not 
made  a  slave  to  some  superstition.  He  leaves 
his  house  in  the  morning  ;  but  if  he  sees  a  bird 
fly  in  a  WTong  direction,  or  meets  an  animal 
of  ill-omen,  or  first  sees  a  person  of  a  certain 
caste,  or  any  object  betokening  ill,  he  must  re- 
turn, and  relinquish  his  enterprise,  and  perhaps 
may  not  go  out  of  his  house  again  that  day. 
These  superstitions  are  of  endless  variety ;  and 
only  a  few  will  be  specified  here.  The  cholera 
is  regarded  as  a  malignant  goddess,  whom  they 
worship,  in  order  to  deprecate  her  anger.  They 
believe  that  this  goddess  walks  to  and  fro,  up 
and  down  the  earth,  afflicting  the  people  in 
one  place,  and  then  moving  off  to  another, 


where  she  commences  the  same  work  without 
mercy  or  compassion.  In  order  to  propitiate 
this  malignant  demon,  they  make  otll-rings  of 
rice,  ghee,  flowers,  fruits,  and  the  like,  and  sa- 
crifice to  her  sheep,  goats,  buffaloes,  and  fowls. 
Consistently  with  their  belief,  they  cannot  take 
medicine  for  the  cholera.  The  only  way  is  to 
exorcise  the  demon.  This,  they  pretend,  may 
be  done  by  the  numtra,  which  is  the  grand 
charm  of  the  Brahmins.  This  bears  a  very 
prominent  place  in  the  Hindoo  religion.  It  is 
a  mystic  verse  or  incantation,  the  repetition  of 
which  is  declared  to  be  attended  with  the;  most 
wonderful  effects.  None  but  Brahmins  and 
the  higher  order  of  Hindoos,  are  allowed  to 
repeat  it.  The  lower  castes  are  forbidden  to 
repeat  or  even  hear  it,  on  pain  of  eternal  tor- 
ment. All  things  are  subservient  to  the  num- 
tra. The  gods  themselves  cannot  resist  it.  It 
is  the  essence  of  the  Vedas,  or  sacred  books  ; 
it  is  the  united  power  of  Bramha,  Vishnoo, 
and  Siva.  By  its  magic  power,  it  confers  all 
sanctity  ;  pardons  all  sin ;  secures  all  good, 
temporal  and  spiritual,  and  procures  everlast- 
ing blessedness  in  the  world  to  come.  It  pos- 
sesses the  wonderful  charm  of  interchanging 
good  for  evil,  truth  for  falsehood,  light  for 
darkness,  and  of  confii-ming  such  perversions 
by  the  most  holy  sanctions.  There  is  nothing 
so  difficult,  so  silly,  or  so  absurd,  that  it  may 
not  be  achieved  by  this  extraordinary  numtra. 
As  might  be  expected,  it  is  employed  very  ex- 
tensively for  removing  pains,  for  the  curing  of 
diseases,  the  bite  of  venomous  snakes,  &c.,  <fec. 
But  the  cholera  is  by  no  means  the  only  disease 
which  is  suppossd  to  be  the  effect  of  an  evil 
spirit ;  or  of  some  animal  or  other  object  in 
the  part  affected.  Every  disease  is  represent- 
ed as  possessed  of  a  bodily  form.  A  liver 
complaint  is  said  to  be  caused  by  a  crab,  who 
is  eating  the  liver ;  a  cough,  by  a  large  cater- 
pillar in  the  throat ;  the  tooth-ache,  from  the 
gnawings  of  a  little  worm  in  the  decayed  tooth. 
The  Hindoos  believe  that  if  they  look  at  the 
moon  on  a  certain  day,  they  shall  be  instantly 
struck  dead.  Nothing  will  induce  a  man  to 
raise  his  eyes  to  the  moon  on  that  day. 

The  Hindoo  sacred  books  abound  with  di- 
rections about  such  frivolous  things  as  cleaning 
the  teeth,  bathing  and  washing,  cooking  and 
eating,  washing  or  drying  clothes,  &c.,  there 
being  some  lucky  or  unlucky  omen  connected 
with  the  particular  manner  in  which  every 
thing  is  done.  Of  these,  only  a  very  few  spe- 
cimens can  be  given.  Eating  with  the  face  to 
th(?  east,  ensures  long  life;  with  it  to  the 
south,  celebrity  ;  to  the  west,  wealth  ;  to  the 
north,  pecuniary  embarrassment.  If,  before 
eating,  they  do  not  make  a  circular  mark,  with 
water,  around  where  they  set  the  dish,  it  is  said 
the  demons  will  devour  the  food.  On  the  first 
day  of  the  moon,  he  who  eats  a  pumpkin  be- 
comes indigent.  Ignorance  follows  eating  the 
cocoa-nut  on  the  eighth.  It  is  said  to  be  sinful 
to  eat  beans  on  the  eleventh;  and  so  on,  through 


BRAHMINISM. 


191 


the  whole  month.  He  who  puts  on  new  apparel 
on  Sunday,  becomes  poor ;  on  Monday,  is 
afflicted  with  boils  ;  on  Tuesday,  is  subject  to 
much  trouble  ;  on  Wednesday,  will  have  means 
of  purchasing  new  clothes  ;  on  Thursday,  will 
become  learned  and  happy  ;  on  Saturday,  will 
be  involved  in  trouble  and  disputes.  He  who 
shaves  on  Sunday,  becomes  miserable ;  on 
Monday,  happy  ;  on  Tuesday,  hastens  his  own 
death  ;  on  Wednesday,  accumulates  wealth  ; 
on  Thursday,  becomes  dishonorable  ;  on  Fri- 
day, childless  ;  on  Saturday,  brings  on  his  head 
every  misfortune.  And,  so  on,  to  every  action 
of  life.  To  sneeze,  when  one  is  about  to  sit 
down,  or  lie  down,  or  eat,  or  is  dressing,  or  be- 
stowing gifts,  is  highly  inauspicious.  These 
are  but  a  few,  among  a  vast  multitude  of  such 
ridiculous  notions,  by  which  the  minds  of  the 
people  are  held  in  bondage.  Their  notions  of 
ceremonial  impurity  are  also  equally  burden- 
some and  inconvenient. 

The  Hindoos  believe  that  a  person  about  to 
be  executed,  imparts  an  extraordinary  sanctity 
to  every  thing  he  touches.  For  this  reason,  he 
throws  flowers,  fruits,  and  spices,  to  the  crowd 
about  the  gibbet,  who  eagerly  catch  them,  and 
preserve  them  as  a  sort  of  charm.  In  one  in- 
stance, they  actually  worshiped  the  dead  car- 
cass of  a  man  who  had  been  executed,  while 
hanging  on  the  gibbet,  in  consequence  of  a  re- 
port that  miraculous  cures  had  been  experienc- 
ed by  touching  his  body.  Amulets  are  almost 
miiversally  worn  by  the  Hindoos,  for  prevent- 
ing or  curing  diseases  and  the  bite  of  serpents. 
The  Hindoos  suffer  exceedingly,  on  account  of 
their  superstitions  in  reference  to  sickness  and 
disease.  Many  a  wretched  creature  spends  all 
his  living  for  the  prescriptions  of  some  quack, 
or  drags  out  a  miserable  existence,  and  dies  in 
the  midst  of  the  charms  and  the  enchantments 
of  the  Brahmin.  The  number  of  the  blind, 
lame,  maimed,  leprous,  and  diseased  in  India, 
is  astonishingly  great ;  and  no  doubt  one  prin- 
cipal reason  for  this  is  the  bad  treatment,  or 
the  want  of  good  treatment,  in  the  original 
complaint.  They  have  a  singular  superstition 
respecting  the  eclipse  of  the  sun.  They  sup- 
pose that  a  kind  of  corporeal  divinity,  very 
malignant  and  mischievous,  very  black,  foul, 
and  impure,  seizes  on  the  sun,  blackens  it  as 
with  ink,  and  thus  infects  and  obscures  it. 
The  sun,  which  they  suppose  to  be  a  similar 
divinity,  but  of  a  benevolent  and  perfect  order, 
is  put  into  extreme  pain  and  terrible  anguish, 
at  thus  seeing  himself  seized  and  tortured  by 
the  monster ;  and  in  order  to  relieve  him  of 
this  distress,  they  make  use  of  many  prayers 
and  foolish  ceremonies.  There  is  no  slavery 
so  grievous  as  the  slavery  of  superstition ;  and 
none  which  so  much  exposes  an  ignorant  peo- 
ple to  the  cupidity  of  an  avaricious  priesthood. 
Cruelties  of  Brahminism. — A  superstitious 
religion  is  invariably  a  religion  of  cruelty. 
Such,  then,  we  may  expect  Hindooism  to  be. 
And,  in  no  respect  is  this  cruelty  more  conspi- 


cuous than  in  the  treatment  of  females ;  but 
especially  widows  and  female  children.  The 
Suttee,  or  burning  of  widows  on  the  funeral 
piles  of  their  husbands,  arose  from  their  op- 
pressive customs  in  relation  to  widows.  Reli- 
gion and  custom  have  rendered  widowhood  so 
wretched  and  disgraceful,  that  the  Hindoo 
wife,  on  the  demise  of  her  husband,  chooses 
death  rather  than  so  miserable  a  life.  The 
widow  is  stripped  of  her  ornaments,  compelled 
to  wear  white  clothing,  have  her  head  shaven, 
and  submit  to  many  other  tokens  of  degrada- 
tion. She  is  excluded  from  all  ceremonies  of 
joy ;  forbidden  to  marry,  and  shut  out  from  re- 
spectable society.  This  is  no  doubt  the  cause 
of  the  burning  of  widows,  and  burying  them 
alive  with  their  deceased  husbands.  The  for 
mer  of  these  practices,  has,  however,  been 
abolished  by  the  British  government.  When 
the  aged  become  burdensome,  they  are  often 
dragged  to  the  borders  of  some  sacred  river, 
by  their  own  children,  their  mouths  filled  with 
mud,  and  thus  abandoned  to  die.  There  is  no 
benevolence,  no  disinterestedness,  no  mercy,  in 
the  Hindoo  character.  In  times  of  prevailing 
disease,  this  is  perspicuously  manifest.  People 
are  left  to  expire  unattended,  and  their  bodies 
to  consume  in  their  own  houses.  Women,  in 
performance  of  some  vow,  cast  their  children, 
in  cold  blood,  into  the  sacred  rivers,  and  coolly 
look  on,  and  see  them  devoured  by  the  sharks. 
And,  in  some  sections  of  the  country,  a  large 
portion  of  the  female  children  are  murdered  by 
their  parents  as  soon  as  they  are  born.  Surely, 
the  Hindoos  are  "  without  natural  affection." 
The  various  tortures  resorted  to  for  penance, 
also  indicate  the  cruelty  of  Hindooism. 

Holy  Days. — These  are  among  the  most 
fruitful  sources  of  poverty,  covetousness,  and 
depravity,  among  the  Hindoos.  Of  these,  they 
have  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  forty-five  ; 
ten  of  which  occur  monthly,  and  twenty-fivo 
are  anniversaries.  When  it  is  considered  that, 
on  these  days,  they  abandon  all  their  employ- 
ments, and  give  themselves  up  to  all  manner 
of  licentiousness,  the  effect  upon  society  may 
readily  be  imagined.  We  see  the  demoraliz- 
ing effects  of  two  or  three  of  these  holy-days  in 
a  year,  in  our  own  country  ;  what  then  may  we 
suppose  them  to  be,  where  they  embrace  nearly 
one  half  the  days  of  the  year,  on  which  all 
manner  of  restraint  is  thrown  off.  A  descrip- 
tion of  the  ceremonies  of  these  holy-days  would 
be  both  tedious  and  disgusting.  The  festival 
of  the  dewalee  is  perhaps  the  worst  of  the 
whole.  It  continues  three  days,  during  which, 
gambling  revelry,  debauchery,  lying,  roguery, 
and  dissipation  of  every  description,  are  not 
only  tolerated,  but  esteemed  praiseworthy  and 
religious  acts.  And  to  these  may  be  added  a 
multitude  of  private  observances,  on  account 
of  births,  marriages,  deaths,  &c.  From  the 
first  existence  of  the  child,  to  his  death,  there 
is  probably  not  a  month,  perhaps  not  a  week, 
in  which  it  is  not  required  that  some  ceremony 


192 


BRAUMINISM. 


be  performed,  wbcn  a  Brahmin  must  be  called, 
and  presents  given  ;  and  when  he  is  dead,  he 
must  be  feasted  through  a  Brahmin's  mouth, 
and  offerings  must  bo  made  for  his  benefit 
through  a  Brahmin's  hand. 

Hoiy  Places. — Another  fruitful  source  of 
poverty  and  vice  among  the  people,  and  of  ag- 
grandizement on  the  part  of  the  Brahmins,  is 
the  multitude  of  Holv  Places,  celebrated  for 
their  sanctity,  to  which  pilgrimages  are  made, 
as  means  of  accumulating  merit.  To  an  igno- 
rant and  self-righteous  people,  the  idea  of  pil- 
grimage is  extremely  fascinating,  and  the  subtle 
priest  is  not  slow  to  turn  this  principle  of  hu- 
man nature  to  his  own  account.  Various  ex- 
pedients are  resorted  to  by  the  Brahmins,  to 
keep  up  the  reputation  of  these  Holy  Places. 
The  principal  ones  are  Benares,  Jugunath,  and 
Rameshwur  ;  but  there  are  a  great  number  of 
other  places  which  are  held  in  high  estimation  ; 
and  to  all  of  them,  crowds  of  pilgrims  are  con- 
tinually flockiug  :  persons  who  have  left  their 
homes,  and  sacrificed  their  all,  with  the  vain 
expectation  of  laying  up  a  stock  of  merit,  by 
visiting  a  sacred  place.  They  are  soon,  by  the 
wiles  of  old  pilgrims  and  covetous  Brahmins, 
stripped  of  every  thing,  and  plunged  into  all 
manner  of  excesses.  Those  who  have  read  the 
disgusting  accounts  of  pilgrimages  to  Jugu- 
nath, "  of  the  roads  for  fifty  miles  being  marked 
by  the  skulls  of  those  who  have  perished  on 
the  way ; "  and  of  the  thousands  who  are  left 
to  die  on  the  banks  of  the  Gauges  ;  and  those 
who  will  take  the  pains  to  calculate  what 
must  be  the  probable  consequences  of  a  com- 
pany of  people,  both  poor  and  unprincipled, 
leaving  their  houses  for  nearly  a  year,  travel- 
ing across  the  country,  and  visiting  the  cen- 
tral places  of  iniquity  in  India,  may  form 
some  idea  of  the  effects  of  these  pilgrimages. 

Degradation  of  Females. — There  is  no  fea- 
ture of  Brahminism  more  revolting  to  the  be- 
nevolent heart,  and  the  ingenuous  mind,  than 
the  condition  of  Hindoo  females.  The  genius 
of  Hindooism  saps  in  the  heart  of  man  the 
rery  foundation  of  all  those  tender  and  noble 
affections  of  his  soul,  which  capacitate  him  to 
appreciate  and  admire  those  excellencies  which 
are  peculiar  to  the  other  sex.  Hindooism  must 
make  its  votaries  selfish,  distrustful,  and  brutish. 
Love,  tenderness,  sympathy,  weakness,  modesty 
and  dependence,  which  we  accord  to  the  female 
as  her  appropriate  virtues,  are  ri^uled,  if  not 
despised,  by  the  Hindoo.  He  maffies,  or  rather 
llgys  a  wife,  as  he  would  a  beast  of  burden, 
and  afterwards  regards  her  in  very  much  the 
same  light.  All  those  civilities  and  attentions 
which  females  receive  in  a  Christian  country 
are  unknown  in  India.  Were  a  Hindoo  to  in- 
quire after  the  health  of  his  neighl^or's  wife 
or  daughter,  the  husband  and  father  would 
deem  himself  insulted.  A  Hindoo  is  never 
seen  to  treat  his  wife  with  familiarity  or  fond- 
ness. All  this  is  in  accordance  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Hindoo  scriptures.    According  to 


them,  "  the  supreme  duty  of  the  wife  is  to  obey 
the  husband.  Let  the  wife,  who  wishes  to  per- 
form sacred  ablution,  wash  the  feet  of  her 
lord,  and  drink  the  water  ;  for  the  husband  is 
to  a  wife  greater  than  Slmnura  or  Vishnoo. 
Her  husband  is  her  god  and  gooroo,  (teacher,) 
and  religion  and  its  services  ;  wherefore,  aban- 
doning every  thing  else,  she  ought  chiefly  to 
worship  her  husband."  This  implicit  obedience 
of  the  wife  extends  to  any  thing  which  flie 
husband  may  choose  to  command.  His  will 
and  authority  are  paramount  to  any  law,  hu- 
man or  divine.  If  he  command  his  wife  to  lie, 
steal,  or  commit  adultery,  she  must  obey. 
Such  is  the  language  of  the  Hindoo  scriptures. 
To  become  the  father  of  a  son  is  regarded  the 
greatest  honor  and  happiness  ;  but  the  birth 
of  a  daughter  is  a  calamity.  Thus  the  girl, 
from  her  infancy,  is  made  to  feel  her  inferiority. 
She  is  regarded  as  incapable  of  mental  im- 
provement, and  is  doomed  to  a  servile  life. 
Ignorant  and  indolent,  she  becomes  a  wife, 
without  any  choice  of  her  own,  and  often  sadly 
against  her  wishes.  If  she  be  of  high  birth 
she  is  little  more  than  the  prisoner  of  her  hus- 
band. He  immures  her  within  the  walls  of  a 
gloomy  mansion,  and  watches  over  her  with  a 
jealous  eye.  But  if  of  low  caste,  she  becomes 
the  wife  and  the  drudge  at  the  same  time ; 
carrying  burdens,  laboring  in  the  field,  bring- 
ing water,  gathering  cow-dung,  kneading  into 
cakes,  and  drying  it  for  fuel,  are  her  appro- 
priate departments  of  labor.  Nearly  every 
occupation  which  nature  points  out  as  the 
sphere  of  the  hardier  sex,  is,  in  this  country, 
assigned  to  the  woman  ;  while  her  appropriate 
labors  are  performed  by  men.  Her  washing  is 
done  by  the  washerman  ;  her  sewing,  by  the 
tailor  ;  her  milk  and  butter,  and  all  articles  of 
food,  which  require  but  little  cookery,  are  pur- 
chased in  the  bazar.  She  has  no  furniture  to 
clean,  no  floors  to  sweep  or  scrub.  A  coat  of 
cow  dung  and  water,  once  a  week,  settles  that 
long  account,  which  the  industrious  housewife 
in  this  country,  has  with  her  floors.  Indolence 
and  dirt  at  home,  and  drudgery  and  disgrace 
abroad,  seem  the  only  alternatives  of  Hindoo 
women.  Such  is  the  condition  of  females  in 
Hindoostan  ;  and  for  this  there  is  no  remedy 
but  Christianity.  Wherever  this  has  prevailed, 
the  rights  of  women  have  been  acknowledged, 
and  their  character  and  condition  elevated. 

Character  of  tJie  People. — After  what  has 
been  already  said,  little  need  be  added  under 
this  head.  It  can  hardly  be  expected  that  the 
character  of  any  people  will  be  better  than 
that  of  their  gods,  their  priests,  and  their  moth- 
ers. And  when  to  these  sources  of  corruption, 
are  added  the  demoralizing  influence  of  igno- 
rance, superstition,  the  doctrine  oi  fate,  and 
heathen  festivals  and  pilgrimages,  we  are  pro- 
pared  to  contemplate  a  people  reduced  to  the 
lowest  state  of  moral  degradation.  To  pro- 
vide for  the  daily  wants  of  the  body,  seenjs  to 
absorb  the  whole  soul  of  the  Hindoo.     His 


BRAHMINISM. 


193 


immortal  mind  is  permitted  to  remain  envelop- 
ed in  ail  its  ignorance,  without  making  any 
proper  efforts  for  its  illumination.  The  great 
ma.ss  of  the  people  are  content  to  do  as  their 
fathers  did,  and  to  worship  what  their  fathers 
worshiped,  and  whether  that  object  be  a  god 
or  a  devil,  it  matters  not,  provided  it  be  the  cus- 
tom of  the  people  to  do  so.  Custom  with 
them  is  law,  to  which  reason  and  conscience 
must  submissively  bow.  Moral  principle  and 
benevolent  feeling  seem  to  be  entirely  obliter- 
ated in  the  heart  of  the  Hindoo  ;  and  he 
knows  no  higher  motive  of  action  than  selfish- 
ness. He  will  lie,  cheat,  steal,  and  commit 
all  manner  of  licentiousness,  whenever  it  will 
serve  his  turn,  without  the  least  compunction. 
Although  exceedingly  zealous  in  their  religion, 
scrupulously  maintaining,  in  their  way,  their 
daily  devotions,  and  having  temples  in  every 
village ;  yet,  all  their  holiness  is  ceremonial, 
having  no  respect  whatever  to  the  state  of  the 
heart,  or  the  character  of  the  actions. 

Brahminism  and  Popery  compared. — The  simi- 
larity of  Popery  and  Brahminism,  is  so  strik- 
ing, that  it  is  worth  while  to  occupy  a  small 
space  in  drawing  a  comparison  between  the  two 
systems ;  especially  as  this  resemblance  has 
fallen  under  the  eyes  of  the  missionaries,  who 
see  them  both  in  operation,  side  by  side  ;  there 
being  many  Koman  Catholic  convents  and 
churches  in  India.  The  following  comparison, 
somewhat  abridged,  was  drawn  upon  the  spot, 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Ramsay,  missionary  in  India. 
The  Hindoos  acknowledge  one  supreme  god, 
with  many  subordinate  deities,  entitled  to  wor- 
ship. The  Brahmins  are  held  to  be  the  repre- 
sentatives of  God,  possessing  the  keys  of  life 
and  death,  heaven  and  hell,  and  therefore  they 
are  worshiped  by  bowing  down  before  them, 
and  kissing  their  great  toe.  The  Pope,  in  like 
manner,  considers  himself  the  vicar  of  Christ, 
and  every  priest  is  his  representative.  He  too 
holds  the  keys  of  heaven  and  hell,  and  his  toe 
has  been  favored  with  many  a  kiss.  By  the 
Hindoo  laws,  none  but  their  priests  are  per- 
mitted to  read  their  sacred  books  ;  and  to  se- 
cure this  end,  the  priests  oppose  education,  and 
labor  to  keep  the  people  in  ignorance.  The 
Romish  priests  will  not  allow  the  people  to 
read  the  Scriptures  ;  and  to  secure  their  own 
ascendancy,  they  strive  to  keep  the  people  in 
ignorance.  The  Hindoos  have  a  multitude  of 
idols,  which  they  daily  worship.  Some  of 
them  consider  the  idol  as  the  representative  of 
God,  and  others  worship  the  thing  itself,  and 
go  no  further.  Besides  temple  deities,  they 
have  household  gods,  which  they  worship  daily. 
The  Romanists  in  India  have  also  images  of 
saints  in  their  chapels,  and  in  their  houses,  to 
which  they  bow  down  daily.  In  the  streets, 
crosses  are  set  up  ;  and  in  the  evenings,  lamps 
are  placed  at  the  feet  of  them,  after  the  Hin- 
doos' mode  of  placing  lamps  before  their  idols. 
As  they  pass  these  crosses,  the  Romanists  take 
off  their  hats  and  bow  down  to  them,  or  pros- 
13 


trate  themselves  before  them.  The  worship  of 
images  is  sanctioned  by  the  church  in  India,  as 
it  is  also  by  the  second  council  of  Nice.  The 
Hindoos  have  many  millions  of  inferior  deities, 
corresponding  to  which  the  Romanists  have 
multitudes  of  angels.  The  Hindoos  have  their 
Gooroos  to  intercede  for  them ;  and  the  Roman- 
ists have  their  saints,  for  the  same  purpose. 
The  Hindoos  hold  that  a  man  may  obtain 
righteousness  by  his  own  works,  and  more 
than  he  needs  for  himself,  the  surplus  of  which 
he  may  sell.  The  Romanists  also  have  their 
works  of  supererogation,  which  lead  to  the 
sale  of  indulgences.  •  The  Hindoos  observe  a 
ceremony,  in  which  they  offer  up  prayers  for 
the  dead,  and  for  which  they  feed  and  fee  the 
Brahmins  ;  the  Romanists  also  fee  the  priests  to 
say  mass  for  the  benefit  of  the  souls  of  their  de- 
ceased relatives.  The  Hindoos  say  prayers  and 
count  their  beads,  and  undergo  severe  penances 
to  obtain  righteousness.  The  Romanists  do  the 
same.  They  both  alike  have  their  fasts,  in 
which  they  eat  no  meat.  They  both  have  their 
festivals,  in  honor  of  their  saints.  They  both 
have  their  holy  places  and  their  pilgrimages. 
They  both  have  their  holy  water.  The  Hin- 
doos divide  their  sins  into  two  classes,  inward 
and  outward  ;  the  Romanists,  into  venial  and 
mortal.  They  both  have  their  monks  and  her- 
mits, and  religious  mendicants,  of  equally  de- 
based character.  The  Hindoos  have  their  fe- 
males married  to  the  gods  ;  and  the  Roman- 
ists have  their  nuns,  who  are  formally  married 
to  Christ.  Both  are  devoted  to  the  same  pur- 
pose. Both  carry  out  their  images  in  solemn 
procession,  in  great  'display.  Both  have  their 
small  bells,  to  jingle  during  their  religious  ser- 
vices in  their  temples.  They  both  use  rosaries, 
and  carry  images  about  their  persons.  Many 
more  marks  of  resemblance  might  be  named  : 
but  these  are  sufficient  to  show  that  both"  sys- 
tems have  a  common  origin. 

The  Remedy. — The  Gospel  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  remedy  for  heathenism. 
This,  with  the  power  of' the  Holy  Ghost,  can 
raise  them  from  the  lowest  depths  of  filth  and 
degradation.  It  has  done  it,  and  it  can  do  it 
again.  But,  when  we  look  at  the  state  of 
things  in  Hindoostan,  we  must  despair  of  help 
from  man,  and  look  to  the  power  of  God, 
which  alone  is  able  to  accomplish  so  great  a 
work.  The  labors  ^of  the  missionary  alone 
surely  cannot  accomplish  such  a  change.  The 
power  of  God  alone  can  produce  it. —  The 
Christian  Brahmin  ;  Ramsay's  Journal ;  Ward's 
India  and  the,  Hindoos  ;  Hooker's  Plea  for  tf/^ 
Heathen. 

BRIDGETOWN  :  Capital  of  the  Island 
of  Barbadoes  ;  one  of  the  gayest  and  hand- 
somest towns  in  the  West  Indies.  A  station 
of  the  United  Brethren. 

BRITISH  AKRA  :    See  AJcra. 

BRITISH  GUIANA  includes  Essequibo, 
Demerara  and  Berbice,  or  -all  the  maritime 
:  tract  between  the  river  Corenten,  the  western 


194 


BUDIIISM. 


limit  of  Surinam,  and  the  frontier  of  ISpanish 
Guiana,  at  Cape  Nassau,  in  lat..  70^  40',  a 
space  of  about  30Q  miles,  including  the  sinu- 
osities of  the  coast     See  West  Indies. 

JiRUSA :  An  out-station  of  the  American 
Board  among  tlic  Armenians  ;  once  the  capi- 
tal of  the  Turkish  empire — is  famed  for  its 
silk  manufactures.  Population  from  80,000 
to  100,000,  of  which  the  Turks  are  by  far  the 
largest  part.  It  is  at  the  base  of  the  Bythin- 
ian  Mt.  Olympus,  about  60  miles  south  from 
Constantinople. 

BROWN'S  TOWN;  A  Wesleyan  star 
tion  in  Jamaica,  W.  L 

BRUNSWICK  ;  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don-Missionary Society  in  Berbice. 

BUDHISM  :  The  religious  system,  called 
Budhism,  is  exceedingly  complicated,  being 
made  up  of  legends,  superstitions,  and  absurdi- 
ties so  numerous  and  strange  that  to  give  a 
condensed  and  intelligible  view  of  them  is  al- 
most impossible.  Volumes  have  been  written 
on  the  subject  by  missionaries,  distinguished 
travelers,  and  English  gentlemen  of  learning 
and  research,  resident  in  India,  and  from  this 
mass  of  materials  the  summary  here  given  is 
derived.  The  work  of  R.  Spence  Hardy, 
member  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  has 
been  found  especially  serviceable  on  account 
of  its  systematic  arrangement  of  topics,  al- 
though it  devotes  nearly  450  octavo  pages  to  a 
consideration  of  the  subject.  The  substantial 
agreement  of  authors  in  regard  to  the  origin 
and  character  of  Budhism  leads  to  the  belief 
that  they  have  attained  to  a  great  degree  of 
accuracy,  an^  the  following  view,  though  it 
omits  numerous  details,  will,  it  is  hoped,  be 
found  to  be  a  correct  presentation  of  the  lead- 
ing facts  of  the  system. 

Qrigin  of  Budhism. — The  founder  of  the 
sect  of  Budhists  was  Gotama  Budha,  born 
B.  C.  624.  At  the  moment  of  his  birth,  (so 
says  the  legend)  he  stepped  upon  the  ground, 
and  after  looking  around  towards  the  four 
quarters  and  the  four  half  quarters,  above  and 
below,  without  seeing  any  one  in  those  ten  direc- 
tions  who  was  equal  to  himself,  he  exclaimed, 
"  I  am  the  most  exalted  in  the  world ;  I  am 
chief  in  the  world  ;  I  am  the  most  excellent  in 
the  world ;  this  is  my  last  birth  ;  hereafter 
there  is  to  me  no  other  existence."  He  had 
however  previously  existed  through  a  vast 
number  of  ages,  and  exercised  all  the  virtues 
which  were  necessary  to  his  future  office,  and 
taking  his  position  in  the  sixth  of  the  divine 
Worlds,  the  gods  and  brahmas,  after  the  appro- 
priate period  had  passed,  went  to  his  dwelling 
and  begged  his  appearance  in  this  human 
world.  Thereupon  he  was  born,  and  proclaimed 
his  own  greatness  as  above.  He  then  passed 
twenty-nine  years  in  worldly  wealth  and  gran- 
deur, and  six  more  in  mortification  and  pen- 
ance ;  and  then  sitting  down  under  a  bo-tree,  de- 
clared he  would  not  rise  up  till  he  became  Bud- 
ha, Lord  of  the  Universe.    Upon  this  a  great 


number  of  chiefs,  brahmas,  and  gods,  made 
their  appearance  as  his  retinue,  and  then  his 
adversary,  Maraya,  came  with  a  great  army 
to  try  to  hinder  his  becoming  lord  of  the  world. 
Upon  this,  panic-struck,  the  gods  and  brahniaa 
all  fled  and  hid  themselves.  Maraya  tlieu 
brought  on  thick  darkness,  bat  the  body  of 
Budh  was  light  as  a  thousand  suns.  He  then 
attempted  to  strike  him,  and  asked  him, "  Who 
is  your  witness  that  you  have  done  works  of 
merit,  for  which  you  should  deserve  this  seat  ?" 
Then  Budh  exclaimed,  "  I  have  no  rational 
witness  here,"  and  called  upon  the  earth  to 

Proclaim  his  actions  in  the  course  of  his  eu- 
eavors  to  become  Budh.  Upon  this  the  earth 
rumbled  100,000  times,  and  began  to  turn 
round.  Whereupon  Maraya  was  dismayed 
and  defeated,  and  acknowledging  the  superior- 
ity of  Budh,  fled  ashamed,  and  all  the  gods  and 
brahmas  of  the  universe  came  and  ministered 
to  Budh  triumphant;  thus  completely  extin- 
guishing evil,  and  acquiring  omniscience,  he 
became  perfect  Budha. 

The  places  near  which  he  exercised  his  min- 
istry were  Benares,  and  other  parts  of  northern 
India,  and  he  is  said  to  have  proceeded  as  far 
south  as  Ceylon.  He  died  at  the  age  of  eighty, 
or  as  some  say  eighty-five,  having  previously 
foretold  that  his  religion,  after  extending  over 
the  world,  would  become  extinguished,  S-nd  be 
renewed  by  his  successor,  Maitra  Budha,  who 
is  now  in  a  divine  state,  and  after  the  appro- 
priate age  will  become  Budha. 

The  Budhas  are  beings  who  appear  after  in- 
tervals of  time  inconceivably  vast.  Previous 
to  their  reception  of  the  Budhaship,  they  pass 
through  countless  phases  of  being,  and  in  the 
birth  in  which  they  become  Budha,  they  are 
of  woman  born.  At  their  death  they  cease  to 
exist.  They  do  not  continue  to  be  Budhas, 
nor  do  they  enter  upon  any  other  state  of 
being. 

Doctrines  of  Budha. — According  to  the  doc- 
trines propounded  or  rather  ascribed  to  Gotama 
Budha,  there  are  innumerable  systems  of 
worlds,  called  Sakwalas,  which  attain  their 
prime,  and  then  decay  and  are  destroyed,  at 
periods  regularly  recurring,  and  by  agents  that 
are  as  regularly  recurring.  Budhism  teaches 
that  there  is  no  Creator,  no  being  that  is  self- 
existent  and  eternal.  All  sentient  beings  are 
homogeneous.  The  difference  between  one 
being  and  another  is  only  temporary,  and  re- 
sults from  the  difference  in  their  degrees  of 
merit.  Any  being  whatever  may  be  a  candi- 
date for  the. Budhaship  ;  but  it  is  only  by  the 
uniform  pursuit  of  this  object  through  innu- 
merable ages  that  it  can  be  obtained. 

The  power  that  controls  the  universe  is  kar- 
ma, literally  action ;  consisting  of  kusala  and 
-aJcusala,  or  merit  and  demerit.  There  is  no 
such  thing  as  an  immaterial  spirit,  but  at  the 
death  of  any  being,  the  aggregate  of  his  merit 
and  demerit  is  transferred  to  some  other  being, 
which  new  being  is  caused  by  the  karma  of 


BUDHISM. 


196 


le  previous  being,  and  receives  from  that 
[rma  all  the  circumstances  of  its  existence, 
bus,  if  the  karma  be  good,  the  circumstances 
■e  favorable,  producing  happiness ;  but  if  it 
;  bad,  they  are  unfavorable,  producing  misery. 
The  manner  in  which  being  commenced, 
;cording  to  Budhism,  cannot  now  be  ascer- 
ined.  The  cause  of  continuance  of  existence 
ignorance,  from  which  merit  and  demerit  are 
oduced,  whence  comes  consciousness,  then 
)dy  and  mind,  and  afterwards  the  six  organs 
'  sense.  Again,  from  the  organs  of  sense 
imes  contact ;  ft-om  contact  desire  ;  from  dc- 
'e  sensation  ;  from  sensation  the  cleaving  to 
:isting  objects  ;  from  this  cleaving,  reproduc- 
3n  ;  and  from  reproduction  disease,  decay, 
id  death.  Thus,  like  the  revolutions  of  a 
beel,  there  is  a  regular  succession  of  death 
id  birth,  the  moral  cause  of  which  is  the 
saving  to  existing  objects,  whilst  the  instru- 
ental  cause  is  karma.  It  is  therefore  the 
■eat  object  of  all  beings  who  would  be  releas- 
[  from  the  sorrow  of  successive  birth,  to  seek 
e  destruction  of  the  moral  cause  of  contin- 
(d  existence,  that  is  to  say,  the  cleaving  to 
:isting  objects,  or  evil  desire.  It  is  possible 
'  accomplish  this  destruction,  by  attending  to 
prescribed  course  of  discipline,  which  results 

an  entrance  to  one  of  the  four  paths,  with 
leir  fruition,  that  lead,  by  different  modes, 
1  the  attainment  of  nirwana,  or  annihilation, 
bey  in  whom  evil  desire  is  entirely  destroyed 
'e  called  rahats.  The  freedom  from  evil  de- 
re  ensures  the  possession  of  miraculous  ener 
J.  At  his  death  the  rahat  invariably  attains 
'rwana,  or  ceases  to  exist. 

The  Sacred  Books. — The  sacred  books  of  the 
udhists  are  called  Dharma,  which  means 
nphatically,  the  truth.  They  contain  the 
cidcnts  of  Gotama  Budha's  life,  his  discour- 
s,  and  the  voluminous  commentaries  that 
ive  been  added.  From  the  moment  that 
otama  obtained  the  state  of  a  supreme 
udha,  to  the  time  of  his  dissolution,  an  inter- 
il  of  forty-five  years,  in  all  that  he  uttered,  to 
batever  order  of  intelligence,  he  had  only 
le  design,  which  was,  to  assist  sentient  beings 

the  reception  of  nirwana.  The  discourses 
'  Budha  are  divided  into  84,000,  and  include 
1  that  was  spoken  by  him.  These  discourses 
'e  divided  into  275,250,  as  to  the  stanzas  of 
le  original  text,  and  into  361,550  as  to  the 
anzas  of  the  commentary.  All  the  discour- 
8,  including  those  of  Budha  and  those  of  the 
)mmeutator,  are  divided  into  2,547  vana- 
aras,  resembling  the  sidarim  into  which  the 
Doks  of  the  Old  Testament  were  divided  by 
le  Jews,  being  the  portion  read  in  the  syna- 
3gue  upon  one  Sabbath  day  ;  and  these  con- 
lin  737,000  stanzas,  and  29,368,000  letters. 

The  system  propounded  by  Gotama  Budha, 
as  not  committed  to  writing  either  by  him- 
ilf  or  his  immediate  disciples.  It  is  asserted 
lat  his  discourses  were  preserved  in  the  raem- 
cy  of  his  followers  during  the  space  of  450 


years,  after  which  they  were  reduced  to  writ- 
ing in  the  Island  of  Ceylon.  The  documents 
themselves  are  an  evidence  that  a  considerable 
period  must  have  elapsed  between  the  death  of 
Budha  and  the  compilation  of  the  Pttakas  in 
their  present  form.  They  contain  the  record 
of  numerous  events  that  never  could  possibly 
have  happened  ;  they  are  distorted  by  fictions 
and  legends  which  it  must  have  taken  a  long 
time  to  invent  and  impose  upon  the  people  ; 
and  they  abound  in  the  grave  recital  of  mira- 
culous events  and  supernatural  interferences, 
that  any  inhabitant  of  earth  would  have 
known  to  be  false  ;  and  400  years  would  be  no 
more  than  a  sufficient  period  for  all  these  per- 
versions. 

For  the  establishment  of  the  text  of  the 
Pitakas,  or  sacred  books,  it  is  said  that  three 
several  convocations  were  held  ;  but  it  is  im- 
possible in  so  short  a  space,  to  go  into  the  his- 
tory of  these  convocations  and  the  rules  by 
which  they  were  governed,  so  unintelligible  is 
much  of  the  language,  and  so  numerous  and 
senseless  the  repetitions. 

In  size  the  Pitakas  surpass  all  western  com- 
positions, and  are  only  exceeded  by  the  sacred 
books  of  the  Brahmins.  Josephus  mentions 
that  his  own  antiquities  contain  60,000  lines  ; 
but  the  sacred  books  of  the  Budhists,  it  is  esti- 
mated, contain  2,000,000  of  lines.  These 
books  were  written  in  the  Pali  language,  which 
was  the  vernacular  tongue  in  the  time  of 
Gotama  Budha.  It  was  carried  to  a  high 
state  of  cultivation,  as  is  evident  from  the  fact 
that  in  Ceylon  a  modern  writer  found  as  many 
as  thirty  works  on  Pali  grammar,  some  of 
them  of  considerable  extent. 

The  sacred  books  are  literally  worshiped, 
and  benefits  are  expected  to  result  from  this 
adoration  as  from  the  worship  of  an  intelligent 
being.  The  books  are  usually  wrapped  in 
cloth,  and  they  are  often  placed  upon  a  rude 
altar  near  the  roadside,  after  the  manner  of 
images  in  Roman  Catholic  countries,  that 
those  who  pass  by  may  place  money  upon 
them  and  obtain  merit.  The  praises  of  the 
bana,  or  word,  are  a  favorite  subject  with  the 
native  authors.  Whenever  an  opportunity  is 
presented  they  launch  out  into  a  strain  of  com- 
mendation, heaping  epithet  upon  epithet  with 
untiring  zeal,  as  in  the  following  instance: 
"The  discourses  of  Budha  are  as  a  divine 
charm  to  cure  the  poison  of  evil  desire ;  a  divine 
medicine  to  heal  the  disease  of  anger ;  a  lamp 
in  the  midst  of  the  darkness  of  ignorance  ;  a 
fire  like  that  which  burns  at  the  end  of  a  kal- 
pa,  to  destroy  the  evils  of  repeated  existence  ,- 
a  meridian  sun  to  dry  up  the  mud  of  covetous- 
nes3 ;  a  great  rain  to  quench  the  flame  of 
sensuality ;  a  thicket  to  block  up  the  road 
that  leads  to  the  narakas  ;  a  ship  in  which 
to  sail  to  the  opposite  shore  of  the  ocean 
of  existence ;  a  collyrium  for  taking  away 
the  eye-film  of  heresy;  a  moon  to  bring 
out  the  nightrblowing  lotus  of  merit ;  a  sue- 


100 


BUDIUSM. 


cessiou  of  trees  bcarinj?  immortal  fruit,  placed 
hei*e  uiul  there,  by  which  the  traveler  may  be 
enabled  to  cro4«  the  desert  of  existence ;  a 
straight  highway  by  which  to  pass  to  the  in- 
comparable wisdom  ;  a  door  of  entrance  to 
the  eternal  city  of  Nirwana ;  a  talismanic 
tree  to  give  whatever  is  requested ;  a  flavor 
more  exquisite  than  any  in  the  three  worlds ; 
a  treasury  of  the  best  things  it  is  possible  to 
obtain,  and>a  power  by  which  may  be  appe-ased 
the  sorrow  of  every  sentient  being." 

The  advantages  to  be  derived  from  listen- 
ing to  the  bana  are  represented  by  the  native 
authors  as  being  immensely  great.  In  the 
early  ages  of  Budhism,  when  the  bana  was  in 
the  vernacular  language  of  the  people,  it  is 
evident  that  gi'eat  effects  were  produced  by  its 
recitation,  and  by  the  discourses  that  were 
given  in  explanation  of  its  doctrines  and 
duties  ;  but  its  rehearsal  has  now  degenerated 
into  an  unmeaning  form,  and  is  attended 
with  very  little  power. 

Males  of  Worship. — The  Budhists  of  the 
present  age  are  image-worshipers  ;  but  it  is 
not  known  at  what  period  they  adopted  this 
custom,  nor  indeed  at  what  period  it  was  intro- 
duced into  India.  The  Budhists  of  Ceylon 
have  a  legend  that  in  the  lifetime  of  Gotama 
Budha,  an  image  of  the  founder  of  their  reli- 
gion was  made  by  order  of  the  king  of  Ko- 
sala,  and  the  Chinese  have  a  similar  story  ;  but 
it  is  rejected  by  the  more  intelligent  of  the 
priest? .  who  regard  it  as  an  invention  to  at- 
tract worshipers  to  the  temples.  The  images 
are  sometimes  recumbent,  at  other  times  up- 
right, or  in  a  sitting  posture,  either  in  the  act 
of  contemplation,  or  with  the  hand  uplifted  in 
the  act  of  giving  instruction.  At  Cotta,  near 
Colombo,  in  Ceylon,  there  is  a  recumbent  im- 
age 42  feet  in  length.  Upon  the  altar,  in  ad- 
dition to  flowers,  there  are  frequently  smaller 
images,  either  of  marble  or  metal,  the  former 
being  brought  from  Burmah  and  the  latter 
from  Siam.  In  the  shape  of  the  images  each 
nation  appears  to  have  adopted  its  own  ideas 
of  beauty ;  those  of  Ceylon  resembling  a 
well  proportioned  native  of  the  island,  while 
those  of  8iam  are  of  a  more  attenuated  figure, 
fuad  in  Nepaul  they  often  have  three  heads  and 
six  or  ten  arms.  The  idol  manufactories  pre- 
sent strange  sights  to  the  eye  of  a  Christian, 
such  as  sign  boards  with  the  inscription, 
"  Precious  Budhas  manufactured  or  repaired  ;" 
"  The  Golden  Budha  Shop  ;"  and  these  shops 
containing  groups  of  images,  some  black  with 
age  and  sent  thither  for  gilding,  and  others 
gaudily  painted  and  fresh  from  the  hand  of 
the  artist. 

The  Budhists  have  numerous  temples,  pago- 
das, and  sacred  places,  to  which  the  people 
resort  to  hear  the  bana  read  and  to  perform 
their  religious  rites.  From  the  ruins  which 
appear  in  various  places  it  is  evident  that 
these  temples  were  anciently  very  costly 
aad  beautiful,  much  more  so  than  any  of  mod- 


ern construction  ;  but  a  particular  descrlptlo 
of  them  must  be  omitted.  The  l)0-tre<',  und( 
which  Gotatna  attained  the  Budhaship,  was  a 
object  of  worship  at  a  very  early  period.  Net 
this  tree  the  city  of  Jiudha-Gaya  was  afterwan 
built,  which,  from  the  vast  extent  of  its  ruin 
must  have  had,  at  one  time,  a  numerous  ])opi 
lation ;  but  it  declined  rapidly,  and  in  tl 
fifth  century  was  entirely  deserted.  A  bo-tr( 
flourishes  at  present  on  the  same  spot,  ami 
believed  by  the  Budhists  to  be  the  very  tr( 
under  which  Gotama  sat.  This  place  is  sit 
ated  in  British  India,  in  4he  Presidency  i 
Bengal,  about  40  miles  S.  AV.  of  Bahar. 
is  a  good  deal  resorted  to  by  pilgrims,  and 
supposed  to  have  once  been  the  centre  < 
Budhism,  but  now  no  Budhists  reside  at  < 
near  it.  In  the  court-yard  of  nearly  cvei 
wihara  (temple)  in  Ceylon  there  is  a  bo-tre 
said  to  be  taken  from  the  original  tree.  N 
merous  forms  of  relic-worship  are  observed  1; 
the  Budhists,  and  many  of  them,  for  extren 
folly  and  absurdity,  will  compare  with  an, 
thing  ever  invented  by  Rome  herself.  Tht 
have,  for  example,  the  left  canine  tooth  of  the 
sage,  and  it  is  regarded  by  the  Kandians  i 
Ceylon  as  the  palladium  of  their  country.  Tl 
impressions  of  Gotama's  foot  are  also  worshi] 
ed.  There  are  believed  to  be  many  of  thei 
impressions  in  various  parts  of  India,  but  tl 
most  important  one  is  on  the  top  of  Adam 
Peak,  in  Ceylon,  7,420  feet  above  the  level  i 
the  sea,  and  the  summit  of  this  peak  is  visitc 
by  great  numbers  of  pilgrims.  The  soles  ( 
Budha's  foot  are  represented  as  being  divide 
into  108  compartments,  like  a  pictorial  alphi 
bet,  each  of  which  contains  a  figure.  One  ( 
the  titles  of  the  monarch  of  Siam  is,  "  Tl 
pre-eminently  merciful  and  munificent,  tl 
soles  of  whose  feet  resemble  those  of  Budha.' 

It  was  an  ordinance  of  Budha,  that  tl 
priests,  who  were  then  supposed  to  dwell  mo! 
commonly  in  the  wilderness,  should  reside  du 
ing  the  three  months  of  the  rainy  season  in 
fixed  habitation.  This  season  is  called  was 
and  it  is  at  this  period  that  the  priests  rea 
bana  to  the  people.  The  place  of  reading 
called  the  bana-maduwa,  is  usually  a  temporal 
erection  in  the  form  of  a  pagoda.  In  the  centi 
of  the  interior  is  an  elevated  platform  for  tl 
convenience  of  the  priests,  and  the  people  s 
around  it  upon  mats  spread  on  the  groun* 

No  part  of  the  rough  material  of  the  m: 
duwa  is  seen,  as  the  pillars  and  the  roof  ai 
covered  with  white  cloth,  upon  which  mosse 
flowers,  and  the  tender  leaf  of  the  cocoa  m 
are  worked  up  into  various  devices.  Lani] 
and  lanterns  are  suspended  in  great  profusi* 
and  variety,  and  the  impression  produced  1 
the  scene  in  some  localities  is  most  strikin 
and  forms  the  most  magnificent  sight  ev 
seen  by  many  of  the  worshipers.  The  femal- 
are  arrayed  in  their  gayest  attire,  and  flaj 
and  streamers  and  figured  handkerchiefs  flo; 
from  every  co-nvenient  point.     At  intcrva 


4 


BcmmsM. 


197 


>mtoms  arc  beat,  the  rude  trumpet  sends  forth 
s  screams,  musketry  and  jinjalls  add  their 
)ar,  and  with  the  help  of  glaring  lamps,  floral 
isplays,  and  the  noise  of  the  people,  a  most 
sciting  and  bewildering  effect  is  produced. 
The  copies  of  the  sacred  books  now  used 
re  beautifully  written  in  large  characters, 
pon  the  best  talipot  leaves  that  can  be  pro- 
ired,  with  marks  to  point  out  the  conclusion 
t'  the  sentences.  Upon  some  occasions  one 
L'iest  reads  the  original  Pali,  while  another 
Lterprcts  what  is  read  in  the  vernacular 
)Dgue ;  but  generality  the  Pali  alone  is  read, 
>  that  the  people  understand  not  a  word  of 
;  and  even  when  the  word  is  explained,  most 
'  them  fall  asleep,  or  idly  chew  their  favorite 
3etle,  regardless  of  what  is  said.  The  folly 
'  the  priests,  in  confining  their  public  minis- 
ations  to  the  simple  reading  of  the  bana, 
is  caused  a  class  of  persons,  called  upasakas, 
.  some  districts,  to  go  about  from  house  to 
)use,  after  the  manner  of  the  Scripture  read- 
s,  reading  works  that  are  written  in  the  ver- 
icular  tongue,  accompanied  with  familiar 
:positions.  It  is  by  this  means  that  Budhism 
many  places  is  principally  supported. 
The  Modern  Priesthood. — The  number  of 
udhist  priests  in  Ceylon  is  estimated  at 
iOO,  which  is  about  one  in  400  of  the  popu- 
tion.  In  Burmah  the  proportion  of  priests 
much  larger,  and  in  Siam  it  is  larger  still, 
ae  priests  of  Ceylon  trace  their  origin  from 
remote  period,  as,  according  to  the  native 
^ends,  Budhism  has  there  been  professed 
ore  than  2000  years.  But  different  sects 
-ve  arisen,  and  the  doctrines  and  ministra- 
ms  of  Budhism  are  not  everywhere  identical, 
lere  appears  to  be  a  general  similarity  be- 
'^een  the  Budhism  of  Ceylon,  Burmah,  Siam, 
id  China  ;  but  in  Nepaul,  Thibet,  and  Japan 
is  essentially  different.  In  Thibet  the  supe- 
)r  priests  are  called  lajnas,  and  are  regarded 
incarnations  of  Budha  ;  and  they  possess  so 
[•ge  a  share  of  political  authority  that  they 
n  depose  the  sovereign  of  the  country  and 
bstitute  another  in  his  stead.  The  dress  of 
e  grand  lama  is  yellow,  that  of  other  lamas 
superior  rank  red ;  and  as  these  dignitaries 
3ar  broad-brimmed  hats,  their  costume  closely 
sembles  that  of  the  cardinals  of  Rome.  The 
Lidhism  of  Thibet  and  of  Japan  resemble 
.ch  other,  in  having  a  visible  representative 
'  Gotama,  possessed  of  unlimited  power. 
The  Burmans,  Siamese,  Nepaulese,  Chinese, 
ipanese,  and  Thibetans,  are  the  principal  na- 
ons,  in  addition  to  the  Ceylonese,  who  now 
•ofess  Budhism,  once  the  predominant  religion 
iroughout  Hindoostan ;  it  is  now  nearly  un- 
lown  in  that  vast  region,  where  it  has  been 
iperseded  by  other  forms  of  superstition. 
It  has  already  been  intimated  that  the  sys- 
m  of  Budhism  includes  two  leading  and  fatal 
ements — atheism  ^d  annihilation.  When 
otama  Budha  died,  he  did  not  enter  upon  a 
ture  state  of  being ;  his  existence  was  not 


renewed  in  another  world  ;  he  forever  ceased 
to  be,  as  truly  as  the  light  of  a  lamp  ceases  to 
be  when  its  flame  is  extinguished.  Budha 
can,  therefore,  in  no  sense,  be  an  object  of  trust 
or  confidence ;  his  guidance  and  blessing  can- 
not be  sought,  and  when  his  name  is  invoked, 
it  is  under  the  vague  supposition  that  by  some 
latent,  unknown  'process,  the  prayer  will  be 
answered,  without  the  agency  of  an  intelligent 
cause.  And  as  Budha  ceased  to  exist,  so  does 
every  other  being.  There  is  no  such  thing  as 
an  immortal  soul.  The  attainment  of  nir- 
wana,  or  extinction,  is  the  only  hope  to  which 
the  Budhist  can  aspire ;  though  this  extinc- 
tion necessarily  produces  another  being  to 
whom  are  transferred  all  the  merit  and  de- 
merit that  have  been  accumulated  during  an 
unknown  period  and  by  an  almost  endless  suc- 
cession of  similar  beings,  all  distinct  from  each 
other,  but  all  bound  by  this  singular  law  of 
production  to  every  individual  in  the  preceding 
link  of  the  chain. 

With  such  withering  skepticism  at  its  foun- 
dation, it  is  impossible  that  Budhism  should 
be  productive  of  any  good  fruits.  There  are 
indeed  some  good  moral  precepts  in  the  sacred 
books  ;  but  as  explained  in  the  commentaries 
and  received  by  the  people,  they  are  wholly 
inoperative.  Man  has  no  Maker,  is  responsible 
to  no  superior  being,  and  has  before  him  no 
future.  If  he  has  enjoyment,  it  is  the  result  of 
merit  acquired  in  other  ages  and  by  other 
births ;  and  the  sense  of  gratitude,  obligation, 
and  dependence,  is  unknown  to  him.  Little 
motive  can  exist  therefore  for  the  restraint  of 
the  passions  or  for  purity  of  life,  and  the  -de- 
based and  corrupt  state  of  Budhist  communi- 
ties is  the  natural  fruit  of  their  religious  belie£ 

As  to  what  Budha  himself  taught,  little  can 
be  known,  for  he  left  nothing  in  wTiting  ;  and 
those  who  have  most  thoroughly  studied  this 
intricate  system,  are  of  the  opinion  that  the 
works  which  profess  to  record  his  discourses 
have  little  if  any  foundation  in  truth  ;  that  he 
never  laid  claim  to  the  miracles  with  which  his 
name  is  connected,  and  which  have  been  for 
ages  one  of  the  principal  supports  of  the  sys- 
tem ;  and  that  the  accounts  given  of  Budha's 
life,  except  the  mere  outlines  relating  to  his 
birth,  family,  and  death,  are  the  merest  fictions. 

Those  who  wish  more  thoroughly  to  explore 
the  depths  of  the  system  of  Budhism — the  in- 
volved and  endless  definitions,  rules  and  rites^.^ 
contained  in  the  sacred  books  ;  the  history  of ' 
mosques,  temples,  pagodas,  and  sacred  places  ; 
the  disgusting  legends  relating  to  miracles, 
relics,  and  images  ;  the  celibacy,  mendicancy, 
diet,  and  dress  of  the  priests;  and  mimcrous 
minor  points  connected  with  these,  are  referred 
to  the  extended  and  elaborate  works  of  R. 
Spence  Hardy,  D.  J.  Gogerly,  Rev.  Howard 
Malcom,  and  others. — Rev.  E."D.  Moore. 

BUFFALO  :  A  Karen  village  in  Arra- 
can  and  an  out-station  of  the  Arracan  mis- 
sion of  the  Am.  Baptist  Missionary  Union. 


198 


BURMAH. 


BUNAAUAl  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Mksionnry  Society,  on  Tahiti,  South  Sea. 

BUNTINCDALE :  A  station  of  the 
Wt'slcyans  in  Australia,  90  miles  west  of 
Melbourne. 

BUNTINGVILLE  :  A  station  of  the 
Wesloyans  in  Kaflraria,  S.  A. 

BUN(jALOAV  :  The  name  given  in  India 
to  a  house  or  villa  of  a  single  floor.  Dak  Bun- 
galows are  thatched  houses,  constructed  at  the 
public  expense,  and  placed  at  intervals,  in  many 
parts  of  India,  for  the  accommodation  of  tra- 
velei-s. 

BURDWAN  :  A  town  in  the  province  of 
Bengal,  the  capital  of  a  district  of  the  same 
name,  GO  miles  N.  X.  W.  of  Calcutta.  Pop- 
ulation about  54,000.  The  population  of  the 
whole  district  is  estimated  at  1,444,000. 

BURISAL  :  The  principal  town  in  the 
district  of  Bahargany,  India,  about  185  miles 
north-east  from  Calcutta.  It  stands  on  the 
point  of  an  oblong  island,  formed  by  the  broad 
branches  of  the  great  Ganges,  which  here  pre- 
sent an  immense  expanse  of  water,  and  a  very 
great  facility  of  inland  navigation.  It  is  a 
station  of  the  English  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

BURMAH  :  A  country  situated  in  south- 
eastern Asia,  in  the  region  beyond  the  river 
Brabma])Ootra.  It  is  possessed  by  the  Bur- 
mese, the  limits  of  whose  dominions  have  been 
greatly  contracted  by  British  conquests.  On 
the  west,  where  it  is  conterminous  with  British 
territories  in  India,  Burmah  is  bounded  by  the 
province  of  Arracan,  surrendered  to  the  Bri 
tish  by  the  treaty  concluded  with  the  Burmese 
in  1826,  and  by  the  petty  states  of  Tipperah 
Munnepore,  and  Assam,  from  which  countries 
it  is  separated  by  lofty  ridges  of  mountains  ; 
on  the  south,  by  the  newly  acquired  British 
province  of  Pegu  ;  on  the  north  by  Assam  and 
Thibet ;  and  on  the  east  by  China.  Its  limits 
extend  from  lat.  19^  25'  to  28°  15',  and  from 
long.  93^  2'  to  100^  40' ;  comprising  a  territory 
540  miles  in  length,  from  north  to  south,  and 
420  in  breadth,  with  an  area  of  96,000  square 
miles. 

Topog7op^i/.— Til  at  portion  of  Asia  in  which 
Burmah  is  situated  slopes  from  the  central 
mountains  towards  the  south ;  and  as  it  ap- 
proaches the  Indian  Ocean,  it  subsides  into  an 
extensive  champaign  country,  which  is  over- 
flowed in  the  rainy  season,  by  the  swelling  of 
the  rivers.  The  Burmese  territory  is  watered 
by  three  great  streams,  the  Irrawaddy,  the 
Salwcn,  and  the  Kyen-dwen,  a  tributary  of 
the  Irrawaddy.  These  rivers  have  their  sour- 
ces in  the  northern  chain  of  mountains  in  the 
interior,  some  of  which  are  covered  with  per- 
petual snow;  and  they  run  in  a  southerly 
course  to  the  Indian  Ocean.  The  Irrawaddy 
and  the  Salwen  are  large  rivers,  which  over- 
flow the  flat  country  on  their  banks,  during 
the  season  of  the  rains.  Burmah,  having  been 
despoiled  of  Pegu,  contains  neither  maritime 


districts  nor  alluvial  plains,  but  is  altogrthor 
an  upland  territory,  bounded  at  its  soutlK^n 
extremity  by  a  frontier  line  at  the  distance  of 
about  200  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Irra- 
waddy. From  this  point,  the  country  bctiins 
to  rise,  and  thence  for  about  300  miles  faiihor 
it  may  be  considered  hilly  and  elevated.  Be- 
yond this,  it  is  wild  and  mountainous.  To  the 
W.  and  N.  W.,  it  is  divided  from  Arracan, 
Munnepore,  and  Assam,  by  mountainous  ridges, 
often  of  great  elevation. 

Population. — From  their  resemblance  in  fea- 
tures and  form,  the  Burmese  appear  to  be  of 
the 'same  race  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  coun- 
tries that  lie  between  Hindoostan  and  China. 
They  may  be  generally  described  as  of  a  stout, 
short,  active,  but  well-proportioned  form  ;  of  a 
brown,  but  never  of  an  intensely  dark  com- 
plexion ;  with  black,  coarse,  lank,  and  abun 
dant  hair,  and  a  little  more  beard  than  tli 
Siamese.  The  population  has  been  variously 
estimated  and  exaggerated  from  seventeen  to 
thirty-three  millions ;  but  Mr.  Crawford,  from 
the  best  data  that  he  could  procure,  estimated 
the  population  so  as  to  give  the  present  limits 
of  Burmah  2,112,000. 

Social  and  Political  Institutions,  Aiis,  fyc. — The 
Burmese  appear  to  be  inferior  to  the  Hindoos, 
and  still  more  to  the  Chinese,  in  arts,  manu- 
factures, industry,  and  all  the  institutions  of 
civil  life.  Their  government  is  a  pure  des- 
potism, the  king  dispensing  torture,  imprison- 
ment, or  death,  according  to  his  sovereign 
discretion.  The  chief  object  of  the  govern- 
ment appears  to  be  the  personal  honor  and 
aggrandizement  of  the  monarch  ;  and  the  only 
restraint  on  the  exercise  of  his  prerogative  is 
the  fear  of  insurrection.  He  is  assisted  hy  a 
public  and  privy  council,  but  may  punish  any 
of  his  high  officers  at  his  pleasure.  The  country 
at  large  is  ruled  by  provincial  governors,  and 
is  divided  into  provinces,  townships,  districts, 
and  hamlets.  In  all  the  townships  and  vil- 
lages there  are  judges  of  subordinate  jurisdic- 
tion ;  but  as  no  officer  receives  a  fixed  salary, 
the  people  are  subject  to  the  most  shameful 
extortion.  The  criminal  code  is  barbarous  and 
severe,  and  the  punishments  shocking  to  hu- 
manity. The  Burmese  are  divided  into  seven 
classes,  viz. :  the  royal  family ;  the  public  offi- 
cers ;  the  priesthood  ;  the  rich  men  ;  the  culti- 
vators and  laborers ;  and  the  slaves  and  out- 
casts ;  each  of  which  have  their  badges  of 
distinction.  But  any  subject,  except  slaves 
and  outcasts,  may  aspire  to  the  highest  offices. 

In  the  useful  arts,  the  Burmese  have  not 
made  any  great  advances ;  and  their  currency 
is  of  the  rudest  description,  being  composed  of 
uncoined  lead,  silver,  and  gold,  valued  by 
weight.  The  Burmese  are  entirely  ignorant 
of  literature  and  science.  Morality  is  at  a  low 
ebb  among  them,  and  their  rulers  have  no  con- 
ception of  either  the  excellence  or  utility  of 
good  faith. 

Religion. — Budhism  is  the  religion  of  Bur- 


1 


%L 


IIUUJO 


Sooiiwocc> 

Ld^f^,, 


«    BITRMAH 
SIAM 

and.  part  of 
STOr  ATJIA.  — 


}oOuke-sima     ) 


PersaJta.  jorjj 
Jlas.s 


^Cr.Coco 

°Xic.Coco 


Jiarrenl '. 
JJidjiioaB.'  C. 
iArcUipeUuj  o 

P.CfuaTMin 
JiuzUnidJTs* 
\  Xir.AjuUanaf. 


JTavovPugoda  ^r^i^a.fy^,o 
o  •     "^    1   1  '•  ■ 


\CaTntcohar 


^  HCeanoTOL 


^' 


^5^ 


Jli&*cfts7«-^1 


rNico^arJ[slaa4^      ^"^^'^^^^^^  ^^'^f««^ 


Tartjang^         c*      <^cu^ 


IPatig" 


CKjnctibitr 


Trxmxgo 


■emsiui 
^    ,„S«ru/o»-«    '.'-H"" 


^.</>' 


jl.Tr-inffuTiy 


Xcm.  9 


otthe 
'''grorcainljoj 


•«'Ka,- 


jr.H'antnas 


^axmhaXs. 


^^om-. 


jcatuuas 


5   E .  of  Greenwich. 


A 


(fft  THB 


I 


BURMAH 


199 


inali.  (See  Budhism.)  Foreigners  enjoy  re- 
ligious toleration  ;  but  the  Burmese  rulers  view 
any  attempts  to  convert  the  natives  to  the 
Christian,  or  any  other  foreign  faith,  as  an 
interference  with  their  allegiance,  and  there- 
fore discourage  them. — Encyclopedia  Britan- 
nica. 

Mission — American  Baptist  Union. — The 
first  mission  of  the  American  Baptists  in  Bur- 
mah  was  commenced  by  Kev.  Adoniram  Jud- 
son,*  who,  with  Mrs.  Judson,  landed  at  Ean- 
goon,  in  July,  1813,  and  immediately  began  to 
study  the  language  of  the  country.  So  soon 
as  Mr.  Judson  had  sufficiently  mastered  the 
language,  he  prepared  a  tract,  to  be  read  in 
manuscript  by  the  Burmans,  on  the  nature  of 
the  Christian  religion,  containing  an  abstract 
of  its  leading  doctrines.  This  was  his  first 
public  labor.  In  1816,  Rev.  George  H.  Hough 
and  his  wife  arrived  at  Rangoon,  as  mission- 
aries of  the  Board.  Mr.  H.  had  been  a  print- 
er, and  on  his  way,  at  Serampore,  had  received 
a  printing-press  and  a  font  of  Burman  types, 
which  were  presented  to  the  mission,  and  which 
had  preceded  him  to  Rangoon.  Mr.  Judson's 
tract  and  a  catechism  were  immediately  print- 
ed, and  they  were  soon  followed  by  a  transla- 
tion of  the  (jrospel  of  Matthew.  In  the  summer 
of  1818,  the  mission  was  for  a  time  interrupted 
by  persecution,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hough  sailed 
for  Bengal,  taking  with  them  the  printing- 
press.  Mr.  Judson  was  absent  at  the  time,  but 
Mrs.  Judson  determined  to  remain  at  her  post, 
and  was  soon  afterwards  rejoined  by  her  hus- 
band, and  they  together  quietly  waited  till  the 
storm  had  passed  away. 

In  September,  1818,  the  mission  was  in- 
creased by  the  arrival  of  Rev,  Messrs..  Colman 
and  Wheelock,  with  their  wives.  Mr.  Whee- 
lock,  however,  was,  at  the  close  of  a  single 
year,  compelled,  by  failing  health,  to  withdraw 
from  the  mission,  and  was  drowned  at  sea  on 
his  passage  to  Bengal.  It  was  not  till  1819 
that  the  first  zayat  was  opened  for  public 
worship  and  religious  teaching.  It  was  a 
small  low  building,  situated  on  the  Great 
Pagoda  road,  and  surrounded  by  the  •  mag- 
nificent temples  of  heathenism.  Here  Mr. 
Judson  began  his  public  labors  as  a  Christian 
teacher,  and  here  for  the  first  tim6  he  cele- 
brated the  public  worship  of  God.  In  June  of 
the  same  year,  nearly  six  years  after  his  arrival 
in  Rangoon,  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  bap- 
tizing and  receiving  into  the  mission-church 
Moung  Nau,  the  first  Burman  convert  to 
Christianity.  In  the  following  November,  two 
others  were  in  like  manner  baptized  and  ad- 
mitted to  the  Church.  These  instances  of  bap- 
tism, together  with  the  increasing  number  of 
inquirers  who  frequented  the  zayat,  attracted 
the  interposition  of  the  Budhist  priests,  also 
of  the  Viceroy,  and  in  consequence  attendance 
at  the  zayat  for  a  time  almost  entirely  ceased. 

*  For  previous  notice  of  Mr.  Judson,  see  article  on  Am. 
Jiaptut  MintiioTiary  Union. 


This  fact  revealed  to  Mr.  Judson  most  dis- 
tinctly the  precarious  situation  of  the  mission, 
and  determined  him  to  go  immediately  to 
Amarapura,  the  seat  of  the  imperial  govern- 
ment, in  order,  if  possible,  to  obtain  tqjeration 
for  the  Christian  religion.  Accompanied  by 
Mr.  Colman,  his  associate  in  the  mission,  in  the 
winter  of  1819,  he  ascended  the  Irrawaddy  to 
the  capital,  and  presented  himself  before  the 
Burman  king,  with  rich  and  showy  offerings, 
in  order  the  better  to  secure  a  favorable  hear- 
ing for  his  humble  request.  The  occasion  was 
one  of  great  ceremony,  but  the  petition  of  the 
missionaries  was  contemptuously  rejected,  and 
they  immediately  returned  to  Rangoon.  This 
stern  repulse  at  first  decided  Messrs.  Judson 
and  Colman  to  abandon  Rangoon  and  retire  to 
the  adjacent  district  of  Arracan,  which  was 
under  the  government  of  Bengal ;  but  on 
announcing  their  decision  and  its  cause  to  the 
three  Burman  disciples,  these  recent  converts 
from  heathenism  evinced  such  fi^rmness  of  faith, 
andv  so  eagerly  entreated  them  not  to  abandon 
the  mission,  that  it  was  at  length  determined 
that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  should  remain  at 
Rangoon,  while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Colman  repair- 
ed to  Chittagong,  in  order  to  provide  a  place 
of  refuge,  in  case  of  persecution,  for  the  mem- 
bers of  the  mission,  and  others  who  might 
hereafter  join  them.  The  plan,  however,  was 
entirely  frustrated,  and  Mr.  Colman  fell  a  vic- 
tim to  the  fever  of  the  climate,  at  Cox's 
Bazaar,  in  1822. 

Meanwhile  the  mission  at  Rangoon  was 
awakening  a  wider  and  wider  interest  among 
the  people.  In  the  summer  of  1820,  Mr.  Judson 
baptized  seven  additional  converts,  who  at  the 
peril  of  their  lives,  professed  their  faith  in 
Christ.  Among  them  was  a  learned  teacher, 
who  was  able  to  render  most  important  service 
to  the  missionaries  in  translating  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  in  other  labors  of  the  mission.  The 
failing  health  of  Mrs.  Judson  now  rendered  it 
necessary  that  she  should  for  a  time  leave  the 
climate,  and  in  the  summer  of  1821,  she  em- 
barked for  Calcutta  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
passage  thence  to  England  and  the  United 
States.  The  visit  of  this  accomplished  and 
heroic  lady  to  this  country  in  1822  and  1823, 
was  productive  of  many  important  benefits. 
It  awakened  a  deeper  interest  in  the  mission, 
and  enlarged  the  contributions  of  the  churches, 
and  especially  it  was  the  occasion  of  several 
young  men  dedicating  themselves  to  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ  among  the  heathen.  On  her 
return  to  Burmah  she  was  accompanied  by 
Rev.  Jonathan  Wade  and  Mrs.  Wade,  and 
they  all  reached  Rangoon  in  December,  1823. 
_  During  the  absence  of  Mrs.  Judson  the  mis- 
sion had  been  also  reinforced  by  the  arrival  o( 
the  Rev.  Jonathan  Price,  a  physician  as  well 
as  minister,  who  with  Mrs.  Price  arrived  at 
Rangoon  near  the  close  of  the  year  1821,  and 
about  the  same  time  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hough 
also  returned  to  the  mission  with  the  much' 


200 


BURMAH. 


Dcc<led  printinff-prcss  and  tvpes.  So  soon  as 
the  Burman  km^^  learned  that  Dr.  Price  was 
possessetl  of  medical  skill,  he  summoned  him 
to  Ava,  which  wius  now  become  the  capital  of 
the  emigre.  Accordingly  Dr.  Price  accompa- 
nietl  by  Mr.  Judson,  who  alone  understood  the 
languiigc,  proceeded  up  the  Irrawaddy  and  pre- 
sented themselves  at  the  court  of  the  Burman 
monarch.  Mr.  J.  was  recognized  by  several 
of  the  ministers  of  the  court,  and  in  one  of  his 
visits  at  the  palace  he  was  particularly  ques- 
tioned by  the  king  respecting  his  religion,  and 
whether  any  Burmans  had  embraced  it,  and 
also  commanded  to  show  the  members  of  the 
court  the  nxanner  in  which  he  preached.  Dur- 
ing his  stay  of  several  months  at  the  capital, 
while  Dr.  Price  was  in  high  favor  with  the 
monarch,  Mr.  Judson  also  had  many  opportu- 
nities to  commend  the  new  religion  to  persons 
in  high  official  stations,  and  to  bespeak  for  it 
a  toleration  from  the  government.  He  returned 
to  Rangoon  early  in  1823,  not  without  a  pro- 
mise given  to  the  king  that  he  would  soon  come 
back  and  bring  Mrs.  Judson  to  reside  with 
him  at  Ava.  Accordingly  so  soon  as  Mrs.  J. 
landed  at  Rangoon  on  her  return  from  the 
United  States,  it  was  arranged  that  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Judson  should  proceed  to  Ava,  while  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Hough,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade 
were  to  remain  at  Rangoon.  Scarcely  had 
these  arrangements  been  carried  into  exe- 
cution when  the  threatened  hostilities  be- 
tween Burmah  and  Great  Britain  began  to 
spread  their  blighting  influence  over  the  pros- 
pects of  the  mission.  These  hostilities  broke 
out  in  open  war  in  May,  1824,  when  Rangoon 
was  captured  by  a  small  fleet  of  English  trans- 
ports which  landed  the  forces  of  Europeans  and 
Sepoys  under 'the  command  of  Sir  Archibald 
Campbell. 

The  war  which  now  began  was  not  termin- 
ated till  the  close  of  February,  1826,  nearly 
two  years  from  its  commencement,  by  the 
treaty  of  Yandaboo,  by  the  terms  of  which 
the  provinces  of  Arracan,  Maulmain  and  Mer- 
gui,  together  with  a  part  of  Martaban  w^ere 
ceded  to  the  English.  It  of  course,  immedi- 
ately suspended  all  the  operations  of  the 
mission  at  Rangoon,  and  compelled  Messrs. 
Hough  and  Wade  to  retire  from  the  country 
— while  upon  Messrs.  Judson  and  Price  and 
their  families  at  Ava  it  brought  calamities  and 
sufferings,  protracted  through  the  entire  con- 
tinuance of  the  war,  whose  record  forms  one 
of  the  most  afiecting  passages  in  the  history  of 
modern  missions.  For  a  full  account  of  these 
sufiferings  and  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
endured  by  the  heroic  missionaries,  the  reader 
is  referred  to  the  lives  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Judson, 
and  also  to  the  history  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist Missions. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  frightful  cruelties 
to  which  the  missionaries  had  been  subjected, 
they  rendered  most  important  services  to  the 
Burman  king  in  conducting  the  negociations 


for  peace,  and  on  their  conclusion,  were  strongly 
urged  to  remain  at  Ava.  Dr.  Price  acceded 
to  the  renuest  and  passed  the  remainder  of  his 
life  at  the  Burman  capital.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Judson,  however,  decided  to  withdraw  with 
the  English  commander,  and  henceforward  to 
prosecute  the  labors  of  the  mission  in  that  por- 
tion of  the  country  which  had  been  ceded  to 
the  British  Government.  The  place  finally  se- 
lected for  this  purpose,  was  Amherst,  a  town 
planted  by  the  English  as  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment for  the  newly  acquired  territories,  and 
named  for  Lord  Amherst,  at  that  tin]e  the 
Governor-General  of  India.  Here  he  left  his 
family  under  the  protection  of  the  British  flag, 
and  in  the  society  of  British  officers,  while  he 
accompanied,  as  translator,  the  embassy  of 
Mr.  Crawford,  who  in  the  summer  of  1826,  re- 
paired to  Ava  for  the  purpose  of  negociating 
a  commercial  treaty  with  the  king.  Mr.  Jud- 
son's  motive  was  to  obtain,  if  possible,  a  clause 
in  the  treaty  for  securing  religious  toleration, 
an  enterprise  which  terminated  in  failure,  and 
was  also  associated  with  events  of  the  most 
afflictive  character ;  for  it  was  while  detained 
at  Ava,  by  the  duties  of  the  embassy,  that  he 
received  the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Judson,  a  calamity  which  was  soon  followed  by 
the  death  of  his  infant  daughter.  On  his  return 
to  Amherst  he  thus  found  himself  a  widowed 
and  childless  man,  on  the  f^ot  where  he  had 
hoped  long  to  share  the  sympathies  of  the  faith- 
ful wife,  who  during  the  weary  months  of  his  im- 
prisonment had  ministered  to  his  necessities 
with  a  fidelity  that  never  failed,  and  a  fortitude 
that  was  equal  to  every  emergency. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade  had  already  removed  to 
Amherst,  and  early  in  1827  they  were  joined 
by  Rev.  George  D.  Boardman,  and  Mrs.  Board- 
man,  as  missionaries  from  the  United  States. 
But  Amhei-st  proved  to  be  inconveniently  situ- 
ated for  the  purposes  of  the  capital  of  British 
Burmah,  and  Sir  Archibald  Campbell  soon  re- 
moved the  head-quarters  of  the  army  to  Maul- 
main, a  new  town  on  the  Salwen  river,  about 
twenty-five  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  was  at 
first  arranged  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boardman 
should  settle  at  Maulmain  and  that  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Wade  should  remain  at  Amhei-st,  while 
Mr.  Judson  should  divide  his  labors  between 
the  two  settlements.  But  Amhei-st  declined 
as  Maulmain  grew,  and  before  the  beginning 
of  1828  the  entire  mission  was  removed  to  the 
new  seat  of  government.  This  arrangement, 
however,  was  not  designed  to  be  permanent, 
and  in  April,  1828,  Mr.  Boardman,  with  his 
family,  settled  at  Tavoy,  a  place^  which  had 
been  fixed  on  as  a  station  of  the  mission,  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  south  of  Maulmain. 
It  was  one  of  the  principal  strongholds  of 
Budhism  in  British  Burmah,  and  was  celebrated 
for  the  magnificence  of  its  temples,  the  number 
of  its  priests,  and  the  splendor  of  its  idolatry. 
Here  Mr.  Boardman  immediately  opened  a 
zayat,  and  commenced  [the  work  of  teaching, 


BURMAH. 


20J 


preaching,  and  conversing  with  all  who  would 
visit  him. 

From  this  period  the  chief  stations  of  the 
mission  in  British  Burmah,  for  several  years 
were  at  Mauimain  and  Tavoy.  These  were  the 
permanent  homes  of  the  missionaries  and  the 
seats  of  their  principal  councils  and  labors. 
Around  these  cities,  in  the  neighboring  jungle, 
were  also  soon  established  numerous  ou1>sta- 
tions,  or  places  of  preaching  and  instruction, 
which  became  at  length  the  seats  of  Christian 
churches  and  congregations.  In  Burmah  Pro- 
per, a  little  church  was  still  maintained  at 
Rangoon,  under  the  charge  of  a  native  pastor, 
and  the  missionaries  from  Mauimain,  in  1830, 
resided  several  months  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try— Mr.  Wade  at  Rangoon,  and  Mr.  Judson  at 
Prome,  a  large  town  on  the  Irrawaddy,  about 
midway  between  Rangoon  and  Ava.  The  main 
operations  of  the  mission,  however,  were  of 
necessity  still  confined  to  those  portions  of 
Burmah  which  were  under  the  government  of 
Great  Britain.  It  was  during  Mr.  Judson's 
residence  in  Burmah  Proper,  and  especially  at 
Rangoon,  that  he  was  able  to  hasten  forward 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  which  he  had 
previously  commenced.  He  also  took  advan- 
tage of  the  great  assemblages  of  merchants  and 
others,  who  came  from  all  parts  of  the  empire 
to  Rangoon,  at  the  great  festivals  of  their  re- 
ligion, to  scatter  as  widely  as  possible  the 
tracts  and  books  which  he  had  printed,  as  well 
as  to  preach  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel. 
During  one  of  these  festivals,  which  was  cele- 
brated with  unusual  pomp,  he  was  frequently 
visited  by  persons  from  a  great  distance  in  the 
interior,  who  came  to  him  with  the  inquiries  : 
"  Are  you  Jesus  Christ's  man  ?  Give  us  a 
writing  that  tells  about  Jesus  Christ."  Others 
would  say  to  him,  "  Sir,  we  hear  there  is  an 
eternal  hell.  Pray  give  us  a  writing  that  will 
tell  us  how  to  escape  it;"  and  others  still  would 
say,  "  We  have  seen  a  writing  that  tells  about 
an  eternal  God.  Are  you  the  man  that  gives 
away  such  writings,  for  we  want  to  know  the 
truth."  He  estimated  the  number  who  visited 
the  mission-house  on  this  occasion  alone,  with 
inquiries  like  these,  at  not  less  than  six  thou- 
sand. These  inquiries  were  gratifying  fruits 
of  the  labors  of  the  mission,  which  had  now 
been  in  progress  many  years,  and  evidently 
spread  their  influence  to  the  remotest  portions 
of  the  Burman  territories.  . 

In  the  summer  of  1831,  Mr.  Judson  returned 
to  Mauimain,  where  he  found  that  part  of  the 
mission  greatly  advanced  during  the  thirteen 
months  of  his  absence.  It  had  iDcen  strength- 
ened by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Mason, 
Kincaid,  and  Jones,  with  their  wives.  The 
church  had  been  enlarged  by  numerous  bap- 
tisms, and  the  missionaries  had  extended  their 
labors  to  distant  villages  in  the  jungle,  at  seve- 
ral of  which  converts  had  been  baptized.  In 
the  annual  report  of  the  mission  for  the  year 
1831,  it  is  stated  that  the  number  who  had 


been  baptized  during  the  year  was  in  all  two 
hundred  and  seventeen.  Of  these  eighty-nine 
were  Europeans,  the  rest  being  natives  of  the 
country.  During  the  eighteen  years  which  had 
elapsed  since  Mr.  Judson  first  landed  at  Ran- 
goon, the  growth  of  the  mission  had  been  slow 
but  constant  and  healthy.  Besides  its  original 
seat  it  now  had  stations  at  Mauimain,  Tavoy, 
and  Mergui,  three  of  the  principal  cities  on 
that  part  of  the  coast  which  had  been  ceded 
to  the  English.  The  missionaries  were  now 
fourteen  in  number — seven  males  and  seven 
females,  and  the  number  who  had  been  baptized 
and  admitted  to  the  churches  was  three  hun- 
dred and  ninety-three  of  whom  two  hundred  and 
eighty  were  natives,  the  others  being  chiefly 
soldiers  of  British  regiments  stationed  in  the 
country.  The  press  had  printed  not  less  than 
two  hundred  thousand  tracts  and  books,  among 
which  were  the  New  Testament  and  several 
books  of  the  Old  Testament.  Schools  were 
also  established  and  in  successful  operation  at 
all  the  stations  in  British  Burmah,  and  the 
mission,  in  all  its  departments,  was  just  enter- 
ing on  that  career  of  eminent  usefulness  and 
success,  which  it  has  since  pursued. 

For  many  years  after  the  commencement  of 
the  mission  in  Burmah,  the  missionaries  direct- 
ed their  entire  efforts  to  the  conversion  of  the 
Burman  race,  without  having  much  intercourse, 
or  becoming  much  acquainted  with  the  other 
races  that  inhabit  the  country.  When,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Boardman  went  to  reside  in  Tavoy, 
there  was  living  in  his  family  a  man  of  middle 
age,  who  had  been  a  slave,  but  whose  freedom 
had  been  purchased  by  the  missionaries.  His 
name  was  Ko-Thah-byu,  one  of  the  race  of 
Karens,  or  Karians,  who  are  found  in  great 
numbers  in  all  parts  of  Burmah  and  the  neigh- 
boring kingdom  of  Siam.  He  had  already 
been  converted  to  the  Christian  faith  while  at 
Mauimain,  and  was  baptized  soon  after  his  re- 
moval to  Tavoy.  This  man's  conversion,  and 
his  subsequent  character,  were  the  means  of 
attracting  the  particular  attention  of  the  mis- 
sionaries to  the  singular  race  to  which  he 
belonged,  and  of  establishing  among  them  a 
mission,  whose  growth  and  success  have  scarce- 
ly been  equaled  by  any  other  of  modern 
times. 

This  interesting  people  are  widely  scattered 
over  the  Burman  empire,  but  are  entirely  dis- 
tinct from  the  Burmans,  by  whom  they  are 
regarded  as  inferiors  and  slaves.  They  have 
adopted  many  of  the  customs  and  modes  of 
life  of  the  Burmans  ;  they  are  generally  indus- 
trious, and,  with  the  exception  of  intemperance, 
are  but  little  addicted  to  the  vices  of  barbarian 
tribes.  Their  condition  is  a  degraded  one, 
being  everywhere  oppressed  by  their  Burman 
masters,  and  compelled  to  perform  every  kind 
of  servile  labor.  Hence  they  lead  a  wander- 
ing life,  and  dwell  in  temporary  villages  plant- 
ed in  remote  places,  in  order  to  escape  the 
exactions  of  their  oppressors.    With  few  ex- 


202 


BURMAH. 


ccptions  thoy  reject  Bndhism,  and  present  the 
extraordinary  phenomenon  of  a  people  without 
any  form  of  religion  or  established  priesthood, 
but  believing  in  the  existence  of  God  and  in  a 
state  of  future  retribution,  and  cherishing  a  set 
of  religious  traditions  resembling  the  truths  of 
revelation,  which  they  transmit  from  age  to 
age  in  the  poetic  legends  of  their  race.  Blend- 
ing with  these  traditions  are  some  singular 
prophecies  asserting  their  future  elevation  as  a 
race,  and  that  white  strangers  from  across  the 
sea  would  come  to  bring  them  "  the  word  of 
God."  It  was  on  this  account  that  when  the 
missionaries  first  became  acquainted  with  them, 
they  evinced  unusual  interest  in  the  truths  of 
the  Gospel,  and  regarded  them  as  the  fulfilment 
of  the  predictions  which  had  been  delivered  to 
them  by  the  "  Elders"  of  a  former  age.  These 
traditions  of  their  race,  acting  on  a  people  long 
crushed  by  oppression,  but  possessed  of  unusual 
moral  sensibility,  unquestionably  gave  the  mis- 
sionaries great  advantages  in  their  early  labors 
among  the  Karens. 

Mr.  Boardman,  on  his  removal  to  Tavoy,  im- 
mediately found  himself  in  intimate  relations 
with  these  people,  many  of  whom  were  first 
brought  to  him  b^  the  converted  slave,  Ko- 
Thah-byu.  The  tidings  of  the  arrival  of  a 
"  White  Teacher"  soon  spread  beyond  the  city 
into  the  distant  jungle,  and  brought  the  Karens 
in  great  numbers  to  the  house  of  the  missionary 
to  listen  to  his  instructions.  As  an  illustra- 
tion of  their  moral  sensibility,  the  story  of  the 
deified  book  is  often  mentioned.  It  had  been 
left  in  one  of  their  villages  some  twelve  years 
before  by  a  traveling  Mussulman,  who  was 
understood  to  have  told  the  people  it  was  to 
be  worshiped  as  sacred.  Though  entirely 
ignorant  of  its  contents,  the  person  with  whom 
it  was  left  carefully  preserved  it,  and  in  virtue 
of  possessing  it  became  a  kind  of  sorcerer,  of 
great  importance  among  the  people.  It  was 
brought  one  day  to  Mr.  Boardman,  and  on 
being  unrolled  from  the  coverings  in  which  it 
was  enveloped,  it  proved  to  be  the  "  Book  of 
Common  Prayer  and  the  Psalms,"  printed  at 
Oxford.  From  this  period  Mr.  Boardman 
devoted  the  remnant  of  his  too  brief  life  almost 
exclusively  to  labors  among  the  Karens.  Early 
in  1829,  he  made  an  excursion  to  the  jungle 
Mid  mountains  where  their  villages  were  most 
numerous,  and  saw  much  of  their  condition  and 
modes  of  life  in  their  native  wilds.  He  also 
conferred  with  the  British  Commissioner  for 
the  district,  and  formed  liberal  plans  for 
schools,  and  other  agencies  of  civilization, 
while  he  gave  a  large  part  of  every  day  to 
preaching  and  conversation  among  the  people. 
In  the  summer  of  1 830,  however,  his  strength 
had  become  exceedingly  reduced  by  repeated 
attacks  of  hemorrhage  of  the  lungs,  and  he 
sailed  for  Maulmain.  Here  he  regained  a 
temporary  strength,  and  after  a  few  months 
returned  to  Tavoy,  where  he  found  many  con- 
verts waiting  to  be  baptized,  and  still  many 


more  daily  visiting  the  zavat  for  religious 
inquiry  and  instruction.  A  large  number 
were  baptized  by  Moung-Ing.one  of  the  native 
Burman  preachers,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
Boardman.  Just  at  this  time  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mason  arrived  at  Tavoy  as  auxiliaries  to  the 
mission,  and  in  their  company  and  that  of  Mi-s. 
Boardman,  this  excellent  missionary  made  an 
excursion  into  the  country  for  the  purpose  of 
meeting  and  baptizing  a  large  number  of  con- 
verts, who  had  often  visited  him  in  the  city. 
The  journey  of  three  days  was  accomplished, 
and  the  baptism  of  thirty-four  persons  was  per- 
formed in  his  presence  by  Rev.  Mr.  Mason. 
But  ere  he  could  reach  his  home  in  Tavoy  he 
sunk  beneath  the  exhausting  malady  which  had 
long  pressed  upon  his  constitution.  His  tomb 
is  at  Tavoy,  and  the  marble  slab  which  covers 
it  is  inscribed  with  a  simple  epitaph,  which 
records  his  heroic  services  for  the  Karens  of 
the  neighboring  forests  and  mountains.* 

The  labors  thus  nobly  begun  by  Mr.  Board- 
man  were  continued  by  Mr.  Mason,  his  suc- 
cessor in  the  mission  at  Tavoy,  which  has  been 
ever  since  that  period  almost  entirely  devoted 
to  the  benefit  of  the  Karens.  They  have,  both 
here  and  in  other  parts  of  Burmah,  received 
the  Gospel  with  far  greater  readiness  than  the 
Burmaus  themselves.  The  mission,  from  its 
very  beginning,  was  marked  by  unusual  pros- 
perity and  success.  So  rapid  was  the  spread 
of  Christian  truth,  and  the  ennobling  influence 
which  it  exerts,  that  when,  in  1832,  Mr.  Mason 
visited  the  Karen  villages,  to  the  south  of 
Tavoy,  which  had  been  under  the  superin- 
tendence established  by  Mr.  Boardman,  he  was 
surprised  at  their  condition  of  neatness  and 
order,  their  regular  industry,  and  their  well- 
ordered  worship.  In  a  letter  written  on  the 
spot,  he  gives  utterance  to  his  feelings  in  these 
strong  expressions  :  "  I  no  longer  date  from  a 
heathen  land.  Heathenism  has  fled  these 
banks.  I  eat  the  rice  and  fruits  cultivated  by 
Christian  hands,  look  on  the  fields  of  Chris- 
tians, see  no  dwellings  but  those  of  Christian 
families.  I  am  seated  in  the  midst  of  a  Chris- 
tian village,  surrounded  by  a  people  that  love 
as  Christians,  converse  as  Christians,  act  like 
Christians,  and,  in  my  eyes,  look  like  Chris- 
tians." 

The  Karens,  though  they  are  usually,  in 
some  imperfect  degree,  acquainted  with  the 
Burman  language,  yet  have  a  language  of  their 
own,  which,  however,  at  this  time,  had  not  been 
reduced  to  writing.  This  deficiency  not  only 
presented  an  obstacle  to  the  labors  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, but  it  also  opposed  an  effectual 
barrier  to  the  progress  of  the  people  in  re- 
ligious knowledge.  Accordingly,  in  1832,  Mr. 
Wade,  who  had  been  longest  acquainted  with 
their  spoken  tongue,  with  such  aid  as  he  could 
derive  from  the  Christian  Karens,  made  an 
alphabet  of  its  elemental  sounds,  compiled  a 


»  Life  of  Mr.  Boardman,  by  Kev.  Alonzo  King. 


I 


BURMAH. 


203 


Bpelliug-book  of  its  most  common  words,  and 
translated  two  or  three  of  tlje  tracts  already 
printed  in  Burman.  This  was  the  beginniug- 
of  a  most  useful  and  important  work.  It  has 
since  been  carried  onward  to  its  completion 
and  perfection  ;  and  the  Karens  now  rejoice  in 
a  Avritten  language  taught  in  their  schools,  and 
containing  already  the  rudiments  of  a  Chris- 
tian literature. 

The  interval  which  elapsed  between  the 
years  1832  and  1835  was  marked  by  the  arri- 
val of  large  reinforcements  of  missionaries, 
and  also  by  the  adoption  of  arrangements  for 
the  more  systematic  prosecution  of  their  diver- 
sified labors.  At  the  beginning  of  this  period 
the  number  of  missionaries,  both  male  and 
female,  at  all  the  stations  in  Burmah,  was  four- 
teen. On  the  first  of  January,  1833,  were 
added  Kev.  Thomas  Simons,  Mr.  Hancock,  a 
printer,  and  his  wife,  and  Miss  Cummings, 
a  teacher ;  and  in  the  following  June,  Eev. 
Messrs.  Brown  and  Webb,  with  their  wives, 
and  Miss  Harrington,  afterwards  Mrs.  Simons, 
the  latter  company  repairing  almost  immedi- 
ately to  Rangoon.  In  connection  with  the 
former  of  these  missionary  companies  were 
also  received  two  additional  printing-presses, 
a  large  font  of  types,  and  the  materials  for  a 
type  foundry,  by  means  of  which  tracts  and 
portions  of  the  Scriptures  were  soon  printed 
at  Maulmain  in  the  Burman,  the  Karen,  and 
the  Taling  or  Peguan  languages.  These  mis- 
sionary companies  were  followed  by  a  third 
company,  who  landed  at  Amherst  on  the  6th 
of  December,  1834,  consisting  of  Rev.  Messrs. 
Howard,  Yinton,  Dean,  and  Comstock,  and 
Mr.  Osgood,  a  printer,  with  their  wives,  and 
Miss  Gardner,  who  was  to  be  employed  as  a 
teacher.  Mr.  Dean  was  destined  for  a  new 
mission  just  at  that  time  established  in  the 
kingdom  of  Siam.  Thus  within  the  space  of 
two  years  there  arrived  in  Burmah  reinforce- 
ments numbering  in  all  not  less  than  eighteen 
missionaries,  both  male  and  female,  with  othel*- 
important  accessions  to  the  apparatus  of  the 
mission.  During  the  period  in  question,  also, 
Mr.  Judson  brought  to  its  completion  his 
translation  of  the  Bible  into  the  Burman 
tongue.  It  had  been  his  daily  task  amid  the 
vicissitudes  of  many  years.  It  had  been  his 
solace  in  grief,  his  companion  in  solitude,  his 
support  in  weariness  and  depression.  It  was 
completed  on  the  31st  of  January,  1834,  and 
on  its  completion  the  heroic  and  faithful  mis- 
sionary "  retires  alone,  and  with  the  last  leaf 
of  his  imperishable  work  in  his  hand,  he  prays 
for  the  forgiveness  of  Heaven  on  all  the  sins 
that  have  mingled  with  his  labors,  and  de- 
voutly commends  it  to  the  mercy  and  the 
grace  of  God,  to  be  used  as  an  instrument  in 
converting  the  heathen  to  Himself."  Mr.  Kin- 
caid,  who  was  attached  to  the  department  of 
the  mission  in  Burmali  Proper,  in  April,  1833, 
ascended  the  Irrawaddy  from  Rangoon,  and, 
after  landing  at  a  multitude  of  villages  on  the 


banks  of  the  river,  reached  Ava,  the  Burman 
capital,  on  the  30th  of  May,  where  he  main- 
tained ft  branch  of  the  mission  for  a  period  of 
more  than  four  years.  Early  in  1836  he  was 
joined  by  Mr.  Cutter,  the  printer,  from  Ran- 
goon, who  also  brought  one  of  the  printing- 
presses  ;  but  the  mission  was  jealously  watched 
by  the  Budhist  priests  and  the  officers  of  gov- 
ernment, and  though  Mr.  Kincaid  had  an  op- 
portunity of  studying  Burman  character  in 
favorable  circumstances,  and  also  of  exploring" 
the  country  beyond  Ava,  he  was  able  to  ac- 
complish but  few  results  that  have  contributed 
to  the  advancement  of  the  mission  in  that 
portion  of  the  empire.  He,  however,  lingered 
at  Ava,  with  several  of  his  associates  of  the 
mission,  until  the  summer  of  1837,  when,  in 
consequence  of  a  civil  war  and  the  accession 
of  a  new  king,  who  threatened  again  to  com- 
mence hostilities  with  the  English,  they  aban- 
doned the  station,  and  soon  afterwards,  with 
the  missionaries  at  Rangoon,  repaired  to  Maul- 
main or  to  other  portions  of  British  Burmah. 
They  left  at  Ava  a  church  of  twenty-seven 
members,  which  had  been  gathered  by  their 
labors. 

One  of  the  most  important  undertakings 
belonging  to  this  period  of  the  mission  was 
tlfe  attempt  fb  unite  the  Christian  Karens, 
who  were  scattered  over  the  jungle,  in  compact 
villages,  where  they  might  pursue  the  avoca- 
tions of  regular  industry,  and  be  united  in 
Christian  churches,  supplied  with  ministers  and 
the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel.  In  this  manner 
a  number  of  Christian  villages  were  formed 
under  the  auspices  of  the  missionaries,  and 
adopted  as  out-stations  of  the  mission.  The 
principal  of  these  villages  were  within  a  dis- 
trict sixty  miles  around  Maulmain  and  Tavoy, 
and  among  them  were  Wadesville,  Newville, 
Chummerah,  Dong-Yahn,  and  Matah.  They 
were  composed  principally  of  Karens,  but 
their  formation  belongs  to  a  period  prior  to 
any  separate  organization  of  the  Karen  and 
Burman  missions.  As  a  step  in  the  civiliza- 
tion of  the  people,  and  their  progress  in  the 
social  virtues  which  Christianity  enjoins,  it 
was  exceedingly  important,  and,  it  is  believed, 
has  been  productive  of  many  beneficial  results. 

In  April,  1835,  the  American  Baptist  Tri- 
ennial Convention — the  name  which  the  mis- 
sionary organization  of  the  Baptists  of  the 
United  States  then  bore — held  its  eighth  tri- 
ennial session  at  Richmond,  Ya.  Twenty- 
three  years  had  now  elapsed  since,  in  poverty 
and  weakness,  in  misgiving  and  doubt,  this 
association  had  been  formed  for  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel  among  the  heathen.  The  number 
of  missionaries  who  were  now  in  the  field,  and 
the  results  which  they  had  been  enabled  to 
accomplish,  filled  its  members  with  new  energy 
and  hope.  Large  and  liberal  plans  were  de- 
vised, and  assurances  were  given  of  more  effec- 
tive aid  from  the  churches  in  all  parts  of  the 
country.     The  Board  of  the  Convention  de- 


204 


BURMAH. 


tcrminod  to  send  one  of  their  mniibor,  Rev. 
Howard  Malcom,  D.D.,  to  visit  the  stations 
and  advise  with  the  missionaries  rt^^octinjr 
the  best  mode  of  conduct  injj  their  labors.  'J'his 
service  was  performed  by  Dr.  Maleom,  who 
sailed  from  the  United  States  in  the  year  1835, 
and  returned  in  1838,  durin*?  which  period  he 
visitetl  the  missions  of  the  Board  in  Burmah 
and  other  countries  of  Asia.* 

The  early  periods  of  a  Christian  mission 
planted  in  a  heathen  land  are  necessarily 
periods  of  experiment.  This  was  particularly 
true  in  the  infancy  of  modern  Protestant 
missions.  They  were  undertaken  without  ex- 
perience, and  the  best  mode  of  conducting 
them  was  but  imperfectly  apprehended.  Even 
now,  after  the  lapse  of  more  than  forty  years, 
many  questions  are  still  unsettled  and  many 
principles  yet  remain  to  be  adequately  tested 
and  establi"shed.  This  remark  finds  frequent 
illustration  in  the  operations  of  the  Burman 
mission  at  the  period  of  which  we  now  write. 
In  this  outline,  however,  it  is  impossible  to  do 
more  than  refer  to  the  leading  features  of  the 
general  plan  in  accordance  with  which  those 
operations  were  conducted. 

The  general  organization  of  the  mission  for 
some  years  subsequent  to  1835.  was  but  an 
expansion  and  development  of  tnat  which  had 
been  established  on  the  settlement  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  British  Burmah.  The  three  great 
stations  of  the  mission  were  at  the  three  cap- 
ital cities  of  the  provinces  ceded  to  the  English, 
Maulmain,  Tavoy  and  Mergui.  Besides  these, 
a  station,  as  we  have  already  seen,  was  main- 
tained, not  without  several  interruptions,  at 
Rangoon,  in  the  kingdom  of  Burmah,  and  also 
for  short  intervals  at  Ava  and  at  Prome.  In 
the  districts  around  each  of  these  central  sta- 
tions, there  were  numerous  villages  designated 
as  out-stations,  at  which  Zayats  for  preaching 
were  maintained  and  in  some  of  which  schools 
were  established  and  churches  were  organized. 
At  some  of  these  villages  missionaries  and 
teachers  resided  during  as  much  of  the  year 
as  the  climate  would  allow,  while  to  others 
they  made  only  occasional  visits,  the  preaching 
being  performed  principally  by  the  ordained 
native  assistants,  who  had  now  become  quite 
numerous  both  among  Burmans  and  Karens. 
The  labors  of  the  missionaries  were  exceed- 
ingly varied,  and  amid  the  inequalities  of  an 
eastern  climate  and  the  imperfect  physical  com- 
forts with  which  they  were  obliged  to  be  con- 
tent, often  proved  exceedingly  injurious  to 
the  constitution.  At  the  principal  stations  of 
the  mission  they  were  (iigaged  in  frequent 
public  preaching,  in  daily  conversation  with 
all  who  would  come  to  inquire,  jn  the  study 
of  the  language,  in  the  writing  of  tracts  and 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  in  super- 
intending the  operations  of  the  several  presses, 
of  which  they  were  now  in  possession.     Dur- 


*  See  Malcom's  Travels  in  South-Eastern  Asia. 


ing  the  rainy  season  they  were  for  the  most 
part  restricted  {o  the  large  towns  and  fully 
occupied  in  the  employments  above  indicated. 
So  soon,  however,  as  the  raias  had  erased, 
they  went  forth  from  their  homes  to  visit  the 
villages  and  out-stations  that  were  scattered 
over  the  jungle  within  the  field  of  their  opera- 
tions. Traveling  in  litters  over  the  mountains 
or  embarking  in  boats  upon  the  rivers,  they 
made  their  way  once  or  twice  each  year  to  all 
the  out-stations  of  the  mission — preaching  and 
distributing  books  as  they  went,  instructing 
the  churches  and  their  pastors,  inspecting  the 
schools — baptizing  new  converts,  forming  new 
churches,  planting  new  stations  according  to 
the  wants  of  the  rural  population  whom  they 
met.  The  incidents  of  their  excursions  to  the 
jungle  are  often  recorded  in  the  journals  of 
the  missionaries,  and  they  furnish  the  best  illus- 
tration which  can  be  given  of  the  modes  of 
life  in  the  mission. 

The  schools  were  for  the  most  part  under  the 
direction  of  the  ladies  who  were  attached  to 
the  several  stations,  and  it  sometimes  happened 
that  a  solitary  female  teacher  would  spend  the 
entire  dry  season  at  one  of  these  distant  vil- 
lages, engaged  in  the  work  of  instructing  the 
rude  people  around  her.  This  was  especially 
true  of  the  villages  of  Dong-Yahn  and  Chum- 
merah,  the  former  thirty-five  and  the  latter 
some  sixty  miles  from  Maulmain.  At  these 
places  schools  were  maintained  for  several 
years  by  Miss  Macomber  at  one  and  Miss 
Cummings  at  the  other,  which  were  brought 
to  a  close  only  by  the  early  death  of  these  in- 
defatigable and  heroic  ladies.  Separate  schools 
were  usually  maintained  for  the  Burmans  and 
Karens,  and  in  some  places  for  other  races  of 
the  country,  and  those  in  Maulmain  and  Tavoy 
were  in  part  supported  by  allowances  from  the 
British  East  India  Company,  and  embraced  in- 
struction in  English  and  in  the  rudiments  of 
general  education  as  well  as  of  religious 
knowledge.  This  arrangement,  however,  was 
not  permanent,  as  it  proved  to  impair  the  con- 
trol which  it  was  necessary  that  the  mission- 
aries should  exercise  over  the  schools.  In  ad- 
dition to  these  a  higher  seminary  was  estab- 
lished at  Tavoy  in  1836,  for  instnicting  native 
converts  of  suitable  qualifications  in  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity,  in  order  to  prepare 
them  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  their  country- 
men. It  was  opened  in  May  of  that  year  with 
eighteen  pupils,  of  whom  twelve  were  Karens, 
— five  were  Burmans  and  Peguans,  and  one 
was  a  Hindoo.  It  was  at  first  placed  under 
the  charge  of  Mr.  Wade,  but  on  the  failure  of 
his  health,  at  the  close  of  1837,  the  school  at 
Tavoy  was  suspended  and  another  especially 
for  Burmans  was  immediately  opened  at 
Maulmain,  to  which  the  Burman  pupils  were 
removed.  This  was  placed  under  the  charge 
of  Rev.  Edward  A  Stevens,  who  has  ever  since 
devoted  himself  largely  to  this  department  of 
labor. 


BURMAH. 


205 


In  1835  a  branch  of  the  mission  was  com- 
menced by  Kev.  Mr.  Comstock  and  Mrs.  Coni- 
stock  at  Kyouk-Phyoo,  in  Arracan,  one  of  the 
provinces  which  had  been  ceded  to  the  English 
by  the  treaty  of  Yandaboo  in  1826,  containing 
a  population  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  souls  of  the  same  races  as  the  people 
of  Burmah.  This  part  of  the  mission  however, 
was  but  imperfectly  sustained  for  several  years, 
in  consequence  of  the  feeble  health  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Comstock,  and  the  early  death  of  Rev. 
Levi  Hall  and  Mrs.  Hall,  who  arrived  in  Arra- 
can in  1837,  but  died  before  their  labors  be- 
gan. After  a  year's  absence  Mr.  and.  Mrs. 
Comstock,  in  1839,.  returned  to  Arracan  bring- 
ing with  them  Rev.  Lyman  Stilsou  and  his 
wife,  but  they  now  settled  in  Ramree,  where 
they  hoped  to  find  a  climate  more  favorable  to 
health  than  that  of  Kyouk-Phyoo.  They  were 
accompanied  by  four  or  five  native  assistants, 
by  whose  aid  they  immediately  established 
schools  and  the  other  agencies  usually  employ- 
ed in  a  mission.  This  was  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  Arracan  when  Messrs.  Kincaid  and 
Abbott  arrived  in  the  province  in  1840,  on 
finding  themselves  obliged  to  abandon  their 
stations  in  Burmah  Proper.  Their  object  in 
going  to  Arracan  was  to  be  in  a  situation  as 
favorable  as  possible  for  keeping  up  a  commu- 
nication with  the  native  churches  and  pastors, 
and  the  numerous  inquirers  whom  they  had 
left  under  the  cruel  sway  of  the  Burman  king. 
For  this  purpose  Mr.  Kincaid  went  to  Akyab, 
where  he  established  a  mission  for  the  Arra- 
canese,  and  Mr.  Abbott  repaired  to  Sandoway, 
near  the  Burman  frontier,  in  order  to  be  as 
near  as  possible  to  the  Karens  in  the  districts 
of  Bassein  and  Rangoon.  He  soon  contrived 
to  send  information  of  his  residence,  to  the 
people  on  the  otlier  side  of  the  mountain  ridge 
which  separates  the  two  countries,  and  though 
the  passes  were  constantly  guarded  by  jealous 
Burman  officers,  the  eager  Karens  found  their 
way  in  great  numbers  across  the  mountains  to 
Mr.  Abbott,  some  asking  for  baptism,  others 
seeking  books  for  their  countrymen  at  home, 
and  others  still  desiring  to  remain  and  study 
with  the  missionary.  They  came  from  the 
districts  of  Maubee  and^  Pantanau,  and  even 
from  the  vicinity  of  Raj^goon,  telling  him  of 
the  progress  of  the  Gospel  among  their  coun- 
trymen. Through  a  wide  extent  of  country, 
village  after  village  received  the  Gospel,  and 
within  the  first  year  of  his  residence  at  San- 
doway Mr.  Abbott  baptized  nearly  two  hun- 
dred of  those  simple-hearted  and  interesting 
people.  He  made  occasional  visits  to  the  Bur- 
man frontier  and  entered  the  territory  of  the 
king,  always  finding  scores  of  converts  await- 
ing his  coming,  and  desiring  to  be  baptized. 
In  one  of  these  excursions  in  which  he  was 
absent  thirty-one  days,  he  visited  all  the  church- 
es along  the  frontier,  received  reports  from 
all  the  native  pastors  and  preachers,  and  ad- 
ministered the  ordinance  of  baptism  to  two 


hundred  and  seventy-nine  persons  who  professed 
their  faith  in  Christ.  During  the  year  1844 
the  number  of  persons  baptized  by  Mr.  Abbott 
and  his  native  assistants  through  the  regions 
here  referred  to  was  upwards  of  two  thousand, 
and  the  whole  number  thus  baptized  within 
five  years  after  his  arrival  at  Sandoway  was 
considerably  more  than  three  thousand,  a  num- 
ber larger  than  had  at  that  time  been  baptized 
in  all  the  other  missions  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist Board  taken  together.  But  these  num- 
bers but  imperfectly  indicate  the  extent  to 
which  the  Gospel  began  to  exert  its  influence 
on  the  Karens  of  that  district.  Multitudes 
more  were  instructed  in  its  doctrines,  and  be- 
came obedient  to  its  precepts,  though  they 
never  presented  themselves  to  the  missionary 
for  baptism.  An  entire  change  came  over  the 
population  of  the  district.  They  assumed  an 
aspect  of  higher  civilization.  They  became 
honest  and  industrious  ;  the  vices  common  to 
their  race  disappeared,  and  they  were  eager 
for  knowledge,  and  every  kind  of  personal  and 
social  improvement. 

In  1843  the  persecution  of  the  Christian 
Karens,  which  for  a  time  had  been  intermitted, 
was  renewed  with  increased  violence,  and  these 
poor  people  were  subjected  to  cruel  and  venge- 
ful sufferings  inflicted  on  them  by  their  Bur- 
man oppressors.  Large  numbers  of  them  were 
seized  and  chained  together,  and  marched  away 
in  companies  to  distant  prisons,  from  which 
they  were  liberated  only  by  the  payment  of  a 
ransom  which  exhausted  their  entire  wealth. 
They  bore  these  persecutions  with  heroic  Chris* 
tian  fortitude.  They  refused  to  abandon  the 
faith  which  they  had  embraced,  and  maintain- 
ed it  with  a  firmness  which  commanded  the 
respect  even  of  their  persecutors,  and  com- 
mended the  Gospel  still  more  widely  to  the 
people  around  them.  So  frequent  and  violent 
were  these  persecutions  that  the  Karens,  in 
large  companies,  abandoned  their  homes  and 
their  country  and  fled  across  the  mountains  to 
Arracan.  In  the  course  of  a  single  season  Mr. 
Abbott  received  upwards  of  two  hundred  fam- 
ilies at  Sandoway.  Many  others  went  to  other 
regions,  and  many  perished  by  the  way  from 
the  ravages  of  the  cholera  ;  but  the  emigration 
of  those  humble  martyrs  for  conscience  sake, 
still  went  on  till  the  districts  to  which  they 
belonged  were  well  nigh  depopulated.  They 
awakened  the  sympathy  not  only  of  the  mission- 
aries, but  also  of  the  resident  English,  who  made 
contributions  for  their  comfort  and  support.  The 
pages  of  missionary  history  do  not  record  a 
more  signal  display  of  divine  grace  than  was 
seen  among  these  simple  dwellers  among  the 
mountains  of  Arracan.  With  but  little  instruc- 
tion from  human  lips,  they  seem  to  have  been 
largely  taught  of  the  Ho^'  Ghost.  With  no 
outward  aids  or  encouragements,  they  clung  to 
their  faith  with  a  tenacity  that  nothing  could 
subdue,  and  in  the  day  of  frightful  persecution 
they  literally  gave  up  all  for  Christ. 


206 


BURMAH. 


Such  were  the  labors  of  Mr.  Abbott  at  San- 
doway,  during  this  interesting  period  of  Karen 
awakening  and  persecution.  He  was  to  them  not 
merely  their  religious  teaclicr,  but  protector  and 
friend.  lie  provided  for  the  necessities  qf  the 
emigrant  families,  found  them  places  of  settle- 
ment and  productive  occupation,  and  enlisted  in 
their  behalf  the  sympathies  and  active  charities 
of  the  humane  Euroijeaus  who  were  residing  in 
the  country.  These  varied  cares  and  labors, 
however,  combining  with  the  heaviest  of  do- 
mestic afflictions,  soon  made  serious  inroads  up- 
on his  strong  constitution,  and  in  1845  he  was 
compelled  to  seek  a  change  of  climate  by  a 
brief  return  to  the  United  States. 

Meanwhile  Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Stilson  re- 
mained for  two  or  three  years  at  Akyab,  where 
they  found  a  small  native  church,  which  had 
been  planted  many  years  before  by  some  Eng- 
lish missionaries.  Their  arrival  immediately 
gave  new  life  to  the  Christian  disciples,  and  in 
a  little  time  they  were  surrounded  by  a  large 
congregation,  among  whom  several  appeared  to 
be  sincere  inquirers  respecting  the  new  religion. 
This  indication  of  interest,  however,  soon  awak- 
ened the  jealousy  of  the  Budhist  priests  and 
other  persons  of  influence,  but  the  church  still 
increased  in  spite  of  the  opposition,  and  another 
was  now  planted  at  an  out-station  called  Cru- 
da,  five  days'  journey  from  Akyab.  In  the 
course  of  the  year  1841,  the  missionaries  were 
visited  by  several  persons  belonging  to  a  tribe 
dwelling  among  the  mountains,  and  known  as 
the  Kcmees.  They  were,  in  many  respects,  es- 
pecially in  their  docility  and  moral  sensibility, 
very  similar  to  the  Karens.  These  people 
soon  sent  to  Mr.  Kincaid  a  formal  invitation, 
signed  by  their  chief  and  several  of  his  sub- 
ordinates, urging  him  to  visit  them  in  their 
mountains,  and  promising  to  send  their  children 
to  school,  if  he  would  establish  one  in  their  vil- 
lage. The  invitation  was  soon  followed  by  a 
visit  from  the  chief  himself,  who  came  in  per- 
son, to  urge  his  request.  Both  the  missionaries 
soon  afterwards  visited  these  interesting  people 
and  in  several  subsequent  visits  and  frequent 
intercourse  with  them  at  Akyab,  Mr.  Stilson 
mastered  the  peculiarities  of  their  dialect,  and 
prepared  to  reduce  it  to  writing,  in  order  that 
a  branch  of  the  mission  might  soon  be  estab- 
lished among  them.  But  Mr.  Kincaid  was 
soon  obliged,  by  ill-health,  to  leave  the  pro- 
vince ;  and  the  absence  of  Mr.  Abbott  and 
the  lamented  death  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Comstock,  left  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stilson  the  soli- 
tary conductors  of  the  entire  mission  in  Arra- 
can.  The  plans  which  had  been  formed  for 
the  Kemees  were,  in  consequence,  of  necessity 
abandoned,  and  they  have  since  been  but  im- 
perfectly carried  into  execution. 

While  these  changes,  both  joyous  and  sad, 
were  in  progress  in  Arracan,  the  branches  of 
the  mission  established  in  the  other  provinces  of 
British  Burmah,  or  Tenasserim,  as  it  was  now 
called,  were  still  prosecuted  with  varying  suc- 


cess. Their  principal  stations,  as  has  be(>u 
mentioned,  were  at  Mauhnain,  Tavoy  and  Mor- 
gui,  the  two  former  of  which  had  become  so 
extensive  as  to  be  organi'/ed  into  separate  mis- 
sions, and  to  be  designated  as  such.  At  Maul- 
main  there  were  residing  in  1840,  Messrs.  Jud- 
son,  Howard,  Stevens,  Osgood  and  Simons,  in 
connection  with  the  Burman  department,  and 
Mr.  Vinton,  in  connection  with  the  Karen  de- 
partment of  the  mission.  At  Amherst,  also, 
was  a  secondary  station,  where  Mr.  Hiuswell 
waa  engaged  in  preaching  to  the  Talings  or 
Peguans,  and  In  translating  the  New  Testa- 
ment into  their  language.  The  ladies  of  the 
mission,  at  both  these  stations,  were  usually 
employed  in  the  schools,  some  for  Burmans 
and  others  for  Karens.  Around  Maulmain 
were  now  seven  other  tributary  stations,  all  for 
Karens,  which  were  generally  under  the  charge 
of  native  assistants,  but  were  visited  by  the 
missionaries  at  least  once  during  every  dry  sea- 
son. The  number  of  churches  thus  connected 
with  what  was  called  the  Maulmain  mission 
was  seven,  containing  in  all,  four  hundred  and 
fifty-four  members. 

The  mission  at  Tavoy,  though  embracing  a 
single  Burman  church,  was  devoted  almost  ex- 
clusively to  the  Karen  population  of  the  city 
and  district.  There  were  dwelling  there  in 
1840,  only  Messrs.  Wade  and  Mason,  with 
their  wives,  Messrs.  Bennett  and  Hancock 
being  at  the  time  absent  on  account  of  ill- 
health.  Around  Tavoy  were  eight  outrstations, 
all  having  churches,  now  numbering  four  hun- 
dred and  seventy-three  members.  Mergui  was 
a  tributary  station  of  this  mission,  and  was  the 
residence  of  Mr.  Ingalls,  a  preacher  in  Burman, 
and  Mr.  Brayton,  a  preacher  in  Karen.  In 
the  vicinity  of  Mergui,  and  under  the  care  of 
its  missionaries,  were  also  eight  out-stations, 
with  six  churches,  numbering  in  all,  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-one  members.  Under  ihe  di- 
rection of  the  missionaries  at  Maulmain  were 
thirty  native  assistants  and  seven  schools  of 
different  grades,  for  a  population  of  several  dif- 
ferent races,  while  at  Tavoy  there  were  sixteen 
schools,  nearly  all  for  Karens,  and  twenty  na- 
tive assistants.  The  schools  and  the  native  as- 
sistants, both  at  Tavoy  and  Maulmain,  however, 
were  supported  in  part  by  contributions  of  be- 
nevolent individuals  residing  in  those  cities. 

Mr.  Judson,  though  usually  preaching  on  the 
Sabbath  to  the  Burman  congregation  at  Maul- 
main, devoted  his  largest  labor  to  the  work  of 
revising  his  translation  of  the  Burman  Bible, 
a  work  which  he  prosecuted  with  the  utmost 
care,  and  which  he  found  to  cost  him  even  more 
time  and  labor  than  the  translation  itself.  It 
was  committed  to  press  in  October,  1840, 
twenty-seven  years  after  his  first  attempt  at 
learning  the  language.  It  has  been  often  ex- 
amined by  critics  and  philologists  acquainted 
with  the  Burman  tongue,  and*  has  been,  we  be- 
lieve, invariably  pronounced  to  be  an  excellent 
translation.     It  w'ill  for  ever  remain  in  the  lit- 


BURMAH. 


207 


erature  of  tlie  country,  the  noblest  memorial 
of  the  illustrioiis  missionary  who  first  intro- 
duced the  Gospel  to  the  Burman  people.  Soon 
after  its  completion  Mr.  Judson  began  the  pre- 
paration of  a  Dictionary  in  English  and  Bur- 
mese, a  work  to  which  he  had  been  repeatedly 
urged  by  missionaries,  and  which  he  now  un- 
dertook at  the  special  request  of  the  Board,  as 
an  important  and  much  needed  aid  in  prosecut- 
ing the  mission.  The  Burman  Theological 
School  at  Maulmain,  was  continued  by  Mr. 
Stevens  till  1841,  when,  in  consequence  of  the 
small  number  of  pupils,  it  was  suspended  till 
1844,  and  then  reopened,  though  with  only 
eight  members.  The  Burman  race,  though 
that  to  which  the  missionaries  were  originally 
sent,  at  this  time  had  received  the  Gospel  with 
far  less  readiness  than  the  Karens,  whom  they 
everywhere  despised  and  oppressed.  Superior 
in  intelligence  and  in  social  position,  they  yet 
clung  to  their  ancient  superstitions,  and  turned 
away  from  the  revelation  of  God  which  had 
been  given  to  them.  The  Karens,  on  the  con- 
trary, though  furnished  with  more  limited 
means  of  instruction,  presented  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  instances  on  record,  of  a  peo- 
ple readily  accepting  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  Its 
influence  was  now  perceptible  wherever  their 
villages  were  scattered  throughout  the  pro- 
vinces of  Tenasserim,  in  the  elevation  of  indi- 
vidual and  social  eharacter  and  the  growth  of 
all  the  kindly  charities  and  domestic  virtues  of 
civilized  life.  The  entire  New  Testament  was 
not  translated  into  their  language  till  1843, 
but  long  before  that  time,  the  churches  and 
schools  which  had  sprung  up  among  them 
were  so  numerous  as  to  far  transcend  the  ability 
of  the  missionaries  to  give  them  adequate  su- 
pervision and  instruction.  ^  The  officers  of  the 
East  India  Company,  in  these  provinces,  co- 
operated with  the  missionaries  in  promoting 
their  improvement,  and  protecting  them  from 
Burman  oppression,  and  though  of  necessity 
left,  in  a  great  degree,  to  the  care  of  native 
assistants,  who  Avere  but  imperfectly  instructed 
themselves,  they  yet  exhibited  a  striking  illus- 
tration of  the  power  of  Christian  truth  over 
the  characters  and  manners  of  a  rude  and  bar- 
barous people.  In  order  to  supply  these  ob- 
vious deficiencies  in  the  Karen  department  of 
the  mission,  it  was  decided  by  the  Board  of 
managers,  to  establish,  without  delay,  a  school 
for  the  instruction  of  Karen  preachers,  and 
Rev.  J.  G.  Binney,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  was  appointed  to 
assume  the  charge  of  it.  He  sailed  from  Bos- 
ton, in  November,  1843,  in  company  with  Rev. 
E.  B.  Bullard,  and  Mr.  T.  S.  Ranney,  a  prin- 
ter, with  their  wives,  and  Miss  Julia  Lathrop, 
all  appointed  to  the  mission  at  Tavoy,  with  the 
exception  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Binney,  who  were 
to  be  stationed  at  Maulmain.  They  were  fol- 
lowed in  the  succeeding  year  by  Rev.  E.  B. 
Cross  and  his  wife,  and  also  a  teacher  for  the 
Karens. 


The  missionaries  at  Mergui,  at  this  period, 
became  acquainted  with  a  singular  people  in- 
habiting the  islands  on  the  coast  and  known 
by  the  general  name  of  Salongs.  They  evinced 
much  interest  in  the  teachings  that  were  im- 
parted to  them,  and  a  large  number  of  them 
professed  their  faith  in  Christ  and  were  bap- 
tized. Their  language  was  reduced  to  writing 
by  Mr.^  Stevens,  and  schools  were  established 
for  their  instruction,  for  the  support  of  which 
a  thousand  rupees  were  contributed  by  Major 
Broadfoot,  the  liberal-minded  and  generous 
Commissioner  for  the  district  of  Mergui. 

In  April,  1834,  Dr.  Judson  had  married 
Mrs.  Sarah  II.  Boardman,  who  since  the  death 
of  Mr.  Boardman,  had  been  connected  with 
the  mission  at  Tavoy,  as  one  of  the  most  effi- 
cient and  devoted  of  its  members.  From  the 
date  of  her  marriage  to  Dr.  Judson  she  had  been 
residing  at  Maulmain,  and  had  shared  in  all 
the  vicissitudes  of  labor  and  patience  through 
which  her  husband  had  been  called  to  pass.  But 
her  health  had  now  become  seriously  and  it  was 
apprehended  fatally  impaired,  and  her  physi- 
cians prescribed  a  voyage  beyond  the  tropics 
as  the  only  means  of  prolonging  her  valuable 
life.  Accordingly,  in  April,  1845,  Dr.  Judson 
and  Mrs.  Judson  embarked  at  Maulmain  on  a 
voyage  to  the  United  States.  He  took  with  him 
his  two  Burman  interpreters,  thinking  thus  to 
hasten  forward  the  preparation  of  the  Burman 
and  English  Dictionary  to  which  he  was  then 
devoting  his  constant  labors.  On  his  arrival 
at  the  Isle  of  France,  however,  he  sent  back 
the  interpreters,  hoping  from  the  apparent  im- 
provement of  Mrs.  Judson's  health,  that  he 
might  soon  return  himself.  But  in  this  he  was 
doomed  to  be  disappointed.  The  health  of 
Mrs.  Judson  soon  began  again  to  decline,  and 
she  died  on  her  arrival  at  St.  Helena,  Sept.  1, 
1845.  The  now  solitary  missionary,  with  his 
three  eldest  children,  who  had  accompanied 
their  parents,  proceeded  on  his  voyage  and  ar- 
rived at  Boston  on  the  15th  of  the  following 
October.  He  remained  in  the  United  States 
till  the  following  July,  a  period  of  nearly  nine 
mouths,  when  he  took  his  final  leave  of  his  na- 
tive land,  and  returned  to  his  station  in  the 
mission. 

The  circumstances  and  results  of  this  visit 
of  Dr.  Judson  to  the  land  of  his  birth  were 
marked  with  unusual  interest,  and  are  worthy 
of  a  brief  mention  in  this  narrative.  He  had 
been  absent  thirty-three  years,  during  which  he 
had  been  living  in  the  midst  of  oriental  hea- 
thenism, associating  with  races  of  inferior 
civilization  and  speaking  languages  of  strange 
and  uncouth  structure.  From  the  honored 
Board  of  Commissioners  under  whose  auspi- 
ces he  had  first  become  a  missionary,  he  had 
withdrawn,  and  for  many  years  had  been  acting 
under  the  direction  and  depending  upon  the 
support  of  those  whom  he  had  never  seen. 
The  country  too,  which  he  had  left  thirty-three 
years  before,  had  entirely  changed  in  nearly 


208 


BURMAH. 


every  phase  of  its  social  and  religious  life. 
Art  and  commerce  and  Christianity  bad  mul- 
tiplied their  wondrous  triumphs  on  every 
hand.  The  missionary  was  bewildered  at  the 
amazing  contrast,  between  all  that  he  had  left 
and  all  that  he  had  now  gazed  upon.  The 
homes  of  his  boyhood — the  places  of  his  edu- 
cation— the  large  cities  and  the  humble  vil- 
lages were  alike  changed,  till  the  land  seemed 
no  longer  to  bo  the  land  of  his  nativity.  He 
was  everywhere  received  with  an  honor  and 
respect  for  which  nothing  could  have  prepared 
him.  He  was  publicly  welcomed  at  Boston  by 
the  oflScers  of  the  Board,  and  in  every  city 
which  he  visited  throughout  the  land  he  was 
received  with  an  interest  and  attention  such  as 
are  seldom  accorded  to  any  private  individual. 
Members  of  every  Christian  denomination  and 
citizens  of  every  rank  were  eager  to  do  honor 
to  a  man  who  had  proved  himself,  by  a  lifelong 
service,  to  be  a  benefactor  of  mankind.  In 
November,  1845,  a  month  after  his  arrival,  he 
was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union,  and  for  the  first  time 
became  acquainted  with  the  brethren  and 
friends  under  whose  guidance  and  support  the 
noble  labors  of  his  missionary  life  had  been 
performed.  His  presence  everywhere  awakened 
the  liveliest  interest  and  enthusiasm.  The 
history  of  American  missions  seemed  to  be 
embodied  in  him,  and  the  cause  in  which  he 
had  so  long  toiled  and  suffered  touched  new 
sensibilities  in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  Dur- 
ing his  visit  in  the  United  States,  he  married 
Miss  Emily  Chubbuck,  of  Hamilton,  New 
York,  with  whom  he  embarked  for  Maulmaiu 
on  the  11th  July,  1846.  The  same  ship  also 
bore  to  the  missions  Eev.  Messrs.  Harris  and 
Beecher  and  their  wives,  and  Miss  Lydia 
Lillybridge ;  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris  being 
appointed  to  the  Karen  department  of  the 
mission  at  Maulmain,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Beecher  to  Arracan,  while  Miss  Lillybridge 
was  to  remain  with  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  in 
the  Burman  department  of  the  mission.  They 
reached  the  port  of  their  destination  in  the 
following  December,  and  soon  afterwards  en- 
tered their  several  spheres  of  labor. 

During  the  absence  of  Dr.  Judson,  Mrs. 
Mason  and  Mrs.  Ingalls  had  been  removed  by 
death,  Mr.  Simons  had  returned  to  the  United 
States  and .  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Osgood  had  with- 
drawn from  the  mission  in  consequence  of  ill 
health.  The  brutal  and  tjTannical  Burman 
king  Thara-wadi,  who  usurped  the  throne  in 
1837,  had  been  overthrown,  and  a  regency  had 
been  formed  which  it  was  hoped  would  prove 
less  unfriendly  to  the  labors  of  the  mission- 
aries. In  this  new  state  of  affairs.  Dr.  Judson, 
a  few  weeks  after  his  arrival,  repaired  to  Kan- 
goon  in  order  to  ascertain  the  disposition  of 
the  new  government  with  respect  to  the  mis- 
sion. He  continued  to  reside  there  for  several 
mouths,  but  received  neither  encouragment 
nor  prohibition  from  either  the  local  or  the 


imperial  government.  Few  ventured  to  visit 
him  for  religious  instruction,  and  though  he 
was  gradually  gathering  the  scattered  mem- 
bera  of  the  Rangoon  church,  he  at  l(;ngth 
learned  that  an  order  had  been  issued  to 
watch  the  missionary's  house,  and  apprehend 
any  who  might  visit  him  to  inquire  about  the 
new  religion.*  Dr.  Judson  at  first  thought 
of  proceeding  to  Ava,  again  to  solicit  tolera- 
tion from  the  imperial  government,  but  in  the 
limited  resources  of  the  treasury  of  the  mis- 
sion, he  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  attempt 
and  soon  afterwards  returned  to  Maulmain, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  and  to  work 
upon  his  Dictionary  with  but  little  interruption 
to  the  end  of  his  life. 

In  August,  1847,  Mr.  Abbott  left  the  United 
States  on  his  return  to  Arracan.  He  went  by 
the  way  of  England,  and  hastening  by  the 
overland  route  to  Calcutta,  reached  Sandoway 
early  in  December.  By  journeying  thus  rap- 
idly he  was  able  to  fulfil  an  engagement  which 
he  had  made  with  his  native  assistants,  that 
if  his  life  should  be  spared  he  would  meet  them 
in  January,  1848,  at  Ong-kyoung,  where  he 
had  given  them  his  parting  instructions  three 
years  before.  He  immediately  announced  his 
arrival  among  the  scattered  villages  of  the  Ka- 
rens, both  in  Arracan  and  across  the  mountains 
in  Burmah  Proper.  The  assistants  came  to- 
gether at  Ong-kyoung  according  to  their  ap- 
pointment, early  m  January,  and  reported  the 
condition  of  their  several  flocks  and  the  labors 
in  which  they  had  been  engaged ;  and  most 
encouraging  was  the  report  which  they  made. 
Of  the  two  ordained  ministers,  Tway-poh,  who 
was  at  the  head  of  the  churches  in  Arracan, 
had  baptized  six  hundred  converts  ;  and  Myat- 
Kyan,  who,  though  living  in  Arracan,  had 
preached  principally  among  the  Karens  of 
Burmah,  had  baptized  five  hundred  and  fifty. 
The  period  of  the  missionary's  absence  had 
been  one  of  remarkable  progress  in  the  inter- 
ests of  the  mission.  Mr.  Abbott  had  left 
twenty  native  assistants,  who  were  preachers 
but  not  ordained  to  the  ministry.  Of  them 
two  had  died,  and  one  had  been  suspended  by 
his  associates,  while  sixteen  others  had  been 
added  to  the  number,  and  the  thirty-three  na- 
tive preachers  now  reported  not  less  than 
twelve  hundred  converts  in  their  several  dis- 
tricts, who  were  waiting  to  be  baptized  and 
received  into  the  churches. 

In  the  autumn  of  1847,  Rev.  VV.  Moore  and 
his  wife,  and  in  the  foljowing  summer.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Yan  Meter,  C.  C.  Moore,  and  Judson 
Benjamin,  and  their  wives,  w^re  appointed 
missionaries,  to  Burmah,  and  sailed  for  the 
scene  of  their  future  labors ;  one  of  them  being 
designated  to  the  Burmese  department  of  the 
mission  at  Arracan,  and  the  other  three  to 


*  For  a  full  account  of  the  effect  of  this  order,  see  Pre- 
sident Wayland's  Memoir  of  Dr.  Judson,  Vol.  H.  Cliap. 
vii.  The  same  work  is  also  filled  with  interesting  passages 
relating  to  the  progress  of  the  Burman  missions. 


BURMAH. 


209 


tliG  Karen  missions  at  Maulmain,  Sandoway, 
and  Tavoy. 

Early  in  1849,  the  Burman  and  the  Karen 
departments  of  the  mission  at  Maulmain  were 
separated  from  each  other,  and  for  the  purpose 
of  greater  economy  and  efficiency  were  organ- 
ized as  separate  missions,  tlie  Karen  mission 
having  already  been  established  in  a  separate 
part  of  the  city,  which  had  received  the  name 
of  Newton.  In  the  same  manner  and  at  about 
the  same  time,  the  Karen  department  of  the 
mission  in  Arracan  was  erected  into  a  separ- 
ate mission  of  which  the  principal  seat  was  San- 
doway. Thus  organized  in  independent  bodies, 
these  missions  greatly  extended  the  sphere  of 
their  influence,  and  by  a  judicious  division  of 
their  labors  and  endeavors,  entered  upon  an 
era  of  enlarged  prosperity  and  usefulness. 
From  the  report  of  the  managers  in  1850,  just 
after  the  new  organization  of  these  missions, 
it  appears  that  there  were  attached  to  the 
Maulmain  Burman  Mission,  Kev.  Messrs.  Jud- 
son,  Stevens,  and  Stilson,  Mr.  Ranney,  a  print- 
er, and  their  wives.  Rev.  Mr.  Simons,  and  Miss 
Lillybridge,  a  teacher,  all  of  whom  resided  in 
Maulmain,  while  Rev.  Messrs.  Wade,  Haswell, 
and  Howard  with  their  families,  were  members 
of  the  mission,  but  absent  on  account  of  ill- 
health.  In  addition  to  these  there  were  thir- 
teen native  assistants,  three  of  whom  were  sta- 
tioned at  Amherst.  Attached  to  the  Maul- 
main Karen  Mission  at  this  period,  were  Rev. 
Messrs.  Binney,  Harris,  and  W.  Moore,  with 
their  wives,  and  Miss  Yinton  and  Miss  Wright, 
teachers.  Rev.  Mr.  Yinton  and  his  wife  being 
absent  in  the  United  States.  In  addition  to 
these  were  thirty-four  native  assistants,  of  whom 
five  were  ordained  preachers,  and  three  were 
teachers,  at  Maulmain  and  the  numerous  out- 
stations  of  the  mission.  Connected  with  the 
nine  churches  of  these  two  missions  were  up- 
wards of  nineteen  hundred  members,  of  whom 
more  than  seventeen  hundred  were  Karens. 
There  were  also  at  Maulmain,  a  theological 
school  for  Karen  preachers,  and  a  normal 
school  for  teachers,  together  with  a  number  of 
other  schools,  both  for  the  Karen  and  the  Bur- 
man population.  In  the  mission  at  Tavoy,  of 
which  Mergui  had  now  become  a  station,  were 
Rev.  Messrs.  Mason,  Bennett,  Cross,  Benjamin, 
and  Brayton,  with  their  wives,  Mr.  Brayton  re- 
siding at  Mergui.  This  mission  has  been  al- 
most exclusively  for  the  Karens,  and  around 
its  two  stations  were  fourteen  out-stations  at 
the  Karen  villages  which  are  scattered  over 
the  jungle,  where  were  also  employed  under 
the  direction  of  the  missionaries,  nineteen  na- 
tive assistants  of  various  orders.  In  its  twenty- 
seven  churches  were  also  about  eighteen  hun- 
dred members.  The  Arracan  Mission  was 
now  established  at  two  stations,  Akyab  and 
Ramree,  the  former  embracing  Rev.  Messrs.  C. 
0.  Moore  and  L.  Ingalls;  the  latter  Rev. 
Messrs.  Knapp  and  Campbell,  with  their  wives, 
who  had  been  appointed  but  had  not  arrived 
14 


at  the  station.  Near  Akyab  was  the  single 
out-station  of  Cruda,  and  the  number  of  native 
assistants  attached  to  the  mission  was  six. 
The  Sandoway  mission,  which  was  designed  for 
the  Karens  in  its  immediate  vicinity,  and  also 
for  those  beyond  the  mountains  in  Burmah 
Proper,  where  the  Gospel  could  not  be  preach- 
ed, comprised  at  this  time  Rev.  Messrs.  Abbott, 
Beecher,  and  Yan  Meter,  with  their  wives.  It 
embraced  one  station  and  thirty-six  out-stations, 
and  in  addition  to  its  missionaries,  gave  em- 
ployment to  forty-four  native  preachers  and 
assistants.  The  number  of  churches  was  thirty- 
six,  and  the  whole  number  of  church  members 
about  four  thousand  five  hundred. 

Of  these  several  missions,  that  at  Sandoway 
probably  extended  its  labors  over  the  widest 
sphere,  for  it  was  designed  for  the  persecuted 
Karens  who  dwelt  in  the  neighboring  districts 
of  Burmah  Proper,  and  who,  beneath  the  se- 
vere oppressions  of  a  cruel  government,  evinced 
the  most  extraordinary  readiness  to  receive  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  Though  each  of  the  missions 
was  to  some  extent  supported  by  contribu- 
tions gathered  from  its  own  churches,  yet  this 
was  true  of  the  Sandoway  mission  more  fully 
than  of  any  other.  The  efforts  and  sacrifices 
of  these  humble  Christians  to  secure  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Gospel  and  to  maintain  its  institu- 
tions in  their  villages,  afford  the  noblest  proof 
of  the  sincerity  of  their  faith  and  the  fervor  of 
their  piety.  Several  churches  erected  chapels 
at  their  own  expense ;  others  supported  their 
native  pastors,  while  all  contributed  in  some 
way  or  other  to  the  pecuniary  maintenance  of 
the  mission.  Mr.  Abbott  repeatedly  attempt- 
ed to  obtain  a  permanent  footing  for  the  mis- 
sion in  Burmah  Proper,  where  so  many  of  its 
converts  were  found,  but  though  he  occasionally 
visited  Bassein  and  the  neighboring  districts 
he  was  wholly  unsuccessful  in  securing  the 
toleration  of  the  government  or  even  a  per- 
mission for  permanent  residence.  He,  how- 
ever, was  accustomed  as  frequently  as  practi- 
cable to  meet  the  native  pastors  and  preachers 
of  these  districts  for  the  purpose  of  becoming 
familiar  with  their  labors,  and  advising  in 
their  prosecution  ;  and  at  these  interviews  he 
would  often  administer  the  rite  of  baptism  to 
large  numbers  of  converts  whom  the  assistants 
brought  to  him  for  the  purpose.  At  these  and 
other  similar  meetings  in  all  the  missions,  the 
missionaries  were  accustomed  to  impart  in- 
struction and  give  advice  to  the  assistants  and 
the  converts,  on  all  subjects  which  might  re- 
quire their  attention,  whether  relating  to  the 
doctrines  and  duties  of  the  Gospel,  or  their 
own  interests  and  prosperity  as  a  people. 

Associated  with  the  mission  at  Tavoy  were 
the  labors  which  were  undertaken  among  the 
Salongs,  a  rude  and  oppressed  people,  about 
10,000  in  number,  scattered  among  the  islands 
on  the  coast ;  and  with  the  mission  in  Arracan 
was  connected  a  department  for  the  Kemees, 
an  interesting  people,  among  the  mountains  of 


210 


BURMAH. 


that  province,  whose  character  and  condition, 
as  has  already  boon  statoil,  have  enlisted  the 
itympathit«  of  the  niissionai-ies. 

Thi'  rt>turn  of  Dr. .)  uiison  to  ]3urmah,  and  his 
aettlcDiont  at  Maulmain,  after  an  attempt  to 
QiUblish  himself  at  Rangoon,  or  at  Ava,  have 
already  been  mentioned.  Here  he  continued 
to  reside,  constantly  occupied  with  the  pre- 
paration of  the  Barman  and  English  Diction- 
ary, to  which  the  closing  years  of  his  life  were 
principally  devoted.  He  was  excluded  from 
the  kinn^dom  of  Burmah ;  but  at  Maulmain, 
under  the  protection  of  the  British  govern- 
ment, and  with  many  facilities  for  the  prose- 
cution of  his  work,  he  gave  himself  to  the  com- 
pletion of  a  task,  whose  accomplishment  he 
fondly  hoped  would  confer  immeasurable  ad- 
vantages on  all  future  missionaries,  and  thus 
greatly  promote  the  progress  of  the  Gospel 
wherever  the  Burmaa  language  is  spoken. 
The  English-Burmese  portion  had  already  been 
completed  and  nearly  printed ;  and  the  Bur- 
mese and  English  portion  was  well  advanced 
when  the  venerable  compiler  was  obliged  to 
lay  down  the  pen  with  which  he  was  com- 
pleting his  noble  work.  In  the  autumn  of 
1849,  his  enfeebled  constitution  began  to  give 
signs  of  decay,  and  in  a  few  weeks  he  was  com- 
pelled to  abandon  his  labors,  and  seek  such 
means  of  recruiting  his  strength  as  the  coun- 
try and  the  climate  would'allow.  He  made  a 
trip  to  Mergui,  and  repaired  to  Amherst  for 
sea-bathing ;  but  his  strength  continued  to 
decline  the  more  rapidly  in  consequence  of  an 
attack  of  fever,  and  his  physicians  pronounced 
a  protracted  voyage  the  only  prescription  with 
which  they  could  associate  any  hope  of  benefit. 
In  accordance  with  their  directions,  he  took 
passage  early  in  April,  on  board  a  French 
ship  bound  to  the  Isle  of  France.  It  was 
several  days  before  the  vessel  was  fairly  at  sea ; 
but  the  ocean  airs  brought  no  invigoration  to 
his  worn  and  fevered  frame.  The  pilot  left 
the  vessel  on  the  8th  of  April,  and  on  the  12th 
of  the  same  month  Dr.*  Judson  breathed  his 
latest  breath,  and  on  the  same  day  his  remains 
were  buried  at  sea.  His  life  had  been  wholly 
devoted  to  the  mission,  which,  in  solitude  and 

gjrsecution,  he  had  planted  on  the  shores  of 
urmah  ;  and  the  tidings  of  his  death  awaken- 
ed a  profound  sense  of  bereavement  and  sorrow 
among  its  members.  As  the  intelligence  spread 
from  land  to  land,  it  carried  grief  to  Christian 
hearts  in  every  part  of  the  world ;  while  in  the 
country  of  his  birth,  and  among  the  churches 
with  which  he  was  particularly  connected,  it 
called  forth  the  sinccrest  demonstrations  of 
respect  for  his  memory,  and  of  gratitude  for 
the  good  he  had  wrought.  Mrs.  Judson,  her- 
self in  declining  health,  and  those  of  his  children 
who  were  in  Burmah,  returned  to  the  United 
States  in  the  autumn  of  1851,  and  retired  to 
the  home  of  her  parents,  at  Hamilton,  N.  Y. 
Here  she  has  employed  the  hours  which  could 
be  spared  from  the  care  of  her  family,  in  en- 


richinj^  the  literature  of  Christian  missions 
with  the  productions  of  her  own  beautiful  ge- 
nius, and  especially  in  contributing  many  a  pas- 
sago  of  touching  reminiscence  and  life-like  de- 
lineation to  the  memoirs  of  her  departed  hus- 
band— passages  without  which,  in  the  absence 
of  other  materials,  that  admirable  work  must 
have  been  divested  of  many  of  its  most  attrac- 
tive features.  As  we  write  these  closing  pages 
of  this  rapid  sketch  of  the  missions  in  Bur- 
mah, the  beautiful  and  heroic  life  of  Mrs. 
Judson  has  been  brought  to  a  peaceful  close, 
in  June,  1854,  at  her  home  in  Hamilton.  The 
works  which  *ghe  contributed  to  the  literature 
of  the  age,  are  a  fitting  illustration  of  her  rare 
genius,  while  the  brief  records  of  her  mission- 
ary career  will  transmit  to  other  ages  the 
memorials  of  her  piety,  and  the  sentiments  of 
duty,  faith  and  love  which  ever  dwelt  in  the 
depth  of  her  woman's  heart. 

In  October,  1849,  there  sailed  from  the 
United  States,  under  appointment  for  the 
several  missions  in  Burmah,  Rev.  Messrs.  Har- 
vey E.  Knapp,  Harvey  E.  Campbell,  and  their 
wives,  and  Miss  Elizabeth  T.  Wright.  In  the 
course  of  the  year  1850,  they  were  followed 
by  Rev.  Eugenio  Kincaid  and  Mrs.  Kincaid, 
who  had  formerly  been  connected  with  the  mis- 
sions, and  also  by  Dr.  John  Dawson,  a  physi- 
cian, and  Rev.  Benjamin  C.  Thomas,  and  their 
wives ;  Mr.  Thomas  being  appointed  especially 
to  Mergui,  or  the  Tavoy  mission,  while  Mr. 
Kincaid  and  Dr.  Dawson  were  commissioned 
to  repair,  if  possible,  to  Ava,  or  to  some  other 
leading  place  in  the  kingdom  of  Burmah,  and 
there  to  commence  a  mission.  They  arrived 
at  Maulmain  early  in  1851,  and  repaired  to 
Rangoon  in  the  following  March,  where,  hav- 
ing established  their  families,  they  commenced 
their  labors,  designing,  as  soon  as  the  rainy 
season  ceased,  to  ascend  the  Irrawaddy  to 
Ava.  They  soon  found  themselves  jealously 
and  closely  watched  by  the  Burman  governor  of 
Rangoon.  They  were  forbidden  to  distribute 
books  or  to  associate  with  the  people,  and 
those  who  visited  them  were  punished  with 
fines,  scourging  and  imprisonment.  At  length, 
early  in  May,  a  message  came  from  the  king, 
that  "  the  American  teachers  were  to  be  treat- 
ed with  all  possible  favor,"  and  an  entire 
change  was  immediately  wrought  in  the  man- 
ner and  bearing  of  the  governor.  Public  wor- 
ship, and  the  various  operations  of  a  mission 
were  commenced.  A  medical  dispensary  was 
opened,  and  multitudes  of  Burmans  and  Ka- 
rens, many  of  them  from  a  great  distance  in 
the  interior,  both  converts  and  inquirers, 
flocked  to  the  residence  of  the  missionaries. 
The  scriptures  were  widely  circulated;  four 
Burmans  and  five  Karens  soon  received  the 
rite  of  Christian  baptism,  and  the  Christian 
converts  of  former  years  were  gathered  from 
their  wide  dispersion  to  the  instructions  of  the 
missionaries  and  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel 

But  in  the  midst  of  these  scenes  of  tempo- 


BURMAH. 


211 


rary  encouragement  which  marked  the  sum- 
mer and  autumn  of  1851,  was  preparing  an 
event  that  was   destined  to  alter  the  entire 
condition  of  the  Burman  people,  and  to  pre- 
pare the  way  for  the  universal  dissemination 
of  the  Gospel  over  a  thickly  peopled  country, 
in  which  the  missionaries  had  sought,  in  vain, 
for  nearly  forty  years,  to  obtain  a  permanent 
footing.      This  event  was  the  war  between 
Burmah  and  Great  Britain— a  war  which  was 
wantonly  provoked  by  the  faithlessness  of  the 
Burman  government  and  its  reckless  encroach- 
ments on  the  interests  and  rights  of  the  Bri- 
tish East  India  Company.    Hostilities  were 
commenced,  in  November,  1851,  by  the  un- 
expected firing  of  the  Burman  stockades,  on 
some  British  war  steamers  which  were  ascend- 
ing the  river.    Negotiations  were  attempted, 
in  order  to  settle  difficulties  which  had  been  of 
long  standing,  but  with  no  other  effect  than  to 
delay  a  war  which  had  now  become  inevitable. 
The  relations  of  the  two  parties  became  daily 
more  and  more  disturbed,  and  after  several  col- 
lisions between  the  forces,  war  was  formally 
declared  on  February  15th,  1852.    The  mis- 
sionaries, and  other  foreign  residents  at  Ean- 
goon,  took  refuge  on  board  the  English  ships, 
in  the  preceding  December,  and  soon  after- 
ward sailed  to  Maulmain,  where  they  remained 
till  Eangoon,  Martaban,    and    Bassein  had 
fallen  before  the  advance  of  the  British  arms. 
So  soon  as  hostilities  ceased,  they  returned  to 
what  was  formerly  Eangoon,  but  they  found 
the  ancient  city  almost  entirely  destroyed,  and 
a  new  city  already  rising  from  the  ruins — laid 
out  according  to  English  ideas  of  order  and 
regularity,  and  rapidly  filling  up  with  a  popu- 
lation gathered  from  all  parts  of  India.    They 
immediately  established  themselves  in  a  part 
of  the  town  well  suited  to  their  purpose,  in  a 
large  Kyoung  or  Burman  monastery,  and  re- 
sumed their  labors  as  missionaries  among  all 
classes  of  the  heterogeneous  population.    Un- 
usual   success  soon    crowned    their    labors. 
British  sMdiers  were  converted  to  Christ ;  and 
Burmans  and  Karens,  no  longer  deterred  by 
the  jealous  tyranny  of  priests  or  rulers,  eagerly 
embraced  the  Gospel.    They  were  soon  after- 
wards joined  by  other  missionaries  from  Maul- 
main and  Sandoway,  who  came  to  preach  the 
Gospel  in  a  region  from  which  they  had  hith- 
erto   been  excluded,  but  where   they    found 
multitudes,  especially  of  Karens,  already  in- 
structed in  its  doctrines  and  clinging  to  its 
hopes.     Meanwhile  British  arms  were  every- 
where triumphant,  and  on  the  20th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1852,  the  entire  southern  portion  of  Ifce 
kingdom  of  Burmah,  including  tjie    ancient 
province  of  Pegu,  was  incorporated  with  the 
territories  of  British  India.     This  district  em- 
braces the  whole  of  Burmah,  lying  between 
the    Sahvcn  river  on    the  east,  the  Yoma 
mountains  on  the  west,  and  the  Bay  of  Ben- 
gal on  the  south,  and  extending  north  to  the 
19th  parallel  of  north  latitude,    about  fifty 


miles  above  the  city  of  Prome.  It  embraces 
an  area  of  about  45,000  square  miles,  and  a 
population  of  2,500,000  :  Burmans,  Karens, 
Peguans,  and  the  other  races  common  in  Bur- 
mah. 

The  portion  of  this  territory  around  Marta- 
ban is  annexed  to  the  Amherst  district,  of 
which  Maulmain  is  the  capital,  while  the  re- 
maining part  is  divided  for  the  purposes  of 
civil  government  into  five  separate  districts, 
each  of  which  is  placed  under  the  charge  of  an 
Assistant-Commissioner,  who  is  accountable  to 
the  Commissioner  of  the  territory,  and  through 
him  to  the  Governor-General  of  India.  These 
districts  are  Pegu — which  includes  Eangoon, 
Toungoo,  Henthada,  Prome,  and  Bassein. 
Such  is  the  region  which,  as  the  result  of  the 
late  war,  has  been  liberated  forever  from  Bur- 
man oppression,  and  incorporated  with  the 
British  possessions  in  the  East.  It  embraces 
districts  in  which,  in  spite  of  intolerance  and 
persecution,  the  Gospel  has  already  won  some 
of  its  most  remarkable  triumphs  among  the 
Karens,  and  it  is  now  placed  under  the  general 
rule  of  a  liberal-minded  and  pious  Commis- 
sioner,''^ who,  during  his  long  residence  in  the 
East,  has  proved  himself  the  active  and  unfail- 
ing friend  of  Christian  missions,  and  the  moral 
improvement  of  the  people. 

In  anticipation  of  this  altered  condition  of 
the  missions  in  Burmah,  and  the  new  fields 
which  the  progress  of  British  power  might 
open  for  their  occupancy,  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Board  of  Managers  requested 
the  missionaries  in  Burmah  to  assemble  in 
convention  in  Maulmain  in  the  spring  of  1853, 
to  consider  what  changes  should  be  made  iu 
the  organization  and  modes  of  prosecuting  the 
missions.  They  also  appointed  Eev.  Solomon 
Peck,  D.D.,  the  Senior  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary of  the  Board,  and  Eev.  James  N.  Granger, 
Pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Provi- 
dence, E.  I.,  as  a  deputation  to  visit  these, 
and  the  other  missions  of  the  Board  in  Asia, 
clothed  with  full  discretionary  authority  to 
decide  questions  which  might  require  immedi- 
ate decision,  and  to  act  for  the  Committee  in 
all  matters  which  could  not  be  referred  to  the 
Committee  for  consideration.  Eeceiving*  in- 
structions according  to  the  nature  of  the  pow- 
ers with  which  they  were  clothed,  the  members 
of  the  deputation  embarked  on  their  distant 
embassy.  They  met  with  the  convention, 
which  assembled  at  Maulmain,  according  tc 
appointment,  April  4th,  1853,  and  continued 
its  sessions  for  six  weeks,  to  the  17th  of  May, 
The  convention  was  attended  by  all  the  mis^ 
sionaries  in  Burmah,  except  those  who  were 
detained  by  causes  not  within  their  control, 
and  all  the  leading  subjects  connected  with 
the  organization  and  conduct  of  the  missions 
were  thoroughly  scrutinized  and  discussed,  and, 


*  Captain  Arthur  P.  Phayre,  who  is  intimately  acquaint- 
ed with  the  missions  in  Burmah,  and  extends  all  proper 
facilities  for  their  pr'isecution. 


212 


BUKMAH. 


f^l  fj,,.  o.,..,..  ♦;,„.>  niuch  iufonnation  was  ob- 
tain .0  portions  of  the  recently 
coiK^  .  -  which  were  deemed  favor- 
able tor  missionary  oiKTations.  The  principal 
questions  on  which  the  deputation  were  called 
to  act  related  to  the  following  : 

1.  The  selection  of  points  at  which  new 
missions  were  to  be  established  in  the  conquer- 
ed territory,  and  the  designation  of  mission- 
aries to  commence  them.  2.  The  manner  in 
which  the  missions  should  be  conducted ;  what 
should  be  embraced  in  their  work,  and  by 
whom  and  in  what  proportions  that  work 
should  be  performed,  together  with  the  agen- 
cy of  the  native  preachera  and  pastors.,  and 
their  relations  to  the  missionaries.  3.  The 
true  uses  of  mission  schools,  and  the  proper 
limits  to  the  operations  of  the^mission  press. 
In  relation  to  all  these  subjects,  certain  gen- 
eral conclusions  were  furnished  by  the  con- 
vention as  the  result  of  the  experience  of 
the  missionaries ;  and  these  conclusions,  to- 
gether with  the  general  precepts  and  examples 
contained  in  the  New  Testament,  touching  the 
propagation  of  the  Gospel,  were  made  the  basis 
of  the  action  of  the  deputation.  This  action 
was  also  understood  to  be  in  accordance  with 
the  views  of  the  missionaries  themselves,  and 
though  involving  many  important  changes  and 
some  personal  sacritices,  it  has  by  them  been 
cheerfully  adopted  and  carried  into  execution, 
to  the  larger  extension  and  the  increased  effi- 
ciency and  usefulness  of  the  missions. 

Of  these  changes,  the  plan  of  this  sketch  re- 
quires that  we  notice  only  those  which  relate  to 
the  reorganization  of  the  missions  in  order  to 
secure  the  difiusion  of  the  Gospel  with  the 
greatest  success  through  the  territory  recently 
annexed  to  British  India.  For  the  purpose 
of  accomplishing  this,  several  important  mod- 
ifications were  made  in  the  missions  already 
existing,  and  five  new  missions  were  established 
or  are  contemplated  :  one  in  each  of  the  sev- 
eral districts  into  which  the  territory  has  been 
divided  ;  and  to  carry  these  changes  into  efiect, 
the  missionaries  in  Burmah,  instead  of  being 
stationed  at  five  or  six  of  the  principal  cities, 
are  now  widely  scattered  in  nine  or  ten,  and 
are  brought  in  contact  with  a  vastly  larger 
proportion  of  the  population  of  the  country. 
Schools  in  some  instances  have  been  discon- 
tinued or  their  operations  restricted ;  and  the 
printing  establishments  have  been  brought 
together  in  one,  and  that  one  at  Maulmain,  in 
order  to  liberate  the  missionaries  from  other 
cares,  that  they  may  give  themselves  more  fully 
to  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen. 

In  that  portion  of  the  country  which  is  still 
subject  to  the  Burman  king,  no  mission  has 
been  established,  or  is  at  present  contemplated. 
The  war  with  the  British  East  India  Company 
has  wrought  no  change  in  his  exclusive  and 
despotic  policy,  and  the  teachers  of  Christiani- 
ty are  stiil  shut  out  from  all  access  to  the  peo- 
ple.   Indeed,  though  the  war  has  ceased,  it  can 


not  bo  said  that  a  permanent  peace  has  been 
established,  no  treaty  has  been  concluded,  and 
no  concessions  have  been  made.  The  barbarian 
king  has  yielded  up  his  territory  only  to  the 
superior  force  of  the  civilized  enemy,  whose 
hostilities  he  had  provoked,  and  the  time  can- 
not be  distant,  when  the  same  necessity  again 
recurring,  will  compel  him  to  surrender  the  last 
vestige  of  independent  jurisdiction,  and  to  bo- 
come  a  tributary  of  Great  Britain.  Mean- 
while, the  mission  at  Ava,  which  had  been  con- 
templated, and  to  which  missionaries  had  been 
appointed,  is,  for  the  present,  abandoned,  and 
the  )iew  missions  have  been  established  only  in 
those  portions  of  Burmah  which  have  been 
placed  under  British  jurisdiction,  and  where  the 
missionaries  may  prosecute  their  work  in  secu- 
rity beneath  the  protection  of  British  power. 
These  new  missions  are,  1,  at  Rangoon,  in  the 
district  of  Pegu ;  2,  at  Bassein,  in  the  district  of 
Bassein ;  3,  at  fcJhwaygyeen,  in  the  district  of 
Amherst;  4,  at  Prome  in  the  district  of 
Prome ;  5,  at  Toungoo,  in  the  district  of  Touu- 
goo.  A  mission  is  also  contemplated  at  Ueu- 
thada,  in  the  district  of  the  same  name,  and 
ultimately  at  Tounghoop  on  the  coast  of  Arra- 
can,  the  terminus  of  the  great  road  to  Prome. 
The  missions  which  have  been  established  all 
lie  within  the  valleys  of  the  three  great  rivers, 
along  which  are  scattered  the  most  thickly- 
peopled  cities  and  villages  of  both  Burmans 
and  Karens.  Throughout  these  districts,  the 
uninterrupted  progress  of  British  arms,  and  the 
quiet  establishment  of  British  rule,  have  been 
attended  with  results  of  great  importance  in 
their  bearing  on  the  interests  of  the  missions 
and  the  progress  of  the  Gospel.  The  reign  of 
intolerance  and  persecution  is  ended.  The 
despotism  beneath  which  the  people  had  groan- 
ed for  ages  has  been  broken  up  for  ever,  and 
'has  given  place  to  a  government  of  justice  and 
right,  and  more  than  all,  the  religious  system 
of  the  country  has  lost  its  hold  on  the  minds 
of  men,  in  part,  no  doubt,  from  its  being  iden- 
tified with  the  defeated  cause,  while  Gforistian- 
ity  has  assumed  a  higher  authority,  from  ite 
being  the  religion  of  the  conquerors  and  rulers 
of  the  East.  While  it  has  been,  embraced, 
and  is  now  professed  by  whole  villages  of 
Karens,  it  is  also  making  its  way  in  the  most 
encouraging  manner  among  the  Burmans  at 
each  of  the  several  stations  where  it  is  regularly 
preached,  alike  in  the  old  and  the  new  provinces 
of  British  Burmah.  At  some  of  these  sta- 
tions it  is  already  planted  in  the  faith  and 
wrought  into  the  daily  lives  of  the  people,  so 
th^t  if  the  missionaries  were  all  withdrawn  it 
would  still  be  perpetuated  to  future  genera- 
tions, and  at  all  of  them  it  finds  as  inviting  a 
field  as  is  now  presented  in  any  part  of  the 
world.  The  prayers  of  the  earliest  mission- 
aries have  been  answered  and  their  fondest  hope 
has  been  fully  realized. 

During  the  year  1852,  Rev.  Messrs.  M.  H. 
Bixby  and  J.  L.  Douglas,  both  of  whom  had 


BURMAH. 


213 


n  pastors  of  churclies  in  this  country,  and 
iGV.  Messrs.  C.  Hibbard,  D.  Whitaker,  J.  11. 
isbet,  T.  Allen  and  A.  T.  Eose,  were  ap- 
inted  missionaries  in  Burmah,  and  soon  after- 
ards  repaired  to  their  several  stations;  and  dur- 
j^  the  year  1853,  Kev.  A.  R.  Crawley  was  also 
ded  to  the  number.  The  missionaries  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  who  are 
stationed  in  the  several  provinces  of  Burmah, 
are  thirty-one  ;  several  of  whom  are  now  on 
temporary  visits  to  the  United  States.  With 
these  are  associated  about  the  same  number 
of  female  assistants  and  one  hundred  and  forty- 
five  native  assistants,  of  whom  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  are  ordained  preachers.  These  mis- 
sionaries and  their  assistants,  according  to  the 
latest  report  of  the  Managers  of  the  Mission- 
ary Union,  are  distributed  among  the  follow- 
ing missions,  which  are  now  in  operation  in  the 
several  districts  of  Burmah,  viz.  ; 

I.  Maulmain  Burman  Mission. — It  com- 
prises Rev.  Messrs.  Has  well,  Howard,  Stillson, 
Bixby  and  Mr.  Ranney  a  printer,  with  their 
wives  and  five  native  preachers  and  assist- 
ants. The  Burman  church  at  Maulmain 
numbers  138  members  and  that  at  Amherst 
which  is  also  included  in  this  mission,  numbers 
28  members.  At  Maulmain  the  printing 
operations  both  in  the  Burman  and  Karen  lan- 
guages for  all  the  Burman  missions  are  at  pre- 
sent concentrated.  This  mission  has  (1854)  2 
stations,  5  missionaries,  5  female  assistants,  5 
native  preachers  and  assistants,  3  churches,  170 
members,  6  day-schools,  100  pupils. 

II.  Maulmain  Karen  Mission. — This  is  es- 
tablished in  a  distinct  portion  of  the  city, 
which  among  the  missionaries  is  styled,  New- 
ton. It  comprises  Rev.  Messrs.  Wade,  Ben- 
nett, Hibbard,  W.  Moore  and  Whitaker  with 
their  wives  and  nineteen  native  assistants.  It 
is  the  seat  of  a  theological  school  for  training 
native  preachers  and  of  a  normal  school  for 
the  education  of  teachers.  Around  Maulmain, 
which  is  the  central  station,  are  fifteen  out-sta- 
tions, and  the  entire  mission  embraces  fourteen 
churches,  numbering  about  900  members.  Its 
operations  are  designed  for  the  Karen  race  in 
the  district  of  Amherst,  which  includes  the 
adjoining  and  newly  organized  province  of 
Martaban,  whose  seat  of  government  is  also 
at  Maulmain.  This  mission  has  (1854)  1  sta- 
tion, 15  out-stations,  5  missionaries,  6  female 
assistants,  19  native  preacliers  and  assistants, 
14  churches  869  members,  2  boarding  schools, 
44  pupils,  3  day  schools,  40  pupils — total  5 
schools,  84  pupils. 

III.  Tavoy  Mission. — This  is  a  mission  both 
for  Burmans  and  Karens,  though  its  operations 
have  hitherto  been  principally  among  the  lat- 
ter. It  embraces  Rev.  Messrs.  Cross,  Thomas, 
Benjamin,  and  Allen,  with  their  wives,  and 
two  Barman  and  twenty  Karen  native  assist- 
ants. The  operations  of  the  mission  are  de- 
signed to  comprise  the  provinces  both  of  Ta- 


voy and  Mergui ;  though  at  present  the  mis- 
sionaries all  reside  at  Tavoy. 

In  1854, 1  station,  20  out-stations,  4  mission- 
aries, 4  female  assistants,  22  native  preachers 
and  assistants,  22  churches,  1,046  members,  2 
boarding-schools,  96  pupils,  15  day  schools, 
300  pupils ;  total,  17  schools,  396  pupils. 

lY.  Arracan  Mission. — This  mission,  both 
Burman  and  Karen,  is  designed  to  embrace 
the  whole  province  of  Arracan.  It  has  now 
two  stations,  Akyab  and  Sandoway,  with  out- 
stations  at  Cheduba  and  Ramree,  Kyouk-Phyoo 
having  been  abandoned  as  a  station  by  the 
advice  of  the  deputation  in  1853.  At  Ak- 
yab the  missionaries  are  stationed.  They  are 
Rev.  Messrs.  C.  C.  Moore  and  Mrs.  Moore,  Rev. 
A.  T.  Rose,  and  Mrs.  B.  H.  Knapp,  Mrs.  C.  0. 
Campbell ;  Mr.  Knapp  having  died  in  1853, 
and  with  them  are  associated  eight  native  as- 
sistants. 

In  1854,  2  stations,  2  out-stations,  2  mission- 
aries, 3  fqipale  assistants,  8  native  preachers 
and  assistants,  1  church,  60  members,  1  day- 
school,  15  pupils. 

Y.  Bassein  Mission. — This  is  in  the  new  ter- 
ritory, and  embraces  many  of  the  churches  and 
Christian  villages  in  Burmah,  formerly  con- 
nected with  the  mission  at  Sandoway  in  Arra- 
cant  It  is  designed  hereafter  to  be  both 
Karen  and  Burman,  though  the  Gospel  has 
thus  far  been  embraced  principally  by  the  Ka- 
rens of  the  Bassein  district.  The  mission  em- 
braces in  the  Karen  department,  Rev.  J.  S. 
Beecher,  and  Rev.  J.  R.  Nisbet,  Rev.  H.  L. 
Yan  Meter,  and  Mrs.  Yan  Meter,  Mrs.  Beech- 
er having  died  in  March,  1854,  while  on  a 
voyage  to  the  United  States ;  in  the  Burman 
department.  Rev.  J.  L.  Douglass  and  Mrs. 
Douglass.  Rev.  E.  L.  Abbott  is  also  attached 
to  this  mission,  but  he  is  now  in  the  United 
States.  Bassein  is  on  a  river  of  the  same 
name,  one  of  the  outlets  of  the  Irrawaddy, 
about  60  miles  from  its  mouth  ;  and  around 
this  principal  station  are  fifty  out-stations, 
among  which  are  scattered  fifty-six  native 
preachers  and  assistants.  The  region  is  filled 
with  Karen  converts,  who,  under  the  Burman 
despotism,  were  obliged  to  cross  the  Yoraa 
mountains  to  Sandoway,  to  receive  instructions 
and  be  baptized  by  the  missionary,  and  these 
churches  are  now  very  numerous.  The  Bur- 
mans,  since  the  Gospel  has  had  access  to  them, 
are  evincing  a  most  encouraging  interest  in 
its  truths. 

In  1854, 1  station,  50  out-stations,  5  mission- 
aries, 3  female  assistants,  56  native  preachers 
and  assistants,  50  churches,  5,000  members,  1 
boarding-school,  80  pupils,  20  day-schools,  280 
pupils — total,  21  schools,  360  pupils. 

YI.  Rangoon  Misnon. —  This  mission,  like 
the  others  which  have  been  mentioned,  has 
both  a  Burman  and  a  Karen  department,  and 
though  established  where  the  original  mission 
in  Burmah  was  first  planted,  is  yet,  in  its  pre- 
sent organization,  to  be  regarded   as  a  new 


214 


BURMAH. 


mission.  In  the  Bui-man  deportment  it  em- 
braces Rev.  Mt^jwi-s.  Stevens,  lugalls,  Dawson, 
and  Crawley,  with  their  wives,  and  six  native 
preachers  and  assistants;  and  in  the  Karen 
department  llev.  J.  H.  Vinton,  Mrs.  Vinton 
and  Miss  Vinton,  with  twenty-nine  native 
preachers  and  assistants.  The  Karen  depart- 
ment of  the  mission  is  established  at  Kemmen- 
dine,  a  town  about  three  miles  north-west  of 
Rangoon.  There  arc  two  Burman  churches 
in  the  mission,  one  at  Rangoon,  and  one  at 
Kambet,  an  out-station  in  the  vicinity,  and 
they  together  number  106  members.  The  Kar 
reu  churches  are  twenty-three  in  number,  most 
of  them  having  been  formed  by  missionaries 
from  Maulmaiu,  in  the  occasional  visits  which 
they  made  during  the  period  in  which  the 
country  was  closed  to  the  Gospel  by  the  des- 
potism of  the  government.  They  contain  1476 
members. 

In  1854, 2  stations,  32  outstations,  5  mission- 
aries, 6  female  assistants,  29  native  preachers 
and  assistants,  25  churches,  1573*members,  1 
boarding-school,  180  pupils. 

VII.  Prome  Mission. — This  is  a  new  mission, 
exclusively  Burman,  established  near  the  city 
of  Prome,  on  the  Irrawaddy,  the  centre  of  the 
district  of  the  same  name,  the  most  northerly 
of  the  districts  comprised  in  the  territory  re- 
cently annexed.  The  mission  is  established  at 
Shwaydoung,  a  chief  seat  of  Burman  education, 
eight  miles  distant  from  Prome.  It  was  com- 
menced in  January,  1854,  according  to  the 
recommendation  of  the  recent  deputation,  by 
Rev.  Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Simons,  who  about 
that  time  removed  thither  with  their  families 
and  native  assistants.  As  in  almost  all  the 
large  towns  of  Burmah,  there  were  residing 
there  several  Christian  converts,  who  welcomed 
the  missionaries  with  the  utmost  eagerness. 
As  the  kingdom  of  Burmah  is  still  closed  to 
the  labors  of  the  missionaries,  the  design  of 
establishing  a  mission  at  Ava,  is  for  the  pre- 
sent abandoned,  and  Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Daw- 
son, who  were  appointed  for  that  purpose,  have 
been  assigned — the  former  to  the  Prome  and 
the  latter  to  the  Rangoon  mission.  The  mis- 
sion at  Prome  or  Shwaydoung  has  been  com- 
menced with  two  missionaries,  and  two  female 
assistants,  (Messrs.  Kincaid  and  Simons,  and 
their  wives)  and  two  native  assistants.  It  has 
one  station  and  two  out-stations. 

In  1854, 1  station,  2  out-stations,  2  mission- 
aries, 2  female  assistants,  2  native  preachers 
and  assistants  ;  no  church  has  yet  been  formed, 
and  no  schools  have  been  established. 

VIII.  Skwaygyeen  Mission. — This  is  both  a 
Burman  and  a  Karen  mission,  established  in 
1853,  at  Shwaygyeen,  a  large  town  at  the 
junction  of  the  Shwaygyeen  and  the  Sitang 
rivers,  about  100  miles  northward  from  Ran- 
goon, It  is  one  of  the  chief  places  in  Marta- 
ban  which  now  is  in  the  district  of  Amherst. 
The  mission  has  been  commenced  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  Harris  and  Brayton,  both  of  whom  are 


missionaries  for  the  Karens,  whose  villages  are 
exceedingly  numerous  and  populous  in  the  re- 
gion. They  have  with  thorn  two  native  assist- 
ants, and  the  auspices  of  the  mission  are  most 
encouraging. 

In  1854, 1  station,  2  missionaries,  1  female 
assistant,  2  native  preachers,  1  church,  11  mem- 
bers ;  no  schools  have  yet  been  establishcii. 

IX.  Toungoo  Mission. — Toungoo  is  a  large 
walled  city,  the  chief  town  of  the  district  of 
the  same  name,  on  the  Sitang  river,  about  one 
hundred  miles  above  Shwaygyeen.  It  is  one  of 
the  places  fixed  on  by  the  deputation  as  the  seat 
of  a  new  mission  in  the  conquered  territory. 
The  mission  was  commenced  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Mason,  who,  with  two  or  three  assistants, 
reached  the  city  in  October,  1853.  It  is  the 
centre  of  a  large  population  of  Burmans,  Shy- 
ans  and  Karens,  and  the  mission  is  designed 
for  all  these  races.  The  Karens  of  the  region 
regarded  the  arrival  of  a  missionary, — bring- 
ing his  sacred  books  printed  in  their  own  lan- 
guage, as  a  fulfilment  of  the  ancient  prophetic 
traditions  of  their  race,  and  evinced  even  more 
than  their  wonted  readiness  to  hear  and  be- 
lieve the  Gospel.  A  little  church  was  soon 
organized,  and  the  native  assistants  appointed 
to  their  respective  labors,  when  Dr.  Mason, 
whose  health  was  already  greatly  impaired, 
was  obliged  to  leave  the  mission  for  a  time 
and  return  to  the  United  States.  The  care  of 
the  mission  has  been  committed  to  Tau  Quala, 
an  experienced  Karen  preacher  from  Tavoy. 
He  has  with  him  one  Burmese  assistant. 

In  1854,  1  station,  3  out-stations,  1  mission- 
ary, 1  female  assistant,  2  native  preachers  and 
assistants,  1  church,  7  members,  1  boarding- 
school,  7  pupils,  3  day-schools,  36  pupils ; 
total,  4  schools  and  43  pupils. 

X.  HoitJwda  Mission. — Henthada  is  the  capi- 
tal of  the  district  of  the  same  name,  and  is  situ- 
ated on  the  Irrawaddy,  at  the  point  where  that 
stream  branches  into  the  Bassein  and  Rangoon 
rivers.  The  district  embraces  the  very  fertile 
and  populous  delta  lying  between  these  rivers. 
A  mission  has  been  appointed  for  Henthada, 
but  no  missionaries  have  yet  actually  arrived 
to  establish  it. — Prof.  W.  Gammell. 

TABLE   OF   MISSIONS   IN   BURMAH   FOR   1854. 


c3 

1? 

1 

1 

1 

s 

CO 

1 

.2 

1 
< 

F 

Si 

1 

3 

1 

3 

.5 

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BURNSniLL:  A  station  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland  in  South  Africa,  about  18 
miles  east  of  Lovedale. 

BUSHMEN  :    A  nomadic  race  of  Hotten- 


BUSHMEN— CALPENTYN. 


215 


tots  in  South  Africa,  who  hve  a_  wandering 
life,  remote  from  towns,  in  a  condition  of  ex- 
treme degradation.     They  have,  says  Mr.  Mof- 
fat, neither  house  nor  shed,  neither  flocks  nor 
herds.    Their  most  delightful  home  is  afar  off 
in  the  desert,  the  unfrequented  mountain  pass, 
or  the  secluded  recesses  of  a  cave  or  ravine. 
They  remove  from  place  to  place,  as  conveni- 
ence or  necessity  requires.    The  man  takes  his 
spear,  and  suspends  his  bow  and  quiver  on  his 
shoulder  ;  while  the  woman  frequently,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  burden  of  a  helpless  infant,  car- 
ries a  mat,  an  earthen  pot,  a  number  of  ostrich 
egg-shells,  and  a  few  ragged  skins,  bundled  on 
her  head  or  shoulders.     Hunger  compels  them 
to  feed  on  everything  edible.    Ixias,  wild  gar- 
lic, the  core  of  "^aloes,  gum  of  acacias,  and  sev- 
eral other  plants  and  berries,  some  of  which 
are  extremely  unwholesome,  constitute  their 
fruits  of  the  field  ;  while  almost  every  kind  of 
living   creature  is  eagerly  devoured,  lizards, 
locusts  and  grasshoppers  not  excepted.    The 
poisonous,  as  well  as  innoxious  serpents,  they 
roast  and  eat,  extracting  first  the  venom  of  the 
former,  with  which  they  poison  the  points  of 
their  arrows.    Their  dwellings  are  hardly  fit 
abodes  for  the  beasts  of  the  field.    In  a  bushy 
country,  they  will  form  a  hollow  in  a  central 
position,  and  bring  the  branches  together  over- 
head.   Here  the  man  and  his  wife,  with  per- 
haps a  child  or  two,  lie  huddled  in  a  heap,  on 
a  little  grass,  in  a  hollow  spot  not  larger  than 
an  ostrich's  nest.     Where  bushes  are  scarce, 
they  form  a  hollow  under  the  edge  of  a  rock, 
covering  it  partially  with  reeds  or  grass,  and 
they  are  often  found  in  fissures  and  caves  of 
the  mountains.    In  these  places,  they  lie  close 
together,  like  pigs  in  a  sty.    They  are  ex- 
tremely lazy,  so  that  nothing  will  rouse  them 
to   action  but  excessive   hunger.     They  are 
total  strangers  to  domestic  happiness.    The 
men  have  several  wives,  but  conjugal  affection 
is  little  known.    They  take  no  great  care  of 
their  children,  and  never  correct  them,  except 
in  a  fit  of  rage,  when  they  almost  kill  them 
with  severity.    In  a  quarrel  between  father 
and  mother,  or  between  the  several  wives  of  a 
husband,  the  defeated  party  wreaks  vengeance 
on  the  child  of  the  conqueror,  which,  in  gene- 
ral, loses   its  life.    Bushmen  will   kill  their 
children  without  remorse,  when  they  are  ill- 
shaped,  when    in   want    of    food,  when  the 
father  of  a  child  has  forsaken  its  mother,  or 
when  obliged  to  flee  from  pursuers.    They  will 
even  throw  them  to  the  hungry  lion,  which 
stands  roaring  before  their  cavern,  refusing  to 
depart  till  some  peace-offering  is  made  to  him. 
In  general,  the  children  cease  to  be  the  objects 
of  a  mother's  care,  as  soon  as  they  are  able  to 
crawl  about  the  field.    In  some  few  instances, 
however,  we  meet  with  a  spark  of  natural  af- 
fection, which  places  them  on  a  level  with  the 
brute  creation. 

The  Bushman  knows  no  God,  no  eternity, 
yet  dreads  death.    He  worships  at  no  shrine — 


has  no  religion.  We  can  scarcely  conceive  of 
human  beings  descending  lower  in  the  scale  of 
ignorance  and  vice.  Yet  they  can  be  kind 
and  grateful,  and  faithful  to  their  charge. 
And  it  is  their  habitual  practice,  when  they 
receive  food,  to  share  it  with  their  friends,  re- 
serving the  smallest  portion  for  themselves  ; 
and  the  hungry  mother  will  give  food  to  her 
emaciated  children  without  tasting  it  herself. 
(For  attempts  to  Christianize  the  Bushmen, 
see  South  Africa). — MoffaVs  Southern  Africa, 
pp.  16-21 ;  46-50. 

BUSSORAH  :  A  great  city  to  the  south- 
east of  Bagdad,  7  miles  in  circumference,  a 
part  of  which  is  laid  out  in  gardens,  intersected 
with  canals.  Pop.  60,000 ;  Arabs,  Turks, 
Jews,  Hindoos  and  Persians.  A  station  of 
the  London  Jews'  Society. 

BUTTERWORTH:  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  Kaffraria,  on  the  Buffalo  river,  S.  A. 

CABALIST  :  A  Jewish  doctor,  who  pro- 
fesses the  study  of  the  Cabala,  or  the  mysteries 
of  Jewish  traditions. 

CAIRO  :  The  capital  city  of  Egypt,  the 
residence  of  the  viceroy,  and  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, near  the  right  bank  of  the  Nile,  and 
five  miles  from  the  origin  of  its  delta.  Popu- 
lation, including  the  suburbs  of  Boulac  and 
Old  Cairo,  about  250,000,  comprising  about 
125,000  Mohammedans,  60,000  Copts,  3,000 
to  4,000  Jews,  and  numerous  foreigners.  Cli- 
mate, healthy  and  little  variable.  The  Church 
Missionary  Society  have  here  a  mission  to  the 
Copts.     See  Egypt. 

CALCUTTA :  The  chief  of  the  British 
Presidencies  in  India — the  seat  of  the  first  Pro- 
testant Bishop's  See,  the  diocese  extending 
over  all  the  territories  of  the  company.  Pop- 
ulation, as  estimated  in  1849,  250,000  within 
the  "  ditch,"  and  500,000  in  the  immediate 
suburbs.  Within  a  circumference  of  twenty 
miles,  the  population  is  generally  supposed  to 
be  two  millions.  The  city  contains  a  mixed 
population  of  Chinese,  English,  Portuguese, 
French,  Armenians,  Jews,  Monghols,  Par- 
sees,  Arabs,  &c.,  the  great  mass  consisting  of 
Hindoos  and  Mohammedans.  The  Hindoos 
alone  number  about  200,000.  Calcutta  is 
the  seat  of  missionary  operations  for  various 
societies. 

CALEDON  :  Station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  South  Africa,  120  miles 
east  of  Cape  Town,  near  a  branch  of  the 
Cradock  river,  Caledon  district. 

CALIF,  Caliph,  or  Kalif  :  A  represent- 
ative of  Mohammed,  bearing  the  same  relation 
to  him  that  the  Pope  pretends  to  bear  to  St. 
Peter. 

CALOTERS  or  Calogeki  :  Monks  of  the 
Greek  Church,  of  three  orders. 

CALPENTYN  :  A  peninsula,  extending 
about  60  miles  along  the  west  coast  of  Ceylon, 
a  station  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel. 

CALTURA  :    A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 


216 


CALICUT— CANADA. 


Missionary  Society,  in  Ceylon,  26  miles  from 
ColomlK). 

CALICUT:  A  town  in  the  province  of 
Malabar,  India.  103  milc3  south  west  of  Sering- 
apatara.  In  1800,  it  contained  5,000  houses. 
The  inlmbitanta  are  chiefly  Mapillas,  who  are 
of  Arabian  extraction.  It  is  a  station  of  the 
German  Missionary  Society. 

C  ALMOXT :  Station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  the  River  District,  Sierra 
Leone,  to  the  S.  E.  of  Freetown. 

C  AMEROONS  :  A  region  of  country  bor- 
dering on  the  river  and  mountains  of  that 
name,  in  Upper  Guinea,  Africa,  occupied  by 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

CANADA  :  This  extensive  country,  lying 
on  the  northern  border  of  the  States  of 
Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  New  York 
and  Ohio,  and  the  eastern  border  of  Michi- 
gan, was  discovered  by  the  French  navi- 
gator, Jacques  Cartier,  in  the  middle  of  the 
sixteenth  century,  but  was  not  entered  upon 
as  a  place  of  European  settlement,  until  the 
beginning  of  the  seventeenth.  At  about  the 
same  period  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  of  New 
England  landed  there,  with  an  open  and 
loved  Bible,  an  evangelical  faith,  and  a  manly 
attachment  to  freedom,  both  civil  and  reli- 
gious,— and  the  French  adventurers  landed 
at  Stadacona  (Quebec)  and  at  Ilochelaga, 
(Montreal),  accompanied  by  ecclesiastics,  to 
take  possession  of  the  land  in  the  name  of 
the  French  monarch  and  of  the  Papacy.  Both 
parties  brought  with  them  as  a  most  cher- 
ished object,  their  religion,  designing  to 
stamp  the  country  which  they  respectively 
came  to  occupy,  with  that  great  element  of  a 
people's  greatness.  They  founded  their 
respective  Colonies  on  a  religious  basis,  and 
amid  acts  of  homage  to  God,  they  set  up 
their  banners.  Yet  was  there  a  mighty  dif- 
ference between  these  two  events, — a  differ- 
ence lying  mainjy  in  the  character  of  the 
religion  they  brought  with  them.  The 
founders  of  New  England  were  Protestants — 
the  founders  of  Canada  were  Romanists. 
The  former  were  enlightened  and  free, — the 
latter  were  superstitious  and  spiritually  en- 
slaved. And  although  the  Protestants  land- 
ed upon  barren  rocks,  and  the  Romanists  in 
the  midst  of  fertile  valleys,  the  respective 
history  of  the  lands  they  came  to  people, 
proclaims  trumpet-tongued,  the  superiority 
of  a  free  Bible  Christianity,  over  superstition 
and  priestism,  in  moulding  the  character  and 
influencing  the  destinies  of  a  nation. 

The  first  missions  to  Canada  were  those 
of  Rome,  which  were  immediately  and  muni- 
ficently endowed  by  the  French  monarch. 
The  Jesuits  were  early  in  the  field.  They 
founded  a  college  at  Quebec  and  stretched 
their  dependent  missions  to  the  small  settle 
ments  on  the  river.  They  established,  more 
over,  a  chain  of  posts,  westward,  many  of 
which  belong  rather  to  the  history  of  the 


United  States  than  to  that  of  Canada.  Tn^ 
the  year  1G41,  they  erected  their  first  church 
in  the  city  of  Montreal,  which  with  accus- 
tomed mariolatry,  they  dedicated  to  the  Vir- 
gin, It  would  not  comport  with  the  design 
of  this  work  to  narrate  the  conflicts  which 
occurred  between  the  several  orders  of  ec- 
clesiastics for  the  possession  of  this  fair  and 
promising  field  of  missions.  Suffice  it  to 
state,  that  at  length  the  Jesuits  obtained  the 
preeminence  at  Quebec  and  at  St.  Francis, 
while  the  St.  Sulpicians  had  possession  of 
Montreal.  There  were  also  orders  of  friars 
and  nuns  who  formed  an  important  part  of 
the  ecclesiastical  machinery  of  the  country. 
Ample  endowments  were  secured  to  all  these 
parties, — which  the  progress  of  events  and 
the  development  of  the  country  commercially 
and  otherwise,  by  a  difierent  race  and  Pro- 
testant in  religion,  have  rendered  of  vast 
value.  The  Jesuits  became  the  seigneurs 
of  Quebec.  By  gift  and  purchase  they 
acquired  lands  in  various  places  between  that 
city  and  Montreal ;  so  that  the  estates  which 
bear  their  name,  hare  now  a  money  value  of 
not  far  from  one  million  of  pounds  currency, 
or  four  millions  of  dollars.  At  the  cession 
of  the  country  to  Great  Britain,  this  Order 
was  declared  illegal,  and  their  estates  were  ' 
confiscated  to  the  Crown  on  the  death  of  the 
last  of  them.  They  are  now  in  the  hands  of 
the  colonial  government,  administered  in  an 
unprofitable  manner,  and  their  avails,  which 
it  is  presumed  might  be  easily  doubled  in 
amount,  are  mainly  assigned  to  the  support 
of  Roman  Catholic  schools  and  colleges. 

The  Seminary  of  St.  Sulpice  received  the 
seigniory  of  the  city  and  island  of  Montreal, 
the  seigniory  of  the  Lake  of  the  Two  Mount- 
ains, and  some  other  property  from  which  it 
is  estimated  they  derive  an  income  of  at  least 
one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  per  annum. 
They  have  retained  this  property  under  the 
British  government,  and  have  been  incor- 
porated by  the  local  Legislature,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  holding  it  as  an  endowment  for  their 
churches,  missions  to  the  Indians,  and 
schools.  But  as  they  are  never  called  effect- 
ually to  account  for  their  use  of  the  money 
they  receive,  it  can  be,  without  fear  of  com- 
plaint, assigned  to  any  object  that  would  bid 
fair  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  Church 
of  Rome  on  this  continent. 

The  ancient  nunneries  of  Quebec,  Three 
Rivers,  and  Montreal,  were  also  richly  en 
do  wed.  The  writer  has  not  the  means  at 
hand  of  ascertaining  the  wealth  of  those  at 
ijuebec  and  Three  Rivers,  but  the  two  in 
Montreal  have  large  and  increasing  revenues. 
Some  of  their  most  valuable  estates  have 
been  placed  in  enterprising  hands  at  long 
leases,  which  now  yield  to  their  holders  a 
large  return,  and  will  ultimately  give  to  the 
revered  sisterhood  a  vast  accessional  income. 
It  is  to  be  undej^stood  that  these  acquisitions 


CANADA. 


2ir 


bj  gift  and  purchase  were  made  by  the  cor- 
porate bodies  indicated,  during  the  French 
colonial  history  of  Canada.  At  that  period 
the  country  west  of  Montreal,  afterwards 
made  a  distinct  province  under  the  name  of 
Upper  Canada,  and  subsequently  reunited 
with  its  eastern  sister  bearing  the  name  of 
Canada  West,  was  not  inhabited  except  by 
tribes  of  Indians  and  wandering  traders  in 
furs. 

Canada  was  ceded  to  Great  Britain  in 
1763 :  the  conquerors  dealing  with  the  people 
in  the  most  lenient  and  liberal  manner — 
coniirraing  their  laws,  language  and  religion, 
their  tithes  to  the  clergy,  and  their  ecclesias- 
tical endowments.  But  speedily  a  Protestant 
and  Anglo-Saxon  element  was  introduced, 
which  has  steadily  increased  until  it  is  now, 
in  respect  of  the  whole  of  Canada,  the  pre- 
dominant element.  At  the  above  date  the 
population  of  the  country  did  not  exceed 
70,000.  In  1783,  it  had  increased  in  Lower 
Canada  to  about  112,000,  but  at  this  time  Up- 
per Canada  had  about  10,000  inhabitants,  of 
whom  the  dwellers  at  the  numerous  frontier 
forts  and  the  garrisons  constituted  by  far  the 
greater  part.  After  this  period,  the  number 
of  settlers  was  augmented  by  a  great  accession 
of  United  Empire  loyalists  and  disbanded 
soldiers,  and  by  immigrants  from  the  United 
States  and  from  Great  Britain,  so  that  in  the 
year  1814,  the  inhabitants  of  Upper  Canada 
had  increased  to  95,000,  and  in  1824  to 
152,000 ;  while  at  the  latter  date.  Lower 
Canada  contained  a  population  of  450,000. 
United  Canada  now  contains  a  population  of 
two  millions,  of  whom  not  more  than  700,000 
are  the  descendants  of  the  original  French  set- 
tlers ;  moreover,  Canada  West  now  slightly 
exceeds  the  Eastern  section  of  the  province 
in  population, — a  circumstance  which  must 
necessarily  become  more  prominent  in  the 
future  history  of  the  country,  seeing  that 
there  is  a  constant  tide  of  immigration  into 
the  country,  no  part  of  which  comes  from 
France. 

Whenever  the  number  of  Protestants  be- 
came such  as  to  invite  the  attention  of  their 
co-religionists  in  England,  the  venerable 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  sent  out  a  few  Episcopalian 
ministers  and  sustained  them ;  there  came 
also  on  to  the  field  a  few  Scottish  Presby- 
terian ministers,  and  from  the  United  States, 
Episcopal  Methodist  missionaries.  Later, 
namely,  in  1829,  the  American  Home  Mission- 
ary Society  had  several  Congregational  and 
Presbyterian  missionaries  introduced  to  the 
country,  and  continued  for  about  ten  years 
to  do  something  for  Canada.  The  Wesleyan 
Methodists  of  England,  sent  out  several  mis- 
sionaries earlier  than  the  above  date,  and 
assisted  not  only  in  their  support,  but  also 
in  training  promising  young  men  for  their 
itinerant  ministry.     In  1836,  the  Congrega- 


tionalists  of  England  entered  the  Odiiadian 
field,  and  have  had  ever  since  a  growing  mis- 
sion in  the  country.  The  United  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Scotland,  and  later  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland,  have  done  good  mission- 
ary service  in  the  land.  These  hints  will 
suffice  to  show  that  up  to  this  hour  Canada 
is  missionary  ground,  and  that  all  the  leading 
Protestant  denominations  have  entered  upon 
its  cultivation.  There  are  now  in  the  cities 
numerous  self-sustaining  churches,  but  by  far 
the  largest  portion  of  those  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts are  partly  dependent  on  missionary  funds 
for  the  support  of  their  pastors.  It  must  be 
obvious  that  in  estimating  the  religious  con- 
dition of  Canada  as  represented  by  the  num- 
ber of  churches,  ministers,  and  other  Chris- 
tian agencies  found  within  its  precincts,  it  will 
be  needful  to  define  the  stand-point  from 
which  the  character  of  the  several  religious 
bodies  are  viewed.  It  must,  alas !  be 
acknowledged  by  all  observing  disciples  of 
Christ,  that  there  exist  throughout  Chris- 
tendom many  organizations  bearing  the 
name  of  churches,  which  have  little  in  them 
of  the  spirit  and  character  of  our  Divine 
Master.  There  are  individuals  in  them  all 
probably  more  or  less  numerous,  who  love 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  but  the  character 
of  the  whole  body  is  the  reverse  of  evangeli- 
cal. This  definition  need  not  be  given  in 
respect  to  the  Church  of  Rome,  as  her  char- 
acter for  Christian  illumination  and  influence 
will  be  readily  estimated  by  the  readers  of 
this  work.  They  will  find  her  describod  2 
Thess.  ii.  3 — 12.  But  in  relation  to  the 
other  bodies  to  be  noted,  it  may  be  well  to 
say  that  their  measure  of  evangelical  influ- 
ence is  estimated  from  a  stand-point  such  as 
that  occupied  by  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  by  its 
Secretaries,  Committee,  and  principal  sup- 
porters. Viewing  the  Episcopalian  Church, 
called  "  the  United  Church  of  England  and 
Ireland,"  from  that  point,  it  cannot,  as  ex- 
hibited in  Canada,  be  termed  as  a  whole,  or 
even  mainly  evangelical.  Its  communion  is 
usually  without  restriction  as  to  the  piety  or 
want  of  piety  of  its  members.  Its  clergy, 
with  some  bright  and  delightful  exceptions, 
are,  so  far  as  can  be  judged,  ignorant  of  sav- 
ing truth  ;  and  as  a  consequence,  its  ministry 
is  not  eflective  in  the  conversion  of  sinners. 
There  are  in  each  of  the  three  Dioceses  of 
Canada  bright  exceptions  to  this  descrip- 
tion :  men  of  God  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  sincerity,  and  seek  by  all  means  in 
their  power  to  promote  the  advancement  of 
our  Lord's  Kingdom.  There  are  also  lay- 
men of  remarkable  excellence  connected  with 
this  church  whose  influence  is  most  decided 
in  the  cause  of  evangelical  religion.  But  the 
writer  has  no  doubt  that  these  excellent  men 
would  endorse  as  true,  the  general  represen- 
tation given  above.    It  should  be  borne  in 


218 


CANADA. 


mindf  throughout,  howovor,  that  tho  regular 
services  of  tho  Church,  bring  before  tho 
minds  of  tho  people  a  large  portion  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  consequently  of  saving  truth. 
These  few  men  hope  much  from  this. 

Before  proceeding  with  an  estimate  of 
other  bodies,  some  statistical  facts  regarding 
the  foregoing,  may  be  placed  on  record.  The 
Roman  Catholic  Church  in  Canada  is  divided 
into  seven  dioceses,  namely :  Quebec,  Three 
Rivers,  Montreal,  and  St.  Hyacinthe,  in  East- 
ern Canada,  and  Bytown,  Kingston,  and 
Toronto,  in  Western  Canada.  That  of  Que- 
bec contains  111  parishes,  exclusive  of  those 
of  the  city.  There  are  an  archbishop,  a 
coadjutor  bishop,  and  184  clergy,  including 
chaplains  of  nunneries,  officers  of  colleges, 
&c.  That  of  Three  Rivers  contains,  includ- 
ing the  town,  38  parishes.  It  has  a  bishop 
and  a  body  of  clergy  in  all  the  offices  num- 
bering 51.  That  of  Montreal  contains  108 
parishes.  It  has  a  bishop  and  a  coadjutor, 
and  including  the  ecclesiastics  of  the  Serai- 
nary  of  St.  Sulpice,  the  professors  in  colleges, 
(the  Jesuits  among  them)  and  other  clerical 
officials,  the  body  of  clergy  numbers  209. 
This  does  not  include  brotherhoods  and  sis- 
terhoods in  convents.  That"  of  St.  Hyacinthe 
contains  36  parishes,  but  some  of  these  are 
rather  stations  amid  Protestant  communities. 
It  has  a  bishop*and  55  clergymen. 

"Western  Canada  being  Protestant  ground, 
there  are  no  Roman  Catholic  parishes,  but 
there  are  three  bishops  and  112  priests 
laboring  there,  chiefly  among  the  Irish 
Roman  Catholic  settlers.  The  entire  people 
to  whom  these  bishops  and  clergy  minister, 
nearly  as  much  need  the  circulation  of  the 
Bible  among  them,  and  the  mission  of  evan- 
gelical agencies,  as  heathendom  itself. 

The  Churph  of  England  in  Canada,  has 
three  dioceses,  namely,  Quebec,  Montreal, 
and  Toronto ;  the  latter  more  extensive  than 
the  two  former  put  together.  There  are 
three  bishops,  and  including  arch-deacons, 
and  other  officials  gathered  around  the  three 
bishops,  there  are  of  clergy  in  the  diocese 
of  Quebec,  42,  in  that  of  Montreal,  53, 
and  4  retired  missionaries  ;  and  in  that  of 
Toronto,  148.  It  is  estimated  that  in  the 
diocese  of  Montreal  there  are  about  30,000 
nominal  adherents,  but  the  number  of  com- 
municants is  only  about  3,000.  Of  the  other 
dioceses  the  writer  has  not  the  particulars  on 
these  points. 

The  Presbyterians  in  Canada  are  divided 
into  three  principal  sections,  namely:  the 
Synod  which  retains  its  connection  with  the 
Established  Church  of  Scotland — the  Synod 
which  without  formal  ecclesiastical  connec- 
tion, yet  represents  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland — and  the  Synod  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church,  a  branch  of  that  Church 
in  Scotland,  but  without  formal  ecclesiastical 
connection  with  it.     The  first  of  these  is  very 


similar  in  th\j  character  of  its  pastorate  and 
its  membership  to  the  Established  Church 
of  Scotland.  The  discourses  of  the  pulpit  arc 
sound  and  evangelical,  but  not  usually  pointed. 
The  clergy  are  well  educated  and  respecta- 
ble. The  membership  contains  many  of 
God's  saints,  but  like  that  of  all  established 
churches,  it  is  mixed  in  its  character.  The 
second  of  these  bodies  possesses  a  large 
amount  of  energy  ;  it  is  one  of  the  youngest 
of  the  denominations  in  Canada,  but  it  has 
already  done  an  extensive  and  good  work. 
Coming  out  from  the  churches  connected 
with  the  establishment,  its  pastorate  and 
membership  will  be  without  difficulty  esti- 
mated by  all  who  are  aware  of  the  religious 
history  of  Scotland  during  the  last  ten  years. 
The  third  of  these  bodies,  though  the  small- 
est, is  highly  respectable  as  to  character  and 
influence.  They  are  eminently  sound  in  the 
faith,  and  preach  the  Word  of  the  Lord  with 
boldness. .  There  are  seventy-three  ministers 
and  three  retired,  in  connection  with  tlie 
first  mentioned  sections  of  Presbyterianisra, 
and  forty-three  vacant  charges  are  reported  j 
but  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  some  of  these 
are  little  more  than  nominal.  The  full  sta- 
tistics of  this  body  are  not  in  the  hands  of 
the  writer. 

The  following  facts  relating  to  the  second 
of  these  three  sections  of  Presbyterianism  are 
given  in  the  words  of  a  thoroughly  furnished 
officer  of  Synod,  and  have  relation  to  the  pre- 
sent year,  (June,  1854.)  '•  I  may  mention 
generally,  that  ten  years  ago, when  our  Church 
was  organized,  there  were  twenty-five  min- 
isters ;  now  we  have  on  our  roll  92  names  of 
ordained  ministers,  embraced  in  eight  Pres- 
byteries, seven  in  Canada  West,  and  one  in 
in  Canada  East.  During  the  past  year, 
nearly  £12,000  ($48,000),  has  been  raised 
within  the  church  for  the  support  of  our 
Theological  Institution ;  about  £430(!$1,720) 
for  the  French  Canadian  Missionary  Society 
and  nearly  £400  (-^1,600),  for  foreign  mis- 
sions. The  church  also  supports  a  mission- 
ary in  the  Buxton  settlement,  among  the 
colored  population.  In  our  various  presby- 
teries there  are  at  least  50  vacant  congrega- 
tions and  mission  stations,  which  (the  latter) 
are  multiplying  every  year.  Knox's  College 
is  attended  by  about  40  students,  and  has 
been  the  means  of  sending  forth  upwards  of 
30  of  the  ministers  now  on  the  roll  of  the 
Synod." 

The  third  section  of  Presbyterians  reporti^ 
in  1853,  forty-nine  ordained  ministers  and 
three  probationers  ;  but  the  names  of  73  con- 
gregations appear  upon  the  tables,  of  which 
eighteen  are  vacant.  The  "  average  attend- 
ance" throughout  the  church  amounts  to 
12,845,  showing  an  increase  of  2,287  upon  the 
returns  of  the  previous  year.  The  total  in- 
come has  been  £6,425  (i$24,500)  ;  of  which 
$16,000    were    expended    on    stipend    and 


CANADA— CANNIBALS. 


219 


^8,000  on  'Church  property."  For  mis- 
lions,  including  Theological  Fund  Chair,  the 
;hurch  raised  ^2,200.  Compared  with  pre- 
vious returns,  increase  is  observable  in  most 
>f  these  items. 

Of  the  remaining  Christian  organizations 
Q  Canada,  it  is  not  needful  to  do  more  than 
0  record  statistics,  inasmuch  as  their  char- 
cter  in  respect  to  the  pastorate  and  mem- 
bership is  similar  to  that  of  the  bodies  of  the 
ame  name  in  the  United  States. 

The  Methodist  body  is  divided  into  four 
ections,  as  follows : 

The  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church  in  Canada 
aises  about  ^21,000  for  domestic  and  In- 
ian  missions,  of  which  it  has  81  in  number, 
applied  by  91  ministers.  The  total  minis- 
irial  force  of  this  body,  including  the  above 
lentioned  missionaries,  is  216.  The  sister 
hurch  in  Eastern  Canada,  numbers  20  min- 
sters. The  congregations  raised  last  year 
;2.800  for  missions,  but  more  .than  this 
mount  was  expended  on  the  Canadian  sta- 
ions.  In  future,  the  East  and  West  will  be 
nited  in  one  organization. 

The  Methodist  New  Connection  Church 
as  fifty-two  ministers.  The  Methodist 
Ipiscopal  Church  has  91  ministers,  includ- 
ig  the  supernumeraries,  but  excluding  those 
rh.0  are  superannuated.  The  Primitive 
lethodist  Church  numbers  thirty-two  min- 
sters. 

The  remaining  denominations  of  any  im- 
ortance  are  the  Congregational  and  the 
Japtist. 

Eighteen  years  since  there  were  only  nine 
/ongregational  churches  in  the  country ;  there 
re  now  sixty-two,  having  123  principal  sta- 
ions.  The  number  of  ministers  is  fifty-nine, 
aving  about  10,000  hearers,  and  a  member- 
hip  of  2,750.  There  are  60  Sabbath  Schools 
rith  nearly  400  teachers  and  3000  pupils, 
'his  body  contributed  for  the  support  of  the 
astorate  and  of  worship  during  the  year 
jst  closed,  £4,690,  or  ^18,760  ;  for  debt  on 
laces  of  worship,  building  and  repairs, 
;10,226  ;  for  missions,  ^3,600 ;  Theological 
nstitute,  .$900  ;  other  objects  $1,270. 

Concerning  the  Baptist  churches  the 
writer  has  no  access  to  statistics,  beyond  the 
lumber  of  ministers,  which  is  131. 

There  are  two  missions  of  importance,  and 
wo  others  that  are  in  a  state  of  formation 
or  the  evangelization  of  the  French  Cana- 
lian  people.  The  French  Canadian  Mission- 
^y  Society  expended  last  year  about  $10,000 
>n  this  work.  It  is  catholic,  i.  e.,  not  de- 
lominational.  The  Grand  Eigne  Mission, 
v^hich  is  Baptist,  spent  nearly  as  much.  The 
)ther  two  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Church  of 
England  and  the  Church  of  Scotland.  They 
ire  small  and  unimportant.  A  valuable  im- 
)ression  has  been  made  on  the  mind  of  the 
French  Canadian  people.  Canada  has  this 
rear  resolved  to  enter  into  the  foreign  mis 


sionary  work.  No  missionaiy  has  yet  been 
sent  forth  however. — Rev.  Henry  Wilkes. 
D.  D.,  of  Montreal. 

CANDY  :  See  Kajidy.  • 

CANANORE:  A  maritime  town  in  the 
province  of  Malabar,  India,  situated  at  the 
bottom  of  a  small  bay,  45  miles  N.  W.  of 
Calicut,  and  66  S.  S.  E.  of  Mangalore.  con- 
taining 11,000  houses :  a  station  of  the  Basle 
Missionary  Society. 

CANTON:  The  capital  of  Kwangtung, 
China,  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  Pearl 
river,  in  lat.  23*  7',  N.  and  113*  14'  E.  long. 

CANNIBALS:  Man-eaters;  those  who 
feed  on  human  flesh.  It  seems  incredible  that 
men  can  be  reduced  so  far  below  the  brutes 
as  to  devour  one  another,  as  the  most  ferocious 
wild  beasts  rarely  prey  upon  their  own  spe- 
cies. Yet,  in  all  ages,  as  far  back  as  the  re- 
cords of  history  can  be  traced,  men  have  been 
found  so  far  lost  to  the  instincts  of  nature  as 
to  devour  the  flesh  of  their  fellow-creatures. 
Herodotus,  Mela,  Strabo,  and  Pliny,  speak 
of  such,  and  describe  the  particular  regions 
in  which  they  dwelt.  Herodotus  describes  a 
nation,  apparently  in  India,  who  regularly 
killed  and  ate  the  more  aged  among  them- 
selves. The  ancient  Scythians  were  Canni- 
bals; and  Herodotus  speaks  of  a  distinct 
tribe  adjoining  them,  who  led  a  rural  life, 
obeyed  no  laws,  and  acknowledged  no  au- 
thority, who  fed  on  human  flesh.  Jerome 
states  that,  when  he  was  in  Gaul,  he  had  seen 
the  Atticotti,  a  British  tribe,  feeding  on  hu- 
man flesh.  At  a  late  period,  traces  of  the 
same  barbarous  custom  are  found  in  Scot- 
land. During  a  war  with  England,  in  1138, 
the  men  of  Galloway  not  only  slaughtered  the 
innocent,  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex  ; 
but  they  cut  out  the  bowels,  devoured  the 
flesh,  and  drank  the  blood  of  their  victims. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  British  Isles  are  sup- 
posed, by  many,  to  have  sprung  from  the  an- 
cient Scythians,  who  drank  the  blood  of  their 
enemies,  and  made  drinking  cups  of  their 
skulls.  There  was  a  certain  ceremony  at 
which  none  could  drink,  who  had  not  killed 
an  enemy ;  and  it  at  length  became  connected 
with  religious  rites,  as  well  as  being  a  token 
of  conquest.  The  early  European  navigators, 
from  the  time  of  Columbus,  have  reported 
the  existence  of  Cannibalism  among  the  abori- 
gines of  America.  But  the  practice  does 
not  seem  to  have  been  common  among  the 
North  American  Indians;  and  when  prac- 
ticed, it  appears  to  have  been  upon  enemies 
taken  in  war,  and  connected  with  supersti- 
tious observances.  Cannibalism  was  preva- 
lent in  the  South  Sea  Islands,  and  probably 
on  the  Pacific  shores  of  South  America,  as 
well  as  in  New  Zealand  and  New  Caledonia, 
from  the  earliest  discoveries ;  and  the  horrid 
custom  still  prevails  among  the  unevangelized 
tribes.  M.  de  Fresne,  a  cotemporary  of 
Capt.  Cooke,  with  seventeen  of  his  compan- 


220 


CANNIBALS. 


ions,  were  slaughtered  and  eaten  in  New 

Ziuluiul. 

A  fow  years  ago,  a  native  teacher,  while 
tHlveliug  in  New  Caledonia,  in  the  district  of 
Eugene,  witnessed  a  horrible  transaction, 
which  shows  how  the  chiefs  are  trained  up  to 
the  most  ferocious  habits.  A  feast  was  held, 
and  the  people  of  the  chief  brought  him  food. 
The  son  of  the  chief,  a  lad  of  about  six  years, 
observing  among  them  a  very  corpulent  man, 
asked  his  father  for  him.  The  father  com- 
plied with  his  request,  and  ordered  the  man 
to  remain  after  the  rest  went  away.  The 
chief  then  asked  his  son  what  should  be  done 
with  the  man,  and  the  boy  replied,  "  Let  him 
be  cut  in  pieces  alive !"  One  of  the  chief's 
attendants  then  cut  off  one  arm,  then  the 
other,  and  one  leg  after  the  other,  till  only 
the  head  and  trunk  remained  ;  yet  the  man 
lived  till  his  head  was  severed  from  his  body. 
The  teacher  was  informed  that  this  was  a 
privilege  only  granted  to  the  son  of  the  chief 
during  his  minority ;  and  that,  as  often  as 
the  tenants  bring  him  food,  and  the  son  de- 
sires any  one  among  them,  his  wish  is  grant- 
ed, and  the  victim  is  either  killed  for  food,  or 
cut  up  alive. 

So  late  as  1809,  the  captain  and  crew  of 
an  English  vessel,  who  had  visited  New  Zea- 
land for  the  purchase  of  timber,  were  trea- 
cherously slaughtered,  and  their  bodies  de- 
voured. The  natives  of  New  Caledonia  also 
have  been  seen  greedily  devouring  human 
flesh.  Commander  Wilkes,  of  the  U.  S.  Ex- 
ploring Expedition,  says,  there  can  be  no 
question  that  Cannibalism  is  practiced  in  the 
Fejee  Islands,  '•  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  eat- 
ing human  flesh  as  food!"  " Their  fondness 
for  it  will  be  understood  from  the  custom 
they  have  of  sending  portions  of  it  to  their 
friends  at  a  distance,  as  an  acceptable  pre- 
sent ;  and  the  gift  is  eaten,  even  if  decompo- 
sition have  begun  before  it  is  received.  So 
highly  do  they  esteem  this  food,  that  the 
greatest  praise  they  can  bestow  on  a  deli- 
cacy is,  to  say  that  it  is  as  tender  as  a  dead 
man!  Even  their  sacrifices  are  made  more 
frequent,  in  order  to  indulge  their  taste  for 
this  horrid  food.  The  bodies  of  enemies 
slain  in  battle  are  always  eaten.  But  war 
does  not  furnish  enough  to  satisfy  their  de- 
sires. "  They  embrace  opportunities  to  seize 
victims  wherever  they  can  find  them.  They 
will  even  banquet  on  the  flesh  of  their  friends  ; 
and  in  times  of  scarcity,  families  will  make  an 
exchange  of  children  for  this  horrid  purpose." 
"  The  flesh  of  women  is  preferred  to  that  of 
men  ;"  but  the  women  are  not  allowed  to  eat 
of  it  openly,  though  it  is  said  the  wives  of 
the  chiefs  do  partake  of  it  privately.  The 
common  people  are  forbidden  to  eat  of  it,  un- 
less there  is  plenty  ;  but  they  are  allowed  to 
pick  the  bones.  In  1834,  the  mate  and  seve- 
ral of  the  crew  of  an  American  vessel  were 
decoyed    on   shore   by  Vendovi,   Chief  of 


Reeva,  with  the  pretence  that  he  was  sick 
and  wanted  medicine,  when  they  were  1 1\  u- 
cherously  massacred  and  eaten. 

Dr.  Spry,  a  gentleman  connected  with  the 
Bengal  medical  staff',  gives  the  following  :if- 
count  of  a  Cannibal  tribe  in  Chittagoiu.  n 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  province  of  I  » i:- 
gal,  the  particulars  of  which  he  had  IVoni 
Major  Gardner.  The  Rookies,  as  these  Nrii- 
tal  wretches  are  called,  are  corpulant,  low  in 
stature,  with  set  features,  and  muscular 
limbs.  They  speak  a  dialect  peculiar  to 
themselve^  and  build  their  villages  on  the 
boughs  of  the  forest  trees.  They  appear  to 
have  no  settled  habitation,  but  wander  in  the 
wilderness  in  herds.  When  they  have  select- 
ed a  site,  the  whole  community  set  to  work 
to  collect  bamboos  and  branches  of  trees, 
which  are  afterwards  fashioned  into  ])lat- 
forms,  and  placed  across  the  lofty  boughs  of 
the  different  trees.  On  this  foundation,  tlie 
rude  grass  superstructure  is  raised,  which 
forms  the  hut.  When  completed*,  the  womeM 
and  children  are  taken  into  theiraerial  aljol*  s. 
and  then  the  men  lop  off  all  the  lower  branch- 
es of  the  trees,  and  make  a  rough  ladder  of 
bamboos,  on  which  they  ascend,  and  take  it 
up  after  them.  Though  such  a  mode  of  life 
may  seem  incredible,  yet  Mr.  Moffat  gives  an 
account  of  an  inhabited  tree,  which  he  f(^".iul 
in  Africa. 

The  Kookies  openly  boast  of  their  feats  of 
Cannibalism,  showing  with  the  strongest  ex- 
pressions of  satisfaction,  the  bones  of  their 
fellow-creatures,  who  have  fallen  a  prey  to 
their  horrible  appetites.  These  people, 
strange  as  it  may  appear,  live  within  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  Calcutta,  the  me- 
tropolis and  seat  of  government  of  British 
India,  secluded  in  the  woods  and  jungles  of 
the  savage  portions  of  Bengal.  The  same 
writer  also  states  that  the  Goands  or  Ghonds, 
who  inhabit  the  hill  forests  of  Nagpore,  are 
Cannibals,  but  that  the  latter  partake  of  hu- 
man flesh  only  occasionally,  as  a  religious 
custom,  while  the  former  banquet  with  de- 
light on  the  horrid  repast. 

The  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia  remarks,  that 
"  It  is  uniformly  attested  by  persons  in  op- 
posite parts  of  the  globe,  under  various  cli- 
mates, in  different  circumstances,  that  an  un- 
common degree  of  ferocity  is  speedily  gene- 
rated by  feeding  on  human  flesh."  And  it  is 
by  no  means  improbable  that  the  origin  of 
the  practice  is  to  be  found  in  the  thirst  f^' 
blood  engendered  by  savage  warfare.  It  ^ 
however,  one  of  the  terrible  fruits  of  heathen- 
ism, the  remedy  for  which  is  alone  to  be 
found  in  the  elevating  and  genial  influence 
of  Christianity. — Edinburgh  Encyclopedia ; 
London  Miss.  Mag.  for  Nov.,  1849,  p.  102; 
U.  S.  Exploring  Expedition,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  97; 
Spry^s  Modern  India. 

CAPE  HAYTIEN :  A  seaport  toAvn  of  the 
Island  of  Hayti,  on  its  north  coast,  90  m.  N. 


CAPE  HAYTIEN— CARNIVAL. 


221 


f  Port-au-Prince.  Population  12,000  to 
5.000.  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mission- 
?j  Society. 

CAPE  COAST  TOWN :  a  station  of  the 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  on  the  Gold 
oast. 

CAPE  FLATS :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
[issionary  Society  in  Little  Namaqualand, 
3uth  Africa. 

CANON :  In  ecclesiastical  affairs,  a  law 

•  rule  of  doctrine  or  discipline,  enacted  by 
council  and  confirmed  by  the  sovereign  ;  a 
jcision  in  matters  of  religion,  or  a  regula- 
on  of  policy  or  discipline,  by  a  general  or 
•ovincial  council. 

CAPUCHINS  :  Monks  of  the  order  of  St. 
panels,  who  cover  their  heads  with  a  stuff- 
ip  or  cowl.  They  are  clothed  in  brown  or 
•ay,  go  barefoot,  and  never  shave  their  faces. 
CAPE  COLONY:  A  colony  in  South 
frica,  belonging  to  Great  Britain.  It  takes 
3  name  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and 
[tends  from  thence  to  the  Orange  River  in 
le  north,  and  to  the  Fugela  river  in  the  east, 
large  proportion  of  the  territory  included 
ithin  their  limits  is  either  unoccupied,  or, 
fcepting  the  missionary  stations,  entirely  in 
le  hands  of  the  natives.  Apart  from  the 
lores,  the  country  consists  of  high  lands, 
rming  parallel  mountain  ridges,  with  eleva- 
id  plains  or  terraces  of  varying  extent  be- 
veen.  The  climate  is  exceedingly  fine  and 
dubrious. 

The  Cape  was  discovered  by  Diaz,  the 
ortuguese  navigator,  in  1486.  The  Dutch 
)lonists  began  to  settle  here  in  1600.  In 
)2P,  two  English  commanders  took  posses- 
on  of  the  Cape,  in  the  name  of  Great  Bri- 
,in  ;  but  no  settlement  was  then  made  by 
le  English.  In  1650,  the  Dutch  government 
int  out  one  hundred  men  and  as  many  wo- 
en  from  the  houses  of  industry  at  Amster- 
im  to  people  the  Colony  ;  and,  according 

•  some  authorities,  it  was  made  a  penal  set- 
ement.  In  1652,  the  Dutch  East  India 
ompany  took  possession,  and  appointed 
ohn  Van  Kiebeck  Governor,  with  instruc- 
ons  to  extend  Christianity  among  the  na- 
ves. In  1795,  the  Cape  was  captured  by 
le  British,  and  Lord  Macartney  Avas  appoint- 
1  Governor.  At  the  peace  of  Amiens,  in 
300,  it  was  restored  to  the  Dutch,  but  in 
B06,  it  was  again  taken  by  the  English,  to 
horn  it  was  finally  ceded  in  1815.  The 
luropcan  inhabitants  are  of  English,  Dutch, 
tid  German  origin.  In  the  Pearl  district, 
lere  are  about  4,000  French  Protestants, 
'hose  ancestors  emigrated  from  France  about 
700,  in  consequence  of  the  revocation  of  the 
diet  of  Nantez.  The  Dutch  occupy  the  in- 
srior,  and  are  mostly  farmers.  The  Eng- 
sh  reside  chieflv  in  the  Albany  district. 

The  Orange  River  sovereignty,  arlded  to 
he  British  territories  in  1819.  extends  north 
'f  the  Orange  River  as  far  as  the  Ky  Gariep 


or  Vaal  River.  Natal,  or  Victoria,  a  district 
on  the  east  coast,  and  separated  from  Cape 
Colony  by  Kaffraria,  is  a  recently  formed 
British  settlement,  containing  an  area  of 
18,000  square  miles.  It  is  highly  favored  in 
those  respects  in  which  the  Cape  is  most  de- 
ficient, having  abundance  of  wood  and  water, 
with  coal  and  various  metallic  ores,  a  fine 
alluvial  soil,  and  a  climate  adapted  to  the 
production  of  cotton,  silk,  and  indigo. 

CAPE  PALMAS  :  The  seat  of  the  Colony 
of  the  Maryland  Colonization  Society,  in  Li- 
beria, West  Africa,  and  a  station  of  the 
American  Episcopal  Missionary  Society.  Its 
situation  is  high  and  prominent,  and  is  visit- 
ed every  hour  with  a  cool  refreshing  breeze 
from  the  sea.  It  projects  into  the  sea  about 
one  hundred  rods,  forming  the  turning  point 
from  the  windward  to  the  leeward  coasts. — 
The  bar  and  landing  are  said  to  be  the  best 
in  all  Western  Africa. 

CAPE  TOWN :  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  being  the 
capital  of  the  Cape  Colony.  The  missionary 
stationed  here,  preaches  in  the  "  Union 
Chapel,''^  and  is  the  General  Agent  and 
Superintendent  of  the  Society's  Missions  in 
South  Africa.  This  post  was  for  many  years 
filled  by  the  venerable  Dr.  Philip.  It  is  now 
occupied  by  Rev.  William  Thompson,  former- 
ly one  of  the  Society's  missionaries  in  India. 
Mr.  Thompson,  on  his  return  to  England, 
touched  at  Cape  Town,  while  Rev.  Mr.  Free- 
man, Secretary  of  the  Society,  was  on  a  visit 
there.  Mr.  T.  preached  at  the  Union  Chapel, 
and  was  invited  to  the  pastorate ;  and  sub- 
sequently receiving  an  appointment  from  the 
Directors,  as  their  agent,  he  thought  it  his 
duty  to  accept,  and  entered  upon  his  duties 
in  the  summer  of  1850. 

CARAVAN  :  A  company  of  travelers,  pil- 
grims, or  merchants,  marching  or  proceeding 
in  a  body  over  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  or  other 
regions  infested  with  robbers. 

CARAVANSARY:  A  place  appointed  for 
receiving  and  lodging  caravans ;  a  kind  of 
inn,  where  the  caravans  rest  at  night,  being 
a  large  square  building,  with  a  spacious  court 
in  the  middle. 

CARMELITES:  An  order  of  mendicant 
friars,  named  from  Mount  Carmel.  They 
have  four  tribes,  and  thirty-eight  provinces, 
besides  the  congregation  in  Mantua,  in  which 
are  fifty-four  monasteries,  under  a  vicar- 
general,  and  the  congregations  of  barefooted 
Carmelites  in  Italy  and  Spain.  They  wear 
a  scapulary,  or  small  woolen  habit,  of  a  brown 
color,  thrown  over  the  shoulders. 

CARNIVAL:  The  feast  or  season  of  re- 
joicing, before  Lent,  observed  in  Catholic 
countries,  with  great  solemnity,  by  feasts, 
balls,  operas,  concerts,  &c. 

CARTHUSIAN:  An  order  of  monks,  so 
called  from  Chartreuse,  the  place  of  their  in- 
stitution.    They  are   remarkable  for  their 


CARlfEL—CEYLON. 


axiRtority.  They  cannot  go  out  of  their 
cells,  except  to  church,  nor  speak  to  any  per- 
son without  leave. 

C  A  H  M  E  L :  Station  of  the  French  Protest- 
aiit-  in  South  Africa,  between  Bethulia  and 
I'm  risljeha,  established  in  1846,  as  an  Insti- 
Luiiuu  for  training  native  teacners.  2  mis- 
sionaries, 40  communicants. 

CASTE :    See  Brahminism. 

CATTARAUGUS :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Cattaraugus  Indians,  in 
the  State  of  New  York. 

CATHOLIC :  Universal  or  general.  Ori- 
ginall}'  applied  to  the  Christian  Church  in 
general,  but  now  improperly  appropriated  by 
the  Church  of  Rome. 

CAUNPOOR,orCAWNPORE:  A  town 
in  the  province  of  Allahabad,  India  ;  capital 
of  a  district  of  the  same  name,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Ganges,  45  miles  south-west  of 
Lucknow.  A  station  of  the  Gospel  Propa- 
gation Society. 

C  AVALLA :  A  station  of  the  American 
Episcopal  Board  in  West  Africa,  13  miles 
from  Cape  Palmas. 

CEDAR  HILL :  A  station  of  the  Mora- 
vians in  Antigua,  West  Indies,  where  is  an 
institution  for  the  training  of  teachers. 

CELESTINS :  A  religious  order  so  named 
from  Pope  Celestin.  They  have  39  convents 
in  Italy,  and  21  in  France.  Their  habit  is  a 
white  gown,  a  capuche,  and  a  black  scapu- 
lary. 

CENOBITE  :  One  of  a  religious  order, 
who  lives  in  a  convent  or  community;  in  op- 
position to  an  anchoret  or  hermit,  who  lives 
alone. 

CEYLON:  The  island  of  Ceylon  lies 
chiefly  between  the  6th  and  10th  degrees  of 
north  latitude,  and  the  80th  and  82d  east  lon- 
gitude, and  has  the  bay  of  Bengal  on  the  N. 
and  E.,  the  Indian  ocean  on  the  S.  and  S.  W., 
and  is  separated  from  Hindoostan  on  the  N. 
W.  by  the  gulf  of  Manaar.  Its  length  is 
about  300  miles  N.  to  S.,  and  its  breadth  varies 
from  40  to  100  miles.  }^\  form  it  resembles 
the  section  of  a  pear  cut  lengthwise  through 
the  middle.  The  coasts  on  the  N.  and  N.  W. 
are  low  and  flat,  but  on  the  S.  and  E.  they  are 
bold  and  rocky,  affording  some  of  the  best 
harbors  in  the  world.  The  interior  of  the 
island  consists  of  three  distinct  natural  divi- 
sions :  the  low  country,  the  hills,  and  the 
mountains.  The  mountains  of  the  central  and 
northern  regions  rise  from  1000  to  4000  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  are  clothed  to  the  summits 
with  magnificent  forests.  The  rivers  and 
lakes  are  numerous,  but  only  a  few  of  the 
former  are  navigable,  and  of  the  latter  only 
those  along  the  eastern  coast  can  be  used  for 
purposes  of  traffic.  Ceylon  is  rich  in  mine- 
rals, but  they  have  not  been  made  of  much 
commercial  importance.  Its  soil  is  generally 
a  mixture  of  sand  and  clay,  but  in  the  cinna- 


mon region,  near  Colombo,  it  consists  of  pnic 
quartz,  and  is  perfectly  white.  Being  situated 
so  near  the  equator,  the  days  and  nighte  are 
nearly  of  equal  length  throughout  the  year, 
and  the  temperature  during  the  day  varies  hnt 
little.     The  seasons,  however,  are  more;  rcf^^i- 

lated  by  the  monsoons  than  by  the  con^ • 

the  sun,  and  the  hottest  part  of  the  \ 
from  January  to  April.  The  climate  is  ' 
brious,  except  in  the  low  and  less  cultivated 
regions ;  the  principal  diseases  being  those  of 
the  liver  and  intestmes.  Measles  and  whoop- 
ing cough  occur  only  in  a  mild  form,  and  con- 
sumption of  the  lungs  is  wholly  unknown. 
The  small-pox,  which  was  once  so  fatal,  is  al- 
most entirely  checked  by  vaccination. 

The  vegetable  productions  of  the  island  are 
numerous  and  valuable,  and  consist  of  cinna- 
mon, cocoa-nut,  palm,  bread-fruit,  coflee,  in- 
digo, areca,  betel-nut,  tobacco,  ebony,  gam- 
boge, gum-lac,  &c.  The  most  important  of 
these  is  the  cinnamon,  which  grows  only  in 
Ceylon  and  Cochin  China.  In  its  wild  state 
it  grows  from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  high,  and 
the  cinnamon  forests  present  a  very  beautifiU 
appearance.  This  spice  constitutes  the  great 
wealth  of  Ceylon,  and  together  with  the  other 
productions  named,  has  rendered  the  island  of 
vast  importance  to  the  commercial  world. 

The  principal  animals  found  here  are  the 
elephant,  bear,  leopard,  hyena,  jackal,  elk, 
deer,  gazelle,  buffalo,  horse,  ox,  wild  hog, 
monkey,  racoon,  porcupine,  squirrel,  &c.  Pea- 
cocks, pheasants,  snipes,  pigeons,  and  a  great 
variety  of  other  birds,  with  almost  every  spe- 
cies of  domestic  poultry,  are  found  in  great 
abundance ;  and  serpents,  alligators,  and  rep- 
tiles of  all  sorts,  are  numerous. 

Population. — The  native  population  of  Cey- 
lon consists  of  four  classes  :  first,  the  Ceylon- 
ese  or  Singalese,  occupying  the  Kandian  terri- 
tories and  the  coasts ;  second,  the  Moors,  who 
are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  island  ;  third,  the 
Veddahs,  who  live  in  the  mountains  and  unex- 
plored regions  ;  and  fourth,  the  Hindoos,  who 
occupy  chiefly  the  N.  and  E.  coasts.  Besides 
these  there  are  also  in  the  island  some  Portu- 
guese, Dutch,  and  English  colonists  ;  and  an 
intermixture  of  these  with  each  other,  and 
with  the  native  races,  forms  still  another  class. 
The  total  population,  according  to  the  latest 
estimates,  is  1,368,838.  The  Singalese  believe 
themselves  to  have  been  the  original  inhabit- 
ants ;'  and  they  have  a  tradition  that  their 
island  was  the  ancient  paradise,  from  which 
Adam  was  expelled,  after  which  a  company  of 
Chinese  adventurers  accidentally  landed  upon 
their  coasts.  No  importance  is  attached  to 
this  tradition,  however.  There  is  no  very 
authentic  information  respecting  Ceylon  pre- 
vious to  its  discovery  by  the  Portuguese,  in 
1505.  They  subsequently  became  masters  of 
the  island,  and  from  them  it  was  conquered  by 
the  Dutch,  in  1656,  just  a  century  and  a  half 
after  the  arrival  of  the  Portuguese.    In  11')6, 


CEYLON. 


223 


Colombo  surrendered  to  the  English,  who  took 
possession  of  Kandy  also  in  1815. 

Government. — The  government  of  Ceylon  is 
vested  in  the  hands  of  a  British  Governor,  who 
is  assisted  by  three  classes  of  officers,  and  any 
person  of  requisite  qualifications  may  fill  the 
highest  offices,  whether  he  be  a  European  or  a 
native,  and  without  reference  to  his  religion. 
A  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  how- 
ever, is  indispensable.  For  the  administration 
of  justice  the  island  is  divided  into  three  dis- 
tricts, and  these  are  divided  into  smaller  ones, 
each  with  a  court,  judge  and  assessors,  while  a 
Supreme  Court,  and  the  only  court  of  appeal, 
is  established  at  Colombo.  Trial  by  jury  is 
3ecured  to  all  the  people. 

Language,  Arts,  fyc. — The  language  of  the 
Singalese  resembles  the  Burraan  in  its  con 
struction,  though  the  natives  think  the  Arabic 
is  their  original  language.  They  appear  to 
bave  had  scarcely  any  literature  beyond  some 
pretended  skill  in  astrology.  Their  agricul- 
ture is  in  a  very  rude  state,  and  in  the  arts 
they  have  displayed  little  skill  beyond  the  con- 
struction of  immense  tanks,  in  which  water 
5vas  collected  during  the  rains,  for  the  irriga- 
tion of  their  rice  lands.  These  are  now  mostly 
in  ruins. 

Religion. — Brahminism  and  Budhism  have 
been,  from  time  immemorial,  the  prevailing 
systems  of  religion  among  the  natives  of  Cey- 
ion.  Brahm  is  regarded  by  that  sect  as  the 
miversal  and  selt-existcnt  intelligence,  from 
svhom  proceeded  the  Hindoo  Triad,  Brahma 
:he  Creator,  Yishnu  the  preserver,  and  Siva 
ihe  Destroyer.  Vishnu  and  Siva  are  the  prin- 
iipal  objects  of  worship.  Brahminism,  now 
generally  denominated  Hindooism,  proclaims 
m  active  resistance  to  every  other  form  of  re- 
igion,  is  despotic  and  persecuting  in  its  spirit, 
md  derives  much  of  its  authority  and  power 
rom  its  mysterious  antiquity,  the  profound 
md  inscrutable  teachings  of  its  sacred  books, 
md  the  boundless  extent  and  dimensions  of 
lie  system  is  such  as  to  give  it  a  dim  and  appal 
ing  aspect  in  the  minds  of  its  votaries.  Caste 
s  one  of  its  immutable  laws  and  is  enforced 
vith  great  rigor. 

Budhism  is  of  an  opposite  character,  being 
iolerant  and  liberal  towards  other  systems,  and 
itrangely  indifferent  to  its  own.  Brahminism 
s  a  science  confided  only  to  an  initiated  priest- 
lood,  and  its  Vedas  and  Shasters  are  kept  with 
ealousy  from  the  eyes  of  the  people.  Budhism, 
)n  the  contrary,  rejoices  in  its  universality, 
md  opens  its  sacred  pages  to  the  perusal  of 
ill.  The  priests  of  Brahm  invest  themselves 
ivith  mystery  and  oracles  of  authority,  while 
;hose  of  Bfidh  claim  only  to  be  teachers  of 
ithics — the  clergy  of  reason.  Caste,  although 
:o  some  extent  practiced  by  the  Budhists  is 
liscarded  in  their  sacred  books.  It  may  be 
said,  therefore,  that  Biadhism  is  more  a  school 
)f  philosophy  than  a  form  of  religion,— more 
m  appeal  to  reason,  than  an  attempt  to  operate 


upon  the  imagination  and  the  conscience 
through  the  medium  of  imposing  rites.  But 
while  the  latter  is  free  from  the  fanatical  into- 
lerance and  revolting  rites  of  the  Brahminical 
faith,  and  vastly  superior  to  it  in  the  purity  of 
its  code  of  morals,  it  yet  exerts  no  elevating  or 
transforming  power,  but  has  admitted  of  con- 
stant deterioration  and  corruption.  See  Budh- 
ism and  Brahminism. 

MISSIONS. 
Portuguese  Missions. — Immediately  after 
taking  possession  of  Colombo,  in  1505,  the 
Portuguese  erected  the  adjoining  districts  into 
a  bishopric,  and  Christianity,  in  the  form  of 
Romanism,  was  proclaimed ;  but  it  was  not 
publicly  taught  till  1544,  when  St.  Francis 
Xavier  first  preached  to  the  Tamils  of  the 
North.  From  this  time  the  Portuguese  pur- 
sued their  schemes  of  ecclesiastical  supremacy, 
till  the  whole  peninsula  of  Jaffiia  was  brought 
under  the  authority  of  the  church,  a  college  of 
Jesuits  erected,  convents  established,  and  al- 
most the  entire  population  of  this  province  led 
to  abjure  their "  ancient  faith  and  submit  to 
baptism.  The  means  by  which  this  surprising 
change  was  effected  were,  authority,  appeals  to 
the  hope  of  gain,  and  the  pomp  and  pageantry 
so  congenial  to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion. 
Some  attempts  were  made  by  the  priests  to  ex- 
tend the  Romish  religion  into  the  interior  of 
the  island,  but  this  was  not  until  near  the  close 
of  the  Portuguese  rule,  and  their  labors  were 
interrupted  by  the  approach  of  a  hostile  power. 
Dutch  Missions.- — The  Dutch  established 
themselves  at  Colombo  in  1656,  and  at  Jaffna 
in  1658,  and  having  driven  the  Portuguese 
from  every  fortress  on  the  coast,  they  succeed- 
ed by  right  of  conquest,  to  the  whole  of  their 
possessions  in  Ceylon.  They  immediately  di- 
rected their  power  against  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic clergy,  summarily  transporting  large  num- 
bers of  them  to  the  continent  of  India,  and 
offering  every  indignity  to  the  images  in  the 
Catholic  chapels.  This  hostility  to  the  church 
of  Rome  continued  to  inspire  the  policy  of  the 
Dutch,  and  their  resistance  of  its  priesthood 
was  even  more  emphatic  and  determined  than 
their  opposition  to  the  Brahmins  and  the  Bud- 
hists. Their  success  among  the  natives  was 
outwardly  great.  Within  five  years  after  their 
arrival  in  the  island,  12,387  children  had  been 
baptized,  18,000  pupils  were  under  instruction 
in  the  schools,  and  65,000  converts  to  Chris- 
tianity were  reckoned  in  the  kingdom  of  Jaft- 
napatam.  At  the  close  of  the  Dutch  rule  in 
Ceylon,  the  number  of  professors  of  Christian- 
ity was  estimated  as  high  as  420,000  ;  but  the 
Dutch  themselves  regarded  a  large  proportion 
of  these  as  merely  nominal  believers,  and  it  is 
a  remarkable  fact,  that  notwithstanding  the 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  conversions  and  bap- 
tisms ascribed  to  the  labors  of  the  Dutch  Pres^ 
byterians,  their  religion  and  discipline  are  now  % 
almost  unknown  in  the  island  of  Ceylon.   This 


224 


CEYT-ON. 


failure  has  been  ascrlbeil  to  the  superficial 
mjiniuT  in  which  tJic  Dutch  ministers  devel- 
op..! •..>.!  inculcated  the  doctrines  of  Christi- 
,,  ;  inability  to  preach  in  the  vernao- 

n:  s  of  the  island,  and  their  employ- 

ment of  interpreters ;  the  verv  limited  amount 
of  instruction  given  in  the  schools  ;  and  espe- 
cially the  system  of  political  bribery  adopted 
by  the  Dutch  to  encourage  conversions  ;  and 
the  hasty  and  indiscriminate  manner  in  which 
all  outward  appearances  were  welcomed  as 
evidences  of  converaion  to  Christianity.  Thus 
the  clergy  of  the  church  of  Holland  at  the 
close  of  their  ministrations  in  Ceylon,  left  be- 
hind a  superstructure  of  Christianity  prodi- 
gious in  its  outward  dimensions,  but  so  inter- 
nally unsound  as  to  be  distrusted  even  by  those 
who  had  erected  it,  and  so  unsubstantial  that  it 
has  long  since  disappeared  almost  from  the 
memory  of  the  natives  of  the  island. 

LoKDOX  MissioxARY  SOCIETY. — Inl804,this 
Society  entered  upon  a  mission  in  Ceylon,  and 
Rev.  Messrs.  Yos,  Ehrhardt,  Palm,  and  Read 
were  employed  as  missionaries  for  several  years. 
Tkeir  labors  were  confined  chiefly  to  Jaffna, 
Matura,  Galle,  and  Colombo,  and  were  attend- 
ed with  many  good  results.  They  made  con- 
siderable progress  in  the  acquisition  of  the 
native  language  and  established  some  schools, 
especially  at  Colombo.  But  the  opposition 
was  formidable,  and  the  government  not  always 
favorable  to  their  operations,  and  after  several 
years  of  self-denying  effort,  the  mission  was 
abandoned. 

English  Baptist  Missionaey  Society. — The 
English  Baptists  commenced  a  mission  in  Cey- 
lon in  1812,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Chater,  whose 
efforts  to  Christianize  the  Singalese,  or  Bud- 
hists,  and  to  systematize  the  study  of  their  lan- 
guage, have  made  his  name  memorable.  He 
died  in  1829,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Dan- 
iel, who  labored  in  that  field  fifteen  years, 
preaching  and  establishing  congregations  and 
schools  in  Colombo  and  the  adjacent  villages. 
In  the  midst  of  his  usefulness,  the  health  of  his 
children  failed,  and  on  his  passage  to  England 
for  their  health,  his  wife  died.  Thus  bereaved, 
he  returned  to  Ceylon,  and  spent  two  years  in 
incessant  wandering  and  labors  in  the  mari- 
time provinces  and  forests  to  the  east  of  Co- 
lombo. He  then  resumed  his  educational 
labors  in  Colombo,  giving  attention  also  to 
preaching  and  the  press,  and  died  in  1844, 
leaving  a  name  honored  and  endeared  among 
the  Singalese.  He  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 
Dawson  and  Mr.  Davis,  the  former  of  whom 
died  two  or  three  years  since,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Mr.  Allen.  Their  labors  extend  to 
131  villages  of  the  Singalese,  in  which  they 
maintain  31  schools,  with  an  average  attend- 
ance of  830  pupils.  They  have  also  483  en- 
rolled as  church  members,  the  greater  portion 
of  whom  are  an  honor  to  their  profession.  It 
was  the  testimony  of  Sir  J.  Emerson  Tennent, 
in  1850,  after  having  visited  this  section  of  the 


island,  that  the  Singalese  who  had  received 
their  instruction  at  the  hands  of  the  mission- 
aries, were  filling  places  of  honor  and  emolu- 
ment in  the  public  service,  and  engaged  in 
private  profceeions,  and  that  many  who  had 
made  no  open  profession  of  Christianity,  re- 
spected it  and  inspired  a  veneration  for  it  in 
the  minds  of  the  heathen  around  them. 

TABULAR  view   FOR   1854. 


STATIONS/- 


Colombo 

Kandy  &  ilatate 


1812 


1001 
102 


11    483  31  1103    4    U'^ 


American  Board. — The  first  missionaries 
of  the  American  Board  to  the  East,  were  com- 
missioned Feb.  7,  1812.  Their  names  were 
Rev.  Messrs.  Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel  Nott, 
Samuel  Newell,  Gordon  Hall  and  Luther 
Rice.  This  company,  with  the  wives  of  four 
of  them,  soon  embarked  for  Calcutta,  without 
definite  instructions  as  to  their  fields  of  labor. 
They  reached  the  place  of  their  destination  in 
safety,  but  were  greatly  embarrassed  by  gov- 
ernment opposition  and  other  causes,  the  par- 
ticulars of  which  may  be  found  in  connection 
with  the  Bombay  mission.  Of  this  missionary 
band,  Mr.  Newell  was  the  only  one  who  spent 
any  time  at  Ceylon,  he  having  first  visited  the 
Isle  of  France,  where  his  wife  sickened  and 
died.  He  commenced  no  mission  at  the  island, 
but  remained  there  long  enough  to  acquire  in- 
formation of  great  importance  to  the  Ameri- 
can Board,  and  which  had  much  to  do  in 
determining  its  future  action.  In  a  letter, 
dated  Colombo,  Dec.  20,  1813,  Mr.  Newell 
offered  among  other  reasons  for  establishing  a 
mission  in  Ceylon,  the  fact  that  the  govern- 
ment (English)  was  friendly  to  missions  ;  that 
the  population  of  the  island  was  from  one  to 
two  millions ;  that  there  were  great  facilities 
for  evangelizing  the  people,  such  as  that  there 
were  but  two  languages  spoken  in  the  island, 
— that  on  learning  these  a  missionary  could 
preach  to  three  millions  of  people ;  that  the 
natives  could  read  and  write  ;  that  the  whole 
Bible  had  been  translated  into  Tamil,  the  lan- 
guage spoken  in  the  north  of  the  island,  and 
the  New  Testament  into  Singalese,  which  was 
spoken  in  the  interior  and  south  ;  that  there 
were  200,000  native  Christians,  so  called,  but 
who  were  totally  ignorant  of  Christianity ; 
that  at  least  100  schools  were  in  operation,  and 
that  the  mission  would  be  perfectly  secure  un- 
der the  British  government.  He  also  urged 
the  fact  that  there  were  but  two  missionaries 
in  the  whole  island,  Mr.  Errhardt,  a  German 


CEYLON. 


225 


from  the  London  society,  and  Mr.  Chater,  from 
the  Baptist  Society,  and  that  neither  of  these 
could  speak  to  the  people  in  their  native 
tongue  ;  and  the  further  consideration  that  the 
Tamil  language  was  spoken  by  seven  or  eight 
millions  on  the  continent,  between  which  and 
the  island  intercourse  was  almost  as  easy  and 
frequent  as  if  they  were  contiguous. 

These  considerations,  with  others,  led  the 
Board  to  decide  upon  Ceylon  as  a  field  of  mis- 
sionary labor ;  and  in  1815,  five  missionaries, 
viz.:  Eev.  Messrs.  Meigs,  Richards,  Warren, 
Bardwell  and  Poor,  embarked  in  the  Dryad  for 
Columbo,  at  which  place  they  arrived  March 
22, 1816.  After  spending  six  months  at  Co- 
lombo, it  was  determined  that  Mr.  Bardwell 
should  go  to  Bombay,  and  that  Messrs.  Rich- 
ards and  Meigs  should  establish  themselves  at 
Batticotta,  and  Messrs.  Warren  and  Poor  at 
Tillipally,  both  of  these  stations  being  in  the 
province  of  Jaffna.  In  a  joint  letter,  dated 
Jaffnapatam,  Oct.  9, 1816,  these  brethren  com- 
municate information  of  importance,  and  which 
may  be  referred  to  as  showing  the  condition  of 
the  island  at  the  period  of  commencing  the 
mission  of  the  American  Board  in  that  field. 

Tillipally,  they  say,  is  situated  about  ten 
miles  north,  and  Batticotta  about  six  miles 
north-west  of  Jafihapatam.  At  each  of  these 
places  they  found  a  salubrious  climate  ;  glebes 
and  buildings,  the  property  of  the  English 
government ;  churches  and  mansion  houses, 
built  of  coral  stone,  by  the  Portuguese,  and 
capable  of  being  repaired  for  use,  the  churches 
being  large  enough  for  both  public  worship 
and  schools.  In  the  province  of  Jafiiia  there 
were  some  relics  of  the  Roman  Catholic  re- 
ligion, introduced  by  the  Portuguese ;  some 
traces  of  religious  knowledge,  afterwards  com- 
nmnicated  by  the  Dutch  ;  and  some  decaying 
fruits  of  the  labors  of  later  missionaries  ;  and 
^et  the  great  mass  of  the  people  were  pagans. 
[n  the  northern  portion  of  the  island,  however, 
the  missionaries  found  the  people  generally, 
xnd  even  the  Brahmins,  less  devotedly  attached 
to  their  idolatrous  rites,  feebler  in  their  preju- 
dices against  Christianity,  and  more  easily  ac- 
cessible, than  in  almost  any  other  part  of  the 
pagan  world.  They  spoke  also  of  an  almost 
total  destitution  of  Bibles  and  school  books. 
Copies  of  the  Tamil  Bible,  a  translation  by 
the  Dutch  missionaries,  were  extremely  scarce, 
and  an  English  Bible  was  rarely  to  be  met 
with,  though  many  of  the  people  could  speak 
and  read  English.  The  missionaries  therefore 
suggested  to  the  Board  the  importance  of  at 
once  establishing  a  printing  press  at  Jaffna, 
with  hands  and  means  of  putting  it  into  vigor- 
ous operation,  as  the  only  method  of  meeting 
the  demand  for  books. 

In  accordance  with  a  previous  arrangement, 
Messrs.  Warren  and  Poor  took  up  their  resi- 
dence at  Tillipally,  in  October  after  their  arri- 
val, and  immediately  commenced  preaching, 
through  an  interpreter,  both  at  that  place  and 
15 


at  Mallagura,  two  miles  distant.  Mr.  Poor  at 
once  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  Tamil  lan- 
guage, and  in  one  year  he  was  able  to  preach 
to  the  people  in  their  native  tongue.  From 
this  time  his  hearers  increased,  and  more 
marked  impressions  were  produced.  Simulta- 
neously with  this  effort  a  school  was  established 
at  Tillipally,  for  the  instruction  of  children  in 
both  Tamil  and  English,  and  soon  another  was 
commenced  at  Mallagum,  and  others  at  Milette, 
and  at  Oodooville.  Messrs.  Richards  and  Meigs 
were  prosecuting  similar  labors  at  Batticotta. 

About  the  time  that  these  brethren  entered 
upon  their  respective  fields,  an  event  of  much 
importance  occurred,  viz.,  the  abolition  of 
slavery  in  the  island.  This  measure,  effected 
chiefly  by  the  instrumentality  of  Sir  Alexan- 
der Johnstone,  liberated  a  large  number  of 
slaves,  and  placed  multitudes  of  children  in  a 
most  interesting  relation  to  the  missions. 

After  sixteen  months  of  successful  labor, 
Messrs.  Warren  and  Richards  were  taken  off 
from  their  work  by  severe  illness,  and  finding 
every  expedient  for  their  recovery  unavailing, 
they  embarked,  April,  1818,  for  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  Mr.  Warren  died  at  Cape  Town 
in  the  following  August,  and  Mr.  Richards 
took  passage  for  Madras.  Mr.  Poor  was  thus 
left  alone  at  Tillipally,  and  Mr.  Meigs  at  Bat- 
ticotta, subjected  to  a  severe  disappointment 
and  to  augmented  labors.  Relief,  however, 
was  not  far  distant. 

In  November,  1818,  Rev.  Messrs.  Miron 
Winslow,  Levi  Spaulding,  and  Henry  Wood- 
ward, were  ordained  as  missionaries  to  Ceylon, 
and  to  these  was  added  John  Scudder,  M.D., 
a  young  physician  of  promise,  and  of  devoted 
piety.  On  the  8th  of  June,  1819,  these  three 
missionaries  and  the  physician,  with  their 
wives,  embarked  at  Boston  on  board  the  Indus, 
and  in  the  following  February  they  were  all  at 
Tillipally,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scudder  having  buried 
their  only  child  at  Calcutta. 

A  little  more  than  three  years  had  now 
elapsed  since  the  arrival  of  the  first  mission- 
aries of  the  American  Board  in  Ceylon,  during 
which  time  fifteen  schools  had  been  established, 
nine  in  connection  with  Tillipally,  and  six  with 
Batticotta,  and  the  whole  number  of  pupils 
was  seven  hundred.  Besides  these,  there  was 
a  boarding-school,  composed  of  youths  under 
the  special  care  of  the  missionaries,  supported 
by  contributions  in  America,  and  bearing  the 
names  suggested  by  the  donors.  Special 
tokens  of  the  Divine  presence  began,  at  this 
period,  to  be  enjoyed  by  the  mission. 

The  Board  had  already  forwarded  a  print- 
ing-press to  Ceylon,  and  in  August,  1820,  Mr. 
James  Garrett  was  sent  out  to  superintend  its 
operations.  Unfortunately,  Governor  Brown- 
rig,  a  zealous  friend  of  the  mission,  was  absent, 
and  the  LieutenantrGovernor,  Sir  Edward 
Barnes,  gave  notice  through  his  secretary,  that 
the  government  would  not  allow  any  increase 
of  American  missionaries  in  Ceylon,  and  that 


226 


CEYLON. 


Mr.  Garrett  could  not  be  pennilted  to  remain 
ou  the  island.  2klenioriaIs  to  tUo  Lieutenantr 
Governor  were  unavailing,  aud  Mr.  Garrett 
embtirked  for  Bombay. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  reiuforccmeut, 
Messrs.  Winslow  and  Spaulding  commenced 
their  laboi*s  at  Oodoovillc.  Dr.  Scuddcr  took 
up  his  residence  at  rauditeripo,  and  Mr. 
W  oodward  joined  Mr.  Poor  at  Tillipally.  In 
1821,  five  years  from  the  commencement  of 
the  mission,  five  stations  were  occupied,  and 
the  •  missionaries,  besides  the  labor  of  preach- 
ing and  visiting,  were  superintending  24 
schools,  containing  1,150  childi-en,  and  educat- 
ing eighty-seven  heathen  children  in  their  own 
families.  Nine  young  men  had  given  evidence 
of  true  conversion,  and  had  been  gathered 
into  the  church,  aud  three  of  them  hud  been 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

Mrs.  Poor,  the  wife  of  Rev.  Daniel  Poor, 
died  on  the  7th  of  May,  1821,  after  a  short 
illness,  and  Kev.  Mr.  Richards,  who  had  long 
since  been  compelled  to  relinquish  his  labors, 
died  in  August  of  the  same  year,  at  Tillipally. 

In  1822,  the  missionaries  drew  up  a  pros- 
pectus of  a  college  or  high  school  for  Tamil 
and  other  youth,  setting  forth  with  great  par- 
ticularity its  plan  and  course  of  study,  its  ob- 
jects, and  its  contemplated  benefits.  Some  of 
the  more  prominent  of  these  were,  the  inculca- 
tion of  true  science  in  connection  with  Chris- 
tianity, a  higher  standard  of  education  among 
the  people,  the  raising  up  of  native  preachers, 
translators,  teachers,  &c.,  and  the  influence  of 
such  an  institution  on  the  primary  schools. 
This  subject  was  laid  before  the  Board  in  an 
elaborate  aud  urgent  form,  and  the  proposed 
college,  or  higher  seminary,  was  subsequently 
established. 

The  scenes  and  events  of  1824  were  of  very 
marked  and  peculiar  interest  to  this  mission. 
In  January  of  that  year,  indications  of  unusual 
seriousness  were  observed  at  Tillipally,  and  in 
a  little  time,  proofs  of  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  appeared  at  all  the  other  stations. 
A  revival  of  religion,  of  undoubted  genuine- 
ness and  great  power,  had  commenced,  and, 
within  a  few  months,  changes  of  a  most  sur- 
prising and  affecting  character  were  witnessed. 
At  Panditeripo,  Dr.  Scudder's  station,  the  re- 
ligious interest  increased  till,  on  the  12th  of 
February,  the  convictions  of  sin  and  of  the 
need  of  salvation,  became  as  deep  and  earnest 
as  ever  marked  a  revival  in  a  Christian  land. 
The  boys  of  the  school  were  so  deeply  im- 
pressed, that,  on  retiring  to  their  rooms  in  the 
evening,  they  could  not  sleep.  Between  30 
and  40  of  them  went  out  into  the  garden, 
where  they  were  heard  in  supplication,  weep- 
ing and  asking,  "What  shall  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  and  "Lord,  send  thy  Spirit."  Of 
this  company  more  than  20  soon  gave  evidence 
of  a  saving  change.  Similar  scenes  were  wi1> 
nessed  in  all  the  boarding-schools,  and,  as  a 
result,  fifty-six  native  converts  were  admitted 


to  the  church.    Most  of  them  continued  t| 
give  evidence  of  true  conversion. 

The  contemplated  high  school  at  Batticotta 
having  been  established,  a  class  of  the  best 
scholars  was  received  into  it  from  the  school 
at  Tillipally,  making  room  for  others  at  the 
latter  place,  and  more  than  one  hundred  ap- 
plied for  admission  at  a  single  examination — 
a  great  change  from  the  time  when  the  mis- 
sionaries  could  not  persuade  nor  hire  a  single 
child  to  live  on  their  premises.  During  the 
year  1826  several  seasons  of  special  religious 
interest  were  enjoyed  by  the  mission,  attended 
with  the  same  results,  though  not  as  extensive, 
as  during  the  first  revival. 

These  wonderful  changes  were  wrought  by 
no  such  means  as  were  employed  by  the  Por- 
tuguese and  Dutch  missions.  A  totally  difler- 
ent  policy  had  been  pursued.  The  mis.si(jn- 
aries  simply  preached,  prayed,  conversed,  and 
distributed  Bibles  and  tracts  among  the  adults, 
and  estabKshed  schools  among  the  children, 
till  more  than  2000  had  been  taught  the  rudi- 
ments of  learning  and  the  simple  truths  of 
Christianity.  This,  without  external  pomp  or 
force,  or  the  enticing  words  of  man's  wisdom, 
became  the  wisdom  and  the  power  of  God  i 
among  a  people  who,  just  before,  were  involved  j 
in  the  ignorance,  degradation  and  idolatry  of  ' 
paganism.  It  was  a  demonstration  of  the 
fact, — too  little  understood  by  many  at  that 
day, — that  the  regeneration  of  the  heathen 
was  to  be  effected,  not  by  might  nor  by  power, 
but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord. 

In  reviewing  their  work  in  August,  1827, 
after  eleven  years  of  toil,  the  missionaries  were 
enabled  to  speak  of  large  accessions  to  the 
church  ;  the  abandonment  of  idolatry  by  many 
of  the  natives  who  had  not  embraced  Chris- 
tianity ;  a  general  spirit  of  inquiry  among  the 
people ;  a  press  in  operation,  and  a  bette 
supply  of  the  Scriptures,  which  were  read  wit 
avidity  ;  more  than  80  schools  in  successfn 
operation ;  and  about  30  native  assistants  i 
various  departments  of  the  work.    One  ye 
later,  August,  1828,  the  missionaries  say,  "  Th 
attachment  of  the  people  to  their  gods  is  dd 
creasing,  and  there  is  a  great  stir  among  th< 
Roman  Catholics,  in  consequence  of  a  trad 
recently  addressed  to  their  priests,  who  ha« 
commanded  the  people  to  burn  our  books. 
In  April,  1829,  they  allude  with  special  intd 
est  to  the  qualification  of  a  number  of  pioi 
youths  to  make  known  the  Gospel,  an  incres 
ing  spirit  of  inquiry  among  the  natives, 
the  distrust  they  were  beginning  to  feel  : 
their  systems  of  geography,  astronomy  ai 
philosophy,  long  held  by  them  to  be  divint 
Particularly  had  the  confidence  of   learne' 
natives  in  their  systems  been  shaken,  by  a 
ous  error  in  their  calculations  of  an  eclipsl 
which  was  pointed  out  to  them  by  the  missic 
aries,  and  proved  by  the  event.     The  circr 
stance  did  much  to  destroy  the  authority 
their  sacred  books.    In  October,  1830,  t 


CEYLON. 


22T 


nission  was  favored  witli  another  season  of 
iwakening,  during  \^icli  many  were  con- 
certed, and  the  church  and  the  missionaries 
were  quickened  and  encouraged. 

In  March,  1831,  a  disastrous  fire  occurred, 
n  which  the  house,  church,  study,  and  large 
ichool  bungalow  at  Manepy  were  destroyed, 
ogether  with  the  furniture,  library,  clothing, 
fcc,  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woodward.  In  this  ca- 
amity  many  of  the  natives  rejoiced,  believing 
t  to  be  an  evidence  that  the  anger  of  the  gods 
ested  upon  the  missionary.  On  the  21st  of 
he  same  month  34  persons  were  received  to 
he  church  at  Oodooville.  On  the  24th  of 
Fuly  of  this  year,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meigs  were 
lalled  to  bury  an  amiable  and  beloved  daughter, 
larriet,  aged  11  years.  She  had  dedicated 
lerself  to  the  Saviour  ten  months  before,  and 
lad  given  decided  evidence  of  piety.  At  the 
(lose  of  this  year  it  was  said,  in  regard  to  the 
female  boarding  school  at  Oodooville,  that 
lone  had  been  long  members  of  it  without  be- 
aming hopeful  subjects  of  converting  grace, 
ind  that  none  had  dishonored  their  profession. 
Ul  who  had  left  the  school  were  married  to 
Christian  husbands,  and  were  training  upfa- 
nilies  in  a  Christian  manner.  During  this 
rear,  also,  twenty-eight  from  the  seminary  at 
3atticotta,  were  added  to  the  church. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  1832,  thirteen  na- 
iivcs  from  Tillipally  and  Oodooville,  were  add- 
5d  to  the  church,  and  on  the  4th  of  March, 
«n  more  were  received.  At  this  period  the 
nissiouaries  commenced  the  plan  of  sending 
mt  the  most  intelligent  and  pious  young  men 
)f  the  seminary,  to  visit  the  people  regularly 
rom  house  to  house,  carrying  tracts,  and  a  cir- 
cular letter  from  the  missionaries  to  the  peo- 
3le.  The  result  was  highly  favorable.  At 
;he  close  of  this  year  a  theological  class  was 
brmed  in  the  seminary  at  Batticotta,  consist- 
ng  of  about  thirty  students,  who  had  comple- 
«d  their  course  in  the  seminary.  This  was 
riewed  by  the  missionaries  as  a  most  important 
itep  ;  for  they  considered,  that  while  European 
md  American  missionaries  must  be  pioneers 
n  this  work,  it  could  not  be  carried  on  and 
jompleted  without  the  aid  of  a  native  ministry. 

In  January,  1833,  the  mission  was  afflicted 
3y  the  sudden  death  of  Mrs.  Winslow.  She 
iepurted  in  great  joy  and  triumph,  and  her 
nemoir,  as  well  as  that  of  Mrs.  Newell,  will 
ive  to  quicken  the  zeal  of  the  church  and  sti- 
mulate the  hopes  and  labors  of  other  mission- 
iries,  till  the  heathen  are  all  converted  to 
God.  On  the  24th  of  this  month,  at  the  quar- 
terly church  meeting  at  Oodooville,  twelve 
new  members  were  admitted,  one  of  them  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  Spaulding.  In  July  of  this 
year,  a  reinforcement,  consisting  of  Rev.  Messrs. 
Todd,  Hutchins,  Hoisington,  and  Apthorp, 
and  Dr.  Nathan  Ward,  embarked  at  Boston, 
taking  with  them  a  printing  press.  In  June, 
Mr.  Winslow  baptized  the  interpreter  of  the 
court  of  Mallagum,  a  man  of  sterling  charac- 


ter and  of  high  respectability  among  the  na- 
tives. He  had  embraced  Christianity  amid 
much  opposition.  During  this  month  several 
buildings  belonging  to  the  mission  at  Tillipally 
were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  in  the  following 
August  the  church  was  set  on  fire,  and  nearly 
all  the  Tamil  books  and  tracts  were  destroyed. 

On  the  28th  of  October  the  missionaries  who 
embarked  at  Boston  in  July,  arrived  in  Ceylon. 
Dr.  Ward  being  now  on  the  ground.  Dr. 
Scudder  commenced  a  new  station  at  Chava- 
gachery,  a  parish  containing  a  numerous  popu- 
lation. "  Mr.  Winslow,  after  the  death  of  his 
wife,  embarked  for  America,  taking  with  him 
his  three  children,  and  seven  belonging  to 
other  families  in  the  mission. 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1834,  the  mission 
experienced  another  signal  visitation  of  mercy. 
Two  of  the  most  pleasing  features  attending 
this  work,  say  the  missionaries,  were  its  quick- 
ness and  depth.  Conversion  almost  immedi- 
ately followed  conviction,  and  the  depth  of 
feeling  was  manifested  by  uninterrupted  prayer 
and  praise,  in  their  general  meetings,  social 
circles,  and  private  rooms.  This  revival  was 
carried  on  in  connection  with  protracted  meet^ 
ings,  at  nearly  all  the  stations.  At  the  quar- 
terly communion  of  the  seven  local  churches 
of  the  mission,  in  March,  1835,  forty-seven  na- 
tives, male  and  female,  were  publicly  received 
into  the  church,  and  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Meigs 
was  received  at  the  same  time.  In  the  latter 
partof  the  year  1835, the  seminary  at  Batticotta 
was  again  visited  with  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  and  in  September,  1836,  the  female  sem- 
inary at  Oodooville  received  a  like  visitation. 

In  May,  1837,  there  was  another  revival  in 
the  seminary  at  Batticotta.  During  this  year 
there  were  49  admissions  to  the  church,  and 
24  excommunications,  many  of  them  for  marry- 
ing heathen  wives.  The  mission  this  year  ex- 
perienced a  most  painful  reverse,  in  being 
obliged,  through  a  deficiency  of  the  funds  of 
the  Board,  to  dismiss  45  students  from  the 
seminary  at  Batticotta,  and  8  from  the  female 
seminary  at  Oodooville.  They  were  compelled 
also,  from  the  same  cause,  to  relinquish  nearly 
all  the  village  schools,  to  curtail  their  printing 
operations,  and  to  reduce  their  own  expenses 
below  the  demands  of  health  and  comfort. 
By  the  dispersion  of  the  schools,  the  Sabbath 
congregations  were  nearly  broken  up,  and  in 
every  direction  efficient  missionary  labor  was 
made  nearly  impossible.  "  We  could  have 
wished,"  say  the  missionaries,  "  that  Christians 
in  America  could  have  turned  aside  for  a  day, 
from  buying,  and  selling,  and  getting  gain,  to 
see  these  45  boys,  as  they  left  the  seminary  to 
go  back  to  their  heathen  homes."  It  was  to  the 
mission,  a  sudden,  unforeseen  blow,  coming,  as 
they  said,  like  a  thunderbolt,  and  breaking  up 
plans  and  operations  whose  success,  under  God, 
depended  very  much  upon  their  permanency. 
In  the  aggregate,  not  less  than  171  schools 
were  disbanded,  and  the  number  of  pupils  dis- 


228 


CEYLON. 


^  mined  cxceedcni  5000.  One  of  the  older  mis- 
sionaries, in  dismissing  the  schools  from  his  star 
tion,  Paj-s,  in  lit  and  most  offectiuff  language, 
••  I  told  them  the  reason,  exhorted  them  to  read 
the  IJible,  and  not  to  enter  into  temptation,  to 
keep  the  Sabbath  holv,— prayed  with  them, 
commending  them  to  the  Friend  of  little  chil- 
dren, and  then  sent  them  awav — from  me, 
from  the  Bible  class,  from  the  Sabbath-school, 
from  the  house  of  prayer, — to  feed  on  the 
mountains  of  heathenism,  with  the  idols  under 
the  green  trees ;  a  prey  to  the  roaring  lion,  to 
evil  demons,  and  to  a  people  more  ignorant 
than  they,  even  to  their  blind,  deluded  and  de- 
luding guides, — and  when  I  looked  after  them 
as  they  went  out,  my  heart  failed  me.  0  what 
an  offering  to  Swamy  \—Jive  thousand  children  /" 
These  events,  on  becoming  known,  moved  the 
deepest  sympathies  of  the  Board  and  of  the 
churches,  and  with  the  least  possible  delay  the 
Prudential  Committee  removed  the  restrictions 
which  they  had  imposed,  not  willingly,  but  be 
cause  they  could  not  disburse  what  was  not  in 
their  treasury.  The  receipts  of  the  Board  had 
been  cut  short  by  the  extreme  pecuniary  pressure 
which,  at  that  time,  prevailed  in  this  country. 

This  information  from  the  Committee,  reliev- 
ing the  mission  of  its  embarrassments,  was  re- 
ceived in  November  1838,  upon  which  joyful 
occasion  a  day  of  special  thanksgiving  was 
kept.  Though  the  injury  could  not  be  repaired 
at  once,  schools  enough  were  soon  resumed  to 
give  a  degree  of  efficiency  to  the  system.  At 
this  date  four  presses  were  in  operation,  giving 
employment  to  70  natives,  and  issuing  a  much 
larger  amount  of  missionary  and  other  publi- 
cations, than  any  other  establishment  of  the 
kind  in  Southern  India. 

Thirty-seven  native  converts  were  received 
to  the  church  in  1839.  The  number  in  the 
female  seminary  at  Oodoovilie  at  this  date  was 
95 — within  five  of  the  number  in  1837,  before 
the  calamity  above  referred  to.  A  view  of  the 
domestic  habits  of  the  pupils  of  this  school  is 
thus  given  :  "  When  they  take  their  food  they 
sit  in  rows,  facing  each  other,  each  with  a  brass 
plate  or  dish  to  receive  her  portion  of  rice  and 
curry,  or  congee.  When  all  are  served,  one 
implores  a  blessing  on  the  food,  after  which 
they  begin  to  eat.  They  eat  with  the  hand,  if 
it  be  rice,  or  with  a  leaf  instead  of  a  spoon  if 
it  be  congee.  Their  dress  is  of  white  cotton 
cloth,  consisting  of  a  short  loose  jacket,  and  a 
cloth  varying  in  length  from  two  to  five  yards, 
according  to  their  size,  wrapped  about  them 
and  flowing  down  to  their  feet.  Both  in  food 
and  dress  it  is  thought  best  for  them  to  follow 
the  usages  of  native  society.  The  girls  of  the 
school,  of  whatever  caste  or  family,  all  eat 
together  without  complaint." 

In  the  year  1840  there  were  9,520,000  pages 
of  Scripture,  and  1,788,000  pages  of  tracts 
printed,  making  a  total  of  more  than  eleven 
millions  of  pages.  A  very  full  and  elaborate 
report  was  made  by  the  mission  this  year,  on 


the  importance  of  giving  instruction  through 
the  English  language..  They  represent  the 
native  language  as  so  much  a  part  and  parcel  of 
heathenism,  so  deficient  in  scientific  and  theo- 
logical terms,  and  so  unwieldy,  that  it  cannot 
be  made  the  vehicle  of  correct  ideas,  and  esj^c- 
cially  not  of  doctrinal  truths  and  the  senti- 
ments of  a  pure  Christian  morality. 

Two  important  regulations  were  adopted  in 
1841.  The  first  was,  that  the  pupils  then  be- 
longing to  the  seminary  at  Batticotta  should 
be  required  in  future  to  furnish  their  own 
clothing ;  and  the  second  was,  that  every 
youth,  on  entering  the  seminary,  should  be  re- 
quired to  give  security  for  the  payment  of  his 
board  during  the  whole  seminary  course. 
These  measures  were  well  received  by  the  com- 
munity, and  a  new  class  was  admitted  on  this 
plan.  In  1842  a  small  paper  was  published  in 
Tamil,  with  about  700  subscribers,  its  columns 
being  open  to  communications  from  native 
Christians,  and  from  heathens.  In  a  report  to 
the  Board  this  year,  mention  is  made  of  the 
temporal  advantages  which  the  natives  derived 
from  Christianity  ;  "  When  I  arrived  in  Jaffna 
twenty-six  years  ago,"  says  Mr.  Meigs,  "  there 
were  but  five  bullock  carts  in  the  whole  dis- 
trict J  now  there  are  more  than  500.  The  i 
temporal  condition  of  the  people  has  also 
greatly  improved  during  that  period,  in  many 
other  ways.  They  have  more  learning,  more 
wealth,  more  enterprise,  and  fewer  taxes." 

From  the  very  outset,  the  missionaries  had 
taken  special  care  not  to  admit  any  to  baptism  ! 
and  to  the  church  who  did  not  give  evidence  \ 
of  having  been  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of  i 
God,  and  who  were  not  thus  prepared  for  the  \ 
trials  they  must  meet  with  on  leaving  the  ' 
seminaries.  Never  were  instructions  more 
faithful  and  searching,  and  yet  heathenism 
could  not  be  at  once  and  entirely  eradica- 
ted from  the  hearts  of  the  natives,  and  pain- 
ful defections  were  often  witnessed,  'i'he 
most  disheartening  instance  of  the  kind  that 
ever  occurred  in  connection  with  this  mis- ion 
was  in  the  spring  of  1843,  when  it  was  discov- 
ered that  a  system  of  deception,  lying,  mi  id 
other  gross  forms  of  corruption,  had  crept  into 
the  Batticotta  seminary.  A  thorough  in v(  -li- 
gation was  made,  and  61  scholars,  includinii'  tlic 
whole  of  the  select  class,  were  immediately  (  x- 
pelled  from  the  school.  Several  of  the  native 
teachers  were  at  the  same  time  dismissed,  ruul 
those  that  remained  were  divested  of  much  of 
their  responsibility,  the  missionaries  themselves 
assuming  their  duties.  Trying  as  such  a  pro- 
cess was,  there  was  no  alternative,  and  the  result 
showed  its  wisdom.  It  illustrated  to  the  peo- , 
pie  of  the  whole  district  the  high  requisitions 
of  the  Bible,  the  purity  and  sacredness  of  the 
church,  and  the  utter  repugnance  of  Christian- 
ity to  the  vices  of  heathenism.  It  inspired 
confidence  in  the  missionaries  also,  as  being 
unselfish,  and  concerned  for  nothing  but  the 
morals  and  welfare  of  the  youth  under  their 


CEYLON. 


229 


care.  Accordingly  but  a  few  weeks  had  elaps- 
ed before  heatheu  parents  were  beseeching 
the  missionaries  to  take  their  sons  back  into 
the  school,  promising  to  watch  over  them,  pay 
for  their  books,  &c.  One  year  later  the  semi- 
nary at  Batticotta  was  found  in  a  more  flour- 
ishing condition  than  ever  before,  the  qualifi- 
cations for  admission  having  been  raised,  and 
the  pupils  paying  more  largely  and  freely  for 
tuition,  board,  and  books. 

In  1845  heathenism  began  to  develop  itself 
in  new  forms  of  opposition.  So  far  had  the 
mission  progressed,  so  high  were  the  demands 
5f  Christianity,  and  so  steady  and  resistless 
ivas  its  pressure  upon  the  surrounding  idolatry, 
that  the  missionaries  were  led  to  remark, 
'  We  are  now  made  to  feel  that  we  have  come 
into  closer  contact  than  ever  with  the  benight- 
3d  and  benumbed  mind  and  iron-hearted  soul 
)f  Hindooism  ;  and  that  nothing  but  the  sword 
3f  the  Spirit,  wielded  by  God  himself,  can 
3au3e  one  of  the  enemy  to  fall  before  us." 

In  November,  1846,  Mr.  Spaulding,  who 
lad  been  spending  a  little  season  in  his  native 
country,  sailed  from  Boston,  with  his  wife,  to 
•ejoin  the  mission  at  Ceylon.  He  was  accom- 
janied  by  Rev.  William  Scudder,  a  son  of 
Dr.  Scudder,  and  by  Rev.  E.  P.  Hastings. 

At  no  period  was  the  importance  of  schools 
md  a  high  standard  of  education  in  connection 
Nith.  the  mission,  more  manifest,  than  in  1841, 
Nhen  it  was  remarked  by  the  missionaries  that 
;he  Brahmins,  .the  highest  caste,  who  had  uni- 
"ormly  refused  the  education  proffered  them, 
vere  sinking  in  influence,  while  the  lower,  but 
3etter  educated  classes,  were  rising  above  them 
md  filling  the  places  of  office  and  trust  under 
he  government.  Brahminical  influence  had 
sver  been  one  of  the  strongest  holds  of  heathen- 
sra  in  the  northern  portion  of  Ceylon,  and  it 
vas  thus  coming  into  disgrace  and  losing  its 
iower.  It  was  in  this  year  that  Sir  J.  Emer- 
on  Tennent,  the  British  Colonial  Secretary  in 
]eyloft,  published  his  testimony  respecting  the 
nission.  In  a  letter  to  one  of  the  secretaries 
►f  the  Board,  he  says  :  "  Having  at  length  vis- 
ted  in  person  all  your  stations,  however  un-« 
isual  a  spontaneous  communication  of  this 
dnd  may  be,  I  cannot  resist  the  impulse  to 
;onvey  to  you  my  strong  sense  of  the  sustained 
ixertions  of  your  missionaries,  and  of  their  un- 
exampled success  in  this  colony.  Much  as  I 
lad  heard  of  their  usefulness  and  its  results,  I 
vas  not  prepared  to  witness  such  evidences  of 
t  as  I  have  seen ;  not  in  their  school  rooms 
)nly,  or  in  the  attainments  and  conduct  of 
;heir  pupils,  but  in  the  aspect  of  the  whole 
community,  amongst  whom  they  have  been 
toiling,  and  the  obvious  effect  which  their  care 
md  instructions  have  been  producing  on  the 
industrial,  social,  and  moral  character  of  the 
surrounding  population.  The  whole  appear- 
ince  of  this  district  bespeaks  the  efficacy  of 
S^our  system.  Its  domestic  character  is  chang- 
ing, and  its  social  aspect  presents  a  contrast 


to  any  other  portion  of  Ceylon,  as  distinct  and 
remarkable  as  it  is  delightful  and  encouraging. 
Civilization  and  secular  knowledge  are  rapidly 
opening  the  eyes  of  the  heathen  community  to 
a  conviction  of  the  superiority  of  the  external 
characteristics  of  Christianity,  and  thereby 
creating  a  wish  to  know  something  of  the  in- 
ward principles  which  lead  to  an  outward  de- 
velopment so  attractive." 

In  1849,  the  Governor  of  Ceylon  visited  the 
mission  stations,  and  on  his  return  to  Colombo 
he  published  a  notice  of  his  observations,  in 
which  he  said,  "  His  excellency  cannot  omit 
to  dwell  with  peculiar  satisfaction  on  the  pleas- 
ure afforded  him  by  his  personal  inspection  of 
the  great  educational  establishments,  which 
are  the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the 
northern  province.  To  those  noble  volunteers 
in  the  cause  of  Christianity  and  education,  the 
gentlemen  of  the  American  mission,  who  by 
their  generous  self-devotion  in  a  foreign  and 
distant  land,  have  produced  so  marked  an  im- 
provement in  the  scene  of  their  labors,  his 
excellency  feels  that  he  should  pay  a  special 
tribute  of  grateful  acknowledgement.  He  is 
glad  to  hail,  in  this  dedication  of  American 
enterprise  and  American  charity  to  the  work 
of  civilizing  and  enlightening  a  distant  depen- 
dency of  the  British  crown,  one  more  tie  of 
kindred  with  the  great  nation  that  sends  them 
forth — one  more  pledge  that  between  the  Old 
and  the  New  England,  there  can  henceforth  be 
only  a  generous  rivalry  in  the  cause  of  knowl- 
edge and  truth." 

In  1849,  a  new  version  of  the  whole  Bible 
into  Tamil  was  completed,  with  great  labor  and 
care,  by  committees,  both  in  Jaffna  and  Ma- 
dras, and  beautifully  printed  in  one  royal  oc- 
tavo volume.  Of  this  translation  Mr.  Meigs 
says,  "  I  find  it  very  exactly  conformed  to  the 
Hebrew,  as  well  as  to  our  English  version, 
while  it  is  also  pure  and  idiomatic  Tamil.  It 
will,  I  have  no  doubt,  prove  a  great  blessing 
to  the  whole  Tamil  people,  and  many  thousands 
will  bless  God  for  the  labors  of  those  who 
have  prepared  it." 

A  summary  of  the  mission  of  the  American 
Board  in  Ceylon,  from  its  commencement 
to  the  close  of  1852,  a  period  of  thirty-six 
years,  presents  very  important  and  gratifying 
results. 

Missionaries  and  Helpers. — The  whole  num- 
ber of  persons  who  have  been  connected  with 
the  mission,  is  60-;  28  males  and  32  females. 
Of  these  18  have  died,  and  an  equal  number 
havQ  been  obliged,  for  various  reasons,  to  re- 
linquish the  missionary  work.  Eleven  left 
after  a  service  of  from  9  to  17  years ;  10  have 
been  in  the  field  from  16  to  36  years.  Of  85 
children  born  to  these  missionary  families  in 
Ceylon,  only  12  have  died  in  the  island,  and 
but  three  or  four  after  leaving  for  America. 

Churches. — The  following  table  presents  the 
statistics  of  the  churches,  for  the  year  1852  an(ft> 
1853: 


230 


CEYLON. 


TABULAB  VIKW. 


STATION'S. 


TUlipaUy.. 
BRtticottA . 
Oodooville. 


Uanepj 

Pandlteripo 

CbHTagacheny., 

Varany 

Oodoopitty 


Total. 


In  r^rular 
Btandii 


ing. 


224 


£  «.  d. 
5  9  0 
46  7  5 
10  4  10 
36  2  6 
0    9 


II 


3  10 

1    4 

14 


Membore  reported,  1852 

Beooived  by  profession  In  1853. 
♦'        on  certificato      " 


Dismissed  on  certificate 10 

Deaths 5 

Excommunicated 1 

Error  in  statistics  of  1852 7- 


Present  number. 


385 
23 
10 

418 

-23 
895 


The  whole  number  received  to  the  churches 
from  the  commencement,  is  about  800 ;  and 
not  far  from  120  have  been  excommunicated. 
Over  300  of  the  church  members  were  educa- 
ted in  the  Batticotta  seminary,  and  about  150 
at  the  female  boarding-school  at  Oodooville. 

Schools. — ^The  statistics  of  the  two  classes  of 
schools,  the  vernacular  and  the  English,  for 
1853,  are  as  follows  : 

TABULAB  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


•nilipally . . . , 
Batticotta... 
Oodooville . . . 

Mftnepy 

Panditeripo.. 
Chavagach'y. 

Varany 

Oodoopitty  . . 


Vernacular  Schools. 


Pupils. 


578  208 
580  251 
229  207 
116 

102 
96 
21 
116 


Total....  77  72  11  2659  1304  3963  1352  341  9  11  279 


53 
100 
68 
40 
23 
23 
4 
30 


English 
Schools. 


Christian  idea,  are  fast  disappearing  from  the 
stage,  and  giving  place  to  a  generation  who 
understand  Scripture  language,  and  have  some 
knowledge  of  Scripture  doctrine. 

I^^atiye  Helpers. — The  following  table  gives 
a  classified  view  of  the  native  helpers  : 


In  view  of  the  vast  number  of  children  and 
youth  who,  from  year  to  year  have  been  taught 
in  these  schools,  and  the  4,000  now  in  a  course 
of  training,  the  missionaries  are  led  to  the 
cheering  observation,  that  the  old  generation, 
^vhose  minds  were  steeped  in  heathenism,  and 
to  whom  it  was   difficult  to  communicate  a 


Native  Preachers 

Catcchists 

School  Superintendents 

Secular  Agents 

Christian  Teachers 

Printing-office  ■workmen 

Writers 

Total  Native  Assistants 

Nominal  Christian  Teachers. . 

Heathen  Teachers 

Nominal  Christian  and  Hea-  \ 
then  Teachers,  total.. .  j 


Of  the  catechists  four  are  physicians,  two  of 
whom  spend  most  of  their  time  in  catecheti- 
cal work. 

Printing. — This  department  has  been  con- 
ducted with  great  efficiency,  printing  some 
years  7  or  8,000,000  of  pages  of  Scripture 
and  of  tracts.  The  whole  number  of  pages 
printed  since  the  Inissiou  press  went  into  ope- 
ration, in  1834,  is  estimated  at  166,000,000; 
"  The  Morning  Star,"  a  semi-monthly  paper,  is 
still  continued. 

Medical  Department. — ^The  dispensary,  under 
the  care  of  Dr.  Greene,  besides  its  physical 
benefits,  has  served  as  an  important  aid  in 
preaching  the  Gospel.  The  number  of  pa- 
tients treated  during  the  year  1852,  was  1,881. 
Medical  classes  are  constantly  under  instruc- 
tion. Dr.  Greene  has  been  recently  preparing 
a  Tamil  nomenclature  for  anatomy,  physi- 
ology, and  hygiene,  and  hopes  soon  to  publish 
some  elementary  works  on  these  subjects,  in 
the  native  language.  Besides  their  medicul 
Joenefits,  such  works  would  help  to  undermine 
the  gross  superstition  with  which  the  practice 
of  native  physicians  is  connected,  and  prepare 
the  way  for  the  reception  of  Christianity. 

Female  education. — In  no  department  hag| 
progress  been  more  marked  in  Jaffna  than  iUj 
that  of  female  education,  especially  among  the; 
higher  classes.  The  number  who  have  beec.' 
educated  in  the  female  boarding  school  at; 
Oodooville,  from  the  first,  is  288.  Of  these 
204  have  left  the  school,  136  of  them  being 
members,  of  the  church  at  the  time  of  leaving, 
and  13  having  joined  since  leaving.  Of  the 
whole  number  who  have  left  the  school,  126 
have  been  married  to  Christians,  and  only  16 
to  heathens. 

Temperance. — ^Vigorous  efforts  have  been 
made  by  the  missionaries  to  arrest  the  pro- 
gress   of   intemperance,  which    prevails  ex- 


CEYLON. 


231 


teiisively  in  Ceylon.  Temperance  societies 
have  been  formed,  lectures  delivered,  and 
pledges  of  total  abstinence  signed  by  a  large 
number  of  the  people.  It  is  easy  to  gather 
from  500  to  1000  people  to  hear  addresses  on 
this  subject.  On  one  of  these  occasions,  in 
1852,  200  signed  the  pledge.  These  meetings 
are  conducted  in  a  strictly  religious  manner, 
being  opened  and  closed  with  prayer ;  and  in 
connection  with  the  addresses,  much  instruc- 
tion is  given  in  regard  to  other  prevailing 
vices.  The  people  learn,  by  this  very  means, 
that  the  missionaries  are  their  best  friends,  and 
are  thus  led  in  great  numbers  to  hear  the  Gos- 
pel preached.  It  should  be  added  that  the 
temperance  movement  originated  chiefly  with 
the  young  men  educated  at  the  Batticotta  se- 
minary, and  is  carried  on  by  them,  with  the 
cooperation  of  the  missionaries. 

Native  Contributions. — For  several  years 
there  has  been  a  "Native  Evangelical  So- 
ciety "  in  Jaffna,  designed  to  call  into  acti 
vity  the  Christian  benevolence  of  the  native 
converts.  Some  of  them  manifest  a  very 
strong  desire  to  spread  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  This  society,  besides  contributing 
frequently  to  the  funds  of  the  American 
Board,  supports  a  catechist  at  Yarany,  and 
has  also  the  entire  care  of  the  Island  of  Delft, 
sustaining  there  a  Christian  family  and  a  large 
school.  This  island  is  within  the  jBeld  of  the 
Ceylon  mission,  and  contains  an  ignorant  and 
degraded  population  of  about  three  thou- 
sand. 

Present  state  of  Heathenism  and  prospects  of 
the  Missio7i. — After  thirty-six  years  of  unwea- 
ried Christian  effort  in  this  field,  the  mission- 
aries and  the  Christian  world  are  permitted  to 
contemplate  a  degree  of  progress  as  surprising 
as  it  is  gratifying ;  and  to  the  question : 
"  Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ? "  is  confi- 
dently answered,  "The  morning  cometh." 
"  It  may  be  true,"  say  the  missionaries,  "  that 
some  forms  of  wickedness  increase ;  that  ido- 
latry even  may  assume  a  bolder  and  more 
offensive  front ;  but  this  is  only  the  natural 
effect  of  the  increase  of  light.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  heathenism  is  disturbed.  While 
the  mass  of  the  people  are  losing  their  confi- 
dence in  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  their  an- 
cestors, there  are  many  who  are  roused  by  this 
very  fact,  to  greater  efforts  to  sustain  them  ; 
but  they  only  thereby  publish  their  own  shame, 
and  hasten  the  destruction  of  their  cause. 
That  the  people  are  extensively  hypocritical  in 
their  idol  worship,  is  abundantly  evident.  This 
is  remarkably  true  throughout  our  field,  and  is  a 
fact  full  of  encouragement.  We  need  not,  as 
in  former  years,  spend  our  time  in  attacking 
idolatry,  but  can  directly  preach  Christ,  and 
him  crucified." 

Church  Missionary  Society. — The  Church 
Missionary  Society  commenced  its  labors  in 
Ceylon,  in  1818,  establishing  missions  simul- 
taneously among  the  Hindoos  of  the  northern 


province,  and  among  the  Budhists  of  Colombo 
and  Point  Be  Galle,  and  of  the  Kandian  hills 
in  the  central  portion  of  the  island.  Two 
energetic  men,  Mr.  Mayor  and  Mr.  Lambrick, 
stationed  themselves  at  once  in  Kandy,  about 
90  miles  N.  E.  from  Colombo.  It  is  sur- 
rounded by  woody  hills  and  mountains,  and 
was  anciently  the  capital  of  an  independent 
kingdom  of  the  same  name.  The  town  itself 
has  only  about  3,000  people,  but  in  the  neigh- 
boring highlands,  to  which  the  labors  of  these 
missionaries  extended,  there  is  a  population  of 
200,000. 

In  no  part  of  Ceylon  has  progress  been  so 
difficult  and  slow  as  among  the  Kandians.  It 
was  four  years  after  the  arrival  of  the  mission- 
aries before  there  was  encouragement  to  build 
a  school-house,  even  in  the  capital  of  the  pro- 
vince ;  and  after  the  lapse  of  ten  years  the 
number  of  pupils  was  small.  The  number  of 
conversions  was  still  more  limited.  These 
discouragements  arose  in  part  from  the  se- 
cluded and  solitary  condition  of  the  province, 
for  the  boundaries  of  the  Kandian  territory 
were  defended  by  dense  forests,  and  every 
opening  was  guarded  by  a  species  of  palm, 
covered  with  knobs,  from  the  points  of  which 
protruded  spikes  as  sharp  as  the  beak  of  a 
hawk.  Besides  the  natural  fortifications, 
watches  were  stationed  at  every  pass  from  the 
low  country,  beside  gates  of  thorns,  which 
were  only  opened  for  the  passage  of  the  king's 
people.  Within  these  gloomy  confines,  Euro- 
peans seldom  entered ;  and  when  the  mission 
was  commenced,  in  1818,  the  British  govern- 
ment discouraged  the  attempt,  as  it  could  not 
assure  them  of  any  adequate  protection  in  such 
a  region.  The  priesthood  of  Budhism  thus 
secluded,  exerted  undisputed  sway,  and  the 
Kandians  preserved  a  rigid  conformity  to  all 
its  teachings.  On  the  arrival  of  the  mission- 
aries they  could  conceive  of  no  possible  advan- 
tages to  be  derived  from  having  their  children 
educated,  and  it  was  impossible  to  assemble  a 
class.  After  a  perseverance  of  five  years,  how- 
ever, five  schools  had  been  established,  num- 
bering 127  pupils,  and  so  indefatigable  were 
the  labors  of  these  men,  that  in  1839  the 
number  of  schools  had  increased  to  thirteen, 
and  the  number  of  scholars  to  400. 

To  attempt  the  education  of  females  seemed 
for  a  long  time  utterly  hopeless ;  for  even  the 
little  instruction  that  was  given  to  the  boys 
in  the  temples  of  the  Budhist  priests,  was  with- 
held from  the  girls,  who  were  regarded  as 
unfit  for  tuition  of  any  kind.  It  was  there- 
fore ten  years  before  a  school  for  the  instruc- 
tion of  girls  could  be  opened  in  Kandy.  The 
Church  missionaries,  with  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  native  language,  have  sought  to 
explain  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  to  the 
Kandians,  in  their  secluded  villages,  and  they 
have  secured,  to  a  great  degree,  the  confidence 
of  the  native  peasantry  ;  but  owing  to  the  as- 
cendancy of  the  priesthood,  very   few  have 


CEYLON. 


avowed  their  belief  in  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity. During  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years, 
Kuro[x?ana  have  settled  among  the  Kandian 
hills,  cttusiiig  some  irritation  to  the  peasants, 
but  aflbrtling  protection  to  the  mission,  which 
is  still  continued.  It  is  stated,  however,  in  a 
recent  lieport  of  the  Church  Missionary  Soci- 
ety, that  the  labors  of  the  missionaries  are 
confined  in  a  great  measure  to  sojourners  from 
the  raaratime  provinces,  who  reside  at  Kandy 
and  other  places  in  the  interior,  and  who  are 
nominal  Christians,  and  that  the  native  Kau- 
dians  have  received  comparatively  little  atten- 
tion. There  are  now  at  the  Kandy  station 
five  schools  :  one  English,  three  Singalese,  and 
one  for  girls.  The  number  of  boys  is  117, 
girls  10.  There  are  five  regular  congregar 
tions,  with  an  average  attendance  of  one 
hundred. 

The  mission  station  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, at  Baddagame,  in  the  low  country,  ten 
miles  north  of  Point  De  Galle,  although  com- 
menced as  early  as  that  at  Kandy,  has  been 
even  less  successful,  though  not  without  some 
important  results.  Schools  have  been  estab- 
lished, printed  books  have  been  circulated  and 
read,  and  many  have  been  made  acquainted 
with  the  principles  of  Christianity.  Still 
there  have  been  but  few  conversions,  and  after 
the  labor  ofnearly  forty  years,  the  missionaries 
have  very  little  to  cheer  them.  In  the  annual 
report  for  1852,  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons,  one  of  the 
missionaries,  says  :  "  At  this  place  the  church 
is  built  (it  was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Heber,) 
and  here  are  the  mission  residences,  seminary, 
and  girls'  school ;  but  here,  alas,  is  the  great- 
est indifference  to  the  good  news  of  salvation. 
It  seems  as  if  the  people  were  hardened  to  the 
sound  of  the  church  bell  and  the  missionary's 
voice,  and  accustomed  to  treat  both  with  silent 


contempt.  Last  year  I  cstablisho;!  an  early 
service  for  the  heathen,  who  objected  to  eomo 
to  the  ordinary  service.  Like  everything  else 
at  Baddagame,  it  succeeded  for  a  time,  but 
within  three  months  fell  to  nothing." 

By  far  the  most  important  of  the  stations  of 
the  Church  of  England  mission  in  Ceylon,  is 
that  at  Cotta,  a  populous  district  within  a  few 
miles  of  Colombo.  The  situation  of  Cotta  is 
peculiarly  beautiful,  being  on  the  verge  of  vast 
gardens  of  cinnamon,  and  surrounded  by  na- 
tural forests,  and  interspersed  with  plantations 
of  spices  and  groves  of  cocoa  nut  and  palm. 
Here  the  ifiission  commenced  its  labors  in 
1823,  by  the  opening  of  schools  and  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel  to  the  natives  throughout 
their  hamlets.  In  connection  with  this  mis- 
sion, a  collegiate  institution  was  founded  in 
1827,  for  the  training  of  native  teachers  and 
assistants  destined  for  the  ministry.  It  com- 
menced with  ten  pupils,  and  has  continued  to 
the  present  time  with  remarkable  success.  To 
this  institution  have^  resorted  the  Tamils  of 
Jaffna,  the  Kandians  from  the  hills,  and  the 
Singalese  from  the  low  country.  In  this 
"oriental  college"  there  are  at  present  22 
students,  extending  their  studies  to  Greek  and 
Latin,  i^uclid.  Scripture  history,  &c.  There 
are  also  at  Cotta  28  vernacular  schools  for 
boys  and  38  for  girls,  containing  in  all  750 
children,  besides  English  schools  for  boys  and 
girls.  There  are  at  present  two  missionaries 
at  Cotta,  Rev.  Messrs.  Gordon  and  Wood,  and 
the  number  of  services  held  on  the  Sabbath  is 
15.  The  average  attendance  is  about  1000, 
more  than  half  of  them  being  adults.  A 
printing-press  has  been  for  some  years  in  ope- 
ration at  this  station,  and  from  this  was  issued 
a  translation  of  the  scriptures,  known  as  the 
"  Cotta  version." 


TABULAR   tiEW   FOR   1853. 


d 

i 

1 

■i 

e9 

1 

1 

si 

-3 
< 

"2 

2 

4 

d 

u 

5 
.£ 

6 

a> 
•-3 
'A 

P 
^ 

II 

c 
S 

c 

1 

>> 
a 

5 

1 
■a' 

1852 

5 

11 

45 

19 

121 

41 

asi 

448 

20 

1,299 

1818 

1 

3 

11 

2 

35 

10 

ICG 

64 

22 

252 

1819 

1 

4 

17 

2 

47 

20 

534 

58 

21 

613 

1818 

2 

18 

1 

49 

14 

608 

119 

6,127 

1847 

2 

19 

3 

89 

13 

447 

69 

38 

549 

1842 

10 

2 

1 
23 

12 

1 

21 

10 

355 

77 

432 

122 

28 

362 

108 

2,941 

835 

101 

9,272 

Cotta,     .    .  .  , 

Kandy,  .    .  .  , 

Baddagame,  .  . 

Nellore,      .  .  , 

Chundicully,  .  . 

Copay,   .    .  .  , 

Totals, 


In  the  JaflEha  district  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  has  three  mission  stations,  viz. :  at 
Nellore,  Chundicully,  and  Copay.  These  are 
all  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  town  of  Jafiha, 


Chundicully  being  a  suburb,  Nellore  about  two 
miles  distant,  and  Copay  five  miles  distant. 
There  is  a  missionary  and  a  church  at  each 
place,  but  the  attendance  is  small,  the  total 


CEYLON. 


233 


number  of  adults  at  the  three  stations  being 
200,  and  of  children  400.  They  have  also  37 
schools,  in  some  of  which  only  Tamil  is  taught, 
iu  others  only  English,  In  Nellore  a  girls' 
boarding-school  has  been  established,  similar 
to  that  of  the  American  mission  at  Oodooville. 
It  has  42  pupils,  most  of  them  the  children  of 
heathen  parents.  The  principal  of  this  school 
is  a  superior  native  young  woman,  who  was 
brought  up  in  the  school,  and  who  speaks  and 
writes  English  with  remarkable  accuracy. 
There  is  also  a  high  school  for  boys  at  Chundi- 
cully,  with  29  pupils. — Rev.  E.  D.  Moore. 

Wesleyan  MissioNARY  Society. — The  Wes- 
leyan  mission  to  Ceylon  was  undertaken  at  the 
suggestion  of  Sir  Alexander  Johnston,  Chief- 
Justice  of  that  island.  He  had  attentively 
studied  the  character  and  results  of  the  Wes- 
leyan missions  in  the  West  Indies,  and  most 
earnestly  urged  upon  the  Wesleyan  Conference 
the  importance  of  extending  their  operations 
to  Ceylon.  Some  temporary  difficulties  pre- 
vented the  immediate  adoption  of  the  sugges- 
tion ;  but  the  impression  produced  upon  the 
Methodist  Conference  by  his  appeals,  led  to 
the  establishment  of  their  Eastern  Missions. 
Dr.  Coke  had  set  his  heart  upon  sending  or 
carrying  the  Gospel  to  India  ;  and  as  soon  as  it 
was  agreed  to  undertake  the  mission,  he,  though 
advanced  in  years,  determined  to  embark  in 
it.  Being  possessed  of  considerable  property, 
he  proposed  not  only  to  introduce  and  estab- 
lish the  present  mission,  but  also  to  advance 
whatever  money  might  be  required  for  the 
outfit  and  settlement  of  the  missionaries ;  a 
rare  instance  of  individual  generosity  and  de- 
votion to  the  cause  of-  missions.  After  some 
discussion,  it  was  finally  agreed  that  six  mis- 
sionaries for  Ceylon,  and  one  for  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope,  should  sail  with  Dr.  Coke.  Those 
for  Ceylon  were,  Messrs.  William  Ault,  James 
Lynch,  George  Erskine,  William  Martin  Har- 
vard, Thomas  Hall  Squance,  and  Benjamin 
Clough.  Two  of  the  party,  Harvard  and 
Squance,  were  acquainted  with  the  manage- 
ment of  the  printing-press,  which  subsequently 
proved  of  great  service  to  the  mission.  Dr. 
Coke,  accompanied  by  six  missionaries,  set  sail 
from  Portsmouth  on  the  30th  of  December, 
1813.  On  the  passage,  Mrs.  Ault,  wife  of  one 
of  the  missionaries,  died,  happy  in  God,  and 
was  committed  to  the  great  deep,  in  joyful 
hope  of  a  resurrection  to  eternal  life.  This 
was  a  great  affliction ;  but  one  still  greater 
soon  followed.  On  the  3d  of  May  following. 
Dr.  Coke  was  suddenly  called  to  his  eternal  re- 
ward. He  had  been  indisposed  a  few  days  be- 
fore, but  there  was  no  apprehension  of  danger ; 
and  on  the  day  previous  to  his  death,  he  ap- 
peared considerably  better.  It  was  supposed 
that  he  died  of  apoplexy,  as  no  noise  was  heard 
in  the  adjoining  cabins,  and  he  was  found  dead. 
Deep  and  mysterious  are  the  ways  of  Provi- 
dence !  The"  Doctor  believed  he  had  a  call  to 
the  East ;  he  had  devoted  himself  to  the  work  ; 


and,  to  use  his  own  language,  "  Only  lived  for 
India  ; "  yet  before  he  could  reach  his  destina- 
tion, he  died  alone,  in  his  cabin,  and  was.  com' 
mitted  to  a  watery  grave.  The  missionaries 
were  thro^vn  by  this  sad  calamity  into  a  state 
of  painful  apprehension ;  they  had  not  only 
lost  their  counsellor  and  guide  ;  but  they  were 
left  also,  without  immediate  pecuniary  support. 
The  whole  enterprise  had  rested  so  entirely  on 
their  departed  friend,  that  they  did  not  know 
whether  any  provision  had  been  made  for  the 
event  which  they  had  to  deplore.  But  the  loss, 
however,  of  the  human  arm,  on  which  they  had 
leaned,  led  them,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  a 
more  entire  dependence  on  Him. 

They  arrived  at  Bombay,  May  21,  and  the 
letters  of  introduction  which  they  had  brought 
to  several  persons  of  distinction,  obtained  for 
them  a  kind  reception.  Among  them  was  one 
to  W.  T.  Money,  Esq.,  a  principal  agent  at  Bom- 
bay, from  Dr.  Buchanan  ;  and  he  relieved  their 
anxiety  by  assuring  them  he  should  be  happy 
to  advance  them  any  funds  they  might  need, 
on  the  credit  of  their  Society  at  home.  The 
Governor,  Sir  Evan  Nepean,  to  whom  likewise 
they  had  letters,  showed  them  all  the  kindness 
which  their  circumstances  required,  and  had  a 
house  of  his  own  prepared  for  their  accommo- 
dation. 

On  the  20th  of  June,  the  mission  family,  with 
the  exception  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harvard,  sailed 
from  Bombay,  and  landed  at  Point  de  Galle, 
after  a  voyage  of  nine  days.  Their  generous 
friend,  Mr.  Money,  had  written  to  Mr.  Gibson, 
the  Master  Attendant  of  Galle,  informing  him 
of  the  probable  time  of  their  arrival,  and  de- 
scribing the  signal  which  the  captain  would 
make  on  coming  in  sight  of  land.  In  conse- 
quence, he  had  been  looking  out  for  the  ship, 
and  paid  them  all  the  attention  they  required. 
This  proof  of  the  lively  interest  which  Mr. 
Money  took  in  their  affairs,  filled  them  with 
gratitude  to  him  and  to  God  ;  but  what  were 
their  emotions  of  surprise  and  thankfulness, 
when  they  learned  that  Sir  Evan  Nepean  also 
had  taken  the  trouble  of  writing  favorably 
concerning  them,  to  the  Governor  of  Ceylon, 
Sir  Robert  Brownrigg,  who  had  in  conse- 
quence immediately  written  to  Lord  Moles- 
worth,  commandant  of  Galle,  directing  that 
the  Government  House  in  the  fort  should  be 
prepared  for  their  reception!  Lord  Moles- 
worth  executed  these  instructions,  not  with 
mere  official  punctuality,  but,  though  an  entire 
stranger  to  them,  with  all  the  feelings  of  per- 
sonal friendship.  These  favors  were  rendered 
to  the  missionaries  for  the  sake  of  the  cause  in 
which  they  were  embarked ;  and  they  serve  to 
mark  the  rapid  transition  now  going  on  in  the 
public  mind.  The  Rev.  George  Bisset,  episco- 
pal chaplain  at  Colombo,  as  well  as  the  Gov- 
ernor and  other  gentlemen,  showed  them  every 
brotherly  kindness,  and  wished  them  all  success. 
The  Governor  offered  to  allow  them  fifty-sixdol- 
lars  a  month  for  each  school  that  they  might 


234 


CEYLON. 


establish.  After  mature  deliberation  and  fer- 
vent prayer,  it  appeared  to  them  advisable  to 
occupy  only  four  stations  for  the  present; 
namely,  Jalina  and  Batticaloa,  for  the  Tamil 
division  of  the  island,  Galle  and  Matura  for 
the  Singolese ;  and  it  was  agreed  that  Messrs. 
Lynch  and  Squance  should  go  to  Jaffna,  Mr. 
Ault  to  JJatticaloa,  Mr.  Erskine  to  Matura, 
and  that  Mr.  Clough  should  remain  at  Galle. 

In  a  few  days,  after  celebrating  the  Lord's 
Supper  together,  in  which  Lord  Molesworth 
requested  permission  to  join  them,  Messrs. 
Lynch  and  Squancc  set  out  for  Jaffna.  On 
their  an-ival  at  Colombo  they  were  hospitably 
entertained  by  Mr.  Twistleton,  and  much  re- 
freshed in  spirit  by  their  intercourse  with  other 
friends.  Sir  Robert  and  Lady  Brownrigg,  Sir 
Alexander  and  Lady  Johnston,  gave  them  a 
cordial  welcome,  and  encouraged  them  to  pro- 
ceed. Mr.  Armour  received  them  as  brethren, 
and  Mr.  Chatcr,  the  Baptist  missionary,  was 
no  less  kind,  and  invited  them  to  preach  in  his 
chapel,  where  the  military  of  the  garrison  at- 
tended. Their  attention  was  called  to  the  case 
of  a  convert  from  Mohammedanism,  who  had 
been  baptized  in  the  fort  church  by  the  name 
of  Daniel  Theophilus,  said  to  be  the  first  con- 
version from  Islamism  which  had  been  known 
in  Ceylon.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind  and 
considerable  learning ;  and  hopes  were  enter- 
tained that  his  public  rcfiiunciation  of  his  for- 
mer faith,  and  his  open  acknowledgement  of 
Christianity,  would  have  an  extensive  effect  on 
others  of  the  same  faith.  The  change  in  his 
religious  profession  had  called  down  upon  him 
the  indignation  of  his  relatives  and  former 
connexions,  some  of  whom  were  fully  bent  upon 
his  destruction.  But  he  was  taken  under  the 
protection  of  the  government,  and  by  them 
committed  to  the  care  of  Messrs.  Lynch  and 
Sqnance,  that  he  might  accompany  them  to 
Jaffnapatam,  and  there  be  further  instructed 
in  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  Christianity. 

On  the  first  of  August  they  set  out  with  this 
interesting  companion  :  and  on  their  arrival 
at  Jaffna,  the  sub-collector,  Mr.  Mooyart,  re- 
ceived them  with  great  kindness.  Here  they 
were  also  welcomed  by  Christian  David,  the 
Tamil  preacher  from  Tranquebar,  who  presided 
over  the  Tamil  Christians  in  that  province. 
He  told  Mr.  Lynch  that  he  had  for  more  than 
ten  years  prayed  that  some  missionaries  might 
be  sent  to  Ceylon,  and  that  he  regarded  their 
arrival  as  an  answer  to  his  prayers.  While  he 
was  able  to  afford  them  considerable  aid  in 
farthering  the  objects  of  their  mission,  they 
in  their  turn  greatly  assisted  him  in  the 
way  of  religious  instruction.  They  had  now 
a  gratifying  proof  of  the  liberal  intentions 
of  the  government  towards  them  in  the  pro- 
posal for  the  endowment  of  English  schools 
to  be  placed  under  their  care.  Since  Jaffna 
was  to  be  the  residence  of  two  missionaries, 
they  found  that  the  stipulated  allowance 
for  each  school  was,  in  their  case,  doubled. 


I  At  the  request  of  the  European  residents, 
who  were  without  the  means  of  public  in- 
struction, they  held  Divine  service  in  English, 
alternately  reading  the  church  prayers  and 
preaching;  and  they  were  much  encouraged 
by  the  apparent  effects  of  their  ministrations. 

The  other  missionaries  joined  their  stations  ^ 
about  the  same  time,  and  met  with  similar  aid 
in  the  prosecution  of  their  work.  Matura,  to 
which  Mr.  Erskine  was  appointed,  was  about 
thirty  miles  from  Galle.  The  civil  authorities 
afforded  him  every  facility  he  required  in  the 
opening  of  the  promised  English  school,  which 
the  children  of  the  highest  classes  of  natives 
attended  with  manifest  pleasure.  He  soon 
commenced  his  English  ministration,  also,  in 
the  Dutch  church  in  the  fort ;  but  his  con- 
gregation was  small,  the  European  garrison 
consisting  of  few  troops.  The  native  popula- 
tion was  considerable,  and  the  district  was 
found  to  be  one  of  tlie  strongholds  of  their  su- 
perstition :  he  lost  no  time,  therefore,  in  begin- 
ning the  study  of  Singalcse,  that  he  might  at- 
tack the  enemy  in  his  quarters. 

Batticaloa,  Mr.  Ault's  station,  was  above 
150  miles  beyond  Matura.  It  is  a  small  is- 
land, containing  a  fort,  with  a  few  houses  ;  but 
it  is  the  central  point  of  an  important  district 
of  the  same  name,  which  carries  on  a  constant 
trade  with  the  interior,  and  contains  a  large 
population.  Mr.  Ault  proceeded  to  Batticaloa, 
in  a  native  dhoney,  a  kind  of  sailing  barge, 
which  was  expected  to  make  the  passage  in 
three  days ;  but  it  took  more  than  eight  to 
reach  the  destined  port.  As  he  had  not  pro- 
vided for  so  long  a  passage,  his  sufferings  and 
privations  by  the  way,  added  to  his  affliction 
from  the  recent  loss  of  his  wife,  so  shook  his 
constitution,  that  he  was  ill-suited  to  enter  upon 
his  arduous  duties.  There  was  no  habitation 
vacant  for  him ;  but  the  Collector,  Mr.  Sawers, 
and  the  Magistrate,  Mr.  Atkinson,  received  him 
into  their  houses,  and  showed  him  every  atten- 
tion, and  he  was  soon  suflBciently  recovered  to 
open  the  English  school.  On  Sunday  mornings 
he  performed  divine  service  for  the  civilians 
and  military,  when  his  congregation  was  sel- 
dom less  than  150,  the  soldiers  being  marched 
to  church.  He  had  an  evening  service  also, 
at  which  their  attendance  was  optional ;  and 
the  numbers  that  came  were  sufficient  to  show 
a  desire  to  hear  the  Word,  while  a  few  applied 
to  him  under  serious  concern.  The  station  was 
crowded  with  the  sick ;  they  ,saw  their  com- 
rades dying  daily ;  and  the  missionary  sought 
to  improve  the  solemn  season  to  their  souls. 
He  did  not,  however,  suffer  these  labors  to  di- 
vert him  from  the  natives.  He  labored  hard 
at  the  Tamil  language,  and  soon  began  to  itin- 
erate among  the  huts  in  the  neighboring 
country. 

At  Galle,  Mr.  Clough  performed  the  English 
service,  in  the  Dutch  church,  every  Sunday ; 
and  a  private  house  in  the  fort  was  fitted  up, 
by  some  of  his  hearers,  for  preaching  on  an 


CEYLON. 


235 


evening  during  the  week,  and  for  religious  con- 
versation witli  those  under  serious  impressions. 
The  marked  attention  of  Lord  Molesworth 
not  only  encouraged  him,  but  exerted  a  good 
influence  among  the  officers  and  troops.  His 
Lordship  often  appeared  in  company  with  the 
humble  missionary  on  public  occasions,  and 
was  seldom  absent  from  the  cottage  in  which 
their  religious  meetings  were  held.  The  good 
efiect  produced  upon  the  European  inhabitants 
and  the  military  was  soon  very  apparent.  But, 
though  encouraged  by  these  things,  Mr.  Olough 
could  not  permit  himself  to  be  detained  from 
his  missionary  work.  Besides  the  numerous 
Europeans  and  the  inhabitants  of  Dutch  and 
Portuguese  extraction  in  the  fort,  at  Galle,  the 
Mohammedans  resided  there  in  great  numbers, 
and  had  a  mosque  in  the  garrison,  the  only  one 
in  the  whole  island.  There  was  a  very  large 
population  of  Singalese  in  the  adjacent  coun- 
try, whose  docility  and  gentleness  of  disposi- 
tion were  not  surpassed  by  the  natives  of  any 
other  district  in  the  British  territories ;  but 
they  were  heathen.  To  these,  Mr.  Clough's 
attention  was  anxiously  directed ;  and  he  wish- 
ed to  live  among  them,  to  study  their  language, 
and  to  exert  himself  for  their  spiritual  welfare  ; 
and  it  was  not  long  before  Providence  opened 
the  way  for  him  to  do  so.  He  received  a  visit 
at  the  Government-house,  from  Don  Abraham 
Dias  Abeyesinhe  Amavasekara,  the  Malm  or 
great  Moodeliar  of  Galle,  a  fine-looking  man, 
of  good  understanding,  and  of  a  liberal  mind, 
and  who,  from  his  rank,  was  possessed  of  un- 
bounded inflaence  throughout  the  district. 
After  the  usual  compliments,  he  addressed  Mr. 
dough  in  English,  stating  that  he  was  come  to 
jDlace  his  own  children  under  his  protection  and 
instructions ;  that,  haviag  heard  that  he  was 
desirous  to  establish  a  school  for  the  sons  of 
native  head-men,  he  was  glad  to  offer  him  a 
good  house,  ready  furnished  for  the  purpose, 
near  his  own  residence,  which,  if  it  suited  him, 
was  at  his  service  ;  adding,  that  he  should 
think  it  an  honor  to  have  such  a  reverend  gen- 
tleman living  near  him,  and  that  he  would  as- 
sist him  in  all  things  in  his  power.  Mr. 
Clough  having  accepted  the  offer,  was  thus, 
without  any  expense  to  the  mission  fund, 
placed  at  once  in  a  situation  of  comfort  and 
respectability,  in  which  he  could  prosecute  the 
study  of  the  language,  and  commence  his  labors 
among  the  natives.  His  school  was  soon 
opened,  and  attended  by  some  of  the  most  in- 
telligent boys  upon  the  island.  The  Moodeliar 
manifested  great  anxiety  for  his  comfort,  fur- 
nished him  with  a  horse,  and  afforded  him  as- 
sistance whenever  he  required  it.  The  patron- 
age and  friendship  of  this  person  had  great  in- 
fluence on  the  surrounding  natives.  Curiosity 
was  powerfully  excited,  and  in  his  new  residence 
Mr.  Olough  was  visited  by  learned  priests,  and 
persons  of  various  classes  who  came  to  inquire 
respecting  the  religion  he  professed.  W^ith 
the  help  of  an  interpreter,  he  had  frequent  op- 


portunities to  converse  with  these  visitors  con- 
cerning the  faith  tliat  is  in  Christ,  and  had  the 
pleasure,  in  some  instances,  of  seeing  them  de- 
part, apparently  impressed  with  the  results  of 
their  inquiries.  By  the  Moodeliar's  assistance 
he  obtained  a  competent  Singalese  teacher,  un- 
der whose  instruction  he  applied  himself  dili- 
gently to  the  study  of  that  language.  He  soon 
had  reason  to  trace  the  providence  of  God  in 
these  arrangements,  which  were  ordered  so  en- 
tirely in  accordance  with  his  design,  and  yet 
so  independently  of  himself.  He  began  im-^ 
mediately  to  hold  intercourse  with  the  Singa- 
lese, and  especially  with  the  priests ;  and  Pro- 
vidence cast  him  in  the  way  of  one  of  the 
most  influential  in  the  island,  who  was  well 
known  both  in  the  Kandiau  and  British  domin- 
ions. This  high-priest  was  everywhere  extolled 
for  his  extensive  knowledge,  both  of  the  relig- 
ion and  literature  of  Ceylon,  as  well  as  of  the 
Oriental  languages,  and  several  marks  of  dis- 
tinction had  been  conferred  upon  him.  He  had 
resided  for  a  considerable  time  at  the  Court  of 
Kandy  ;  and  at  his  inauguration  as  a  priest  he 
had  the  honor  of  riding  on  the  king's  own 
elephant.  Mr.  Clough,  desirous  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  native  superstitions,  that 
he  might  be  the  better  prepared  to  expose 
their  absurdity  and  impiety,  took  every  oppor- 
tunity to  be  present  at  their  religious  services, 
and  endeavored,  on  such  occasions,  to  engage 
the  priests  in  conversation,  in  the  hearing  of 
their  followers.  A  celebrated  festival,  called 
Banna  maddua,  at  which  the  priest  was  carried 
in  great  pomp  on  the  shoulders  of  his  disciples, 
furnished  the  first  opportunity  of  conversing 
with  the  high-priest,  who  appeared  to  be  deep- 
ly impressed  with  what  he  heard,  and  visited 
Mr.  Clough  in  private,  for  further  informa- 
tion. Mr.  Clough  gave  him  a  copy  of  the  Gos- 
pels at  his  own  heathen  temple,  in  presence  of 
some  of  his  pupils,  educating  for  the  Budhist 
priesthood,  who  were  not  a  little  surprised  at 
the  joy  which  he  expressed,  and  the  care  with 
which  he  wrapped  up  the  book.  He  read  it 
with  diligence,  and  it  furnished  him  with  topics 
of  inquiry,  which  led  to  the  gradual  develop- 
ment of  the  whole  system  of  human  redemp- 
tion. After  about  two  months,  the  priest 
avowed  an  entire  revolution  of  sentiment,  pro- 
fessed his  firm  conviction  of  the  Divine  origin 
of  Christianity,  and  expressed  a  wish  openly  to 
renounce  Budhism,  and  to  make  a  public  pro- 
fession of  his  faith  in  Christ.  He  now  became 
anxious  for  baptism,  declaring  that  he  regarded 
it  as  the  characteristic  mark  of  those  who  • 
were  not  worshipers  of  idols.  But  as  this 
step  would  inevitably  subject  him  to  the  pri- 
vations of  poverty,  and  perhaps  to  the  attacks 
of  infuriated  idolaters  upon  his  life,  Mr.  Clough 
made  the  Governor  acquainted  with  all  the 
circumstances  of  the  case,  and  received  an  im- 
mediate answer  from  his  Excellency,  that  if 
the  priest,  from  conviction,  embraced  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  protection  should  be  afforded  him. 


236 


CEYLON. 


Meanwhile,  every  effort  was  tried  by  his  friends 
a!ul  the  prii^ts  to  shake  his  resolution  ;  but 
throats  and  iktsuju^Ious  were  alike  unavailing, 
he  had  "  counted  the  cost."  On  the  25th  of 
l)ceember.  1814,  he  put  off  the  yellow  robes  of 
his  profession,  and  was  publicly  admitted  into 
the  visible  Church  of  Cnrist,  in  the  presence 
of  a  crowded  conpegation,  by  the  ordinance 
of  Baptism,  receiving  the  name  of  Peterus 
Panditta  Sekarras.  Thus  did  he  give  up  rank, 
aflluence,  connexions,  family,  and  all  that  the 
world  holds  dear,  to  embrace  the  religion  of 
Jesus,  in  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  consci- 
ence. ITirough  the  interposition  of  Sir  Robert 
Brownrigg,  ho  was  placed  in  a  situation  to 
maintain  himself.  His  literary  qualifications 
obtained  for  him  the  oflQce  of  Cingalese  trans- 
lator to  the  government,  at  a  fixed  salary. 
His  studies  were  directed  with  a  view  to  his 
becoming,  at  a  future  period,  a  preacher  of  the 
Gospel  among  his  own  countrymen.  Many  of 
the  priests  were  so  shaken  by  this  conduct  of 
their  leader,  that  they,  also,  were  desirous  of 
embracing  Christianity  ;  but  there  was  this 
diificultv  in  the  way  :  when  they  cast  off  their 
robes,  they  lost  all,  even  their  freehold  estates, 
if  they  had  any. 

Not  long  after  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries 
they  had  to  mourn  the  loss  of  one  of  their 
companions,  Mr.  Ault,  who  sank  under  a  severe 
disease  with  which  he  had  for  some  time  been 
afflicted.  He  died  at  Baiticaloa,  and  was  in- 
terred with  every  mark  of  respect  from  all 
classes  of  inhabitants.  His  career  was  short, 
but  not  without  effect.  In  the  article  which 
appeared  in  the  Government  Gazette  announc- 
ing his  death,  after  bearing  testimony  to  his 
piety  and  zeal,  it  is  added — "  Possessing  rare 
qualifications  for  the  meritorious  and  useful 
work  which  he  had  undertaken,  his  success  in 
the  short  space  of  eight  months,  in  raising  at 
that  place,  a  respect  for,  and  a  decent  obser- 
vance of,  at  least  the  external  form  of  religion, 
was  truly  remarkable.  And  although  it  could 
not  be  said  that  he  made  any  converts  from 
either  the  heathen  or  Mohammedan  faith  to 
that  of  Christianity ;  yet,  by  the  establishment 
of  eight  schools  for  the  education  of  Hindoo 
children,  and  by  his  talents  and  address  having 
80  far  overcome  the  scruples  and  prejudices  of 
their  parents,  as  to  introduce  the  reading  of 
the  New  Testament  as  the  only  school-book 
to  the  more  advanced  scholars,  he  has  laid  the 
foundation  for  a  most  extensive  propagation  of 
our  faith." 

About  this  time  it  was  proposed  to  establish 
a  system  of  village  preaching  on  the  Lord's 
day,  in  the  vicinity  of  Colombo,  where  Mr. 
Harvard  was  then  stationed,  by  means  of  in- 
terpreters. For  this  purpose  they  were  provi- 
ded with  Singalese  youths  from  the  govern- 
ment seminary,  who  were  deemed  competent 
to  interpret  the  missionaries'  discourses.  Two 
or  tiiree  of  the  government  interpreters  were 
associated  with  them,  and  Sir  A.  Johnston  di- 


rected that  the  principal  Singalese  interpreter  of 
the  Supreme  Court  should  accompany  Mr.  Har- 
vard whenever  required.  The  j)orsons  so  em- 
ployed were  previously  instructed  what  to  do  ; 
the  native  congregations  were  assembled  in 
the  government  schools ;  the  meetings  were 
always  opened  and  closed  with  prayer,  and 
were  productive  of  considerable  benefit  to 
those  who  attended  them.  Thus,  under  the 
immediate  superintendence  of  flie  missionaries, 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  villages  were  regularly 
supplied  with  public  religious  instruction  every 
Sabbath.  While,  however,  we  admire  the 
spirit  that  prompted  these  proceedings,  we  must 
not  omit  to  record  the  personal  inconvenience 
which  they  suffered  from  them,  as  a  warning 
to  others.  Mr.  Harvard  confesses  that  "  zeal, 
undisciplined  by  prudence,  impelled  us  to  exer- 
tions, in  these  itinerating  labors,  which  were  too 
violent  to  be  lasting.  In  company  with  my 
interpreter,  I  have  frequently  traveled  twelve 
or  fifteen  miles  in  one  day,  addressing  three 
congregations,  and  returning  in  the  evening  to 
preach  in  English,  in  the  Pettah.  Mr.  Clough 
was  no  less  regardless  of  himself.  The  leading 
of  the  singing  also  devolved  on  us,  which  was 
even  more  laborious  than  preaching.  The 
abundance  of  the  harvest  and  the  paucity  of 
laborers,  is  the  only  apology  to  be  made  for 
efforts  which  cannot  be  wholly  justified ;  and 
which  at  length  inflicted  injuries  upon  my 
constitution  from  which  probably  it  will  never 
wholly  recover." 

An  English  service,  for  natives  understand- 
ing the  English  language,  was  also  opened  at 
this  time  in  Colombo  ;  and  their  place  of  woi" 
ship  having  become  too  small,  a  larger  build- 
ing was  commenced.  A  Sabbath-school  of 
over  200  children  was  also  organized.  The 
printing-press  was  put  in  operation,  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Harvard,  and  soon  spelling- 
books,  hymn-books,  and  religious  books,  or 
tracts  of  different  kinds  were  printed  in  the 
Singalese,  Tamil,  and  Portuguese  languages. 
The  mission  house  being  situated  on  the  main 
road  from  the  country  to  the  fort,  the  mission- 
aries had  frequent  opportunities  to  converse 
with  the  natives,  on  their  way  to  and  from  the 
town.  The  results  of  these  interviews  were 
often  encouraging ;  and  in  one  instance  were 
productive  of  the  happiest  effects.  A  Budhist 
priest,  known  by  the  title  of  the  Ava  Priest, 
was  introduced  to  them  by  a  note  from  the 
Rev.  G.  Bisset.  This  man  possessed  much 
acuteness  of  intellect  enriched  by  scientific 
and  literary  research  ;  he  was  highly  respected 
by  his  disciples,  and  had  attained  the  honora- 
ble distinction  of  Maha  Maiaka.  He  avowed 
himself  an  atheist  in  principle ;  but  after  much 
discussion  his  unbelief  and  prejudice  were  over- 
come, and  he  became  a  sincere  inquirer  after 
truth.  In  proof  of  his  sincerity,  he  consented 
to  Mr.  Harvard's  preaching  in  the  temple  of 
which  he  was  the  chief-priest.  His  pride  was 
renounced,  and  he  became  a  docile  scholar, 


CEYLON. 


2a7 


receiving  with  meekness  instruction  in  the  first 
principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  with  a 
view  to  his  baptism,  which  he  earnestly  desired. 
After  some  time>  Mr.  Harvard  preached  in  his 
temple,  through  an  interpreter,  in  front  of  the 
great  image,  to  a  large  congregation  of  priests 
and  people,  from  1  Cor.  8:4:  "  We  know 
that  an  idol  is  nothing  in  the  world,  and  there 
is  none  other  God  but  one."  On  their  return 
to  Colombo  the  Ava  Priest  publicly  renounced 
his  former  notions  and  was  baptized  in  the 
fort  church,  by  the  name  of  Georgr  Nado- 

RIS  DE  SiLVA. 

In  their  visits  to  the  native  Christians  in 
the  villages,  the  missionaries  were  occasionally 
met  or  accompanied  by  Sir.  A.  Johnston,  Mr. 
Twistleton,  and.  even  the  Governor  with  his 
lady  and  suite,  who  attended  divine  service,  with 
the  Singalese  Christians,  in  churches  of  the 
humblest  structure.  This  countenance  of  the 
highest  official  authorities  in  the  island  tended 
to  obviate  difficulties  which  they  would  other- 
wise have  found  it  hard  to  remove.  There 
was  one  prejudice,  however,  which  they  could 
not  immediately  overcome.  The  native  Chris- 
tians had  a  strong  objection  to  their  women 
appearing  in  a  place  of  worship,  except  at  the 
administration  of  baptism,  and  the  celebration 
of  marriage.  This  was  so  prejudicial  to  the 
domestic  character  of  the  people  that  the  mis- 
sionaries resolved  to  persevere  until  they  should 
see  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  the  Chris- 
tians taking  their  proper  place  in  the  church  ; 
in  which,  after  much  effort,  they  were  success- 
ful. 

The  converted  Ava  Priest,  George  Nadoris, 
manifested  a  strong  desire  for  the  conversion  of 
his  idolatrous  countrymen.  It  appeared  that 
half  the  priests  and  temples  in  the  island  had 
been  under  his  control.  He  accompanied  the 
missionaries  in  their  preaching  excursions 
round  the  country,  when  he  addressed  large 
companies  of  people,  from  800  to  1,000  at  a 
time,  in  the  most  lively  and  eloquent  manner  ; 
and  his  character  as  a  priest  was  so  well 
known  before  his  conversion,  that  wherever  he 
went  the  people  recognized  him,  and  the  effects 
produced  by  his  public  discourses  were  re- 
markable. The  priests  came  from  almost 
every  part  of  the  country,  even  from  the  inte- 
rior, to  contend  with  him.  Great  numbers  of 
the  superior  order  of  priests  avowed  themselves 
convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity ;  but 
they  were  not  willing,  like  George  Nadoris,  to 
deny  themselves  and  take  up  the  cross.  There 
was,  however,  one  exception.  Nadoris  had  a 
friend  among  them,  who  possessed  considerable 
property,  good  natural  abilities,  and  an  ex- 
tensive acquaintance  with  foreign  languages. 
His  disposition  was  meek,  and  his  manners 
prepossessing.  When  introduced  to  the  mis- 
sionaries by  his  friend  and  instructor,  he  pro- 
fessed to  be  dissatisfied  with  the  pagan  super- 
stitions ;  offered  himself  for  baptism,  and  beg- 
ged to  be    instructed  in  the  principles    of 


Christianity.  The  knowledge  which  the 
brethren  had  by  this  time  acquired  of  the  de- 
ceptive character  of  the  natives,  made  them 
cautious  in  the  admission  of  candidates.  In 
the  present  instance  their  examination  of  the 
man's  motives  was  more  than  usually  severe ; 
but  they  could  detect  no  sinister  design.  His 
replies  to  their  questions  were  given  with  the 
greatest  apparent  sincerity ;  and,  after  putting 
him  off  for  a  considerable  time,  they  felt  so 
well  satisfied  with  him,  that  they  could  no 
longer  resist  his  importunity  to  be  received 
into  the  Christian  church.  He  was  baptized 
by  the  name  of  Benjamin  Parks.  "It  was 
most  gratifying,"  observed  Sir  Alexander 
Johnston  on  the  occasion,  "to  see  the  very 
men  who  had  been  devoted  to  a  heathen  priest- 
hood, surmounting  every  prejudice  of  education 
and  profession,  and  convinced  of  the  delusion 
of  that  idolatry  which  they  had  been  taught 
to  preach."  He  also  further  remarked  "  that 
it  was  one  of  many  proofs  of  the  good 
effect  produced  among  the  natives  by  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Scriptures." 

In  the  month  of  June,  1815,  Rev.  John  Mc- 
Kenny  arrived  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
and  was  followed,  early  in  1816,  by  four  more, 
Messrs.  Callaway,  Carver,  Broadberd,  and  Jack- 
son, as  a  reinforcement;  and  a  young  man, 
named  Salmon,  was  appointed  as  an  assistant 
missionary.  He  was  the  first  preacher  they 
had  obtained  from  among  the  inhabitants  of 
the  island.  His  acquaintance  with  several 
languages  rendered  him  a  valuable  acquisition 
as  an  interpreter,  and  he  was  received  on  trial, 
and  appointed  to  the  Matura  station,  with 
Mr.  Callaway,  to  whom  he  proved  a  useful  col- 
league. Not  long  after,  a  second  young  man, 
named  John  Anthoniez,  also  born  in  the  coun- 
try, was  employed  as  a  local  preacher  at  Galle. 
The  building  commenced  at  Colombo  was 
finished  and  opened  for  public  worship  on 
Sunday,  December  23d,  1816.  An  appro- 
priate discourse  was  preached  by  Mr.  Clough 
from  Ps.  122  :  6.  It  was  provided  with  an 
organ,  purchased  at  Galle.  In  the  evening  a 
second  service  was  held,  which  was  crowded, 
the  Governor  and  his  lady,  and  most  of  the 
civilian^  and  military  officers  of  the  station 
being  present,  together  with  a  number  of  re- 
spectable natives. 

It  was  now  agreed  to  have  service  in  Eng- 
lish every  Sabbath  at  7  A.M.,  and  at  the 
same  hour  in  the  evening ;  also  a  Singalese 
service  at  half-past  ten  in  the  forenoon. 
The  missionaries  now  began  to  hold  annual 
conferences  for  the  regulation  of  the  concerns 
of  the  mission.  It  is  said  of  them  in  the  So 
ciety's  Eeport,  "By  preaching,  catechizing, 
conducting  native  schools,  and  printing  the 
Scriptures  and  useful  books,  they  are  lay- 
ing the  foundation  of  a  work,  which, 
if  zealously  supported,  promises,  under  the 
blessing  of  God,  to  re-erect  the  temples  of 
Christ  now  in  ruins,  through  the  neglect  of 


238 


CEYLON. 


Christians ;  to  arrest  the  tlevnstatiug  progress 
of  Paganism  and  Mohammedanism,  now  almost 
triumphant  over  the  feeble  remains  of  Christ- 
ianity ;  to  reassert  the  honor  and  victories  of 
the  cross ;  and  convev  the  knowledge  of  God 
and  salvation  through  an  island,  the  essential 
principle  of  whose  religion  is,  to  deny  God, 
and  wliose  almost  universal  practice  is,  to  wor- 
ship devils." 

The  concerns  of  the  mission  were  daily 
gathering  strength,  and  the  missionaries, 
hoping  to  occupy  Caltura  the  ensuing  year, 
asked  for  four  additional  missionaries,  to  en- 
able them  to  occupy  all  the  coast  to  Galle ; 
and  two  more  to  go  northward.  In  pursu- 
ance of  this  arrangement,  they  established 
themselves  among  the  Tamil  population  of 
Jaffna,  Trincomalee,  and  Batticaloa  ;  and  so 
early  as  1819,  they  had  opened  schools  in  the 
principal  villages  along  the  western  coast, 
from  Negombo  to  Galle.  For  twenty  years 
the  Wesleyan  missionaries  carried  on  the  work 
of  general  education  in  the  maritime  provin- 
ces, which  was  afterwards  taken  up  by  the 
Government  in  1834.  They  did  not  aspire  to 
the  communication  of  the  higher  branches  of 
learning,  which  had  already  been  provided  for 
in  the  seminary  of  Colombo — an  institution 
maintained  by  the  Government  for  the  educa- 
tion of  the  sons  of  the  chiefs  and  higher  order 
of  the  natives  ;  but  in  the  principal  villages, 
to  which  they  extended  their  operations,  the 
children  of  the  peasantry  were  instructed  by 
the  Wesleyans  in  the  principles  of  Christianity, 
and  the  essentials  of  general  elementary  know- 
ledge. 

The  usual  objection  was  at  first  urged  to  fe- 
males learning  to  read;  but  this  was  soon 
overcome  ;  and  at  a  very  early  period  the  at- 
tention of  the  missionaries  was  directed 
strongly  to  an  object  which  has  since  been 
kept  steadily  in  view :  the  education  of  the 
Singalese,  through  the  medium  of  their  own 
vernacular  tongue.  Until  taken  up  by  the 
Wc«leyans,  this  important  department  had 
been  exclusively  in  the  hands  of  the  priest- 
hood, who  occupied  themselves  in  every  paw- 
sela  and  temple,  in  teaching  to  write  upon 
olas,  and  read  from  the  legendary  books  of  the 
Budhists.  In  their  hands  education  was  of  the 
lowest  description,  and  the  priests  themselves 
were  but  a  stage  in  advance  of  their  pupils. 
Science  formed  no  feature  in  their  own  educa- 
tion ;  history  is  confined  to  the  events  con- 
nected with  religion  and  its  movements  ;  me- 
dicine is  culled  from  the  imperfect  notices  of 
their  ojicient  Sanskrit  authorities ;  and  astro- 
nomy, degi-aded  into  the  mere  dreams  of 
astrology,  is  affected  to  be  studied  by  the 
priests,  who,  by  a  singular  anomaly,  share  its 
cultivation  with  the  tom-tom  beaters,  or  berra- 
wagos,  one  of  the  lowest  and  least  respected 
castes  in  Ceylon. 

Vernacular  education  was  begun  by  the 
Wesleyans  in  1817,  in  the  hope  of  superceding 


the  Budhist  priesthood  in  this  department; 
and  so  successful  was  the  effort,  that  before 
the  close  of  the  year,  upwards  of  1000  scholars 
were  in  attendance  ;  twelve  months  after  the 
number  increased  to  4000  ;  and  during  thirty 
years  that  the  system  has  been  in  operation, 
upwards  of  21,000  pupils,  females  as  well  as 
males,  have  from  time  to  time  been  instructed 
in  the  numerous  schools  of  the  mission.  No 
religious  test  is  required  for  admission,  and  no 
compulsion  is  exerted  to  enforce  participation 
in  the  Christian  services  of  the  schools.  The 
objections  of  parents  are  at  once  respected,  if 
advanced ;  but  the  instances  have  been  rare  in 
which  any  scruples  have  ever  been  urged, 
either  by  the  priesthood  or  by  the  people,  to 
any  portion  of  the  system. 

But  laborious  and  extended  as  have  been 
these  efforts  of  the  Wesleyans,  the  tenor  of 
their  observation  and  experience  has  pro- 
duced a  conviction  that  however  efficient  edu- 
cation may  have  proved  among  the  Budhists 
as  a  pioneer  and  precursor  for  the  introduction 
of  Christianity,  its  value  is  but  secondary 
as  compared  with  preaching  to  adults,  and 
awaking  the  native  mind  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  the  pulpit  and  printing-press. 
"  Under  this  conviction,"  says  Sir  E.  Tennant, 
"  the  Methodists  have  been  the  closest  investi- 
gators of  Budhism,  the  most  profound  students 
of  its  sacred  books  in  the  original,  and  the 
most  accomplished  scholars  both  in  the  classi- 
cal and  vernacular  languages  of  Ceylon." 
The  information  thus  acquired  has  been  sedu- 
lously employed  by  them  in  the  preparation  of 
works  in  Singalese,  demonstrative  of  the  errors 
of  Budhism,  and  illustrative  of  the  evidences 
and  institutions  of  Christianity.  To  the  value 
of  these  publications  and  the  influence  exer- ' 
cised  by  their  promulgation  throughout  Cey- 
lon, the  missionaries  of  other  churches  who 
labor  in  the  same  field  with  the  Methodists, 
have  borne  their  cordial  and  concurrent  attes- 
tation. 

Of  the  converts  made  from  paganism  to 
Christianity,  by  the  instrumentality  of  our 
missionaries  in  Ceylon,  we  have  the  following 
testimony  from  Mr.  Harvard,  in  answer  to  the 
inquiry  of  the  committee  :  "  As  it  respects 
the  nature  of  the  change  which  our  converts 
have  undergone,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  say- 
ing, that  in  every  case  it  has  been  real,  accord- 
ing to  its  degree.  There  has  been  a  real  con- 
viction of  the  falsehood  of  their  previous  faith, 
and  a  real  persuasion  of  the  truth  and  excel- 
lence of  the  Gospel.  I  have  had  every  oppor- 
tunity of  being  satisfied  on  this  point.  As  in 
each  case  of  conversion  from  heathenism  the 
change  has  been  real,  so  it  has  been  operative. 
In  none  of  them  have  there  been  any  linger- 
ings  after  their  former  idolatry.  They  have 
renounced  their  former  practices ;  and,  so  far 
as  my  knowledge  has  gone,  their  conduct  has 
been  a  constant  conformity  to  Christian 
practice.      To  a  very  gratifying  extent  the 


CEYLON. 


239 


cliange  in  our  converts  lias  been  experimental. 
It  is  scarcely  to  be  expected  that  a  man  com- 
ing out  of  the  darkness  of  heathenism,  under 
the  ordinary  influence  of  the  Spirit,  should 
very  rapidly  apprehend  the  things  of  God. 
However,  in  all  we  have  been  satisfied  of  a 
conviction  of  sin,  and  an  earnest  desire  to  be 
saved.  In  some  cases  we  have  had  professions 
of  religious  enjoyment  that  we  dare  not  call 
in  question,  and  which  have  been  justified  by 
a  corresponding  faithfulness  and  consistency 
of  life."  "  I  have  heard,"  says  Mr.  Fox, 
writing  in  1823,  "  in  this  country,  both  in  the 
Singalese  and  Portuguese  languages,  as  art- 
less and  satisfactory  sentiments  of  Christian 
experience  as  I  ever  heard  in  the  English  lan- 
guage ;  and  I  have  seen  the  colored  face 
beaming  with  smiles,  while  the  last  audible 
sound,  '  Yesus,  Wahansey,'  Jesus,  my  Saviour, 
passed  the  dying  lips." 

In  the  years  1826  and  1827,  several  other 
priests  of  the  highest  class  were  converted  to 
the  Christian  faith,  and  have  become  active 
agents  in  the  mission.  An  institution  for  the 
instruction  of  young  native  converts,  with  a 
view  to  the  Christian  ministry,  has  been  in 
successful  operation  since  1826. 

Kandy,  the  capital  of  the  interior  of  the 
island,  was  occupied  as  a  mission  station  in 
1840.  This  mission,  besides  its  immediate 
benefit  to  the  people,  led  to  an  investigation  of 
the  subject  of  government  support  of  idola- 
try. This  exposure  roused  the  astonishment 
and  indignation  of  the  Christian  world,  which 
was  followed  by  the  issuing  of  those  instruc- 
tions which  led  to  the  disseverance  of  the 
guilty  and  mischievous  connexion  between  the 
government  and  the  idolatrous  and  supersti- 
tious practices  of  their  Budhist,  Hindoo,  and 
Mohammedan  subjects. 

In  1842  a  mission  was  established  among 
that  wild  and  barbarous  people,  called  the 
Veddahs,  who,  in  a  state  of  savage  indepen- 
dence, inhabit  the  jungle  in  the  interior  of  the 
island,  a -few  days'  journey  from  Batticaloa. 
God  has  crowned  the  enterprize  with  his  bless- 
ing, and  granted  his  servants  great  success. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  learned  and  devoted 
missionaries  with  which  God  has  favored  the 
Ceylon  mission,  the  press,  in  the  different  lan- 
guages spoken  there,  has  done  a  noble  work.  It 
has  not  only  presented  them  with  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, in  a  language  which  they  can  read,  but 
has  also  furnished  them  with  school-books,  and 
works  on  history,  biography,  science,  and  the- 
ology, besides  a  periodical  literature.  The 
Ceylon  native  ministry  are  a  class  of  very  able, 
devoted,  and  zealous  men,  continually  growing 
in  number  and  efficiency. 

The  manner  in  which  the  missionaries  have 
to  meet  and  combat  the  Budhism  and  devil- 
worship  in  Ceylon,  is  well  exhibited  in  the  fol- 
lowing communication  from  the  Eev.  Joseph 
Rippon,  of  Point  de  Galle,  addressed  to  the 
secretaries  of  the  society  in  1851 :  "  On  my 


arrival  here,  I  found  Mr.  Dickson  doing  the 
full  work  of  this  large  and  important  circuit, 
and  laboring  among  the  people  with  great 
acceptability  and  success,  preaching  in  three 
different  languages  weekly,  and  taking  long, 
fatiguing  journeys,  but  so  worn  down  by  dis- 
ease and  incessant  labors,  that  it  was  painful 
to  see  him  or  hear  him  speak.  I  was  thankful 
that  I  came  out  by  the  quickest  route,  or 
otherwise  the  life  of  a  valuable  missionary 
must  have  been  sacrificed,  and  this  important 
station  left  unoccupied.  He  much  needed  the 
rest  which  he  is  now  taking  on  the  continent, 
and  I  sincerely  pray  that  it  may  be  blessed  to 
his  complete  restoration  to  health,  though  there 
is  too  much  reason  to  fear  that  his  disease  is 
too  far  advanced  to  be  arrested.  I  relieved 
him  at  once  of  the  English  work,  and,  in  a 
month,  had  so  far  acquired  the  Ceylon-Portu- 
guese, as  to  be  able  to  preach  in  it.  I  found 
it  a  miserably  corrupt,  and,  in  a  literary  point 
of  view,  worthless  dialect,  but  still  valuable  to 
a  missionary,  as  the  only  means  by  which  he 
can  communicate  the  Gospel  to  many  thou- 
sands of  perishing  souls.  My  Singalese  work 
is  assuming  an  intensely  interesting  character. 
Though  I  am  diligently  studying  the  language, 
I  am  afraid  it  will  be  a  month  or  two  before  I 
can  reach  the  people  through  this  medium  as 
effectually  as  I  wish ;  and  I  am,  therefore,  for 
the  present,  using  an  interpreter.  The  head 
master  of  the  government  mixed  school  kindly 
offered  his  service  gratuitously,  and,  as  he  pos- 
sessed peculiar  qualifications  for  the  work,  wc 
spend  many  evenings  in  the  surrounding  vil- 
lages, preaching  to  a  deeply  interesting,  but 
fearfully  deluded  people,  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ.  The  difficulties  in  the  way 
of  their  conversion  are  stupendous.  My  cir- 
cuit embraces  about  half  of  the  southern  pro- 
vinces,— the  whole  island  being  divided  into 
five  provinces  for  government  purposes, — and 
extends  along  a  densely  populated  sea-coast 
for  thirty-five  miles,  and  as  far  into  the  jungle 
as  the  imagination  can  reach,  for,  unfortu- 
nately, this  is  the  only  means  I  have  at  present 
of  penetrating  there.  The  people  are  in  theory 
all  Budhists  ;  but  in  practice,  all  devil-wor- 
shipers. 

"  Within  four  miles  of  my  house  there  are  six- 
teen Budhist  temples.  In  one  of  these  alone 
there_  are  thirty  priests  !  The  whole  number 
of  priests  in  this  circuit  is  perhaps  500.  It  is 
not  by  human  might,  nor  by  power,  that  we 
can  prevail  against  such  a  host  as  this  !  Fre- 
quently, in  the  dead  of  the  night,  I  hear  the 
music  from  the  devil  dances  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. I  have  attended  these  midnight  orgies, 
and  it  is  only  by  doing  so  that  any  person  can 
form  an  idea  of  the  strength  v/ith  which  this 
superstition  binds  down  an  otherwise  acute, 
ingenious  and  intelligent  people.  Never  did 
a  Christian  congregation  in  England  listen 
with  more  unbroken  silence,  nor  an  audience 
in  Exeter  Hall  hang  with  more  complete  ab- 


240 


CEYLON. 


nrpCion  of  scml  on  the  lips  of  its  most  choeen 
ipeaketB,  than  these  people  do  on  the  frontic 
gestures,  and  hideous  yellings,  and  senseless 
incantations  of  the  deril  priest.  To  their  con- 
ceptions, he  is  penetrating  the  invisible  world. 
and  communing  with  spirits.  His  ascendancy 
over  their  min^  is  complete.  He  is  the  great 
int«rc€S8or  between  devils  and  men,  for  the 
removal  of  all  evil,  and  bestowment  of  all 
good.  Without  the  priest,  nothing  can  be 
done.  If  a  house  is  to  be  built,  if  a  journey  is 
to  be  taken,  if  a  child  is  to  be  bom,  devils 
must  be  propitiated,  and  their  favor  secured  ; 
but,  especially,  in  cases  of  sickness  where  all 
ordinary  methods  of  cure  have  failed,  devil 
dances  and  incantations  are  the  last  resort,  the 
poor  deluded  wretches  often  dying  in  the  midst 
of  the  ceremonies,  although  the  priest  has  per- 
haps offered  a  fowl  in  sacrifice,  dug  open  graves 
and  slept  in  them,  and  fried  eggs  in  human 
skulls,  in  order  to  obtain  the  necessary  influence 
to  perform  the  cure ! '  An  evil  so  wide^read 
and  so  deep-rooted  will  not  be  easily  de- 
stroyed ;  and  a  conviction  of  its  magnitude, 
and  of  the  necessity  of  resorting  to  some  extra- 
ordinary means  for  its  extinction,  has  grown 
upon  me  daily. 

"  The  whole  sj?tem  received  a  severe  shock 
last  autumn  at  Matura,  its  great  stronghold. 
The  priests  there  are  considered  the  cleverest 
in  the  island ;  and  Mr.  Murdock,  the  Secretary 
of  the  Singalese  Tract  Society,  being  at  that 
place  on  business,  challenged  the  priests  pub- 
licly, and  oflfered  them  a  large  reward  if  they 
would  cause  any  of  their  incantations  to  take 
effect  upon  him,  by  causing  him  to  fall  down 
dead ;  for  these  priests  profess  to  be  the  dis- 
pensers of  death  to  the  living,  as  well  as  of 
life  to  the  dying.  They  used  all  the  methods 
of  preparation  I  have  already  mentioned,  sleep- 
ing in  graves  for  many  nights,  and  met  Mr. 
Murdock,  in  the  presence  of  many  hundreds  of 
Singalese,  who  had  gathered  together  to  wit- 
ness the  experiment  on  the  day  appointed. 
Their  first  effort  was  to  evade  the  challenge. 
They  excused  themselves  on  the  ground  that 
they  should  be  tried  for  murder  if  they  killed 
him.  Application  was  therefore  made  to  the 
government  authorities,  and  an  iindesired  per- 
mission obtained  for  them  to  do  their  worst 
Thdr  next  attempt  was  to  intimidate.  Their 
incantations  never  failed ;  his  death  was  cer- 
tain if  he  tried  them  ;  and  he  had  better  spare 
himself  at  once  and  run  no  risk.  When  they 
failed,  they  were  driven  lastly  to  the  test,  and  a 
miserable  failure  it  was.  They  stood  reading 
their  incantations,  burning  resin,  and  blowing 
its  fumes  upon  him,  for  more  than  an  hour, 
*  and  the  people  looked  when  he  should  have 
swollen  or  fallen  down  dead  suddenly,  but  after 
they  had  looked  a  great  while,  and  saw  no 
harm  come  to  him,  they  changed  their  minds,'  j 
if  not  with  reference  to  him,  at  least  with 
reference  to  the  power  of  these  charms.  A ; 
derisive  cry  was  raised  throughout  the  crowd,  I 


and  the  devil  priests  have  since  been  hooted 
through  the  streets  of  Matura.  I  have  tried 
the  same  plan  with  great  success  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Galle  ;  and,  even  to-night,  I  have 
just  returned  from  a  village  where  I  had  been 
undergoing  a  test,  in  some  respects  similar.  I 
challenged  the  priests  some  weeks  ago,  when 
they  refused  to  meet  me,  assigning  various  rea- 
sons why  they  could  *  do  me  no  hurt/  as,  that 
I  was  of  a  different  nation,  &c.  I  have  spent 
several  evenings  in  replying  to  their  excuses 
publicly,  to  the  people  of  the  village ;  and, 
being  driven  to  extremitv,  they  resolved  to 
make  a  granS  effort  to-night  to  put  me  down, 
as  they  term  it,  which  means,  to  make  me  fall 
senseless  to  the  ground,  and  to  cause  blood  to 
gush  from  my  nose,  ears,  and  mouth.  The 
spirit  which  can  conceive  such  a  thing  is  dia- 
bolical ;  but  the  cool  determination  that  can 
resolve  to  accomplish  it,  shows  to  tchat  a  degree 
these  men  can  imbibe  liie  evil  spirit  of  ^eir 
master. 

"  They  brought  priests  twenty-seven  miles 
from  Matura  to  help  them,  and  spent  many  days 
in  preparation  by  digging  open  graves,  &c 
They  have  also  had  two  devil  dances  in  the 
village  to-day,  but  whether  to  gain  power  for 
the  experiment  or  not,  I  cannot  say.  The 
news  reached  Galle ;  and  six  coaches  full  of 
people,  with  about  thirty  on  foot,  flocked  to 
the  village,  where  a  number  of  Singalese  peo- 
ple were  gathered  to  receive  me.  I  preached 
to  them  for  nearly  an  hour,  while  two  different 
parties  of  priests,  who  did  not  dare  to  face 
me,  were  reading  their  incantations  against 
me  in  the  immediate  neighborhood,  and  the 
people  were  watching  with  intense  interest, 
not  knowing  what  moment  I  should  fall  to  the 
ground.  When  all  was  over,  and  they  saw  I 
was  uninjured,  their  astonished  looks  showed 
that  to  their  minds  at  least  I  had  passed 
through  a  perilous  ordeal,  however  ridiculous 
it  was  to  me.  My  chief  difficulty  is  to  con- 
vince the  q)ectators  that  they  are  as  safe  from 
these  influences  as  I  am.  To  make  this  point 
quite  sure,  I  have  promised  to  take  a  little  Sin- 
galese boy,  next  Tuesday  night,  and  have 
offered  a  reward  of  ten  rupees  to  any  priest 
who  will  cause  incantation  to  take  effect  upon 
him,  on  condition  that  the  child  shall  not 
know  what  they  are  attempting,  and  that  no 
effort  shall  be  made  to  frighten  him.  Failures 
such  as  that  of  to-night,  go  like  an  electric 
shock  through  the  whole  population,  and  the 
effect  will  be  seen  after  many  days.  I  find 
this  the  most  effectual  method  of  arousing  the 
people  and  gaining  their  attention,  and  can 
ever  after  raise  a  good  congregation  in  the 
villages  where  the  experiments  have  been 
tried.  I  have  one  last  blow  to  strike  at  this 
system,  by  a  challenge  to  all  the  priests  in  the 
province,  to  meet  me  publicly  before  the  face 
of  the  people  ;  and  then,  with  this  kind  of 
opposition  to  them  I  shall  have  done. 

"  Our  prospects  with  reference  to  the  over 


CEYLON. 


241 


throw  of  Budhism  were  never  so  cheering  as 
they  are  at  present.  Our  excellent  chairman, 
the  Eev.  Daniel  J.  Gogerlv,  has  published  a 
series  of  pamphlets,  entitled  The  Institutes  of 
Christianity,  in  which  the  errors  of  Budhism, 
geographical,  philosophical,  and  theological, 
are  pointed  out  with  unanswerable  force.  The 
system  reels  under  the  blow.  There  is  perhaps 
•  '  a  more  profound  Budhist  scholar  in  the 
1  than  he,  not  even  among  the  priests 
—  ^.selves.  The  priests  are  reading  them  and 
comparing  the  extracts  with  the  works  of 
B'jdha ;  and  if  a  priest  be  asked,  why  none  of 
attempt  an  answer,  his  reply  general- 
.  'Who  is  able?'  and  his  rueful  counte- 
nance is  a  suflBcient  attestation  of  his  sincerity. 
I  am  making  arrangements  to  furnish  every 
priest  in  my  circuit  with  a  complete  set. 

''One  of  the  mightiest  agencies  which  is 
now  at  work  for  the  evangelization  of  South 
Ceylon,  is  a  Singalese  Religious  Tract  Society. 
It  is  entirely  unsectarian  in  its  character,  and 
is  supported  by  Christians  of  all  denomina- 
tions. Its  income  is  above  £500  a  year,  with 
an  annual  grant  of  150  reams  of  paper  from 
the  London  Tract  Society.  It  has  already 
printed  and  put  into  active  circulation  397,600 
Singalese  tracts ;  140,600  of  which  were  print- 
ed during  the  last  year.  It  has  also  a  widely 
circulated  monthly  periodical,  and  has  issued 
a  Singalese  hymn  book,  and  a  history  of  the 
patriarchs.  It  is  conducted  with  great  energy 
and  efficiency  by  its  secretary,  Mr.  Murdock, 
who  was  mainly  instrumental  in  its  establish- 
ment, and  who  relinquished  a  highly  lucrative 
government  situation  that  he  might  give  his 
undivided  attention  to  these  and  kindred  ob- 
jects. 

"  On  the  whole,  therefore,  our  prospects  are 
hopeful ;  our  movements  against  Budhism 
and  devil  worship  are  on  a  comprehensive  scale, 
and  we  have  manifest  tokens  of  the  presence 
and  blessing  of  God  upon  om-  labors.  Impres- 
sions are  widely  scattered ;  the  Gospel  seed  is 
Eown  in  many  hearts  to  grow  in  secret  for  a 
time  ;  convictions  are  produced,  and  souls  are 
saved. 

"  The  most  available  portion  of  the  circuit 
for  missionary  effort  is  within  a  circle  of  four 
miles  around  my  dwelling ;  but  even  this  con- 
tains one  hundred  and  seventy  villages,  and 
there  are  jungle  districts  where  I  fear  the  foot 
of  a  missionary  mnst  not  tread  for  years  to 
come.  The  extent  of  pop'ilation  may  be  esti- 
mated from  the  fact  that  though  my  residence 
is  a  mile  from  the  fort  and  town  of  Galle,  on 
the  Matura  high  road,  600  persons  pass  it 
every  hour  throughout  the  day." 

The  mission  in  South  Ceylon  is  the  oldest 
Wesleyan  mission  among  a  heathen  population 
in  the  eastern  world  ;  itls  now  in  its  forty-first 
year,  having  been  commenced  in  the  year  1814. 
In  this  quarter  of  the  world,  the  nussionaries 
have  had  to  encounter  the  most  formidable 
ty^tf  ms  of  pas^an  idolatry ;  systems  consecra- 
16 


ted  by  immemorial  antiquity,  wrapped  in  all 
the  subtilties  of  metaphysical  sophistry  ;  em 
bodied  in  books  of  poetry  and  philosophy, 
venerable  in  the  eyes  of  the  people  for  talent 
and  age ;  inculcated  by  a  numerous  and  learned 
priesthood,  and  intimately  associated  with 
every  circumstance  of  civil  and  domestic  life ; 
systems  too,  which  avowedly  encourage  the 
vilest  passions  of  the  human  heart,  promote 
an  utter  dereliction  of  sacred  principle,  and 
reduce  the  glorious  privilege  of  immortality  to 
an  imaginary  state  of  unimpassioned  repose,  in 
which  no  joy  shall  gladden,  and  no  pain  afflict, 
no  activity  arouse,  and  no  desire  ruffle ;  but  in 
which  the  human  mind  of  "  large  discourse," 
and  lofty  presage,  shall  sink  into  eternal  qui- 
escence and  annihilation.  Yet  truth  is  pre- 
vailing over  these  forms  of  error.  Several  of 
the  "priests  have  become  obedient  to  the 
faith,"  and  many  thousands  of  the  people  have 
joyfully  renounced  the  boasted  advantages  of 
their  former  worship  for  "The  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  It  is  possible  that  the  So- 
ciety's mission  in  South  Ceylon  is  undervalued. 
The  mission  has,  however,  an  interest  of  its 
own,  both  present  and  prospective.  Budhism 
is  the  most  gigantic  form  of  error  with  which 
the  Christian  church  has  to  contend.  But  the 
southern  district  of  Ceylon  is  at  once  its  cra- 
dle and  its  strength.  Strike  it  here,  and  the 
wound  will  be  felt  to  its  very  centre.  Budhism 
is  a  connected  system ;  its  doings  in  other 
lands  are  reported  here,  and  occurrences  in 
this  land  are  told  in  the  courts  of  kings  in 
Siam  and  Burmah,  and  travel  wherever  its 
connecting  machinery  is  found.  The  progress 
and  triumph  of  Christianity  here  would  tell  in 
every  part  of  the  system,  and  be  a  prelude  to 
its  entire  downfall.  Prospectively  also  this 
mission  has  a  peculiar  interest ;  it  is  the  first 
fruits  of  all  the  future  missions  of  the  society  in 
Budhist  lands.  The  Budhism  of  China  is  only 
a  reflection  of  that  of  Ceylon,  which  was  its 
source.  Even  locally  it  is  situated  in  the  di- 
rect route  to  the  other  strongholds  of  this  form 
of  error.  And  therefore  the  destinies  of  the 
future  only  confirm  the  demand  which  the 
duties  of  the  present  enforce  that  existing  mis- 
sions to  the  Budhists  should  be  well  sustained 
in  all  the  means  that  are  necessary  to  secure 
their  greatest  present  and  permanent  effi- 
ciency. 

In  his  late  visitation  journal,  the  Bishop  of 
Colombo  gives  an  account  of  the  great  success 
which  the  head  of  the  church  has  conferred 
upon  the  labors  of  the  Wesleyan  missionaries 
in  Ceylon  ;  we  had  intended  to  present  a  por- 
tion of  that  report  to  the  reader,  but  the  space 
alloted  to  this  article  is  already  exhausted,  and 
we  can  only  in  conclusion  direct  attention  for 
more  particular  information  to  the  annexed 
table. — Wesleyan  Missionary  Notices,  Annual 
Reports  and  Methodist  Magazine ;  Hough's 
Christianity  in  India;  Sir.  J.  E.  Tennent's 
Christianity  in  Ceylon.— Hex.  W.  Butleb. 


242 


CEYLON. 


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Society  for  the  Propagation  op  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts. — This  society 
has  three  stations  in  Ceylon.  The  first  was  es- 
tablished at  Newera  Ella,  in  1838,  and  has  now 


one  missionary.  The  second  was  commenced  in 
1840,  at  Matura,  and  has  now  one  missionary, 
113  church  members,  9  schools,  381  scholars; 
of  which  71  are  females.    That  at  Calpentyn, 


I 


CHALDEANS. 


243 


was  commenced  in  1842,  and  has  one  mission- 
ary, with  a  native  missionary  at  Putlam. 


The  labors  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety ill  Ceylon  do  not  appear  in  a  statistical 
form,  for  the  reason  that  they  were  discon- 
tinued many  years  since.    The  missions  of  the 
English  Baptists,  the  Wesleyan  Methodists, 
the  American  Board,  and  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, though  occupying  the  same  field,   and 
often  in  close  proximity  with  each  other,  have 
been  conducted  with  the  utmost  harmony,  and 
without  the  intrusion  at  any  time  of  denomi- 
national strife  or  jealousy.     Upon  this  fact  the 
British  colonial  officers  have  often  remarked 
with  great  particularity  and  pleasure.     Fre- 
quent mention  is  made  in  missionary  reports, 
and  by  intelligent  travelers  who  have  visited 
the  various  missions  of  the  island,  of  the  Roman 
Catholics,  who  have  been  somewhat  numerous 
there  ever  since  the  possession  of  the  island  by 
the  Portuguese,  and  of  their  hostility  to  the 
Protestants  and  their  labors.    In  the  very  last 
report  of  one  of  the  Church  of  England  sta- 
tions, the  missionary  says,  "  The  Eomanists  are 
exerting  themselves,  and  making  every  effort 
to  injure  us,  and  having  lately  obtained  a  grant 
from  government  for  education ;  they  are  seek- 
ing to  destroy  or    injure    our  schools,   and 
threaten  any  Romanist  parent  who  dares  to 
send  his  children  to  a  Protestant  school.    Fes- 
tivals, processions,  and  theatrical  representa- 
tions, are  the  means  by  which  they  decoy  the 
unwary  and  the  ignorant."    But  though  the 
Catholics  have  been  among  the  bitterest  ene- 
mies of  Protestant  missions  in  Ceylon,  it  does 
not  appear  that  the  missionaries  have  ever 
entered  into  much  controversy  with  them,  or 
been  hindered  by  them  from  the  steady  and 
successful  prosecution  of  their  work. 

Below  is  given  a  comprehensive  view  of  all 
the  missions  in  Ceylon,  as  at  present  existing  : 

TABULAR   VIEW. 


MISSIONS. 


English  Baijtist..    .. 
Wesleyan  Method  st., 

American  Board 

Church  Miss.  Society 
Gospel  Prop.  Soc. . . . , 


1812 
1814 
1816 
1818 
1838 


Totals 47  313     3,101298     12,978 


483 
1,749 
385 
371 
113 


& 


1,003 
3,753 

4,242 

3,599 

381 


CHALDEANS. —This  name  is  applied  by 
some  to  the  Nestorians,  but  belongs  more  pro- 
perly to  that  portion  of  them  who  have  fallen 
off  to  the  Pope.  As  long  ago  as  1681  a 
Patriarch  was  ordained  over  such  Nestorians 
as  had  seceded  to  Rome,  under  the  title  of 
Mar  Yoosuf,  Patriarch  of  the  Chaldeans.  His 
seat  was  at  iDiarbekir  till  about  the  year  1780, 


when  Papal  emissaries  secured  the  defection 
of  Mar  Elias  of  Elkosh,  one  of  the  two  patri- 
archs of  the  Nestorians,  the  other  being  Mar 
Shimon,  whose  seat  was  at  Kochannes,  near 
Julamerk,  in  Kurdistan.  This  defection  is 
said  to  have  been  brought  about  by  the  Pa- 
pists refusing  to  surrender  a  firman  essential 
to  his  accession  to  the  patriarchate  till  he 
consented  to  acknowledge  allegiance  to  Rome. 
Even  then  an  attempt  was  made  to  set  aside 
his  claim  in  favor  of  that  of  Mar  Yoosuf,  but 
the  measure  excited  so  decided  an  opposition, 
that  Rome  was  induced  to  resort  to  a  more 
conciliatory  course.  This  and  similar  manoeu- 
vres at  the  death  of  that  Patriarch,  when  a 
Chaldean  from  Khosrova  was  appointed  in 
his  room,  instead  of  the  regular  successor,  and 
the  name  changed  from  Mar  Elias  to  Mar 
Nicolas,  have  interfered  with  the  thorough 
subjection  of  this  sect  to  Rome.  But  ever 
true  to  the  one  end  of  subduing  all  things  to 
herself,  she  perseveres  in  fastening  more  firmly 
her  iron  yoke  as  its  members  become  more 
subservient  to  her  sway. 

The  Chaldean  clergy  consists  of  (1)  the 
Karooya,  or  reader;  (2)  the  Hoopodiakono, 
or  sub-deacon  ;  (3)  the  Shemmasha,  or  deacon  ; 
(4)  the  Kusha,  Kushisha,  or  priest ;  (5)  the  Kho- 
repiskopa,  Archidiakono,  or  Deputy  Bishop 
^Archdeacon)  ;  (6)  the  Episkopa,  or  Bishop  ; 
(7)  the  Mootran,  or  Metropolitan  Bishop; 
and  (8)  the  Katoleeka,  Patriarcha,  or  Patri- 
arch. All  of  these,  except  the  two  last,  may 
marry  before  ordination,  but  not  after. 

Their  books  are  written  in  ancient  Syriac. 
and  are  the  same  with  those  of  the  Nestorians, 
save  as  they  are  gradually  altered  in  confor- 
mity to  the  creed  of  Rome.  At  first  only  the 
name  of  Cyril  w^as  substituted  for  Nestorius, 
&c. ;  but  greater  innovations  are  made  as  the 
people  are  able  to  bear  them. 

Besides  the  vicinity  of  Mosul,  Chaldeans  are 
found  at  Diarbekir,  Sert,  Khosrova  in  Persia, 
Arbela  and  Bagdad. 

This  sect  is  accessible  through  the  missions 
of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  at  Oroomiah  and  Diar- 
bekir, but  principally  through  the  station  at 
Mosul,  where  some  of  the  members  of  the  Pro- 
testant church  are  converted  Chaldeans.  Re- 
cently, through  Papal  intrigues  with  the 
Pasha,  the  large  Chaldean  village  of  Telkeif 
has  been  closed  to  missionary  efforts,  and  even 
Protestants  who  own  property  there  have  been 
forbidden  to  visit  it.  But  such  a  state  of  things 
cannot  last,  and  we  may  hope  soon  to  hear 
that  such  measures  have  redounded,  as  they 
always  do,  to  the  furtherance  of  the  truth. — 
See  Assemani ;  Smith  and  DwighVs  Armenia; 
Bishop  Southgaie's  First  and  Second  Journey ; 
Layard's  Nineveh;  Badger's  Nestorians  and 
their  Ritxmls  ;  and  Dr.  Grant  and  the  Mountain 
Nestorians. — Rev.  T.  Laurie. 

CHAVAOACHERRY  :  A  station  of  the 
Am.  Board,  in  the  southern  or  central  part  of 
Jaffna,  or  Tamul  district,  Ceylon. 


244 


CHINA. 


CHAGA :  A  station  of  the  General  Bap- 
tists in  nintlostan,  a  little  distance  from  Cut- 
tuck,  and  near  the  cojust  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal 

CilARLOTTK:  A  village  of  recaptured 
Africans,  in  the  parish  of  St.  John,  Sierra 
Leone,  West  Africa,  occupied  by  the  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

CHERKAPOONJEE :  A  town  on  the 
Cassia,  or  Kossaya  hills,  250  m.  N.  E.  of  Cal- 
cutta, where  is  a  Welsh  Calvinistic  mission. 

ClIEDUBA  :  A  Karen  village  in  Arra- 
can,  and  an  out-station  of  the  mission  of  the 
Am.  Baptist  Miss.  Union  in  Arracan. 

CHEK0KP:E:  a  chief  town  of  the 
Cherokee  nation  in  the  Indian  territory,  and 
the  seat  of  the  Cherokee  Mission  of  the  Am. 
Baptist  Missionary  Union. 

CHEK  CHIN  :  An  out  station  of  the  Hong- 
Kong  Am.  Baptist  Mission  in  China. 

CHETTHIxXGSVJLLE  :  A  Karen  village 
in  the  Amherst  dist.  of  Burmah,  and  an  outr 
station  of  the  Maulmain  Karen  Mission  of  the 
Am.  Baptist  Miss.  Union. 

CHICIIACOLE  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  in  the  Northern  Circar, 
India,  50  m.  N.  E.  of  Yizagapatam. 

CHINA  :  On  account  of  its  great  antiquity, 
its  extent  of  territory,  its  vast  population,  its 
physical,  social,  and  moral  condition,  its  poli- 
tical and  commercial  importance,  China  pre- 
sents a  high  claim  upon  the  attention  of  the 
scholar,  the  philanthropist,  and  especially  the 
Christian.  And  this  claim  is  greatly  aug- 
mented at  the  present  time,  by  the  wonder- 
ful movement  among  its  native  population, 
for  the  reformation  of  its  political,  social,  and 
religious  institutions.  Little  was  known  of 
this  great  empire,  in  the  Western  world,  till 
it  was  visited  by  the  Venetian  traveler,  Marco 
Paulo ;  nor  were  his  discoveries  generally 
known  in  his  day.  The  researches  of  the 
Catholic  missionaries  in  Peking,  early  in  the 
16th  century,  together  with  the  efforts  of  the 
Western  powers  to  secure  a  profitable  trade 
"with  China,  contributed  to  extend  our  know- 
ledge of  the  country ;  and  these  have  subse- 
quently been  followed  up  by  Christian  mis- 
sions and  commerce ;  and  yet,  with  all  these 
aids,  the  interior  of  this  vast  kingdom  is  but 
very  imperfectly  known. 

Territorial  Extent. — The  Chinese  Empire  is 
bounded  on  the  south-east  by  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  and  on  the  south-west  by  Cochin-china, 
Laos,  and  Burmah.  By  the  Himalaya  moun- 
tains on  the  side  of  Thibet,  it  is  separated  from 
Ai5sam,  Bootan,  and  India.  Its  western  bor- 
der, including  Thibet,  Ladak  and  Hi,  extend- 
ing north  to  the  Russian  territories,  is  bounded 
by  the  provinces  of  Lahore,  Cashmere,  Badak- 
shan,  Kokand  and  the  Kirghis  steppe.  Rus- 
sia is  conterminous  with  China  from  the 
Kirghis  steppe  on  the  west,  to  the  sea  of  Ok- 
hotsk on  the  east,  3,300  miles,  the  Altai  and 
Haourian  mountains  forming  a  natural  bound- 
ary between  these  two  great  empires.      The 


whole  Chinese  Empire  is  12,550  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, (about  half  that  of  the  globo.J 
comprising,  according  to  McCulloch,  5,300,000 
square  miles,  and  covering  about  one-third  of 
the  continent  of  Asia  and  about  one-ninth  of 
the  land  area  of  the  globe.  Russia  is  nearly 
6000  miles  in  its  greatest  length,  its  average 
breadth,  about  1,500  miles,  and  measures 
7,725,000  sq.  miles,  being  nearly  one-seventh 
of  the  land  on  the  globe.  The  area  of  the 
British  Empire,  at  thQ  lowest  calculation  is 
6,508,000  square  miles.  Brazil  comprises  an 
area  of  3,390,000  square  miles,  and  the  United 
States  and  territories  measure  3,235,148  square 
miles,  situated,  as  to  soil  and  climate,  within 
the  most  eligible  portion  of  the  earth,  while  a 
large  part  of  the  British,  Russian,  and  Chinese 
empires,  can  never  be  otherwise  than  very  thinly 
settled. 

Political  Divisions. — The  Chinese  divide  their 
empire  into  three  principal  parts,  according  to 
the  form  of  government  adopted  in  each  : — 
(1]  The  Eigliteen  Provinces;  (2)  Manchuria, 
lying  north  of  the  gulf  of  Leantung,  and  cast 
of  the  Inner  Haourian  mountain  to  the  Pacific ; 
(3)  Colonial  Possessions,  including  Mongolia, 
Ili,  Kokonor  and  Thibet. 

The  first  only  of  these  is,  by  other  nations, 
called  China.  It  lies  on  the  eastern  slope  of 
the  high  table-land  «of  Central  Asia,  in  the 
south-eastern  angle  of  the  continent.  In  its 
scenery,  soil,  climate,  navigable  rivers  and  va- 
rious and  abundant  productions,  it  will  com- 
pare with  the  most  favored  portions  of  the  ha- 
bitable globe.  The  Chinese  call  it  "The 
Eighteen  Provinces,"  "  The  Middle  Kingdom," 
and  other  pompous  names.  They  regard  it  as 
including  within  its  area,  the  major  part  of  the 
earth,  and  as  occupying  a  central  position 
among  the  nations. 

Com'parAtive  Dimensimis  of  China  Proper, — 
The  dimensions  of  the  Eighteen  Provinces,  as 
defined  by  the  Chinese,  cannot  be  much  below 
2,000,000  square  miles,  including  the  provinces 
of  Cansuh  and  Chihli,  a  little  exceeding  two- 
fifths  of  the  whole  empire.  But  estimating 
China  Proper,  according  to  the  old  limits, 
McCulloch  makes  its  area  1,348,870  sq.  miles. 
Its  length  from  north  to  south,  is  1474  miles, 
and  its  breadth  1355  miles.  The  coast  jinel 
from  Hainan  to  Leautung  is  above  2,500  mileij 
its  inland  frontier  is  4,400  miles,  making  '" 
seven  times  larger  than  France,  fifteen  tij 
larger  than  the  United  Kingdom,  and  nc 
half  as  large  as  all  Europe,  which  containfi 
3,650,000  square  miles.  The  area  of  China 
Proper  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  thirty-' 
one  United  States  of  America,  which  is  about 
1,558,424  square  miles.  In  the  relative  posi- 
tion of  the  United  States  and  China,  there  if 
considerable  resemblance,  which  involves  mucl.' 
similarity  of  climate.  They  are  both,  on  theii' 
eastern  shores,  washed  by  great  oceans.  Bu  i 
in  the  same  latitude,  China  is  considerabh 
colder  than  this  country. 


Poaadijg 


(/I 


CHINA. 


245 


Mountains. — The  principal  mountains  of  the 
I  Chinese  empire,  are  the  outer  Hingan,  Daou- 
I  rian,  and  Altai,  separating  it  from  Eussia  in 
I  Asia  on  the  north.  These  mountains  seldom 
I  ri^e  more  than  7,000  feet  above  the  sea.  On  its 
tern  border  are  the  Ak-tak,  Belar-tag,  and 
iiakara  mountains.  On  the  southern  border 
■  are  the  lofty  Himalaya,  running  south-easterly 
to  about  95°  east  long,,  a  distance  of  more 
than  1,000  miles.  In  the  interior  of  its  vast 
colonial  dominions,  are  the  Celestial  Mountains, 
separating  Eastern  Turkistan  from  Soungaria ; 
.  'd,  running  nearly  parallel  with  them  to  the 
south,  are  the  Kwanlun  mountains  running 
easterly  between  Hi  on  the  north,  and  Thibet 
on  the  south.  These  ranges,  with  partial  in- 
terruptions, extend  to  the  western  borders  of 
China  Proper,  and  between  them  lies  the  Great 
Desert  of  Gobi,  and  much  of  the  high  table 
land  of  Central  Asia.  Besides  these  are  the 
Tauguu  mountains  on  the  north-west,  the  Bay- 
ankara  in  Kokonor,  the  Inner  Hingan,  run- 
ning south,  near  the  western  border  of  Man- 
churia ;  and  there  is  still  another  long  range 
commencing  near  the  mouth  of  the  Sagalien 
river,  on  the  north,  and  running  nearly  paral- 
lel with  the  sea-coast  to  the  northern  point  of 
Corea.  The  south-western  and  southern  pro- 
vinces are  a  mountainous  region,  though  to  a 
large  extent  capable  of  cultivation,  and  very 
productive.  In  the  mountains,  and  lofty  table 
lands  of  Central  Asia,  the  great  rivers  of  China 
originate.  Nearly  four-fifths  of  the  empire  are 
mountainous,  aside  from  the  Desert  of  Gobi, 
but  generally  well  rewarding  the  husbandman 
for  his  toil.  The  character  of  the  Chinese  in- 
habiting those  mountainous  regions  differs  wide- 
ly from  that  of  those  residing  in  the  Great 
Plain,  the  former  being  rough  in  their  man- 
ners, and  bold,  hardy,  and  independent,  in  their 
bearing. 

Great  Desert  of  Gobi. — Next  to  the  Great 
Desert  of  Sahara,  in  Africa,  the  Desert  of  Gobi 
is  the  most  remarkable.  It  lies  between  the 
Celestial  Mountains  on  the  north  and  the 
Kwanlun  range  on  the  north-west,  reaching 
from  the  Belar-tag  mountains  on  the  west,  to 
the  Inner  Hingan  or  Sialkoi,  on  the  east,  a  dis- 
tance of  2,200  miles,  with  an  average  breadth 
of  between  350  and  400  miles,  and  a  superfi- 
cial area  of  about  1,200,000  square  miles. 
Though  this  tract  is  not  all  entirely  desert, 
none  of  it  is  very  fertile.  Its  great  altitude  is 
supposed  to  be  the  principal  cause  of  its  sterility. 
Along  the  southern  side  of  the  Celestial  Moun- 
tains, is  a  strip  of  arable  land  of  from  50  to 
80  miles  in  width,  in  which  lie  nearly  all  the 
Mohammedan  cities  and  forts  of  the  southern 
circuit,  as  Kashgar,  Oksu,  Hami,  and  others. 
The  Tarim  or  Yarkand  river  flows  eastward 
through  this  fertile  tract,  and  empties  its  waters 
into  the  Lop-nor  lake.  About  east  long.  96°, 
at  the  Kiayu  pass,  the  desert  is  only  50  miles 
wide.  West  of  this  point  lies  what  is  called 
the  Desert  of  Lop-nor,  and  east  of  the  same  is 


what  is  properly  termed  the  Desert  of  Gobi. 
The  former  desert  is  about  1200  miles  in  length, 
and  4500  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  wliile 
the  latter  seldom  reaches  the  elevation  of  4000 
feet.  The  province  of  Kansah  reaches  across 
this  desert  tract  to  the  base  of  the  Celestial 
Mountains,  Between  the  Altai  and  the  In- 
shan  mountains,  the  desert  is  from  500  to  700 
miles  in  width.  Within  this  tract  lies  the  de- 
pressed valley,  called  the  Shah-moh,  i.  e.  sandy 
floats,  varying  in  width  from  150  to  200  miles, 
the  lowest  depression  being  from  2,600  to  3,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  ocean.  This  valley 
is  almost  entirely  covered  with  sand,  sometimes 
rising  into  low  hills,  but  generally  level,  with  a 
scanty  and  stinted  vegetation  ;  and  the  water, 
in  its  numerous  small  streams  and  lakes,  is 
brackish  and  unwholesome.  This  desert  is  an 
almost  complete  waste,  but  north  of  Kokonor, 
it  assumes  its  most  terrific  appearance,  being 
rendered  intolerably  hot,  by  the  reflection  of 
the  sun's  rays  from  the  dazzling  stones  and  the 
mountains  of  sand,  with  which  it  is  covered, 
and  which  are  said  to  move  like  the  waves  of 
the  sea.  North  and  south  of  the  Shah-moh, 
there  is  a  gravelly  and  sometimes  rocky  sur- 
face, which,  in  many  places,  affords  good  pas- 
turage for  the  herds  of  the  Kalkas  tribes. 
From  the  south  of  the  Inner  Hingan  range, 
the  desert  lands  reach  nearly  to  the  Chaug-peh- 
shan,  north  of  Leautung.  Thus,  almost  from 
the  extreme  western  limits  of  the  Chinese  em- 
pire to  its  eastern  coast  there  is  nearly  a  con- 
tinuous desert,  variable  in  width,  and  elevated 
several  thousand  feet  above  the  sea. 

Rivers  and  Lakes. — China  is  peculiarly  fa- 
vored as  to  the  means  of  internal  navigation. 
Th^  four  principal  rivers  are  the  Yellow  river, 
the  Yangtszkiang,  the  Sagalien  or  Amour,  and 
the  Tarim  or  Yarkand.  The  Yamchangbu,  in 
the  southern  borders  of  Thibet,  supposed  to  be 
the  same  with  the  Brahmaputra,  which  emp- 
ties into  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  is  also  a  noble 
stream  flowing  east  within  the  southern  bor- 
der of  Thibet,  upwards  of  1000  miles.  Of 
these  the  Yellow  river  is  the  most  renowned 
in  Chinese  history  ;  but  by  reason  of  its  rapid- 
ity incomparably  less  useful  than  the  Yangtsz- 
kiang. Besides  the  rivers  of  China  Proper, 
which  rise  in  the  mountains  and  highlands  of 
Thibet  and  Kokonor,  there  are  numerous 
streams  in  the  colonial  possessions  of  the  em- 
pire, which  are  either  lost  in  the  Great  Desert 
or  empty  themselves  into  lakes,  or  find  their 
way  to  the  north  sea,  into  regions  south  of 
the  Himalaya,  or  west  of  the  Karakorum 
mountains.  Though  the  lakes  are  numerous 
and  useful  as  the  sources  of  rivers,  the  chan- 
nels of  navigation,  and  the  means  of  subsist- 
ence to  millions  of  the  people,  yet  none  of 
them  can  compare  with  the  great  lakes  of 
North  America.  The  lakes  lying  both  north 
and  south  of  the  Desert  of  Gobi,  are  in  gene- 
ral salt,  owing,  perhaps,  to  their  great  evapo- 
ration. 


246 


CHINA. 


Boundaries  and  Civil  Divisions  of  China 
p,.oper.— China  Proper  is  bounded  on  the  east 
and  south-oast  by  the  Pacilic  Ocean  ;  on  the 
south  by  the  Pacific,  Cochin-china,  and  the 
uncivilized  tribes  between  it  and  Burmah ; 
west  by  Burmah,  Thibet  and  Kokouor ;  north- 
we^«t  and  north  by  the  province  of  Kausuh 
and  Inner  Mongolia,  from  which  it  is  separ 
rated  by  the  great  wall.  The  great  wall  is 
strictly  the  northern  boundary  of  China  Pro- 

r,  though  a  part  of  Chihli  lies  north  of  it. 
eighteen  provinces  into  which  it  is  di- 
videcl>^re  arranged  by  the  Chinese  into  the 
northers  and  eastern,  southern  and  western 
provinces,  according  to  their  relative  location. 

The  coast  of  China  is  dotted  by  many 
small  islands,  which,  together  with  the  main 
land,  afford  numerous  and  safe  retreats  to  ves- 
sels during  the  terrible  storms  that  at  times 
sweep  their  shores.  They  are  inhabited  by  a 
numerous  and  hardy  race  of  men,  who  subsist 
by  fishing  and  occasional  piracy.  Between 
Hong-Kong  and  Ningpo  the  coast  is  high, 
and  barren,  giving  little  promise  of  the  rich 
and  fruitful  regions  in  their  rear. 

Climate. — The  climate  of  China  Proper, 
compared  with  most  other  countries  in  the 
same  latitude,  is  healthy.  China  has  not  been 
subject  to  those  wide-spread  and  destructive 
pestilences  which  have  so  often  swept  over 
Hindostan,  and  other  portions  of  the  eastern 
world.  It  is  seldom  visited  with  extreme 
drought.  Its  average  temperature  is  esti- 
mated lower  than  that  of  any  other  country  in 
the  same  latitude.  The  climate  on  the  coasts, 
like  that  of  our  Atlantic  States,  is  changeable, 
and  rheumatic  and  pulmonary  complaints  are 
common.  On  the  Great  Plain,  which  reaches 
from  the  Chinese  wall  to  the  Yangtszkiang,  a 
distance  of  700  miles,  and  comprises  an  area 
of  about  210,000  square  miles,  the  climate 
varies  according  to  its  latitude  and  elevation. 
The  northern  part  is  more  elevated  and  salu- 
brious ;  the  southern  and  eastern  sections,  bor- 
dering on  the  rivers  and  the  searcoast,  are  low 
and  marshy,  and  agues,  fevers  and  kindred 
complaints  prevail ;  yet,  considering  its  enor- 
mous population  of  177  millions,  it  must  be, 
to  the  natives,  in  the  main,  a  healthy  country. 
But,  to  foreigners,  it  has  proved  very  unhealth- 
ful. 

The  maximum  heat  of  Shanghai,  in  lat. 
31°  24'  N.,  according  to  Dr.  Lockhart,  is 
100'^  Fah.  and  the  minimum  24°.  The  ice  is 
not  thick,  and  the  snow  continues  only  a  short 
time.  In  a  single  day  the  thermometer  some- 
times varies  20^,  and  the  spring  winds,  both 
here  and  even  downwards  to  Canton,  are 
chilly.  The  climate  of  Ningpo  is  considered 
more  pleasant  and  salubrious  than  Shanghai. 
In  the  course  of  the  year  the  thermometer  at 
this  place  is  reported  to  range  between  24© 
and  107°,  and  changes  of  20^  in  two  hours 
sometimes  occur.  In  Shanghai,  Ningpo, 
Fuh-chau,  Amoy,  and  to  some  extent  in  Can- 


ton, fires  are  necessary  to  foreigners  in  tho 
winter  and  spring ;  but  the  Chinese  dispense 
with  them  in  their  dwellings,  and  in  sorao 
measure  supply  the  deficiency  by  clothing 
themselves  in  skins,  and  by  wearing,  at  tho 
same  time,  several  suits  of  apparel,  which 
give  them  a  grotesque  appearance.  They 
often  carry  about  with  them  small  stoves,  filled 
with  charcoal.  Fuh-chau,  in  about  29<^  N. 
lat.,  is  among  the  healthiest  of  the  five  porta. 
Amoy  has  a  delightful  climate,  its  insular 
position  moderating  the  heat  of  summer,  and 
giving  it  tlie  full  advantage  of  the  sea  breeze. 
The  thermometer  ranges  between  40^  and 
96°,  and  compared  witli  Ningpo,  the  changes 
are  not  rapid.  The  heaviest  rains  on  the  Chi- 
nese coast  are  usually  in  the  spring  and  early 
part  of  summer  ;  and  in  August  terrible  ty- 
phoons sometimes  occur,  producing  great 
destruction  of  life  and  property,  among  both 
native  and  foreign  shipping.  The  latter  half 
of  the  fall  and  the  entire  winter,  arc  the  most 
pleasant  and  healthy  portions  of  the  year,  the 
air  being  clear  and  bracing,  with  little  rain. 
Four  or  five  months  in  the  year  warm  apparel 
is  necessary.  Canton,  situated  about  22^ 
N.,  compared  with  most  other  places  in  the 
tropics,  has  a  fine  climate.  The  thermometer 
ranges  between  50°  and  88°  ;  consequently 
the  heat,  though  of  longer  continuance,  is 
there  less  severe  than  at  the  more  northern 
ports.  The  inequalities  of  climate  in  the 
eighteen  provinces  of  China  are  probably  no 
greater  than  in  the  United  States.  A  good 
proportion  of  the  Chinese,  compared  with 
other  nations,  attain  to  old  age. 

Soil. — China  Proper  is  among  the  most  fa- 
vored of  the  nations,  as  to  the  fertility  of  its 
soil.  The  most  fertile  portion  of  her  territory 
is  the^  Great  Plain,  of  which  the  fact  of  its 
containing  such  an  immense  population,  is 
conclusive  proof.  It  is  the  most  densely  pop- 
ulated territory  of  its  size  on  the  globe.  The 
other  portions  of  China  are  to  a  great  extent 
either  hilly  or  mountainous,  though  on  the 
banks  of  the  rivers  there  are  large  tracts  of 
rich  soil,  and  the  high  lands  are  capable 
of  supporting  a  numerous  and  hardy  popu- 
lation. 

Persons  of  the  Chinese. — The  Chinese,  in  gen- 
eral, are  in  stature  considerably  below  the 
average  height  of  Europeans,  but  well-built ; 
and  compared  with  other  Asiatics,  strong, 
hardy,  and  athletic.  They  have  coarse  black 
hair  and  small  black  eyes,  the  inner  angle  of 
the  eye  inclining  downwards,  and  the  eye- 
lids seeming  but  partially  opened,  which 
detracts  from  the  animation  and  expressive- 
ness of  the  countenance.  They  have  high 
cheek  bones,  short  and  somewhat  flattened 
noses ;  foreheads  of  moderate  elevation  ;  fea- 
tures oval ;  hands  and  feet  small ;  and  com- 
plexion a  ligh't  olive,  with  sometimes  a  yellow 
tinge.  But  their  complexion  is  modified  by  j 
their  mode  of  life  and  the  latitude  in  whidftl 


CHINA. 


247 


they  reside.  Many  of  tlieir  delicately-bred 
females  might  pass  among  us  for  fair  and  even 
beautiful. 

Intellectual  Character. — In  native  capacity, 
the  Chinese  are  not  inferior  to  the  Europeans. 
They  have  shown  themselves  capable  of  com- 
peting with  the  most  gifted  minds  in  literary 
pursuits,  and  w^ith  the  shrewdest  foreign  mer- 
chants in  trade.  Their  literati  possess  vigor- 
ous and  powerful  minds,  and  the  Chinese  states- 
men have  exercised  great  ability  as  diploma- 
tists. The  imperial  civil  code  is  a  work  of 
great  ability.  They  have  a  voluminous  litera- 
ture, evincing  great  intellectual  attainments. 

Population. — The  most  reliable  information 
accessible  to  European  and  American  scholars 
in  China  leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  pre- 
sent population  of  the  Eighteen  Provinces, 
cannot  be  much  short  of  367,000,000.  This 
conclusion  is  the  result  of  a  comparison  of  the 
several  censuses  made  by  different  emperors, 
the  last  of  which  was  in  1812.  This  is  deemed 
incredible,  by  some  distinguished  scholars; 
and  in  many  of  the  geographies  the  number  is 
placed  much  below  this  figure.  But  those  who 
have  had  the  best  opportunities  of  learning  the 
truth  on  the  subject,  generally  favor  the  larger 
number ;  among  whom  are.  Sir  Francis  Davis, 
and  Messrs.  Medhurst,  GutzlaflF,  Bridgman, 
and  Williams. 

History. — The  Chinese  have  strong  claims 
to  great  antiquity.  Their  traditionary  records 
carry  us  back  about  4,000  years,  to  the  Em- 
peror Yu,  the  founder  of  the  Hea  dynasty, 
2,204  B.  c.  Yet  China,  like  other  great  na- 
tions, has  been  the  theatre  of  frequent  and 
bloody  convulsions.  Previous  to  the  present 
dynasty,  20  different  dynasties  had  risen  and 
fallen,  each  rising  like  the  present,  and  also 
closing  its  career,  amid  scenes  of  violence  and 
blood.  The  Manchu  was  not  firmly  establish- 
ed until  20  years  after  the  occupation  of  Pe- 
king by  the  first  Manchu  emperor  in  1644. 
Like  the  ancient  eastern  and  modern  European 
nations,  China  has  often  been  made  a  "  field  of 
blood."  The  armies  which  have  been  successive- 
ly brought  into  the  field,  in  these  conflicts,  have 
been  vast,  and  the  carnage  in  proportion.  No 
quarter  has  usually  been  shown  to  the  vanquish- 
ed; but  death  has  rioted  in  his  slaughtered 
victims.  Twice,  within  less  than  600  years, 
it  has  been  overrun  by  foreign  princes,  con- 
nected with  the  savage  hordes  on  her  frontiers ; 
first  by  the  Monguls  in  1280,  who  governed 
the  empire  88  years,  and  were  expelled  by  the 
Chinese  at  the  commencement  of  the  Ming 
dynasty  in  1368,  which  held  the  throne  276 
years.  Then  again  was  it  subjugated  by  the 
Mauchus,  w^hose  dynasty  dates  from  1644, 
having  lasted  260  years.  But  its  days  seem 
now  almost  numbered.  Happy  will  it  be  if 
the  next  dynasty  shall  be  a  Christian  one, 
agreeing  in  character  with  the  name  of  its 
leader,  the  "  Prince  of  Peace."  Happier  still 
the  day  when  Christ  the  true  Prince  of  Peace 


shall  reign  without  a  rival  in  the  hearts  of 
China's  unknown  millions. 

There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  primitive 
domains  of  the  Chinese  monarchs  were  very 
small,  lying  mostly  within  the  "  Great  Plain," 
and  comprehending  only  a  small  part  of  that. 
The  dominions  of  the  present  dynasty  are  more 
extensive  than  of  any  preceding  line  of  mon- 
archs. Until  a  late  period  that  part  of  China 
Proper  lying  south  of  the  Yangtszkiang,  was 
in  a  state  of  barbarism  ;  and  even  now  in  its 
southern  and  south-western  quarter  there  are 
independent  aboriginal  tribes,  cajled  Meautsz, 
children  of  the  soil,  who  have  never  submitted 
to  the  Chinese  government.  Their  homes  are 
in  the  mountainous  regions,  where  they  main- 
tain their  savage  state. 

National  Works— Great  Wall. — The  Chinese, 
until  within  a  comparatively  short  period, 
greatly  excelled  the  nations  of  the  western 
world,  both  in  the  arts,  and  in  internal  im- 
provements. Among  the  earliest  of  these  is 
the  great  national  wall,  built  by  Tsim-Chi, 
about  B.  c.  220,  which,  for  its  magnitude,  may 
be  classed  among  the  wonders  of  the  world. 
It  was  designed  to  protect  his  dominions  from 
the  incursions  of  the  northern  barbarians.  As 
evidence  of  its  original  solidity,  it  has  to  the 
present  day  resisted  the  elements  and  the  frosts 
of  a  wintry  region.  Its  entire  length,  includ- 
ing its  windings,  is  estimated  by  McCulloch  at 
1,250  miles.  Its  height  is  from  15  to  30  feet, 
being  25  feet  wide  at  the  base,  and  15  at  the 
top  ;  having  square  towers  at  short  intervals, 
generally  about  37  feet  high,  and  40  feet 
square  at  the  base,  built  without  the  wall. 
This  immense  structure  is  composed  of  earth, 
faced  with  masonry,  and  covered  with  tiles, 
and  extends  over  the  highest  mountains, 
through  the  deepest  valleys,  and  over  rivers  by 
bridges.  It  is  at  present  in  a  state  of  decay, 
being  no  longer  needed  for  its  original  use, 
since  the  incorporation  of  the  Mongul  and 
Manchu  territories  in  the  Chinese  empire, 

T?ie  Grand  Canal  commences  in  Hangchau, 
in  about  30°  20'  N.  lat,  and  119°  45'  E.  long., 
and  extending  north,  unites  first  with  the 
Yangtszkiang,  and  subsequently  with  the 
Hoang-ho,  and  terminates  at  Lintsin,  in  about 
37°  N.  lat.  and  116°  E.  long.,  being  in  a  direct 
line  512  miles  long ;  but,  including  its  bends, 
above  650  ;  and,  by  its  union  with  navigable 
rivers,  forming  a  water  communication  be- 
tween Hangchau  and  Peking,  across  ten 
degrees  of  latitude.  By  its  union  with  other 
smaller  canals  and  navigable  rivers,  it  not  only 
aids  in  irrigating  immense  tracts  of  land,  but 
facilitates  the  conveyance  of  produce  to  all 
parts  of  the  empire.  Though  its  construction 
must  have  required  a  vast  amount  of  labor, 
yet,  aside  from  its  great  utility,  it  ranks  not 
high  as  a  work  of  art,  and  in  this  respect  can- 
not compare  with  similar  works  in  Europe  and 
America.  This  canal  was  dug  in  1344,  by  the 
last  prince  of  the  Mongul  dynasty. 


248 


CHINA. 


National  Roads.—*'  In  the  public  roads," 
<»)•»  McCullocli,  "  and  where  rupeed  steppes 
arc  only  accessible  by  means  of  laboriously- 
formed  passes,  Chinese  industry  is  fully  ap- 
parent Wherever  intercourse  is  expedient 
between  any  two  points,  no  natural  impedi- 
ments, no  labor  or  expense,  are  too  great  for 
the  Chinese  to  overcome."  Yet,  we  are  not 
to  conclude  that  the  celestial  empire  abounds 
with  good  roads,  in  our  sense  of  the  term; 
for,  as  goods  are  transported  in  boats  by  water, 
or  carried  overland  by  porters,  the  roads  are 
generally  unaaited  to  wheel  carriages.  They 
are  usually  mere  foot-paths,  sometimes  paved 
and  sometimes  not. 

Cities. — In  the  number  and  magnitude  of  its 
cities,  no  other  country  can  compare  with 
China.  In  their  architecture,  however,  there 
is  little  to  interest  or  to  excite  admiration. 
The  houses  are  generally  but  one  story  high, 
covered  with  tiles,  without  glass  windows,  mis- 
erably lighted  and  ventilated,  and  often 
crowded  together  without  much  respect  to 
order.  Their  plastering  is  niud,  overlaid 
with  a  thin  coat  of  lime.  Their  floors  are 
either  tiles,  boards,  a  cement  made  of  lime, 
sand,  and  red  earth,  or  the  mere  ground  a  litr 
tie  elevated.  The  rooms  are  sometimes  ceiled 
above  with  thin  boards,  but  as  often,  perhaps, 
without  any  ceiling.  They  plaster  the  walls 
of  their  rooms,  but  never  the  ceiling,  except 
in  the  houses  of  foreigners.  The  frame-work 
of  their  dwellings  is  simple  and  peculiar, 
and  is  not  allowed  to  rest  on  the  outer  walls. 
As  a  protection  both  against  fire  and  robbers, 
the  houses  of  the  more  wealthy  are  often  sur- 
rounded by  a  wall  from  18  to  20  feet  high, 
commonly  made  of  earth,  capped  with  project- 
ing tiles,  and  plastered  on  both  sides.  These 
walls  are  sometimes  two  or  more  feet  thick  at 
the  base,  and,  with  proper  care,  will  stand  60 
or  80  years.  If  well  made,  they  in  time  be- 
come almost  as  hard  as  brick.  The  dwellings 
of  the  Chinese,  in  their  general  form,  are  much 
after  the  model  of  a  tent.  Those  of  the  rich 
frequently  contain,  each  a  spacious  court,  with 
side  rooms  for  the  different  members  of  the 
household,  and  with  more  private  apartments 
in  its  rear.  This  court  is  the  reception  room 
for  guests,  and  in  its  back  part  are  the  domes- 
tic idols.  Gardens,  in  which  there  is  an  at- 
tempt to  imitate  lake,  woodland,  and  moun- 
tain scenery,  are  often  found  connected  with 
their  dwellings.  The  houses  of  the  rich  are 
adorned  with  carved  work  and  a  profusion  of 
ctfarse  paintings,  and  the  door-posts  of  the 
dwellings  of  all  classes  are  ornamented  with 
red  paper,  on  which  sentences  from  the  classics 
are  written  in  large  characters.  So  also  above 
the  doors,  and  sometimes  on  them.  Some  of 
their  temples  and  other  public  dwellings  are 
vast  structures,  abounding  in  carved  work, 
both  in  wood  and  stone  ;  and  in  paintings  and 
gildings  ;  and,  in  their  general  construction, 
they  show  much  architectural  skill.     But  they 


are  wanting  in  good  taste,  being  suited  to  a 
barbarous,  or  uncivilized  age.  The  streets  in 
Chinese  cities  are  very  narrow,  the  widest  sel- 
dom exceeding  15  or  20  feet ;  and  they  are 
often  so  crowded  with  articles  of  merchandise 
and  various  handicraft  operations,  that  pass- 
ing is  difficult,  especially  in  the  filthy  markets, 
early  in  the  day.  The  stench  arising  from  the 
articles  of  food  exposed  for  sale,  and  the  smoke 
and  dust  from  the  numerous  cooking  establish- 
ments in  the  streets,  is  very  oflFensive.  As  the 
use  of  wheel  carriages  is  impracticable,  pas- 
sengers, goods,  building  materials,  and  every 
other  article  in  use  among  the  people,  must  be 
carried  by  coolies.  Sedan  chairs  are  used  by 
many  of  the  more  respectable  citizens.  A 
horse  is  seldom  seen  in  the  streets.  The  Chi- 
nese merchants  and  traders  exhibit  much  taste 
and  skill  in  the  arrangement  of  their  goods. 
In  the  evening  especially,  their  spacious  shops, 
illumined  by  numerous  lamps  and  by  large 
ornamented  lanterns  suspended  in  front,  present 
quite  a  splendid  appearance.  Their  drug- 
stores will  compare  very  well  with  similar 
establishments  in  this  country.  There  is,  how- 
ever, no  comparison  between  their  mercantile 
buildings  and  the  superb  establishments  of 
European  and  American  merchants.  The 
shops  are  often  lighted  from  windows  in  the 
roof. 

The  Chinese  have  a  method  of  guarding 
against  extensive  fires,  which  is  peculiarly 
their  own.  They  divide  their  cities  into  sec- 
tions by  fire-proof  walls,  from  20  to  30  feet 
high,  made  of  earth,  plastered  on  both  sides, 
and  protected  from  the  rains  by  a  projecting 
cap  of  tiles.  No  one  is  allowed  to  build 
higher  than  this  wall,  unless  he  will  raise  the 
wall  to  an  equal  height  with  his  house. 

With  these  preliminary  observations,  we 
proceed  to  notice  briefly  some  of  the  more  im- 
portant of  the  Chinese  cities,  embracing  the 
principal  cities  on  the  coast,  in  which  there 
are  or  have  been  Christian  missions,  and  those 
which  have  become  by  treaty  the  centres  of 
trade.  And  as  the  particular  descriptions 
given  of  the  capital  will  apply  to  other  cities 
also,  we  shall  not  repeat  them ;  as,  in  these 
respects,  all  their  cities  are  nearly  alike,  every- 
thing, almost,  being  stereotyped. 

Peking,  or  the  Nortliern  Capital,  if  not  the 
largest,  is  yet  the  most  important,  being  th0 
seat  of  the  imperial  power.  It  is  situated  in 
the  Chihli  province,  amid  a  sandy  plain,  in 
latitude  39°  54'  north,  and  longitude  llGo  27' 
east,  nearly  on  the  parallel  of  Philadelphia. 
Its  entire  circuit,  including  the  suburbs,  has 
been  estimated  at  25  miles,  and  its  area  at  27 
sq.  m. ;  and  its  population  from  1,500,000  to 
3,000,.000.  The  truth  may  be  between  the 
two  extremes,  perhaps  about  2,000,000.  It  is- 
an  ancient  city,  but  did  not  become  the  seat 
of  government  until  1282,  during  the  reign  of 
the  celebrated  Mogul  emperor,  Kublai  Khan, 
who  subsequently  made  Hangchau,  Ins  impe- 


TJiriVSIlSITT] 


CHINA 


249 


rial  residence.  After  the  expulsion  of  tlie 
Monguls,  the  emperors  of  the  Ming  dynasty  held 
their  court  at  Hiang-ning-foo,  now  called  Nan- 
king, until  Yungloh  its  third  monarch,  in 
1411,  made  Poking  the  seat  of  government, 
which  has  ever  since  been  the  residence  of  the 
imperial  court.  This  city  consists  of  two  parts, 
the  one  containing  about  12  sq.  ra.,  being  the 
northern  or  Tartar  city,  including  the  imperial 
palace  and  the  government  buildings  ;  and  the 
other,  called  the  southern  or  outer  city,  being 
occupied  by  the  Chinese.  The-  walls  are  30 
feet  high,  25  thick  at  the  base,  and  12  at  the 
top,  being  surmounted  with  a  parapet,  and  sur- 
rounded with  a  ditch.  Near  the  gates,  16  in 
all,  the  walls  are  faced  with  stone,  and  else- 
where with  large  bricks,  laid  in  mortar,  which 
in  time  become  nearly  as  hard  as  stone.  Be- 
tween the  facings,  the  wall  is  composed  of 
earth  taken  from  the  surrounding  ditch. 
Square  towers,  projecting  50  feet  from  the 
outer  margin  of  the  walls,  occur  at  intervals  of 
about  60  yards,  and  one  of  these  defences  stands 
on  each  side  of  every  gate.  The  gateways  are 
covered  by  strong  arches,  which  are  surrounded 
by  wooden  buildings,  several  stories  high,  with 
painted  port-holes.  The  towers  on  each  side 
of  the  gateways  are  connected  in  front  by 
a  semi-circular  fort,  which  is  entered  on  the 
Bide. 

Canton  is  the  largest  of  the  five  ports  open 
to  foreign  commerce.  It  is  the  capital  of 
Kwangtung,  situated  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Pearl  river,  in  lat.  23o  7'  N.,  and  113o_14'  E. 
long.  It  was  for  a  long  period,  the  principal 
foreign  emporium,  but  is  now  rivaled  by  Shan- 
hai.  The  city  proper  is  about  6  miles  in  cir- 
cumference, being  divided  into  two  unequal 
parts,  by  a  wall  running  east  and  west ;  but 
the  entire  city,  including  the  suburbs,  is  about 
10  miles  in  circuit.  In  magnitude  it  is  regard- 
ed as  the  third  city  in  the  empire,  containing 
a  population  probably  of  1,000,000.  In  wealth 
it  may  be  next  to  Peking.  The  foreign  fac- 
tories are  the  best  buildings  in  the  city,  and  an 
honor  to  the  distinguished  nations  to  whose 
enterprising  merchants  they  belong.  The 
promenade  grounds,  between  the  mercantile 
hongs  and  the  river  are  beautiful,  and  when, 
morning  and  evening,  enlivened  by  merchants 
and  strangers,  seeking  exercise  and  diversion, 
they  are  a  pleasant  resort.  The  contrast  be- 
tween the  enlightened  and  polished  citizens  of 
Uie  west,  and  the  surrounding  Chinese  is  strik- 
ingly apparent.  The  English  Episcopal  church 
on  these  grounds  is  a  tasteful  edifice.  The 
city  proper  is  yet  closed  against  the  entrance 
of  strangers.  The  populace  of  Canton  have 
heretofore  been  peculiarly  unfriendly  to  for- 
eigners, and  their  treatment  of  them  in  lan- 
guage and  demeanor  uncommonly  reproachful ; 
but  of  late  there  has  been  a  great  change  for 
the  better,  at  least  so  far  as  Christian  mission- 
aries are  concerned.  The  immense  amount 
and  variety  of  native  craft  in  the  river  oppo- 


site Canton,  is  not  among  the  least  interesting 
and  surprising  objects  to  the  traveler.  They 
constitute  a  vast  floating  city. 

Whampoa,  the  "Yedow  Anchorage,"  is 
about  14  miles  below  Canton,  and  is  the  an- 
chorage ground  of  the  foreign  shipping.  Above 
this  point  large  vessels  cannot  safely  venture. 
There  are  two  floating  chapels  for  seamen,  the 
one  Protestant,  the  other  Roman  Catholic. 
The  first  is  furnished  with  a  chaplain  by  the 
American  Seamans'  Friend  Society,  and  con- 
tains apartments  for  the  chaplain,  and  a  reading- 
room  for  sailors.  On  the  south  side  of  the  an- 
chorage are  two  islands,  called  French  and 
Danes  Islands,  on  which  foreigners  are  allowed 
to  bury  their  dead,  and  ramble  at  pleasure.  In 
this  neighborhood  is  a  dense  population,  and 
the  lands  are  rich  and  highly  cultivated,  and 
largo  herds  of  cattle  are  raised  for  the  use  of 
the  shipping,  the  Chinese  eating  little  beef. 

Macao  is  a  Portuguese  settlement,  about  8 
miles  in  circuit,  on  a  small  peninsula  at  the 
north-western  extremity  of  the  large  island 
called  Iliugshan,  between  60  and  70  miles 
south-east  of  Canton.  It  was  occupied  by  the 
Portuguese  early  in  the  16th  century,  and  was 
formerly  a  place  of  much  trade  ;  but  in  a  com- 
mercial aspect,  it  is  not  now  of  much  impor- 
tance. It  is,  however,  a  very  pleasant  and 
healthful  locality.  The  population  of  the  pen- 
insula is  about  30,000,  of  whom  upwards  of 
5,000  are  Portuguese  and  other  foreigners, 
subject  to  Portuguese  officers  ;  but  the  Chinese 
are  governed  by  their  own  magistrate»  This 
place  is  the  head-quarters  of  the  Catholic  mis- 
sions in  China,  and  the  seat  of  a  college,  in 
which  many  Chinese  youth  have  been  educated 
to  become  preachers  of  that  faith  in  different 
parts  of  China.  The  town  is  protected  by 
three  forts,  on  commanding  eminences,  and 
others  outside  of  its  walls  defend  its  waters. 

Hong-Kong  is  a  flourishing  English  settle- 
ment, about  40  miles  eastward  of  Macao.  Vic- 
toria, its  chief  city,  is  in  lat.  22°  16'  north,  and 
long.  114°  8'  east.  The  island,  which  is  nine 
miles  long,  eight  broad,  and  26  in  circuit,  was 
ceded  by  the  Chinese  to  the  English  in  1842, 
at  the  treaty  of  Nanking.  It  is  mountainous, 
with  little  productive  soil,  but  on  its  northern 
side,  where  stands  the  long  and  beautiful  town 
of  Victoria,  is  a  spacious  and  safe  harbor. 
The  town  contains  many  elegant  buildings, 
beautiful  roads,  and  a  mixed  population,  of 
whom,  probably  more  than  two-thirds  are  Chi- 
nese, whose  families  for  the  most  part  reside  on 
the  main  land.  The  governor  of  this  colony 
is  also  superintendent  of  British  trade  at  the 
Five  Ports.  Here  is  stationed  a  considerable 
military  force  for  the  protection  of  the  British 
interests  in  China.  It  is  now  regarded  as  a 
healthy  place.  It  is  the  residence  of  a  bishop 
of  the  Church  of  England,  having  the  oversight 
of  her  Chinese  missions.  The  Catholics  are 
numerous.  The  amount  of  money  expended 
in  buildings  in  this  colony,  since  its  session,  is 


250 


CHINA. 


thought  to  exceed  2,000,000  of  dollars.  It  is 
a  place  of  much  trade,  and  a  large  opium  de- 
pot. Several  iiewsptiiHirs  are  pnblished  here." 
Amoy  is  situated  on  the  coast  northward 
of  Canton,  in  latitude  24^  40'  N.,  and  long. 
118^  20'  K.  having  an  excellent  harbor,  a  large 
native  and  an  increasing  foreign  trade.  It 
stands  on  the  south-western  corner  of  the 
island  after  which  it  is  called,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Dragon  river,  which  leads  to  Chiang- 
chan-foo.  This  island  is  about  40  miles  in 
circumference,  and  besides  the  city  it  is  dotted 
with  numerous  large  villages.  The  scenery 
in  and  around  the  bay  is  quite  picturesque. 
Across  the  channel  from  Amoy  is  the  island 
of  Koolungsoo,  on  which  is  the  missionary 
burial  ground,  and  a  place  of  interment  for 
other  foreigners.  The  city  and  its  suburbs  is 
about  8  miles  in  circuit,  with  a  population, 
probably,  of  upwards  of  200,000 ;  while  that 
of  the  remaining  part  of  the  island  may  be 
100,000.  This  city  was  captured  by  the 
English  in  1841,  and  restored  again  to  the 
Chinese  in  1845.  The  surrounding  country  is 
densely  populated,  and  in  a  high  state  of  culti- 
vation. 

i'MAcAaM.-Fuhchau-foo,that  is,  happy  district, 
is  in  latitude  26°  5'  N.,  and  longitude  119° 
20'  E.  It  stands  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Min,  about  34  miles  from  its  mouth.  The 
walled  part  of  the  city  is  about  three  miles 
from  the  river,  the  intervening  space  on  the 
south  being  a  beautiful  plain,  under  the  high- 
est cult^ation,  with  moderate  elevations,  suflfi- 
cient  to  give  a  pleasing  variety  to  the  land- 
scape. On  the  north,  the  city  walls  are  near 
the  base  of  the  mountains,  which  bound  the 
valley  of  the  Min,  from  a  long  distance  above 
the  city,  to  its  mouth.  Some  miles  to  the  west 
is  also  a  mountain  range  of  moderate  eleva- 
tion, and  the  mountains  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  river  also  reach  from  above  the  city  to 
its  mouth.  These  two  mountain  ranges  con- 
verge 8  or  10  miles  below  the  city,  thus  plac- 
ing Fuhchau  in  a  vast  natural  amphitheatre, 
through  which  the  Min  winds  majestically, 
diffusing  beauty  and  fertility  throughout  the 
extensive  valley  through  which  it  flows.  The 
British  consulate  stands  on  a  hilly  eminence  in 
the  southern  borders  of  the  city,  from  which 
is  an  extensive  view  of  grand  and  beautiful 
scenery.  From  the  southern  and  eastern  bor- 
ders of  the  city  proper,  the  suburbs  extend  for 
about  three  miles  south-east  to  the  northern 
bank  'of  the  river.  At  Tongchiu,  a  small  islet 
amid  the  stream,  the  river  is  spanned  by  a 
stone  bridge,  420  paces  long,  on  the  north  side, 
resting  on  40  stone  piers,  and  on  the  south 
side  of  the  island  by  another,  resting  on  90 
abutments,  extending  to  the  south  shore. 
These  bridges  are  ancient  structures,  and  on 
one  side  are  lined  with  shops.  The  intervening 
island  is  about  an  eighth  of  a  mile  in  diam- 
eter, and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long,  and  dense- 
ly inhabited.     On  the  south  bank  of  the  river 


is  a  large  suburb  of  about  3  miles  in  length. 
The  whole  city  within  and  without  the  walls 
is  supposed  to  contain  a  population  of  not  leas 
than  000,000  souls.  The  foreign  trade  at  this 
port  has  hitherto  been  small,  owing  in  part  to 
the  difficult  entrance  to  the  river,  though  navi- 
gable for  large  vessels  to  within  12  miles  of  the 
city.  The  native  trade  is  large,  and  the  float- 
ing population  vast.  To  perform  the  circuit  of 
the  walls  on  foot  requires  about  two  and  a  half 
hours,  and  the  entire  circuit  is  probably  about 
eight  miles.  This  city  is  the  residence  during 
a  part  of  the-  year  of  the  viceroy  of  Fuhkien 
and  Chekiang,  and  of  other  high  officers ; 
among  whom  are  the  lieutenant-governor  and 
the  commander  of  the  Tartar  troops.  The 
Manchus  occupy  the  eastern  section  of  the  city, 
between  whom  and  the  Chinese  there  is  little 
intercourse.  Outside  of  the  south  gate  is  a 
handsome  Catholic  church,  in  which  a  Spanish 
priest  officiates.  Timber  and  paper  are  among 
the  most  considerable  exports  from  Fuhchau. 
Within  a  circuit  of  20  miles  in  either  direction 
from  this  city,  there  is  a  large  number  of  towns 
and  villages,  all  speaking  one  dialect,  which, 
including  the  city,  may  be  the  abode  of  2,000,- 
000.  In  a  political  and  missionary  aspect, 
Fuhchau  is  among  the  most  important  of  the 
Five  Ports,  and  in  view  of  its  commercial  ad 
vantages  may  yet  become  a  place  of  much 
trade.  The  opium  trade  is  here  vigorously 
prosecuted,  and  its  destructive  and  demoraliz- 
ing influence  is  widely  felt. 

Ningpo  is  the  only  important  city  on  the 
coast,  northward  from  Fuhchau.  It  is  situated 
in  290  55'  N.  lat.,  and  121°  22'  E.  long., 
near  the  head  of  navigable  water,  about  12 
miles  from  the  sea.  Like  Fuhchau,  its  native 
commerce  is  large,  but  its  foreign  trade  has 
hitherto  been  small,  excepting  the  opium  trade, 
which  is  there  also  vigorously  prosecuted  by 
two  or  three  receiving  ships,  stationed  a  little 
off  the  mouth  of  the  river  leading  to  the  city. 
Its  walls  are  about  five  miles  in  circuit,  and 
the  city  and  suburbs  are  thought  to  contain  a 
population  of  near  300,000.  It  is  one  of  the 
neatest  and  best  built  cities  on  the  coast,  con- 
taining some  streets  respectable  for  width,  and 
many  large  and  well  furnished  shops.  Many 
of  its  dwellings  are  of  two  stories.  It  stands 
in  the  midst  of  a  large  and  fertile  plain,  densely 
peopled,  and  skirted  by  mountains  on  one  side, 
about  18  miles  distant.  During  the  late  war 
it  was  captured  by  the  English  troops,  and 
held  by  them  till  the  termination  of  hostilities. 
At  Chinghai,  below  Ningpo,  near  the  river's 
mouth,  there  was  a  bloody  engagement,  and 
great  carnage  among  the  Chinese  forces. 

Shanghai,  in  lat.  31©  10'  N.,  and  long.  121° 
30'  E.,  is  now  the  rival  of  Canton,  in  the  foreign 
trade,  and  bids  fair  to  become  the  largest 
foreign  emporium  in  China.  It  is  the  princi- 
pal seaport  of  Kiangs«,  and  lies  on  the  north 
shore  of  the  Wusung,  about  14  miles  from  its 
mouth,  and  near  its  junction  with  the  Hwang- 


CHINA. 


251 


I     pee.     By  means  of  this  river,  it  communicate? 

'  with  Suchau,  Sung-kiang,  and  other  citieagon 
the  Grand  Canal ;  while  by  the  Yangtszkiang, 
it  receives  produce  from  the  south-western  pro- 
vinces of  the  empire.  It  hence  enjoys  the 
greatest  advantages  for  an  extensive  commerce. 
The  city  lying  within  the  walls  is  three  miles 
in  circuit,  and  the  entire  city  is  estimated  to 
contain  a  population  of  225,000.  It  has,  for 
some  time,  been  in  the  hands  of  the  insurgents. 
After  an  unsuccessful  attack,  the  imperial 
troops  burnt  the  eastern  quarter  of  the  city, 
which  is  now  a  desolation.  The  section  occu- 
pied by  the  foreign  merchants,  in  its  streets 
and  tasteful  buildings,  much  resembles  a  west- 
ern city,  presenting  a  strong  contrast  to  the 
neighboring  dwellings  of  the  poor  Chinese. 
This  city  also  stands  on  a  large  and  fertile 
plain,  and  the  whole  surrounding  country  is 
occasionally  overflowed,  causing  great ^  mor- 
tality, by  the  generation  of  noxious  miasma. 
Such  was  the  case  in  1849.  The  native  trade 
of  Shanghai  is  said  to  be  larger  than  at  any 
other  city  in  the  empire.  Nevertheless,  Shang- 
hai is  a  poorly  built  and  dirty  place,  with  nar- 
row and  densely*  crowded  streets,  almost  block- 
ed up  with  articles  of  traffic.  A  large  fleet  of 
opium  receiving-ships  are  stationed  outside  the 
river  Wusung.  Among  its  heaviest  exports 
are  tea  and  silks.  This  city  is  now  occupied 
by  a  larger  number  of  Protestant  missionaries 
than  any  other  in  the  empire,  and  three  or  four 
tasteful  and  commodious  Christian  churches 
have  been  built  within  the  walls,  in  which  large 
congregations  have  convened  to  hear  the  word 
of  God.  A  large  Catholic  church  stands  just 
outside  the  walls,  on  the  banks  of  the  Wusung. 
Nanking. — Kiangningfoo,  or  Nanking,  the 
capital  of  the  Kiangsu  province,  stands  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  Yangtszkians;,  in  about 
32°  N.  lat.  and  119°  E.  long.  Next  to  Pe- 
king, it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  celebrated  city  in 
China,  though  now  shorn  of  its  former  glory, 
and  apparently  greatly  abridged  in  its  limits, 
and  diminished  in  population.  It  was  the  ca- 
pital of  the  empire  only  about  50  years,  in- 
cluding the  earlier  part  of  the  Ming  dynas- 
ty, the  court  having  been  transferred  to  Peking 
in  1411,  by  the  emperor  Yungloch.  It  was 
here  that  the  Chinese  were  compelled  to  sub- 
mit to  humiliating  terms  of  peace  with  Eng- 
land, in  1842.  It  has  recently  become  cele- 
brated, as  the  theatre  of  conflict  between  the 
imperial  troops  and  the  insurgents,  and  by  the 
latter  is  still  held.  At  the  taking  of  this  city 
by  the  insurgents,  the  Manchu  troops  made 
but  a  feeble  resistance,  and  were  indiscrimin- 
ately put  to  the  sword.  The  walls  are  still  very 
extensive,  making  its  defence  difficult.  The 
ancient  palaces  have  disappeared,  and  few 
monuments  of  ancient  royalty  now  remain,  ex- 
cept the  mementos  of  the  princely  dead. 

Nanking  is  celebrated  for  its  porcelain  tower 
completed  in  1430,  after  the  lapse  of  19  years 
from  its  commencement,  and  at  a  total  cost  of 


^3,313,978.  It  is  celebrated  also  for  its  manu- 
factures, including  satin,  crape,  nankeen,  paper, 
ink,  and  artificial  flowers  of  pith  paper.  It  is 
also  renowned  for  its  scholars,  and  was,  till 
taken  by  the  insurgents,  the  residence  of  a  gov- 
ernor-general of  these  provinces,  and  the  abode 
of  a  host  of  officials  and  literary  men,  anxious 
for  promotion.  Its  population  is  estimated 
at  400,000.  Only  a  part  of  the  area  within  the 
walls  is  covered  with  dwellings.  The  surround- 
ing country  is  beautified  by  hills,  valleys,  vil- 
lages, and  fruitful  fields. 

The  Arts. — The  productions  of  the  Chinese 
in  the  department  of  the  fine  arts,  have  little 
comparative  merit,  though  a  few  centuries  ago, 
China  was  in  advance  of  Europe.  Her  land- 
scape and  other  paintings,  though  excellent  as 
regards  their  coloring,  generally  fail  in  per- 
spective, and  their  portraits  want  expression. 
Some  of  their  paintings  on  rice  paper,  how- 
ever, are  very  pretty,  and  their  delineations  of 
the  persons  and  costume  of  their  own  country- 
men, are  many  of  them  quite  accurate.  Their 
music  is  harsh,  nasal,  sonorous,  and  wanting 
both  in  harmony  and  melodyj  though  admired 
by  themselves.  Their  statuary,  even  the  best 
of  it,  cannot  compare  with  the  Grecian  and 
the  Roman,  and  with  that  of  western  artists  of 
the  present  day. 

Though,  in  the  mechanic  arts,  the  Chinese 
excel  in  some  things,  yet  in  general,  they  are 
far  behind  the  Western  world.  Their  imple- 
ments are  few  and  simple,  though  well  suited  to 
their  use  ;  but  they  are  totally  ignorant  of  the 
multifarious  and  powerful  machinery  by  which 
Christian  nations  can  so  rapidly  and  so  taste- 
fully perform  the  most  delicate  work,  and  exe- 
cute the  most  magnificent  undertakings.  They 
however  in  some  degree  make  up  in  numbers, 
and  the  cheapness  of  labor,  what  they  lack  in 
machinery  and  in  mechanical  skill.  Works 
have  been  executed  in  China,  which  in  magni- 
tude may  compare  with  the  pyramids  of 
Egypt,  and  far  exceed  the  proudest  monuments 
of  human  labor  in  the  Western  world. 

The  art  of  printing  from  blocks,  which  is  a 
species  of  stereotyping,  the  manufacture  of 
paper,  of  gunpowder,  of  the  most  beautiful 
porcelain,  and  the  discovery  and  use  of  the 
compass,  all  originated  among  the  Chinese ; 
besides  their  exquisite  workmanship  in  cotton, 
silk,  wood,  stone,  ivory,  and  the  precious  me- 
tals. Of  what  they  know  in  the  arts,  they 
have  borrowed  next  to  nothing  from  other 
nations.  In  this  respect  we  have  learned  more 
from  the  Chinese  than  they  from  us.  While  we 
were  in  comparative  barbarism,  they  in  me- 
chanical knowledge  and  skill,  were  equal,  if  not 
superior  to  their  descendants  of  the  present 
day.  Consequently  for  the  improvements 
which  the  Chinese  have  made,  they,  under 
God,  have  been  mainly  indebted  to  their  own 
genius  and  researches. 

Agriculture,  Productions,  Sfc. — Next  to  offi- 
cial promotion  and  literary  eminence,  agricul- 


252 


CHINA. 


tare  is  regarded  by  the  Chinese  as  the  most 
honorable,  as  well  as  the  most  nscful  profes- 
sion. It  is  encouraged  by  the  example  ol"  their 
emperor,  who,  at  the  capital,  annually  holds 
the  plouj^h  in  the  presence  of  his  high  officers 
and  thousands  of  the  people;  and  a  like  cere- 
mony is  performed  in  the  chief  cities  of  the 
provinces,  by  his  high  officers,  as  his  vice- 
gerents. It  is  thus  honored  because  it  is  the 
main  support  of  the  state.  Though  their 
agricultural  implements  are  few,  simple,  and 
rude,  yet  practically,  agriculture  has  been 
made  very  effective,  as  evinced  by  the  unex- 
ampled density  of  the  population.  Though  for 
thousands  of  years  the  same  lands  have  been 
under  culture,  producing  annually  two,  and 
sometimes  three  crops,  yet  so  far  from  becom- 
ing sterile,  they  appear  to  be  increasing  in  fer- 
tility ;  not  only  are  the  alluvial  plains  on  the 
margins  of  the  great  rivers  carefully  culti- 
vated, but  lofty  hills  are  in  many  cases  ter- 
raced from  the  base  to  summit.  For  fertiliz- 
ing their  lands,  the  Chinese  depend  much  on 
night  soil,  which  they  obtain  from  the  cities 
and  villages.  The  manure  is  collected  for  future 
use  in  pits,  on  the  margins  of  their  fields.  The 
rice  is  first  thickly  sown  in  a  small  patch,  and 
the  shoots,  when  nearly  a  foot  high,  are  trans- 
planted in  rows  in  the  soft  mud,  and  by  and 
by  between  these  rows  the  shoots  for  a  second 
crop  are  planted,  which  rapidly  matures  after 
the  first  is  gathered.  For  their  crops  of  rice, 
especially,  the  Chinese,  like  the  ancient  Egyp- 
tians, are  greatly  dependent  upon  diligent  arti- 
ficial irrigation.  To  overflow  their  fields,  they 
resort  to  a  great  variety  of  ingenious  expe- 
dients ;  sometimes  diverting  the  mountain 
streams  from  their  regular  channels,  watering 
first  the  highest  plots  of  ground,  made  level 
and  bounded  by  low  embankments,  and  from 
thence  descending,  as  the  proprietor  wills,  into 
the  lower  grounds.  In  other  cases,  water  is 
raised  from  canals,  rivers,  and  ponds,  by 
wheels  propelled  by  water  power,  by  buffaloes, 
or  by  a  species  of  treadmill,  worked  by  two 
persons.  The  water  is  forced  upwards  through 
a  box  trough  by  a  chain  of  paddles  which  re- 
volves over  two  axles,  one  at  each  end  of  the 
trough.  It  reminds  one  of  the  Israelites,  who, 
while  in  Egypt,  are  said  to  have  watered  their 
lands  with  the  foot.  The  Chinese  gardener 
is  assiduous  in  irrigating  his  plants.  Chinese 
agriculture  in  general  is  much  like  gardening, 
each  family  at  the  most,  ordinarily  owning  and 
cultivating  but  a  few  acres.  Oxen  and  buffa- 
loes are  much  employed  in  plowing,  furrow- 
ing, and  rolling  the  ground.  Women  labor 
in  the  fields  in  common  with  the  men.  The 
land,  theoretically,  belongs  to  the  emperor ; 
yet  it  descends  to  the  eldest  son,  so  long  as 
the  taxes  are  promptly  paid.  The  younger 
brothers,  however,  with  their  families,  being 
joint  laborers,  have  a  perpetual  right  to  a 
support  from  the  proceeds  of  the  land.  Daugh- 
ters cannot  inherit.    The   Chinese  beat  out 


their  grain  in  the  field  on  a  board,  one  end  of 
which  rests  in  the  bottom  of  a  tub  that  re- 
ceives the  grain.  The  straw  is  carried  home 
on  the  shouliiers  of  men.  Carts  are  little  used, 
man,  to  a  groat  extent,  performing  the  labor, 
which  here  is  devolved  upon  the  beast.  The 
agricultural  classes  do  not  generally  live  upon 
their  lands,  but  in  villages  located  upon  the 
more  elevated  grounds.  Fences  are  very  rare, 
the  lands  being  divided  by  ridges  of  earth,  or 
embankments,  which  serve  as  footpaths.  In 
the  neighborhood  of  the  cities,  they  are  paved 
with  flat  stonQs,  lying  transversely.  Some  of 
these  walks  are  many  miles  long.  The  rich 
plains  on  the  rivers  are  minutely  traversed  by 
creeks  and  canals.  Over  these  streams  on  the 
main  routes,  are  thrown  strong  stone  bridges. 

Productions. — In  the  northern  and  eastern 
provinces,  rice  is  the  most  important  agricul- 
tural product,  grown  mostly  on  the  plains. 
Wheat  may  rank  next.  Sweet  potatoes  are 
produced  on  the  hill  sides,  as  also  tobacco, 
peas,  beans,  and  a  great  variety  of  vegetables. 
In  the  southern  provinces,  sugar  is  made  from 
the  cane  in  considerable  quantity.  Cotton, 
upon  which  the  Chinese  mainly  depend  for 
clothing,  is  raised  in  large  quantities  on  the 
Great  Plain.  The  fruits  of  China  are  much 
the  same  as  in  other  countries  in  the  same 
latitude;  but  they  are  not  distinguished  for 
their  excellence.  The  Chinese  are  fond  of 
flowers,  which  are  extensively  cultivated  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  large  cities.  And  not 
content  with  these,  artificial  flowers  of  great 
beauty  are  manufactured  and  worn  by  females 
of  all  classes  and  ages.  Money  may  procure 
in  China  almost  any  article  of  food,  clothing, 
or  furniture  that  may  be  desired,  and  at  mo- 
derate prices.  Foreign  merchandise  may  be 
obtained  for  about  the  same  prices  as  in  this 
country.  Compared  with  the  price  of  food, 
the  relative  value  of  the  dollar  in  China  is 
several  times  greater  than  in  this  country. 
But  the  lot  of  the  poor  man  in  China,  who 
must  labor  for  a  mere  pittance,  is  a  difficult 
and  trying  one. 

Commerce. — The  Chinese  may  be  called  a 
commercial  people.  They  have  an  extensive 
internal  trade,  and  make  large  exports  in  tea, 
silks,  camphor,  cinnamon,  fans,  fire-crackers, 
porcelain,  and  other  products  of  the  soil  and 
of  the  shop.  A  vast  amount  of  native  ship- 
ping may  be  found  in  all  the  principal  cities 
situated  on  navigable  waters.  The  merchants 
are  found  in  the  most  distant  nations  of  her 
wide  colonial  possessions,  in  the  cold  regions 
of  Manchuria  and  Mongolia,  far  west  in  the 
broad  territory  of  Hi,  and  in  the  remotest 
bounds  of  Thibet.  Her  ships  find  their  way 
to  Japan,  and  throughout  the  ports  of  the  In- 
dian Archipelago,  Cochin-china  Camboja,  and 
Siara,  and  some  few  have  reached  Burmah  and 
British  India.  Multitudes  of  Chinese  adven- 
turers are  found  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and 
on  the  western  shores  of  the  American  conti- 


CHINA. 


nent.  The  commercial  enterprise  is  the  more 
remarkable,  in  view  of  the  little  protection 
afforded  it  by  the  imperial  government,  and 
the  vexatious  duties  imposed  on  internal 
trade.  Chinese  merchantmen,  trading  at  the 
different  ports  between  Shanghai  and  Canton, 
have  been  obliged,  at  great  cost,  to  hire  foreign 
armed  vessels  as  convoys  to  protect  them  from 
the  pirates  which  swarm  along  the  coast. 
When  once  at  sea,  Chinese  vessels  have  little 
or  no  protection  from  government  vessels,  and 
if  they  venture  into  foreign  ports,  they  are  by 
ilicir  own  laws  regarded  as  aliens.  But  such 
■ ;  the  commercial  spirit  of  the  Chinese,  that 

11  spite  of  these  obstacles,  their  trade  is  of 
great  extent.  Necessity  makes  them  a  trad- 
ing as  well  as  an  agricultural  people ;  and 
they  are  skilful  managers  of  trade.  Placed 
side  by  side  with  western  merchants  in  Singa- 
pore, Batavia,  Siam,  and  China,  they  do  not 
iali  behind  them  in  the  acquisition  of  wealth, 
^ome  of  the  richest  men   in  Singapore  and 

kitavia  are  said  to  be  Chinese. 
Fishing. — Multitudes  of  the  Chinese  depend 
upon  fishing  for  a  livelihood.  Large  fleets  of 
fishing  craft  swarm  at  the  mouths  of  the  prin- 
cipal rivers,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
large  cities  on  the  coast,  sometimes  numbering 
from  one  to  two  hundred  sail.  Vessels  often 
fish  two  and  two,  for  mutual  aid  in  dragging 
their  nets.  The  rivers  and  lakes  of  China 
also  abound  with  fishing  craft,  and  great 
quantities  of  fish  are  raised  in  artificial 
ponds.  The  number  of  large  fish  sometimes 
taken  from  a  small  pond,  is  surprising. 
Birds  are  trained  to  catch  fish,  and  other 
ingenious  modes  of  fishing  are  adopted  in 
which  the  Chinese  excel.  Sharks,  some- 
times of  large  size,  are  common  in  the  Chi- 
nese fish  markets.  Fish,  both  fresh  and 
salted,  forms  an  important  part  of  the  food 
of  the  people,  which  they  eat  with  rice  and 
vegetables.  The  fishermen  are  generally  poor 
and  illiterate,  and  when  reduced  to  straits, 
sometimes  turn  pirates. 

Literary  Examinations, — Literary  attain- 
ment is  greatly  prized  in  China,  as  being  a 
passport  to  ofiice,  and  to  distinction  and  influ- 
ence in  society.  In  the  chief  cities  of  the  pro- 
vinces, the  lower  literary  degrees  are  conferred 
on  those  whose  essays  are  adjudged  to  possess 
the  highest  merit.  The  themes  are  assigned 
by  imperial  officers  to  all  alike.  The  candi- 
dates, while  composing  their  essays,  are  shut  up 
in  a  large  hall,  and  allowed  nothing  but  im- 
plements of  writing  ;  and  every  avenue  to  the 
premises  is  guarded  to  prevent  communication 
from  without.  The  names  of  the  competitors 
are  not  known  to  the  judges  till  after  their 
decision.  Only  a  fixed  nun;ber  of  degrees, 
bearing  a  small  proportion  to  the  number  of 
aspirants,  can  be  conferred  at  one  time.  The 
fii'st  degree  is  called  the  siu-tsai,  answering  im- 
perfectly to  our  A.  B.  The  second  is  kurjin, 
indicating  a  higher  grade  of  literary  attain- 


ment, and  makes  the  possessor  eligible  to  office. 
The  third  degree,  called  tsin-sz,  (entered 
scholars  or  doctors,)  is  triennialiy  conferred 
at  Peking,  only  those  of  the  ku-jiu,  who  have 
not  been  appointed  to  office,  being  eligible,  as 
candidates.  The  fourth  and  highest  degree, 
called  hanlin,  entitles  to  enrolment,  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Imperial  Academy,  with  fixed  sa- 
laries. The  triennial  examination  for  this  de- 
gree is  held  in  the  palace.  In  the  conferring 
of  degrees,  great  impartiality  is  professed. 
The  meritorious  scholar,  however  poor,  has 
legally  the  same  chance  for  success,  with  the 
sons  of  the  rich  and  influential.  Yet,  it  is  gen- 
erally thought  that  there  is  much  of  favorit- 
ism and  bribery.  But  very  few  among  the 
lens  of  thousands  of  annual  competitors  reach 
even  the  lowest  degree,  a,nd  of  the  successful 
ones  but  few  secure  the  second  degree,  though 
many  struggle  for  it  from  youth  to  hoary  age. 
The  government  makes  no  provision  for  the 
support  of  primary  schools,  nor  does  it  com- 
pel the  people  to  provide  instruction  for  their 
children.  But  the  making  of  distinguished 
scholarship  a  passport  to  office  and  honor,  ex- 
erts a  mighty  influence  upon  the  youth  of 
China,  in  stimulating  them  to  the  pursuit  of 
knowledge. 

Character  and  influence  of  the  Chinese  Clas- 
sics.— With  regard  to  physical,  social,  and 
moral  education,  Chinese  authors  give  many 
excellent  rules.  But  while  they  give  direc- 
tions as  to  the  best  methods  of  study,  and  the 
means  of  preserving  health,  and  enforce  the 
social  duties  of  man  to  man,  they  make  no 
allusion  to  the  higher  and  more  solemn  duties 
of  man  to  his  Creator.  The  ceremonies  to  be 
observed  in  the  mutual  intercourse  of  j^arents 
and  children,  husbands  and  wives,  brothers 
and  sisters,  rulers  and  subjects,  &c.  are  mi- 
nutely described,  and  strenuously  enforced  ;  and 
their  works  on  morals  are  not  without  allu- 
sions to  a  future  recompense  of  the  evil  and 
the  good.  Honesty,  truth,  benevolence,  and 
even  purity  of  heart,  in  their  sense  of  the 
term,  are  inculcated.  But  their  views  of  inter- 
nal purity  and  of  virtuous  conduct  are  radically 
different  from  the  Bible  standard.  Truth  is  in- 
culcated, but  falsehood  is  practiced  ;  even  Con- 
fucius, their  idolized  sage,  setting  the  example. 
But  the  consciences  of  the  Chinese  are  in  favor 
of  virtue. 

The  classical  writings  of  the  Chinese  are 
chiefly  political  in  their  bearing,  designed  to 
instruct  and  admonish  the  ruler  in  the  good  gov- 
ernment of  himself  and  of  the  people.  Their 
influence  over  prince  and  people  is  very  pow- 
erful; and  the  writings  and  instructions  of  Con- 
fucius, as  reported  and  explained  by  his  disci- 
ples, have,  doubtless,  been  the  main  support  of 
the  Chinese  government,  since  his  day.  (This 
illustrious  man  was  born  551  B.  C.)  He  says 
little  on  religious  subjects ;  but  besides  con- 
niving at  the  popular  superstitions  of  his  day, 
he  gave  his  influence  in  support  of  ancestral 


954 


CHINA. 


worship,  by  inculcating  the  religions  venera- 
tion or  both  the  dead  and  the  living.  Dr. 
Bridgnmn  says  of  him  :  "  Through  a  long 
life,  of  IhrtH'score  and  twelve  years,  Confucius 
busied  hiinaelf  exclusively  with  the  things  of 
this  world.  lie  not  only  wrapped  himself  up 
with  the  tissues  and  tatters  of  his  pagan  an- 
cestors, but  all  his  energies  were  exerted,  from 
first  to  last,  in  dissuading  his  fellow  mortals 
from  all  thought  of  a  world  to  come.  He 
neither  searched  himself,  nor  would  he  allow 
others  to  inquire,  after  the  wisdom  and  attri- 
butes, or  even  the  existence,  of  heaven  and 
earth.  Creator,  Divinity,  and  divine  things 
had  few  if  any  charms  for  him.  Time  and 
sense,  and  things  present  and  visible,  alone  en- 
grossed all  his  time  and  all  his  thoughts. 
In  the  arduous  labors  of  collecting  and  ar- 
ranging the  fragmentary  records  of  the  an- 
cients, and  in  repeated  endeavors  to  reform  the 
men  who  were  liis  contemporaries,  almost  his 
whole  life  was  occupied.  He  seems  to  have 
felt  that  the  gods  of  his  nation  were  vain  ; 
and  yet  it  docs  not  appear  that  he  ever  was 
conscious  of  man's  insufficiency.  Thus  he  was 
"  without  God  in  the  world."  On  the  part  of 
his  disciples,  he  is  a  principal  object  of  reli- 
gious veneration. 

The  Chinese  classics  are  decidedly  superior 
in  moral  purity,  to  the  Grecian  and  Roman 
authoi-s ;  but  they  teach  the  perfectibility  of 
human  nature.  They  maintain  that,  however 
corrupt  a  man  may  become  through  the  influ- 
ence of  evil  example,  he  may,  by  his  own  un- 
aided efforts,  restore  himself  to  primeval  purity. 
Such  a  doctrine  is  hostile  to  the  humbling 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  fostering  the  pride  of  the 
human  heart.  Confucius  seems  to  have  had 
no  very  distinct  idea  of  an  intelligent  Great 
First  Cause,  and  his  followers  are  regarded  as 
atheistical  in  their  sentiments.  So  true  it  is, 
that  "  the  world  by  wisdom  knew  not  God." 

Chinese  Schools. — The  Chinese  schools  ori- 
ginate in  the  private  enterprise  of  the  teach- 
ers, whose  wages  depend  on  the  number  of 
their  pupils.  They  seldom  number  over  20. 
Three  or  four  dollars  a  month  would  be 
thought  good  wages.  Sometimes  several 
families  unite  in  hiring  a  teacher  by  the  year. 
Children  usually  enter  school  between  the  ages 
of  six  and  seven.  Each  morning  on  entering 
the  school-room,  the  children  are  required  to 
bow,  first  to  the  tablet  of  Confucius,  before 
which  incense  is  burning,  and  then  to  salute 
the  teacher.  He  then  reads  the  lesson,  and 
the  boys  repeat  after  him  the  characters,  until 
they  can  do  so  independently.  Then  each 
one  reads  them  by  himself,  till  he  can  repeat 
them  from  memory.  Chinese  education  is  a 
constant  exercise  of  the  memory,  until  the 
classics  can  be  rehearsed  verbatim.  These  em- 
brace the  writings  of  Confucius  and  Mencius, 
with  copious  commentaries,  by  distinguished 
scholars.  Each  day's  lesson  is  rehearsed  by 
the  pupil,  in  the    presence    of  his   teacher, 


and  writing  is  a  daily  exercise.  Durinff  tho 
first  two  or  three  years  of  study,  they  do  little, 
except  to  learn  the  forms  and  sounds  of  the 
characters  in  their  particular  dialect,  which  in 
most  cases  widely  differ  from  the  vulgar  tongue. 
Consequently  the  books  which  they  have  me- 
morized are  not  understood.  After  three  or 
four  years  of  hard  study,  they  begin  to  be  ini- 
tiated into  the  meaning  of  the  characters,  the 
teacher  daily  explaining  a  few  of  them  marked 
with  red  ink,  and  requiring  his  pupils  to  repeat 
the  explanations  after  him.  The  number  thus 
explained  is  gradually  increased,  until  simple 
sentences  are  explained,  and  ultimately  the  en- 
tire text.  The  constant  use  of  the  pencil,  first 
in  copying  the  characters,  and  afterwards  in 
composing,  gives  the  Chinese  student  great 
skill  and  celerity  in  writing. 

The  Chinese  Language. — The  Chinese  char- 
acters were  originally  symbols,  not  of  sounds, 
but  of  ideas  ;  but  most  of  them  now  bear  not 
the  remotest  resemblance  to  the  things  signi- 
fied. In  the  imperial  dictionary  there  are 
about  80,000  characters,  composed  of  214 
radicals,  or  elements,  according  to  which  they 
are  arranged.  Thousands  of  these  characters 
are  now  nearly  obsolete,  and  not  above  8,000 
or  10,000  of  the  remainder  are  in  common 
use.  But  the  thorough  mastery  of  these — in 
their  forms,  sounds,  and  significations — is  a 
herculean  work,  especially  including  the  ready 
and  felicitous  use  of  them  in  composition. 
But  such  is  the  attachment  of  the  Chinese  to 
their  system  of  writing,  that  it  would  be  no 
easy  matter  to  induce  them  to  relinquish  it, 
and  adopt  an  alphabetic  system.  The  Chinese 
character  serves  them  as  a  universal  medium 
of  communication,  which  no  alphabetic  system 
could  do,  in  view  of  the  multiplicity  and  diver- 
sity of  dialects  spoken  within  the  eighteen 
provinces.  In  Fokien  alone  are  eleven  princi- 
pal dialects.  The  Chinese  written  character 
has,  without  doubt,  powerfully  contributed  to 
the  integrity  of  the  empire,  amid  its  frequent 
change  of  dynasties.  It  has  likewise  availed 
to  maintain  identity  of  manners,  customs,  sen- 
timents and  feelings.  The  empire,  in  its  grand 
characteristics,  has  thereby  become  stereo- 
typed, and  new  modes  of  thought  and  action 
are  difficult  to  be  introduced.  In  this  lan- 
guage, free,  bold,  eloquent  and  pathetic  ad- 
dress is  next  to  impossible.  As  a  medium  of 
thought,  it  has  great  advantages  and  marked 
defects. 

The  Chinese  system  of  education,  though  it 
supplies  valuable  mental  discipline,  yet  rather 
cramps  the  mental  energies,  and  impedes  ex- 
pansive, vigorous,  independent  thought.  The 
memory  is  sorely  tasked,  while  the  reasoning 
powers  are  but  partially  exercised.  It  imparts 
little  knowledge.  One  may  hold  the  first  rank 
among  the  Chinese  literati,  and  yet  be  igno- 
rant of  the  most  common  branches  of  educa- 
tion in  our  common  schools.  Many  respect- 
able Chinese  scholars  are  not  acquainted  with 


CHINA. 


255 


the  geography  even  of  their  own  country. 
There  are  men  who  are  familiar  with  the  geo- 
graphy, and  civil  and  political  condition  of  the 
principal  Christian  nations,  but  this  knowledge 
they  did  not  acquire  at  school. 

Ability  to  Read. — There  is  a  diversity  of 
opinion  as  to  the  proportion  of  intelligent 
readers  in  China,  according  to  the  locality  of 
the  observer.  Among  farmers,  fishermen,  boat- 
men, small  mechanics,  and  petty  tradesmen, 
there  are  comparatively  few  intelligent  read- 
ers, though  some  of  them  are  familiar  with  the 
few  characters  used  in  their  particular  voca- 
tions. As  the  result  of  somewhat  extensive 
inquiry,  the  writer  has  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  scarcely  one  in  ten  of  the  adult  popula- 
tion of  China  can  understand  books  written  in 
the  simplest  and  most  popular  style.  Many 
read  the  characters  fluently,  who  do  not  under- 
stand their  meaning.  Female  education  is  not 
appreciated  in  China,  and  few  females  can 
read. 

Industry  and  Frugality. — Compared  with 
other  eastern  nations,  the  Chinese  are  an  in- 
dustrious people,  though  among  them  are  found 
multitudes  of  idle  vagabonds.  The  mass  of 
the  people  are  frugal  from  necessity.  By  their 
skill  in  cooking,  they  secure  considerable  vari- 
ety of  food  with  very  limited  means.  Multi- 
tudes feed  themselves  for  less  than  four  cents 
a  day.  Salt  fish,  rice  and  vegetables,  with  a 
few  simple  condiments,  constitute  a  large  part 
of  their  food  ;  though  a  variety  of  other  arti- 
cles may  be  had  in  the  cities  by  those  who  are 
able  to  buy. 

Marriage. — Children  are  often  very  early 
betrothed  by  their  parents,  sometimes  even  in 
infancy.  This  is  done  through  a  class  of  per- 
sons who  make  a  regular  profession  of  match- 
making. And,  however  unsuitable  the  match, 
when  once  made,  it  is  inviolable.  In  many 
cases,  they  never  see  each  other  until  the  period 
of  their  marriage.  Instances  have  been  known 
of  betrothed  damsels  committing  suicide,  to 
escape  union  with  the  persons  to  whom  they 
had  been  betrothed.  Before  the  consummation 
of  the  marriage,  a  stipulated  sum  must  be  paid 
to  the  parents  of  the  bride,  generally  from  20 
to  100  dollars,  according  to  the  circumstances 
of  the  parties.  Their  marriages  are  pompous 
and  expensive.  The  bride,  locked  up  in  a  red 
quilt  sedan,  borne  by  four  men,  and  sometimes 
followed  by  an  immense  train  gaily  dressed, 
with  music,  banners,  and  other  parapharnalia, 
is  carried  by  night  to  the  house  of  the  bride- 
groom, where  the  parties  pledge  each  other  in 
a  cup  of  wine,  and  the  joint  worship  of  the 
ancestral  tablets,  sometimes  joined  with  pro- 
stration to  the  parents  of  the  bridegroom.  At 
the  marriage  feast,  spirituous  liquors  are  freely 
used.  The  sexes  eat  and  drink  separately, 
when  the  young  wife  is  subjected  to  many 
severe  jokes. 

Condition  of  Females. — The  Chinese  females 
are  very  rigidly  confined  to  the  house,  and  en- 


joy limited  opportunities  of  social  intercourse, 
even  with  their  own  sex.  Brothers  and  sisters 
are  in  a  great  degree  isolated  from  each  other. 
When  a  visitor  enters  the  house,  the  betrothed 
girl  must  retire  into  a  private  apartment. 
Almost  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  the 
Chinese  females  lead  a  life  of  painful  degrada- 
tion and  toil :  at  home,  imprisoned,  and  after 
marriage  subjected  to  the  tyrannical  rule  of  an 
unfeeling  husband  and  a  cruel  mother-in-law, 
until  she  in  turn  is  allowed  to  domineer  over 
the  unhappy  wives  of  her  sons.  How  enviable 
the  lot  of  daughters  born  and  educated  in 
Christian  lands  I 

Funerals  and  Burying  Grounds. — On  the 
decease  of  parents,  their  remains  are  enclosed 
in  air-tight  coffins,  and  for  1  weeks  retained  in 
the  house,  and  every  fourth  day  is  devoted  to 
special  funeral  rites.  Food  is  offered  them,  the 
essence  of  which  they  are  supposed  to  eat,  and 
prayers  are  offered  by  Budhists  and  Tauist 
priests  for  the  happiness  of  their  spirits.  In 
these  ceremonies  there  appears  a  striking 
resemblance  to  the  tenets  and  practices  of  the 
Romish  Church.  Much  importance  is  attach- 
ed by  the  Chinese  to  the  circumstances  and 
place  of  interment  of  their  dead,  as  affecting 
the  peace  and  prosperity  of  survivors.  Wo- 
men are  their  principal  mourners.  To  see 
them  kneeling  and  howling  in  lonely  burial 
grounds,  as  the  writer  has  seen  them,  by  the 
graves  of  their  husbands  and  children,  is  in- 
deed heart-rending.  Into  their  dark  minds, 
their  religion  sheds  no  ray  of  light  to  illumi- 
nate the  gloomy  regions  of  the  dead. 

The  barren  hills  and  the  mountain  sides  are 
the  chosen  places  of  sepulture,  but  necessity, 
in  some  parts,  compels  them  to  bury  on  the 
plains.  Vaults  are  not  uncommon.  Great 
numbers  of  the  dead  are  placed  in  plank  cof- 
fins and  retained  above  ground  for  many  years. 
They  are  arranged  sometimes  in  open  sheds, 
often  to  the  number  of  15  or  20,  side  by  side, 
being  the  deceased  members  of  the  same  fami- 
ly. Within  the  city  walls,  interments  are 
seldom  allowed.  The  Budhist  priests  burn 
the  bodies  of  their  dead  and  place  the  ashes  in 
common  vaults. 

Government. — The  Chinese  government  is 
supposed  to  have  existed  under  different  dy- 
nasties, nearly  4000  years.  It  is  a  system  ven- 
erable for  its  antiquity,  and  wonderful  for  its 
unity  and  official  responsibility,  from  the  low- 
est to  the  highest  of  its  officers ;  the  emperor, 
however,  being  theoretically  responsible  to 
none,  unless  to  heaven,  whose  vicegerent  he 
professes  to  be.  There  are  nine  orders  of  civil 
and  military  mandarins,  distinguished  by  the 
color  and  material  of  the  buttons  on  their 
caps,  by  the  ornaments  on  their  girdles,  and 
some  other  insignia  on  their  robes.  Civil  and 
military  officers  are  on  nearly  an  equal  footing ; 
and  as  the  highest  of  the  latter  are  commonly 
held  by  Manchus,  they  operate  as  checks  and 
spies  upon  each  other.    Every  officer  through- 


256 


CHINA. 


out  the  provinces,  is  obliged  to  render  an  ac- 
count or  his  administration  to  the  emperor, 
through  the  officer  next  in  rank  above  him ; 
80  that  the  relative  merits  of  all  may  be 
known  and  awarded.  A  general  council, 
composed  of  the  most  distinguished  personages 
in  tne  empire,  assembles  daily,  at  the  palace 
in  Peking,  in  the  imperial  presence.  This  coun- 
cil is  of  ivcent  origin,  and  is  thought  to  corres- 
pond practically  with  the  ministry  of  western 
nations.  It  consists  of  both  Chinese  and 
Manchus,  and  includes  the  chancellors  of  the 
cabinet,  the  presidents  and  vice-presidents  of 
the  Six  Boards,  and  the  chief  officers  of  all 
the  other  courts  in  the  capital,  all  being  se- 
lected by  the  emperor.  Its  business  is  to 
write  the  imperial  edicts,  and  to  aid  the  empe- 
ror by  its  joint  consultations.  The  imperial 
cabinet  is  a  still  more  select  council,  composed 
of  the  four  high  chancellors,  and  two  assistant 
chancellors,  consisting  equally  of  Chinese  and 
Manchus.  Subordinate  to  the  cabinet  is  a 
large  body  of  officers,  of  six  different  grades,  a 
majority  of  whom  are  Manchus.  The  first  on 
the  list  of  the  chancellors,  is  regarded  as  the 
premier.  Their  business  is  to  deliberate  on 
the  government  of  the  empire,  proclaim  the 
imperial  will,  and  aid  in  all  matters  affi^cting 
the  peace  and  well-being  of  the  empire ;  all 
concerns,  from  the  highest  official  appoint- 
ments, down  to  the  lowest  police  court  of 
crime,  being  through  this  cabinet,  brought 
before  the  imperial  court.  Other  minor  duties 
also  devolve  on  this  body.  The  opinions  of 
these  ministers  on  the  numerous  documents 
which  come  before  them,  are  expressed  in 
writing,  on  slips  of  paper  appended  to  the 
same,  which,  early  on  the  following  morning 
are  submitted  to  the  emperor,  being  read  by 
the  prime  minister,  usually  a  Manchu,  and 
the  decision  of  the  sovereign  is  immediately 
written  by  one  of  the  Chinese  chancellors. 
Business  is  thus  rapidly  expedited.  Subor- 
dinate to  these  two  councils,  are  the  Six 
Boards,  the  Colonial  Office,  the  Censorate, 
Courts  of  Representation  and  Appeal,  and  the 
Imperial  Academy,  making  in  all,  thirteen  de- 
partments. 

The  Peking  Gazette  is  compiled  from  the  doc- 
uments of  the  General  Council,  and  is  to  the 
people  the  main  source  of  information  touch- 
ing the  affairs  of  the  empire.  Copies  of  this 
paper  are  transmitted  to  the  high  provincial 
officers,  and  without  change  or  comment  are 
allowed  to  be  reprinted  and  widely  circulated. 
The  Six  Boards  are  the  Board  of  Civil  Office, 
of  Revenue,  of  Rites,  of  War,  of  Public  Works, 
and  of  J'unishments.  At  the  head  of  each  of 
these  Boards  are  two  presidents  and  four  vice- 
presidents,  in  which  the  Chinese  and  Manchus 
are  equally  represented ;  and  subordinate  to 
each  of  these  is  a  large  retinue  of  officers  of 
different  grades.  The  Censorate  is,  in  its  influ- 
ence, one  of  the  most  important  of  the  Courts  ; 
and  examples  have  not  been  wanting  of  great 


fidelity  in  the  reproof  even  of  enij)prors  them- 
selves, by  courageous  ministers.  Its  powers 
are  extensive  in  connection  with  the  adminis- 
tration  of  the  courts,  the  provincial  officers,  and 
the  criminal  jurisprudence.  Ordinarily,  liow- 
ever,  no  great  reliance  can  be  placed  upon  the 
fidelity  of  these  public  censors. 

The  whole  number  holding  civil  offices  in 
the  empire,  is  estimated  at  about  14,000  ;  but 
the  dependents  on  the  government  are  much 
more  numerous.  In  the  empire  are  eight  vice- 
roys and  15  lieutenant-governors,  each  viceroy 
having  the  government  of  two  provinces,  or 
two  high  offices  in  one  province.  The  lieuten- 
ant-governors are  sometimes  subordinate  to 
the  viceroys ;  but,  in  other  cases,  they  govern 
independently.  Every  important  position,  both 
in  the  civil  and  military  departments,  is  pro- 
vided with  its  appropriate  officer,  down  to  the 
lowest  rank.  In  theory,  the  Chinese  govern- 
ment would  seem  to  be  the  most  perfect  gov- 
ernment on  earth  ;  but  in  practice,  it  is  far 
otherwise,  owing  chiefly  to  a  want  of  integrity 
in  its  officers.  They  look  for  gain,  and  are  sel- 
dom very  scrupulous  as  to  the  means  of  secur- 
ing it.  The  Edinburgh  Review,  speaking  of 
Sir  George  Stanton's  translation  of  the  Chinese 
Code  of  Law,  sayS,  "  When  we  turn  from  the 
ravings  of  the  Zendavesta  or  the  Purauas,  to 
the  tone  of  sense  and  business  in  this  Chinese 
collection,  it  is  like  passing  from  darkness  to 
light,  and  from  the  drivelings  of  dotage  to  the 
exercise  of  an  improved  understanding ;  and 
redundant  and  minute  as  these  laws  are,  in 
many  particulars,  we  scarcely  know  a  Euro- 
pean code,  that  is  at  once  so  copious  and  so 
consistent,  or  so  free  from  intricacy,  bigotry, 
and  fiction."  But,  whatever  may  be  the  excel- 
lency of  the  Chinese  laws,  the  government  is 
oppressive  and  corrupt  in  its  practice,  often 
illegal  in  its  exactions,  and,  frequently,  for  a 
bribe,  screening  the  guilty  and  oppressing  the 
innocent.  Woe  to  him  who,  whether  innocent  , 
or  guilty,  falls  into  the  hands  of  the  Chinese  j 
officials,  for  he  is  not  likely  to  escape  without'", 
being  fleeced,  if  nothing  worse.  It  is  probable  ■ 
that  as  many  perish  in  the  wretched  prisons^ 
of  China,  from  want  and  cruel  treatment,  aa  j 
by  the  hands  of  the  executioner.  \ 

The  nominal  salaries  of  Chinese  officials  are"^ 
thought  to  form  but  a  small  part  of  thoir 
actual  receipts,  a  vast  amount  being  the  fruit' 
of  bribery  and  illegal  exaction.  Their  retain-j 
ers  also  are  greedy  dogs,  which  can  hardly  be'^ 
satisfied.  Pity  lias  little  place  in  their  hearts, 
and  the  prisoner,  whether  innocent  or  guilty, 
is  severely  taxed  for  his  scanty  privileges;: 
Chinese  legislation  is  defective,  neither  defining  j 
nor  acknowledging  the  rights  of  the  subject.  A  i 
watchful  and  rapacious  police  swarm  in  every  j 
city  and  hamlet,  as  spies  on  the  people,  and  no  i 
one  know\s  when  he  is  safe  and  in  whom  h?  J 
may  confide :  and  he  prefers  suffering  heavy  j 
exactions  to  resistance  or  complaint,  lest  he  \ 
should  expose  himself  to  ten-fold  worse  evils:  I 


CHINA. 


257 


But  wlien  large  bodies  of  the  people  are 
jointly  subjected  to  heavy  exactions^  they  do 
sometimes  resist,  and  inflict  sore  retribution 
on  their  oppressors.  Th^ere  is  nothing  like 
popular  representation  in  the  government,  and 
appeals  from  iniquitous  judicial  decisions  are, 
in  most  cases,  impossible.  The  judges  report 
to  their  superiors  as  suits  their  own  conveni- 
ence. The  peaceable  disposition  of  the  Chi- 
nese is  mainly  the  result  of  slavish  fear,  gene- 
rated by  constant  surveillance  and  the  absence 
of  mutual  confidence  and  legal  responsibility. 
Every  neighborhood  has  its  local  overseers, 
who  are  responsible  for  the  good  conduct  of 
their  charge,  and  no  member  of  a  family  or 
clan  can  oJBend  the  government  without  in- 
volving his  relatives  in  suffering.  This  system 
of  fear  and  espionage  extends  from  the  hum- 
blest of  the  people,  through  all  ranks  upwards, 
to  the  highest  minister  of  the  realm.  In  the 
Chinese  civil  polity,  there  is  much  resemblance 
to  the  regulations  of  the  camp.  The  fact, 
however,  that  this  system  of  government  has 
continued  for  thousands  of  years,  securing  to 
so  many  millions  such  an  amount  of  peace  and 
prosperity,  speaks  much  in  its  favor.  Both 
the  Monguls  and  Manchus,  though  originally 
barbarians,  were  obliged  to  conform  to  the 
maxims,  usages  and  laws  of  the  ancient  Chi- 
nese sovereigns,  as  detailed  by  Confucius  and 
his  disciples.  In  theory,  the  Chinese  govern- 
ment is  patriarchal,  the  emperor  being  re^ 
garded  as  the  father  of  his  people  ;  and  as,  in 
China,  the  father  has,  under  certain  regula- 
tions, the  power  of  life  and  death  over  his 
children,  so  the  emperor,  according  to  his 
pleasure,  though  not  irrespective  of  law,  in- 
flicts upon  his  erring  children  his  fatherly  cor- 
rections, even  to  death  itself,  through  his  con- 
stituted official  agents.  As  deceased  parents 
and  ancestors  are  the  objects  of  religious  ven- 
eration, so  the  emperors  are  worshiped  both 
before  and  after  their  decease.  This  worship 
is  required  of  the  high  officers  when  they  con- 
vene in  the  palace.  The  emperor  is  theoreti- 
cally Heaven's  vicegerent,  and  the  ceremonies 
and  objects  of  worship  of  the  state  religion 
are  not  allowed  to  the  people.  He  only  and 
the  high  officers  to  whom  he  delegates  the 
right,  must  sacrifice  to  high  Heaven.  For 
others  to  do  it  would  be  rebellion.  No  one 
can  be  an  official  In  China,  without  being  an 
idolator,  the  officers  being  required  on  certain 
occasions  to  honor  the  local  deities.  In  the 
ceremonies  of  the  state  religion,  the  emperor 
is  the  chief-priest.  Like  the  Pope  of  Rome, 
he  sits  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself, 
that  he  is  Cod.  The  grand  objects  of  imperial 
worship  are  heaven,  earth,  the  temple  of  imperial 
ancestors,  and  the  gods  of  the  land  and  of  grain. 
Stmuling  Army. — The  army  of  the  present 
dynasty  is  numerically  large,  being  estimated 
at  1,200,000  ;  but,  in  the  late  war  with  Eng- 
land, as  well  as  in  the  conflict  with  the  insur- 
gents, it  has  proved  inefficient.  The  Tartar 
17 


soldiers  are  the  most  reliable  part  of  the  army, 
but  they  have  become  enervated  by  idleness 
and  vice.  But  the  greater  part  of  the  army 
consists  of  a  sort  of  militia,  who  are  main- 
tained in  part  by  a  small  stipend  from  the 
government,  and  in  part  by  their  own  labors. 
Several  times  a  year  they  meet  to  be  drilled, 
presenting,  on  such  occasions,  a  truly  grotesque 
appearance.  Chinese  forts  are  manned  with 
rudely-constructed  ordiiance,  wanting  in  some 
cases  even  a  clumsy  gun-carriage.  Their  port 
holes  are  of  immoderate  size.  Their  navy, 
though  numerous,  is  furnished  with  inexpe- 
rienced officers  and  seamen,  and  is  despised 
even  by  its  own  people.  The  admirals  know 
little  of  the  sea,  and  when  called  to  meet  the 
enemy,  are  said  sometimes  to  depute  their  sub- 
alterns to  the  command.  They  cannot  even 
cope  with  the  pirates  that  infest  the  coast, 
having,  at  times,  been  obliged  to  buy  their 
friendship  with  silver. 

Revenue  and  Disbursements. — The  annual 
revenue  of  China  has  been  variously  estimated 
at  from  $120,000,000  to  $200,000,000.  Aside 
from  the  maintenance  of  the  palace,  the  sup- 
port of  the  Manchu  nobility,  who  are  related 
to  the  throne,  and  the  presents  sent  to  the 
Mongul  and  Mohammedan  tribes  in  the  coIq- 
nies,  the  main  expenditures  are  for  the  support 
of  the  army  and  navy,  and  for  the  mainten- 
ance of  the  civil  officers.  The  nominal  sala- 
ries of  the  latter  are  small,  compared  with 
that  of  western  civilians.  The  salary  of  a 
viceroy  or  governor-general,  who  rules  over 
more  than  50,000,000,  is  only  about  $27,000  ; 
that  of  a  lieutenant-governor,  $21,333 ;  that 
of  a  treasurer,  $12,000  ;  and  from  thence  the 
salaries  gradually  decrease,  according  to  rank, 
to  about  $170.  As  regards  legal  taxation, 
both  direct  and  indirect,  for  the  support  of 
government,  China  is  favored  above  every 
principal  country  in  Europe.  And,  as  there  is 
no  powerfCil  aristocracy  in  China,  the  money 
that  is  squeezed  out  of  the  people  by  the  offi- 
cers, returns  back  among  the  masses., 

Physical,  Social,  and  Morat,  Condition. — The 
mass  of  the  Chinese,  according  to  our  stand- 
ard of  competency,  are  miserably  poor  ;  and 
yet  such  is  their  great  simplicity  as  to  style  of 
living,  and  skill  in  making  the  most  of  their 
little,  that  their  actual  suffering  from  want  is 
not  great.  Their  system  of  clanship,  though 
the  source  of  many  and  great  evils,  yet  inclines 
them  to  afford  relief  to  their  kindred.  Living 
as  they  do,  in  large  families,  often  including 
parents,  children,  grand-children,  and  even 
great-grand-children,  numbering,  in  some 
cases,  sixty  or  more  individuals,  there  is 
something  like  equality  of  condition.  But 
in  seasons  of  general  scarcity  the  suffer- 
ing must  be  very  great  and  general ;  and 
notwithstanding  all  that  the  government,  out 
of  its  storehouses,  can  impart  to  the  poor,  mul- 
titudes die  of  famine,  and  others  are  driven  to 
robbery  and  piracy.     Granaries  are  provided 


25S 


CHINA. 


by  the  government  in  tbc  walloil  towns,  lo  be 
opened  in  8cason8  of  scarcity,  from  which  food 
is  either  soki  at  u  reduced  price,  or  gratui- 
tously distributed,  according  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  applicant.  It  is  a  politic  and  be- 
nevolent provision,  reminding  us  of  the  plan  of 
Joseph,  in  anticipation  of  the  Egyptian  famine. 
According  to  our  ideas  of  comfort,  the 
dwellings  of  the  mass  of  the  Chinese  are  mise- 
rable in  the  extreme.  They  are  low,  damp, 
dark,  and  ill-ventilated,  and  abounding  in 
filth.  Their  furniture  is  meagre,  often  con- 
sisting of  only  a  few  rude  stools  and  a  board 
platform  for  a  bedstead,  on  which  is  spread  a 
mat,  with  sometimes  a  block  of  wood  for  a 
pillow.  The  houses  of  the  wealthy  are  com- 
paratively spacious,  and  well-furnished  with 
chairs,  bedsteads,  light-stands,  tables,  cup- 
boards, and  other  articles,  both  tasteful  and 
convenient ;  but  even  their  dwellings  are  want- 
ing in  cleanliness  and  comfort,jQi  they  are  much 
more  comfortable  than  we  should  be  in  the  same 
circumstances.  Knowing  nothing  better,  they 
think  their  condition  an  enviable  one,  and 
would  not  willingly  exchange  circumstances 
■with  any  people.  Among  the  lower  orders 
the  separation  of  the  sexes  is  not  rigidly 
maintained ;  and  the  cruel  practice  of  bind- 
ing the  feet  of  female  children  does  not  exist 
to  much  extent  among  the  farming  classes,  nor 
among  boat-women — servants  are  often  free 
from  it.  Fashion,  however,  still  binds  and 
shrivels  the  feet  of  the  daughters  of  civilians, 
merchants,  mechanics,  and  humble  artizans ; 
and  when  poverty  is  conjoined  with  disability 
for  active  labor,  the  wretched  female  becomes 
the  subject  of  extreme  sufifering  and  degrada- 
tion. Small  feet  are  necessary  to  complete  a 
Chinaman's  idea  of  beauty ;  and  consequently 
daughters  can  seldom  be  respectably  married 
without  being  thus  tortured  and  fettered.  The 
daughters  of  the  Manchu  are  never  subjected  to 
this  practice. 

The  present  Chinese  custom  of  shaving  the 
head,  and  allowing  the  hair  on  the  crown  to 
grow  to  an  indefinite  length,  was  forced  upon 
them  by  the  present  dynasty,  as  a  badge  of  sub- 
jection. Wliat  was  then  tneir  shame  is  now 
their  pride.  The  Chinese  possess  much  corpo- 
real vigor,  can  endure  much  toil,  and  a  good 
proportion  of  them  attain  to  old  age.  Though 
among  the  more  respectable  classes  there  is  an 
excessive  and  favorite  attention  to  ceremony, 
yet  in  general  their  minds  and  manners  are 
gross,  and  their  conversation  indecent.  Their 
Bacchanalian  revels  are  frequent  and  noisy, 
accompanied  with  ingenious  devices  to  excite 
them  to  the  excessive  use  of  intoxicating 
drinks.  The  refining  influence  of  intelligent 
and  virtuous  female  society  is  greatly  needed. 
Moral  Condition. — Most  of  those  vices  which 
are  known  to  exist  among  other  heathen  na- 
tions, prevail  among  the  Chinese.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  Apostle  in  the  1st  of  Eomans, 
is  a  faithful  description  of  their  character  as  a 


people.  The  Chinese  are  a  nation  of  liars, 
and  they  are  adepts  in  the  arts  of  deception. 
They  are  also  given  to  gambling,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest.  A  great  amount  of 
spirituous  liquor  is  drank  in  connection  with 
their  food,  and  on  other  occasions,  but  beastly 
intoxication  is  not  common  in  open  day. 

Notwithstanding  the  rigid  seclusion  of  the 
daughters  of  the  Chinese,  there  are  probably 
few  countries  in  which  prostitution  is  more 
common  and  public,  or  attended  with  less  dis- 
grace ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  system  of  legaliz- 
ed concubinage. 

•  2'he  Opium  Trade  and  Opium  Smoking. — 
Of  all  the  vices  prevailing  among  the  Chinese, 
the  smoking  of  opium  is  the  most  destructive 
t(j  property,  health,  and  life.    It  appears  to 
have  been  first  brought  to  China  by  the  Por- 
tuguese, as  early  as  1767.    That  year  1,000 
chests  were  sold  at  Macao.    The  English  East 
India  Company  commenced  the  importation 
of  opium  in  1673.    In  1780,  two  receiving 
ships  were  stationed  a  little  south  of  Macao, 
at  Lark's  Bay.    As  early  as  the  year  1800,  an 
Imperial  edict  was  issued  against  its  sale  and 
use  in  China,  in  consequence  of  the  disastrous 
effects  of  its  use.    In  1809,  the  Hong  merchants 
were,  by  the  government,  compelled  to  give 
bonds  that  opium  should  be  discharged  from 
no  vessel  at  Whampoa.    But  though  steadily 
opposed  by  the  supreme  government  of  China, 
its  subordinate  agents,  at  the  principal  points 
on  the  coast,  have  never  been  proof  against 
the  seductive  power  of  gold,  and  their  own 
love  of  this  poisonous  drug ;  and  with  slight 
interruptions,  this  iniquitous  and  contraband 
trade  has,  till  the  present  time,  continued 
steadily  to  increase.    The  opium  is  chiefly  of 
two  kinds,  Benares  and  Patna,  produced  with 
compulsory  labor,  by  the  East  India  Com- 
pany, and  sold  at  Calcutta ;  and  the  Malwa 
produced  in  a  province  in  the  western  part  of 
India,  under  the  government  of  native  princes, 
and  sold  at  Bombay.    It  pays  the  Company 
a  transit  .duty  of  400  rupees  per  chest,  the 
number  of  chests  in  1846  being  25,000,  and 
furnishing  the  government  a  n^t  income  of 
£1,000,000.   In  the  same  year,  the  income  from 
the  opium  sold  at  Calcutta  was  £2,000,000, 
making  a  gross  amount  of  income  from  this 
article  of  £3,000,000.    In  1847,  at  Calcutta 
alone,  the  revenue  from  Opium,  amounting  to 
upwards  of  31,000  chests,  was  £3,000,000. 
Most  of  the  opium  sold  at  these  two  ports,  is 
exported  to  China,  at  an  estimated  profit  of 
about  15  per  cent,  to  the  merchant.    About 
50  armed  vessels  are  constantly  employed  in 
this  trade,  including  the  large  number  of  re- 
ceiving ships,  stationed  at  Lintin,  below  Can- 
ton, and  at  the  mouths  of  most  of  the  princi- 
pal rivers,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  most  im- 
portant cities  along  the  coast  to  Shanghai,  in- 
cluding Nomoa,  Amoy,  Chin-Chin,  Fuhchau 
and  Ningpo.    These  receiving  ships  are  all 
abundantly  supplied  with  opium,  and  attended 


CHINA. 


259 


witli  clippers  constantly  passing  up  and  down 
the  coast.  Including  the  irregular  craft,  the 
number  of  foreign  vessels  employed  in  the 
3pium  trade  must  be  much  larger  than  has 
aeen  mentioned.  It  is  stated  by  Dr.  Na-than 
A.llen,  in  his  valuable  Essay  on  the  Opium 
rrade,  that  Mr.  Jardine,  of  the  firm  of  Jar- 
line,  Matheson  &  Co.,  being  about  to  return 
;o  England  a  few  years  since,  divided  with  his 
jartuers  £3,000,000,  almost  $15,000,000  of 
jrofit  in  trade,  the  greater  portion  of  which 
lad  been  accumulated  in  the  space  of  ten  years. 
Thus  both  the  production  and  sale  of  opium 
ire  powerfully  stimulated  by  the  love  of  gain, 
egardless  of  the  ruinous  consequences  of  this 
xade.  Notwithstanding  the  cupidity  of  all 
■anks  of  the  imperial  ofificers  in  the  provinces, 
nanifested  in  their  readiness  to  receive  bribes 
0  allow  the  introduction  and  use  of  this  drug, 
he  government  at  Peking  has  been  uni- 
brmly  opposed  to  the  trade.  In  1839,  just 
)efore  the  commencement  of  hostilities  be- 
ween  England  and  China,  upwards  of  20,000 
;hests,  valued  at  $12,000,000,  having  been  de- 
ivered  up  to  Commissioner  Lin,  at  Canton, 
hrough  his  compulsory  measures,  were  de- 
itroyed  by  command  of  the  emperor.  This 
•emarkable  act,  committed  as  it  was  in  the 
ace  of  a  threatened  invasion,  which  soon  actu- 
illy  followed,  is  sufficient  evidence  of  the  sin- 
sere  opposition  of  the  Chinese  government  to 
he  opium  trade.  It  has  been  computed  that 
lot  less  than  4,000,000  of  the  Chinese  are  ha- 
)itual  opium  smokers,  and  that  the  average 
ength  of  the  lives  of  these  wretched  men, 
iter  becoming  addicted  to  this  habit,  is  not 
ibove  ten  years.  On  this  calculation,  400,000 
>f  the  Chinese,  in  consequence  of  the  use  of 
pium,  are  annually .  hurried  into  the  grave. 
)n  whose  souls  must  the  blood  of  these 
lauglitered  multitudes  rest?  In  the  light 
if  God's  word,  what  a  weight  of  criminal 
esponsibility  must  press  upon  that  company 
rhose  coffers  are  annually  filled  with  the  price 
>f  so  much  blood  ?  And  no  less  guilty  are 
hose  who  aid  and  abet  it  for  the  sake  of  gain. 
?he  emperor  of  China,  when  urged  to  increase 
is  revenue,  by  legalizing  the  opium  trade,  re- 
died  :  "  It  is  true,  I  cannot  prevent  the  intro- 
iuction  of  the  flowing  poison ;  gain-seeking 
ind  corrupt  men  will,  for  profit  and  sensuality, 
lefeat  my  wishes  ;  but  nothing  will  induce  me 

0  derive  a  revenue  from  the  vice  and  misery 
>f  ray  people."    A  noble  sentiment,  worthy  of 

1  Christian  mind !  What  a  contrast  to  the 
3ractice  of  the  East  India  Company,  and  its 
nultitudes  of  nominally  Christian  coadjutors, 
a  the  sale  of  opium !  Very  naturally  may 
he  Chinese  regard  with  abhorrence  that  reli- 
gion which  in  their  view  tolerates,  if  not  en- 
:;ourages,  such  iniquity.  The  use  of  it  rapidly 
nervates,  emaciates,  and  destroys  the  body, 
'ften  speedily  reducing  the  infatuated  smoker 
0  the  appearance  of  a  walking  skeleton,  and 
ts  Lffects  upon  the  immortal  mind  are  even 


more  to  be  deplored,  wasting  its  vigor  and  in- 
capacitating it  for  powerful  and  continuous 
effort.  The  bodily  and  mental  sufferings  of 
the  confirmed  smoker  are  too  great  to  be 
described.  His  state  may  be  called  one  of  liv- 
ing death.  While  he  has  the  means  of  pro- 
curing wholesome  food,  the  injurious  efiects 
of  his  indulgence  are  less  powerful ;  but  when, 
as  a  consequence  of  his  excessive  vice,  he  can 
no  longer  procure  healthful  aliment,  and  opium 
likewise  fails  him,  then  diarrhea  comes,  and 
often  amid  his  own  filth,  and  by  the  way  side, 
the  wretched  man  dies  like  a  brute.  On  this 
subject  the  writer  can  speak  from  personal  ob- 
servation. The  use  of  this  drug  turns  out  a 
numerous,  miserable,  and  abandoned  class  of 
men,  who  subsist,  while  they  have  strength  to 
move,  by  begging  in  the  streets,  a  mere  pit- 
tance, from  shop  to  shop,  and  finally,  in  many 
cases,  perish  by  the  way  side,  without  an  eye 
to  pity  them  or  a  hand  to  help.  Numbers  by 
the  use  of  opium  suddenly  terminate  their 
wretched  lives,  and  rush,  uncalled,  into  a  mise- 
rable eternity.  Multitudes  of  unhappy  fe- 
males in  the  same  way  wilfully  destroy  them- 
selves, often  as  a  consequence  of  the  vices  of 
their  husbands.  The  misery  which  this  drug 
introduces  into  families  and  communities,  and 
the  vice  and  crime  of  which  it  is  the  occasion, 
cannot  be  told.  In  the  opinion  of  the  Chinese 
there  is  little  or  no  hope  of  the  reformation  of 
the  opium  smoker ;  and  he  himself,  while  he 
groans  beneath  his  chains,  and  hates,  with  pe- 
culiar malignity,  the  instruments  of  his  ruin, 
despairingly  surrenders  himself  to  his  fate, 
having  neither  the  physical  nor  the  moral  re- 
solution to  abandon  the  drug.  Such  is  the 
almost  hopeless  condition  of  millions  of  the 
Chinese.  The  evil  is  constantly  and  rapidly 
increasing,  and  threatens,  like  a  resistless 
flood,  to  overwhelm  the  empire.  At  a  mode- 
rate calculation  the  first  cost  of  opium  to  the 
Chinese  is  about  $40,000,000  annually,  most 
of  which  is  paid  in  silver,  though  of  late  Chi- 
nese products  have,  to  some  extent,  been  taken 
in  exchange.  Opium  and  the  implements 
used  in  smoking  it  are  publicly  sold,  and  the 
dens  in  which  its  victims  congregate  now  need 
little  concealment.  The  higher  classes  are 
much  addicted  to  this  vice.  From  careful  and 
repeated  inquiries  of  intelligent  individuals, 
the  writer  is  of  the  opinion  that  opium  is  used 
by  more  than  one-half  of  the  adult  male  popu- 
lation of  Fuhchau.  Probably  the  proportion 
is  about  the  same  at  the  other  ports.  But  the 
first  cost  of  opium  to  the  Chinese  is  only  a 
part  of  its  actual  expense.  The  officers  must 
be  bribed  to  wink  at  its  sale  ;  the  native  mer- 
chants must  fill  their  coffers  ;  and  the  prepar- 
ers and  retailers  of  the  drug  must  all  live  by 
their  iniquitous  business.  But  the  pecuniary 
loss,  though  enormous,  weighs  but  a  feather  in 
comparison  with  the  physical,  social,  and  moral 
evils  which  result  from  the  traffic.  The  exam- 
ple of  Christian  nations  in  obstinately  perse- 


260 


CHINA. 


veriug  in  this  ti-ude,  in  opposition  to  national 
law,  and  in  the  face  of  these  terrible  evils, 
tcnils  most  ])Owcrfully  to  prtjudice  the  Chi- 
nese ajrain.^l  the  glorious  Gospel.  The  writer 
has  hiul  ample  evidence  of  this  fact  in  his  ex- 
perience as  a  missionary.  Next  to  the  deep 
corruption  of  the  heart,  the  sale  by  foreigners 
and  use  by  the  Chinese  of  thiiB  drug,  consti- 
tute the  most  formidable  obstacle  to  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Gospel  in  China.  And  yet  there 
seems  little  hope  of  their  emancipation  from 
this  evil,  except  through  the  power  of  Divine 
truth,  accompanied  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  recti- 
fying public  sentiment  and  purifying  the 
heart.  But  if  professedly  Christian  nations 
would  arrest  the  sale,  there  would  be  much 
hope  for  the  salvation  of  China.  Such  a 
course  would,  in  the  end,  be  an  incalculable 
advantage  to  lawful  commerce.  Trade  with 
China  nnist  ultimately  be  extensive  and  pro- 
fitable, in  proportion  to  the  wealth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  people,  to  which  the  use  of  opium 
IS  terribly  rumous.  Commerce,  humanity,  ro- 
ligion,  the  good  of  the  undying  soul,  all  re- 
quire its  immediate  suppression. 

Female  Infanticide  in  China. — Another  of 
the  crimes  more  or  less  prevailing  among 
the  Chinese  is  the  unnatural  one  of  female  in- 
fanticide. This  crime  is  known  to  a  great  ex- 
tent to  prevail  in  sections  of  the  Fokien  and 
Kwangtung  provinces.  The  degree  and  extent 
of  its  prevalence  in  other  parts  of  the  empire  is 
unknown  ;  but  considering  the  small  degree  of 
criminality  which  public  opinion,  in  China,  at- 
taches to  this  practice,  it  may  be  expected  to 
prevail  elsewhere,  under  similar  external  circum- 
stances. Eev.  David  Abeel  made  particular  in- 
quiries on  this  subject  in  the  vicinity  of  Amoy. 
In  40  towns  and  villages  in  the  department  of 
Tsienchau,  he  learned  that  on  an  average,  about 
40  per  cent,  of  the  girls  born  there,  were  mur- 
dered by  their  parents  in  infancy,  and  about 
one-fourth  of  those  born  in  17  towns  in  the  de- 
partment of  Chiangchau.  It  is  known  to  pre- 
vail in  Fuhchau  and  vicinity.  A  country  woman 
a  few  miles  below  the  city,  of  her  own  accord, 
informed  the  writer  and  other  friends  that  she 
had  destroyed  four  daughters,  as  if  the  thing 
were  common  and  innocent.  Intelligent  Chi- 
nese residing  in  Fuhchau,  represent  the  prac- 
tice as  being  very  common  in  the  neighboring 
villages.  The  unfeeling  manner  in  which  the 
matter  is  spoken  of,  gives  us  reason  to  suppose 
that  the  custom  is  general.  It  is  probably 
more  common  among  the  poor  than  among 
the  rich.  Their  sons  they  do  not  destroy,  be- 
cauHC  they  regard  them  as  profitable  to  their 
parents.  Poverty,  the  difficulty  of  rearing 
them,  and  the  expenses  of  their  marriage,  are 
the  more  common  reasons  assigned  for  the 
destruction  of  their  female  infants.  Mothers 
seem  no  less  ready  to  strangle  or  drown  their 
infant  daughters,  than  fathers,  perhaps  antici- 
pating their  sufferings  and  future  degradation 
jif  spared  to  live. 


Religious  Sects. — The  principal  religious  sects 
in  China  are  the  Budhists,  the  Tauists,  and  the 
Confucianists.  The  latter,  however,  hardly 
merits  the  name  of  a  religious  a.ssori!ition. 
Budhism  does  not  exist  in  China  in  its  purest 
form,  fts  in  Siam  and  Burmah  ;  but  among  the 
people  it  is  combined  with  the  early  supersti- 
tions of  the  Chinese.  It  was  introduced  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  60,  through  an  imperial  em- 
bassy sent  westward  in  search  of  a  sage,  who 
had  appeared  or  was  expected  soon  to  appear. 
In  Hindostan  they  met  with  the  Budiiists, 
and  returned  to  the  emperor  with  several 
priests,  and  with  some  of  tne  books  and  relics 
of  that  sect,  and  from  that  time  Budhism  spread 
rapidly  in  China,  through  the  means  of  its 
books  and  the  conformity  of  its  priests  to  the 
popular  idolatry.  The  opinions  of  this  scci  arc 
widely  prevalent  in  China,  and  their  teni])le3 
and  monasteries  abound  ;  although  few  oi"  llie 
people  are  its  professed  devotees.  Their  priests 
are  employed  at  funerals,  and  in  seasons  of 
public  calamity,  and  have  much  influence  over 
the  popular  mind.  They  derive  their  main- 
tenance partly  from  presents  and  partly  from 
the  cultivation  of  the  lands  appropriated  to 
their  monasteries,  many  of  whicn  are  liberallj 
endowed. 

Tauists. — The  sect  of  the  Tauists,  or  Ration 
alists  of  China,  claim  as  their  founder,  Lautsz 
or  Laukiun,  born  b.  c.  604,  in  the  province 
of  Ilupeh,  and  is  believed  by  his  followers  tc 
have  been  carried  in  the  womb  80  years,  ant 
to  have  been  born  with  white  hair  and  whit( 
eye-brows.    He  is  represented  to  have  been  o 
humble  parentage,  a  diligent  and  succcssfu 
student  in  historical  and  sacred  lore  and  t( 
have  traveled  through  Central  Asia.    His  M^ 
moir  on  Eeason  and  Yirtue  is  his  only  phil^ 
sophical  work.    In  his  doctrines,  he  is  said  t< 
resemble    Zeno,  recommending  retirement  an» 
meditation  as  the  principal  means  for  the  pur; 
fication  of  the  soul,  and  restoring  it  to  th 
bosom  of  the  supreme  Eeason,  from  which  al 
material,  visible  forms  are  said,  by  him,  to  b 
emanations.    In  one  section  he  says,  "  All  th 
visible  parts  of  the  universe,  all  beings  con 
posing  it,  the  heavens  and  all  the  stellar  syi 
tems,  all  have  been  formed  of  the  first  elemei 
tary  matter ;  before  the  birth  of  heaven  an 
earth,  there  existed  only  an  immense  silenc 
in  illimitable  space,  an  immeasureable  void  i 
endless  silence.     Reason  alone  circulated  i 
this  infinite  void  and  silence."    He  regards  a 
good  beings  as  emanating  from,  and  returnin 
again  into  the  bosom  of  Eeason,  there  to  dwe 
forever :  but  the  bad  are  to  be  subjected  1 
successive  births,  with  their  accompanying  mi' 
cries.    Mixed  with  these  ideas,  there  is  muo 
confused  speculation.    In  his  language  there 
somewhat  to  remind  us  of  the  actual  creatio 
of  the  world  by  the  eternal  Word,  but  neithi 
he  nor  any  of  the  pagan  philosophers  by  theis 
reasonings  attained  to  clear  ideas  of  the  Gref! 
First  Cause.    He  lived  an  ascetic  life,  and  ei' 


CHINA. 


261 


.Ltl  contemplation  united  with  good  deeds. 
ill  his  writings  are  many  excellent  sayings. 
Laukiun's  followers  believe  him  to  have  been 
an  impersonation  of  Tau  or  Eeason,  the  last 
of  three  incarnations  having  been  a.  p.  623. 
The  Tauist  sect  is  made  up  of  priests,  who  with 
their  families,  live  in  the  temples,  and  are  sup- 
ported by  the  cultivation  of  the  grounds  be- 
longing to  these  establishments,  the  sale  of 
charms  and  nostrums,  and  by  presents  received 
from  the  people  on  funeral  and  other  occasions. 
They  shave  the  sides  of  their  heads,  and  coil 
the  remainder  of  the  hair  on  the  crown,  and 
wear  slate-colored  robes.  They  study  astrolo- 
gy, profess  to  deal  with  spirits,  pretend  to  have 
found  a  liquor,  the  drinking  of  which  will  in- 
sure immortality.  Some  of  the  emperors  are 
reported  to  have  tried  it  to  their  cost.  By 
some  of  the  emperors  this  sect  has  been  much 
honored.  A  splendid  temple  was  erected  to 
Laukiun  containing  his  statue,  and  in  a.  d.  674 
literary  examinations  were  ordered  to  be  held 
in  his  Memoir  on  Eeason.  The  Tauists  are 
now  extensively  regarded  as  cheats  and  jug- 
glers. The  ceremony  of  running  through  the 
fire  is  still  observed  by  them  and  by  their  de- 
luded followers,  both  of  whom  are  at  times 
severely  burned.  They  worship  a  great  num- 
ber of  idols,  and  are  very  superstitious.  Pro- 
bably Pantheism  is  the  prolific  mother  of  their 
idols. 

Confucianism. —  The  Confiicianists  are  the 
literary  men  of  China.  They  have  no  distinct 
religious  system,  except  such  as  is  comprehend- 
ed in  the  worship  of  Confucius,  and  the  rever- 
ence of  his  doctrines.  Confucius  said  little  on 
religious  subjects  ;  his  instructions  being  polit- 
ical in  their  bearing,  attaching  great  impor- 
tance to  ceremonies  in  social  and  official  inter- 
course, and  in  conjunction  with  the  worship 
of  the  dead.  There  is  much  reason  to  doubt 
whether  Confucius  had  any  distinct  idea  of  an 
almighty,  spiritual  Intelligence,  distinct  from 
the  material  universe.  An  intelligent  agency 
is  liowever  allowed  by  him  and  his  followers  to 
exist  in  the  persons  of  the  sages,  who,  from  time 
to  time,  have  risen  up  to  expound  the  will  of 
heaven  and  earth,  the  male  and  female  powers 
of  nature  ;  and  witll  them  they  form  a  trinity. 
They  sometimes  seem  to  be  placed  on  an 
equality  with  heaven  itself.  The  most  renown- 
ed of  these  sages  are  Yau  and  Shun,  two  an- 
cient emperors,  and  Confucius,  the  instructor 
of  10,000  ages,  to  whom,  accordiog  to  theChi- 
nese  Kepository,  there  are,  in  connection  with 
the  examination  halls,  1560  temples  dedicated. 
In  these  temples  are  offered  tens  of  thousands 
of  pigs,  rabbits,  sheep,  and  deer,  and  27,000 
pieces  of  silk ;  all  of  which  are  appropriated 
by  the  worshipers.  His  followers  are  regarded 
as  materialists  or  atheists ;  yet  they  conform 
to  the  popular  idolatry,  and  probably,  in  fact, 
differ  not  much  from  the  multitude,  in  their 
religious  sympathies. 

In  the  Confucian  system,  a  holy  life  is  not" 


enforced  by  future  sanctions,  and  the  duty  of 
man  to  his  Maker  is  entirely  unnoticed.  Dr. 
Bridgman  expresses  the  opinion  decidedly  that 
the  Chinese  pay  divine  honors  to  Confucius. 
He  says  :  "  In  their  moral  codes  and  in  their 
religious  systems,  the  Chinese  place  Confucius 
in  the  highest  rank,  and  give  to  him  the  high- 
est honors.  There  is  in  each  one,  of  all  the 
fifteen  hundred  and  odd  districts  of  the  Empire, 
a  temple  dedicated  to  him.  There  twice  an- 
nually, once  in  spring,  and  once  in  autumn, 
the  local  magistrates,  as  priests,  must  enter 
and  offer  to  him,  to  the  sage  Confucius,  prayers 
and  sacrifices.  On  one  of  those  occasions,  in 
the  city  of  Shanghai,  I  was,  with  other  mission- 
aries, an  eye-witness  of  these  solemnities.  A 
bullock,  pigs  and  goats,  and  many  other  offer- 
ings were  all  duly  prepared  and  laid  before  the 
altar  ;  and  then  the  magistrates,  in  their  robes 
of  state,  officiated  as  priests,  kneeling,  prostrat- 
ing themselves,  and  offering  prayers.  Thus,  in 
their  official  stations,  clothed  with  authority, 
they  go  forth  in  public  and  lead  on  these  devo- 
tions ;  offering  to  a  mortal  man  that  worship 
which  is  due  only  to  Jehovah.  The  Emperor, 
his  ministers  of  highest  rank,  and  all  his  rep- 
resentatives, "  the  shepherds  of  the  whole  flock 
in  all  the  Empire,"  engage  in  these  acts  of 
devotion,  doing  honor  to  Confucius,  not  as  a 
mere  man,  but  as  a  god.  As  they  honor  Heav- 
en and  Earth,  so  they  honor  this  man  ! " 

Tlie  ancient  popular  idolatry  of  China. — Be- 
fore Confucius's  day,  there  prevailed  a  popular 
idolatry  in  which  ancestral  worship  was  prom- 
inent. To  no  other  form  of  idolatry  are  the 
Chinese  more  attached  at  the  present  day,  and 
in  no  other  worship  are  they  more  serious. 
How  much  of  the  nature  of  divinity  they  atr 
tach  to  the  deified  spirits  of  their  progenitors, 
it  is  difficult  to  decide ;  but  on  the  pantheistic 
principle,  so  prevalent  in  the  eastern  world, 
they  may  legitimately  regard  the  authors  of 
their  existence  as  constituting  a  part  of  the 
divine  essence,  and  worship  them  as  such.  This 
principle  lays  an  indefinitely  broad  foundation 
for  polytheism.  Everything  mysterious  and 
spiritual  seems  in  their  view  to  partake  of  the 
divine,  and  hence,  shin,  not  a  very  uncommon 
term  for  spirit,  is  the  generic  name  of  all  their 
objects  of  religious  worship,  and  as  corres- 
ponding to  thcos  and  theoi,  the  Greek  terms  for 
God  and  gods,  in  English,  has  been  preferred 
by  the  majority  of  Protestant  missionaries  in 
China,  as  the  word  to  be  used  in  the  transla- 
tion of  the  Scriptures,  for  both  the  true  God 
and  for  false  gods.  In  the  worship  of  ances- 
tors, all  the  pagan  sects  unite,  and  it  was 
tolerated  by  the  Jesuits  in  their  Chinese  con- 
verts. 

Besides  the  worship  of  ancestors,  the  Chi- 
nese have  innumerable  other  objects  of  reli- 
gious reverence,  as  the  god  of  wealth,  the  pat- 
ron deities  of  the  various  professions,  and  the 
gods  and  goddess^  of  the  sea,  hills,  rivers,  and 
other  localities.     From  the  common  practice 


262 


CHINA. 


amonp  the  people  of  appealing  to  heavm  in 
their  oaths,  they  would  seem  to  ha^-e  an  idea, 
though  doubtless  a  confused  one,  of  some  supe- 
rior power,  more  to  be  feared  than  their  com- 
mon ol)jects  of  worship ;  but  how  much  the 
difl'rrent  deities  or  powers  of  nature,  on  the 
pantheistic  principle,  are  in  their  minds  asso- 
ciated and  blended,  it  is  diflBcult  to  determine. 
The  God  in  whose  hand  their  breath  is,  they 
do  not  honor.  Their  motives  to  religious  wor- 
ship seem  to  be  chiefly  to  avoid  temporal  calam- 
ities, and  procure  temporal  blessings ;  and  to 
this  end  they  offer  their  prayers  and  sacrifices  to 
their  innumerable  local  deities.  With  regard 
to  the  destiny  of  their  souls,  tliey  seem  to  allow 
themselves  no  great  anxiety,  except  so  far  as 
thoy  imagine  their  future  happiness  to  be  de- 

Sendent  upon  the  worship  to  be  rendered  them 
y  their  descendants  after  their  decease.  ITie 
Chinese  regard  it  as  among  the  greatest  of 
calamities  to  die  without  any  sons  to  perpetu- 
ate their  name  and  make  offerings  to  their 
spirits,  at  their  graves.  Their  fears  are  to  a 
great  extent  imaginary,  and  their  hopes  are 
shrouded  in  the  gloom  of  a  dark  and  doubtful 
futurity.  Like  the  ancient  heathen,  they  are 
led  away  by  dumb  idols,  aod  yield  themselves 
to  the  guidance  of  the  prince  of  the  power  of 
the  air,  the  Spirit  that  worketh  in  the  children 
of  disobedience. 

MISSIONS. 
Nestorian  Missions. — The  Nestorians,  at 
an  early  period,  appear  to  have  established 
Christian  missions  in  China,  though  few  or  no 
traces  of  their  labors  are  now  known  to  re- 
main. Arnobius,  in  the  third  century,  men- 
tions the  Ceres,  as  Christians,  whom  Mosheira 
regards  as  Chinese.  The  Nestorian  patriarchs 
are  said  in  the  fifth  century  to  have  sent  me- 
tropolitans into  China,  thus  indicating  the 
long  existence  of  Christian  churches  in  the 
empire.  Between  a.  d.  636  and  781,  no  less 
than  seventy  Nestorian  missionaries,  whose 
names  are  preserved,  labored  in  that  empire, 
among  whom  Olopun,  the  earliest  of  the  num- 
ber, was  especially  distinguished.  The  record 
discovered  by  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  in  1625, 
in  Singanfoo,  in  Shensi,  is  the  most  celebrated 
monument  of  the  zeal  of  the  Xestorians  in 
China.  This  record  is  engraven  on  a  stone 
tablet,  and  Mosheim  regards  it  as  genuine.  It 
purports  to  have  been  erected  in  a.  d.  781,  in 
the  second  year  of  Kienchung,  the  ninth  em- 
peror of  the  Tang  dynasty ;  Kingtsing,  a 
priest  from  the  church  in  Tatsing  (India) 
oeing  the  author  of  the  preface  to  the  procla- 
mation issued  by  the  emperor  Taitsung,  in 
favor  of  Christianity.  This  proclamation  is 
dated  in  the  12th  year  of  his  reign,  corres- 
ponding to  the  year  of  our  Lord  639.  The 
preface  gives  the  history  of  the  Nestorian 
missions  in  China,  for  145  years,  from  a.  d. 
636  to  781.  It  eulogizes  the  emperors  who 
reigned  during  this  period,  fpid  recounts  their 


efforts  in  favor  of  Christianity,  in  the  builil'in.r 
of  churches  in  numerous  cities ;  honoiin;^ 
the  ministers  of  religion,  among  whom  Olo- 
pun, who  arrived  in  696,  was  raised  to  the 
rank  of  high-priest  and  national  protector,  j 
Some  of  the  emperors  of  this  period,  however, 
seem  not  to  have  patronised  Christianity, 
One  or  more  persecutions  were  raised  by  t& 
Budhists  and  literati,  and  the  churches  were 
allowed  to  go  to  decay.  But  in  the  mean  time 
among  the  priests  there  were  able  defenders  of 
the  Gospel.  Making  all  due  allowance  for  the 
inflated  language  of  this  document,  it  seemg 
probable  that  there  were  at  this  time,  Chrii- 
tian  churches  in  the  chief  cities  of  the  empii^ 
A  translation  of  the  Scriptures  is  said  to  hatp 
been  in  the  library  of  the  palace.  The  statil^ 
ments  contained  in  this  inscription  respecting 
India  are  glaringly  incorrect.  The  Nestori  n  ns, 
moreover,  are  represented  as  using  images  a, id 
praying  for  the  dead — whereas  they  abhor 
image  worship  ;  and  Christ  is  spoken  of  as 
having  succored  the  confined  spirits.  It  is 
possible,  however,  that  the  word  translated 
images,  may  have  some  other  signification. 
But,  however  this  may  be,  it  is  evident,  from 
other  sources,  that  there  were  Nestorian 
churches  in  China  at  this  time.  The  patri 
arch  Salibazacha  is  reported  to  have  sent  a 
metropolitan  to  China,  in  714.  Timol]i(ii>, 
who  appears  to  have  been  the  Nestorian  ]>:\\vi- 
arch  upwards  of  forty  years,  was  zealously  de- 
voted to  Christian  missions.  During  his  patri- 
archate, Sabchaljune,  a  learned  monk,  from 
the  convent  of  Beth-oben,  after  having  been 
ordained  bishop,  and  successfully  preaching 
the  Gospel  on  the  eastern  shores  of  the  Cas- 
pian sea,  penetrated  China,  and  there  exten- 
sively published  the  word.  On  his  return  to 
Syria  he  was  murdered  by  barbarians.  Others 
soon  followed  him  to  the  Chinese.  Christians 
were  found  in  Southern  China  in  the  ninth 
century,  by  two  Arabian  travelers,  and  many 
Jews,  Mohammedans,  Persians,  and  Christians, 
in  A.  D.  877,  are  said  to  have  been  massacred 
in  Canton  by  one  Baichu,  who  had  revolted 
from  the  emperor.  In  a.  d.  845,  Wutsung  or- 
dered 3,000  priests  from  Ta^tsin,  to  retire  to 
private  life.  Marco  Polo,  a  distinguished  Ve- 
netian, who  visited  China  about  the  middle  of 
the  thirteenth  century,  and  there  spent  more 
than  twenty  years,  for  a  time  holding  a  high 
office  in  Chih-Kiang,  under  Hublai  Khan, 
often  speaks  of  meeting  with  the  Nestorian 
Christians  in  Tartary  and  China.  In  the  ele- 
ventli  century  the  missionary  zeal  of  the  Nes- 
torians  was  stimulated  by  the  remaTkable  con- 
version of  a  Mogul  prince,  called  after  his 
baptism  Prester  John,  whose  subjects,  200,000 
in  number,  became  nominal  Christians.  His 
domains  are  supposed  to  have  been  on  the 
northern  borders  of  China  Proper.  His  de- 
scendants, for  several  generations,  were  re- 
nowned for  their  military  achievements,  and 
the  third  in  succession  as  conqueror  on  the 


CHINA. 


263 


fields  of  Transoxonia  and  Persia.    The  last  of 

this  race  of   Christian  kings  was  slain   by 

Gengis  Khan,   about  1202.    The  victorious 

arms  of  the  Mohammedan  princes,  about  the 

!:egiuning  of  the  fifteenth    century,  overran 

'li.' regions  in  which  Nestorian  missions  had 

a  planted,  to  the  coast  of  the  Caspian  sea, 

I  the  expulsion  of  the  Monguls  from  China, 

i  369,  by  the  Ming  dynasty,  probably  nearly 

irpated  the  surviving  N'estorians  in  this  land. 

-yria  and  Persia  have,  since  the  tenth  cen- 

y,  been  ruled  by  the  followers  of  Moham- 

]  iucd.     Christians  in  those  countries  have  been 

bitterly  harrassed ;  and  the  Nestorians,  from 

being  a  numerous  and  powerful  community, 

are  now  few  and  despised.    Their  missions  are 

no  more.      No  Nestorian  churches,  and  no 

copies  of  the  Scriptures  translated  by  them 

into  Chinese,  or  any  books  of  theirs,  are  known 

to  exist  in  China.     Yet  it  is  to  be  hoped  that 

many  souls  may  have  been  saved,  by  means  of 

their  missions.    There  may  have  been  much 

admixture  of  error  in  their  teachings  ;  but  we 

have  reason  to  believe  that  the  flickering  flame 

of  true  piety  lingered  much  longer  with  them 

than  with  any  other  of  the  ancient  Christian 

sects.     (See  Nestorians.) 

Papal  Missions. —  The  Roman  Catholic 
Missions  in  Chin^  began  in  the  13th  century. 
An  interesting  account  of  them  is  given  in 
Williams's  Middle  Kingdom,  to  which  we  are 
chiefly  indebted  for  the  following  facts.  John 
de  Monte  Corvino  went  to  China  by  the  way  of 
India,  and  was  kindly  received  by  the  emperor 
Kublai  Khan.  At  Cambalu,  the  present  Pe- 
king, he  built  a  church,  and  in  eleven  years 
is  said  to  have  baptized  nearly  GOOO  persons, 
and  purchased  150  children,  whom  he  taught 
Greek  and  Latin,  and  •  for  whom  he  composed 
devotional  works.  His  success  procured  him 
the  office  "of  archbishop  from  Clement  Y.  in 
1307,  with  seven  assistant  suffragan  bishops. 
He  died  in  1330.  In  1336  he  was  succeeded  by 
Nicholas  de  Bentra,  with  26  assistant  mission- 
ary laborers.  Corvino  in  one  of  his  letters 
speaks  of  having  translated  the  New  Testa- 
ment and  the  Psalms  into  the  Tartar  language. 
These  missionaries  appear  to  have  labored 
chiefly  among  the  Monguls,  and  their  subse- 
quent expulsion  from  China  by  the  Ming  Dy- 
nasty, was  accompanied  by  the  annihilation  of 
Christianity  among  them.  For  upwards  of 
200  years  between  the  rise  of  the  Ming  Dy- 
nasty, in  1368,  and  the  arrival  of  Ricci,  in 
Canton,  jn  1.581,  we  hear  little  respecting 
either  the  Nestorians  or  Catholics.  From  the 
commencement  of  Ricci's  labors  to  the  death  of 
Yunching,  in  1136,  is  a  highly  interesting 
period  of  Papal  missionary  history  in  China. 
Ricci  and  his  associate  Ruggiero  were  much 
opposed  by  the  government,  and  attempted 
the  concealment  of  their  real  intention,  by 
affirming  that  their  only  wish  was  the  acquisi- 
tion of  the  Cliiuese  language,  arts,  and  sciences 
of  the  country.     Ricci  was  finally  allowed  to 


reside  at  Shanchau-foo,  where,  habited  as  a  Bud- 
hist  priest,  he  remained  for  some  years,  ingra- 
tiating himself  by  his  courtesy,  presents,  and 
scientific   attainments,  though   his    doctrines 
were  opposed  by  the  Confucianists  and  suspi- 
cious magistrates.     He  and  his  associates  sub- 
sequently adopted  the  dress  of  the  literati,  left 
Shanchau,  and  after  temporary  residences  in 
Nanchang,    Suchau,   and   Nanking,    he   was 
admitted  into  Peking  in  1601,  and  courteously 
treated  by  the  emperor  AVanleigh.      Other 
Jesuits  joined  him,  and  under  his  direction 
successfully  prosecuted  their  work.      Ricci's 
manners,    acquirements,  and  liberal  presents, 
gained  him  the  favor  of  men  in  authority,  some 
of  whom  he  ere  long  numbered  as  converts. 
Among  these,  Siu,  baptized  Paul,  a  native  of 
Shanghai, .  was  an  early,   and  very  efficient 
cooperator.     His  daughter,  named  Candida, 
was  an  illustrious  and  able  coadjutor  in  the 
missionary  work.     But  among  the  imperial 
officers  there  were  powerful  opposers,  and  in 
1617  the  missionaries  were  ordered  to  leave 
the  country.    They,  however,  maintained  their 
position,  and  by  the  year  1636,  had  published 
340  treatises,  some  religious,  but  mostly  scienti- 
fic. Ricci,  the  superior  of  all  the  missions,  among 
his  published  rules,  allowed  to  the  converts 
the  practice  of  ancestral  worship,  regarding 
these  rites  as  merely  civil  in  their  nature.    This 
subject  subsequently  became  a  bone  of  con- 
tention between  the  Jesuits  and  the  Francis- 
cans, and  the  source  of  much  alarm  to  the 
Chinese.     Ricci  died  in  1610,  at  the  age  of  80 
years.    By  the  Jesuits,  he  has  been  greatly 
extolled  for  his  virtues ;  and   by   others  mar 
ligned.    A  Catholic  author  thus  speaks  of  him, 
"  The  kings  found  in  him  a  man  full  of  com- 
plaisance ;  the  pagans,  a  minister  who  accom- 
modated himself  to  their  superstitions ;   the 
mandarins,  a  polite  courtier,  skilled  in  all  the 
trickery  of  courts  ;  and  the  devil  a  faithful 
servant,  who,  far  from  destroying,  established 
his  reign  among  the  people,  and  even  extended 
it  to   the  Christians."    After  his  death,  the 
work  prospered  under  the  patronage  of  Paul 
Siu,  who  in  1622,  obtained  the  repeal  of  the 
edict  of  expulsion,  and  arrested  the  persecution. 
Schaal,  a  German  Jesuit,  recommended  to  the 
emperor   Siu   in   1628,  by   his  great   attain- 
ments, secured  imperial  honor  and  authority 
among  his  brethren.     During  the  bloody  com- 
motions intervening  between  the  decline  of  the 
Ming  dynasty,  and  the  firm  establishment  of 
the  Manchus  on  the  throne,  lasting  about  30 
years,  the  missions  suffered  much.     In  this 
contest  the  northern  missionaries  sided  with 
the  Manchus,  while  the  Romish  missionaries  at 
the  south  favored  Tunglieh,  the  surviving  claim- 
ant to  the  throne  of  the  fallen  Ming  Dynasty, 
in  whose  family  were  some  distinguished  con- 
verts, and  whose  troops  were  led  by  two  Chris- 
tian Chinese  officers,  Thomas  Kiu,  and  Luke 
Chin,      During  the  reign  of  Shunchi,  Schaal 
and  his  coadjutors  were  honored,  and  converts 


264 


CHINA. 


were  multiplied  in  the  provinces ;  but  the  re- 
gents into  whoso  hands  the  government  fell 
at  his  death  in  IGOl,  Issued  a  decree  that  Scliaal 
and  his  associates  merited  the  punishmeut  of 
seducers,  who  announce  to  the  people  false  and 
pernicious  doctrines.  Schaal,  though  tutor  to 
the  young  emperor  Kanghe,  was  proscribed 
and  degraded,  and  in  the  following  year  died 
of  grief,  aged  78  years.  Onbiest,  the  next 
most  distinguished  of  the  missionaries,  was 
with  others  imprisoned,  and  numbers  were 
banished  from  the  country.  On  Kanghe's  as- 
suming the  reins  of  government  in  1671,  then 
but  8  years  of  age,  he  released  Onbiest,  to  ap- 
point him  his  astronomer  in  place  of  Schaal, 
and  allowed  the  missionaries  to  return  to 
their  stations,  though  ho  forbade  his  sub- 
jects embracing  Christianity.  The  missionaries 
requited  the  kindness  of  the  emperor,  not  only 
by  their  scientific  labors,  but  by  casting  cannon 
for  his  army.  In  1636  Schaal  cast  some  for 
Shemchi,  and  Onbiest  cast  the  total  number 
of  450  pieces,  more  than  300  of  which  he 
blessed  and  called  after  the  names  of  different 
saints.  On  the  arrival  in  China  while  Ricci 
was  yet  living,  of  the  Franciscan  and  Domi- 
nican orders,  a  violent  dispute  arose  between 
them  and  the  Jesuits,  regarding  ancestral  wor- 
ship, and  the  proper  term  in  Chinese  for  God, 
which  continued  into  the  reign  of  the  successor 
of  Kanghe,  and  was  referred  to  the  emperor 
himself  and  to  the  decision  of  Popes  Innocent 
X.,  Alexander  YIL,  and  Clement  XL,  whose 
successive  decrees  nullified  each  other.  The 
final  decision,  however,  was  adverse  to  the 
Jesuits,  establishing  Thien  Chu,  as  the  term' 
for  trod,  and  forbidding  the  practice  of  the 
ancestral  rites  to  the  Chinese  converts.  The 
spirit  with  which  these  disputes  were  conducted, 
the  pomp  and  arrogance  of  the  priests,  and 
the  interference  of  the  popes  with  the  laws  of 
the  realm  regarding  its  rites  and  ceremonies, 
at  length  aroused  the  jealousy  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  awakened  a  determined  and  bitter 
opposition,  manifesting  itself  in  a  succession  of 
persecuting  edicts.  Kanghe  would  not  allow 
the  Pope  the  right  to  legislate  over  his  subjects, 
and  in  1706  decreed  to  countenance  only  those 
missionaries  who  preached  the  doctrines  of 
Ricci. 

In  1718,  he  decreed  that  no  missionary 
should  remain  in  the  country  without  his  per- 
mission, given  only  after  the  promise  to  follow 
the  rules  of  Ricci ;  and  yet  no  missionary 
could  leave  for  China  without  the  most  solemn 
promise  to  follow  the  instructions  of  Clement 
XI.,  respecting  these  ceremonies.  Kanghe's 
policy  was  to  restrain  the  missionaries,  and 
keep  them  about  him  at  court,  while  he  allow- 
ed the  work  of  persecution  in  the  provinces. 
After  the  death  of  Kanghe,  in  1723,  the  hos- 
tility of  the  government  to  the  missionaries  in- 
creased, and  the  Catholic  faith  was  strictly 
prohibited,  except  the  few  wanted  at  Peking 
for  scientific  purposes.    The  missionaries  were 


all  ordered  to  leave  the  country,  and  more  than 
300,000  converts  were  left  without  teaclicrs. 
Some  missionaries  secreted  themselves,  and 
others,  after  reaching  Canton,  contrived  to  re- 
turn to  their  flocks,  who  were  every  where 
subjected  to  severe  persecutions.  Since  tliat 
time  they  have  seldom  been  free  from  persecu- 
tion. 

The  character  of  the  Catholic  missionaries 
may  be  seen  from  the  following  remarks  of 
Ripa,  one  of  their  missionaries  at  Peking  : — 
"  The  diffusion  of  our  holy  religion  in  these 
parts,  has  .been  almost  entirely  owing  to 
the  catechists,  who  are  in  their  service,  to  other 
Clu'istians,  or  to  the  distribution  of  books  in 
the  Chraese  language.  There  is  scarcely  a 
single  missionary  who  can  boast  of  having 
made  a  convert  by  his  own  preaching  ;  for 
they  merely  baptize  those  who  have  been  al- 
ready converted  by  others.  He  even  adds, 
that  up  to  his  time,  in  1714,  none  of  the  mis- 
sionaries had  been  able  to  surmount  the  lan- 
guage, so  as  to  make  themselves  understood  by 
the  people  at  large." 

Between  1580  and  1724,  about  500  mission- 
aries had  been  sent  out.  The  empire  is  parti- 
tioned into  Bishoprics,  and  Vicariates,  divided 
between  the  Portuguese,  the  Spanish  Domini- 
cans, the  Lazarists,  the  French  Society,  whose 
missionaries  are  mostly  Jesuits,  and  the  Pro- 
paganda, whose  missionaries  are  principally 
Italians.  The  summary  for  1846  gives  12 
bishops,  and  7  or  8  coadjutors,  about  80 
foreign  missionaries,  90  native  priests,  and 
about  400,000  converts.  The  schools  are  not 
given.  There  are  six  colleges  for  educating 
native  priests,  including  that  at  Naples.  The 
above  statistics  are  the  latest  we  have  found. 
Undoubtedly  the  number  of  Catholic  mission- 
aries has  greatly  increased  in  China  since 
1846.  In  the  report  of  the  Lazarist  missions 
in  the  empire  in  1849,  found  in  the  Annals  of 
the  Faith,  including  Macao,  the  Vicariates  of 
Houan,  Kiangsi,  Chihkiang,  Mongul,  Tar- 
tary,  Eastern  Thibet,  and  the  diocese  of  Peking, 
there  are  stated  to  be  33  European  priests,  45 
auxiliary  priests,  6  nunneries  for  the  education 
of  native  clergy,  50  schools  for  both  sexes, 
and  a  total  of  about  50,000  neophytes.  If  the 
other  bishoprics  have  increased  in  the  same  ra- 
tio as  the  Lazarists,  within  the  last  few  years, 
the  estimate  for  1846  must  be  much  below  the 
present  numbers. 

The  Catholic  church  requires  no  evidence  of 
spiritual  regeneration,  as  a  condition  of  bap- 
tism ;  but  this  ordinance  is  itself  regarded  as 
producing  this  great  change.  They  attach 
the  greatest  importance  to  the  baptism  of  the 
dying  children  of  the  heathen,  and  make  this 
a  distinct  department  of  their  missionary  work. 
Statements  are  annually  made  to  their  societies 
of  the  number  of  dying  and  other  infants  of  the 
pagans  baptized.  "  The  agents  in  this  work," 
says  Verolles, "  are  usually  elderly  women,  who 
have  experience  in  infantile  diseases.     Fur- 


CHINA. 


265 


iiislied  with  innocent  pills,  and  a  bottle  of  holy 
v'.  ;iter,  whose  virtues  they  extol,  they  introduce 
lliomselvcs  into  the  houses  where  there  are 
sick  infants,  and  discover  whether  they  are  in 
dung-er  of  death,  and  in  this  case,  they  inform 
the  parents,  and  tell  them  that  before  adminis- 
(( ring  other  remedies,  they  must  wash  their 
I  lands  with  the  purifying  waters  of  their  bottle. 
,'  parents,  not  suspecting  this  pious  ruse, 
ulily  consent,  and  by  these  innocent  frauds, 
^',  L'  i)rocure  in  our  mission  the  baptism  of  7  or 
H.OOO  infants  every  year."  One  missionary 
speaks  of  the  employment  of  the  sponge  for 
this  purpose,  to  whose  use  the  Chinese  were 
led  to  attach  peculiar  medicinal  virtue,  and  con- 
sequently were  much  delighted  to  have  their  sick 
children  washed,  that  is,  baptized  with  it.  The 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  is  regarded  as  a  secon- 
dary matter,  their  work  being,  to  a  large  ex- 
tent, ceremonial.  We  hear  little  of  them  as 
preachers,  tliis  work  being  entrusted  to  their 
native  assistants.  The  word  of  life  is  never 
distributed  ;  for  its  influence  is  feared. 

Protestant  Missions. — The  first  efforts  of 
the  Protestant  churches  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Chinese  were  chiefly  directed  to.  the  Chi- 
nese emigrants  in  the  Indian  Archipelago  and 
Siam,  with  a  view  to  the  ultimate  spiritual 
regeneration  of  China  itself.  It  was  hoped 
that  laborers  might  thus  be  raised  up  who 
should  become  the  ministers  of  mercy  to  their 
own  people.  To  some  extent  these  hopes  were 
realized.  And  when  China  was  opened  par- 
tially to  the  Gospel,  some  who  had  been  labor- 
ing and  praying  for  China's  perishing  millions, 
were  prepared  to  enter  into  this  great  field  ; 
but  others  had  already  entered  into  their  rest. 
London  Missionary  Society. — The  opera- 
tions of  this  society  in  China  were  commenced 
in  1807.  The  subject  had  been  under  consid- 
eration for  a  considerable  time  previous ; 
their  first  object  being  to  secure  a  faithful 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  Chinese. 
Their  first  missionary  was  Kev.  Eobert  Mor- 
rison, who  may  be  regarded  under  God  as  the 
father  of  Protestant  missions  in  China.  By 
talent,  education,  and.  piety,  he  was  peculiarly 
fitted  for  the  post.  Having  been  engaged  for 
some  time  previous  in  the  study  of  Chinese, 
under  the  instruction  of  a  learned  native  then 
in  England,  he  embarked  in  January,  1807, 
going  by  the  way  of  New  York,  and  while  in 
the  United  States,  he  received  from  Mr.  Madi- 
son, then  Secretary  of  State,  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction to  our  consul  at  Canton,  from  which 
he  subsequently  derived  much  advantage.  On 
his  arrival  in  Canton,  he  devoted  himself  to 
study,  at  first  occupying  a  retired  room,  eating 
and  dressing  like  the  Chinese,  and  having  lit- 
tle intercourse,  except  with  the  natives  in  his 
service,  with  whom  he  held  a  religious  service 
in  private.  He  subsequently  deemed  it  wise 
to  throw  off  the  Chinese  costume.  He  hired 
apartments  in  a  factory,  and  through  Sir 
George  Stanton,  formed  an  advantageous  ac- 


quaintance with  Mr.  Roberts,  the  chief  of  the 
Company's  factory  at  Canton.  Near  the  close 
of  1808,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Morton, 
daughter  of  John  Morton,  Esq.,  and  on  the 
day  of  his  marriage,  was  appointed  translator 
to  the  Company's  factory  at  Canton,  with  a 
salary  which  rendered  him  independent  of  the 
society's  funds.  This  appointment  greatly 
aided  him  in  his  great  object  of  translating 
the  Scriptures,  and  preparing  a  dictionary 
and  elementary  books  in  Chinese.  In  this 
work,  he  was  much  assisted  by  a  manuscript 
Latin  and  Chinese  Dictionary,  furnished  him 
by  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  a  Harmony  of 
the  Gospels,  and  the  Pauline  Epistles  in  Chi- 
nese, the  work  of  some  unknown  hand,  and  a 
copy  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  in  Chinese,, 
which  he  brought  out  with  him.  He  also  ac- 
knowledges valuable  aid  from  an  Exposition  of 
the  Decalogue,  in  three  volumes,  furnished  him 
by  a  native  Roman  Catholic  convert.  Sam 
Tok,  the  Chinese  with  whom  he  studied  in 
London,  continued  to  be  a  valuable  assistant. 
At  the  close  of  1808,  he  writes  to  the  direc- 
tors : — "  The  grammar  is  prepared  for  the 
press,  and  the  dictionary  is  filling  up.  The 
manuscript  of  the  New  Testament  is  in  part 
fit  to  be  printed."  His  revision  of  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles  was  printed  in  1810,  being  the 
first  portion  of  the  Scriptures  in  Chinese 
printed  by  any  Protestant  missionary.  His 
Chinese  grammar  was  printed  at  Serampore 
in  1815,  at  the  expense  of  the  East  India 
Company.  The  Gospel  of  Luke  was  published 
in  1812. 

About  this  time,  an  edict  was  issued  by  the 
Chinese  government,  prohibiting  the  printing 
of  religious  books,  and  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  followed  with  acts  of  persecution  ; 
but  Mr.  Morrison  unobtrusively  continued  his 
work,  and  in  the  same  year  the  directors  sent 
out  Mr.  Milne,  as  his  fellow-laborer.  In  Julj, 
1813,  he  reached  Macao,  but  was  allowed  to 
remain  there  only  10  days.  The  following  five 
months  he  spent  at  Canton,  in  the  study  of  the 
language.  In  February,  1814,  he  left  for  a 
tour  in  the  Indian  Archipelago,  taking  wdth 
him  2,000  Testaments,  10,000  tracts,  and 
5,000  catechisms. 

In  his  letter  of  January  11, 1814,  communi- 
cating to  the  Society  the  fact  of  the  comple- 
tion of  the  New  Testament,  Mr.  Morrison  re- 
marks, "  I  give  this  to  the  world,  not  as  a  per- 
fect translation.  I  have  done  my  best ;  it  only 
remains,  that  I  commit  it  by  prayer  to  Divine 
blessing.  The  Gospels,  the  closing  Epistles, 
and  the  Book  of  Revelation  are  entirely  my 
own  translating."  For  the  middle  part  of  the 
volume  he  acknowledges  his  obligations  to  the 
labors  of  some  unknown  individual.  During 
this  year  the  Company  testified  their  value  of 
Mr.  Morrison's  Dictionary  by  furnishing  an 
experienced  printer,  Mr.  P.  P.  Thorns,  with 
the  necessary  apparatus  for  printing  the  work. 
In  1814  Mr.  Morrison  baptized  the  first  Chi- 


CHINA. 


neeo  convert  to  Protestant  Christianity,  Tsae 
A-hh  aj?cd  27,  after  much  instruction,  long 
trial,  and  a  full  confession  of  his  faith  in  the 
Ix>ni  Jesus.  This  was  done,  to  use  Mr.  Mor- 
rison's own  words,  "  at  a  spring  of  water  issu- 
ing from  the  foot  of  a  loftv  hill,  by  the  sea- 
side, away  from  human  observation."  He 
continued  stedfast  in  his  Christian  profession 
till  his  death,  in  1818.  Mr.  Milne  rejoined  Mr. 
Morrison  September  27,  after  his  return  from 
his  tour  in  the  Archipelago.  In  one  year, 
after  entering  the  missionary  field,  he  publish- 
ed a  farewell  address  to  the  Chinese  in  the 
•Archipelago,  a  singular  instance  of  linguistic 
proficiency.  In  January,  1816,  Mr.  Milne  went 
to  Penang,  and  while  there  obtained  from  the 
government  laud  for  a  missionary  establish- 
ment at  Malacca,  which  latter  place  became 
the  permanent  field  of  his  missionary  labors, 
where  he  afterwards  became  the  head  of  an 
Ajiglo- Chinese  college,  founded  in  part  by  the 
liberality  of  Dr.  Morrison. 

On  the  7th  of  July,  1816,  Mr.  Morrison  and 
Lord  Amherst  visited  Peking  ;  which  visit  fur- 
nished a  good  opportunity  of  obtaining  in- 
formation respecting  the  country  and  its  dif- 
ferent dialects.  In  1817,  he  was  honored 
by  the  University  of  Glasgow  with  the  title 
of  D.  D. ;  and  during  this  year  he  published 
his  "  View  of  China  for  Philological  Purposes," 
and  a  *'  Chinese  translation  of  the  Morning  and 
Evening  Prayers  of  the  Church  of  England." 
In  the  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  he 
cliosc  the  Pentateuch,  the  Psalms,  and  the  Pro- 
phetical books,  and  Dr.  Milne  the  remainder. 

In  November,  1818,  the  entire  Bible  was 
completed,  and  published,  by  the  joint  labors 
of  Morrison  and  Milne,  a  glorious  work,  which 
the  Catholic  missionaries  in  China  have  not 
yet  executed,  notwithstanding  they  boast  of 
about  400,000  converts.  Dr.  Morrison  also 
published  other  smaller  works.  The  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  during  his  lifetime 
gave  at  dijBerent  times  the  aggregate  sum  of 
£6000  for  the  printing  of  the  Chinese  Scrip- 
tures, and  £400  were  for  the  same  object 
collected  in  the  United  States.  In  his  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures,  he  did  not  adopt  an 
elevated  and  recondite  style,  intelligible  only 
to  the  highly  educated ;  but  he  chose  language 
plain  and  simple,  suited  to  the  comprehension 
.of  the  common  people.  He  says,  "  In  my 
translation  I  have  studied  fidelity,  perspicuity, 
and  simplicity.  I  have  preferred  common  words 
to  classical  ones  ;  and  would  rather  be  deemed 
inelegant,  than  hard  to  be  understood.  To 
the  task  1  have  brought  patient  endurance  of 
labor  and  seclusion  from  society,  a*  calm  and 
unprejudiced  judgment,  and,  I  hope,  an  accu- 
rate mode  of  thinking.  With  a  reverential 
sense  of  the  awful  responsibility  of  misrepre- 
senting God's  word,^  I  have  made  no  departure 
in  any  sensible  degree  from  the  sense  of  the 
English  Version;  and  have  not  affected  to 
make  a  new  translation,  or  an  improved  ver- 


sion, immediately  and  solely  from  the  origi- 
nal." 

Those  who  have  thoroughly  tested  Morri- 
son's translation,  as  the  writer  has  done,  by 
reading  it  extensively  with  Chinese  of  different 
degrees  of  literary  attainment,  can  hardly 
deny  its  general  perspicuity;  and  as  to  its 
fidelity,  it  has  not  probably  been  surpassed  by 
any  succeeding  Chinese  version  of  the  Scrip- 
tures.  His  style  is  not  pleasing  to  Chinese 
scholars,  preferring,  as  they  do,  the  terse  and 
recondite,  unintelligible  to  ordinary  readers. 
His  principal  I'ault  consisted  in  the  use  of  too 
many  connective  particles,  giving  to  his  com- 
position an  unnecessary  verbosity.  Fewer 
words  might  have  been  used,  and  the  meaning 
of  the  Spirit  have  been  made  equally  clear. 

In  1821,  Dr.  Morrison  was  bereaved  of  his 
wife,  who  died  of  the  cholera  in  the  sweet  hope 
of  heaven.  This  year  his  valuable  Dictionary 
was  completed.  As  a  Chinese  lexicographer 
he  performed  an  invaluable  service  to  com- 
merce and  Christian  missions ;  and  his  name 
deserves  to  be  held  in  grateful  and  honored 
remembrance.  His  Dictionary  was  published 
by  the  East  India  Company  at  the  expense  of 
£15,000.' 

In  1824,  Dr.  Morrison  returned  to  England, 
after  17  years  of  severe  missionary  toil,  and  was 
there  received  with  distinguished  honor.  After 
his  marriage  to  Miss  Armstrong  of  liverpool, 
they  embarked  in  May,  1826,  and  arrived  at 
Macao  on  the  19th  of  Sept.  following. 

Leang  Afa,  a  distinguished  Chinese  con- 
vert, baptized  by  Dr.  Milne,  and  ordained  by 
Dr.  Morrison  before  he  sailed  for  England,  d^ 
serves  a  brief  notice.  He  is  the  author  of  sev- 
eral valuable  tracts,  and  has  distinguished  him- 
self by  his  usefulness  to  individuals,  several  of 
whom  he  has  baptized,  and  likewise  by  his  zeal 
and  boldness  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospe^ 
and  in  the  distribution  of  books  at  the  literary 
examinations.  In  Aug.  1834,  the  rage  of  thel 
mandarins  was  excited  against  him.  Two  of*? 
his  friends  were  seized,  and  one  of  them  was 
cruelly  beaten  because  he  refused  to  betray  Afa's 
concealment ;  and  he  himself,  with  great  diffi- 
culty escaped  to  Macao,  and  was  taken  on, 
board  one  of  the  English  ships  at  Lintin. 

One  of  the  tracts  distributed  on  this  occar, 
sion  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  distinguished- 
leader  of  the  insurgents,  and  was  the  founda^^ 
tion  of  his  earliest  Christian  impressions.  Afsi 
has  ever  remained  steadfast  in  his  Christian 
profession,  and  continued  to  be  a  diligenj^ 
preacher  of  the  word. 

Dr.  Morrison's  health  was  not  vigorous  after, 
his  return  to  China  ;  yet  he  conducted  religiouft 
services  on  the  Sabbath,  often  both  in  English 
and  Chinese,  and  prepared  tracts  for  distribu- 
tion. About  this  time,  he  had  the  satisfactioir 
to  baptize  Choo-Tsing,  a  Chinese  teacher  once 
employed  at  the  Malacca  college.  In  1832  he  I 
w^rites,  "I  have  been  25.  years  in  China,  and* 
am  now  beginning  to  see  the  work  prosper. 


CHINA. 


267 


I>y  tlie  press,  we  have  been  able  to  scatter 
]<noAvledge  far  and  wide."  The  following  year 
):o  and  his  assistants,  Afa  and  Agang,  were 
diligent  in  scattering  the  word  of  life  ;  60,000 
sheet  tracts,  and  10,000  copies  of  prayers  and 
hymns  having  been  printed,  and  most  of  them 
distributed,  partly  among  the  students  at  the 
literary  examinations.  Though  feeble,  he  con- 
tinued his  work  in  the  absence  of  his  family, 
who  had  sailed  for  England.  On  the  1st  of 
Aug.,  1834,  this  devoted  missionary  was  sud- 
denly called  from  his  earthly  labors  to  his  home 
in  heaven,  having  continued  his  Chinese  ser- 
vices with  his  domestics  to  the  close  of  his  life. 
His  last  service  was  characterized  by  much 
holy  ardor.  His  remains  were  taken  to  Ma- 
cao for  interment.  China  shall  yet  rise  up 
and  call  him  blessed.  By  his  decease,  the  mis- 
sion was  left  without  any  one  to  look  after  the 
few  who  had  been  brought  under  Christian 
instruction,  and  who  were  dispersed  by  the 
persecution  which  broke  out  shortly  after  his 
death.  In  1835,  Eev.  W.  H.  Medhurst  and 
Eev._  Edwin  Stevens  arrived  in  China,  but 
nothing  permanent  was  done  by  this  Society, 
in  Canton,  for  14  years  after  the  death  of  Dr. 
Morrison.  In  Feb.  1848,  Benjamin  HolDson, 
M.  p.,  a  missionary  of  the  Society,  secured  an 
eligible  position  some  distance  above  the  for- 
eign factories,  on  the  margin  of  the  river.  He 
met  with  a  kind  reception  in  the  neighborhood, 
and  the  patients  who  visited  him  three  times  a 
week,  numbered  from  100  to  150,  and  were 
attentive  to  the  preaching  of  the  word  by  Afa, 
followed  by  remarks  Jrom  himself.  The  Sab- 
bath was  reserved  for  special  religious  services, 
in  which  Afa  was  a  bold  and  faithful  preach- 
er. The  reports  of  this  mission,  from  year  to 
year,  down  to  1853,  represent  it  as  continuing 
a  steady  and  encouraging  course  of  Christian 
effort  in  the  way  of  medical  and  surgical  aid 
to  the  sick,  accompanied  with  the  teaching 
and  preaching  .of  the  word  of  life  by  the  vener- 
able Afa  and  Dr.  Hobson,  assisted  by  Low 
Ting  Shun,  agent  of  the  Eeligious  Tract  So- 
ciety. The  number  of  hospital  patients  for 
1852  and  1853  was  44,366.  Four  weekly  ser- 
vices were  held  with  the  patients.  Between 
10  and  80  usually  attended  the  public  services, 
conducted  alternately  by  Afa  and  Dr.  Hobson. 
In  1853,  there  were  11  church  members,  and 
5  native  agents.  Dr.  Hobson  remarks,  "With 
respect  to  any  visible  effects  upon  the  heart 
and  conscience  of  our  hearers  and  readers,  in- 
ducing them  to  seek  salvation  from  the  wrath 
to  come,  we  are  still  very  much  in  the  same 
position  as  when  the  missionary  hospital  was 
opened  here  five  years  ago."  Yet  he  believes 
that  favorable  impressions,  with  regard  to  the 
Gospel,  are  manifesting  themselves.  Syste- 
matic opposition  to  its  truths  is  decidedly  di- 
minishing, and  its  teachers  are  treated  with 
more  respect  by  the  rude  and  turbulent  sur- 
rounding population.  In  1852  he  published  a 
valuable  work  on  the  Elements  of  Physiologi- 


cal Science  and  Anatomy,  which  has  been  read 
with  interest  by  the  Chinese. 

Hong-Kong. — Soon  after  the  termination  of 
hostilities  between  England  and  China,  the 
Directors  of  the  London  Missionary  Society 
decided  on  the  relinquishment  of  their  mis- 
sions in  the  Archipelago,  and  concentrating 
their  efforts  for  the  Chinese  in  China  itself. 
Instructions  were  accordingly  given  to  their 
Chinese  missionaries  to  meet  in  Hong-Kong, 
to  consider  the  plan  of  future  operations.  This 
meeting  was  held  in  August,  1843,  at  which 
were  present  Messrs.  Medhurst,  Legge,  Milne, 
Hobson,  J.  and  A.  Stronach,  S.  Dyer,  and 
the  Hon.  J.  E.  Morrison.  Agreeably  to  the 
recommendation  of  this  committee,  the  society 
resolved  on  converting  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College  in  Malacca  into  a  Theological  Semin- 
ary, for  the  training  of  a  native  ministry  for 
China,  selected  Hong-Kong  for  the  seat  of  this 
Institution,  and  appointed  Eev.  James  Legge 
as  its  superintendent.  Eev.  Dr.  Legge  and 
family  arrived  in  Hong-Kong  on  the  10th  of 
August,  accompanied  by  three  promising  native 
Chinese  Christians  from  Malacca.  The  printing 
apparatus,  and  other  moveable  property  at 
Malacca,  were  soon  transferred  to  Hong-Kong. 
A  medical  establishment  was  also  opened  in 
connection  .with  the  mission,  by  Dr.  Benjamin 
Hobson,  who,  since  1848,  had  been  assisted  by 
the  Canton  Medical  Missionary  Society. 
Agong  and  Chin  Seen,  who  came  with  Dr. 
Legge  from  Malacca,  and  Leang  Afa,  preach- 
ed in  the  hospital,  and  in  other  parts  of  the 
settlement  with  much  encouragement.  The 
report  for  May,  1*845,  gives  a  cheering  view  of 
the  mission.  During  the  year,  the  native 
evangelists  had  been  ■diligent  in  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  large  and  attentive  congregations 
in  the  Chinese  part  of  the  settlement.  Eev. 
William  Gillespie  arrived  there  July,  1844. 
Ground  for  a  missionary  establishment  had 
been  obtained,  convenient  to  the  Chinese  po- 
pulation, and  the  requisite  buildings  erected 
thereon,  and  the  roreign  residents  in  Hong- 
Kong  had  liberally  responded  to  an  appeal  for 
the  erection  of  a  chapel  for  English  and  Chi- 
nese worship,  called  the  Union  Chapel.  In 
June,  ]  846,  two  aged  Chinese  were  received 
into  the  Mission  Church,  and  on  that  occasion 
seven  Chinese  surrounded  the  table  of  the 
Lord.  Chin  Seen,  who  had  long  enjoyed  the 
care  and  instructions  of  Dr.  Legge,  was  ordain- 
ed to  the  Gospel  ministry.  Dr.  Hobson  had 
previously  been  obliged  to  leave  for  England 
on  account  of  the  health  of  his  wife.  She  ex- 
pired on  the  borders  of  her  native  land.  Dur- 
ing his  absence  he  was  married  to  a  daughter 
of  the  Eev.  Dr.  Morrison,  and  on  the  10th 
of  March,  1847,  embarked  the  second  time  for 
the  East,  together  with  J.  H.  Herschberg,  M. 
D.,  subsequently  medical  missionary  at  Hong- 
Kong.  Eev.  Dr.  Legge,  by  reason  of  ill-health, 
returned  home  in  1846,  accompanied  by  three 
intelligent  Chinese  youth,  who,  during  their 


CHINA. 


stay  in  England,  were  there  baptized  by  him 
In  the  pmjonce  of  the  grout  congregation. 
These  voung  men  were  natives  of  Malacca, 
and  wore  baptized  in  the  church  in  which  Dr. 
Milne,  the  ri-esident  of  the  Malacca  College, 
used  to  worship.  It  was  a  thrilling  scene. 
After  Dr.  Legge's  return  to  Hong-Kong,  he 
mentions,  under  date  of  November,  1848,  the 
reception  of  an. aged  Chinese,  and  three  young 
men  of  much  promise,  into  the  church.  The 
latter  were  members  of  his  seminary.  Their 
names  were  A-chiong,  Ach'heong  and  A-King. 
Thirteen  others,  including  three  seminarists, 
wore  also  applicants  for  baptism.  In  1850,  he 
had  four  candidates  for  the  ministry  under  his 
instruction,  besides  the  oversight  of  a  male 
boarding  school  of  30  pupils,  and  the  stated 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  the  Union  Chapel. 
The  native  church,  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
Chin  Seen,  then  numbered  upwards  of  20 
members,  and  the  Bazar  Chapel,  in  which  he 
preached,  was  filled  with  attentive  hearers. 
During  the  year,  six  members  had  been  added 
to  the  native  church,  one  of  whom  was  a  man 
of  talent  and  highly  educated.  It  is  remarked, 
that  for  one  candidate  received,  the  missiona- 
ries were  compelled  to  decline  many.  The  Ma- 
gazine and  Chronicle  for  June,  1850,  contains 
an  extract  of  a  letter  from  Dr.  Herschberg, 
giving  a  cheering  account  of  the  influence  of 
his  hospital,  from  which  it  appears  to  have 
been  the  birth-place  of  some  precious  souls. 
His  average  daily  patients  were  between  50 
and  60,  and  in  connection  with  the  medical 
practice,  about  100  daily  heard  the  Gos- 
pel. 

In  their  annual  view  of  their  Chinese  Mis- 
sions for  1851,  the  directors  remark  :  "  It  is 
therefore  with  peculiar  satisfaction  that  the 
directors  report  that  the  New  Testament  tho- 
roughly and  carefully  revised,  principally  by 
our  missionaries  at  Shanghai,  has  been  printed 
in  that  city,  and  also  at  Hong-Kong."  By 
the  introduction  of  metal  if^e  of  reduced  size, 
and  of  beautiful  form,  for  which  we  are  indebt- 
ed mainly  to  the  patient  labors  of  the  Kev. 
Samuel  Dyer,  the  Scriptures  in  Chinese  can 
now  be  printed  in  a  small  volume,  and  at  a 
greatly  reduced  price.  According  to  this  re- 
^rt,  there  were  then  in  the  school  at  Hong- 
Kong,  under  the  superintendence  of  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Legge,  40  boj^s  and  20  girls,  all  domesti- 
cated amidst  the  habits  and  enjoyments  of  a 
Christian  family,  and  carefully  instructed  in  the 
several  branches,  both  of  useful  and  Christian 
knowledge.  In  the  theological  class  were 
five  young  men.  Since  the  opening  of  Dr. 
Hcrschberg's  Hospital,  in  September,  1849, 
3,066  patients  had  been  relieved.  The  report 
of  1853,  represents  tlie  missionary  operations 
at  Hong-Kong,  as  being  in  a  prosperous  state, 
though,  in  October,  1852,  the  mission  was  af- 
flicted by  the  sudden  death  of  ^Mrs,  Lcgge, 
leaving  three  children  and  an  afflicted  husband, 
to  mourn  her  departure.  The  number  of  church 


members  was  then  24,  male  pupils  m  the 
boarding  school,  45,  and  10  girls.  In  this 
mission  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  printing 
establishments  in  China. 

The  London  Society's  mission  at  Shanghai 
was  commenced  by  Messrs.  Medhurst  and 
Lockhart  in  December,  1843,  with  encouraging 
prospects.  It  was  the  earliest  Protestant  mis- 
sion in  that  city.  Dr.  Lockhart,  under  date 
of  Feb.  1,  1845,  states  the  number  of  his 
patients,  since  the  preceding  February,  to  have 
been  10,600,  to  whom  Mr.  Medhurst  preached 
three  times  a-week,  and  distributed  tracts  to 
readers.  At  his  house  he  had  attentive  con- 
gregations. In  the  surrounding  villages,  as 
far  distant  as  15  miles  from  the  city,  they  luid 
preached  and  distributed  tracts,  and  had  been 
invited  to  large  towns  25  miles  distant.  In 
March  of  the  same  year,  two  interesting  in- 
quirei-s  are  mentioned,  and  subscriptions  to  the 
amount  of  $1,000  for  a  Union  Chapel  by  the 
foreign  residents  in  the  city,  designed  for  Eng- 
lish and  Chinese  worship.  An  English  ser- 
vice on  Sabbath  morning  was.  held  in  the 
Consulate,  and  there  was  weekly  preaching  in 
a  Chinese  temple.  Mr.  Medhurst's  valuable 
printing  establishment  at  Batavia  was  brought 
to  Shanghai,  and  now  began  to  be  employed 
in  the  printing  of  weekly  sermons,  and  other 
publications.  Opposition  from  the  numerous 
Catholics  at  Shanghai  began  to  appear.  A 
later  communication  remarks,  "  Our  sanctuary 
was  opened  on  the  24th  of  August,  (1846,) 
when  every  part  of  it  was  crowded  with  hear- 
ers, who  listened  attentively  to  the  preached 
word.  Since  that  time,  divine  service  has 
been  continued  therein  every  Sunday  after- 
noon, attended  by  crowded  congregations,  who 
come  regularly  and  sit  quietly  to  the  end." 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Society  in  May,  1847, 
it  was  reported  that  three  Chinese  had  already 
been  baptized,  one  of  whom  was  a  literary 
graduate.  During  the  year  ending  May, 
1847,  34,400  copies  of  different  works  were 
printed,  and  about  500  tracts  had  been  given 
weekly  to  the  attendants  on  the  religious  ser- 
vices, besides  those  distributed  in  the  hospital, 
in  the  neighboring  villages,  and  on  the  junks 
trading  to  Peking  and  other  cities.  The 
medical  department  was  flourishing.  Nov. 
26, 1846,  Rev.  Mr.  Milne  and  his  wife  arrived 
at  Shanghai,  and  April  1, 1847,  Rev.  Messrs. 
Muirhead  and  Southwell,  and  Mr.  A.  Wylie, 
superintendent  of  the  press,  sailed  for  that 
city. 

In  June,  1847,  delegates  from  several  sta- 
tions convened  in  Shanghai,  for  the  revision 
of  the  New  Testament  in  Chinese.  After  a 
long  discussion  on  the  proper  term  for  God  and 
gods  to  be  employed  in  a  Chinese  translation 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  not  being  able  to 
agree  in  opinion,  they  concluded  to  proceed 
in  the  work  of  revision,  and  leave  the  terms 
for  God  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  future  settle-, 
ment.     Canton,  Amoy  and  Ningpo,  wove  rep- 


CHINA. 


269 


rented  by  Rev.  Messrs.  E.  0.  Bridgman,  J. 

rronach,  and  W.  C.  Milne  ;  and  Shanghai, 
l>y  Rev.  Messrs.  Boone  and  Medhurst.  Rev. 
jlcssrs.  Johnson  and  White  were  chosen  to 
represent  Fuhchau,  but  circumstances  did  not 
allow  of  their  acting  on  the  committee.  The 
ill-health  of  Bishop  Boone  prevented  him 
IVom  taking  much  part  in  the  revision. 

The  Report  for  1847  mentions  the  forma- 

n  of  a  church  of  nine  members.  In  the 
M-Uowing  year,  ending  May,  1848,  the  labors 
)(■  the  mission  continued  much  as  usual,  and 
the  attendance  on  the  preached  word  was  en- 
couraging. The  printing  amounted  to  71,400 
copies  of  various  works.  In  1849,  besides  the 
English  service  in  the  chapel,  conducted  in 
rotation  by  brethren  of  different  missions  on 
Sabbath  mornings,  there  were  held  on  other 
hours  of  the  clay,  three  native  services, 
and  one  in  the  hospital,  besides  two  weekly 
services  in  the  former,  and  two  daily  exercises 
in  the  latter  place  for  the  patients  and  others 
employed  on  the  premises.  In  most  of  these 
services  there  was  a  good  attendance.  The 
colporteur  Wang  Show-yih  was  a  zealous 
laborer  in  Shanghai  and  the  neighboring  vil- 
lages. In  September  of  this  year,  the  writer 
visited  Shanghai,  and  there  spent  some  weeks 
in  the  hospitable  family  of  Rev.  Dr.  Bridg- 
man. It  was  a  season  of  severe  sickness,  es- 
pecially in  this  mission,  two  of  whose  mem- 
bers. Rev.  Mr.  Southwell  and  Mrs.  Mary 
Wylie,  were  there  called  to  their  heavenly  rest. 
Rev.  Mr.  Southwell  had  recently  entered  the 
field,  and  Mrs.  Wylie  was  called  home,  after 
having  long  toiled  for  Christ  among  the  Kaf- 
fres  in  South  Africa,  then  known  as  Miss 
Mary  Hanson,  Agent  of  the  Ladies'  Society 
in  London  for  the  Instruction  of  Females  in 
the  East.  A  letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Muirhead 
in  1850,  remarks,  "  In  the  chapel  we  have  on 
the  Sabbath  six  services,  from  half-an-hour  to 
an  hour  each,  and  during  the  week  we  have 
service  once  every  morning,  and  in  the  even- 
ings twice.  Every  week,  there  are  not  less, 
on  the  average,  than  from  800  to  1,000  indi- 
viduals within  the  walls  of  the  chapel,  hear- 
ing the  words  of  eternal  life."  This  comprised 
only  a  part  of  the  weekly  labors  of  these 
brethren  in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  In 
the  following  year,  the  labors  of  the  mission 
were  unremitted,  and  health  prevailed  among 
them.  The  missionaries  remark  that,  though 
many  are  willing  to  hear  the  word,  they  have 
no  personal  convictions,  and  like  not  the 
exclusiveness  of  the  Gospel,  however  much 
they  affect  to  admire  the  excellency  of  its 
moral  precepts.  The  hopeful  conversion  and 
baptism  of  8  Fokien  men,  through  the  labors 
of  Rev.  J.  Stronach,  during  less  than  a  year, 
deserves  grateful  mention.  While  engaged  in 
the  revision  of  the  Scriptures,  he  statedly 
preached  to  the  Fokien  residents  in  Shanghai, 
with  blessed  results. 

Between  April  and  October,    1850,  there 


were  printed  at  the  Shanghai  mission  press, 
50,000  copies  of  evangelical  publications. 
The  revision  of  the  New  Testament  had  been 
completed,  and  that  of  the  Old  Testament  had 
been  commenced.  Soon  after  the  completion 
of  the  revision  of  the  New  Testament,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Medhurst,  Milne,  and  Stronach,  in 
compliance  with  the  instructions  of  the  direc- 
tors of  the  society,  withdrew  from  the  general 
committee  for  Scripture  revision,  and  prose- 
cuted their  work  on  the  Old  Testament  alone. 
Dr.  Bridgman  being  a  minority  of  the  com- 
mittee, on  the  revision  of  the  New  Testament, 
does  not  regard  himself  responsible  for  the 
style  of  the  revision,  or  its  principles  of  trans- 
lation. This  work  is  essentially  the  produc- 
tion of  Messrs.  Medhurst,  Milne,  and  Stronach. 
A  letter  from  Rev.  J.  Stronach,  in  July,  1851, 
gives  the  gratifying  intelligence  of  the  recep- 
tion to  church  membership  of  eight  other  Fo- 
kien Chinese,  making  in  all  sixteen  within  the 
space  of  twelve  months.  The  latest  intelli- 
gence from  this  mission,  preceding  the  report 
for  1852,  represents  the  various  services  at  the 
chapels,  as  being  well  sustained,  though  for 
the  most  part,  as  usual,  consisting  of  transient 
visitors.  Preaching  in  the  temples  and  by  the 
wayside  was  continued,  favored  with  a  listen- 
ing ear  among  the  people.  The  hospital  was 
sustained,  and  the  press  was  kept  in  vigorous 
operation.  During  the  year  there  were  printed 
5,000  copies  of  the  Gospels  and  Acts  ;  10,000 
of  a  condensed  statement  of  Christianity ; 
10,000  of  the  Three  Character  Classic ;  10,000 
catechisms  ;  3,000  of  Sabbath  calendar  ;  5,500 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  and  2,000  copies 
of  Two  Friends,  making  together,  45,500 
copies.  The  preaching  of  the  Gospel  has  been 
the  main  instrumentality  used  for  the  salvation 
of  souls,  for  which  purpose,  besides  the  hospi- 
tal and  temporary  halls,  in  1853,  the  mission 
had,  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  two  chapels, 
jointly  accommodating  800  hearers.  This 
year  the  revision  of  the  Old  Testament,  by 
Rev.  Messrs.  Medhurst,  Milne  and  Stronach, 
was  completed.  The  whole  number  of  Dr. 
Lockhart's  patients,  since  the  commencement 
of  the  mission,  in  1843,  is  stated  at  100,000, 
and  the  entire  amount  of  printing  by  the  mis- 
sion, during  about  ten  years,  including  fly 
sheets,  tracts,  books,  and  Testaments  in  the 
Chinese  language,  was  estimated  at  about 
500,000  distinct  copies.  A  boarding-school 
of  eighteen  male  pupils  had,  as  early  as  1853, 
been  opened  by  Mr.  Muirhead,  designed  to 
teach  various  branches  of  useful  knowledge, 
solely  through  the  medium  of  the  Chinese. 
The  native  church  then  numbered  twenty-one 
members,  sixteen  of  whom  were  Fokien  resi- 
dents, and  three  Shanghai  Chinese.  The  bre- 
thren, while  not  discouraged  by  their  limited 
success  and  the  obstacles  to  the  triumph  of  the 
Gospel,  yet  deplore  the  extreme  religious  apa- 
thy of  the  people.  They  remark,  "All 
around  us,  we  find  proofs  of  civilization  and 


270 


CHINA. 


refinement.  Increased  intercourse,  however, 
with  this  world  of  souls,  has  greatly  unfolded 
its  moral  and  relijrious  charactoristic!^,  and  we 
see  that  the  masses  are  either  the  dupes  of  an 
atheistical  philosophy,  or  the  slaves  of  despi- 
cably puerile  superstitions.  Though  several 
systems  of  idolatry  obtain  among  them,  each 
witli  its  numerous  temples  and  cumbersome 
rites,  yet  the  religious  apathy  spread  over  all 
the  ix?ople  is  woeful.  *  Like  priest,  like  peo- 
ple,' all  seem  utterly  devoid  of  serious  thought 
and  concern." 

Amoy. — This  city  and  its  vicinity  is  one  of 
the  most  promising  missionary  fields  in  China, 
owing  in  part  to  the  frank  and  friendly  dispo- 
sition of  its  inhabitants  towards  strangers. 
This  society's  mission  in  Amoy  was  commenc- 
ed by  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  Stronach  and  William 
Young,  in  July,  1844  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Abeel,  of  the 
American  Board,  having  already  been  in  this 
field  upwards  of  two  years.  On  the  1st  of  De- 
cember they  commenced  Christian  worship  in 
a  large  hou^,  in  a  jpopulous  part  of  the  city, 
which  they  had  previously  fitted  up  for  a  cha- 
pel, and  here,  daily,  morning  and  evening, 
preaching  in  Chinese  was  sustained,  with  au- 
diences varying  from  100  to  150.  A  letter, 
written  in  July,  1845,  speaks  of  increasing  de- 
corum during  religious  services,  and  of  the 
wide  difthsion  of  the  Gospel,  through  preach- 
ing and  tract  distribution.  Under  date  of 
June  29, 1846,  Messrs.  Stronach  and  Young 
speak  of  having,  during  the  last  three  or  four 
months,  visited  upwards  of  twenty  towns  and 
villages  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  some 
of  which  contained  10,000  inhabitants.  In 
all  these  places  they  met  with  a  friendly  recep- 
tion, and  preached  the  word.  Owing  to  the 
small  proportion  of  readers,  they  were  deeply 
convinced  of  the  importance  of  the  living 
preacher,  and  were  shocked  by  the  extensive 
prevalence  of  infanticide.  In  May,  1847,  the 
meeting  for  Chinese  women  is  described  as  in- 
creasing in  attendance,  and  the  truth  seemed 
to  be  producing  a  powerful  impression  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  people.    By  reason  of  ill- 


health.  Rev.  Mr.  Young  and  wife,  in  tnc  sum- 
mer of  this  year,  left  Amoy  for  England.  Rev. 
A.  Stronach,  under  date  of  March  10, 1848, 
gratefully  announces  the  hopeful  conversion 
and  baptism  of  a  father  and  his  son,  the  latter 
aged  28,  being  the  first  fruits  of  this  mission. 
Rev.  Mr.  Pohlman  was  present,  and  assisted  in 
the  solemn  services.  Another  letter  of  De- 
cember 6, 1848,  describes  the  conversion  of  a 
Chinese  soldier,  called  Tan  Tai,  an  intelligent 
and  courageous  man,  and  who  subserjuently 
signalized  his  devotion  to  Christ  amid  perse- 
cution from  ills  military  associates,  but  who, 
notwithstanding  his  Christian  principles,  was 
subsequently  promoted  to  office  in  the  army. 

Mrs.  William  Young's  female  boarding 
school,  which  commenced  before  their  depar- 
ture for  England,  in  July,  1846,  was  resumed 
soon  after  their  return,  in  the  fall  of  1848. 
On  the  1st  of  November,  1849,  it  contained 
six  boarders  and  nine  day  scholars,  and  funds 
only  were  wanting,  indefinitely  to  increase  the 
number  of  pupils.  Besides  studying  the  Chi- 
nese character,  they  were  then  learning  to 
read  their  mother  tongue,  through  the  medium 
of  the  Roman  letters.  In  1851,  this  school 
had  thirteen  boarders  and  seven  day  scholars. 
The  Chinese  boys'  boarding  school,  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  A.  Stronach,  then  contained  eight 
pupils,  whose  studies  included  the  Chinese 
classics,  the  English  language,  and  the  careful 
reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Rev.  T.  Gil- 
fillan  joined  this  mission  in  March,  1850,  but 
within  about  two  years  returned  to  England. 
On  the  first  Sabbath  in  January,  1852,  two 
other  Chinese  were  added  to  the  church. 
Two  of  the  church  members  were  employ- 
ed, as  colporteurs.  A  joint  prayer-meeting  of 
the  mission  churches  of  the  L.  M.  S.  and  of 
the  American  Board  had  been  established  by 
a  voluntary  movement  of  the  native  Chris- 
tians. In  1853,  a  spirit  of  active  piety  per- 
vaded the  native  church,  and  ten  individuals 
were  candidates  for  baptism,  three  of  whom 
were  expected  soon  to  be  admitted  into  the 
church. 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 

1 
1 

§ 

? 

fi 

M 

1 

-s 

H 

si 

E 

i^ 

1 

i 

li 

-Sa 

"* 
^ 

g.2 

1 

1 

6 

l. 

1 

& 

1 

1 

r 

Canton    .     .     .     . 

1807 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

11 

Hong  Kong    .    . 

1843 

4 

3 

1 

1 

2 

1 

45 

1 

10 

24 

Shanghai      .     .     . 

1843 

3 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

18 

21 

Amoy    .... 

1844 

2 

1 

10 

1 

15 

5 

8 

Totals  .    .    . 

9 

4 

3 

3 

1 

7 

3. 

73 

2 

25 

5 

64 

CHINA. 


271 


American  Board. — The  following  account 
of  the  origin  of  American  Missions  in  China 
j  has  been  kindly  furnished  us  by  Rev.  Joshua 
Leavitt,  who  was,  at  the  time,  Correspond- 
ing Secretary  of  the  American  Seamen's  Friend 
Society  : 

After  the  lamented  decease  of  Dr.  Milne, 
Dr.  Morrison  was  left  for  several  years  to  labor 
alone,  and  without  the  solace  of  any  Christian 
society  that  would  sympathize  in  his  work.  At 
length,  a  kind  Providence  sent  to  Canton  a 
true  brother,  in  the  person  of  the  late  excellent 
David  W.  C.  Olyphant,  Esq.,  who  went  to 
China  in  a  mercantile  capacity,  in  connection 
first  with  the  house  of  Thomas  H.  Smith  & 
Co.,  and  afterwards  with  that  of  Talbot  &  Co. 
Mr.  Olyphant  entered  deeply  into  the  situation 
and  plans  of  Dr.  Morrison.  Together  they  es- 
tablished the  monthly  concert  of  prayer — the 
first  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Asia.  As  the 
London  Missionary  Society  delayed  year  after 
year,  the  sending  of  additional  helpers,  Mr. 
Olyphant  suggested  that  an  appeal  should  be 
made  to  the  American  churches  to  enter  into 
the  work.  A  joint  letter  was  actually  forward- 
ed to  Dr.  Spring,  and  some  publications  were 
made  through  the  New  York  Observer  ;  but 
up  to  the  year  1829,  nothing  effectual  had  been 
done  in  the  matter. 

In  the  summer  of  1828,  the  American  Sea- 
men's Friend  Society  went  into  operation. 
Shortly  afterwards,  the  acting  secretary  came 
into  possession  of  communications,  and  a  small 
collection  of  publications,  which  had  been  for- 
warded by  Mr.  Olyphant  to  his  friend  Mr. 
George  Douglass  of  New  York,  who  was  also, 
like  himself,  a  Baltimorean.  Among  the  pub- 
lications were  some  accounts,  by  Dr.  Milne, 
of  his  explorations  among  the  ancient  Dutch 
churches  in  the  island  of  Java,  as  well  as  his- 
torical sketches  of  the  movements  in  China. 
The  perusal  of  all  these  documents  produced  a 
strong  desire  to  see  the  American  church  en- 
listed in  the  evangelization  of  China.  A  labor- 
ed article  on  the  subject  was  published  in  the 
Christian  Spectator.  One  of  the  plans  suggest- 
ed was,  that  the  Seamen's  Friend  Society  should 
make  a  beginning,  by  sending  out  a  chaplain 
for  the  numerous  body  of  American  and  Eng- 
lish sailors  in  the  port  of  Canton,  who  might 
after  a  while  become  qualified  to  preach  to  the 
Chinese.  Another  suggestion  was,  that  by  a 
mission  to  Java,  the  Reformed  Dutch  churches 
in  this  country,  who  were  then  doing  but  little 
for  missions,  might  be  aroused  to  a  zealous  co- 
operation in  the  work. 

In  February,  1829,  the  executive  committee 
of  the  A.  S.  F.  S.,  formally  resolved  to  estab- 
lish a  mission  at  Canton,  as  soon  as  the  proper 
man  could  be  found.  In  September,  of  that 
year,  Mr.  Olyphant  wrote  to  the  Society  at 
Is'ew  York,  and  simultaneously  to  the  Ameri- 
can Board  at  Boston,  that  the  good  ship  Ro- 
man, Captain  Lavender,  belonging  to  him, 
would  sail  for  Canton  early  in  October,  and  if 


a  missionary  could  be  sent  out  in  her,  the  pas- 
sage should  be  free.  Mr.  Evarts  went  at  once 
to  Andover,  and  there  found  Elijah  C.  Bridg- 
man,  a  young  man  who  had  just  finished  hia 
theological  studies,  and  was  still  undecided  as 
to  his  future  field  of  labor.  Mr.  Bridgman  was 
so  much  impressed  by  the  providential  aspect 
of  the  call,  that  he  at  once  resolved  to  respond 
to  it  and  devote  his  life  to  China,  and  he  there* 
upon  went  to  his  native  place,  Belchertowu, 
Mass.,  and  was  ordained  as  a  missionary  to 
the  heathen. 

On  the  same  day  that  Mr.  Evarts  went  to 
Andover,  the  Seamen's  Secretary  was  led, 
through  a  suggestion  from  John  Nitchie,  Esq., 
to  make  a  proposition  to  the  Rev.  David  Abeel, 
a  zealous  young  clergyman  of  the  Reformed 
Dutch  Church,  who  had  just  returned  to  his 
father's  house  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  hav- 
ing resigned  his  parochial  charge  at  Athens, 
N.  Y.,  on  account  of  the  delicate  state  of  his 
health.  He  also  gave  a  favorable  response, 
and  in  less  than  two  weeks  from  the  day  the 
application  was  made,  both  the  missionaries 
arrived  in  New  York  on  the  same  day,  and 
prepared  to  embark  for  China.  Mr.  Abeel  re- 
mained about  a  year  in  the  service  of  the  Sea- 
men's Friend  Society,  and  then,  as  had  been 
at  first  proposed,  transferred  his  services  to 
the  American  Board,  under  whom  he  visited 
Java  and  other  eastern  countries.  He  was 
succeeded  as  Seamen's  Chaplain  by  Rev.  Edwin 
Stevens,  a  tutor  in  Yale  College,  whose  inter- 
est in  behalf  of  China  originated  from  the 
perusal  of  the  article  in  the  Christian  Specta- 
tor. Dr.  Bridgman  still  remains  in  China,  and 
is  acknowledged  to  be  the  most  accomplished 
and  learned  Chinese  scholar  of  the  age. — J.  L. 

Canton. — Mr.  Abeel,  having  connected  him- 
self with  the  Board  as  their  missionary,  made 
exploring  tours  to  Java,  Singapore,  and  Siam. 
Mr.  Bridgman  entered  at  once  on  the  study 
of  the  Chinese.  He  also  became  editor  of  the 
Chinese  Repository,  which  was  established  in 
May,  1831,  a  post  which  he  continued  to  hold 
for  16  years.  Preaching  to  foreign  residents, 
also,  continued  for  many  years  to  form  a  prom- 
inent part  of  his  work.  He  had  under  instruc- 
tion a  number  of  Chinese  youth,  among  whom 
was  a  son  of  Leang  Afa  ;  and  part  of  his 
time  was  devoted  to  the  distribution  of  books, 
and  personal  conversation  with  the  natives. 

A  printing-press,  types,  and  office  furniture, 
were  presented  to  this  mission  by  the  Bleecker 
street  Church  and  Society,  New  York,  and 
called  the  "  Bruin  press,"  in  memory  of  their 
former  pastor. 

The  mission  was  reinforced  by  the  arri- 
val of  Rev.  Ira  Tracy,  and  Mr.  S.  Wells  Wil- 
liams, October  26,  1833,  and  of  Rev.  Peter 
Parker,  M.  D.,  June  3,  1834.  Mr.  Williams 
took  charge  of  the  printing-press,  giving  him- 
self also  to  the  study  of  the  Canton  dialect. 

Rev.  Mr.  Tracy  soon  left  to  establish  a  mis- 
sion at  Singapore.   Rev.  Edward  Stroms,  who 


272 


CHINA. 


had  been  employed  as  Seamen's  Chaplain,  while 
acquiring?  the  language,  was  now  a  missionary 
of  the  Hoard,  and  in  1834,  he  accompanied 
Rev.  0.  (Jutzlaff,  and  a  gentleman  from  Ben- 
mil,  on  a  tour,  with  the  intention  of  visiting 
me  tea  plantations  in  Fokein.  On  the  Gth  of 
May  they  reached  the  mouth  of  the  Min, 
whfch  leads  to  Fuhchau.  After  proceeding 
up  the  river,  unmolested,  four  days,  they  were 
suddenly  tired  upon,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th, 
by  the  soldiers  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  Two 
of  their  men  were  slightly  wounded,  and  they 
Avcre  compelled  to  return.  This  was  the  first 
visit  of  any  Protestant  missionary  in  this  re- 
gion. In  August,  1835,  Messrs.  Medhurst  and 
Stroms  proceeded  northward  to  Shantung,  in 
the  American  brig  Hudson,  with  a  cargo,  con- 
sisting of  a  few  bags  of  rice,  and  20,000  vo- 
lumes of  Christian  books.  They  visited 
Shanghai,  and  a  number  of  villages  on  the 
coast,  and  distributed  many  thousand  books  to 
eager  multitudes.  They  returned  in  safety, 
after  an  absence  of  two  months.  This  vessel 
carried  no  opium. 

Mr.  "Williams  was  at  Macao,  in  1836,  print- 
ing Mr.  Medhurst's  dictionary.  Dr.  Parker, 
having  visited  the  United  States,  returned  in 
September  to  Canton,  and  opened  a  dispen- 
sary, to  which  great  numbers  of  ophthalmic 
and  other  patients  resorted.  Mr.  Stroms,  being 
on  a  missionary  voyage  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago, was  suddenly  called  away  by  death  at 
Singapore,  January  5, 1837. 

In  1838,  Mr.  Williams  was  still  at  Macao, 
studying  the  Chinese  and  Japanese  languages. 
This  year,  Messrs.  King,  Parker,  Gutzlaff  and 
Wiliiams  undertook  a  voyage  to  Jeddo,  in  the 
ship  Morrison,  to  return  to  their  country  seven 
shipwrecked  Japanese,  and  also  to  ascertain 
whether  there  was  any  opening  for  Christian 
intercourse  with  Japan.  But  the  shipwrecked 
Japanese  were  not  permitted  to  land,  and  the 
vessel  was  subjected  to  a  brisk  Cannonade, 
both  at  Jeddo  and  Kagosima  Bay,  and  with 
difficulty  escaped.  They  embarked  on  this 
voyage  July  3,  and  returned  to  Macao  Au- 
gust 29. 

Rev.  Mr.  Abeel,  who  had  returned  to  the  Uni- 
ted States  in  1833,  on  account  of  his  health, 
rejoined  the  mission  in  Feb.  1839  ;  and  Wm.  B. 
Diver,  M.  D.,  arrived  in  September  following. 
It  was  during  this  year  that  the  Chinese  go- 
vernment took  those  vigorous  measures  at 
Canton  to  suppress  the  opium  traffic,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  war  with  England.  The  disturb- 
ances at  Canton  interrupted  the  operations  of 
the  mission,  and  the  hospital  was  temporarily 
closed,  having,  previous  to  this  time,  given  aid 
to  6,540  patients.  A  revised  edition  of  the 
New  Testament,  prepared  in  part  by  Mr. 
Bridgman,  had  already  been  printed  in  Sing- 
apore, and,  to  some  extent,  distributed  in  Can- 
ton. Dr.  Parker  took  this  opportunity  to  visit 
the  United  States  and  England,  and  plead  the 
cause  of  Christian  philanthropy.    He  return- 


ed again  to  his  work  in  1842.  Rev.  Dyer 
Ball,  M.  D.,  having  been  obliged  to  leave  Sin- 
gapore on  account  of  the  health  of  his  wife,  re- 
moved to  China.  He  remained  at  Macao  till 
the  close  of  the  war ;  after  which,  he  joined 
Dr.  Bridgman,  at  Hong-Kong,  .which  hud 
been  ceded  to  England  by  the  treaty  of  Nan- 
king, in  1842.  Here  mission  premises  were 
erected  on  land  appropriated  for  the  purpose 
by  the  government,  and  missionary  operations 
were  steadily  prosecuted  in  the  several  depart- 
ments  of  preaching,  printing,  and  tract  distri' 
bution,  and  the  healing  art  for  about  three 
years.  Here  Mrs.  Ball  died  in  1844.  In 
the  summer  of  1845,  the  brethren  left 
Hong-Kong,  and  resumed  the  partially  sus- 
pended missionary  operations  at  Canton. 

In  1845,  Mr.  James  Bridgman,  who  had 
been  connected  with  the  Mission  High  School, 
became  an  assistant  missionary  of  the  Board, 
and  was  subsequently  ordained    at   Canton. 

In  June,  1846,  Dr.  Bridgman  was  married 
to  Miss  Eliza  Gillett,  a  member  of  the  American 
Episcopal  Mission ;  and  Dr.  Ball  was  subse- 
quently married  to  Miss  Robertson  from  Scot- 
land. On  the  return  of  the  missionaries  to 
Canton,  a  strong  prejudice  against  foreign 
teachers  was  found  to  exist ;  but  in  the  hos- 
pital there  was  an  encouraging  field  of  labor, 
where  the  word  might  be  sometimes  addressed 
to  100  souls.  The  missionaries,  however,  were 
much  restricted,  being  obliged  mostly  to  live 
within  the  limits  of  me  foreign  factories.     In 

1846,  a  party,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Bridgman, 
Pohlmau,  and  Bonney,  with  Mrs.  Bridgman, 
while  passing  under  a  bridge  in  a  boat,  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  their  lives  from  a  shower 
of  stones  thrown  upon  them  from  the  bridge, 
by  an  infuriated  mob.  Mr.  Bonney  had  for- 
merly been  a  teacher  in  the  Morrison  School ; 
but  in  1846,  he  became  an  assistant  mission- 
ary of  the  Board,  and  has  since  been  a  devoted 
laborer,  in  preaching,  teaching,  and  distribut- 
ing books. 

Dr.  Ball  superintended  the  Chinese  printing, 
dispensed  medicine  statedly  to  the  sick,  kept  a 
boarding-school  of  eleven  pupils,  and  conduct- 
ed a  Chinese  service  in  his  own  house^  on  the 
Sabbath,  where  an  interesting  audience  con- 
vened. Dr.  Bridgman's  time  was  divided  be- 
tween the  Repository,  the  revision  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  preaching  of  the  Word  at  the 
hospital,  and  occasionally  to  Dr.  Ball's  con- 
gregation, and  the  instruction  of  an  interest- 
ing Bible  class,  two  of  whom  gave  increasing 
evidence  of  piety,  and  five  of  whom  desired  to 
profess  Christianity.  Mrs.  Bridgman  had  a 
promising  school  of  Chinese  youth  under  her 
tuition.  Rev.  Dr.  Parker  having  accepted 
the  appointment  of  Secretary  of  Legation  to 
the  United  States  Embassy,  his  connection 
with  the  Board  was  consequently  dissolved  in 

1847.  Almost  from  the  first  the  Hospital  had 
been  sustained  independently  of  the  Board. 
His  labors  continue  much  as  heretofore. 


CHINA. 


273 


Dr.  Bridgraan  thus  speaks  of  the  moral  char- 
acter of  the  people,  after  16  years  continuous 
residence  in  China  :  "  The  longer  I  live  in  this 
country  the  more  do  I  see  of  the  wickedness 
of  this  people  ;  the  more  do  I  see  the  necessity 
of  great  efforts  to  bring  them  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  The  great  bulk  of  the  people 
know  not  God  nor  bis  truth.  They  are  the 
willing  servants  of  sin  ;  they  love  unrighteous- 
ness, and  there  is  no  wickedness  which  they 
will  not  commit.  All  that  Paul  said  of  the 
ancient  heathen  is  true  of  the  Chinese,  and 
true  to  an  extent  that  is  dreadful.  Their  in- 
most soul,  their  very  conscience  seems  to  be 
seared,  dead,  so  insensible,  that  they  are,  as  re- 
gards a  future  life,  like  the  beasts  that  per- 
ish. It  often  fills  my  heart  with  inexpressi- 
ble sorrow  to  see  what  I  see,  to  hear  what  I 
hear.  It  is  truly  a  great  valley  of  death,  of 
putrefaction,  of  living  death.  No  painting, 
no  imagination  can  portray,  and  lay  open  be- 
fore the  Christian  world,  the  awful  sins,  the 
horrible  abominations  which  fill  the  land." 
The  writer's  experience  of  about  18  years 
among  them  confirms  his  description. 

With  the  approval  of  the  Committee,  Mr. 
Williams  returned  to  this  country  in  1846, 
and  while  here  published  his  "  Middle  King- 
dom," one  of  the  most  valuable  works  that 
have  been  issued  upon  that  country.  He  re- 
turned to  his  post  in  1848. 

In  March,  1847,  Dr.  Ball  secured  a  house  by 
the  river  side,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  below 
the  factory,  and  there  soon  after  opened  pub- 
lic worship  in  Chinese,  with  an  audience  of 
from  60  to  100.  In  July  a  meeting  for  females 
was  commenced  by  Mrs.  Ball  and  her  daugh- 
ter, now  Mrs.  Hopper,  which  was  at  times 
attended  by  30  or  40.  This  movement  was 
an  important  advance  in  regard  to  missionary 
liberty. 

The  Report  for  1848  acknowledges  the  print- 
ing of  10,000  copies  of  tracts  by  Milne,  Abeel, 
and  Afa,  at  the  expense  of  Rev.  Dr.  Parker. 
I'he  word  of  life  was  everywhere  dispensed 
among  the  people.  One  member  of  Dr.  Bridg- 
man's  Bible-class  had  been  baptized,  and  ano- 
ther gave^uch  evidence  of  piety.  On  the  1st 
of  June,  1847,  he  removed  to  Shanghai,  to  aid 
in  the  revision  of  the  New  Testament.  Since 
that  time  the  general  course  of  missionary 
labor  has  been  essentially  the  same  from  year 
to  year.  The  missionaries  in  that  field  have 
been  enabled  to  maintain  their  ground,  and 
gradually,  by  private  teaching,  by  the  diligent 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  stated  places  and  by 
the  wayside,  by  the  healing  of  the  sick,  and  the 
manifestation  of  a  uniform  spirit  of  love  to  the 
people,  to  dissipate  their  bitter  prejudices,  and 
win  their  confidence  and  respect.  For  a  time 
Mr.  Bonney  labored  with  much  encouragement 
atWhampoa,  and  widely  preached  and  dis- 
persed among  the  numerous  villages  the  word 

'■    ilvation.     Dr.  Ball's  school,  in  1849,  num- 
1  14  boys,  who,  in  addition  to  the  study 
18 


of  their  own  classics,  were  instructed  in  geo- 
graphy, astronomy,  natural  philosophy,  and 
the  truths  of  the  Bible,  through  the  medium 
of  the  Chinese.  The  Chinese  Repository  was 
suspended  at  the  close  of  1850,  after  having 
reached  its  19th  volume.  In  December,  1850, 
this  mission  was  afflicted  by  the  death  of  Rev. 
James  G.  Bridgman,  occasioned  by  a  wound 
inflicted  upon  himself  in  a  fit  of  temporary  in- 
sanity, connected  with  greatly  impaired  health. 
He  survived  the  wound  but  a  few  days.  In 
1850  Mrs.  Bridgman  had  an  interesting  girls' 
school  of  20  scholars  at  Shanghai,  12  of  whom 
were  boarders.  In  1852  two  Chinese  at  Can- 
ton are  reported  as  furnishing  good  evidence 
of  piety,  and  Dr.  Ball's  school  had  amounted 
to  20  pupils. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1852,  the  mission  was 
reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Daniel  Yroo- 
man  and  wife.  Rev.  Frederick  Brewster  and 
wife  arrived  at  Canton,  January,  1853,  and  on 
the  27th  of  the  same  month  our  beloved  bro- 
ther died  of  the  small  pox.  His  last  words 
were,  "  Trusting  in  Jesus."  The  afflicted  widow 
remains  in  the  field.  Early  in  1852,  Dr.  Bridg- 
man visited  this  country  on  account  of  his 
health,  after  an  absence  of  about  23  years  ; 
and  on  the  11th  of  October,  he  re-embarked 
at  New  York  for  China.  Dr.  Bridgman  is 
still  at  Shanghai,  engaged  in  the  revision  of 
the  Old  Testament.  On  the  12th  of  September, 
1853,  the  native  helper,  Theen  Fae,  died  in 
the  hopes  of  the  Gospel.  Lai  Sun,  the  other 
native  helper,  has  left  the  mission.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, besides  his  other  duties,  has  performed 
a  valuable  service  to  the  cause  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  Easy  Lessons  in  Chinese,  and  a 
Chinese  and  English  Vocabulary  of  the  Can- 
ton dialect.  In  May,  1853,  with  the  concur- 
rence of  the  mission,  he  left  for  Japan,  as 
interpreter  to  Commodore  Perry,  and  returned 
in  August.  Dr.  Ball's  health  was  feeble,  but  he 
was  still  engaged  in  the  way  of  tours  for  tract 
distribution,  trying  to  regain  his  strength,  and 
to  extend  the  savor  of  Christ's  name  ;  and 
Messrs.  Bonney  and  Yrooman  had  made  a 
tour  up  the  river,  36  miles,  for  tract  distribu- 
tion, and  were  well  received.  Since  1846, 
14,257,690  pages  of  tracts  and  scriptures,  be- 
sides 225,120  volumes  of  religious  matter,  are 
reported  as  printed  by  this  mission  ;  and  this 
probably  falls  much  short  of  the  entire  amount 
of  printing  done  by  it  during  the  past  eight 
years.  How  much  printed  matter  has  been 
scattered  far  and  near  by  the  mission  since  its 
commencement  in  1830,  we  have  no  means  of 
determining.  It  must  have  been  very  great. 
In  the  religious  movement  connected  with  the 
present  revolution,  we  are  probably  now  seeing 
the  effects  both  of  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
at  Canton,  and  the  distribution  of  the  printed 
page.  By  the  grace  of  God  this  mission,  in 
the  midst  of  great  difficulties  and  discourage- 
ments, has  labored  and  has  not  fainted.  A 
brighter  day  shall  yet  dawn  on  it  from  on  high. 


274 


CHINA. 


Amoij.—'lUi^  inijiijion  began  with  the  arrival 
at  Amoy  of  Rev.  David  Abecl,  in  February, 
1842,  while  the  place  was  yet  occupied  by  the 
English  troops.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  was 
joined  by  Dr.  Cumming,  a  self-supporting  mis- 
sionary from  this  country,  who  continued  in 
that  field,  devoting  himself  to  hospital  practice, 
combined  with  religious  instruction,  until  his 
return  to  the  United  States,  February  10th, 
1847.  In  January,  1844,  two  hongs  were 
rented  in  Ariioy,  one  of  which  was  used  as  a 
chapel,  and  the  other  for  the  in-door  patients. 
The  apartments  above  the  chapel  were  occu- 
pied by  Dr.  Gumming.  Mr.  Abeel  writes : 
Sabbath,  January  28th,  the  first  religious  ser- 
vices were  held  in  the  new  chapel,  and  about 
70  united  with  us  in  worshiping  the  true  God. 
On  Mr.  Pohlman's  arrival  in  June  following, 
from  60  to  100  daily  attended  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  hospital.  On  the  21st  of 
March,  a  Bible  class  was  commenced  with  12 
attendants.  Mr.  Abeel,  besides  his  English 
services,  labored  assiduously  and  successfully 
among  the  Chinese  in  the  way  of  preaching 
and  tract  distribution  ;  and  he  is  still  remem- 
bered by  the  people  in  Amoy  with  afiection. 
He  exerted  a  salutary  influence  among  the 
high  officers.  The  late  Lieutenant-Governor 
of  Fuhchau  makes  grateful  mention  of  him 
as  an  assistant  in  the  preparation  of  his  valua- 
ble Geography.  On  the  22d  of  June,  1844, 
Bev.  Messrs.  Doty  and  Pohlman,  from  Borneo, 
joined  the  mission  with  their  families,  being 
obliged  to  reside  for  a  time  on  the  island  of 
Koolongsoo,  opposite  Amoy.  Their  families 
suffered  much  fron»-  sickness,  and  a  promising 
son  of  Mr.  Doty,  aged  6  years,  was  committed 
to  the  grave.  Rev.  Dr.  Abeel  visited  Hong- 
Kong  in  August,  1844,  for  the  benefit  of  his 
health. 

In  September  following,  Dr.  Abeel  returned 
to  Amoy  still  feeble,  and  after  a  series  of 
boat  excursions  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city,  for 
the  double  object  of  publishing  the  Gospel,  and 
improving  his  health,  he  finally,  as  the  only 
means  of  prolonging  his  life,  embarked  for  the 
United  States,  and  arrived  at  New  York  on 
the  3d  of  April,  1845,  about  15  years  from  his 
original  embarkation  for  the  heathen  world. 
He  closed  his  valuable  and  eventful  life  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  September  4th,  1846.  His 
remains  repose  in  Greenwood  Cemetery,  beneath 
a  tasteful  monument,  in  a  locality  commanding 
a  fine  view  of  the  sea,  on  whose  bosom  he  had, 
for  Christ's  sake,  so  extensively  journeyed. 
His  works  do  follow  him.  Mrs.  Pohlman 
died  on  the  30th  of  September,  1845,  and 
Mrs.  Doty,  on  the  5th  of  the  following  month. 
Both  were  faithful  to  Christ  in  life,  happy  in 
death,  and  each  left  behind  her  an  afflicted 
husband  and  two  children.  Rev.  Mr.  Doty, 
with  these  motherless  children,  left  Amoy, 
November  12th,  1845,  and  arrived  at  New 
York  on  the  6th  of  March,  1846. 

December  16th,  1845,  the  first  meeting  for 


Chinese  females  was  held  at  Rev.  William 
Young's,  when  upwards  of  40  adults  were  ])re» 
sent.  The  missionaries  were  treated  with 
marked  politeness  by  the  government.  In 
December,  1845,  a  new  chapel  was  opened  for 
dailj7  meetings,  and  on  the  5th  of  January  fol- 
lowing the  first  Chinese  monthly  concert  was 
held,  being  a  union  meeting  of  the  Amoy  Pro- 
testant missionaries.  The  morning  of  the  day 
was  devoted  to  prayer,  and  the  afternoon  to 
communicating  missionary  intelligence  in  Chi- 
nese. 

In  April,  1846,  two  aged  men  were  baptized 
by  Mr.  Pohlman,  being  the  first  fruits  of  this 
mission.  They  received  their  first  religioua 
impressions  from  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Abeel. 
During  the  absence  of  Mr.  Doty,  Mr.  Pohlman 
enjoyed  the  cooperating  labors  of  brethren  of 
the  American  Presbyterian  Board,  and  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  Near  the  close 
of  1846,  he  and  Rev.  Mr.  Brown  visited  32 
out  of  136  villages  situated  on  the  island  of 
Amoy.  They  were  well  received,  and  preached 
the  word  to  large  and  attentive  audiences,  and 
distributed  books  and  tracts  to  the  old  men, 
schoolmasters,  and  other  influential  persons. 
Rev.  Mr.  Doty  and  wife,  and  Rev.  John  Yan- 
nest  Talmage  reached  Amoy  on  the  19  th  of 
August,  1847.  In  March,  1848,  Mr.  Doty 
writes,  "  On  the  5th  instant,  our  regular  com- 
munion season  occurred,  when  two  more  from 
among  this  people,  father  and  son,  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  table  of  the  Lord.  It  is  about 
a  year  since  the  father  first  heard  the  truth 
from  our  evangelist.  His  attention  seems  soon 
to  have  been  arrested,  and  what  he  learned  he 
communicated  to  his  son.  The  evangelist  here 
mentioned  was  originally  from  the  Kwangtung 
province,  and  about  1841  emigrated  to  Siam. 
There  he  was  long  employed  by  the  writer  as 
a  teacher,  and  with  him  in  social  prayer,  he 
learned  to  bow  the  knee  to  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  by  him  was  there  baptized.  After 
his  conversion,  he  was  employed  by  myself  as 
an  assistant  in  publishing  among  the  Chinese 
the  glorious  Gospel.  In  August,  1846,  he  left 
with  me  for  China,  and  at  the  desii^  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Pohlman,  and  in  accordance  wiM  my  own' 
advice,  he  became  connected  with  the  Amo}- 
mission,  in  March,  1847.  He  was  commonly 
called  U  Sim,  or  the  teacher  U.  Many  othei 
cheering  facts  are  mentioned  as  to  the  state 
of  feeling  among  the  attendants  on  Christian 
worship,  indicatmg  the  presence  of  the  Holj 
Spirit. 

In  June,  1847,  a  promising  day-school  wa.« 
opened  by  Rev.  Mr.  Peet,  formerly  with  the 
writer  in  Siam,  and  subsequently  his  mission- 
ary associate  in  Fuhchau.  Rev.  Mr.  Pohlmar 
gives  an  interesting  account  of  two  excur- 
sions, of  two  days  each,  made  in  March  and[ 
September,  1847,  to  Chiang-chau,  where  h6 
was  politely  received,  his  preaching  listened  tc 
by  large  and  attentive  assemblies,  and  boob 
received  with  eagerness.    Bundles  of  6elected|| 


CHINA. 


275 


books  were  sent  to  the  officers  and  literary 
ira?n  of  the  city.  The  walls  of  Chiang-chau 
arc  about  5  miles  in  circuit,  and  in  good  pre- 
servation, and  this  city,  together  with  the  val 
ley,  10  miles  wide  and  15  long,  in  which  it  is 
situated, is  supposed  to  contain  about  1,000,000 
cf  souls.  Mr.  Pohlman  regarded  it  as  a  pro- 
mising and  inviting  field.  Bible  "class  instruc 
tion,  begun  in  Amoy  in  March,  1844,  still  con- 
tinued. In  July,  1847,  the  class  in  the  New 
Testament  numbered  about  25.  In  1846  a 
second  Bible  class  was  formed  for  the  study  of 
the  Old  Testament.  On  Tuesday  afternoon 
was  a  meeting  for  Chinese  women,  which  was 
punctually  attended  by  many  of  the  same  per- 
sons. The  cliurch  members,  in  their  week-day 
meetings,  were  active  in  exhorting  their  be- 
nighted countrymen.  A  daily  meeting  was 
held  by  the  teacher  U,  in  a  house  standing  on 
the  site  of  the  intended  new  place  of  worship. 
At  times  the  room  was  crowded  to  overflow- 
ing, and  a  lively  attention  was  given  to  his 
exhortations.  On  Thursday  evening  is  a  na- 
tive prayer  meeting ;  and  a  prayer-meeting 
Ereparatory  to  their  monthly  communion  is 
eld  on  the  preceding  Saturday. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1848,  Eev.  Mr. 
Pohlman  left  Amoy  to  accompany  his  sister, 
then  in  feeble  health,  to  Hong-Kong.  His 
object  having  been  accomplished,  he  embarked 
for  Amoy,  Jan.  2d,  1849,  in  the  schooner 
Omega.  On  the  morning  of  Jan.  5th,  about 
2  o'clock,  she  struck  on  Breaker's  Point,  about 
half  way  to  Amoy.  The  sea  rolled  over  her, 
and  Mr.  Pohlman  and  several  others  were 
drowned  by  the  capsizing  of  the  boat  in  which 
they  hoped  to  reach  shore.  This  is  the  first 
instance  of  the  loss  of  life  by  shipwreck  of  any 
missionary  of  the  Board.  His  death  was  an 
unexpected  and  heavy  affliction  to  the  mission, 
and  the  missionary  cause.  The  health  of  Miss 
Pohlman,  which  had  received  a  severe  shock 
from  her  brother's  sudden  death,  required  the 
return  of  Mr.  Talmage  with  her  to  America. 
They  left  Amoy,  March  25, 1849,  and  arrived 
at  New  York  on  the  23d  of  August. 

The  mission  chapel,  the  site  for  which  had 
been  secured  by  Mr.  Pohlman,  and  in  the 
building  of  which  he  had  been  active,  was 
dedicated  on  Sabbath,  Feb.  11, 1849.  It  is  a 
neat  brick  edifice,  one  story  high,  with  a  flat 
roof,  36  feet  wide  and  68  long,  including  a 
verandah  10  feet  wide,  and  will  seat  from  350 
to  400  persons.  On  each  side  of  the  pulpit 
are  apartments  for  females,  where  they  may 
hear  the  Gospel  without  the  violation  of  Chi- 
nese custom.  Its  completion  was  followed  by 
a  large  increase  of  attendants  upon  the 
preached  word. 

July  29,  1849,  a  mother  and  her  two  sons, 
who,  amid  deep  trials,  had  manifested  great 
Christian  steadfastness,  were  baptized  and  ad- 
mitted to  church-fellowship.  The  occasion 
was  one  of  deep  interest  to  God's  people.  Of 
the  church  members,  Mr.  Doty  writes  ;  "  They 


appear  to  be  praying,  growing  Christians, 
walking  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  and  ex- 
periencing the  joy  of  the  Holy  Spirit's 
presence. 

Kev.  Mr.  Talmage,  with  Mrs.  Talmage,  ar- 
rived at  Amoy,  on  his  return,  July  16,  1850. 
On  the  22d  of  December  following,  he  preach- 
ed his  first  regular  sermon  at  the  opening  of  a 
place  of  worship  connected  with  his  own  house. 
The  room,  which  will  seat  about  IQO,  was 
crowded.  The  regular  attendance  here  and  in 
the  chapel  on  the  Sabbath,  is  from  150  to  200. 

May  19,  1850,  Mr.  Doty  baptized  his  infant 
son,  and  three  children  of  native  converts,  being 
the  first  instance  of  the  baptism  of  a  child  of 
a  native  Christian  in  connection  with  this  mis- 
sion. Two  men  and  three  women  were  receiv- 
ed into  the  church  on  the  last  Sabbath  of  July, 
1850,  and  on  the  last  Sabbath  of  March,  1851, 
three  others,  a  man  and  two  women.  The  na- 
tive evangelist  was  daily  occupied  in  convers- 
ing with  inquirers  in  the  chapel,  in  holding 
meetings,  and  in  occasional  tours  to  other 
places.  Another  church  member  was  acting 
as  colporteur  in  the  city,  under  the  direction 
of  Dr.  Young,  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland. 
Early  in  1850,  the  day-school  was  transferred 
by  Mr.  Doty  to  Dr.  Young,  owing  to  the  press- 
ure of  more  important  duties.  The  Eoman 
letters  had  begun  to  be  used  in  preparing  books 
for  the  native  Christian  females. 

The  attendance  at  the  chapel  was  from  150 
to  perhaps  300.  Weekly  female  prayer-meet- 
ings were  held  both  by  Mrs.  Doty  and  Mrs. 
Talmage,  with  encouraging  results.  Including 
the  three  baptized  in  March,  ten  were  add- 
ed to  the  church  in  18M,  making  with  the 
native  evangelist,  19  church  members,  one 
having  died  in  May.  The  trials  of  the  native 
Christians  from  poverty  and  other  causes  have 
been  great ;  but  they  appear  to  be  growing  in 
grace.  In  1852  two  young  men  were  admit- 
ted into  the  church,  who  were  called  to  suffer 
for  Christ's  sake.  Two  others  selected  from  a 
large  number  of  inquirers,  who  had  been  exam- 
ined during  the  preceding  month,  were  received 
into  the  church.  There  was  unusual  evidence  of 
the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  At  the  close 
of  that  year,  the  number  of  communicants  was 
21 ;  and  from  the  beginning,  the  whole  number 
of  admissions  to  the  church  had  been  thirty- 
three.  During  the  year,  12  children  of  church 
members  had  been  baptized  and  two  Christian 
marriages  celebrated.  A  monthly  collection, 
originating  among  themselves,  is  taken  up  for 
the  assistance  of  needy  church  members,  amountr 
ing  to  about  $40  a  year.  "  The  first  we  knew 
of  it,"  says  Mr.  Doty,  "  was  from  being  asked 
if  we  would  not '  join  in  giving  something.' " 
The  mission  pleads  for  additional  laborers. 

In  May,  1853,  the  mission  suffered  a  great 
loss  in  the  death  of  U  Sien,  the  native  evangel- 
ist. He  had  been  sent  with  a  Christian  col- 
porteur to  Chiang-chau  to  commence  a  new 
station.    Arriving  just  before  the  insurrection 


276 


CHINA. 


broke  out  iu  that  city,  he  was  snspected  of 
bcint?  associated  with  the  insurgouts,  and  was 
takon  by  tlie  imporialiata  and  beheaded.  The 
colporteur  narrowly  ascaned  with  his  life.  The 
writer  saw  U  Sien  for  tJie  last  time  in  Dec. 
1852.  Uc  trusts  that  one,  in  whose  conversion 
he  was  an  humble  instrument,  is  now  in  heav- 
en. He  was  much  esteemed  for  his  piety,  good 
judgment,  and  Christian  activity.  Earlv  in 
June,  during  one  of  those  days  when  the  blood 
of  civil  war  profusely  flowed  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  chapel,  four  young  men  were  bap- 
tized and  added  to  the  little  flock,  making  six 
added  during  the  first  half  of  1853,  and  26  the 
total  number  of  surviving  church  members. 

FuJidiau. — The  mission  at  Fuhchau  was 
commenced  in  1847.  In  accordance  with  the 
earnest  wishes  and  advice  of  the  Canton  mis- 
sion, Rev.  Stephen  Johnson,  formerly  stationed 
in  Siam,  left  Canton,  Nov.  23, 1846,  and  pro- 
ceeded by  the  way  of  Hong-kong  and  Amoy 
to   Fuhchau,  where  he    arrived  January  2, 

1847.  His  first  work  was  the  study  of  the  lo- 
cal dialect.  After  about  six  months  he  com- 
menced religious  services  in  his  own  house,  on 
the  Sabbath,  beside  daily  worship  with  his 
domestics,  making  the  study  of  the  Fuhchau 
dialect  his  main  business.  At  his  house  he 
had  frequent  Chinese  visitors,  to  whom  he  dis- 
tributed tracts,  and  made  known  Christ  cruci- 
fied for  sinners.  In  September,  1847,  he  was 
joined  by  Rev.  Lyman  B.  Peet  and  wife,  with 
whom  it  was  his  privilege  to  be  associated  in 
Siam.  On  the  7th  of  May,  1848,  the  mission 
was  fm-ther  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  Messrs. 
Seneca  Cummings  and  Caleb  C.  Baldwin,  and 
their  wives,  and  Rer.  William  Richards,  son 
of  the  distinguished  missionary  of  that  name 
at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  For  the  first  two 
brethren,  houses  in  eligible  situations  were  soon 
erected.  For  tlie  first  two  years  of  their  resi- 
dence in  Fuhchau,  the  study  of  the  Chinese 
was  necessarily  the  main  business  of  the  newly 
arrived  brethren.  The  first  three  houses  of 
the  mission  were  on  Tong-chieu,  a  small  island 
in  the  Min,  about  three  miles  from  the  south 
gate  of  the  city  proper ;  and  the  fourth  was 
on  the  south  bank  of  the  river,  about  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  from  the  island,  on  the  main 
thoroughfare,  with  a  commanding  view.  This 
is  occupied    by  Mr.    Cummings.      In  June, 

1848,  besides  stated  Sabbath  worship  iu  his 
house,  with  an  intelligent  audience  of  about 
thirty,  Mr.  Johnson  opened  a  school  and  com- 
menced preaching  and  tract  distribution  in  a 
hired  house,  which  he  had  fitted  up  for  the 
purpose,  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  po- 
pulation, on  the  south  bank  of  the  river,  and 
about  two  miles  from  his  residence.  The  au- 
diences were  at  first  so  tumultuous,  that  the 
attempt  to  open  or  close  the  meetings  with 
prayer  was  not  deemed  pnident.  Gradually 
the  people  were  more  orderly  and  respectful, 
and  the  audiences  numbered  about  sixty  souls. 
For  the  accommodation  of  the  laboring  classes, 


evening  meetings  were  frequently  held,  with 
apparently  good  effect.  Mr.  Peet  secured  a 
commodious  chapel  near  the  island  and  on  the 
great  thoroughfare,  a  part  of  which  he  appro- 
priated to  a  Chinese  school,  which  has  gene- 
rally numbered  about  twenty  scholars.  In  tlie 
summer  of  1849,  Mr.  Johnson's  health  com- 
pelled him  to  visit  the  northern  ports.  At 
Ningpo,  on  the  17th  of  September,  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Caroline  Silmer  of  Stock- 
holm, Sweden.  She  was  then  an  agent  of  the 
London  Ladies'  Society  for  the  Education  of 
Females  in  the  East,  and  had  been  for  about 
two  years  a  teacher  in  Miss  Mary  Aldersey's 
Female  Seminary,  in  that  city.  After  visiting 
Shanghai,  he  returned  with  Mrs:  J.  to  Fuh- 
chau, on  the  8th  December,  1849.  On  the 
31st  of  May,  1850,  the  mission  was  further  re- 
inforced by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Justus  Doo- 
little  and  wife.  Mr.  Johnson,  soon  after  his 
return,  resumed  his  usual  labors.  Ilis  chapel 
was  about  a  mile  from  his  residence,  on  the 
way  to  the  scene  of  his  former  labors.  Messrs. 
Cummings,  Baldwin  and  Richards  were  now 
making  some  efforts  in  the  preaching  of  the 
word  and  the  distribution  of  tracts.  In  Sei> 
tember,  1850,  Rev.  Mr.  Richards  was  attacked 
with  hemorrhage  of  the  lungs,  and  by  advice 
of  his  brethren  and  physician,  he  soon  after 
embarked  for  Canton.  Physicians  there  re- 
commending a  long  voyage,  he  embarked  for 
the  United  States  early  in  March,  but  was  not 
allowed  to  reach  this  country.  He  calmly 
and  cheerfully  breathed  out  his  life  on  the  5  th 
of  June,  and  his  remains  were  committed  to 
the  deep,  south  of  St.  Helena.  Mr.  Richards 
had  made  great  progress  in  the  Chinese,  con- 
sidering the,  short  time  he  had  been  in  the 
field,  and  his  prospects  of  future  usefulness 
were  bright.  His  heart  was  in  his  work,  and 
he  labored  perhaps  beyond  his  strength.  Just 
before  he  was  laid  aside,  he  performed  a  valu- 
able service  to  the  mission  in  securing,  after 
much  labor,  trial  and  patience,  the  building 
lot  at  Po-na-San^,  now  occupied  by  Messrs.. 
Baldwin  and  Doolittle.  There  the  writer  erect-, 
ed  the  house  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Baldwin, 
and  moved  into  it  early  in  1851.  Mr.  Doolit- 
tle preceded  him.  It  is  near  the  great  tho- 
roughfare leading  from  the  island  to  the  city, 
and  nearly  midway  between  the  two  places. 

In  November,  1850,  Mr.  Baldwin  opened  a 
school  and  chapel  on  the  island,  and  with  some 
interruption  from  ill-health,  this  continued  to 
be  the  central  point  of  his  labors,  till  near  the 
close  of  1851.  In  April  of  that  year,  Mr. 
Cummings  commenced  public  worship  in  Chi- 
nese, in  the  court  of  his  nouse,  with  an  encou- 
raging attendance,  and  in  May  opened  a  day 
school  for  girls,  which  has  since  continued. 
Mr.  Peet  long  had  a  Chinese  service  in  the 
court  of  his  residence,  on  Sabbath  morning, 
which,  with  his  Chinese  school,  has  been  trans*' 
ferred  to  the  house  on  the  island,  once  occu^ 
pied  by  the  writer.    Some  months  after  Mr; 


CHINA. 


277 


J  olmsou's  removal  to  Po-na-Sang,  he  secured 
an  eligible  site  for  a  chapel  near  his  house,  and 
on  tlie  main  street,  and  built  a  small  and  sim- 
ple place  of  worship,  large  enough  for  about 
180  hearers.  There  he  opened  a  school,  and 
continued  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  both  in 
season  and  out  of  season,  as  his  health  would 
allow,  up  to  the  time  of  his  return  to  this  coun- 
try, December  8,  1852.  His  school  was  not 
permanent.  After  its  suspension,  the  school 
room  was  for  a  time  occupied  by  a  flourishing 
'school,  gathered  by  Mr.  Doolittle,  which  also 
was  dispersed  by  the  alarm  caused  by  the  seiz- 
ure and  imprisonment  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Wel- 
ton's  school  teachers,  in  April,  1852.  In  the 
spring  of  that  year,  Mr.  Doolittle  procured  a 
site,  and  soon  after  erected  a  chapel  on  the 
main  street,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  nearer 
the  city  than  that  built  by  Mr.  Johnson. 
These  chapels  need  only  to  be  opened  and  or- 
dinarily there  is  a  good  number  of  hearers, 
sometimes  more  that  a  hundred.  On  the  27th 
of  May,  Mr.  Doolittle  commenced  religious 
exercises  in  Chinese,  in  his  chapel.  During 
the  first  half  of  1852,  Mr.  Cummings  erected  a 
chapel  near  his  house,  on  the  main  street,  and 
commenced  Chinese  services  in  it,  with  en- 
couraging prospects.  Mr.  Baldwin  occupies 
the  chapel  in  which  Mr.  Johnson  formerly 
ministered.  Rev.  Charles  Hartwell  and  wife 
aiTived  at  Fuhchau  on  the  19th  of  June,  1853. 
The  four  elder  brethren  now  in  this  field,  have 
each  chapels  in  eligible  positions  for  securing 
hearers,  and  without  hindrance  from  the  go- 
vernment or  people,  can  give  themselves  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  during  the  week,  to  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  judicious  dis- 
tribution of  books.  By  their  exemplary  lives 
and  pure  doctrines,  a  general  and  happy  im- 
pression, favorable  to  Christianity,  has  been 
produced  upon  the  popular  mind.  It  is  hoped 
that  some  knowledge  of  the  fundamental  truths 
of  the  Gospel  has  been  extensively  difiused, 
though  none  have  yet  come  out  decidedly  on 
the  Lord's  side.  Their  religious  meetings  are 
becoming  more  orderly  and  solemn,  and  many 
of  the  youth  have  been  carefully  instructed  in 
the  Scriptures.  Truth  is  operating  like  leaven, 
quietly  among  the  masses,  yet  we  trust  power- 
fully. The  brethren  here  have,  during  the  in- 
surrection, remained  at  their  posts,  and  stead- 
ily prosecuted  their  work  ;  and  the  missionar- 
ies are  generally  recognized  as  the  teachers  of 
a  holy  religion,  blameless  and  harmless  in 
their  lives.  The  mission  has  four  day  schools, 
containing  about  100  scholars.  Books  are  ex- 
tensively prepared  in  the  vulgar  language, 
using  the  Chinese  characters,  as  symbols  of  its 
sounds,  when  necessary.  In  Fuhchau  from  the 
first,  there  has  been  great  harmony  and  love 
among  the  missionaries  of  the  difierent  boards, 
being  united  in  their  English  preaching  on  the 
Sabbath,  in  their  communion  services,  the 
monthly  cQpcert,  and  in  a  weekly  prayer  meet- 
ing.   To  the  writer,  the  recollection  of  these 


precious  seasons  is  sweet,  and  he  would  rejoice 
again  to  participate  in  them,  and  in  the  work 
of  preaching  Christ  to  dying  souls  in  Fuhchau, 
should  Providence  please  to  grant  him  this  bles- 
sed privilege.  May  this  mission,  which  he 
in  weakness  was  permitted  to  commence,  be 
abundantly  blest  as  the  instrument  of  salvation 
to  the  perishing. 

TABULAR   VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


Cantoa  . 
Amoy,  . 
Fuhchau, 

Totals 


1830 
1842 
1847 


10  1  13  1  9  1  26  2  30  4 


Southern  Baptist  Convention — Canton. — 
This  mission,  which  has  been  subject  to  great 
changes,  was  commenced  by  Rev.  I.  J.  Roberts, 
in  May,  1844.  Between  his  arrival  in  China 
in  1836,  and  the  commencement  of  his  labors 
in  Canton,  his  efforts  were  mainly  directed  to 
the  spiritual  good  of  the  Chinese  in  Macao 
and  Hong-kong.  Shortly  after  entering  Can- 
ton, he  gathered  a  church  of  6  or  7  members, 
two  or  three  of  whom  were  afterwards  useful, 
as  assistants  in  publishing  the  Gospel.  Early 
in  1845,  Messrs.  Shuck  and  Devan  came  to 
Canton.  Mr.  Shuck  shortly  after  left  with  his 
children  for  home,  and  Mrs.  Devan  died  in 
that  city,  Oct.  18, 1846,  and  Dr.  Devan,  after 
a  temporary  sojourn  in  Hong-kong,  returned 
to  America.  Messrs.  Pearcy  and  Clopton, 
with  their  wives,  arrived  at  Canton,  in  Oct. 
1846,  and  Mr.  Clopton  died  July  7, 1847,  and 
his  widow,  with  her  infant,  soon  after  returned. 
Rev.  Francis  Johnson  arrived  July,  1847,  but 
his  health  failing,  he  returned,  and  reached 
New  York  in  December,  1849.  Rev.  B.  W. 
Whilden  and  wife  arrived  at  Canton  early  in 
1849,  where  Mrs.  Whilden  died,  Feb.  20,  1850, 
and  Mr.  Whilden  the  same  year  embarked  for 
the  United  States.  Rev.  Mr.  Pearcy  and 
wife,  by  reason  of  ill-health,  left  this  station 
for  Shanghai  in  1848.  Thus,  among  all  the 
missionaries  of  this  society,  with  the  exception 
of  Mr.  Roberts,  none  have  been  long  enough 
in  Fuhchau  to  become  able  preachers  in  the 
local  dialect.  I^e  has  been  a  diligent  laborer, 
and  in  his  correspondence,  eight  persons  are 
named  as  having  received  Christian  baptism. 
In  1849,  he  visited  the  United  States,  where 
he  was  married  ;  and  in  1850,  he  resumed  his 


^>'^'ft?  THC 


\i^S%k 


278 


cniNA. 


work  in  Canton.  In  the  Society's  Report  for 
1853,  his  dismission  is  announced.  lie,  how 
ever,  remains  in  Canton,  prosecuting  his  work 
as  usual.  The  insurgent  chief  is  understood 
to  have  been  for  a  time  under  his  religious 
instruction,  and  to  have  recently  desired  a 
visit  from  him,  which  he  attempted  to  make, 
but  without  success.  From  an  article  headed 
"  Canton  Mission,"  ia  the  Home  and  Foreign 
Journal  for  January,  1854,  Rev.  B.  W.  Whil- 
dcn  appears  to  have  resumed  his  labors  in  that 
city.  A  Chinese  school,  containing  20  pupils, 
is  mentioned,  and  Yong  Seen  Sang,  who  was 
long  employed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Shuck,  was  then 
laboring  as  an  evangelist  in  Canton.  The 
Report  for  1854  speaks  of  serious  embarrass- 
ments in  this  mission  ;  but  the  missionaries 
speak  hopefully  of  future  prospects. 

Shanghai. — Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck  and.wife  em- 
barked for  China  in  1835,  and  Macao  and 
Houg-kong  became  the  scenes  of  his  subse- 
quent labors.  In  this  latter  settlement,  Mrs. 
Shuck,  a  highly  esteemed  missionary,  died 
Nov.  27, 1844,"  and  Mr.  Shuck,  with  his  chil- 
dren, soon  after  returned  home.  He  reached 
Shanghai,  on  his  return  to  China  with  his 
second  wife  and  younger  daughter,  in  October, 
1847,  where  they  were  welcomed  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  Yates  and  Tobey,  who  had  a  little  pre- 
ceded them.  From  the  arrival  of  these  breth- 
ren dates  the  commencement  of  this  mission. 
Dr.  J.  L.  James  and  wife,  destined  to  Shang- 
hai, were  drowned  in  Houg-kong  harbor, 
April  15,  1848,  by  the  capsizing  of  'the 
schooner  Paradox,  in  which  they  had  taken 
passage  at  Canton.  Rev.  Geo.  Pearcy  and 
wife,  formerly  at  Canton,  arrived  at  Shanghai 
Nov.  18,  1848,  where  they  have  since  con- 
tinued to  labor.  Like  the  brethren  of  other 
societies  who  liad  preceded  them,  they  found 
Shanghai  a  promising  field  for  Christian  effort, 
and,  with  a  knowledge  of  the  local  dialect, 
they  found  no  diflBculty  in  obtaining  hearers. 
Besides  the  frequent  ministry  of  the  word  in  a 
smaller  chapel  within  the  walls,  the  brethren 
early  made  arrangements  for  the  erection, 
within  the  city  proper,  of  a  substantial  and 
spacious  Christian  edifice.  This  church  was 
opened  for  worship  on  the  3d  of  March,  1850. 
The  house  is  a  brick  edifice,  with  a  belfry,  and 
will  accommodate  upwards  of  700  persons. 
Occasionally,  it  has  been  well  filled,  and  usually 
some  hundreds  are  present.  In  1853, 6  schools 
are  reported  as  under  the  care  of  the  mission, 
containing  between  70  and  80  scholars. 
There  is  one  out-station,  having  a  small  chapel 
and  a  school-house.  While  the  brethren  much 
value  Scripture  and  tract  distribution,  they 
devote  themselves  chiefly  to  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  in  the  city,  and  in  the  large  and 
numerous  villages  in  the  surrounding  country. 

On  the  2d  of  September,  1849,  three  Chi-  i 
nese  were  baptized.    A  recent  letter  states  nese  pupils  was  about  30,  between  the  ages  of 
the  interesting  fact  of  the  baptism  of  the  son  12  and  18.    In  1852,  Dr.  Moncrij^fF  returne" 
of  an  insurgent  chief,  a  youth  of  18,  who  was  I  to  England,  and  resigned  his  contiection  wit 


considered  as  giving  uncommon  evidence  of 
piety.  Mr.  Tobey  has  returned  to  this  coun- 
try on  account  of  ill-health.  He  arrived  at 
New  York,  May  29,  1850.  Rev.  Mr.  Shuck, 
having  been  suddenlv  bereaved  of  his  Avife, 
late  in  1852,  returned  with  his  family  to  the 
United  States.  G.  W.  Burton,  M.D.,  sailed 
from  New  York,  Dec.  12, 1853,  on  his  return 
to  Shanghai,  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Burton. 
By  the  last  accounts,  the  missionaries  were 
much  encouraged,  though  living  amid  the  rav- 
ages of  war.  The  report  for  1854  says,  with 
reference  tp  this  mission,  "  At  no  time  in  its 
former  history,  has  the  encouragement  to  per- 
severe been  stronger.  The  church  at  Shang- 
hai have  been  permitted  to  receive  into  their 
fellowship  ai^  interesting  young  man,  by  the 
name  of  Asou,  who  gives  satisfactory  evidence 
of  a  change  of  heart.  This  young  man  Avaa 
nearly  related  to  the  southern  king,  one  of  the 
insurgent  chiefs,  and  was  on  his  way  to  Nan- 
king to  join  the  army.  Having  found  protec- 
tion in  the  families  of  the  missionaries,  it  was 
soon  ascertained  that  he  was  a  regular  reader 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  daily  worshiped  God. 
He  was  more  particularly  instructed  by  them ; 
and  having  professed  faith  in  Christ,  and  a 
readiness  to  obey  him,  he  was  baptized  and 
received  into  the  church.  Rev.  Mr.  Shuck 
has  taken  a  dismission,  in  order  to  enter  into 
the  service  of  the  domestic  Board,  among  the 
Chinese  in  California. 

Church  Missionary  Society. — Hon^-kwig. — 
This  Society  commenced  operations  m  China 
in  1844,  Rev.  Messrs.  Geo.  Smith  and  T. 
McClotchie  having  arrived  at  Hong-kong  on 
the  25th  of  Sept.  of  that  year.  In  1846,  Mr. 
Smith  returned  to  England  ;  and  having  been 
appointed  Bishop  of  Victoria,  with  the  super- 
vision of  the  missions  in  China,  he  again  sailed 
for  Hong-kong,  Nov.  1849,  accompanied  by 
Rev.  T.  F.  Gough,  Wm.  Welton,  E.  T.  R.  Mon- 
crieff,  D.D.,  and  Mr.  R.  D.  Jackson.  The  par- 
ty arrived  March  29,  1850.  April  21,  Mr. 
Jackson  was  ordained  in  the  cathedral  at  Hong- 
kong, and  soon  after  proceeded  with  Mr.  Welton 
to  Fuhchau.  Rev.  Mr.  Gough  joined  Rev. 
Messrs.  Cobbold  and  Russell  at  Ningpo.  Rev. 
Dr.  Moncrieff  entered  upon  his  duties  in  what 
is  now  called  St.  Paul's  College.  It  then  con- 
tained 30  pupils,  three  of  whom  had  been 
members  of  the  Morrison  school.  Chinese  is 
the  medium  of  instruction.  At  the  end  of  the. 
year  there  were  only  17  students.  As  early 
Jan.,  1852,  the  new  buildings  at  St.  Paull 
college  were  completed,  in  which  were 
residences  of  the  bishop,  the  warden  of  tt 
college,  and  a  full  staff  of  tutors  and  student 
This  institution  originated  in  the  missionar 
zeal  of  the  Rev.  Vincent  Stanton,  former  char 
lain  at  Hong-kong.  About  60  persons  resic 
in  the  college  building.    The  number  of  CI 


CHINA. 


279 


college.    At  the  close  of  that  year  a  new 
^llege  building  was  opened.    The  number  of 

pupils  was  fluctuating. 
I  Shanghai. — This  station  was  commenced  by 
;v.  T.  McClotchie  on  his  arrival,  April  15, 
"1845.  By  diligent  application  to  the  study  of 
the  dialect,  he  was  soon  able  to  make  himself 
understood  by  the  people.  Shortly  after  his 
arrival  he  secured  a  house  within  the  city 
walls.  In  less  than  a  year  he  commenced  a 
Chinese  service,  and  soon  after  was  much  en- 
couraged by  the  interest  manifested  by  his 
crowded  audiences.  As  early  as  May  29, 
1847,  he  had  translated  the  Morning  Service 
and  the  Collects  into  the  Shanghai  dialect, 
through  the  aid  of  Gutzlaif 's  translation  of  the 
Church  Liturgy.  On  the  17th  of  April,  1848, 
he  was  joined  by  Rev.  "W.  Farmer  and  his 
wife.  Mr.  Farmer  was,  however,  soon  obliged 
to  quit  the  field,  on  account  of  his  health,  and 
he  did  not  survive  to  reach  his  native  country. 
Early  in  1850,  the  mission  church,  situated 
in  the  city  proper,  was  completed.  It  will 
accommodate  300  persons.     In  the  course  of 

1851,  three  members  of  Mr.  McClotchie's 
blind  class  were  baptized,  having  long  been 
the  subjects  of  Christian  instruction.  Rev.  J. 
Hobson  arrived  in  1849,  expecting  to  join  this 
mission,  but  the  sudden  death  by  drowning  of 
Rev.  J.  Lowder,  the  English  chaplain,  while 
bathing  in  the  sea,  led  to  his  appointment  to 
that  office,  in  which  his  society  concurred. 
Mr.  McClotchie's  residence  is  now  near  that 
of  the  American  Episcopal  establishment, 
about  3  miles  below  the  city,  on  the  river's 
bank.  In  the  Report  of  the  China  mission  for 
1853,  it  is  stated  that,  through  the  eflforts  of 
Rev.  John  Hobson,  a  commodious  educational 
establishment,  costing  $5,416,  contributed  by 
the  English  congregation,  had  been  erected 
and  made  over  to  the  society.  The  school  was 
opened  in  December,  1852,  numbering  20 
pupils,  who  had  been  some  time  under  Mr. 
Hobson's  instruction.  Two  ordained  students 
have  been  appointed  to  this  station,  one  of 
whom  takes  cliarge  of  the  school.    In  July, 

1852,  two  other  members  of  the  blind  class 
had  been  baptized,  one  of  them  a  woman. 
The  class  numbered  18  members.  This  class 
has  been  aided  by  Mr.  McClotchie  to  the 
weekly  amount  of  about  7  cents  each.  He 
gives  them  stated  religious  instruction. 

Ningpo. — This  station  was  commenced  by 
Rev.  Messrs.  R.  H.  Cobbold  and  W.  A.  Rus- 
sell on  their  arrival  in  May,  1848.  After  a 
short  time,  they  obtained  a  house  within  the 
walls,  the  basement  of  which  they  fitted  up  as 
a  temporary  place  of  worship.  On  the  first 
Sabbath  in  1849,  they  commenced  worship  in 
Chinese.  In  the  course  of  the  year,  a  small 
chapel,  with  school-room  and  teachers'-room, 
was  opened  in  a  densely-populated  portion  of 
the  city.  The  congregations  were  fluctuating 
at  the  new  chapel,  averaging  about  80.  Rev. 
T.  F,  Gough  joined  the  mission  in  1850.     In 


April,  1851,  two  persons  of  hopeful  piety  re- 
ceived Christian  baptism.  The  Roman  letters 
were  employed  in  writing  the  vulgar  tongue 
with  apparent  advantage.  Early  in  1852, 
Rev.  Mr.  Jackson,  formerly  at  Fuhchau,  was 
associated  with  this  mission.  This  year  was 
one  of  unusual  religious  interest  among  the 
people.  Religious  services  were  held  at  four 
places,  the  average  attendance  at  the  two 
chapels  being  about  200.  The  meetings  were 
more  orderly  and  solemn,  and  the  G-ospel  and 
its  teachers  were  treated  with  more  respect. 
During  the  last  half  of  1852,  five  adults,  of 
apparent  piety,  were  baptized.  This  station 
was  visited  by  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Smith,  in 
May,  1852,  who  speaks  in  the  highest  terms 
of  the  missionaries. 

•Fuhchau. — Rev.  Messrs.Wiliiam  Welton  and 
R.  D.  Jackson  arrived  in  Fuhchau  early  in 
1850,  and  through  the  assistance  of  the  British 
Vice  -  Consul  obtained  a  lease  of  a  temple 
within  the  walls,  near  the  consulate.  The  op- 
position of  the  literati  constrained  them  soon 
after  to  exchange  this  place  for  another,  also 
in  the  city.  Mr.  Welton  has  maintained  his 
position  amid  much  opposition  from  the  local 
authorities.  In  the  spring  of  1852,  two  Chi- 
nese school  teachers,  with  whom  he  had  made 
an  agreement,  were  seized,  imprisoned,  and 
treated  with  great  inhumanity.  A  house  which 
he  had  originally  rented  for  a  chapel  and  dis- 
pensary was  pulled  down.  His  humane  and 
Christian  efforts  have  been  mostly  restrict- 
ed to  his  own  house.  Tract  distribution  and 
preaching  are  allowed  in  the  city  proper ;  but 
no  premises  can  be  rented  for  such  purposes. 
Mr.  Welton  has  made  some  efforts  in  prepar- 
ing portions  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  local  dia- 
lect, using  the  Chinese  character  as  a  symbol 
of  its  sounds.  The  opposition,  it  has  been 
thought,  is  abating. 


TABULAR   VIEW 

d 

a 

o 

m 

S 

STATIONS. 

1 

1 

N 

"S.^5 

(5 

n 

H 

^^ 

a^ 

^ 

2 

1 

J2; 

^-S 

"3 

i 
1 

1 

Fuhchau 

1850 
1848 
1845 

1 
3 
1 

1 

2 

5 

9 

3 

Ningpo 

62 

At  Home 

1 

Totals 

6 

1 

2 

7 

3 

62 

American  Seventh-Day  Baptist  Society. 
— ShangJiai. — This  mission  was  begun  in  1847, 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  S.  Carpenter  and  N.  Word- 
ner,  who  with  their  families  occupy  a  native 
house  within  the  walls  of  the  city,  situated 
among  family  residences,  near  the  small  south 
gate.  A  large  room  on  the  mission  premises 
has  been  fitted  up  as  a  chapel,  which  was 
opened  for  worship  in  January,  1849. 


280 


CUINA. 


Knoush  Gbner-u.  Baptist  Missionary 
SociKTY. — Nins^po. — This  raissiou  was  com- 
raencetl  in  1845,  by  licv.  Messrs.  T.  H.  Hud- 
son anil  William  Jarrora.  It  has  been  active 
in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the  distri 
bution  of  Christian  I)ook8  ;  and  considerable 
has  been  done  in  the  department  of  schools. 
Mr.  Hudson  has  prepared  a  number  of  Chris- 
tian tracts.  He  was  early  permitted  to  bap- 
tize his  Chinese  teacher  on  the  profession  of 
his  faith  in  Christ.  Mrs.  Jarrom  died  in 
Ninj^po,  in  February,  1848.  Mr.  Jarrom  re- 
turned to  England  late  in  1850.  Mr.  Hudson 
has  suffered  much  from  ill-health,  but  conti- 
nues in  the  diligent  prosecution  of  his  work. 
His  son..  Mr.  Joseph  Hudson,  who  is  a  ready 
Chinese  scholar,  was  for  some  time  a  valuable 
assistant  in  publishing  the  Gospel ;  but  he  was 
subsequently  persuaded  to  connect  himself  with 
a  mercantile  house  in  Ningpo. 

Miss  Aldersey's  Femai.e  Seminary,  Ning- 
oo. — ^This  energetic  and  devoted  Christian 
lady,  though  educated  amid  ease  and  affluence, 
has  rejoiced,  for  Christ's  sake,  in  the  endur- 
ance of  peculiar  hardships  and  privations.  At 
her  own  charge,  near  twenty  years  since,  she 
entered  on  the  missionary  work,  first  toiling 
alone  lor  some  years  in  Sourabaya,  several 
hundred  miles  east  of  Batavia.  Since  she  left 
that  place,  a  blessed  work  of  grace  has  been 
wrought  among  the  natives,  several  hundreds 
of  whom  have  been  hopefully  converted, 
without  the  aid  of  any  foreign  missionary. 
During  the  war  between  China  and  England, 
she  went  to  Chusan,  and  there  commenced  her 
labors  for  Chinese  females.  After  the  close  of 
the  war,  she  opened  a  female  boarding-school 
at  Ningpo,  which  has  continued  in  operation 
to  the  present  time.  It  has  usually  numbered 
about  fifty  girls,  and  her  entire  household 
about  seventy  persons.  Several  of  her  family 
have  become  hopefully  pious.  Her  school  is 
now  within  the  city  proper.  Out  of  her 
school  she  has  labored  mucn  for  the  spiritual 
good  of  Chinese  females,  by  visiting  and  con- 
versation. 

Swedish  Mission,  Fw^c^m.— Though  in  the 
mysterious  providence  of  God  this  interesting 
mission  was  early  broken  up,  yet  it  deserves  a 
brief  notice.  It  was  commenced  early  in 
1850,  by  Rev.  C.  J.  Fost,  joined  soon  after 
by  Rev.  A.  Elgquist.  Both  were  young  men 
of  talent  and  piety,  and  during  their  brief  so- 
journ in  Fuhchau,  made  rapid  progress  in  the 
Chinese.  After  much  trouble  they  obtained 
the  promise  of  a  permanent  residence,  and  in 
October,  1850,  they  visited  a  vessel  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river  to  procure  the  funds  neces- 
sary to  fulfil  the  bargain,  amounting  to  about 
$200.  On  entering  the  main  river,  on  their 
return,  they  were  waylaid  by  a  piratical  boat, 
and  during  the  encounter,  Mr.  Fost  was  mor- 
tally wounded,  and  fell  into  the  river,  and  Mr. 
Elgquist  narrowly  escaped  to  the  shore  with  his 
life,  with  some  slight  wounds.    One  of  the  pi- 


rates, perhaps  their  leader,  was  mortally 
wounded  by  a  pistol-shot  from  Mr.  FosL 
Their  village  was  subsequently  destroyed  by 
the  government.  Mr.  Elg^iuist's  health  suffer- 
ed a  severe  shock  from  this  disaster  and 
previous  robberies  which  they  had  endured 
while  residing  in  a  Budhist  temple ;  and 
early  in  1851  he  was  advised  to  visit  Hong- 
kong. His  health  not  improving,  in  1852  he 
embarked  for  Sweden.  This  was  the  first  effort 
of  the  society  to  establish  a  Christian  mission. 
Free  Church  op  Scotland,  Amoy. — This 
mission  was  commenced  in  1850,  by  James  H. 
Youn^,  M.D.,  who  had  previously  spent  several 
years  in  Houg-kong,  as  a  medical  practitioner. 
Rev.  W.  C.  Burns,  a  devoted  and  successful 
minister  of  Christ,  in  his  native  land,  offered 
himself  to  the  Church  as  a  missionary  to 
China,  and  arrived  in  Hong-kong  in  Novem- 
ber, 1847.  After  having  spent  three  years 
and  seven  months  in  study  and  missionary  la- 
bor in  Hong-kong  and  Canton,  he  sailed  for 
Amoy  on  the  26tn  of  June,  1851.  He  soon 
so  far  mastered  this  new  dialect  as  to  be  able 
to  speak  it  with  ease  and  correctness.  June 
6th,  1853,  he  announced  the  completion  of  the 
translation  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  which 
was  published  at  a  cost  of  about  ten  cents  per 
copy.  Dr.  Young,  soon  after  his  arrival, 
opened  a  dispensary,  and  likewise  took  charge 
of  a  Chinese  day  school  of  30  pupils,  originally 
connected  with  the  mission  of  the  American 
Board  in  that  city.  Under  his  direction  two 
pious  Chinese  were  employed,  as  colporteurs. 
Upwards  of  twenty  opium  smokers  were 
thought  to  have  been  cured  of  this  vice. 
Another  school  of  thirty  pupils  is  superin- 
tended by  Mr.  Burns.  He  has  been  diligent 
in  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  Amoy,  and 
in  neighboring  cities  and  villages.  The  mis- 
sion was  expected  soon  to  be  reinforced. 


The  preceding  portion,  together  with  the 
concluding  part  of  this  article  was  prepared 
by  Rev.  Stephen  Johnson,  late  missionary  of 
the  A.B.  C  F.M.,  at  Fuhchau. 

American  Episcopal  Board. — The  Board 
of  Missions  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  the  United  States  resolved,  on  the  13th 
of  May,  1834,  to  establish  a  mission  in 
China  as  soon  as  a  suitable  missionary  could 
be  found.  On  the  14th  of  July,  Rev.  Henry 
Lockwood  was  appointed  ;  and  in  February 
following,  Rev.  Francis  R.  Hanson,  Rector 
of  Christ  Church,  Prince  George's  County, 
Md.,  offered  himself,  and  was  accepted.  The 
mission  excited  so  deep  an  interest,  that  the 
necessary  funds  were  raised  in  a  few  weeks,  in 
New  York  alone,  and  a  free  passage  was  given 
by  a  mercantile  house  in  that  city.  The  mis- 
sionaries embarked  June  2,  and  arrived  at 
Canton  October  29, 1835,  and  afterwards  pro- 
ceeded to  Batavia.  February  17,  1836,  Mr. 
Lockwood  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Rev. 
W.  H.  Medhurst,  and  on  the  9th  of  August 


CHINA. 


281 


following,  Mrs.  Lockwood  was  removed  by 
death. 

On  July  8,  1837,  Rev.  W.  J.  Boone,  who 
had  received  a  medical  as  well  as  a  theological 
education,  with  reference  to  the  missionary 
work,  sailed  from  Boston,  with  his  wife,  and 
reached  Batavia  on  the  22d  of  October.  Mr. 
Hanson's  health  had  become  so  impaired,  that 
he  was  compelled  to  return  home. 

The  missionaries  applied  themselves  to  the 
study  of  tlite  Chinese  language,  and  in  the 
mean  time,  endeavored  to  make  themselves 
useful  in  holding  an  English  service,  distribut- 
ing tracts,  and  establishing  schools.  Mr. 
Boone  found  his  medical  knowledge  of  great 
use  to  him.  But  the  climate  proved  detri- 
mental to  their  health,  and  Mr.  Lockwood  was 
compelled  to  return  to  the  United  States. 

During  tkeir  residence  at  Batavia,  a  boys' 
school  was  commenced  ;  and  finding  it  di^- 
cult  to  retain  them  long  enough  to  accomplish 
much  good,  the  expedient  was  resorted  to  of 
having  them  bound  by  writing  by  the  parents 
for  five  years,  the  missionaries  assuming  all  the 
expense  ;  and  the  plan  being  found  to  work 
well,  was  continued  after  the  removal  of  the 
mission  to  China.  In  August,  1839,  Mr.  Boone 
had  received  16  boys  on  these  terms,  and 
scarce  a  week  passed  but  he  had  to  reject  ap- 
plications. Their  improvement,  in  every  re- 
spect, was  highly  gratifying.  They  were  do- 
cile, studious,  and  afiectionate. 

In  September,  1840,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boone 
visited  Macao,  on  account  of  impaired  health  ; 
and  in  February  following,  the  mission  was  re- 
moved to  that  place.  On  the  20th  of  August, 
1842,  Mrs.  Boone  was  attacked  with  a  bilious 
remittant  fever,  and  on  the  30th,  she  departed 
this  life,  with  the  dying  declaration  :  "  If  there 
is  a  mercy  in  life  for  which  I  feel  thankful,  it 
is,  that  God  has  condescended  to  call  me  to  be 
a  missionary."  In  consequence  of  her  death, 
Dr.  Boone  returned  to  this  country  with  his 
children,  hoping  also  to  be  able  to  secure  a 
reinforcement  to  the  mission. 

In  1834,  and  before  Dr.  Boone's  return  to 
tin's  country,  the  mission  was  removed  from 
;io  to  Koolongsoo,  a  small  island  half  a 
■  from  Amoy,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  Dr. 
Boone,  presented  a  most  inviting  field  for  mis- 
sionary labor.  He  had  frequent  opportuni- 
ties of  preaching  on  Sundays  to  stated  congre- 
gations of  Chinese,  averaging  from  60  to  70, 
besidcs""an  English  service  for  the  troops.  The 
chief  magistrate  of  Amoy  interchanged  visits 
with  Dr.  Boone,  and  invited  him  to  reside  at 
that  place,  where  he  would  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  preach  to  many  more  people,  and  where 
he  (the  magistratej  would  have  more  frequent 
intercourse  with  hmi.  He  listened  to  Dr.  B.'s 
declaration  of  the  Gospel,  and  accepted  a  New 
Testament. 

Dr.  Boone's  visit  to  this  country  was  the 
means  of  exciting  a  greatly  increased  interest 
in  the  China  mission  ;  and  in  October,  1844, 


he  was  consecrated  Missionary  Bishop.  On 
the  14th  of  December  following,  he  embarked 
for  Canton,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Henry  W.  Woods,  and  Richardson  Graham, 
and  Mrs.  Boone,  Mrs.  Woods,  Mrs.  Graham, 
and  Misses  Gillett,  Jones,  and  Morse,  mission- 
ary teachers.  Rev.  Mr.  Syle  and  wife  em- 
barked on  the  24th  of  May  following. 

Bishop  Boone  and  his  associates  reached 
Hong-kong  on  the  24th  of  April,  1845  ;  and 
after  much  inquiry  and  consultation,  Shanghai 
was  fixed  upon  as  offering  a  most  favorable 
prospect  for  missionary  labor  ;  and,  as  soon  as 
suitable  arrangements  could  be  made,  the  mis- 
sion families  proceeded  to  that  place,  and  es- 
tablished the  mission  there.  The  demeanor 
of  the  people  towards  the  missionaries  was 
highly  encouraging.  The  magistrates  were 
courteous,  and  the  people  exhibited  none  of 
the  arrogance  and  dislike  manifested  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Canton,  but  showed  much  kind- 
ness and  good  will.  A  school  for  boys  was 
immediately  opened,  with  ten  pupils,  on  the 
same  plan  as  that  pursued  first  at  Batavia, 
and  the  new  missionaries  applied  themselves 
diligently  to  the  study  of  the  language.  Pub- 
lic service  M^as  established  by  the  Bishop,  in  a 
hall  fitted  up  in  the  building  occupied  for  a 
school,  capable  of  holding  250  people,  which 
was  filled  with  an  attentive  audience.  In 
1846,  one  young  man  was  baptized,  who  was 
looking  forward  to  the  ministry. 

The  failure  of  Rev.  Mr.  Graham's  health 
rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  return  to 
this  country,  and  Rev.  Phineas  D.  Spalding 
was  sent  out  to  take  his  place.  Bishop  Boone, 
in  his  report,  gives  a  high  testimonial  to  the 
character  and  usefulness  of  the  ladies  attached 
to  the  mission. 

In  1847,  the  Bishop  began  to  be  afflicted 
with  serious  illness,  which  has  since  followed 
him,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  and  proved  a 
great  hindrance  to  his  labors.  This  year  he 
succeeded  in  raising  about  ^6000,  and  secured  a 
lot  outside  of  the  city,  for  the  purjiose  of  erect- 
ing a  suitable  building  for  his  schools.  One 
of  the  earliest  pupils  ot  the  school  died,  giving 
satisfactory  evidence  of  piety.  Previous  to  his 
death  he  was  received  into  the  church. 

The  controversy  in  regard  to  the  proper 
word  to  be  used  for  rendering  God  in  Chinese, 
to  which  allusion  has  been  made  in  a  former 
part  of  this  article,  attracted  the  earliest  atten- 
tion of  Bishop  Boone,  who  expressed  his  firm 
conviction  that  Shi7i  was  the  true  word ;  and 
that  it  would  be  in  vain  to  fight  against  poly- 
theism, if  they  chose  the  term  used  by  the  Chi- 
nese as  the  proper  name  for  their  chief  god. 
To  this  subject  he  devoted  several  months,  and 
wrote  and  published  a  treati|^  upon  it. 

Funds  were  collected  forftie  erection  of  a 
mission  chapel  ($1000  of  which  was  received 
from  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
United  States),  and  also  a  suitable  dwelling 
for  the  missionaries. 


282 


CHINA. 


In  1849,  the  mission  was  afflicted  with  the 
.\«8  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sj>alding,  whose  indefatigable 
diligence  had  given  him  a  sufficient  command 
of  tTie  language  to  enable  him  to  preach  to  the 
Chinese  in  their  own  tongue.  Over  exertion, 
connected  with  a  cold,  brought  on  him  a  con- 
sumption ;  urgetl  by  his  physicians,  he  em- 
barked for  his  native  land  on  board  the  ship 
Coquette,  which  was  never  heard  of  after- 
wards ;  and  it  is  supposed  that  she  foundered 
in  the  Chinese  sea  during  a  terrible  gale,  soon 
after  his  embarkation. 

Bishop  Boone  and  Rev.  Mr.  Syle,  were  con- 
tributing their  share  of  labor  to  the  work  of  a 
revision  of  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
Chinese ;  and  in  connection  with  the  Rev. 
Mr.  McClatchie,  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society,  they  had  nearly  completed  the  whole 
order  for  "  Morning  Prayer,"  in  the  local  dia- 
lect of  Shanghai. 

On  Easter,  1850,  the  Bishop  baptized  six 
persons ;  and,  after  witnessing  the  administra- 
tion of  the  ordinance,  the  teacher  of  the  day 
school  came  to  Mr.  Syle,  and  applied  to  be  re- 
ceived as  a  candidate  for  baptism. 

The  greatest  vigilance  is  exercised  bj  the 
missionaries  in  the  examination  of  candidates 
for  baptism,  none  being  admitted  to  the  ordi- 
nance without  a  knowledge  of  Christian  truth, 
and  evidence  of  its  gracious  effects  on  their 
hearts  and  in  their  lives. 

The  following  fact,  related  by  Mr.  Syle,  will 
show  the  difficulty  attending  the  translation 
of  the  Bible  into  Chinese :  "  After  reading 
some  chapters  in  the  Gospel  of  Mark,  which 
had  been  translated  in  the  very  concise, '  highly 
concentrated '  style,  which  is  sometimes  called 
'  classical,'  my  old  man,  Soo-dong,  made  this 
remark  :  '  A  lad  who  has  been  to  school  two 
or  three  years  can  read  and  understand  the 
Scriptures  written  in  the  Foo-pah  (common 
dialect) ;  if  he  has  read  books  for  six  or  seven 
years,  he  can  understand  and  explain  the  mean- 
ing of  what  is  written  in  the  style  of  Mr.  Gutz- 
laff's  version  (which  might  be  called  the  easy 
Mandarin;)  but  before  he  could  extract  the 
meaning  out  of  this  (referring  to  what  he  had 
just  perused),  he  must  have  studied  the  books 
at  least  ten  years !'  And  yet  this  is  what  he 
prefers,  and  would  choose  for  translating  the 
word  of  God." 

^  The  following  fact,  stated  by  the  same  mis- 
sionary, and  which  he  says  is  no  unusual  occur- 
rence, shows  that  there  must  be  much  suffer- 
ing from  want  among  the  Chinese  :  "  As  I 
stepped  from  the  boat  on  the  quay  this  morn- 
ing, I  saw  some  old  mats  spread  over  the 
bodies  of  such  as  had  died  of  destitution  during 
the  night.  I  lifted  one  corner  of  the  matting, 
and  counted  ni^  distinctly.  I  was  told  there 
were  eleven,  awkilled  with  cold  and  hunger 
in  one  night  in  one  place !" 

Mr.  Syle  relates  the  case  of  a  poor  boy,  thir- 
teen years  of  age,  whom  they  had  taken  in, 
who  died  in  consequence  of  the  habit  he  had 


acquired  of  smoking  opium.  Mr.  S.  thinks 
this  drug  is  undermining  the  constitutionn  of 
mxe-third  of  the  people  of  China. 

In  1850,  Bishop  Boone  published  a  defence 
of  his  former  treatise  on  the  translation  oi  the 
word  God,  which  had  been  reviewed  by  Dr. 
Medhurst,  Sir  George  Stanton,  and  Dr.  Lon^'c. 
As  an  illustration  of  the  danger  of  employing 
the  term  Shang-te,  he  relates  that  they  had  ix'cn 
teaching  a  catechism  on  the  creed,  in  winch 
this  word  was  used.  A  man  of  some  intelli- 
gence, who  understood  his  own  language  well, 
applied  for  instruction,  and  was  furnished  with 
a  copy  of  fhis  catechism.  He  came  regularly 
for  ten  days,  and  showed  great  interest.  lie 
read  over  with  the  missionary  all  the  attribiites 
of  Shang-te,  which  we  are  accustomed  to  predi- 
cate of  God,  and  appeared  to  understand 
thoroughly  what  he  read.  But  when  asked  i  C  he 
prayed  to  Shang-te  every  day,  he  replied  that 
he  visited  his  temple  twice  a  day  for  this  purpose. 
This  was  the  name  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
apply  to  the  idol  in  the  temple  ;  and  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  tliat  he  understood  the  mis- 
sionaries, as  teaching  the  worship  of  the  same 
idol,  since  they  used  the  same  name.  'J'he 
word  was  immediately  erased  from  their  cate- 
chism. There  is  an  idol,  the  chief  among  the 
Taouists,  called  Neok  Wong  Shang-te,  and,  if 
you  say  Shang-te  to  them,  they  under .~t,t ml 
you  as  speaking  of  this  idol. 

The  interesting  event  of  the  ordinatiur  if 
Chi- Wooig,  the  first  Chinese  deacon,  took  place 
in  Christ  Church,  Shanghai,  on  the  7th  of 
September,  1851.  He  was  questioned  fullyj 
on  the  books  of  Scripture,  and  on  the  39* 
articles,  and  answered  very  satisfactorily.  H^ 
also  read  two  sermons,  written  out  in  the 
lect  of  his  region.  He  gives  promise  of  mm 
usefulness.  There  were,  at  this  time,  tl 
more  candidates  for  orders :  Mr.  John 
Points,  a.  member  of  the  mission,  and  U 
natives,  Soodong  and  Chu-kiung. 

This  year,  a  new  building  was  erected 
the  female  school,  under  the  instruction 
Miss  Jones. 

Bishop  Boone  having  made  arrangement 
for  as  efficient  conduct  of  missionary  ope  ' 
tions  as  circumstances  would  admit,  embarl 
for  the  United  States,  and  arrived  in  N( 
York,  Jan.  30,  1853.    Mr.  Syle,  who  ha 
been  eight  years  in  China,  found  it  necessa 
this  year  also  to  return  to  this  country. 

The  obstacle  which  the  acquisition  of 
Chinese  language  has  been  supposed  to  pre 
to  the  missionary  work  there,  appears  far 
formidable  than  it  once  was.     After  se 
months'  study,  the  newly-arrived  missionj 
were  able  to  read  the  service,  and  address 
natives  intelligibly  in  Chinese.     And  one  cI 
the  ladies  connected  with  the  mission  coir- 
menced  the  study  of  the  language  in  Augusf 
and  on  the  31st  of  the  following  January,  sbj 
had  read  through  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  in  Oh 
nese  characters,  correctly  and  understanding!; 


CHINA. 


283 


he  mission,  at  the  latest  dates,  was  in  a 
}.r<)sperous  condition.  The  followinf^  table 
will  show  its  present  strength  and  the  progress 
l!iat  has  been  made  in  the  several  depart- 

mi.'uts  : 

Ordained  American  Missionaries,  including  the  Bishop.. 3 

American  Catechist  and  Candidate  for  Orders 1 

Ordained  Native 1 

Native  Catechists  and  Candidates  for  Orders 2 

Female  Teachers  (single  ladies) 6 

Pupils  in  Boys'  School  (on  mission  premises) 60 

"      "    Girls'      "         "        "  "  40 

In  six  other  Schools 100 

Whole  Number  of  Baptisms 29 

Number  of  Communicants 24 

Under  Suspension 7 

During  the  year  a  mission  chapel  has  been 
built,  60  feet  by  30,  at  a  cost  of  $2,000,  $600 
of  which  was  subscribed  by  members  of  the 
foreign  community. — Revised  by  one  of  the  Sec- 
retaries. 

Presbyterian  Board. — The  missions  of  the 
^American)  Presbyterian  Board  among  the 
Chinese  were  commenced  at  Singapore,  in 
1838.  At  that  time  their  jealousy  of  foreign- 
ers prevented  a  station  being  formed  in  China 
itself.  Merchants  and  other  foreigners  were 
permitted  to  live  only  at  Canton,  and  were 
there  restricted  within  the  limits  of  a  few 
warehouses  on  the  river.  The  first  mission- 
aries of  the  Board  were  the  Eev.  Messrs.  Ro- 
bert W.  Orr  and  John  A.  Mitchell,  and  Mrs. 
Orr,  who  arrived  at  their  station  in  April, 
1838.  In  October  following,  Mr.  Mitchell, 
whose  health  was  delicate  when  he  left  this 
country,  JR'as  called  to  his  rest.  With  Mr. 
Orr,  he  had  visited  Malacca  and  Penang,  and 
Mr.  Orr  afterwards  visited  Bangkok,  to  ob- 
tain information  concerning  the  most  eligible 
places  for  missionary  work.  In  the  next  year 
the  Chinese  teacher  employed  by  Mr.  Orr  was 
baptized  by  him.  In  July,  1840,  the  Eev. 
Thomas  L.  McBryde  and  his  wife  arrived  at 
Singapore,  and  in  December  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Orr  were  compelled  to  leave  their  work  by  the 
failure  of  Mr.  Orr's  health.  In  July,  1841, 
James  C.  Hepburn,  M.D.,  and  his  wife,  reach- 
ed Singapore,  under  appointment  to  the  mis- 
sion in  Siam,  but  with  permission  to  join  the 
China  mission — a  measure  which  the  return  of 
Mr.  Orr  and  other  reasons  made  expedient. 
Towards  the  end  of  this  year  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McBryde  went  up  to  Macao  for  the  benefit  of 
a  colder  climate.  In  May,  1842,  the  Eev. 
Walter  M.  Lowrie  arrived  at  Macao,  and 
sailed  about  a  month  afterwards  for  Singapore. 
This  voyage  was  undertaken  with  reference  to 
the  question  of  removing  the  mission  from 
that  place  to  China.  The  war  between  the 
British  and  the  Chinese  was  drawing  to  a 
close,  and  it  was  a  deeply  important  matter  to 
decide  wisely  on  the  line  of  efforts  which 
should  be  followed  under  the  new  aspects  of 
this  great  field  of  labor.  Mr.  Lowrie's  voy- 
age, however,  ended  in  the  shipwreck  of  the 
vessel,  and  the  almost  miraculous  escape  of 


himself  and  most  of  the  ship's  company. 
After  sailing  Ibur  hundred  miles  in  open  boate, 
and  encountering  a  severe  gale  at  sea,  they 
reached  Luban,  a  small  island  near  Manila, 
and  Mr.  Lowrie  returned  to  Macao  in  Octo- 
ber. 

The  termination  of  the  war  between  the 
British  and  the  Chinese  in  this  year  changed 
the  whole  question  as  to  the  stations  to  be  oc- 
cupied. These  were  not  required  to  be  hence- 
forth at  places  many  hundreds  of  miles  distant 
from  China  ;  five  of  the  principal  cities  on  the 
coast  of  the  country  were  now  open  to  the  re- 
sidence of  missionaries,  as  well  as  of  other 
foreigners.  Accordingly  it  was  deemed  expe- 
dient for  Mr.  McBryde  to  occupy  a  station  on 
Koolongsoo,  a  small  island  close  by  the  city  of 
Amoy.  To  this  island,  in  1833,  Dr.  Hepburn 
removed  from  Singapore,  after  spending  a  few 
months  at  Macao  while  the  question  of  his  sta- 
tion was  under  consideration.  In  October, 
Mr.  McBryde  and  his  family  returned  to  this 
country,  on  account  of  the  failure  of  his 
health.  In  February,  1844,  D.  B.  McCartee, 
M.D.,  and  Mr.  Eichard  Cole,  a  printer,  and  his 
wife,  arrived  at  Macao ;  in  July  the  Eev. 
Eichard  W.  Way  and  wife,  first  appointed  to 
Siam  ;  in  October,  the  Eev.  Messrs.  M.  Simp- 
son, Culbertson  and  Augustus  W.  Loomis, 
and  their  wives,  and  the  Eev.  Messrs.  John 
Lloyd  and  Andrew  P.  Happer,  M.  D. ;  and  in 
May,  1845,  the  Eev.  Hugh  A.  Brown.  The 
number  of  brethren  thus  arriving  in  China 
showed  that  the  churches  were  willing  to  re- 
spond to  the  call  of  Providence  for  enlarged 
missionary  operations  in  this  country.  It  was 
now  practicable  to  form  plans  of  missionary- 
work  on  a  wider  scale,  and  after  much  consi- 
deration it  was  determined  to  form  three  mis- 
sions— at  Canton,  Amoy,  andNingpo.  Messrs. 
Happer  and  Cole  were  connected  with  the 
Canton  mission ;  Messrs,  Lloyd,  Brown,  and 
Hepburn  with  the  mission  at  Amoy;  and 
Messrs.  Lowrie,  Way,  Loomis,  Culbertson,  and 
McCartee  with  the  Ningpo  mission. 

An  important  auxiliary  to  these  missions  is 
the  printing-press.  A  brief  account  of  this 
deserves  a  place  in  these  pages.  Preliminary 
to  this  notice  it  should  be  stated,  that  in  no 
other  heathen  country  are  there  so  many  read- 
ers as  in  China,  and  that  there  the  process  of 
printing  has  long  been  in  use.  The  Chinese 
method  of  printing,  however,  is  a  very  im- 
perfect one  ;  the  types  are  blocks  of  wood,  on 
which  each  letter  or  character  has  been  en- 
graved by  the  hand  of  the  artist,  and  the  im- 
pressions are  taken  by  means  of  a  brush  for 
the  ink  and  a  block  for  the  press  ;  the  whole 
being  an  operation  so  slow,  that  only  the 
patience  of  a  Chinaman  is  equal  to  ite  de- 
mands. Our  admiration,  however,  is  due  to 
the  invention  itself,  and  to  the  neatness  and 
economy  of  the  printing  thus  executed  ;  but  in 
this  day  of  finished  machinery,  and  of  large 
stereotype  editions  of  the  Scriptures  and  other 


284 


CHINA. 


books,  this  imperfect  process  docs  not  suit  the 
exigencies  of  the  Church  in  her  missionary 
work.  On  (he  other  hand,  a  serious  and  appa- 
reutly  insuperable  difficulty  in  the  way  of 
printing,  either  by  machinery  or  by  the  use  of 
metallic  tyjK's,  was  found  in  the  large  number 
of  Chinese  letters  or  characters.  This  num- 
ber is  estimated  at  30,000  ;  a  common  print- 
in^office  case  contains  but  56. 

For  a  satisfactory  statement  of  the  "  dis- 
covery," as  it  may  well  be  called,  of  the  me- 
thod of  printing  this  multitude  of  Chinese 
characters  with  a  small  number  of  metallic 
types,  the  reader  may  consult  the  Annual  Re- 
port of  the  Western  Foreign  Missionary  Soci- 
ety, May,  1837.  It  turns  on  the  distinction 
between  the  formatives  and  primitives  in  the 
Chinese  language,  and  between  the  divisible 
and  indivisible  characters.  The  divisible  are 
reduced  to  their  simplest  elements,  and  being 
struck  off  as  types,  can  be  ro-composed  in  dif- 
ferent characters,  so  that  a  comparatively 
small  number  of  types  will  serve  to  express 
most  of  the  characters  in  common  use.  At 
the  instance  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary 
of  the  Board,  whose  previous  study  of  this 
language  had  prepared  him  to  take  a  deep  in- 
terest in  this  matter,  the  committee  agreed  in 
1836,  to  order  a  set  of  the  matrices  for  this 
new  mode  of  printing  Chinese.  These  matri- 
ces were  made  in  Paris,  at  a  cost  of  over 
$5,000.  Types  were  cast  from  them  in  New 
York,  by  Mr.  Cole ;  and  at  Macao  both  he 
and  Mr.  Lowrie  gave  much  time  and  labor  to 
perfecting  the  types,  arranging  the  cases,  and 
other  things  requisite  to  the  practical  applica- 
tion of  this  new  invention.  Many  fears  and 
some  predictions  of  failure  were  happily  dis- 
appointed, and  its  success  may  be  regarded  as 
an  era  in  the  history  of  this  people.  For  seve- 
ral years  this  mode  of  printing  has  been  in 
operation.  Large  editions  of  works  are  print- 
ed, from  stereotype  plates,  on  improved  presses, 
such  as  are  in  use  in  our  own  country,  which 
will  be  driven  by  steam-power  when  the  Chi- 
nese become  a  Christian  people.  It  is  of  inte- 
rest to  a<id,  that  but  for  the  order  given  by  the 
committee  in  1836  for  a  set  of  these  matrices, 
this  great  invention  would  probably  not  have 
been  brought  into  use.  So  little  confidence 
was  felt  in  its  practicability,  that  no  other 
missionary  institution  would  give  it  their  pa- 
tronage. Only  one  other  order  was  received 
by  the  artist,  and  without  at  least  two  orders 
he  could  not  proceed  with  the  work. 

In  1845  the  printing-press  was  removed  from 
Macao  to  Ningpo,  and  upwards  of  3,500,000 
pages  were  printed.  A  station  was  occupied 
at  Chusan,  an  island  not  far  distant  from  Ning- 
po, ifhich  was  then  in  the  possession  of  the  Bri- 
tish. This  was  an  experiment  to  determine 
whether  other  places  besides  the  cities  opened 
under  the  treaty  could  be  occupied  by  mission- 
aries ;  but  it  was  found  that  the  authorities 
civilly  but  firmly  opposed  their  permanent  res- 


idence there,  although  the  people  of  tlie  island 
were  friendly  ;  and  the  station  was  rolintjuish- 
ed  soon  after  the  island  was  restored  by  the 
British  to  the  Chinese. 

In  1846,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hepburn  reached  this 
country,  being  compelled  to  return  by  the  state 
of  Mrs.  Hepburn's  health.  In  December,  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  William  Speer  and  John  B. 
French,  and  Mrs.  Speer,  arrived  at  Canton, 
and  the  Rev.  John  W.  Quarterman  joined  the 
Ningpo  mission.  A  church  was  organized  at 
Ningpo  in  May  ;  boarding-schools  were  open- 
ed at  Canton  and  Ning-po  ;  and  most  of  the 
missionaries  were  now  sufiiciently  acquainted 
with  the  Chinese  language  to  conduct  religious 
services  in  chapels,  and  to  make  known  the 
Gospel  by  the  way-side. 

The  year  1847  was  marked  by  the  death  of 
Mrs.  Speer  on  the  16th  of  April,  and  of  Mr. 
Lowrie  on  the  19th  of  August — the  latter 
under  most  afflicting  circumstances,  by  the 
hands  of  Chinese  pirates.*  Mr.  Cole's  connec- 
tion with  the  mission  ceased,  and  Mr.  Happer 
was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Ball,  an 
American  missionary  at  Canton. 

In  1848,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Joseph  K.  AVight 
and  Henry  V.  Rankin,  and  their  wives,  arrived 
in  China,  to  join  the  Ningpo  mission.  Mr. 
Brown  was  compelled  to  return  to  this  country, 
by  the  state  of  his  health,  and  on  the  6th  of 
December  Mr.  Lloyd  was  called  to  his  rest. 
The  station  at  Amoy  has  not  since  been  occu- 
pied by  the  Board. 

In  1849,  Mr.  Moses  S.  Coulter  and  his  wife 
arrived  in  China — Mr.  Coulter  hdling  been 
appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  press  at  Ning- 
po, while  continuing  his  studies  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry. 

In  1850,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Samuel  N.  and 
William  P.  Martin,  and  their  wives,  arrived  at 
Ningpo.  Mr.  Loomis  and  his  wife  and  Mr. 
Speer  returned  to  this  country,  on  account  of 
their  health.  A  new  mission  was  formed  at 
Shanghai,  to  which  Mr.  Wight  and  Mr.  Culbert- 
son  were  appointed — the  latter  with  a  special 
view  to  the  work  of  translating  the  Scriptures. 

In  1851,  Mr.  French  was  married  to  the 
second  daughter  of  Dr.  Ball,  the  sister  of  Mrs. 
Happer ;  and  in  1852,  the  Rev.  John  Bycrs 
and  his  wife  and  Miss  Juana  M.  Knight  arriv- 
ed in  China,  the  latter  to  be  associated  with 
her  sister,  Mrs.  Rankin  in  the  female  boarding- 
school  at  Ningpo,  and  Mr.  Byers  to  be  station- 
ed at  Shanghai.  Mr.  Coulter  was  called  to 
his  rest,  on  the  12th  of  December,  and  the 
health  of  Mr.  Byers  having  given  way  shortly 
after  reaching  his  station,  he  and  his  wife  start- 
ed on  their  voyage  homewards,  but  he  was  also 
taken  to  his  rest  on  the  8th  of  April,  1853. 
In  August,  the  Rev.  John  Nevius  and  his  wife 


*  See  Memoirs  of  the  Rev.  Walter  M.  Lowrie  :  New-York,  j 
1849.     Robert  Carter  &  Brothers.     He  was  a  member  of  ajj 
Convention  of  Missionaries  at  Shanghai,  engaged  in  th«jj 
translation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  was  returning  to  his  a^ 
tion  at  Ningpo,when  he  was  taken,  as  by  a  martyr's  deat 
to  his  rest. 


CHINA. 


285 


d  for  Ningpo,  and  in  November  the  llev. 
(Jbarles  F.  Preston,  and  J.  G.  Kerr,  M.D.,  and 
!iis  wife,  for  Canton.    In  this  year  also,  Dr. 

urtee  was  married  to  Miss  Knight. 

I  April,  1854,  the  Eev.  Keuben  Lowrie  and 

,ife  embarked  for  China,  to  be  connected 

the  Shanghai  mission. 

;  is  is  but  a  slight  sketch  of  the  missions 
:  iiO  Board  in  China,  yet  it  shows  that  an 
mportant  work  is  in  steady  progress.  Twelve 
ninisters  and  two  physicians,  nearly  all  of 
\rhom  are  married  men,  are  stationed  at  the 
aties  of  Canton,  Shanghai,  and  Ningpo.  The 
joarding-schools  contain  about  sixty  boys  and 
hirty  girls,  and  the  day-schools  about  sixty 
)oys.  The  church  at  Ningpo  numbers  twenty- 
;hree  communicants.  The  printing-press  at 
hat  city  has  sent  forth  upwards  of  24,000,000 
)f  pages  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  and  other 
jhristian  publications,  and  is  still  in  eJSfective 
roeration.  The  medico-missionary  labors  of 
m.  Happer  and  Dr.  McCartee  have  exerted  a 
nde-spread  influence  in  favor  of  the  Christian 


Could  anything  more  clearly  attest  that  the 
Gospel  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation? 
Commonly  we  indulge  little  hope  of  the  con- 
version of  very  aged  persons,  even  in  Christian 
lands ;  but  here,  in  the  adorable  exercise  of 
God's  sovereignty  in  grace,  we  see  an  aged 
idolater,  living  far  distant  from  the  ministra- 
tions of  the  sanctuary,  brought  into  the  com- 
munion of  the  saints  I  Such  an  example  shows 
that  nothing  is  too  hard  for  the  Almighty. 

The  Mission  to  the  Chinese  in  California 
properly  follows  the  missions  in  China  itself. 
The  fame  of  the  gold  mines  has  drawn  some 
thousands  of  this  gairi^eeking  people  to  our 
shores.  Thus  far,  they  have  nearly  all  come 
from  the  province  of  Canton,  and  speak  the 
dialect  of  that  province.  The  Rev.  William 
Speer  and  his  wife  commenced  their  labors 
amongst  them  at  San  Francisco,  in  the  autumn 
of  1852.  Having  been  stationed  at  Canton 
in  former  years,  his  health  being  now  restored, 
Mr.  Speer  could  at  once  speak  to  them  in  their 
tongue,  the  wonderful  works  of  God.  Their 
civil  relations  to  each  other  were  now  reversed  ; 
•eligion,  which  is  perceived  to  inspire  its  fol-  i  they  are  the  foreigners,  and  their  missionary 
owers  with  benevolence,  and  to  confer  evident  could  bid  them  welcome  to  his  native  land  ; 

accordingly,  his  visits  were  well  received  by 


blessings  on  the  poor  and  needy.  Dr.  McCar- 
;ee's  influence,  as  a  Christian  physician,  is  such 
IS  might  well  be  envied  by  the  most  favored 
)f  his  professional  brethren  in  any  of  our  own 
3ities.  Numerous  chapels,  most  of  them  rooms 
lired  for  the  purpose,  are  open  for  religious 
services,  and  at  Ningpo  a  large  and  convenient 
ihurch  has  been  erected,  in  which  public  wor 
ihip  is  regularly  conducted.  The  Gospel  has 
jeen  frequently  proclaimed,  also,  at  the  tem- 
ples and  other  places  of  public  concourse,  and 
n  the  villages  in  the  vicinity  of  Ningpo. 

By  means  of  these  various  labors,  the  leaven 
)f  divine  truth  has  been  extensively  diffused, 
md  is  producing  its  appropriate  influence.  A 
iignal  example  of  this  occurred  during  the  last 
rear,  in  connection  with  the  Ningpo  mission. 
A.  part  of  the  sacred  volume,  received  from  a 
nissionary,  was  carried  by  a  Chinaman  to 
lis  own  village,  at  some  distance  in  the  in- 
ierior  of  the  country.  It  seems  to  have  made 
10  impression  on  the  mind  of  him  who  first 
received  it,  but  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  an  aged 
nan,  who  for  fourscore  years  had  been  a  wor- 
shiper of  idols.  His  attention  was  awakened 
to  consider  this  new  religion,  and  he  concluded 
to  go  in  search  of  the  giver  of  this  strange 
oook.  He  came  to  Ningpo,  took  up  his  abode 
on  the  premises  of  one  of  the  missionaries,  and 
spent  his  time  in  reading  the  sacred  volume 
lud  attending  to  the  instructions  of  his  kind 
teacher, — often  coming  with  the  Bible  in 
tiis  hand  to  ask  for  explanations  of  difficult 
passages,  and  manifesting  a  teachable  spirit. 
A.fter  some  months  thus  employed,  he  gave 
pleasing  evidence  of  being  a  subject  of  divine 
?race,  and  was  received  into  the  church  of 
Christ  by  baptism,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
congregation    of    his    heathen    countrymen.  '• 


them.  He  found  several  Chinese  patients  in 
the  hospital,  who  were  grateful  for  his  instruc- 
tions and  aid ;  a  school  was  opened,  but  the 
attendance  was  not  regular.  After  some  time, 
an  eligible  place  of  worship  was  secured  for  a 
few  months,  where  services  were  conducted 
in  the  Chinese  language,  with  a  varying  au- 
dience. Eventually  the  liberality  of  residents 
of  San  Francisco  provided  a  suitable  building 
for  the  use  of  the  mission,  in  which  it  is  de- 
signed to  have  a  school  and  a  chapel,  with 
convenient  apartments  for  the  family  of  the 
missionary.  Many  of  the  Chinese  gave  hand- 
some donations  towards  the  purchase  of  this 
property. 

Among  the  favorable  incidents  in  the  brief 
history  of  this  mission,  it  may  be  noted  that 
some  of  the  former  pupils  in  the  mission  schools 
in  China  were  found  in  California.  They  were 
predisposed  to  give  a  hearty  reception  to  one 
whose  character  and  motives  were  at  once  un- 
derstood by  them.  Another  favorable  provi- 
dence was  the  return  to  China  of  an  influential 
man,  whose  influence  would  have  been  strongly 
arrayed  against  the  mission,  and  the  choice  as 
his  successor,  to  be  the  head  of  a  company  or 
association  of  Chinese,  of  a  man  who  looked 
with  a  friendly  eye  upon  these  eflbrts  for  the 
benefit  of  his  people.  Afterwards  a  few  Chris- 
tians were  found,  who  had  been  received  into 
the  church  by  missionaries  in  their  native  land. 
Their  conduct  appears  to  have  been  worthy  of 
their  profession ;  they  rested  from  work  on  the 
Sabbath,  even  at  the  mines,  and  met  together 
for  religious  worship;  but  their  wandering 
life  prevented  their  forming  a  regular  congre- 
gation. In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1854, 
Mr.  Speer  was  permitted  to  organize  a  church 


286 


CHINA. 


at  San  Francisco,  with  four  Chinese  commu 
nicants,  one  of  whom  was  ordained  as  a  ruling 
elder.  Thus  an  auspicious  beginning  has  been 
made. 

The  future  influence  of  this  mission  will  of 
course  depend  to  a  considerable  extent  on  the 
number  of  Chinese  who  may  seek  a  temporary 
or  a  permanent  home  in  our  land.  There  are 
causes  which  render  it  not  unlikely  that  large 
numbers  of  them  will  come  to  this  country. 
Some  of  these  have  been  already  referred  to  ; 
others  need  not  be  here  specified.  On  the 
other  hand,  their  emigration  may  be  checked, 
as  indeed  it  was  for  a  flme,  by  the  harsh  and 
un-American  treatment  which  they  met  with 
from  some  of  our  countrymen — or  more  likely 
from  some  of  the  reprobate  foreigners.  The 
impositions  to  which  they  are  subject  at  the 
mines  will  go  far  to  deter  them  from  remaining, 
and  to  prevent  others  from  coming.  These 
oppressions  are  disgraceful  to  those  who  are 
guilty  of  them ;  but  with  a  better  tone  of  morals 
at  the  mines,  every  thing  of  this  kind  must 
cease.  It  seems  quite  clear  that  our  country- 
men should  encourage  and  not  repel  the  immi- 


gration of  the  Chinese.  They  will  form  a  most 
valuable  class  of  laborers,  being  industrious, 
peaceable,  and  frugal.  It  may  easily  comu  to 
pass  that  the  Chinese  will  to  a  large  extent  sup- 
plant the  Negroes,  in  the  cultivation  of  rice,  cot- 
ton, and  sugar-cane.  They  will  be  found  to  be 
a  superior  class  of  laborers,  and  every  way  less 
expensive.  Their  employment  in  this  country, 
not  merely  in  the  mines  of  California,  nor  in 
the  slave  States  of  the  South,  but  in  many 
avocations  in  all  the  States,  may  become  obvi- 
ously desirable  and  quite  expedient  to  our  own 
citizens,  while  it  will  afford  a  comfortable  sub- 
sistence to  myriads  of  our  now  half-starving 
fellow-creatures  in  China.  Above  all,  it  wiU 
bring  them  within  the  reach  of  Christian  in- 
struction and  example,  and  result  in  the  salvar 
tion  of  multitudes  of  them  in  our  own  day  and 
in  ages  to  come.  The  wonderful  ordering  of 
Providence  that  has  already  brought  so  many 
of  them  to  our  shores  should  awaken  attention 
to  their  condition,  and  to  the  claims  on  the 
missionary  efforts  of  the  churches  of  the  great 
nation  whom  they  represent. — Lowrie's  Manual 
of  Missions. 


TABULAR 

view. 

MISSIONS. 

STATIONS. 

1 

a 
.a 

Missionaries  and  Assistant 
Missionaries. 

1 

13 

E 

Scholars. 

Ministers. 

Lay  Teachers 
and  others. 

Boarding. 

Day. 

103 

78 

j 

t 

1 

American. 

"-A 

1 

O     - 

1 

i 

1 

a 

Canton, 

Ningpo, 

Shanghai,    .... 
Chinese  in  Cal-  ) 

IFORNIA, .  .  .    [ 

Canton, .... 
Ningpo,    ... 
Shanghai,    .  . 

San  Francisco, 
Totals,  . 

1846 
1844 
1850 

1852 

3 
6 
3 

1 

1 

1 

3 

7 
3 

1 

1 
1 

30 
4 

30 
26 

6 
29 

67 
23 

13 

2 

14 

2 

34 

56 

35 

90 

181 

Ajierican  Baptist  Missionary  Union. — 
The  earliest  missionaries  appointed  by  this 
Society  for  the  Chinese  were  settled  at  Bang- 
kok, in  Siam,  and  also  at  Macao.  Their  labors 
are  given  in  full  in  the  sketch  of  the  Baptist 
Mission  in  that  country.  These  labors  were 
undertaken  at  a  period  when  China  itself  was 
comparatively  inaccessible  to  the  missionary 
or  to  any  foreign  residents,  and  were  estab- 
lished at  Bangkok  and  Macao  on  account  of 
the  multitudes  of  Chinese  who  are  found  either 
permanently  residing  or  frequently  visiting 
those  cities.  They  remained  there  until  the 
close  of  the  late  war  between  Great  Britain 
and  China,  when  by  the  treaty,  which  ter- 
minated the  war  in  1842,  the  isfand  of  Hong- 
kong, having  been  ceded  to  the  British  Gov- 
ernment, the  five  ports  of  Canton,  Amoy,  Fuh- 


chau,  Ningpo,  and  Shanghai,  having  been  open- 
ed to  British  commerce.  Rev.  Issachar  Johnr 
son.  Rev.  J.  L.  Shuck,  and  Rev.  Wm.  Dean, 
removed  to  Hong-kong,  the  two  former  from 
Macao,  the  latter  from  Bangkok.  Messrs. 
Dean  and  Shuck,  with  their  families,  establish- 
ed themselves  at  Victoria,  the  capital  of  the 
island,  and  Mr.  Johnson  at  Chek-chu,  a  smaller 
town  on  its  southern  shore.  These  missionaries 
had  already  acquired  the  language  of  China, 
and  were  familiar  with  the  character  and  man- 
ners of  its  people.  They  were  fully  prepared 
to  commence  the  work  on  which  they  were 
sent.  They  were  received  in  Hong-kong  with 
kindness  and  favor  from  the  British  officers  and 
residents,  especially  from  Sir  Henry  Pottinger, 
the  English  ambassador,  who  had  negotiated 
the  treaty.     With  their  assistance,  a  lot  was 


CHINA. 


287 


obtained  from  the  government  on  which  a 
mission-house  was  erected,  and  two  commodi- 
ous chapels  were  also  built  to  be  used  alike  for 
public  worship  and  for  schools.  A  church  of 
five  native  members  was  organized,  and  placed 
under  the  care  of  Mr.  Shuck,  to  which  four 
others  were  added  by  baptism  during  the  year 
1842.  At  Chek-chu  a  chapel  was  also  erect- 
ed, in  which  Mr.  Eoberts  conducted  service 
both  in  Chinese  and  English.  He  also  estab- 
lished a  school,  which  was  taught  principally  by 
one  of  the  Chinese  converts,  who  had  come  up 
from  Siam.  In  this  manner,  in  the  summer  of 
1842  were  commenced  the  first  missions  of  the 
American  Baptists  in  China.  The  three  mis- 
sionaries by  whom  they  were  planted,  had 
long  been  waiting  at  their  distant  outposts, 
but  they  were  now  for  the  first  time  established 
in  China.  They  were  indebted  to  the  protec- 
tion of  the  English  flag  for  the  opportunities 
they  enjoyed  ;  but  they  saw  the  whole  empire, 
with  its  almost  numberless  population,  open- 
ing, as  it  were,  before  them.  The  barriers  of 
ages  had  at  length  begun  to  give  way.  The 
day  was  evidently  at  hand  when  the  Gospel 
was  to  be  preached  to  the  millions  of  China. 

In  1843,  the  mission  was  bereft  of  Mrs. 
Dean,  an  English  lady,  who  had  come  to  the 
East,  under  the  auspices  of  a  society  of  her 
countrywomen,  for  "  Promoting  Female  Edu- 
cation." She  had  married  Mr.  Dean  during 
Ms  residence  in  Siam,  and  both  there  and  in 
ftong-kong  had  proved  herself  a  faithful  and 
efficient  missionary.  At  about  the  same  time 
also  Mr.  Dean  was  obliged  .by  ill-health  to 
suspend  his  labors  and  for  a  time  to  change  the 
climate.  In  the  spring  of  the  same  year  the 
mission  was  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  Dr.  D, 
J.  Macgowan.  He,  however,  soon  repaired  to 
Canton,  for  the  purpose  of  consulting  with  Dr. 
Parker,  one  of  the  missionary  physicians  of  the 
American  Board,  and  at  length  decided  to  set- 
tle at  Ningpo,  and  there  to  commence  a  new 
mission.  In  connection  with  Dr.  Macartee,  of 
the  American  Presbyterian  mission,  he  founded 
a  missionary  hospital.  The  mission  had  from 
the  beginning  been  regarded  with  special  favor 
by  many  of  the  English  officers,  residents  in 
Hong-kong,  who  had  given  it  their  counte- 
nance, and  contributed  liberally  to  its  support. 
It  began  with  the  most  gratifying  auspices, 
and  a  second  church  was  soon  established  at 
Victoria.  The  people  heard  the  Gospel  preach- 
ed by  the  missionaries  in  the:,  several  dialects 
of  their  own  tongue.  In  the  summer  of  1844 
a  treaty  was  concluded  between  Mr.  Gushing, 
Commissioner  of  the  United  States,  and  an 
imperial  commissioner  of  China,  by  the  terms 
of  which  all  the  advantages  hitherto  granted 
to  the  English  by  the  treaty  of  1842  were 
guaranteed  to  citizens  of  this  country,  and,  in 
addition,  provision  was  made  for  the  erection 
of  chapels,  hospitals,  and  cemeteries,  at  each 
one  of  the  five  ports.  From  this  time  Ameri- 
can missionaries  and  other  American  residents 


began  to  enjoy  many  privileges  which  before 
they  had  procured  only  in  consequence  of  their 
connection  with  the  English.  This  provision 
in  the  treaty  has  distinctly  recognized  the 
missions  as  among  the  national  interests  in 
China  which  the  American  government  de- 
signs to  protect. 

But  these  prospects  of  the  mission  were  soon 
to  be  shaded  by  afflicting  events,  which  for  a 
time  retarded   its  progress.     In   November, 

1844,  Mrs.  Shuck  died  at  Victoria,  after  a 
brief  illness.  She  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
and  had  sailed  from  the  United  States  with 
her  husband  in  1835.  They  had  resided  at 
Macao  until  the  opening  of  China  to  the  Eng- 
lish in  1842,  and  she  was  now  cut  off  at  the  most 
interesting  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  mission. 
Mr.  Dean,  also,  at  nearly  the  same  time,  was 
obliged  to  sail  for  the  United  States,  in  order 
to  recruit  his  health ;  and  was  thus  withdrawn 
from  his  appropriate  labors  for  upwards  of  two 
years.  In  the  autumn  of  1844,  Dr.  Devan,  a 
missionary  physician,  with  his  wife,  arrived  at 
Hong-kong.  They  subsequently  removed  to 
Canton,  where  a  mission-house  was  erected, 
and  several  assistants  were  employed.  But 
their  connection  with  the  mission  was  of  short 
duration.  Mrs.  Devan  died,  much  lamented, 
at  Canton,  in  October,  1846,  and  her  husband, 
finding  himself  unable  to  reside  permanently 
within  the  tropics,  returned  to  the  United 
States.    Mr.  Shuck  had  already  returned  in 

1845,  and  on  the  organization  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  he  was  transferred  to  the 
service  of  that  body,  by  whom  the  mission 
buildings  at  Canton  were  purchased. 

These  changes,  however,  did  not  entirely 
suppress  the  energies  of  the  missionaries,  who 
remained  behind,  or  prevent  the  progress  and 
growth  of  the  mission.  Hong-kong  seemed 
at  that  time  to  offer  many  advantages,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  presence  of  the  English,  but 
more  especially  on  account  of  the  superior  cha- 
racter of  the  people  who  inhabit  the  island  ; 
and  many  sanguine  hopes  were  then  indulged, 
which  have  been  but  imperfectly  realized,  in 
the  years  that  have  since  elapsed.  In  1847, 
Rev.  E.  C.  Lord  and  his  wife  were  added  to 
the  mission  at  Ningpo,  and  in  1848,  Rev. 
John  Johnson  and  his  wife  were  added  to  that 
at  Hong-kong,  though  Mrs.  Johnson  was  al- 
most immediately  removed  by  death.  About 
the  same  period,  Mr.  Goddard  removed  from 
Bangkok,  where  he  had,  for  several  years,  been 
engaged  in  the  Chinese  department  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  established  himself  at  Ningpo,  where, 
with  occasional  interruptions,  he  has  since  con- 
tinued to  reside.  His  health  had  not  admitted 
of  regular  preaching,  and  though  not  without 
frequent  preaching,  he  has  been  for  the  most 
part  engaged  in  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. This  work,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  cir- 
cumstances, is  sufficiently  difficult  and  respon- 
sible ;  but  the  translation  into  Chinese  is  at- 
tended with  peculiar  difficulties  and  embarrass- 


cmNA. 


mcnts.  In  1843,  a  plan  tras  formed  among 
the  mi!«»ionari08  then  in  Ohina,  of  the  various 
denominations  from  England  and  America, 
designed  to  establish  a  standard  by  which  the 
translation  of  the  Scriptures  should  be  regu- 
latetl  and  determined.  The  American  Baptist 
Missionaries  appear  at  first  to  have  thought 
favorably  of  the  plan  ;  but  they  afterwards, 
with  the  approbation  of  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers, decided  not  to  adopt  it,  but  to  complete 
Sie  translation  of  their  owfl,  which  ha<i  already 
been  begun.  To  this  work  Rev.  Messrs.  Dean 
and  Goddard  have  since  been  devoting  their 
almost  constant  labors.  The  New  Testament 
is  now  nearly  all  translated  ;  the  translation  is 
undergoing  the  careful  revision  of  both  these 
missionaries,  while  each  one  has  made  a  be- 
ginning with  certain  books  of  the  Old  Testar 
ment. 

In  1851,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lord  returned  to  the 
United  States,  in  consequence  of  the  declining 
health  of  the  latter — she  has  since  ceased  from 
her  labors.  The  two  stations  of  the  original 
mission,  in  Ilong-kong  and  in  Ningpo,  have 
been  organized  as  separate  missions,  though 
the  number  of  missionaries  attached  to  each 
remains  the  same.  On  the  island  of  Bong 
kong,  in  addition  to  the  principal  station  at 
Victoria,  there  are  also  four  out-stations  at 
which  schools  and  preaching  are  maintained  by 
as  many  native  assistants  and  teachers,  who 
are  under  the  immediate  supervision  of  the 
missionaries.  The  church  connected  with  this 
mission  numbers,  at  the  present  time,  about  30 
members,  who  make  annual  contributions  for 
the  support  of  the  native  assistants,  and  for  the 
promotion  of  the  Gospel  among  their  country- 
men. The  missionaries  at  Hong-kong  are 
Rev.  Messrs  Dean  and  Johnson,  who  also  em- 
ploy four  assistants  and  three  school  teachers. 
The  mission  at  Ningpo  has  no  out-stations. 
It  has  had  from  the  beginning  a  medical  es- 
tablishment, which  has  given  to  Dr.  Mac- 
gowan  unusual  facilities  in  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  the  people,  and  presenting  to 
them  the  claims  of  the  Gospel.  The  church 
here  contains  ten  members.  The  missionaries 
now  belonging  to  the  mission  are,  Rev.  Messrs. 
Lord,  Goddard,  and  Knowlton,  and  Dr.  Mac- 
gowan.  At  both  these  missions,  the  agencies 
hitherto  employed  are  substantially  the  same. 
They  consist  in  preaching  the  Gospel  and  con- 
versation with  the  people,  the  circulation  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  of  religious  books, 
and  the  teaching  of  schools.  The  results  of 
these  agencies,  which  have  now  been  sustained 
for  upwards  of  ten  years,  do  not,  it  is  true,  re- 
alize the  hopes  with  which  the  missionaries 
first  entered  China,  on  the  opening  of  the  five 
ports  in  1842.  But  these  hopes  were  undoubt- 
edly the  offspring  of  inexperience.  It  has  since 
been  found  that  it  is  one  thing  to  have  access 
to  the  people  of  a  country,  and  quite  another 
to  convert  them  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  The 
missionaries,  instructed  by  experience,  arc  still 


at  work,  with  hopes  chastened  by  the  lapse  of 

time.  Great  changes  aro- taking  place  in  the 
manners  and  policy  of  the  people  among  whom 

they  are  dwelling;  but  still  greater  changes 
are  preparing  through    the    agencies    wliich 

Christian  missions  have  established,  and  will 
develope  themselves  in  the  ages  of  the  fu- 
ture. 

TiDo  Missions  in  China — Statistics  in  1854. 
— Hong-kong  mission,  1  station,  4  outstations, 
2  missionaries,  1  female  assistant,  4  native 
preachers  and  assistants,  1  church,  six  day 
schools,  75  pUpils. 

Ning-po  mission,  1  station,  4  missionaries,  4 
female  assistants,  2  native  assistants,  1  church, 
14  members,  3  day  schools,  36  pupils. — Prop, 
W.  Gammell. 

^  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — It  is  now 
eight  years  since  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  United  States  commenced  the 
missionary  work  in  China.  The  first  mission- 
aries were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Moses  C.  White 
and  Judson  D.  Collins,  the  latter  of  whom, 
with  the  wife  of  the  former,  have  died  in  thd 
work.  This  mission  has  suffered  much  in  com- 
mon with  all  other  missions  in  China,  from 
the  agitations  growing  out  of  the  progreas  of 
the  revolution  going  on  in  that  empire.  Pre- 
vious to  1846,  the  idea  of  founding  a  mission 
in  the  Empire  of  China,  was  often  discussed 
in  the  periodicals  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church ;  and  many  generous  contributions  werft 
offered  for  the  object.  In  conjunction  with 
the  General  Missionary  Committee,  the  Board 
in  1847  resolved  on  its  establishment,  and  the 
Providence  of  God  soon  supplied  the  men  to 
undertake  it.  They  arrived  in  Hong-kong  in 
August,  1847,  and  were  kindly  received  by 
missionary  brethren  of  all  the  other  denomi- 
nations. After  remaining  at  Hong-kong  Sk 
few  days,  they  sailed  for  their  destination,  at 
Fuhchau.  Here  they  soon  obtained  a  resi- 
dence and  gave  themselves  up  to  the  study  of 
the  language,  Mr.  White,  meanwhile,  practic- 
ing medicine  ;  and  by  the  distribution  of  books 
and  tracts,  they  endeavored  to  make  themselves 
useful  among  the  half-million  of  people  com- 
posing the  population  of  the  city. 

The  Rev.  H.  Hickok  and  Rev.  Robert  G. 
Maclay  were  sent  out  in  October,  1847,  but 
Mr.  Hickok  was  soon  obliged,  by  failure  ff 
his  health,  to  return  to  the  United  States. 
The  three  brethren  who  remained  went  daily 
into  the  crowded  streets  and  preached,  as  well 
as  they  were  able,  "  Jesus  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified," to  the  groups  who  stopped  to  listen  to 
their  voice.  They  distributed  tracts,  and  the  . 
scriptures  printed  under  their  own  supervision, 
and  found  the  people  eager  to  receive  them. 
One  of  the  brethren  having  had  the  advan- 
tage of  a  partial  course  of  medical  study, 
opened  a  dispensary,  in  which  he  was  enabled 
to  treat  many  cases  of  disease,  giving  at  the  , 
same  time,  to  the  patients  and  their  friends,  I 
religious    instruction  and    Christian    books. 


Bach  of  the  missionaries  had  under  his  per- 
j  sonal  supervision  a  day  school,  taught  by  a 
Chinese  master.  In  the  three  schools,  they 
had  in  1849,  64  scholars,  with  an  average  at- 
tendance of  50.  Though  the  labors  devoted 
to  this  mission  thjas  far,  chiefly  contemplated 
prospective  results,  yet  the  laborers  employed 
were  not  without  some  measure  of  present  en- 
couragement. They  perceived  a  yielding  of 
inveterate  prejudices,  and  a  willingness  to 
allow  them  to  occupy  portions  of  the  city,  in 
which  at  first  they  could  get  no  foothold. 
And  as  they  became  more  familiar  with  the 
language  and  customs  of  the  people,  they  saw 
greater  openings  for  usefulness.  They  long 
and  earnestly  intreated  for  reinforcements,  and 
for  means  to  establish  a  boarding  school  for 
the  youth  of  both  sexes.  The  report  of  the 
Superintendent  of  the  mission  for  1851,  gives 
the  following  account  of  their  mode  of  labor  : 
"  The  only  mission  chapel  we  occupy  at  pre- 
sent, is  on  the  street,  not  far  from  the  mission 
residences  south  of  the  river.  It  is  small, 
having  in  fact  been  rented  rather  as  a  room 
for  the  distribution  of  tracts,  than  as  a  regular 
preaching  place.  It  will  seat  perhaps  fifty 
persons ;  and  as  it  is  not  upon  a  thronged  street 
it  answers  very  well  for  addressing  such  con- 
gregations as  come  in.  The  preacher,  when  he 
goes  into  the  desk  here,  finds  himself  in  cir- 
cumstances very  different  from  those  which 
surround  him  at  home.  Here  come  in  street 
passengers,  few  or  many,  as  the  case  may  be ; 
some  will  have  the  poles  on  which  they  carry 
burdens  ;  some  packages  which  they  have  been 
buying,  or  are  going  to  sell ;  some  will  be 
empty  handed.  They  stand  or  sit,  gazing  list- 
lessly about,  noticing  the  room  and  its  inmates, 
especially  the  stranger.  It  may  be  the  speaker 
is  going  on  with  his  remarks.  The  incomer 
expresses  aloud  to  his  neighbor,  his  surprise 
and  delight,  that  the  stranger  can  speak  their 
language — wonders  aloud  how  long  the  man 
has  been  in  the  country,  or  hoAV  old  he  is. 
Those  who  are  listening  to  the  missionary,  pro- 
bably repeat  the  words  as  they  fall  from  his 
lips — look  to  those  about  them,  and  express 
their  approbation  of  the  truths  declared.  They 
may  be  the  most  solemn  teachings  of  God's 
word  he  thus  endorses ;  and  perhaps  the  next 
sentence  will  be  to  inquire  how  many  thick- 
nesses of  clothes  the  preacher  wears,  or  what 
viands  he  eats  with  his  rice.  Thus  it  is,  a 
sense  of  the  solemnity  of  eternal  truths  is  to 
be  inculcated  as  well  as  those  truths  them- 
selves. Some  seem  more  serious.  We  are 
glad  of  a  hearing — are  encouraged  by  a  little 
attention.  We  scatter  the  seed,  and  look  for- 
ward to  the  time  when  he  that  soweth  and  he 
that  reapeth  shall  rejoice  together. 

"  We  have  distributed  a  great  many  tracts. 
At  certain  times  and  in  certain  places,  the 
people  seem  beside  themselves,  in  their  anxiety 
to  get  possession  of  them.  They  crowd  around, 
they  call  out,  they  push  e^ch  other,  and  abuse 
19 


CHINA. 


289 


each  other,  in  order  to  come  at  the  books. 
They  take  without  asking,  they  grasp  them 
and  will  not  let  go  their  hold.  Books  are  sel- 
dom destroyed  by  the  Chinese ;  if  not  read  at 
once,  they  are  carefully  laid  aside,  and  may  be 
read  at  another  time.  Sometimes  we  may  go 
gently  on  with  the  distribution ;  at  the  same 
time  making  remarks.  Books  distributed  from 
shop  to  shop  are  thankfully  received,  and  al- 
most invariably  read.  Printing  is  very  cheap 
here,  and  at  a  small  cost  we  have  published 
and  circulated  more  than  half  a  million  of 
pages.  We  have  not  at  present  any  copi^  of 
the  Scriptures  on  hand ;  we  need  them,  and 
hope  that  ere  long  the  questions  in  regard  to 
the  different  versktns  will  be  so  far  settled  as 
to  allow  us  to  publish  an  edition." 

In  1852,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wiley,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Colder,  and  Miss  Seely  arrived  at  Fuhchau. 
Their  entrance  upon  their  field  of  labor  was 
very  favorable.  Messrs.  White  and  Maclav 
had  each  a  small  chapel  erected,  when  the  at- 
tendance was  good,  and  an  increased  attention 
to  the  preached  word  was  quite  perceptible. 
Wayside  preaching  and  the  distribution  of  the 
Scriptures  and  tracts  were  prosecuted  with 
diligence  :  thus  sowing  the  seed  of  divine  truth 
beside  all  waters,  and  humbly  looking  up  to 
God  to  give  the  increase.  In  their  efforts  for 
printing  and  circulating  the  Word  of  God,  the 
missionaries  make  grateful  mention  of  the  kind 
help  they  received  from  the  American  Bible 
Society.  They  are  endeavoring  to  prepare  to 
do  their  part  in  the  work  to  which  it  would 
seem  that  God  will  call  the  Protestant  Church 
in  China,  when  all  the  results  of  the  strange 
revolution  now  in  progress  there  shall  have 
been  developed.  Nov.  3d  1853,  Mrs.  Wiley, 
wife  of  Eev.  Dr.  Wiley,  departed  this  life  in 
the  triumphs  of  faith.  She  was  cut  down  in 
the  midst  of  her  years  and  usefulness,  far  from 
the  land  of  her  birth,  and  buried  among  the 
tombs  of  idolaters ;  but  the  cause  in  which 
she  rendered  up  her  life  will  never  die,  but 
move  onward  till  it  covers  the  wide  domains 
of  the  Celestial  Empire. 

The  fruits  of  the  mission  to  China,  as  the 
fruits  of  all  missions  in  old  and  consolidated 
heathen  states,  appear  slowly.  Perhaps  the 
most  valuable  and  extensive  results  of  such 
missions  do  not  appear  for  ages.  Confidence 
in  the  old  religion  must  be  destroyed  ;  convic- 
tion in  favor  of  the  new  must  be  produced ; 
and  when  this  is  done,  old  habits,  as  well  as 
the  native  enmity  of  the  human  heart,  must  be 
overcome  and  changed,  and  new  forms  of 
thought  and  feeling  are  to  be  introduced  and 
incorporated  into  society.  It  will  require  cen- 
turies to  obtain  these  results. — Annual  Reports 
and  Missionary  Advocate. — Rev.  W.  Butler. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South.-— 
The  missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  South,  began  its  operations  in  Chi- 
na, in  1848.  The  first  missionaries  sent  out  were 
the  Rev.  Charles  Taylor,  M.D.,  and  Rev.  Benj. 


890 


CHINA. 


Jenkins,  D.D.,  who,  with  their  families,  sailed 
from  Boston  for  Shanghai,  April  24,  1848. 
Dr.  Taylor's  medical  knowledge  fitted  him  for 
usefulness  in  that  respect  also,  and  his  coUcagiic, 
Dr.  Jenkins,  pos8esse<l  extra  advantages,  being 
one  of  the  best  linguists  in  the  country.  To  a 
knowledge  of  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin,  he 
added  an  acquaintance  with  the  French,  Ger- 
man, and  Spanish  languages.  He  is  besides, 
a  practical  printer,  and  will  be  able  on  that 
account  also,  to  enlarge  his  field  of  usefulness 
in  the  Celestial  Empire.  Both  of  these  breth- 
ren engaged  to  remain  in  China  at  least  ten 
years ;  and,  being  in  the  vigor  of  life,  are  not 
so  young  as  to  be  novices,  nor  too  old  to  acquire 
a  difficult  language,  and  adapt  themselves  to 
the  peculiar  habits  and  manners  of  the  Chinese 
people.  On  their  arrival  they  devoted  them- 
selves to  the  acquisition  of  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage, and  meanwhile  made  themselves  useful 
through  the  medium  of  interpreters.  The 
church  at  home  nobly  and  liberally  sustained 
the  mission,  and  sent  the  Rev.  G.  W.  E.  Cun- 
ningham to  their  help,  in  1852.  They  turned 
part  of  their  house  into  a  chapel,  and  soon  had 
an  attentive  and  interesting  congregation,  and 
a  few  souls  became  deeply  concerned  for  their 
salvation ;  one  of  whom,  in  particular,  has  be- 
gun to  be  useful.  Accompanied  by  this  native 
preacher,  Liew-seen-sang,  they  also  establish- 
ed regular  preaching  in  the  open  air,  at  the 
principal  place  of  resort  in  the  city.  Their 
school  had  34  names  on  its  roll.  But  the  breth- 
ren earnestly  desire  the  establishment  of  two 
boarding-schools,  one  for  boys,  and  another  for 
girls.  Measures  were  also  in  operation  for 
building  a  church,  and  setting  up  a  printing- 
press.  But  the  health  of  Mrs.  Taylor  became 
feeble,  and  she,  with  her  children,  returned  to 
the  United  States.  Shortly  after,  Mrs.  Jen- 
kins's health  became  prostrate ;  and  in  the 
hope  of  saving  her  life,  Dr.  J.  left  with  her  for 
America.  But  she  continued  to  sink,  and  was 
taken  to  her  eternal  rest  before  she  could  reach 
her  native  land,  leaving  a  bereaved  husband 
and  six  little  ones.  Soon  after  Dr.  Jenkins 
left,  and  before  Shanghai  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  insurgents,  Dr.  Taylor  set  his 
heart  upon  penetrating  as  far  as  the  insurgent 
camp  at  Cnin-kiang-foo,  in  order  to  ascertain 
what  were  the  real  sentiments  of  the  invaders 
in  reference  to  Christianity,  and  what  would 
be  the  result,  as  to  Christian  missions,  of  their 
triumph.  This  was  a  bold  and  dangerous  pro- 
ject, as  the  city  was  then  besieged  by  the 
imperialists,  both  by  land  and  water ;  and 
should  he  even  succeed  in  evading  their  vigi- 
lance, he  knew  not  what  reception  he  might 
expect  at  the  hands  of  the  insurgents.  But  he 
resolved  to  make  the  attempt  notwithstanding, 
and  God  preserved  him  in  safety.  Some  ac- 
count of  this  expedition  will  be  found  under 
the  head  of  the  Chinese  Revolution,  near  the 
close  of  this  article. 
The  health  of  Mrs.  Taylor  having  failed, 


she  was  under  the  necessity  of  returning  to  the 
United  States,  in  the  hope  of  recruiting  it. 
Dr.  U'aylor,  several  months  afterward,  fol- 
lowed her  ;  and  he,  with  Dr.  Jenkins,  itine- 
rated through  the  Southern  church  for  some 
time,  bringing  the  cause  of  China  before  iliom, 
and  arousing  a  deeper  sympathy  on  its  behalf. 
Shortly  after  Mr.  Taylor  left  Shanghai  (in  Oc- 
tober, 1853),  the  city  was  taken,  and  for  some 
time  the  only  remaining  missionary,  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham, was  very  much  circumscribed  in 
his  efforts  to  do  good.  But  notwithstanding 
the  blockade  by  the  Imperialists,  matters  have 
become  more  settled,  and  he,  with  the  native 
local  preacher,  Liew,  is  again  at  his  regular 
work. 

The  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Methodist  E. 
Church  South  feel  an  increased  interest  in  this 
field  of  Christian  activity,  and  at  their  late  an- 
nual meeting  the  sum  of  $30,000  was  appro- 
priated for  the  support  of  this  mission,  the 
purchase  of  a  printing-press,  the  erection  of  a 
church  and  a  building  for  a  school.  They 
have  also  strongly  reinforced  its  staff  of  agents, 
and  by  the  time  these  sheets  are  before  our 
readers,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Taylor  and  Jenkins,  ac- 
companied bv  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Kelly,  Belton, 
and  Lambeth,  will  be  on  their  way  to  China, 
or  perhaps  actually  arrived  there. — Annual  Re- 
ports and  Missionary  Advocate. — Rev.  W.  But- 
ler. 

Wesleyan    Missionary    Society.  —  Jusi 
about  the  time  that  China  was  thrown  open  t 
missionary  effort,  this  society  had  been  makiui 
extraordinary  exertions  for  Africa,  the  We.- 
Indies,  and  the  South  Seas.    After  the  eman 
cipation  of  the  slaves,  the  missionaries  wert 
largely  increased  in  the  West  Indies  ;  the  new 
and  costly  mission  to  the  Gold  Coast  anc 
Ashantee  was  established,  and  the  cry  fron 
Feejee  was  responded  to  ;  with,  at  the  sanw 
time,  considerable  extension  in  New  Zealand 
South  Africa,  Australia,  and  India.     In  1844 
the  society  had  increased  the  number  of 
missionaries  within  ten  years,  by  123.    Tb 
rapid  extension  caused  a  corresponding  oi 
lay,  which  greatly  exceeded  the  additional 
come,  and  debts  accumulated  upon  the  col 
mittee,  which,  notwithstanding  many  instano 
of   truly   Christian  liberality,    have,    up 
the  present  time,  hindered  extension  beyoi 
the   necessity  of  keeping  what  had  alrea( 
been  gained  ;  yet  the  missionaries  of  the  i 
ciety  are  this  year  one  hundred  and  one  mc 
than  in  1844.     Many  felt  that  the  call  of  t 
society  was  rather  to  reinforce  missions  all 
begun,  than  to  enter  upon  a  new  undertakii 
so  formidable  as  China.    Yet  many  yearn 
for  that  land.     One  and  another  made  off 
ings  for  the  cnterprize  ;  one  valued  branch  sCT 
ciety  held  a  meeting  and  raised  a  considerabl 
sum.  Yet  with  their  existing  burdens  the  coffj 
mittee  could  not  proceed  ;  but  a  sub-commin 
tee  was  appointed,  with  a  view  to  obtain  ftH 
desirable  information,  and  make  such  arrs 


CHINA. 


291 


ments  as  might  facilitate  a  movement  when 
I  the  way  seemed  to  open.  But  in  the  autumn 
I  of  1850,  Grod  selected  his  own  instrument  for 
'the  commencement  of  this  work.  George 
P/crcy,  a  simple-hearted  but  interesting  young 
man,  in  Yorkshire,  having  been  truly  convert- 
ed to  God,  felt  his  soul  yearning  for  the  salva- 
tion of  the  heathen  world.  The  Spirit  of 
God  found  him,  like  Elisha,  at  the  plough,  and 
threw  over  him  the  commission  of  Heaven  for 
the  evangelization  of  China.  Without  any 
hesitation  he  sacrificed  the  secular  pursuits  of 
life,  and  proceeded  to  seek  direction  how  he 
should  find  his  way  to  that  field  of  labor  to 
which  God  had  called  him.  About  thirty 
miles  from  his  residence  there  was  a  Christian 
friend  of  his,  Mr.  Henry  Reed,  whom  he  con- 
sulted in  reference  to  his  impression  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  go  and  labor  in  China.  Mr. 
Reed  did  all  he  could  to  dissuade  him,  urging  the 
great  difficulty  of  acquiring  the  language  and 
the  obstacles  that  he  would  have  to  encounter 
on  his  arrival,  and  tried  to  direct  his  attention 
to  some  other  missionary  field,  that  presented 
less  difficulties.  But  to  every  argument  his 
reply  was  :  "  I  believe,  sir,  that  God  has  call- 
ed me  to  labor  in  China,  but  I  have  no  such 
impression  that  I  have  a  call  to  any  other  part 
of  the  mission  field."  At  length,  however,  the 
young  man  was  persuaded  for  the  time  to 
abandon  the  idea.  But,  in  about  six  months 
lie  waited  upon  Mr.  Reed  again,  and  stated 
that  the  impression  upon  his  mind  not  only 
continued,  but  increased  in  strength.  His 
friend,  satisfied  that  he  was  determined  to  fol- 
low up  what  he  believed  to  be  a  religious  con- 
viction, gave  him  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
Bev.  William  Arthur,  one  of  the  general  se- 
cretaries of  the  society.  For  reasons  already 
stated,  he  was  not  recognized  by  the  commit- 
tee ;  but  nothing  discouraged  by  their  inabi- 
lity to  employ  him,  from  his  own  limited 
laeans  he  paid  his  passage,  and  the  next  in- 
formation which  his  friend  received  was  a 
letter,  in  which  he  stated  that  he  was  then 
on  his  way  to  that  great  empire.  On  his  ar- 
rival there,  the  facility  with  which  he  acquired 
the  language  was  amazing,  and  the  openings 
that  he  found  for  labor  were  equally  remark- 
able. 

Mr.  Piercy  arrived  at  Hong-kong,  January 
30, 1851,  expecting  to  find  a  pious  sergeant  at 
the  head  of  a  small  class  of  soldiers.  The 
following  is  his  own  account  of  his  entrance 
upon  the  field,  in  a  letter  to  the  Secretaries  of 
the  Society :  "  Stepping  ashore,  a  stranger  in 
a  strange  land,  with  my  heart  beating  hard  in 
my  bosom— for  I  hoped  speedily  to  find  Ser- 
geant Ross,  and  with  him  and  his  praying  few 
to  tell  ■}{  the  goodness  of  our  common  Lord,  I 
walked  on  towards  the  barracks.  "The  first  I 
met  I  addressed,  inquiring  where  I  might  find 
Ross.  '  He  is  dead,'  was  the  startling  reply. 
I  felt,  I  knew  not  how,  for  a  few  moments — the 
loneliness,  the  utter  loneliness  of  my  situation 


seemed  almost  to  unnerve  me.  With  a  falter- 
ing tongue,  I  inquired  further,  and  the  particu- 
lars of  his  death  were  told  in  tones  solemn  as 
my  own.  The  young  man  evidently  felt  much 
as  he  told  of  his  comrade's  sickness  and  death. 
I  soon  inquired  as  to  his  circumstances  and 

name.     Corporal,  now  Sergeant  D -,  was 

the  individual  with  whom  I  was  conversing. 
This  was  most  providential,  and  soon,  in  a 
great  measure,  relieved  the  feelings  which  had 
thus  suddenly  come  into  my  soul.  I  soon  learn- 
ed all  about  Ross  and  Methodism  in  Hong- 
kong.    He,  to    use    D 's  words,  was    a 

young  man,  but  an  old  Christian,  and  had  been 
the  centre  of  a  little  band,  who  sought  to  save 
their  souls,  six  or  seven  in  number.  They  had 
often  met  in  his  room ;  but  he  fell,  and  they 
fell,  some  with  him,  a  prey  to  death,  and  others 

into  the  indifference  of  the  world ;  and  D 

stood  lonely  as  I  had  been  myself,  upon  the 
deep.  He  had  oft,  he  said,  longed  and  prayed 
for  a  companion,  and  he  thanked  God  for  thus 
giving  him  one.  In  a  few  minutes  we  were 
brothers  beloved,  thanks  be  to  a  God  of  provi- 
dence for  this  direction  of  his  hand ! " 

Having  thus  experienced  the  goodness  of  a 
guiding  Providence,  he  soon  received  a  proof 
of  the  catholicity  of  missionary  affection,  hon- 
orable both  to  Dr.  Legge  and  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  Mr.  Piercy  says:  "We 
thought  it  best  to  go  to  Dr.  Legge,  as  he  has 
a  good  name  for  a  catholic  spirit.  He  was 
not  at  home  ;  but  we  soon  found  him  in  the 
Chinese  Chapel,  and  I  heard  the  Gospel  in  a 
strange  tongue,  utterly  strange ;  though  I  had 
tried  to  learn  all  the  way  as  I  came,  a  word 
now  and  then  was  all  that  I  could  make  out 
After  the  service,  the  young  corporal  intro- 
duced me  to  the  Doctor,  and  he  most  kindly 
offered  me  a  bed  in  his  house  for  the  night,  say- 
ing, the  morning  would  bring  leisure  to 
consider  further.  I  found  Dr.  Legge  a  man  of 
God,  and  soon  disclosed  all  my  heart  to  him. 
He  advised  me  to  do  nothing  rashly,  but  look 
around,  and  make  inquiries,  and  watch  prayer- 
fully for  the  moving  of  the  cloud  of  Provi- 
dence. '  After  ten  or  twelve  days,  perhaps  you 
will  see  your  way ;  in  the  mean  time  you  are 
welcome  to  a  bed,  and  the  room  you  have  been 
in,  in  this  house.'  This  was  kind.  I  thanked 
God,  and  took  courage." 

After  residing  about  three  weeks  under  the 
hospitable  roof  of  Dr.  Legge,  Mr.  Piercy  hired 
rooms,  one  of  which,  capable  of  containing 
about  sixty  persons,  he  turned  into  a  preach- 
ing-place for  the  English  soldiery.  He,  at  the 
same  time,  commenced  visiting  the  sick  sol- 
diers in  the  hospital ;  and,  under  the  kind  di- 
rection of  Dr.  Herschberg,  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  applied  himself  to  the  acqui- 
sition of  some  knowledge  of  medicine,  with  a 
view  to  using  it  for  missionary  purposes.  The 
Lord  blessed  his  labors  among  the  soldiers  and 
their  wives,  and  about  twenty  were  soon  for- 
med into  a  society,  of  whose  sincerity  he  had 


292 


CHINA. 


Sood  hope  Those  among  whom  ho  had  la- 
orcd  showed  a  disposition  to  contribute  to 
his  support ;  and,  though  his  own  funds  were 
expended  much  sooner  than  he  expected,  what 
they  raised,  coupled  with  small  sums  sent  by 
friends  in  England,  enabled  him  to  devote  all 
his  time  to  mission  work,  without  taking  any 
secular  employment,  as,  when  going  out,  he 
had  anticipated  that  he  might  be  obliged 
to  do. 

From  the  first,  he  looked  upon  his  stay  in 
Houg-kong  as  but  temporary,  and  was  making 
inquiries,  with  a  view  to  select  a  station  on  the 
Chinese  mainland.  After  montlis  of  useful 
labor  among  the  soldiery  at  Hong-koiig,  he 
decided  on  placing  himself  at  Canton,  and 
there  he  received  from  Dr.  Hobson,  also  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  the  same  brother- 
ly kindness  which  he  had  previously  received 
from  Dr.  Legge.  He  gives  this  account  of 
the  prospects  :  "  As  to  the  field  before  me,  I 
need  not  say  that  it  is  large.  I  am  a  tempo- 
rary resident  in  a  house  not  far  from  the  fac- 
tories, close  to  the  river,  and  to  a  ferry  which 
9,000  persons  frequently  pass  in  a  day.  It  is 
a  little  way  into  the  western  suburbs,  over 
which,  from  a  lofty  veranda,  I  have  an  exten- 
sive view.  I  can  look  two  miles  to  the  west, 
and  two  and  a  half  to  the  north,  and  in  this 
small  space  are  crowded  the  abodes  and  per- 
sons of  400,000,  if  not  500,000  human  beings. 
Through  every  street  of  this  given  space  I 
can  pass  unmolested,  in  many  places  enter 
shops,  and  leave  a  tract  or  speak  a  few  min- 
utes with  the  people.  I  think  I  perceive  a 
difference  in  the  treatment  of  foreigners  since 
November  last.  The  free  intercourse  of  the 
missionary  families  with  the  people  has  had  a 
very  beneficial  effect.  Freedom  of  movement 
in  the  streets  and  lanes  of  this  suburb  is  now 
a  settled  point.  As  to  the  people  themselves, 
there  is  a  moral  and  mental  apathy  respecting 
the  truth,  which  is  a  great  discouragement  to 
the  missionary.  This  must  be  stated.  Yet 
still,  numbers  are  willing  and  some  d^irous,  to 
receive  Christian  books  and  tracts.  They 
come  into  the  preaching-rooms,  and,  in  many 
instances,  pay  close  attention  to  the  speaker. 
Spiritual  apathy  and  death  are  stamped  deep 
in  the  soul.  Few  ask  questions,  unless  you 
enter  into  conversation  with  them  ;  and  a  sin- 
cere inquirer  after  God  is  seldom  met  with. 
Their  thoughts  seem  to  be  :  '  This  doctrine  is 
good  for  foreigners,  but  it  is  of  no  use  to  us  : 
we  have  our  own  sages,  whose  wisdom  is  un- 
doubted. Jesus  is  a  sage  of  the  West ;  let 
the  foreigners  follow  him.'  The  idolatry  and 
temple  rites  have  no  hold  of  their  hearts,  but 
as  seasons  of  show  and  mirth,  of  amusement 
and  relaxation  from  business.  In  this  field 
are  found  rich  and  poor,  learned  and  unlearned 
in  vast  numbers.  If  a  Chinese  is  of  ecjual  value 
with  any  other  human  being,  what  a  number 
of  islands  and  large  tracts  of  territory  else- 
where will  even  this  city  outweigh  ! " 


After  a  short  residence    in    Canton,  Mr. 
Piercy  offered  himself  to  this  society  as  an 
agent ;  and,  taking  from  "  Grindrod's   Com- 
pendium "  the  questions  usually  put  to  a  can* 
didate  for  the  ministry  at  a  district  meeting, 
gave  written  answers  ;  asking  that,  under  the 
peculiarities  of  the  case,  this  should  be  ac- 
cepted as  an  examination.    The  following  is 
his  account  of  his  mode  of  labor  :  "  As  to 
what  I  am  doing  here,  I  wish  I  could  say  I  am 
able  to  do  much,  but  not  so ;  my  work  is 
nearly  all  preparatory,  yet  I  will  give  you  an 
idea  of  my- daily  engagements.     Rising  early, 
the  first  hour  is  spent  in  prayer  and  reading 
the  Scriptures  ;  then,  till  eight  o'clock,  I  read 
or  write  in  English,  and  answer  a  letter,  if 
pressing.    The  forenoon  is  mainly  spent  in  the 
study  of  the  Chinese  colloquial  dialect.    At 
twelve  service  is  held  in  a  room  below  this. 
Here,  though  I  have  not  yet  commenced  to 
deliver  consecutive  addresses,  I  seek  to  be  use- 
ful, after  an  address  by  the  native  teacher,  who 
labors  here.    I  try  to  engage  some  of  the  peo- 
ple on  the  subject  of  discourse,  and  make  in- 
quiries   as    to    the    various    statements    the 
preacher  has  made.    Our  congregations  are 
not  very  large.    Yet,  day  by  day,  they  are  en- 
couraging and  attentive.     Tracts  are  given  to 
all  that  desire  them.    After  service,  I  gener- 
ally return  to  my  room,  and  study  the  book 
language,  the  classics,  «fec.,  and  get  new  words. 
Part  of  the  afternoon  I  spend  in  itinerating 
through  the  city.    From  six  to  seven,  Dr. 
Hobson's  teacher  assists  me.    Then  I  spend 
an  hour  till  eight  in  instructing  my  boy,  and , 
talking  with  my  old  teacher  on  the  practical! 
truths  of  God's  word.     Afterward,  for  anoth(^ 
hour,  I  read  some  spirit-stirring  book  in  En] 
lish ;    then    self-examination,   review  of  n 
labors,  and  prayer  to  God  for  mercy  to  pa 
don  and  grace  to  keep  me,  close  the  duties  < 
the  day.    Often  I  have  found  this  quiet  hou 
when  all  the  bustle  of  this  great  city  is  hushe 
a  season  of  hallowed  enjoyment.    Such  is  t| 
general  routine.     Nothing  breaks  it  except  i 
visit  to  a  temple,  or  to  see  an  idolatrous  procei 
sion,  which  is  a  good  opportunity  to  distribuft 
some  tracts ;  perhaps  a  visit  to  one  of  the  mii 
sionary  families.    Dr.  Hobson  has  kindly  lei 
me  the  second  part  of  Dr.  Morrison's  Dictioi 
ary,  which  is  a  great  help.    He,  together  witi 
Mrs.  Hobson,  manifests  a  most  affectionat 
interest  towards  me,  and  they  are  even  anxioi* 
that  my  personal  piety  should  not  droop." 

While  these  communications  were  on  the 
way  from  China,  a  friend  in  England  was 
urging  the  Committee  on.     One  missiont 
student  at  Richmond  was  so  desirous  of  goil 
out  to  join  Mr.  Piercy,  that  he  would  gh  ' 
have  done  so,  without  promise  of  sustenanc 
in  the  hop6  of  finding  some  situation  whereb;<j 
to  support  himself.     Another  young  minist 
had  for  years  his  heart  set  upon  China.    Ji 
before  the  time  Mr.  Piercy 's  communicatioc 
reached  the  Secretaries,  urgent  requests  to  b| 


CHINA. 


293 


came  from  both  these  brethren.  At  the 
.  ;uuo  time,  also,  the  Treasurer  of  the  Society, 
Mr.  Farmer,  who  had  previously  offered  a 
ilii)iisand  pounds  for  this  mission  in  ten  annual 
instalments,  when  six  had  been  paid,  said  that 
the  day  two  missionaries  sailed  to  join  Mr. 
i^icrcy,  he  would  complete  the  payment  of 
the  whole  sum,  and  would  thenceforth  give 
one  hundred  per  annum  for  the  Chinese  mis- 
sion. Other  no  less  praiseworthy  instances  of 
Christian  liberality,  helped  to  show  the  Com 
mittee  that,  in  undertaking  the  responsibility 
of  a  mission  to  China,  they  would  have  with 
them  a  large  amount  of  practical  sympathy 
from  the  lovers  of  the  souls  of  men.  The 
Committee  felt  that  a  providential  call  was 
now  plainly  made  upon  them,  and  though 
deeply  regretting  their  inability  to  do  justice 
to  other  needy  fields,  saw  that  to  withhold  aid 
any  longer  from  China  would  not  increase 
their  ability  to  strengthen  old  missions. 
They  therefore  resolved,  in  dependence  on  the 
bounty  of  God,  to  place  China  on  the  list  of 
their  stations,  adopting  Mr.  Piercy  as  a  mis- 
sionary, and  sending  out  two  brethren,  Messrs, 
William  R.  Beach  and  Josiah  Cox,  with  Miss 
Wannop,  a  trained  teacher  from  the  West- 
minster Normal  Institution.  They  sailed  on 
the  20th  of  January,  1852,  and  arrived  safely 
at  Canton,  and  have  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  the  mission.  For  the  preserft,  they  are 
mainly  occupied  in  learning  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage. 

They  relieve  their  arduous  toil  by  the  distri- 
bution of  tracts,  and  seek,  in  all  such  ways  as 
may  open  to  them,  to  spread  the  knowledge 
and  influence  of  divine  truth.  Mr.  Piercy  has 
commenced  preaching  in  a  room  in  his  own 
house,  which  was  opened  as  a  chapel  in  June 
last,  and  the  continual  kindness  of  Dr.  Hob- 
son  has  allowed  him  the  occasional  service  of 
Leang  Afa,  the  first  convert  of  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries in  China.  This  venerable  man,  who 
was  baptized  by  Dr.  Milne,  in  1816,  preaches 
once  on  the  Lord's  day  in  the  Methodist 
Chapel.  Mr.  Piercy  takes  the  other  service. 
A  school  for  boys  has  also  been  commenced 
during  the  past  year,  and  Mrs.  Piercy  will 
probably  do  something  on  behalf  of  the  females 
when  she  is  better  acquainted  with  the  collo- 
quial dialect  of  Canton.  Mr.  Piercy  has 
translated  the  first  catechism  and  part  of  the 
second,  for  the  use  of  the  mission  schools  ; 
and  some  portions  of  the  Scripture  narratives 
have  been  printed  under  his  direction,  to  be 
used  as  tracts.  The  missionaries  have  engaged 
to  distribute  ten  thousand  copies  each  of  the 
New  Testament,  to  be  supplied  by  the  "  Mil- 
lion Testament  Fund,"  if  spared,  during  the 
coming  year. 

The  instrumentality  by  which  this  great 
work  was  commenced  was  humble,  and  to  the 
eye  of  human  wisdom  unpromising.  The 
brethren  to  whom  the  solemn  charge  is  com- 
mitted, are  young,  and  the  measure  of  support 


that  can  be  bestowed  upon  the  enterprize  is 
but  small ;  but  in  all  these  points  of  natural 
weakness,  we  see  cause  for  both  seeking  and 
expecting  the  strength  that  is  above  nature. 
Their  labors,  if  they  receive  grace  to  be  faith- 
ful, will  do  something  toward  the  conversion 
of  the  most  populous  country  in  existence.  The 
strength  of  the  Wesleyan  mission  in  China,  at 
the  close  of  1853,  was  three  missionaries,  one 
catechist,  one  preaching  place,  and  sixteen 
church  members. — Annual  Reports,  Mission- 
ary Notices,  and  London  Watchman. — Rev.  W. 
Butler. 

Rhenish  Missionary  Society. — This  soci- 
ety sent  out  Mr.  Gutzlaff,  about  the  year  1830, 
who  displayed  extraordinary  activity,  soon  be- 
came perfectly  master  of  the  language,  and 
then  made  frequent  journeys  through  the  coast 
countries  of  China,  sometimes  hundreds  of 
leagues  up  the  rivers.  The  Christian  Scrip- 
tures, which  he  was  most  intent  on  circulating, 
were  everywhere  received  with  the  most  in- 
tense eagerness.  He  availed  himself  of  every 
method,  even  during  the  war,  for  putting  or 
conveying  copies  of  the  Christian  Scrip- 
tures into  the  hands  of  the  Chinese.  The 
Chinese  plenipotentiaries  themselves,  who  had 
to  treat  with  the  English,  received,  after  the 
war,  copies  of  the  Scriptures  from  his  hands. 

This  society  now  have  a  mission  in  the 
Quang-tung  province,  which  has  about  eighty 
converts,  and  occupies  five  preaching  places, 
— six  native  evangelists  being  employed.  It 
is  stated  that  the  brethren  at  this  post  have 
access  to  about  a  million  and  a  half  of  people. 
Another  German  missionary  in  the  same  pro- 
vince states,  that  he  has  access  to  about  ninety 
TOWNS  AND  villages,  somc  of  which  contain 
ten  thousand  souls. 

Canton  Baptist  Missionary  Society. — 
This  society  is  composed  chiefly  of  native 
Christians,  and  supports  Rev.  Mr.  Ro- 
berts, who  first  went  out  by  himself  in  1835, 
and  was  subsequently  supported  by  the 
Baptist  Board,  but  has  since  been  separated 
from  it.  He  has  a  number  of  native  assist- 
ants. Two  small  chapels  were  opened  in  1845, 
where  preaching  was  kept  up  on  the  Sabb,ath. 
In  another  hired  house,  about  two  miles  below 
the  foreign  factories,  a  room  was  fitted  up,  to 
accommodate  80  or  90,  where  preaching  was 
also  maintained.  Here  the  missionary  and  his 
principal  assistant  reside.  Jan.  19,  1845, 
Wun,  a  Chinaman,  was  baptized,  after  several 
months'  instruction,  and  a  theological  class  of 
eight  or  ten  was  maintained.  A  number  of 
books  and  tracts  had  also  been  printed  and 
circulated. 

Basle  Missionary  Society. — This  society 
have  a  mission  at  Hong-kong,  with  three  mis- 
sionaries, five  native  catechists,  and  ninety 
communicants  ;  but  we  have  not  been  able 
to  obtain  any  particular  history  of  its  operar 
tions. 


d94 


CHINA. 

OENKRAL  TABULAR  VIEW. 


Ijondon  Miss.  Soc 

American  Board 

Am.  Episcopal  Church.     .    .    . 

Am.  Bap.  Union 

South.  Bap.  Conv 

Church  Miss.  Soc 

Gkjn.  Bap.  Miss.  Soc.    .    .    . 
Meth.  Epis.  Ch.  North  and  South. 

Presbyterian  Board 

English  Weslejans 

Seventh  Day  Baptists 

Free  Ch.  Scotland 

Rhenish  Miss.  Soc 

Canton  Bap.  Miss.  Soc 

Basle  Miss.  Soc 

Totals 


1807 
1830 
1835 
1842 
1844 
1845 
1845 
1846 
1844 
1850 
1847 
1850 
1830 
1845 


26  69 


13 

6 
5 


2 
14 


40 


2  24 


64 
26 
24 
14 

2 
1 

34 

16 


351    12 


93 

30 

100 


5 
100 
100 
111 


376  20    436  29 


The  Chinese  Revolution.  —  One  of  the 
most  -wonderful  political  and  moral  move- 
ments in  national  history  is  the  revolution 
now  in  progress  in  China.  It  is  wonderful 
both  in  its  origin  and  in  its  progress.  The 
leader  of  the  insurgents,  known  as  Tien- 
TEH,  Tae  Ping  Wong,  and  Hung  Sow  Chuen, 
according  to  the  accounts  that  have  been  pub- 
lished, received  his  first  ideas  of  Christianity 
from  a  tract  handed  him  by  Leang-Afa,  at 
the  triennial  examination  at  Canton,  in  1834. 
About  fourteen  years  later  he  placed  himself 
under  the  religious  instruction  of  Rev.  I.  J. 
Roberts,  missionary  at  Canton,  and  at  one 
time  desired  baptism,  but  subsequently  he  ta- 
citly withdrew  his  request  for  reasons  un- 
known. Mr.  Roberts  regarded  him  as  vision- 
ary in  his  religious  views.  From  Canton  he 
returned  into  the  Kwang-si  province,  and  there 
proclaimed  his  views  of  Christianity.  There 
he  met  with  those  who  sympathized  with  him 
in  abhorrence  of  the  popular  idolatry  and  at- 
tachment to  Christianity,  and  he  and  his 
friends  soon  became  the  objects  of  persecution 
by  the  government.  They  were  imprisoned 
and  subjected  to  such  cruelties  that  one  or 
more  of  them  died.  The  survivors  were  driven 
to  arms  in  self-defence.  They  issued  a  proclar 
mation  exposing  the  corruptions  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  calling  on  the  people  to  unite  with 
them  in  defence  of  their  rights.  The  op- 
pressed flocked  to  their  standard,  and  Provi- 
dence crowned  their  arms  with  success.  Army 
after  army  was  sent  to  crush  the  infant  rebel- 
lion, but  under  God  the  infant  was  too 
strong  for  the  Imperial  legions.     The   Im- 


perialists were  frequently  routed,  not  only  in 
Kwang-si,  but  by  the  advancing  insurgents  in 
Hupoh  and  Honan  ;  and  ultimately  Nanking, 
Ching  kiang-foo,  and  other  important  cities, 
fell  into  their  hands.  No  mercy  is  shown  to 
the  Tartars,  but  men,  women  and  children 
are  indiscriminately  slaughtered.  By  the  last 
accounts  they  were  advancing  upon  Peking. 
Though  we  cannot  as  yet  predict  the  final  re- 
sult, yet  judging  from  the  past,  and  from  their 
rigid  discipline,  and  the  great  self-denials  to 
which  the  revolutionary  soldiejs  cheerfully  sub- 
mit, it  would  seem  probable  that  victory  must 
ultimately  crown  their  efforts,  and  that  the 
present  idolatrous  dynasty  must  soon  fall. 
If  the  primary  object  of  this  movement  had 
been  of  a  political  nature,  it  seems  hardly 
probable  that  the  insurgents  would,  have  ven- 
tured on  attacking  the  popular  superstitions 
by  the  destruction  of  the  idols.  They  appear, 
the  rather,  to  have  been  impelled  to  this  bold 
and  fearless  measure  by  strong  religious  feel- 
ing. They  seem  to  have  partaken  of  the 
genuine  Puritan  spirit.  At  all  events,  they 
are  true  Iconoclasts,  the  legitimate  successors  of 
the  renowned  Claude  of  Turin. 

Their  religious  views  could  not  have  been 
received  from  the  Romanists.  They  are  of  a 
decidedly  Protestant  type.  Nor  can  ,Ave  reason- 
ably suppose  that  the  religious  element  of  this 
revolution  was  derived  from  any  one  individual 
or  body  of  men  ;  it  is  rather  the  consequence 
of  the  joint  influence  of  the  various  Protestant 
missions  in  China,  and  on  its  borders.  The 
leaven  of  Christianity  has  been  difiiising  itself 
for  years  in  the  popular  mind,  preparing  the 


CHINA. 


295 


way  for  the  revolution  which  now  threatens 
the  very  existence  of  the  present  corrupt,  idol- 
atrous and  oppressive  dynasty,  and  promises 
to  open  the  door  to  the  preaching  of  the  true 
Gospel  throughout  China.    It  is  not  strange 
tliat  amid  this  moral  fermentation  much  of 
.  rror  in  opinion  and  irregularity  in  practice 
mid  be  evolved,  especially  considering  the 
ite  of  the  popular  mind.    It  is  rather  a  won- 
Cicv  that  in  the  principles  and  practice  of  the 
i;isurgents  there  should  be  so  much  to  admire 
itl  heartily  approve.     The  One  Living  and 
le  God  is  their  only  object  of  religious  wor- 
lip,  and  to  his  aid  they  attribute  all  their 
success,  looking  to  Him  for  victory.     God  is 
daily    and    unitedly  worshiped  in  the  camp 
and  the   Sabbath  is  strictly  observed.     The 
ten    commandments    they    regard   as    their 
rule  of  life ;  and  the  Christian  Trinity,  the  vi- 
carious atonement  of  Christ,  repentance,  and 
faith  in  Him,  are  prominent  articles  of  their 
faith.    Opium  and  tobacco  are  rigorously  pro- 
hibited.   They  have  begun  to  print  the  Word 
of  God,  and  to  publish  religious  tracts. 

Eev.  Dr.  Taylor,  whose  name  has  been  men- 
tioned in  connection  with  the  mission  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  visited  the 
camp  of  the  revolutionists,  while  he  was  at 
Shanghai.  He  succeeded,  after  great  expo- 
sures, in  reaching  the  city  of  Ching-kiang-foo, 
which  was  then  their  head-quarters.  He  threw 
himself  at  once  upon  the  mercy  of  the  in- 
surgents, who  demanded  of  him  the  object  of 
his  visit.  This  he  refused  to  disclose  till  he 
was  conducted  into  the  presence  of  the  chief. 
"  On  my  way,"  he  says,  "  as  I  passed  along,  I 
frequently  heard  the  sound  of  people  chanting  ; 
and  inquiring  of  my  attendants  what  was  the 
meaning  of  these  sounds,  I  was  told  that  the 
people  were  worshiping  God,  and  that  it  was 
the  hour  of  morning  worship.  I  saw  idols 
thrown  down  in  all  directidns  as  I  passed 
through  the  streets,  and  I  was  frequently  sa- 
luted by  the  term  '  brother.'  This  was  per- 
fectly new,  for  at  Canton  the  appellation  is 
'  foreign  devil ; '  and  while  walking  in  the 
suburbs  of  Canton,  you  will  hear  this  perhaps 
a  hundred  times.  I  at  last  arrived  at  the 
head-quarters,  and  after  passing  through  a  num- 
ber of  gateways,  on  either  side  of  which  were 
curtains  of  yellow  silk,  and  a  great  deal  of  em- 
broidered drapery  of  various  kinds,  for  a  dis- 
tance of  upwards  of  300  or  400  yards  from  the 
street,  I  came  at  last  to  the  inner  recess,  and 
there  I  was  requested  to  sit.  Again  I  was  in- 
terrogated as  to  my  object,  but  I  said  I  must 
communicate  with  the  chief.  He  presently 
made  his  appearance,  but,  owing  to  the  sim- 
plicity of  his  dress,  I  for  some  time  doubted 
whether  he  was  the  chief.  In  order  to  remove 
my  doubts,  he  took  his  seat  in  the  middle  of 
the  hall,  and  his  attendants  arrayed  him  in  his 
robes.  And  when  I  was  persuaded  he  was  the 
man,  I  opened  my  carpetrbag,  spread  before 
him  the  Gospels,  the  Acts,  and  the  Tracts,  and 


told  him  the  object  of  my  visit,  whicti  was  to 
give  him  a  complete  knowledge  of  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity.  He  seemed  grateful 
for  the  books,  and  entertained  me  hospitably. 
The  hour  of  breakfast  was  approaching,  and 
they  had  morning  prayer  before  breakfast.  He 
and  his  attendants  were  seated  in  this  large 
hall,  on  cushioned  chairs ;  one  individual  read 
a  portion  of  Scripture,  and  then  they  chanted 
some  hymns,  which  the  leader  probably  had 
composed.  At  the  close  of  these  hymns,  I 
noticed  that  they  chanted  a  literal  translation 
of  the  Doxology.  After  this  they  all  took  their 
cushions,  placed  them  on  the  pavement,  kneel- 
ed on  them,  closing  their  eyes,  and  lifting  up 
their  faces  towards  heaven,  while  the  secretary 
of  the  chief  (I  think  it  was,)  read  a  prayer. 
At  the  close  of  this  we  proceeded  to  breakfast 
in  the  adjoining  hall.  As  a  guest  it  would 
have  been  etiquette  to  have  commenced  with 
my  "  chop  sticks  "  first ;  but  I  waited,  thinking 
they  would  ask  a  blessing.  This  I  told  them, 
when  they  informed  me  it  was  their  custom,  but 
it  had  been  included  in  the  previous  prayer.  I 
explained  to  them  that  it  was  not  exactly  our 
course,  and  asked  to  be  allowed  to  do  so ; 
which  they  requested  me  to  do,  and  I  did  it 
accordingly  in  Chinese." 

•  Mr.  Taylor  became  fully  acquainted  with 
the  military  resources  and  ability  of  the  insur- 
gent army,  and  entertains  a  strong  conviction 
of  their  ultimate  success.    He  says : 

"  I  ascertained  that  these  people  were  sin- 
cere worshipers  of  the  one  true  God  ;  that  they 
had  sworn  the  extermination  of  idolatry  in 
every  form  ;  that  they  were  exceedingly  friend- 
ly to  foreigners,  and  expressed  themselves  de- 
sirous of  becoming  more  instructed  in  Chris- 
tianity, only  the  difficulties  at  present  were  so 
great,  that  they  thought  I  had  better  wait  for 
some  months.  This  movement  has  for  its  ob- 
ject the  overthrow  of  the  Tartar  dynasty,  and 
the  establishment  of  the  old  Chinese  Govern- 
ment. Therefore  it  is  strictly  a  patriotic  move- 
ment ;  and  we  are  in  the  habit,  in  China,  rather 
of  calling  them  *  patriots '  than  *  insurgents.' " 

As  Christians,  we  cannot  but  regard  this  re- 
markable movement  with  the  deepest  interest ; 
and  in  view  of  its  developments  hitherto,  we  are 
compelled  to  acknowledge  that  it  is  the  finger 
of  God.  We  hope  and  pray  that  China's  re- 
demption from  the  thraldom  of  sin  and  Satan 
is  near  at  hand.  The  Lord  will  hasten  his 
work  in  his  time. 

Concluding  Remarks. — In  view  of  the  few 
conversions  connected  with  the  labors  of  Pro- 
testant missionaries  inChina,  it  may  seem  as  if 
little  had  yet  been  accomplished.  But  such 
would  not  be  a  fair  conclusion,  considering  the 
short  time  that  has  elapsed  since  China  was 
opened  to  Christian  missions.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  that  at  Canton,  no  Protestant  mis- 
sion was  commenced  in  China  previous  to 
1842.  In  such  a  field  as  China,  where  idola- 
try is  very  strongly  fortified,  and  where  cus- 


20C 


CHINA. 


toins  and  opinions  arc  sanctified  and  made 
A'enerable  by  antiquity,  much  preparatory 
work  must  be  iwrformed  before  any  very  per- 
ceptible results  appear.  Much  preparatory 
work  has  been  performed,  and  some  fruit  has 
already  apwared.  They  have  sown  in  tears, 
others  shall  reap  in  joy,  and  ultimately  both 
sower  and  reaper  shall  rejoice  together.  It  is 
no  small  thing  that  already  several  translations 
of  the  Scriptures  have  been  made,  generally 
intelligible  and  faithful :  a  work  which  the 
Catholics  have  not  done  after  centuries  of  mis- 
sionary labor,  and  the  professed  conversion  of 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  souls.  The  prepa- 
ration and  wide  circulation  of  a  great  number 
of  valuable  works,  religious  and  scientific,  is  a 
work  not  to  be  despised,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
helps  to  the  acquisition  of  the  Chinese  which 
have  been  furnished.  It  is  something  that 
valuable  missionary  locations  at  the  several 
posts  have  been  secured,  and  numerous  cha- 
pels built  in  these  cities,  in  which  the  Gospel 
is  statedly  preached  to  many  thousands  of 
souls.  It  is  impossible  to  calculate  the  influ- 
ence which  has  already  gone  out  from  these 
humble  Christian  sanctuaries.  The  name  of 
Christ,  the  Christian  Sabbath,  and  the  essen- 
tial doctrines  of  the  Gospel  are  already  some- 
what extensively  known,  if  not  reverenced", 
where  a  few  years  since,  no  ray  of  Gospel 
light  had  penetrated.  Many  children  have 
learned  to  lisp  the  name  of  Jesus ;  and  besides 
living  native  Christians,  some  pious  Chinese 
are  now,  as  we  hope,  with  Christ  in  heaven. 
"We  might  point  to  the  present  revolution,  as 
in  its  religious  character  the  fruit  of  Protes- 
tant missionary  labor,  the  ultimate  influence  of 
which,  no  finite  mind  can  predict.  But  if  not 
an  individual  soul  had  been  converted  nor  any 
perceptible  influence  exerted  upon  the  public 
mind  by  all  the  efforts  of  missionaries  in 
China  and  its  neighborhood,  we  should  be 
under  no  less  obligation  to  pray  and  labor  and 
suffer  for  the  salvation  of  its  benighted  and 
perishing  millions.  The  command  is  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  and  the  greater 
the  obstacles  to  the  accomplishment  of  this 
work,  the  greater  should  be  our  efforts  till  this 
dark  land  shall  be  illumined  with  its  pre- 
cious light.  Upon  it  a  few  saving  drops  of 
mercy  have  already  fallen,  which  may  be  re- 
garded as  an  earnest  of  the  rich  au*d  abun- 
dant spiritual  blessings  yet  to  be  poured  upon 
the  land  of  Sinim. 

CHINESE  EVANGELICAL  SOCIETY : 
The  principal  object  of  this  society  is  to  send 
out  Christian  medical  men  to  China.  Rev.  W. 
Lobscheid  and  wife  have  sailed  during  the  past 
year  ;  and  they  are  expected  to  labor  at  Sai- 
heong.  Two  young  men  are  in  training  for  the 
missionary  work  ;  and  the  society  has  agreed 
to  support  three  Chinese  boys  and  a  young 
Malay  in  the  school  of  the  Rev.  J.  G.  Bausun, 
at  Pinang,  with  a  view  to  their  becoming  evan- 
gelists.    Christians  of  different  denominations 


unite  in  sustaining  this  missionary  organiza- 
tion.    It  is  located  in  London. 

CHINESE  EVANGELIZATION  SOCI- 
ETY :  In  addition  to  European  agents,  six 
colporteurs  are  employed  in  distributing  the 
Scriptures  and  tracts ;  and  in  many  places  they 
have  been  kindly  received.  The  society  has 
also  assisted  the  Rev.  I.  J.  Roberts  to  prose- 
cute his  labors.  Before  the  end  of  the  year, 
the  society  hopes  to  be  able  to  print  the  entire 
Scriptures  in  Chinese.     (London.) 

CHINESE  SOCIETY  for  Furtliering  tlie 
Promulgation  of  the  Gospel  in  China  and  the 
Adjacent  Coufitries,  by  means  of  Native  Evan- 
getists. — This  society  was  formed  recently  at 
London,  during  the  visit  of  Dr.  Gutzlaff  to 
England.  Its  object  is  to  incite  to  prayer  for 
China,  to  diffuse  information  in  regard  to  the 
evangelization  of  that  great  empire,  and  to 
aid  those  who  enter  that  field.  It  is  altogether 
"  unsectarian." 

CHINTAJ)REPETTAH  :  a  station  of  the 
American  Board,  belonging  to  the  Madras 
mission,  in  eastern  Hindostan. 

CHINSURAH :  A  town  in  the  province 
of  Bengal,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Hoogly 
river,  eighteen  miles  north  of  Calcutta.  Po- 
pulation about  30,000.  It  became  a  station 
of  the  Loudon  Missionary  Society  in  1813. 

CHITTAGONG :  Capital  of  a  district  of 
the  same  name,  at  the  southern  extremity  of 
Bengal,  with  the  Burman  empire  on  the  east, 
and  the  sea  on  the  west.  It  is  340  miles  east 
of  Calcutta,  and  is  much  resorted  to  by  Eu- 
ropeans in  Bengal,  on  account  of  the  benefi- 
cial effects  of  the  climate,  seas,  and  salt-water 
bathing.  Here  the  two  idolatrous  systems  of 
Brahma  and  Budha  come  in  contact,  and  the 
influence  of  caste  is  feeble. 

CHUMMORAH  :  A  Karen  village  in  Bri- 
tish Burmah,  60  miles  from  Maulmain,  and  an 
out-station  of  the  Maulmain  mission  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. 

CHUNAR:  In  the  north  of  Hindostan, 
near  Benares,  and  a  station  of  the  Church  of 
England  Mission. 

CIIUPRA:  a  station  of  Gosner's  Missionary 
Society,  in  India,  30  miles  W.  N.  W.  of  Patna, 
in  the  province  of  Bahar,  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Ganges. 

CHUNDICULLY:  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  the  Jaffna  district,  Cey- 
lon, being  a  suburb  of  the  town  of  Jaffna. 

CHUMIE  :  Station  of  the  United  Scotch 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Kaffraria,  South  Af- 
rica, one  missionary. 

CHURCH  OF  ROME  :  The  Roman  Cath- 
olic Church,  or  that  which  recognises  the  pri- 
macy of  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  at  one  time  em- 
braced all,  or  nearly  all,  Christendom.  Several 
of  the  eastern  churches,  at  various  times,  adopt- 
ed ideas  which  were  condemned  as  heretical  or 
schismatical,  by  the  bishop  of  Rome,  and  those 
who  embraced  them  were  cut  of  from  the  Ro- 
man communion.    These  formed  the  mass  of 


CHURCH  OP  ROME. 


297 


those  v.'lio  followed  the  Greek,  Armenian,  Chal- 
daic,  and  Syrian  rites.  A  portion,  however, 
of  each  rite  never  broke  off  their  connection 
with  Rome,  or  soon  returned  to  it,  and  are 
called  by  Catholic  ^vi-iters  "  United."  In  the 
West,  the  greatest  secession,  that  of  the  Refor- 
mation, took  place  in  the  15th  century,  and  in 
several  countries  of  northern  Europe  new  sym- 
bols were  introduced,  and  the  belief  and  prac- 
tices of  the  Church  of  Rome  proscribed  by  se- 
peualties  ;  under  this  state  of  things  many, 
r  voluntarily  or  involuntarily,  embraced  the 
^^ouiiies  of  the  various  Reformed  Churches. 

At  present  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is 
considered  as  embracing  the  Latin,  Sclavonic, 
Greek,  Armenian,  Syro-Chaldaic,  and  Coptic 
rites,  which  differ  only  in  the  language  and 
incidentals  of  their  liturgy^  and  in  some  points 
of  discipline  :  the  greatest  difference  being  the 
celibacy  of  the  clergy  and  communion  under 
one  kind,  which  are  almost  exclusively  confined 
to  the  followers  of  the  Latin  rite,  never  having 
obtained  in  the  East. 

These  various  rites  are  jealously  guarded  as 
ancient  forms,  in  many  cases  of  apostolical 
origin,  and  persons  are  not  without  great  diffi- 
culty allowed  to  pass  from  one  to  another  or 
even  communicate,  although  they  may  worship 
in  churches  of  other  rites.  It  accordingly  hap- 
pens in  some  parts  that  there  will  be  bishops 
of  different  rites  in  the  same  city,  and  in  Lem- 
berg,  in  Austrian  Poland,  there  are  three,  the 
Latin,  United  Greek,  and  United  Armenian. 

The  doctrines  held  by  all  these  churches  are 
the  same,  and  their  form  of  church  government 
is  identical.  The  superior  clergy  consists  of 
priests,  bishops,  and  archbishops,  some  few  of  the 
latter  being  styled  Patriarchs.  The  inferior 
clergy,  or  those  in  minor  orders,  consist  of  the 
deacons,  and  some  subordinate  grades,  which 
differ  in  number  and  name  in  the  different  rites, 
and  have  apparently  differed  at  times  in  the 
same  rite.  In  most  churches  these  orders  are 
merely  used  as  steps  to  the  priesthood,  and  are 
no  longer  real  offices  in  practice. 

The  Bishop  of  Rome,  commonly  called  the 
Pope,  is  Patriarch  of  the  Latins,  and  as  suc- 
cessor of  St.  Peter,  Primate  or  Supreme  Pon- 
ff  of  the  various  rites.     In  the  government  of 
•Lurch,  his  immediate  Council  is  the  Col- 
of  Cardinals,  whose  number  is  limited  to 
seventy,  and  in  whom  resides  the  elective  power 
on  the  demise  of  a  Pope. 

The  statistics  of  the  Church  of  Rome  are  not 
easily  estimated.  The  following  will  perhaps 
be  not  far  from  the  truth  : 

Latin  Rile.— Western  Europe  and  Colonies. . .  .164,000,000 
Greek  JRife.— United  Greeks  in  Greece,  Turkey  ' 

Russia,  and  Poland -  ■ 

Sclavonic  RUe.—myria,,  Dalmatia,  Poland. . . .  H 5,000,000 
Aimenian  Rite. — United  Armenians  in  Turkey, 

Poland,  India,  Persia 

Syro-Chaldaic  Rite. — Maronites, Chaldees.Uni 

ted  Copts,  &c 5,000,000 

184,000,000 

The  Latin  Catholics  are  by  far  the  most 


numerous.  In  Italy,  Austria,  Bavaria,  Bel- 
gium, France,  Spain,  and  Portugal,  as  well  as 
Spanish  and  Portuguese  America,  the  Roman 
Catholic  is  the  religion  of  the  people,  in  some 
places  established  by  law,  and  supported  by 
the  government,  in  others,  as  Spain,  France, 
Sardinia,  Austria,  New  Grenada,  Hayti,  more 
or  less  fettered  by  civil  laws,  which  hamper 
the  freedom  of  the  clergy  in  the  exercise  of 
their  functions. 

In  the  British  Isles,  Holland,  the  Protestant 
states  in  Germany,  Switzerland,  Norway,  Swe- 
den, Denmark,  and  the  Russian  Dominions, 
members  of  the  Church  of  Rome  are  subject 
to  disabilities  more  or  less  severe,  and  the  pre- 
sence of  their  clergy  rather  connived  at  than 
recognized  by  the  state.  In  all,  the  church  is 
regularly  organized,  and  governed  by  bishops, 
sometimes  titular,  and  thus  forming  a  regular 
hierarchy,  as  in  Ireland,  England,  Switzerland, 
and  Germany,  at  others  simply  vicars  apostolic 
missionary  bjshops,  commonly  called  bishops 
in  partibus  infidelium,  as  the  see  of  which  they 
bear  the  title  is  now  in  some  Mohammedan  or 
heathen  country.  In  the  United  States,  mem- 
bers of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  are  in 
some  states  deprived  of  certain  rights,  but  the 
exercise  of  their  religion  is  not  fettered  by  any 
law. 

TABULAR  VIEW   OF   THE   LATIN   RITE. 
Country  Arbps.Bps.  Clergy.  Population. 


Italy 

Spain 

Portugal 

Germany 

France 

Belgium 

British  Empire 

Holland 

Denmark 

Norway  and  Sweden 

Russia 

Greece 

Turkey 

Turkey  in  Asia 

India  and  Further  India. 

CHiinese  Empire 

Other  parts 


Africa  (various  parts) . 
Oceanica 


AMERICA. 

Britlsli  Possessions . . 

United  States 

Mexico 

Guatiraala 

New  Granada 

Venezuela 

Ecuador 

Peru 

Bolivia 

Chili 

Buenos  Ayres 

Brazil 

Paraguay 

Spanish  West  Indies. 


44 

216 

8 

47 

3 

20 

13 

70 

1ft 

65 

40,000 

1 

5 

6 

44 

4,000 

1 

4 

3 
10 

2 

18 

3 

9 

1 

12 

1 

3 
34 

18 

220 

5 

11 

10 

2 

23 

7 

32 

1,600 

1 

10 

2 
6 

1 

1 
3 

1 

4 

2 
2 
4 

1 

1 

3 

110 

691 

17,000,000 
20,000,000 

9,000,000 


1,000,000 
3,000,000 


164,000,000 


Support  of  the  Clergy. — Prior  to  the  Refor- 
mation, the  Catholic  clergy  possessed  large 
estates  and  received  tithes  in  all  parts  of  Ea. 


298 


CHURCH  OF  ROME. 


rope.  In  the  rcijrn  of  Edward  VI.  the  llcgcnts 
se&ed  much  of  the  church  property  in  England, 
and  in  tlie  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  residue,  with 
the  tithes,  was  transferred  to  the  now  estab- 
lishetl  church.  Since  then,  the  Catholic  clergy 
in  England  and  Ireland,  as  well  as  in  Scot- 
land, depend  on  the  voluntary  contributions  of 
their  flocks.  The  same  is  the  case  in  Holland, 
Protestant  Germany,  and  the  Scandinavian 
kingdoms,  in  the  last  of  which  the  Catholic 
religion  has  been  most  carefully  watched  and 
crushed. 

In  France  the  revolution  of  1789  swept 
from  the  Catholic  clergy  all  their  property  and 
tithes  ;  and,  on  the  re-establishment  of  Chris- 
tianity by  Napoleon,  a  regular  pay  was  estab- 
lished for  all  clergy,  whether  Catholic,  Pro- 
testant, or  Jewish,  which  still  subsists.  In 
1834  a  similar  step  was  taken  in  Spain,  and 
all  church  property  was  seized  by  the  State, 
which  professes  to  give  a  salary  to  each  cler- 
gyman. In  Italy,  Canada,  and  parts  Of  Ger- 
many, the  tithe  system  still  prevails,  but  will, 
in  all  probability,  soon  be  set  aside,  and  other 
provision  made. 

The  clergy  are  commonly  spoken  of  as 
secular  or  regular.  By  secular  are  meant  those 
living  in  the  world  (sa3Culo),the  parish  priests, 
cha})lains,  &c. :  by  regulars,  those  who  live 
according  to  a  certain  rule  (regula), — that  is, 
members  of  the  various  religious  orders.  These 
orders  consist  of  men  who  bind  themselves 
(religare)  by  the  three  vows  of  poverty,  chas- 
tity and  obedience,  to  the  rules  of  the  partic- 
ular institute  which  they  enter.  These  vows 
are  called  vows  of  religion,  themselves  reli- 
gious, and  their  state  of  life  religion.  These 
associations  have  in  view,  first,  the  sanctificar 
tion  of  the  members  by  retirement,  mortifica- 
tion and  prayer  ;  secondly,  the  service  of  their 
neighbor,  spiritually  or  corporally.  The  houses 
of  religious  are  governed  by  superiors,  some- 
times elected  by  the  members,  at  others  ap- 
pointed by  the  head  of  the  order,  who  is  gen- 
erally elected  for  life. 

The  members  of  the  orders  are  generally 
divided  into  choir  religious,  being  priests  or 
persons  intended  for  the  priesthood,  and  lay 
brothers,  who  never  become  priests.  The  reli- 
gious orders  may  be  divided  into  the  following 
classes,  viz. : 

Monks  liying  in  Monasteries  governed  by  Abbots,  Priors, 
&c. 

Friars  living  in  Convents,  governed  by  Provincials,  Com- 
missaries, Wardens,  &c. 

Regular  Clerks  living  in  Colleges,  houses,  and  governed  by 
Provincials,  Superiors,  &c. 

Besides  these  orders,  and  analogous  to  them, 
are  certain  Cmgregatims,  the  members  of 
which  are  sometimes  bound  by  vows,  but 
which  have  never  been  recognized  as  religious 
orders  by  the  head  of  the  church.  The  num- 
ber and  variety  of  these  orders  and  congrega- 
tions is  very  great,  and  many  no  longer  exist, 
having  been  created  to  meet  exigencies  that 


have  passed.  In  the  Greek  Church,  the  Basil- 
ian  Monks  are  almost  the  only  order,  as  that 
of  St.  Nerses  among  the  Armenians.  In  the 
Latin  Church  the  most  wide-spread  and  best 
known  are  : 

Monastic  Orders. — Purely  Contemplative.— ^ 
Carthusian,  Cistercian,  including  Trappists, 
Vallumbrosa.  Contemplative  Mixed. — Benedic- 
tine, Camaldulensian,  devoted  to  education, 
literature,  &c. 

Friars. — Franciscan  or  Greyfriars,  (includ- 
ing EecoUects,  Observantines,  Capuchins,  Con- 
ventuals), Dominicans  or  Black  Friars,  Augus- 
tinians  or  White  Friars,  Carmelites,  Servites, 
Minims,  all  devoted  to  Home  and  Foreign 
Missions.  Trinitarians,  Mercedarians,  devoted 
originally  to  the  redemption  of  captives  from 
the  Turks. 

Regular  Clerks. — Society  of  Jesus,  Bar- 
nabites,  devoted  to  education,  home  and 
foreign  missions.  Regular  Clerks  of  the  Pious 
Schools,  and  the  Ministers  of  the  Sick. 

Congregations. 

Lazarists  or  Priests  of  the  Mission,  devoted  to  Home  and 
Foreign  Missions. 

Priests  of  the  Foreign  Missions,  devoted  to  Home  and 
Foreign  Missions. 

Oblates,  devoted  to  Home  and  Foreign  Missions. 

Marists,  or  Society  of  the  Sacred  Hearts  of  Jesus  and 
Mary,  devoted  to  Negro  Missions. 

Picpusians,  devoted  to  Home  and  Foreign  Missions. 

Priests  of  the  Holy  Cross,  devoted  to  Instruction. 

Sulpibans  and  Eudists,  devoted  to  Theological  Semi- 
naries. 

Rodemptorists,  Passionists,  Order  of  Cliarity,  Oratoriana, 
Pretrosissimi  Sanguinis,  devoted  to  Home  Missions. 

Brotherhoods  (not  priests). 

Brothers  of  the  Christian  Schools,  devoted  to  Instruction. 
Brothers  of  St.  Joseph,  devoted  to  Instruction. 
Brothers  of  the  Society  of  Mary,  devoted  to  Instruction. 
Brothers  of  St.  John,  of  God,  and  of  Camillas,  devoted  to 
Hospitals. 

Besides  these  orders  of  men,  which  embrace 
many  in  priests'  orders,  there  are  religious  or- 
ders and  congregations  of  women,  bound  by 
the  three  vows  of  religion,  and  living  under 
particular  rules.  There  are  Benedictine,  Do- 
minican, Franciscan,  and  Carmelite  nuns,  all 
of  whom  are  contemplative.  August!  nian 
nuns,  devoted  to  the  sick  as  the  Hospital  nuns, 
or  to  education  as  the  Ursnlines,  the  Prescntar 
tion.  Visitation,  and  others,  devoted  to  educa- 
tion. The  Congregations  are  more  extended^ 
and  the  vows  are  generally  made  for  a  singlcf 
year,  or  some  definite  period,  after  which  ^"'^ 
member  is  free  to  retire.    Among  them 

The  Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  and  the  Sisters  of 

Congregation,  devoted  to  education . 
Sisters  of  Charity,  devoted  to  education,  hospitals, 

lums,  &c. 
Sisters  of  Mercy,  devoted  to  education,  the  poor  and  i  , 
Sisters  of   the   Good   Shepherd,  devoted   to  the  care 

Magdalen  Asylums. 
The  Little  Sisters  of  the  Poor,  devoted  to  the  care  of 

poor  and  infirm. 
The  Sisters  of  Providence,  (black),  devoted  to  the  educa 

tion  of  colored  girls. 

John  G.  Shea,  Esq. 


CHURCH  OF  ROME,    MISSIONS    OF. 


299 


CHURCH  OF  ROME,  MISSIONS  OF  : 

Tlie  principles  on  which  the  missions  of  the 
Cliurch  of  Rome  are  founded,  lie  in  her  claim 
to  apostolic  succession,  and  an  unbroken  chain 
of  title  in  her  clergy  to  preach  the  Gospel  and 
administer  the  sacraments.  The  missionaries 
whom  she  sends  out  bear  the  liturgy  of  their 
church,  its  dogmas  and  practices,  which  have 
left  their  impression  on  the  language  and  cus- 
toms of  nations.  Before  the  separation  of  the 
Eastern  Churches  from  Rome,  the  Chaldeans 
had  extended  their  labors  to  India  and  Tar- 
tary,  and  continued  their  missions  long  after 
embracing  the  doctrines  of  Nestorius.  The 
Greeks  evangelized  much  of  Poland  and  Rus- 
sia ;  and  on  the  final  rupture  between  the 
Greeks  and  Latins,  the  churches  in  those  coun- 
tries generally  adhered  to  the  patriarch  of 
Constantinople.  The  missions  of  the  Latin 
chuLch  were  far  more  varied  and  extensive. 
Under  the  Roman  empire,  all  Italy,  Spain, 
Franco,  and  Britain,  were  converted,  and  em- 
braced the  Latin  rite.  When  these  countries 
were  overrun  by  the  barbarians,  Rome  again 
sent  her  missionaries  gradually  from  country 
to  country,  the  Celts  in  Ireland  and  Scotland, 
the  Franks  in  France,  Goths  in  Spain  and 
Italy,  all  embraced  her  forms.  The  Saxons  in 
England  were  converted  by  Augustine  and 
other  Benedictine  monks  from  Italy ;  then 
Irish  and  English  monks  carried  the  faith  to 
Germany,  Scandinavia,  and  Iceland,  founding 
churches,  which,  in  their  development,  extended 
to  Greenland  and  the  coast  of  North  America. 
By  the  twelfth  century  the  mass  was  chanted 
in  Latin  from  Narraganset  Bay  to  the  Baltic 
and  Adriatic.  This  was  chiefly  the  work  of 
missionaries  of  the  orders  of  St.  Columbanus 
and  St.  Benedict.  The  Crusades  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  orders  of  Friars  gave  a 
new  impulse  to  the  missions.  Franciscans 
and  Dominicans  carried  the  faith  to  India, 
Tartary,  and  China,  in  the  13th  century,  and 
throughout  Asia  planted  their  convents  beside 
the  Nestorian  churches.  Undeterred  by  the 
fanaticism  of  Islam,  they  entered  the  various 
Mohammedan  countries  in  Asia  and  Africa, 
hoping  to  restore  religion  on  a  soil  where  it 
had  once  flourished ;  and  at  the  same  time 
struggled  successfully  with  Paganism,  which 
still  lingered  near  the  shores  of  the  Baltic. 
The  last  missions  soon  triumphed ;  those  in 
central  Asia  gradually  sunk,  as  wars  made  it 
impossible  to  keep  up  communication  with 
Europe.  In  Mohammedan  countries  the  mis- 
sionaries have,  down  to  the  present  time,  labored 
almost  in  vain,  no  considerable  number  of  the 
followers  of  the  prophet  having  ever  been  at 
any  one  period  won  to  the  truth. 

The  close  of  the  fifteenth  century  opened 
to  the  view  of  Europe  a  new  world,  and  a  new 
and  free  path  to  India.  Spain  and  Portugal 
began  their  career  of  conquest  in  both  Indies  ; 
missionary  zeal  was  excited,  and  apostolic  men 
from  the  various  orders,  and  from  the  ranks  of 


the  secular  clergy,  hastened  to  attempt  the  con- 
version of  the  natives  of  the  newly  discovered 
regions.  In  the  East,  missions  were  founded 
in  Ilindostan,  the  East  India  Islands,  Japan, 
China,  Tonquin,  Abyssinia ;  in  America,  the 
half  civilized  natives  of  Peru  and  Mexico  were 
converted,  and  their  descendants  now  form  the 
mass  of  the  people,  and  the  Church  of  Rome 
has  enrolled  two  of  Indian  blood  among  her 
canonized  saints.  The  nomadic  tribes  from 
Labrador  to  Cape  Horn  were  visited;  many 
were  completely  gained,  in  other  parts  reduc- 
tions were  formed,  and  such  as  could  be  per- 
suaded to  enter  were  instructed  alike  in  the 
truths  of  Christianity  and  the  usages  of  civil- 
ized life.  Close  on  these  discoveries  came  the 
religious  feuds  of  the  sixteenth  century  and 
the  defection  of  nearly  every  prince  in  North- 
ern Europe  from  the  Roman  See.  State 
churches  were  formed  in  many  of  the  Ger- 
man States,  the  Scandinavian  kingdoms,  Hol- 
land, England,  and  Scotland,  based  on  the 
doctrines  of  Luther  and  Calvin.  To  compel 
conformity  to  these,  severe  laws  were  passed, 
and  all  who  adhered  to  the  See  of  Rome  sub- 
jected to  heavy  penalties.  The  Catholic  clergy 
were  outlawed,  and  every  attempt  made  to 
prevent  any  educational  establishments  which 
might  continue  the  Catholic  feeling  or  a  suc- 
cession of  clergy.  This  led  to  a  new  species 
of  mission  :  colleges  were  established  in  Catho- 
lic countries  for  the  education  of  their  fellow 
believers  in  the  northern  countries,  and  the 
training  of  such  as  wished  to  enter  the  priest- 
hood ;  and  from  these  seminaries,  missionaries 
proceeded  to  their  native  country  to  minister  to 
their  brethren,  and  to  gain  back  such  as  seemed 
to  repent  the  late  change.  Many  suffered  the  pe- 
nalty of  death,  but  this,  as  usually  happens,  only 
raised  up  others  to  fill  their  places.  From  this 
period  the  Catholic  missions  are  either  Home 
missions  for  instructing  the  ignorant  and  neg- 
lected in  Catholic  countries,  or  those  in  which 
the  exercise  of  religion  is  permitted:  Missions  in 
Protestant  countries  to  supply  clergy  for  the 
Catholic  portion  :  Missions  among  schismatics 
to  reunite  them  to  Rome  ;  Missions  to  Pagan 
nations.  There  are  no  missions  intended  to  ope- 
rate directly  on  Protestants  of  any  denomina- 
tion or  Mohammedans,  from  the  fact  that  any 
such  attempt  jeopardized  the  Catholic  body  in 
those  countries  where  penal  laws  prevail.  These 
missions  became  at  last  so  important  a  part 
of  the  church  government,  that  Gregory  XV. 
(1621 — 23)  instituted  the  Congregation  De 
Propaganda  Fide,  which  gave  a  new  impulse 
to  the  zeal  and  fervor  of  missionaries  and  all 
interested  in  the  missionary  cause.  This  con- 
gregation or  department  consisted  of  thirteen 
cardinals,  two  priests,  a  religious,  and  a  secre- 
tary ;  and  to  it  exclusively  was  committed  the 
direction  of  missions  and  church  matters  in 
mission  countries.  Considerable  sums  were 
bestowed  by  public  and  private  munificence 
on  this  department,  and  under  Urban  VIH. 


300 


CHURCH  OF  ROME,  MISSIONS  OP. 


tho  active  reformer,  a  colleffe,  usually  styled 
tiie  Urban  collei^e,  or  the  Propaganda,  was 
oreotetl  and  rifhly  endowed.  Here  candidates 
for  tlie  priesthood  and  the  missions,  are  re 
ceived  from  all  quarters  of  the  globe,  and  a 
printing-press  issues  devotional  works  in  a 
great  number  of  languages. 

Besides  this  college,  there  soon  rose  the  Ar- 
menian College  at  Venice,  the  Germanic,  Eng- 
lish, Irish,  and  Scotch  colleges  at  Rome,  the 
English  college  at  Rheims  and  Douay,  the  Irish 
and  Scotch  at  Paris,  the  Irish  college  at  Lou- 
vain  and  Valladolid,  and  some  others,  all  in- 
tended to  train  the  missionaries  for  their  own 
countries ;  and  at  a  later  date,  the  Chinese 
college  at  Naples  was  founded  in  the  same 
view,  and  of  late  years,  a  missionary  college 
has  arisen  at  Drumcondra.  Convents  and  re- 
ligious houses  of  various  orders  were  also  found- 
ed on  the  continent  for  natives  of  the  British 
Isles,  and  from  these  also  missionaries  armually 
set  out  for  the  missions  in  the  English  domin- 
ions. Most  of  these  latter  have,  however,  since 
disappeared,  swept  away  by  the  French  revo- 
lution, or  transferred  to  England  or  the  United 
States. 

II.  Missioiiaru  Societies. — There  are,  properly 
speaking,  no  missionary  societies  in  the  Catho- 
lic church  similar  to  those  among  Protestants. 
Three  societies,  of  quite  recent  origin,  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  center- 
ing at  Lyons,  the  Leopoldine  Society  at  Vienna, 
and  the  Society  of  tlie  Holy  Childhood  in  France, 
raise  funds  by  a  small  weekly  contribution, 
which  the  directors  distribute  to  various  mis- 
sions, as  they  think  proper,  but  over  the  mis- 
sionaries and  stations  they  exercise  no  control. 
The  various  missions  are  conducted  entirely  in- 
dependent of  this  aid,  relying,  in  default  of  it, 
on  other  resources.  The  last  named  society  is 
made  up  of  children,  and  has  a  special  object, 
the  raising  of  money  to  save  and  baptize  chil- 
dren exposed  to  death  by  their  unnatural 
parents  in  China  and  Annara.  Besides  the 
aid  thus  given,  some  missions  have  funds  es- 
tablished before  the  present  century,  and  for- 
merly French,  Spanish,  and  Portuguese  mis- 
sionaries received  a  regular  stipend  from  the 
government.  The  great  mass  of  the  missions 
at  present  are  individual  efforts,  supported  by 
the  zeal  and  sacrifices  of  the  bishops  and  clergy 
employed  on  them. 

III.  Receipts. — The  amount  raised  in  1852 
by 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of 

the  Faith,    .  .  .    3950,000 

Society  of  the  Holy  Childhood  .       117,000 


$1,067,000 

MISSIONARY  STATIONS. 
Europe. — 1.  Among  the  Protestant  States 
of  Europe,  the  only  countries  where  the  Catho- 
lic church  is  still  a  mere  mission,  are  Denmark, 
Norway,  and  Sweden.    Here  the  number  of 


Catholics  is  very  small,  and  no  details  are 
published,  as  many  severe  civil  penalties  are 
still  enforced  against  members,  and  especially 
converts  of  the  Roman  church.  The  whole 
number  does  not  probably  exceed  150,000. 

2.  Turkey. — The  United  Armenians  have 
an  archbishop  at  Constantinople ;  the  Latins 
several  bishops  and  vicars  apostolic  ;  the  dis- 
tinct missions  are  those  of  the  Franciscans  in 
Moldavia,  Jesuits  in  Herzegovine,  and  Lazarists 
at  Constantinople  and  Salonica,  the  latter 
aided  in  their  labors  by  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 
The  whole  niynber  of  Latin  Christians  is  esti- 
mated at  613,000,  and  is  constantly  on  the  in- 
crease. 

3.  Greece. — In  this  kingdom  there  are  con- 
stant accessions  to  the  Latin  and  United 
Greek  Churches,  especially  at  Athens,  Piraeus, 
Patras,  Nauplia,  Navariuo,  and  Heraclia. 
There  are,  in  this  kingdom,  and  the  Ionian 
republic  flourishing  missions  of  the  Capuchins 
and  Jesuits. 

Asia — 1.  Turkey  in  Asia. — The  Francis- 
cans have  had  missions  in  the  Holy  Land  since 
the  Crusades,  which,  more  or  less  active  at 
times,  are  now  pushed  with  energy.  The  Je- 
suits have  since  their  origin  had  missions 
among  the  eastern  Christians,  won  many  back 
to  Rome,  established  schools,  and  raised  the 
standard  of  clerical  instruction.  At  Antioch, 
there  are  Maronite,  United  Greek,  and  Sy- 
rian patriarchs,  and  elsewhere  an  Armenian 
and  a  Chaldean  patriarch,  all  in  communion 
with  Rome ;  and  the  number  of  Christians 
who  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  Pius  IX., 
is  about  a  million. 

2.  Persia. — In  this  country  there  is  a  mis- 
sion directed  by  the  Lazarists,  and  protected 
by  France,  as  well  as  a  United  Armenian 
church  well  established  and  tolerated. 

3.  India. — The  Hindoo  mission  dates  back  to 
the  conquest  of  Goa,  by  the  Portuguese,  in 
1510,  and  was  at  first  conducted  by  the  Fran- 
ciscans, Dominicans,  and  zealous  secular  priests, 
Its  progress  was,  however,  slow,  till  the  arri- 
val of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  in  1542.  By  his 
labors,  and  those  of  other  Fathers  of  the  S 
ciety  of  Jesus,  numbers  were  converged  on  the 
Fishery  coast,  the  Islands  of  Manar  and  Cey- 
lon, and  Travancore,  while  the  former  mis- 
sionaries renewed  their  efforts  in  other  parts, 
and  gained  to  Rome  all  the  Chaldaic  Chris- 
tians who  had  fallen  into  Nestorianism.  The 
Jesuit  mission  is,  however,  the  most  celebra- 
ted, and  after  Xavier,  owed  its  chief  progress, 
to  Robert  de  Nobili  nephew  to  Pope  Marcel-; 
lus  II.,  who  originated  the  plan  of  having  mis-- 
sionaries  for  each  caste,  adopting  the  life  of 
each.  He  himself  became  a  Brahmin-samassi, 
The  Blessed  John  de  Brito,  converted  the  Mara- 
vas,  Aquaviva,  at  Delhi,  won  Akbar  to  the 
Christian  religion,  and  Goes  traversed  Thibet 
and  Tartary  to  Peking.  These  missions 
were  affected  by  the  overthrow  of  the  Portu- 
guese and  French  power  in  India,  by  the  pear- 


CHURCH   OF   ROME,   MSSIONS   OF. 


301 


secution  of  the  Danes,  by  the  disputes  as  to  the 
Malabar  rites,  by  the  suppression  of  the  Jesu- 
its, and  by  the  troubles  of  the  French  revo- 
lution. A  large  number  of  converts  had, 
however,  been  made,  and  their  descendants  re- 
mained faithful.  During  the  Dutch  rule  in 
Ceylon,  Catholicity  was  maintained  there  by 
the  labors  of  the  Portuguese  Oratorians.  All 
Hindostan  is  now  divided  into  Vicariates 
apostolic,  for  European  and  native  Christians  ; 
the  most  extensive  Hindoo  missions  being  those 
of  Madura,  conducted  by  the  Jesuits  ;  of  My- 
sore, conducted  by  the  priests  of  the  Foreign 
Missions  ;  and  of  Ceylon,  by  the  priests  of  the 
Oratory  ;  all  of  which  are  rapidly  gaining  the 
ground  lost  in  darker  days. 

Hindostan  contains  15  vicariates,  16  bishops, 
a  large  number  of  priests,  including  500  native 
clergymen,  and  nearly  four  million  of  Latin  and 
Chaldee  Christians.  Ceylon  contains  2  vicar- 
iates, 3  bishops,  150,000  Catholics. 

4.  Farther  India. — The  Tonquin  mission  was 
founded  by  the  Jesuit  Alexander  Ehodes,  who 
labored  in  that  field  from  about  1624  to  1648, 
and  gathered  a  church  of  30,000  Christians. 
Driven  at  last  from  the  country,  he  originated 
at  Paris  the  Seminary  of  the  Foreign  Missions, 
founded  in  1663,  and  induced  the  Holy  See  to 
appoint  bishops  to  Tonquin.  Since  then,  the 
priests  of  the  Foreign  Missions  have  had  the 
chief  direction  of  the  mission  in  Annam  and  the 
neighboring  province  of  Su  Tchuen,  in  China. 
The  Jesuits  also  continued  their  mission,  and 
by  the  labors  of  both,  many  native  clergy  were 
formed.  The  Cochin  China  mission  was  foun- 
ded about  the  same  time  by  F.  Rossi,  and  pass- 
ed also  to  the  Foreign  Missions.  Both  churches 
have  undergone  terrible  persecutions,  even  of 
late  years,  under  the  Emperor  Minh-Menh, 
but  have  steadily  increased.  Tonquin  con- 
tains six  vicariates  apostolic,  governed  by  12 
bishops.  One  of  these  vicariates  (Retord's.)  in 
1847,  contained  10  European,  91  native  priests, 
200  catechists,  and  about  200,000  Christians, 
Another  (Gauthier's),  2  bishops,  3  European, 
43  native  priests,  60  catechists,  70,000  Chris- 
tians. Cochin  China  contains  3  vicariates 
apostolic,  all  directed  by  clergy  of  the  Semin- 
ary of  the  Foreign  Missions  and  native  priests. 

Siam,  Laos,  and  Cambodia. — These  missions 
are  also  directed  by  the  priests  of  the  Foreign 
Missions  and  native  clergymen.  They  have 
been  subjected  to  repeated  persecutions,  but 
are  now  at  peace.  Ava,  Pegu,  and  Malacca 
are  vicariates,  with  two  bishops  and  about 
10,000  Catholics. 

5.  China. — The  Chinese  mission  was  attempt- 
ed in  tiie  thirteenth  century,  by  John  de  Monte- 
corvino,  who  founded  a  metropolitan  See  at 
Peking,  which  subsisted  for  over  a  century. 
Xavier  attempted  to  restore  it  in  1552,  but 
died  near  Canton.  After  several  other  at- 
tempts, the  Jesuits  Ruggieri  and  Pazio, 
founded  a  mission,  which,  under  the  great 
Matthew  Ricci  (1584-1610),  obtained  a  per- 


manent fo'oting  in  the  empire.  The  early  Je- 
suits adopted  the  dress  of  literati,  and  thus  se- 
cured the  esteem  of  the  Emperors,  and  would 
probably  have  gained  them  to  Christ,  but  for 
the  Tartar  invasion.  After  that  change,  per- 
secutions began,  and  as  differences  arose  be- 
tween the  Jesuits  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
Dominicans  in  Fokien,  and  the  priests  of  For- 
eign Missions  in  Suchuen  on  the  other,  as  to 
the  use  of  certain  ceremonies,  these  dissensions 
formed  a  pretext  for  very  severe  edicts.  For 
many  years  the  blood  of  the  Chinese  Chris- 
tians and  their  missionaries  flowed  in  torrents. 
At  present  the  church  enjoys  peace,  although 
the  insurgents  are  decidedly  hostile  to  the  Chi- 
nese Catholics,  and  treat  them  with  great  se- 
verity. 

Among  the  celebrated  Chinese  missionaries, 
may  be  named  Ricci,  Schall,  and  Yerbiest, 
mathematicians  ;  Marin,  an  American,  who  at- 
tempted a  mission  in  1556  ;  Lopez,  a  native 
Chinese  priest  and  bishop  ;  Denis  de  la  Cruz, 
another  Chinese,  who  died  at  Carthagena,  in 
South  America ;  Navarrette,  Amiot,  Sanz, 
Perboyre,  a  recent  martyr.  The  suppression 
of  the  Jesuits,  and  the  French  revolution,  se- 
riously affected  these  missions,  by  cutting  off 
a  supply  of  learned  and  adventurous  missiona- 
ries. Since  the  restoration  of  peace  in  Europe, 
and  especially  since  the  establishment  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  the 
mission  has  recovered  much  of  its  former 
extent.  At  the  present  time,  China  contains 
15  sees  or  vicariates,  16  bishops,  84  European 
priests,  135  native  priests,  many  convents  and 
houses  of  religious  women,  and  a  population  of 
400,000  Catholics.  The  great  mass  of  the  old 
Jesuit  missions  are  directed  by  the  French 
Lazarists  ;  the  missions  in  Suchuen,  Yunnan, 
Quaychoo,  and  Leaotong,  by  the  priests  of  the 
Foreign  Missions ;  those  in  Chansi,  Chensi, 
and  Houquang,  by  Italian  Franciscans ;  those 
in  Fokien,  by  Spanish  Dominicans ;  and  those 
in  Chantong  and  Kiangnan,  by  French  Je- 
suits, who  have  recently  returned. 

6.  Corea. — Christianity  was  introduced  here 
from  China  about  1632,  and  has  since  grown 
amid  persecution  of  the  severest  kind.  The 
history  of  the  Corean  Church  is  written  in 
blood.  Her  first  neophyte  was  a  martyr ;  her 
first  Chinese  apostle,  a  martyr  ;  her  first  native 
priest,  a  martyr  ;  her  first  European  mission- 
aries, all  martyrs.  The  number  of  Catholics 
is  about  12,000,  directed  by  a  bishop,  two  Eu- 
ropean priests,  if  still  alive,  and  some  native 
clergy.  This  mission  is  entrusted  to  the  Se- 
minary of  the  Foreign  Missions. 

7.  Mongol  Tartary. — This  is  a  Lazarist  mis- 
sion, directed  by  a  bishop,  3  European,  10 
native  priests,  a  college  seminary,  8  schools, 
and  5,000  Christians. 

8.  Manchuria. — A  mission  under  the  priests 
of  the  Foreign  Missions,  with  a  bishop  and 
some  European  clergymen. 

9.  r/w6e«.— Missions  were  attempted  here  in 


302 


CHURCH   OF   ROME,   MISSIONS  OP. 


the  13tli  and  14th  centuries,  by  St.  Hyacinth, 
of  Poland,  and  Odoric  of  Fruili ;  in  the  17th 
conturv,  by  tiie  Jesuits  and  Capueliins  ;  but  in 
the  interval  Ijudhism  had  grown  up  and  ex- 
pelled all  but  the  traces  of  Christianity.  The 
mission  was  restored  in  1846,  by  the  Lazarists, 
Hue  and  Gabet  Others  have  followed,  and  a 
bishop  has  lately  been  appointed. 

Eoft  India  Islands. — Missions  exist  on  some 
of  these  of  ancient  date,  but  the  data  are  not 
very  full  or  recent. 

10.  Japan. — Christianity  was  introduced  into 
this  empire  in  1549,  by  St.  Francis  Xavier, 
who  had  converted  a  Japanese  at  Goa.  During 
a  stay  of  two  years  he  visited  several  king- 
doms, and  founded  missions  which  he  confided 
to  zealous  priests  of  his  order.  The  faith 
spread  rapidly.  In  1562,  the  Prince  of  Omura 
and  soon  after  the  Kings  of  Bungo  and 
Arima,  embraced  Christianity,  and  sent  a 
splendid  embassy  to  Pope  Gregory  XIII. 
Soon  after  Taycosoma,  a  powerful  general, 
usurped  the  throne,  and  in  1586  issued  a  law 
against  Christianity,  which  his  predecessor, 
Nabunanga,  had  greatly  favored.  The  num- 
ber of  Christians  increased  with  the  persecu- 
tion, and  in  1638,  they  rose  in  arms,  in  Arima, 
but  were  crushed  by  Dutch  aid.  Since  then 
the  faith  has  been  almost  entirely  extinguished. 
The  number  of  Christians  put  to  death  has 
been  estimated  at  nearly  two  millions,  and  the 
annals  of  the  Jesuits,  Franciscans,  and  Domi- 
nicans are  filled  with  narratives  of  the  deaths 
of  members  of  their  orders,  in  Japan.  Be- 
sides Xavier,  the  greatest  missionaries  were 
Valignani,  Father  John  Baptist,  a  Spanish 
Franciscan,  Philip  of  Jesus,  a  Mexican  Fran- 
ciscan, both  crucified  at  Nangasacki,  Father 
Charles  Spinola,  &c. 

The  last  Catholic  priest  who  entered  Japan 
was  M.  Sedotti,  who,  in  1709,  found  means  to 
land,  but  he  was  never  again  heard  of.  Within 
a  few  years  great  efforts  have  been  made  to 
reach  the  forsaken  Christians,  still  said  to  exist 
in  Japan ;  and  a  bishop  appointed  to  the  mis- 
sion has  already  founded  stations  on  the  Lew- 
Chew  islands. 

Africa. — 1.  Congo. — ^The  earliest  missions 
were  those  of  Congo,  begun  by  the  Dominicans, 
Franciscans,  and  Jesuits.  From  1500  to  about 
1560  the  success  was  great ;  the  king  and  many 
of  his  people  were  converted,  native  priests  or- 
dained, and  one  raised  to  the  episcopacy.  Ca- 
tholicity flourished  here  for  many  years,  but 
insensibly  declined  for  want  of  priests.  The 
Carmelites  established  missions  in  Guinea,  the 
Jesuits  in  Angola  and  Loango ;  and  on  these 
chiefly  the  Catholics  of  Congo  depended,  as 
late  as  1622.  In  1645,  the  Capuchins  under- 
took the  mission,  headed  by  Fray  FrancisQO 
de  Pampeluna,  once  a  military  officer  of  high 
rank.  This  body  and  their  successors  con- 
tinued the  mission  till  about  1700,  when  Cis- 
tercians took  their  place.  About  the  middle  of 
the  last  century,  the  priests  of  the  Foreign 


Missions  established  stations  in  Loango,  and 
converted  many.  These  missions  still  exist  in 
several  parts. 

2.  Barbary. — Missions  have  from  the  earliest 
times  been  conducted  here  by  Franeiscuns, 
Dominicans,  Trinitarians,  and  Mercedarians, 
still  later  by  the  Jesuits  and  Lazarists.  The 
number  of  Christians  is,  however,  very  small, 
and  the  clergy  do  not  number  a  score. 

3.  Egypt. — The  Latin  mission  here  is  due 
chiefly  to  the  Jesuits,  of  whom  Father  Si  card 
was  the  leader.  Many  Copts  were  recalled  to 
the  Latin  Church,  and  are  now  directed  by  La- 
zarist  missionaries,  aided  by  Brothers  of  the 
Christian  School. 

4.  Abyssinia. — The  Portuguese,  about  1530, 
attempted  to  convert  the  schismatics  of  Abys- 
sinia,  and  revive  morality  and  learning  ;  but 
the  efforts  and  the  zeal  of  the  Jesuits  failed ;  the 
missionaries  were  excluded,  after  a  long  perse- 
cution. In  1839,  the  mission  was  revived  by 
the  Lazarists,  and  a  bishop  appointed,  while 
the  Galla  country  was  allotted  to  the  Capuchins, 
in  1846.     (See  Abyssinia.) 

5.  Madagascar. — The  first  missions  among 
the  Malagasies,  was  begun  by  the  Laaarists, 
in  1648,  and  continued  till  1674,  when  Louis 
XIV.  forbid  French  vessels  to  stop  at  the  is- 
land. The  mission  was  revived  in  1837,  by 
Mr.  Dalmond,  who  founded  the  station  of 
Nossibe,  in  1840.  Since  1845,  this  mission 
has  been  confided  to  the  Jesuits,  who  have 
made  rapid  progress. 

6.  Other  parts. — Missions  have  been  founded 
at  different  spots  on  the  eastern  and  western 
coast,  which  have  been  discontinued,  or  are 
not  yet  firmly  established.  That  of  Guinea, 
is  the  most  thriving.  A  bishop  was  at  first 
selected  for  it  from  among  the  Catholic  clergy 
in  the  United  States;  but  on  the  failure  of 
his  health,  the  mission  was  transferred  to  the 
Society  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  and 
Mary,  who  still  administer  it. 

OcEANicA. — The  first  Catholic  mission  in 
Oceanica  was  that  of  Messrs.  Bachelot,  Ar- 
mand,  and  Short,  of  the  "  Congregation  of  the 
Sacred  Hearts  of  Jesus  and  Mary,"  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  They  began  it  in  1826, 
and  continued  it  till  their  expulsion  by  the 
government  in  1832.  In  the  following  y€ 
Vicars  apostolic  were  appointed,  and  missioi 
begun  at  Gambler,  Tahiti,  and  for  a  second 
time  at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  These  missioi ' 
are  chiefly  directed  by  priests  of  the  society 
Picpry  and  the  Marists.  Other  stations  wei 
begun  in  New  Zealand,  at  Futuna,  in  tl 
Marquesas,  Nukahwa,  and  elsewhere.  The 
missions  extended  so  rapidly  that  several  ne 
vicariates  were  formed,  and  in  spite  of  martj 
dom,  disease  and  shipwreck,  they  are  still 
vancing.  Oceanica  now  contains  8  bishops, 
10  vicariates,  and  300  missionaries. 

America.  1.  Spanish  Missions. — Missions 
were  established  in  all  Spanish  America, 
and  great  numbers    were    converted,    espe- 


CHURCH  MISSIONARY   SOCIETY. 


803 


cially  in  Mexico  and  Peru,  where  their  de- 
scendants are  still,  the  majority  mingled 
with  the  Spanish  race.  Even  in  Cuba  the 
Spanish  blood  is  much  mixed  with  Indian 
blood. 

The  missions  among  the  wild  tribes  were  of 
a  diflFerent  character.  The  most  celebrated 
are  "those  of  the  Jesuits  in  Paraguay  and  Cal- 
ifornia, the  missions  among  the  Moxos,  Abi- 
pones,  in  Chili  and  New  Grenada.  Few  of 
these  are  now  properly  missions,  and  are  mat- 
ter for  a  history  rather  than  a  gazetteer. 

2.  Portuguese  Missions. — The  missions  of 
Brazil  were  chiefly  conducted  by  Portuguese 
Jesuits,  who  converted  several  tribes,  although 
their  numbers  were  diminished  by  the  cruelty 
of  the  savages  on  land  and  pirates  at  sea.  Se- 
veral of  these  missions  still  subsist,  but  details 
are  not  easily  accessible  as  to  their  numbers 
and  extent. 

3.  United  States  and  Canada. — The  early 
Catholic  Missions  in  New  Mexico,  Florida, 
and  California,  were  Spanish.  The  natives  of 
New  Mexico  were  converted,  and  being  now 
Christians,  are  not  considered  a  mission.  In 
Florida,  while  a  Spanish  province,  the  Indians 
were  converted  by  Franciscans,  and  formed 
villages  on  the  Apalachicola  and  around  the 
city  of  St.  Augustine.  The  English  drove 
these  Indians  from  their  villages,  and  their 
descendants,  now  called  Seminoles  or  wander- 
ers, have  lost  all  traces  of  Christianity.  The 
Upper  California  missions  were  conducted 
by  Franciscans,  and  till  a  recent  period 
were  in  a  very  flourishing  state,  but  are  now 
destroyed.  The  Canada  missions  were  be- 
gun by  French  Jesuits,  in  Nova  Scotia  and 
Maine,  about  1612.  The  Kecollects  followed, 
succeeded  again  by  the  Jesuits.  This  mission 
converted  the  Abenaquis  of  Maine,  now  form- 
ing two  villages  in  the  state  of  Maine  and  two 
in  Canada;  the  Hurons  of  Upper  Canada,  a 
part  of  whom  are  Catholics,  still  at  Lorette, 
near  Quebec ;  a  part  of  the  Iroquois  or  Five 
nations,  who  form  the  three  Catholic  villages 
at  Caughnawaga,  St.  Regis  and  the  Lake  of 
the  two  Mountains ;  the  Algonquins,  who  form 
a  mission  village,  with  the  last-named  band  of 
Iroquois ;  the  Micmacs  of  Nova  Scotia,  now  at- 
tended by  the  secular  clergy;  the  Montagnais,  at 
Ghicoutimi  and  Red  River,  under  a  bishop  and 
missionaries  ;  the  Ottawas  of  Lake  Superior, 
who  with  the  Ojibwas  and  Menomonees  are 
now  under  the  care  of  Canadian  clergy  on 
the  north,  and  on  the  south,  of  Bishop  Baraga, 
a  philologist,  whose  talents  have  been  ac- 
knowledged by  government ;  the  Illinois  and 
Miamis,  whose  descendants  are  now  on  Indian 
Territory  and  in  Louisiana ;  the  Arkansas, 
whose  descendants,  under  the  name  of  Kappas, 
are  also  there. 

The  Catholics  of  Maryland  began  missions 
among  the  neighboring  tribes,  but  tribe  and 
mission  have  '.ong  since  disappeared.  Since 
the  revolutioy  and  the  estabiishment  of  a  Ca- 


tholic hierarchy  in  the  United  States,  atten- 
tion has  been  gradually  turned  to  the  Indian 
missions ;  two  vicariates  are  devoted  to  them 
alone.  That  of  Upper  Michigan  contains  one 
bishop,  five  priests,  five  schools,  and  a  large 
number  of  Catholic  Ottawas  and  Ojibwas  ; 
that  of  Indian  territory  with  a  bishop,  eight 
clergymen,  four  schools,  5,300  Catholics  of  the 
Pottawotaraies,  Osages,  Miamis,  Illinois,  Kan- 
sas, and  Kappas.  Besides  these,  there  are  in 
the  diocese  of  Milwaukee  a  Menomonee  and 
an  Ojibwa  mission  ;  in  that  of  St.  Paul's,  Min- 
nesota, a  Sioux,  a  Winnebago,  and  three 
Ojibwa  missions  ;  and  in  Oregon  there  are 
missions  among  the  Waskos,  Cayusus,  Pointed 
Hearts  and  Flatheads, — the  Indian  Catholics 
of  the  territory  numbering  3,400.  Besides 
these,  a  few  hundred  converted  Indians  are  to 
be  found  in  California. 

Among  the  celebrated  missionaries  in  Ameri- 
ca may  be  named  Anchieta,  Bareze,  Las  Casas, 
Bertrand,  Solano,  Gand,  Motolinia,  Brebeuf, 
Druilletes,  Chaumonot,  Jogues,  and  in  later 
times  Marcoux,  De  Smet,  Point,  Belcour. 

This  is  an  outline  of  the  widely-extended 
and  much  diversified  Catholic  missions.  As 
to  their  history,  the  recent  work  of  Henrion, 
"  Histoire  Generale  des  Missions  Catholiques," 
and  the  Annals  of  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith  will  give  a  general  idea ;  but 
the  sources  are  the  accounts  of  the  various  re- 
ligious bodies  engaged  on  the  several  missions, 
voluminous  works  which  would  alone  form  a 
library. — John  G.  Shea,  Esq. 

CHURCH  HILL  :  A  station  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  on  the  Island  of 
Jamaica,  W.  I. 

CHURCH   MISSIONARY  SOCIETY: 

This  Society  was  formed  in  the  year  1800.  The 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge, 
and  that  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  had  long  existed,  and  received 
the  benefactions  from  the  Church  of  England. 
But  as  they  both  confined  themselves  chiefly  to 
foreign  parts,  where  Christianity  was  already 
embraced,  there  was,  in  the  view  of  the  friends 
of  Foreign  Missions,  still  room  left  for  a  Soci- 
ety which  should  consider  the  heathen  as  its 
principal  care. 

This  Society  was  organized  on  the  principle 
of  making  a  specified  contribution  the  condi- 
tion of  membership.  Seven  governors  and  a 
treasurer  are  elected  by  the  members  ;  also  a 
general  committee,  consisting  of  these  officers 
and  twenty-five  other  members,  for  the  general 
direction  of  its  affairs. 

The  constitution  and  practice  of  this  Society 
are  regarded  by  its  members  and  managers  as 
in  strict  conformity  with  ecclesiastical  princi- 
ples, as  they  are  recognized  in  the  constitution 
and  practice  of  the  Church  of  England.  It 
exercises  no  spiritual  or  ecclesiastical  func- 
tions ;  but  is  an  "  institution  for  discharg- 
ing  the  temporal  and   lay  offices  necessary 


304 


CHURCH    MISSIONARY    SOCIETY. 


for  the  preaching  of  tho  Gospel  among  the 
heathen. 

Tlie  Society  was  originally  designed  to  ope- 
rate in  Africa  and  the  East,  and  this  is  in- 
corporated in  its  name, "  The  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  for  Africa  and  the  East."  But  it 
has  extended  its  operations  beyond  these 
bounds.  It  now  has  missions  in  Africa,  India, 
the  Mediterranean,  theWest  Indies,  Australasia, 
and  North-west  America.    The  missions  of  this 


Society,  particularly  in  Africa,  India,  and  New 
Zealand,  have  been  among  the  most  successful 
of  Protestant  missions.  Its  missionuries  have 
generally  been  devoted  men  of  God ;  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  has  been  poured  out  in  a  wonder- 
ful manner  upon  several  of  its  missions,  pro- 
ducing the  most  surprising  changes  in  a 
brief  period  of  time.  The  state  of  the  mis- 
sions of  this  Society  in  the  year  1852  will  ap- 
pear from  the  following 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


Clergj'men. 

Lay  teachers  and  others 

1 

1 

i 

f 

t3 

1 

i 

i 

European. 

Country- 

Native. 

MISSIONS. 

1 

1 

a 
f. 

d 

1 

1 

1 

1 

13 

a 

e3 

1 

d 

1 

1 

2 

1 

> 

I 

3 

i 
1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

^ 

i 

West  Africa.. 

181C 

15 

13 

1 

3 

58 

7 

261 

2743 

49 

1061 

800 

1034 

2514 

5409 

Yoruba   .... 

1845 

2 

4 

1 

1 

13 

58 

203 

9 

25 

12 

453 

22 

512 

Mediterranean 

1828 

4 

5 

2 

1 

4 

6 

East  Africa.. 

1846 

1 

2 

1 

Western  India 

1820 

6 

8 

2 

1 

1 

55 

n 

55 

31 

1621 

North  India . . 

1816 

22 

30 

5 

6 

1 

4 

248 

28 

94 

1087 

115 

5716 

578 

564 

0858 

South  India.. 

1816 

20 

23 

1 

2 

11 

4 

6 

6 

2 

544 

93 

794 

4180 

354 

6734 

3093 

9827 

Ceylon 

1817 

6 

10 

3 

1 

124 

25 

21 

371 

101 

2820 

779 

111 

3710 

China   

1845 

3 

6 

6 

2 

35 

35 

New  Zealand 

1814 

21 

21 

6 

869 

3C 

551 

5749 

West  Indies.. 

1831 

'2, 

3 

3 

2 

430 

N.  W.  Amer. 

1822 

7 

6 

1 

4 

1 

1 

8 

38 

454 

23 

295 

275 

76 

92 

738 

Totals  .... 

109 

m 

' 

2 

21 

26 

15 

13 

3 

1423 

189 

1834 

15  306 

684 

25,710 

This  table  is  condensed  from  the  Eeport  of 
1852.  The  following  summary,  from  the  Report 
of  1854,  shows  considerable  progress  in  several 
particulars : 

Stations 118 

European  missionaries         .        .  152 

East  Indian  and  native  missionaries  24 

European  lay  assistants  ...  30 

European  female  teachers        .        ,  14 

Country-born  teachers    ...  14 

Native  teachers  .                .        .  1681 

Communicants        -        .        .        .  17,224 
Baptisms  during  the  year,  adults  and 

children 5444 

Estimated  attendants  on  public  wor- 
ship      107,000 

Ditto  scholars  under  instruction^ .  40,000 

Income. — The  following  table  shows  the  re- 
ceipts of  the  Society,  from  its  commencement, 
in  periods  of  four  years,  with  the  average  an- 
nual receipts  of  each  period  ;  from  which  it 
appears  that  the  average  annual  receipts  have 
been  regularly  and  steadily  advancing,  with 
occasional  slight  depressions,  from  £321  to 
£123,000,  which  may  be  regarded  as  a  fair 
index  of  the  missionary  spirit  in  the  Church 
of  England.  And,  it  is  to  be  especially  no- 
ticed here,  as  in  other  societies,  that,  beyond  a 


certain  point,  they  begin  to  receive  back  a 
revenue  from  the  churches  they  have  planted, 
In  1853,  the  Church  Missionary  Society  re 
ceived  from  its  missions  £10,783,  being  aboi 
one-tenth  of  its  whole  income. 


Years. 

Amount. 

Average. 

1799  to  1802, 

£1,284 

£321 

1803  "  1806, 

7,096 

1,774 

1807  *'  1810, 

11,699 

2,924 

1811  "  1814, 

18,656 

4,664 

1815  "  1818, 

78,074 

19,518 

1819  "  1822, 

121,753 

30,438 

1823  <'  1826, 

152,608 

38,152 

1827  "  1830, 

188,467 

47,114 

1831  "   1834, 

187,575 

40,893 

1835, 

68,432 

68,432 

1836  "  1839, 

332,424 

83,106 

1840  "   1843, 

431,018 

107,754 

1844  "  1847, 

430,628 

107,456 

1848  "  1851, 

411,970 

102,992 

1852, 

118,674 

118,674 

1853, 

120,932 

120,932 

1854, 

123,915 

123,915 

Total 

£2,805,205 

CISTERCIAN  :    A  reformed  Benedicts 
monk. 

CLARKSON  :     Station    of  the_  Unit 
Brethren,  on  the  Zitzekamma  rivers,  in  Sout 
Africa,  among  the  Fingoes. 


CLEAR-WATER— CONSTANTINOPLE. 


305 


CLl^AR-WATER :  Once  a  station  of  the 
Motliodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Oregon. 

CLOUDY-BAY  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missio*iarj  Society  in  New  Zealand,  on 
the  north-eastern  side  of  the  middle  island. 

CLOISTER  :  A  monastery  or  nunnery  ; 
a  house  where  monks  or  nuns  reside. 

COCHIN  ;  The  chief  city  of  a  principality 
of  the  same  name,  extending  along  the  western 
coast  of  Southern  India,  between  Malabar  and 
Travancore,  and  under  the  nominal  govern- 
ment of  a  native  rajah.  A  station  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland  Mission  to  the  Jews. 

COIMBATOOR:  The  capital  of  a  dis- 
trict of  the  same  name,  in  the  Madras  presi- 
dency. South  India,  270  miles  south-west  of 
Madras.  The  London  Missionary  Society 
commenced  operations  here  in  1830. 

COLOMBO  :  A  seaport  town  of  Ceylon, 
the  modern  capital  of  the  island  and  seat  of 
government,  situated  on  the  west  coast.  The 
Ibrt  contains  the  residences  of  the  governor 
and  most  of  the  British  inhabitants.  The 
fettah,  or  inner  town,  has  a  mixed  population 
of  Dutch,  Portuguese,  and  their  descendants. 
The  native  Ceylonese  reside  chiefly  in  the  sub- 
urbs. The  town  within  the  walls  is  regularly 
laid  out,  and  built  very  much  in  the  European 
style.  Colombo  is  situated  in  the  centre  of 
the  cinnamon  country,  and  is  the  depot  for 
Dearly  all  the  foreign  trade  of  the  island,  and 
bas  a  somewhat  extensive  trade  by  means  of 
internal  navigation.  Its  climate  is  healthy, 
though  destructive  of  books,  clothing,  &c. 
This  is  the  residence  of  the  Bishop  of  the 
[Church  of  England  for  the  Bishopric  of  Cey- 
on,  and  the  missionaries  of  the  Church  Mis- 
lionary  Society  and  of  the  Society  for  the  Pro- 
mgation  of  the  Gospel,  are  under  his  jurisdic- 
ion.  The  Baptists  and  Wesleyans  have  each 
heir  missionary  stations  at  Colombo. 

COLESBERG :  Station  of  the  London  and 
Vesleyan  Missionary  Societies,  in  South  Afri- 
a,  in  the  district  of  Colesberg,  near  the  Cra- 
ock  river.         ^ 

COMBACONUM  :    A  station  of  the  Lon- 

on  Missionary  Society,  on  the  eastern  coast 

f  southern  Hindostan,  25  miles  from  Tanjore. 

t  was  formerly  the  capital  of  the  Cholas,  one 

f  the  most  ancient  Hindoo  dynasties  in  the 

\  outh  of  India  of  which  any  traces  have  been 

iscovered,  and  who  gave  their  name  to  the 

rhole  coast  of  Cholamundul,  or  Coromandel. 

'he  population  is  about  40,000. 

i    CONSTANTINOPLE:    The    first    and 

irgest  station  of  the  American  Board  among 

16  Armenians  and  Jews  of  Turkey,  and  where 

leFree  Church  of  Scotland  and  London  Jews' 

ociety  have  missions  to  the  Jews.     Lat.  41° 

f-jlong.  29^  E.    This  magnificent  city,  the 

japital  of  the  Turkish  empire,  has  a  population 

iiccording  to  the  best  estimates,  of  about  500,- 

IJOO  in  the  city  proper,  and  of  about  as  much 

jiore  in  the  suburbs  on  the  north  side  of  the 

''or,  and  on  the  Bosphorus.    Taking  tie 

20 


whole  together,  it  may  be  divided  as  follows  : 
Turks  and  other  Mohammedans,  500,000; 
Greeks,  (including  all  of  the  Greek  church) 
200,000  ;  Armenians,  160,000  ;  Jews,  80,000  ; 
Franks  (foreigners  not  subject  to  the  Porte, 
and  who  wear  the  hat  instead  of  other  head- 
dresses,) 40,000  ;  and  20,000  not  included  under 
the  other  heads.  (See  Armenians  and  Oriented 
Christians) 

COPTS  :  A  name  given  to  the  descendants 
of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  who  profess  the 
Christian  faith  according  to  the  sect  of  the 
Jacobites  or  Eutychians,  called  Monophy sites, 
from  their  distinguishing  tenet.  They  difier 
in  many  points  of  doctrine  and  practice  from 
the  Greeks  and  Latins;  but  the  principal 
ground  of  their  separation  from  other  Chris- 
tians lies  in  their  belief  in  relation  to  the  nar 
ture  of  Christ.  They  maintain  that  the  divine 
and  human  natures  so  coalesce  as  to  become 
one,  and  therefore  they  reject  the  council  of 
Chalcedon  and  the  epistle  of  Leo  the  Great. 
Their  government  is  episcopal ;  and  they  have 
a  patriarch  or  metropolitan,  at  Alexandria, 
who  is  head  of  the  whole  church,  and  is  said 
to  have  140  bishoprics  in  Egypt,  Syria,  Nubia, 
and  other  countries,  besides  the  Abuna  of 
Abyssinia,  who  is  also  nominated  and  consecrat- 
ed by  him. 

Eutychius,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  was  the 
first  who  maintained  the  Monophysite  doctrine, 
for  which  he  was  excommunicated,  and  died 
in  exile.  But  his  party,  with  Dioscorus  at  their 
head,  shortly  after,  called  a  council  at  Ephesus, 
in  opposition  to  that  of  Chalcedon,  which  had 
condemned  Eutychius,  and  in  their  turn  excom- 
municated the  Pope  and  all  the  bishops  who 
adhered  to  him.  This  is  the  origin  of  the 
breach  between  the  Latin  and  Alexandrian 
churches,  which  all  the  efforts  of  Rome,  for 
centuries,  have  failed  to  heal.  Dioscorus  was, 
however,  anathematized  and  banished  ;  but  his 
successor,  who  was  nominated  by  the  court  at 
Constantinople,  was  assassinated  by  the  Mono- 
physites.  After  this,  there  were  two  patri- 
archs ;  and  the  Greek  party  being  favored  by 
the  government,  obtained  the  ascendancy. 
But  on  the  invasion  by  the  Turks,  the  Mono- 
physites  joined  the  invaders,  and  thus  obtained 
the  confirmation  of  all  their  privileges,  and 
ascendancy  over  their  rivals.  They  practice 
both  circumcision  and  baptism.  Confession 
is  observed,  but  instead  of  being  private  and 
particular,  it  is  public  and  general.  They  are 
strict  in  their  fasts,  and  loose  in  their  morals. 
Divorce  is  allowed  on  easy  terms. 

The  Patriarch  of  Alexandria  is  chosen  by 
the  bishops  of  the  Coptic  church.  He  is 
obliged  to  preach  once  a  year  to  his  clergy, 
while  their  province  is,  on  set  days,  to  read 
homilies  and  legends  to  the  laity.  The  priests 
and  inferior  ministers  are  allowed  to  marry 
before  ordination.  None  but  the  lowest  classes 
become  ecclesiastics,  who  are  excessively  igno- 
rant, yet  held  in  reverence  by  the  people.  Mo 


306 


COPAY-DELAWARE. 


nastic  life  is  held  in  bigh  esteem,  those  who 
(kvotc  themselves  to  it  living  in  great  auster- 
ilv.  in  deserts,  sleeping  in  their  clothes  on  the 
gioiuul,  ftud  every  evening  prostrating  them- 
Bclvcs  150  times  with  their  face  and  breast  ou 
the  ground.  But  they  are  all  of  the  lowest 
class  of  people,  and  live  on  alms.  The  present 
condition  ot  the  Copts  may  be  learned  from 
the  following  extract  of  a  letter  written  in 
1840,  to  the  Christian  Knowledge  Society,  by 
Rev.  H.  Tattam  :  "  I  have  just  returned  from 
visiting  the  Coptic  Christians  in  every  part  of 
Egypt ;  and  during  my  stay  in  the  country,  I 
entered  most  of  their  convents.  They  are  in  a 
very  low  state,  as  regards  pure  Christianity,  hav- 
ing only  its  name  and  form,  without  the  influ- 
ence of  Christian  principle  upon  the  heart  and 
life.  The  Christian  religion  is  now  fully  toler- 
ated, and  all  its  professors,  of  every  denominar 
tion,  receive  protection,  and  enjoy  equal  privi- 
leges with  the  Mohammedans.  Although  learn- 
ing is  at  a  low  ebb  among  the  Copts,  yet  they 
recognize  the  right  of  the  people  to  possess  the 
Scriptures.  They  are  accessible,  and  will  read 
any  publications  presented  them  by  English 
Christians.  They  have  a  poor  translation  of 
the  Old  Testament,  in  Arabic  manuscript,  and 
a  better  one  of  the  New." — Edinburgh  Ency- 
clopedia; Mosheim;  Buck;  Missionary  Guide 
Book.  For  missions  see  Egypt  and  Abyssinia. 
COPAY :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  five  miles  from  the  town  of 
Jaffna,  Ceylon. 

CORISCO  :  A  small  island  on  the  western 
coast  of  Africa,  65  miles  north  of  the  equator, 
and  15  to  20  miles  from  the  mainland,  in  the  Bay 
of  Corisco,  having  a  population  of  about  4,000. 
The  Presbyterian  Board  have  a  station  here. 

CORFU  :  One  of  the  Ionian  islands,  and 
capital  of  the  Ionian  Republic,  for  some  time 
the  principal  residence  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist missionaries  in  Greece,  and  still  the  seat 
of  the  only  school  in  their  mission. 

COn^AYAM :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  Southern  India. 

COTTA :  A  populous  district  in  Ceylon, 
within  a  few  miles  of  Colombo,  a  principal 
station  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society.  Its 
situation  is  peculiarly  beautiful,  being  on  the 
Terge  of  vast  gardens  of  cinnamon,  and  sur- 
rounded with  natural  forests,  interspersed  with 
gardens  of  spices,  and  groves  of  cocoanut  and 
palm. 

CRADOCK :  Station  of  the  London  and 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Societies  in  South  Af- 
rica, in  the  district  of  Cradock,  north-east  of 
Graaf-Reinet. 

CRUDA  :  A  village  in  Arracan,  and  an  out- 
station  of  the  Arracan  Mission  of  the  Ame- 
rican Baptist  Missionary  Union. 

CUDDALORE :  A  maritime  town  in  the 
Carnatic,  India,  extensive  and  populous.  One  of 
the  early  stations  of  the  Christian  Knowledge 
Society,  and  now  a  station  of  the  Gospel  Pro- 
pagation Society. 


CUDDAPAH :  A  station  of  the  London 

Missionary  Society,  directly  west  of  Nellore, 
and  some  50  miles  north-west  of  Madras.  The 
province  of  Cuddapah  is  about*  170  b^  120 
miles  in  extent,  and  contains  a  population  of 
over  a  million. 

CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH,  Board  of  Missions  :  The  General 
Assembly  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyt*  riun 
Church  have  a  I^oard  of  Foreign  and  Dohh  t  ic 
Missions,  which  resolved  at  its  annual  met  ting 
in  1853,  to  establish  two  foreign  mii^sious  in 
the  course  .of  the  year.  Previous  to  that,  lor 
several  years  they  had  cultivated  the  spirit  ol 
domestic  missions,  by  calling  on  the  churches 
to  aid  in  establishing  new  churches  and  ; 
taining  preachers  at  Philadelphia,  Cinciinuui, 
Louisville,  St.  Louis,  and  Alton ;  and  also 
in  Keokuk,  la.  Several  brethren  were  sent  out 
to  Oregon,  California,  and  Texas.  The  ]3oard 
of  Missions,  have  employed  special  agents 
to  travel  through  the  churches,  and  take  up 
collections,  besides  using  their  numerous  papers 
and  the  pulpit,  to  wake  a  deep  and  lusting 
missionary  spirit  throughout  the  100,000  mem- 
bers now  composing  their  church.  They  have 
a  great  amount  of  wealth  among  their  people, 
and  with  their  new  Theological  Seminary,  and 
more  than  half  a  dozen  colleges,  containing  a 
large  number  looking  forward  to  the  ministry, 
what  may  we  not  expect  when  the  fact  is 
known,  that  the  destitute  thousands  of  a  new 
country,  just  reclaimed  from  the  savages,  eallec 
their  body  into  existence? — Rev.  S.  Wki;  >. 
CUTTACK:  A  town  in  Eastern  Hindo.iun 
on  the  coast  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  250  mile. 
S.  W.  from  Calcutta,  and  770  miles  north-ea.^ 
from  Madras.  The  population  of  the  town  ii 
supposed  to  be  about  40,000.  There  are  700( 
houses,  built  mostly  of  mud  walls,  thatchet 
with  a  long  coarse  grass.  A  few  are  buil 
of  stone  and  brick.  The  town  contains 
number  of  idol  temples,  but  none  of  th 
much  celebrated.  The  English  General  Bi 
tists  established  a  mission  at  Cuttack 
1822. 

DACCA :  A  large  town  in  Bengal,  1 
miles  N.E.  from  Calcutta.  Population  ab( 
300,000.  Occupied  by  the  English  Baptists 
1816. 

DAMARA  COUNTRY:  The  country 
the  Damara,  Namaqualand,  South  Africa, 
cupied  by  the  Wesleyans. 
DANISH  AKRA:  See  ^ro. 
DARJEELING :  A  station  of  Gossr 
Missionary  Society  in  Hindostan. 

DARLISTON :  A  station  of  the  G 
Propagation  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

DAYYTON  :  A  station  of  the  Londi 
Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I.  j 

DEDGAUM  :  A  station  of  the  Am,  Boa^ 
in  Hindostan,  belonging  to  the  Ahmednuggj 
Mission.  '  j 

DELAWARE  :  The  chief  town  of  the  JDll 
laware  tribe,  in  the  Indian  territory,  and  i 


DELHI— EARLY  CHRISTUN  MISSIONS. 


307 


seat  of  the  Delaware  mission  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union. 

DELHI :  A  celebrated  city  in  the  presi- 
dency of  Bengal,  capital  of  a  province  of 
the  saaiie  name,  and  the  ancient  metropolis 
of  the  Palan  and  Mogul  empires.  It  is  sit- 
uated on  the  Jumna,  830  miles  N.  W.  of  Cal- 
cutta— traveling  distance,  960.  Population 
about  200,000.  In  its  period  of  splendor, 
Delhi  was  a  city  of  vast  extent,  as  is  evinced 
by  its  ruins,  which  are  supposed  to  cover 
nearly  as  large  a  surface  as  London,  "West- 
minster, and  Southwark.  The  present  city  is 
about  seven  miles  in  circuit,  and,  although  it 
bears  no  comparison  with  the  ancient  city, 
which  is  said  to  have  contained  two  millions 
I  of  inhabitants  ;  yet  there  are  few,  if  any,  of  the 
ancient  cities  of  Hindostan,  which,  at  the  pre- 
sent time,  will  be  found  to  rival  modern  Delhi 
in  the  wealth  of  its  bazars,  or  in  the  activity  and 
enterprize  of  its  population.  The  ruins  of  old 
Delhi  cover  the  plains  for  an  extent  of  nearly 
eight  miles  to  the  south  of  the  modern  city, 
and  connect  it  with  the  village  of  Cuttuh,  ex- 
hibiting, throughout  this  vast  tract,  one  of  the 
most  striking  scenes  of  desolation  to  be  met 
with  in  the  whole  world.  It  has  not  been  the 
scene  of  much  important  missionary  labor,  ex- 
cept by  the  English  Baptists,  who  commenced 
their  operations  here  in  1818. 

DEMARARA  :  See  West  Indes. 
_  DHARWAR  :  A  fortified  town  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Bejapoor,  India,  and  capital  of  a  dis- 
trict of  the  same  name.  Population  of  the 
district,  600,000.  A  station  of  the  German 
Missionary  Society. 

DIEP  RIYER  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  in  Little  Namaqualand, 
South  Africa, 

DINDIGUL  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  Southern  Hindostan,  connected  with 
the  Madura  Mission. 

DINAJPOOR:  Capital  of  a  district  of 
he  same  name  in  India,  about  260  miles  north 
>f  Calcutta.  Population,  20,000.  A  station 
>f  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

DOHNAYOOR  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
iiissionary  Society,  in  the  Tinnevelly  district, 
Hindostan. 

DOMINICA  :  See  West  Indies. 

-ONG-YAHN:  A  Karen  village,  33  miles 
Maulmain,  in  Burmah,  and  an  out-sta- 
'  >f  the  Maulmain  Mission  of  the  American 
ist  Missionary  Union. 

i'RY  HARBOR :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
[  ion  Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica,  W  I. 

DRY  RIYER :  A  station  of  the  Wesley- 
[  ms  in  Trinidad,  W.  I. 

^  DUKE  TOWN  :    Station  of  the  United 
'"    ^byterian  Synod  of  Scotland,   about  50 
■  Irom  the  mouth  of  the  Old  Calabar  river, 
West  Africa. 

DURBAN  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
I  iionary  Society  among  the  Fingoes,  in  Kaf- 
;raria,  S.  A.    Also,  a  station  of  the  same  So- 


ciety in  the  Natal  district,  same   as  Port 
Natal. 

DWIGHT :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  among  the  Cherokee  Indians. 

DYSALSDORP :  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  45  miles 
north  of  Pocaltsdorp,  commenced  in  1838. 
This  station  presents  a  very  extensive  field  for 
missionary  operations.  In  the  neighborhood, 
there  is  a  tract  of  country,  the  Congo,  very 
densely  populated. 

EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS  : 
Christianity  is  essentially  missionary.  Its 
Great  Author  announced  it  to  the  world  as 
the  only  true  religion ;  and  it  has  ever  been 
aggressive  in  its  character.  The  missionary 
enterprize  is  but  Christianity  in  action,  carry- 
ing out  the  design  of  its  Founder,  to  subdue 
the  whole  world  to  himself.  This  was  the 
spirit  that  animated  the  apostles  after  the 
wonderful  impulse  which  they  received  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  as  they  went  everywhere,  in 
obedience  to  Christ's  last  command,  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  Paul,  who  re- 
ceived his  commission  directly  from  Christ, 
after  His  ascension,  was  the  first  foreign  mis- 
sionary, having  been  appointed  as  the  apostle 
to  the  Gentiles ;  and  the  graphic  record  of 
his  labors  and  successes,  contained  in  the  Acts 
of  the  Apostles,  shows  how  well  he  fulfilled 
his  commission,  and  presents  him,  for  all  time 
to  come,  as  the  Model  Mlssionary.  Respect- 
ing the  labors  of  the  other  apostles,  we  pos- 
sess but  slender  information.  A  few  brief  no- 
tices in  the  Acts,  and  some  vague  and  uncer- 
tain accounts  from  ecclesiastical  history,  are 
all  that  have  reached  us.  Yet  these,  taken  in 
connection  with  the  established  fact,  that  in 
the  course  of  a  single  generation,  the  Gospel 
was  propagated  throughout  the  then  known 
world,  are  sufficient  to  show  that  their  lives 
must  have  been  devoted  to  the  missionary 
work.  Peter  appears  to  have  directed  his 
labors  chiefly  to  the  dispersed  Jews,  to  whom 
his  epistles  are  directed.  Christian  antiquity 
ascribes  to  him  a  settlement  in  Antioch,  and 
afterwards  in  Parthia  ;  but  he  appears  to  have 
extended  his  missionary  tours  as  far  as  Baby- 
lon, where  his  first  epistle  is  dated,  and  which 
is  supposed  by  some  to  have  been  the  metro- 
polis of  the  eastern  dispersion  of  the  Jews. 
Eusebius  states  that  he  was  brought  to  Rome 
by  the  providence  of  God,  to  oppose  the  here- 
tical schemes  of  Simon  Magus ;  and  this 
statement  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the  re- 
cently discovered  work  of  Hippolytus.  And 
tradition  makes  him  to  have  sufiered  crucifix- 
ion at  that  place,  being  placed  on  the  cross  at 
his  own  request,  with  his  head  downwards, 
deeming  himself  unworthy  to  suffer  after  the 
manner  of  his  Master.  But  the  whole  state- 
ment as  to  his  ever  having  been  at  Rome  is  of 
questionable  authority. 

James,  the  son  of  Zebedee,  is  represented 
as  having  labored  among  the  Jews  who  were 


808 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


•cattcred  abroad  in  Asia  Minor,  and  the 
neighboring  countries  ;  but  as  he  resided  seve- 
ral years  at  Jerusalem,  and  finally  fell  a  sacri- 
fice *to  the  cruelty  of  Herod,  it  is  not  probable 
that  his  travels  were  either  frequent  or  ex- 
tensive. Andrew  seems  to  have  chosen  Sq/- 
thia  and  the  adjacent  countries  as  the  scene 
of  his  missionary  exertions.  He  passed  along 
the  shore  of  the  Euxine  Sea,  and  returned  to 
Byzantium,  now  called  Constantinople,  where 
he  labored  in  word  and  doctrine  with  consider- 
able success.  He  afterwards  traveled  through 
Thrace,  Macedonia,  Thessaly,  Achaia,  and 
Epirus,  preaching  repentance  and  forgiveness 
of  sins  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Philip 
is  considered  as  the  apostle  of  Upper  Asia, 
and  is  supposed,  in  conjunction  with  Andrew, 
to  have  sown  the  seed  of  Divine  truth  among 
the  inhabitants  of  Scythia.  In  the  latter  part 
of  his  life  he  preached  at  Hierapolis,  in  Pliry- 
gia,  where  he  sealed  his  mission  with  his  blood. 
Bartholomew,  who  is  supposed  to  be  the 
same  with  Nathaniel,  extended  his  travels  as 
for  as  India,  on  this  side  the  Ganges,  where  he 
instructed  the  inhabitants  in  the  revelation  of 
Divine  truth,  and  at  his  departure  presented 
them  a  copy  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew.  He 
is  also  said  to  have  preached  in  Lycaonia. 
Thomas,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Je- 
rome, was  a  very  active  and  useful  missionary, 
who  labored  among  the  Medes,  Persians,  Par- 
thians,  Bactrians,  Carmaniafis,  Hyrcanians, 
and  Magians.  The  Portuguese,  when  they 
visited  India  in  the  sixteenth  century,  discov- 
ered traditions  and  ancient  monuments,  which 
they  regarded  as  evidence  that  this  apostle  had 
preached  there.  The  Chaldean  Christians 
throughout  all  Asia  regard  Thomas  as  their 
apostle ;  and  the  Syrian  Christians  of  India, 
on  the  Coromandel  and  Malabar  coasts,  to 
the  number  of  200,000,  hold,  with  a  constant 
and  uniform  tradition,  that  this  apostle 
was  the  founder  of  their  churches.  He  is 
said  also  to  have  visited  Ceylon.  These  ex- 
isting traditions  are  corroborated  by  ancient 
writei-s. 

Matthew,  or  Levi,  the  son  of  Alpheus,  is 
said  to  have  remained  for  some  time  in  Judaia, 
declaring  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  ;  and 
there  to  have  written  his  Gospel,  about  the 
time  that  the  apostles  Peter  and  Paul  suffered 
martyrdom  at  Rome.  He  then  went  as  a  mis- 
sionary into  Ethiopia,  Persia,  Parthia,  and 
India ;  and,  either  in  the  latter  of  these  places, 
or  in  Abyssinia,  he  suffered  martyrdom. 
Simon,  called  Zelotes,  appears  to  have  traveled 
through  Efrypt,  Cyrene,  Asia,  Libya,  and  Mau- 
ritania. Nicephorus  asserts  that  he  introduced 
the  Gospel  to  Britain,  where  he  preached,  and 
wrought  many  miracles.  Othei-s,  however, 
are  of  opinion  that  he  directed  his  route  toward 
Pers-.Of  where  he  labored  till  he  received  the 
crown  of  martyrdom. 

John,  the  beloved  disciple,  called  John  the 
Divine,  shared,  for  some  time,  with  Peter,  in 


preaching,  working  miracles,  and  enduring  se- 
vere persecution  at  Jerusalem ;  and  in  Samaria 
the  Holy  Ghost  was  given  by  imposition  of  their 
hands.  About  a.  d.  52,  this  apostle  continued 
as  *"  a  pillar"  of  the  Christian  Church  in 
Judaxi ;  and,  after  that  period,  he  is  said  to 
have  carried  the  word  of  life  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  Parthia  and  India ;  but  it  is  more  evi- 
dent that  he  labored  for  some  time  in  Atiia 
Minor.  In  the  persecution  which  raged  under 
Domitian,  about  a.  d.  95,  he  was  banished  to 
the  isle  of  Patmos,  where  he  was  providentially 
preserved,  and  favored  with  a  series  of  the 
most  important  visions.  Under  the  reign  of 
the  emperor  Nerva,he  was  recalled  from  exile, 
and  returned  to  Ephesus,  where  he  continued 
to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  till,  at  length, 
he  peacefully  breathed  out  his  soul  into  the 
hands  of  his  Redeemer,  in  the  ninety-ninth 
year  of  his  age. 

JuDE,  or  Jvdas,  not  Iscariot,  commenced  liia 
missionary  labors  in  Judcea,  Galilee,  Samaria, 
and  Idumea ;  and  afterwards  extended  hia 
travels  to  Mesopotamia,  Peisia,  Armenia,  and 
Libya ;  and,  either  in  the  latter  place  or  in 
Persia,  the  faithfulness  of  his  preaching  was 
rewarded  by  a  cruel  death.  James  the  I>ks8 
does  not  seem  to  have  extended  his  laljors 
beyond  the  Jewish  metropolis,  where  he  met 
his  death  at  the  hands  of  the  Jews. 

For  a  fuller  account  of  the  labors  of  each 
of  the  apostles,  see  a  summary  in  Fabmius 
Lux  Evang.  cap.  5,  pp.  95-114 ;  Lardner 
XVII.  p.  239;  Prof.  Burtm's  Ecdes.  Hist.  1. 281. 

From    highly    respectable    authorities,    it 
would  appear  that  the  Gospel  was  preached 
in  Britain  in  the  first  century.     Bishop  Stil- 
lingfleet  is  decidedly  of  opinion  that  a  Chris- ; 
tian  church  was  planted  in  this  island,  in  the  | 
time  of  the  apostles;  as  Eusebius  distinctly; 
states  that  some  of  them  had  "  passed  over  i 
the  ocean,  and  preached  in  the  British  isles  :" 
and  Theodoret  mentions  the  Britons  among  < 
the  nations  whom  the  "fishermen,  publicans,- 
and  tentmakers,"  as  he  styles  them,  had  in-, 
duced  to  embrace  the  religion  of  the  crucified] 
Jesus.     Gildas,  the  earliest  of  our  British  his- 1:' 
torians,  speaking  of  the  memorable  revolt  ancll 
overthrow  of   the  Britons  under    Boadiceaj 
about  A.  D.  60,  gives  us  to  understand  that  tb( 
Gospel  then  began  to  be  successfully  publishet; 
in  the  country  ;   and  the  correctness  of  hi 
statement  is  supported  by  those  ancient  Cam 
brian  records,  called  the  Friades.    In  these  i 
is  stated  that  the  celebrated  Caractacus,  wlifi 
after  a  war  of  nine  years,  was  betrayed  to 
Romans,  was,  together  with  his  father,  Br 
nius,  and  the  whole  family,  carried  prisoners;^ 
Rome,  about  the  year  53,  where  they  remair 
for  a  period  of  seven  years.     At  this  time 
word  of  life  was  preached  in  the  imperial  city* 
and  Brennius,  with  others  of  his  family,  becaro 
professed  members  of  the  Christian  churcF 
At  the  expiration  of  seven  years  they  werl 
permitted  to  return,  and  were  thus  furnish© 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


309 


with  a  favorable  opportunity  of  introducing 
the  Gospel  into  their  own  country.  It  is  also 
said  that  three  Christians,  one  an  Israelite, 
and  the  other  two  Gentiles,  with  whom  they 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  associating,  accom 
panied  them  from  Rome,  and  became  instru 
mental,  as  preachers,  in  reclaiming  many  of 
the  Britons  from  their  ancient  superstitious, 
and  instructing  them  in  "  the  truth,  as  it  is  in 
Jesus." 

It  does  not  appear  that  Caractacus  himself 
embraced  the  faith  of  Christ  at  Rome ;  but 
his  sou  Cyllin,  and  his  daughter  Eigar,  are 
both  ranked  among  the  British  saints.  That 
son  is  represented  as  the  grandfather  of  King 
Lucius,  who  made  great  exertions  for  the  pro- 
motion of  Christianity  in  Siluria,  the  country 
of  his  ancestors  ;  and  even  the  celebrated 
King  Arthur  seems  to  have  been  a  descendant 
of  this  family.  Eigar,  the  daughter  of  Carac- 
tacus, is  said  to  have  bestowed  her  hand  on  a 
British  chieftain,  whose  domain,  called  Caer 
Sarllog,  is  now  known  by  the  name  of  Old 
Sarum  ;  and  Claudia,  one  of  her  sisters,  is 
supposed  to  have  become  the  wife  of  a  Roman 
senator,  named  Pudcns. 

Within  little  more  than  one  hundred  years 
from  our  Saviour's  passion,  Justin  Martyr 
places  Christians  in  every  country  known  to 
the  Romans,  which  must  have  included  Britain. 
Irena^us  also  asserts,  that  our  holy  religion 
was  propagated  to  earth's  utmost  bounds  by 
the  Apostles  and  their  disciples.  Again  he 
mentions  the  Celts  among  the  nations  then 
enlightened,  the  Celtic  race  being  then  seated  in 
the  British  Isles.  Tertullian  speaks  of  British 
districts  inaccessible  to  Roman  arms,  but  sub- 
dued by  Christ.  Dr.  Adam  Clarke  sums  up 
at  length  the  evidence  relating  to  this  subject ; 
and  to  his  argument  the  curious  reader  is  re- 
ferred. It  appears  evident,  however,  not  only 
that  there  was  Christianity  in  Britain  at  a 
very  early  period,  but  that  there  was  a  regu- 
lated Church,  with  its  bishops,  who  were  sum- 
moned to  foreign  councils,  where  matters  of 
vital  importance  were  discussed  and  deter- 
mined, long  before  Augustine  was  sent  by 
Gregory  the  Great,  to  convert  the  British  Isles 
to  Rome. 

Most  faithfully  did  the  first  preachers  of 
Christianity  fulfil  their  commission;  for  by 
them  the  Gospel  was  preached,  not  only  to 
Jews,  Greeks,  and  Romans,  but  also  to  Bri- 
tons, Gauls,  Spaniards,  Hindoos,  Arabians, 
Persians,  and  Scythians.  Others  were  sent 
out  by  them  who  emulated  their  fidelity.  An 
oriental  writer  relates  that  all  Persia,  all  parts 
of  Assyria,  Armenia,  and  Media,  the  regions 
about  Babylon,  Huz,  and  Gala,  to  the  borders 
of  India,  received  the  Gospel  and  its  institu- 
tions, from  the  hands  of  Agheus,  the  silk- 
weaver,  the  disciple  of  the  Apostle  Haddeus 
or  Thaddeus.  This  took  place  about  fifteen 
years  after  the  ascension  of  our  Lord. — See 
Yeates's  Indian  Church,  History,  pp.  27,  29. 


Century  II. — In  the  second  century,  the 
march  of  divine  truth  was  steady  and  trium- 
phant. Eusebius  informs  us  that  the  followers 
of  the  Apostles  imitated  their  example,  in 
distributing  their  worldly  goods  among  the 
necessitous  believers  ;  and  quitting  their  own 
country,  went  forth  into  distant  lands  to  pro- 
pagate the  Gospel.  Among  them  were  An- 
dronicus,  Aristarchus,  Crescens,  Marcus,  Sylva- 
nus,  and  Trophimus ;  and  to  these  were  after- 
wards added  Pantxnus,  who  traveled  into 
India;  and  Irenceus  and  Pothinus,  who  came 
from  Smyrna  and  settled  in  France.  Tradition 
relates  that  Irengeus  was  sent  by  Polycarp 
into  Gaul,^  (circ.  a.d.  160.)  It  is  added  also, 
that  Pothinus  received  a  similar  commission. 
(Greg.  Turon.  History  France,  I.  p.  27  ;  and 
Cave's  Lives  Fathers,  p.  162.)  Panta3nus, 
master  of  a  school  of  philosophy,  in  Alex- 
andria, was  sent  by  Demetrius,  bishop  of  that 
city,  to  India,  where  he  remained  several  years ; 
and  on  his  return,  is  said  to  have  brought  with 
him  a  copy  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew 
in  Hebrew,  which  had  been  left  by  Bartho- 
lomew. Athenagoras,  who,  towards  the  end  of 
this  century  wrote  an  apology  for  tlie  Chris- 
tian religion,  says,  "  The  Christians  made  small 
account  of  the  present  life,  but  were  intent 
only  on  contemplating  God,  and  the  divine 
Word,  who  is  from  him  ;  what  union  the  Son 
has  with  the  Father  ;  what  communion  the  Fa- 
ther has  with  the  Son  ;  what  the  Spirit  is ;  and 
what  are  the  union  and  distinction  subsisting 
between  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit."  Bardasones,  of  Mesopotamia,  in  allu- 
ding to  the  influence  of  the  Gospel  on  its  pro- 
fessors, says,  "  In  Parthia,  polygamy  is  allowed 
and  practiced ;  but  the  Christians  of  that 
country  practice  it  not.  In  Persia,  the  same 
may  be  said  with  regard  to  incest.  And  in 
Bactria  and  Gaul,  where  the  rites  of  matri- 
mony are  defiled  with  impunity,  the  Christians 
act  not  thus.  In  fact  wherever  they  reside, 
their  practice  triumphs  over  the  worst  of  cus- 
toms, and  the  worst  of  laws."  While  the  doc- 
trines of  the  cross  were  progressively  spread- 
ing, through  the  labors  of  devoted  mission- 
aries ;  while  the  lives  and  deportment  of 
the  converts  illustrated  the  divine  origin  and 
beneficial  effects  of  those  doctrines  ;  the  great 
work  of  translating  the  Holy  Scriptures  occu- 
pied the  hearts  and  hands  of  many  others. 
Latin  versions  of  the  oracles  of  truth  were 
multiplied.  That  which  was  styled  the  Italic 
version  was  considered  decidedly  the  best. 
The  Syriac,  Ethiopian,  and  Egyptian  versions 
appeared  at  no  great  distance  of  time ;  but 
their  dates  cannot  now  be  ascertained  with 
precision.  The  blessed  truths,  however,  which 
they  contained,  were  so  powerfully  owned  and 
blessed  of  Gqd,  that  wherever  they  circulated, 
like  a  fertilizing  stream,  they  transformed  the 
moral  desert  into  the  garden  of  the  Lord. — 
Smith,  L  p.  26. 

Centuey  hi.— In  the  third   century,    the 


810 


•EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


progress  of  Christianity  in  the  world  was  very 
considerable,  though,  with  respect  to  the  par- 
tioular  countries  into  which  it  was  introduced, 
tilt'  Slime  degree  of  uncertainty  prevails,  as  was 
noticed  in  the  second.  Origen  having  jaeen 
invited  from  Alexandria  by  an  Arabian  prince, 
gucceetled  in  converting  a  tribe  of  wandering 
Arabs  to  the  Christian  faith.  The  fierce  and 
war-like  nation  of  the  Goths,  who,  inhabiting 
the  countries  of  Moesia  and  Thrace,  made  per- 
petual incursions  into  the  neighboring  pro- 
vinces, and  some  likewise  of  the  adjoining 
tribes  of  Sarmatia,  received  the  knowled'ge  of 
the  Gospel  by  means  of  several  bishops, 
who  were  cither  sent  thither  from  A^ia 
or  had  become  their  captives.  These  vener- 
able teachers,  by  the  power  of  their  doctrine, 
and  the  sanctity  of  their  lives,  became  the  in- 
struments of  converting  great  numbers,  and  in 
time,  of  softening  and  civilizing  this  rude  and 
barbarous  people.  Fabian,  Bishop  of  Home, 
sent  Dionyshis  and  six  other  missionaries  into 
Gaul ;  and  during  the  reigH  of  the  Emperor 
Decius  (A.  D.  250),  and  in  the  midst  of  his 
persecutions,  the  Christian  churches,  which 
had  hitherto  been  chiefly  confined  to  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Lyons  and  Vienne,  were  consider- 
ably increased.  By  the  labors  of  many  pious 
and  zealous  men,  among  whom  was  Saturniniis, 
the  first  bishop  of  Toulouse,  churches  were 
founded  at  Paris,  Tours,  Aries,  Narbonne,  and 
several  other  places.  From  these  sources,  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  spread,  in  a  short 
time,  through  the  whole  country. 

In  the  course  of  this  century  Christianity 
flourished  in  Germany,  particularly  in  those 
parts  which  border  upon  France.  Maternus, 
Clemens,  and  others,  founded,  in  particular,  the 
churches  Cologne,  Treves,  and  Mentz.  No 
positive  account  has  been  transmitted  respectr 
ing  the  progress  of  Christianity  in  the  British 
Isles  during  the  third  century.  The  historians 
of  Scotland  contended,  indeed,  that  the  Gospel 
then  first  visited  that  country ;  and  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  their  account  jnay  be 
true.  (See  Usher  and  Stillingfleet  Antiq.  et 
Orig.  Ecell.  Britt.) 

In  this  century,  the  clemency  and  mildness 
of  several  of  the  Eoman  Emperors,  and  the 
encouragement  which  some  of  them  gave  to 
Christianity,  tended  materially  to  augment  its 
influence.  The  piety  and  charity  of  the  Chris- 
tian disciples  continued  to  excite  the  notice 
and  admiration  of  the  heathen,  and  the  zeal- 
ous labors  of  Origen  and  others  in  the  trans- 
lation and  dispersion  of  the  New  Testament, 
and  in  the  composition  of  different  works  in  the 
defence  and  illustration  of  Christianity,  contri- 
buted to  increase  the  number  of  Christians, 
and  to  extend  the  boundaries  of  the  church. 
(Pearson's  Histmic  View  of  the  Progress  of  the 
Gospel,  p.  15.)  Origen  observed,  "  that  so  de- 
sirous were  the  Christians  of  propagating  their 
religion  throughout  the  world,  that  some  of 
them  had  undertaken  to  travel,  not  only  to 


cities,  but  to  town^  and  villages,  to  convert  the 
Heathen." 

In  the  third  century,  Christianity  had  be- 
come so  extensive,  that,  about  the  year  245, 
the  emperor  Philip,  though  evidcntly'a  world- 
ly-minded character,  and  but  little  influenced 
by  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  was  induced  to 
make  a  profession  of  the  new  religion,  and 
openly  to  patronize  its  friends  and  adherents. 
About  the  same  time,  the  light  of  divine  truth 
was  greatly  extended  both  in  France  and  Ger- 
many. And  (though  the  power  of  religion 
seemed  to  decline  both  among  the  pastors  and 
professors  in  Africa  and  Asia,  which,  from  the 
mroads  of  barbarians,  became  a  scene  of  miser- 
able confusion,)  yet  the  wisdom  and  power  of 
God  so  over-ruled  events,  that  the  invaders,  by 
carrying  away  with  them  several  Christian 
ministers,  forced  these  persons  to  become  mis- 
sionaries, contrary  to  their  own  intentions,  and 
rendered  them  instrumental  in  the  conversion 
of  many. 

Century  IY. — The  first  Christian  missiona- 
ries to  Ireland  were  Kieran,  Aibe,  Declan,  and 
Ibar,  all  from  the  British  Churches  in  Scot- 
land and  Wales,  faithful  and  self-denying 
missionaries  of  the  Christian  Faith,  and 
but  little  sullied  from  its  original  lustre.  The 
period  of  their  arrival  is  very  likely  to  have 
been  the  early  part  of  this  century,  when 
British  Christians  may  have  sought  refuge^  in 
Ireland  from  the  fury  of  the  Diocletian  pci'so- 
cution,  then  raging  throughout  all  the  pruviu- 
ces  of  the  Roman  empire  ;  for,  as  Ireland  was 
beyond  the  boundary  of  the  emperor's  domin- 
ions, it  was  almost  the  only  place  that  could 
afford  an  asylum  to  the  Christians,  until  the 
return  of  peace  and  security.  Christianity 
was  for  a  long  time  confined  to  the  southern 
portion  of  the  island ;  but  even  here  its  pro- 
gress was  slow.  A  few  families  and  solitary 
hermits  constituted  the  infant  Church.  Kieran 
is  commonly  regarded  as  the  fu-st  bishop  of 
Ossory. 

In  the  fourth  century  Chrijsostom,  archbishop 
of  Constantinople,  maintained  many  presbf 
ters  and  others  in  Phcenicia,  partly  at  his  o 
charge,  and  partly  by  the  assistance  of  pio 
and  well  disposed  persons,  whose  only  worl 
it  was  to  instruct  the  inhabitants  in  t' 
truths  of  Christianity.  During  the  sami 
century,  Constantine,  surnamed  the  great,  w 
raised  to  the  imperial  sceptre  ;  and,  in  his  p 
son,  Christianity  ascended  the  throne-  of  t 
Caesars.  Unfortunately,  Constantine  prefbri 
coercive  measures  for  the  establishment  of 
ligion,  and  deemed  the  sword  a  more  effici 
instrument  in  the  destruction  of  idolatry,  t] 
the  milder  endeavors  of  missionary  instruct! 
But  the  order  issued  by  him  for  the  transcri' 
ing  of  fifty  copies  of  the  Sacred  Scriptur«8j 
to  be  placed  in  the  different  churches  of  th« 
empire,  was  a  more  legitimate  mi,gsionars 
work.  It  was  about  the  same  period  that  tji6 
Gospel,  having  been  carried  to  the  Goths,  Js^ 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


811 


?3omc  Christian  prisoners,  Ulpliilas,  who  had 
ti  appointed  their  pastor  or  bishop,  under- 
lie to  form  an  alphabet,  and  to  translate  the 
•iptures  into  the  Gothic  language.  Frag- 
:tts   of  this  version   are  still  in  existence, 

..in  which  transcripts  have  been  made  and 
])iib]ished  by  Dr.  Barrett,  of  Dublin,  and  M. 
^hiio,  of  Rome. 

'■  Uu'istianity  was  introduced  into  Georgia  by 
10,  a  pious  female  who  was  carried  captive 
i  i . !  0  that  country,  and  by  her  exhortations  and 
I 'layers,  prevailed  upon  the  Cyarmerian  to 
embrace  the  religion  she  professed  ;  but  some 
suppose  she  voluntarily  left  Rome  to  visit  Je- 
rusalem, and  from  thence  proceeded  into  the 
ancient  Iberia,  accompanied  by  Sidonia  and 
Abrata,  and  succeeded  in  establishing  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  (Letters  from  the  Caucasus  and 
Georgia ;  translated  from  the  French,  p.  107. 
Lond.,  1823,  8vo.) 

(For  the  introduction  of  the  Gospel  into 
Abyssinia,  in  this  century,  see  Abyssinia) 

Many  of  the  monks,  at  this  early  period,  are 
said  to  have  engaged  in  the  missionary  work, 
and  to  have  been  very  instrumental  in  extend- 
ing the  Christian  faith,  particularly  among  the 
Persians  and  Saracens.  A  monk  named  Abra- 
ham labored  with  success  among  the  idolatrous 
inhabitants  in  the  vicinity  of  Edessa,  until  a 
church  was  formed,  and  pastors  from  among 
themselves  placed  over  them.  (See  Smith, 
Vol.  I.  page  32  ;  and  Jowetfs  Christian  Re- 
searches. Yol.  I.  p.  171.) 

In  this  century,  Armenia,  into  which  Chris- 
tianity had  before  been  introduced,  was  com- 
pletely Christianized,  through  the  labors  of 
Gregory  "  the  Enlightener."  The  Gospel  was 
also  further  propagated,  during  this  century, 
in  Persia. 

During  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Yalens,  a 
large  body  of  the  Goths,  who  had  remained  at- 
tached to  their  ancient  superstitions,  were  per- 
mitted by  that  prince  to  pass  the  Danube  and 
+o  inhabit  Dacia,  Moesia,  and  Thrace,  on  con- 
dition of  living  subject  to  the  Roman  laws,  and 
of  embracing  Christianity,  which  condition 
was  accepted  by  their  king,  Fritigem.  And 
TJlpliilas,  bishop  of  those  Goths,  who  dwelt  in 
Moesia,  translated  the  four  Gospels  into  the 
Gothic  language. 

Notwithstanding  the  utmost  efforts  of  the 
Christian  bishops  in  the  European  provinces 
of  the  empire,  great  numbers  of  Pagans  still 
remained.  In  Gaul,  however,  the  labors  of  the 
venerable  Martin  of  Tours  were  so  successful 
in  the  destruction  of  idolatry  and  superstition, 
and  the  propagation  of  Christianity,  that  he 
justly  acquired  the  title  of  the  Apostle  of  the 
Gauls. 

In  respect  to  the  rapidity  and  extent  of  the 
propagation  of  Christianity  in  these  early  ages, 
besides  the  evidence  furnished  by  the  brief 
narrative  of  Luke,  and  the  incidental  allusions 
of  the  Epistles,  the  Christian  Fathers  have  left 
abundant  testimony.     Clement,  who  was  a  co- 


temporary  with  Paul,  says  of  the  labors  of  that 
Apostle,  "  He  preached  both  in  the  East  and 
in  the  West,  leaving  behind  him  the  glorious 
report  of  his  faith  ;  and  so,  having  taught  the 
whole  world  righteousness,  and  for  that  end, 
traveled  even  unto  the  utmost  bounds  of  the 
West,  he  at  last  suffered  martyrdom,"  &c. 
{Clem.  Ad.  Cor.  O.V.VI.) 

Justin  Martyr,  who  wrote  about  one  hundred 
and  six  years  after  the  ascension,  has  these  re- 
markable words :  "  There  is  not  a  nation, 
either  of  Greek  or  barbarian,  or  of  any  other 
name,  even  those  who  wander  in  tribes,  and 
live  in  tents,  amongst  whom  prayers  and  thanks- 
givings are  not  offered  to  the  Father  and  Cre- 
ator of  the  universe,  by  the  name  of  the  cruci- 
fied Jesus." 

IrencBus,  who  died  a.  d.  202,  speaks  of  the 
Christians  of  his  time  living  in  the  Court  of 
Rome  :  "  But  how  is  it  those  who  are  in  the 
regal  halls  are  faithful  ?  Does  not  each  one 
of  those  who  have  charge  of  Caesar's  utensils, 
and  those  who  have  not,  stand  forth  preeminent 
according  to  his  merit?" 

TertuUian,  who  comes  about  fifty  years  after 
Justin  Martyr,  refers  very  frequently  to  the 
success  of  the  "first  missionaries  of  the  cross. 
He  says,  "  We,  so  great  a  multitude  of  men, 
almost  a  majority  of  every  state,  pass  our  lives 
in  serenity  and  quietude."  ( TertuUian  to  Sca- 
pulus.)  "  If  we  desired  to  deal  with  open  ene- 
mies and  not  with  hidden  foes,  we  should  not 
lack  the  power  of  numbers,  and  the  influence  ol 
ample  resources.  Doubtless  the  Moors,  and  the 
Germanic  race,  and  the  Parthians  themselves, 
or  any  nations,  however  great,  are  more  nu- 
merous, yet  dwelling  in  one  locality,  and  cir- 
cumscribed by  their  own  limits,  rather  than 
diffused  through  the  whole  world.  But  we, 
though  of  yesterday,  have  filled  every  sphere  of 
life :  cities,  castles,  islands,  towns,  the  exchange, 
the  very  camps,  the  plebeian  populace,  the  seats 
of  judges,  the  imperial  palace,  the  senate  and 
the  forum.  They  (the  heathen  adversaries  of 
Christianity)  lament  that  every  sex,  age,  and 
condition,  and  persons  of  every  rank  also,  are 
converts  to  that  name."  "  We  have  been  able, 
though  unarmed  and  not  seditious,  but  only 
differing  in  opinion,  to  contend  against  you 
by  the  odium  of  separation  only ;  for  if  we, 
such  a  vast  company  of  men,  should  withdraw 
from  you  and  retire  to  some  remote  corner  of 
the  world,  assuredly  the  loss  of  so  many  citi- 
zens irrespective  of  their  character,  would  over- 
spread your  dominion,  and  at  last  would  bring 
upon  you  the  retribution  of  desertation  itself. 
Without  doubt  you  would  be  greatly  terrified 
at  your  solitude,  the  stillness  of  things,  and  a 
species  of  stupor  as  of  a  dead  city.  You 
would  search  for  subjects  in  those  p'laces  in 
which  you  might  have  held  the  sceptre."  [Ter- 
tuUian's  Apology,  Chap.  37.) 

Chrysosiom,  who  wrote  towards  the  close  of 
the  fourth  century,  attests,  that  at  that  time,, 
the  Christian  faith  had  become  almost  univer- 


512 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


sally  diffused ;  he  says :  "  But  consider  and 
thinit  within  voiirself,  in  how  short  a  time 
the  whole  world  became  filled  with  so  many 
churches,  and  such  populous  nations  converted 
to  the  faith  ;  people  persuaded  to  abrogate 
their  country's  laws,  rooting  out  their  old  habits 
and  customs,  and  everywhere  overturning  the 
healhen  altars  in  the  regions  of  the  Komans, 
Persians,  Scythians,  Maurians,  and  the  Hin- 
doos, to  the  world's  end." 

And  to  these  may  be  added  the  testimony 
of  ancient  Pagan  writers.  Tacitus,  in  giving 
an  account  of  the  fire  which  happened  at  Rome 
about  thirtj'  years  after  the  ascension,  asserts 
that  Nero,  m  order  to  suppress  the  rumors  of 
having  been  himself  the  author  of  the  mischief, 
had  the  Christians  accused  of  the  crime.  Speak- 
ing of  this  event,  he  writes  :  *'  They  only  were 
apprehended  who  confessed  themselves  of  that 
sect ;  afterwards  a  vast  multitude  were  discov- 
ered by  them."  This  was  about  six  years  after 
Paul  wrote  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  and 
something  more  than  two  after  his  arrival  in 
Rome  himself.  Pliny  the  younger,  the  gover- 
nor of  Pontus  and  Bithynia,  on  applying  to 
the  emperor  Trajan  for  directions  as  to  the 
ti'catment  of  Christians,  says :  "  Suspending 
all  judicial  proceedings,  I  have  recourse  to  you 
for  advice ;  for  it  has  appeared  to  me  a  matter 
highly  deserving,  especially  on  account  of  the 
great  numbers  of  persons  who  are  in  danger  of 
suffering :  for  many  of  all  ages,  and  of  everu 
rank,  of  both  sexes,  likewise,  are  accused  and  will 
be  accused.  Nor  has  the  contagion  of  this  super- 
stition seized  cities  only,  but  the  lesser  towns 
also,  and  the  open  country.  Nevertheless  it 
seemed  to  me  that  it  might  be  restrained  and 
corrected.  It  is  certain  that  the  temples,  which 
were  almost  forsaken,  begin  to  be  more  frequent- 
ed ;  and  the  sacred  solemnities,  after  a  long  in- 
termission, are  revived.  Victims,  likewise,  are 
everywhere  bought  up  ;  whereas,  for  some  time 
there  were  few  to  purchase  them.  Whence  it 
is  easy  to  imagine  that  numbers  of  men  might 
be  reclaimed,  if  pardon  were  granted  to  those 
that  shall  repent."  We  need  not  pursue  these 
testimonies  farther.  Nothing  can  be  more 
satisfactory  as  evidence  of  the  progress  which 
Christianity  achieved  in  the  hands  of  its  first 
missionaries. 

Century  Y.— -At  the  beginning  of  the  fifth 
century  the  Roman  empire  was  divided  into 
two  distinct  sovereignties,  under  the  dominion 
of  Arcadius  in  the  East,  and  of  Honorius  in  the 
West.  The  confusions  and  calamities  which 
about  this  period  attended  the  incursions  of 
the  Goths,  the  temporary  possession  of  Italy 
by  Odoacer,  and  the  subsequent  establishment 
of  the  Ostrogoths,  were  prejudicial  to  the  pro- 
gress of  Christianity.  The  zeal  of  the  Chris- 
tian emperors,  more  especially  of  those  who 
reigned  in  the  east,  was,  notwithstanding,  suc- 
cessfully exerted  in  extirpating  the  remains  of 
the  Gentile  superstitions,  and  the  Church  con- 
tinued daily  to  gain  ground  on  the  idolatrous 


nations  in  the  empire.  In  the  ICast,  the  inhor 
bitants  of  Mount  Libanus  and  Antilibaiius 
were  induced  by  the  pervasions  of  Simeon  Ike 
Stylitc,  to  embrace  the  Christian  religion.  By 
his  influence  also,  it  was  introduced  into  a  cer- 
tain district  of  Arabia.  In  the  West,  the  Ger- 
man nations,  who  had  destroyed  that  division 
of  the  empire,  gradually  embraced  the  religion 
of  the  conquered  people.  Some  of  them  had 
been  converted  to  the  Christian  faith  before 
their  incursions  upon  the  empire ;  and  such, 
among  others,  was  the  case  of  the  Goths.  It  is 
uncertain,  however,  at  what  time  and  by  whose 
labors  the  Vandals,  Sueves,  and  Alans  were 
evangelized.  The  Burgundians,  who  inhabited 
the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  and  passed  from 
thence  into  Gaul,  received  the  Gospel,  hoping 
to  be  preserved  by  its  Divine  Author  from  the 
ravages  of  the  Huns.  But  in  general  these 
fierce  and  barbarous  nations  were  induced  to 
embrace  Christianity,  by  the  desire  of  living 
in  greater  security  amidst  a  people  who,  for 
the  most  part  professed  it,  and  from  a  persua- 
sion that  the  doctrines  of  the  majority  must 
be  best.  This  conformity,  of  course,  must 
have  been  chiefly  outward  and  formal. — {Pear- 
son's brief  Historic  View  of  the  Progress  of  the 
Gospel,  p.  19.) 

Pope  Celestine  the  First  sent  Palladius  to 
Ireland,  where  he  arrived  a.d.  431.    The  mis- 
sion was  unattended  with  success,  which  gave 
rise  to  a  proverb  among  the  Irish,  that  "  Not 
to  Palladius  but  to  Patrick  did  the  Lord 
grant  the  conversion  of  Ireland."    St.  Patrick, 
whose  original  name  was  Succath,  was  next  ap- 
pointed.   The  place  of  his  birth  was  Bonna-t 
ven,  which  lay  between  the  Scottish  tow 
Dumbarton  and  Glasgow,  and  was  then  reck- 
oned   to  the  province  of  Britain.    This  v" 
lage,  in  memory  of  Patricus,  received   th 
name  of  Kil-Patrick,  or  Kirk-Patrick.    H: 
father,  a  deacon  in  the  village  church,  gavi 
him  a  careful  education  ;  he  was  instruc 
indeed  in  the  doctrines  of   Christianity,  bul 
he  did  not  come  to  know  what  he  possessed  ii^ 
this  knowledge  until  the  experience  of  grea^, 
trials  brought  him  to  the  consciousness  of  it»/ 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was  carried  ofi",  with 
many  others  of  his  countrymen,  by  Scottish 
pirates,  to  the  northern  part  of  the  island  Ili- 
bernia  (Ireland). — {Neander's   History  of  the 
Christian  Religion,  Yol.  II.  p.  122.)     He  was 
sold  to  a  chieftain  of  the  people,  who  made 
him  the  overseer  of  his  flocks.    Here  he  re- 
mained six  years,  during  which  time  he  receiv- 
ed the  renewing  grace  of  God.    At  length  he 
recovered  his  liberty,  but  was  again  recaptured. 
But  in  a  short  time,  however,  he  was  allowed  > 
to  return  home,  and  not  long  after  he  gave 
himself  up  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.    After 
his  ordination  in  Gaul  he  was  sent  in  company 
with  several  others,  as  a  missionary  to  Ireland. 
The  party  landed  at  the  place  now  occupied 
by  the  town  of  Wicklow,  either  in  the  year 
432  or  441.     After  preaching  in  different 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


313 


parts  of  the  country,  St.  Patrick  visited  Tara, 
(»r  Temora,  the  royal  residence  of  the  mon- 
archs  ;  and  here,  notwithstanding  the  oppo- 
sition of  the  pagan  priests,  his  preaching  was 
most  successful.  He  gained  over  to  the  Gos- 
])ol  several  zealous  converts.  In  an  epistle  ad- 
dressed to  Caradoc,  or  Coroticus,  prince  of 
ceilain  districts  in  Wales,  after  stating  that 
]i '  had  been  seized  by  a  predatory  band,  and 
CcUiied  captive  to  Ireland,  he  notices  the  suc- 
co"  which  had  attended  his  endeavors  to  bring 
o\or  the  natives  "to  the  obedience  of  the 
faith."  He  thus  offers  his  reason  for  subse- 
quently becoming  a  missionary  :  "  Dwelling 
among  barbarians,  a  Christian  and  an  ex- 
ile, urged  by  my  love  and  zeal  for  God  and 
the  truth  of  Christ,  I  wished,  although  rudely 
and  in  an  unpolished  manner,  to  declare  those 
things  from  my  mouth  ;  for  the  love  of  ray 
neighbors  and  my  children  in  the  Lord  aroused 
me,  and  compelled  me  to  give  up  my  country, 
my  parents,  and  even  my  life  also,  if  I  should 
be  thought  worthy  to  teach  the  truth  to  the 
nations." — (See  Si7'  William  Betliam's  Irish  An- 
tiquarian Researches,  Yol.  II.  p.  433.)  In  the 
course  of  St.  Patrick's  missionary  journey- 
ings  he  visited  also  the  south  of  Ireland, 
^ngus,  the  king  of  Cashel,  received  him 
courteously,  listened  to  his  preaching,  and  be- 
came a  convert ;  but  the  earlier  Christians  of 
the  country,  especially  the  bishops  Ailbe,  De- 
clan,  Kearan,  and  Ibar,  did  not  give  him  so 
glad  a  welcome  ;  they  either  had  not  been  ac- 
quainted with  the  extent  of  his  labors  among 
their  pagan  countrymen,  or  they  had  some 
fears  lest  the  object  of  his  visit  might  be  to 
claim  supremacy  over  them.  It  is  expressly 
stated  that  Ibar  would  on  no  account  submit 
to  him,  because  he  did  not  wish  a  foreigner  to 
be  the  patron  of  Ireland.  At  length,  however, 
their  differences  were  made  up,  and  they  were 
persuaded  to  cooperate  with  each  other  in  a 
more  cordial  spirit.  St.  Patrick,  after  this, 
returned  to  the  north,  where  we  next  find  him 
engaged  in  the  foundation  of  the  See  of  Ar- 
magh, the  date  of  which  event  is  assigned  to 
the  year  455.  From  this  time  he  appears  to 
have  ceased  in  a  measure  from  more  arduous 
labors,  and  to  have  employed  himself  in  hold- 
ing synods  for  the  settlement  of  the  church. 
Several  of  the  canons  enacted  in  these  coun- 
cils are  still  in  existence,  and  they  serve  to  elu- 
cidate many  of  the  doctrines  and  customs  of 
the  early  Irish  church.  Whatever  time  St. 
Patrick  could  spare  from  these  important  avo- 
cations, was  passed  in  retirement  at  Saul, 
where,  in  prayer  and  meditation  he  ended  his 
days.  He  lived  to  an  advanced  age,  and  was 
buried  near  the  site  of  the  present  cathedral  of 
Down.-(  Todd's  Ancient  Church  in  Ireland,  p.  14.) 
The  efforts  to  evangelize  the  world,  were 
not,  however,  restricted  to  individual  attempts. 
In  the  fifth  and  several  succeeding  centuries, 
the  Nestor ians  became  the  most  missionary  body 
at  that   time  existing,  as  well  as  the  most. 


•numerous.  (For  an  account  of  the  origin  and 
missions  of  this  body,  see  Nestorians  and 
China.) 

Most  writers  agree  that  the  Christian  reli- 
gion was  early  planted  in  Arabia,  from  the 
great  number  of  Jews  dispersed  among 
these  tribes,  who  claim  their  descent  from 
Abraham  and-  Ishmael.  Some  have  main- 
tained that  several  tribes  among  the  Arabians 
had  received  the  Christian  religion  long  be- 
fore the  time  of  Mohammed.  An  able  writer 
mentions  one  Phylarchus,  and  a  whole  tribe 
of  Arabians,  who  in  the  fifth  century  made 
profession  of  the  Christian  religion.  "  Even 
the  Arabians  themselves  own  that  the  Chris- 
tians were  very  numerous  in  Arabia,  long  be- 
fore the  time  of  Mohammed,  as  appears  from 
numerous  passages  in  the  Koran,  where  both 
Christians  and  Jews  are  mentioned,  as  well  as 
in  their  own  common  histories,  cited  by  Pocock 
and  other  Orientalists.  The  principal  tribes 
that  embraced  Christianity  were  Hamger,  and, 
according  to  others,  the  whole  kingdom  of  the 
Homerites,  Ghassan,  Rabia,  Taghlah,  Bahra, 
Tonuch,  part  of  the  tribes  of  Tay  and  Kodaa, 
the  inhabitants  of  Najaram  and  the  Arabs  of 
Hira."  [See Mr.  Sale's  Prelim.  Discourses,]}. '29.) 

It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  the  Holy- 
Scriptures  had  been  translated  into  their 
ton^^ue,  which  will  account  for  the  subsequent 
extinction  of  their  churches.  All  nations  that 
have  had  the  Scriptures  in  their  own  lan- 
guage have  stood,  either  in  whole  or  in  part, 
against  the  seductions  of  Mohammedanism ; 
such  are  the  Greeks,  Syrians,  Armenians,  Abys- 
sinians,  Coptics,  and  some  others.  {See  Yeates's 
Indian  Church,  p.  41.) 

In  the  same  century,  the  conversion  of  the 
southern  or  lowland  Picts  is  said  to  have  been 
effected  through  the  instrumentality  of  a  British 
bishop  named  Ninias;  and  though  they  were 
soon  after  reduced  by  the  northern  Picts,  their 
heathen  conquerors  -permitted  them  to  retain 
the  profession  of  Christianity.  The  baptism 
of  Clovis,  king  of  the  Franks,  took  place  about 
the  year  496  ;  and  it  has  been  justly  remark- 
ed, that,  "  nothwithstanding  he  was  an  ungodly 
man,  he  became  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of 
Providence  to  promote  a  cause  of  which  he 
knew  not  the  value."  Through  the  influence 
of  his  queen  Clotilda,  who  was  a  zealous  Chris- 
tian, he  was  induced  to  profess  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel,  and  was  baptized  at  Eheims,  together 
with  his  sister,  and  three  thousand  of  his 
troops.  ( See  Smith's  Origin  of  Missionary  So- 
cieties, Yol.  I.  p.  23.) 

In  Britain,  Christianity  was  almost  extin- 
guished by  the  predatory  incursions  of  the 
Scots  and  Picts,  and,  afterwards,  by  the  per- 
secutions of  the  Saxons. 

Cextury  YI. — This  century  was  distinguish- 
ed by  some  further  advances  of  Christianity, 
both  in  the  East  and  West.  The  bishops  of 
Constantinople,  under  the  influence  and  pro- 
tection of  the  Grecian  emperors,  succeeded  in 


su 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


converting  some  barbarous  nations,  inhabiting 
the  coast  of  the  Euxine  Sea,  among  whom 
were  the  Abasgi,  whoso  country  hiy  between 
the  shores  of  that  sea  and  Mount  Caucasus ; 
the  Hendi,  who  dwelt  beyond  the  Danube; 
the  Alani,  Lani,  and  Zani,  together  with  other 
uncivilized  nations,  whose  precise  situation 
cannot  now  be  accurately  ascertained,  were 
converted  about  the  same  time,  during  the 
reign  of  Justinian.  In  the  West,  Remigius, 
bishop  of  Rheims,  was  remarkably  successful 
in  Gaul,  where  the  example  of  Clovis  continued 
to  be  followed  by  great  numbers  of  his  sub- 
jects. 

Britain  was  abandoned  by  the  Romans  in 
the  fifth  century,  and  then  became  subject  to 
the  Saxons,  who  forthwith  established  their 
pagan  religion.  The  Roman  language,  cus- 
toms, and  manners,  with  all  the  Christianity 
that  existed,  were  at  once  swept  away  from 
the  largest  and  finest  portions  of  the  island,  by 
the  Saxon  invasion.  The  Britons  were  divi- 
ded into  a  great  number  of  petty  kingdoms, 
and  their  princes  animated  with  as  much 
hostility  against  each  other  as  against  the  in- 
vaders. But  they  were  generally  too  high- 
minded  to  brook  that  foreed  and  ignominious 
incorporation  to  which  the  Gauls,  and  Span- 
iards, and  Italians  had  submitted,  and  gradu- 
ally retiring  to  the  western  peninsula,  to  the 
land  of  lakes,  and  to  the  highlands  of  Scot- 
land, their  language  ceased  to  be  spoken  in 
that  great  division  of  the  island,  which  now 
obtained  the  name  of  England,  from  its  An- 
glican conquerors. 

It  is,  however,  to  Wales  and  Cornwall  that 
we  are  to  look  for  the  progress  of  Christianity 
in  Britain  during  this  period.  Fuller  says  : 
"  The  entire  body  of  the  British  Church  at 
this  time  was  in  Wales,  where  Bangor  on  the 
north,  and  Caerleon  (on  the  Usk,  in  Mon- 
mouthshire,) on  the  south,  were  the  two  eyes 
thereof  for  learning  and  religion.  The  latter 
had  in  it  the  court  of  King  Arthur,  the  see  of 
an  archbishop,  a  college  of  200  philosophers, 
who  therein  studied  astronomy ;  and  was  a 
populous  place  of  great  extent."  There  is 
reason  to  believe  that  Bangor,  near  Chester, 
was  of  equal  eminence  with  Caerleon  for  men 
of  learning  and  piety.  It  is  said  that  the 
monastery  at  this  place  contained  2,100  monks, 
divided  into  seven  courses,  of  300  each. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  people  sprang  from  three 
piratical  tribes  of  Gothic  origin.  Two  of 
these  were  seated  in  what  is  now  called  Jut- 
land, and  in  three  adjacent  islands.  The  emi- 
gration of  the  Jutes  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  extensive,  its  British  settlements  being 
confined  to  Kent,  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and  the 
southern  part  of  Hampshire.  The  jungles, 
whose  home  lay  in  Sleswick  and  Holstein,  as 
now  called,  emigrated  entirely,  and  spreading 
over  the  north-eastern,  midland,  and  northern 
counties  of  south  Britain,  eventually  gave  name 
to  the  whole  country.    The  Saxons,  nearest 


neighbors  of  these,  found  new  abodes  in  Ksscx, 
Middlesex,  and  those  counties  west  of  Kent 
which  lie  between  the  Thames  and  the  Chan- 
nel. The  earlier  years  of  their  settlement  ia 
Britain  were  little  favorable  to  their  reception 
of  the  Christian  religion.  The  people,  indecnl, 
whose  fair  possessions  had  lured  them  from 
their  Scandinavian  abodes,  had  risen  into  im- 
portance and  wealth  under  an  abandonment  of 
paganism.  The  Britons,  aroused  into  a  long 
course  of  sanguinary  conflict  with  their  treach- 
erous invaders,  were  little  likely  to  think  of 
their  conversion.  It  is  therefore  probable  that 
the  native  clergy  made  no  attempt  to  humanize 
these  ferocious  pagans,  by  communicating  to 
them  a  knowledge  of  the  Gospel.  The  pagan 
warriors,  moreover,  were  likely  to  derive  new 
prejudices  against  Christianity,  from  the  siio- 
cess  which  usually  waited  upon  their  own 
arms.  Britain's  trSst  in  the  cro&s  had  not 
secured  her  fortunes  from  constant  declension. 
Reliance  upon  Woden  had  been  encouraged 
unceasingly  by  victory.  A  people  unacquainted 
with  true  religion  would  naturally  infer  that  its 
own  deities  were  more  powerful  than  those  of 
its  opponents.  A  considerable  change  must 
be  wrought  in  the  whole  frame  of  a  society, 
like  this  before  it  could  be  gained  over  to  calm 
reflection  upon  the  religion  of  a  people  i)ro9- 
trate  under  its  assaults.  Providence,  however, 
effected  such  a  change.  England's  principal 
monarch  then  was  EtMbert,  King  of  Kent. 
He  appears  to  have  ascended  his  father's 
throne  about  the  year  560  ;  and,  probably,  ten 
years  afterwards  he  married  Bertfia,  daughter 
of  Cherebert,  King  of  Paris.  This  princt'ss 
coming  of  a  Christian  family,  was  not  allo\ved 
to  pass  over  into  Kent  until  ample  stipulations 
had  been  made  for  the  free  profession  of  her 
religion.  She  came  accordingly,  attended  by 
Luidhard,  a  Frank  bishop,  and  for  her  accom- 
modation a  British  church  was  erected,  in 
honor  of  St.  Martin,  on  the  eastern  side  of 
Canterbury.  A  Christian  congregation  was 
formed  in  the  principal  seat  of  Anglo-Saxon 
power.  As  its  leading  member  was  the  most 
illustrious  female  in  the  island,  we  may  reason- 
ably suppose  that  it  did  not  long  fail  of  mak- 
ing converts.  Hence  it  became  understood  at 
Rome,  that  among  Englishmen  an  anxious 
desire  prevailed  for  admission  to  the  church. 
Gregory  the  Great,  as  he  is  termed,  Bishoj)  of 
Rome,  mtimated  to  Bertha  by  letter  that  she 
ought  early  to  have  inclined  her  husband  fa- 
vorably towards  her  own  religion.  The  vener- 
able Bede  gives  the  following  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  Gregory's  attention  was  first 
directed  to  Britain  as  a  missionary  field,  which, 
Dr.  Clarke  says,  is  taken  from  the  Saxon 
Homily  of  JBlfric,  written  more  than  nine  hun- 
dred years  ago  :  "  While  yet  a  private  clergy- 
man, Gregory,  passing  through  a  slave  market 
in  his  native  city,  found  his  eyes  forcibly  ap-| 
rested  by  some  light-haired,'  fair-complexione  * 
youths,  who  stood  exposed  for  sale.    *  Whei 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


315 


come  these  lads  ? '  he  asked.  '  From  Britain 
was  the  answer.  '  Are  the  people  Christians 
there  ?  '  he  then  inquired.  '  No,  pagans,'  he  was 
told.  '  Alas ! '  he  said,  '  how  grievous  it  is  that 
faces  fair  as  these  should  own  subjection  to  the 
swarthy  devil ! '  His  next  question  was, '  What 
do  you  call  the  tribe  from  which  these  young 
people  spring  ? '     '  Angles,'  said  the  dealer. 

*  Ah  !  that  is  well,'  Gregory  rejoined  ;  '  Angels 
they  are  in  countenance,  and  choirs  of  angels 
they  ought  to  be.  Where  in  Britain  do  their 
kindred   live?'    'In  Deiira,'  was  the  reply. 

*  Well  again,'  Gregory  said  ;  '  it  is  our  duty 
to  deliver  them  from  God's  ire.  Pray,  who  is 
king   of  the  land  so  significantly  named  ? ' 

*  Ella,'  replied  the  slave-merchant.  '  Ah  ! ' 
the  pious  inquirer  added,  '  Hallelujah  must  be 
sung  in  that  man's  country.' "  Gregory  resolved 
upon  undertaking  a  mission  into  Anglia.  Nor 
did  the  Pope  discourage  his  intention,  but  the 
Roman  people  would  not  allow  him  to  enter 
upon  a  labor  so  remote  and  perilous.  How- 
ever, after  Gregory's  elevation  to  the  See  of 
Rome,  A.  D.  592,  he  selected  Aastin,  or  Augus- 
tine, Prior  of  the  Monastery  of  St.  Martin,  in 
Rome,  to  lead  a  devoted  band  upon  the  mis- 
sion. Austin,  having  engaged  several  monks 
as  partners  in  his  toil,  left  Rome,  but  halting 
among  the  monastic  recluses  of  Lerins,  these 
devotees,  to  whom  the  difficulties  of  his  under- 
taking were  necessarily  better  known  than 
they  could  have  been  at  Rome,  utterly  dis- 
couraged him  from  the  attempt.  He  applied 
for  Gregory's  leave  to  withdraw  from  the  en- 
terprize.  But  the  pontiff  would  hear  nothing 
of  despondence  ;  he  rebuked  the  missionary's 
pusillanimity,  refused  to  cancel  his  obligation, 
and  commanded  him  to  lose  no  time  in  reach- 
ing Britain.  Austin  now  rallied  his  spirits, 
proceeded  northwards,  and  providing  himself 
with  interpreters  in  Gaul,  set  sail  for  the 
chalky  cliffs  of  Kent.  He  landed  in  the  island 
of  Thanet,  and  thence  dispatched  a  messenger 
to  Ethelbert,  informing  him  of  his  arrival,  and 
declaring  that  he  had  come  thus  far  in  hope  of 
showing  him  the  way  to  heaven.  By  the 
Kentish  prince,  however  well  the  message 
might  have  pleased  him,  it  was  cautiously  re- 
ceived. He  gave  no  permission  to  his  Roman 
guests  for  a  further  advance  into  the  country, 
until  he  had  gone  himself  and  made  observa- 
tions. Austin  and  his  companions  met  him  in 
procession,  one  of  them  bearing  a  silver  cross, 
another  a  picture  of  the  Saviour,  while  the  re- 
mainder chanted  litanies.  The  prior  dis- 
claimed any  other  object  than  to  guide  the 
king  and  all  his  people  to  everlasting  joys 
above.  '  Fair  words  and  promises,'  Ethelbert 
replied,  '  but  still,  new  and  uncertain.  I  can- 
not relinquish  for  them  what  my  countrymen 
have  long  and  universally  professed.  Your 
distant  pilgrimage,  however,  and  charitable 
purpose  of  offering  us  a  boon  so  highly  valued 
by  yourselves,  justly  claim  our  hospitality.  I 
shall,  therefore,  provide  you  with  a  residence 


and  means  of  living.  Nor  do  I  restrain  you 
from  endeavors  to  spread  your  opinions  among 
my  people.'  The  residence  provided  was  at 
Canterbury,  and  the  missionaries  entered  that 
city  to  take  possession  of  it,  with  imposing 
solemnities. 

Austin's  views  were  now  directed  to  the 
consolidation  and  extension  of  his  authority  ; 
and  he  repaired  to  the  confines  of  Wales,  and 
sought  an  interview  with  the  native  prelacy 
of  Britain.  The  place  rendered  memorable 
by  this  meeting  seems  to  have  been  under  the 
shade  of  some  noble  tree,  afterwards  known 
as  Aitgusti7ie's  Oak,  situated,  probably  within 
the  modern  county  of  Worcester.  The  prelates 
and  monks  in  Wales,  wishing  to  retain  their 
independence  of  the  See  of  Rome,  and  the  inte- 
grity of  their  own  doctrines,  naturally  resisted 
the  claims  of  Augustine.  Violent  altercations 
ensued ;  the  Kentish  prince  was  engaged  in 
the  quarrel ;  and  the  unfortunate  Cambrians, 
whose  only  crime  consisted  in  their  conscien- 
tious resistance  to  a  foreign  yoke,  were  doomed 
to  suffer  the  invasion  of  their  territories,  and 
in  some  instances,  the  loss  of  their  lives.  And 
there  is  reason  to  believe,  that  the  supremacy 
of  the  Pope  had  as  much  to  do  with  the  origin 
of  this  mission  as  the  love  of  souls.  But  from 
whatever  motive  it  was  undertaken,  it  was  the 
point  of  the  papal  wedge  which,  first  insinuated 
into  the  ecclesiastical  hierarchy  of  England, 
by  Gregory  I.,  was  speedily  driven  deeper ; 
until,  by  the  authority  of  Innocent  III.  it 
completely  destroyed  the  independence  of  the 
British  Church,  and  laid  her  prostrate  at  the 
feet  of  the  Pope.  It  was,  therefore,  the  policy 
of  Augustine  to  undermine  the  simplicity  of 
religious  worship  among  the  Britons,  and  to 
operate  upon  the  imagination  and  superstition 
of  tho  Saxons,  by  means  of  sensual  doctrines, 
and  a  gaudy  ritual,  which  he  had  imported 
from  Italy.  Image  worship,  purgatorial  inflic- 
tions, the  efficacy  of  good  works,  and  the  virtue 
of  old  bones,  designated  relics,  were  all  ready 
and  at  hand.  "The  wily  monk,"  says  a 
modern  writer,  "assumed  such  austerity  of 
manner,  and  sanctity  of  deportment,  that  he 
effectually  secured  the  veneration  of  the  delu- 
ded multitude  ;  and  by  his  pretended  miracles, 
which  any  juggler  of  the  present  day  could 
surpass,  very  easily  imposed  on  their  credulity." 
Gregory  was  transported  with  joy,  on  hearing 
the  continued  prosperity  of  the  mission;  and  in  a 
letter  to  Ethelbert,  exhorted  him  "  to  assist  Au- 
gustine in  the  good  work  by  all  the  expedients  of 
^z/?orto^ww,  TERROR,  and  CORRECTION!"  The 
whole  of  this  affair  is  highly  monitory.  Eng- 
land had  once  more  become  the  land  of  pa- 
ganism ;  but  by  the  labors  of  foreign  mission- 
aries, Christianity  was  again  established.  The 
process  was  precisely  the  reverse  of  that  by 
which  the  Roman  empire  had  been  brought 
under  the  influence  of  the  Christian  faith. 
There  it  had  begun  with  the  poor,  and  had 
made  its  way  up,  unassisted  by  any  human 


816 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


e)wcr,  or  any  worldly  or  interested  raotiyes 
ut  here  the  missionaries  came  with  the  im- 
posing: rank  of  anibassadors  on  a  religious 
errand  ;  they  addressed  themselves  to  the  kings 
of  those  iK'tty  states  into  which  England  was 
dividtnl ;  and  having  succeeded  with  them,  the 
nominal  conversion  of  their  subjects  followed 
as  a  matter  of  obedience.  The  kings  had  an 
obvious  political  motive  for  professing  a  reli- 
gion, which  enabled  them  to  connect  them- 
Belves  by  intermarriages  with  the  princes  of 
the  Continent ;  prepared  a  refuge  for  them  in 
case  of  expulsion  from  their  own  dominions; 
and  placed  them  in  communication  with  the 
more  civilized  parts  of  the  world. — Fuller's 
Chunk  History  of  Britain  ;  Smith's  Religion 
of  Ancient  Britain,  p.  277 ;  Dr.  SoiUhey  awl 
Kingsmill. 

To  Augustine's  mission,  as  well  as  many 
other  missionary  efforts  of  that  period,  the 
judicious  remarks  of  Dr.  Mosheim  will  apply. 
"  The  conversions  and  sacred  exploits  of  this 
age  will  lose  much  of  their  importance  in  the 
esteem  of  such  as  examine  with  attention  the 
accounts  which  have  been  given  of  them  by 
writers  of  this  and  the  succeeding  ages ;  for 
by  these  accounts,  it  appears  that  the  converted 
nations  retained  a  great  part  of  their  former 
impiety,  superstition,  and  licentiousness  ;  and 
that,  attached  to  Christ  by  a  mere  outward 
and  nominal  profession,  they,  in  effect,  re- 
nounced the  purity  of  his  doctrine,  and  the 
authority  of  his  Gospel,  by  their  flagitious 
lives,  and  the  superstitious  and  idolatrous  rites 
and  institutions  which  they  continued  to  ob- 
serve. If  credit  is  to  be  given  to  the  writers 
of  this  century,  the  conversion  of  these  uncivil- 
ized nations  to  Christianity  was  principally 
effected  by  the  prodigies  and  miracles  which 
the  heralds  of  the  Gospel  were  enabled  to  work 
in  its  behalf.  But,  in  abandoning  their  ancient 
superstition,  the  greatest  part  of  these  people 
were  more  influenced  by  the  example  and  au- 
thority of  their  princes,  than  by  force  of  argu- 
ment, or  the  power  of  a  rational  conviction. 
The  missionaries  required  nothing  of  these 
barbarous  people  that  was  difficult  to  be  per- 
formed, or  that  laid  any  remarkable  restraint 
upon  their  appetites  and  passions.  The  prin- 
cipal injunctions  they  imposed  upon  these  rude 
proselytes  were,  that  they  should  commit  to 
memory  certain  summaries  of  doctrine,  and 
pay  to  the  image  of  Christ  and  the  saints,  the 
same  religious  service  which  they  had  formerly 
offered  to  the  statues  of  the  gods.  Nor  were 
they  at  all  delicate  or  scrupulous  in  choosing 
the  means  of  establishing  their  credit;  for 
they  deemed  it  lawful,  and  even  meritorious, 
to  deceive  an  ignorant  and  inattentive  multi- 
tude, by  representing  as  prodigies,  things  that 
were  merely  natural  events,  as  we  learn  from 
the  most  authentic  records  of  these  times." 

It  was  in  this  century  that  Columba,  or  Co- 
lombanus,  passed  over  into  the  western  parts  of 
Scotland,  and  promulgated  the  Gospel  among 


northern  Picts.  The  Scots  of  Argyle,  among 
whom  he  resided,  embraced  Christianity  in 
Ireland,  when  the  hostilities  of  their  neighbors 
compelled  them  to  seek  a  temporary  refuge  ia 
that  country.  The  little  island  named  I-colm- 
kill,  after  this  missionary,  was  the  scat  of  a 
mission  seminary,  which  he  conducted  for  a 
period  of  more  than  thirty  years,  besides  retain- 
ing the  charge  of  several  other  institutions, 
which  he  had  founded  in  Ireland.  Columba 
had  the  happiness  of  baptizing  the  British 
sovereign  ;  and  the  neighboring  Scots  and  Bri- 
tons held  his  character  and  pei-son  in  such  high 
estimation,  that  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  ibr 
them  to  refer  to  him  as  the  final  umpire  in  the 
adjustment  of  their  differences.  Of  royal  ex- 
traction; superior  talents  and  accomplishments ; 
fervent  in  spirit ;  indefatigable  in  his  exer- 
tions ;  unbounded  in  his  beneficence ;  unmoved 
by  injuries,  and  undaunted  by  danger ;  he 
literally  "  overcame  evil  with  good,"  and  was 
made  the  honored  instrument  of  subduing 
the  prejudices,  and  winning  the  aflfectious  of 
the  most  violent  enemies  of  the  Gospel.  He 
expired  in  the  act  of  transcribing  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

The  monastery  of  Icma,  in  the  Hebrides, 
founded  by  Columba,  might  justly  be  called  a 
missionary  college,  as  the  great  object  of  the 
institution  was  to  prepare  the  residents  for  mis- 
sionary enterprize,  by  previous  discipline,  and 
transcription  of  the  Scriptures.  From  thence 
went  forth  several  of  those  blessed  men,  by 
whom  many  parts  of  Germany,  and  the  Low 
Countries,  were  first  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  Three  ancient  manuscripts,  in 
the  Irish  character,  probably  written  in  this 
monastery  or  college,  are  still  preserved.  (See 
Sir  "William  Betham's  Irish  Antiquities.) 

Such  was  the  missionary  zeal  of  the  monks 
of  lona,  that  they  are  said  to  have  frequently 
undertaken  expeditions,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  discover  any  land  which  the  Gospel  had 
not  yet  reached,  that  they  might  preach  to  its 
inhabitants  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  The 
Norwegians  found  Irish  monks  in  Iceland, 
when  they  first  discovered  it,  about  the  year 
900.  The  followers  of  Columba  obtained  the 
name  of  Culdees,  from  certain  terms  implying, 
"  The  family  or  servants  of  God,"  and  are  dis- 
tinguished by  it,  from  those  societies,  or  mo- 
nastic institutions,  founded  by  Papal  authority. 
"  From  this  nest  of  Columba,"  says  one  of  his 
biographers,  speaking  of  lona,  "  these  sacred 
doves  took  their  flight  to  all  quarters.  Where- 
ever  they  went  they  disseminated  learning  and 
true  religion,  and  seem  to  have  done  more  tow- 
ards the  revival  of  both,  than  any  other  society 
at  that  time  in  Europe.  In  fact,  lona,  or  I-colm- 
kill,  was,  in  the  early  ages,  a  seminary  of  all 
kinds  of  learning,  and  a  nursery  of  divines  for  j 
planting  churches."  (See  Smith's  Life  of  C&-  j 
lumha.)  His  disciples  were  remarkable  for  the ! 
exemplary  holiness  of  their  lives,  and  througii 
the  medium  of  their  missionary  labors,  tWBJ 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


317 


hern  Picts,  the  Anglo-Saxons  of  Merda  and 
.\  /ihurnberland,  and  several  of  the  northern 
nations  of  Europe,  were  converted,  at  least 
to  the  name  and  profession  of  Christianity. 
(Seo  Life  of  Colomba,  published  by  the  Mass. 
Sill).  School  Society.) 

IV)  the  sixth  century  have  also  been  referred 

tlio  conversion  of  the  ^iosgz,  a  people  of  Scythia, 

llie  Hevuli,  who  resided  on  the  banks  of 

Danube;  together  with  that  of  Zathus,  a 

|i:  1  icc  of  the  Colchians  ;  and  Almundiirus,  a 

pr  i !  u^e  of  the  Saracens.    About  the  same  period 

i '      Paulicans  arose  in  the  East,  and  were  so 

iiiiuated  from  their  making  Paul's  Epis- 

•  he  chief  rule  of  their  lives.    They  were 

.  rbial  for  their  endeavors  to  spread  the 

I  'cl,  in  opposition  to  the  errors  of  the  Greek 

i.hii  Komish  churches  ;  and  such  was  the  rapid 

iimiiiplication  of  this  people,  and  so  numerous 

were  they  become  in  the  reign  of  the  Greek 

Empress  Theodora,  in  the  ninth  century,  that 

100,000  lost  their  lives  during  the  persecution 

of  that  Empress,  by  fire,  sword,  the  gibbet, 

impalement,  and  other  cruelties. 

Century  VII. — Cheerless,  indeed,  was  the 
commencement  of  the  seventh  century,  and 
gloomy  the  scene  on  which  the  first  Gregory 
closed  his  eyes,  the  barbarous  hosts  still  press- 
ing the  Roman  empire  on  the  north,  and  the 
Arabian  impostor  breaking  forth  from  his  sul- 
try sands,  as  the  avenger  of  the  Lord,  scatter- 
ing the  flock  from  field  to  field,  and  obliterat- 
ing the  once  flourishing  churches  in  the  East, 
and  along  the  African  coast.  But  it  does  not 
appear  that  any  of  those  nations  who  possessed 
the  written  word  of  God  relapsed  into  the  Mo- 
hammedan imposture.  According  to  Yeates, 
there  were  no  early  translations  of  the  Bible 
into  Arabic. 

Daring  this  century  the  spirit  of  missionary 
enterprize  arose  chiefly  from  the  North.  From 
the  monasteries  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
men  went  forth  glowing  with  the  desire  of 
bringing  the  Gotliic  tribes  within  the  fold  of 
Christ.  Along  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  in  the 
Black  Forest,  in  Bavaria,  and  Thuringia,  the 
church  extended  itself  by  the  labors  of  men 
thus  devoted,  among  whom  shine  the  names 
of  Fridolin,  Gall,  Rupert,  Eustasius,  Willi- 
brod,  and  above  all,  Boniface,  as  apostles  of 
the  German  nations. 

Century  VIII. — At  the  commencement  of 
the  eighth  century,  when  a  considerable  part  of 
Germany  was  buried  in  the  darkness  of  pagan 
superstition,  Winfred,  a  Benedictine  monk, 
born  in  England  of  illustrious  parents,  and 
afterwards  known  by  the  name  of  Bowface,  at- 
tended by  two  companions,  went  over  into 
Frieslmul,  to  water  the  churches  which  WUh- 
Orod  had  planted.  He  afterwards  removed  to 
Bavaria  and  Thuringia;  and  throughout  the 
greater  part  of  Hesse,  even  to  the  frontiers  of 
Saxony,  he  published  the  word;  and  in  the 
year  719  Gregory  the  second  made  him  bishop 
of  the  new  German  churches.     In  his  mission 


from  England,  he  obtained  several  assistants, 
who  dispersed  themselves  in  the  villages  ;  and 
in  a  circular  letter  which  he  addressed  to  the 
British  prelates  and  people,  he  earnestly  soli- 
cited their  prayers  for  his  success.  He  con- 
tinued his  missionary  labors  with  unabated 
ardor  till  the  age  of  seventy-five ;  when  going 
to  confirm  some  converts  in  the  plain  of  Dock- 
um,he  was  attacked  and  killed,  with  the  whole 
of  his  company,  amounting  to  fifty-two  persons, 
by  a  troop  of  ferocious  Pagans  armed  with 
shields  and  lances.  The  German  Christians 
who  had  considered  Boniface  as  the  apostle  of 
their  country,  immediately  raised  an  army,  and 
conquered  the  Pagans,  whose  lives  were  spared 
only  on  condition  of  their  submitting  to  be 
instructed  in  the  truths  of  Christianity. 

Siefuvyn,  another  Englishman,  was  particu- 
larly distinguished  among  those  who  labored 
as  missionaries  in  Germany.  On  one  occasion 
he  ventured  to  appear  before  an  assembly  of 
Saxons,  while  they  were  sacrificing  to  their 
idols,  and  with  a  loud  voice  exhorted  them  to 
turn  from  such  vanities  and  to  serve  the  living 
God.  This  interference  exasperated  the  idol- 
ators  to  such  a  degree  that  the  zealous  mission- 
ary would  probably  have  been  immolated  on 
the  spot,  had  it  not  been  for  the  remonstrances 
of  a  Saxon  chief,  named  Buto,  who  contended 
that  an  ambassador  of  Heaven  ought  not  to 
be  treated  with  less  respect  than  if  he  had 
come  from  the  king  of  some  neighboring  na- 
tion. Siefuvyn  was,  therefore,  permitted  to 
retire  without  molestation,  and  he  continued  a 
useful  and  active  laborer  in  Germany  until  hi< 
death. 

Villehad,  a  native  of  Northumberland,  is  also 
said  to  have  been  very  successful  among  the 
Saxons,  whose  ferocious  spirits  were  softened 
by  his  meekness,  whose  minds  were  illuminated 
by  his  instructions,  and  some  of  whom,  it  ia 
hoped,  were  eternally  saved  through  his  in- 
strumentality. He  became  bishop  of  Bremen, 
and  died  in  Friesland,  after  he  had  preached 
the  Gospel  thirty-five  years  with  unwearied 
perseverance  and  unabated  zeal. 

During  this  century  a  war  broke  out  be- 
tween Charlemagne  and  the  Saxons,  which 
contributed  materially  to  the  ext(,'nsion  of  the 
nominal  Church.  After  a  long  and  obstinate 
struggle  the  Saxons  were  subdued  ;  and  when 
gentle  means  proved  unavailing  to  induce 
them  to  embrace  the  Gospel,  coercive  methods 
were  adopted,  and  they  were  then  baptized  by 
thousands.  What  sort  of  converts  these  were, 
may  easily  be  conceived.  However,  as  schools 
and  monasteries  were  founded,  and  ministers 
were  appointed  to  reside  among  them,  some 
genera]  knowledge  of  Divine  truth  must  hava 
been  progressively  diffused,  though  wretchedly 
intermingled  with  the  superstitions  of  the  age. 

During  the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries 
the  zeal  of  British,  Scotch,  and  Irish  Chris- 
tians, induced  many  devoted  individuals  to 
undertake  extensive  and  laborious  missions  in 


318 


EARLY    CHRISTIAN    MISSIONS. 


Germany,  Belgium,  France,  and  the  uncvan- 
gelizcii  parts  of  England,  Scotland,  and  Ire- 
land. These  benevolent  toils  were  not  un fre- 
quently shared  by  princes  and  nobles,  when 
convertetl  from  paganism  to  Christianity.  As 
instances  of  this,  it  is  recorded  that  when  Aidaii, 
a  monk  of  Ireland,  and  a  zealous  and  success- 
ful missionary  in  the  north  of  Englaad,  under- 
took his  missionary  tours,  Oswald,  a  British 
prince,  who  had  been  baptized  and  educated 
m  Ireland,  acted  as  his  interpreter.  About 
this  period,  Corbinian,  a  French  Benedictine 
monk,  labored  assiduously  among  the  Bavor 
rians.  Firmin,  a  Gaul  by  birth,  preached  in 
Alsace,  Bavaria,  and  Switzerland. 

Century  IX. — Rumold,  a  native  of  England 
or  Ireland,  had  long  been  an  example  of  piety 
at  home,  when,  animated  by  a  desire  for  the 
conversion  of  the  heathen  nations,  he  visited 
Rome,  and  earnestly  solicited  an  appointment 
as  a  missionary.  His  request  was  granted, 
and  he  not  only  received  the  Papal  benedic- 
tion, but  was  also  "  ordained  a  reigionary,  or 
missionary  bishop,  without  any  fixed  see." 
uinasc/iarius,  or  Anasgar,  preached  the  Gospel 
to  the  Danes  and  Swedes,  and  other  northern 
nations,  and  so  extraordinary  were  his  labors 
and  success,  as  to  cause  him  to  be  termed 
"  The  Apostle  of  the  Nm-th." 

The  missionaries  who  accompanied  him,  or 
whom  he  sent  out,  were  directed  by  him  to  the 
apostle  Paul,  as  an  example  of  missionary  zeal. 
To  these  and  other  Christian  worthies  who 
lived  at  this  period,  we  may  justly  add  the 
name  of  Adalard  or  Alard,  the  cousin-german 
of  Charlemagne.  He  appears  to  have  been 
truly  pious  from  early  years ;  and  though 
obliged  to  fill  several  important  offices  by  the 
emperor's  order  at  court,  he  retained  his  love 
of  privacy  and  retirement.  He  founded  seve- 
ral monasteries,  in  which  he  promoted  learning 
and  science.  His  favorite  institution,  how- 
ever, was  a  missimmry  college,  as  it  might  be 
justly  called,  founded  by  him  at  New  Corbie, 
or  Cosway,  nine  leagues  from  Paderborn,  upon 
the  Weser,  expressly  instituted  to  be  a  nursery 
of  evangelical  laborers  in  the  instruction  and 
conversion  of  the  northern  nations.  Anascha- 
rius,  mentioned  above,  was  one  of  its  greatest 
ornaments.  This  period  has  been  emphati- 
cally called  "  The  Age  of  Missions:' 

The  ninth  century  was  likewise  rendered  re- 
markable by  the  attempts  of  Constantine,  (or 
Cyril,)  and  Methodius,  two  Greek  monks,  to 
evangelize  several  Sclavonian  tribes.  They 
were  the  sons  of  Leo,  a  Greek  nobleman,  of 
Thessalonica.  Cyril,  the  younger  brother,  was 
the  most  distinguished  for  his  literary  ac- 
quirements and  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. In  his  youth  he  had  enjoyed  the  best 
education  as  a  companion  to  the  young  Prince 
Michael ;  but  on  the  proposal  to  him  of  what 
was  deemed  a  highly  important  matrimonial 
alliance,  but  which  be  disapproved,  he  with- 
drew from  court,  and  retired  for  some  time 


into  a  monastery.  In  857  he  visited  Constan- 
tinople, and  shortly  afterwards  proceeded  on  a 
mission  to  the  country  of  the  Khazars ;  and 
proved  successful  in  prevailing  with  the 
prince,  some  of  his  nobles,  and  many  of  his 
people,  to  embrace  the  profession  of  Chrinti- 
anity.  He  then  visited  the  Bulgarians,  with 
the  same  design,  and  succeeded  in  baptizing 
many  of  them.  Methodius,  the  other  brother, 
filled  the  office  of  governor  on  the  Sclavonian 
frontiers  for  ten  years,  affording  a  most  favor- 
able opportunity  of  acquiring  a  knowledge  of 
the  Sclavonian  language.  He  afterwards  ac- 
companied his  brother  in  his  mission  to  the 
Khazars,  and  other  nations.  An  application 
being  made  to  the  Greek  emperor,  by  certain 
Moravo-Sclavonian  princes,  for  teachers  to 
instruct  their  people  in  the  truths  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  the  two  brothers  were  at  once 
named  as  the  fittest  persons  for  the  undertak- 
ing. Being  appointed  to  the  charge,  they  en- 
gaged in  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  on 
which  they  are  said  to  have  employed  four 
years  and  a  half,  at  the  same  time  instructing 
the  inhabitants  of  Moravia.  Afterwards  they 
visited  Kome,  where  Cyril  became  a  monk, 
and  died  there,  in  the  year  871.  To  effect  the 
object  of  translation,  Cyril,  with  the  assistance, 
as  some  think,  of  his  brother,  Methodius,  in- 
vented an  alphabet,  adapted  to  the  language 
of  the  Sclavonic  tribes,  to  whom  they  wcro 
sent.  Whether  they  translated  the  whole  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  or  the  New 
Testament  principally,  is  uncertain.  Such, 
however,  has  been  the  attachment  to  this  an- 
cient Sclavonic  version,  that  no  other  is  per- 
mitted to  be  read  in  the  churches  ;  and  there 
existed  no  version  in  the  modern  Russ  prior  to 
the  year  1816,  when  the  Emperor  Alexander 
ordered  a  translation  to  be  made,  that  his  own 
subjects  might  be  favored,  like  other  nations, 
with  the  Scriptures,  in  their  vernacular  tongue, 
the  Sclavonian  language  having  been  for  cen- 
turies obsolete,  and  nearly  as  difficult  to  a 
modern  Russ  as  the  Anglo-Saxon  to  an  En- 
glishman.— (See  Repoi-t  of  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.)  This  order  of  the  emperor 
having  been  partially  carried  into  execution^^ 
the  whole  of  the  New  Testament  was  printec 
in  1823.  Since  that  time  the  printing  of  the 
Scriptures  in  modern  Russ  has  been  sus- 
pended principally  by  the  intrigues  of  the  Jesu- 
its and  the  opposition  of  the  Emperor  Niche 
las. — (Henderson's  Biblical  Researches,  p.  132/ 
About  the  year  867,  under  the  reign  of  th< 
Emperor  Basilius,  the  Macedonian,  the  Scla 
vouians,  Arentani,  and  others,  inhabitants  0 
Dalrriatia,  sent  an  embassy  to  Constantinople 
declaring  their  resolution  of  submitting  to  thi 
Grecian  empire,  and  of  embracing  the  Chrid 
tian  religion,  and  requesting  to  be  suppliec 
with  suitable  teachers.  Their  request  waff 
granted,  and  those  provinces  were  included  r 
within  the  pale  of  the  church.  The  fierce  and  \ 
barbarous  nation  of  the  Russians,  inhabitants  I 


EABLY   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONS. 


319 


of  the  Ukraine,  embraced  the  Gospel  under 
the  reign  of  the  same  emperof .  But  what  has 
already  been  said  as  to  the  nature  of  such 
conversions,  must  be  borne  in  mind.  In  the 
case  of  individuals,  the  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity may  have  been  sincere ;  but  as  to  the 
great  body  of  the  people,  it  was  probably 
merely  formal.  In  the  course  of  this  century, 
Christianity  began  to  be  preached  in  the  fro- 
zen regions  of  Scandinavia,  and  on  the  shores 
of  the  Baltic,  which  had  hitherto  been  involv- 
ed in  the  grossest  pagan  darkness.  In  the 
year  826,  Harold,  king  of  Jutland,  being  ex- 
pelled from  his  dominions,  implored  the  pro- 
tection of  the  Emperor  Louis,  the  son  and 
successor  of  Charlemagne.  That  prince  pro- 
mised him  his  assistance  on  condition  that  he 
would  embrace  Christianity,  and  permit  the 
ministers  of  that  religion  to  preach  in  his  do- 
minions, to  which  he  consented.  He  was  ac- 
cordingly baptized,  and  returned  to  his  own 
country,  attended  by  two  ecclesiastics,  Ansca- 
rius  and  Aubert,  monks  of  Corbri.  These  ven- 
erable missionaries  labored  with  remarkable 
success  during  two  years  in  converting  the 
rude  inhabitants  of  Cimbria  and  Jutland.  On 
the  death  of  his  companion,  the  zealous  and 
indefatigable /l/wcm-ms  went  into  Sweden,  a.  d. 
828,  where  his  exertions  were  also  crowned 
with  success.  After  having  been  raised  in  the 
year  831,  to  the  archbishopric  of  Hamburgh, 
and  of  the  whole  north,  to  which  charge  the 
superintendence  of  the  church  of  Bremen  was 
afterwards  added,  this  missionary  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  in  traveling  frequently 
amongst  the  Danes,  Cimbrians,  and  Swedes,  to 
form  new  churches,  to  confirm  and  establish 
those  which  had  been  already  planted,  and 
otherwise  to  promote  the  cause  of  Christianity. 
He  continued  in  the  midst  of  these  arduous 
and  dangerous  enterprises  till  his  death,  in  the 
year  865.  Rembert,  his  successor  in  the  super- 
intendence of  the  church  of  Bremen,  began, 
towards  the  close  of  this  century,  to  preach 
to  the  inhabitants  of  Brandenburgh,  and  made 
some  progress  towards  their  conversion. — 
(Pearson's  Brief  Historic  View  of  tlie  Progress 
of  the  Gospel,  page  29.)  About  the  middle  of 
this  century,  the  standard  of  the  cross  began 
to  be  unfurled  among  the  Bulgarians,  a  Scla- 
vonic people  of  extraordinary  fierceness,  who 
had  long  proved  extremely  troublesome,  by 
their  contiguity  to  the  Greek  emperors.  The 
sister  of  their  king  Bogoris  having  been  taken 
prisoner  in  a  military  excursion,  was  carried 
to  Constantinople,  where  she  heard  and  em- 
braced the  Gospel.  After  some  time  she  was 
ransomed,  and  on  her  return  home  she  was  so 
deeply  affected  by  her  brother's  idolatrous 
practices,  that  she  earnestly  sought  to  convince 
him  of  the  absurdity  of  his  worship.  The 
king  listened  attentively  to  her  arguments,  but 
did  not  appear  inclined  to  change  his  religion, 
till,  on  the  appearance  of  a  pestilence  in  his 
dominions,  he  was  persuaded  to  pray  to  the 


God  of  the  Christians,  and  the  plague  was  al- 
most immediately  removed.  This  circum- 
stance convinced  him  of  the  omnipotent  pow- 
er of  Jesus,  and  he  took  an  early  opportunity 
of  sending  to  Constantinople  for  missionaries, 
from  whom  he  and  many  of  his  subjects  re- 
ceived baptism.  Moshiem  remarks,  that  "  the 
missionaries  of  this  period  were  superior,  both 
in  their  principles  and  conduct,  to  those  of 
preceding  ages,  as  they  were  more  anxious  to 
inform  the  minds  of  men  than  to  extend  the 
domination  of  the  Pope,  and  they  made  no 
attempts  to  add  to  the  number  of  their  con- 
verts by  rigid  and  coercive  measures,  altoge- 
ther inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel." 
— (Smith's  History  and  Origin  of  Missionary 
Societies,  Yol.  I.  pp.  49,  50.) 

Century  X. — In  the  tenth  century,  the 
Christian  church  presented  a  deplorable  scene 
of  ignorance,  superstition,  and  immorality. 
Amidst  the  darkness,  however,  which  universal- 
ly prevailed,  some  rays  of  light  occasionally  ap- 
pear. The  Nestorians  continued  their  missionary 
labors.  The  Hungarians  and  Avari  had  re- 
ceived some  imperfect  ideas  of  Christianity 
during  the  reign  of  Charlemagne  ;  but,  on  his 
decease,  they  relapsed  into  idolatry,  and  the 
Christian  religion  was  almost  extinguished 
among  them.  Towards  the  middle  of  this 
century,  two  Turkish  chiefs,  Bologndes  and 
Gylas,  whose  territories  lay  on  the  banks  of 
the  Danube,  made  a  public  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  were  baptized  at  Constantinople. 
Of  these,  the  former  soon  apostatised  ;  the 
other  steadily  persevered,  received  instruction 
from  Hierotheus,  a  bishop  who  had  accompa- 
nied him  from  Constantinople,  and  encouraged 
bis  labors  among  his  subjects.  Yarolta,  the 
daughter  of  Gylas,  being  afterwards  married 
to  Geysa,  the  chief  of  the  Hungarian  nation, 
he  was  by  her  persuaded  to  embrace^  Christi- 
anity. Geysa,  however,  still  retained* a  predi- 
lection for  his  ancient  superstitions,  and  was 
only  prevented  from  apostatising  by  the  zeal 
and  authority  of  Adalbert,  archbishop  of 
Prague,  who  visited  Hungary  towards  the  con- 
clusion of  this  century.  But  however  imper- 
fect might  be  the  conversion  of  the  King,  the 
most  salutary  consequences  followed  the  recep- 
tion of  the  Gospel  by  his  subjects.  Humanity, 
peace,  and  civilization,  began  to  flourish 
among  a  fierce  and  barbarous  people. — The 
inhabitants  of  Poland  were,  during  this  cen- 
tury, blessed  with  the  knowledge  of  Christi- 
anity. Some  Poles,  traveling  into  Bohemia 
and  Moravia,  were  struck  with  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel,  and  on  their  return,  earnestly 
recommended  it  to  the  attention  of  their 
countrymen.  The  report  at  length  reaching 
the  ears  of  Micislaus,  the  Duke  of  Poland,  he 
was  induced  to  divorce  his  seven  wives,  and 
married  Dambronca,  the  daughter  of  Boleslaus, 
Duke  of  Bohemia.  He  was  baptized  in  the 
year  965,  and,  by  the  zealous  efforts  of  the 
Duke  and  Duchess,  their  subjects  were  either 


320 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


persuaikxl  or  obligetl,  by  degrees,  to  abandon 
their  idolatry,  and  profess  the  religion  of 
Christ.  The  conversions  which  had  taken 
place  in  Russia  during  the  preceding  century, 
were  neither  sincere  nor  permanent.  But  in 
the  year  061,  Ffo/orfowj?r  having  married  Anne, 
sister  of  the  Greek  Emperor  Basilnis  the 
Second,  was  prevailed  upon  by  that  princess 
to  receive  the  Christian  faith.  He  was  ac- 
cordingly baptized  in  the  year  987.  The  Rus- 
sians followed,  without  compulsion  or  reluc- 
tance, the  example  of  their  prince  ;  and  from 
that  time  Russia  received  a  Cliristian  estab- 
lishment, and  considered  herself  as  a  daughter 
of  the  Greek  Church.  In  Scandinavia  Chris- 
tianity, which  had  been  so  successfully  intro- 
duced during  the  preceding  century,  had  met 
with  a  severe  check  in  Denmark,  under  the 
reign  of  Gormo  the  Third,  who  labored  to  ex- 
tirpate it  entirely.  At  length,  however,  he  was 
comi)elled  by  Henry  the  First,  called  the  Fowler, 
the  predecessor  of  Otho  the  Great,  to  permit  the 
profession  and  propagation  of  Christianity  in 
his  dominions  ;  and  under  the  protection  of 
the  emperor,  Unni,  then  Archbishop  of  Ham- 
burgh, with  some  other  ecclesiastics,  came  into 
Denmark,  and  formed  many  Christian  churches 
in  that  kingdom.  On  the  death  of  Gormo,  his 
successor  Harold,  being  defeated  by  Otho  the 
Great,  A.  D.  949,  by  the  command  of  his  con- 
queror, though  not  unwillingly,  embraced  the 
Gospel,  and  zealously  supported  and  propaga- 
ted it  amongst  his  subjects  during  his  reign. 
Suen-Otho,  however,  his  son  and  successor,  en- 
tirely renounced  the  Christian  name,  and  per- 
secuted his  Christian  subjects  in  the  most  cruel 
manner.  At  length,  being  driven  from  his 
throne,  and  forced  into  exile  among  the 
Scots,  he  was  led  to  reflect  on  his  Christian 
education,  and  to  repent  of  his  apostasy  ;  and 
being  restored  to  his  kingdom,  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  in  the  most  sincere  and 
earnest  endeavors  to  promote  the  cause  of 
Christianity  in  his  dominions.  In  Sweden,  an 
almost  entire  extinction  of  the  Gospel  had 
taken  place.  Unni,  animated  by  his  success 
in  Denmark,  determined,  therefore,  on  at- 
tempting a  revival  of  it  in  that  country.  His 
pious  exertions  were  rendered  prosperous,  and 
he  had  the  happiness  of  confirming  the  Gospel 
in  Sweden,  and  of  planting  it  even  in  the  re- 
moter parts  of  that  northern  region.  It  was 
during  this  century  that  Noi-way  first  received 
the  Christian  faith.  Several  attempts  were 
previously  made  in  the  early  part  of  it,  which 
were  altogether  unsuccessful.  The  barbarous 
Norwegians  resisted  both  the  exhortations  of 
the  English  missionaries,  and  the  more  forci- 
ble endeavors  of  their  princes,  to  convert  them 
from  their  idolatry,  till  the  year  945,  when 
Haco,  King  of  Norway,  who  had  been  driven 
from  his  throne,  was  restored  by  Harold,  King 
of  Denmark ;  and  having  been  converted  by 
that  prince  during  his  exile,  publicly  recom- 
mended Christianity  to  his  subjects.    The  im 


pression,  however,  which  was  then  made  upon 
their  minds,  was  but  slight ;  nor  were  they  en- 
tirely  persuaded  to  become  Christians  till  the 
reign  of  his  successor  Olaus.  At  length  Swcinf 
King  of  Denmark,  having  conquered  Norway, 
obliged  his  subjects  universally  to  renounce 
idolatry,  and  to  profess  the  Gospel.  Among 
the  missionaries  whose  labors  were  render- 
ed successful  in  this  work,  Guthebald,  an 
English  priest,  was  the  most  eminent,  both  in 
merit  and  authority.  From  Norway,  Chris- 
tianity spread  into  the  Orkney  Islaiids,  which 
were  then  subject  to  that  country,  and  pene- 
trated in  sOme  degree,  even  into  the  remote 
region  of  Iceland.  So  that  in  this  century  the 
triumph  of  Christianity  was  complete  through- 
out Scandinavia.  (Pearson's  Brief  Historic 
View  of  the  Progress  of  the  Gospel,  p.  30-33.) 

Though  this  century  was  proverbially  an  age 
of  darkness,  yet  the  Gospel  continued  to 
spread.  And  it  has  been  well  remarked  that 
although  "  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  at 
this  period,  had  their  defects,  yet  they  form  the 
principal  glory  of  those  times,  and  appear  to 
have  been  attended  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  the  genuine  conversion  of  numbers, 
and  the  improvement  of  human  society." 
(Burder's  Miss.  Anec,  p.  129.) 

From  the  end  of  the  sixth  to  the  ninth  cen- 
tury, the  progress  of  the  Gospel  continued  with 
varied  success,  among  the  Gothic  tribes.  After 
that  period,  in  the  tenth  century,  the  field  of 
missionary  labor  extended  itself  still  further 
towards  the  East.  Beyond  the  limits  already 
named,  amid  the  barren  table  lands  of  Scla- 
vrniia  and  Sarmartia,  shut  in  by  the  Elbe  and  the 
Oural  mountains,  were  gathered  the  wandering 
tribes  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Sclaves, 
who  presented  a  still  more  hopeless  task  to 
Christian  zeal.  Uncontrolled  by  any  govern- 
ment or  law,  deeming  even  the  formation  of 
villages  an  infringement  of  liberty,  guided  only 
by  traditionary  custom,  they  dispersed  through- 
out the  forests  and  plains  of  that  wide  district, 
clustered  in  family  groups,  with  no  unity,  either 
of  national  existence,  or  of  habit,  or  even  of  re- 
ligion. A  vague  superstition,  consisting  of  a 
rude  worship  of  nature's  powers,  with  stated 
sacrifices,  and  the  dualistic  notion  of  the  East, 
derived  from  contact  with  the  Scythian  tribes, 
possessed  their  minds  with  a  sense  of  religious 
awe ;  but,  throughout  the  whole  race,  even  the 
idea  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul  had  become 
extinct.  One  social  virtue  had  the  force  of  law 
amongst  them  ;  and  the  obligation  to  hospi- 
tality aflbrded  an  opening  for  the  strangers  of 
the  AVest  to  gain  an  entrance  among  them. 
Partly,  and  in  the  first  instance,  from  the 
Greek  Church,  by  the  two  apostles  of  Poland 
and  Prussia,  Cyril  and  Methodius  ;  afterwards, 
and  more  perfectly,  by  emissaries  from  the  , 
Latin  Church,  in  various  ways,  and  at  various 
intervals,  the  prevailing  form  of  Christianity 
was  propagated  in  these  countries  from  the 
tenth  to  the  sixteenth  centuries ;  and  during 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN    MISSIONS. 


321 


the  same  period,  by  missionaries  chiefly  from 
the  monastery  of  Neuf  Corbie,  on  the  banks  of 
the  Weser,  and  from  the  British  Isles.  And 
thus,  by  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  century,  pa- 
ganism may  be  said  to  have  been  well  nigh 
banished  from  the  limits  of  Europe.  (Grant's 
Bampton  Lecture,  p.  112.) 

Anschar,  the  apostle  of  Denmark  and  Swe- 
den, A.D.  826,  and  Giselmar,  who  followed 
him  to  Denmark,  were  sent  from  Neuf  Corbie. 
Missionaries  were  brought  by  Hakon,  king  of 
Norway,  into  his  dominions,  (938.)  Chris- 
tianity was  not,  however,  permanently  intro- 
duced before  the  reign  of  Olaf  I.,  who  was  ac- 
companied from  England  by  John  Sigard, 
(993.)  Olaf  II.  afterwards  requested  mission- 
aries of  Canute,  upon  which,  Sigfrid,  first 
bishop  of  Wexia,  Comkill,  and  others,  were 
sent  into  Norway,  (1019.) — (History  Eccles.  of 
Adam  Bremensis.) 

In  Germany,  the  exertions  of  the  Emperor 
Otho  contributed,  in  a  signal  manner,  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  Christianity,  and  to  estab- 
lish it  on  the  most  firm  foundation  throughout 
the  empire.  At  the  earnest  request  of  the 
Rugi,  a  remarkably  barbarous  people,  who  in- 
habited the  country  of  Pomerania,  between 
the  Oder  and  the  Wipper,  and  the  Isles  of 
Rugen  in  the  Baltic,  that  zealous  prince  sent 
Adalbert  among  them,  to  revive  the  know- 
ledge of  Christianity  which  had  formerly  ex- 
isted, but  was  then  extinguished.  The  mission, 
bowever,  was  unsuccessful ;  but  Adalbert,  who 
was  appointed  the  first  Archbishop  of  Mag- 
leburgh,  was  successful  in  converting  great 
Qumbers  of  Sdavonians. 

Throughout  this  century,  the  Saracens  in 
Asia  and  Africa,  successfully  propagated  the 
Joctrines  of  Mohammed  ;  and  multitudes,  even 
)f  Christians,  were  the  victims  of  their  delu- 
sions. The  Turks  also  received  the  religion 
)f  the  Arabian  impostors  ;  and,  turning  their 
irms  against  the  Saracens,  began  to  lay  the 
bundations  of  that  powerful  empire  which 
hey  afterwards  jBstablished.  (Pearson's  Brief 
listoric  View,  p.  34.) 

Adalbert,  archbishop  of  Prague,  visited  Hun- 
ary,  and  afterwards  traveled  as   missionary 

0  Poland,  and  planted  the  Gospel  in  Dantzic ; 
id  was  at  length,  like  many  of  the  mission- 
ries  already  named,  murdered  by  the  Pagans. 

jp/io  the  Great,  emperor  of  Germany,  d'istin- 

iKiislied  himself  in  this  age,  by  his  zeal  for 

ii)n,  by  erecting  and  endowing  churches, 

I  |iromoting  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel 

tmong  barbarous  nations.     Nor  was  his  em- 
ress,  Adelaide,  less  remarkable  for  her  piety 
^  liberality.    English  missionaries,  particu- 
Bernard,  were  the  active  instruments  in 
ing  the  standard   of  the   Cross  in  the 
icy  Islands  and  Greenland.  The  conversion 
■  :  iie  Normans  is  likewise  said  to  have  taken 
lace  in  this  century,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
larriage  o^Rollo,  Duke  of  Normandy,  to  Giesla. 

1  ai^hter  of  Charles  the  Simple,  king  of  France; 
21 


but,  such  matrimonial  conversions  may  be 
justly  doubted  :  they  might  assume  the  name 
without  the  change  to  Christianity. 

Hungary,  which  had  previously  received 
some  faint  dawnings  of  the  Christian  faith, 
became,  toward  the  end  of  this  century,  more 
enlightened.  Among  those  tribes  of  uncer- 
tain origin,  who  assailed  Europe  at  the  time 
of  the  dissolution  of  the  Carolingan  empire, 
were  the  Magyars,  who  emerged  from  Asia,  and 
established  themselves  near  the  Don.  Being 
expelled  from  those  regions,  they  penetrated 
into  Ukraine,  from  whence  they  were  driven 
away  by  the  Russians,  and  then  arrived  in 
Dacia,  under  the  name  of  Hungarians,  (889.) 
At  the  head  of  the  Magyar  hordes  was  the 
princely  race  of  Arpad.  The  tribes  were  seven 
in  number,  each  being  commanded  by  a  chief, 
almost  independent.  Christianity,  as  we  have 
seen,  penetrated  among  them  under  the  reign 
of  Geysa  I.,  who  was  converted  from  heathen- 
ism, by  the  exertions  of  his  wife  Sarolta ;  and 
was  baptized  towards  980.  But  the  general 
conversion  of  the  Hungarians  to  Christianity 
took  place  under  the  reign  of  their  son  Stephen, 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  kings  of  that  na- 
tion, who  was  at  once  the  apostle  and  legis- 
lator of  Hungary,  and  the  true  founder  of  that 
monarchy.  In  his  reign  churches  were  erected, 
bishoprics  established,  and  the  profession  of 
Christianity  became  general  in  all  parts  of 
the  country. 

The  tenth  century  has  been  emphatically 
styled  "  an  iron  age,  barren  of  all  goodness  ; 
a  leaden  age,  abounding  in  all  wickedness; 
and  a  dark  age,  remarkable  above  all  others 
for  the  scarcity  of  writers  and  men  of  learning." 
In  this  deplorable  state  of  the  church,  however, 
some  rays  of  light,  as  shown  in  these  previous 
records,  passed  across  the  gloomy  scene,  and 
some  pleasing  occurrences  evinced  that  God 
had  not  yet  "  forgotten  to  be  gracious  "  to  his 
humble  worshipers.  Several  of  the  churches 
still  possessed  the  oracles  of  divine  truth  in 
the  vulgar  tongue ;  the  supremacy  of  the  Ro- 
man pontiff  was  in  some  places  opposed  with 
heroic  firmness,  and  the  doctrine  of  transub- 
stantiation  t^as  denied  by  many  to  whom  the 
Holy  Spirit  had  revealed  "  the  truth  as  it  is 
in  Jesus."  [Smith^YoX.  I. p.  51.)  In  the  dark- 
est ages  of  Christianity,  the  few  rays  of  light 
yet  unextinguished,  appear  in  connection  with 
the  efforts  of  missionaries  to  evangelize  tho 
heathen. 

Century  XI. — In  the  early  part  of  this  cen- 
tury the  Christian  religion  was  further  ex- 
tended in  the  kingdoms  of  Siveden,  Norway, 
and  Denmark,  and  also  in  Germany,  by  the 
assistance  of  English  missionaries.  The  con- 
ductors of  the  mission  were  Sigefrid,  Archdea- 
con of  York,  Eschil,  Gunechild,  Rudolf,  and 
Bernard.  The  names  of  others  are  likewise 
mentioned,  as  laborious  and  useful  messengers 
of  truth  among  the  barbarous  European  tribes : 
thus,  it  is  related  of  William,  an  English  priest, 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN   MISSIONS. 


who  attended  Canute  in  one  of  his  voyages  to 
Denmark,  that  he  was  so  affected  with  the 
idolatry  of  the  Danes,  that  he  desired  to  be 
left  unumg  tliom  as  a  missionary,  and  had  the 
happiness  of  finding  his  labors  not  in  vain  in 
the  Lord. 

The  zeal  of  the  Ncstorian  Christians  con 
tinned  to  be  conspicuous  in  this  century.  In 
Tartary  and  the  adjacent  countries  they  suc- 
ceeded in  converting  great  numbers  to  the 
profession  of  Christianity. 

The  light  which  had  been  diffused  during 
the  })receding  centuries  among  the  Hungari- 
ans, Danes,  Poles,  and  Russians,  was  consider- 
ably increased  and  extended  by  the  zealous  en- 
deavors of  their  princes,  and  of  the  mission- 
aries who  labored  among  them. 

Century  XII. — The  twelfth  century  was 
noted  for  attempts  to  spread  the  Gospel  by  the 
sword.  Waldcmh  I.,  King  of  Denmark,  in 
particular,  distinguished  himself  by  his  endeav- 
ors to  propagate  Christianity  by  force  of  arms, 
especially  among  the  Sdavonians,  Vmedi,  Van- 
dals, and  other  northern  tribes.  In  these  war- 
like methods  of  forcing  his  subjects  to  listen 
to  evangelical  instructions,  he  was  zealously 
encouraged  and  aided  by  Asalom,  Archbishop 
of  Lunden.  The  inhabitants  of  the  island  of 
Rugen,  a  fierce  and  savage  people,  were  num- 
bered among  his  conquests.  The  Finlanders 
were  driven  to  accept  of  peace  on  similar  terms 
by  Erick  IX.,  King  of  Sweden,  who  was  ac- 
companied in  his  bloody  campaign  by  Henry, 
Archbishop  of  Upsal.  The  Livomans,  on  re- 
jecting the  missionary  instructions  of  Main- 
hard,  a  monk  of  Segeberg,  were,  on  an  appeal 
made  by  Mainhard  to  the  Roman  Pontiff, 
Innocent  III.,  subjected  to  the  horrors  of  war. 
An  equestrian  "military  order,  of  "  Knights 
Sword  Bearers,"  instituted  for  the  express  pur- 
pose of  converting  pagans,  was  sent  against 
them.  During  the  Livoniau  war,  they  exer- 
cised the  greatest  cruelty  and  injustice,  not 
merely  by  the  slaughter  of  numbers  of  the  in- 
habitants, but  by  the  confiscation  of  their  pro- 
pertv.  These  forced  conversions,  however,  as 
might  have  been  expected,  effected  but  little 
more  than  a  profession  of  obedience  to  the  See 
of  Rome,  and  a  constrained  attention  to  cer- 
tain forms  and  ceremonies,  substituted  for  idol 
worship,  while  the  profoundest  ignorance  re- 
mained of  the  true  nature  of  the  Gospel. 

This,  indeed,  appears  to  have  been  an  age 
peculiarly  distinguished  by  the  institution  of 
religious  military  orders,  such  as  the  Knights 
of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  now  called  the 
"  Knights  of  Malta,"  originally  instituted  for 
the  care  of  the  sick,  and  the  protection  of  pil- 
grims in  the  Holy  Land  ;  the  Knights  Templars, 
so  called  from  their  occupying  on  their  first 
establishment  a  house  in  Jerusalem,  near  the 
site  of  the  temple,  and  designed  to  guard  pil- 
grims from  the  violence  of  the  infidels,  when 
visiting  Jerusalem  ;  The  Order  of  Montjoye, 
instituted  to  fight  against  infidels,  especially  I 


the  Moors  of  Spain  ;  Ibe  Portuguese  Order  of 
Avis,  established  for  the  same  purpose;  the 
Order  of  St.  Lazarus,  who  received  pilgrims, 
in  Jerusalem,  in  houses  founded  purj)osely  for 
them,  and  then  conducted  them  on  their  way, 
and  defended  them  against  the  Mohammedans ; 
the  Order  of  Knights  of  St.  James,  united  for 
the  protection  of  pilgrims  visiting  the  relics  of 
St.  James  of  Compostella  from  the  ill-treat- 
ment of  the  Moors  ;  and  the  Order  of  Teutonic 
Knights,  founded  originally  by  some  Germans, 
who  built  a  hospital  at  Jerusalem  for  the  pil- 
grims  of  their  nation,  and  approved  by  Pope 
Celestine  III.  After  the  loss  of  the  Holy 
Land,  these  knights  returned  to  Germany,  and, 
by  their  warlike  prowess,  made  themselves 
masters  of  Prussia,  Livonia,  Courland,  and 
Semigallia.  To  these  may  be  added  the  order 
of  Christ's  Militia,  instituted  by  Dominic  for 
the  extirpation  of  the  Albigenses.  An  emi- 
nent Romish  theologian  attempts  the  defence 
of  the  warlike  character  of  these  institutions, 
by  the  following  specious  reasoning  :  "  1'wo 
very  different  things,"  he  says,  "  are  confounded 
by  the  Protestants,  the  object  and  the  inten- 
tion, the  conduct  of  the  knights,  and  that  of 
the  missionaries.  The  knights  were  n(3ver 
constituted  preachers,  and  the  missionaries 
were  never  armed.  The  barbarians  were  wild 
beasts  ;  it  was  necessary  to  make  them  men 
first,  and  to  reduce  them  by  force,  before  it 
could  be  expected  to  make  them  Christians. 
The  first  of  these  exploits  belonged  to  the 
knights ;  the  rest  was  reserved  for  the  mission- 
aries. "When  the  warriors  had  done  their 
part,  they  remained  to  protect  the  mission- 
aries, in  order  to  the  peaceful  performance  of 
their  labors." — (Bergier's  Did.  TJieologique, 
Ordres  Militaires,  tome  YI.) 

Most  of  these  military  orders  owed  their 
institution  to  the  Crusades  of  this  century,  un- 
dertaken by  the  Roman  Catholic  princes  of 
Europe  for  the  recovery  of  Jerusalem  from 
the  Mohammedans;  an  outburst  of  religious 
fanaticism,  by  which  all  Europe  and  Western 
Asia  were  convulsed.    They  were  the  legiti- 
mate offspring  of  ignorance,  superstition,  and 
fanaticism   combined,  guided    by  the  ambi- 
tious designs  of  the  Church  of  Rome.    'J  Ik} 
deserve  no  notice  in  this  connection,  exceji!  -r 
far  as  their  influence  upon  Europe  and  the  t  hI 
of  the  world,  may  have  tended  to  prepar(  ilu 
way  for  the  Protestant  Reformation,  and  iilii 
mately  for  the  universal  diffusion  of  the  (ios 
pel.     They  broke  the  slumber  of  ages  like  ar 
earthquake  at  midnight.     They  roused   th( 
minds  of  Europe,  long  besotted  in  ignoraiir( 
and  barbarism  ;  and  thus  prepared  it  to  grast 
the  great  and  soul-stirring  truths  of  the  li* 
formation.    They  quickened  the  energies  o 
nations,  to  provide  for  vast  armies,  and  awakf  ii 
ed  their  enterprise  to  fit  out  fleets;  and  tlm 
navigation  received  a  new  impulse,  opeiiin; 
the  way  for   commerce,  which,  in  its   tmi 
opened  a  door  for  Christian  missions.    Its  e.^ 

Ill 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


323 


peditions  also  promoted  geographical  discov- 
eries, and  acquainted  the  mind  of  Christendom 
somewhat  with  the  extent  of  heathenism.  It  is 
I  thus  that  the  overruling  providence  of  God 
brings  good  out  of  evil,  and  order  out  of  confu- 
sion, and  makes  the  wildest  fanaticism  and  the 
most  horrible  scenes  of  war  and  bloodshed  con- 
tribute to  the  extension  of  his  kingdom.  For 
the  further  examination  of  this  subject  see 
Gibbon's  Decline  and  Fall,  ch.  lxi.  ;  Mosheim, 
Cent.  XI.  Part  I.  ch.  i. ;  Robertson's  Charles 
V. ;  Channing  on  Associations ;  Guizofs  His- 
toiij  of  Civilization,  sec.  8  ;  Encyclopedia  Brit- 
annica,  ArtCnisades  ;  Campbell's  Maritime  Dis- 
covery and  Christian  Missions. 

The  propagation  of  the  Gospel  was  success- 
fully continued  in  this  century,  chiefly  in  the 
'/  of  Europe.  Boleslaus,  duke  of  Poland, 
i  ig  taken  Stetin,  the  capital  of  Pomerania, 
by  storm,  and  laid  waste  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, compelled  the  vanquished  inhabitants  to 
submit  at  discretion,  and  imposed  upon  them, 
as  a  condition  of  peace,  their  reception  of 
Christianity.  The  conqueror  sent  Otho,  bishop 
of  Bamberg,  in  the  year  1124,  to  instruct  his 
new  subjects.  Many  of  them,  among  whom 
were  the  duke  and  duchess,  and  their  attend- 
ants, were  brought  over  ;  but  great  numbers  of 
the  idolatrous  Pomeranians,  as  might  have  been 
expected,  resisted  appeals  made  at  the  point 
of  the  sword,  and  adhered  to  the  superstitions 
of  their  ancestors.  In  a  second  visit,  in  the 
year  1126,  the  bishop  was  more  successful,  and 
the  prevailing  form  of  Christianity  was  estab- 
lished in  Pomerania. 

In  the  year  1168,  Waldemar,  king  of  Den- 
mark, who  was  foremost  among  the  northern 
princes  of  this  century,  by  his  zeal  in  the  pro- 
mgation  of  Christianity,  having  subdued  the 
sland  of  Rugen,  which  lies  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Pomerania,  obliged  its  rude  and  pira- 
tical inhabitants  to  listen  to  the  instructions 
of  the  missionaries  who  accompanied  his  army. 
Among  these  Absalom,  archbishop  of  Lunden, 
as  distinguished ;  and,  by  his  exertions, 
Christianity  was  introduced  into  this  island, 
which  had  hitherto  baffled  every  attempt. 

The  Finlanders,  whose  character  resembled 
that  of  the  inhabitants  of  Eugen,  and  who  in- 
fested Sweden  with  their  predatory  incursions, 
received  Christianity  in  a  similar  manner. 
Eric,  king  of  Sweden,  having  totally  defeated 
these  barbarians,  sent  Henry,  archbishop  of 
Upsal,  to  evangelize  them.  His  success  was 
so  great,  that  he  is  called  The  Apostle  of  the 
Finlanders ;  yet  he  was  at  length  assassinated 
by  some  of  these  refractory  people  on  account 
of  a  heavy  penance  which  he  had  imposed  on 
a  person  of  great  authority. 

In  Livonia,  the  labors  of  Mainard,  the  first 
missionary  who  attempted  the  conversion  of 
that  barbarous  people,  having  proved  unsuc- 
cessful, the  Roman  pontiff,  Urban  the  Third, 
who  had  consecrated  him  bishop  of  the  Livo- 
■     ''^j  declared  a  crusade  against  them,  which 


was  zealously  carried  on  by  that  ecclesiastic, 
and  by  his  successors,  Berthold  and  Albert. 
These  warlike  apostles,  at  the  head  of  great 
bodies  gf  troops  raised  in  Saxony,  successively 
entered  Livonia,  and  compelled  the  wretched 
inhabitants  to  receive  baptism. 

Centuky  XIII. — The  thirteenth  century  af- 
fords few  records  of  missionary  labor.  It  was 
however,  distinguished  by  the  institution  of 
the  Order  of  the  Franciscans,  or  of  friar  mis- 
sions, and  the  endeavors  of  James  I.  of  Arragon 
to  communicate  Christian  instruction  to  his 
Moorish  subjects  by  the  establishment  of  Arab- 
ic schools  and  the  translation  of  books  into  the 
Arabic  la^uage.  These  schools  were  chiefly 
at  MajorcoTand  Barcelona,  in  which  a  consid- 
erable number  of  youths  were  educated  for 
preachers ;  but  these  efforts  proving  ineffectual, 
he  listened  to  the  advice  of  the  Romish  Pon- 
tiff, Clement  IV.,  who  exhorted  him  to  drive 
the  Mohammedans  out  of  Spain  by  force,  in- 
stead of  missionary  efforts. 

Francis  of  Assisi,  the  founder  of  the  Fran- 
ciscans, undertook  a  mission  to  Palestine  him- 
self, and  sent  several  monks  of  his  order  as 
missionaries  into  Germany,  Greece,  France, 
England,  and  to  the  Moors  in  Spain.  Joha7ir 
nes  a  Monte  Corvine,  a  monk  of  this  order,  was 
sent  into  Tartary,  by  Pope  Nicholas  TV., 
resided  there  for  many  years,  and  translated 
the  Psalms  of  David,  and  the  New  Testament, 
into  the  Tartar  language. 

The  Dominicans  of  Spain  applied  themselves 
to  the  oriental  languages  and  rabbinical  liter- 
ature, and  were  employed  by  the  king  of  Spain 
in  the  instruction  of  the  numerous  Jews  and 
Saracens,  who  resided  in  his  dominions.  Both 
the  Franciscans  and  the  Dominicans  sent  out 
many  persons  as  missionaries  to  various  coun- 
tries ;  but  the  most  of  them  were  more  solici- 
tous to  make  proselytes  to  the  Romish  Church 
than  to  teach  their  converts  the  scriptural  way 
of  salvation. 

The  Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  in  this  cen- 
tury, were  distinguished  witnesses  for  the  truth 
— the  martyrs  of  the  age ;  and  though  com- 
pelled to  maintain  a  defensive,  rather  than  ag- 
gressive position,  yet  they  did  much  to  prepare 
the  way  for  the  reformation,  by  the  secret  dif- 
fusion of  the  Gospel  among  the  nominal  Chris- 
tians of  Europe.  But  the  records  of  their 
labors  are  scanty,  and  they  do  not  come  pro- 
perly under  the  denomination  of  missions  to 
the  heathen.  And  this  century  furnishes  little 
more,  in  the  way  of  missions  to  the  heathen, 
than  details  of  military  conquests,  by  which 
heathen  nations  were  compelled  to  yield  a 
nominal  conformity  to  the  Church  of  Rome. 

Century  XIV .—Wickliffe,  "the  Morning 
Star  of  the  Reformation,"  rendered  the  four- 
teenth century  a  remarkable  epoch  in  the  histo- 
ry of  the  Church,  by  the  intrepidity  and  success 
with  which  he  contended  against  the  errors 
and  the  corruptions  of  the  Church  of  Rome, 
and  by  his  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 


8M 


EARLY   CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


what  was,  at  that  time,  the  vernacular  tongue 
of  Knj^land.  thonjrh  now  utterly  obsolete.  The 
followers  of  Wickliffe,  generally  called  Lollards, 
among  whom  was  Sir  John  Oldcastjf,  other- 
wiso  called  Lord  Cobham,  were  anxious  to 
difliLse  as  extensively  as  possible,  the  doctrines 

?romulgated  by  their  learned  anti-papal  chief, 
'hey  expended  considerable  sums  in  collecting 
and  transcribing  (printing  not  having  been  in- 
vented,) and  dispersing  the  works  of  Wickliffe, 
and  in  maintaining  a  number  of  itinerant 
preachers,  who  preached  in  churchyards  and 
market-places,  particularly  in  the  dioceses  of 
Canterbury,  London,  Rochester,  and  Hereford. 
Bale  says  that  Lord  Cobham  caused  all  the 
M'orks  of  AVickliffe  to  be  copied  by  the  desire 
of  John  Huss,  and  to  be  sent  into  France,  Spain, 
Bohemia,  and  other  foreign  countries.  Queen 
Anne  of  Bohemia  favored  the  adherents  of 
Wickliffe;  possessing  and  constantly  reading 
the  Gospels  in  four  languages,  Bohemian,  Ger- 
man, Latin,  and  English.  Many  of  her  atten- 
dants imbibed  the  same  opinions,  and  on  their 
return  to  Bohemia,  after  her  decease  in  1394, 
carried  with  them  the  writings  of  Wickliffe 
and  his  disciples  ;  by  which  means  they  were 
widely  dispersed,  and  produced  a  powerful  antir 
papal  influence,  not  only  in  Bohemia,  but  also 
in  other  neighboring  states. 

Century  XV. — The  fifteenth  century  was 
rendered  remarkable  by  many  important 
events,  which,  though  not  strictly  missionary, 
yet,  in  their  influence,  have  in  some  cases  so 
greatly  forwarded,  and  in  others  so  greatly  re- 
tarded, the  progress  of  the  Gospel,  that  we 
may  just  glance  at  their  occurrence  and  char- 
acter. One  of  these  was  the  discover}^  of  Amer- 
ica by  Christopher  Columbtis,  in  1492,  and  the 
subsequent  landing  of  the  Portuguese  Ameri- 
cus  Vespwius,  in  Brazil ;  a  second  was  the  dis- 
covery of  the  passage  to  India  by  sea,  by  Va^co 
de  Gama,  in  1497  ;  and  another  was  the  ruin 
of  the  Greek  empire,  in  the  taking  of  Constan- 
tinople by  the  Turks,  in  1453.  By  the  first  of 
these  events,  an  immense  extent  of  country 
was  eventually  placed  under  the  control  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  princes  of  Spain  and  Portu- 
gal ;  and  hence  these  kingdoms  were  induced 
to  makp  extraordinary  and  ultimately  success- 
ful efforts,  to  introduce  and  establish  Popery, 
in  its  most  Fuperstitious  and  degrading  forms, 
throughout  the  continent  of  South  America, 
and  the  kingdom  of  Mexico.  By  the  discov- 
ery of  a  passage  to  India,  by  doubling  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the  intercourse  between 
England  and  the  East  Indies  was  greatly  facil- 
itated ;  the  previous  routes  having  been 
through  Egypt  and  Persia  ;  and,  by  the  over- 
throw of  the  Greek  empire,  many  learned  men 
fled  for  security  into  various  European  states, 
and,  by  the  diffusion  of  literature  and  science, 
prepared  the  way  for  the  Reformation  of  the 
following  century.  But,  probably,  no  occur- 
rence of  this  age  proved  of  greater  interest 
than  the  Invention  of  Printing,  by  Guttemberg 


and  his  associates  and  succeasors,  about  the 
middle  of  this  century  ;  the  slow  and  cvxj  ten- 
sive mode  of  transcription  being  the  only  way 
previously  known  of  multiplying  coj)i(  s  of 
books,  however  valuable.  But,  by  the  inven- 
tion of  this  most  useful  art,  and  the  im})rovc- 
ments  of  later  years,  copies  of  valuable  works 
can  be  rapidly  and  cheaply  multiplied  ;  and 
millions  of  persons  have  by  this  means  been 
furnished  with  the  Hol^  Scriptures,  who, 
otherwise,  must  have  remamed  destitute. 

The  military  expeditions  of  the  Papists  con- 
tinued during  this  century,  and  some  of  thorn, 
among  which  were  those  of  Don  Henry,  Duke 
of  Viseo,  (Portugal,)  and  Grand  Master  of 
the  Order  of  Christ,  were  productive  of  im- 
portant results,  in  the  way  of  maritime  discov- 
eries, &c. ;  but  the. events  of  this  century,  fjCa 
purely  missionary  character,  were  few  und 
comparatively  ineffectual.  In  the  East,  the 
Nestorian  Patriarch,  who  resided  in  Chuklca, 
sent  missionaries  into  Cathay  and  China,  who 
were  empowered  to  exercise  episcopal  author- 
ity over  the  Christian  assemblies,  which  lay 
concealed  in  the  remote  provinces  of  those 
great  empires,  affording  a  demonstrative  proof, 
that  notwithstanding  the  dreadful  persecutiona 
that  had  been  exercised  by  the  dominant  au- 
thorities against  the  Nestorian  Christians, 
there  were  still  some  churches  existing  in 
those  regions  of  darkness. 

There  were  also  individuals,  whose  c<tii>i;3- 
tency  of  conduct  and  zeal  for  the  disseniiiia- 
tion  of  Christianity  in  this  dark  age,  entitle 
them  to  our  notice  and  admiration.     Such,  foi 
instance,  were  the  two  brothers,  Vincent  and: 
Boniface  Ferrer,  Thomas  a  Kempis  and  Jolmi 
Wesselus.    Vincent  Ferrer  was  a  Spaniard  by 
birth  ;  at  his  own  earnest  request  he  was  ap  \ 
pointed  apostolical  missionary,  by  Pope  Bene 
diet  XIII.,  and  for  many  years  preached  witl, 
indefatigalsle  ardor  in  different  parts  of  Eu 
rope.     He  visited  Spain,  France,  the  Nether 
lands,  Germany,  and  at  the  request  of  Henri 
IV.,  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland.     'Yh 
usual  subjects  of  his  sermons  were  death,  'y\(!i%, 
ment,  and  eternity.  Milner  says,  that  "  thoug 
bred  in  the  midst  of  darkness,  and  connecte 
with  the  worst  of  ecclesiastical  characters, 
was  a  shining  model  of  piety."    He  died  i 
1419,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two.     Boniface  Fa 
rer,  the  brother  of  Vincent,  was  a  zealoi 
preacher  of  the  word  of  God,  and  having 
braced  the  monastic  life,  he  successively  roi 
to  high  oflBcial  situations,  and  died  prior  of  M 
Carthusian  monastery  of  Pontaleli,  in  Vale; 
cia,  in  1417,  after  having  translated  the  Scri> 
tares  into  the  Valencian  or  Catalonian  dialed 
of  Spain. — (See   McCkie's  History  of  the  B 
fcrrmation  in  Spain,  p.  191.)     Thomas  a  Keij 
pis,  whose  piety  has  received  a  perpetual  mo, 
ument  in  his     "  Christian's    Pattern,"    V'-, 
born  at  Chempis  or  Kempis,  in  ColognCj 
1380,  and  became  one  of  the  most  illustriqj 
members  of  the  society  of  the  "  Brethren  i 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


325 


the  Common  Life ;"  a  society  founded  by 
Gerard  de  Groot,  who,  having  retired  into  a 
monastery,  devoted  himself  to  prayer  and  the 
reformation  of  immoral  characters,  and  insti- 
tuted a  fraternity,  having  one  common  pro- 
perty, and  earning  their  livelihood  by  their 
pens.  Kempis  died  in  1471,  in  the  ninety-first 
year  of  his  age.  His  excellent  work,  "  The 
Christian's  Pattern,"  has  been  translated  into 
most  of  the  European  languages,  and  even 
into  Chinese.  A  beautiful  copy  of  the  Bible 
transcribed  by  him,  is  preserved  in  the  library 
of  the  regular  canons,  at  Cologne. — (Town- 
ley's  Illustrations  of  Biblical  Literatii/re,  Vol.  I. 
p.  328.)  John  de  Capistrano  may  be  added  as 
an  instance  of  the  activity  and  energy  of  the 
pious,  though  mistaken,  missionary  agents  of 
the  Romish  church.  He  was  a  Franciscan 
friar,  of  a  wealthy  Neapolitan  family,  and  was 
[sent  to  convert  the  Bohemians,  and  to  preach 
in  Saxony,  Misnia,  and  MoraA-ia,  and  is  said  to 
have  been  everywhere  received  with  banners, 
crosses,  and  processions,  like  a  sovereign  prince. 
He  is  said  to  have  preached  at  Erfurd  to  60,000 
persons,  the  men  being  arranged  on  one  side 
and  the  women  on  the  other.  When  ignorant 
of  the  language,  he  was  assisted  by  an  inter- 
preter, who  explained  what  he  delivered  to  the 
people.  His  sermons  were  accompanied  with 
violent  action,  so  that  he  is  said  to  have 
"  preached  with  his  hands  and  his  feet  as  well 
as  with  his  voice,"  which  corresponds  with  the 
accounts  given  of  him  by  an  English  historian, 
who  relates  that  "  he  itinerated  through  the 
cities  and  towns,  addressing  sermons  to  the 
people,  in  the  highways  and  market  places, 
against  the  enemies  of  the  Romish  Church. 
Ajnong  the  Germans  and  those  that  were  ig- 
aorant  of  the  Italian,  he  is  said  to  have  affect- 
id  the  minds  of  his  audience  in  a  wonderful 
nanner,  by  using  gesticulations  instead  of 
PTords."  —  (See  Turner's  Modern  History  of 
England,  Vol.  II.  p.  9.)  His  death  occurred 
3ctober  23, 1456,  being  seventy-one  years  of 
Lge. 

Century   XVI.  —  The  happy  reformation 
rom  Popery  illustriously  signalized  the  com- 
nencement  of  the  sixteenth  century  ;  the  year 
L517   being  regarded  as  its  commencement, 
vhen  Luther  first  publicly  opposed  the  monk 
Tetzel,  in  his  sale  of  papal  indulgences.    The 
idherents  of  the  Reformation  were  called  Fro- 
nds, from  their  protesting  against  an  intol- 
1   decree  of  the  Diet  of  Spires,  in  1529. 
Kv.^  ihe  Reformation  proceeded,  those  who  had 
[  imbraced  the  views  of  its  advocates  became 
ncreasingly  desirous  of  emancipating  the  in- 
habitants of  their  native  lands,  and  of  other 
idjacent  countries,  from  the  errors  of  the  Ro- 
nish  church.    This  object  they  pursued  with 
ndefatigable  zeal ;    and  in  order  to  accom- 
'"^1  it,  translations  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
■  made  into  the  vernacular  tongues,  and 

i^'viely   dispersed ;    while  plain  and    homely 
nymes,  embodying  the  opinions  of  the  re- 


formers, were  composed,  and  put  into  the 
hands  of  poor  people,  who  made  a  livelihood 
by  singing  them  through  the  country.  It  is 
related,  that  on  one  occasion  a  poor  man,  who 
had  received  the  printed  copies  of  some  of 
these  rhymes,  repaired  to  Wittemberg,  and,  in 
the  course  of  his  progress  through  the  town, 
sung  them  under  Luther's  windows.  The  at- 
tention of  Luther  was  caught  by  the  subject, 
and  when  on  inquiry  he  learned  the  name  of 
the  author,  he  is  said  to  have  burst  into  tears, 
and  rendered  thanks  to  God  for  making  such 
humble  expedients  conducive  to  the  propaga- 
tion of  truth.  In  pursuance  of  the  same  great 
object,  missionaries  were  sent  into  Roman  Ca- 
tholic States  to  preach  the  distinguishing  doc- 
trines of  the  Reformation,  especially  that  of 
justification  by  faith,  and  tracts,  often  denomi- 
nated libels,  or  little  books,  were  composed 
and  extensively  dispersed,  containing  defences 
of  the  Protestant  tenets,  detached  books  of 
Scripture,  or  exposures  of  Papal  errors  or 
practices. 

An  expedition  was  fitted  out  in  the  year 
1555,  by  Villegagnon,  a  knight  of  Malta,  un- 
der the  patronage  of  Henry  11,  of  France, 
with  the  view  to  establish  a  French  colony  in 
the  new  world.  The  approbation  of  the  mo- 
narch was  secured  by  the  medium  of  the  excel- 
lent Admiral  de  Coligny,  whose  favor  Villegag- 
non propitiated  by  the  secret  understanding 
that  the  projected  colony  should  protect  the 
reformed  religion.  Accordingly  Calvin,  the 
reformer  of  Geneva,  was  applied  to,  in  order 
to  obtain  ministers  to  embark  with  the  expe- 
dition. After  consultation  with  the  other 
pastors  of  Geneva,  he  sent  two,  Guillaume 
CJmrtier  and  Pierre  Richier,  who  were  after- 
wards joined  by  sevei-al  others.  Their  object 
was  at  once  to  labor  among  the  colonists,  and 
to  evangelize  the  heathen  aborigines.  This 
was  the  first  attempt  at  a  foreign  mission,  by 
the  Protestant  churches.  The  expedition 
reached  Fort  Coligny,  as  it  was  named,  on 
the  Rio  de  Janeiro,  in  Brazil,  in  March,  1556. 
On  their  arrival  the  Genevan  ministers  proceed- 
ed to  constitute  a  church,  according  to  the 
forms  and  rites  of  the  reformed  churches,  and 
celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper.  But  Villegag- 
non soon  betrayed  his  true  character,  and  after 
cruelly  maltreating  the  missionaries,  forced 
them  to  reembark^  and  return  to  France.  The 
next  attempt  to  send  the  Gospel  to  heathen 
countries  was  made  by  the  celebrated  re- 
former and  king  of  Sweden,  Gustavus  Vasa. 
About  the  year  1559,  a  missionary  was  sent 
by  that  monarch  to  Lapland.  The  natives 
were  at  the  same  time  commanded  to  congre- 
gate at  a  certain  season  of  the  year  to  pay 
their  tribute  and  receive  religious  instruction 
from  this  missionary. — (Baird's  Christian  Re- 
trospect, p.  296.) 

Internal  strifes  and  gainsayings,  hostilities 
from  without  fomented  by  Rome,  and  perplex- 
ities from  wathin,  exhausted  the  energies  of 


826 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


Christian  men  in  England,  during  the  reigns 
of  Klizabeth  and  Juuics  ;  and  for  150  years 
nothinj;  was  undertaken  for  propagating  the 
GoejK'l  in  other  lands.  A  scheme  to  rival  tlie 
Roman  propaganda  was  devised  by  Cromwell, 
but  never  realized.  Burnet  says  that  Crom- 
well resolved  to  set  up  a  council  for  the  Pro- 
testant religion,  in  opposition  to  the  congegra- 
tion  De  Propaganda  ride  at  Rome.  Ue  in- 
tended it  should  consist  of  several  counselloi-s, 
and  four  secretaries  for  different  provinces. 
These  were,  the  first — France,  Switzerland,  and 
the  valleys ;  the  Palatine  and  other  Calvin- 
ista  were  the  second ;  Germany,  the  North, 
and  Turkey  were  the  third  ;  and  the  East 
and  West  Indies  were  the  fourth.  The  secre- 
taries were  to  have  £500  salary  a-picce,  and  to 
keep  a  correspondence  everywhere,  to  know  the 
state  of  religion  all  over  the  world,  that  so  all 
good  designs  might  be,  by  their  means,  pro- 
tected and  assisted.  Stoupe  was  to  have  the 
first  provinces.  They  were  to  have  a  fund  of 
£10,000  a-ycar  at  their  disposal  for  ordinary 
emergencies,  but  to  be  farther  supplied  as 
occasion  should  require  it.  Chelsea  College 
was  to  be  made  up  for  them,  which  was  then 
an  old  decayed  building,  that  had  been  at  first 
raised  to  be  a  college  for  writers  of  contro- 
versy."— Burnet's  History  of  his  own  Times, 
Vol.  I.  p.  132.) 

(For  any  further  notices  of  Roman  Catho- 
lic missions,  see  "  Church  of  Rome,  Missions 
of.") 

Under  the  impression  of  duty,  and  that  of 
feeling  and  benevolence  towards  othei-s,  cre- 
ated by  the  enjoyment  of  experimental  Chris- 
tianity, many  of  the  laity  who  had  felt  the 
power  of  Divine  grace  in  their  own  hearts,  by 
the  preaching  of  the  doctrines  of  the  reforma- 
tion, became  exceedingly  anxious  that  others 
should  partake  of  their  happiness,  and  gladly 
seized  the  opportunities  presented  to  them  by 
mercantile  intercourse  to  disseminate  the 
truths  which  they  themselves  had  embraced. 
France,  Spain,  Italy,  and  other  countries  thus 
received  the  rays  of  Divine  light  for  a  season, 
though  partiafly  or  entirely  extinguished  by 
the  cruelties  and  industrious  efforts  of  the  in- 
quisitors of  those  ill-fated  regions.  Dr. 
McCrie,  speaking  of  the  eastern  part  of 
Spain,  says :  "  The  inhabitants  of  Beam 
were  generally  Protestants,  and  many  of  them 
crossing  the  Pyrenees  spread  themselves  over 
Arragon,  and  at  the  same  time  carrying  on 
trade,  found  the  opportunity  of  circulating 
their  religious  books  and  tenets  among  the 
people."— (McCrie's  Hist,  of  the  Reformation 
in  Spain,  p.  234.) 

The  Waldensian  pastors  (barbes)  who  were 
so  numerous  at  this  time,  that  140  were  present 
at  a  meeting  of  the  Synod,  were  not  neglect- 
ful of  opportunities  for  dis.seminating  the  truth. 
An  Italian  manuscript,  preserved  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Cambridge,  bearing  date  1587, 
states,  that  "  some  of  these  barbes  traveled 


into  distant  countries  to  preach  the  Gospel, 
and  to  visit  tlie  Waldensian  churches  establish- 
ed in  France,  Germany,  Eombardy,  CaUi))ria, 
&c.,  while  in  1535,  an  edition  of  the  French 
Bible  had  been  printed  at  Neufchatel,  by 
Robert  Olivetan,  a  native  Vaudois." — (Gilly'b 
Excursions,  ^c.  Appendix,  No.  XI.) 

Towards  the  cHose  of  this  century  missions 
were  sent  by  the  Swedish  Protestants  into  Lap- 
land, but  as  they  did  not  understand  the  Laj)- 
panesc  tongue,  an  interpreter  stood  under  the 
pulpit  and  explained  their  discourses  to  the 
people.  But  so  little  success  followed  this 
mode  of  preaching,  that  Gustavus  Adol])lius 
founded  schools  for  the  instruction  of  youth 
in  a  more  correct  knowledge  of  the  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel.  The  first  school  was  cstablislv 
ed  at  Pithen,  prior  to  the  year  1619,  and  com- 
mitted to  the  care  of  Nicholaus  Andra.'a,  the 
minister  of  the  place,  who  had  translated  the 
ritual,  and  dedicated  it  to  the  king.  Gustavus 
also  committed  to  the  same  person  the  trans- 
lation of  necessary  and  useful  books  into  the 
Laplandish  language;  the  Laplanders  being 
previously  altogether  ignorant  of  letters,  and 
without  a  book  in  their  own  language.  For 
the  further  encouragement  of  the  schools,  Gus- 
tavas  Adolphus  allowed  money  for  the  diet 
and  clothes  of  the  children  who  attended  them, 
besides  a  stipend  for  the  schoolmaster.  By 
these  schools  and  the  elementary  and  scrijjtu- 
ral  books  compiled  by  Nicholaus  Andra^a,  the 
youth  of  Lapland  were  so  greatly  benefited, 
that  some  of  them  became  students  at  the 
University  of  Upsal,  and  were  afterwards  en- 
trusted with  the  Christian  ministry. — (Schaf- 
fer's  History  of  Lapland,  p.  27.) 

The  Protestants  at  length  awoke  to  more 
active  efforts  for  the  extension  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  attempts  were  made  to  form  mission- 
ary societies.  Ernest,  a  zealous  Lutheran  and 
a  baron,  sought  to  form  a  society  for  a  Pro- 
testant mission,  but  a  variety  of  impediments 
disappointed  his  purposes,  so  that  no  effectual 
benefit  resulted  from  his  efforts.  The  learned 
Anthony  Walceus,  of  Leyden,  recommended  a 
seminary  to  be  founded  for  the  education  of 
young  men  of  known  piety,  prudence,  zeal,  and 
diligence,  to  be  employed  as  missionaries  espe- 
cially to  India.  This  object  he  propos(!d  tc 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company,  who  ajjpcai 
so  far  to  have  countenanced  the  plan  as  tc 
have  placed  several  persons  under  the  instr 
tions  of  Walaeus  himself,  about  the  year  16: 
A  brief  exposition  of  his  views  was  publisi 
in  the  third  volume  of  his  works,  printed  M 
1643,  under  the  title  of  ''  Necessitas  ac  Formi 
erigendi  Collegii  sen  Seminarii  Indici."  Th^ 
Dutch  East  India  Company,  indeed,  with 
praiseworthy  attention  to  the  religious  inte| 
rests  of  the  colonists  in  their  foreign  possefti 
sions,  supported  ministers  in  mo8^>  of  them? 
Millar,  in  his  "  Propagation  of  Christianity,*^, 
mentions  Ceylon,  Sumatra,  Java,  Amboynd 
Heresooia,   Isles  of  Banda,  Coast  of  CorGmaii' 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


327 


del,  Surat,    China,  Formosa,  Trywan,  Sincan 
and  Japan,  in  all  of  which  churches  had  been 
cr(!cted.      In  several   of  these    stations    the 
})icaching  of  the  Gospel  appears  to  have  been 
greatly  blessed.     In  Ceylon,  Harvard  [Narra- 
Ifrc,  ^c,  Introduction,  p.  69,)  states,  that  "un- 
ih-c  the  Dutch  government  there  were  in  the 
province  of  Jaffna  alone,  thirty-four  churches 
ui)propriated  to  the  use  of  the  Malabar  Ohris- 
tiiiiis,  attended  by  neai^y  63,000  auditors,  ex- 
•' isivc  of  more  than  2,000  baptized  slaves; 
!    the    government  schools   belonging    to 
in  included  upwards  of  16,000  native  child- 
i.  who  were  under  regular  tuition."     Since 
1 1  period  there  has  been  a  most  lamentable 
lect  of  religions  instruction  by  the  govern- 
ut  authority,  and  an  awful  relapse  of  ira- 
iiMise  numbers  into  idolatry,  who,  it  is  to  be 
feared,  were  more  swayed  by  political  motives 
than  by  a  love  of  the  Gospel. — (See  Art.  Cey- 
lon.)    The  zeal  of  the  British  Christians  was 
at  length  aroused,  and  more  active  measures 
were  adopted,  not  only  to  recover  the  nominal 
Christianity  which  had  been  lost,  but  to  dif- 
fuse true  religion  throughout  the  island. 

In  Formosa,  Mr.  Robert  Junius  of  Delft, 
who  had  been  sent  by  the  Senate  of  the  United 
Provinces  of  Holland,  as  a  missionary  to  the 
pagan  inhabitants,  was  eminently  successful. 
•He  is  said  to  have  baptized  5,900  converts, 
**■  on  professing  their  faith,  and  giving  proper 
answers  to  questions  propounded  out  of  the 
word  of  God,"  and  to  have  planted  twenty- 
three  churches,  besides  appointing  school- 
.masters,  by  whom  about  six  hundred  children 
were  taught  to  read  and  write.  He  is  said 
also  to  have  composed  certain  prayers,  collect- 
ed the  chief  articles  of  religion,  and  translated 
various  psalms  into  the  Formosan  language. 
Being  at  length  grown  infirm,  and  having  set 
pastors  over  various  congregations,  he  became 
desirous  of  seeing  his  aged  mother,  and  of  vis- 
itiijg  his  native  land ;  he  therefore  returned 
to  Holland,  and  was  succeeded  by  Daniel 
Gravius,  and  others.  The  Dutch  were  driven 
from  their  principal  fort  in  1659  or  1661,  and 
the  island  afterwards  became  subject  to  the 
Chinese.  In  the  American  provinces,  which 
were  taken  from  the  Portuguese  by  the  Dutch, 
under  command  of  Count  Maurice  of  Nassau, 
zealous  efforts  were  made  for  the  conversion  of 
the  natives  by  their  new  masters,  and  Avith 
much  success ;  but  the  recovery  of  these  terri- 
tories by  the  Portuguese,  in  the  year  1644,  ob- 
scured the  pleasing  prospect  that  was  begin- 
ning to  open  upon  them. 

Among  the  objects  contemplated  by  the 
planting  of  the  Plymouth  and  Massachusetts 
Colonies,  as  avowed  by  their  founders,  and  set 
forth  in  their  charter,  the  conversion  of  saVages 
to  Christianity  was  prominent.  Their  first 
purpose  was  to  provide  an  asylum,  where,  free 
from  the  restraints  imposed  by  the  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  policy  of  England,  the  Christian 
Church  might  be  organized  in  a  form,  as  they 


believed,  more  consonant  with  the  primitive 
model,  and  the  doctrines  of  Christianity,  as 
they  deduced  them  from  Scripture,  preached 
without  the  forced  admixture  of  dogmas  and 
rites  imposed  by  act  of  parliament.  Their 
second  was  to  make  the  aboriginal  races  par- 
ticipators of  these  blessings.  The  first  prompted 
a  jealous  resistance  to  the  introduction  of  any 
adverse  oj)inions  or  customs,  which  was  carried, 
in  some  instances,  to  excess.  The  second, 
though  its  execution  was  delayed  by  the  cares 
incident  to  a  new  plantation,  commenced  in 
circumstances  of  such  peculiar  hardship  as 
tried  the  endurance  of  the  pilgrims,  prompted 
very  early  action.  Individuals  made  some  ex- 
ertion to  recommend  the  Gospel  to  the  natives 
with  satisfactory,  though  limited  results  ;  and 
in  1636,  the  colony  of  Plymouth  enacted  a  law 
to  provide  for  preaching  among  the  Indians. 
A  similar  act  was  passed  in  1646,  by  the  legisla- 
ture of  Massachusetts.  By  these  movements,  a 
missionary  spirit  was  awakened  in  England.  A 
society  was  organized  for  the  propagation  of 
Christianity  in  North  America,  and  raised  a 
fund  yielding  £500,  which  was  applied  to  the 
circulation  of  the  Bible,  and  the  support  of  mis- 
sionaries. The  formation  of  the  Society  far 
Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  by  members 
of  the  Church  of  England,  in  1698,  is  as- 
cribed by  Bishop  Burnet,  to  a  spirit  of  emu- 
lation aroused  by  the  example  of  the  Non- 
conformists. [Early  Missionary  Enterprises,  by 
Smith,  p.  39.)  ' 

In  the  year  1620,  a  considerable  number  of 
Non-conformists  emigrated  to  America,  having 
obtained  a  patent  for  the  establishment  of  a 
colony  and  the  free  exercise  of  religion. 
These  were  followed  by  a  more  numerous  com- 
pany in  1629.  This  new  colony  received  the 
designation  of  New  England.  Rev.  John 
Eliot,  a  holy  and  zealous  young  minister, 
joined  the  emigrants  in  1632.  For  fifteen 
years  he  was  the  faithful  and  laborious  pastor 
of  a  congregation  at  Roxbury,  near  Boston. 
During  this  period  he  was  deeply  affected  by 
the  miserable  and  destitute  state  of  the  North 
American  Indians.  He  studied  their  difficult 
language,  and  occasionally  itinerated  and 
preached  among  them;  and  he  had  the  hap- 
piness of  seeing,  not  only  an  increase  of  civil- 
ization in  some  of  the  Indian  tribes,  but  also 
of  witnessing  the  influence  of  the  Gospel  upon 
the  hearts  of  some  of  the  people.  In  1646, 
he  devoted  himself  to  a  mission  among  the 
native  tribes,  having  accomplished  the  difficult 
task  of  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Mohegan  dialect.  Two  editions  of  this  ver- 
sion were  afterwads  printed ;  the  first  at  Cam- 
bridge, in  New  England,  in  1661-4,  in  quarto. 
Of  this  edition,  Dr.  Cotton  Mather  states  as 
two  curious  facts,  that  this  was  the  first  Bible 
ever  printed  in  America,  and  that  the  whole  of 
the  translation  was  written  with  one  pen.  The 
second  edition  was  published  in  1685,  in  quarto. 
Towards  this  impression  and  the  mission  geno 


328 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


rally,  the  lion.  Robert  Boyle  gave  £500. 
Eliot  was  afterwards  assisted  by  other  zealous 
and  able  inij«iouaries,  among  whom  John  Cot- 
ton and  the  Mayhews,  are  worthy  of  special 
notice.  The  former  possessed  such  skill  and 
dexterity  in  the  Indian  tongue,  as  to  have  the 
correction  and  emendation  of  the  second  edi- 
tion of  the  I3ible  committed  to  him.  1'he 
family  of  the  Mayhews  was  eminent  for  its 
missionary  spirit.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Mayhew 
was  an  excellent  evangelist  to  the  neighboring 
heathen.  In  a  few  years,  two  hundred  and 
eighty-two  Indians  renounced  their  false  gods, 
and  turned  to  the  Lord.  After  the  death  of 
this  excellent  man,  his  father,  the  governor  of 
Martha's  Vineyard,  felt  so  much  concern  for 
the  poor  Indians,  that,  seeing  no  probability 
of  a  regular  minister  to  succeed  his  son,  he 
applied  himself  with  great  diligence  to  the  at- 
tainment of  the  language,  and  then  preached 
to  them  with  acceptance  and  success.  He 
continued  to  labor  among  them  to  the  age  of 
ninety-three,  and  had  the  pleasure  of  a  pious 
grandson  associated  with  him. 

Hiacoomes,  who  afterward  became  a  preacher 
of  the  Gk)spel,  was  the  first  fruits  of  the  mis- 
sion. This  convert,  though  opposed  and  de- 
rided by  his  brethren,  manifested  so  much 
boldness  and  intrepidity  in  the  cause  of  Christ, 
that  many  were  Induced  to  renounce  their 
former  idolatrous  practices,  and  embrace  the 
Gospel.  In  1650,  such  was  the  anxiety  of  a 
considerable  part  of  the  Indians  to  hear  the 
word  of  life,  that  Mr.  Mayhew,  to  accommo- 
date them,  preached  weekly  at  dififerent  parts 
of  the  island.  About  this  time,  schools  were 
established  among  them.  In  1674,  there  were 
'  supposed  to  be  2  or  3,000  Indians  on  this  and 
a  neighboring  island,  of  whom,  1,500  were 
praying  Indians;  50  were  regular  church 
members. 

Soon  after  this,  the  number  of  Indians  be- 
gan to  decrease,  so  that,  in  1792,  the  whole 
number  amounted  only  to  about  440.  While 
the  Indians  were  fast  verging  toward  annihi- 
lation, the  zeal  of  the  Mayhew  family  in  bring- 
ing them  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  did  not 
abate.  Five  successive  generations  have  been 
indefatigable  laborers  on  this  and  the  neigh- 
boring islands. 

Century  XVIU. — ^The  eighteenth  century 
opened  by  the  institution  of  the  Society  for  tJie 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts, 
for  a  particular  account  of  which  see  the  arti- 
cle under  that  head.  The  Danish  mission  to 
India  was  undertaken  early  in  this  century,  in 
consequence  of  representations  to  the  king, 
Frederick  IV.,  by  one  of  his  chaplains.  Appli- 
cation having  been  made  to  the  professors  of 
divinity  at  Halle,  for  suitable  persons  to  en- 
gage in  such  a  mission,  Messrs.  Ziegenbalg  and 
Plutscho  were  recommended  and  appointed.  In 
1705  they  sailed  for  Tranquebar,  on  the  Coro- 
mandel  coast,  and  arrived  there  on  the  9  th  of 
July,  1706.     These  missionaries  were  followed 


by  three  others,  who  arrived  at  the  Capo  of 
Good  Hope  in  1709.  This  mission  was  early 
assisted  by  the  English  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Gospel,  which  sent  out  a  print- 
ing-press, with  the  requisite  apparatus  of  typo, 
&c.,  and  one  hundred  reams  of  paper,  accom- 
panied by  Mr.  Jonas  Finck,  a  native  of  Sile- 
sia, as  a  printer.  By  this  means  the  mission- 
aries were  enabled  to  print  a  number  of  books 
for  the  use  of  the  Malabar  school,  which  they 
had  commenced,  besides  various  tracts,  but 
especially  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
Tamil,  begun  by  B.  Zeigenbalg,  and  completed 
by  B.  Schuttze.  In  1714,  B.  Zeigenbalg  re- 
turned to  Europe  for  a  short  time,  and  on  that 
occasion  was  honored  with  an  audience  by  the 
king,  George  I.  who  took  much  interest  in  the 
success  of  the  mission.  He  was  also  patronized 
by  the  "  Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Chris- 
tian Knowledge."  The  king  and  the  Society 
encouraged  the  Oriental  missionary  to  proceed 
in  his  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Tamil  tongue,  which  they  designated  "  the 
grand  work  ;"  the  former  addressing  them  let- 
ters of  commendation  and  encouragement, 
signed  with  his  own  hand.  After  the  first 
missionary  Ziegenbalg  had  finished  his  course, 
he  was  followed  by  other  learned  and  pious 
men,  upwards  of  fifty  in  number  in  the  period 
of  a  hundred  years  —  among  whom  were 
Schultze,  Joenicke,  Gericke,  and  Swartz,  whose' 
ministry  has  been  continued  in  succession  for 
many  years ;  until  the  missions  became  ab- 
sorbed in  the  Indian  Missions  of  the  Church 
of  England. — {See  Buchanan's  Researches,  p. 
65  ;  and  Morkison's  Fatliers  and  Founders, 
Vol.  I.  p.  159.) 

In  1714,  the  King  of  Denmark  established 
the  Royal  College  of  Missions  at  Copenhagen, 
for  the  instruction  and  preparation  of  mission- 
aries. In  connection  with  this  college,  the 
celebrated  University  of  Halle,  in  Saxony,  may 
very  justly  be  noticed,  not  only  on  account  of 
its  general  objects,  but  more  especially  from 
its  having  provided  the  Danish  mission  with 
its  first  missionaries,  and  several  others,  pro- 
foundly learned  and  most  able  men.  This  ex- 
traordinary institution  was  begun  by  the  pious 
Dr.  Herman  Augustus  Francke,  as  an  orphan 
house,  erected  by  voluntary  donations,  and 
continued  increasing  in  other  departments  of 
an  important  nature  until  it  became  desci-v- 
ing  of  royal  patronage,  and  the  designation  of 
a  university.  Connected  with  the  institution 
are  an  oriental  and  theological  college,  for  the 
study  of  eastern  languages,  and  the  instruction 
of  missionary  candidates  ;  a  medical  school ; 
a  seminary  for  catechists  ;  and  an  extensive 
printing-oflBce,  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  print- 
ing and  circulating  the  Scriptures  in  different 
languages.  At  one  period  this  university  had 
more  than  3,000  students  from  different  parts  ^ 
of  Europe.  The  Canstein  and  Jewish  institu- 
tions are  also  intimately  associated  with  the 
other  benevolent  establishments  of  Halle.  The 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


329 


Canstein,  or  Bible  Institution,  was  established 
in  1710  by  Charles  Hildehrand,  Baron  de  Can- 
stein, for  the  purpose  of  printing  and  selling- 
Bibles  and  Testaments  at  a  moderate  price,  in 
order  to  secure  a  more  general  circulation  of 
the  Scriptures.  In  1805,  above  three  millions 
of  copies  of  the  entire  Bible  or  Testament  had 
been  distributed.  The  founder  of  the  Jewish 
Institution,  formed  professedly  for  the  conver- 
sion of  Jews  and  Mohammedans,  was  Dr. 
John  Henry  CaUinberg,  one  of  the  pupils  of 
Professor  Francke,  and  afterwards  Professor  of 
Divinity  in  the  University  of  Halle.  One  of 
his  most  eminent  coadjutors  was  Mr.  Stephen 
Schultz,  who  was  many  years  engaged  in  the 
East  in  missionary  labors,  and  returned  from 
Turkey  to  Halle  in  1756. 

In  reverting  to  the  Danish  missionaries,  it 
will  be  satisfactory  to  learn,  from  the  follow- 
ing questions,  propounded  to  their  mission- 
aries, that  their  instructions  were  Scriptural 
and  sound  :  "  Have  you  discovered  some  true 
working  of  grace  in  the  souls  of  the  catechu- 
mens ?  Are  you  sure  there  is  more  in  their 
conversion  than  a  bare  external  compliance 
with,  and  verbal  confession  of  the  Christian 
doctrine  ?  What  proofs  and  indications  have 
you  of  an  inward  work  of  grace  ? "  The 
venerable  Schwartz  was  one  of  the  missionaries 
sent  out  by  the  Danish  College,  though  after- 
ward supported  by  the  English  Society  for 
Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  which  has 
uniformly  aided  the  Danish  Missions,  by  the 
entire  or  partial  maintenance  of  many  of  its 
valuable  missionaries. 

The  Danish  mission  to  Greenland  was  com- 
menced in  1721,  by  Rev.  Hans  Egede.  This 
devoted  man  had  for  thirteen  years  felt  a  desire 
to  convey  the  Gospel  to  that  inhospitable 
country,  and  made  repeated  but  ineffectual  at- 
tempts to  carry  it  into  execution.  At  length 
he  succeeded  in  raising  a  subscription  of  8,000 
rix  dollars,  and  purchased  a  ship  to  convey 
himself  and  several  settlers,  who  proposed  to 
winter  in  Greenland.  The  king  sanctioned 
and  aided  the  enterprise,  and  settled  upon 
Mr.  Egede  a  salary  of  $300  a  year.  On 
their  arrival  they  proceeded  to  erect  a  habita- 
tion, much  to  the  displeasure  of  the  natives, 
who  called  on  their  conjurors  to  destroy  them. 
Mr.  Egede  attempted  to  convey  to  the  people 
a  knowledge  of  the  most  important  facts  of 
revealed  religion  by  pictures,  but  the  following 
year  he  gained  some  familiarity  with  the  lan- 
guage, and  was  able  to  undertake  oral  instruc- 
tion. The  arrival  of  a  colleague  in  the  suc- 
ceeding year,  strengthened  his  hands,  but 
though  the  people  listened  attentively  to  what 
was  told  them,  they  showed  no  personal  inter- 
est in  his  preaching.  Some  of  them,  indeed, 
seemed  pleased  with  the  doctrine  of  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  but  the  impression  pro- 
duced was  faint,  and  their  curiosity  soon  satis- 
fied. In  1728,  the  King  of  Denmark  resolved 
on  prosecuting  the  work  with  increased  ener- 


gy, s^  a  large  colony,  with  additional  mis- 
sionaries, was  sent  out,  and  established  a  new 
settlement  200  miles  northward  of  Good  Hope, 
the  station  founded  by  Mr.  Egede.  But  the 
severity  of  the  winter  and  the  ravages  of  a 
malignant  disease  made  them  discontented, 
and  the  accession  of  Christian  YI.  to  the  Dan- 
ish throne  put  an  end  to  the  enterprise.  The 
colonists  were  ordered  home ;  Mr.  Egede's 
salary  was  stopped ;  and  he  was  offered  the 
alternative  of  returning  with  the  rest,  or  re- 
maining on  his  own  responsibility,  with  such 
persons  as  he  could  induce  to  stay  with  him. 
He  obtained  a  supply  of  provisions  for  one 
year,  and  ten  men  to  remain  during  the  win- 
ter, and  with  a  heavy  heart  bade  adieu  to 
his  two  colleagues,  who  returned  with  the 
colony.  A  vessel  arrived  the  next  year  with 
provisions,  and  having  a  valuable  return 
cargo,  the  king  was  encouraged  to  renew  the 
trade,  and  made  a  generous  donation  to  the 
mission.  This  intelligence  gave  fresh  strength 
to  the  lonely  missionary,  but  his  faith  was 
doomed  to  a  severer  trial.  A  young  Green- 
lander  who  had  visited  Denmark  came  back, 
and  shortly  after  died  of  a  disease  that  proved 
to  be  the  small-pox.  The  contagion  spread 
rapidly,  and  raged  for  twelve  months  with  such 
fatal  effect,  that  for  thirty  leagues  north  of 
the  settlement,  the  country  was  almost  wholly 
depopulated.  Such  was  the  alarm  and  con- 
sternation of  the  natives  at  this  visitation, 
that  many  committed  suicide.  Mr.  Egede,  in 
conjunction  with  the  Moravian  missionaries, 
who  had  recently  arrived  in  the  country,  did 
all  that  untiring  benevolence  could  do  to  alle- 
viate the  physical  sufferings  and  comfort  the 
hearts  of  the  unhappy  Greenlanders ;  they 
were  much  affected  by  their  kindness,  and 
manifested  the  liveliest  gratitude.  The  mis- 
sion was  reinforced  in  1734,  by  the  arrival  of 
three  assistants,  one  of  them  a  son  of  Mr. 
Egede.  The  venerable  pioneer,  regarding  the 
number  as  wholly  inadequate,  returned  to  Den- 
mark. His  representations  led  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  several  new  colonies,  and  the  send- 
ing of  additional  missionaries.  But  the  effi- 
ciency and  interest  of  the  Danish  mission 
shortly  declined.  It  had  not  been  wholly  in 
vain,  but  its  fruits  were  scanty,  and  the  chief 
agency  in  imparting  Christianity  to  Greenland 
was  now  manifestly  committed  to  the  United 
Brethren,  or  Moravians. — [Hist.  View  of  Earlier 
Missions,  by  L.  E.  Smith,  p.  31.) 

While  attending  the  coronation  of  Christian 
VL,  king  of  Denmark,  at  Copenhagen,  in  1731, 
Count  Zinzendorf  was  brought  into  intercourse 
with  two  Greenlanders,  who  had  been  baptized 
by  Hans  Egede,  and  from  them  he  learned 
with  regret  that  the  Danish  government  had 
determined  on  abandoning  their  mission  to 
that  forlorn  race.  On  the  same  occasion  he 
met  with  a  West  Indian  negro,  of  the  name  of 
Anthony,  who  told  him  that  while  in  the  island 
of  St.  Thomas,  when  sitting  alone  on  the  sea- 


830 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


4 


Bhorc,  lie  had  frequently  and  carncstly^glied 
for  a  revelation  from  heaven.  IJy  a  renuirka- 
blo  providence  of  God  he  had  been  brought  to 
Copeuhajjen,  where  he  had  received  instruction 
in  Christianity,  and  was  baptized.  Having 
enlarged  in  a  touching  manner,  on  the  deplor- 
able state  of  the  negro  slaves  of  St.  Thomas, 
and  referred  with  anguish  of  heart  to  the  mis- 
eries endured  by  a  beloved  sister,  who,  like 
himself,  had  sighed  for  the  light  of  truth  ;  he 
added  that  if  God  were  to  send  teachers  to  in- 
struct the  negroes  in  the  way  of  salvation,  he 
had  no  doubt  that  his  sister,  and  many  others 
similarly  affected,  would  gladly  embrace  Chris- 
tianity. 

These  accounts  of,  the  poor  Greenlanders, 
and  of  the  West  Indian  slaves,  greatly  affected 
the  benevolent  mind  of  Zinzendorf,  and  on  his 
return  to  Herrnhut  in  July,  he  communicated 
his  impressions  to  the  congregation.  So  pow- 
erful was  the  effect  of  his  narrative  that  several 
of  the  brethren  immediatelv  offered  themselves 
for  missionary  service  to  the  West  Indies  and 
Greenland. 

This  extraordinary  band  of  Christian  disci- 
ples, the  feeble  remnant  of  a  once  numerous 
body,  that  for  a  century  and  a  half,  against 
powerful  enemies,  maintained  the  doctrines  of 
revealed  truth  in  Bohemia  and  Poland,  found 
a  refuge  from  persecution  on  the  estate  of 
Count  Zinzendorf,  at  Bethelsdorp,  in  Upper 
Lusatia.  Thousands  had  been  driven  into 
banishment,  and  in  their  scattered  condition, 
they  and  their  descendants  had  either  been 
absorbed  into  other  communions,  or  had  lost  in 
a  great  measure  the  power  of  that  faith  which 
had  been  sealed  with  the  blood  of  so  many 
martyrs  and  confessors. 

It  is  now,  (October,  1854,)  122  years  since 
the  Moravians  entered  the  great  field  of  mis- 
sionary enterprise  ;  and  though  their  congre- 
gation at  the  time  they  commenced  their  efforts 
in  1732  consisted  of  little  more  than  six  hun- 
dred persons,  most  of  them  poor  and  despised 
exiles,  such  was  their  zeal  and  disinterestedness 
in  their  Master's  service,  that  in  less  than  nine 
years  after,  they  had  sent  missionaries  to  Green- 
land, to  St.  Thomas,  to  St.  Croix,  to  Sxirinam, 
and  to  Berhice,  to  tlie  North  American  Indians, 
to  the  negroes  of  Smth  Carolina,  to  Lapland, 
to  Tartary,  to  Guiana,  to  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  to  the  island  of  Ceylon.  The  success- 
es that  crowned  these  enterprises,  thus  so  hum- 
bly begun,  will  be  found  narrated  in  their  pro- 
per places  in  this  work. 

The  mission  at  Stockbridge  among  the  Mohe- 
can  Indians,  was  commenced  in  1734  by  the 
Rev.  John  Sergeant,  then  tutor  in  Yale  College, 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Mr.  Woodhridge, 
at  whose  death  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards  took 
charge  of  the  mission  for  six  years. 

In  1735  John  Wesley  arrived  in  Georgia,  to 
instruct  the  Indians  of  that  state,  where  he 
remained  till  1738.  The  founder  of  Methodism 
thus  began  his  career  as  a  foreign  missionary. 


In  1743  the  devoted  David  Brainard  began 
his  labors  among  the  Indians  under  the  pair 
ronage  of  the  Scottish  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  and  after  four  years  of 
successful  labor  he  expired  in  the  home  of 
President  Edwards,  in  Northampton,  on  the 
ninth  of  October,  1747.  The  record  of  his 
life  by  Edwards,  held  up  his  career  to  the  ad- 
miration of  the  Christian  world ;  and  it  ig 
interesting  to  note  that  the  missionary  devotion 
of  William  Carey  and  Henry  Martyn,  was 
nourished,  if  not  kindled,  by  the  contemplatioD 
of  his  brief  but  triumphant  course,  A  com- 
plete view  of  Indian  missions  in  North  Amer- 
ica would  not  fail  to  include  at  least  a  passing 
notice  of  Dr.  WheelocJc's  Seminary  for  the  edu- 
cation of  Indians  and  missionaries,  founded  in 
1748,  at  Lebanon,  Ct,,  and  afterwards  removed 
to  Hanover,  N.  H. ;  of  the  life  and  usefulness 
of  Rev.  Samson  Gaum,  distinguished  as  an 
effective  Indian  preacher ;  of  the  forty  years' 
ministry  of  Kirkland  among  the  Indians  of 
New  York ;  of  the  labors  and  sufferings  of 
the  Moravians ;  and  of  others  who  did  their 
part  toward  the  rescue  of  the  aboriginal  tribes 
from  the  fate  which  uniformly  overtakes  sav- 
ages when  brought  into  conflict  with  civiliza- 
tion, unless  it  is  arrested  by  the  conservative 
force  *of  Christianity.  The  proper  effect  of 
these  benevolent  efforts  was  greatly  impaired 
by  the  vices  and  rapacity  of  the  European  set- 
tlers, and  by  the  wars  in  which  European  pol- 
icy involved  the  colonies.  But  that  any  rem- 
nants of  the  once  powerful  tribes  formerly 
inhabiting  the  country  east  of  the  Alleghanies 
have  been  preserved,  is  to  be  attributed  to  the 
elevating  influences  of  Christianity,  imparted 
by  those  devoted  men  whose  labors  have  been 
reviewed,  sustained  by  active  charity  in  Europe 
and  America. — (Smith,  p.  47  ;  Prince's  Chris- 
tian History,  and  Brainard' s  Life,  p.  47.) 

The  ardent  zeal  of  Wesley  and  Whitefield  and 
their  associates,  now  began  to  develop  itself. 
Their  plans  of  Qjperation  both  in  England  and 
America,  were  practically  missionary;  and 
contributed  in  a  high  degree  to  restore  the 
spirit  of  an  evangelical  Christianity.  To  this 
fact  the  grateful  testimony  of  Christians  of 
various  denominations  has  been  willingly  ren- 
dered, and  in  the  energetic  words  of  Mr.  Doug- 
lass of  Cavers,  we  may  remark  :  "  The  Wcslcy- 
ans,  after  Christianizing  the  abandoned  'i  - 
tricts  of  England,  and  encountering  the  i  ;tuf; 
of  their  own  savage  countrymen,  often  backed 
by  their  ow^n  civil  or  religious  guides — the 
neighboring  magistrate  or  clergyman — Lave 
carried  the  same  zeal,  dexterity  and  success  to 
the  slaves  of  the  West  Indies,  more  docile  than 
their  masters ;  and  to  the  savages  of  the  re-  ■ 
motest  countries  and  islands,  less  infuriated  • 
and  dangerous  than  the  rude  agricultural  pop-  ;> 
ulation  of  England." — [Encyclopedia  Bntavr 
nica.  Article  ''Religious  Missicns."  Vol.  XIX., 
Part  I.)  No  doubt  these  labors  for  the  revi- 
val of  pure  religion  tended  to  evoke  that  spirit 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


331 


of  devotion  from  wliicli  the  missionary  zeal  of 
the  churches  bodied  itself  forth  in  the  organi- 
i^ations  which  characterized  the  close  of  the 
.ii^hteenth  and  the  commencement  of  the  niue- 
>'uth  century. 
In  1750,  the  Rev.  Christian  Frederick  Swartz 
arrived  at  Tranquehar,  and  entered  upon  those 
apostolic  labors  which  have  linked  his  name 
"  iperishably  with  the  establishment' and  pro- 
ves of  Christianity  in  India.  He  had  gained 
iio  knowledge  of  the  Tamil  while  at  the 
iversity,  to  aid  in  examining  the  proofs  of  a 
■sion  of  the  Scriptures  in  that  language,  an 
Ident  which  is  supposed  to  have  suggested 
him  the  design  of  devoting  himself  to  mis- 
nary  life.  On  his  arrival  he  pursued  his 
I  (lies  with  such  ardor  and  success,  that  in 
r  months  he  commenced  preaching.  His 
lors  were  indefatigable,  in  public  and  in 
|,iivate,  in  Tranquebar,  Trichinopoly,  Tanjore, 
and  throughout  the  Carnatic,  for  the  space  of 
fifty  years.  His  purity,  sincerity,  and  disinter- 
estedness won  the  confidence  of  all  classes,  and 
those  even  who  rejected  his  doctrine  gave  him 
the  tribute  of  their  unaffected  veneration.  In 
the  distracting  wars  that  marked  that  portion 
of  the  history  of  British  India,  his  active  be- 
nevolence was  exerted  to  relieve  misery  which 
he  could  not  prevent,  and  more  than  once  he 
was  sent  to  negotiate  treaties,  as  the  only  Eu- 
ropean who  could  be  trusted  by  the  natives. 
When  a  garrison  was  threatened  with  famine, 
and  the  people  could  not  be  induced  to  furnish 
provisions,  through  fear  that  the  supplies  would 
be  seized  without  compensation,  they  accepted 
the  security  of  the  venerated  missionary  for 
the  whole  amount  needed.  He  rendered  im- 
portant services  both  to  the  British  and  to  the 
native  princes,  yet  scrupulously  avoided  receiv- 
ing any  gifts  or  emoluments  that  might  taint 
him  with  the  suspicion  of  mercenary  motives, 
and  sedulously  guarded  himself  from  being  in- 
volved in  any  transactions  that  might  impair 
his  influence  as  a  Christian  and  a  preacher  of 
the  Gospel.  "With  all  the  Inimility  of  a  child 
and  the  wisdom  of  mature  experience,  the  harm- 
lessness  of  the  dove  and  the  wisdom  of  the  ser- 
pent, he  was  enabled  to  testify  to  the  truth  in 
every  place  and  among  all  grades  of  society. 
At  his  death  he  was  mourned  as  a  father,  and 
the  Rajah  of  Tanjore  erected  a  monument  to 
his  memory,  with  an  inscription  which  is  re- 
markable as  the  only  specimen  of  English 
verse  attempted  by  an  Indian  prince.  Swartz 
had  in  his  life  time  acquired  considerable  pro- 
perty, through  the  kindness  of  the  English 
government  and  the  native  princes.  When 
he  was  dying,  he  said :  "  Let  the  cause  of 
Christ  be  my  heir."  When  his  colleague,  the 
pious  Gericke,  was  departing,  he  also  bequeath- 
ed his  property  to  the  mission.  And  afterwards, 
another  of  the  missionaries,  Mr.  Kohloff  gave, 
from  his  private  funds,  upwards  of  a  thousand 
pagodas  a  year. — (See  Greenfield's  Sketches  of 
the  Danish  Mission,  p.  145.)     At  the  death  of 


Swartz  the  native  Christians  connectea  with 
the  mission  were  counted  by  thousands.  The 
fruit  of  his  toils  was  gathered  rapidly  by  his 
successors.  Bishop  Heber,  writing  in  1826, 
says,  "  There  are  in  the  south  of  India  about 
200  Protestant  congregations ; "  and  he  esti- 
mated their  number  at  about  15,000.  Many 
were  undoubtedly  merely  nominal  Christians, 
as  the  Lutheran  missionaries  were  much  less 
exacting  in  the  qualifications  they  demanded 
for  admission  to  the  sacraments,  than  later 
missionaries  have  been ;  yet,  considering  the 
purity  of  their  preaching  and  the  devout  spirit 
in  which  their  labors  were  conducted,  a  large 
measure  of  piety  must  have  been  the  result. 
These  missions  have  since  come  under  the  pat- 
ronage of  the  London  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  and  the  superintendence  of 
the  Anglican  Bishop  of  Calcutta.—  (Smith,  p. 
31.) 

In  1769,  the  English  Wesleyan  Methodius 
began  to  send  forth  their  missionaries.  Eleven 
were  commissioned  for  America,  whose  labors 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  They  next  sent  missionaries  to  the 
West  Indies,  and  to  the  East  Indies  ;  but  their 
missionary  operations  were  not  regularly  organ- 
ized until  1816. 

We  now  approach  the  commencement  of 
that  period  which  has,  by  way  of  preeminence, 
been  designated  the  Missionary  Age,  when 
the  various  churches  of  Christ  began  to  wake 
up  to  life  and  activity  on  behalf  of  the  heathen 
world ;  and  the  isolated  efibrts  of  individuals 
and  churches  were  succeeded  by  the  great  or- 
ganized agencies  of  the  present  day ;  a  list  of 
which,  with  the  time  of  their  organization,  we 
give  in  the  following  table.  For  a  more  par- 
ticular history  of  the  origin  and  progress  of 
these  societies  and  their  operations,  the  reader 
is  referred  to  other  parts  of  this  work.  All 
the  more  prominent  societies  are  noticed  under 
their  respective  names,  in  their  places  in  the 
alphabet  :— 

Great  Britain. 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,  1701. 

Baptist  Missionary  Society,  1792. 

London  Missionary  Society,  1795. 

Scottish  Missionary  Society,  1796. 

Glasgow  Missionary  Society,  1796. 

Church  Missionary  Society,  1800. 

General  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  1816. 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,  1817. 

Methodist  New  Connection  Missionary  Soci- 
ety, 1819. 

Foreign  Mission  Scheme  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland,  1824. 

Primitive  Methodist  Missionary  Society,  1830. 

Foreign  Mission  Scheme  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Ireland,  1840. 

Welsh  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  1842. 

Lew-chew  Naval  Mission,  1843. 


332 


EARLY  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONS. 


Foroipn  Mission  Scheme  of  tlie  Free  Church 

.■••-^ '•••>.1,1843, 

A  1  iof  Pi-esbyteriaa  Churcli  of  Scot- 

Forei{,ni  Mission  Scheme  of  the  Presbyterian 
Ciuirch  in  England,  1844. 

Board  of  Missions  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Synod,  united  in  1847. 

Borneo  Church  Mission,  1846. 

Chinese  Society  for  Furthering  the  Promulga- 
tion of  the  Gospel  in  China,  and  the  Adja- 
cent Countries,  1850. 

London  Society  for  Promoting  Christianity 
among  the  Jews,  1808. 

British  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  among  the  Jews,  1841. 

Germany. 

Missions  of  the  United  Brethren,  1732. 

Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Evangelical  Mis- 
sions among  the  Heathen,  at  Berlin,  1824. 

Rhenish  Missionary  Society,  1828. 

North  German  Missionary  Society,  1836. 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Missionary  Society,  at 
Leipsic  (formerly  at  Dresden,)  1836. 

Evangelical  Union  for  the  Spread  of  Christi- 
anity among  the  Heathen,  (Gossner's)  1836. 

Berlin  Missionary  Union  for  China,  1850. 

Society  for  the  Promotion  of  Christianity 
among  the  Jews  at  Berlin,  1822. 

Union  of  the  Friends  of  Israel  in  Bremcrlehe 
and  Vicinity,  1839. 

Rhenish-Westphalia  Union  for  Israel,  1843. 

Hamburg- Altona  Union  for  Israel,  1844. 

Evangelical  Union  of  the  Friends  of  Israel  in 
Hesse  Cassel,  1845. 

Union  of  the  Friends  of  Israel  in  Hesse  Darm- 
stadt, 1845. 

Holland. 

Netherlands  Missionary  Society,  1797. 

Netherlands  Union  for  cooperating  in  the 
Spread  of  Christianity  among  the  Jews. 

United  States. 

American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions,  1810. 

American  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  1814. 

Methodist  Missionary  Society,  1819. 

Free-will  Baptist  li'oreign  Mission  Society, 
1833. 

Board  of  Missions  of  the  Protestant  Episco- 
pal Church,  1835. 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  1837. 

Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  1837. 

Seventh-day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  1842. 

American  Indian  Mission  Association,  1842. 

Baptist  Free  Mission  Society,  1843. 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Associate 
Reformed  Presbyteri&n  Church,  1844. 

Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention,  1845. 

Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  South,  1845. 


American  Missionary  Association,  1846. 
American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union,  1849. 
American  Society  for  Meliorating  the  Condi- 
tion of  the  Jews,  1823. 

Switzerland. 

Evangelical  Missionary  Society  at  Basle,  1816* 
Society  of  the  Friends  of  Israel,  at  Basle. 

France. 

Paris  Society  of  Evangelical  Missions,  1822. 
Union  of  the  Friends  of  Israel  at  Strassburg. 

Sweden. 
Swedish  Missionary  Society,  1835. 
Missionary  Society  at  Lund,  1846. 

Norway. 
Norwegian  Missionary  Society,  1842. 

British  Aj^ierica. 
Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Synod  .>f  the 

Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova  Scotia. 

As  an  approximation  to  an  estimate  of 
what  this  missionary  Christianity  has  done  for 
the  world  during  the  eighteen  centuries  wo 
have  sketched,  in  establishing  the  institutions 
of  the  Gospel,  and  bringing  men  into  that  re- 
lation to  its  agencies,  from  which  their  enlight- 
enment and  salvation  may  spring, — we  shall 
here  insert  a  quotation  from  a  writer  of  ac- 
knowledged ability.  Mr.  Turner,  in  his  "  H  is- 
tory  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,"  gives  the  following 
tabular  statement, "  as  a  conjectural,  but  prob- 
able, representation  of  the  progressive  increase 
of  the  number  of  Christians  in  the  world  :" 

10th  Cent.  50,000,000 


1st  Cent. 

2nd 

» 

3rd 

)) 

4th 

5th 

» 

6th 

» 

7th 

j> 

8th 

» 

9th 

» 

500,000 

2,000,000     11th     „       70,000,000 

5,000,000     12th     „      80,000,000 

10,000,000     15th     „       75,000,000 

15,000,000     14th     „      80,000,000 

20,000,000     15th     „    100,000,000 

25,000,000     16th     „     125,000,000 

30,000,000     17th     „    155,000,000 

40,000,000     18th     „     200,000,000. 

— (Ferussac.  Bull,  Univers.  Geog.  p.  4,  Jan. 

1827.) 

"  But  I  think,"  he  adds,  "  in  this  nincteent 
century,  the  real  number  of  the  Christian  po- 
pulation of  the  world  is  nearer  to  three  hunr 
dred  millions,  and  is  visibly  much  increasing, 
from  the  missionary  spirit  and  exertions  which 
are  now  distinguishing  the  chief  Protestant; 
nations  in  the  world." — (Vol.  HI.  p.  484,  notOj 
6th  edition.) 

We  have  thus  endeavored  to  trace  the  con?^' 
necting  links  in  that  chain  of  Christian  labo 
which  unites  the  missionary  exertions  of  t 
Apostolic  Church,  down  through  the  evangeli-ifl 
cal  eflforts  of  subsequent  centuries,  to  the  com-/^ 
mencement  of  its  present  glorious  development'  ' 
in  our  own  day ;  and  have  at  the  same  time 
glanced  at  the  workings  of  that  all-wise  and 
gracious  Providence,  which  in  every  age  haa 
been  operating,  not  only  in  the  religions,  but  i 
also  in  the  politics,  the  arts,  the  sciences,  and  I 


EGYPT. 


338 


the  literature  of  our  race,  to  prepare  the  world 
for  the  full  millennial  glory  of  the  latter  days. 
— Condensed  from  an  original  atiicle  prepared 
by  Rev.  W.  Butler. 

EAST  CAPE  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New  Zealand,  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  Waiapu,  through  the  centre 
of  which  runs  the  river  of  that  name. 

EBENEZER  :  A  station  and  a  colony  of 
the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society  in  South 
^  ^'rica,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Elephant  river. 

;  :BENEZER  chapel  :  a  station  of  the 
L.  11  don  Missionary  Society  in  Demerara,  W.  I. 

EDINA :  A  settlement  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Mechlin  river,  in  Western  Africa,  formerly 
a  station  of  the  American  Baptist  mission. 

EGYPT  is  so  well  known,  and  the  descrip- 
tions of  travelers  are  so  generally  accessible, 
that  it  is  not  necessary  to  the  purposes  of  this 
work,  to  say  much  of  its  geography,  topogra- 
phy, or  history.  It  is  bounded  on  the  east  by 
the  Isthmus  of  Suez  and  the  Red  Sea,  south 
by  Nubia,  west  by  Lybia,  and  north  by  the 
Mediterranean  Sea,  being  about  500  miles '  in 
length,  and  some  parts  of  it  250  in  breadth. 
The  principal  parts  of  the  country  are  the 
Delta,  or  lower  part  of  Egypt,  and  the  narrow 
valley  of  the  Nile  in  the  higher  parts,  which 
is  bounded  on  both  sides  by  high  hills  and 
abrupt  banks.  The  mountains  on  the  east  of 
the  Nile  extend  to  the  Arabian  Gulf,  and  are 
only  inhabited  by  Bedouins.  The  principal 
towns  and  villages  are  on  the  eastern  side  of 
the  Nile.  The  whole  area  of  arable  soil  has 
been  estimated  at  from  10,000  to  16,000 
square  miles,  or  equal  to  nearly  half  the  sur- 
face of  Ireland. 

This  country,  once  the  cradle  of  the  arts  and 
sciences,  has  been  for  centuries  trodden  be- 
neath the  iron  hoof  of  Moslem  and  Turkish 
de^otism.  It  is  now,  however,  in  a  kind  ot 
transition  state,  in  which  the  feelings,  opinions, 
and  habits  of  the  people  are  undergoing  a 
great  and  rapid  change.  Fanaticism  is  every 
day  becoming  less  powerful  in  Egypt ;  and 
the  ancient  Asiatic  manners  and  customs  arc 
fast  giving  way  to,  the  European. 

The  political  revolutions  to  which  Egypt  has 
been  subject  from  time  immemorial,  have 
given  its  population  a  mixed  character.  The 
following  estimate  of  the.  different  races  of  its 
present  population,  made  by  Mr.  Lane,  is,  we 
believe,  the  most  recent : 


Arab  Egyptians    . 

.    1,750.000 

Christian  Egyptians  (Copts) 

150,000 

Turks 

10,000 

Syrians 

5000 

Greeks           .... 

5000 

Armenians        .        .        .         . 

.    ■    2000 

Jews             .... 

5000 

1,927,000 

Eg}T)t  presents  great  facilities  for  the  intro- 
duction of  the  Gospel  into  the  north-eastern  por- 


tions of  Africa.  Independent  of  the  Chris- 
tians, who,  though  ignorant  and  degraded,  still 
keep  alive  the  name  and  profession  of  Chris- 
tianity, there  is  a  perpetual  concourse  of 
strangers  from  all  parts  of  the  interior.  Cara- 
vans from  Sennaar,  Darfur,  and  Timbuctoo, 
are,  at  the  proper  seasons,  in  constant  ac- 
tivity. 

jnssiONS. 

Church  Missionary  Society. — Several  Ger- 
man missionaries,  with  their  wives,  sent  out  by 
this  society,  arrived  at  Alexandria,  Sept.  6, 
1826,  and  employed  themselves,  at  first,  in  the 
study  of  Arabic,  preaching  in  English,  French, 
and  German,  and  in  making  tours,  distributing 
the  Scriptures  and  tracts,  which  were  received 
with  great  readiness  by  the  Copts.  Their 
arrival  occasioned  a  great  sensation,  especially 
among  the  Franks,  who  considered  it  a  hope- 
less undertaking. 

The  location  of  this  mission  was  at  length 
fixed  at  Cairo,  where,  in  1830,  they  had  two 
schools,  with  51  boys  and  21  girls,  consisting 
of  Greeks,  Copts,  Armenians,  and  Roman 
Catholics.  They  found  it  impracticable  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  congregations  of  the 
native  Christians,  who  would  not  assemble  for 
fear  of  their  priests  ;  but  they  made  known 
the  Gospel  in  religious  conversations,  from 
house  to  house,  and  with  those  who  visited 
them.  The  Mohammedans  were  inaccessible, 
as  it  was  death  to  them  to  change  their  reli- 
gion ;  but  some  Mohammedan  boys  were  ad- 
mitted into  their  school.  In  1833,  a  board- 
ing-school was  commenced,  with  ten  boys ; 
designed  for  training  teachers  and  catechists. 
In  1834,  a  chapel  was  erected,  by  subscrip- 
tions obtained  on  the  spot.  In  1835,  the  mission 
was  interrupted  by  a  terrible  visitation  of  the 
plague,  which,  for  some  time,  carried  off  1,500 
daily.  In  1840,  it  was  reported  by  the  mis- 
sionaries, that  in  the  different  quarters  of  the 
town,  no  less  than  six  religious  meetings  had 
been  established  by  the  native  Copts,  for  the 
purpose  of  reading  the  Scriptures  ;  and  that 
the  Patriarch  had  sanctioned  them,  remarking 
that  it  was  better  to  meet  to  read  the  word 
of  God,  than  to  drink  brandy  and  commit 
sin.  He  had  also  been  induced  to  sanction 
a  plan  for  the  establishment  of  an  institution 
in  Egpyt  for  the  education  of  the  Coptic 
clergy.  ^ 

In  1841,  Mr.  Lieder  writes,  "  Notwithsfand- 
ing  all  the  various  vexations  arising  from 
political,  civil,  and  religious  causes,  we  are 
able  to  say,  that  not  only  have  the  education 
of  the  young,  and  the  general  civilization  of 
the  people,  advanced  beyond  all  expectation, 
but  that  a  pleasing  religious  movement  has 
also  been  observed  among  the  Christians 
within  this  city." 

In  consequence  of  the  distracted  state  of 
Abyssinia,  the  chnrch  in  that  country  had 
been  for  a  number  of  years  without  an  Abuna, 
or  Patriarch.    In  1841,  a  deputation  applied 


334 


EPISCOPAL   BOARD    OF   MISSIONS. 


to  the  Patriarch  of  Alexandria  for  one,  and 
he  appointed  a  young  man  named  Andraus, 
who  liatl  boon  partly  oducated  in  the  society's 
school  at  Cairt>.  Although  but  21  years  of 
ago,  he  received  the  appointment  on  account 
of  his  learning  and  religious  character.  He 
took  with  him  1,000  copies  of  Testaments,  and 
other  portions  of  Scripture ;  and  it  was  hoped 
the  event  might  prove  favorable  to  the  pro- 
of the  Gospel  in  Abyssinia. 

In  1846,  eleven  Roman  Catholic  nuns  ar- 
rived at  Cairo,  with  large  means,  and  pur- 
chased the  extensive  house  of  the  former  prime 
minister  of  Egypt,  for  purposes  of  education. 
In  1849,  two  Roman  Catholic  priests  in 
Egypt,  one  of  them  Secretary  of  the  Bishop, 
and  the  other,  Superior  of  the  Convent  at 
Cairo,  renounced  the  errors  of  Romanism, 
and  made  a  profession  of  Protestantism, 
which  created  a  great  stir  among  the  Catho- 
lics. 

In  October,  1849,  Bishop  Gobat  visited  this 
mission  ;  and,  in  a  letter  dated  Jerusalem 
Jan.  9,  1850,  he  gives  the  following  views  re- 
specting the  policy  and  results  of  the  mission : 
"  The  missionaries  seem  to  follow  almost  too 
strictly  the  plan  on  which  the  mission  was  be- 
gun 24  years  ago :  to  seek  the  friendship  of 
the  clergy,  especially  of  the  high  clergy  of  the 
Easteun  churches,  with  the  view  of  influencing 
them  gently,  in  the  hope  that  by  slow  degrees 
they  would  become  convinced  of  the  errors, 
and  themselves  reform  their  respective  churche|^ 
Bxd  this  system  has  foiled  ;  and  I  am  convinced 
t/iat  it  will  ever  fail,  with  the  several  Eastern 
churches,  as  well  as  with  the  Church  of  Rome. 
Individual  conversion  must  be  the  aim,  as  the 
only  means  of  prosecuting  reformation." — 
"  Besides  the  dissemination  of  the  Word  of  God 
and  other  good  books,  in  all  parts  of  Egypt, 
and  the  scriptural,  though  imperfect  education 
of  hundreds  of  youth,  the  results  of  the  mission 
are,  the  conversion  of  a  few  individuals,  some  of 
whom  have  died  in  the  faith ;  a  few  enlighten- 
ed youth  dispersed  through  Egypt ;  and  many 
members  of  the  difiFereut  communities  have 
been  led  to  doubt  the  truth  of  their  supersti- 
tions and  traditions,  and  to  respect  Protestant- 
ism." This  last,  he  represents  as  a  great 
change  from  what  it  was  when  they  first  began 
to  preach  the  Gospel  in  Egypt.  "  Yet,"  he 
says,  ''  upon  the  whole,  it  must  be  confessed 
that  the  Egyptian  mission  has  not  had  the 
success  which  might  have  been  expected."  He 
recommends  a  change  in  the  policy  of  the  mis- 
sion, in  accordance  with  these  views.  At  a 
missionary  conference,  held  in  Jerusalem,  May 
12,  1851,  it  was  determined  to  continue  this 
uission  on  a  reduced  scale.  It  stands  thus  in 
tfhe  report  for  1852  : 

Stations 1 

Missionaries 2 

Female  Teacher 1 

Male        do 1 


EIMEO  :  An  island  of  the  Georgian  group 
in  the  South  Seas,  about  2°  west  of  'J'ahiti. 

ELEUTHERA :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Society  in  the  Bahamas, 
W.I. 

ELIM  :  A  station  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  South  Africa,  on  New- Year's  river,  GO 
miles  from  Genadendal,  near  Cape  Aiguilla. 

ELIOT  :  The  first  place  occupied  by  the 
missionaries  of  the  American  Board  among 
the  Choctaw  Indians.  It  is  within  the  limits 
of  the  State  of  Mississippi;  about  120  miles 
from  the  noith  line  of  that  State,  and  nearly 
equidistant  from  its  eastern  and  western  bor- 
ders. It  is  about  400  miles  W.  S.  W.  of  the 
Brainerd  station,  in  the  Cherokee  nation. 
Messrs.  Kingsbury  and  Williams  commenced 
their  labors  there  in  June,  1818. 

EMMAUS  :  A  station  of  the  United  Bre- 
thren, in  St.  Thomas,  W.  I. 

ENGKATOO  :  A  village  near  Maulmain, 
in  Burmah,  and  an  out-station  of  the  Maul- 
main Baptist  mission. 

ENON:  A  station  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  South  Africa,  on  the  White  river,  near 
Algoa  Bay. 

EPISCOPAL  BOARD  OF  MISSIOaNS  : 
The  Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
United  States,  was  organized  by  the  General 
Convention,  in  1820.  By  the  constitution,  the 
meetings  of  the  Society  were  to  be  held  at 
the  time  and  place  of  the  Triennial  General 
Convention.  The  business  of  the  Society  was 
conducted  by  a  Board,  of  which  the  bishops 
of  the  Church  and  patrons  of  the  Society 
were  members  ex-officio,  and  the  remainder 
were  chosen  at  each  regular  meeting  -  of  the 
Society.  The  seat  of  operations  was  Phila- 
delphia, and  there  were  auxiliary  societies  in 
almost  every  state  in  the  Union.  Under  tiiis 
organization,  the  society  went  on  prosperously 
for  fifteen  years. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  General  Convention, 
in  1835,  an  entire  change  was  made  in  the 
Board,  the  Church  undertaking,  in  her  char- 
acter as  a  Church,  to  carry  on  the  work  of 
Christian  Missions.  At  each  meeting  of  the 
Convention,  a  Board  of  30  members  is  elected, 
of  which  the  bishops  and  the  patrons  who  be- 
came such  prior  to  1829,  are  ex-officio  mem- 
bers, called  "  The  Board  of  Missions  of  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America."  This  board  appoints,  not  necessarily 
and  not  usually,  from  its  own  number,  two  com- 
mittees, of  eight  members  each,  four  clergymen 
and  four  laymen,  exclusive  of  a  secretary  and 
treasurer  for  each,  and  of  which  the  bishop  of 
the  diocese  of  New  York  is  ex-officio  chairman, 
one  to  direct  the  Foreign,  and  the  other  the 
Domestic  Missions.  As  thus  organized,  the 
society  embraces  as  members,  all  the  members 
of  the  Episcopal  Church. 

The  constitution  provides  that "  no  clergy- 
man shall  be  appointed  a  missionary  by  the 


ERROMANGA—EUROPE. 


335 


Board,  or  by  either  of  the  committees,  without 
the  recommendation  of  the  ecclesiastical  au- 
thority of  the  diocese  to  which  he  belongs ; 
Dor  shall  any  missionary  be  sent  to  officiate 
in  any  diocese  without  the  consent  of  the  ec- 
clesiastical authority  of  the  same ;  and  no 
clergyman  shall  be  appointed  a  missionary, 
who  is  not  at  the  time  a  minister  of  the  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  Church,  of  regular  standing  ; 
and  the  appointment  of  a  missionary  may  be 
annulled  at  any  time  by  the  written  direction 
or  order  of  a  majority  of  the  bishops  of  the 
Church." 


TABULAR 

VIEW. 

MISSIONS. 

1 

i 
1 

§ 

o 

s 

■1 
1 

1 

I 

1 

1 

H 

1 

i 

t 

> 

Is 

1 

a 

S 

1 

2 
% 

1 

1 

Greece 

Totals.... 

1834 
1835 
1830 

11 

1 
1 

11 
3 

1 

1 
1 

11 

7 
2 

20 

4 
6 

8 

8 

- 

- 

213 
200 

10,000 

13 

15 

413 

10,000 

The  following  table  shows  the  aggregate  re- 
ceipts of  both  the  Foreign  and  Domestic  Com- 
mittees, from  their  organization  to  the  change 
in  the  constitution  in  1835,  and,  since  that 
time,  of  every  year,  with  the  grand  totals. 


Years. 

Domestic. 

Foreign. 

1820  to  1835 

$76,338 

$50,683 

1836 

18,783 

18,050 

183Y 

31,563 

26,012 

1838 

25,566 

27,194 

1839 

29,660 

26,347 

1840 

19,609 

•  23,853 

1841 

28,317 

22,918 

1842 

27,517 

29,279 

1843 

35,913 

33,746 

1844    . 

27,899 

31.032 

1845 

28,870 

38,514 

1846 

36,444 

34,127 

1847 

23,300 

30,691 

1848 

28,635 

40,019 

1849 

27,263 

41,453 

1850 

36,194 

34,800 

1851 

34,302 

37,702 

1852 

30,395 

41,048 

1853 

,  Totals, 

23,856 

42,050 

$590,424 

$629,968 

The  Board  now  have  missions  in  Western 
Africa  and  China,  which  thev  are  prosecuting 
vigorously  and  successfully.  '  They  have,  also. 


an  efficient  mission  in  Greece,  but  chiefly  de- 
voted to  educational  interests.  Their  mis- 
sions to  Eastern  Christians,  for  a  time,  ab- 
sorbed no  small  share  of  their  means  and 
efforts;  but  not  being  as  successful  as  was 
anticipated,  they  have  been  withdrawn  in  the 
form  in  which  they  were  originally  undertaken; 
but  the  field,  we  believe,  is  not  abandoned,  the 
committee  being  authorized,  whenever  they  shall 
think  proper,  to  resume  the  work  in  such  form 
as  they  may  judge  to  be  wise  and  expedient. 
They  had,  also,  for  some  time,  a  mission  among 
the  North  American  Indians ;  but  this  field 
has  been  transferred  to  the  Domestic  Com- 
mittee, and  as  yet,  but  little  progress  has  been 
made  therein. 

EREOMANGA  :  An  island  of  New  He- 
brides, where  is  a  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society.  This  is  the  place  where  the 
lamented  Williams  was  murdered  by  the  na- 
tives. 

ERZRUM :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  among  the  Armenians,  situated  almost 
in  the  centre  of  ancient  Armenia.  Popular 
tion  36.000,  of  whom  10,000  are  Armenians. 

EUROPE  :  ^rm.— 3,816,936  square  miles. 
(Ungewitter's  Europe.)  The  continent  does 
not  quite  equal  in  superficial  contents,  the 
combined  areas  of  the  United  States  and 
Mexico. 

^  Popit^a^^ow— 262,300,000  (U.)  The  propor- 
tion is  nearly  that  of  seventy  persons  to  a 
square  mile.  The  XJnited  States  and  Terri- 
tories would  contain,  if  as  densely  occupied  aa 
Europe,  226,000,000  inhabitants. 

Languages. — The  principal  languages  are 
thirteen,  derived  from  three  great  fountains ; 
the  Latin,  the  Teutonic,  and  the  Sclavonic. 

Independent  States. — Sixty-three.  Of  these 
eight  are  Republics  ;  twenty-two.  Empires  or 
Kingdoms  ;  eighteen.  Duchies  ;  fifteen.  Prin- 
cipalities, Electorates,  &c.  Of  these  govern- 
ments, seventeen  are  absolute  ;  forty-six  con- 
stitutional ;  sovereigns,  nineteen,  of  whom  nine 
are  Catholics  ;  eight,  Protestants  ;  one,  Greek 
Churchman ;  one  Mussulman. 

The  vitality  of  the  Grecian  and  Roman 
form  of  civilization  was  already  exhausted,  at 
the  opening  of  the  Christian  era.  The  sceptre 
was  still  held  in  the  feeble  grasp  of  the  Caesars, 
long  after  all  religious  faith  and  national  feel- 
ing had  perished  in  Rome  ;  a  phenomenon  re- 
peated, in  our  day,  on  that  magical  soil.  An 
fcflfete  civilization,  a  corrupt  society,  and  a  wild 
combination  of  refinement  and  barbarism,  pre- 
sented a  rather  discouraging  field  of  invasion 
to  the  heaven-descended  kingdom  of  Christ, 
yet  in  the  vigor  of  its  youth.  Its  entrance 
into  Europe  was  silent,  and  almost  unnoticed, 
in  the  persons  of  Jewish  converts  returning  to 
their  western  homes  from  Jerusalem  and  the 
celebrated  feast  of  Pentecost. 

But  the  first  formal  invasion  of  Paganism, 
and  the  first  organization  of  the  spiritual  king- 
dom, in  Christian  institutions,  was  made  by 


336 


EUROPK 


the  Apostle  Tanl,  about  a.  d.  51,  at  Philippi, 
a  provincial  Roman  city  in  Macedon.  Amid 
weariness,  watchings,  fastings,  stonings, 
scourgings,  imprisonments,  and  martyrdoms ; 
amid  the  fiercest  opposition  of  philosophers, 
priests,  and  magistrates ;  with  all  the  powers 
of  Judaism  and  Paganism,  arrayed  against  a 
few  feeble  soldiers  of  Christ,  was  his  kingdom 
established  in  Europe. 

Paganism  as  a  religious  system,  was  then  so 
completely  routed  from  the  field,  that,  at  this 
day  there  ate  left  only  a  few  thousand  wander- 
ing tribes,  and  a  few  savages  in  Southern 
Russia  and  the  northern  regions,  to  profess 
its  principles.  But,  as  we  sliall  see,  history 
confirming  and  illustrating  the  language  of 
prophecy,  presents  to  our  view  "the  deadly 
wound  of  tne  beast  healed,  and  all  the  world 
wondering  after  the  beast."  The  organic  body  of 
paganism  was  killed.  The  spirit  of  it  went 
out,  seeking  rest,  but  found  it  not ;  and  re- 
turned, finding  the  Roman  empire  and  society, 
"empty,  swept,  and  garnished"  by  Chris- 
tianity ;  and  entering  into  it,  brought  "  seven 
other  spirits  worse  than  the  first."  But  at  pre- 
sent we  only  notice  the  fact  that  paganism,  as 
an  institution,  was  almost  demolished.  Judaism, 
too,  fell  before  the  victorious  arms  of  the 
church.  So  that  though  it  has  thousands  of 
votaries,  it  retains  no  fortress,  but  every  where, 
simply  craves  permission  to  exist,  and  to  traffic. 
Mohammedanism,  in  the  8th  century,  was 
master  of  Spain ;  and  in  the  15th  century,  when 
it  lost  Iberia,  it  ascended  the  Byzantine 
throne,  which  it  still  feebly  retains.  But  this 
false  religion  need  scarcely  be  mentioned  when 
we  are  enumerating  the  forces  actively  con- 
tending against  Christ.  Having  no  mission- 
aries, and  having  long  since  laid  aside  the 
policy  of  propagating  its  faith  by  the  sword, 
it  now  chiefly  interests  us  as  one  of  the  for- 
tresses in  which  Satan  defends  his  subjects 
against  the  weapons  of  Christ.  The  Greek 
and  Armenian  churches  may  be  regarded  in 
the  same  light,  unless  the  present  measures 
and  war  policy  of  the  Czar  must  be  considered 
as  a  form  of  missionary  enterprise. 

Among  the  victories  of  the  early  mission- 
aries, must  be  enumerated  the  questionable 
conversion  of  Constantine,  probably  the  most 
costly  triumph  Christianity  ever  made,  as  it 
immediately  brought  about  the  reconciliation 
of  piety  with  worldliness,  and  of  the  Christian 
name  with  the  Pagan  spirit,  the  desecratiorf 
of  the  Gospel  to  be  merely  an  arm  of  the  civil 
power.  From  that  period  the  fatal  re-action, 
which  had  before  manifested  itself  at  the  ex- 
tremities, reached  the  heart.  Paganism  re- 
vived under  Christian  names  and  forms ;  and 
Satan  turned  the  very  arms  and  armies  of 
Christianity  against  Christ.  And  to  this  day, 
nearly  three-fourths  of  the  inhabitants  of  Eu- 
rope still  worship  pagan  gods  in  pagan  temples, 
with  pagan  rites,  and  pagan  festivals,  all  of 
them  bearing  Christian  titles.    The  war  cry 


of  this  occidental  paganism  is  now,  Christ  and 
the  Church ;  while  it  has  abated  in  no  degree 
its  original  hostility  to  both. 

I.  Religious  Classification  op  the  Peo- 
ple OF  Europe. — The  great  apostasy  from 
truth  and  from  spiritual  worship,  which  bcj^^au 
to  manifest  itself  openly  as  Christianity  bo- 
came  popular,  was  subjected  to  many  modify- 
ing influences,  political  intrigues,  military  ad- 
ventures ;  and  the  curious  tides  of  immigration 
resulted  in  producing  those  distinctive  pluuses 
of  religious  sentiment  and  ecclesiastical  organ- 
ization, whjch  now  characterize  respectively 
the  three  principal  divisions  of  the  Euroijcan 
family.  The  Sclavonic  tribes,  taking  posses- 
sion of  north-eastern  and  eastern  Europe, 
assimilated  with  the  Greek  Church.  The  Ro- 
manic races,  occupying  southern  Europe,  never 
really  abandoned  the  distinguishing  spirit  of 
the  old  empire ;  a  spirit  of  gross  super- 
stition, servile  subjection  to  authority  ;  conso- 
lidated social  organization  under  rigid  law ; 
and  the  ambition  of  universal  dominion. 
They  still  retain  all  the  spirit  of  pagan  hos- 
tility to  Christ,  unchanged.  They  uphold  the 
anti-Christian  power  prominently  portrayed  in 
prophecy:  the  beast,  to  whom  Satan  gives 
energy  to  make  war  on  the  saints.  Protes- 
tantism has  been  engrafted  on  the  old  trunk 
of  the  Germanic  race  ;  a  people  controlled  by 
the  spirit  of  personal  independence,  and  of 
loyal  and  intelligent  submission  to  rulers  chosen 
by  the  ruled.  With  them  originated  the  re- 
formation in  the  16th  century,  which  made  a 
radical  change  in  the  intellectual,  social,  and 
religious  condition  of  the  entire  middle  and 
north-western  sections  of  the  continent.  And 
in  fact,  it  had,  at  one  period,  thoroughly  pene- 
trated Italy,  France,  Belgium,  Austria,  and 
Poland.  But,  by  dragoons  and  Jesuits,  by 
massacres  and  banishments,  those  states  were 
restored  to  the  Roman  pontiff.  So  that  the 
present  religious  condition  of  Europe  may  be 
thus  roughly  sketched  in  numbers : 

A.  T/te  Unevangelical  Sects. — Roman  Ca- 
tholic, 133,000,000,  (U.)  Jews,  3,000,000,  (U.) 
*  Greek  Church,  59,000,000,  (U.)  Pagans, 
750,000,  t  Mohammedans,  7,000,000  (U.J  other 
sects,  1,000,000  ;  inhabiting  the  several  states 
thus :  Roman  Catholics  and  Jews,  every  state 
of  Europe;  Greek  Christians,  Greece,  Ionian 
Isles,  Russia,  Turkey,  Austria  ;  Mohximmedvns, 
Turkey  and  Austria ;  Pagans,  Russia. 

B.  The  Evangelical  Sects.— They  are 
computed  to  embrace  about  58,750,000  per- 
sons, X  whom  we  may  conjecturally  state  to  be 
thus  apportioned  to  the  several  denomina- 
tions :  Episcopalians,  13,000,000;  Independents, 
3,980,000  ;  Methodists,  4,000,000;  Presbyteri- 

*  Baird'8  Retrospect,  p.  190. 

f  A  writer  in  the  Boston  Courier,  (April,  1854,)  asserts 
that  the  professors  of  the  Byzantine  creed  are  not  only  a 
majority  in  Free  Greece,  but  also  half  the  population  of 
Austria,  Servia,  &c. ;  and  two-thirds  of  the  population  of 
Turkey. 

J  BaLrd's  Retrospect,  p.  196. 


.11 


EUROPE. 


337 


ians,  6,973,000;  Baptists,  1,912,000;  Moravians, 
1 45,000 ;  Lutheran,  German  Reformed,  and 
I  United  Churches,  28,840,000.  The  Episcopa- 
lians reside  chiefly  in  Great  Britain,  Ireland, 
Guernsey,  Jersey,  Gibraltar,  and  Malta.  Yet 
so  many  of  them  are  constantly  abroad ;  and 
the  national  feeling  of  the  English  is  so  iden- 
tified with  their  religious  sentiments,  that  they 
have  chapels  in  most  of  the  great  cities  of  the 
Continent.  The  Presbyterians  are  found  in 
Ireland,  Scotland,  England,  Holland,  France, 
Switzerland,  and  Piedmont.  The  Lutherans 
inhabit  Denmark,  Sweden,  Norway,  Germany, 
and  France  chiefly.  The  German  Reformed 
are  mostly  in  Germany.  The  Baptists  are  in 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  a  few  on  the 
Continent.  The  Independents  or  Oongrega- 
tionalists,  are  in  Great  Britain,  Ireland,  France, 
and  Russia.  The  Moravians  are  found  in 
England,  Ireland,  Lusatia,  Silesia,  Gosna,  &c. 
Separate  organization  is  not  so  much  their 
vim,  as  quickening  existing  churches. 

The  distinctions  of  doctrine,  government, 

»nd  rites,  which    separate    the    evangelical 

jhurches  of  Europe  into  different  denomina- 

iions,  are  so  generally  known,  as  to  need  no 

jxplanatiou  here.     Perhaps  the  division   of 

he  German  churches  is  less  understood  in  this 

country.    It  may  therefore  be  remarked  that 

;he  difference  between  Luther  and  Calvin,  as 

nen  and  Christians,  has  extensively  perpetuated 

tself  in    the    Continental    churches.      This 

lifference  has  been  thus  expressed  by  Herzog 

Lange,  (as  quoted  by  Professor  Smith, 

-iian  Review,   xvi.  596,)  "  while  it  was 

he  special  office   of  Lutheranism  to  protest 

igainst  all  Judaism  in  the  Church,  it  has  been 

;he  special  office  of  the  Reformed  Church  to 

)rotest  against  all  Paganism."   "  The  Catholic 

Jhurch  is  the  church  of  priests  ;  the  Lutheran 

)f  theologians ;  and  the  Reformed  Church  is 

he    church  of  the    believing   congregation. 

]he  first  talks  most  of  the  church  ;  the  second, 

f  the  speculative   aspects  of  religion ;   the 

leformed  Church  dwells  most  fondly  upon  the 

Ian  of  Redemption."     Calvin  had  a  clearer 

itellect,  and  a  purer  logic  than  Luther  ;  less 

aperstition  as  a  catholic,  and  a  less  preponder- 

ting  imagination.  Hence  the  Reformed  Church 

las  swept  away  more  of  the  rubbish  of  popery, 

nd  come  to  a  greater  degree  of  simplicity  in 

cclesiastical  organization ;   while  it  has,  at 

he  same  time,  cast  away  the  vague  concep- 

■     -  of  the  Eucharist,  which  make  the  twi- 

whcre  Romanism  most  effectually  does 

)rk  of  proselyting.    They  differ,  then,  in 

1,  the  one  being  German,  the  otherFrench ; 

,  i  : jutrinal  bias,  the  one  tending  to  Armini- 

!  .nism,  the  other  being    purely   Calvinistic ; 

I  n  government,  the  one  being  episcopal,  the 

ther  Presbyterian.     They  have  now    been 

:  imalgamated  in  some  states,  as  Prussia,  Baden, 

1  EC.    It  was,  however,  a  forced  union,  ab  extra, 

I  lOt  voluntary,  and  so  not  vital.     And  yet  it 

?as  working  well  in  Prussia  ;  too  well,  indeed, 

22 


to  meet  the  government's  desire  for  a  firmer 
attachment  to  dogmas  and  distinctive  stand- 
ards ;  as  ensuring  a  more  legal  and  less  demo- 
cratic spirit  than  the  fervent  union  of  real 
believers. 

11.  Estimate  of  the  Spiritual  condition 
OF  Europe. — God  alone  knows  the  heart ;  and 
man  is,  at  best,  an  imperfect  judge  of  his  own, 
much  more  of  his  brother's  spiritual  state 
before  the  Omniscient  eye.  And  while  an  in- 
accurate judgment  is  worse  than  useless,  an 
arrogant  judging  of  man  is  hurtful  to  him  who 
practices  it.  A  judgment  is  arrogant,  either 
when  it  is  volunteered  for  a  selfish  end,  or 
when  it  is  formed  without  adequate  light,  and 
a  conscientious  care.  But  on  the  other  hand 
it  is  very  important  for  us,  both  to  judge  the 
religious  systems  under  which  our  fellow  men 
are  passing  their  brief  probation,  and  also  to 
form  a  general  estimate  of  their  spiritual  con- 
dition, as  individuals  and  as  bodies.  We 
must  therefore  in  justice  say,  that  we  experi- 
ence more  sadness  than  joy,  in  counting  the 
numbers  in  the  evangelical  ranks  in  Europe. 
We  fear,  and  for  the  most  cogent  reasons, 
that  the  vast  majority  of  them  are  in  the  con- 
dition of  the  church  of  Sardis  :  having  a  name 
to  live,  they  are  dead.  And  with  every  true 
believer,  such  a  conviction  will  incite  to 
prayer  for  the  Spirit  of  life  to  come  down  and 
breathe  on  the  "  valley  of  dr^  bones."  We 
shall  now  refer  to  some  indications  of  the 
present  spiritual  condition  of  the  European 
churches : — 

1.  T/ie  condition  of  the  Clergy. — The  intellec- 
tual cultivation  of  the  evangelical  clergymen 
is  generally  of  the  highest  order.  And  there 
is  extensively  a  return  to  the  more  direct  study 
of  the  Bible  itself,  which  has  always  distin- 
guished the  ministry  in  the  best  ages  of  the 
church.  Fifty  years  ago  there  was  left  a  small 
remnant  of  godly  men  in  the  European  minis- 
try ;  but  great  changes  have  taken  place  in 
England,  Scotland,  Germany,  France,  and 
Switzerland,  within  that  period.  In  1815 
there  was  probably  not  one  spiritual,  faithful 
preacher  of  Christ's  Gospel  in  the  Protestant 
Church  of  France — now  there  are  nearly  300. 
In  England  the  clergymen  of  the  established 
church  were  generally  far  from  possessing  the 
spirit  of  their  office ;  now  there  are  thousands 
of  godly,  earnest  men  in  the  ministry  of  that 
church.  The  same  might  be  said  of  the  kirk 
of  Scotland,  and  particularly  of  that  largo 
body  called  the  Free  Church.  Even  the  Inde- 
pendents in  Great  Britain,  thirty  years  ago, 
had  faflen  far  below  the  type  of  Owen,  Baxter, 
and  Howe.  The  change  in  that  body  of  min- 
isters is  very  cheering.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  the  German  clergy,  who  had  sunk  deep 
into  the  abominations  of  neology.  About 
half  the  Protestant  clergy  in  Germany  are 
evangelical  in  opinion  and  feeling,  the  rest 
embrace  every  shade  of  opinion — moderate  ra- 
tionalism, deism,  pantheism,  &c.    The  evan- 


888 


EUROPE. 


gdioal  clergy  surpass  in  learning  the  clergy  of 
any  other  nation.  They  are  generally  devout 
men.  The  pulpit  ia  disproportionately  wcaJc 
when  compared  with  the  chairs  of  theological 
science.  The  number  of  firstrrate  exegetes, 
historians,  theologians,  is  very  great,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  number  of  effective  preachers. 
There  is  too  much  reflection  and  too  little 
action. 

2.  Estimate  of  the  Sabbath. — It  is  essential  to 
the  spiritual  prosperity  of  the  church,  that  she 
recognize  two  features  of  this  institution  :  its 
divine  authority  and  its  entirely  spiritual  charac- 
ter. But  the  general  declension  of  the  European 
churches  has  sadly  manifested  itself  in  this  di- 
rection. Yet  it  is  cheering  to  witness  the 
many  signs  of  a  healthful  sentiment  reappear- 
ing. Among  other  indications  of  this  we  may 
notice  the  following  facts.  The  Evangelical 
Alliance  has  called  the  attention  of  the  con- 
tinental churches  to  this  subject.  At  Metz, 
Amiens,  Agen,  and  Lille,  in  France,  industrial 
men  and  memljers  of  liberal  professions  have 
engaged,  by  regular  contracts,  to  abstain  from 
all  work  and  commercial  operations  on  Sun- 
day. A  central  council  for  promoting  the 
voluntary  observance  of  the  Sebbath  has  been 
formed  in  Paris.  And  the  King  of  Prussia 
has  issued  military  orders  requiring  his  army 
to  observe  it  as  sacred  time.  The  labors  of 
our  brethren  in  the  British  parliament  are  fa- 
miliarly known.  They  have  led,  as  is  always 
the  case  with  any  important  subject  brought 
before  that  practical  body  of  men,  to  a 
thorough  investigation  of  facts,  as  to  the 
amount  of  outward  desecration  of  the  Divine 
institution.  The  result  is,  an  accumulation  of 
powerful  testimony  in  favor  of  at  least  so  much 
legislation  as  shall  throw  the  influence  of  the 
government  on  the  side  of  the  Sabbath.  In 
Protestant  Germany,  however,  the  Sabbath  is 
a  religious  and  social  holiday.  The  people 
follow  the  reformers  in  their  loose  estimate  of 
the  Sabbath,  and  know  nothing  of  the  advan- 
tages of  a  Puritan  Sunday.  The  continental 
reformers  never  reached  the  light  attained  by 
those  of  Scotland  and  England.  In  Switzer- 
land the  infidel  party,  ascendant  in  the  govern- 
ment, have  labored  to  put  the  Sabbath  where 
the  leaders  of  the  revolution  in  France  placed 
it,  in  the  height  of  their  frenzy. 

3.  Religious  Reading  is  another  test  of  ad- 
vancing or  declining  piety.  In  this  light  the 
vast  circulation  of  books  by  the  British, 
French,  and  other  tract  societies  is  very  full  of 
promise.  The  British,  Freftch,  and  German 
presses  are  pouring  forth  continually  a  stream 
of  religious  truth  surpassing  the  productions 
of  any  preceding  age.  Religious  devotional 
books  are  said,  by  an  intelligent  observer,  to 
be  more  read  in  Germany  than  in  any  other 
country. 

4.  Family  Worship. — With  Christians  in 
America  the  neglect  of  at  least  daily  domestic 
worship  is  regarded  as  inconsistent  with  the 


healthy  condition  of  a  church  ;  and  vet,  out  ol 
the  small  circle  of  the  evangelical  churclios  ol 
Switzerland  and  France,  Holland  and  Swe- 
den, there  is  evidence  of  a  very  general  wai)t  oj 
family  worship  among  the  evangelical  churches 
of  the  continent. 

5.  Discipline  is  another  pillar  of  a  true 
church,  extending  its  cognizance  of  church- 
members  to  the  following  points:  moral- 
ity; soundness  of  belief ;  outward  fellowship  ; 
and  habitual  attendance  on  ordinances.  Wc 
know  not  an  established  church  in  whicli  such 
a  thing  as .  discipline,  in  the  Puritan  sense,  ig 
recognized. 

6.  Social  Religious  Meeting  are  an  eiTicicnl 
means  of  promoting  piety.  But  these  arc  ^i>n- 
erally  discountenanced  in  the  established 
churches,  though  not  universally  negkcted. 
The  dissenters,  and  the  most  evangelical  incra- 
bers  of  the  established  churches  generally  de- 
light in  adding  to  the  more  general  and  for- 
mal, the  more  social  and  simple  exercises  of 
prayer-meetings  and  conferences. 

7.  Revivals  and  Conversions. — ^We  do  not  in- 
sist upon  one  specific  form  of  manifesting  the 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  human  heart. 
Men  must,  however,  be  converted ;  and  if  we 
are  to  judge  from  the  entire  course  of  the 
Church's  history,  conversions  will  be  some- 
times solitary,  and  at  others,  in  great  numbera 
at  a  time.  But  it  is  certain  that  the  superna- 
tural operations  of  the  regenerating  Spirit  are 
so  much  modified  in  their  manifestations  bj 
the  outward  influences  which  affect  their  sub- 
jects, that  it  is  difficult  to  judge  the  degree  o 
spiritual  influences  a  people  enjoy,  except  b} 
the  more  uniform  and  universal  tests  of  theii 
living  "  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly."  Yel 
there  are  many  social  movements  in  Europeai 
churches,  resembling  the  phenomena  knowi 
among  us  as  revivals  of  religion.  In  France 
Sweden,  Norway,  and  many  parts  of  Germany 
they  have  appeared,  especially  in  France,  uu 
der  the  labors  of  faithful  evangelists^  and  col 
porteurs,  and  particularly  in  connection  witl 
the  meetings  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance. 

8.  Religious  Educatio7i  is  also  intimatel; 
connected  with  the  existence  and  advancemen 
of  true  godliness  among  a  people.  By  n 
people  has  more  fidelity  been  manifested  i 
the  religious  education  of  families  and  in  put 
lie  religious  instruction,  than  by  the  Scotcl 
The  pious  and  patriotic  exertions  of  Knox  t 
secure  a  common  religious  instruction  f(ji  th 
children  of  his  countrymen,  have  produced  i\ 
suits  of  immeasurable  value  to  that  people,  i 
the  formation  of  personal  character,  and  con 
sequently  in  their  national  history.  The  re 
cent  struggles  of  the  dissenters  in  Great  Bi  itai 
to  prevent  the  monopoly  of  religious  educiitio 
in^yublic  schools  by  the  Church  of  Engluiu 
have  led  the  dissenters  to  more  vigorous  e.xe; 
tions  to  provide  such  education  for  the  ]»ou 
under  their  own  direction.  The  Congregatioi 
alists  have  commenced  not  only  their  own  co 


EUROPE. 


339 


j  leges,  but  what  we  should  call  a  normal 
ischool,  or  a  school  for  training  religious  teach- 
icrs  of  public  schools.  It  is  called  the  Homer- 
ton  College,  in  which  were  recently  21  male 
and  28  female  pupils.  The  necessities  of  the 
case  have  driven  the  governments  of  Europe, 
for  centuries,  to  provide  for  the  poor  orphans 
within  their  dominions.  And  private  philan- 
thropy has  done  much  in  this  respect.  In  the 
seventeenth  century,  Francke  instituted  at 
Halle  his  celebrated  orphan-house,  which  has 
trained  nearly  5000  children  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Gospel.  It  has  grown  into  an  im- 
portant institution,  having  several  branches, 
imong  which  is  the  Canstein  press,  that  has 
ilready  issued  two  million  Bibles,  and  one  mil- 
lion New  Testaments,  at  a  low  price.  There 
ure  in  London  150  ragged  schools,  which  are 
iccomplishing  a  work  of  immeasurable  im- 
portance for  the  long  neglected  pauper 
jhildren  of  the  metropolis.  In  Horn,  near 
Bamburg,  is  a  very  interesting  institution 
br  reforming  depraved  children.  It  refuses  to 
bring  together  more  than  one  hundred.  The 
Evangelical  Society  of  France  has  a  valuable 
jchool  in  the  city  of  Paris,  for  educating  the 
children  of  Eoman  Catholic  parents,  which 
b.as  been  crowned  with  great  success.  Sunday 
schools  originated  in  England,  and  are  gradu- 
ally introduced  in  France,  Sweden,  Denmark, 
Bind  other  portions  of  the  Continent. 

9.  Christian  Union  is  another  sign  of  the 
Church's  spiritual  state.  The  divisions  of  the 
church  are  a  sign  of  weakness.  They  awaken 
seal,  indeed  ;  but  its  strength  is  the  convulsive 
iction  of  disease,  not  the  vigorous  movement 
Df  health.  And  Kome  has  obtained  an  ad- 
vantage by  presenting  the  false  appearance  of 
anity  in  contrast  with  this  manifest  diversity, 
md  often  even  animosity  of  the  different 
branches  of  the  evangelical  church.  But  we 
ttiay  notice  many  indications  of  a  brighter  day 
ipproaching.  Among  these  we  place,  first, 
;he  organization  of  the  Evangelical  Alliance. 
L\\  the  friends  of  Christian  Union  are  not 
f^ct  convinced  of  its  value.  It  must,  in  fact, 
3e  admitted  that  in  England,  where  it  origi- 
lated,  there  was  an  outward  pressure,  which 
might  as  fully  account  for  the  movement  as 
the  simple  attraction  of  brotherly  love.  In 
France,  however,  it  appears  to  exist  in  a  purer 
5pirit ;  yet  it  must  be  said  for  the  British  Al- 
liance, that  it  has  nobly  carried  out  the  spirit 
of  brotherly  love  in  its  valuable  efforts  to 
liberate  the  Madiai,  and  to  defend  the  Baptists 
in  Prussia.  It  is  slowly  gaining  favor  in  Hol- 
land, Sweden,  and  Germany.  In  the  latter 
country  there  are  two  institutions  already  ex- 
isting, which,  to  some  extent,  embody  the  same 
principles— the  Kirchen-Tag  and  the  Gusta- 
vus  Adolphus  Society.  The  first  of  tftese 
grew  out  of  the  movement  in  London,  and  is 
promoting  brotherly  love  in  the  German 
churches.  Having  to  contend  with  a  very 
high  church  feeling  in  the  Lutheran  clergy,  it 


is  not  yet  prepared  for  an  affirmation  of  un- 
qualified religious  liberty  as  the  normal  state 
of  man  and  churches.  It  is  engaged  in  dis- 
tributing Bibles  and  tracts,  and  at  its  last 
meeting  thoroughly  discussed  the  questions  of 
Union,  Schism,  and  Separation.  In  all  such 
discussions  we  may  hope  that  truth  and  char- 
ity will  gain  ground.  The  Gustavus  Adolphus 
Society  was  formed  in  1832,  on  the  second 
centenary  of  the  Protestant  hero's  death  from 
whom  it  was  named.  It  was  organized  "  to 
afford  assistance  to  the  dispersed  and^scattered 
members  of  the  Protestant  Church,  especially 
to  any  who  may  suffer  oppression ;  to  supply 
their  spiritual  wants,  and  to  aid  in  the  erection 
of  chapels,  in  which  the  evangelical  doctrines 
may  be  preached."  At  first  it  was  not  dis- 
criminating in  the  selection  of  its  objects ; 
but  now  stands  on  the  Word  of  God  as  its 
platform.  Among  other  good  deeds,  it  has 
saved  from  utter  extinction  a  church  of  1900 
members  at  Santomysl,  by  reconstructing  its 
ruined  church  edifice.  It  expended  last  year 
more  than  $30,000,  mostly  on  churches  suffer- 
ing from  Eomanist  oppression.  And  not 
least  among  the  signs  of  Christian  union  is 
the  growth  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associ- 
ations, which  are  entirely  catholic  in  their 
character,  and  are  now  increasing  in  number 
in  different  states  of  Europe. 

10.  The  Missionary  Labors  of  tlie  Church. — 
Here  we  see  one  of  the  brightest  spots  in  the 
horizon,  the  harbinger  of  a  new  day  for  Europe 
and  the  world.  When  we  consider  what  has 
been  done  in  Europe  and  by  European  Chris- 
tians since  the  days  of  the  Countess  of  Hun- 
tington and  the  Wesleys,  to  spread  abroad 
Bibles,  religious  tracts,  and  missionaries,  we 
feel  assured  that  so  much  seed  sown  in  so 
much  faith  and  prayer,  must  be  growing,  now 
in  the  unnoticed  blade,  soon  to  show  the  ear, 
and  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  Other  portions 
of  this  Cyclopedia  will  show  what  the  Euro- 
pean churches  are  doing  in  the  great  field  of 
Paganism.  We  shall  here  merely  exhibit  a 
sketch  of  the  missions  conducted  on  their  own 
territory,  and  a  table  of  their  foreign  opera- 
tions. The  Gustavus  Adolphus  Society,  al- 
ready referred  to,  is  a  Home  Mission  Society. 
They  have  turned  their  attention  recently  to 
the  wretched  condition  of  their  countrymen  in 
the  different  capitals  of  Europe,  In  London 
are  25,000  German  Protestants,  of  whom  not 
1000  attend  worship.  In  Paris  60,000  Ger- 
mans are  found,  exceedingly  degraded,  for  the 
most  part,  having  only  5  churches  and  7  preach- 
ers. In  Lyons  there  are  12,000.  They  re- 
solved, at  their  recent  meeting  in  Berlin,  to 
collect  information  concerning  the  spiritual 
condition  of  their  expatriated  countrymen,  and 
report  to  the  several  states,  requesting  that 
measures  might  be  taken  to  discourage  emi- 
gration, and  to  provide  churches  and  schools 
for  those  who  are  deprived  of  them.  Besides 
this  institution,   the  German   churches  have 


340 


EUROPK 


oi^auiaetl  the  Inner  or  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety. The  Episcopal  and  the  dissenting 
churches  of  Britain  have  organized  very  efiS- 
cii'ut  societies  to  labor  in  Ireland.  To  those 
Irish  mission  churches  alone  which  are  sus- 
tained by  the  Congregational  Society  of  Eng- 
land, more  than  400  members  were  admitted 


last  year.  Its  labors  extend  to  nearly  half  a 
million  of  people,  and  it  has  13,000  children  in 
its  Sunday-schools. 

The  following  table  presents  an  approxima- 
tive view  of  the  contributions  of  the  European 
evangelical  churches  to  the  missionary  work ; 
and  yet  it  is  far  from  being  complete. 


MEANS  AND   MEN   OP  THE  EUROPEAN  EVANOELIOAL  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES. 


SOdETIES. 


Years. 


Contributod 
in  one  year. 


Aggregate  m 
Years. 


I-ondoa  Missionary 

Church  Missionary 

Society  for  Propagation  of  Gospel. 

Baptist  Missions  (two) 

Britii-h  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 


Wesleyan  Mission 

London  Moravian  Association..  ^. . . 

Geueriil  Baptist  Mission 

Soc.  for  Promotion  of  Chr.  Knowl. 

Various  Scottish  Missions 

London  Jews'  Society 

London  Religious  Tract  Society 

Rhenish  Mission 

Basle  Mission 

Moravian  Mission 

Francke  Evangelical  Mission 

Irish  Evangelical  Society. 


Colonial  Mission  (Congregational).. 
Central  Society  (Paris) 


Evangelical  Contin.  Soc.  (London). 
City  Missions  in  London  (two) . . 
English  Monthly  Tract  Society  t. 
Home  JLi.ssion  (Congregational) . 

Gustavus  Adolphus  Society 

Other  societies  in  Europe 

Other  societies  in  France 

Irish  Church  Mission. 

Hibernian  Bible  Society 

Genera  Evangelical  Society 


Total. 


1853 

1850 
1853 
1863c 

1850 
1852 

1847 
1849 
1851 
1849 


1850 


1852 
1853 


1853 
1854 
1853 


$302,0000 
620,000 
444,700 
129,610 

1,083,300 

574,430 

21,900 

8,750 

128,625 

249,975 

162,287 

345,120/ 

25,630 

54,000 

63,540 

25,600 

10,100 

26,150 

16,110 

5,634 

130,420 

7,000 

56,700 

37,000j 

2,510,700 

157,000 

180,000 

18,360 

26,240 


$9,405,000 
10,730,645 
7,408,530 
2,636,305 

17.789,468 


650 
1,634 


$47,969,948. 

(aggregate  of  re- 
ceipts of  five 
societies.) 


4916 
64 


427 
507  e 


50 
133 
289  e 

10 

22 

95 


SOOh 


,000  A; 
18 


16,000 
15,306 


5,138 


1,400 
1,185 


188 


30,000 
25,710 


350 
1,035 


$7,481,361 


6,000 

70,oo0jr 

12,500 
5,615 


a  About  $35,000  in  addition  were  contributed  by  the  mission  churches. 

b  Colonial  Missionaries.  c  Report  for  1853,  in  <'News  of  the  Churches." 

d  Issued  from  beginning,  26,571,103  Bibles,  in  150  languages  or  dialects.     Other  societies  on  the  continent  have  dis- 
tributed 2,937,273  copies. 
e  Laborers  of  all  kinds. 

/  Has  issued  from  beginning  547,807,184  publications,  in  110  languages. 
a  See  UniU<i  Brethren.  h  More  than  2,000  visitors. 

i  To  send  tracts  by  mail  to  the  higher  classes.    204,000  tracts  Issued  in  1853 

i  Supported  288  churclies.  k  Agents  in  Catholic  districts  of  Ireland. 

Teachers.  m  Theological  School.  n  Supposed  4,000  laborers  in  pagan  field. 


All  intelligent  observers  agree  in  affirming 
that  the  Roman  Catholic  and  Greek  churches 
present  a  spectacle  of  the  most  revolting  for- 
malism and  hypocrisy  on  the  one  side,  and 
superstition,  equally  disgusting,  on  the  other. 
The  absurd  credulity  of  the  people,  and  the 
villainy  of  the  priesthood,  who  palm  upon  them 
not  only  lying  legends  of  the  past,  but  present 
miracles,  characterizes  even  the  most  highly 
cultivated  Catholic  people.  High  dignitaries 
in  the  church  give  their  sanction  to  these  false- 
hoods ;  and  even  the  Pope  shows  his  favor  to 
the  monarch  of  a  mighty  nation,  by  sending 
him  a  tooth  or  the  toe  of  a  saint!  MateriaF- 
ism  in  the  lower  stratum  of  society ;  absorp- 


tion in  money-making,  in  the  middle  stratum ; 
and  sheer  scepticism,  in  the  upper  class,  gives 
the  portrait  of  every  Catholic  country. 

The  interesting  inquiry  here  meets  us  :  Is 
the  present  tendency  of  Europe  toward  Pro- 
testantism, Atheism,  or  Popery?  So  far  aa 
Elngland  is  concerned,  we  may  speak  with  con- 
fidence. Even  the  astute  Wiseman  was  de- 
ceived by  the  tractarian  movement.  The  Ox- 
ford apostasy  and  the  tendency  Romeward 
have  probably  reached  their  climax.  And  i1 
is  now  manifest  to  all  that  the  Cardinal  hai,j| 
unmasked  his  battery  prematurely.  The  Pre 
testant  spirit  of  England  has  been  outrs 
and  will  probably  not  slumber  again  spc 


EUROPE. 


341 


The  London  Times  asserts  that,  from  1180  to 
1853,  the  Papists  have  increased  only  from 
70,000  to  somewhat  less  than  200,000.  In  Scot- 
laud  the  increase  has  been  much  greater ;  but  in 
Germany,  as  in  England,  the  semi-Roman  de- 
velopment has  only  the  more  effectually  arous- 
ed the  Protestant  spirit.  And  we  have  varied 
and  accumulating  testimony  to  the  falling  away 
of  thousands  from  the  Eoman  church,  besides 
a,  vast  growth  of  Protestant  populations  in 
Catholic  towns  and  districts  on  the  continent. 
Coblentz,  for  example,  had,  in  1824,  23  fami- 
lies or  60  persons  in  the  evangelical  church. 
Now  there  are  about  4000.  Mayence,  50  years 
igo,  had  60  members ;  now  more  than  6000. 
Cologne  in  the  same  time  has  advanced  from 
LOOO  to  nearly  10,000.  In  Ireland  the  change 
las  been  very  great ;  though  the  number  of 
jonversions  is  variously  estimated.  In  West 
jralway  ten  years  ago  there  were  but  500 
?*rotestants ;  there  are  now  more  than  5000. 
lev.  W.  Marable  says  that  within  two  years, 
J0,000  have  been  converted  to  the  evangelical 
iaith.  In  the  diocese  of  Tuam,  out  of  about 
!0,000  Protestants,  nearly  bOOO  were  born 
)apists.  At  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen- 
ury  the  King  of  Bavaria  married  a  Protestant 
ffincess,  who  brought  a  Protestant  chaplain 

0  her  court.  But  he  could  not  find  a  person 
a  Munich  who  would  consent  to  rent  him  a 
lOuse.  He  was  the  first  avowed  Protestant 
Bttiing  there.  Now  there  are  12,000  Protes- 
a-nts  in  the  city ;  mostly  however,  immigrants. 
n  France  and  Italy  we  have  growing  evidence 
f  changes  of  conviction,  which  are  abiding 
lieir  time,  but  which  must,  ere  long,  be  openly 
lanifested. 

The  Ultramontanists  in  France  now  dare  to 
nmask  their  policy  ;  and  are  misinterpreting 
16  silence  of  the  nation  at  the  avowal  of  their 
lonstrous  notions  and  pretensions.  They  are 
ertainly  completing  the  alienation  of  the 
'ranch  heart  from  the  Roman  church.  After 
le  events  of  1830,  honest  men  looked  to  the 
riests  as  the  only  defence  against  socialism, 
ut  the  conviction  is  steadily  growing,  that 
.ome  is  the  enemy  of  a  rational  freedom.  The 
Bople  are  beginning  to  make  that  comparison 
hich  is  so  fatal  to  Rome,  between  the  influ- 
ice  of  Romanism  and  Protestantism  respect- 
'ely,  on  human  society.     Protestant  England, 

1  rey  see,  advancing ;  but  gradually,  healthfully, 
I  Jacefully  adopting  various  improvements  in 

ir  government,  while  within  sixty  years  Cath- 
ie France,  with  violence  and  blood,  has  pass- 
1  successively  from  monarchy  to  republic; 
;om  that  to  the  consulship  ;  then,  to  the  em- 
ire;  then  to  legitimist  monarchy;  then  to 
)nstitutional  monarchy  ;  then  to  the  republic ; 
len  to  absolute  monarchy  again  ;  and  she  is 
ssting  there  only  to  recover  breath  for  another 
•merset.  Even  Catholic  writers,  as  for  in- 
anee,  Eugene  Pelletan  and  Michel  Chevalier, 
Profession  defoi  du  XLXe  Si'ecle,  1  vol.  8vo.— 
irml  des  D'ebats,  17  Juin,  1853.)  have  con- 


fessed that  Protestant,  or  at  least,  non-Catholic 
nations  alone  are  advancing  in  all  respects  ;  and 
that  they  are  moving  on  to  the  conquest  of 
the  world,  whilst  Catholic  nations  are  gradually 
dropping  from  their  hands  the  sceptre  of  pow- 
er and  influence. 

Within  twenty  years,  the  Protestant  pastors 
of  the  French  national  church  have  increased 
from  250  to  500  ;  and  all  other  Protestant  in- 
terests have  been  advancing  in  the  same  ratio. 

Atheism  has  made  some  progress  in  Great 
Britain,  in  connection  with  the  movements 
toward  social  reformation.  But  these  indica- 
tions have  drawn  forth  corresponding  efforts 
on  the  part  of  Christians,  which  are  attended 
with  very  encouraging  results.  The  change 
in  the  tone  of  some  leading  journals  indicates 
a  favorable  change  among  the  educated  classes. 
In  Germany  there  is  a  manifest  reaction  among 
the  clergy.  The  cold  and  barren  regions  of 
atheistical  speculation  are  not  as  popular  as 
they  were  a  few  years  ago.  Believing  men 
are  adopting  a  bolder  policy ;  and  in  fact,  en- 
tertaining less  respect  than  formerly  for  ration- 
alistic theories. 

In  Prussia  there  have  been  some  manifesta- 
tions of  favor  to  Popery  in  high  places.  And 
this  has  certainly  led  to  a  formidable  increase 
of  Roman  priests  and  churches  in  that  king- 
dom. But  the  people  have  at  length  become 
so  sensitive  on  the  subject,  that  the  king  will 
probably  act  hereafter  with  more  reserve  in 
this  direction,  and  pay  more  regard  to  the 
wishes  of  his  Protestant  subjects  than  to  the 
feelings  of  his  Catholic  wife.  ' 

It  is  then  difficult  to  give  a  well  founded 
reply  to  the  inquiry  whether  the  European 
people  are  tending  most  to  Protestantism  or 
to  Popery.  The  Catholics  appear  to  be  san- 
guine. You  may  find  recorded  in  the  Dublin 
Registry  the  very  names  of  their  converts  from 
the  Protestant  ranks,  with  special  stress  laid 
upon  the  rank  of  the  pervert  or  the  standing 
of  his  father.  Thus  they  give  the  statistics  of 
conversions  in  England,  (1845-1852.)  "Clergy 
142.  Ladies,  76.  Their  children,  87.  Noble 
ladies,  26.  Noblemen,  30.  Gentlemen,  all  of 
hige  station,  148.  Total  509.  Mem.  The 
additions  of  1853  will  greatly  swell  this  list." 

In  so  brief  a  space  as  we  can  give  to  this  field, 
it  is  impossible  to  show  all  the  encouraging  in- 
dications of  reviving  religious  principle  and 
feeling,  which  the  present  state  of  Europe  pre- 
sents. The  French  Protestants  are  aiming  in 
every  way  to  revive  a  love  for  the  memory  of 
their  ancestry  of  confessors  and  martyrs.  Among 
other  measures  they  have  organized  a  society 
for  publishing  the  history  of  French  Protest- 
antism. The  British  press  is  issuing  a  higher 
style  of  exegetical  works  than  we  have  been 
accustomed  to  receive  from  that  quarter.  And 
religious  periodicals  of  great  value  are  now 
issued  in  every  part  of  Protestant  Europe. 
And  if  it  were  necessary  to  reply  to  the  false 
assertions  of  a  distinguished  Roman  prelate, 


842 


EUROPE. 


under  the  title, "  The  DccliDe  of  Protestantism," 
yvc  should  merely  contrast  the  missionary  en- 
terprises of  the  True  with  those  of  the  False 
Church.  Did  we  count  our  missionaries  as 
thev  count  theirs,  amounting  to  6,076,  ours 
would  be  20,000,  or  4000  ordained  mission- 
aries, and  16,000  assistants,  controlling  some 
40  presses  in  heathen  lands.  We  should  point 
to  more  than  37,000,000  spent  in  one  year  by 
the  evangelical  churches  of  Europe  alone  to 

S'opagate  a  pure  Christianity ;  to  2,200,000 
ibles,  which  one  society  distributed  in  one 
year,  making  a  total  of  more  than  26,500,000  ; 
and  to  34,700,000  religious  publications ;  mak- 
ing a  total  of  nearly  550,000,000  by  one  so- 
ciety. 

III.  The  agencies  employed  to  dissemi- 
nate THE  Gospel  in  Europe. — We  are  not 
at  liberty  to  consider  here  any  agency  that 
does  not  immediately  affect  the  religious  in- 
terests of  the  people.  Yet,  Christianity  re- 
quires so  imperiously  the  aid  of  popular  instruc- 
tion, to  secure  her  highest  ends,  that  we  cannot 
entirely  omit  a  reference  to  it.  The  brutal 
ignorance  of  the  majority  of  Catholics  who  mi- 
grate to  this  country  from  Ireland,  is  painful 
to  every  philanthropic  mind.  In  Kussia  not 
more  than  one  in  eight  hundred  can  read.  So 
that  we  must  strictly  regard  the  majority  of 
the  people  of  Europe  as  really  pagans,  intel- 
lectually as  well  as  religiously. 

1.  Common  Schools. — Scotland  took  the  lead 
in  popular  education.  And  to  that  and  the 
character  of  her  pulpit  instruction,  she  is  in- 
debted for  her  distinguished  position.  England 
moves  slowly  in  this  work,  because  Dissent  is 
jealous  of  the  Established  Church ;  and  yet  the 
government  wishes  to  place  the  schools  under 
the  control  of  the  pet-church.  Prussia  has 
introduced  a  very  efficient  system  of  com- 
mon schools,  which  is  now  extended  to  all 
Germany.  Yet  it  should  be  remembered  that, 
while  the  children  of  Prussia  are  so  exten- 
sively instructed,  we  must  not  judge  the  re- 
sults of  this  instruction  by  what  we  witness  in 
this  country.  With  the  peasantry  it  does  not 
form  the  basis  of  higher  cultivation,  nor  the 
guarantee  of  further  improvement.  Ireland, 
Holland,  Denmark,  Protestant  Switzerland, 
Austria,  Italy,  Belgium,  and  Sardinia,  have 
adopted  a  system  of  primary  instruction.  Rus- 
sia, Sweden,  and  Turkey,  are  taking  some 
steps  in  the  matter.  Much  has  been  done  in 
Germany,  France,  and  England  to  reclaim 
vicious  boys.  Miss  Callandrini,  a  lady  of  a 
truly  missionary  spirit,  more  than  twenty  years 
ago  introduced  religious  infant  schools  into 
Northern  Italy.  .  But  the  Roman  Pontiff,  with 
earnest  vigilance,  has  guarded  his  little  wretch- 
ed dominions  from  the  intrusion  of  infant 
schools,  railroads,  and  Bibles. 

2.  Temperance. — The  northern  portions  of 
the  Contment  present  the  same  melancholy 
spectacle  of  intemperance,  which  was  so  common 
in  this  country,  before  the  organization  of 


Temperance  Reform  ;  and  until  very  recently 
no  very  manifest  iinpre&sion  has  been  made 
any  where,  unless  it  be  in  Sweden.  Witliin  a 
few  years,  however,  the  British  people  arc  Ijo- 
ginning  to  appreciate  the  immense  advantaj,a'3 
which  would  result  from  a  universal  cet-f^ution 
from  the  use  of  intoxicating  beverages.  But 
we  now  look  mainly  to — 

3.  Preaching  and  the  distribution  ofBibks  and 
Religious  Tracts,  lor  the  salvation  of  the  pcrlHh- 
ing.     There  are  several  organizations  in  this 
country,  and  in  England  and  Scotland,  wliich 
act  on  the  people  of  Europe,  mostly  through 
native  institutions  and  laborers.    In  America 
is  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union, 
which  supplies  the  principal  Continental  soci- 
eties with  funds,  and  employs  a  few  laliorrrs 
under  its  own  immediate  direction.    In  ; 
pendix  will  be  found  a  very  full  statement 
missionary  labors  of  the  Methodist  Churcti  iii 
Europe.    The  Presbyterian  Church  (0.  S.)  ;iLso 
contributes  liberally  to  this  object.    The  Bap- 
tist Church  has  labored  long  and  faithfully  lo 
support  American   missionaries    in   France; 
thus  far,  with  very  discouraging  results,  IVom 
the  opposition  of  the  priests,  which  has  l>(eii 
the  more  effectual,  as  directed  against  io' 
ers.    They  have  likewise  sustained  miss i'       . 
Germany  and  northern  Europe,  and  with  much 
better  success.     Their   churches  now   spread 
through   Germany,   Denmark,   Norway,   and 
Sweden,  and  into  Switzerland,  embracing  aboir 
5000  members.    More  than  fifty  Bible  S"  >■ 
ties,  and  the  Tract  and  Sunday-school  S(j< 
of  Europe  and  America,  are  distributini; 
valuable  publications  over  the  whole  European 
field;  perhaps  less  extensively  in  Spain  auel 
Portugal,  however,  than  in  any  other  countries. 
The    native  Missionary  Societies  in  France, 
Belgium,  Switzerland,  and  the  German  Slate.- 
laboring  among  their  own  population,  an-  yet 
feeble;   and  mostly  much  restricted   by  the 
civil  power  of  the  priesthood.    The  Belgian 
Evangelical  Society  has  16  preachers  and  4i' 
stations.      The   French  Wesleyans  have  2e 
chapels,  79  stations,  19  ministers  and  candi 
dates,  five  evangelists  and  catechists,  32  loca 
preachers,  830  members,  122  candidates,  ant 
1462   pupils   in  their  Sunday-schools.      Tb( 
Religious  Tract   Society  of  France  has  dis 
tributed  more  than  one  million  publications 
The  two  French  Bible  Societies  have  distri 
buted  more  than  18,000  Bibles  and  67,000  Nev 
Testaments.    Besides  these  are  the  Evangeiica 
Society  of  the  dissenters ;  the  Central  Society 
sustained  by  the  evangelical  members  of  th^ 
French  National  Church,  both  accomplishing 
a  work  of  inestimable  importance,  employin} 
hundreds  of  laborers,  and  with  constantly  eii 
couraging  results.    The  Church  of  Lyons  i 
itself  a  vigorous  missionary  society.    In  Gei 
many  there  are  various  important  Home  Mis- 
sionary institutions,  which  are  working  wit 
encouraging  success.    In  Sardinia,  complet 
toleration  is  now  opening  a  wide  door  for  evai 


EUROPE. 


343 


gelical  efforts.  In  Central  and  Southern  Italy, 
as  in  Austria,  much  greater  obstructions  exist. 
I  Several  very  interesting  establishments,  almost 
or  quite  unknown  in  America,  exist  among  the 
Protestants  of  Europe.  One  is  the  Deaconess 
Houses,  designed  to  train  religious  women  for 
usefulness  among  the  poor  and  sick.  They 
exist  in  France,  Germany,  Switzerland,  and 
Eussia.  Another  is  a  Eetreat  for  ladies  of 
high  families  in  Germany,  not  requiring  celi- 
bacy ;  but,  in  case  of  marriage,  the  member 
of  the  sisterhood  forfeits  her  admission-fee. 
This,  and  several  others,  are  adapted  to  the 
peculiar  circumstances  created  by  the  institu- 
tions and  customs  of  the  country.  The  Kough 
House,  of  Horn,  near  Hamburg,  has  great 
celebrity  as  a  model  institution  for  reclaiming 
children.     We  now  inquire — 

lY.  What  may  be  done  to  evangelize 
Europe  ? — Wide  and  effectual  doors  are  open 
for  a  tenfold  increase  of  evangelical  labors. 
And  there  is  much  reason  to  believe  that  He 
who  is  so  wonderfully  bringing  India  and 
China  within  the  reach  of  his  Church,  will 
soon  bring  eastern  and  southern,  if  not  north- 
eastern Europe  before  her,  as  an  accessible 
missionary-field.  But  at  present  our  brethren 
in  France,  Belgium,  and  Germany  are  con- 
tinually pointing  out  to  us  labor  to  be  done, 
and  laborers  ready  to  perform  it,  while  the 
lack  of  pecuniary  resources  restricts  their 
operations. 

V.  The  Hindrances  to  Evangelizing 
Europe. — They  are  many  and  mighty  ;  such 
as  only  faith  in  God  has  a  right  to  despise. 
Most  prominent  among  them  are  : 

1.  The  Union  of  the  Church  with  the  civil 
government ;  or,  rather,  the  subjection  of  the 
Church  to  civil  rulers.  The  Roman  Catholic 
Church  is  thus  united  with  the  governments  of 
France,  Belgium,  Spain,  Portugal,  the  Italian 
States,  Austria,  and  other  German  states,  and 
several  Swiss  cantons.  The  Episcopal  Church 
is  thus  united  with  the  Government  of  Great 
Britain  in  England,  Ireland,  Malta  and  Gib- 
raltar. The  Lutheran  Church  is  united  with 
the  governments  of  Prussia,  France,  Denmark, 
Sweden,  Saxony,  and  other  German  states. 
The  Presbyterian  Church  is  united  with  those 
of  Holland,  France,  Great  Britain  (in  Scot- 
land,) and  several  Swiss  cantons.  The  Greek 
Church  is  united  with  those  of  Russia,  Greece, 
and  the  Ionian  Isles.  The  Mohammedan 
Church  is  united  with  that  of  Turkey. 
France  also  supports  the  Jewish  Church.  The 
vital  question  in  regard  to  this  relation  be- 
tween the  Church  and  the  State,  is  :  Has 
either  a  right  to  interfere  with  the  self-govern- 
ment of  the  other  ?  It  is  a  broad  question, 
demanding  a  profounder  discussion  than  would 
be  appropriate  here.  Yet  we  cannot  dismiss 
it  with  a  dry  statistical  statement.  Even 
popes  have  advocated  the  complete  independ- 
ence of  each  of  these  powers.  1'heir  testi- 
mony, however,  loses   even    its    appropriate 


weight,  because  it  is  always  given  for  an  occa- 
sion, and  frequently  on  the  opposite  sides  of 
the  same  question.  Some  writers  pretend  to 
discover  great  advantages  to  the  Church  and 
to  society  in  this  connexion,  especially  in  the 
periods  when  the  forms  of  society  were  dis- 
solved ;  and  also  its  adaptedness  to  the  old 
forms  of  civilization.  To  us,  even  this  is  very 
questionable ;  while,  in  our  age,  it  presents 
gross  and  enormous  evils,  with  scarcely  a  miti- 
gating feature.  The  injustice  now  perpe- 
trated under  the  forms,  and  in  the  name  of  jus- 
tice, by  the  most  civilized  governments  of 
Europe,  is  a  constant  appeal  to  the  vengeance 
of  Heaven.  We  mean  not  to  deny  that  good 
men  may  approve  of  the  system  ;  nor  to  cen- 
sure those  who,  in  their  circumstances,  think 
it  best  to  labor  within  the  various  established 
churches.  Every  man  stands  or  falls  to  his 
own  Master,  and  not  to  his  brethren,  on  that 
point.  Take  the  case  of  a  civil  government 
throwing  the  whole  of  its  power  into  the  cause 
of  a  lie ;  abetting,  sustaining,  enforcing  on 
the  consciences  of  its  subjects,  be  they  thou- 
sands or  millions,  to  reject  Christ's  Gospel,  and 
embrace  an  invention  of  Satan  !  How  great 
the  responsibility  ;  how  enormous  the  injury  ; 
how  dreadful  the  account  of  such  a  steward- 
ship !  It  is  much  for  a  man  to  judge  for  him- 
self what  is  truth,  and  to  stake  his  eternal 
well-being  on  it.  It  is  more  to  give  himself 
to  instructing  and  persuading  others  to  do  the 
same.  But  what  will  at  last  be  thought  of 
worldly  princes  or  godless  statesmen  choosing 
for  themselves  a  false  religion,  and  then,  under 
pains  and  penalties,  enforcing  it  on  their  fel- 
low-creatures!  They  hinder  Christ's  faithful 
servants  from  proclaiming  his  Gospel.  They 
are  the  tings  of  the  earth  that  set  themselves 
against  the  Lord  and  his  anointed.  They  hin- 
der the  people  from  coming  to  the  light.  No 
one,  for  instance,  can  tell  what  would  become 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  ten  years,  if 
the  civil  and  military  power  of  France  and 
Austria  did  not  uphold  it.  We  have  reason 
to  believe  that  multitudes  of  the  people  of 
Italy  and  France  would  at  once  proclaim 
themselves  Protestants  of  some  form  ;  and 
that  the  zeal  of  some  of  its  most  fervent  pre- 
lates would  take  some  other  object,  and  flow 
in  some  other  channel.  We  might  refer,  in 
confirmation,  to  the  changes  which  have  taken 
place  in  Turin,  in  Genoa,  and  in  Nice,  within 
six  years.  Nice  is  said  to  have  become  almost 
as  Protestant  as  Geneva.  And,  were  it  in 
place  here  to  cite  facts  from  America,  we 
could  show_  that  Romanism  melts  away  like 
dew,  where  it  is  left  to  a  fair  competition  with 
Christianity.  Maryland  was  settled  by  Catho- 
lics, just  as  New  England  was  settled  by  Puri- 
tans. Puritans  retain  their  ascendancy  there,, 
and  have  moulded  the  character  of  all  the  land 
westward  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  But  Mary- 
land presents  at  this  day  C5  Catholics  to  800 
Protestants.     Florida    was    Spanish.      The 


344 


EUROPK 


whole  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  was  first 
settled  by  Spanish  Catholics  or  1<  rcnch  Jesu- 
its. And  yet,  with  all  tlie  influx  of  Irish  and 
German  Catholics,— enough,  it  might  reason- 
ably be  thought,  to  have  given  the  Roman 
Church  a  majority, — the  census  shows  in  Flor- 
ida 5  Catholics  to  147  Protestants ;  in  Louisi- 
ana, 55  Catholics  to  223  Protestants  ;  and  in 
similar  proportions  in  tlie  other  states.*  It  is 
diflicult  for  Christians  in  America  to  conceive 
of  the  enormous  evils  resulting  from  this  vio- 
lent conjunction  of  these  two  institutions. 
"What  man  can  judge  for  the  conscience  of  his 
fellow-man  ?  Think  of  such  sovereigns  as 
Henry  VIII.  of  England,  and  his  daughter 
Elizabeth,  determining  for  godly  men  what 
they  must  believe,  and  how  they  must  worship ! 
No  Protestant  country  more  clearly  deter- 
mined, at  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  the 
true  relations  of  the  Church  and  State,  than 
Scotland ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  none  em- 
braced more  errors  than  England.  The  only 
difibrcnce  between  the  supremacy  of  Henry, 
however,  and  that  of  Victoria  is,  in  omitting 
the  title  of  headship.  Thus  stands  the  37th 
article  of  the  Church  of  England:  "The 
Queen's  majesty  hath  the  chief  power  in  this 
realm  of  England,  and  other  her  dominions, 
unto  whom  the  government  of  all  estates  of 
this  realm,  whether  they  be  ecclesiastical  or 
civil,  in  all  causes,  doth  appertain."  The  2d 
canon  of  1603  stands  thus  rf  "Whosoever 
shall  affirm  that  the  king's  majesty  hath  not 
the  same  authority  in  cases  ecclesiastical,  that 
the  godly  kings  had  among  the  Jews,  let  him 
be  excommunicated." 

Dr.  Lucius,  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  speaking 
of  his  country,  says  :  X  "  The  prese.nt  lords 
paramount  of  the  soil  are,  at  the  same  time, 
archbishops,  born  of  the  Protestant  national 
church — bishops  in  military  array,  with  sword 
and  shield  ;  would  that  they  also  always  bore 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  and  girded  on  the 
whole  armor  of  God !  Even  Roman  Catholic 
princes  assume  the  arch-episcopal  office,  and 
exercise  its  authority  in  the  German  Protest- 
ant church."  Thus,  ungodly  men  enact  eccle- 
siastical laws,  and  appoint  to  ecclesiastical 
offices.  Do  we  avoid  this  evil  wholly  by  our 
system  ?  Alas !  no.  But  when  worldly  men 
get  power  in  the  Church  here,  it  is  not  by  the 
consent  of  the  Church,  by  birth,  nor  by  the 
operation  of  a  system  which  avows  that  piety  is 
not  necessary  in  an  officer  of  Christ's  Church. 
The  Hessian  Constitution  for  1803  runs  thus  : 
"  To  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  "  (he  may  be 
an  infidel,  avowedly ;  it  would  not  hinder  his 
appointment  to  this  civil  office,)  "  belong 
matters  of  police,  in  the  widest  signification  of 
the  term ;  the  promotion  of  popular  education, 
and,  consequently,  ecclesiastical  and  scholastic 

•  Missions-Blatt,  3  Jahrgang,  No.  10. 

J  North  British  Review,  XV.  p.  259. 
Evangelical  Christendom,  VI.  p.  212.     We  shall  desig- 
nate this  work  by  E.  C. 


affairs  1 "  Thus,  the  law  makers,  judges,  rulera 
and  teachers  of  Christ's  Church,  are  more 
likely  to  be  men  without  piety,  than  to  be 
regenerated  men. 

Look,  then,  at  these  facts,  selected  from 
thousands.  They  show  both  the  indittereuce 
of  the  higher  clergy  to  the  real  worth  and 
wants  of  the  poorer  citizens,  and  the  violence 
done  to  the  Church  of  Christ  in  depriving  her 
of  one  of  her  most  valuable  and  cherished 
rights,  the  choice  of  teachers.  Of  547,112  in- 
habitants of  Sardinia,  512,381  can  neither 
read  nor  wxite.  And  yet  there  are  in  that 
state  11  bishops,  693  canons,  391  cures,  88 
monasteries,  15  nunneries,  and  2600  priests  1 
or  less  than  160  souls  to  a  teacher  of  religion. 
The  Church  of  England  is  possessed  of  im- 
mense wealth,  and  yet  the  Earl  of  Winchelsea 
asserted  in  Parliament  she  had  left  two  mil- 
lions of  the  people  without  church  accommo- 
dations ;  and  then,  out  of  10,891  Episcopal 
churches  in  England,  only  64  choose  their  own 
pastors ! 

And  not  among  the  least  pernicious  results 
of  the  system  is  that  a  false  standard  is  brought 
into  Christ's  kingdom,  and  the  canon  law  takes 
the  place  of  Scripture.  Errors  that  ought  to 
be  vanquished  by  instruction  and  conviction, 
are  suppressed  by  physical  force,  and  thought 
itself  is  stifled  in  the  conforming  and  the  non- 
conforming ;  and  as  light  penetrates  these 
countries,  and  the  minds  of  men  are  aroused  to 
a  consciousness  of  those  inalienable  rights 
which  these  systems  destroy,  there  arises  a 
growing  confusion.  Civil  and  canon  law  are 
coming  constantly  into  collision  with  each 
other,  as  now  in  the  governments  of  France 
and  Bavaria,  which  undertake  to  support 
Catholic  and  Protestant  churches  alike.  In 
Westphalia  the  absurd  spectacle  has  been  pre- 
sented of  a  pastor  (Heinrich)  seized  and  im- 
prisoned, his  whole  edition  of  a  sermon  de- 
stroyed ;  and  yet  the  offence  of  the  sermon 
was,  that  in  a  Lutheran  church,  under  a  Lu- 
theran king,  he  defended  the  doctrines  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  against  Roman  heresies. 

But  in  the  case  of  the  state  supporting  a 
true  church,  while  the  immediate  evil  is  not  so 
great,  yet  the  principle  is  equally  false,  and 
many  hurtful  results  remain.  There  is  an  in- 
justice to  other  sects,  and  an  injury  to  the  de- 
nomination chosen.  For  instance,  we  »nay 
cite  the  fact  that  in  Prussia  every  person  is 
born  into  the  church,  and  entitled  to  the  "  scal- 
ing ordinances."  Go  into  one  of  the  princi- 
pal prisons  of  Prussian  Saxony,  containing 
more  than  300  prisoners,  and  you  may  regu- 
larly see  the  chaplain  administering  to  them 
the  Lord's  Supper  indiscriminately.  An  eye- 
witness reports :  "  Several  months  ago  I  saw 
in  Marysburg  the  Lord's  Supper  administered 
to  a  company  of  several  hundred  soldiers."-^ 
(Letters  of  Prof  Fisher,  in  Congregationalist.) 

Religious  liberty  is  now,  on  the  whole,  gain- 
ing ground.    Although  the  French  sovereign 


EUROPE. 


345 


deems  it  bis  policy  to  favor  the  priesthood,  yet 
there  is  a  public  sentiment  gradually  maturing 
in  France,  founded  on  more  correct  views  than 
have  heretofore  prevailed.  The  Protestants  of 
the  national  church  boldly  demand  their 
rights  under  the  constitution.  And  the  labors 
of  British  Christians  on  the  continent  have 
not  been  fruitless.  The  Protestant  Conference 
of  France  and  the  Kirchentag  of  Germany 
have  appointed  a  commission  to  take  charge 
of  this  subject.  The  Belgic  Constitution  guar- 
antees religious  liberty  to  all,  although  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  is  supported  by  the 
government.  Holland  has  a  moderate  degree 
of  religious  liberty  ;  so  have  Turkey,  Den- 
mark, and  Norway;  but  in  Switzerland  infi- 
dels now  play  the  tyrant,  especially  in  Neuf- 
ch^tel  and  Yaud.  Russia  tolerates  other  re- 
ligions than  the  Greek  ;  but  is  very  severe  on 
Bome  poor  churches,  who  come  reluctantly 
within  the  favored  fold.  Spain,  Portugal, 
Sweden,  Italy  (except  Sardinia,)  and  Greece 
have  now  the  unenviable  superiority  to  the 
Turkish  government  in  the  exercise  of  intol- 
erance and  bigotry. 

Englishmen  dying  in  Spain  are  subjected  to 
the  most  brutal  indignities.  As  one  remarks  : 
"  The  gloomy  intolerance  of  Spain  pursues  the 
British  Protestant,  should  he  die  on  Spanish 
soil,  even  to  his  grave."  Portugal  exhibits 
some  shades  of  improvement  upon  Spain  ;  but 
even  in  that  country,  though  it  is  far  more 
open  to  British  influence  than  Spain  is,  relig- 
ious liberty  does  little  more  than  breathe. 
Dr.  Gomez,  under  the  article  of  the  Constitu- 
tion which  permits  the  exercise  of  the  Pro- 
testant religion  to  foreigners,  and  under  British 
protection,  continues  to  preach  the  doctrines 
of  the  Reformation  in  Lisbon,  yet  no  Portu- 
guese is  allowed  to  become  a  member  of  a 
Protestant  church ;  and  the  Jesuits  are  incit- 
ing the  mob  against  him,  as  they  did  in  regard 
to  Dr.  Kalley  in  Madeira. 

It  would  require  too  much  expansion  of  this 
article  to  enter  into  details  concerning  the 
state  of  religious  liberty  in  the  several  states 
of  Germany.  The  violence  involved  in  the 
system,  and  the  immeasurable  wrong  it  inflicts 
on  an  intelligent  people,  may  be  seen  in  a  re- 
mark made  by  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
theologians  of  Prussia.  An  American  inquired 
of  him,  if  the  Church  should  be  separated 
from  the  State,  how  many  of  the  existing 
churches  of  Prussia  would  adhere  to  their  pre- 
sent pastors  ?  The  reply  was,  Not  three.  The 
British  government  has  manifested  a  shameful 
indifierence  to  the  rights  of  its  own  subjects 
traveling  or  dwelling  in  papal  countries.  Her 
statesmen  have  boasted  of  dictating  treaties 
and  constitutions  to  the  continental  powers ; 
but,  to  their  disgrace,  they  have  looked  with 
indifiference  upon  the  sacred  rights  of  con- 
science, which  it  was  thus  in  their  power  to 
advance. 

In  some  states  foreign  dissenters  are  hardly 


tolerated  ;  and  in  a  large  number,  native  dis- 
sent is  prohibited  ;  and,  of  course,  all  proselyt- 
ing efiforts  are  crushed  by  the  power  of  the 
government.  Even  among  the  Protestant 
governments  the  spirit  of  intolerance  is  mani- 
festing itself.  Great  Britain  has  gradually 
abandoned  the  narrow  policy  of  former  days, 
under  which  our  fathers  suffered  to  death  and 
exile.  But  in  Sweden  persecution  is  now  car- 
ried on  against  those  who,  wearied  with  the 
formality  of  the  established  churches,  are  as- 
sembling to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 
Yet  it  is  cheering  to  see  the  symptoms  of  a 
change  even  there.  The  archbishop  of  Up- 
sala,  primate  of  Sweden,  has  recently  held  a 
convocation  of  his  clergy,  in  which  it  was  de- 
cided that  laymen  ought  to  participate  in  the 
spiritual  management  of  the  parish  ;  that,  ab- 
stractly considered,  religious  liberty  is  desira- 
ble ;  and  that  conventicles  are  allowable.  The 
Baptists  have  peculiarly  suffered  in  i^ermany, 
the  arm  of  clerical  oppression  mask(;d  by  the 
toga  of  the  magistrate. 

Another  hindrance  to  the  progress  of  the 
Gospel  is,  * 

2.  The  Social  penalties  attached  to  a  change  of 
religion. — This  operates  with  peculiar  power 
over  superstitious  and  affectionate  people,  like 
the  Irish  and  Germans. 

3.  The  Literature  of  the  day  is  deeply  im- 
bued with  a  worldly  spirit,  and  to  some  extent, 
with  infidel  opinions  and  an  aversion  to  the 
Gospel. 

4.  The  Philosophy  of  Europe  has  been  a 
mighty  hindrance  to  the  success  of  evangelical 
labors.  In  Scotland,  Hume  has  had  few  fol- 
lowers. In  England,  Locke  has  exerted  a  less 
injurious  influence  than  in  Fra,nce.  But  be- 
tween the  materialism  of  one  school  of  German 
philosophers,  and  the  pantheistic  transcendent- 
alism of  another,  the  higher  and  the  lower 
classes  of  the  continent  have  been  strongly 
fortified  against  the  influence  of  the  Gospel. 
But  a  visible  and  powerful  reaction  is  taking 
place  in  France  and  Germany,  in  favor  both 
of  a  more  evangelical  faith  and  of  a  more 
spiritual  philosophy. 

Another  hindrance  to  the  labors  of  evangel- 
ical men  is, 

5.  Tiie  debasing  effects  of  Popery  on  the 
masses  of  the  People. — It  promotes  ignorance, 
superstition,  and  sensuality.  It  is,  in  fact,  one 
of  the  most  demoralizing  institutions  in  the 
world.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Seymour  has  recently 
brought  out  some  comparisons  between  the 
immorality  of  several  countries  of  Europe, 
which  are  very  instructive  and  painful.  The 
more  thoroughly  popish  a  country  is,  the  worse 
it  is.  Murder  and  licentiousness  stalk  hand  in 
hand  among  Gothic  cathedrals,  gorgeous  rites, 
and  mumbling  priests.  Take,  for  instance,  the 
crime  of  murder.  The  standard  assumed  is 
one  million  inhabitants.  For  every  million, 
there  are  murdered  annually  in  England,  4; 
Ireland,  19  ;  France,  31 ;  Austria,  36 ;  Lorn- 


''^  >>''^»  •pTTw  *^Si:^ 


346 


EUROPE. 


bardy,  45 ;  Sicily,  90 ;  the  Pope's  kingdom, 
100 ;  Naples,  200. 

All  iIk^o  causes  combined  have  resulted  in 
counteractini?,  to  a  great  extent,  the  influence 
of  the  few  faithful  heralds  who  have  been  en- 
deavoring to  proclaim  the  Gospel  to  the  mis- 
guided millions  of  Europe. 

VI.  Tub  present  condition  op  the  Ro- 
man HiERARCUY,  considered  as  an  aggressive 
power. — In  forming  an  estimate  of  the  religi- 
ous condition  and  prospects  of  Europe,  a  pro- 
minent place  must  be  assigned  to  this  formida- 
ble power.     We  consider, 

1.  Tlieir  Home  Missionary  Societies. — The 
mightiest  of  these,  and  yet  the  most  suicidal, 
is  the  Order  of  Jesuits.  They  were  not  or- 
ganized to  spread  the  Gospel  in  heathen  lands, 
but  to  defend  the  Papacy  in  civilized  nations. 
In  a  Jesuit's  eye,  schism  is  worse  than  heresy, 
heathenism,  irreligion,  or  immorality.  And, 
although  they  have  been  distinguished  as  mis- 
sionaries, their  main  work  was  to  arrest  the 
Eeformation.  Loyola  organized  them  as  a 
religious  military  police,  for  the  Church  of 
Rome ;  but  Lainez,  the  second  general  of  the 
order,  gave  it  its  permanent  form  of  a  politi- 
cal order,  whose  main  instruments  are  shrewd, 
unscrupulous  intrigue,  educating  youth,  and 
confessing  princes  and  nobles.  One  of  their 
early  movements  was  the  planting  of  two 
powerful  colleges  in  Rome ;  that  of  the  Jesuits 
for  general  purposes,  and  a  German  college,  in 
which  the  course  of  instruction  prepared  men 
to  control  the  German  mind.  Belgium  had  be- 
come half  Protestant ;  but,  by  education  chiefly, 
the  Jesuits  recovered  it  to  Rome.  The  college 
of  Douai  was  founded  for  the  conversion  of 
England.  Poland  had  become  almost  Pro- 
testant. But  the  colleges  of  Cracow,  Grodno, 
and  Pultusk,  crushed  the  Reformation  there: in 
the  same  way  they  saved  Austria  to  the  Pope. 
The  order  has  made  itself,  in  turn,  indis- 
pensable to  every  despotic  government  of  Eu- 
rope, and  then  has  rendered  itself  intolerable 
to  them  all.  To  the  best  classes  of  every 
civilized  community,  sooner  or  later,  the  pres- 
ence of  this  body  must  be  found  insufierable  to 
men  of  probity  and  virtue,  to  true  patriots,  to 
rulers,  and  to  men  of  science  and  learning. 
Society  is  against  them  ;  for  she  is  pressing  to 
the  future ;  they  would  anchor  her  to  the  past. 
Even  the  other  orders  of  the  Roman  hierar- 
chy dan  barely  tolerate  their  arrogance.  Their 
barbarous  opposition  to  science,  genuine  his- 
tory, and  classical  literature,  unites  the  educated 
classes  against  them.  They  make  unrelenting 
war  on  the  universities  and  educators  of  any 
country  that  will  tolerate  them.  Three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-six  of  their  authors  have  been 
condemned  by  the  tribunals  of  Europe  as  en- 
couraging crime. 

I'he  Parliament  of  France  burned  their 
books  by  the  hands  of  the  hangman  in  1762. 
The  archbishop  of  Malines,  in  his  work.  Dm 
Jesuitisme,  Ancien  et  Moderne,  says,  "  that  of 


these  326  works  approved  by  these  Jesuit  theo- 
logians, 17  encouraged  immodesty,  28  perjury, 
33  robbery,  36  homicide,"  Arc.  In  1773  (Mem- 
ent  Xiy.,  in  compliance  with  the  feelii)ga  of 
the  civilized  world,  suppressed  the  order.  At 
that  time  it  had  22,787  members ;  of  whom 
11,010  were  priests.  But  the  suppression  was 
only  in  appearance.  Catharine  of  Russia 
saved  them  as  an  order.  But,  authorized  or 
unauthorized,  they  have  insinuated  themselves 
into  every  part  of  Europe.  In  1814,  Pius 
VII.  restored  their  order.  But  when  the  Em- 
peror of  Rqgsia  found  them  not  only  opposing 
the  Bible  Society  he  had  formed,  but  also  in- 
terfering with  the  Russian  mission  in  Peking, 
which  was  purely  scientific,  he  adopted  still 
more  rigid  measures  against  them.  This  is 
the  official  verdict  of  the  government :  *  Every 
act  of  the  Jesuits  is  founded  in  selfishness, 
and  directed  solely  to  the  unlimited  extension 
of  their  power  :  adepts  in  excusing  each  of 
their  unlawful  proceedings  by  some  rule  of 
their  company,  they  have  a  conscience  as  vast 
as  it  is  docile.'  In  1845  they  had  1390  priests 
in  Europe,  1184  scholars,  and  1041  lay  brothers. 
They  have  lost  the  prestige  of  their  fame  as 
educators  and  as  leaders  of  human  thought. 
They  have  not,  at  this  day,  one  commanding 
preacher,  to  reach  the  masses  of  mankind. 
Immense  wealth  and  untiring  industry  are 
powerful  instruments.  But  when  these  are 
employed  against  the  whole  current  of  human 
thought  and  the  mighty  movements  of  human 
society,  their  possessors  toil  like  Samson  shorn 
of  his  locks.  They  are  at  present  recognized 
only  in  some  of  the  Italian  States,  and  toler- 
ated in  France,  where  they  hold  immense  pos- 
sessions, under  false  names ;  having  about  one 
thousand  members,  so  far  as  can  be  ascertain- 
ed. Their  paper  in  Paris,  L'  Univers,  is  bold 
to  impudence,  and  uncompromising  in  its 
claims  for  Popery.  It  is  said  to  be  in  the  pay  of 
the  Court  of  Rome.  And  it  is  a  striking  fact 
that  the  Department  of  Worship  in  the  general 
government — that  is,  the  superintendence  and 
care  of  all  the  churches  of  France,  Catholic, 
Protestant,  and  Jewish,  is  in  the  hands  of  a  ! 
Jesuit  layman.  ' 

Beside  this  renowned  corps,  there  is  a  great  ■ 
number  of  orders  and  institutions,  embracing 
persons  of  both  sexes,  designed  for  educating 
Protestant  children,  and  for  the  care  of  or- 
phans and  invalids.  They  are  resorting  again, 
in  self-defence,  to  preaching  "  out  of  season," 
if  not  out  of  consecrated  places.  Series  of 
meetings  are  now  held  by  the  Jesuits,  Re- 
demptorists.  Capuchins,  Franciscans,  Ligo- 
rians,  &c.,  sustained  by  various  societies — St. 
Vincentius,  Borromeo,  Childhood  of  Jesus,  Ro- 
sary Catholic,  Sisters  of  Education,  &c. 

A  society  has  been  organized  to  pray  for 
the  conversion  of  France.  It  counts  40,000 
members  in  St.  Brience  alone.  Then  there 
are  fraternities  attached  to  particular  churches. 
Almost  every  church  in  Paris  has  one.    The 


EUROPE. 


347 


most  important  is  that  of  the  Sacred  Heart : 
it  has  had  50,000  members.  They  have  great 
varieties  of  schools  for  children,  and  asylums 
for  the  aged.  They  have  also  retreats,  not  so 
rigid  as  monasteries.  The  Society  of  St.  Yin- 
cent  de  Paul,  in  Paris,  composed  of  young 
people,  has  auxiliaries  throughout  the  king- 
dom. It  labors  indefatigably  to  reclaim  chil- 
dren, paupers,  and  apprentices,  to  the  Catholic 
faith.  Its  receipts  from  lotteries,  ciiarity  ser- 
mons, &c.,  were  $40,812  in  one  year.  As  a 
specimen  of  the  home  missionary  operations  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  church,  we  may  select 
those  established  in  Belgium.  Twenty  monas- 
teries exist  there.  The  majority  of  them  are 
of  recent  foundation,  and  have  abandoned  the 
old  notions  of  meditation,  fasting,  and  inac- 
tivity ;  for  all  which  they  have  substituted  an 
intense  activity.  Th3  Ignorantins  have  up- 
wards of  twenty  houses,  and  are  increasing  in 
number,  as  being  peculiarly  eflScient  in  reach- 
ing the  mass  of  the  people.  The  Freres  de 
la  Charite  have  houses,  scattered  through 
the  five  dioceses.  The  Josephites  have  seven 
houses,  divided  into  three  classes ;  priests, 
seminarists,  and  artisans.  The  Freres  de  Renaix 
have  four  houses  :  they  take  care  of  the  aged, 
promote  free  schools  for  the  poor,  and  work- 
shops for  needy  tradesmen.  The  Freres  de  la 
Misericorde  have  three  houses  ;  attending  to 
the  sick  and  to  prisoners.  The  Freres  Xave- 
riens  devote  themselves  to  instructing  and  to 
nursing  in  families,  and  in  houses  of  detention 
and  correction.  But  female  missions  are  still 
more  numerous.  The  diocese  of  Mechlin  alone 
contains  33  orders  of  nuns;  comprising  109 
communities,  only  eight  of  which  are  devoted 
to  a  contemplative  life.  The  whole  corps  of 
archbishops  and  bishops  in  Europe  is  about 
400. 

2.  Their  Foreign  Missionary  operations  are 
increasing. — The  missionary  college  in  Rome, 
called  the  Collegium  de  Propaganda  Fide,  insti- 
tuted by  Urban  VIII.,  in  1627,  still  continues 
to  educate  men  of  different  nations  as  mission- 
aries to  their  own  people.  And  the  Congre- 
gatio  de  Propaganda  Fide,  founded  by  Gregory 
XV.,  in  1622,  still  continues  its  missionary 
labors.  There  are  five  Foreign  Mission  Soci- 
eties established  in  Paris. 

The  Society  for  Propagating  the  Faith, 
founded  recently  in  Lyons,  is  a  remarkable  in- 
stitution. It  collects  one  cent  a  week  from 
each  of  its  members,  scattered  throughout  Eu- 
rope, Asia,  and  America.  In  1850  its  receipts 
were  $620,370  ;  (some  say  $950,000,)  of  which 
$357,734  were  from  France.  The  congrega- 
tion of  St.  Lazarus  has  increased  its  mission- 
aries from  13  to  200,  within  thirty  years.  The 
Jesuits,  Dominicans,  and  Franciscans  have 
taken  up  the  work  of  missions  afresh,  and  new 
orders  are  entering  the  field,  Redemptorists, 
Passionists,  Oblatists,  Priests  of  Mary's  Holy 
Heart,  the  Maryists,  and  the  Monks  of  Picpus. 
The  united  incomes  of  three  of  their  missionary 


societies  amount  to  nearly  $1,300,000  per  an- 
num. 

The  Dublin  Catholic  Registry  reports  their 
foreign  mission  operations,  but  furnishes  basis 
for  no  other  statistical  statements  than  these  : 
the  number  of  Catholics  in  India  is  822,000  ; 
the  number  of  priests  in  Africa  is  150. — (See 
Church  of  Rome,  Missicms  of.) 

3.  Present  internal  strength  of  Popery. — Judged 
by  the  true  standard,  the  papal  religion  is  a 
failure,  even  on  its  own  chosen  ground.  The 
present  political,  social,  financial,  moral,  intel- 
lectual, and  religious  condition  of  the  imperial 
city  is  its  standing  condemnation  :  the  verdict 
of  a  righteous  Providence,  which  mankind ' 
may  read  and  understand,  if  they  have  eyes  to 
see  and  ears  to  hear.  The  city  of  Rome,  for 
instance,  has  137,866  lay  citizens,  and  to  teach 
them  how  to  be  holy  and  happy,  they  have  the 
Pope  himself,  a  large  portion  of  the  cardinals, 
34  bishops,  1314  secular  priests  ;  1548  monks, 
and  1686  nuns.  But  immorality,  scepticism 
and  discontent,  with  a  profound  contempt  of 
the  Pope  and  his  reverend  counsellors,  charac- 
terize the  city  of  seven  hills.  A  leaden  atmos- 
phere seems  to  oppress  the  respiration  in  that 
doomed  city  ;  the  blasphemous  corrupter  of  the 
kings  and  nations  of  the  earth.  No  man  is 
competent  to  judge  the  real  condition  of  that 
church.  It  is  constructed  with  a  cunning 
adaptedness  to  conceal,  even  from  Catholics,  its 
faults  and  falsehoods;  and  yet  more  energe- 
tically to  prevent  the  exposure  of  them  to  the 
world,  when  discovered ;  and  therefore  even 
the  Pope  himself  is  incompetent  to  determine 
anything  beyond  the  external  show  of  things. 
But  results  cannot  be  concealed,  and  we 
may  get  some  definite  view  of  a  system  com- 
prising such  varied  and  conflicting  pretensions, 
and  blended  ambiguously  with  so  many  civil 
governments,  by  separately  considering  these 
points  :  The  temporal  supremacy  of  the  Pope ; 
the  boasted  unity  of  the  infallible  church  ;  the 
state  of  the  controversy  with  Protestantism ; 
and  the  result  of  the  attempt  to  convert  Great 
Britain.     How  stand   then 

A.  The  pretensions  of  the  Pope  to  be  the  Empe- 
ror of  the  World  ? — It  should  never  be  lost  sight 
of,  that  while  Roman  Catholics  are  divided  in- 
to two  parties.  Catholics  and  papists,  the  Popes 
and  Cardinals  are  always  papists.  They  be- 
lieve, or  profess  to  believe,  that  mankind  will 
never  be  happy ;  error  and  sin  will  never  cease; 
commerce  and  agriculture,  education,  and 
above  all,  religion  will  never  thrive  ;  nor,  in  a 
word,  Christ  reign  universally  until  the  Pope 
has  reigned  as  a  temporal  despot,  over  every 
kindred  and  people,  and  tribe  and  man.  All 
however  who  believe  the  dogmas  of  the  church, 
do  not  believe  in  these  pretensions  of  the  Pope. 
After  the  mighty  Charlemagne  had  called  on 
the  bishop  of  Rome  to  crown  him,  the  idea  of 
universal  supremacy  seems  to  have  taken  root 
in  the  papal  brain.  But  it  never  was  fully 
matured  until  the  ambitious  Hildebrand  gave 


848 


EUROPE. 


it  form  and  uttcranco.  Among  the  doctrines 
ho  pronnil«ratod  are  these  ;  (Baronius,  Dictntus 
Papa.)  "The  Pope  is  one  universal  bishop, 
with  all  power  to  depose,  restore,  translate,  and 
alter  the  sees  of  other  bishops.  No  book  is 
canonical  without  his  sanction.  No  council 
can  be  called  general  without  his  precept.  He 
can  depose  emperors  ;  he  can  absolve  subjects 
from  their  allegiance.  He  is  the  judge  of  all 
men,  and  no  man  can  judge  him.  All  princes 
must  kiss  his  feet.  There  is  only  one  name  in 
the  world,  that  of  the  Pope  ;  and  by  the  me- 
rits of  the  blessed  Peter,  ne  is  endowed  with 
personal  sanctity."  But  how  far  has  Gregory 
VII.  convinced  the  world  of  the  truth  of  these 
tremendous  dogmas  ?  The  world  has  discov- 
ered that  the  Roman  Church  stands  upon  two 
falsehoods — two  base  and  acknowledged  for- 
geries. We  say  acknowledged :  for  since  the 
day  in  which  the  Magdeburg  centuriators 
showed  to  the  world  that  they  were  forgeries, 
her  ablest  writers  have  abandoned  them.  And 
yet,  if  these  are  not  her  ground,  she  has  no 
other  for  claiming  to  be  more  than  a  simple 
Christian  church,  upheld,  (if  she  stands  at  all, 
like  all  other  churches,)  simply  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Uhost.  Her  claim  of  supremacy 
over  all  other  churches  is  founded,  not  to  say 
upon  the  strange  coxistruction  of  a  promise  to 
an  apostle  to  the  Jews,  by  which  a  church  of 
gentiles  is  made  supreme  over  all  others,  but 
upon  the  '  Decretals  of  Isidore.'  Her  claim 
for  temporal  authority  stands  upon  the  *  Do- 
nation of  Coustautine,'  both  of  them  base 
forgeries. 

The  question  then  before  us  is,  how  the  gov- 
ernments and  churches  regard  these  two 
claims  ?  The  Protestant  churches  and  govern- 
ments probably  acquiesce  unanimously  in  re- 
garding the  pretension  as  arrogant  and  ab- 
surd, to  the  last  degree.  A  recent  writer, 
(J.  E.  Shephard,  A.M.,  "  History  of  the  Church 
of  Rome  to  the  end  of  the  Episcopate  of  Damasus, 
A.D.  384,  1851,")  says,  that  he  undertook  to  in- 
vestigate the  facts  on  this  subject,  as  establish- 
ed by  documents ;  this  is  his  conclusion : "  What 
is  recorded  of  the  Roman  church  within  that 
period,  is  aUnost  nothing ;  and  that  those  acts 
of  interference  with  other  churches,  which  ap- 
pear in  the  histories  and  some  other  writings, 
are  forgeries  of  a  much  later  date,  manifestly 
written  to  create  a  belief  in  a  supremacy 
which  had  never  existed,  but  which,  at  the 
time  they  were  made,  the  Roman  church  was 
endeavoring  to  introduce."  He  finds  the  gross- 
est anachronisms  in  these  records,  for  exam- 
ple :  Constantino  is  said  to  give  Sylvester 
supremacy,  even  over  Constantinople,  when 
Constantinople  has  not  yet  an  existence. 

Gregory  VII.  proposed  to  himself  to  subju- 
gate the  world  by  means  of  the  clergy.  He 
therefore  exempted  the  monasteries  from  epis- 
copal jurisdiction,  and  so  obtained  the  exclu- 
sive services  of  a  disciplined  ecclesiastical  mil- 
itia.     But  even  the  Catholic  sovereigns  of 


Europe  choose  to  keep  their  sceptres  in  their 
own  hands,  and  employ  the  Catholic  clergy  aa 
a  police.  And  the  most  intelligent  Catholic 
laymen  throughout  P]urope,  we  believe,  are  of 
the  same  opinion  with  the  late  Abbe  Lammo- 
nais,  that  if  the  Pope  is  a  sincere  Christian, 
and  seeks  the  spiritual  welfare  of  mankind,  ho 
will  lay  aside  his  triple  crown,  and  retain  only 
the  Bishop's  Croisier.  There  is  not  a  prince 
in  Europe  who  does  not  despise  the  civil  au- 
thority of  the  Pope,  at  least  as  much  as  that 
of  the  Sultan.  Both  those  characters  are  re- 
tained in  the  list  of  sovereigns  by  suffrancc..  and 
by  the  help  of  other  peoples'  soldiers. 

B.  The  Unity  of  the  Catholic  Church.— T\m 
is  another  false  pretension  and  hypocritical 
profession.  Neither  Popes,  Councils,  Clergy, 
nor  Laymen  are  any  more  united  than  the 
members  of  Protestant  churches.  Opinions 
and  decisions  of  Fathers,  Councils,  and  Popes 
recorded  and  published,  are  not  harmonious. 
Two  Popes  contended  for  the  crown ;  and  a 
council  without  a  Pope  appointed  a  third. 
The  old  Jesuit  and  Jansenist  tendencies  re- 
main, while  the  Jansenist  party  is  broken  up. 
The  Gallican  and  Ultramontane  battle  is  as 
severely  fought  to  this  day  in  Paris,  as  in  any 
former  period.  The  church  has  adopted  two 
sdf-destroying  fundamental  theories ;  on  the 
one  side,  infallibility,  and  consequent  immuta- 
bility ;  on  the  other,  the  developement  theory 
of  Newman.  She  insists  on  absolute  authority, 
and  then  reasons  with  private  judgment  to 
prove  that  there  can  be  no  legitimate  exercise 
of  private  judgment.  The  questions  to-day 
discussed  in  Catholic  France  go  to  the  bottom 
of  Papal  claims  and  pretensions.  They  affect 
the  union  of  civil  and  temporal  power  in  the 
Pope  ;  the  agreement  or  antagonism  of  Popery 
and  modern  society ;  the  rights  of  the  inferior 
clergy.  And  when  Frenchmen  take  up  such 
questions,  they  investigate  them  thoroughly. 

C.  The  State  of  the  Doctrinal  Controversy. — 
The  only  real  and  legitimate  controversy  Rome 
can  maintain,  is  on  the  question  of  her  infallibil- 
ity. And  it  is  striking,  that  when  Mr.  Seymour 
in  his  discussions  with  the  Jesuits,  (Mornings  at 
Rome,)  affirmed  that  Rome  had  never  dogmat- 
ically asserted  her  infallibility,  and  challenged 
them  to  produce  such  affirmation,  they  were 
thrown  into  utter  confusion.  The  fact  is,  that 
on  these  fundamental  points,  What  is  the 
Church  ?  and,  When  are  her  utterances  infal- 
lible? she  never  speaks  positively  ;  but  al- 
ways assures  that  she  is  infallible,  when  it 
suits  her  purpose  so  to  do.  Her  present  doc- 
trinal discussion  makes  a  meagre  portion  of 
theological  literature. 

D.  Tlie  Papal  Movements  rn  England. — One 
of  the  most  striking  events  of  the  19th  cen- 
tury has  been  the  struggle  of  Rome,  accom- 
panied with  premature  shouts  of  victory,  to 
recover  England  to  the  Pope.  Appearances 
were  certainly  encouraging  for  them.  There 
w^ere  in  1838,  in  England,  11  dukes,  2  earls, 


EUROPE. 


349 


7  lords,  18  of  the  richest  baronets,  and  more 
than  50  of  the  wealthiest  families,  members  of 
the  Catholic  church.  And  within  a  few  years 
70  Episcopal  clergymen,  and  120  of  the  nobil- 
ity and  gentry  have  joined  them.  In  1792 
there  were  not  30  chapels  in  Great  Britain  ; 
now  there  are  616,  (800,  Dr.  Cummings  says,) 
with  more  than  300,000  attendants,  and  875 
priests.  Within  seven  years  sixty  of  the  larg- 
est churches  have  been  built  by  them.  They 
had  not  then  one  college.  Now  they  have  10.* 
They  have  one  Quarterly  Review,  two  or  three 
monthlies  and  one  able  weekly  paper.  In  Ire- 
laud  the  principal  high  offices  of  state  were  in 
the  hands  of  Catholics.  Oxford  University 
education  partook  so  much  of  the  medieval 
spirit,  as  to  furnish  good  instruments  for  de- 
stroying the  work  of  the  Reformation.  There 
was  great  formality  and  indifference  in  the 
Episcopal  ranks  that  had  rejected  the  "  Meth- 
odism "  of  Simeon  and  the  Clapham  school. 
So  far  then  as  these  gentlemen  were  sincere 
in  attachment  to  the  Protestant  principles  they 
professed,  they  aimed  to  prevent  the  Episcopal 
church  from  being  latitudinarian  and  worldly. 
But  their  remedy  was  worse  than  the  disease. 
They  substituted  traditions  of  men  for  the 
"Word  of  God ;  apostolical  succession  for  minis- 
terial godliness ;  sacramental  regeneration  for 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  visible  unity 
of  the  church  for  the  spiritual  union  of  free 
men  ;  justijfication  by  ceremonies  for  justifica- 
tion by  faith.  Many  of  the  most  intelligent 
men  in  England,  however,  give  them  no  credit 
for  sincerity.  The  honest  Arnold  bitterly 
complained  of  their  want  of  honesty.  Mr. 
Rose  affirms  that  the  movement  originated  in 
an  anticipation  that  the  established  Church 
was  to  be  separated  from  the  state,  and  then 
these  clergymen  would  be  denuded  of  those 
claims  of  superiority  and  of  transcendental 
dignity,  which  they  have  never  sacrificed,  and 
be  placed  on  a  level  with  the  ministers  of  other 
denominations.  They  must,  therefore,  have 
something  to  fall  back  upon.  And  they  hit 
upon  the  assumption  that  they  are  the  Church, 
and  that  all  chm*ches  or  communions,  extrinsic 
to  theirs,  are  heathen  men  and  publicans.  So 
that  about  twenty  years  ago  they  commenced 
their  operations,  and  conducted  them  with 
consummate  skill.  Three  fundamental  princi- 
ples were  laid  down :  the  participation  of  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  in  the  Eucharist  is  a 
reality ;  the  mystery  of  his  body  and  blood  has 
been  confided  only  to  the  hands  of  the  succes- 
sors of  the  Apostles,  and  their  delegates ;  since 
the  Apostles,  those  who  derived  their  succes- 
sion from  them  in  an  unbroken  line,  by  the 
imposition  of  the  hands  of  the  bishops,  are  the 
only  priests  to  give  this  body  and  blood  unto 
the  people.  Dr.  Newman  saw  that  their  effort 
to  transfer  the  Nicene  Church  of  the  fourth 


t  *oH^^i°^  ^^°'  ^®^  ^"«3,  m.  p.  469.  Cumminga  on  Apoc. 
L  890,  (Am.  edit.)  '        *-  o  i- 


century  to  the  nineteenth  was  inadmissible. 
He  therefore  resorted  to  the  doctrine  of  devel- 
opement,  which  is  directly  destructive  of  the 
famous  claim  of  Rome  to  infallibility.  By 
means  of  tracts,  reviews,  novels,  and  poetry, 
this  leaven  was  spread  through  England.  It 
has  logically  resulted,  in  seventy  instances  only, 
in  taking  its  abettors  from  the  ministry  of  the 
Episcopal  to  that  of  the  Roman  Church.  But 
the  movement  has  reached  its  climax,  and  is 
silently  sinking  into  the  oblivion  it  merits. 

Our  picture  will  not  be  complete,  without 
adding  to  this  general  view  of  the  Continent, 
a  more  specific  description  of  the  several 
States. 

YII.  Review  of  the  European  States. — 
§  1.  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland. — Popula- 
tion (including  Guernsey)  28,500,000  (U). — 
The  English  Reformation,  we  have  already  re- 
marked, was  deeply  defective  in  many  respects. 
The  king  was  made  the  Pope  of  England ;  all 
religious  interests  being  put  under  his  control, 
even  to  the  appointment  of  all  the  bishops ; 
and,  to  complete  the  anomalous  condition  of 
the  church,  her  bishops  became  a  portion  of 
the  civil  aristocracy,  and  members  of  the  gov- 
ernment. Liberty  in  matters  of  conscience 
was  not  permitted,  on  the  penalty  of  an  utter 
exclusion  from  all  civil  offices,  and  from  the 
privileges  of  the  universities.  After  passing 
through  various  phases,  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land is  now  divided  into  three  parties.  They 
are  familiarly  denominated  the  Low,  High, 
and  Broad  Church.  The  Low  Church  takes  the 
Calvinistic  view  of  theArticles  ;  and  is  earnest 
in  moral  reforms,  in  promoting  spiritual  reli- 
gion, and  missions  to  the  heathen.  Their  or- 
gan is  the  Record.  The  High  Church  has  for 
its  watch-words — Judgment  by  works ;  Bap- 
tismal regeneration  ;  Church  authority ;  and 
Apostolical  succession.  The  Guardian  is  its 
organ.  The  Broad  Church  is  well  represented 
by  the  lamented  Arnold.  It  makes  much  of  the 
visible  church ;  of  symbols ;  of  the  unity  of 
the  Church  under  different  names.  The  fol- 
lowing classification  has  been  made  of  the 
18,000  episcopal  clergymen  in  England  : — 
High  Church — Anglican,  3500;  Tractarian, 
1000 ;  High  and  Dry,  2500.  Low  Church— 
Evangelical,  3300;  Recordite,  2500;  Low 
and  Slow,  700.  Broad  Church — Theoretical, 
1000  ;  Anti-theoretical,  2500.  About  1000  of 
the  peasant  clergy  are  to  be  ranked  apart  from 
these.  Of  the  bishops,  13  are  High ;  10  Broad ; 
5  Evangelical. 

To  the  student  of  British  history,  this  state 
of  things  is  encouraging,  as  it  is  an  evidence 
of  progress.  Indeed,  the  distinguishing  feature 
of  all  British  history  is  the  steady  progress  ol 
truth  and  righteousness,  as  seen  in  her  Consti- 
tution, her  legislation,  and  her  ecclesiastical 
history.  Britain  is  moving  with  a  slow,  undo 
viating  march,  onward  toward  a  brighter  age 
A  great  principle  once  secured  there,  is  never 
lost  to  the  British  race,  nor  to  the  world.   Re- 


850 


EUROPE. 


forms  do  not  move  as  ranidly  as  we  desire ; 
bat  they  arc  advancing.  We  have  seen  those 
two  instruments  of  tyranny — the  act  of  Uni- 
formity and  the  Conventicle  act,  give  place  to 
the  act  of  Toleration ;  which  has  been  con- 
tinually maintained  inviolate,  and  even  en- 
larged. It  was  an  immense  progress  from  the 
days  of  Laud  and  Jeffrey  to  the  day  when 
Lord  Chathanj,  addressing  his  peers,  said, 
**  The  Dissenters  arc  represented  as  men  of 
close  ambition.  They  are  so,  my  lords.  And 
their  ambition  is,  to  keep  close  to  the  college 
of  fishermen,  and  not  of  cardinals ;  to  the  doc- 
trine of  inspired  apostles,  not  to  the  decrees  of 
interested  and  aspiring  bishops.  They  con- 
tend for  a  spiritual  creed  and  a  spiritual  wor- 
ship." 

From  the  days  of  Magna  Charta  to  the 
present  parliamentary  investigation  of  Oxford 
affairs,  resulting  in  the  admission  of  dissenters 
to  the  University,  there  has  been  a  steady  pro- 
gress ;  while  the  other  European  nations  have 
either  remained  stationary  or  receded.  The 
dissenters  have  become  more  discerning  of 
their  rights  and  more  courageous  in  advocat- 
ing them.  They  have  also  become  more  pow- 
erful in  the  House  of  Commons,  which  is  the 
real  seat  of  civil  power  in  the  nation.  The 
recent  papal  maneuvre  was  premature,  and 
has  made  England  more  intelligently  anti- 
papal,  more  firmly  Protestant  than  she  has 
been  of  late  years.  There  is  also  an  increase 
of  spirituality  in  the  national  and  the  dissent- 
ing churches.  The  renowned  universities  of 
the  kingdom  provide  for  the  ministry  a  major- 
ity of  its  incumbents.  The  prominent  defect 
of  these  venerable  institutions  is  their  conser- 
vative lethargy.  They  do  not  keep  pace  with 
the  necessities  of  society,  only  as  far  as  it  has 
interests  in  the  past.  The  present  and  the 
future  are  not  to  be  learned  in  Oxford  or  Cam- 
bridge, as  they  may  be  in  the  colleges  of  the 
dissenters. 

CHUECHES   AND   ATTENDANCE   IN   ENGLAND, 
SCOTLAND,  AND   WALES. 


Denomiaatiotu). 


Churches. 


Episcopal 

Inilependent 

Bapti-st 

Methodist  (Wesleyan) . 
Methodist  (Primitive^ . 
Presbyterian  (Englisn) 
Presbyterian  (Scotch) . 

Unitarian 

Lady  Huntington  Con. 
Other  Evangel,  denom. 

Roman  Catholic 

.lews 

Quakers 

Mormons    

Undefined 


13,718 
3,446 
2,066 
6,649 
(12)* 
83 
2,528 
(5) 


1 


Sittings. 


5,847,93.5 
1,139,478 

576,561 
1,467,531 

(2,490) 

41,382 

1,750,149 

(2,437) 


(52,776) 

(67) 

(2,152) 

(3,182) 


Attend- 
ance. 


2,568,310 

818,534 

480,491 

915,722 

620,517 

28,212 

851,584 

37,863 

29,686 

81,000 

349,878 

4,178 

(196) 

(1,304) 

33,304 


*  The  numbers  enclosed  in  parenthesis  belong  to  Scot- 
land alone. 


The  preceding  table  presents  the  results  of 
some  recent  efforts  to  ascertain  the  provisions 
made  in  England,  Wales  and  Scotland,  for 
the  religious  culture  of  the  people,  and  the 
actual  attendance  on  divine  worship.  From 
these  statistics  it  is  manifest  that  unle.ss  the 
room  provided  in  churches  exceeds  the  num- 
ber needed,  (which  is  highly  improbable,) 
there  is  still  a  sad  indifference  to  God's  insti- 
tutions of  grace,  even  in  a  country  so  Chris- 
tianized as  England.  Of  the  17,297,000  in- 
habitants  of  England  and  Wales,  only  6,000,000 
or  about  one-third  attend  worship.  So  that 
as  many  as  seven  and  a  half  millions  either 
neglect  public  worship,  or  attend  on  the  min- 
istry of  error. 

Dr.  Cummings,  in  his  able  and  interesting 
Lectures  on  the  Apocalypse,  has  given  a  fear- 
ful exhibition  of  the  moral  and  religious  con- 
dition of  London.  (Vol.  I.  p.  382.)  He  re- 
marks :  "  If  all  the  churches  and  chapels  were 
as  full  as  they  could  hold,  not  one-fourth  of  the 
population  would  be  within  them.  There  are 
never  in  church  on  one  Sunday,  in  all  denomi- 
nations, more  than  200,000  people  out  of 
2,000,000.  And  how  many,  do  you  think,  of 
that  number  are  communicants?  Startling 
fact!  Awful  stain  upon  the  missionary  zeal 
of  the  metropolis !  There  are  scarcely  60,000 
communicants  in  all  the  chapels  and  churches 
of  this  vast  city  put  together  1  The  steam 
boats  and  railways  alone  carry  from  the  me- 
tropolis every  Sunday  morning  a  greater  pop- 
ulation than  are  that  day  in  all  the  chapels 
and  churches  together.  There  are  in  London 
12,000  children  trained  professionally  to  piclc 
pockets  and  plunder  houses.  There  are  10,000 
gamblers,  20,000  beggars,  30,000  regular 
thieves,  150,000  habitual  gin  drinkers,  and 
150,000  of  both  sexes  habitually  leading  a  life 
of  debauchery !" 

In  the  report  of  the  late  imperfect  investi- 
gations of  attendance  on  worship  in  Scotland 
it  is  stated,  that  on  the  census  day,  March  30 
1851,  of  the  2,888,742  people  in  Scotland,  onlj 
943,951  persons  attended  the  fullest,  or  mornn 
ing  service  ;  and  of  these  about  46,000  attend- 
ed on  the  ministration  of  error.  And  there  is 
also  a  want  of  provision  ;  there  being  in  every 
kind  of  church  only  1,834,805  sittings,  and  of 
course  many  of  these  remote  from  the  people 

The  Catholics  have  14  colleges  in  England 
and  3  English  colleges  on  the  Continent.  Ir 
Great  Britain  812  churches,  1126  priests,  101 
nunneries,  &c. 

The  Sunday-school  is  less  efficiently  sustain- 
ed in  Scotland  than  in  England.  There  mai 
be  so  much  more  faithful  parental  instructioi 
and  public  religious  instruction  there,  as  t( 
diminish  the  necessity  for  this  form  of  religion 
influence. 

Popery  has  made  progress  in  Scotland.  Ii 
1831  there  were  54  priests  ;  in  1852  they  hat 
increased  to  135 — ^having  100  churches  an* 
chapels,  one  college,  and  several  schools  an* 


EUROPE. 


351 


convents.  But  the  most  interesting;  feature  in  j 
the  modern  history  of  Scotland  is  what  is  there 
termed  "  the  Disruption."  It  was  a  new  Pro- 
test against  the  usurpation  of  ecclesiastical 
power  by  the  state.  In  1843  nearly  500  pas- 
tors, 200  licentiates,  and  200  students,  followed 
by  a  million  of  the  inhabitants,  abandoned  the 
State  Church  in  one  day,  and  formed  the  Free 
Church.  At  their  annual  General  Assembly 
in  1854,  they  reported  $1,347,780  as  raised  by 
their  churches  for  the  sustentation,  building, 
congregational,  missions,  education  and  miscel- 
laneous funds.  They  sustain  two  theological 
schools,  one  in  Edinburgh  and  one  in  Aber- 
deen. They  have  about  40  Scottish  foreign 
missionaries,  mostly  in  India,  and  57  native 
missionary  assistants. 

On  no  foreign  country  do  we  look  with  such 
interest  in  reference  to  the  world's  conversion 
to  holiness,  as  on  Great  Britain.    Her  politi- 
cal power  is  ascendant ;   her  Constitution  is 
liberal ;  her  national  interests  are  less  exposed 
to  the  control  of  demagogues  than  those  of  our 
republic  ;  her  religion  is  Protestant ;  her  in- 
tellectual culture  is  high ;  her  colonial  posses- 
sions stretched  as  a  zone  of  Protestant  con- 
stitutional power  around  the  globe,  contain 
131,000,000  souls.    A  recent  writer  justly  re- 
marks :  "  With  all  England's  defects,  it  would 
not  be  an  easy  task  rightly  to  estimate  the 
vast  instrumentalities  which  she  contains  for 
the  moral  and  spiritual   melioration    of  her 
own  population  and  the  world  at  large."    It 
requires  six  weeks  to  enable  the  various  reli- 
ious  societies  to  hold  their  annual  meetings 
iu  London.    In  the  city  of  London  millions  of 
dollars  are  annually  expended  for  the  benefit, 
temporal  and  spiritual,  of  the  poor  and  the 
areless.     Its  City  Mission  has  become  a  mag- 
Qificent  instrument  of  good,  solving  most  satis- 
factorily the  difficult  question  for  London  and 
11  large  towns,  "  What  can  be  done  for  the 
oor?"     The  Young   Men's  Association   is 
)pening  a  new  prospect  to  another  class,  here- 
;ofore  so  neglected.     By  tracts,  lectures,  Bible 
classes,  meetings  for  prayer,  conference  meet- 
figs  and  libraries  immeasurable  good  has  been 
one.     Similar  organizations  are  now  spread- 
ng  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  introduced 
nto  Germany,  Holland,  France,  Switzerland, 
md  Sardinia. 

In  regard  to  Ireland,  we  may  be  sure  that 
he  Roman  Church  has  lost  great  numbers  by 
amine,  emigration  and  conversion  within  six 
rears.  The  estimates  vary  from  half  a  million 
»  two  millions.  Many  who  remain  in  the 
ioman  Church  have  at  heart  renounced  its 
srrors.  All  the  Protestant  bodies  in  Ireland 
we  actively  engaged  in  opening  the  eyes  of 
heir  blinded  countrymen.  In  1841  half  the 
Jrish  natives  had  houses  of  only  one  room, 
hree-fourths  of  these  being  made  of  mud. 
PwQ-thirds  of  them  lived  on  the  potato  ;  one- 
hird  were  without  any  employment ;  ono- 
aghth  were  beggars ;  one-half  neither  wrote 


nor  rcad.^'  Thq  Protestants  numbered  in  1834 
1,517,228 ;  the  Catholics,  at  the  same  time, 
6,427,712.  So  that  Ireland  was  eminently  a 
Catholic  country,  and  a  specimen  of  what  the 
Roman  Church  does  to  elevate  and  bless  a 
people.  The  Irish  Society  has  667  schools,  con- 
taining 29,000  pupils  and  250  laborers.  The 
Irish  Evangelical  Society  has  20  missionaries, 
and  30  readers.  One  Methodist  Society  has 
400  stations.  The  Irish  Church  Mission  has 
425  agents  in  the  field,  and  the  industrial 
schools  are  working  very  successfully.  The 
Catholics  have  21  colleges  in  Ireland,  one  mis- 
sionary seminary  and  three  high  schools,  be- 
sides two  colleges  for  the  Irish  on  the  continent. 

g  2.  iio//anrf.— Population,  3,208,400.  (U.) 
Holland  must  be  had  in  grateful  remembrance 
for  its  brave  defence  of  the  Gospel  in  the  sev- 
enteenth century,  and  for  furnishing  a  Protest- 
ant sovereign  to  England,  as  well  as  a  refuge 
to  our  persecuted  Puritan  fathers.  An  enu- 
meration of  the  sects  has  been  made  by  a 
learned  Hollander,  which,  if  designed  to  pre- 
sent the  whole  population  under  these  religious 
divisions,  would  make  the  number  some 
204,000  less  than  Ungewetter  states  it.  His 
enumeration  is,  9,000  separate  Lutherans, 
54,000  Lutherans,  38,000  Baptists,  58,000 
Jews,  5,000  Armenians,  1,670,000  Dutch  Re- 
formed, 1,170,000  Catholics,  of  whom  5500  are 
Jansenists. 

An  utter  declension  in  religion  had  taken 
place  after  the  close  of  the  last  century.  Libe- 
ralism and  Neology  occupied  the  chairs  of  the 
three  universities,  Leyden,  Groningen,  and 
Utretcht.  There  was  a  conservative  Dort 
orthodox  party ;  and  the  young,  liberal  party, 
equally  dead,  though  differing  in  doctrine. 
The  Lord  then  raised  up  the  great  poet  Bil- 
derdyk,  by  whose  energetic  exhibitions  of  the 
Gospel  two  learned  young  Jews  were  converted. 
Da  Costa,  a  barrister,  and  Cappadoce,  a  physi- 
cian. In  1834,  80,000  persons  separated  from 
the  national  church,  and  organized  a  "  true  re- 
formed church."  They  have  encountered  great 
difficulties  from  persecution,  and  from  "  false 
brethren."  The  Groningen  party  professed 
great  attachment  to  the  person  of  Christ ;  and 
exalted  love  above  doctrine.  But  it  turned  out 
in  the  end  that  their  Christ  was  a  mere  man, 
a  divine  man,  but  not  Jehovah  Jesus.-  The 
friends  of  pure  religion  are,  moreover,  not 
agreed  about  the  means  of  reviving  religion. 
One  party  look  to  the  restoration  of  the  I)ort 
Constitution  ;  at  the  head  of  them  stands  Mr. 
Van  Prinsterer,  Secret  Counsellor  of  State. 
The  others  resort  to  colportage,  private  mis- 
sions, and  social  meetings,  to  revive  the  spirit 
of  the  Church,  and  lead  men  to  Christ.  There 
has  been  a  struggle  on  the  question  of  religion 
in  the  public  schools.  The  evangelical  party 
has  triumphed.  The  mission  to  the  colony  in 
Java  is  prosperous.     Missionary  tradesmen  are 

*  Di".  Edgar's  statement  in  E.  C.  VI.  p.  305. 


352 


EUROPE. 


sent  out,  and  important  resalts  are  traced  to 
the  measure. 

53.  5crt/u/i/wt;ia.— Population,  6,965,000. 
(U.)  In  Sweden  the  civil  and  relij?ious  con- 
aitions  of  the  citizens  are  confounded  together. 
Every  Swede  must  receive  baptism,  and  com- 
mune in  the  established  Church,  to  retain  citi- 
zenship. No  subject  is  allowed  to  change  his 
religion.  A  Protestant  may  not  become  a 
Catlioiic;  nor  a  Baptist  a  Pedo-baptist,  «fec. 
Laymen  are  not  permitted  to  preside  in  reli- 
gious meetings  ;  and  all  conventicles  are  for- 
bidden. In  fact  Sweden  has  retained  the  in- 
tolerant spirit  longer  than  any  other  Protest- 
ant country  in  the  world.  Of  the  1800  Lu- 
theran clergymen,  it  is  supposed  one-tenth  may 
be  truly  spiritual  men  ;  and  the  number  of  such 
is  increasing.  The  Danes  are  among  the  most 
highly  civilized  people  in  Europe  ;  but  the 
higher  classes  in  the  church  are  very  worldly. 
The  clergy  are  well  educated ;  the  Danish  at 
Copenhagen  ;  the  German,  some  at  Kiel,  where 
the  professors  are  sound  in  the  faith,  and  some 
in  the  German  universities.  The  government 
has  long  sustained  missions  to  the  heathen  ;  but 
the  missionary  spirit  has  much  declined  in  the 
national  church.  There  is  no  home  missionary 
institution.  Toleration  is  complete,  although 
the  clergy  are  very  jealous  of  any  movements 
which  threaten  to  disturb  the  general  apathy. 
Bibles  and  tracts  are  circulated  to  some  extent 
by  the  native  and  foreign  societies.  Denmark 
has  small  colonies  in  Asia,  Africa,  and  America, 
containing  about  110,000  souls.  The  Lap- 
landers are  about  5000,  very  low  in  their  phy- 
sical and  moral  life.  The  Swedish  mission 
among  them  is  quite  prosperous,  having  en- 
joyed a  revival  of  great  interest  in  1851,  under 
the  labors  of  the  zealous  Teelstrom.  The  re- 
vival in  Sweden  was  promoted  both  by  preach- 
ing and  books.  And  an  intelligent  observer 
remarks,  that  the  converts  made  through  read- 
ing are  lietter  instructed  than  those  converted 
by  preaching,  but  are  narrower  in  their  views. 
The  revival  was  most  powerful  at  a  distance 
from  the  capital,  and  yet  it  extended  to  the 
students  of  theology  in  the  University  of  Up- 
sala. 

^  4.  J?e/gm7w.— Population,  4,350,500  (U.), 
of  which  4,304,000  are  Roman  Catholics, 
16,000  Protestants,  30,000  Jews.  (E.  C,  IIL 
234.)  By  a  happy  combination  of  skill  and 
firmness  the  politicians  availed  themselves  of 
the  zeal  of  the  Roman  clergy  in  1830,  to  throw 
off  the  Protestant  yoke  of  Holland,  and  secured 
a  Constitution  guaranteeing  complete  religious 
toleration.  An  efficient  missionary  society, 
established  at  Brussels,  is  laboring  earnestly, 
but  with  too  little  sympathy  and  support  from 
foreign  churches,  to  extend  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  among  that  people,  once  so  blindlj'  sub- 
missive to  the  Papal  yoke.  There  are  7  Eng- 
lish Episcopal  churches  ;  8  Union  Evangelical 
churches  ;  12  Protestant  French  churches,  and 
15  churches  of  converted  Catholics. 


§  5.  Fmncg.— Population,  35,401 ,000.  (U.) 
France  is  one  of  the  ^cat  historical  nations. 
Its  life  embodies  principles  of  profound  impor- 
tance, and  presents  features  altogether  ])eculiar. 
Its  political  position  is  at  least  second  in  Eu- 
rope. Its  social  and  intellectual  power  is 
great,  and  its  colonial  possessions  contain 
4,060,000  inhabitants.  But  we  are  now  spe- 
cially interested  in  the  history  of  religion  in 
France.  And  there  is  no  church  whose  annals 
make  a  stronger  appeal  to  the  sympathies  of 
the  universal  church  than  those  of  the  Hugue- 
nots. Piedmont,  Scotland,  and  France  are 
made  sacred  by  the  toils  and  blood  of  men  of 
whom  the  world  was  not  worthy.  The  French 
mind  is  in  a  peculiar  state,  differing  from  that 
of  any  other  Roman  Catholic  country.  In 
Germany  the  privilege  of  intellectual  specu- 
lation and  research,  and  an  unobstructed  exer- 
cise of  the  social  feelings  is  generally  an  abun- 
dant compensation  for  any  privation  of  a  par- 
ticipation in  questions  of  policy,  and  of  any 
share  in  governing  society.  The  Spanish  type 
of  civilization  and  society  is  worn  out,  as  com- 
pletely as  are  those  of  ancient  Egypt,  Greece, 
or  Rome.  In  modern  Italy  this  is  true  also,  to 
a  great  extent.  But  in  France  there  are  yet 
vast  intellectual  resources,  as  fertile  a  vein, 
perhaps,  as  in  the  Anglo-Norman  race,  and  far 
more  social,  propagandist,  and  missionary  in 
its  tendencies.  Ranke  observes  that  '•  the 
French  have  ever  attentively  meditated  the 
great  problems  of  the  churcn  and  the  state, 
and  communicated  them  to  all  other  nations, 
with  that  talent  of  expression  which  is  peculiar 
to  them."  France  is  the  most  important  mis- 
sionary country  for  the  Roman  Church.  Of 
three  hundred  foreign  missionaries  she  employs, 
more  than  half  are  Frenchmen.  But  the  pre- 
sent state  of  the  French  mind  in  regard  to  all 
the  higher  interests  of  man  and  society  is  dis- 
couraging. They  accept  an  absolute,  one-will 
government,  because  just  now  they  are  in  a 
period  of  painful  waiting,  perhaps  transition. 
They  accept  the  Emperor  and  absolute  autho- 
rity as  an  iron  band  around  society,  painful  in 
its  pressure,  but  indispensable  to  hold  together : 
its'  heterogeneous  and  conflicting  elements.' 
Perhaps  many  of  the  best  of  her  people  are  dis- 
couraged, regarding  themselves  as  in  the  posi-J 
tion  of  Rome  when  liberty  had  perished  in  heij 
streets.  But  we  know  that  Christ,  who  by  hu\ 
word  and  his  Church  penetrated  that  decaying 
mass,  can  introduce  the  leaven  of  life  into  un 
happy  France.  She  must  see  that  the  Romai 
type  of  Christianity  is  as  much  worn  out  a 
was  the  Roman  type  of  civilization.  There  i 
outside  of  Romanism,  and  proscribed  by  th; 
Latin  Church,  a  pure  Christianity,  the  SiMSi 
which  regenerated  Roman  Gaul;  and  it  i3^ 
now  regenerate  Christian  Roman  France 
(Rev.  Chret.  Introd.  LI.) 

The  Revolution  had  overthrown  Romauisc- 
and  Christianity  together ;  for  the  French  peo 
pie  had  believed  that  they  were  identical.     Bu^ 


EUROPE. 


353 


a  returning  religious  feeling  manifested  itself 
in  Catholics,  Protestants,  and  Jews.  And 
while  Napoleon  in  the  Concordate*  of  1801 
placed  the  Roman  Church  on  a  new  footing, 
the  three  religious  systems  were  placed  at  the 
same  time  on  the  same  level  before  the  law, 
and  a  theological  school  for  French  Protestants 
at  Montauban  was  adopted  by  the  government, 
as  also  a  German  theological  school  in  Alsace, 
for  the  German  Lutheran  population  of  that 
portion  of  France.  So  that  the  government 
supports  507  Presbyterian  pastors,  249  Luther- 
an, and  114  Jewish  teachers.  There  are  956 
Protestant  churches  under  the  care  of  the  gov-, 
ernment,  of  which  660  are  French,  296  Ger- 
man, costing  ^250,000,  about  equally  divided 
between  the  evangelical  and  rationalist  clergy. 
The  Roman  Church  has  15  Archbishops,  65 
Bishops,  175  Vicegerents,  661  Canons,  3,388 
Cures,  29,537  incumbents  of  chapels  of  ease, 
6  Chaplains  of  cemeteries,  7,190  Yicars,  making 
a  total  of  41,037,  costing  the  government  less 
than  before  the  Revolution,  but  still  an  enor- 
mous sum.  Before  the  Revolution  the  reve- 
nue of  the  Catholic  clergy  in  France  was 
130,000,000.  It  is  now  about  $20,000,000, 
not  derived  from  direct  tax,  but  from  the  pub- 
lic treasury.  Neither  instruction,  eloquence, 
or  piety  is  to  be  witnessed  in  many  of  this  vast 
body  of  successors  to  Fenelon,  Massilon,  Bos- 
suet,  and  Bridaine. 

More  than  forty  societies  are  laboring  to 
give  the  Gospel  to  France.  Although  the 
government  favors  the  priesthood,  yet  it  is 
jealous  of  them,  and  will  not  come  under  their 
control.  There  are  unmistakable  marks  of 
the  wane  of  Romanism  in  France.  The  vio- 
lent measures  of  the  Revolution  would  natu- 
rally cause  a  reaction.  But  now  the  minds  of 
men  are  receiving  light  gradually  and  health- 
fully. We  see  marks  of  the  waning  power  of 
the  Roman  Church  in  the  contest  between  the 
Archbishop  of  Paris  and  a  lay-editor,  in  which 
the  Pope  gives  his  verdict  against  an  arch- 
bishop in  favor  of  a  layman.  This  weakens 
the  clerical  arm.  We  see  it  also  in  her  failure 
to  secure  a  change  in  the  marriage  law,  and 
in  the  change  of  feeling  towards  the  clergy. 
From  1830  to  1840,  honest  men  looked  to 
them  as  a  barrier  against  socialism.  But  it  is 
now  seen  that  their  love  of  liberty  was  hypo- 
critical. And  when  the  people  get  the  power 
again,  there  will  probably  be  no  door  of 
return,  perhaps  of  escape,  for  the  priests. 

f  6.  Switzerland.— FoipnMioTi,  2,424,400. 
Of  these,  971,820  are  Roman  Ca1:holics ; 
1,417,474  Protestants ;  3,146  Jews.  The  thir- 
teen republics  constitute  one  confederation. 
The  Reformation  left  that  country  divided  on 
the  great  religious  question.  The  two  com- 
munions, however,  lived  in  amity  until  Carlo 
Borromeo  arose,  who,  though  only  an  arch- 


,      •  The  Concordatfis  are  conventiona  between  the  Pope 
I  and  secular  sovereigns. 

23 


bishop,  governed  the  Roman  world.  He  in- 
vaded Switzerland,  by  founding  a  Swiss  col- 
lege at  Milan,  opening  for  the  Swiss  the  Ger- 
man college  at  Rome,  in  which  they  were  the 
most  numerous ;  for,  while  21  of  the  pupils 
were  Hanoverian,  25  Prussian,  and  40  Bava- 
rian, 48  were  Swiss.  He  likewise  sent  the 
Jesuits  to  Switzerland,  who  established  them- 
selves at  Lucerne  and  Fribourg.  He  also 
procured  that  a  nuncio  should  be  sent  from 
Rome  to  reside  among  them.  Th&se  efforts 
succeeded  in  alienating  the  Catholic  Swiss 
from  their  Protestant  fellow-citizens ;  and 
"  thus  was  gained  to  the  Holy  See  the  proud 
and  free  country  of  primitive  Switzerland,  its 
nationality  sacrificed,  the  gates  of  the  A^s 
opened  to  the  powerful  house  of  Spain." 
{Prof.  Vulliemin,  of  Lausanne,  vide  E.  C,  v.  p. 
358.)  About  the  time  of  Napoleon's  abdica- 
tion, three  facts  signalized  the  reappearance 
of  the  Pope  in  Switzerland  :  the  inscription 
of  an  article  in  a  new  federal  pact,  conse- 
crating the  inviolability  of  the  property  of  the 
convents ;  the  organization  of  the  episcopal 
circumspection,  in  favor  of  Rome ;  and  the 
return  of  the  Jesuits.  The  ultimate  result  of 
this  was,  that  the  Jesuits  became  insufferable, 
and  the  Sunderbund  was  organized,  which  tri- 
umphed over  them.  The  political  organization 
of  the  country  was  then  changed ;  and  the 
confederation  of  states  became  one  state. 
This  threw  the  political  power  into  the  hands 
of  the  majority,  who  are  Protestant.  The 
Jesuits  were  expelled  ;  liberty  of  worship  was 
guaranteed  every  where  ;  ultramontane  gov- 
ernments were  overthrown ;  and  convent  pro- 
perty was  confiscated.  Five  Roman  Catholic 
cantons  then  met  together,  and  voted  to  main- 
tain their  entire  sovereignty.  They  are  now 
patiently  and  confidently  awaiting  the  day 
when  their  church  will  again  be  ascendant. 

The  policy  of  the  powerful  European  gov- 
ernments has  placed  this  little  mountainous 
territory  out  of  the  great  whirlpool  of  the 
"  balance  of  power  "  system.  Or,  we  should 
rather  go  back  to  a  higher  purpose,  and  admire 
the  goodness  of  God  in  guaranteeing  to  that 
people  their  civil  rights,  although  surrounded 
by  ambitious  and  grasping  potentates.  But 
the  infidel  democracy  which  expelled  the 
Jesuits,  has  been  to  the  cantons  De  Yaud  and 
Neufchatel  as  great  a  scourge  as  a  pope  or  an 
emperor  would  have  been.  They  threw  off 
the  bands  of  the  Jesuit,  only  to  play  the 
tyrant  themselves. 

Geneva  and  Yaud  are  recovering  some  of 
the  spirit  of  the  Reformation  ;  and  the  theo- 
logical schools  of  Lausanne  and  Geneva  have 
furnished  a  race  of  well-qualified  ministers  for 
their  churches,  and  for  the  foreign  service.  A 
band  of  faithful  disciples  at  Geneva  have  taken 
advantage  of  their  central  position,  and  la- 
bored with  great  success  to  disseminate  the 
truth  in  France  and  in  Italy.  The  free  church 
of  the  Canton  of  Yaud  has  passed  through  a 


854 


EUROPE. 


fiery  furnace  ;  but  the  arm  of  the  Lord  is  with 
bin  people, 

^1.  Itaty.  Population,  24.573,100.  (U.) 
The  triiveler  from  the  new  world  to  Rome  and 
Naples  is  forced  to  exclaim  :  "  0  Italy,  land 
of  boauty  ;  home  of  art,  of  priesfc»,  and  of  beg- 
gars !  "  (iod  ha"?  bkvssed  it  with  his  gifts ; 
man  has  cursed  it  with  hypocrisy  and  tyranny. 
In  the  Roman  States  there  is  one  priest  to 
every  51  persons  ;  which,  together  with  1,400 
receptacles  of  indolence  and  fanaticism,  called 
moniisteries  and  nunneries,  consume  the  moral 
and  financial  strength  of  the  country.  Until 
recently,  it  hivs  been  difficult  to  make  the  light 
penetrate  any  section  of  this  spiritually  be- 
oighted  part  of  Europe.  But  great  changes 
have  taken  place  within  seven  years.  Large 
numbers  of  Bibles  have  been  distributed ; 
many  conversions  have  taken  place ;  and  faith- 
ful Italian  preachers  are  proclaiming  the  pure 
Gospel  of  Christ  to  their  countrymen. 

Sardinia  has  now  become  the  object  of  pe- 
culiar interest  to  the  friends  of  religion  and 
religious  liberty.  The  sovereign,  though  a 
Roman  Catholic,  is  following  out  the  liberal 
policy  of  his  father  and  predecessor ;  and  thus, 
both"^the  Waldenses  are  freed  from  the  yoke, 
which,  for  centuries,  has  oppressed,  if  not  dis- 
couraged them,  and  the  field  is  open  for  the 
cultivation  of  every  one  who  wishes  to  enter 
it.  The  Waldenses  number  23,000  ;  with  16 
pastors,  and  3  Italian  missionaries,  recently 
ordained  for  the  Roman  Catholic  people. 
Their  college  has  8  professors  and  84  students. 
They  have  a  religious  newspaper,  Buona 
Novella,  and  an  anti-papal  secular  paper. 
La  Gazetta  del  Popolo. 

There  are  in  Italy  four  religious  parties  that 
seriously  threaten  popery :  the  Giobertists, 
the  Infidel  Catholico-politicians,  the  Socialist- 
Pantheists,  the  Evangelicals.  The  Giobertists 
are  followers  of  the  distinguished  priest  who 
served  the  King  of  Sardinia  as  prime  minister. 
Piedmont  is  the  stronghold  of  his  followers, 
who  still  believe  that  the  Roman  Church  can 
be  brought  to  the  pure  belief  and  practice  of 
Christianity.  The  followers  of  Gioviui  declare 
themselves  Catholics,  but  are  really  infidels. 
They  cling  to  religious  expressions  only  to  de- 
ceive the  people.  The  followers  of  Ansonio 
Franchi  are  Socialists  and  Pantheists.  The 
fourth  party  includes  the  Waldenses. 

§  8.  Germany. — Population :  Austria  12,-. 
700,000 ;  Prussia,  12,200,000 ;  German  States', 
17,100,000;  total,  42,000,000  (U.)*  Of  these 
more  than  20,000,000  are  Roman  Catholic ; 


many  millions  belong  to  the  Greek  Church  j 
and  18,000,000  are  of  the  various  Prot(  '     '. 
churches;    with   less  than    1,000,000 
There  are  thirty-four  sovereign  states  in  i.^.- 
many,  each  having  its  own  church,  ecclesiasti- 
cal constitution,  and  liturgy.    The  clcrtrv  of 
one  state  are  often  not  recognized  in  au' 
Austria  is  the  most  heterogeneous  in  its 
ture,  having  a  population  of  18,000,0()n 
eluding  Lombardy  and  Venice,)   imnic  ■     ly 
varied  in  race,  language,  and  religion.     More 
than  ten  millions  are  Germans ;  about  eighteen 
millions  of  the  Sclavonic  tribes;  five  millions 
Italians  ;  four  millions  Magyars  ;  and  less  i ;  in 
a  million  Jews. 

The  best  thing  that  distinguishes  any  <  ' 
German  states  is  popular  education.    In  I  lu^- 
sia  77  per  cent,  of  the  children  between  the 
ages  of  6  and  14,  or  more  than  15  per  cent,  of 
the  people,  are  in  the  public  schools ;  while  in 
England  and  Wales  only  11  1-2  per  cent,  ar^ 
in  them.    Protestants  and  Catholics  being  so 
nearly  equal  in  numbers,  intolerance  is  not 
carried  so  far  as  in  the  purely  Catholic  coun- 
tries, or  as  in  Sweden.    Austria  is  compelled 
even  to  support  Protestant  interests.     The 
government  supports  a  Protestant  Theolo^'-ical 
Seminary  in  Vienna;  but  one  of  the  cxiuiiio- 
ers  of  every  candidate  for  the  ministry  is  a 
Catholic.      In  Vienna  are  three  Protestant 
pastors  over  20,000  souls.    There  are  in  Up 
per  Austria  twelve  Protestant  congregations 
containing  upwards  of  16,000  members.     But 
the  Protestant  portion  of  Hungary  has  felt 
the  rigor  of  Austrian  bigotry.    In  a  popula 
tion  of  nearly  13,000,000    (E.  C,  V.  494) 
nearly  3,000,000   are  Protest^ts;  but  the^ 
are  kept  in  most  degrading  and  painful  sub 
jection.    No  feature  of  the  German  churches 
however,  has  so  mych  affected  the  Christian 
of  other  nations  as  their  sad  declension  froE 
the  simple  and  fervent  faith  which  charn -t'  i 
ized  the  period  of  the  Reformation,  to  th(       > 
phemous  neology  and  rationalism  of  tin      . 
fifty  years.    That  people  seem  literally  to     ,\ 
undertaken  to  find  God,  a  Saviour,  and  s a  \i 
tion  in  their  own  personal  existence  and  coi 
sciousness.    When  the  venerable  Krummachi 
was  called  on  to  describe  the  infidelity  of  h 
country,  he  commenced  by  remarking :  " 
feel  as  if  I  had  to  describe  a  new  fall  of  man 
He  -traces  the  declension  (E.  C,  V.  328),  bac 
to  the  very  age  after  Luther's  death.    Fp 
malism  and  an  intellectual  apprehension  of  ^ 
Gospel  were  substituted  for  the  life  and  earneg 
ness  0^  the  first  period.    Discipline  also  d 


*  Dr.  Marriott  (E.  C,  I.,  TV.,  V.)  makes  a  widely  dijlerent  eatimate  from  this 
ance  witU  tlie  Gothaisches  Taschenbuchr)  : 

Catholics .      Greeks.      Protestants. 

Austria  (without  Lombardy) 11,113,642        3,178  244,538 

Prussia 5,820,123        1,879  9,428,911 

Other  States 5,732,359  127        14,180,624 


He  reports  (and  in  closer  accoi 


Jews. 
110,044 
206,529 
238,296 


Add  Ixmbardy  and  Venice. 


Total. 
11,471,402 
15,457,442 
20,151,305 

47,080,149 
.  5,068,000 


62,148,149 


EUROPE. 


355 


clined ;  and  when  John  Arndt  appeared  and 
preached  the  necessity  of  regeneration,  he  was 
reproached  as  a  fanatic.  The  same  experience 
Speuer  had,  a  century  later.  Then  the  "  Pie- 
tists "  themselves  prepared  the  way  of  the  ap- 
proaching apostasy  by  their  opposition  to  doc- 
trine. Naturalism  was  imported  from  Eng- 
land, and  Deism  from  France,  and  both  found 
a  ready  soil  in  hearts  declined  from  God. 
Frederic  the  Great  contributed  mightily  to 
the  spread  of  infidelity.  Kant,  in  a  measure, 
checked  the  destructive  tide,  though  he  left  a 
heathen  philosophy  as  his  legacy  to  his  poor 
country.  Fichte  and  Schelling  began  the 
work  of  philosophical  reverence  for  the  dog- 
mas of  Scripture  and  church  theology.  The 
overthrow  of  Napoleon  touched  the  heart  of 
the  oppressed  German  nations,  and  they  began 
to  return  to  the  God  of  their  fathers.  Still, 
indifference,  rationalism,  and  radicalism  great- 
ly prevail.  In  Berlin,  out  of  400,000  persons, 
not  more  than  20,000  visit  the  house  of  God. 
"  A  literature  diabolically  insipid,  and  sneak- 
ing about  in  darkness,  does  not  cease  to  nurse 
and  fructify  these  principles  (of  scepticism.) 
Little  more  is  necessary  than  that  a  mighty 
and  gifted  personality  should  appear,  who 
should  set  himself  up  as  the  centre  of  infidel- 
ity, and  represent  it  with  energetic  pathos  and 
strong  decision,  and  the  reign  of  '  the  Man  of 
Sin '  would  be  among  us  in  more  than  a  state 
of  embryo."  The  artizan  clubs  have  given 
most  favorable  opportunities  for  spreading 
atheism  among  the  working  classes.  In  the 
smaller  Saxon  Principalities,  the  consistories 
are  rationalistic  ;  while  in  Baden,  Ehenish  Ba- 
*^aria,  and  Hesse  Darmstadt  they  are  of  the 
'msser  aller  school.  It  is  said  that  in  these 
countries  there  are  ten  unbelievers  in  the  min- 
stry  to  one  believer.  There  are  towns  in 
Rhenish  Bavaria  where  not  more  than  ten  or 
;wenty  persons  are  found  in  church  on  Sunday 
norning,  and  where  not  a  single  individual  is 
bund  to  attend  the  sacrament  on  the  great  fes- 
ival  days.  (E.  0.,  III.  362.)  Many  of  the 
iniversities  and  gymnasia  are  yet  wholly  rar 
ioualistic.  But  there  are  brighter  features  in 
he  picture.  There  i.s  a  manifest  returning 
rom  this  apostasy.  The  evangelical  portion 
>f  the  church  is  laboring  in  many  ways,  and 
rith  the  most  encouraging  success,  to  restore 
k  pure  faith  to  the  land  of  the  Keformation. 
liuch  has  been  done,  and  systematically  too, 
n  some  of  the  universities,  to  arrest  the  pro- 
gress of  rationalism,  by  literary  efforts,  and 
ikewise  for  the  advancement  of  practical  god- 
inesa.  The  Inner  Mission  is  doing  an  excel- 
ent  work  in  Eastern  Prussia,  Pomerania,  Ber- 
'n,  Silesia,  Saxony,  Hamburg,  «fec.  It  is  of 
ecent  date  that  German  Christians  should 
end  out  missionaries  to  the  poor,  and  to  pro- 
Qote  the  observance  of  the  Sabbath.  In 
_  ermansjjurg,  Hanover,  there  is  a  college  for 
lome  Missionaries,  and  a  very  efficient  pastor 
3  over  the  church  there     In  fact,  an  Ameri- 


can, for  some  time  resident  there,  observes : 
"  In  general,  the  cause  of  evangelical  piety  is 
steadily  advancing  in  Germany ;  and  the  re- 
turn of  that  great  nation  to  the  principles  of 
the  Reformation  can  be  safely  predicted.  The 
change  from  the  state  of  things  twenty-five 
years  ago,  when  rationalism  reigned,  to  the 
present  state,  is  wonderful." 

§  9.  jRussza.— Population,  62,000,000  (U.) 
Of  these  we  may  conjecturally  make  the  fol- 
lowing distributions  :  Greek  Church,  50,650,- 
000 ;  Catholics  (Roman  and  Armenian),  2,190,- 
000 ;  Protestants,  3,770,000  ;  Mohammedans. 
2,262,000  ;  Jews,  1,138,000  ;  Armenians,  640,- 
000;  Pagans,  750,000.  The  Greek  Church 
resembles  the  Church  of  Rome  in  ceremonial 
rites ;  but  holds  in  common  with  her  only 
those  opinions  which  they  held  alike  previ- 
ously to  the  Nicene  Council.  The  Greek 
Church  accords  more  nearly  with  the  Protest- 
ant on  these  points  :  the  source  of  all  religious 
doctrine  ;  the  corruption  of  human  nature ; 
the  Mediator ;  divine  grace ;  the  sacraments ; 
the  church  ;  and  the  future  state.  This  may 
be  seen  more  fully  drawn  out  in  Dr.  Pinker- 
ton's  work  on  Russia,  in  his  translation  of  a 
work  by  Philaret,  Archimandite,  written  in 
1815  to  counteract  the  influence  of  the  Jesuits 
over  the  Russian  nobility.  There  is  much 
ignorance  and  superstition.  It  is  true,  as  Dr. 
Pinkerton  remarks  :  "  A  church  in  which  the 
people  are  permitted  to  read  the  Scriptures  in 
a  language  which  they  understand,  and  which 
acknowledges  this  Word  as  the  highest  tribu- 
nal in  matters  of  faith,  is  still  possessed  of  the 
best  reformer  of  all  superstition."  Yet  our 
missionaries  thus  far  have  found  the  Greeks 
more  impenetrable  than  the  Catholics.  The 
Czar  is  the  head  of  the  national  church,  which 
accordingly  has  no  patriarch.  And  the  pres- 
ent sovereign  has  acted  up  to  his  convictions 
of  the  duties  of  his  office  in  prosecuting  the 
work  of  proselytizing  with  great  activity.  The 
Gazette  of  St.  Petersburg  at  one  time  boasted 
of  45,000  Protestants  brought  over  to  the  Na- 
tional Church  in  one  year.  These  labors  have 
been  put  forth  chiefly  in  the  Baltic  provinces, 
and  in  a  way  not  very  creditable  to  a  mighty 
sovereign.  All  religions  are  tolerated ;  but 
no  one  may  proselyte  from  the  Greek  Church. 
An  able  writer  has  divided  the  sects  into  three 
classes,  one  of  which  includes  native  dissenters 
of  a  very  remarkable  stamp.  They  are  the 
most  active  and  spiritual  Christians  in  the 
empire,  probably  amounting  to  two  million 
souls.  They  may  not  always  keep  within  due 
limits,  but  they  are  a  kind  of  unlearned  Puri- 
tans in  the  dead  Greek  Church.  They  are 
called  Molakai.  In  another  class  appear  some 
of  the  most  deluded  fanatics ;  even  rivaling 
in  fierceness  the  pagans  of  India.  Some 
of  them  are  called  self-mutilators  ;  others, 
self-immolators.  Of  the  latter,  as  many  as  one 
hundred  have  burned  themselves  to  death  to- 
gether. 


I 


856 


EUROPE. 


On  the  23(1  of  Jannarv,  1813,  the  Bussian 
Bible  Society  was  formed,  by  permission  of  tlie 
Emperor  Alexander.  Great  zeal  was  mani 
festcd,  and  in  a  few  years,  more  than  800,000 
cojiit's  of  the  Scriptures,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
were  distributed.  An  anecdote  is  told,  show 
ing  how  this  zeal  reached  the  humbler  classes 
A  chimney-sweeper  presented  himself  at  a 
meeting  of  the  society  to  make  his  subscrip- 
tion. Every  person  was  surprised  at  his  appear- 
ing there  for  that  object,  and  still  more  so  when 
he  set  down  his  name  for  seven  dollars.  The 
Secretary  delicately  remonstrated  against  his 
subscribing  so  much.  He  replied  :  "I  intend 
to  subscribe  this  sum  yearly.  And  if  I  might 
ask  a  favor  of  the  society,  I  should  like  to  have 
the  honor  of  sweeping  the  chimneys  of  the 
Bible  House  for  nothing."  Affected  to  tears 
by  the  scene,  says  the  narrator,  they  granted 
his  request.  The  house,  being  a  present  from 
the  Emperor,  was  very  large ;  so  that  the 
sweeper's  donation  really  amounted  to  nearly 
thirty  dollars.  The  clergy  extensively  shared 
this  'zeal.  But  Nicholas,  whose  policy  is  to 
make  the  Christian  idea  subordinate  to  the 
Russian,  in  1820  ordered  the  suppression  of 
the  whole  movement.  There  is  still,  however, 
some  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  in  Finland 
and  the  Baltic  provinces,  and  among  the  exiles 
as  they  are  leaving  Moscow  to  go  to  Siberia. 
And  it  is  an  interesting  fact  for  a  Protestant 
to  record,  that  Dr.  Haas,  chairman  of  the 
prison  discipline  committee  of  Moscow,  takes 
a  lively  interest  in  supplying  the  exiles  and 
prisoners  with  the  New  Testament ;  and  he  is 
A  Roman  Catholic.  In  1812  the  Princess  So- 
phia Meschessky  translated  an  English  tract, 
"  an  address  to  the  afflicted."  This  was  pecu- 
liarly appropriate  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
nation  ;  the  French  just  then  retreating  from 
Moscow.  She  distributed  it  among  the  ruined 
and  scattered  inhabitants  of  that  city.  The 
favorable  reception  it  met  encouraged  her  to 
contmue  her  labors  ;  and  she  had  written  or 
translated,  and  published  at  least  one  hundred 
different  tracts,  when  the  Emperor  Alexander 
came  to  her  help.  The  work  then  expanded  ; 
and  it  has  gone  forward  with  little  interniption, 
covering  an  immense  field  with  the  seeds  of  a 
glorious  harvest.  There  is  a  censorship  that 
extends  to  every  tract  published.  But  it  seems 
to  be  candid  and  liberal.  The  Russian  news- 
papers often  speak  in  high  commendation  of 
the  tracts.  A  peculiarly  favorable  opportu- 
nity for  the  sale  of  evangelical  books  occurs  at 
the  annual  fair  of  Nizney  Novogorod.  Here 
arc  to  be  met  representatives  from  China, 
India,  Tartary,  Bucharia,  Persia,  Turkey, 
Greece,  Italy,  France,  Germany,  and  England. 
An  American  merchant  disposed,  at  one  fair, 
of  150,000  tracts  and  books.  The  Siberian 
exiles,  on  departing  from  Moscow,  likewise  re- 
ceive them. 

^10.  Spain  and  Portugal. — Population. — 
Spain,  12,000,000  ;  Portugal,   3,725,000  (U.) 


This  people  are  almost  universally  within  the 
pale  of  the  Roman  Church ;  though  the  edu- 
cated class,  as  in  other  Catholic  countries,  if 
almost,  without  exception,  infidel.  There  r«^ 
main  out  of  the  Church  in  Spain,  some  500,0(' 
basques,  60,000  Moors,  and  45,000  gipsies.  (IJ  ■, 
Toleration  by  the  governments  is  complete  fui 
foreigners,  so  far  as  their  own  worship  is  con 
cerned.  But  the  law  was  evidently  constru( 
ed  on  the  presumption  that  no  native  won 
ever  desire  to  abandon  the  Catholic  forms,  ann 
then  the  influence  of  the  clergy  is  so  powerful 
as  to  greatly  obstruct  the  action  of  evangeli- 
cal missions.  Spain  can  be  approached  on 
the  side  of  France,  and  from  Gibraltar.  The 
faithful  church  at  Nismes  has  organized  a  mis- 
sion for  the  French  Protestants  in  Spain,  and 
conducted  it  with  encouraging  success.  A 
Protestant  pastor  is  about  to  be  settled  over 
the  little  French  church  in  Barcelona.  Be- 
sides the  evangelical  school  at  Gibraltar,  con- 
taining 330  children  and  89  adults,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Rule,  a  Wesleyan  missionary,  believes  that 
missions  could  be  established  in  Madrid,  Ca- 
diz, and  other  large  towns.  And  it  certainly 
was  a  large  concession  for  a  Catholic  magis- 
tracy in  Spain  to  grant  the  Protestants  of 
Madrid  permission  to  purchase  a  cemetery  for 
their  dead,  and  conduct  the  funeral  ceremonies 
in  their  own  way. 

In  Portugal  there  is  less  hindrance  to  cvaii 
gelical  labor  than  in  Spain  ;  there  being  iv 
other  hindrance  to  introducing  the  Scrij^turc. 
than  a  heavy  duty.    Protestant  worship  is  al 
lowed,  if  the  place  of  worship  does  not  assum- 
the  appearance  of  one.    Gomez,  who  was  one 
a  Spanish  priest,  converted  and  naturalized  ai 
a  Portuguese  subject,  is  a  faithful  laborer  i; 
Lisbon.    He  reported,  in  1849,  as  many  a| 
four    thousand    enlightened    by    his    labon' 
Among  these  were  several  priests,  but  wh' 
dared  not  avow  the  change  openly.     The  iumi 
ranee  of  the  people  is  deplorable.    In  all  Vo 
tugal  only  31,280  pupils  in  their  schools,  an 
the  splendid  University  of  Salamanca,  om 
the  glory  of  Spain,  has  utterly  declined  fro; 
the  position  it  held  in  the  sixteenth  centur 
The  feeble  government  of  Spain  yet  holt 
sway  over  nearly  5,000,000  colonists  in  Afric 
America,  the  Philippine  and  Ladrone  islam 

1 11.  Greece  and  the  Ionian  Isles. — Popul 
tion  1,220,000.  The  educated  Greeks  are  iu 
dels  ;  the  people  generally  ignorant  and  sup, 
stitious.  There  seems  to  be  no  improveme 
in  the  Church ;  but  the  literary  men  are  ma 
ing  most  praise-worthy  efforts  to  restore  t 
former  intellectual  glory  of  their  country:  a 
their  success  in  restoring  the  classic  as  a  sr 
stitute  for  the  modern  language,  is  very 
markablc.  The  labors  of  our  missionaries  f 
described  under  the  article  Greece.  Perhfj 
we  may  see  one  fruit  of  them  in  the  rec< 
work  of  Professor  Pharmakides,  Professor?j| 
Theology  in  the  University  of  Athens, 
has  written  a  book  in  answer  to  aBecrwl 


EUROPE. 


357 


the  Ohurch  of  Constantinople,  which  aflects  to 
n;*!vcrn  Greece  ecclesiastically.*  The  mother 
church  censured  the  church  in  Greece  for  as- 
serting her  independence.  The  professor  re- 
plied to  it,  but  in  replying,  he  has  attacked 
tlu'  history,  doctrines  and  rites  of  his  church, 
ill  a  most  efficient  manner.  Greece  has  taken 
a  high  educational  position  since  the  recovery 
of  her  political  independence.  In  the  capital 
of  each  of  her  twelve  states  is  planted  a  college 
(three  in  Athens),  a  high  school  and  a  com- 
mon school.  In  every  country  town  is  a  high 
and  a  common  school.  In  every  village  of 
400  houses  is  a  common  school,  which  is  at- 
tended from  September  to  April ;  and  the 
Minister  of  Instruction  has  issued  an  order 
requiring  all  common  school-masters  to  hold 
a  school  on  Sunday,  for  instruction  in  the 
Scriptures. 

George  Rijari,  a  wealthy  Greek  merchant, 
bequeathed  a  large  portion  of  his  property 
for  the  founding  a  theological  school  in  Athens, 
which  furnishes  a  very  good  five  years'  course 
to  the  candidates  for  the  priesthood.  The  uni- 
versity of  Otho  has  advanced  greatly  in  the 
numbers  of  pupils,  having,  in  1839,  52 ;  in 
1853,  590.  There  are  but  few  avowed  dis- 
senters in  Greece.  The  Protestants  are  gene- 
rally foreigners.  Of  these,  about  one  hundred 
are  Lutherans,  who  attend  worship  with  the 
(jueen,  in  the  palace.  The  chapel  in  the  palace 
is  used  by  both  the  king  and  the  queen,  alter- 
nately for  Roman  Catholic  and  for  Lutheran 
worship.  The  English  Episcopalians  have  a 
chapel,  with  a  few  worshipers,  for  the  most 
part  English  and  Americans,  connected  with 
the  British  embassy  and  the  American  episco- 
pal mission.  The  Baptists  have  met  with  little 
success.  There  are  many  Catholics  in  the 
island  of  Syra,  Tenos  and  Naxas.  They  have 
a  small  church  in  Athens,  and  are  building 
another  quite  large.  They  have  also  a  church 
at  the  Piraeus,  and  several  at  the  islands.  The 
missionaries  stationed  in  Greece  are  two  Bap- 
tists and  one  Congregational,  one  Episcopalian 
from  America,  one  English  Episcopalian,  and 
everal  Roman  Catholics.  The  results  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  missionary  labors  are,  a  mul- 
tiplication of  little  crosses,  beads,  and  wonder- 
STorking  medals  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  devotion 
to  her ;  subjection  to  the  Pope  of  Rome ;  re- 
jection of  the  Word  of  God ;  the  prohibition 
of  independent  thought  and  investigation. 
Two  daughters  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  S.,  for  a  long 
time  agent  of  the  British  Bible  Society,  have 
gone  to  the  Roman  church,  and  refuse  to  read 
the  Book  their  father  labored  to  circulate,  and 
are  now  in  a  nunnery  in  Syra,  and  treat  their 
mother  in  a  manner  to  be  justified  only  by 
those  who  say,  that  if  a  man  say  to  his  father 

«  Tlie  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  is  chief  of  the  synod, 
embracing  Turkey,  Austria,  and  the  Ionian  Isles.  Independ- 
ent Greece  has  tliree  hishops,  independent  of  the  Patriarch 
ot  Constantinople,  yet  they  acknowledge  his  supremacy  in 
matters  of  faith.  <=  f  j 


or  mother,  "  Corban,"  he  is  free.  (Mark  vii. 
11, 12.) 

The  labors  of  the  Episcopal  mission  in 
Athens  ana  Syra  have  been  directed  chiefly  to 
the  establishment  of  schools  and  the  instruc- 
tion of  children.  The  American  Episcopal 
missionaries  have  disclaimed  all  intention  to 
draw  any  one  from  the  Greek  church,  and  a 
large  portion  of  those  whom  they  have  in- 
structed are  devoted  to  the  Greek  church,  and 
conform  to  all  its  ceremonies.  They  have  all 
employed  the  New  Testament  in  their  schools, 
and  this,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  Avill  produce  some 
salutary  effect. 

The  Greeks  are  proverbially  deceitful,  and 
some  of  the  professed  converts  have  betrayed 
their  unworthy  motives.  "  Of  those,"  says  Mr. 
King,  "who  have  come  to  me  at  various 
times,  and  professed  to  believe  the  doctrines  I 
preach,  and  offered  to  become,  as  they  said, 
my  followers,  while  some  were  intelligent  and 
sincere,  many  were  deceived,  and  many  deceiv- 
ing." The  labors  of  the  missionary  formerly 
employed  at  Mani,  by  the  American  Board 
of  Foreign  Missions,  produced  very  happy  re- 
sults. Some  hundred  young  men,  who  were 
taught  in  the  missionary  schools  there,  now 
hold  important  stations,  civil  or  military.  And 
many  who  were  taught,  more  or  less  in  the 
schools,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  King,  in  Athens, 
hold  important  stations  under  the  Greek  gov- 
ernment. Several  are  teachers  of  Hellenic 
schools  ;  some  are  military  officers  ;  one  is  at 
the  head  of  a  gymnasium ;  some  are  in  situa- 
tions in  which  they  can  exert  an  influence  fa- 
vorable to  religious  liberty.  The  sacred  Scrip- 
tures have  been  introduced  into  all  the  schools 
of  Greece,  and  among  the  common  people, 
and  thousands  have  heard  the  truth,  who,  but 
for  the  missionaries,  would  never  have  heard 
it.  A  great  degree  of  religious  liberty  has 
been  secured. 

§  12.  Turkey  (European). — Population, 
12,500,000  (U.) ;  12,080,000  (D.*) :  asfollows  : 

Mohammedan  Osmanlees 700,000 

"  Albanians  &  Sclavonians  3,000,000 


Greeks,  true  Hellenic 1,180,000 

''davirnT&S!:^!'..'!^\"}«'l^«'««« 

7,330,000 

Native  Roman  Catholics  and  Europeans 550,000 

Armenians 100,000 

Jews 200,000 

Gipsies 200,000 


12,080,000 


The  American  Board  have  in  this  and  Asi- 
atic Turkey,  a  mission  to  each  of  the  following 
peoples  :  to  the  Armenians  ;  to  the  Greeks  ; 
the  Jews ;  the  Syrians  ;  the  Jacobites  and 
Chaldeans  ;  and  the  Nestorians.  These  mis- 
sions consist  of  forty-three  American  mission- 


*  D.  represents  Rev.  H.  G.  0.  Dwight,  American  mission- 
ary to  Turkey,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  this  view  of 
Turkey. 


858 


EUROPK 


arics  and  their  wives,  with  one  hundred  and 
nine  native  assistants.  For  fuller  statements, 
sec  Armenians,  Ncs(orian8,  Syria,  and  Mosul. 

The  Free  Church  of  Scotland  Mlivc  an  in- 
teresting mission  to  the  Jews  at  Constantino- 
}Je.  The  London  Jews'  Society  has  another 
to  the  same  people.  Connected  with  the 
American  Missions  are  schools  of  various 
grades,  presses,  «fec.  From  the  beginning,  the 
American  missionaries  alone  have  printed 
more  than  120,000.000  pages.  The  whole 
Bible  has  been  translated,  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  missionaries,  into  Hebrew-Span- 
ish, Armeno-Turkish,  modern  Armenian  ;  and 
portions  of  it  into  other  dialects.  The  Pil- 
grim's Progress,  Rise  and  Progress,  Saints' 
Rest,  Butler's  Analogv,  D'Aubigne's  Reforma- 
tion, and  similar  works,  have  been  translated 
and  distributed.  The  labors  of  the  American 
missionaries  amon^  the  Armenians,  and  of  the 
Scottish  missionaries  among  the  Jews  of  Con- 
stantinople, have  been  accompanied  by  the 
most  visible  results.  Among  the  Turks  there 
is  as  yet  no  such  TiaXional  movement  toward 
reformation,  and  the  reception  of  spiritual 
Christianity,  as  among  the  Armenians.  Be- 
sides the  instances  of  an  open  renunciation  of 
the  old  church,  there  are  many  manifest  results 
of  missionary  labor  in  those  who  still  remain 
in  the  church.  The  opinions  and  practices  of 
the  people  in  regard  to  several  of  their  ancient 
superstitions  are  changing  :  for  example,  the 
use  of  pictures  in  churches  is  in  many  cases 
discontinued ;  confession  to  priests  is  less  prac- 
ticed ;  the  fasts  are  more  neglected.  There 
are  now  ten  schools  where  one  formerly  ex- 
isted. Discussion  on  the  main  points  in  con- 
troversy between  evangelical  religion  and  the 
multiform  errors  of  formalism  is  now  quite 
common  throughout  the  whole  Armenian  race 
in  Turkey.  Many,  still  remaining  in  the  Ar- 
menian Church,  are  fully  convinced  of  its 
errors,  and  laboring  to  hasten  the  day  when 
they  shall  be  fullv  and  openly  renounced. 
Fifteen  evangelical  churches  have  already 
been  formed  among  the  Armenians  in  different 
parts  of  European  and  Asiatic  Turkey,  and 
more  will  soon  be  formed.  Probably  2,500 
have  already  been  enrolled  as  Protestants  ; 
and  the  number  is  increasing.  Protestantism 
is  now  protected  by  the  government  as  fully 
as  any  other  form  of  religion. 

The  hindrances  to  the  coming  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  this  country  are,  however,  still 
quitfi  formidable.  The  Greeks  have  a  pride 
of  ancestry  and  church  antiquity,  a  blind  su- 
perstition and  submission  to  a  priesthood  very 
jealous  of  their  prerogatives,  and  vigilant 
against  the  invasion  of  their  darkness  by  any 
beam  of  light.  The  Romanists  are  here,  as 
every  where,  either  bigots  or  infidels,  and  vigi- 
lantly guarded  by  the  Pope's  emissaries.  The 
Armenians  are  embarrassed  in  their  inquiries 
by  the  social  penalties  of  deserting  their 
church.     The    Jews    have  a  low,  deceitful, 


mercenary  spirit,  and  seem,  for  the  most  part, 
incapable  ot  appreciating  an  appeal  to  any 
lofty  sentiment. 

No  missionaries  are  designated  directly  to 
the  Mohammedans.  Probably,  most,  if  not 
all  the  missionaries  in  Turkey  have,  however, 
more  or  less  intercourse  with  this  class ;  and, 
in  some  instances,  there  is  opportunity  to 
preach  to  them  the  Gospel.  The  chief  hin- 
drance to  its  success  among  them  is  the  unre- 
pealed law,  that  an  apostate  from  Mohamme- 
danism must  be  put  to  death.  Some  years 
ago,  it  is  true,  the  English  ambassador  forced 
from  the  Sultan  a  pledge  that  this  sentence 
should  not  be  executed  in  the  case  of  a  man 
who,  from  being  a  Christian,  embraced  Mo- 
hammedanism, and  then  returned  to  the  Chris- 
tian faith.  But  for  all  true  Turks  this  cruel 
law  is  still  in  force  ;  and  has,  in  one  instance, 
been  executed  even  since  the  British  fleet  en- 
tered those  waters  to  protect  the  Turks  against 
the  Russians  !  Let  this  law  once  be  repealed, 
and  liberty  given  to  all  Mohammedans  to  em- 
brace what  religion  they  please,  and  we  have 
the  best  reasons  for  believing  that  ProtestarU 
Christianity  would  very  soon  spread  among 
them.     Romanism  they  never  will  adopt. 

Several  large  bodies  of  men  exist  in  Tur- 
key, among  whom  no  missionaries  are  yet 
laboring, — and  some  of  these  may  be  said  to  be 
fairly  open  for  such  labors  ;  such  as  the  Bul- 
garians,— professing  the  Greek  faith, — who, 
for  several  years  past,  have  eagerly  sought  for 
the  word  of  God ;  the  Wallachians,  (of  the 
same  faith,)  who,  though  more  worldly  in  their 
views,  are  yet,  it  is  said,  in  a  great  measure 
free  from  the  shackles  of  priestcraft ;  and  the 
Hellenic  Greeks  themselves,  in  the  Turkish 
empire,  numbering  probably  2,000,000,  pre- 
sent a  field,  if  not  yet  wholly  open,  still  not  by 
any  means  devoid  of  promise,  and  one  which 
hitherto  has  been  but  very  imperfectly  sup- 
plied with  laborers. 

The  openings  in  the  Armenian  field  are  the 
most  remarkable,  and,  though  the  urgent  call 
for  more  laborers  has  not  yet  been  fully  re- 
sponded to,  we  consider  this  field  as  occupied 
by  the  American  Board,  and  it  may  be  hoped  ^ 
that  the  promised  reinforcement  will  soon  be 
sent  by  that  efficient  body  to  occupy  it  fully. 

Rev.  E.  N.  Kirk. 

Methodist  Missions  in  Eubope. — I.  The 
several  sections  of  Methodism  engaged  in  this 
work  (in  the  order  in  which  they  entered" 
upon  tbeir  labors)  are— the  (English)  Wesley- 
an  Methodists  ;  the  (Irish)  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dists ;  the  (Irish)  Primitive  Wesleyan  Metho- 
dists ;  the  Methodist  New  Connexion ;  the 
(English)  Primitive  Methodists  ;  the  Wesleyafi. 
Methodist  Association  ;  and  the  Methodis|j 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States.         ^l 

II.  The  Countries  of  Europe  where  thesS 
several  bodies  are  operating  are  as  follows:, 
besides  destitute  parts  of  England,  Methodist 
missions  have  been  established  in  the  NormaHJ^ 


EUROPE. 


359 


Isles,  Ireland,  Wales,  Spain,  France,  Shetland 
Isles,  Switzerland,  Germany,  Sweden,  Norwajj 
Corsica,  and  the  Sardinian  States. 

III.  The  mode  of  operation  in  the  manage- 
ment of  these  missions. — With  the  exception  of 
the  Continental  missions,  which  are  paid  direct 
from  the  General  Mission  Fund,  the  Home 
missions  of  English  Methodism  are  managed 
in  connexion  with  a  fund  designated  the  Con- 
tingent Fund.  This  fund  is  made  up  from  the 
Yearly  collection  and  the  July  collection.  The 
former  is  made  annually  in  the  classes  at  the 
time  of  the  March  quarterly  visitation.  The 
ministers  meet  every  class  ;  and,  after  hearing 
the  religious  experience  of  each  member,  hand 
them  their  ticket  (a  certificate  of  continued 
membership,)  on  the  receipt  of  which  each 
member  is  expected  to  name  the  amount  which 
he  will  give  to  the  yearly  collection.  This 
sum  is  then  entered  by  the  leader  in  the  class- 
book,  and  collected  by  him.  It  is  expected 
that  the  average  contribution  to  this  fund  is 
Dot  to  fall  short  in  any  circuit  of  about  12  >i 
cents  for  each  member  in  society.  And  the 
Board  of  Stewards  is  expected  to  do  their  best 
to  see  this  carried  out  in  each  case.  The 
July  collection  is  publicly  made  in  all  their 
chapels  and  preaching  stations  in  the  month 
of  July.  The  Contingent  Fund  also  receives 
occasional  donations  and  legacies  ;  and  out  of 
this  fund  are  paid  the  contingent  expenses  of 
the  Conference  ;  and  the  remainder  is  employ- 
ed in  assisting  the  poorer  circuits  in  maintain- 
ing the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel,  and  to  pro- 
vide means  of  sending  and  sustaining  addi- 
tional preachers  in  destitute  localities.  This 
is  the  oldest  charity  of  the  Methodist  Connec- 
tion, having  been  established  by  the  venerable 
Wesley  himself,  at  the  Thirteenth  Annual  Con- 
ference, in  1756.  It  has  thus  been  98  years  in 
successful  operation,  and  has  done  much  for  the 
extension  of  Methodism  in  the  British  Isles. 
This  fund  is  distributed  by  a  mixed  committee, 
consisting  of  the  president  and  secretary  of  the 
Conference,  fifteen  ministers  appointed  by  that 
body,  and  fifteen  lay  gentlemen,  annually 
chosen  by  the  stewards  exclusively,  at  the  dis- 
trict meetings  most  contiguous  to  the  place 
where  the  Conference  is  held.  The  annual 
amount  of  this  fund  of  late  years  varies  from 
^50,000  to  over  373,000.  There  is  no  dis- 
tinction made  between  the  preachers  who  re- 
ceive aid  from  this  fund  and  their  other 
brethren.  But  they  are  practically  "  Home 
Missionaries,"  and  this  fund  is  "  The  Home 
Mission  Fund  "  of  Methodism.  After  the  Gos- 
pel has  been  established  by  means  of  this  fund 
in  any  new  place,  it  is  expected  of  those  who 
receive  the  Gospel  through  this  instrument- 
ality, that  they  shall,  as  soon  as  possible,  be- 
gin to  help  themselves.  Unless  in  extreme 
poverty,  the  minimum  of  Methodist  contribu- 
tion for  the  support  of  the  ministry,  "  a  penny 
a  week,  and  a  shilling  a  quarter,"  is  expected 
to  be  contributed  by  each  member ;  and  the 


amount  which  their  united  payments  fall  short 
of  the  Home  missionary's  allowance,  is  made  up 
from  the  Contingent  Fund.  So  that  each  year, 
as  the  Gospel  gains  adherents,  the  circuit 
finances  increase,  and,  in  the  same  proportion, 
the  grant  from  the  fund  becomes  less  and  less, 
until  ultimately  the  self-supporting  position  is 
reached,  and  the  fund  is  entirely  relieved  of 
the  burden ;  while,  for  the  service  rendered,  this 
circuit  is  considered  for  ever  afterward  bound  in 
honor  to  contribute  to  both  the  sources  from 
whence  this  fund  draws  its  supplies,  in  order 
that  a  similar  service  may  be  rendered  for 
other  places  still  destitute.  Jgid  thus  to  this 
simple,  but  efficient  plan  of  Home  Missionary 
finance  do  more  than  one  half  of  the  circuits 
in  British  Methodism  owe  their  origin. 

IV.  The  Success  which  has  attended  their 
Efforts. — As  already  stated,  the  English  Wes- 
leyan  Home  Missions  commenced  when  Mr. 
Wesley  instituted  the  Contingent  Fund  in  1756 ; 
and  the  results  are  seen  only  in  the  general 
diffusion  of  Methodism,  because,  in  proportion 
as  they  were  successful,  they  ceased  to  be  mis- 
sionary. In  1786,  Mr.  Wesley  sent  Adam 
Clarke  as  a  missionary  to  the  Norman  Isles, 
near  the  coast  of  Normandy,  whose  labors 
were  blessed ;  and  these  isles  now  form  a  dis- 
trict under  the  direction  of  the  English  Wes- 
leyan  Conference,  with  11  ministers  and  3161 
members.  Ireland  was  first  included  as  a  home 
mission  by  the  Wesleyans  in  1799.  But  these 
missions  are  held  under  the  control  of  the  Irish 
Wesleyan  Conference.  Wales  was  taken  up 
in  the  year  1800.  The  first  missionaries  being 
Owen  Davisr  and  John  Hughes  (since  known 
as  the  learned  author  of  Horce  Britannica),  and 
the  result,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  is  now 
seen  in  49  Welsh  preachers  and  12,203  mem- 
bers in  society.  The  Shetland  Isles,  to  the 
north  of  Scotland,  the  natives  of  which  are 
said  to  be  of  Norwegian  descent,  were  first  oc- 
cupied as  a  mission  in  1821.  For  several 
years  they  were  under  the  special  care  of  Dr. 
A.  Clarke.  There  are  now  six  ministers  there, 
and  1265  members. 

The  English  Wesleyans  established  a  mission 
at  Gibraltar  in  1808.  The  Gospel  is  now 
preached  there  in  both  English  and  Spanish, 
and  of  the  250  children  in  the  schools,  224 
are  Spaniards — a  hope  of  better  days  to  come 
for  their  noble  and  beautiful,  but  Spiritually 
oppressed  country. 

France. — During  the  revolutionary  war  be- 
tween France  and  England,  Methodist  mission- 
aries were  regularly  supplied  to  the  French 
prisoners  at  Chatham,  Plymouth,  and  Staple- 
ton.  Soon  after  the  peace  of  1815  these  efforts 
opened  a  way  into  France  itself,  where  the 
Wesleyans  have  now  a  strong  and  interesting 
mission,  which  has  lately  been  erected  into  a 
separate  organization,  with  independent  action, 
but  continues  to  receive  pecuniary  aid  from 
the  English  Wesleyans,  and  also  from  the  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States. 


300 


EUROPE, 


Switzerland. — This  is  an  off-«hoot  of  the 
French  mission.  Into  Switzerland,  the  val- 
K'vs  of  Piedmont,  the  hamlets  of  the  Upper 
Alps,  and  even  Nice,  within  the  confines  of 
Italy,  Methodist  preachers  have  found  their 
way,  and  gathered  little  churches.  The  socie- 
ties here,  and  in  the  south  of  France,  arc  now 
enjoying  a  revival  of  religion  such  as  never 
was  experienced  bv  them  before.  The  Ka- 
tional  Reformed  Church,  the  Free  Church, 
and  the  Dissenters  have  also  begun  to  share 
largely  in  its  blessings.  The  missionary  in  the 
Upper  Alps,  Mr.  Rostan,  is  a  convert  of  the 
great  and  good  ffelix  Neff,  whose  field  of  labor 
he  here  cultivates  as  a  Wesleyan  missionary. 

Germany. — In  VVinnenden,  in  the  kingdom 
of  Wirtemberg,  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  So- 
ciety have  a  most  precious  work  going  forward, 
conducted,  under  very  peculiar  circumstances, 
by  the  venerable  Mr.  Mullcr,  assisted  by  20 
local  preachers,  with  1100  church  mem- 
bers. 

Sweden. — Here  they  have  a  chapel,  and 
many  members  in  Stockholm,  begun  in  1826, 
but  the  intolerant  laws  put  in  force  against  all 
ministers  not  of  the  Establishment,  obliged  the 
missionary,  Mr.  Scott,  to  quit  the  field.  But 
a  work  has  been  done  there  which  intolerant 
laws  cannot  extinguish — and  which  may  yet 
break  forth  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the 
left. 

T?ie  Irish  Wesleyan  Methodist  Home  Missions 
were  commenced  in  1799.  These  missions  are 
scattered  over  different  parts  of  Ireland  ;  and 
by  the  preaching  of  a  pure  Gospel  and  the  main- 
tenance of  schools  where  the  Holy  Scriptures 
are  taught  daily,  they  are  instrumental  in  pre- 
serving and  extending  the  saving  power  of 
Protestant  truth  in  distant  and  necessitous 
localities,  which  would  otherwise  be  almost,  if 
not  entirely  destitute  of  its  enlightening  and 
regenerating  influences.  Some  remarkable 
men  have  risen  up  in  connection  with  these 
missions,  "  whose  praise  is  in  the  churches," 
among  whom  are  the  honored  names  of  Charles 
Graham,  Thomas  Walsh,  and  Gideon  Ousleij. 
These  men  in  the  streets,  and  fairs,  and  mar- 
kets of  Ireland,  in  Ireland's  own  tongue,  have 
sown  broadcast  over  the  country  those  seeds 
of  evangelical  truth,  the  fruits  of  which  others 
are  now  reaping,  in  the  present  reformations 
from  Popery  in  that  land.  Perhaps  few  fields 
of  Christian  activity  have  yielded  richer  results 
for  the  labor  bestowed  upon  them.  Besides 
conserving  the  interests  of  Protestantism  in 
many  places  in  Ireland,  where  Popish  error 
would  otherwise  have  rooted  up-  the  last  vestige 
of  truth,  and  also  during  the  past  thirty  or 
•forty  years  sending  thousands  of  evangelical 
Methodist  Christians  to  Canada,  Australia, 
and  the  United  States,  where  they  have  helped 
to  spread  the  Gospel,  this  mission  has  given 
McKenney,  Lynch,  Home,  W.  Arthur,  and 
others  to  the  foreign  missionary  enterprize, 
and  has   furnished  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


Church  with  a  noble  addition  to  her  ministry, 
among  whom  stand  James  Caughey  and 
Charles  Elliott. 

The  Irish  Primitive  Wesleyan  Methodists  arose 
in  1816,  on  the  question  ot  the  administration 
of  the  sacraments  by  the  Methodist  preachers 
in  Ireland.  They  wished  to  adhere  as  closely 
as  possible  to  the  practice  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
early  preachers,  and  to  consider  themselves 
merely  as  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  without  full 
ministerial  responsibilty.  They  have  for  sev- 
eral years  sustained  a  missionary  agency,  chief- 
ly in  the  destitute  Protestant  portions  of  the 
country,  under  the  shelter  of  the  Chui'ch  Estab- 
lishment, among  the  members  of  which  they 
have  done  much  good. 

■  The  Methodist  New  Connection  in  England, 
which  originated  in  1797,  has  a  home  mission 
occupying  England,  the  north  of  Ireland,  and 
Canada. 

Tli£  Primitive  Methodists,  Tulgarly  called 
"Ranters,"  are  a  devoted  and  laborious  body 
of  Christians,  which  rose  in  Staffordshire  in 
1810.  God  has  greatly  owned  and  blessed 
the  labors  of  these  humble  and  faithful  men. 
Besides  England,  the  home  missions  of  the 
Primitives  are  found  in  the  north  and  east  of 
Ireland,  and  in  Canada.  The  rapid  increase 
of  this  hard-working  body  of  Christians,  and 
the  efficiency  of  their  domestic  mission  may  be 
seen  from  the  fact  that  while  in  1830  they  had 
but  420  chapels,  240  ministers,  and  35,733  mem- 
bers ;  in  1853,  they  had  1789  chapels,  568 
ministers,  and  108,926  members  ;  making  an 
increase,  in  23  years,  of  1369  chapels,  ^28  min- 
isters, and  72,193  members.  This  increase  has 
been  realized,  under  God,  not  by  any  aggres- 
sion upon  other  men's  labors,  for  they  have 
never  built  "  upon  another  man's  foundation," 
but  they  have  gone  forth  "  into  the  highways 
and  hedges,"  and  have  reclaimed  the  outcasts 
and  the  wanderers,  for  whose  souls  no  one  else 
has  cared.  Their  prosperity  is  a  matter  of  re- 
joicing to  all  who  pray  for  the  coming  of  the 
Redeemer's  kingdom. 

T/ie  Wesleyan  Association,  yihich.  rose  in  1834, 
under  the  auspices  of  Dr.  Warren,  has  domes- 
tic missions  in  England,  Wales,  Ireland,  and 
Hamburgh.  But  these  efforts  are  only  lately 
originated,  and,  as  yet,  have  not  enjoyed  any 
large  measure  of  prosperity.  | 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  the  VniM 
ted  States,  has  several  missions  of  a  domesti^ 
character  in  Europe,  and  some  of  which,  wheth-?' 
er  from  the  localities  where  they  operate,  oP'] 
from  the  rich  grace  which  God  has  granted* 
upon  their  labors,  are  of  the  most  interesting! 
character.  They  are  conducted  on  the  sam^i 
general  plan  as  their  home  missions  in  thisf 
country,  for  which  see  Home  Missions.  Gm^ 
many,  the  land  of  Luther,  the  home  of  the  Re-ij 
formation,  now  so  gievously  fallen  from  itfid 
evangelical  standards,  is  the  principal  posil 
occupied  by  this  branch  of  the  Methodist; 
church ;  and  the  wonderful  providence  which^ 


EUROPE. 


361 


led  her  there  is  thus  traced  by  Dr.  McClintock  : 
'In  1821,  two  young  men  entered  the  Uni- 
eersity  of  Tubingen  in  Germany,  from  the  gym- 
oasium,  to  complete  their  education.  They 
were  both  well  trained  according  to  the  Ger- 
man plan ;  both  of  promise  and  talent ;  both 
svere  to  be  theologians.  They  formed  a  friend- 
ship at  the  university,  and  for  six  years  lived, 
studied,  and  formed  their  plans  of  life  together ; 
md  they  supposed  that  their  lines  of  life  would 
be  parallel ;  that  they  would  both  be  theolo- 
gians— ministers  probably,  with  the  usual  am- 
jition  of  an  enterprising  and  talented  Ger- 
man student.  In  1827  they  both  finished  their 
studies  at  the  university.  The  name  of  one  of 
;hem  is  no  less  a  name  than  that  of  David 
Frederick  Sti-aitss,  the  author  of  the  "  Life  of 
Fesus  ; "  the  name  of  the  other  was  William 
Nasi.  In  eight  years  from  the  time  he  left 
;he  university,  Strauss  had  written  that  famous 
book  in  comparison  with  which  all  that  infi- 
ielity  had  done  before  was  as  nothing.  During 
those  eight  years  William  Nast  had  come  to 
'A  '""rica,  with  blasted  hopes  and  fainting  heart, 
!io  sure  Christianity,  with  no  hope  in  this 
and  with  no  hope  and  hardly  any  belief  in 
the  life  to  come  ;  and  in  eight  years  he  had 
been  led  by  Providence  through  many  a  lane 
of  sorrow  and  darkness,  up  to  the  hour  when 
the  memorable  awakening  occurred  which  re- 
sulted in  his  conversion. 

Thus  Providence  raised  up  William  Nast  to 
counteract  the  evil  work  of  his  fellow-student, 
and  to  be  the  instrument  of  converting  thou- 
sands of  his  fellow-countrymen  here,  and  then 
to  be  a  most  powerful  agency  to  convert  his 
fatherland.  It  is  now  about  nineteen  years 
since  Dr.  Nast's  conversion.  After  laboring 
here  with  great  success  among  the  Germans 
—(See  Home  Missions,) — he  sailed  for  Germany 
in  1848.  He  found  the  door  of  access  wide 
open,  and  having  marked  out  a  plan  of  action, 
he  returned  and  reported  to  the  Board.  The 
Rev.  L.  S.  Jacoby  (one  of  Dr.  Nast's  own 
children  in  the  Lord)  was  accordingly  appoint- 
ed, and  sailed  in  1849,  with  instructions  to 
establish  the  head-quarters  of  the  mission  in 
the  free  city  of  Bremen.  The  word  of  the 
Lord  immediately  began  to  take  effect,  and  to 
spread,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  send  out  ad- 
ditional missionaries.  These  were  readily  sup- 
plied from  the  German  converts  which  God 
had  given  to  Dr.  Nast  in  the  United  States. 
The  mission  has  extended  itself  to  Hamburgh, 
on  the  north,  and  Frankfort  on  the  south, 
and  its  influence  has  to  some  extent  pervaded 
all  the  surrounding  states.  It  is  also  establish- 
ed in  the  kingdom  of  Wurtemburg.  Helpers 
have  been  raised  up  to  preach  the  Gospel  in 
the  places  where  they  have  been  converted. 
Persecutions  have  followed,  and  some  of  the 
brethreo  have  been  imprisoned  and  fined,  but 
they  still  persist  in  preaching  the  Gospel. 
Some  of  the  ministers  of  the  state  churches 
oppose  and  persecute,  but  a  few  give  their  in- 


fluence and  favor  to  these  brethren.  The  mis- 
sion in  Germany  is  working  among  the  people 
and  upon  the  state  churches,  just  as  Mr.  Wes- 
ley's mission  did  in  his  early  labors  in  England  ; 
and  if  it  could  have  freedom  and  protection  in 
all  the  states  of  Germany,  as  it  has  in  the  city 
and  state  of  Bremen,  and  as  Mr.  Wesley  and 
his  mission  and  helpers  had  in  England,  the 
work  in  Germany  would  probably  equal  that 
of  early  Methodism  in  England.  Already  the 
fruits  are  great.  In  the  state  of  Bremen  they 
are  formed  into  churches ;  in  other  states, 
where  this  is  not  allowed,  they  are  formed  into 
societies,  and  are  met  in  class  and  prayer  meet- 
ings by  the  prominent  persons  whom  God  has 
raised  up  among  them,  as  in  the  early  days  of 
Methodism.  And  where  they  may  not  enjoy 
this  privilege,  they  fly  by  scores  to  the  United 
States,  bringing  their  certificates  and  joining 
the  German  churches  here.  There  are  now, 
besides  five  colporteurs,  eleven  missionaries  iti- 
nerating through  various  parts  of  Germany. 
The  localities  where  they  preach  and  form  so- 
cieties and  Sunday-schools,  and  other  means 
of  evangelical  instruction,  are  as  follows  : — • 
In  Bremen  they  have  three  chapels :  in  Bre- 
merhaven,  Hastedt,  Yegesack.  In  the  king- 
dom of  Hanover  they  operate  in  Achim, 
Scharmbeck,  and  a  few  other  minor  places. 
In  the  duchy  of  Oldenburg,  in  Hasbergen,  Dwo- 
bergen,  and  six  other  places ;  also  in  the 
possessions  of  the  princes  of  Schleuss-Reuss  and 
Greitz-Reuss,  and  in  the  kingdom  of  Saxony, 
where  on  account  of  persecution,  they  are 
obliged  to  have  their  preaching  and  class- 
meetings  at  the  midnight  hour  ;  they  also  have 
circuits  in  Frankfoii-on-the-Main,  and  in  the 
kingdom  of  Wurtemberg,  where  they  have 
twelve  appointments ;  and  they  have  also 
established  a  mission  in  Hamburgh. 

In  many  of  these  places  the  missionaries 
have  been  invited  to  come  and  labor,  because 
the  friends  of  the  persons  inviting  them,  who 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in  past  years, 
have  been  converted,  and  have  written  home 
to  their  families  in  Germany,  explaining  the 
nature  and  the  joys  of  personal  religion,  and 
urging  it  upon  their  acceptance.  These  let-' 
ters  have  spread  light,  and  excited  the  desire 
to  know  more  of  this  good  way.  The  mission- 
aries have  established  a  printing-press  and  a 
monthly  periodical,  and  have  also  opened 
a  book  concern  for  the  sale  and  distribution 
of  evangelical  publications. 

France,  Italy  and  Corsica. — ^The  French 
Methodist  Conference  having  become  inde- 
pendent, and  having  peculiar  means  of  ex- 
tending the  Gos'pel  in  that  empire,  the  Board 
of  Missions  of  the  Methodist  E.  Church  have 
voted  appropriations  to  assist  the  brethren 
there  to  extend  their  interesting  work.  The 
appropriation  this  year  is  $5,000.  By  this 
means,  additional  ministers  have  been  called 
out  into  the  work,  whose  labors  are  under  the 
special  patronage  of  the  Board.    Access  to 


d» 


EUROPE. 


the  "Woldensian  valleys,  in  the  direction  of 
Turin,  having  been  much  enlarged,  Mr.  Kas- 
tau  has  been  stationed  there,  and  another  pro- 
inise<l  to  help  him.  A  wide  and  remarkable 
door  was  opened  in  the  city  of  Nice,  in  Sar- 
dinia, which  is  the  gateway  on  the  Mediterra- 
nean, between  France  and  Italy.  Besides  the 
inhabitants,  there  are  great  numbers  of  stran- 
gers, who  resort  here  to  spend  the  winter,  for 
the  benefit  of  their  health. 

There  has  also  occurred  a  remarkable  open- 
ing in  the  island  of  Corsica,  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, which  is  under  the  government  of 
France.  Occupying,  as  it  does,  a  central  posi- 
tion between  France,  Italy,  Spain,  Sardinia, 
and  Algeria,  it  is  the  best  position  in  the 
south  of  Europe  for  a  central  evangelical  Pro- 
testant mission.  The  Methodist  missionary  is 
the  only  Protestant  minister  in  the  whole 
island,  containing  a  population  of  about  250,000 
Romanists.  The  missionary,  Mr.  Gallienne,  is 
assisted  by  a  zealous  Christian,  a  convert  from 
Popery,  of  the  name  of  Dominimie  Rimathie. 
They  circulate  the  Scriptures  and  tracts,  both 
in  the  French  and  Italian  languages.  They 
have  also  obtained  a  chapel  and  opened  Pro- 
testant services,  and  God  is  giving  them  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  the  people. 

In  Norwaij  the  Methodist  E.  Church  has 
lately  established  a  mission.  Some  time  ago, 
a  sailor  was  converted  under  the  ministry  of 
Rev.  0.  C.  Hedstroom,  of  the  Bethel  ship, 
John  Wesley,  New  York.  He  soon  became 
eminent  for  his  piety,  and  was  known  among 
his  ship-mates  as  "  Holy  Peter."  His  anxiety 
for  the  salvation  of  his  kindred  induced  him 
to  leave  his  profession,  and  return  to  his  native 
country,  Norway,  that  he  might  "  tell  them 
how  great  things  the  Lord  had  done  for  him." 
His  simple,  earnest  exhortations  were  accom- 
panied with  the  unction  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  many  were  awakened  and  converted,  so 
that  it  was  with  difficulty  he  could  tear  him- 
self from  the  people,  that  he  might  return  to 
the  United  States.  On  his  arrival  here  he 
was  sent  off  to  preach  among  his  Scandinavian 
brethren  in  the  State  of  Iowa.  But  the  con- 
verted souls  in  Norway  earnestly  entreated 
that  he  might  be  sent  back  to  them  for  their 
sake,  and  for  the  sake  of  spreading  the  good 
work  among  the  perishing  sinners  around 
them.  After  the  usual  instructions  and  exam- 
inations, he  was  accordingly  ordained,  and,  in 
October,  1853,  accompanied  by  two  other  con- 
verted Norwegian  sailors,  as  his  assistants,  he 
sailed  for  Norway;  and,  when  heard  from, 
they  had  hired  a  place  to  preach  in,  and  had 
begun  their  work  with  prospects  of  acceptance 
and  usefulness.  Mr.  Peterson,  the  missionary, 
in  a  communication,  dated  March  1st,  1854, 
"  rejoices  in  God  to  be  able  to  say  that  he 
believes  that  twelve  or  fourteen  persons  have 
been  truly  converted  since  they  arrived  in 
Norway."— Rev.  W.  Butler. 


1 


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304 


FAIRFIELD— FREETOWN. 


FAIRFIELD:  A  station  of  tho Moravians 
in  Jainnirn,  W.  I. 

FAKIR  or  FAQUIR:  A  monk  in  India. 
The  fakirs  subject  themselves  to  severe  aus- 
terities and  mortifications.  Some  of  them 
condemn  themselves  to  a  standing  posture 
all  their  lives,  supported  only  by  a  stick  or 
rope  under  their  armpits.  Some  mangle 
their  bodies  with  scourges  or  knives.  Others 
wander  about  in  companies,  telling  fortunes, 
and  these  are  said  to  be  arrant  villains. 

FALMOUTH :  A  station  of  the  Wesley- 
ans,  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

FALEALILI  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  the  Island  of  Upolu, 
one  of  the  Samoan  group. 

FAIR  HARBOUR:  A  station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society  in  the  Society 
Islands. 

FARMERFIELD  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  Great  Namaqualand,  S.  Africa. 

FASITOOTAI :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  the  Island  of  Upolu, 
one  of  the  Samoan  group. 

FATjfi :  One  of  the  New  Hebrides  Islands, 
having  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society. . 

FEARN:  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  Berbice,  S.  America. 

FEE JEE  ISLANDS :  See  South  Sea  Is- 
lands. 

FERNANDO  PO:  An  Island  in  the  Bight 
of  Biafra,  on  the  western  coast  of  Africa, 
20  miles  from  the  continent,  40  miles  in 
length,  20  in  breadth,  and  120  in  circumfer- 
ence. Like  the  adjacent  parts  of  the  main 
land,  it  is  very  mountainous,  Clarence  Peak 
being  10,700  feet  high.  The  southern  ex- 
tremity is  also  intersected  with  steep  moun- 
tains, from  1,000  to  3,000  feet  high  j  which, 
with  the  intervening  valleys,  are  covered 
with  dense  forests  of  large  and  valuable  tim- 
ber, and  watered  by  numerous  rivulets.  The 
dry  season  commences  the  latter  end  of 
May,  and  continues  till  the  end  of  Novem- 
ber. The  sea  breeze  is  regular,  but  the  land 
breeze  generally  deficient,  being  intercepted 
by  the  high  range  of  mountains  on  the  maiZi 
land.  Clarence,  the  principal  settlement,  is 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Island,  in  latitude 
3»  53'  N.  and  longitude  7"  40'  E.  and  is  built 
close  to  the  sea,  upon  an  elevated  plain,  em- 
bracing two  small  peninsulas.  Point  William 
and  Point  Adelaide,  with  a  semi-circular 
space,  forming  a  cove,  well  adapted  for  ship- 
pmg.  The  soil  is  fertile,  and  the  water  of 
the  best  quality,  and  there  are  no  marshes 
m  the  vicinity.  The  English  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society  have  a  mission  here.  (See 
Africa.  Western.) 

FETISH  :  See  Africa,  Western. 

FIRST-HILL:  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

FISHTOWN  :  Station  of  the  American 
Episcopal  Missionary  Society  in  South  Afri- 


ca, situated  to  the  south-west  of  Cape  Pal- 
mas. 

FIVE  ISLANDS  :  A  station  of  the  Mora- 
vians in  Antigua.  W.  I. 

FLINT  :  A  Cherokee  town  in  the  Indian 
territory  and  an  out-station  of  the  American 
Baptist  Mission. 

FORT  BEAUFORT:  Station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  in 
Beaufort  district,  near  the  head  waters  ot 
the  Kciskamma  river. 

FOUR-PATHS  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

FREDEllICKSTHAL :  A  station  of  the 
Moravians  in  Greenland. 

FREEDOM  CHAPEL:  A  station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society  in  British  Gui- 
ana. 

FREEMANTLE :  A  station  of  the  Gospel 
Propagation  Society  in  Australia,  situated 
at  the  entrance  of  Swan  river. 

FREETOWN  :  Chief  town  of  the  colony 
of  Sierra  Leone,  situated  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Sierra  Leone  river.  It  is  well  situated 
for  commerce.  The  Church  and  Wesleyau 
Societies  both  have  stations  at  this  place. 
(See  Africa,  Western.) 

FREE  CHURCH  OF  SCOTLAND  :MIS. 
SIONS:  The  Free  Church  supports  exten- 
sive Home  and  Colonial  Missionary  opoi-a- 
tions;  together  with  missions  to  tlie  Jews, 
and  Foreign  Missions  in  Hindostan  and  S. 
Africa,  notices  of  wliich  appear  under  those 
heads.  The  income  for  Missions  and  Educa- 
tion in  1854,  was  £46,232,  and  for  all  objects, 
£287,574. 

FREEWILL  BAPTIST  FOREIGN  MIS- 
SION SOCIETY  :  The  members  of  the  Free 
Will  Baptist  denomination  did  not  generally 
engage  in  the  Foreign  Mission  enterprise  till 
about  twenty  years  ago.  The  founders  of 
the  connection  were  zealous  and  pious  men, 
who  made  great  sacrifices  to  preach  the  Gos- 
pel in  the  destitute  parts  of  the  country. 
But  unfortunately  for  the  cause  of  religiop^ 
and  the  interests  of  the  denomination,  theyj{ 
with  those  who  sympathized  with  them, 
suflfered  their  prejudices  against  what  thej^v 
called  the  "  hireling  "  system  to  drive  thei 
into  strong  opposition  to  the  regular  suppoi 
of  the  ministry.  Hence,  the  appointment 
missionari<?s  with  the  appropriation  of  defi- 
nite sums  o.f  money  for  their  support  was 
discarded.  Yt^^  there  were  some  who  ap-' 
dently  desired  i^^  conversion  of  the  world, 
and  wished  to  sec-  ^^e  denomination  engage 
in  the  great  work  ^  sending  the  Gospel  to, 
the  heathen.  Being X^nknown  to  each  other, 
hearing  but  little  to  discourage  them  to  en- 
gage in  the  missionary>nterprise,  and  being 
scattered  among  those  \¥^^  were  either  op-; 
posed  or  indifferent  to  f>e  cp.use,  no  efiorl 
was  made  in  the  churches  i^^  send  the  lamp 
of  life  to  the  benighted  hc-^^^en  for  somti 
years  after  other  denomina.^^^^iss  ^^^  ^^°^' 

V 


i 


FREEWILL  BAPTIST  FOREIGN  MISSION  SOCIETY. 


365 


menced  their  labors  for  the  conversion  of 
idolaters.  Rev.  Amos  Sutton,  of  the  Eng- 
jlish  General  Baptist  Mission  in  Orissa,  was, 
lunder  God,  enabled  to  arouse  many  of  the 
ministers  and  members  from  their  inaction, 
and  induce  them  to  engage  in  efforts  for  the 
conversion  of  Orissa.  Early  in  1832  he 
wrote  to  Elder  John  Buzzell  of  Parsons- 
fu'ld,  Me.,  who  was  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  influential  ministers  of  the  Free-will 
Baptist  connection.  The  letter  was  an  earn- 
est and  pathetic  appeal  for  aid  ;  and  as  it 

-  published  in  the  Morning  Star,  the  or- 
of  the  denomination,  was  heartily  sec- 
td  by  Elder  Buzzell,  and  was  written  by 
issionary  of  senttments  similar  to  those 
he  Free-will  Baptists,  a  good  impression 
made.  In  1833  Mr.  Sutton  visited  the 
.  ited  States,  having  been  compelled  to 
k'.ive  Orissa  for  a  season  on  account  of  ill 
luulth.  He  came  by  the  permission  of  the 
Eiii^lish  General  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
\v!io  generously  defrayed  the  expense  of  his 
\\>]t.  His  presence  and  earnest  and  perse- 
Yi  ling  labors  deepened  the  favorable  im- 
p!<  ssion  previously  made,  and  much  of  the 
])Lc;iudice  that  had  existed  against  the  cause 
Oi  missions  was  removed.  During  his  stay 
the  Free-will  Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Soci- 
ety was  formed.  The  organization  was  to  a 
considerable  extent  effected  through  his 
means,  and  his  services  were  of  great  value 
as  the  work  was  new  to  all  who  were  asso- 
ciated with  him  in  forming  the  Society. 
Soon  after  this  he  went  to  England,  but  re- 
turned in  1834,  and  engaged  in  the  duties  of 
Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Society,  the 
Directors  having  chosen  him  to  that  office 
while  he  was  in  England.  His  health  was 
in  a  good  degree  restored,  which  enabled 
him  to  travel  and  lecture  in  many  of  the 
churches,  and  take  collections  in  aid  of  the 
cause.  He  was  very  cordially  received  not 
only  among  the  Free-will  Baptists,  but  by 
Christians  of  other  denominations.  His  ar- 
duous labors  were  continued  for  one  year, 
during  which  time  two  brethren  were  ap- 
pointed as  missionaries  to  Orissa.  These 
brethren  were  Rev.  Eli  Noyes  of  Jefferson, 
Me.,  who  was  a  Free-will  Baptist,  and  Rev. 
Jeremiah  Phillips  of  Plainfield,  N.  Y.,  who 
belonged  to  the  Open  Communion  Baptists, 
a  sect  that  subsequently  united  with  the 
Free-will  Baptist  connection.  These  two 
missionaries,  with  their  wives,  sailed  for 
Orissa,  September  22,  1835,  and  were  the 
first  sent  out  by  this  Society.  Mr.  Sutton 
was  one  of  their  fellow  passengers,  and  was 
of  great  service  to  them  during  the  voy- 
age, and  after  their  arrival  in  India. 

The  Society  has  but  one  mission.  It  has 
sent  out  six  male  and  nine  female  mission- 
aries from  this  country,  and  the  services  of 
one  female  have  been  secured  in  Orissa. 
Rev.  John  Buzzell  was  the  first  President 


of  the  Society,  and  retained  the  office  about 
fifteen  years.  Rev.  Amos  Sutton  was  its 
first  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  Mr.  Isaac 
N.  Sanborn  of  North  Parsonsfield,  Me.,  its 
first  Treasurer.  He  died  in  1835  or  183^6. 
Wm.  Burr,  Esq.,  editor  of  the  Morning  Star 
and  Treasurer  of  two  other  benevolent  soci- 
eties, succeeded  Mr.  Sanborn  as  Treasurer 
of  this  Society,  and  has  ever  since  retained 
the  office,  rendering  his  services  gratuitous- 
ly. It  has  had  three  Corresponding  Secre 
taries  since  Mr.  Sutton  resigned,  and  their 
services  have  been  mostly  gratuitous. 

The  affairs  of  the  Society  are  conducted 
by  an  Executive  Committee.  Its  officers 
were  formerly  chosen  by  a  Board  of  Direc- 
tors ;  but  this  Board  has  been  dispensed 
with,  and  all  the  officers  are  now  chosen  by 
the  Society  at  its  annual  meetings. 

A  few  years  after  the  organization  of  this 
body.  Miss  Sarah  Chapin  of  Rumford,  N.  H., 
made  it  a  bequest  of  some  four  thousand  dol- 
lars, which  sum  was  paid  in  annual  instal- 
ments. She  had  previously  willed  the  pro- 
perty to  the  missionary  society  of  another 
denomination  of  which  she  was  a  member. 
On  learning  the  anti-slavery  character  of  the 
Free-will  Baptists,  she  revoked  her  will  and 
disposed  of  her  property  as  stated  above. 
While  the  denomination  held  an  informal 
connection  with  a  body  of  slaveholding  Bap- 
tists at  the  South,  which  union  has  since 
been  dissolved,  the  Executive  Committee 
passed  a  resolution  not  to  receive  the  contri- 
butions of  slaveholders. 

The  following  are  the  Society's  annual  re- 
ceipts. From  its  origin  to  1835,  a  period 
of  about  three  years,  the  amount  received 
was.  S2,653  37.  In  1836,  it  was,  ^915  43 
In  1837,  $51,459  79  In  1838,  ^2.504  36 
In  1839,  ,S2,336  71  In  1840,  82,777  00 
In  1841,  .1^3,137  32  In  1842,  $13,556  42 
In  1843,  !$2,726  74  In  1844,  $2,388  04 
In  1845,  !B3,160  66  In  1846,  ^3,219  21 
In  1847,  ^3,544  00  In  1848,  $5,618  63 
In  1849,  $2,992  20  In  1850,  $4;215  31 
In  1851,  $4,958  14  In  1852,  $4,475  98 
In  1853,  $6^245  93.  Total  since  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Society,  $62,885  24. 

Considerable  irregularity  is  seen  in  the  re- 
ceipts, as  the  amount  of  one  year  is  com- 
pared with  that  of  another.  This  is  caused 
mostly  by  the  irregularity  of  the  time  of 
holding  the  annual  meetings  when  the  ac- 
counts are  made  up.  Dividing  twenty  of 
the  twenty-one  years  of  the  Society's  exist- 
ence into  two  equal  parts,  giving  to  each  its 
respective  receipts,  the  increase  of  funds  in 
the  last  period  over  the  first,  is  $17,958  51. 
This  gain  was  not  made  by  an  increase  of 
the  numerical  strength  of  the  denomination^ 
for  there  was  a  decrease  of  its  numbers 
while  the  funds  were  increasing.  It  was 
caused  by  the  increasing  light  on  the  subject 
of  missions,  and  the  formation  of  churches 


see 


FRIEDENSBERG— GABOON. 


better  taught  than  some  of  those  previously 
organized.  As  the  denomination  was  weak 
in  numbers  and  resources,  and  most  of  the 
churches  were  small,  poor,  and  not  trained 
to  benevolent  efforts,  the  missionary  enter- 
prise was  commenced  with  fears  of  failure, 
and  there  were  some  apprehensions  of  em- 
barrassment when  Miss  Chapin's  bequest 
should  be  expended.  But  former  anxieties 
and  disquietudes  have  been  happily  succeed- 
ed by  the  pleasing  hope  that,  under  God,  the 
Society  has  become  permanently  established, 
though  its  operations  are  limited.  However 
small  it  may  be  "among  the  thousands  of 
Judah,"  it  has  something  to  do  in  the  great 
work  of  spreading  the  Gospel  among  all  na- 
tions, and  there  are  indications  that  the 
churches  will  become  more  active  in  the  holy 
enterprise. 

Most  of  the  funds  of  the  Society  have 
been  collected  by  subscriptions,  the  circula- 
tion of  missionary  cards,  and  by  contribu- 
tions. This  course,  though  it  saves  the  ex- 
pense of  agents,  yet  lacks  the  efficiency  of 
the  agency  system.  Rev.  0.  R.  Bachelor,  a 
returned  missionary,  has  been  on  an  agency 
among  the  churches  more  than  a  year  past, 
and  is  still  in  the  field.  The  amount  of  re- 
ceipts for  1853  was  considerably  greater  than 
that  of  any  previous  year,  and  his  efficient 
labors  were  among  the  means  that  brought 
the  additional  sum  into  the  treasury.  Many, 
however,  think  that  in  most  cases  the  ser- 
vices of  agents  are  not  necessary,  and  that  all 
the  funds  that  can  be  appropriated  directly  to 
missionary  purposes  may  be  obtained  with- 
out their  aid.  The  denomination  consists 
of  28  yearly  meetings,  129  quarterly  meet- 
ings, 1146  churches,  10G9  preachers,  and 
about  50,000  communicants.  Each  quarter- 
ly meeting  is  composed  of  delegates  from  a 
convenient  number  of  churches,  and  the 
yearly  meetings  are  made  of  delegates  sent 
from  the  quarterly  meetings.  Each  quar- 
terly meeting  assembles  four  times  a  year 
with  such  churches  in  its  limits  as  are  wil- 
ling to  entertain  the  meetings.  As  there  are 
some  five  hundred  of  these  sessions  an- 
nually held,  with  about  the  same  number  of 
churches  scattered  throughout  the  denomi- 
nation, each  meeting  usually  attended  by 
several  ministers  and  often  by  large  num- 
bers of  people,  great  facilities  are  afforded  in 
this  way  for  obtaining  funds  for  the  cause 
of  missions.  It  is  hoped  that  these  facilities 
will  at  no  very  distant  period  be  so  far  im- 
proved as  to  dispense  with  agents. 

The  small  amount  of  receipts  shows  that 
the  Society  has  done  but  little  in  the  work 
of  converting  the  heathen.  The  connection 
took  its  rise  in  the  then  new  settlements  of 
the  country,  and  up  to  some  ten  years  ago 
it  numbered  scarcely  a  dozen  churches  in 
large  villages  and  cities.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  the  missionary  enterprise   among 


Free-will  Baptists,  their  churches  wero 
mostly  small,  poor,  scattered,  and  many  <rf 
them  without  pastors,  and  most  of  the  min- 
isters were  uneducated  and  had  no  regular 
support.  The  mass,  which  was  then  in  al' 
most  a  chaotic  state,  is  now  assuming  lV)n]o 
and  vitality.  There  are  not  many  wealthy 
men  in  the  churches,  and  not  one  of  the  few 
that  are  rich  has  yet  made  a  large  donation 
to  the   Foreign  Mission  Society. — Rkv.  E. 

HUTCHINS. 

FRIEDENSBERG:  A  station  of  the 
Moravians  on  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas, 
West  Indies. 

FRIEDENSFIELD :  A  station  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  St  Thomas,  W.  I 

FRIEDENSTHAL :  A  station  of  the 
Moravians,  on  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas 

FRIENDLY  ISLANDS:  A  group  of 
islands  situated  between  16°  21',  south  lati- 
tude, and  ITG'*  186',  west  longitude.  Some 
of  them  are  barren  and  desert  spots.  Others 
are  of  considerable  size,  Tonga  containing 
a  population  of  10,000. 

FRIEDAU:  A  station  of  the  French 
Protestants  in  South  Africa,  183  miles  east 
of  Motito. 

FUH-CHAU  :  One  of  the  five  ports  of 
China,  opened  to  foreigners,  situated  in  lati- 
tude 26*  5'.  N.,  and  longitude  119°  20',  E., 
on  the  north  bank  of  the  Min  river. 

FLTRRACKABAD :  A  city  in  the  pro- 
vince  of  Agra,  in  Hindostan,  situated  near 
the  south  bank  of  the  Ganges,  82  E.  N.  E. 
of  Agra,  156  N.  W.  of  Allahabad.  Popula- 
tion, 70,000.  It  is  the  chief  commercial  city 
of  the  ceded  and  conquered  provinces,  and 
is  said  to  be  the  common  resort  of  needy 
and  dissolute  characters  from  other  parts  of 
Hindostan.  It  is  a  station  of  the  American 
Presbyterian  Board. 

FUTTEHGURH:  A  station  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  in  Northern  India,  on 
the  Ganges,  200  miles  above  Allahabad. 

GABOON :  A  river  in  West  Africj^ 
entering  the  ocean  about  twenty  miles 
north  of  the  equator,  in  longitude  9°  18' 
east  from  Greenwich,  on  which  is  situated 
the  mission  of  the  American  Board  to  West 
Africa.  Its  width  for  40  miles  from  its 
mouth,  varies  from  8  to  14  miles.  For  thai 
last  30  miles  of  its  course,  this  river  is  ful 
equal  in  size  to  the  Senegal,  Niger,  ar 
Congo,  and  much  superior  in  grandeur 
beauty.  Its  general  course  is  wester! 
Many  rivers  flow  into  it,  the 
of  which  are  interspersed  with  numeroi 
villages.  Forty  miles  from  the  ocean 
divides  into  the  Rembwe,  which  is  a 
wide  at  its  mouth,  and  navigable  some  di 
tance  for  small  vessels,  and  the  big  Oroml 
or  the  Olombo-mpolo,  which  has  a  width 
more  than  two  miles  at  its  junction  wil 
the  Rembwe,  and  ia  navigable  to  where 
divides  into  the  Kftra^  and  B^kwe.     Of  the 


GABOON. 


367 


jibranches  the  B&kwe,  which  is  a  quarter  of 

mile  wide  where  it  unites  with  the  K^mbA, 

s  said  to  have  a  boat  navigation  of  40  or 

0  miles  ;  and  the  K&m^,  which  is  twice  its 

ize,  would  allow  the  passage  of  vessels  of  a 

oderate  burden   a   still  greater   distance, 

nvere  it  not  for  a  sand-bar  at  its  mouth. 

Face  of  the  Country,  Climate,  ^c. — The 
country  for  the  distance  of  100  or  150  miles 
nto  the  interior,  is  quite  uniformly  level, 
md  covered  with  forests  so  dense  as  to 
•ender  it  next  to  impossible  to  thread  them, 
md  the  native  paths  (for  there  are  no  roads) 
'e  not  wide  enough  for  a  horse,  or  even  for 
man,  with  a  pack  of  any  size,  to  pass.  The 
)anks  of  the  rivers  are  in  many  plac^  low 
nd  marshy ;  in  others,  for  miles  together, 
elevated.  Farther  in  the  interior  the  coun- 
ry  is  hilly,  and  rises  at  length  into  magnifi- 
sent  mountains. 

Contrary  to  what  would  naturally  be  in- 
erred,  there  is  good  reason  for  believing 
hat  no  place  on  the  coast  is  more  healthy 
han  the  Gaboon  country.  This  is  owing  to 
everal  causes.     The   rainy  season,  which, 


rhen  the  showers  are  less  frequent,  lasts 
en  months,  is  the  warm  season,  when  the 
hermoraeter  ranges  from  72  to  88  degrees 
f  Fahrenheit.  Then,  the  rains  are  generally 
Q  the  night,  so  that  one  is  still  less  exposed 
o  take  cold.  Again,  at  the  close  of  the 
ainy  season,  the  sky  becomes  overcast  with 
louds,  by  which  means  the  disastrous  ef- 
ects  of  a  burning  sun,  operating  in  the  lux- 
iriant  vegetation  of  the  rainy  season,  are 
ntirely  obviated.  The  region  through 
rhich  the  upper  waters  of  the  Gaboon  flow, 
3  supposed  to  be  highly  salubrious ;  and 
(Then  the  way  shall  be  opened  to  the  grand 
aountains  which  are  in  full  sight  from  a 
ill  back  of  King  George's  Town,  as  fine  a 
esort  will  be  found,  it  is  probable,  for  re- 
Dvering  from  the  effects  of  a  tropical  climate, 
s  the  world  affords. 

Productions  are  various  and  abundant, 
onsisting  of  plantains  and  cassada, — the 
taple  articles  of  food,  and  which  are  pre- 
ared  for  the  table  in  a  great  variety  of 
rays, — yams,  sweet  potatoes,  Indian  corn, 
agar  cane,  pumpkins,  peas,  beans,  &c. 
bats  and  fowls  abound,  but  cattle  and 
beep  have  only  recently  been  introduced, 
"he  forests  swarm  with  wild  animals,  and 
as  waters  with  fish ;  and  honey  is  to  be 
ad  at  all  seasons. 

People,  Cttstoms,  Language,  ^c. — The 
ribes  which  now  dwell  on  the  Gaboon  and 
:s  waters,  are  not  the  original  occupants  of 
he  country.  Indeed,  judging  from  present 
ppearances,  there  is  ground  for  very  pain- 
il  conjectures  as  to  the  number  of  tribes 
rhich  have  successively  made  their  way 
ither  from  the  interior,  and  been  swept 
way  during  the  hundreds  of  years  that  this 


has  been  one  of  the  centres  of  the  slave 
trade.  The  people  spoken  of  by  the  present 
inhabitants  as  the  first  who  lived  here,  are 
the  Divwas  ;  of  whom  it  is  said,  only  one  is 
now  left.  The  Mpongwes,  who  then  dwelt 
far  back  in  the  bush,  occupy  their  place ;  but 
are  only  a  remnant  of  what  they  once  were, 
being  variously  estimated  at  from  six  to 
twelve  thousand  in  number.  The  Shikanis 
next  came  over  the  mountains,  then  a  wild, 
fierce,  numerous,  and  powerful  tribe  ;  but 
who,  though  still  more  numerous  than  the 
Mpongwes,  have  almost  literally  sold  them- 
selves out,  and  are  scattered  among  the  bor- 
der towns  of  the  Mpongwes  and  Bakilis. 
This  last  named  tribe  came  over  the  moun- 
tains yet  later,  overpowering  the  Shikanis, 
and  are  the  principal  occupants  of  the 
branches  of  the  Gaboon.  They  thus  far 
know  but  little  of  trade,  have  had  little  to 
do  with  rum,  the  great  bane  of  these  tribes, 
and  are  in  many  respects  a  promising  people. 
Within  ten  years  the  Pangwes  have  made 
their  appearance  ;  though  rude,  and  possibly 


muscular,  healthy-looking  and  uncontami- 
nated  with  the  vices  of  civilization.  They 
wear  scarcely  any  clothing,  many  of  them 
paint  their  bodies  with  redwood,  and  nearly 
all  of  them  wear  ornaments  of  white  beads, 
ivory,  and  iron  rings.  The  iron  seems  to  be 
of  a  superior  quality,  and  many  of  their  im- 
plements are  made  with  a  taste  and  skill 
equal  to  that  of  any  people  in  the  world. 
Already  not  far  from  ten  thousand  of  them 
are  settled  on  or  near  the  waters  of  the 
Gaboon ;  and  they  say  they  are  only  the 
pioneers  of  those  who  are  to  follow. 

The  Gaboon  people  are  divided  into  four 
distinct  political  communities,  two  of  which 
occupy  the  south  side  of  the  river,  and  two 
the  north.  The  number  of  the  Gaboon  people 
proper  is  not  large.  They  act  as  factors  for 
the  interior  tribes.  The  articles  of  traffic,  be- 
sides slaves,  are  ivory,  redwood,  ebony,  bees- 
wax, and  gum  copal.  The  annual  export  of 
ivory,  in  1843,  exceeded  30  tons.  The  entire 
trade  of  the  river,  besides  slaves,  was  at 
that  time,  estimated  at  over  ^100,000. 
The  native  merchants,  through  whom  this 
trade  passes,  are  respectable  and  trust- 
worthy men,  who  live  in  respectable  style, 
and  associate  with  foreigners  on  terms  of 
equality.  Their  houses  are  supplied  with 
many  useful  and  costly  articles  of  European 
manufacture,  and  their  tables  spread  with 
delicacies.  Most  of  them  speak  intelligible 
English.  Most  of  the  men  are  engaged  in 
trade.  The  women  and  slaves  manage  what 
they  call  their  "  plantations."  They  pride 
themselves  not  a  little  on  their  approxima- 
tion to  the  habits  and  customs  of  civilized  life. 
The  government  in  all  these  tribes  is  purely 
patriarchal.  The  term  king  is  derived  from 
Europe  j  no  power  answering  to   the  name 


868 


QALLE— GLOUCESTER. 


tt  posseMod  by  hira  on  whom  it  is  conferred; 
ADono  central  power  exists,  which  is  ac- 
knowledgod  bv  the  separate  villages.  Slav- 
ery in  a  mild  form,  poljgarav  in  perhaps  its 
worst  character,  and  on  the  lower  waters  of 
the  Gaboon,  intemperance,  prevail.  Witch- 
craft ia  universally  believed  in.  Death, 
whatever  its  immediate  cause,  is  very  gen- 
onilly  attributed  to  this  ;  and  he  upon  whom 
suspicion  fastens  as  the  witch,  is  made 
the  victim  of  a  relentless  superstition.  Still 
the  people  are  farther  advanced  in  civiliza- 
tion than  any  other  on  the  whole  coast,  and 
possess  such  elements  of  character  as  give 
promise  that  they  will  rise  rapidly  under  the 
influence  of  the  Gospel.  Their  general  dis- 
position is  mild  and  peaceful,  and  they  mani- 
fest an  unusuM  d*ire  for  instruction.  The 
Mpongwe  language  is  spoken  very  exten- 
sively along  the  coast,  and  is  supposed  to  be, 
with  more  or  less  dialectic  differences,  very 
largely  throughout  Southern  Africa.  It  is 
•wonderfully  perfect  in  its  structure,  of  great 
flexibility,  and  pleasant  to  the  ear. 

GALLIi :  A  station  of  the  Irish  Presby- 
terians and  also  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodists 
in  Ceylon. 

GARAW AY :  A  station  of  the  American 
Episcopal  Board  in  West  Africa,  8  miles 
from  Cape  Palmas. 

GAWAR:  A  district  of  the  Mountain 
Nestorians,  70  miles  west  of  Oroomiah,  a 
station  of  the  American  Board. 

GANJAM:  A  station  of  the  General 
Baptists  in  Orissa,  India. 

GAWLER:  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
in  Australia. 

GEELONG:  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
in  Australia.  It  lies  at  the  bottom  of  a  deep 
bay,  which  forms  the  inner  harbor,  about  50 
miles  south  of  Melbourne.  It  is  rapidly  in- 
creasing, and  likely  to  become  a  place  of  im- 
portance. 

GENADENDAL:  A  station  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  South  Africa,  130  miles  north- 
east of  Cape  Town,  near  Sergeant's  river. 
This  was  the  first  station  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  South  Africa.  It  was  first  called 
Baviari's  Kloof,  and  afterwards  Gnadenthal 
or  Genedendcd,  which  means  Valley  of  Grace, 
or  Grace  Dale.  It  was  originally  commenced 
in  1736 ;  but  afterwards  given  up,  and  re- 
newed in  1792. 

GEXERALBAPTIST  MISSIONARY  SO- 
CIETY: The  distinction  between  particu- 
lar and  general  Baptists,  is"  founded  on  the 
belief  of  the  former  in  particular,  and  the 
latter  in  general  redemption.  The  former 
are  Calvinists,  the  latter  Arminiaus.  On 
account  of  the  prevalence  of  Socinianism 
among  the  General  Baptists  of  England,  the 
evangelical  portion  of  them  separated  them- 
selves and  f3rmed  a  new  connection  in  1770. 
The  formation  of  the  Missionary  Society  by 
the   Particular  Baptists   in   1701,  was  the 


means  of  awakening  the  missionary  spirit 
among  the  churches  of  the  new  connection  ; 
and  at  length  Providence  raised  up  Rev.  J. 
G.  Pike  to  advocate  the  cause  among  them, 
and  his  appeals  awakened  so  much  interest 
that  a  society  was  formed  in  181G.  Their 
first  mission  was  established  in  Orissa,  the 
province  in  which  the  idol  Juggernaut  ia 
situated.  To  this  their  chief  energies  have 
been  directed.  They  have  also  a  mission  in 
China.  The  reports  of  the  Society  do  not 
give  statistics  with  sufficient  dcfiniteness  to 
enable  us  to  state  the  number  of  missionary 
laborers,  church  members,  &c.  The  amount 
of  funds  raised  si^nd  expended  by  the  Society 
is  about  £2,000  a  year. 

GEOG  TAPA :  A  village  near  Oroomiah. 
Persia,  an  out-station  of  the  mission  of  the 
American  Board. 

GEORGIAN  ISLANDS:  A  group  of 
islands  in  the  Southern  Pacific  Ocean,  be- 
tween latitude  17<^  18',  S.,  and  longitude  149" 
15',  West,  embracing  the  islands  of  Tahiti, 
Eimeo,  Tabuaemanu,  Tetuaroa,  Matea,  and 
Meetia. 

GEORGETOWN:  The  chief  town  of 
British  Guiana,  a  station  of  the  Wesleyans. 
Population  8,000  to  10  000,  mostly  negroes. 

GERMAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY: 
(See  Basle  Missionary  Society.) 

GIIAZIPOOR:  A  town  of  Allahabad, 
41  miles  north-east  from  Benares,  a  station 
of  the  Berlin  Missionary  Society. 

GLASGOW  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY: 
One  of  the  earliest  organizations  in  the 
world  for  sending  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen, 
was  the  Glasgow  Missionary  Society.  It 
was  formed  on  the  9th  of  February,  1796 : 
and  it  originally  embraced  members  of  the 
Established  Church  of  Scotland  and  Dissent- 
ers from  that  communion.  After  the  lapse 
of  more  than  thirty  years,  it  was  thought  ex- 
pedient to  dissolve  the  union  and  form  two 
societies  ;  one  of  which  should  be  composed 
of  persons  adhering  to  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land, and  the  other  of  Dissenters.  The 
former  retained  the  old  name,  and  the  latter 
was  called  the  Glasgow  African  Missionary 
Society,  and  the  missions  were  about  equally 
divided  between  the  two.  After  the  division 
which  took  place  in  the  Church  of  Scotland 
in  1843,  the  Glasgow  Missionary  Society  be- 
came merged  in  the  foreign  mission  scheme  of 
the  Free  Church  of  Scotland ;  and  its  mission- 
aries (all  being  in  South  Africa)  were  placed 
under  the  care  of  the  latter  body.  The  vote 
of  dissolution  and  transfer  was  passed  on  the 
29th  of  October,  1844,  and,  on  the  27th  of 
July,  1847,  the  Glasgow  African  Society 
transferred  its  missions  to  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Church.    See  Africa,  Southern. 

GLOUCESTER:  Town  of  liberated  Afri- 
cans, in  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa,  between 
I  Freetown  and  Regents'  Town — a  station  of 
1  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 


GOSSNER'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


369 


GNADENBERG :  A  station  of  Gossner's 
Missionary  Society  in  Hindostan. 

GO  GO:  A  station  of  the  Irish  Presby- 
tef  ians  in  the  district  of  Goelwara.  Hindostan. 

GOLD  COAST :     (See  Ashantce.) 

GONAIVES :  A  station  of  the  Wesley- 
ans  in  the  West  Indies. 

GOOBEE :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
in  India. 

GOOD-WATER :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Choctaw  Indians. 

GORRUOKPORE :  A  town  in  the  province 
of  Oude  in  northern  Hindostan,  and  capital 
of  a  district  of  the  same  name.  Population 
40,000.  The  Church  Missionary  Society 
commenced  operations  here  in  1823. 

GOSSNER'S  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY : 
Germany  has  one  organization  for  the  con- 
yersion  of  the  heathen,  which  is  unlike  all 
o.thers.  It  is  generally  called  Gossner's 
Missionary  Society,  this  warm-hearted, 
but  eccentric  man,  belonged  to  the  committee 
of  the  Berlin  Missionary  Society.  But  as 
he  could  not  assent  to  all  the  principles  of 
his  associates  in  regard  to  the  training  of 
missionaries,  he  resigned  his  office  in  1836. 
Soon  afterwards  he  took  charge  of  a  number 
of  young  men,  mostly  mechanics,  who  were 
anxious  to  engage  in  the  missionary  work  as 
Christian  artisans,  catechists,  and  teachers. 
They  were  to  earn  their  livelihood  by  man- 
ual labor;  and  such  instruction  as  they 
needed,  was  to  be  given  them  gratuitously  by 
pious  students. 

Gossner  had  scarcely  entered  upon  this 
new  enterprise,  when  Dr.  Lange,  of  the 
Scotch  Presbyterian  Church  in  Australia, 
invited  these  humble  but  zealous  candidates 
for  missionary  employment  to  make  known 
the  Gospel  to  the  natives  of  Australia,  near 
Moretou  Bay ;  and  accordingly,  on  the  10th 
of  July,  1837,  eleven  men,  one  of  them  hav- 
ing been  ordained,  and  seven  married,  pro- 
ceeded to  Scotland,  whence  they  sailed  at  a 
subsequent  date  for  their  destination.  A  few 
months  later  the  Rev.  Mr.  Start,  of  the 
Church  of  England,  anxious  to  establish  a 
mission  in  Bengal,  went  to  Berlin  and  se- 
lected twelve  persons  for  this  purpose,  who 
proceeded  to  England,  July  1,  1838.  One 
of  them  was  a  "  candidate,"  and  three  were 
married.  In  1840,  a  reinforcement  of  five 
was  sent  to  this  mission.  During  the  same 
year  also,  six  laborers  set  out  for  middle 
India,  upon  the  invitation  of  several  English- 
men. In  the  following  year  another  com- 
pany left  Germany  for  the  Chatham  Islands. 
In  1843  an  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a 
mission  in  New  Caledonia  ;  but  those  who 
were  destined  to  this  field,  on  arriving  at 
Sydney,  concluded  to  join  their  brethren  at 
Moreton  Bay.  A  similar  fate  attended  an 
effort  to  commence  operations  at  Mergui,  in 
1844  ;  the  company  sent  forth  for  this  pur- 
pose having  concluded  to  establish  them- 
24 


selves  in  Ohuta  Nagpoor,  some  three  hun- 
dred miles  west  of  Calcutta.  In  1846  a  man 
and  his  wife  went  to  Madras  to  take  charge 
of  an  orphan  school ;  of  them  nothing  parti- 
cular is  known.  During  the  same  year 
Gossner  was  persuaded  to  send  "  a  dismissed 
Basle  missionary"  and  three  others  to  West 
Africa,  near  Cape  Coast.  Quite  recently 
three  brethren  have  been  sent  to  Java  ;  and 
a  like  number  have  gone  to  the  Tubuai 
Islands. 

Gossner  prepared  his  young  friends  for 
their  future  labors  with  little  or  no  expense 
to  himself.  He  also  endeavored  to  make 
the  missions  undertaken  by  them  as  light  a 
burden  upon  his  treasury  as  possible.  In- 
deed, the  support  of  some  of  these  missions 
was  assumed  by  others.  For  the  large  com- 
pany sent  to  Australia  in  1837,  he  provided 
merely  an  outfit  and  the  cost  of  the  journey 
to  Scotland.  The  expense  of  the  passage  to 
Australia  was  paid  by  the  Irish  Presbyterian 
church ;  and  Dr.  Lange  agreed  that  the 
wants  of  the  mission,  after  its  arrival,  should 
bo  supplied  by  the  Scotch  Presbyterian 
church  of  Australia,  it  being  understood 
that  the  missionaries  should  connect  them- 
selves with  that  body.  The  two  who  went 
to  Madras  in  1846,  were  supported  by  oth- 
ers. How  far  the  Bengal  mission,  com- 
menced at  the  instance  of  Rev.  Mr.  Start, 
was  to  be  a  charge  upon  Gossner,  does  not 
appear  ;  and  the  same  is  true  of  the  Middle 
India  mission  ;  though  it  is  presumed  that 
both  were  expected  to  receive  important 
assistance,  if  not  all  which  they  should  re- 
quire from  other  sources.  The  Java  mission 
is  to  be  supported,  in  part  at  least,  by  the 
Dutch. 

The  remaining  missions  looked  originally 
to  Berlin  for  all  the  aid  they  should  need  ; 
but  it  was  a  part  of  Gossner's  plan  that,  as 
far  as  possible,  they  should  be  cheap  and 
self-supporting.  This  was  one  argument,  in- 
deed, for  sending  forth  such  a  number  of 
mechanics,  though  their  qualifications  in 
some  respects  must  have  been  of  a  very  or- 
dinary character. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  no  full 
and  accurate  history  of  Gossner's  experi- 
ments ;  for  the  facts  elicited  thereby  would 
doubtless  throw  much  light  upon  the  expe- 
diency of  attempting  to  conduct  missions 
upon  plans  different  from  those  which  are 
generally  adopted.  Certain  points,  however, 
appear  to  have  been  pretty*vvell  settled. 
1.  It  is  not  always  safe  to  rely  upon  the 
promises  of  individuals  for  a  support.  Thi-s 
has  been  proved,  according  to  the  author 
of  Das  Missionswesen  der  Evangelischen 
Kirche,  by  the  history  of  the  missions  to 
Australia,  Bengal  and  Middle  India;  inas- 
much as  they  were  soon  left  unprovided  for, 
and  were  obliged  to  rely  upon  their  own  la- 
bor, or  look  to  Gossner  for  help;  and  they 


870 


GOVERNOR'S  HARBOR—GREECE. 


had,  for  this  reMon,  but  a  sickly  existence, 
even  if  tliey  escaped  anuiliilation.  The  last 
of  Uic  three,  indeed,  lived  only  a  short  time. 

2.  The  attomi)t  to  carry  out  the  self-support- 
ing plan,  as  far  as  possible,  has  occasioned 
the  loss  of  many  lives,  particularly  in  India. 

3.  A  number  have  abandoned  the  missions 
with  which  they  were  at  first  connected,  and 
gone  into  the  service  of  other  societies.  4. 
And  it  is  even  claimed  by  the  author  of  the 
Missiofiswesen,  that  the  greater  economy  of 
Gossner's  missions,  as  compared  with  other 
German  missions,  is  rather  apparent  than 
real. 

If  definite  information  is  asked  in  regard 
to  the  present  state  of  the  missions,  the 
commencement  of  which  has  been  already 
described,  it  is  not  easy  to  give  it.  Gossner 
publishes  no  annual  reports  ;  and  his  Biene 
auf  dem  Missiousfelde  is  deficient  in  statis- 
tics. 

Prior  to  1842  Gossner  had  the  sole  man- 
agement of  his  various  operations.  In  that 
year  it  was  deemed  expedient  that  a  society 
should  be  organized  ;  and  on  the  19th  of 
September  the  "  Evangelical  Union  for  the 
Spread  of  Christianity  among  the  Natives 
of  Heathen  Lands"  obtained  a  legal  exist- 
ence. There  has  been  but  little  change, 
however,  in  the  mode  of  conducting  the 
business.  Gossner  may  be  regarded  as  the 
embodiment  of  the  society.  In  an  humble 
dweUing  outside  of  the  walls  of  Berlin,  far 
back  in  a  garden,  where  no  one  would  think 
of  looking  for  him  without  a  special  direc- 
tion, he  receives  those  who  are  candidates 
for  the  missionary  work ;  and  there  he 
transacts  the  business  of  his  society.  Though 
quite  aged,  he  is  exceedingly  active,  full  of 
vivacity,  simple,  benevolent,  a  Lutheran,  yet 
Tery  catholic ;  and  a  transient  visitor  will 
have  no  difficulty  in  believing  that  he  may 
have  a  strong  hold  upon  the  confidence  and 
affections  of  a  portion  of  the  good  people  of 
Germany. 

He  has  never  sought  to  establish  auxilia- 
ries, or  other  subordmate  organizations. 
His  treasury  receives  the  free  will  offerings 
(amounting  to  not  quite  ^5,000  a  year,)  of 
all  such  persons  as  see  fit  to  make  use  of 
this  channel  to  send  the  Gospel  to  the  hea- 
then ;  and  that  is  the  whole  story.  To  those 
who  go  forth  from  under  his  care  he  makes 
no  pledges.  They  must  trust  in  God.  "  I 
promise  you  nothing,"  he  says ;  "  you  must 
go  in  faith.  And  if  you  cannot  go  in  faith, 
you  had  better  not  go  at  all."  Those  whom 
he  accounts  suitable  persons  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  he  ordains  prior  to  their  departure. 
He  was  once  asked  if  he  had  the  right  to 
ordain.  Ilis  reply  was,  "  Not  for  Germany, 
but  I  have  for  the  heathen."  None  of  his 
missionaries  have  received  any  other  ordina- 
tion. 

From  the  January  number  of  the  "  Biene 


auf  dem  Missionsfeld,"  it  appears  that  the 
receipts  of  this  society  during  1853  were 
5,308  Thl. ;  and  that  the  disbursements 
amounted  to  4,871  Thl.  Four  missionaries 
were  sent  forth  for  the  first  time,  two  to  the 
stations  on  the  Ganges,  and  two  to  the  Cele- 
bes.— See  Missionary  Herald,  June,  1852. 

GOVERNOR'S  HARBOR:  A  station 
of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  the  Ba- 
hamas W.  I. 

GOWHATTI :  A  city  in  Assam,  a  station 
of  the  Mission  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Union  in  Assam. 

GRACE  BAY ;  A  station  of  the  Mora- 
vians in  Anti^^a,  W.  I. 

GRACEFIELD  :  A  station  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Antigua. 

GRAHAM'S-TOWN  :  The  capital  of  the 
frontier  district  of  Albany,  in  the  Colony  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  South  Africa.  It 
is  situated  in  a  rich  pastoral  and  agricultu- 
ral country,  with  fine  woods,  and  sources  of 
wealth  of  every  kind.  The  London  and 
Wesleyan  Societies  have  stations  at  this 
place. 

GRAAF-REINET :  A  beautiful  village  in 
South  Africa,  in  the  district  of  Graaf-Reinet, 
on  a  branch  of  the  Sunday  river,  and  at  the 
foot  of  the  Sneeuwbergen.  The  streets  are 
wide,  laid  out  at  right  angles,  and  lined  with 
rows  of  lemon  trees.  It  is  copiously  sup- 
plied with  water,  and  rich  in  vegetation,  in 
which  it  exceeds  any  town  in  the  Colony.  It 
contains  about  100  highly  respectable  Eng- 
lish residents,  and  about  1,500  Hottentots, 
Kaffres,  and  emancipated  slaves.  The  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  and  the  Gospel  Pro- 
pagation Society  both  have  missions  at  this 
place. 

GRACEHILL :  A  station  of  the  Moravi- 
ans in  Antigua,  W.  I. 

GRAND  BAHAMA  :  One  of  the  "West  In- 
dia Islands,  63  miles  long  by  9  broad,  with 
but  few  people — a  station  of  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society. 

GRAND  CAYMAN  :  A  small  island  about 
260  miles  N.  W.  from  Jamaica,  a  station  of 
the  Wesleyans. 

GRATEFUL  HILL:  A  station  of  the 
Wesleyan  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

GREAT  PLAINS:  A  Karen  village  in 
Southern  Arracan,  an  out-station  of  the 
American  Baptist  Mission  in  Arracan. 

GREECE  is  situated  between  the  36th 
and  40th  degrees  north  latitude,  and  the  20th 
and  24th  degrees  east  longitude.  It  is  bound- 
ed on  the  north  by  Macedonia  and  Albania 
proper,  on  the  east  by  the  uEgean  sea,  on  the 
south  by  the  Mediterranean,  and  on  the 
west  by  the  Ionian  sea.  The  length  of 
Greece  proper  is  not  more  than  250  miles, 
and  its  mean  breadth  is  about  150  miles.  It 
contains  a  little  more  than  23,000  square 
iniles,  exclusive  of  Macedonia,  Albania,  and 
the  Islands.     But  notwithstanding  the  nar- 


GREECE—MISSIONS. 


371 


row  limits  of  Greece,  it  has  attracted  more 
attention  than  almost  any  other  country  for 
three  thousand  years,  and  its  poets,  orators, 
sculptors  and  architects,  have  been  the  ad- 
miration of  the  world.  By  her  mental  su- 
periority Greece  became  mistress  of  nations, 
and  by  her  own  degeneracy  she  was  precip- 
itated from  this  proud  eminence.  But  this 
is  so  familiar  a  portion  of  ancient  history 
that  the  facts  need  not  be  repeated  here. 

At  the  time  of  the  birth  of  Christ,  Greece 
had  lost  her  liberties  entirely,  and  was  of 
no  importance  in  the  political  world.  But 
in  the  time  of  the  apostles  and  soon  after, 
the  nation  was  converted  to  Christianity, 
and  this  has  been  a  principal  means  of  pre- 
serving its  language  and  of  keeping  it  dis- 
tinct from  other  nations.  Passing  on  to  the 
9th  century,  we  find  the  Greek  or  Romish 
Churches  engaged  in  a  fierce  controversy, 
the  Pope  excommunicating  the  Grand  Patri- 
arch of  Constantinople,  the  acknowledged 
head  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  the  Patri- 
arch thundering  bulls  of  excommunication 
against  the  Pope.  From  this  period  histo- 
rians date  the  separation  of  the  Christian 
world  into  the  Romish  and  Greek  Churches, 
— a  separation  which  has  ever  since  been 
widening. 

Some  of  the  points  of  difference  between 
the  Romish  and  Greek  Churches  are  the 
following :  The  Greeks  deny  the  supremacy 
and  infallibility  of  the  Pope  of  Rome,  but 
regard  their  Patriarch  as  head  of  the  true 
Catholic  Church.  The  Greek  Church  con- 
demns as  idolatrous  the  use  of  images,  as 
practised  in  the  Romish  Church ;  but  for 
images  it  substitutes  pictures.  It  does  not 
condemn  its  priests  to  celibacy,  but  no  priest 
can  marry  a  second  time,  nor  can  any  mar- 
ried priest  rise  to  the  rank  of  bishop.  It 
rejects  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  but  orders 
masses  for  the  souls  of  the  dead.  Unlike 
the  Romish  Church,  it  does  not  condemn  the 
people  to  an  ignorance  of  the  Scriptures. 
But  the  invocation  of  the  saints  and  the 
worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  is  carried  to  as 
great  an  extent  in  the  Greek  as  in  the  Rom- 
ish Church. 

For  several  centuries  the  Greeks  were 
subject  to  various  masters,  by  all  of  whom 
they  were  harshly  treated.  Their  last  op- 
pressors were  the  Turks,  from  whose  yoke 
they  freed  themselves  by  the  revolution 
which  terminated  successfully  in  1830,  and 
which  was-  followed  by  the  acknowledged 
independence  of  the  Greek  nation. 

The  geographical  situation  of  Greece  is 
most  favorable,  being  situated  in  a  central 
position  between  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa  ; 
her  climate  is  delightful  without  being  ener- 
vating ;  her  vegetable  and  mineral  produc- 
tions are  various  and  inexhaustible ;  her 
people  enterprising,  industrious,  and  intelli- 
gent ;    and  only  the  prevalence  of  a  pure 


Christianity  is  needed  to  give  her  again  the 
high  relative  position  which  she  once  held. 

MISSIONS. 

The  American  Bqard  entered  upon  its 
mission  to  Greece  in  1830,  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  Rev.  Jonas  King  as  missionary  to 
that  country.  He  commenced  his  labors  in 
the  island  of  Tenos,  where,  during  the  first 
year,  he  had  under  his  care  a  female  school 
of  thirty  or  forty  pupils.  At  the  same  time 
he  employed  himself  in  distributing  Bibles 
and  tracts,  and  in  selling  a  Greek  Spelling 
Book,  prepared  by  Rev.  Mr.  Temple,  and  is- 
sued from  the  Mission  press  of  the  IBoard  at 
Malta.  Mr.  King's  school  was  established 
in  the  principal  town  in  Tenos,  where  had 
been  built  a  modern  church  called  the  Evan- 
gelistria,  the  most  magnificent  edifice  in 
Greece,  and  to  which  hundreds  of  pilgrims 
resorted  every  year,  chiefly  the  lame,  the 
sick,  and  the  lunatic,  brought  there  to  be 
miraculously  healed  of  their  maladies.  It 
was  the  central  point  of  superstition  in 
Greece ;  and  yet  the  principal  men  in  the 
place  sent  their  daughters  to  Mr.  King's 
school.  Scarcely  a  year  had  passed,  how- 
ever, before  opposition  was  made  by  the 
Romish  bishop,  to  whose  authority  a  third 
of  the  inhabitants  were  subject,  some  of  the 
books  used  were  denounced  as  heretical,  and 
the  school  became  the  subject  of  opprobrious 
remark  through  the  town.  Still  Mr.  King 
held  on  his  way,  having  usually  over  fifty 
scholars  present ;  and  just  at  this  time,  as 
if  to  rebuke  the  Romish  opposition,  the  go- 
vernment sent  him  a  box  of  ancient  Greek 
books,  and  the  government  gazette  pub- 
lished an  expression  of  gratitude  to  the 
Americans  for  the  books  they  were  furnishing 
to  the  Greeks,  at  the  same  time  highly  com- 
mending Mr.  King's  school  and  the  general 
course  of  instruction  pursued  in  it.  From 
this  time  the  opposition  ceased.  In  the  au- 
tumn of  1830  the  Greek  School  Committee 
of  New  York  forwarded  to  the  President  of 
Greece,  through  Mr.  King,  a  box  containing 
3,456  slates  and  74,000  pencils,  at  the  same 
time  placing  at  the  disposal  of  Mr.  King 
^335  for  the  purchase  at  Malta  of  element- 
ary school  books  in  modern  Greek.  The 
slates  and  pencils  were  gratefully  acknow- 
ledged in  the  official  gazettes  of  Greece. 

But  Mr.  King  had  been  desirous  from  the 
first  of  making  Athens  the  centre  of  his  ope- 
rations, and  in  the  spring  of  1831  he  re- 
moved to  that  place.  He  immediately  opened 
a  Lancasterian  school,  at  the  head  of  which 
he  placed  a  distinguished  Greek  scholar,  and 
in  one  month  the  school  contained  176  scho- 
lars of  both  sexes.  He  soon  divided  his 
school  into  two,  one  for  boys  and  another 
for  girls,  and  established  a  third  in  a  neigh- 
boring village.  He  also  maintained  a  regu- 
lar Greek,  service  on    the   Sabbath  in  his 


872 


GUEECB. 


principal  Kchool,  besides  a  regular  preaching 
Bervice  in  his  own  house. 

In  January,  1833,  Mr.  Elias  Riggs,  a  grad- 
uate of  Amherst  College  and  a  thorough 
Bcholnr,  arrived  in  Athens,  and  became  as- 
Bociated  with  Mr.  King  in  the  work  of  the 
mission.  One  month  after  his  arrival  the 
now  king  Otho,  with  the  regency,  reached 
the  country,  and  Greece  bec^ime  free  from 
Turkish  rule.  The  new  government  was 
soon  organized,  and  the  Greek  church  was 
made  the  established  religion  of  the  king- 
dom. The  highest  ecclesiastical  authority 
was  vested,  under  the  king,  in  a  permanent 
council,  bearing  the  name  of  the  '•  Holy 
Council  of  the  Kingdom  of  Greece."  This 
Council  was  required  to  watch  diligently 
over  the  doctrines  of  the  Greek  Church,  and 
especially  over  the  contents  of  books  de- 
signed for  the  youth  and  the  clergy,  and 
treating  of  religious  subjects  ;  and  whenever 
they  were  assured  that  any  man  was  en- 
deavoring to  disturb  the  established  church 
by  false  doctrine,  by  proselyting,  or  by  any 
other  means,  they  were  required  to  call  upon 
the  secular  power  to  apply  a  remedy  to  the 
evil.  The  laws  respecting  common  schools 
were  liberal,  and  designed  to  extend  the 
benefits  of  education  to  all  the  people.  On 
the  whole,  the  missionaries  apprehended 
more  embarrassment  in  the  prosecution  of 
their  efforts  in  the  kingdom  of  Greece,  than 
they  had  experienced  under  the  Turkish 
government. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year,  Messrs.  King 
and  Riggs  spent  a  month  in  visiting  the  is- 
lands of  Syra,  Hydra  and  Spetsae  ;  and  Na- 
poli  and  Corinth  in  the  Peloponnessus. 
Another  month  Mr.  Riggs  spent  in  travers- 
ing the  Peloponnessus,  with  a  view  to  de- 
termining upon  the  most  eligible  place  for 
his  future  residence,  as  he  had  resolved  upon 
removing  from  Athens.  But  at  home  or 
abroad  their  main  objects  were  kept  in  view, 
and  within  a  few  months  they  distributed 
gratuitously  8,251  school  books  and  tracts 
in  modern  Greek,  226  Testaments  and  Psal- 
ters, 19  copies  of  the  Pentateuch  and  book 
of  Joshua,  and  one  Turkish  Bible  and  one 
Turkish  Testament. 

The  schools  at  Athens  were  at  this  time 
less  in  number,  but  of  a  higher  order,  than  a 
year  or  two  previous.  The  higher  school, 
called  the  "  Evangelical  Gymnasium,"  plan- 
ned by  Messrs.  King  and  Riggs  with  refer- 
ence to  a  systematic  course  of  instruction, 
was  noticed  in  a  Greek  newspaper  called 
"The  Minerva,"  which,  in  publishing  the 
plan  of  the  Gymnasium,  prefaced  it  with  the 
following  editorial  remarks,  which  it  is  pleas- 
ing at  this  date  to  recur  to.  The  following 
is  an  exact  copy  of  the  remarks  : 

'•  The  venerable  Mr.  Jonas  King,  known 
for  his  charities  and  beneficence  to  almost 
all  the  sutt'erers  in  the  time  of  our  struggle, 


and,  since  the  settlement  of  the  afiairs  of 
our  nation,  devoted  to  the  work  of  enlight- 
ening it,  has  sent  us  the  new  organization 
of  his  gymnasium  at  Athens,  which  we  has- 
ten to  publish  in  our  paper,  that  the  public 
may  see  how  well  the  sincere  friends  of  hu- 
manity know  what  are  the  best  means  of 
benefiting  it,  and  bringing  it  to  its  true  hap- 
piness. Far  from  attributing  to  the  vener- 
able King,  or  others,  any  designs  of  prose- 
lytism,  which  designs,  did  they  exist,  would 
in  the  nineteenth  century  be  rather  ridicu- 
lous than  worthy  of  regard,  we  cannot  but 
express  the  gratitude  of  our  nation  to  Ame- 
ricans who  have  set  such  a  worthy  example 
while  we  would  also  proclaim  the  virtues  of 
the  venerable  King,  especially  the  diligence 
and  assiduity  which  he,  as  well  as  his  col- 
leagues, exhibit  for  our  illumination." 

One  month  after  this  the  Gymnasium  con- 
tained sixty-six  scholars,  and  the  prepara- 
tory school  seventy-six.  Mr.  Riggs  gave  a 
course  of  lessons  on  the  evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  went  through  with  an  epitome 
of  the  Old  Testament  history,  besides  con- 
ducting a  Sabbath  school  composed  of  mem- 
bers of  the  preparatory  school;  and  Mr 
King  gave  lessons  twice  a  week,  once  on  the 
historical  parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  and 
once  on  the  doctrinal  parts  of  the  New.  His 
Greek  preaching  in  his  own  house,  on  the 
Sabbath,  was  also  continued. 

In  June^  1834,  Mr.  Riggs  took  up  his 
residence  in  the  renowned  city  of  Argos. 
He  immediately  opened  a  school  for  females, 
assisted  by  his  wife,  and  in  a  month  or  two 
they  had  40  scholars.  During  the  year  1835, 
the  Scriptures  were  very  extensively  dif- 
fused among  the  Greeks.  Mr.  King  alone 
distributed  by  sale  and  gratuitously,  2,656 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  and  parts  of 
the  Old,  in  modern  Greek,  and  25,896  school 
books  and  religious  tracts.  These  were  dis- 
tributed in  the  Peloponnessus,  in  continental 
Greece,  Thessaly,  Macedonia,  and  the  is- 
lands ;  and  he  could  have  disposed  of  many 
more,  had  not  his  stock  been  exhausted. 
Mr.  King  also  continued  his  Gymnasium, 
and  in  this  year  four  of  his  most  advanced 
pupils  came  to  this  country  to  complete  their 
education.  Mr.  Riggs,  besides  continuing 
his  school  at  Argos,  prepared  a  series  of 
questions  in  modern  Greek  on  Genesis,  and 
also  a  series  of  maps  in  Greek,  illustrating 
the  science  of  geography.  About  this  time 
King  Otho  issued  a  decree  authorizing  the 
establishment  of  a  national  bookstore,  con- 
nected with  the  royal  printing-press,  which 
was  to  furnish  all  books  on  education  to  be 
used  in  the  schools  within  the  kingdom.  A 
Greek  paper,  printed  at  Athens,  boldly  took 
the  ground  that  this  was  the  first  systematic 
attempt  to  shut  out  all  light  from  Greece, 
and  that  it  was  a  measure  which  the  Greeks 
could  not  and  would  not  endure. 


GREECE. 


373 


In  November,  1836,  Rev.  Nathan  Benja- 
min and  wife  arrived  at  Argos  as  mission- 
aries of  the  Board.  They  had  begun  now  to 
encounter  increasing  jealousy  and  opposition, 
and  to  increase  this  feeling  a  tract  was  pub- 
lished against  the  Americans,  which  meant 
all  missionaries  and  Bible  agents  from  what- 
ever quarter  they  had  come.  Still  Dr.  King 
had  his  usual  number  of  hearers  on  the  Sab- 
bath, and  during  the  year  1836,  ho  distri- 
buted nearly  5,000  copies  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  modern  Greek,  and  over  4,000  school 
books  and  religious  tracts.  Mr.  Riggs  also  dis- 
tributed 1,600  copies  of  Scriptures  and  tracts. 

In  1837,  Dr.  King  discontinued  his  Gym- 
nasium, the  government  having  established 
a  Gymnasium  and  University  at  Athens. 
During  this  j^ear  24,736  books  were  distri- 
buted, of  which  4,432  were  new  Testaments. 
On  one  day  Dr.  King  had  45  Greek  soldiers  call 
on  him  for  books.  In  May  of  this  year.  Rev. 
Messrs.  Samuel  R.  Houston  and  George  W. 
Leyburnand  their  wives,  arrived  at  Areopolis, 
the  chief  town  of  the  province  of  Laconia. 
They  immediately  commenced  the  erection 
of  a  Lancasterian  school-house,  large  enough 
to  accommodate  200  scholars,  and  also  took 
measures  for  the  establishment  of  two  other 
schools,  one  for  boys,  and  one  exclusively 
for  females. 

In  1838  the  station  at  Argos  was  discon- 
tinued, and  Mr.  Riggs  removed  to  Smyrna, 
and  Mr.  Benjamin  to  Athens.  The  books 
sold  and  distributed  this  year  at  the  depot 
established  by  Dr.  King  at  Athens,  amounted 
to  32,410  copies.  Not  less  than  20,000  copies 
of  the  Scriptures,  or  parts  of  them,  were 
distributed  in  Greece  during  the  year.  Of 
Areopolis  and  its  Spartan  population,  Mr. 
Houston  writes  at  this  time  : — "  They  seem 
never  to  have  been  either  a  commercial,  a 
manufacturing,  or  an  agricultural  people. 
All  their  buildings,  their  roads,  many  articles 
of  their  household  furniture  and  their  dress, 
have  been  evidently  designed  for  a  state  of 
war.  Their  implements  of  husbandry  are  of 
the  most  ancient  and  rude  methods  of  con- 
struction. The  hand-mill,  turned  by  women, 
is  used  in  most  of  their  villages.  Saddles 
and  bridles  are  unknown,  as  well  as  wagons 
and  carriages  of  every  kind.  Bedsteads, 
tables,  chairs,  knives  and  forks,  are  very  rare. 
At  the  bishop's  house  myself  and  two  mule- 
teers dined  out  of  the  same  dish,  all  sitting 
cross-legged  on  the  iloor.  The  inhabitants 
are  all  Greeks.  No  Catholics,  Jews,  Arme- 
nians, or  Turks  are  to  be  found  among  them." 

Early  in  1839  the  government  allowed  a 
teacher  to  be  procured  for  the  Gymnasium 
at  Areopolis,  and  soon  that  school  contained 
170  pupils.  In  July  of  this  year.  Dr.  King 
began  to  preach  in  the  new  chapel,  which 
had  been  finished  through  the  liberality  of 
friends  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  whole 
number  of  copies  of  books  and  tracts  distri- 


buted from  the  depository  at  Athens  this  5'ear 
was  52,285.  The  printing  executed  at  Athens 
was  26,800  copies  of  books,  making  1,413,400 
pages,  all  in  modern  Greek.  Among  the 
books  printed  was  Baxter's  Saint's  Rest, 
translated  by  Dr.  King. 

The  year  1840  witnessed  the  translation 
of  Barnes'  Notes  on  the  Gospel  of  Matthew, 
the  Youth's  Book  of  Natural  Theology,  and 
a  book  of  Scripture  Stories,  by  the  brethren 
at  Areopolis.  The  printing  at  Athens  this 
year  amounted  to  2,880,000  pages.  A  society 
was  formed  this  year  called  the  Education 
Society,  designed  to  provide  a  juvenile  liter-' 
ature,  and  the  missionaries  were  recognized 
as  fellow-laborers  in  this  work.* 

In  1841  the  government  required  that  one 
of  the  catechisms  used  in  the  Greek  church 
should  be  introduced  into  the  school  sup- 
ported by  the  Board  at  Areopolis.  This 
catechism  taught  the  worship  of  pictures, 
with  other  superstitions,  which  could  not  be 
countenanced  ;  and  as  the  government  would 
not  yield  the  point,  the  station  at  Areopolis 
had  to  be  abandoned.  Mr.  Houston  joined 
the  mission  to  the  Nestorians  in  Persia,  and 
Mr.  Benjamin  joined  Mr.  King  at  Athens. 
The  schools  at  Athens  having  been  given  up, 
the  missionaries  employed  themselves  in 
preaching,  translating,  and  the  circulation 
of  books  and  tracts.  Among  the  transla- 
tions were  Dr.  Beecher's  sermons  on  tem- 
perance. The  abandonment  of  the  station 
at  Areopolis,  for  the  reason  assigned,  was  a 
testimony  against  the  errors  of  the  Greek 
Church,  of  the  most  public  and  decisive  char- 
acter, and  was  regarded  as  honest  and  con- 
sistent by  the  Greeks  themselves. 

Nothing  unusual  occurred  in  1842.  In 
1843,  Mr.  Benjamin  closed  his  connection 
with  this  mission  and  removed  to  Trebizond, 
and  Dr.  King  alone  remained  a.t  Athens. 
The  reasons  for  this  change  may  be  found  in 
a  long  article  written  by  Dr.  King,  setting 
forth  the  peculiar  obstacles  in  the  way  of  a 
successful  mission  among  the  Greeks,  and 
published  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Board 
for  1844. 

In  the  earl}'-  part  of  1844,  the  enemies  of 
the  truth  made  an  attempt  to  oblige  Dr. 
King  to  retire  from  the  field.  This  brought 
him  into  controversy  in  one  of  the  principal 
newspapers  of  Athens,  on  the  dearest  of  all 
the  superstitions  of  the  Greeks — the  worship 
of  the  Virgin  Mary — and  his  opponents  were 
perplexed  hy  the  proofs  then  given  that  one 
of  the  saints  of  their  own  calender,  Epipha- 
nius,  had  taught  the  same  doctrine  with  the 
missionary  on  this  subject.  Dr.  King  pub- 
lished also  this  year  a' volume  entitled  the 
"  Prayers  of  the  Saints,"  a  collection  of  pray- 
ers from  the  Bible,  and  appended  "  Direc- 
tions with  regard  to  Prayer,"  consisting  of 
passages  from  the  Bible,  showing  to  whom 
prayer  should  be  offered,  and  through  what 


374 


GREECE. 


mediation.  He  had  other  works  in  view, 
but  WM  interrupted  by  the  passage  of  a  law 
dosijrned  to  secure  the  Greek  Church  against 
duniror  from  this  quarter.  Just  before  the 
passiiiro  of  this  hiw,  Dr.  King  wrote  thus  : 

•  Tlu-  Ci  reeks,  though  manacled  and  bound 
for  ages,  were  not  made  for  slaves.  The  Greek 
mind  will  ha  free,  and  being  free  it  will  act, 
and  its  action  will  be  felt  in  Europe,  Asia, 
and  Africa.  Only  think  of  twenty-five  news- 
papers in  Athens,  a  Constitution,  freedom 
of  the  press,  a  University,  Gymnasium,  and 
many  schools  both  for  males  and  females ;  and 
I,  a  stranger,  permitted  to  make  a  defence, 
which,  in  Spain  or  Italy,  would  have  con- 
signed me  tft  the  Inquisition.  And  in  the 
midst  of  all  the  attacks  which  have  been  so 
furiously  made  upon  me,  I  have  still  con- 
tinued my  regular  services  on  the  Lord's  day, 
and  have  been  surprised  to  see  that  so  many 
dared  to  attend." 

This  language  was  too  complimentary,  as 
it  soon  appeared,  for  Dr.  King  was  subjected 
to  prosecution  in  the  courts  of  Greece,  for  his 
work  on  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and 
that  notwithstanding  he  had  drawn  entirely 
from  the  writings  of  some  of  the  most  approved 
saints  in  the  Greek  Calendar,in  the  form  of  ex- 
tracts from  Epiphanius,  Chrysostom,  Basil, 
Irenaeus,  Clemens,  Eusebius,  Pamphili,  &c. 
This  book,  a  duodecimo  of  220  pages,  received 
the  most  pointed  condemnation  of  the  Greek 
Synod,  in  August  1845,  which  Synod  "ex- 
communicated as  blasphemous  and  impious, 
the  defence  of  the  Oalvinist  and  Nestorian 
Jonas  King,  and  prohibited  to  every  ortho- 
dox Christian  the  reading  of  it,  and  called 
upon  one  and  all  to  deliver  it  immediately  to 
the  fire."  It  prohibited  also  "  all  and  every 
kind  of  connection  with  this  most  impious 
heretic,"  such  as  saluting  or  greeting  him  in 
the  street,  entering  his  dwelling,  or  eating, 
or  drinking  with  him.  And  the  Synod,  not 
content  with  this,  demanded  that  the  author 
be  prosecuted  by  the  Government.  He  was 
accordingly  prosecuted,  and  the  case  went 
against  him  in  three  successive  trials,  the 
last  of  which  was  before  the  Areopagus,  or 
highest  court  of  appeal.  The  efiect  of  these 
judgments  was  to  pass  Dr.  King  over  to  the 
Criminal  Court  for  trial  as  to  the  truth  of 
the  charges,  and  the  infliction  of  punishment. 
This  trial  was  to  take  place  at  Syra,  and  to 
that  place  Dr.  King  repaired,  with  the  two 
Greek  lawyers  who  had  nobly  and  ably  de- 
fended him  before  the  Areopagus.  But  be- 
fore landing  it  was  ascertained  that  Dr. 
King's  life  would  be  in  danger,  and  accord- 
ingly a  postponement  of  the  trial  was  se- 
cured, and  he  returned  to  Athens. 

Arriving  at  this  place  in  July  1846,  he  at 
once  received  the  generous  offer  of  British 
protection  from  the  Ambassador,  Sir 
Edmund  Lyons ;  and  the  American  Consul 
also,  Mr.  Mulligan,  kindly  interfered  in  his 


behalf.  Dr.  King  now  resumed  the  preach- 
ing service  in  his  own  house,  which  was  at- 
tended by  about  thirty  persons. 

For  a  little  time  this  persecuted  mission- 
ary pursued  his  work,  subject  to  frequent 
abuse,  and  threats,  and  violence  ;  and  on 
learning  that  the  "  Minister  of  the  Interior" 
had  the  power  and  had  expressed  a  willing- 
ness to  banish  him  from  Athens  and  from 
Greece,  he  determined,  with  the  advice  of 
his  lawyers  and  other  friends,  to  depart 
voluntarily,  in  which  case  he  could  return  at 
any  time  without  a  permit.  He  accordingly 
set  out  for  Geneva,  where  he  arrived  August 
25,  1847.  From  Geneva  he  proceeded  to 
Malta,  where  he  arrived  November  1st ;  and 
in  Juno  1848,  he  returned  again  with  his 
family  to  Athens.  His  letter  to  the  Com- 
mittee of  the  Board  on  this  occasion,  an- 
nouncing his  arrival  and  reception,  his  rea- 
sons for  returning  at  that  time,  the  course  of 
the  press,  and  the  probable  result  of  his 
trial,  is  a  document  of  extraordinary  interest, 
but  it  cannot  be  inserted  in  this  work.  It 
may  be  found  in  the  Report  of  the  Board 
for  1848. 

Dr.  King  did  not  for  some  months  resume 
religious  services  in  his  chapel  on  the  Sab- 
bath ;  but  his  book  depository  was  opened, 
and  Bibles,  Testaments,  and  religious  books 
of  various  kinds  were  in  demand. 

In  January  1848,  six  months  after  his  re- 
turn, he  had  printed  one  thousand  copies  of 
the  "  Prayers  of  the  Saints ;"  6,410  copies 
of  the  Decalogue ;  and  2,000  copies  of  the 
"  Dialogue  between  the  Bible  and  a  Sinner ;" 
amounting  in  all  to  593,510  pages.  On  the 
13th  of  February  he  commenced  prea^ching 
publicly,  and  one  of  his  hearers  was  a  mili- 
tary officer,  and  brother  of  the  King's  at- 
torney. He  continued  preaching  in  his 
chapel  through  the  year  without  molesta- 
tion. 

In  the  spring  of  1850,  the  Government 
took  measures  for  a  second  prosecution 
against  Dr.  King,  on  the  ground  of  proselyt- 
ism ;  and  in  May  he  was  called  to  appear 
before  a  judge  to  answer  to  this  charge. 
The  examination  at  this  trial  was  in  the 
form  of  question  and  answer  between  the 
judge  and  the  accused,  and  sets  the  great 
prudence  and  wisdom  of  the  latter  in  a 
strong  light.  See  report  of  the  Board  for 
1851. 

Dr.  King  met  with  no  serious  interrup- 
tion in  his  labors  until  September  1851,  when 
he  received  an  order  from  the  Council  of 
Judges  in  the  Criminal  Court  of  Athens,  to 
submit  to  trial  as  one  guilty  of  having 
preached  in  his  own  house  doctrines,  prin- 
ciples, and  opinions,  contrary  to  the  basis  of 
the  religion  of  the  Oriental  Church.  From 
this  Court  he  appealed  to  the  higher  Court  of 
the  Areopagus.  The  Areopagus  decided 
that  the  penal  law  forbidding  the  expression 


GREECE. 


375 


of  sentiments  and  opinions  contrary  to  the 
basis  of  religion  and  morals,  did  not  apply 
in  the  case  of  Dr.  King.  Notwithstanding 
this,  the  Criminal  Court,  to  which  the  case 
was  remanded  for  trial,  declared  him  guilty 
of  this  very  offence  against  that  law,  and 
condemned  him  to  imprisonment,  and  after 
that  had  expired,  to  banishment  from  the 
kingdom. 

In  these  circumstances  Dr.  King  enjoyed 
the  friendly  interference  of  our  government, 
as  well  as  the  sympathy  of  a  large  number 
of  able  lawyers  and  other  distinguished  gen- 
tlemen in  Athens.  The  sentence  was  not 
enforced  to  its  full  extent,  and  the  persecu- 
ted missionary  continued  his  labors,  distrib- 
uting during  the  year  1852  the  Scriptures 
and  other  useful  books  to  the  amount  of 
nearly  half  a  million  of  pages. 

The  Herald  for  May  1854,  announced  that 
Dr.  King  had  been  formally  notified  by  the 
Greek  government,  that  he  was  free  "  from 
the  penalty  of  exile  imposed  on  him  by  the 
decision  of  the  Criminal  Court  of  Athens." 
He  therefore  continues  his  labors,  preaching 
and  distributing  the  Scriptures,  besides 
printing  and  circulating  large  numbers  of 
tracts  and  other  books.  The  United  States 
Government  has  taken  up  his  grievances,  of 
which  a  full  investigation  has  been  made  by 
its  representative,  Hon.  Mr.  Marsh,  who  has 
made  an  able  report  to  his  government, 
favorable  to  Dr.  King ;  but  the  final  settle- 
ment of  the  case  has  not  yet  transpired 
Rev.  E.  D.  Moore. 

American  Episcopal  Board. — The  mis- 
sion of  this  Board  to  Greece  was  pre- 
ceded by  an  exploring  tour  by  Dr.  Rob- 
ertson. In  the  fall  of  1830,  the  mission 
was  commenced  by  him  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hill, 
at  Tenos,  but  was  afterwards  removed  to 
Athens.  They  took  with  them  two  printing 
presses,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr. 
Bingham,  which  were  usefully  employed  in 
issuing  such  publications  as  circumstances 
called  for.  They  were  successful  also  in 
collecting  poor  children  into  schools,  who 
were  instructed  in  the  word  of  God.  This 
small  beginning  grew  into  a  large  establish- 
ment, and  in  1834,  it  was  recognized  as  the 
Goveimvient  Seminary  for  the  instruction  of 
female  teachers.  In  1836,  it  numbered 
between  600  and  700  scholars.  This  mission, 
with  its  schools,  has  continued  to  prosper  to 
the  present  time,  though,  on  several  occa- 
sions, a  storm  of  opposition  was  raised, 
which  threatened  its  destruction.  Yet,  by 
the  good  hand  of  God  upon  them,  Mr.  Hill 
and  his  associates  have  been  able  to  main- 
tain their  ground,  with  increasing  prospects 
of  usefulness.  The  committee  in  their  re- 
port for  1853,  say  that  the  mission  continues 
to  be  an  object  of  regard  with  the  people ; 
and  that  it  is  quietly,  yet  efficiently,  doing  a 
work  which  must  exercise  an  important  in- 


fluence upon  the  spiritual  welfare  ot  those 
among  whom  it  is  conducted.  Dr.  Hill  says, 
"  Our  schools  are  quite  full.  We  are  obliged 
every  day  to  refuse  the  most  pressing  appli- 
cations. Our  pupils  are  from  five  to  fifteen 
years  of  age,  and  from  every  class  of  society, 
from  the  daughter  of  the  Prime  Minister 
down  to  the  poorest.  The  greater  part  of 
them  are  able  to  read  the  word  of  God ; 
and  not  a  week  passes  without  the  whole 
having  learned  some  portion  of  it,  and  with- 
out, at  least,  some  important  truth  having 
been  taught  them.  I  have  lately  received  a 
very  flattering  testimonial  of  the  favor  in 
which  our  mission  is  held  by  the  Greek 
Government.  The  Minister  of  the  Interior 
has  sent  me  a  large  and  elegantly  executed 
map  of  Greece,  accompanied  by  an  official 
note,  in  which  he  says,  'For  the  use  of  the 
Institution,  which  is  so  admirably  conducted 
under  your  direction,  and  as  a  mark  of  the 
estimation  in  which  it  is  held  by  us,  we  have 
the  pleasure  of  offermg.  Reverend  Sir,  a  copy 
of  the  new  map  of  the  kingdom  of  Greece.' " 
With  reference  to  the  general  state  of  the 
missionary  work.  Dr.  Hill  remarks :  "  While 
the  influence  of  our  missionary  operations  is 
every  where  felt,  we  are  happy  to  find  that 
God  is  raising  up  among  the  clergy  of  the 
Greek  Church  those  who  agree  with  us  in 
making  His  word  the  all-important  means  of 
salvation."  And  he  quotes  from  a  lecture 
recently  delivered  by  one  of  the  educated 
clergy  of  the  Greek  Church,  who  has  re- 
cently been  appointed  by  the  Government 
as  public  preacher  in  the  capital,  to  a  Bible 
Class  of  young  females  in  one  of  the  public 
schools,  which  is  replete  with  evangelical 
sentiments. 

Stations  were  also  commenced  and  main- 
tained for  some  time  at  Syra  and  Crete  j  but 
they  have  since  been  abandoned. 

American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. — 
The  mission  of  the  American  Baptist  Union 
in  Greece,  had  its  origin  in  the  sympa- 
thies which  had  been  awakened  in  the  Uni- 
ted States  in  behalf  of  a  people,  whose  an- 
cient splendor  and  power  present  a  striking 
contrast  to  their  present  feebleness  and  in- 
significance— a  people  to  the  genius  of  whose 
ancestors  the  civilized  world  with  one  ac- 
cord acknowledges  its  unceasing  obligations. 
The  Protestant  denominations  had  already 
established  missions  in  the  country,  when  in 
the  summer  of  1836,  the  Baptist  Board  of 
Missions  appointed  Messrs.  Cephas  Pasco 
and  Horace  T.  Love  missionaries  in  Greece. 
They  were  ordained  in  September  of  that 
year,  and  sailing  soon  afterwards,  they  ar- 
rived at  Patras  in  the  following  December. 
The  place  at  which  the  mission  was  to  be  es- 
tablished, had  not  been  determined  by  the 
managers,  and  the  missionaries  at  first  fixed 
their  residence  at  Patras,  a  town  in  the 
kingdom  of  Greece  containing  at  that  time 


376 

about  7,000  inhabitants.  So  soon  as  their 
•cquaintancc  with  the  lanfruage  would  allow, 
they  opened  a  school  with  the  sanction  of 
the  government,  which  was  soon  attended 
by  40  scholars,  and  also  devoted  themselves 
to  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures  and 
tracts.  They  were  required  to  report  all 
their  proceedings  to  the  government,  and 
the  Holy  Synod  of  the  Greek  Church,  find- 
ing that  the  Scriptures  which  they  circulated 
were  not  of  the  authorized  version,  soon  is- 
sued a  decree  forbidding  them  to  be  read, 
and  commanding  them  to  be  burned  wher- 
ever they  might  be  found.  The  decree, 
however,  was  but  little  regarded,  save  by  a 
few  of  the  priests,  who  alone  attempted  its 
enforcement  But  the  attempt  was  futile, 
and  served  only  to  stimulate  a  curiosity 
which  before  was  latent  among  the  people. 

In  July,  1839,  Mrs.  Harriet  E.  Dickson 
was  appointed  a  teacher  in  the  mission,  and 
went  to  reside  at  Patras.  She  was  a  Scot- 
tish lady  who  had  resided  several  years  in 
Greece,  where,  with  her  husband,  now  de- 
ceased, she  had  been  connected  with  the  go- 
vernment school  in  the  island  of  Corfu.  Mr. 
Pasco  having  returned  to  the  United  States 
in  consequence  of  ill-health,  the  operations 
of  the  mission  were  confined  to  Patras  and 
its  neighborhood,  until  April,  1840,  when 
Mr.  Love  was  obliged  by  the  unfriendly  cli- 
mate of  that  place  to  remove  with  his  family 
to  Corfu,  which,  for  several  years,  became 
the  principal  seat  of  the  mission.  Corfu  is 
the  capital  of  the  Ionian  Republic,  and  con- 
tains a  population  of  upwards  of  25  000,  of 
whom  perhaps  10,000  are  English,  Italians 
and  Jews.  In  August,  1840,  Mr.  Love  bap- 
tized the  first  Greek  convert,  who,  being  a 
person  of  superior  intelligence,  soon  became 
an  assistant  in  the  mission,  and  was  appoint- 
ed to  resume  its  operations  at  Patras,  where 
he  labored  among  his  countrymen  for  seve- 
ral years  with  commendable  fidelity.  In 
the  summer  of  1841  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Buel  were 
sent  by  the  managers  to  join  the  mission  at 
Corfu — the  former  being  already  ordained 
as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  while  the  latter, 
a  lady  of  superior  cultivation,  was  appointed 
to  teach  in  the  mission  schools.  Mr.  Love 
preached  to  such  congregations  of  Greeks 
as  he  was  able  to  gather,  and  Mr.  Buel  com- 
menced a  service  in  English  for  the  English 
residents  of  the  island,  and  also  distributed 
tracts  among  the  native  population.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  latter  work  in  which  he 
was  engaged,  a  report  was  set  on  foot  that 
the  tracts  were  against  the  religion  of  the 
country,  especially  against  their  favorite 
Saint  Speiridion,  and  on  the  day  preceding 
Christmas,  1841,  the  festal  day  of  the  Saint, 
Mr.  Buel  having  become  an  object  of  popular 
jealousy,  was  insulted  by  the  mob,  and  at 
length  attacked  with  open  violence  and  dri- 
ven to  his  own  house.     Hither  he  was  pur- 


GREECB. 


sued  by  the  mob,  who  broke  into  the  house 
and  destroyed  the  bibles,  tracts  and  other 
books,  as  well  as  much  of  the  furniture 
which  it  contained.  Mr.  Buel  and  the  mem- 
bers of  his  family  were  rescued  from  the 
peril  to  which  they  were  exposed,  only  by 
the  interposition  of  the  commander  of  the 
British  garrison,  who  escorted  them  with  a 
strong  guard,  to  the  castle.  So  intense  was 
the  excitement  among  the  people  that  a  few 
days  afterward  it  gave  rise  to  a  collision  be- 
tween them  and  some  soldiers  of  the  garri- 
son, which  was  brought  to  a  close  only  after 
the  destruction  of  several  lives.  The  affair 
was,  on  subsequent  inquiry,  found  to  have 
its  origin  in  false  and  exciting  reports  which 
had  been  circulated  respecting  Mr.  Buel  and 
the  character  of  his  tracts.  Though  the 
other  missionaries  were  not  molested,  it  was 
deemed  prudent  that  he  should  withdraw 
for  a  period  from  active  participation  in  the 
mission.  He  accordingly  passed  the  two 
following  years  at  Malta.  Mr.  Love,  in  ad- 
dition to  preaching,  had  devoted  mucli  of  his 
time  to  the  preparation  of  evangelical  tracts 
and  the  translation  of  several  of  the  most 
approved  school  books,  especially  relating  to 
Christian  morals  and  kindred  subjects,  some 
of  which  the  Commissioner  of  Instruction 
allowed  to  be  introduced  into  the  schools  of 
the  island.  They  were  also  introduced  into 
many  of  the  schools  of  Patras  in  the  king- 
dom of  Greece.  The  assistant,  whose  name 
was  Apostolos,  was  here  still  engaged  in  pro- 
secuting the  labors  of  the  mission.  He  en- 
tered with  ability  and  zeal  into  the  plan  of 
introducing  the  new  books  into  the  schools, 
and  in  the  winter  of  1842  brought  to  Mr. 
Love  at  Corfu,  two  converts  who  professed 
to  have  received  the  Gospel,  and  who  now 
solicited  baptism  at  the  hands  of  the  mission- 
ary. They  were  soon  baptized,  but  on  their 
return  to  Patras,  they  found  their  country- 
men so  excited  against  them,  because  they 
had  become  Americans,  as  was  said,  that, 
together  with  Apostolos,  they  withdrew  to 
Athens,  and  the  mission  at  Patras  was 
henceforth  discontinued. 

The  health  of  Mr.  Love  had  long  been  de- 
clining in  the  climate  of  Greece,  and  early  in 
1843  he  was  compelled  to  return  to  the  Uni- 
ted States,  and  here,  after  waiting  for  two 
years  in  the  hope  of  a  return  to  the  mission, 
he  withdrew  from  the  service  of  the  Board. 
The  school  at  Corfu  was  continued  by  Mrs. 
Dickson.  In  1843  the  kingdom  of  Greece 
was  convulsed  with  a  political  revolution 
which  had  long  been  threatening.  It  re- 
sulted in  the  establishment  of  a  freer  consti- 
tution, which,  however,  though  it  contained 
provision  for  religious  freedom,  also  specially 
prohibited  all  attempts  at  proselyting.  Its 
operation  has  been  such  that,  w^hile  every 
man  is  allowed  to  exercise  the  religious  faith 
which  he  already  professes,  no  one  is  allowed 


GREECE. 


377 


to  persuade  another  to  change  his  faith.  But 
as  in  all  other  countries,  the  actual  freedom 
of  religion  has  been  found  to  depend  rather  on 
the  spirit  of  the  government  and  the  people, 
than  on  any  specific  provisions  of  the  consti- 
tution, and  though  Protestant  missionaries 
are  alwa3"s  restricted  in  Greece,  they  yet 
encounter  but  few  obstacles  which  prudence 
and  address  may  not  remove  or  overcome. 
On  the  establishment  of  the  new  constitu- 
tion, Mr.  Buel  returned  to  Greece  and  went 
to  reside  at  the  Pirseus,  where  Apostolos  had 
for  some  time  been  living.  He  immediately 
engaged  in  revising  the  translations  already 
made  by  Mr.  Love,  of  books  for  schools  and 
popular  reading.  Of  these  the  principal  was 
President  Wayland's  "  Elements  of  Moral 
Science,"  a  work  which  has  since  passed 
quite  beyond  the  sphere  of  missionary  influ- 
ence, and  has  been  received  with  unusual 
favor  by  teachers,  professors  in  the  univer- 
sity, and  scholars  of  every  degree.  It  has 
been  adopted  as  a  text-book  in  the  Gymna- 
sia and  Hellenic  schools  both  of  Greece  pro- 
per and  the  Ionian  Islands,  and  has  become 
a  common  authority  in  morals  among  the 
people,  often  with  the  avowed  approval  of 
the  ecclesiastics  themselves. 

In  February,  1844,  the  mission  was  rein- 
forced by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  Albert  N.  Ar- 
nold and  Mrs.  Arnold  and  Miss  S.  E.Waldo, 
who  had  been  appointed  by  the  managers. 
The  ladies  immediately  associated  themselves 
with  Mrs.  Dickson  in  the  management  of  the 
schools.  Mr.  Arnold,  while  acquiring  the 
language,  commenced  a  service  in  English  for 
the  benefit  of  the  English  regiments  stationed 
at  Corfu.  Several  other  philanthropic  and 
religious  labors  which  had  hitherto  been  per- 
formed by  Rev.  Mr.  Lowndes,  an  English 
clergyman  of  the  Island,  were  now  in  conse- 
quence of  his  removal  devolved  on  Mr.  Ar- 
nold. To  these  his  attention  was  of  necessity 
mainly  confined  for  a  considerable  period 
after  his  arrival,  and  in  the  unsettled  condi- 
tion of  the  republic  at  that  time,  the  ques- 
tion of  discontinuing  the  mission  was  seri- 
ously entertained  by  the  managers.  At  their 
!aieeting  in  May,  1845,  they  referred  the  mat- 
*oer  to  the  Executive  Committee  or  Acting 
Board,  as  it  was  then  styled,  with  the  autho- 
rity to  discontinue  the  mission  so  soon  as 
might  be  deemed  expedient.  The  corres- 
pondence which  ensued,  however,  deter- 
mined the  committee  to  continue  the  mis- 
sion for  the  present  till  other  events  should 
enable  them  to  decide  more  confidently  re- 
specting its  final  issue.  This  experiment  has 
been  in  progress  ever  since,  and  has  perhaps 
exerted  an  unfriendly  influence  on  the  spirit 
and  labors  of  the  missionaries.  The  question 
has  been  considered  an  open  one  whether 
the  mission  would  survive  the  changes  of  a 
few  years,  and  no  reinforcements  have  been 
sent  to  strengthen  it.     Its  members,  how- 


ever, have  prosecuted  their  work  with  steadi- 
ness and  fidelity,  though  with  a  measure  of 
success  so  small  as  to  afford  but  little  encour- 
agement to  their  hopes  and  plans.  In  1846 
Mr.  Arnold  began  to  preach  in  the  Greek 
language  to  a  small  assembly  of  Greeks,  num- 
bering usually  from  thirty  to  forty, while  still 
continuing  his  other  labors  among  the  Eng- 
lish population  and  the  regiments  of  Corfu. 
The  school  of  IMrs.  Dickson  also  continued 
to  prosper,  and  awakened  a  wide  interest 
both  among  the  philanthropic  residents  of 
the  island  and  Christian  friends  in  England  . 
and  Scotland.  Mr.  Buel  continued  to  preach 
and  prosecute  other  labors  at  the  Pirasus, 
where  the  mission  was,  in  many  respects, 
more  advantageously  situated  than  it  could 
be  at  Corfu,  or  in  any  part  of  the  Ionian 
Republic.  Its  influences  here  were  direct- 
ed to  the  people  of  Greece — the  descendants 
of  those  whose  genius  once  filled  the  world 
with  its  renown,  and  who  still  cherish  the 
memories  and  traditions  of  their  ancient 
sires.  In  one  respect,  however,  the  mission 
has  encountered  greater  obstacles  here  than 
in  the  Republic,  and  this  is  in  the  constitu- 
tion and  power  of  the  "  Eastern  Orthodox 
Church,"  as  it  is  styled,  which  holds  the 
consciences  of  men  beneath  its  sway,  and 
tolerates  no  dissent  from  the  dogmas  of  its 
established  faith.  It  controls  the  authority 
of  the  civil  magistrate,  directs  the  influence 
of  the  press,  and  even  holds  the  courts  of  law 
in  bondage  to  its  spiritual  despotism.  The 
power  of  this  corrupt  combination  of  priestly 
bigotry  and  aristocratic  pride  has  often  been 
brought  to  bear  on  those  who  have  sought 
the  instructions  of  the  American  mission- 
aries in  Greece,  and  in  some  instances  even 
upon  the  missionaries  themselves.  This  re- 
mark finds  its  most  prominent  illustration 
in  the  violent  and  inquisitorial  proceedings 
against  Doctor  King,  one  of  the  missionaries 
of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners, 
and  is  verified  by  the  attempt  made  in  1847  to 
extinguish  the  Baptist  Mission  at  the  Pineus. 
Mr.  Buel  was  suddenly  ordered  by  the  De- 
march  of  the  city  "  to  dismiss  the  school  il- 
legally taught  in  his  house."  The  order  was 
complied  with,  but  the  missionary  still  con- 
tinued his  Bible  class  and  preaching  on  Sun- 
day. A  few  weeks  afterwards  he  was  sum- 
moned before  the  Court  of  Magistrates  and 
fined  50  drachmas  for  teaching  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  without  a  license.  The  case, 
however,  was  carried  before  the  Court  of 
Appeals  at  Athens,  and  ably  argued  by  gen- 
tlemen ardently  devoted  to  the  interests  of 
religious  freedom,  and  the  sentence  was  re- 
versed. It  was  regarded  as  a  signal  triumph 
of  free  principles,  and  has  exerted  an  influ- 
ence highly  favorable  to  the  independence  of 
Protestant  missionaries  residing  in  the  coun- 
try. They  have  since  been  molested  less 
frequently  than  before,  though  by  no  means 


878 


GREEN-KEY— HERVEY  ISLANDS. 


eyen  now  exempt  from  liability  to  annoy- 
ance both  from  government  and  people. 

In  October,  1851,  Mr.  Arnold  removed 
from  Corfu  to  Athens.  This  step  was  taken 
in  accordance  with  the  direction  of  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee,  on  account  of  an  impres- 
sion which  had  long  prevailed  that  the  king- 
dom of  Greece,  invested  with  independence 
and  nationality  as  it  is,  offered  by  far  the 
more  inviting* field  for  missionary  labor. 
Mrs.  Dickson  remained  to  carry  on  her  flour- 
ishing and  useful  school  at  Corfu,  which  she 
still  continues  to  superintend  and  instruct. 
But  with  this  exception,  the  entire  mission 
since  the  autumn  of  1851  has  been  confined 
to  Athens  and  the  neighboring  city  of  Pirae- 
us. Its  members  have  here  continued  their 
accustomed  labors  with  comparatively  few 
and  feeble  religious  results,  but  to  the  gene- 
ral spread  of  intelligence  and  of  liberal  sen- 
timents they  have  undoubtedly  contributed 
an  important  part.  The  native  converts 
have  at  no  period  numbered  more  than 
seven,  but  these,  in  one  of  their  communica- 
tions to  the  Board  of  Managers,  claim  to  be 
the  most  numerous  Protestant  communion 
in  Greece.  Amid  the  changes  which  are 
now  going  on  both  in  the  kingdom  and  the  re- 
public of  Greece,  the  missionaries  still  cling 
to  the  hope  that  new  opportunities  may  be 
presented  for  bringing  the  simple  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel  in  contact  with  the  minds  of 
the  nation.  There  is  said  to  be  a  growing 
dissatisfaction  with  the  prevailing  faith  and 
mode  of  worship,  and  an  indication  that  the 
beginning  of  a  Protestant  reformation  may 
not  be  distant.  Meanwhile  the  missionaries 
prosecuting  such  labors  as  their  hands  find 
to  do,  are  waiting  to  take  advantage  of  every 
change  that  may  favor  the  dissemination  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  its  purity  among  the 
people  of  the  country.  Prof.  W.  Gammell. 

Statistics  of  the  Mission  for  1854.— Sta- 
tions, 3  ;  Missionaries,  2  ;  Female  assistants, 
3  ;  Native  preacher,  1 ;  Churches,  1  ;  Com- 
municants, 10 ;  Schools,  1 ;  Pupils,  52. 

GREEN-KEY :  A  station  of  the  Moravi- 
ans on  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  W.  I. 

GREENLAND:  (See  Labrador  and 
Greenland.) 

GRENADA  :  One  of  the  West  India  Is- 
lands, about  20  miles  in  length  and  10  in 
breadth.  A  station  of  the  "Wesleyans,  also 
of  the  Propagation  Society. 

GREEGREE ;  A  charm  worn  by  the  na- 
tives of  Africa,  as  a  protection  against  evil 
spirits.  These  charms  are  of  various  kinds 
and  forms,  according  with  the  stupid  notions 
of  a,  fetish  religion. 

GRIQUATOWN:  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  530  miles 
north-east  of  Cape  Town,with  8  out-stations. 

GROENCKLOOF  :  A  station  of  the  Uni- 
ted Brethren,  in  South  Africa,  40  miles  north 
of  Cape  Town, 


GUANGA :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
in  Kaffraria,  S.  Africa. 

GUIANA:  (See  British  Gtiiana  and 
West  Indies.) 

GUNGREE:  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  Hindostan. 

GUY'S  HILL :  A  station  of  the  Wesley- 
ans in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

HABAI :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  in  the  Friendly  Islands. 

IIADGEE,  or  HADJI :  The  title  of  a  Mo- 
hammedan who  performs  a  pilgrimage  to 
Mecca. 

HAN  A :  A  station  of  the  American  Board 
in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  Maui.  It  is 
situated  in  a  beautiful  locality,  the  whole 
country  being  crowned  with  the  richest  ver- 
dure. In  front  of  the  mission  house  is  an 
immense  bluff,  with  a  precipice  400  feet  high, 
in  which  are  two  caves,  in  one  of  which  tradi- 
tion says  Kaahumanu  was  bom,  and  in  the 
othernursed. 

HANKEY:  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  near 
Gamtoos,  with  an  out-station  at  Kruis  Fon- 
tein,  commenced  in  1825.  The  site  of  this 
station  is  on  a  dry,  barren  land,  near  the 
Gamtoos  river,  surrounded  by  hills,  render- 
ing it  unfit  for  sustaining  a  large  population. 
Here  the  genius  and  activity  of  the  mission 
ary  have,  by  much  perseverance,  triumphed 
over  the  obstacles  of  nature,  in  making  a 
tunnel  through  one  of  these  hills,  leading  the 
waters  of  the  Gamtoos  over  a  large  tract  of 
land,  thus  giving  the  people  labor,  and  afford- 
ing the  means  of  support  and  comfort. 

HARMATTAN :  A  dry  easterly  wind  in 
Africa,  which  destroys  vegetation. 

HASTINGS :  A  town  of  liberated  Afri- 
cans, in  the  River  District,  Sierra  Leone, 
West  Africa,  near  Regent's  Town :  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

HAURAKI :  A  district  in  New  Zealand, 
containing  four  tribes  of  natives,  among  whom 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  have  a 
mission. 

HAWAII :  The  largest  of  the  Sandwich 
Island  group,  being  97  miles  in  length  and 
78  in  breadth,  280  in  circumference,  contain- 
ing a  surface  of  4,000  square  miles.  The 
greater  part  of  the  cultivated  land  is  near 
the  sea-shore,  along  which  the  towns  and 
villages  of  the  natives  are  thickly  scattered. 
A  gradual  and  unbroken  ascent  leads  from 
the  sea-shore  to  the  summits  of  three  mount- 
ains which  enclose  a  central  valley,  the  crater 
of  an  immense  volcano,  called  Mauna  Loa. 
The  American  Board  have  6  stations  on  this 
island. 

HAYTI :    See  West  Indies. 

HENTHADA :  A  large  town  in  southern 
Burmah  on  the  Irrawaddy,  120  miles  from 
Rangoon.  A  station  of  the  mission  of  the 
Am.  Baptist  Missionary  Union  in  Burmah. 

HERVEY  ISLANDS :    A  group  of  is- 


HINDOSTAN. 


379 


lands  in  the  Southern  Pacific,  situated  be- 
tween lat.  19^  and  21^  S.,  and  long.  156°  and 
161°  "West.  It  embraces  Mangaia,  Atiu, 
Aitutaki,  Mauke,  Mitiaro,  and  Hervey's 
Island.     Population,  7,000. 

HIERARCHY  :  An  ecclesiastical  system, 
comprehending  different  orders  of  clergy. 

HILO  :  A  district  on  the  western  coast 
of  the  island  of  Hawaii,  forming,  in  connec- 
tion with  Puna,  the  parish  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Coan,  formerly  a  missionary  of  the  American 
Board,  now  pastor  of  the  native  church, 
from  whom  he  receives  his  support. 

HINDOST  AN :  Boundaries  and  Surface.— 
The  name  Hindosian,  was  given  to  the  south- 
ern portion  of  India  by  the  Persians,  and 
signifies,  literally,  "  negro''^  and  '-'■  negroland?'' 
But  as  now  used,  to  designate  the  entire 
country  south  of  the  Himalaya  mountains, 
the  term  is  of  European  origin.  The  vast 
triangular  country,  called  Hindostan,  lies 
between  the  8th  and  35th  degrees  of  north 
latitude.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the 
Himalaya  mountains,  the  highest  in  the 
world,  on  the  N.  E.  and  N.  W.,  by  the  rivers 
Brahmaputra  and  the  Indus,  and  on  every 
other  side  by  the  ocean.  It  comprises  an  area 
of  over  1,200,000  square  miles,  or  about  one- 
third  part  of  the  estimated  area  of  Europe. 
The  proportion  of  solid  land  is  even  greater 
than  this,  on  account  of  the  absence  of  inland 
waters.  The  surface  of  the  country  is  of  a 
very  marked  character.  In  the  northern 
portion  are  three  great  ranges  of  mountains, 
rising,  one  higher  than  the  other,  as  we  pro- 
ceed northward,  with  elevated  valleys  be- 
tween. These  vallej'^s,  themselves,  are  from 
2,000  to  4,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 
The  east  and  west  Ghauts  are  also  noted 
ranges,  some  of  their  granite  peaks  rising  to 
the  height  of  8,000  feet.  The  great  coal 
field,  which  is  a  distinguishing  feature  of  this 
country,  is  65  miles  in  length  and  12  in 
breadth,  running  on  both  sides  of  the  river 
Damoda.  Three  pits  only  have  been  sunk 
to  the  depth  of  90  feet.  The  coal  is  largely 
consumed  in  Calcutta  for  forges  and  steam 
navigation.  The  geology  of  Hindostan  is 
very  simple,  compared  with  that  of  European 
countries,  consisting  of  only  four  classes  of 
rocks,  viz. :  the  granite,  the  sand-stone  and 
clay  slate,  the  trap,  and  the  alluvial. 

Rivers  and  Lakes. — The  rivers  of  this 
country  have  their  sources  either  in  the 
Himalaya  mountains,  or  within  the  great 
central  table-land.  The  principal  of  these 
are  the  Brahmaputra  and  the  Ganges.  The 
first  of  these,  from  its  source  to  the  Bay  of 
Bengal,  is  about  350  miles.  Having  a  rapid 
current,  and  passing  generally  through  a  wild 
and  inhospitable  country,  it  is  of  but  little 
use  for  purposes  of  navigation.  The  Ganges 
has  its  source  in  about  20  degrees  N.  lat., 
and  runs  1,350  miles,  emptying  into  the  Bay 
of  Bengal,  a  few  miles  from  the  Brahmaputra. 


The  Ganges  has  several  important  branches, 
as  the  Soane,  the  Hoogly,  the  Jumna,  &c. 
Hindostan  contains  no  lakes  of  importance, 
either  of  salt  or  fresh  water,  at  least  none  that 
can  be  compared  with  those  of  N.  America, 
or  even  of  Switzerland  or  Scotland. 

Coast  and  Climate. — The  coast  of  Hindos- 
tan is  very  little  broken  by  inlets  of  the  sea. 
The  only  gulfs  of  importance  are  those  of 
Cutch  and  Cambary.  The  only  good  harbor 
is  that  of  Bombay.  The  climate  of  the 
country  is  greatly  diversified,  owing  in  part 
to  its  alternation  of  lofty  mountain  ranges 
and  deep  valleys  ;  partly,  also,  to  the  mon- 
soons, which,  as  a  general  rule,  blow  from 
the  N.  E.  during  the  serene  temperate 
months  of  winter,  and  from  the  S.  W.  during 
the  tempestuous  and  hot  or  rainy  months  of 
summer.  The  year  has  been  generally 
divided  into  three  well-defined  seasons,  viz., 
the  hot,  the  wet,  and  the  cold.  The  mean 
temperature  of  Bombay  is  82°  Fah.  At 
Madras  the  mean  temperature  is  84°,  and  at 
Dawar,  on  the  table-land,  it  is  75°.  At  Cal- 
cutta it  is  79°.  In  May,  the  hottest  month, 
the  thermometer  rises  at  Calcutta,  to  100°,  and 
in  winter  it  falls  nearly  to  the  freezing  point. 

Native  Population.— The  number  of  abor- 
iginal races  in  Hindostan,  differing  in  lan- 
guage, manners,  &c.,  is  very  great.  Of  these 
races,  eight  have  been  considered  as  distin- 
guished from  the  rest  by  a  degree  of  supe- 
riority in  civilization,  the  arts,  language,  liter- 
ature, and  the  richer  and  more  extensive  terri- 
tories which  they  occupy.  These  are  the  Ben- 
galee, Oriya,  Mahratta,  Gujratee,  Telinga, 
Tamil,  Karnata,  and  Hindi,  or  Hindostanee. 
The  Bengalee  nation  occupies  above  80,000 
square  miles  of  fertile  land,  chiefly  within  the 
delta  of  the  Ganges,  and  comprises  a  population 
of  nearly  25,000,000.  The  Tamil  nation  oc- 
cupies 56,000  square  miles,  at  the  southern 
extremity  of  the  peninsula,  with  a  population 
of  nearly  7,000,000.  The  Telinga  people 
occupy  100,000  square  miles  of  the  N.  E. 
portion  of  the  peninsula,  and  number  proba- 
bly 7,000,000  or  8,000,000.  The  Oriya  nation, 
covering  17,000  square  miles  of  the  low  land 
which  connects  the  delta  of  the  Ganges  with 
the  south  peninsula,  numbers  about  4,000,000. 
The  Mahratta  nation  extends  over  nearly 
200,000  square  miles,  between  the  22d  and 
23d  degrees  of  N.  lat.,  and  its  population  is 
estimated  at  about  12,000,000  of  people.  The 
Karnata,  or  Canara  nation,  numbers  about 
5,000,000,  and  are  found  upon  the  extensive 
table-land  south  of  the  18th  deg.,  N.  lat.  The 
people  speaking  the  Hindostanee  language, 
occupy  the  upper  portion  of  the  valley  of 
the  Ganges,  and  number  about  20,000,000. 
The  most  enterprising  of  these  nations,  it  is 
to  be  observed,  have  occasionally  passed, 
either  as  conquerors  or  colonists,  into  the 
territories  of  each  other,  or  of  their  neigh- 
bors.   Thus  we  find  colonies  of  the  Tamils 


380 


IIINDOSTAN. 


•ettlod  in  the  Malnyalim,  of  Tclinp^as  in 
Karnata  and  the  Tamil  country,  of  Mahrat- 
tas  in  tho  Telin^ra.  Tamil,  and  Ivarnata  coun- 
tries, «fer.  These  colonies  not  unfro(picntly 
prc^orvo  their  national  lanfruajro,  their  ori- 
pfhal  manners,  and  their  purity  of  descent, 
in  their  adf)i)t4jd  countries.  The  barbarous 
and  savajre  tribes  of  India  are  to  be 
found  in  the  recesses  of  mountains,  never  in 
the  fertile  plains  or  extensive  table-lands. 
These  barbarous  tribes  are  considered  abori- 
ginal, in  common  with  others  of  the  plains, 
and  their  savage  character  is  ascribed  to 
their  unfavorable  situation,  and  the  hostility 
of  the  powerful  occupants  of  the  lower  and 
more  fertile  rep;ions. 

Foreign  Settlej-s. — Besides  the  original 
and  peculiar  inhabitants  of  Ilindostan,  a 
crowd  of  foreign  colonists  or  settlers  of 
different  nations,  form  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  present  population  of  the  country. 
They  are  confined  to  particular  spots,  or  scat- 
tered indiscriminate!}^  over  the  country,  ac- 
cording to  the  place  of  their  arrival,  or  other 
causes.  These  several  classes  of  foreign 
population,  following  the  order  of  their  sup- 
posed arrival,  are  as  follows,  viz.:  Jews, 
Syrian  Christians,  Arabs,  Armenians,  Par- 
sees,  Persians,  Afghans,  Tartars,  Turks, 
Abyssiniaus,  Portuguese,  English,  Dutch, 
French,  Danes,  and  Chinese. 

Relii^wm. — The  principal  religion  of  the 
160,000,000  of  Ilindostan— about  one-half 
the  population  of  Europe — is  Brahmitiism, 
(which  see.)  The  other  forms  of  religion 
are  the  Jain,  Budhist.  Seik,  Mohammedan, 
and  Christian.  The  first  of  these  forms  of 
religion  prevails  chiefly  in  the  great  provinces 
of  Gujrat  and  Talawa,  on  the  western  shore 
of  Indui,  but  more  or  less  of  it  is  found  scat- 
tered throughout  the  country.  The  Budhist 
religion  is  supposed  to  have  originated  in 
Bahar,  within  the  great  plain  of  the  Ganges ; 
but  though  so  prevalent  in  Ceylon,  and  in 
countries  to  the  E.  and  N.,  it  is  nearly  ex- 
tinct in  Ilindostan.  The  Seik  form  of  reli- 
gion was  originated  by  Nanak,  in  1419,  and 
is  confined  to  the  N.  W.  part  of  Ilindostan. 
The  Mohammedan  religion  appeared  in  In- 
dia about  the  beginning  of  the  11th  century, 
and  its  adherents  are  supposed,  for  all  India, 
to  amount  to  about  one-seventh  of  the  entire 
population.  The  Christians  abound  most 
in  the  southern  portion  of  the  country.  The 
greater  number  are  Nestorians,  who  are  sup- 
posed to  have  embraced  Christianity  through 
the  labors  of  Greek  missionaries  from  Syria, 
as  early  as  the  2d  and  3d  centuries.  Most 
of  the  remainder  are  Catholics,  the  descend- 
ants of  the  Portuguese  and  persons  converted 
by  Portuguese  missionaries. 

Languages. — There  are  more  than  fifty 
native  languages  spoken  throughout  Ilindos- 
tan. Some  Hindoos  of  the  northern  portion 
of  the  country  are  acquainted  with  three  dead 


languages,  viz. :  tho  Sanscrit,  tho  Saraswatty 
or  Pracrit,  and  tlie  Pali.  Of  these  three,  tho 
Sanscrit  contains  internal  evidence  of  being 
tho  oldest.  It  was  the  language  of  a  people 
who,  according  to  a  very  probable  Hindoo 
tradition,  occupied  the  Jumna,  a  little  to  Iho 
N.  W.  of  Delhi,  and  with  it  probably  origin- 
ated the  Brahminical  religion,  and  the  first 
dawn  of  Hindoo  civilization.  The  Pracrit 
was  the  language  that  succeeded  it  in  the 
same  country,  and  it  seems  to  bear  the  same 
sort  of  relation  to  it  that  the  Italian  does  to 
the  Latin.  The  Pali  is  a  language  that 
sprung  up  in  the  province  of  Bahar.  Of  this 
also,  the  Sanscrit  forms  the  ground-work 
With  the  people  speaking  the  Pali  language 
sprung  up  the  religion  of  Budha ;  and  the 
Pali  is  to  this  day  the  sacred  language  of  all 
the  Asiatic  nations  who  have  Budhism  for 
their  national  worship.  The  existence  of 
these  three  languages,  that  have  necessarily 
ceased  to  be  spoken,  affords  evidence  of  the 
great  antiquity  of  Hindoo  civilization.  One 
or  other  of  the  languages  in  question,  is  more 
or  less  mixed  up,  not  only  with  every  lan- 
guage of  Ilindostan,  but  also  with  the  lan- 
guages of  most  of  the  neighboring  countries. 
To  the  north  they  form  the  ground-work  of 
these  languages,  as  Latin  does  of  Italian ;  to 
the  south  they  are  engrafted  on  the  language 
somewhat  as  tho  French  is  on  our  Saxon 
tongue.  The  literary  Hindoos  reckon  that 
there  are  ten  cultivated  languages,  having  a 
written  character  and  a  literature.  The 
enumeration  of  these  languages,  however,  is 
not  very  distinct  as  applicable  to  the  present 
times.  The  Hindee  is  the  most  cultivated 
and  generally  spoken  of  all  the  native  lan- 
guages of  Ilindostan.  Besides  the  local  lan- 
guage of  each  district,  the  Hindee  is  com- 
monly spoken  by  all  persons  of  education, 
throughout  all  parts  of  India.  Of  the  dead 
languages  the  Sanscrit  is  as  much  studied  in 
India  as  the  Latin  is  in  Europe.  Then  there 
are  eight  languages  spoken  by  a  very  numer- 
ous population,  twenty  spoken  by  a  people 
less  numerous  but  still  civilized,  and  at  least 
thirty  spoken  by  rude  tribes ;  making  in  all 
fifty-eight  living  languages.  This  may  be 
taken  as  conclusive  evidence  that  all  India 
was  never  subject  to  one  government,  and 
never  thoroughly  united  in  large  masses.  To 
the  native  languages  above  enumerated,  must 
be  added  the  Persian,  as  much  used  as  Latin 
is  in  Europe ;  the  Arabic,  often  studied  from 
religious  motives;  the  Portuguese,  a  good 
deal  spoken  in  some  parts  of  the  maritime 
coast ;  and  the  English,  which  is  making 
considerable  progress. 

Literature. — The  largest  portion  of  Hin- 
doo literature  is  contained  in  the  dead  San- 
scrit, that  which  is  found  in  the  living  lan- 
guages being  little  else  than  translations, 
or  paraphrases  from  it.  To  Hindoo  litera- 
ture in  any  language,  prose  composition  is 


^  Of  thb"^. 

UITI7BRSIT 


HINDOSTAN. 


381 


hardly  known.  Every  thing  is  In  verse, 
even  works  on  astronomy,  medicine,  and 
grammar.  These  facts  are  evidence  of  great 
antiquity  and  rudeness,  and  they  also  show 
tjiat  for  2,000  or  3,000  years  at  least,  native 
literature  has  made  little  progress.  The  two 
most  celebrated  works  of  Hindoo  literature 
are  the  Mahabarat  and  the  Ramayana  ;  the 
one  giving  an  account  of  the  wars  of  Bharat, 
and  the  other,  the  adventures  of  Rama,  king 
of  Ayndhya,  a  supposed  incarnation  of  Vishnu, 
the  "  Preserver  of  the  Hindoo  Triad." 
These  fictions  are  considered  not  only  ex- 
travagant and  contradictory  to  all  the  physi- 
cal laws  of  the  globe,  but  prolix,  trifling  and 
childish  to  the  last  degree. 

Science. — Hindoo  science  is  confined  chiefly 
to  arithmetic,  algebra,  geometry,  and  astro- 
nomy. They  are  allowed  to  be  the  invent- 
ors of  the  system  of  notation,  which  the 
Arabs  borrowed  from  them  and  we  from  the 
Arabs.  In  the  science  of  geography,  medi- 
cine, botany,  &c.,  the  Hindoos  are  extremely 
ignorant.  In  grammar  they  have  made  large 
pretensions,  and  they  have  constructed  a 
very  valuable  grammar  of  the  Tamil,  and 
the  Sanscrit  has  been  thoroughly  sub- 
jected to  rules.  In  astronomy  the  Hindoos 
pride  themselves,  but  in  this  they  can  lay  no 
claim  to  originality  ;  neither  have  they  ever 
applied  it  to  any  practical  purposes,  except 
in  a  very  imperfect  manner,  to  reckoning 
time. 

Arts  and  Agriculture. — The  arts  in  which 
the  Hindoos  have  made  the  greatest  progress 
are  agriculture,  weaving,  dyeing,  and  archi- 
tecture. Their  agricultural  implements  are 
simple  and  rude,  and  their  mode  of  using 
them  equally  so.  Their  greatest  skill  in 
agriculture  has  been  displayed  m  works  of 
irrigation,  consisting  of  embankments,  reser- 
voirs or  tanks,  and  wells.  The  reservoirs 
are  often  of  vast  extent,  and  capable  of  con- 
verting 4,000  or  5,000  acres  of  dreary,  sandy 
desert,  into  productive  corn-fields.  Their 
wells  are  often  sunk  to  the  depth  of  300 
feet.  The  articles  cultivated  by  the  Hindoos 
from  very  early  times  are  wheat,  barley, 
rice,  millet,  pulse,  sugar-cane,  mustard — the 
cocoa,  areca,  and  other  palms — cardamoms, 
black-pepper,  cotton,  the  mulberry,  indigo, 
madder,  and  the  banana — also  many  other 
productions  common  to  the  climate.  The 
ox,  horse,  hog,  bufialo,  elephant,  dog,  sheep, 
and  goat,  have  been  domesticated  and  used 
by  the  Hindoos  from  the  earliest  antiquity. 
The  common  poultry  is  of  equal  antiquity 
among  them. 

In  the  art  of  weaving  the  Hindoos  were 
skilled  at  a  very  early  period,  particularly  in 
the  weaving  of  cotton,  silk,  and  the  hair  of 
the   Thibetian   goat.     The   cotton  plant   is 

grown  almost   every  where  in  Hindostan. 

Their  silk  weaving  has  never  equaled  that 

of  China,  the   raw  material   being  inferior. 


The  Cashmerians,  the  manufacturers  of  tho 
well  known  shawls  which  bear  their  name, 
are  descended  from  .the  genuine  Hindoos, 
who  were  the  nearest  neighbors  to  the  rudo 
tribes  to  whom  the  shawl  goat  belonged. 
The  invention  of  the  shawl  manufacture  may 
therefore  be  fairly  ascribed  to  the  Hindoos. 
Their  architecture  is  of  the  simplest  kind, 
except  that  which  is  dedicated  to  religion. 
Their  temples,  however,  are  alike  distin- 
guished for  their  magnitude  and  durabil- 
ity, and  for  their  grandeur  and  beauty.  The 
Mohammedans  introduced  a  much  higher 
order  of  architecture,  in  the  construction  of 
their  mosques  and  mausoleums.  In  useful 
architecture,such  as  dwelling  houses,  bridges, 
roads,  &c.,  the  Hindoos  have  made  very  lit- 
tle progress. 

Physical  and  Intellectual  Character. — In 
respect  to  race,  the  Hindoos  have  been  re- 
garded by  naturalists  as  belonging  to  what 
they  call  the  Caucasian  or  European  j  but 
this  is  proved  by  the  best  modern  writers  to 
be  untrue.  The  European  is  white,  the  Hin- 
doo black,  or  nearly  so.  The  European  has 
an  endless  variety  in  the  color  of  the  hair 
and  of  the  eye,  while  with  the  Hindoo  the 
hair  is  always  black,  and  the  eye  a  dark 
brown.  In  physical  force,  the  Hindoo  is 
below  not  only  the  European,  but  even  the 
Arab,  the  Persian,  and  the  Chinese.  The 
intellectual  character  of  the  Hindoos  corres- 
ponds to  their  physical.  They  have  subtil- 
ty,  but  not  much  originality  or  practical 
good  sense.  In  vigor  and  manliness  of 
mind  they  are  below  the  Arabs  and  Persians. 
In  moral  character  the  Hindoos  rank  ex- 
tremely low.  Candor,  integrity,  and  ingen- 
uousness of  mind,  cannot  be  said  to  exist 
among  them.  Judicial  perjury  is  said  to  be 
practiced  in  Hindostan  on  a  wider  scale  than 
in  any  other  country.  The  Hindoos  are  gen- 
erally credited  with  frugality,  patience,  do- 
cility, and  even  industry ;  but  their  frugality 
is  akin  to  avarice,  and  their  docility  to  pas- 
siveness.  They  about  as  readily  submit  to 
wrong  and  oppression,  as  make  an  effort  to 
improve  their  condition. 

British  Rule. — The  great  body  of  the  Hin- 
doos had,  for  six  centuries  before  the  com- 
mencement of  the  British  government,  been 
under  the  dominion  of  foreigners,  and  of 
foreigners  more  energetic  than  themselves, 
if  not  more  civilized.  Their  conquerors 
were  Asiatics,  with  complexion,  manners, 
customs,  &c.,  approaching  to  the  natives, 
with  whom  they  to  a  considerable  extent 
associated.  Even  in  matters  of  religion, 
where  the  difference  was  widest,  a  good  de- 
gree of  toleration  was  allowed,  and  the  Hin- 
doo converts  to  Mohammedanism  were  ad- 
missible to  the  highest  offices  of  state.  So 
that,  on  the  whole,  the  Hindoos  were  rather 
gainers  by  their  subjection  to  a  foreign  do- 
minion. 


88S 


HINDOSTAN. 


British  rule  may  bo  considered  as  having 
been  praclioally  established  in  India  for  a 
period  of  aboutUO  years.     This  government, 
fn  it«  practical  operation,  may  bo  reparded 
«8  an  enlightened  despotism  ;  a  good  deal 
controlled  by  the  public  opinion  of  English- 
men on  the  spot,  and  to  a  much  smaller  ex- 
tent by  Purliament  and  public  opinion  in 
England.     The  British  Government  in  India 
has  been  divided  into  three  periods,  the  last 
of  which  commenced   in   1814,  and  comes 
down  to  the  present  time.     The  influx  of 
Europeans  into  India  since  1814,  has  result- 
ed in  something  like  a  public  and  independ- 
ent opinion  at  the  principal  seats  of  com- 
merce, which  serves  to  modify  the  despotic 
character  of  the  government.     The  press  of 
India,  which  was  formerly  under  a  rigorous 
censorship,  is  now  thrown  open,  and   em- 
ploys itself  in  redressing  public  and  private 
wrongs.     The  government  which  England 
administers  in  India  is  in  many  respects  op- 
pressive, and  liable  to  great  abuses.      An 
English  writer  says,  "  It  is  not  a  national 
government,  nor  is  it  as  yet  a  government 
carried  on  by  conquerors  who   have  made 
the  slightest  progress  towards  naturalization 
or  amalgamation  with  the  party  governed. 
"We  are  aliens  in  blood,  in  manners,  in  lan- 
guage, and  in  religion,  carrying  on  the  ad- 
ministration of  80,000,000  of  people,  and  ex- 
ercising a  control  over  50,000,000  more,  at  a 
distance  of  12,000  miles.     The  local  govern- 
ment is  purely  vicarial,  and  the  essential  ad- 
ministration rests  with  men  residing  at  a 
vast  distance,  who  never  saw  the  country, 
and  who   have  no  actual  knowledge  of  its 
manners  and  institutions.     These  men  them- 
selves are  perpetually  changing,  and    look 
upon  Indian  affairs  as  matters  of  very  sec- 
ondary importance  to  domestic  and  Euro- 
pean politics.     The  local  governments,   in- 
stead  of  being  responsible  to  the   parties 
whose  administration  they  conduct,  are  only 
amenable  for  their  acts   to  their  political 
friends  in  Europe,  while  the  affairs  of  India 
are  too  complex,  too  extensive,  and  too  re- 
mote, to  be  understood  by,'  or  for  the  most 
part,  to  excite   any  interest  in,  the   people 
and  Parliament  of  England.    In  India,  gene- 
rally, the  acts  of  the  local  government  are 
secretly  prepared  without  consulting  or  at- 
tempting to  conciliate  the  parties  for  whom 
the  laws  are  made." 

However  true  and  just  these  statements 
may  be,  there  is  another  side  to  the  picture, 
which  it  is  rnore  pleasing  to  contemplate. 
With  evident  candor  and  fairness,  the  Com- 
mittee of  the  American  Board,  in  their  re- 
port for  1846,  say : 

'•  It  is  a  deeply  interesting  fact  that  the 
British  government  in  India  is  almost  every 
year  assuming  a  more  Christian  character, 
and  adopting  a  more  humane  and  liberal 
policy.     The  declaration  of  the  government 


now  is,  that  it  is  not  pledged  to  the  support 
or  countenance  of  Hindooisra,  that  the  prm- 
ciple  which  guides  it  is,  that  all  religions 
professed  by  its  subjects  shall  be  equally  tol- 
erated and  protected  ;  and  that,  contrary, to 
what  has  till  recently  been  the  law  of  the 
land,  the  Hindoo  may  embrace  Christianity 
and  break  caste  without  the  forfeiture  of 
property,  or  any  other  of  his  civil  rights  and 
immunities.  On  this  principle  the  govern- 
ment is  going  steadily  forward,  suppressing 
those  disgusting  and  inhuman  rites  connect- 
ed with  Hindooism  which  war  upon  society, 
correcting  the  abuses  which  have  grown  up 
under  the  unn'atural  state  of  things  which 
has  long  prevailed  in  India,  encouraging  edu- 
cation, the  arts  and  usages  of  more  enlight-, 
ened  nations,  and  giving  Christian  truth  free 
scope  to  exert  its  purifying  and  elevating 
power  over  the  public  mind.  In  this  manner 
God  is  breaking  down  barriers  and  opening 
the  way  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  in 
India." 

This  view  of  the  nature  and  influence  of 
British  rule  in  India,  corresponds  with  the 
still  more  recent  statements  of  the  mission- 
aries, and  will  be  regarded  as  more  than 
sufficient  to  counterbalance  the  temporal 
and  incidental  evils  resulting  from  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  government. 

MISSIONS. 

American  Board. — The  missions  of  the 
American  Board  in  Hindostan,  or  India, 
have  been  of  long  standing,  and  have  been 
eminently  successful.  They  now  occupy 
Bombay^  Ahmednuggur,  Satara,  liolapur, 
Madura^  Arcot,  and  Madras.  Of  the  work 
accomplished  at  each  of  these  places  only 
a  comprehensive  view  can  bo  given,  and 
this  will  be  best  done  by  noticing  each  field 
separately,  as  far  as  practicable. 

Bombay. — The  first  missionaries  of  the 
Board  to  India  arrived  at  Calcutta  in  June 
1812,  and  were  followed  by  others  in 
August.  These  brethren  all  received  their 
instructions  from  the  Board  at  Salem,  Feb. 
7,  1812,  and  as  this  was  the  first  foreign 
missionary  entQrprise  of  the  American  Board 
of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  and 
these  its  first  missionaries,  their  names  may 
properly  be  given.  They  were.  Rev.  Messrs. 
Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel  Nott,  Samuel 
Newell,  Gordon  Hall,  and  Luther  Rice.  On 
reaching  Calcutta,  they  found  the  country 
so  embroiled  in  war,  that  to  enter  upon  a 
mission  there  was  impossible,  and  after  a 
little  delay,  Messrs.  Hall  and  Nott  proceed- 
ed to  Bombay.  (For  a  description  of  the 
place,  see  article,  Bombay.)  Mr.  Judson 
and  Mr.  Rice,  soon  after  reaching  Calcutta, 
changed  their  sentiments  and  joined  the 
Baptist  mission.  Mr.  Newell  spent  some 
time  in  visiting  the  Isle  of  France  and  Cey- 
lon, before  going  to  Bombay.    It  was  left  to 


HINDOSTAN. 


383 


Messrs.  Hall  &  Nott,  therefore,  to  commence 
the  first  mission  of  the  Board  in  India.  At 
first  they  were  embarrassed  by  the  opposi- 
tion of  the  government,  and  it  was  not  till 
early  in  the  year  1814  that  the  missionaries 
"  were  fairly  settled  in  their  work."  Never 
did  men  show  a  more  earnest,  self-sacrific- 
ing devotion  to  their  Master.  In  a  letter 
dated  September,  1815,  the  missionaries 
say :  "  We  have  made  so  much  proficiency 
in  the  Mahratta  language  as  to  be  able  to 
enter  upon  the  great  work  of  preaching  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen.  We  have  also  com- 
menced the  work  of  translating  the  Scrip- 
tures into  the  Mahratta  language."  Two 
months  later  they  say :  "We  have  translated 
a  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  and  several  tracts, 
copies  of  which  are  now  in  circulation  among 
th©  heathen."  In  November,  1816,  Mr. 
Bardwell  and  his  wife  reached  Bombay,  and 
joined  the  mission.  In  March  of  this  year, 
the  first  printing-press  at  Bombay  went  into 
operation,and  1,500  copies  of  a  Scripture  tract 
of  eight  pages  were  issued.  During  this  year 
also,  the  establishment  and  care  of  schools  was 
entered  upon.  Thus,  in  three  years  from  the 
time  of  entering  this  field,  these  devoted  ser- 
vants of  Christ  were  preaching  the  Gospel 
to  the  benighted  Hindoos  in  their  native 
tongue,  circulating,  from  their  own  press, 
translations  of  the  Scriptures  and  of  tracts, 
and  gathering  heathen  children  and  youth 
into  the  mission  schools.  In  1818  they  had 
eleven  schools,  and  six  hundred  boys  under 
instruction.  In  view  of  so  important  a  fact 
the  missionaries  say  :  "  In  these  schools  we 
seem  to  see  a  thousand  Hindoo  hands  at 
work,  from  year  to  year,  in  undermining  the 
fabric  of  Hindoo  idolatry." 

In  1818  the  mission  reported  three  sta- 
tions,— one  the  seat  of  the  mission,  in  the 
"  great  native  town  of  Bombay  j"  one  at  Ma- 
him,  about  six  miles  north,  with  a  popula- 
tion of  about  twenty  thousand  ;  and  a  third 
at  Tannah,  the  chief  town  of  Salsette,distant 
from  Bombay  about  twenty-five  miles,  and 
separated  only  by  a  narrow  strait  from  a 
dense  and  wide  spread  population  on  the 
continent.  Messrs.  Nichols  and  Graves  oc- 
cupied the  out-stations.  During  this  year, 
Caranja,  an  island  near  Bombay,  containing 
10,000  inhabitants,  was  explored  ;  and  also 
Choule,  a  place  upon  the  coast  thirty  miles 
south  of  Bombay.  Places  still  farther  dis- 
tant were  also  visited,  and  their  population 
and  condition  ascertained.  The  schools  had 
now  increased  to  twenty-five,  with  1200  hea- 
then children  and  a  hundred  Jewish,  and  as 
many  more  of  occasional  attendants ;  and 
meanwhile  the  mission  press  was  constantly 
turning  off  portions  of  Scripture,  tracts,  and 
elementary  school  books.  Thus  rapidly  did 
the  field  whiten  under  their  labors. 

In  November,  1821,  Mr.  Bardwell  arrived 
at  Boston  with  his  wife  and  child,  he  having 


been  compelled  to  leave  the  mission  on  ac- 
count of  declining  health.  Four  months  after 
the  departure  of  Mr.  Bardwell,  the  mission 
sustained  another  severe  loss  in  the  death 
of  Mr.  Newell,  who,  as  has  been  stated,  was 
one  of  the  four  young  men  who  first  offered 
themselves  to  the  Board  as  missionaries  to 
any  part  of  the  heathen  world.  He  fell  a 
victim  to  cholera  morbus.  In  1822  a  mission 
chapel  was  erected  at  Bombay,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  about  ^4,500,  ^1,700  of  which  was 
subscribed  in  Bombay  and  Calcutta,  and  the 
rest  in  this  country.  The  dedication  of  this 
first  Christian  temple  on  the  western  side  of 
the  Indian  peninsula,  took  place  on  the  12th 
of  May,  1823,  and  was  a  memorable  event. 
The  dedication  services,  with  the  exception 
of  one  English  hymn,  were  all  in  the  Mah- 
ratta language.  In  the  following  June  the 
observance  of  the  monthly  concert  was  com- 
menced in  this  chapel. 

Near  the  close  of  1822,  the  missionaries 
sent  out  two  Jewish  schoolmasters,  with 
6,000  copies  of  extracts  from  the  Scriptures, 
and  numerous  tracts,  in  the  Mahratta  lan- 
guage, for  distribution  among  the  people. 
They  had  scattered  about  2,000  copies,  when 
they  were  arrested  by  the  local  authorities 
and  sent  back  with  their  books  to  Bombay, 
the  Governor  in  Council  saying  that  books 
exposing  the  corruptions  of  heathenism 
would  endanger  the  public  tranquillity.  In 
1824  the  mission  was  strengthened  by  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Frost  and  Mrs.  Graves ;  but  it 
was  visited  with  sore  bereavement  soon 
after,  in  the  death  of  Mr.  Nichols  of  the  tan- 
nah station,  who  had  been  seven  years 
among  the  heathen,  most  of  the  time  preach- 
ing to  ihem  in  their  native  language. 

In  1825  a  society  was  formed  at  Bombay, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  English  Governor, 
called  the  Bombay  Native  School  Book  and 
School  Society,  designed  to  promote  the 
education  of  Hindoo  children.  At  this  pe- 
riod the  missionaries  were  able  to  report 
very  gratifying  progress  in  the  education  of 
heathen  girls,  in  spite  of  the  strong  native 
prejudices,  75  being  under  instruction.  The 
whole  number  of  children  in  the  schools 
was  1,750,  133  of  them  of  Jewish  parentage. 

On  the  20th  of  March,  1826,  the  mission 
suffered  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Mr. 
Hall,  one  of  the  two  by  whom  the  mission 
of  the  Board  at  Bombay  was  established. 
He  was  seized  with  the  cholera,  while  on  a 
preaching  tour  on  the  Continent,  and  died 
in  eight  or  nine  hours.  One  of  his  last  ef- 
forts was,  an  appeal  to  American  Christians 
in  behalf  of  the  12,000,000  of  people  who 
speak  the  Mahratta  language,  and  on  whom 
the  Bombay  mission  might  be  brought  to 
bear.  Just  before  the  death  of  Mr.  Hall,  an 
important  event  occurred,  viz. :  the  forma- 
tion of  the  "  Bombay  Missionary  Union,"  an 
association  of  missionaries  of  the   London, 


884 


HINDOSTAN. 


the  rhurch,  and  the  Scottish  Missionary  So- 
cioties,  which  had  stations  in  various  parts 
of  India,  and  those  of  the  American  Board. 
The  members  of  these  missions  all  united  on 
the  basis  of  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of 
the  Keformation,and  for  their  common  bene- 
fit. It  presented  a  pleasing  instance  of  mu- 
tual chari  t}'  and  affection,  among  those  who 
were  striving  alike  for  the  evangelization  of 
the  heathen.  Soon  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Ilall,  the  stations  at  Makim  and  Tannah 
were  given  up,  and  in  1826  Mr.  Graves  was 
the  only  missionary  of  the  Board  at  Bom- 
bay. 

In  1827,  Rev.  Messrs.  Cyrus  Stone  and 
D.  0.  Allen  joined  the  mission,  having  em- 
barked at  Boston  in  June  of  that  year.  Dur- 
ing this  year  the  Missionary  Union,  just 
named,  formed  a  "  General  Tract  Society," 
to  aid  Christians  of  all  denominations  in 
their  eflforts  to  benefit  the  people  of  the  East. 
In  their  report  for  1828,  the  missionaries 
state  that  there  were  at  that  time  about 
18,000  Catholics  in  Bombay,  most  of  them 
of  Hindoo  origin,  whose  ancestors  were  con- 
verted to  the  Romish  Church  some  two  cen- 
turies before,  when  Bombay  was  a  Portu- 
guese colony.  The  Catholics,  however,  were 
found  to  be  in  the  same  state  of  superstition 
and  idolatry  as  the  other  natives,  and  just  as 
much  in  need  of  the  Gospel. 

In  1830  three  more  missionaries  arrived  at 
Bombay,  viz. :  Rev.  Messrs.  Ramsey,  Her- 
vey  and  Reed.  In  July,  1831,  Mr.  Garrett, 
for  ten  years  the  faithful  printer  to  the  mis- 
sion, died,  and  soon  after  Mrs.  Allen  and 
Mrs.  Ilervey  were  called  from  their  earthly 
labors.  During  this  year  the  mission  re- 
ceived S5,600  from  the  American  Bible  and 
Tract  Societies,  for  the  publication  of  the 
Scriptures  and  of  tracts,  and  a  legacy  of 
$3,000  from  an  inhabitant  of  Bombay,  de- 
ceased, for  the  support  of  public  worship  in 
the  Mission  Chapel.  Several  Hindoo  con- 
verts were  received  to  the  Mission  Church 
this  year,  and  the  Christian  marriage  of  a 
Brahmin  was  celebrated. 

In  1832,  twenty  years  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  Bombay  mission,  there  were 
twelve  schools  exclusively  for  females,  con- 
taining 320  pupils ;  and  eighteen  other 
schools,  containing  63  girls  and  1,322  boys, 
making  a  total  of  30  schools,  and  1,705 
scholars.  Such  an  advance,  especially  in  fe- 
male education,  must  be  considered  quite 
wonderful,  in  view  of  the  total  darkness 
which  rested  upon  the  native  mind  when  the 
work  commenced.  ''There  is  no  doubt," 
say  the  Missionaries  at  this  period,  "  but 
Hindoo  girls  are  capable  of  a  high  degree  of 
improvement  in  all  the  departments  of 
knowledge  which  are  appropriate  to  their 
station  in  life." 

During  these  20  years,  the  amount  of 
Mahratta  printing  had  been  13,000,000  of 


pages,  including  a  Mahratta  version  of  the 
New  Testament ;  five  natives  had  been  re- 
ceived to  the  Mission  Church  ;  and  the  Gos- 
pel had  been  preached  to  many  thousands  in 
the  streets  and  market  places  of  Bombay 
and  on  the  continent.  A  native  temperance 
society  was  also  formed  in  1832,  on  the 
principle  of  total  abstinence  from  the  use  of 
ardent  spirits,  opium,  tobacco,  and  other 
intoxicating  drugs. 

Ahmednuggur  was  first  occupied  as  a  sta- 
tion in  December,  1831.  It  is  on  the  Conti- 
nent, 175  miles  north-east  from  Bombay; 
and  Messrs.  Read  and  Boggs  were  the  first 
missionaries  t6  this  field.  In  describing  the 
place,  they  say :  "  There  are  at  least  fifty 
villages  within  twenty  miles  of  Ahmednug- 
gur. Short  tours  have  been  made  through 
most  of  these  villages,  and  some  thousands 
of  religious  books  and  tracts  have  been  dis- 
tributed. The  Hindoos  have  received  them 
with  avidity."  A  number  of  English  gen- 
tlemen residing  at  Ahmednuggur  opened  an 
asylum  in  1832  for  the  infirm  poor,  and 
placed  it  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr. 
Read.  It  was  recorded  as  an  encouraging 
fact,  that  within  one  year,  and  on  the  very- 
day  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  and  other  religi- 
ous bodies  in  America,  for  prayer  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world,  a  spirit  of  inquiry 
was  awakened  in  this  asylum,  and  nearly 
half  of  the  inmates,  who  numbered  about 
forty  in  all,  were  led  to  ask,  "  What  shall 
we  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

A  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  at 
Ahmednuggur  on  the  4th  of  March,  1832 
consisting  of  fourteen  members,  ten  of 
whom  were  Hindoos.  Babajee,  the  Brah- 
minic  convert  from  the  Church  of  Bombay, 
was  ordained  elder,  and  Dajeeba,  also  from 
the  Bombay  church,  deacon.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  church  soon  formed  themselves 
into  a  society  for  promoting  temperance  and 
Christian  morals  in  general,  and  24  rules 
were  drawn  up  by  Babajee  himself.  Con- 
sidering their  source,  and  how  lately  their 
author  was  a  blind  and  degraded  Brahmin, 
they  form  a  document  of  very  great  interest. 
(See  Annual  Report  of  the  Board  for  1833). 
In  January,  1833,  20  natives  requested 
baptism,  one  of  whom  was  the  aged  mother 
of  Dajeeba,  who  was  strongly  opposed  to 
Christianity  for  some  time  after  the  conver- 
sion of  her  son,  but  who  finally  yielded  and 
gave  up  her  last  idol  to  the  missionary. 

Babajee  died  of  cholera,  in  April,  1833. 
His  death  was  felt  to  be  a  very  great  loss  to 
the  mission  and  to  the  cause  of  Christianity, 
in  India.  Although  he  had  become  an  out- 
cast by  renouncing  Hindooism,  he  was 
much  respected  by  all  classes.  His  memoir, 
in  two  volumes,  written  by  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, may  be  found  in  the  Library  of  the 
American  Board.     The  mission  at  Bombay 


[tifivsrsitt; 


niNDOSTAN. 


385 


was  also  afflicted  by  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Stone,  in  August,  18*33,  after  an  illness  of 
twelve  days.  About  this  time  it  was  re- 
marked by  the  Board,  that  of  the  nine  adults, 
missionaries  and  assistant  missionaries, 
from  this  country,  who  had  died  in  India, 
only  two  had  died  of  the  peculiar  diseases 
of  the  climate.  A  reinforcement  of  five 
missionaries  and  assistants  reached  Bombay 
in  September,  1834.  A  charity  school  for 
native  orphan  girls  was  opened  at  Bombay 
this  year,  thus  affording  another  illustration 
of  the  spirit  and  influence  of  Christianity  in 
its  relation  to  the  woes  even  of  this  life. 

Itinerating  was  found  to  be  not  only  one 
of  the  most  important  means  of  access  to 
the  heathen,  but  favorable  also  to  the  health 
of  the  missionaries.  They  therefore  pur- 
sued it  very  extensively.  Mr.  Bead  alone 
traveled  not  less  than  1,100  miles  in  his  ex- 
cursions into  the  country  around  Ahmed- 
nuggur,  between  October,  1833,  and  August, 
1834.  It  is  remarked  also  that  he  traveled 
without  arms  or  a  guard,  the  mode  of  travel- 
ing best  becoming  missionaries  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  peace,  and  that  he  never  met  with 
either  insult  or  harm.  After  all,  but  a  small 
proportion  of  the  population  could  be 
reached,  even  by  the  tracts  and  portions 
of  Scripture  that  were  scattered  by  tens  of 
thousands ;  for  the  missionaries  had  before 
them  the  appalling  and  affecting  fact  that 
they  were  almost  the  only  laborers  in  a  field 
800  by  1,000  miles  in  extent,  containing  not 
less  than  2.000  towns  and  villages,  and  a 
population  of  40,000,000. 

Malcolm  Peth,  on  the  Mahaburlishwur 
Hills,  was  occupied  as  a  temporary  health 
station  in  1835.  In  1836,  Alibag  was  also 
made  a  centre  of  operations.  It  is  in  the 
Concan,  the  maritime  portion  of  the  Mah- 
ratta  country,  and  mission  schools  had  for 
some  time  been  supported  there.  About  the 
same  time  a  missionary  was  placed  at  Jalna, 
in  the  dominions  of  the  Nizam,  or  native 
Prince,  120  miles  north-west  of  Ahmednug- 
gur. 

Bev.  Messrs.  Ebenezer  Burgess,  Ozro 
French,  and  B.  W.  Hume,  with  their  wives, 
and  Miss  Cynthia  Farrar,  sailed  for  Bombay 
in  April,  1838,  and  arrived  there  in  the  fol- 
lowing August.  In  1839  a  boarding  school 
had  been  established  at  Jalna,  containing  19 
boys;  and  one  at  Malcolm  Peth  for  girls, 
containing  30  pupils. 

The  year  1839  was  one  of  extraordinary 
interest  to  the  Bombay  mission,  not  so  much 
on  account  of  an)"-  remarkable  progress 
made,  as  for  the  opposition  awakened  in  the 
jninds  of  the  natives.  The  immediate  occa- 
sion of  the  opposition  was,  the  public  pro- 
fession of  Christianity  made  by  two  Parsee 
young  men  named  Narayan  and  Harripunt. 
They  were  baptized  by  Dr.  Wilson,  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland's  mission  at  Bombay, 
25 


and  were  supposed  to  be  the  first  proselytes 
from  the  religion  of  Zoroaster  in  modem 
times.  Their  Parsee  friends  became  much 
enraged,  and  would  have  laid  violent  hands 
on  them,  but  they  had  taken  refuge  with  the 
missionaries.  A  legal  process  was  instituted 
against  the  missionaries,  but  in  vain.  They 
then  attempted  to  break  up  the  schools  by 
threats  against  the  parents,  and  succeeded 
to  some  extent.  They  published  a  tract  in 
defence  of  Hindooism,  petitioned  the  Gov- 
ernment for  protection  against  the  influence 
of  the  missionaries,  &c.,  but  all  with  very 
little  effect,  except  to  show  that  the  progress 
of  the  Gospel  had  begun  to  be  such  as  to 
disturb  the  native  conscience,  and  awaken 
their  fears  for  the  safety  of  their  ancient 
system  of  idolatry.  One  year  later  the 
missionaries  say,  "The  events  of  the  last 
year  have  done  much,  we  think,  to  spread 
the  knowledge  of  the  Gospel  in  Ahmednug- 
gur  and  the  villages  around.  People  now 
understand  that  there  is  something  in  the 
Christian  religion  which  is  powerful  to  the 
conversion  of  men,  and  they  are  afraid  to 
come  into  contact  with  it.  Formerly  very 
few  in  this  place  knew  the  object  for  which 
we  came  here.  Now  the  great  mass  know 
that  it  is  our  aim  to  lead  men  from  the  wor- 
ship of  idols  to  the  worship  of  the  one 
living  and  true  God,  and  to  a  belief  in  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ.  Formerly  the  people 
here  were  not  afraid  to  enter  into  argument 
with  us,  thinking  that  their  religion  rested 
on  a  sure  foundation ;  now  they  are  un- 
willing to  argue  when  the  subject  is  pro- 
posed." Naraj^an  and  Harripunt  now  ap- 
peared among  the  people  with  entire  safety, 
the  natives  simply  telling  them  it  was 
wrong  for  any  one  to  forsake  his  religion. 
At  this  period  the  Prudential  Committee  of 
the  Board  in  their  annual  report  say,  "  Those 
who  have  attended  to  the  history  of  this 
first  mission  of  the  Board, — this  earliest  of 
the  foreign  missions  of  the  American 
churches,  from  the  beginning,  must  perceive 
that  the  Mahrattas,  as  a  people,  stand  related 
to  the  Christian  religion  very  differently 
from  what  they  did  in  1814.  Much  un- 
avoidable, preliminary  ground  has  been  gone 
over,  and  the  truth  is  nearer  the  great  mass 
of  the  native  intellect  and  heart." 

In  1841,  the  Bombay  and  Ahmednuggur 
stations,  comprising  what  was  called  the 
mission  to  the  Mahrattas,  were  divided  into 
two.  to  be  known  henceforth  as  the  Bombay 
and  Ahmednuggur  missions.  These  places 
were  so  far  apart  that  it  became  incon- 
venient and  expensive  for  the  missionaries 
to  meet  for  business,  and  hence  the  division. 
The  two  missions  date  their  separate  exist- 
ence from  the  1st  of  January,  1842,  and  from 
this  period  will  receive  a  separate  notice. 
The  station  at  Malcolm  Peth  belonged  to 
Bombay.     Mr.  Graves,  of  this  station,  died 


886 


niNDOSTAN. 


in  December,  1843.  He  embarked  on  his 
mission  in  1817,  and  had  been  25  years  in  the 
service  of  the  Board. 

The  opposition  to  Christianity  took  quite  a 
new  turn  at  Bombay  in  1843,  when  the  more 
wealtliy  Hindoos  commenced  printing  by 
subscription,  a  series  of  their  most  popular 
religious  books  in  monthly  numbers.  None 
of  these  books  had  ever  before  been  printed, 
and  the  manuscripts  were  scarce  and  costly, 
but  in  the  printed  form  they  were  afforded 
at  little  cost.  A  Hindoo  at  Bombay  ex- 
pended nearly  $1,800  in  printing  and  circu- 
lating one  of  the  sacred  books  of  his  reli- 
gion. Thus,  a  new  and  extraordinary  effort 
to  sustain  idolatry,  showed  that  the  presence 
and  power  of  Christianity  were  beginning 
to  be  felt.  This  was  still  further  manifested 
a  year  later,  when  the  periodical  press  was 
for  the  first  time  brought  to  the  aid  of  the 
tottering  system  of  Hindooism.  Three 
weekly  newspapers  and  one  monthly  maga- 
zine, all  in  the  Mahratta  language,  and  bit- 
terly opposed  to  Christianity,  were  published 
at  Bombay.  A  paper  was  also  issued  at 
Poena,  a  little  to  the  south-east  of  Bombay, 
and  a  monthly  journal  and  three  weeklies 
in  the  Goozerattee  language,  spoken  by 
seven  or  eight  millions  in  the  region  north 
of  Bombay,  besides  two  papers  printed  in 
the  Persian  language.  The  Goozerattee 
papers  especially  attempted  to  refute  Chris- 
tianity by  quotations  from  the  writings  of 
Paine,  Voltaire,  and  other  infidels.  Thus 
ten  newspapers  and  magazines  in  and 
around  Bombay,  armed  not  only  with  all 
that  heathen  learning  could  furnish,  but  with 
the  most  approved  weapons  of  infidelity, 
were  brought  to  bear  against  the  religion 
taught  by  the  missionaries,  and  of  course 
the  tendency  was  most  injurious.  But 
meanwhile  the  mission  press  at  Bombay  was 
never  more  efficient.  It  had  the  means  of 
issuing  periodicals,  tracts,  and  portions  of 
Scripture,  in  English,  Sanscrit,  Mahratta, 
Goozerattee,  Hindostanee,  Persian,  Arabic, 
&c.,  and  thus  the  issues  of  the  idolatrous 
and  infidel  presses  were  met  face  to  face, 
and  their  influence  in  great  measure  counter- 
acted. It  was  with  great  joy  and  thankful- 
ness that  the  missionaries  at  Bombay  were 
able  to  say,  in  1845,  "  Thirty-three  years  ago 
the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified  was  unknown 
to  the  people  of  the  Mahratta  country.  No 
portion  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  had  been 
given  to  them  in  their  own  language.  Not 
a  single  tract  from  which  they  could  learn 
the  way  of  salvation,  was  in  existence.  Un- 
broken unmixed  darkness  covered  the  land. 
Now  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  has  gone  out 
into  all  the  land.  The  people  of  the  most 
distant  villages  have  heard,  at  least,  that 
.  "  there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men  whereby  we  can  be  saved, 
but  the  name  of  Jesus." 


The  year  1847  was  marked  by  an  event  of 
great  importance,  viz  :  the  translation  of  the 
entire  Scriptures  into  the  Mahratta  language, 
thus  rendering  the  whole  volume  of  inspira- 
tion accessible  to  a  numerous  people  in 
western  India.  In  noticing  this  fact,  the 
Prudential  Committee  say,  "  It  may  bo  stated 
as  a  fact  of  some  interest  to  the  friends  of 
missions  in  this  country,  that  all  the  Scrip- 
tures which  have  been  printed  in  Mahratta, 
except  one  of  the  Gospels,  have  issued  from 
the  mission  press."  For  a  history  of  this 
great  work  they  refer  to  the  following  state- 
ment, by  one  of  the  missionaries,  Mr.  Allen  : 

"  The  Gospel  of  Matthew  was  printed  in 
1817.  The  translation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  not  completed  and  printed  till 
1826  ;  though,  meanwhile,  some  of  the  Gos- 
pels and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  had  been 
printed  several  times.  In  1830  a  second 
and  revised  edition  of  the  New  Testament 
was  printed.  The  original  translation  and 
the  revised  edition  were  both  made  by  our 
mission.  Since  then  all  the  New  Testament 
has  been  printed  once,*  and  some  parts  of  it 
several  times,  by  the  Bible  Society,  as 
altered  and  revised  by  its  translation  com- 
mittee. Of  this  committee  I  have  been  a 
member  for  nearly  fifteen  years." 

Mr.  Allen  proceeds  to  explain  the  reasons 
which  had  delayed  the  translation  and  pub- 
lication of  the  Old  Testament  till  the  above 
date,  and  adds  that  the  whole  Bible  has  been 
published,  not  only  in  the  Mahratta,  but  also 
in  the  Goozerattee  language,  the  two  princi- 
pal languages  spoken  on  the  western  side  of 
India. 

Amid  some  discouragements,  especially 
the  fact  that  the  number  of  converts  was 
comparatively  small,  the  missionaries  had 
ground  for  saying,  in  1848,  "Truth  is 
gradually  making  an  impression  upon  the 
public  mind,  and  gradually  changing  the 
views  prevalent  in  the  community.  Hindoo- 
ism is  losing  its  hold  upon  the  people,  and 
the  Hindooism  of  the  rising  generation  will 
be  a  very  different  thing  from  that  of  their 
fathers.  Christian  ideas,  and  Christian  doc- 
trines, are  quietly  gaining  an  influence  over 
the  minds  of  many.  There  is  a  Christian- 
izing, so  to  speak,  of  the  ideas  and  even  the 
language  of  the  people." 

Satara  was  occupied  as  a  missionary 
station  in  1848.  It  is  about  170  miles  south- 
east of  Bombay,  and  is  situated  in  a  very 
populous  and  fertile  district.  The  size  of 
the  place,  which  is  about  equal  to  Ahmed- 
nuggur,  and  the  numerous  villages  around  it, 
seemed  to  point  it  out  as  a  very  important 
station,  as  it  has  proved  to  be. 

The  custom  recently  adopted  by  the  mis- 
sionaries of  selling  tracts  and  books,  instead 
of  distributing  them  gratuitously,  was  found 
to  work  admirably,  and  it  strikingly  illus- 
trated the  increasing  desire  of  the  natives  to 


HINDOSTAN. 


387 


read  and  learn.  "  The  readiness  to  purchase 
Christian  tracts  and  books,"  says  one  of  the 
missionaries  in  1849,  "  is  without  a  parallel 
in  any  part  of  the  heathen  world.  The  fact 
that  we  have,  in  a  single  year,  sold  9,000  of 
these  publications,  is  full  of  encouragement." 
A  further  proof  of  the  waking  up  of  the 
heathen  mind  was  found  in  the  fact,  that  the 
paper  issued  from  the  mission  press  called 
the  Dnyanadaya,  was  widely  circulated  and 
much  read  by  the  natives.  In  1849  two 
prize  essays  on  the  Ilolee,  a  shameful  feast 
observed  among  the  Hindoos,  were  pub- 
lished in  this  paper,  and  read  by  great  num- 
bers of  the  Mahrattas,  and  one  of  them  was 
copied  into  the  native  papers,  and  translated 
into  the  languages  of  upper  India.  About 
the  same  date  the  missionaries  speak  of  very 
interesting  discussions  with  the  Parsees. 
The  scene  of  debate  was  the  sea-side,  where 
the  Parsees  assembled  to  worship  the  sea  or 
the  setting  sun ;  and  the  disputants  were 
accustomed  to  sit  down  on  the  sand,  the 
auditors,  to  the  number  of  several  hundreds, 
standing  around.  The  fact  that  these  dis- 
cussions lasted  sometimes  till  two  hours 
after  dark,  and  that  the  crowds  listened 
with  untiring  interest  to  the  end,  indicated  a 
spirit  of  inquiry,  and  a  deep  solicitude 
among  the  people  to  know  the  difference  be- 
tween heathenism  and  Christianity.  In 
these  debates  the  works  of  Paine,  Voltaire, 
and  other  infidels,  were  brought  forward 
with  great  skill  and  familiarity  by  the  Par- 
sees. 

An  event  of  deep  interest  to  the  missions 
and  to  the  cause  of  Christianity  in  India,  in 
1849,  was  the  passage  of  a  law  by  the  gov- 
ernment, giving  equal  rights  to  all  its  sub- 
jects. Up  to  this  time,  in  western  and 
southern  India,  there  had  been  no  special 
law  for  the  protection  of  converts  to  Chris- 
tianity, who  were  tried  by  heathen  laws  and 
subjected  to  every  indignity,  with  confisca- 
tion of  goods.  After  various  efforts  of 
Christians  in  India,  they  at  length  succeeded 
in  getting  a  repeal  of  the  old  laws,  and  the 
passage  of  an  act  protecting  converts  against 
all  civil  disabilities  and  forfeiture  of  rights. 
Thus  one  of  the  most  serious  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  the  progress  of  Christianity  in  India 
was  removed. 

The  influence  of  Christianity  and  its  mis- 
sions in  the  education  and  elevation  of 
females,  has  ever  been  regarded  as  one  of  its 
most  interesting  features  ;  and  on  this  point 
the  missionaries  at  Bombay  are  very  explicit 
and  satisfactory  in  their  report  for  1850.  At 
first  there  was  an  extreme  jealousy  on  this 
subject,  but  a  gradual  change  was  wrought, 
the  wealthiest  natives  began  to  send  their 
daughters  to  the  mission  schools,  and  at  the 
above  date  thousands  of  females  in  various 
parts  of  India,  of  all  castes,  were  acquiring 
the  rudiments  of  an  education.     H  had  been 


proved,  the  missionaries  say,  that  native 
females  were  not  wanting  in  capacity,  and 
the  way  had  been  prepared  for  the  establish- 
ment of  female  schools  by  the  natives  them- 
selves, and  by  the  government.  The  Gov- 
ernor-General of  India,  this  year,  issued  a 
very  important  declaration,  requesting  that 
the  Council  of  Education  would  consider  its 
functions  as  comprising  the  superinten- 
dence of  native  female  education ;  and  that 
wherever  any  disposition  was  shown  by  the 
natives  to  establish  female  schools,  said 
Council  would  give  them  all  possible  encour- 
agement. 

During  the  years  1850  and  1851,  Mr.  Allen 
had  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of  revising 
the  Mahratta  Scriptures.  A  complete  trans- 
lation had  been  made,  as  before  noticed,  but 
different  books  had  been  issued  at  different 
times,  in  differing  type  and  style,  and  the 
effort  now  was  to  correct  the  translation, 
give  uniformity  to  the  style,  and  put  the 
whole  into  one  octavo  volume.  This  work 
would  not  be  completed,  Mr.  Allen  thought, 
till  the  spring  of  1855.  While  the  press  was 
thus  at  work,  doing  more,  it  was  believed,  in 
various  ways,  to  make  known  Christ  among 
the  people  than  ten  men  could  do  faithfully 
preaching  daily  in  the  streets  and  bazaars  of 
the  city,  the  direct  business  of  preaching  was 
by  no  means  neglected.  At  the  close  of 
1851  there  were  three  stated  places  for 
preaching  in  the  city  of  Bombay,  besides 
which  "touring  among  the  villages"  occu- 
pied a  considerable  portion  of  each  year. 

Among  the  interesting  events  of  1852,  was 
a  series  of  public  lectures  in  the  mission 
chapel,  followed  by  a  free  discussion,  in 
which  the  natives  present  were  allowed  to 
make  inquiries  and  to  state  objections.  The 
discussions  were  in  the  Mahratta  language, 
but  were  reported  in  the  religious  paper  of 
the  mission  in  both  Mahratta  and  English, 
and  their  influence  was  very  extensive.  The 
Native  Missionary  Society  also  held  meet- 
ings on  the  first  Monday  of  each  month,  for 
the  communication  of  intelligence,  prayer, 
&c.,  and  they  were  among  the  most  interest- 
ing of  the  Mahratta  meetings.  About  ^70 
was  collected,  and  appropriated  to  the  erec- 
tion of  another  place  of  preaching  in  a  na- 
tive city.  Another  occurrence  of  special  in- 
terest this  year,  was  the  publication  of  a 
work  entitled  "  Principles  of  HindooismJ'' 
written  by  an  educated  Brahmin,  to  explain 
and  defend  his  religion.  He  admits  that  the 
missionaries  have  turned  the  minds  of  many 
from  Hindooism  to  Christianity,  that  a  large 
portion  of  those  educated  in  the  schools 
abandon  and  seek  to  destroy  their  ancestral 
faith,  that  they  deny  the  divine  appointment 
of  caste,  &c.,  and  adds  : 

"  The'  ancient  and  noble  edifice  of  Hindoo- 
ism is  now  on  all  sides  stoutly  assailed  by 
the  adherents  of  a  hostile  faith,  and  we  are 


HINDOSTAN. 


filled  with  dismay  at  finding  that  there  is  also 
treason  within.  No  wonder  that  the  vener- 
able structure  is  already  nodding  to  its  fall. 
I  by  means  of  this  little  book,  seek  to  prop 
np  the  building ;  but  when  its  size  and  its 
ruinous  state  arc  considered,  what  hope  is 
there  that  such  a  feeble  prop  can  prevent  its 
falling  ?" 

The  year  1853  was  marked  by  no  peculiar 
changes  in  the  mission,  yet  an  event  oc- 
curred that  will  bo  celebrated  in  the  annals 
of  Ilindostan,  and  so  nearly  related  to  the 
cause  of  Christianity  as  to  be  entitled  to  a 
notice  here.  It  was  the  opening,  on  the 
ICth  of  April  of  that  year,  of  the  first 
Asiatic  railway  connecting  Bombay  and 
Tannah,  a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles. 
One  of  the  missionaries,  Mr.  Hume,  in  de- 
scribing this  event  says,  ."  Great  was  the  in- 
terest excited  in  the  minds  of  assembled 
thousands,  as  the  first  train  of  ponderous 
cars,  with  400  passengers,  hasted  away, 
moved  by  some  mysterious  agency.  From 
the  neighboring  heights,  at  the  various  cross- 
ings, and  for  a  considerable  distance  along 
the  line  of  the  road,  multitudes  gazed  with 
astonishment  and  delight  at  this  triumph  of 
science  and  skill.  New  and  more  vivid  im- 
pressions regarding  the  immense  superiority 
of  the  Christian  nations  of  the  West,  were 
unconsciously  received  by  those  living 
masses*  Many  of  them  must  have  felt,  as 
they  never  felt  before,  that  Hindooism  is  in 
conflict  with  the  spirit  of  the  age,  and  that 
its  days  must  ere  long  be  numbered." 

Dating  the  commencement  of  the  Bombay 
mission  in  1812,  the  whole  period  thus 
briefly  reviewed  is  forty-one  years.  The 
general  view  taken  is  sufficient  to  show  that 
during  this  period  changes  of  immense 
importance  have  been  wrought,  and  an 
incalculable  amount  of  good  accomplished. 
For  general  remarks  and  statistics  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  close  of  the  article 
on  missions  in  Ilindostan.  Also  for  a  more 
particular  account  of  Bombay — its  various 
classes,  religions,  commercial  importance, 
&c..  see  article  under  that  head. 

Ahmednuggur. — Previous  to  1831,  Ah- 
mednuggur  was  simply  a  station  of  the  Bom- 
bay mission,  and  was  noticed  in  that  con- 
nection. In  December  of  that  year  it  be- 
came a  distinct  mission,  and  from  that  date 
the  present  account  commences.  At  this 
period  there  were  three  missionaries  here, 
yiz:  Messrs.  Graves,  Ilervey,  and  Read. 
Mr.  Hervey  died  very  suddenly,  of  cholera, 
in  the  following  May.  The  mission  church 
at  Alimednuggnr  was  formed  in  March,  1833, 
with  14  members,  and  public  worship  and 
preaching  were  regularly  maintained,  with 
from  forty  to  sixty  hearers,  though  they  had 
no  chapel,  and  were  obliged  to  meet  in  a 
te.iiporary  building,  "a  sort  of  shed." 
Preaching  toure  in  the  surrounding  villages 


were  also  extensively  maintained.  The  sys- 
tem of  education  was  nearly  the  same  as  that 
at  Bombay,  and  at  the  close  of  1835  there 
were  9  schools  and  422  scholars.  The  es- 
tablishment of  free  schools  in  the  neighbor- 
ing villages,  twenty  or  thirty  miles  around 
Ahmednuggnr,  was  also  a  favorite  and  suc- 
cessful method  of  doing  good.  In  1837  a  sub- 
stantial house  had  been  erected  for  the  sem- 
inary, which  contained  fifty  boys,  all  taken 
from  respectable  castes,  and  the  same  house 
was  used  also  for  a  chapel.  A  boarding 
school  for  girls  was  also  in  successful  opera- 
tion. 

Seroor,  28  miles  from  Ahmednuggur,  was 
occupied  as  a  station  in  1841.  At  this  pe- 
riod the  missionaries,  after  describing  a 
preaching  excursion,  say :  "  "We  hope  to  be 
able  to  adopt  this  plan  more  than  we  have 
done, — to  occupy  a  village  for  some  days, 
having  as  much  intercourse  with  the  people 
of  the  village  as  possible,  and  making  excur- 
sions to  the  small  villages  in  its  vicinity  as 
may  be  convenient."  The  plan  thus  pro- 
posed was  carried  out  very  successfully.  In 
their  labors  in  and  around  Ahmednuggur, 
the  missionaries  came  much  in  contact  with 
a  class  of  Hindoos  called  Mahars,  who,  they 
say,  "  are  thought  to  be  the  original  inhabit- 
ants of  the  country."  They  are  a  low  caste, 
and  the  more  intelligent  of  them  discard 
idolatry,  and  maintain  the  doctrine  of  one 
invisible  God.  They  adhere  but  slightly  to 
the  rules  of  caste,  are  free  from  bigotry, 
manifest  a  desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  ex- 
hibit none  of  that  wrangling  and  angry  dis- 
putation which  are  so  common  among  the 
Brahmins."  It  was  among  them  that  the 
missionaries,  in  1842,  found  a  remarkable 
spirit  of  inquiry  into  the  Christian  religion, 
and  in  their  excursions  through  not  less  than 
a  hundred  villages,  they  had  access  to  crowds 
of  eager  listeners.  During  this  year  seven- 
teen natives  were  received  to  the  Ahmed- 
nuggur church,  one  of  whom  had  been  a  rob- 
ber and  murderer  by  profession.  The  num- 
ber of  church  members  was  thus  more  than 
doubled.  In  1843  twelve  more  were  added, 
and  five  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1844, 
making  the  whole  number  of  members  48. 

The  importance  of  this  field,  and  the  in- 
creasing interest  felt  in  it,  may  be  gathered 
from  the  fact,  stated  in  1844,  that  "  within  a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles  around  Ahmednug- 
gur there  are  more  than  one  hundred  vil- 
lages, the  population  of  which,  including 
Ahmednuggur  itself,  amounts  to  more  than 
one  hundred  thousand  souls.  The  distinc- 
tions of  caste  are  numerous,  amounting  to  60 
in  Ahmednuggur,  and  varying  from  ten  to 
thirty  in  the  villages."  It  was  to  such  a 
people  that  the  missionaries  were  carrying 
the  Gospel  as  they  went  out  from  their  re- 
spective stations.  In  their  report  for  1844 
they  say  :  "  These  excursions  arc  becoming 


HINDOSTAN. 


389 


more  and  more  interesting  in  consequence 
of  the  increased  knowledge  of  Christianity 
which  we  find  among  the  people,  and  of 
their  increased  acquaintance  with  us  and  our 
native  converts,  and  also  in  consequence  of 
the  confidence  which  many  of  them  have 
learnt  to  place  in  us,  and  in  the  doctrines 
which  we  preach."  In  the  same  report  they 
say :  "  Women  of  all  castes  had  the  oppor- 
tunity of  learning  the  way  of  salvation 
through  Jesus  Christ.  In  some  places  which 
we  visited,  nearly  all  the  women  of  the  vil- 
lage came  out  to  see  us  and  to  hoar  the  mes- 
sage of  mercy."  This  work  was  prosecuted 
during  1845  with  increasing  interest. 

In  1846  this  mission  was  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  of  two  new  missionaries,  and  the 
return  of  Mr.  Burgess,  whose  health  had 
been  improved  by  a  short  residence  in  this 
country.  At  this  period  a  new  station  was 
formed  at  Bhingar,  a  large  town  of  4,000  in- 
habitants, two  miles  east  of  Ahmednuggur. 
Early  in  this  year  peculiar  religious  interest 
began  to  be  manifested  in  the  seminary  for 
boys,  and  a  little  band  were  in  the  habit  of 
meeting  together  for  prayer,  and  of  visiting 
the  house  of  their  teacher  for  religious  con- 
versation and  worship.  At  length  one  of 
the  company,  named  Rama,  the  most  ad- 
vanced boy  in  the  seminary,  determined  to 
confess  Christ,  and  to  request  baptism.  This 
he  did  in  spite  of  the  opposition  and  entrea- 
ties of  his  mother  and  brothers.  At  the 
same  time  another  boy  in  the  seminary, 
named  Sudoo,  professed  his  faith  in  Christ. 
This  seminary,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Bur- 
gess, was  considered  of  very  great  import- 
ance to  the  missionary  work. 

Two  out-stations  were  formed  in  1845, 
one  at  Wudaley,  about  forty  miles  north  of 
Ahmednuggur ;  and  the  other  at  Wadagaum, 
a  village  about  30  miles  south  of  Ahmed- 
nuggur. At  the  former  place  the  Mahars 
were  favorable  to  Christianity  and  very  de- 
sirous of  a  station  among  them,  and  one  of 
them  gave  land  for  a  chapel,  with  a  written 
guaranty  that  it  should  remain  the  property 
of  the  mission.  This  chapel  was  opened  in 
February,  1846,  at  which  time  ten  adults 
were  admitted  to  Christian  fellowship. 
Others  were  admitted  subsequently,  so  that 
the  whole  number  of  church  members  con- 
nected with  this  out-station  in  January, 
1847,  was  twenty-one.  Not  long  after  ele- 
ven children  were  baptized,  and  one  adult 
was  examined  for  admission  to  the  church. 
These  fruits  were  the  more  remarkable,  as 
this  station  did  not  enjoy  the  labors  of  a 
missionary,  but  was  under  the  care  of  a  na- 
tive catechist,  Dajeeba.  An'  interesting  ac- 
count of  the  opposition  he  met  with,  and  the 
numerous  obstacles  overcome  in  erecting  a 
chapel  at  that  station,  will  be  found  in  the 
annual  report  of  the  Board  for  1847.  In  the 
same  report  will  be  found  an  account  of  Ha- 


ripunt,  the  native  catechist  at  Wudaley, who 
was  forcibly  ejected  from  a  temple,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  the  important  decision  was 
obtained  from  a  magistrate,  that  native 
Christians  were  entitled  to  the  same  privi- 
leges at  the  temples  and  rest  houses,  as  are 
conceded  to  Mohammedans.  This  decision 
indicated  the  determination  of  the  govern- 
ment that  no  one  should  be  deprived  of  his 
rights  merely  because  he  professed  his  faith 
in  Christ. 

The  toilsome  and  ceaseless  efforts  of  the 
missionaries  in  this  field,  so  noticeable 
at  every  step,  are  indicated  again  by  the 
fact^  that  in  1848  one  of  them  made  a  preach- 
ing circuit  of  122  days,  traveling  912  miles 
and  visiting  509  towns.  In  many  places  he 
was  heard  gladly,  crowds,  especially  of  the 
working  people,  flocking  to  his  tent  and  lis- 
tening attentively  till  late  hours  at  night. 
Ten  persons,  three  males  and  seven  females, 
were  received  to  the  Ahmednuggur  church 
this  year.  Four  were  also  added  to  the 
church  at  Seroor. 

In  1849  a  new  station  was  established  at 
Newasse.  In  accomplishing  this  object  great 
opposition  and  even  danger  were  encountered, 
an  account  of  which  will  be  found  in  the 
Missionary  Herald  for  August,  1850.  The 
elfort  was  successful,  however,  and  in  1852 
there  was  a  school  in  Newasse  of  fifty  schol- 
ars. In  the  report  of  the  Board  for  1853, 
the  interesting  fact  is  stated,  that  the  num- 
ber of  baptized  children  was  159,  and  it  is 
added,  "  The  families  of  the  church  members 
form  a  most  interesting  field  of  labor,  and 
one  which  promises  the  richest  fruits.  As 
the  children  of  our  converts  grow  up,  they 
exhibit  an  interest  in  religious  things  which 
encourages  us  much ;  and  the  number  of 
those  of  this  class  who  have  been  already 
received  into  the  church,  or  are  now  candi- 
dates for  church  membership,  shows  that 
God  is  faithful  to  his  covenant,  and  Avilling 
to  bless  the  instructions  and  prayers  of  pa- 
rents to  the  conversion  of  their  offspring,  as 
well  as  our  efforts  in  their  behalf."  In  the 
same  report  a  preaching  tour  of  Mr.  Munger 
is  described,  in  which  he  traveled  over  a 
thousand  miles  in  135  days,  and  preached  in 
400  towns  and  villages.  He  found  every 
where  "an  open  door,"  and  an  increasing 
conviction  in  many  minds,  that  they  were  the 
dupes  of  Brahmin  cupidity  and  selfishiiess. 

In  the  city  of  Ahmednuggur  there  was  at 
this  period,  a  growing  disposition  among  an 
interesting  and  increasing  class  of  young 
men,  to  inquire  into  the  truth  of  Christianity. 
Some  of  them  were  teachers  in  government 
chools,  and  writers  in  the  public  offices. 
They  held  the  absurd  superstitions  of  Hin- 
dooism  in  utter  contempt,  but  inclined  to 
deistical  opinions,  and  were  not  prepared  to 
receive  Christianity,  though  they  approved 
of  some  of  its  doctrines.   This  class  of  young 


390 


UINDOSTAN. 


won  had  foniicd  a  society,  the  object  of 
which  v,'i\8  to  discuss  subjects  connected 
with  morals  and  reUgion,  and  in  these  dis- 
cussions the  truths  of  Christianity  were 
ably  maintained  by  two  native  converts, 
nicinbt  rs  of  the  mission  church.  (See  Her- 
ald for  June,  1853.) 

The  printing  for  this  station  is  done  at 
Bombay,  and  is  included  in  the  report  of  that 
mission.  A  condensed  view  of  the  churches 
and  schools  will  be  found  in  the  table  at  the 
close  of  this  article.  From  what  has  been 
presented,  it  is  apparent  that  Ahmednuggur 
and  the  country  around  it,  afford  an  exten- 
sive and  most  important  field  of  missionary 
labor,  and  that  it  has  been  cultivated  with 
great  diligence  and  most  encouraging  suc- 
cess, affording  reasonable  ground  for  the 
hope,  that  still  greater  and  more  rapid 
changes  will  ere  long  be  witnessed. 

Salara. — This  was  a  station  of  the  Bom- 
bay mission  until  1851,  when,  in  connection 
with  Mahabulishwar,  it  became  a  distinct 
mission,  and  was  occupied  by  Messrs.  Bur- 
gess and  "Wood.  Schools  were  already  es- 
tablished there,  and  also  a  church,  with  nine 
native  members.  In  1852  this  mission  ex- 
perienced a  severe  bereavement,  in  the  death 
of  both  Mrs.  Wood  and  Mrs.  Burgess. 

The  first  native  who  embraced  Christian- 
ity at  Satara,  was  Krishana  Row,  a  Brah- 
min, and  his  case  excited  extraordinary  in- 
terest in  the  minds  of  the  people.  "  For 
some  days  after  his  baptism  hundreds  came 
to  see  him  and  his  wife.  Some  even  came 
from  distant  villages  to  behold  the  great 
wonder  of  a  Brahmin  become  a  Christian." 
The  excitement  was  attended  with  an  un- 
usual degree  of  calm  inquiry. 

Another  event  of  interest  at  this  time, was 
the  discovery  of  a  secret  society  among  the 
educated  Hindoos,  the  object  of  which  was 
to  make  war  upon  some  of  the  more  flagrant 
absurdities  of  their  religious  system,  such  as 
the  distinction  of  caste,  and  the  prejudice 
against  the  remarrying  of  widows  and  female 
education.  This  society  numbered  nearly  one 
hundred,  and  had  several  branches.  Its 
members  were  educated  in  the  missionary 
and  government  schools,  chiefly  the  latter, 
and  while  many  of  them  only  sought  to  re- 
form Ilindooism,  others  exposed  its  utter 
worthlessness,  and  advocated  the  peculiar 
claims  of  Christianity. 

A  small  chapel  was  completed  by  this 
mission  in  1852,  and  regular  preaching  exer- 
cises were  commenced.  The  exercises  took 
the  form  of  a  discussion  generally,  and  Mr. 
Burgess,  alluding  to  this  fact,  says :  "  I  doubt 
if  any  other  mission  in  India  can  present 
such  well  maintained  religious  discussions, 
attended  with  continued  interest  on  the  part 
of  the  people.  Certainly  I  never  had  such 
opportunities  for  preaching  to  the  masses  of 
the   people   as  I  enjoy  at  Satara.     At  the 


latest  dates  from  this  mission  a  larger  chapel 
was  about  to  be  erected,  and  the  villages 
around  presented  an  inviting  fiehl  of  labor. 
Two  boys'  schools  and  two  girls'  schools 
were  in  successful  operation,  and  there  was 
also  what  was  called  a  "  parochial  school," 
with  from  fifteen  to  twenty  pupils,  taught  in 
the  yard  of  the  mission  house  by  a  son  of  a 
native  Christian.  About  5,000  books,  tracts 
and  portions  of  Scripture  were  sold  by  the 
mission  during  the  year  1852.  A  reinforce- 
ment has  sailed  for  this  mission,  but  no  re- 
turns have  been  received. 

Kolapoor. — The  mission  at  this  place  is  of 
quite  recent  date,  having  been  commenced 
in  1852.  It  is  about  130  miles  distant  from 
Ahmednuggur,  nearly  south,  and  contains  a 
population  of  some  44,000.  No  missionary 
labor  had  ever  been  performed  here  before, 
and  the  people  were  entirely  unacquainted 
with  the  Gospel.  On  the  arrival  of  the  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Wilder,  the  people  sent  a  re- 
monstrance to  the  King  and  to  the  political 
superintendent,  against  his  being  allowed  to 
remain ;  but  they  soon  became  acquainted 
with  him,  and  the  opposition  died  away. 
Kolapoor  is  the  centre  of  a  population  of 
550,000  souls,  and  presents  an  immense  field 
for  missionary  operations. 

Madura. — The  mission  at  Madura  was 
commenced  in  July,  1834.  A  tour  of  obser- 
vation was  previously  made  by  Mr.  Spauld- 
ing,  of  the  Ceylon  mission,  accompanied  by 
three  native  helpers,  and  after  visiting  vari- 
ous places,  this  was  decided  upon  as  the 
most  desirable  and  important  in  that  part 
of  India  for  a  missionary  station. 

Madura  is  in  the  southern  part  of  Ilindos- 
tan,  and  is  the  city  of  the  ancient  Tamil 
kings  and  the  seat  of  Brahminical  pride  in 
that  quarter.  It  has  a  population  of  about 
50,000,  and  the  district  bearing  the  same 
name  contains  1,300,000  souls.  Several  largo 
villages  lie  within  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  of 
the  city.  As  the  result  of  their  observa- 
tions concerning  the  country  itself,  the  mis- 
sionaries say :  "  Southern  India  has  no  vast 
alluvial  plains,  like  the  deltas  of  the  Ganges, 
the  Jumna,  and  the  Burrampootur,  nor  is  its 
coast  marshy,  like  those  of  Cuttack,  Bengal, 
and  Arracan.  Beheld  from  the  sea,  it  ap- 
pears mountainous  down  to  the  beach.  But 
along  the  eastern  shore  for  more  than  500 
miles  from  Cape  Comorin,  there  is  a  strip  of 
sandy  waste  extending  three  or  four  miles 
from  the  sea ;  when  the  land  rises  into  de- 
tached hills,  and  farther  back  into  moun- 
tains, till  at  length  the  scenery  combines  the 
magnificent  with  the  beautiful.  The  moun- 
tains assume  every  varied  form,  and  are 
clothed  with  extensive  forests,  while  the 
smaller  hills,  which  skirt  the  plain,  are 
here  and  there  graced  with  temples  and 
choultries,  exhibiting  exquisite  specimens 
of  architecture.     Winding  streams  flow  i"  om 


fTJUIVBRSITT] 


liOJk.  Rasrt      froiM  fii|o      Gr««nvri«l« 


niNDOSTAN. 


391 


every  hill,  and  the  soft  and  lovely  valleys  are 
in  striking  contrast  with  the  dark  and  mighty 
forests  which  ovcrcap  them,"  Among  these 
hills  and  valleys  dwell  that  portion  of  the 
Tamil  people  on  the  continent,  for  whose 
immediate  benefit  the  mission  was  com- 
menced. 

In  Jul}',  1834,  Messrs.  Todd  and  Iloising- 
ton  removed  from  Ceylon  to  Madura,  accom- 
panied by  three  interesting  young  natives 
who  had  been  connected  with  the  boarding 
school  and  seminary  at  Ceylon  almost  from 
their  commencement.  It  will  be  seen,  there- 
fore, that  a  very  intimate  relation  subsisted 
between  the  Ceylon  and  Madura  missions  ; 
and  this  will  be  still  better  understood  hy 
quoting  the  preamble  and  resolutions  adopt- 
ed by  the  brethren  at  Ceylon.  They  were  as 
follows: 

"  Whereas,  it  is  considered  very  desirable 
that  the  missionaries  from  America  stationed 
in  Jaffna  and  on  the  neighboring  continent, 
be  on  the  niost  intimate  terms,  not  only  be- 
cause they  are  connected  with  the  same 
Board,  are  situated  among  a  people  of  the 
same  language  and  religion,  and  are  depend- 
ent, at  least  for  the  present,  on  the  produc- 
tions of  the  same  press  ;  but  because  a  mu- 
tual exchange  of  counsel  and  help,  and  some- 
times an  exchange  of  labors  either  for  the 
promotion  of  health,  or  for  the  advancement 
of  the  cause  generally,  may  be  most  salu- 
tary ;  therefore  resolved, 

"  1.  That  the  American  mission  in  Jaffna 
and  that  about  to  be  established  on  the  con- 
tinent of  India,  be  associated  missioiis. 

"2.  That  the  mission  on  the  continent  have 
equal  power  with  the  mission  in  Jaifua  in 
all  secular  and  ecclesiastical  concerns  ;  such 
as  the  erection  of  all  necessary  buildings  for 
themselves  and  families  ;  the  establishment 
of  schools  ;  the  mode  and  extent  of  church 
discipline  ;  the  employment  of  such  native 
helpers  as  they  may  consider  necessary  and 
expedient  for  the  furtherance  of  the  cause 
of  Christ  in  that  place ;  and  the  general 
management  of  the  mission  in  all  its  bear- 
ings. 

"  3.  That  each  mission  exchange  copies  of 
all  its  official  communications  to  the  Board, 
journals  excepted. 

"  4.  That  in  case  of  any  serious  difficulty 
in  either  mission,  either  the  majority  or  the 
minority  may  apply  to  the  other  mission  for 
iadvice." 

In  Feb.,  1835,  Mr.  Eckard  and  his  wife 
left  Jaifnapatam  to  connect  themselves  with 
the  Madura  mission;  and  in  the  May  fol- 
lowing he  makes  some  statements  which  are 
important,  as  showing  the  nature  of  the 
field  into  which  he  and  his  brethren  had  en- 
tered. He  speaks  of  Madura  as  a  city 
where  idolatry  has  peculiar  power,  an  in- 
tense sanctity,  a  numerous  priesthood  ;  and 
a  place  into  which,  at  certain  seasons  of  the 


year,  tens  of  thousands  of  votaries  crowd  to 
worship,  they  know  not  what.  "  Heathenish 
abominations  reign  here,"  he  says,  "  in  full 
malignity ;  and  the  people  are  generally  cap- 
tious and  careless  respecting  any  religion 
other  than  their  own,"  Their  principal 
temple,  that  of  Meen  Aatche,  he  describes 
as  of  vast  dimensions,  there  being  no  build- 
ing in  the  United  States  that  can  compare 
with  it  in  size.  This  temple  is  almost  com- 
pletely covered  over  with  images  of  human 
and  superhuman  beings,  executed  in  plaster. 
Most  of  the  houses  in  Madura  are  of  mud,  one 
story  high,  covered  with  leaves  and  straw ; 
but  there  are  a  few  really  good  dwellings,  in 
oriental  style. 

In  planning  the  Madura  mission  the  de- 
sign was  to  make  it  a  large  central  station, 
while  single  families  and  schools  should  be 
established  in  each  of  the  surrounding  vil- 
lages, so  that  the  whole  mass  of  the  commu- 
nity should  he  brought  under  the  influence 
of  Christian  truth,  and  united  and  concen- 
trated action  secured.  Soon  after  entering 
upon  the  mission,  Mr.  Eckard  commenced  a 
.school  upon  the  Lancasterian  plan,  similar  to 
the  one  in  Calcutta,  which  had  been  con- 
ducted with  eminent  success.  Instruction 
was  given  chiefly  in  English,  and  Mr.  E. 
himself  assumed  the  duties  of  teacher,  be- 
lieving, as  he  said,  that  "  no  English  schocil 
taught  by  a  native  could  compare  with  one 
taught  by  an  educated  missionary."  He 
began  with  eighteen  boys,  some  of  them  of 
high  caste,  and  all  were  required  to  attend 
public  worship  on  the  Sabbath.  Preaching 
was  added  to  teaching,  and  besides  these 
labors  in  the  city,  an  effort  was  soon  made 
to  reach  the  surrounding  villages.  "  There 
are  two  of  us,"  said  Mr.  Eckard,  "  and  our 
immediate  circle  of  influence  sweeps  in 
about  100,000  souls.  I  mean  by  this,  that 
if  our  bodily  strength  did  not  fail  we  might 
reside  at  Madura  and  be  sensibly  felt  by  one 
hundred  thousand  people  in  the  city  and  ad- 
joining villages." 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Poor  left  Ceylon  and  joined 
the  Madura  mission  in  1836.  At  the  close 
of  this  year  there  were  in  connection  with 
the  mission  thirty-five  schools,  containing 
1,149  boys  and  65  girls.  Nine  of  these 
schools  were  in  the  city,  and  the  others  in 
the  neighboring  villages.  Books  and  tracts 
were  also  freely  distributed. 

In  general  the  most  intimate  and  reliable 
knowledge  of  heathen  countries  is  derived 
from  the  missionaries,  and  comes  to  us  after 
they  have  been  upon  the  field  a  sufficient 
time  to  make  investigations.  Hence  the  ne- 
cessity of  interrupting  the  missionary  nar- 
rative by  the  introduction  of  important  his- 
torical facts  illustrative  of  the  character  of 
the  field,  and  essential  to  a  correct  under- 
standing of  the  responsibilities  and  trials  of 
the  missionary.     In  regard  to  that  section 


892 


HINDOSTAN. 


of  IlindosUn  now  under  review,  the  niis- 
sionariea  sav,  in  1830.  "The region  inhabited 
by  those  who  speak  I'amil  on  the  continent, 
is  bounded  on  tlie  north  by  a  hno  which  we 
may  suppose  to  bo  drawn  from  Madras 
towards  the  west.  It  extends  from  this 
limit  to  Cape  Comorin,  at  the  extreme  south 
of  llindostan,  from  the  sea  shore  on  the 
east  to  the  western  branches  of  the  southern 
Ghaut  mountains  on  the  west.  This  space 
comprises  an  area  of  from  75,000  to  100,000 
square  miles.  The  population  has  been 
variously  estimated  at  from  3,000,000  to 
10,000,000.  Perhaps  0,000,000  or  8,000,000 
approximates  most  nearly  to  the  truth. 
Comparatively  few  of  the  Tamil  people 
dwell  among  the  mountains  on  the  west. 
They  reside  chiefly  in  the  wide  plains  which 
extend  to  the  sea,  and  which  are  known  as 
the  Camatic.  There  are  more  than  twenty 
cities  within  the  limits  above  described,  in- 
habited in  whole  or  in  part  by  Tamil 
people ;  and  there  are  probably  500  towns 
of  from  50  to  1,000  people  each." 

Passing  on  to  1838,  we  find  four  stations 
around  Madura,  viz. :  Dindigul,  40  miles 
north-west  of  Madura ;  Sevagunga,  25  miles 
east,  Teroopoovanum,  12  miles  south-east, 
and  Teroomungalum,  12  miles  north-west 
At  each  of  these  places  there  was  a  mis- 
sionary, and  in  some  instances  two,  with 
schools,  and  other  means  of  systematic 
eflbrt.  The  whole  number  of  schools  con- 
nected with  the  mission  at  this  period  was 
60,  and  of  scholars  1806. 

In  1840  the  work  had  progressed  so  that 
there  were  in  all  the  schools  of  the  mission 
a  total  of  3,310  echolars.  About  1,000  of 
the  pupils  in  the  native  free  schools  could 
read,  and  nearly  the  whole  number  had  com- 
mitted to  memory  the  ten  commandments, 
the  Lord's  prayer,  and  a  small  catechism. 
There  were  12  additions  during  the  year  to 
the  four  native  churches.  Mr.  Spaulding 
made  a  second  visit  to  the  Tamil  district 
this  year,  it  being  just  seven  years  since  his 
first  exploring  tour,  previous  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  mission.  Of  the  changes 
which  had  occurred  he  speaks  in  very  strong 
terms.  The  roads  had  been  improved, 
bridges  had  been  constructed,  numerous 
shade  trees  had  been  planted,  the  tanks, 
from  which  the  cultivated  lands  were  irri- 
gated, had  been  repaired,  and  the  revenue  in 
some  parts  of  the  district  had  been  more 
than  doubled.  "  When  I  went  over  before, 
our  boat  was  blown  out  of  its  course  by 
the  strong  wind,  and  Mr.  Harrington  and 
myself  were  obliged  to  walk  about  70  miles 
in  the  sun  by  day,  and  with  no  rest  house 
by  night.  Now  we  had  good  conveyances 
and  good  rest  houses  and  mission  houses 
and  pleasant  gardens  through  our  whole 
tour.  Then  there  was  no  missionary  station 
nor  Christian  teacher  within  the   district. 


Now  there  are  five  stations  and  nine  mis- 
sionaries, who  liavc  under  their  care  about 
eighty  native  free  schools  and  four  English 
boarding  schools,  all  of  which  are  in  a  very 
interesting  and  flourishing  state,  and  fifteen 
or  twenty  native  assistants  of  very  good 
promise." 

The  increasing  importance  of  this  field, 
and  the  opportunities  offered  for  enlarging 
the  operations  of  the  mission,  induced  the 
brethren  in  1841  to  make  an  urgent  appeal 
to  the  Board  for  twenty  additional  mission- 
aries. But  instead  of  such  a  reinforcement, 
or  even  one  additional  missionary,  the  mis- 
sion was  weakened  and  severely  tried  by  the 
removal  of  Mr.  Poor  to  Ceylon,  a  change 
which  his  health  rendered  indispensable. 
The  appropriations  for  the  schools  also  fell 
short  this  year,  and  there  appeared  to  be  a 
painful  necessity  of  disbanding  some  of 
them,  but  on  submitting  the  matter  to  the 
native  teachers  they  said,  "  You  must  not 
discharge  us ;  we  will  take  what  you  have  to 
give."  In  another  instance,  after  a  consul- 
tation among  the  teachers,  one  of  them  re- 
ported to  the  missionary  in  behalf  of  the 
others,  "  If  a  father  have  ten  sons,  and  un- 
fortunately loses  half  his  property,  will  his 
sons  allow  him  to  turn  away  five  of  their 
number  to  starve,  while  the  rest  are  sup- 
ported in  comfort  ?  No !  These  sons  will 
consent  to  live  on  less  and  to  have  the 
parent  divide  the  amount  equally  among 
them.  This  is  our  decision.  We  are  each 
of  us  willing  to  live  on  rice  congee  rather 
than  to  have  any  of  our  number  dismissed." 
The  schools  were  accordingly  continued  as 
usual. 

An  event  of  great  importance,  about  this 
time,  was  an  act  dissolving  all  connection 
between  idolatry  and  the  government  of 
British  India.  This  act  threw  upon  the 
heathen  themselves  the  whole  expense  of 
building  and  repairing  their  temples.  By 
another  act,  passed  the  same  year,  simple 
aflSrmation  in  the  name  of  the  living  and 
true  God  was  made  binding  on  all  as  an 
oath,  instead  of  the  former  swearing  on  the 
sacred  waters  of  the  Ganges  and  on  the 
Koran.  In  this  also  the  missionaries  had 
occasion  greatly  to  rejoice,  as  the  land  would 
no  longer  mourn  because  of  the  swearing  by 
false  gods  and  a  lie.  These  great  changes 
resulted  in  no  small  degree  from  the  steady 
operation  of  Christian  missions  upon  the 
public  conscience,  and  the  value  and  power  of 
such  missions  as  reformatory  agencies  are 
thus  placed  in  a  very  strong  light. 

In  1843  the  mission  was  called  to  a  severe 
trial.  Mr.  Poor  had  already  been  removed 
to  Ceylon,  and  Dr.  Steele  had  died  in  1842, 
and  this  year  Mr.  Ward  was  transferred  to 
Madras,  besides  which,  the  cholera  made  its 
appearance,  mowing  down  great  numbers  of 
the  native  inhabitants,  and  not  entirely  ex- 


HINDOSTAN. 


393 


empting  the  mission  families.  Rev.  Mr. 
Dwiglit,  Mrs.  North,  and  Mrs.  Cherry,  with- 
in eleven  days  of  each  other,  were  carried 
from  one  house  to  the  silent  tomb.  Other 
missionaries  however  soon  arrived,  and  the 
work  suffered  but  a  temporary  interruption. 

It  is  recorded  as  a  fact  worthy  of  special 
notice  during  this  year,  that  the  Papists  re- 
siding in  three  distant  villages,  amounting  to 
twenty-five  families,  and  numbering  106  in- 
dividuals, were  received  under  the  spiritual 
care  and  instruction  of  the  mission.  And 
further,  whole  communities,  villages,  and 
hamlets,  applied  to  be  acknowledged  as  no 
longer  pagans  or  Roman  Catholics,  but  as 
Christians  and  Protestants.  In  one  village 
three  families,  in  another  four,  and  in  an- 
other forty  families,  entered  into  an  agree- 
ment, either  by  their  head  men  or  over  their 
own  signatures,  to  renounce  idolatry  and  re- 
ceive the  Gospel,  or  else  refund  the  expense 
the  missionaries  should  incur  to  meet  their 
wishes.  For  copies  of  some  of  these  agree- 
ments, see  annual  report  of  the  Board  for 
1844.  Many  interesting  features  in  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Madura  mission  during  the 
years  1844  and  1845  must  be  passed  over.  In 
1846  the  native  churches  received  an  acces- 
sion of  ninety-seven  members.  At  this  date 
the  villages  are  spoken  of  as  not  only  all 
open,  but  more  than  open,  as  they  not  only 
would  receive  the  missionaries,  but  come  to 
them.  Fifteen  or  twenty  companies,  from 
villages  thirty  and  forty  miles  distant,  and 
where  the  missionaries  had  never  been,visit- 
ed  them  for  tracts  and  instruction,  and  some 
of  them  manifested  great  anxietj^for  the  sal- 
vation of  their  souls.  Dr.  Scudder  removed 
to  Madura  with  his  family,  in  1847,  thus 
supplying  the  want  of  a  physician,which  had 
been  deeply  felt. 

It  was  in  the  year  1847  that  the  mission 
entered  upon  a  formal  and  uncompromising 
conflict  with  caste,  which,  the  missionaries 
at  this  date  say,  "  has  existed  to  the  present 
time,  with  various  degrees  of  strength  in  the 
churches  established  by  Schwartz  and  his 
devoted  fellow  laborers,  as  well  as  in  those 
of  more  modern  date."  The  missionaries 
of  the  Board  were  at  length  determined  to 
free  the  Church  of  Christ  from  "  a  foe  most 
insidious  as  well  as  powerful,"  and  seventy- 
two  were  suspended  from  church  fellowship 
on  account  of  their  adherence  to  this  sin. 
At  the  same  time  many  left  the  seminary  on 
account  of  the  encroachments  made  upon  the 
rules  of  caste.  The  results,  however,  showed 
the  wisdom  of  the  measure,  and  proved  that 
the  time  had  fully  come  for  so  decisive  a 
step.  It  should  be  stated,  however,  that 
caste  has  never  been  tolerated  in  the  churches 
planted  by  the  missionaries  of  the  Board. 
Rev.  Dr.  Allen,  who  has  been  for  more  than 
a  quarter  of  a  century  a  missionary  of  the 
Board  in  India,  says  : 


"  The  Missionaries  of  the  American  Board 
in  India  and  Ceylon  have  always  required  a 
renunciation  of  caste,  just  as  much  as  of 
idolatry,  and  other  parts  of  heathenism,  of 
all  converts  before  they  were  baptized.  No 
arrangements,  nor  accommodations,  nor 
changes  have  ever  been  made  m  the  seats,  or 
in  the  sitting  in  the  churches,  or  in  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  ordinances  on  account  of 
caste.  Caste  was  in  no  respect  recognized. 
All  were  treated  as  of  one  class,  as  much  as 
Christians  in  this  country  are  so  treated. 

"  It  would  naturally  be  expected  that  such 
a  public  renunciation  of  caste,  and  such  sub- 
sequent treatment  of  it,  would  be  sufficient 
to  extinguish  it  in  the  church.  But  experi- 
ence has  shown  that  it  was  not  sufficient, 
Caste  has  been  found  to  be  surprisingly  insi- 
dious in  its  influence ;  and  to  be  capable  of 
assuming  almost  any  complexion  and  shape, 
suited  to  the  native  character  and  their  cir- 
cumstances." 

Passing  on  to  1851,we  find  the  Committee 
of  the  Board  drawing  a  new  and  more  mod- 
ern sketch  of  this  great  field,  and  one  which 
sets  in  a  striking  light  both  the  astonishing- 
changes  which  had  been  wrought  and  the 
immense  labors  devolved  upon  the  mission- 
aries. After  alluding  to  the  fact  that  in  1836 
this  mission  had  only  one  station  at  Madu- 
ra, and  that  all  the  schools  were  in  its  im- 
mediate vicinity,  they  proceed  to  say  that 
now  they  have  extended  their  operations  till 
they  have  ten  stations,  one  of  which  is  more 
than  thirty  miles  south,  and  another  about 
the  same  distance  north ;  one  about  twenty- 
five  miles  east  and  another  forty  north-west 
from  Madura  ;  with  families  under  their  care 
associated  in  the  form  of  village  congrega- 
tions in  about  100  villages,  scattered  singly 
or  in  clusters  through  a  populous  region,  ex- 
tending in  length  more  than  100  miles  from 
south-east  to  north-west,  and  more  than 
sixty  miles  in  breadth.  This  field,  thus  in 
some  measure  taken  possession  of  by  our 
missionaries,  has  been  almost  wholly  left  to 
them  by  the  missionaries  of  other  societies 
laboring  in  adjoining  districts  in  India,  and 
it  seems  fitting  that  it  should  be  fully  occu- 
pied by  this  Board.  It  is  larger  than  the 
State  of  Massachusetts,  and  has  a  popula- 
tion, as  is  supposed,  of  1,500,000.  It  has 
become  one  of  great  interest  and  great  prom- 
ise, and  the  labor  demanded  in  it  has  obvi- 
ously increased  much  beyond  the  ability  of 
the  present  band  of  laborers.  Hitherto  the 
natural  growth  of  the  mission  has  been 
one  of  expansion,  but  there  is  now  a  call  for 
more  thorough  culture." 

The  year  1852  was  one  of  great  favor  to 
this  mission,  72  having  been  received  to  the 
churches  at  the  different  stations,  fifty-six 
of  whom  were  adults.  There  were  now  nine 
churches  in  all,  and  335  members  in  good 
standing.    The  system  of  education  had  been 


394 


II  IN  DOST  AN. 


gmdually  changed,  and,  say  the  missionaries 
at  this  i>eriod,  ''We  can  have  but  little  to  do 
hereafter  with  the  general  desire  of  the  hea 
then  to  have  their  children  receive  from  us 
an  Knplish  and  Tamil  education.  The  Lord 
in  his  providence  has  given  us  a  people  to 
educate  for  him.  Among  the  members  of 
our  congregations  we  have  1,588  children,  of 
whom  047  are  studying  in  our  free  schools. 
From  these  it  is  easy  to  make  a  selection  for 
our  own  boarding  schools."  It  is  the  main 
design  of  the  boarding  schools  and  of  the 
seminary  to  raise  up  an  educated  and  effi- 
cient class  of  helpers  for  the  missionary 
work,  and  it  is  considered  a  great  advantage 
that  the  pupils  can  now  be  taken  from  fami- 
lies connected  with  the  mission  and  nomin- 
ally Christians. 

Madras. — The  mission  at  Madras  was 
commenced  in  1836,  with  a  special  view  to 
forming  there  a  printing  establishment  for 
printing  the  Scriptures  and  religious  tracts 
in  the  Tamil  language.  But  in  order  to  the 
successful  execution  of  this  plan,  it  was 
deemed  necessary  to  establish  there  a  dis- 
tinct, efficient,  and  responsible  mission ;  and 
with  this  view,  Mr.  Winslow  and  Dr.  Scud- 
der  removed  to  this  new  field.  Madras  is 
on  the  eastern  side  of  Southern  India,  and 
the  population  of  the  city  and  suburbs  is 
estimated  at  416,000.  It  was  intended  to 
establish  the  press  at  Chintadrepettah,  a 
suburb  southwesterly  of  the  walled  town, 
and  at  this  place  Dr.  Scudder  took  up  his. 
residence,  while  Mr.  "Winslow  resided  at 
Royapoorum,  a  little  north  of  the  town. 
They  immediately  found  the  demand  for 
Tamil  books  and  tracts  to  be  very  great, 
and  expressed  the  wish  that  they  had  25,000 
copies  of  the  New  Testament  to  distribute 
within  a  year.  Schools  and  preaching  sta- 
tions were  immediately  established,  and  a 
mission  church  was  formed  in  1837,  and  one 
native  was  admitted  on  profession  of  his 
faith  in  Christ. 

In  1838  the  mission  came  into  possession 
of  a  large  printing  establishment  which  had 
belonged  to  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 
It  comprised  eighteen  printing  presses,  be- 
sides a  lithographic  and  hydraulic  press, 
fifteen  fonts  of  type,  English,  Tamil,  and 
Teloogoo,  together  with  a  type  foundry  and 
book  bindery.  This  enabled  the  mission  to 
enter  vigorously  upon  the  work  for  which  it 
was  chiefly  commenced.  In  one  year  from 
this  date  there  had  been  printed  3,500,000 
octavo  pages  of  Scripture,  and  2,500,000 
duodecimo  pages  of  tracts,  making  6,000,000 
pages  in  all.  In  1840  the  printing  in  Tamil 
amounted  to  11,660,700  pages,  over  nine  mil- 
lions of  which  were  octavo  pages  of  Scrip- 
ture. At  this  period  there  were  also  in  ex- 
istence sixteen  schools,  comprising  485 
scholars. 

Important  tours  for  preaching  and   dis- 


tributing books  were  made  by  Messrs.  Scud- 
der and  Winslow  in  1840.  One  of  these 
tours  was  to  Conjevezani,  a  sacred  place  46 
miles  south-west  of  Madras,  during  which 
they  preached  the  Gospel  to  numerous  small 
companies  of  people,  and  distributed  over 
4,000  books  and  tracts.  Dr.  Scudder  also 
journeyed  200  miles  south,  into  the  Cudda- 
lore  and  Tanjore  districts,  taking  with  him 
6,000  copies  of  one  of  the  Gospels,  and 
11,500  tracts.  Mr.  Winslow,  for  the  special 
benefit  of  his  wife  and  child,  went  west  20^ 
miles,  into  the  Mysore  district,  which  he  de- 
scribes as  an  immense  terrace  of  table  land, 
elevated  about  3,000  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  and  altogether  a  splendid  country, 
well  watered,  fertile,  populous,  and  promis- 
ing as  a  field  of  missionary  labor.  In  all 
their  visits  to  the  sacred  places,  Messrs. 
Scudder  and  Winslow  found  a  great  falling 
off  in  the  number  of  attendants  upon  idola- 
trous festivals. 

In  1841  the  mission  had  four  places  of 
stated  preaching,  and  the  aggregate  of  the 
congregations  was  550.  A  piece  of  land  was 
bought  this  year  at  'Royapooram  for  a 
chapel,  and  ^1.500  subscribed  for  its  erec- 
tion. At  this  place  Mr.  Winslow  estab- 
lished an  evening  meeting,  in  a  bungalow  on 
the  premises  of  a  very  respectable  native 
merchant,  and  upon  this  a  persecution 
arose,  in  describing  which  Mr.  Winslow 
says,  "The  Romanists  immediately  began 
to  annoy  us,  and  to  send  letters  threatening 
our  lives.  They  threw  stones,  both  in  times 
of  meeting  and  at  other  times,  at  the  family, 
set  up  a  noisy  meeting  in  the  adjoining 
house,  and  disturbed  us  by  offensive  smell- 
ing lights  and  fire  works,  as  well  as  by  the 
noise  of  bells  and  various  instruments  ;  and 
when  this  was  stopped  by  the  authorities, 
they  burnt  the  bungalow  with  the  furniture 
it  contained."  The  native  merchant  how- 
ever, remained  firm,  and  the  persecution 
failed  entirely  of  its  object. 

In  their  report  in  1843  the  Board  take  oc- 
casion to  remark,  that  the  Madras,  Madura, 
and  Ceylon  missions  are  all  to  a  people  alike 
in  religion,  language,  manners,  and  customs. 
The  station  at  Madras  being  intended  to  do 
the  principal  part  of  the  printing  for  all 
these  missions,  it  was  not  intended  to  en- 
large it  beyond  what  was  necessary  for  this 
purpose.  The  Madura  mission  has  never 
had  a  printing  press  within  its  bounds,  and 
that  at  Jaffna  has  done  much  less  work 
than  the  one  at-Madras. 

In  1845  the  missionaries  found  that  caste 
was  exerting  an  undue  control  over  the 
minds  of  the  native  church  members,  and 
wishing  to  see  how  far  this  unchristian  feel- 
ing would  be  carried,  they  took  measures  to 
test  it.  The  result  was  that  five  were  sus- 
pended; but  their  Christian  principles  pre- 
vailed, and  in  a  few  months  they  all  came 


HINDOSTAN. 


395 


back,  made  a  full  and  humble  confession, 
and  promised  to  conform  to  the  rules  of  the 
church  respecting  caste. 

A  prospectus  for  a  railroad  from  Madras 
to  Arcot,  sixty  miles,  issued  in  1846,  gives 
the  population  of  Madras  in  1842,  as  up- 
wards of  900,000,  an  increase  of  more  than 
200,000  since  1822.  This  increase  was  sup- 
posed to  be  owing  chiefly  to  political 
causes,  tending  to  centralize  the  population 
in  the  cities  of  the  coast. 

This  vast  community  is  distinctly  spoken 
of  in  1846,  as  showing  signs  of  the  wide 
spread  and  powerful  working  of  the  truth, 
and  the  organized  opposition  made  to  the 
Gospel  was  one  evidence  of  this  fact.  An 
anti-missionary  society  existed  among  the 
natives  of  Madras,  which  employed  a  press 
in  printing  small  tracts  and  a  newspaper, 
and  the  same  society  established  several  op- 
position free  schools,  employed  tract  dis- 
tributors and  declaimcrs  against  Christian- 
ity, and  sent  out  agents  into  the  country  for 
similar  purposes.  The  people  were  thus 
mightily  stirred  up,  and  on  one  occasion 
8,000  people  assembled  to  see  if  measures 
could  not  be  devised  to  prevent  the  spread 
of  Christianity.  Say  the  missionaries, 
"  Now,  light  and  truth  have  so  far  gone  forth 
that  the  bearings  of  missionary  operations 
on  caste,  custom,  and  idolatry,  begin  to  be 
manifest.  The  Brahmins  and  head  men 
begin  to  feel  that  their  craft  is  in  danger. 
They  are  therefore  bestirring  themselves." 
They  proceeded  even  so  far  as  to  seize  and 
forcibly  carry  off  several  hopeful  converts, 
and  one  .of  them  was  put  in  irons  and 
threatened  with  death.  All  this  however, 
while  it  showed  that  the  pillars  of  supersti- 
tion had  been  shaken,  occasioned  no  perma- 
nent interruption  to  the  mission.  In  the 
autumn  of  this  year  Dr.  Scudder,  who  had 
been  spending  a  few  years  in  his  native 
country,  greatly  to  the  edification  and  quick- 
ening of  the  churches,  returned  to  his  chosen 
field  of  labor.  Instead,  however,  of  re- 
maining at  Madras,  he  was  persuaded,  by 
the  urgent  want  of  a  physician  at  Madura, 
to  resume  his  labors  at  that  place. 

The  opposition  continued  to  be  very  bitter 
and  violent  in  1847,  and  on  one  occasion  Mr. 
Scudder,  son  of  Dr.  Scudder,  was  dpenly  as- 
sailed in  the  streets.  In  defiance  of  the 
popular  rage  however,  the  women  came,  at  a 
communion  season,  and  sat  down  with  the 
men  at  the  table,  with  their  husbands,  a 
thing  which  they  had  never  done  before. 
The  most  serious  troubles  were  occasioned 
by  the  spirit  of  caste,  and  Mr.  Scudder  is  led 
to  remark,  '•  If  I  were  asked  to  tell  in  one 
breath  what  I  thought  the  mightiest  present 
obstacle  to  the  onward  course  of  the  Gospel 
in  India,  I  should  unhesitatingly  say,  caste. 
It  is  a  monster  that  defies  description. 
Idolatry  in  no  way  compares  with  it,  as  to  its 
grasp  on  the  people." 


J  Dr.  Scudder  returned  to  Madras  in  1848, 
and  in  the  following  year  he  was  called  to 
mourn  the  death  of  his  wife,  Mrs.  Harriet 
M.  Scudder.  She  commenced  her  labors  in 
connection  with  the  Ceylon  mission  in  1819. 
In  November,  1850,  Mr.  Winslow  announced 
that  the  printing  of  the  new  version  of  the 
Tamil  Bible  was  completed.  It  had  been  in 
hand  three  years,  and  for  two  years  the 
united  labors  of  Messrs  Percival  and 
Spaulding  of  Jaffna,  Brotherton  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  Winslow  in  Madras, 
had  been  devoted  to  it,  most  of  tl¥3  time 
daily  except  on  the  Sabbath.  In  point  of 
accuracy,  conciseness,  elegance,  and  idiom- 
atic correctness,  it  was  thought  to  be  far  in 
advance  of  any  previous  work  of  the  kind. 
Another  interesting  event  of  this  year  was 
the  meeting  of  all  the  members  of  the 
church  except  four,  with  the  mission  families, 
on  the  evening  preceding  the  annual  meeting, 
which  was  held  in  connection  with  the 
Board.  It  is  described  as  an  interesting 
sight.  "  Husbands  and  wives,  little  accus- 
tomed to  eat  together,  high  caste  and  low 
caste,  and  no  caste,  brethren  and  sisters  in 
Christ,  thus  acknowledging  their  unity  in 
him  as  members  of  the  same  bod}^." 

During  the  years  1851  and  1852,  the  press 
at  Madras  continued  its  operations,  and  the 
mission  moved  on  without  any  very  marked 
changes.  The  whole  amount  of  printing  at 
this  place  since  the  establishment  of  the 
press,  is  219,408,221  pages. 

Arcot. — This  city  is  seventy  miles  from 
Madras,  on  the  road  to  Bangalore,  and  is  the 
centre  of  a  very  populous  and  destitute  dis- 
trict. At  this  place  Mr.  H.  M.  Scudder  com- 
menced a  mission  in  March,  1850.  Having 
already  become  quite  distinguished  for  his 
medical  and  surgical  skill,  his  services  were 
in  immediate  demand,  from  forty  to  fifty 
visiting  him  daily.  His  custom  was  to  meet 
his  patients  in  the  mornmg,  read  and  explain 
a  passage  of  Scripture,  and  pray  with  them, 
after  which  he  attended  to  their  maladies. 
Through  his  medical  labors  he  gained  access 
to  many  Hindoo  women,  who  could  not  have 
been  reached  in  any  other  way.  A  regular 
dispensary  was  established,  and  Mrs.  Scud- 
der, who  could  speak  Tamil  fluently,  visited 
it  daily  to  converse  with  the  patients. 

In  1852,  Henry  M.  Scudder,  William 
Scudder,  and  Joseph  Scudder,  all  sons  of 
the  venerable  Dr.  Scudder,  and  all  born  in 
India,  were  laboring  as  missionaries  at  the 
Arcot  station.  In  the  report  of  the  Board 
for  1853,  will  be  found  a  very  interesting 
account  of  the  conversion  of  a  Teloogoo 
Brahmin,  at  Arcot.  In  addition  to  the  labors 
of  the  dispensary,  the  Gospel  was  preached 
"  in  towns  and  villages,  in  streets  and  by- 
ways, in  choultries  and  under  green  trees." 
The  mission  however  is  of  too  recent  a  date 
to  exhibit  any  very  marked  results,  or  to 
require  an  extended  notice. 


396 


IILNDOSTAN. 


Tlie  6Uti8tic8  of  the  missions  of  the  Am. 
Board  in  llimlostuu  are  given  below,  as  fur 
as  it  was  practicable  to  arrange  them  in  a 
tabular  form  : 


MISSIONS. 


9\   :S 

i  llli 
lliil 


Boiubuv, 

Ahmednugif'r 

Sntnrn, 

Kolupur, 

Miiluni, 

M:Klr:l8, 

Arcot, 


IM2 
1S51 

KJ4 

is;>t) 

1852 


a 
3    = 


Ij  20 

1  8 

9  335 

2  42 


22  26  106  16' 541  127  3800  344,289,174 


111 


456  124.880,953 

939 

100 


1626 
679 


219.408,221 


In  the  above  table,  a-ssistant  missionaries 
and  native  helpers  are  all  included  under  the 
head  of  assistants.  The  summary  of  schools 
also  embraces  those  of  every  description. 
The  printing  for  the  Mahratta  people,  it  will 
be  seen,  has  all  been  done  at  Bombay,  and 
for  the  Tamil  people  at  Madras  and  Ceylon. 
Church  Missionary  Society. — The 
Church  Missionary  Society  commenced  its 
labors  in  Ilindostan  in  1815.  Beginning  at 
Madras  and  South  India,  they  subsequently 
extended  their  labors  to  Calcutta,  and  to 
Bomba}^,  and  at  each  of  these  places  they 
have  now  a  diocese  embracing  many  towns 
and  villages  within  its  sphere  of  effort. 
Adopting  the  clironological  order,  we  begin 
with 

Madras. — The  first  missionaries  of  the 
Society  to  this  field  were  Rev.  Messrs. 
Schnarre  and  Ilhenius.  At  the  end  of  their 
first  year,  they  reported  themselves  as  com- 
fortably settled  in  Madras,  as  having  ac- 
quired the  Tamil  language  sufficiently  to 
compose,  converse,  and  publicly  read  in  it, 
and  also  as  having  formed  a  Missionary 
Committee,  and  raised  a  small  missionary 
fund. 

It  should  be  observed  here,  that  although 
this  society  had  no  regular  station, in  India 
previous  to  1815,  they  had  promoted  mis- 
sions in  various  places  much  earlier,  through 
English  chaplains,  and  in  connection  with 
what  is  termed  the  oldest  Protestant  mis- 
sion in  India,  the  Danish  mission.  Thus, 
Messrs.  Schnarre  and  Rhenius  had  been  la- 
boring for  some  time  in  Tranquebar,  more 
than  a  hundred  miles  south  of  Madras,  part- 
ly in  aid  of  the  schools  established  there  by 
the  Royal  Danish  Mission  College,  and  part- 
ly for  the  acquisition  of  the  Tamil  language. 
About  this  time  the  Danish  mission  was 
obliged  to  withdraw  its  patronage  from 
these  school  establishments,  and  the  care  of 
them  was  assumed  by  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society.  To  Tranquebar  and  its  schools 
frequent  allusion  will  be  made. 

In  the  early  journals  of  this  society  much 
is  also  said  of  Abdool  Messech.  a  Christian 
reader.     He  was  a  Mohammedan  by  birth, 


named  Shekh  Salih,  born  in  Delhi,  and  re- 
ceived his  first  Christian  instniotir)!!  from 
that  devoted  missionary,  Henry  Martyn. 
He  was  baptized  in  the  ''  Old  Church,"  Cal- 
cutta, in  1811,  by  the  name  Abdool  Messech, 
which  signifies  "  Servant  of  Christ."  At 
the  close  of  1812  he  left  Calcutta  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Agra,  800  miles  north-west  of  Cal- 
cutta, in  company  with  Mr.  Corrie,  chaplain 
of  the  East  India  Company  at  that  station. 
There  he  sustained  the  office  of  reader  and 
catechist  with  wonderful  fidelity  and  success, 
and  his  journals  fill  a  large  space  in  the 
Church  Missionary  Society's  publications. 

To  return  to  Madras,  we  find  at  an  early 
date  the  reasons  stated  for  choosing  this  as 
the  seat  of  the  mission  in  Southern  India  j 
and  they  may  be  noticed  with  the  more  pro- 
priety because,  although  the  American  Board 
preceded  the  Church  Missionary  Society  by 
several  years  in  India,  they  were  twenty-one 
years  later  than  that  society  at  Madras. 
Consequently  many  facts  of  interest  belong 
to  a  period  over  which  the  mission  of  the 
Board  does  not  extend. 

The  choice  of  the  Corresponding  Commit- 
tee fell  upon  Madras  for  the  following  rea- 
sons :  "  Its  high  consideration  as  head  of  the 
whole  peninsula,  the  desire  for  Christian 
knowledge  which  appeared  to  prevail  therein, 
the  frequent  demands  for  the  Scriptures  in 
three  or  four  languages,  the  existence  of  a 
Malabar  congregation — a  secession  from  the 
Roman  Catholics,  and  a  translated  liturgy  of 
the  Church  of  England  just  completed  for 
this  congregation,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Rottler,  chap- 
lain of  the  E.  I.  Company."  To  enter  into 
these  labors,  keep  open  the  Taihil  Chapel, 
provide  against  the  failure  of  the  venerable 
Dr.  Rottler,  and  build  upon  his  foundations, 
though  limited,  seemed  very  important ;  and 
further,  the  society  would  thus  commence 
its  career  in  the  South  of  India,  at  the  seat 
and  within  the  eye  of  the  English  govern- 
ment. 

Attention  was  early  given  to  schools,  and 
the  distribution  of  tracts.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, were  difficult  to  obtain,  as  the  mission 
had  at  this  period  no  means  of  printing.  To 
supply  this  deficiency  as  well  as  they  could, 
one  of  the  best  school  boys  was  employed  at 
certain  kours  in  writing,  and  thus  two  books 
were  prepared  for  the  English  Tamil  school, 
with  a  dictionary  affixed  appropriate  to  them. 
These  books  consisted  of  small  portions  of 
the  Scriptures.  At  the  close  of  one  year 
there  were  two.  schools  in  3Iadras,  but  the 
want  of  funds  and  of  teachers  prevented  an 
immediate  enlargement  of  the  system  of  edu- 
cation. A  seminary  for  the  education  of  na- 
tive missionaries  was  a  favorite  idea  from 
the  first ;  but  it  was  encumbered  with  many 
difficulties,  and  the  project  could  not  be  en- 
tered upon  at  once. 

Much  interest  was  awakened,  near  the 


HINDOSTAN. 


397 


close  of  the  first  year,  by  the  conversion  of 
a  native,  who  called  himself  a  Christian,  and 
who,  without  any  suggestion  from  the  mis- 
sionaries, entered  at  once  upon  the  business 
of  reading  from  house  to  house.  His  book 
was  the  New  Testament.  He  began  by  the 
request  of  a  single  heathen  neighbor,  who 
saw  him  much  devoted  to  this  book,  and  by 
this  his  own  soul  was  stirred  up  to  read  the 
word  of  God  daily  to  the  perishing  around 
him. 

It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  the  missionaries 
of  the  Church  Society  at  Madras,  from  the 
very  start,  excluded  caste  from  their  schools. 
No  little  surprise  and  opposition  were  awak- 
ened, but  the  truly  scriptural  and  sensible 
answer  was,  that  "  the  caste  of  the  natives 
is  not  at  all  compatible  with  true  Chris- 
tianity 5  because  a  man  cannot  be  meek, 
humble,  and  loving,  in  the  manner  in  which 
our  Lord  Jesus  has  set  us  an  example,  and 
as  the  Holy  Spirit  works  within  the  heart, 
and,  at  the  same  time  keep  up  his  notions 
-of  caste  ;  in  which  the  station,  or  rank,  or 
esteem  of  any  or  every  person  is  determined 
by  birth  alone,  and  not  by  intrinsic  worth 
and  dignity  of  mind." 

Such  were  the  labors  of  the  first  year, — 
two  missionaries  able  to  preach  the  Gospel 
in  Tamil ;  two  schools  in  successful  opera- 
tion, without  the  least  encouragement  of 
caste ;  a  native  Christian  reader,  sufficient- 
ly informed  to  be  listened  to  with  attention 
by  respectable  natives  ;  and  a  general  spirit 
of  inquiry  awakened  among  the  people. 

In  1816,  the  mission  received  a  reinforce- 
ment, and  at  the  same  time  Mr.  Schnarre 
returned  to  Tranquebar  to  take  the  entire 
care  of  the  school  establishments  in  that 
place.  On  the  first  of  January  1817,  Mr. 
Rhenius  formed  a  regular  congregation  in 
Madras,  consisting  of  the  mission  servants 
and  their  families,  and  a  few  converts  re- 
ceived the  previous  year.  That  more  were 
not  received  from  the  heathen,  is  accounted 
for  in  a  manner  most  creditable  to  the  char- 
acter and  principles  of  this  mission,  when 
Mr.  Rhenius  says,  "  If  I  had  thought  it  any 
advantage  to  the  Christian  church,  or  any 
honor  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  pay  per- 
sons for  becoming  Christians,  I  should  have 
had  already  the  pleasure  of  reporting  hun- 
dreds, yea,  thousands,  that  would  have  em- 
braced Christianity."  During  this  year, 
schools  were  established  at  Vadadelli,  about 
30  miles  north-west  of  Madras,  through  the 
agency  of  the  native  Christian  Sandappen, 
residing  at  that  place.  Other  native  con- 
verts were  employed  in  a  similar  manner,  in 
different  directions. 

In  the  autumn  of  1818,  the  cholera  broke 
out  with  great  violence  in  this  part  of  Hin- 
dostan,  and  the  natives  in  their  consterna- 
tion attributed  it  to  the  anger  of  an  idol, 
which  for  forty  years  had  been  locked  up  by 


public  authority,  on  account  of  the  dissen- 
sions which  occurred  at  one  of  her  festivals. 
The  idol  was  therefore  brought  out,  and  a 
human  sacrifice — an  idiot  boy,  was  offered 
to  appease  her  rage.  Only  one  member  of 
the  mission — a  catechist — died  of  the  epi- 
demic. But  the  mission  property  was  much 
damaged  by  a  whirlwind  which  occurred 
about  the  same  time — all  the  school-houses, 
and  man)^  other  buildings,  having  been  com- 
pletely prostrated. 

An  important  branch  of  this  mission,  was 
that  among  the  Syrian  Christians,  in  Tra- 
vancore,  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Hin- 
dostan,  on  the  Malabar  coast.  The  history 
of  these  Syrians,  and  the  manner  in  which 
they  came  to  be  Residents  in  this  quarter, 
are  fully  stated  in  the  Report  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  for  1818.  There  w^ere  then 
not  less  than  50,000  of  these  Christians, 
with  churches,  a  ministry  (exceedingly  li- 
centious) and  a  form  of  worship  resembling 
that  of  the  Roman  Catholics.  So  deep  was 
the  interest  felt  in  this  particular  depart- 
ment, that  in  1820  a  three-fold  division  was 
made  of  the  work,  the  instruction  of  the 
Syrian  clergy  being  assigned  to  one  mission- 
ary, the  college  and  higher  schools  to  an- 
other, while  a  third  took  charge  of  the 
schools  intended  for  the  great  body  of  the 
people.  The  clergy  were  regarded  as  the 
first  and  most  important  branch  of  this  mis- 
sion. They  are  described  at  this  period  as 
a  numerous  body,  and  deplorably  degraded. 
A  total  disregard  of  the  Sabbath,  profana- 
tion of  the  name  of  God,  drunkenness,  and 
adultery,  were  their  prevailing  crimes.  Yet, 
in  this  degenerated  condition  they  were  con- 
siderably above  the  other  castes.  They  did 
not  justify  their  crimes,  but  tried  to  conceal 
them,  and  exhibited  considerable  moral 
sense.  They  accepted  most  gratefully  the 
services  of  the  missionaries,  and  concurred 
in  all  their  plans.  The  metropolitan  even 
remarked,  that  he  did  not  expect  much  im- 
provement among  his  people  "  till  the  Bible 
was  circulated." 

The  college,  at  Cotym.  had,  in  1820,  forty- 
two  students.  Some  of  them  could  read 
English  well,  understood  the  simple  rules  of 
arithmetic,  and  had  considerable  knowledge 
of  the  Malay  and  Sanscrit  languages.  The 
method  of  teaching  the  Syriac  was  found 
very  defective,  and  a  more  thorough  system 
was  entered  upon.  The  third  object  of  at- 
tention, that  of  schools,  embraced  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  school  for  the  preparation  of 
native  schoolmasters,  the  gradual  promotion 
of  schools  for  general  instruction,  the  super- 
intendence of  these  schools  by  personal  vis- 
its, and  the  compiling  of  small  tracts  for 
their  use.  The  establishment  of  parochial 
schools  to  be  attached  to  every  church  un- 
der the  jurisdiction  of  the  metropolitan,  was 
an  object  much  desired,  and   at  the   above 


HINDOSTAN. 


date  ten  of  these  schools  existed,  embracing 
253  children. 

The  mission  at  Madras  and  South  India 
had  now  become  systematized,  and  was  an- 
nually reported  under  the  following  heads, 
vie. :  Madras  and  its  vicinity  ;  Tranquchar  ; 
Tinner^Uy,  lying  south  of  Tranquebar,  and 
not  far  from  Capo  Comorin ;  and  Travan- 
core.  which  included  Cotym,  Cochin,  and 
Aleppi ;  Cannanore  and  Tellicherry,  on  the 
western  side  of  southern  India,  and  conside- 
rably north  of  Travancore  ;  and  Vizgapa- 
tam,  north  of  Madras,  on  the  eastern  coast. 
At  all  these  places  the  usual  missionary  ope- 
rations were  carried  on  with  zeal  and  marked 
success.  But  it  is  impossible  in  so  brief  a 
space  to  notice  each  of  theAi  in  the  annual 
progress  of  the  work,  and  many  facts  wor- 
thy of  record  are  omitted,  with  a  simple 
reference  to  the  Missionary  Register,  the 
Tery  ably  conducted  monthly  journal  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  and  to  their  an- 
nual reports. 

In  1824,  a  new  mission  was  established  in 
the  Nellore  district,  where  the  Teloogoo  or 
Gentoo  language  was  vernacular.  The  rea- 
sons which  determined  the  Corresponding 
Committee  to  occupy  this  field  were,  the 
vast  extent  of  country  throughout  which 
the  above  language  was  spoken,  the  limited 
efforts  hitherto  made  for  the  enlightenment 
of  that  people,  and  the  circumstance  of  the 
Madras  printing-press  being  now  furnished 
with  Teloogoo  types,  so  as  to  give  speedy 
circulation  to  school  books,  tracts,  and  por- 
tions of  the  Scriptures,  in  that  language. 

In  1825,  ten  years  having  elapsed  since 
the  society  commenced  its  labors  in  Hindo- 
stan,  with  two  Lutheran  clergymen,  design- 
ed simply  for  the  charge  of  the  Tranquebar 
schools,  their  report  presented  nine  stations, 
with  eleven  European  missionaries,  and  one 
on  his  passage  ;  117  boys'  schools  and  101 
girls'  schools,  with  an  aggregate  of  4,585 
scholars  ;  five  seminaries  for  the  training  of 
natives  on  a  more  liberal  scale,  with  a  view 
to  their  becoming  teachers  and  missionaries 
among  their  countrymen  ;  besides  a  vast 
work  accomplished  through  the  mission 
press,  congregations  gathered,  houses  of 
worship  erected,  &c. 

During  the  next  ten  years  there  was  con- 
siderable opposition,  and  even  bitter  perse- 
cution, from  the  natives,  especially  at  Tinne- 
velly  ;  yet  the  mission  was  at  no  time  essen- 
tially interrupted.  One  or  two  new  stations 
were  added  during  this  period,  and  the  spirit 
of  inquiry  among  the  Syrian  Christians 
was  greatly  increased.  In  1838,  the  mis- 
sionary at  Tinnevelley  reported  a  remarkable 
case  of  the  effect  of  the  Gospel  upon  a 
whole  village,  which  had  then  lately  oc- 
curred. The  Shanar  village  of  Pragasa- 
poorara,  became  entirely  Christian  ;  and  the 
people,  who  had  been  ten  or  more  years  un- 


der instruction,  and  had  made  great  pro- 
gress in  Christian  knowledge,  became  very 
anxious  to  see  a  Christian  church  in  the  vil- 
lage, which  should  not  only  last  their  life- 
time, but  stand  and  testifyto  their  children's 
children,  the  sincerity  of  their  religious  pro- 
fession. Accordingly  a  subscription  was 
set  on  foot  among  themselves,  and  the  mis- 
sion added  a  sum  equal  to  what  they  could 
raise,  and  the  object  was  accomplished.  It 
was  in  this  year  that  the  mission  at  Aleppie 
reported  an  extraordinary  effort  of  the  Pa- 
pacy to  establish  itself  in  that  place.  A 
largo  number  of  priests  from  Ireland,  with 
their  bishop,  arrived,  and  began  putting  forth 
every  effort  by  preaching,  opening  a  college, 
seminary,  &c. 

Although  the  work  at  Tinnevelly  was  con- 
sidered of  a  diffusive  character,  extending  to 
different  villages  through  a  wide  district,  so 
that  nothing  more  was  expected  than  to  see 
here  and  there  a  few  embracing  the  truth  ; 
yet,  to  the  surprise  of  all,  whole  villages,  as 
in  the  case  just  noticed,  were  found  embrac- 
ing Christianity.  The  bishop  of  Madras,  in 
1842,  says,  "  Among  many  sources  of  com- 
fort during  my  journey  through  Tinnevelley, 
one  of  the  greatest  has  been  a  sight,  for 
which,  I  candidly  confess,  I  was  not  pre- 
pared— the  sight  of  whole  Christian  vil- 
lages. He  alone  who  has  passed  some  time 
in  a  heathen  land,  engaged  in  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  can  understand  the  delight 
which  I  felt  at  finding  myself  met,  wel- 
comed, and  surrounded  by  crowds  of  na- 
tive professing  Christians,  whose  counten- 
ances spoke  a  most  intelligible  welcome." 
Some  idea  of  the  extent  of  the  mission  at 
Tinnevelley  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact, 
that  at  this  period  the  field  was  divided  into 
six  districts,  each  containing  from  50  to  90 
villages,  and  each  district  having  a  mission- 
ary, with  from  40  to  70  catechists  and  school- 
masters under  his  superintendence.  A  very 
remarkable  occurrence  is  recorded  in  1841, 
in  one  of  the  Tinnevelley  districts,  and  should 
be  repeated  as  an  evidence  of  the  divine 
blessing  upon  this  mission.  At  a  village  in 
the  Palamcottah  district,  south  of  Tinne- 
velly, belonging  to  a  respectable  Brahmin,  a 
number  of  families  applied  to  a  catechist  for 
instruction.  The  Brahmin,  hearing  of  it,  as- 
sembled the  whole  of  the  villagers,  and  ad- 
dressed them  as  follows :  "  I  hear  that  some 
of  you  have  determined  to  learn  the  Vedam 
(Christian  religion.)  Now,  I  don't  want  any 
divisions  and  quarrels  in  my  village,  nor 
shall  there  be  two  parties  here  ;  therefore, 
all  of  you  either  remain  in  a  body  in  your 
old  religion,  or  else  all  of  you  in  a  body  join 
the  new.  If  you  like  to  embrace  Christiani- 
ty, do  so ;  I  will  make  no  opposition.  You 
may  turn  your  temple  into  a  prayer-house 
if  you  like,  only  all  be  of  the  same  mind ; 
and  if  you  do  not  act  justly  towards  me,  T 


HINDOSTAN. 


S99 


shall  look  to  the  missionaries  to  see  me 
righted."  The  result  was.  that  they  all  put 
themselves  under  Christian  instruction,  de- 
molished their  idols,  and  converted  their 
devil  temple  into  a  temple  of  the  living  God. 
The  evidence  that  real  Christianity  prevailed 
along  with  these  outward  forms  of  it,  was 
most  satisfactory,  and  one  proof  of  this  was 
found  in  the  constancy  with  which  the  na- 
tive Christians  bore  persecution.  In  one  in- 
stance, when  compelled  to  flee  from  their 
native  village,  they  said  to  the  catechist, 
"  We  might  escape  all  these  troubles  by  de- 
nying Christ,  and  returning  to  our  former 
ways,  as  most  of  our  relations  have  done  ; 
but  we  cannot  do  so  ;  and  as  the  Lord  has 
said,  when  they  persecute  you  in  this  city, 
jiee  ye  into  another,  we  will  avail  ourselves 
of  his  permission."  As  a  further  evidence 
of  genuine  Christianity  among  these  con- 
verts, it  is  added,  that  they  formed  religious 
and  benevolent  societies  among  themselves, 
thus  supporting  the  widows  of  catechists, 
relieving  the  sick  and  indigent  of  their  own 
number,  and  sustaining  Christian  readers, 
who  traveled  about  making  known  the  Gos- 
pel. They  also  established  a  Church  build- 
ing fund,  on  the  principle  that  every  person 
in  the  district  capable  of  working,  should 
give  the  best  day's  income  of  the  whole 
year  to  the  fund,  with  as  much  more  as  they 
liked.  Besides  these  evidences  of  the  reality 
of  the  work  of  grace  among  the  converts  of 
Tinnevelley,  there  were  many  bright  exam- 
ples of  Christian  faith  and  hope  at  the  hour 
of  death. 

Particular  instances  of  conversion  and 
Christian  fidelity  might  also  be  given,  illus- 
trating the  success  of  the  missionaries  at  the 
four  stations  in  Travancore.  One  is  that  of 
a  Syrian  convert,  who  was  reclaimed  from  a 
most  degraded  course  of  life,  and  who  soon 
commenced  preaching  the  Gospel  with  a 
zeal  and  boldness  seldom  witnessed  in  a  na- 
tive. He  went  from  place  to  place,  and  on 
one  occasion  as  he  was  preaching,  a  Syrian 
became  so  incensed  that  he  went  out,  and, 
procuring  a  knife,  returned  and  stabbed  the 
preacher  (Curiathe)  to  the  heart.  Curiathe 
put  up  a  prayer  to  God  not  to  lay  this  sin 
to  the  charge  of  the  murderer,  and  fell  down 
lifeless. 

In  1844,  the  mission  at  Tinnevelly  was 
further  subdivided,  so  as  to  make  eight  dis- 
tricts, each  having  a  faithful  missionary.  In 
addition  to  the  seminary  in  the  Palamcottah 
district,  for  the  superior  instruction  of  pro- 
mising youths  from  all  the  district  schools, 
there  was  also  established  this  year  a  nor- 
mal school,  for  the  instruction  of  native 
children  in  the  English  language,  and  upon 
Christian  principles  ;  and  also  a  normal  fe- 
male school,  under  the  care  of  two  English 
ladies.  Measures  were  also  taken  for  the 
establishment  of  a  printing-press  for  the  use 


of  the  mission,  thus  rendering  the  mission 
complete  in  all  its  departments. 

The  missionary  in  one  of  these  districts 
mentions  this  year  the  case  of  a  school  girl, 
who  labored  unweariedly  to  bring  her  father 
and  mother  to  the  mission  church.  They 
allowed  her  to  come  into  their  house,  with- 
out persecution,  and  to  pray  with  them,  and 
after  more  than  a  year  of  such  efifort,  her 
mother,  and  then  her  father,  came  to  hear 
the  missionary,  renounced  heathenism,  and 
were  regular  attendants  on  the  preached 
word.  In  another  Tinnevelly  district  twenty- 
five  families,  all  that  remained  in  heathen- 
ism, gave  up  their  devil  temple,  and  came  in 
a  body,  and  placed  themselves  under  Chris- 
tian instruction ;  thus  leaving  not  one  i dela- 
tor in  the  district.  The  zeal  of  the  people 
of  these  districts  to  erect  substantial  houses 
of  worship  in  their  villages,  afforded  pleas- 
ing evidence  of  the  progress  of  the  Gospel 
among  them.  The  one  day's  earnings  which 
they  had  formerly  contributed  did  not  sat- 
isfy them,  and  they  made  quite  large  sub- 
scriptions in  money  to  this  object.  In  re- 
gard to  real  spiritual  progress,  in  connection 
with  these  wonderful  outward  developments, 
the  missionaries  spoke  favorably  from  time 
to  time,  as  they  saw  the  converts  abounding 
in  labors,  in  sacrifices,  and  in  efforts  to  bring 
their  relatives  to  renounce  idolatry  and  em- 
brace Christianity. 

An  out-station  was  commenced  this  year 
about  12  miles  from  Trichoor,  a  station  in 
Travancore,  among  a  class  of  heathens  called 
Nayards,  the  very  lowest  class  of  natives, 
who  lived  by  begging,  and  were  extremely 
ignorant.  Several  dwelling  houses  were 
erected  for  them,  schools  were  opened,  and 
within  a  year  as  many  as  sixty  of  them 
were  under  instruction,  both  in  religion  and 
in  habits  of  industry. 

Madras  had  not,  for  several  years,  received 
its  proportionate  share  of  attention,  the  in- 
terest having  been  concentrated  more  upon 
the  southern  portion  of  the  field,  particu- 
larly Tinnevelley  and  Travancore.  The  con- 
sequence was,  that  in  1845,  thirty  years 
from  the  commencement  of  the  mission, 
there  were  but  three  congregations  in  Ma- 
dras, and  these  not  so  large  as  at  an  earlier 
period.  An  urgent  appeal  was  made  for 
more  missionaries,  but  the  society  could  not 
respond  favorably,  as  they  had  no  more  men 
to  send.  Two  years  later,  however,  more 
missionaries  arrived,  and  the  mission  was 
much  strengthened  and  revived. 

The  Tinnevelly  mission  was  again  subdi- 
vided in  1845,  making  11  districts,  with  14 
missionary  clergymen.  The  number  of  per- 
sons under  Christian  instruction  at  this  pe- 
riod, in  these  eleven  districts,  amounted  to 
23,868,  and  in  January  1846,  they  had  in- 
creased to  30,698.  The  number  of  baptized 
converts  was  now  12,525.    A  similar  sue- 


400 


HINDOSTAN. 


C088  attended  the  labors  of  the  ''  Society  for 
the  Propapration  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts,"  occupying  in  Bonie  measure  the  same 
field,  and  of  which  fraternal  mention  is 
made  by  the  missionaries  of  the  Church  So- 
cietv.  IJut  while  Christianity  was  thus  ad- 
vancing, and  whole  villages  were  demolish- 
ing their  idols  and  embracing  the  Gospel, 
a  spirit  of  violent  persecution  was  rising. 
In  one  district,  several  houses  of  worship 
were  destroyed,  converts  were  handled  witn 
violence,  and  many  were  falsely  accused ; 
but  in  spite  of  all  this,  1402  souls  embraced 
the  Christian  religion  in  that  very  district, 
within  six  months.  In  the  latter  part  of 
this  year  (1845)  the  persecution  became 
more  systematic  and  violent.  A  mob  of 
more  than  3,000  attacked  some  Christian 
villages,  robbed  the  people  of  all  their  goods, 
and  beat  them  in  the  most  cruel  manner. 
The  destruction  of  property  was  great.  A 
civil  force  at  length  interfered,  and  put  an 
end  to  the  disturbance.  Some  of  the  con- 
verts were  led,  through  fear,  to  renounce 
Christianity,  but  the  great  body  of  them  re- 
mained firm,  and  one  of  the  missionaries 
wrote,  a  few  months  later,  "I  have  often 
been  surprised  at  the  unshaken  and  uncom- 
promising attachment  which,  during  this 
trying  season,  these  poor  people  have  mani- 
fested. They,  as  well  as  some  of  the  cate- 
chists,  have  worked  night  and  day  to  sup 
port  the  Christian  cause,  and  w^ith  an  alacri- 
ty and  zeal  which  have  often  revived  my 
own.  Uad  it  not  been  for  this,  I  do  not 
know  what,  at  times,  I  should  have  done. 
I  know  also,  that  some  of  them  have  resist- 
ed temptations  which  an  English  Christian 
is  little  prepared  to  resist, — ^bribes,  and  such 
things." 

The  Bishop  of  Madras  visited  the  Tinne- 
velly  missions  in  1845,  and  in  his  report  he 
says,  "More  than  18,000  souls  have  renounced 
idolatry  and  placed  themselves  under  Chris- 
tian instruction,  since  January  1841,  when  I 
last  visited  these  missions.  Thus,  in  four 
^ears  and  a  half,  the  Christian  community 
in  Tinnevelly  has  doubled  itself — the  increase 
during  that  period  being  equal  to  the  total 
increase  of  the  fifty-four  years  which  pre- 
ceded it." 

Many  of  the  chief  actors  in  the  persecu- 
tions were,  in  the  following  year,  tried  and 
punished,  but  some  escaped  altogether  ;  and 
it  was  found  that  the  Christian  congrega- 
tions had  some  of  them  considerably  di- 
minished. But  this  did  not  hinder  others, 
in  great  numbers,  from  coming  forward  to 
fill  their  places.  About  this  time  the  sub- 
ject of  caste  was  taken  up  by  the  missiona- 
ries in  Tinnevelly,  and  a  declaration  was 
drawn  up,  condemning  it  in  the  severest 
terms,  with  a  solemn  pledge  forever  to  re- 
nounce it,  and  to  discourage  it  both  by  word 
and    example.      This    protest    and    pledge 


every  native  teacher  was  required  to  sign, 
before  he  could  become  a  candidate  for  lioly 
orders. 

The  most  diligent  attention  continued  to 
be  bestowed  upon  the  Syrian  population,  in 
the  Travancore  district.  AVhile  the  progress 
here  was  slow,  compared  with  that  in  Tinne- 
velly, the  missionaries  still  felt  justified  in 
saying  that  there  was  a  shaking  among  tho 
Syrians — a  state  of  great  disorganization  in 
their  church,  and  a  general  dissatisfaction 
with  their  religion  and  a  willingness  to  re- 
ceive the  truth.  Two  years  later  (1851)  a 
missionary  remarks,  that  although  the  Syri- 
ans hold  many  doctrines  in  common  with 
the  Roman  Catholics,  yet  there  is  this 
wide  essential  difference  between  the  two 
churches,  viz. :  that  the  Syrians  do  not  dis- 
allow the  perusal  of  the  Scriptures,  and  nei- 
ther do  they  mutilate  the  sacred  text,  like 
the  Roman  Catholics,  to  suit  their  owii  in- 
terpretation ;  but  the  authorized  version  is 
acknowledged  by  them,  and  they  profess  to 
draw  their  doctrines  from  thence.  Still  a 
year  later,  the  sg,me  missionary  says,  "  Some 
great  crisis  is  probably  at  hand,  with  regard 
to  the  Syrian  church  in  this  place.  The 
whole  Syrian  community  is  in  a  most  divided 
state,  and  many  are  anxious  to  be  joined  to 
a  purer  faith."  This  missionary  had  widely 
distributed  the  word  of  God  among  the 
12,000  Syrians  of  his  district,  when  a  Romish 
priest  ordered  the  people  to  bring  all  these 
books  to  his  church,  on  pain  of  excommuni- 
cation ;  and,  as  soon  as  they  were  collected 
they  were  publicly  burnt.  Opposition  of 
this  nature  from  the  Catholics,  was  among 
the  most  serious  hindrances  to  the  progress 
of  the  mission  among  the  Syrian  people. 

Slavery  is  spoken  of  as  prevailing  exten- 
sively in  Travancore,  the  slaves  numbering 
about  one-sixth  of  the  whole  population. 
They  are  an  extremely  degraded  class,  being 
regarded  by  the  higher  classes,  and  even  by 
the  laborers,  as  utterly  unclean  and  pollut- 
ing. "  Their  persons  are  entirely  at  the  dis- 
posal of  their  masters,  by  whom  they  are 
bought  and  sold  like  cattle,  and  are  often 
worse  treated."  Yet  even  these  slaves  were 
often  reached,  and  brought  under  Christian 
influences. 

The  intelligence  from  the  Madras  and 
South  India  missions  is  to  the  close  of  1852. 
Much  that  is  of  special  interest  might  be 
added  to  the  foregoing  statements,  particu- 
larly in  regard  to  the  Tinnevelly  and  Te- 
loogoo  missions,  but  it  is  necessary  to  omit 
further  details.  It  has  been  seen  that  this 
branch  of  the  Church  of  England  mission, 
extending  over  a  period  of  48  years,  has 
been  conducted  on  a  very  broad  scale,  and 
upon  principles  as  enlightened  and  philan- 
thropic as  they  have  been  Christian.  For 
learning,  practical  wisdom,  and  sincere  and 
unremitting  exertions  for  the  temporal  and 


%iriVBRSITT 


4£r 


ow    ^*v.«. 


PO" 


M. 


HINDOSTAN. 


401 


spiritual  elevation  of  the  heathen,  the  mis- 
sionaries of  this  society  in  Southern  India 
have  been  distinguished,  not  less,  certainly, 
than  those  in  any  other  field.  The  results 
of  these  labors  appear  in  a  table  at  the  end 
of  the  article  on  the  Church  of  England 
missions  in  Ilindostan. 

Bombay, — The  Church  of   England  com- 
menced its  mission  in  Bombay  in  1820,  under 
the  la"bors  of  Rev.  Mr  Kenney.     Although 
it  was  not  a  new  field,  the  American  Board 
having  had   an   efficient  mission   there  for 
eight  years,  yet  Mr.  Kenney  occupied  a  sepa- 
rate and  independent  station,  and  had  the 
Mahratta  language  to  learn.     After  laboring 
with  great  zeal  and  success  for  five  years,  his 
return  to  England  was  rendered  necessary 
by  the  health  of  his  family,  and  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  Messrs.  Mitchell  and  Steward. 
Mr.  Kenney  had  established   three   schools 
for  boys,  with  113  scholars,  but  no  school  for 
girls  had  yet  been  opened.    Mrs.  Stew'ard 
soon  died,  and  Mr.  Steward  left  for  another 
field.     Other  laborers  succeeded  from  time 
to  time,  but  for  fifteen  years  or  more  the 
operations  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
in  Bombay  and  Western  India  were  quite 
limited.     They  had  however  established  a 
mission  at  Nassuck,  100  miles  east  of  Bom- 
bay, and  at  both  these  places  they  had  opened 
schools  for  both  boys  and  girls,  and  had 
preached  the  Gospel  to  multitudes  of  people, 
and  the  Arch-Deacon  of  Bombay  was  led  to 
remark  that  "  much  precious  seed  was  vege- 
tating in  the  hearts  of  natives,  though  little 
appeared    externally."     For   the    last    few 
years  more  visible  fruits  have  appeared,  at 
Bombay  and  at  Nassuck.     The  latter  place 
has  a  population  of  30.000,  and  is  the  resort 
of   numerous   pilgrims,   and   the   seat   and 
centre   of   Brahminism  in  Western  India 
Here  the  missionaries  have  had  to  encounter 
very  fierce  opposition,  the  Brahmins  having 
become  enraged  at  the  weakened  influence 
of  Ilindooism  on  the  minds  of  those  who 
have  received    instruction    in    the   mission 
schools,  and  particularly  on  account  of  the 
relinquishment  of    caste  by  two   Brahmin 
youths.     The  Brahmins  even  expressed  the 
belief  that  they  should  be  able  to  expel  the 
missionaries,  who,  nevertheless,  went  steadily 
on  with  their  labors.     Considerable  atten- 
tion was  bestowed  upon  the  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  into  Mahratta,  and  preaching 
tours   were   frequently  performed  into  the 
neighboring  towns  and  villages.     In  the  So- 
ciety's report  for  1852,  they  say,  "  The  mis- 
sionaries at  Bombay  and  Nassuck  are  perse- 
vering in  their  patient  and  faithful  labors, 
though  they  have  hitherto  reaped  but  little 
fruit,  and  can  scarcely  discern  its  promise. 
The  advantages  which  have  been  gained  have 
been  chiefly  the  formation   of  schools,  the 
translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  of 
tracts,  and  that  increased  respect  and  atten- 
26 


tion  to  Christian  truth  which  form  an  impor- 
tant vantage  ground  for  future  operatons." 

In  1843  mention  is  made  of  an  Asylum  at 
Nassuck  for  poor  and  destitute  natives,  sup- 
ported by  the  alms  of  the  benevolent ;  and 
here  the  missionaries  were  accustomed  to 
give  instruction  to  the  inmates,  some  of 
whom  received  the  Gospel  and  were  bap- 
tized. The  last  notice  of  this  mission  is  in 
the  Church  Missionary  Record  for  May, 
1853,  in  which  the  missionaries  say,  "  There 
are  no  great  achievements  to  tell  of — no 
brilliant  successes  to  call  forth  acclamations. 
Our  pages  contain  nought  but  the  record  of 
humble,  patient  and  persevering  labors,  car- 
ried on  amid  much  natural  discouragement, 
but  sustained  by  the  gracious  assurance  that 
they  who  are  called  to  do  the  work  of  the 
Lord  shall  find  that  their  labor  is  not  in 
vain."  The  native  congregation  at  Bombay, 
at  this  period,  numbered  56,  of  whom  22 
were  communicants.  There  was  also  a 
divinity  class  of  four  students,  and  a  "  Money 
Institution,"  so  called,  containing  in  the 
English  department  230,  and  in  the  Marathi 
department  175  pupils.  The  vernacular 
schools  were  eighteen  in  number,  eight  for 
girls  and  ten  for  boys,  the  former  containing 
362  pupils,  and  the  latter  630.  At  Nassuck 
there  was  one  English  school,  containing  20 
boys,  four  Marathi  schools  with  272  boys, 
and  one  Hindostanee  school  with  16  pupilsl 
At  Junin,  east  of  Bombay  about  100  miles, 
little  had  been  done,  the  station  having  been 
occupied  only  a  short  time.  The  Sinde  mis- 
sion was  commenced  as  late  as  1850,  and 
presents  no  facts  of  importance.  A  com- 
plete summary  of  the  six  stations  of  the 
Church  of  England  mission  in  Western 
India,  will  be  found  in  the  statistical  table. 

Calcutta  and  North  India. — The  Church 
Society's  mission  in  Calcutta,  was  com- 
menced in  1816,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Jetter.  Early 
attention  was  paid  to  schools,  and  to  print- 
ing and  circulating  religious  tracts.  Success 
attended  these  labors,  and  in  1824  the  num- 
ber of  schools  reported  was  22,  and  the 
number  of  scholars  500,  a  large  number  of 
whom  were  females.  Great  interest  was 
awakened  on  the  subject  of  female  education 
in  India,  and  a  "  Ladies'  Society"  for  this 
purpose  was  formed,  under  the  patronage  of 
Lady  Amherst.  At  an  examination  of 
female  schools  in  February,  1825,  out  of  323 
girls,  in  eleven  schools,  292  came  together. 
They  were  examined  in  Watts'  Catechism 
and  the  New  Testament,  to  the  gratification 
and  surprise  of  all  present. 

The  death  of  Bishop  Heber,  in  1827,  was 
an  afflictive  event  to  the  Calcutta  mission. 
He  had  been  in  India  but  little  more  than 
two  years,  and  in  that  short  period  had 
visited  almost  every  station  where  a  Chris- 
tian church  could  be  assembled,  performing 
not  only  the  higher  duties  of  his  office,  but 


i02 


HINDOSTAN. 


the  more  humble  and  laborious  duties  of  an 
ordinary  pastor.  Ho  had  thus  become 
known  to  all  his  clergy  and  people,  in  the 
phiins  and  mountains  of  Ilindostan,  in  the 
wilder  tracts  of  Central  India,  in  the  stations 
of  CJuzerat^  the  Deccan,  and  the  Western 
Coast,  in  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Ceylon,  and 
in  the  southern  provinces  of  India,  the  scene 
of  his  last  labors,  and  henceforth  of  his 
dearest  memory."  The  Bishop  on  coming 
in  from  a  laborious  tour,  in  which  ho  had 
confirmed  a  large  number  of  persons,  went 
to  the  bath  as  usual,  and  in  a  few  moments 
was  found  dead  beneath  the  water. 

The  missions  at  Calcutta  were  not  at  any 
time  conducted  upon  so  liberal  a  scale  as  in 
some  other  places,  and  yet  there  is  evidence 
of  great  fidelity  on  the  part  of  the  mission- 
aries and  teachers,  who  from  time  to  time 
were  called  to  labor  here.  In  the  report  for 
1852.  the  number  of  native  Christians  under 
the  missionaries  in  Calcutta  and  its  neighbor- 
hood, was  stated  at  230.  Services  were  held 
in  the  mission  chapel,  both  in  Bengali  and 
Hindostanee,  and  preaching  to  the  heathen 
was  regularly  kept  up,  in  the  vernacular 
languages,  both  at  out-stations  and  in  the 
public  thoroughfares. 

Throughout  the  entire  history  of  this  mis- 
sion, schools  of  various  grades  and  depart- 
ments have  been  maintained.  In  1853  the 
boys'  boarding  school  embraced  28  pupils, 
and  a  similar  school  for  girls  had  30  pupils. 
The  vernacular  schools  connected  with  the 
mission  had  an  average  attendance  of  6G0 
boys.  At  an  out-station  a  little  distance 
from  Calcutta,  there  was,  at  the  above  date. 
a  boys'  school  containing  87  pupils,  and  also 
a  school  for  girls  with  25  pupils.  These 
were  taught  not  only  in  books,  but  in  needle- 
work, cooking,  &c.  The  English  school  con- 
tained 350  pupils. 

The  native  press  in  Calcutta  has  been  con- 
ducted with  much  energy,  though  not  en- 
tirely under  missionary  control.  Rev.  J. 
Long,  who  at  the  last  accounts  had  a  con- 
nection with  this  department,  writes,  "  Cal- 
cutta sends  out  from  native  presses,  annual- 
ly, not  less  than  30,000  volumes  in  Bengali. 
Among  these  are  more  than  twelve  news- 
papers and  periodicals.  Some  forty  native 
presses  furnish  a  supply  of  intellectual  food, 
much  of  which  is  anything  but  favorable  to 
Christianity.  Calcutta  is,  in  this  respect,  a 
very  important  sphere,  and  I  have  given  to 
it  as  much  time  as  I  could  spare." 

At  a  little  earlier  period  Mr.  Long  gives  a 
view  of  Calcutta  as  a  missionary  field,  which 
is  so  comprehensive  and  satisfactory  that 
parts  of  it  may  with  propriety  be  quoted : 
"  In  the  city  is  a  population  of  at  least 
500,000,  and  within  a  radius  of  fifteen  miles 
a  population  of  more  than  2,000,000.  It  is 
the  centre  of  missionary  operations  from 
North    India — the   heart  of    Bengal.     All 


translations  of  the  Scriptures,  rules  for  their 
circulating,  the  translation  of  tracts,  the 
printing  of  Christian  school  books,  the 
machinery  of  missions, — all  are  managed  by 
committees  in  Calcutta,  and  chiefly  by  the 
extra  labors  of  missionaries  j  for  were  it  not 
for  the  exertions  of  missionaries,  all  these 
committees  would  languish,  or  perhaps  be- 
come defunct.  Many  benevolent  European 
gentlemen  in  Calcutta,  who  are  brought  into 
connection  with  the  missionaries,  have  their 
attention  directed  to  certain  branches  of 
missionary  work,  which  they  support  very 
liberally." 

'•  Calcutta,  as  far  as  regards  education,  in 
some  respects  resembles  Cambridge  or  Ox- 
ford. Thousands  of  youths  come  and  lodge 
in  Calcutta  for  the  sole  purpose  of  their  edu- 
cation. Of  my  scholars — 150  in  number — 
who  study  the  Bible,  Home's  Evidences  of 
Christianity,  Milton,  and  Natural  Philos- 
ophy, through  the  medium  of  the  English 
language,  four-fifths  merely  take  lodgings  in 
Calcutta,  while  their  parents  live  fifty  or  a 
hundred  miles  in  the  country.  Educational 
labors  afford  a  great  field  here.  There  are 
more  than  100,000  boys  in  Calcutta,  of  whom 
not  more  than  10,000  attend  school.  *  * 
What  a  ocene  for  missionary  labors.  Be- 
sides, it  is  generally  admitted  that  Calcutta 
missionaries  do  twice  as  much  work  as 
those  in  the  country.  Their  sphere  of  labor 
is  near  them ;  they  have  not  to  exhaust  therr 
physical  energies  in  traveling,  &c.  All  the 
labor  connected  with  translations,  a  native 
Christian  literature,  &c.,  is  performed  almost 
entirely  by  Calcutta  missionaries  ;  and  yet 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  has  always 
been  weak  in  Calcutta.  The  Scotch  Mis- 
sionary Society  have  five  laborers,  the 
London  Missionary  Society  five,  the  Baptist 
Missionary  Society  six,  while  our  Society 
have  only  Mr.  Sandys  and  myself.  I  may 
be  mistaken,  but  I  have  long  been  of  opinion 
that  Calcutta  is  the  Waterloo  of  India, — the 
depot  where  the  grand  battle  between 
Christianity  and  Hindooism  will  be  fought. 
The  English  language  is  sweeping  away  as 
with  the  besom  of  destruction,  any  linger- 
ing attachment  that  may  remain  to  Brah- 
minism,  in  the  minds  of  youth,  and  now  is 
the  glorious  era  to  control  the  storm,  and 
direct  the  mental  energies  into  the  path  of 
salvation." 

Since  the  above  was  written  another  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Bost,  has  arrived  in  Calcutta. 
In  other  respects  Mr.  Long's  remarks  apply 
to  the  present  state  of  that  mission. 

Benares. — This  is  a  city  of  great  import- 
ance, and  is  about  500  miles  north-west  of 
Calcutta.  The  mission  here  was  commenced 
in  1817,  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Morris  and  Adling- 
ton,  successively  schoolmaster,  catechist, 
and  preacher ;  but  of  their  labors  little  is 
recorded.     They  were  succeeded  by   other 


HINDOSTAN. 


403 


laborers,  who  remained  but  a  short  time,  and 
for  many  years  there  was  a  great  deficiency 
of  systematic  effort.  Gradually  however,  a 
change  took  place,  and  for  the  last  ten  or 
fifteen  years  this  has  been  one  of  the  most 
important  of  the  Church  Society's  missions 
in  North  India. 

The  mission  premises  are  situated  about  a 
mile  and  a  half  south-east  of  the  canton- 
ments, at  a  village  called  Sigra.  The  en- 
closure contains  about  five  acres  of  ground. 
The  situation  is  airy,  healthy,  and  quiet, 
with  three  large  and  one  small  bungalows 
(houses),  the  former  designed  for  the  resi- 
dence of  ordained  missionaries,  and  the  lat- 
ter for  European  schoolmasters.  There  is 
another  building  devoted  to  the  use  of  Chris- 
tian orphan  boys,  who  form  a  very  interest- 
ing part  of  the  mission  ;  and  not  far  distant 
is  the  school  establishment  for  the  native 
girls.  In  the  city  of  Benares,  and  connected 
with  the  mission,  there  is  a  large  school  for 
native  boys,  founded  by  a  native,  named  Jai 
Nairain,  who  left  at  his  death  two  bunga- 
lows, the  rent  of  which  should  apply  to  its 
support,  and  also  a  large  building  to  be  used 
as  a  school  house  and  residence.  Govern- 
ment added  a  liberal  monthly  donation,  and 
this  has  been  one  of  the  most  important  in- 
stitutions connected  with  the  mission.  It  is 
called  "  Jai  Nairain's  College,"  and  has  at 
present  about  500  students,  which  is  as 
many  as  the  building  will  accommodate.  At 
the  last  dates,  an  enlargement  of  the  prem- 
ises had  been  commenced.  The  Brahmin 
boys  outnumber  those  of  any  other  caste. 
The  usual  schools  for  boys  and  girls  have 
been  maintained  for  many  years  with  in- 
creasing interest.  A  pleasing  fact  is  men- 
tioned in  the  Record  for  November,  1853,  by 
Mrs.  Smith,  teacher  of  the  ■'  heathen  girls' 
school,"  viz. :  that  during  the  whole  year  the 
school  had  not  been  once  closed  on  account 
of  a  heathen  festival.  She  had  told  the 
girls  that  she  desired  their  attendance  on 
those  days  especially,  that  their  minds  might 
not  be  contaminated  by  the  ceremonies 
practiced. 

The  native  Christian  congregation  at 
Benares  numbers  314  individuals.  The  mis- 
sionaries, of  whom  there  are  five,  devote 
much  time  to  itinerating  among  the  sur- 
rounding towns  and  villages,  and  they 
usually  have  no  lack  of  hearers  and  dispu- 
ters. 

Birdwan. — At  the  close  of  the  year  1816, 
the  corresponding  committee  received  a 
communication  from  Lieutenant  Stewart, 
stationed  at  Birdwan,  40  miles  above  Cal- 
cutta, proposing  an  extensive  plan  of  native 
schools  at  and  near  that  place.  This  pro- 
posal was  adopted,  and  in  a  short  time  ten 
schools  were  established,  one  at  Birdwan, 
and  the  others  in  places  not  far  distant. 
Within   a  year  from   their   commencement 


there  were  1,000  children  in  these  schools, 
all  taught  in  the  Bengalee  language.  The 
number  of  schools  was  subsequently  in- 
creased, but  disbanded  again  for  the  want  of 
means  to  sustain  so  many.  The  present 
number  is  ten,  and  in  the  last  report — 1853 — 
the  missionary  says,  "The  number  of 
heathen  children  who  enjoy  plain  education, 
founded  on  the  Christian  religion,  is  about 
500.  In  these  schools  you  meet  the  proud 
Brahmin  sitting  at  the  side  of,  or  below,  the 
Sudra,  in  harmony  and  love,  deriving  the 
same  instruction.  The  fear  of  having 
youths  taught  in  mission  schools  has,  in 
this  neighborhood,  almost  passed  away." 
Particular  mention  is  made  in  the  circular  of 
the  Board  for  October  of  last  year,  of  the 
orphan  girls'  school,  with  150  orphans,  up- 
wards of  30  of  whom  had  died  while  re- 
ceiving their  education,  some  of  them  very 
happily.  "This,"  says  the  teacher,  Mrs. 
Weitbrecht,  "  has  been  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  and  encouraging  branches  of  our 
work  in  this  mission,  and  has  often  sustained 
our  spirits  when  all  besides  has  been  dark 
and  trying." 

Krishnagur. — This  station  is  a  little  to  the 
north-west  of  Calcutta,  and  was  commenced 
in  1831.  The  work  was  continued  in  the 
usual  way,  instruction  being  given  in  schools, 
chapels,  and  by  the  distribution  of  the 
Scriptures  and  tracts,  till  1835,  when  a  bit- 
ter persecution  arose  against  a  sect  com- 
posed partly  of  Hindoos  and  partly  of  Mus- 
sulmans, called  "Kurta  Bhoja,"  worship- 
ers of  the  Creator.  They  worshiped  one 
God,  had  nothing  to  do  with  idols,  and  be- 
lieved that  God  would  come  into  the  world 
in  human  form.  They  bore  persecution  with 
great  patience,  and  the  missionary,  Mr. 
Deerr,  on  visiting  them,  was  convinced  of 
their  sincerity,  and  was  led  to  admire  es- 
pecially the  great  love  and  affection  which 
they  bore  one  to  another.  In  1836,  Mr. 
Deerr  renewed  his  visit,  and"  was  received 
with  increased  cordiality.  He  established 
public  worship  among  them,  in  which  they 
united  with  much  joy  ;  and  upon  this  a 
more  rigorous  persecution  commenced 
against  them.  They  were  treated  as  out  of 
the  pale  of  heathenism,  their  caste  was 
gone,  and  their  wives  and  children  were 
taken  from  them,  and  only  restored  by  an 
order  from  the  magistrate.  In  1838,  the 
leading  men  in  ten  villages  belonging  to  this 
sect,  avowed  their  belief  in  the  Gospel,  and 
after  instruction,  were  baptized  into  the 
Christian  faith.  They  straightway  confessed 
Christ  before  the  heathen,  and  established 
public  worship  in  their  villages.  This  crea- 
ted great  excitement,  and  a  still  more  violent 
opposition  was  the  result.  But  the  truth 
spread,  the  Christians  were  more  in  earnest, 
inquirers  were  multiplied,  and  the  Word  of 
God  prevailed. 


4U4 


HINDOaTiVN. 


At  the  request  of  the  Corresponding  Com- 
mittee, the  IJiehop  of  Calcutta  made  a  care- 
ful and  thorough  investigation  into  the  facts, 
and  made  a  written  report,  from  Avhich  the 
following  is  extracted : 

"It  api)ears  that  between  fifty-flve  and 
aixtv  villages  are  thirsting  for  the  waters  of 
life,*  in  a  greater  or  less  degree.  They 
stretch  to  the  north  and  north-east  of 
Krishnugur  to  the  distance  of  forty  or  fifty 
miles,  and  to  the  south-west  fifteen  or 
twenty.  The  numbers  described  as  pre- 
pared for  baptism,  in  various  measures  of 
course,  is  between  3,000  and  3,500.  The 
Arch-Deacon  assisted  himself  at  the  recep- 
tion of  about  500  souls,  including  women 
and  children,  into  the  Christian  Church,  and 
there  seems  the  fairest  prospect,  if  we  can 
but  enter  the  wide  and  effectual  door  in 
time,  that  not  only  these  three  or  four  thou- 
sand, but  the  whole  population  of  the  fifty 
or  sixty  villages,  may  receive  the  Christian 
faith.  Such  a  glorious  scene  has  never  before 
been  presented  to  our  longing  eyes  in  Ben- 
gal ;  and  after  making  all  deductions  for 
overstatements,  sanguine  hopes,  &c.,  it  ap- 
pears that  a  mighty  work  of  divine  grace  is 
begun, — a  work  wide  and  permanent,  as  we 
trust, — a  work  for  which  our  fathers  in 
India,  Brown,  Buchanan,  Martyn,  Thomason, 
and  Bps.  Corrie,  Middleton,  and  Hebcr, 
would  have  blessed  and  praised  God  in  the 
loudest  strains  of  gratitude  and  joy." 

Archdeacon  Dealtry,  who  visited  the  dis- 
trict, and  made  very  diligent  and  patient  in- 
vestigations as  to  tiie  origin  and  history  of 
the  sect,  says : 

"  It  appears  that  they  have  been  about 
sixty  years  settled  on  the  banks  of  Jelingha, 
(a  branch  of  the  Ganges).  They  called 
themselves  '  Kurta  Bhoja,'  worshipers  of 
the  Creator.  They  had  some  connection 
with  the  sect  of  Dervishes,  supposed  to 
abound  in  Persia.  They  had  a  firm  notion 
of  one  Supreme  Being,  rejected  with  abhor- 
rence all  idolatry,  held  very  slightly  if  at  all 
by  caste,  and  considered  the  test  of  prose- 
lytism,  not  eating,  but  praying  to  the  one 
true  God.  They  showed  an  acquaintance 
generally  with  the  lost  estate  and  sinful  na- 
ture of  man,  with  the  incarnation  and  holy 
life  of  Christ,  with  the  atonement,  justifica- 
tion, and  sanctification,  in  their  substantial 
import,  and  with  the  necessity  of  following 
Christ's  example.  Jesus  Christ  was  the  be- 
ginning and  end  of  their  religion,  and 
prayer  to  him  was  the  test  of  discipleship. 
They  had  learnt  the  ten  commandments,  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  the  Creed,  and  Dr.  "Watts' 
Catechism.  It  appeared  further,  as  far  as 
could  be  ascertained,  that  they  were  willing 
to  forsake  all  for  Christ,  and  endure  ?r  hat- 
ever  persecutions  might  come  upon  ^Jem," 

Tile  Jesuit  was,  that  the  Archdeacon  said 
to  tliu  missionaries,  '*  Can  any  forbid  water, 


that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  who  have 
received  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  his  sanctifying 
influences,  as  well  as  we  i"  And  upon  their 
unanimous  vote,  baptism  was  administered 
to  them  in  separate  companies,  and  from 
village  to  village,  to  the  number  of  over 
1,000.  In  1841,  the  Bishop  of  Calcutta  vis- 
ited the  Krishnagur  district  in  person,  and 
after  surveying  the  villages  and  conversing 
with  the  Christians,  he  said,  "  I  have  not  a 
word  to  retract  on  reading  over  my  commu- 
nications of  1839.  Time  has  only  developed 
and  confirmed  the  statements  then  made." 

In  1845,  the  Papists  made  an  incursion  into 
these  Christian  villages,  under  the  lead  of  a 
Spanish  Jesuit  Priest,  with  a  view  to  seduce 
to  Popery  the  numerous  converts  from 
heathenism.  They  came  with  large  chari- 
table funds,  and  secured  an  extensive  piece 
of  ground  in  the  centre  of  the  chief  station, 
with  a  view  to  erect  thereon  a  church,  dwell- 
ing house,  school,  &c.  With  much  force  and 
justice  do  the  society,  in  their  report,  speak 
of  the  Church  of  Rome  as  "  turning  aside 
from  the  130  millions  of  heathen  in  India,  to 
address  its  labors  to  a  few  recent  Christian 
converts  who  had  been  taught  and  fostered 
by  the  care  of  others,  thus  seeking  to  en- 
large its  borders,  according  to  its  ancient 
character,  foreshown  in  the  word  of  God, 
through  the  apostasy  of  Christians  rather 
than  through  the  conversion  of  the  hea- 
then." For  a  time  the  efforts  of  this  Jesuit 
appeared  successful,  but  after  two  years  it 
is  recorded,  that  "the  priest  who  had  in- 
truded upon  our  work  and  led  astray  many 
of  our  converts  to  his  errors,  has  been  ar- 
rested in  his  career,  and  has  evidently  failed 
of  his  designs.  Most  of  his  converts  are 
very  anxious  to  be  re-admitted  into  our 
communion." 

Although  there  were  many  apostasies 
from  time  to  time,  of  those  who  "  did  run 
well,"  yet  a  favorable  account  is  given  of 
the  stability  and  Christian  consistency  of  a 
large  number  of  the  professed  converts,  and 
in  very  few  instances  has  there  been  a  more 
signal  display  of  the  grace  of  God  among 
the  heathen,  than  at  Krishnagur.  In  1848, 
the  missionaries  say,  "  Seventeen  years  ago 
the  name  of  Krishnagur  first  appeared  in  the 
records  of  our  society,  as  an  out-station  to 
Birdwan.  This  was  the  first  attempt  of  the 
missionary  to  disturb  the  unbroken  heathen- 
ism of  the  district.  Now,  Mr.  Cuthbert, 
one  of  the  missionaries,  reports  missions  and 
mission  work  as  rooted  and  settled  in  the 
land  as  firmly  as  the  English  people  are  in 
India,  and  more  so."  Seven  stations  were 
occupied,  substantial  and  durable  clmrches, 
school  houses  and  dwelling  houses,  had  been 
built,  neat  and  convenient  cottages  had 
sprung  up  in  all  the  Christian  villages,  and 
the  labors  of  the  missionaries  and  school 
teachers  were  attended  with  the  most  grati- 


HINDOSTAN. 


405 


fying  success.  Were  there  space  for  it,  it 
would  be  gratifying  to  present  much  more 
full  details  of  the  revival  in  this  district,  and 
of  its  results  ;  but  the  narrative  must  be 
closed,  with  a  reference  to  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Record  for  1837,  and  onward,  for  a 
complete  history  of  the  work. 

Cliunar. — This  station  is  near  Benares,  far 
to  the  north-west  of  Calcutta,  and  its  mis- 
sionary operations  date  a  ^ittle  earlier  than 
those  of  Benares.  But  it  has  seldom,  if  at 
any  time,  had  more  than  one  missionary, 
and  less  has  been  expended  upon  it  than 
upon  almost  any  other  station  of  the  Church 
Society,  of  so  long  continuance.  The  most 
recent  report  says.  "  This  station  cannot  be 
continued  much  longer  on  the  Society's  list, 
being  only  occasionally  visited  by  a  mission- 
ary, and  the  native  Christian  flock  consist- 
ing of  persons  connected  with  the  canton- 
ment, and  therefore  properly  belonging  to 
the  ministerial  charge  of  the  chaplain  of  the 
station." 

Mirut. — The  first  missionary  to  this  sta- 
tion, which  is  about  32  miles  north-east  of 
Delhi,  and  near  the  Ganges,  arrived  in  1815. 
It  was  considered  an  important  position, 
and  for  fifteen  years  or  more  the  mission 
was  conducted  with  ordinary  zeal  and  suc- 
cess, though  the  number  of  laborers  was 
never  great.  In  1842  the  station  was  left 
without  a  missionary,  only  the  Government 
chaplain  being  on  the  ground.  In  his  appeal 
for  help,  he  says,  "  There  is  still  a  native 
flock  of  32  Christians,  without  a  pastor,  and 
altogether  depending  on  the  care  of  a  native 
reader.  The  widowed  state  of  the  mission 
is  a  constant  source  of  grief  to  the  local 
committee."  At  the  same  time  the  Bishop 
of  Calcutta  speaks  of  this  mission  as  one  of 
the  oldest  in  that  part  of  India,  and  now  in 
danger  of  becoming  entirely  extinct — a  mis- 
sion with  all  the  heavy  external  apparatus 
complete — a  mission  which  possesses  a  mis- 
sion residence,  with  alms-houses  for  native 
Christians  when  destitute — a  mission  in  one 
of  the  largest  stations,  and  most  healthy,  in 
all  India,  and  where  almost  unlimited  funds 
might  be  raised  rf  it  were  vigorously  sus- 
tained. In  1846,  after  four  years'  suspen- 
sion of  operations,  a  missionary,  Rev.  Mr. 
Lamb,  was  provided  for  this  station,  and  its 
prospects  brightened.  During  the  four  years 
,  preceding  1850,  eleven  adults  were  baptized, 
and  have  given  satisfactory  evidence  of  sin- 
cerity. The  latest  account  is  contained  in 
the  Record  for  November,  1853,  when  the 
congregation  of  native  worshipers  num- 
bered 150,  the  English  school  contained 
about  fifty  boys,  houses  had  been  built  for 
widows,  and  the  Christian  village  was  ex- 
tending its  limits.  Mirut  is  memorable  as 
the  place  where  the  distinguished  native 
catechist,  Anund  Messeeh,  was  baptized,  in 
181G,  and  where  he  commenced  those  labors 


which  have  been  of  such  signal  service  to 
the  cause  of  missions  in  India. 

Delhi. — For  several  years  Delhi  was  the 
seat  of  an  interesting  mission,  chiefly  under 
the  care  of  Anund  Messeeh,  the  distin- 
guished native  catechist  and  reader.  Ho 
had  been  for  some  time  a  teacher  at  Mirut, 
not  far  distant,  and  his  first  visit  to  Delhi 
after  his  conversion  appears  to  have  been  in 
1818,  his  wife,  a  brother  and  two  sisters 
being  there,  and  some  hope  of  their  conver- 
sion being  entertained.  While  there  a  re- 
port was  in  circulation,  that  a  number  of 
strangers  from  several  villages  to  the  west 
of  Delhi  had  assembled  together,  nobody 
knew  why,  in  a  place  near  the  imperial  city, 
and  were  busily  employed  in  friendly  con- 
versation, and  in  reading  some  books  in 
their  possession,  which  induced  them  to  re- 
nounce their  caste,  to  bind  themselves  to 
love  and  to  associate  with  one  another,  and 
intermarry  only  among  their  own  sect,  and 
to  lead  a  strict  and  holy  life.  Anund  imme- 
diately set  off  for  the  place  of  rendezvous, 
and  found  about  500  people,  men,  women, 
and  children,  seated  under  the  shade  of  the 
trees,  and  employed  in  reading  and  conver- 
sation. On  further  inquiry  it  turned  out 
that  these  people  belonged  to  a  sect  of  na- 
tive Christians,  called  Saadhs,  and  that  the 
book  they  had  was  the  New  Testament. 
Many  copies  of  it  were  in  the  possession  of 
the  party,  some  printed,  in  the  Ilindostanee 
tongue,  and  some  written.  They  professed 
great  love  for  this  book,  called  it  the  book 
of  God,  and  said  that  the  written  copies 
they  wrote  themselves,  having  no  other 
means  of  obtaining  a  supply.  Subsequent 
investigations  led  to  the  discovery,  that 
these  poor  strangers  had  existed  as  a  dis- 
tinct sect  for  5  or  6  years,  having  separated 
themselves  from  the  authority  and  control 
of  the  Brahmins,  both  in  temporal  and 
spiritual  things,  being  disgusted  by  their 
tyranny  and  extortion,  as  well  as  determined 
to  exercise  their  own  judgment  more  freely 
in  matters  of  religion.  Before  this  general 
secession  of  the  Saadhs,  the  Brahmins,  it  is 
said,  had  hated  them,  and  subjected  them  to 
such  exorbitant  exactions  as  to  cause  general 
misery  and  discontent.  When  once  the 
leaven  of  their  discontent  began  to  work, 
their  numbers  increased  daily,  and  their 
tenets  continued  to  spread.  The  particular 
tract  of  country  occupied  by  the  Saadhs, 
lay  to  the  north-west  and  west  of  Delhi, 
some  fifty  miles.  They  had  five  villages,  in 
one  of  which  was  found  ten  copies  of  the 
Gospel,  which  they  accounted  more  precious 
than  gold,  and  would  give  any  thing  for  a 
larger  supply. 

In  his  tour  among  these  villages,  Annnd 
Messeeh  was  received  with  great  reverence, 
and  would  have  been  almost  worshiped  had 
he  not  rebuked  such  a  tendency.     At  the 


406 


HINDOSTAN. 


principal  village,  the  people  gathered  to- 
gether every  night,  for  worship,  each  pray- 
ing exteraporaneously,  and  blessing  and 
praising  the  one  true  God  for  all  his  mercies. 

It  was  with  particular  reference  to  the 
care  and  instruction  of  these  people,  that 
Me.'sseeh,  about  this  time,  was  stationed  at 
Delhi,  for  there  the  Saadhs  could  visit  him, 
and  ho  in  turn  could  visit  them  at  their 
houses,  60  that  thev  would  bo  sure  of  religi- 
ous instruction.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
copies  of  the  Gospel  in  their  possession  were 
those  distributed  by  a  missionary,  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  while  on  an  exploring  tour  in 
that  quarter.  Favorable  accounts  continued 
to  be  received  of  Anund's  labors,  until  1827, 
when  he  was  removed  from  Delhi  to  another 
station,  and  subsequently  to  this  the  intelli- 
gence respecting  the  Saadhs  is  very  imper- 
fect. A  full  account  of  them  may  bo  seen  in 
the  Missionary  Register,  for  1818,  pp.  17, 
and  203. 

Agra. — Incipient  missionary  labors  appear 
to  have  been  commenced  at  Agra,  some  50 
miles  south  of  Delhi,  as  early  as  1815.  The 
mission  was  for  some  time  under  the  care  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Corrie,  chaplain  at  this  station, 
assisted  by  a  native  Christian,  Abdool  Mes- 
seeh,  whose  character  and  labors  are  spoken 
of  in  terms  of  high  commendation.  An  in- 
stitution for  orphan  children  was  an  object 
of  special  care  at  this  place,  and  in  the 
calamitous  famine  of  1838,  when  300  chil- 
dren were  preserved  from  starvation  by  the 
benevolence  of  the  Christian  public,  these 
children  were  all  received  by  the  committee 
of  the  Orphan  Institution,  and  provided  with 
a  home  and  suitable  instruction.  Agra  has 
been  provided  with  schools  of  various 
grades,  and  with  missionaries,  so  as  to  render 
it  one  of  the  most  efficient  and  important  of 
the  Church  Society  in  northern  India.  A 
new  building  for  the  high  school,  or  college, 
had  been  completed,  in  1853.  and  200  boys 
were  under  instruction  in  this  institution. 
This  mission  has  had  the  advantage  of  a 

Erinting  press,  and  many  of  the  orphan  boys 
ave  labored  in  connection  with  it  so  as  to 
provide  for  their  own  support. 

Jaunpore.— This  was  an  extension  of  the 
Benares  mission,  effected  in  1838.  The  mis- 
sionary was  soon  removed,  however,  and  for 
four  years  this  station  was  without  a  mis- 
sionary. But  the  Record  for  November, 
1853,  says,  "  This  station  has  once  more  a 
resident  missionary,  and  a  small  Christian 
flock,  numbering  about  30  individuals." 

Gor7'uckpore.—Thi6  place,  at  a  considerable 
distance  north-west  of  Calcutta,  was  visited 
from  Benares  in  1823,  and  a  mission  was 
commenced  which  has  been  continued  to  the 
present  time.  It  has  now  one  missionary, 
two  native  congregations,  a  large  English 
school,  orphan  schools,  and  a  vernacular 
school 


Bha^ilpur.— The  mission  at  this  plac< 
was  conuncnced  in  IJfSO,  and  at  the  last  ae 
counts  there  had  been  41  baptisms.  Th( 
hill  tribes  around  this  mission  are  said  t( 
have  no  caste,  and  no  antiquated  system  of 
religion,  and  are  regarded  tlicrcfore  as  mon 
likely  to  receive  the  Gospel  freely  and  a 
once. 

Himalaya. — This  mission  was  commencec 
in  1844.  Its  labors  consisted  for  a  time  ii 
the  establishmeht  of  small  village  schools 
and  itinerating  among  the  population  of  tlu 
mountains,  but  it  became  a  very  importan 
mission,  and  is  still  so  regarded.  Being  ii 
the  mountain  regions  in  the  north  of  Iliiido 
Stan,  and  among  a  people  little  known  before 
some  notice  of  their  character,  religion,  &c. 
may  be  expected. 

The  principal  station  of  the  mission  is 
Kot-gurh,  situated  7,000  feet  above  the  leve 
of  the  sea,  and  100  miles  from  the  plains  of 
India.  It  is  the  key  of  central  Asia,  and  the 
granary  of  all  the  countries  to  the  north  anc 
east.  The  missionary.  Rev.  J.  D.  Prochnow 
describes  the  country,  the  influence  of  tlu 
Sikh  war,  and  the  various  means  by  whicl 
this  vast  field  had  been  opened  to  mission- 
ary labor  ;  and  then  proceeds  to  give  a  de- 
scription of  the  people  themselves.  The^ 
consist  of  three  classes  : 

"  First,  the  Hill  people,  who  afe  all  Hin- 
doos, though  their  ways  of  living  and  of 
worship  are  very  different  from  those  of  the 
plains.  In  their  rites,  they  bear  a  great  re- 
semblance to  the  Jews  of  old.  They  carrj 
their  Deotas — wooden  chairs  dressed  up 
with  human  faces  fixed  to  them — on  theii 
shoulders,  and  dance  before  them  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner,  as  the  Jews  of  old  before  the 
ark.  In  their  music,  their  observances  of 
the  new  moon,  fasting,  and  many  other 
things,  they  also  resemble  the  Jews  ;  but 
more  than  any  thing  else,  in  their  sacrifices 
to  atone  the  wrath  of  the  Deota,  viz. :  the 
sprinkling  of  blood  on  the  posts  and  doorg 
of  the  temple  and  houses.  All  this  shows 
that  the  hill  tribes  of  the  Himalaya  mission 
at  Kot-gurh,  are  far  from  being  in  a  savage 
and  entirely  uncivilized  state.  They  under- 
stand all  the  terms  of  our  religion.  I  never 
found  the  least  difficulty  in  making  them, 
even  the  women,  understand  the  great  truths 
of  the  Gospel,  if  only  brought  before  them 
in  simple  language.  To  the  Hindoo  moun- 
taineers, as  we  have  been  without  assistance, 
our  labors  have  hitherto  been  chiefly  con- 
fined." 

"  The  second  class  are  the  wandering  Tar- 
tars, or  the  Budhist  mountaineers  of  the 
higher  hills.  These  people  are  very  peculiar 
every  way,  in  their  habits,  religion,  language, 
&c.  They  come  down  from  the  high  table- 
lands by  thousands,  to  spend  the  winter 
months  in  the  valleys,  all  divided  into  small 
families,  bringing  their  sheep  and  goats  along 


niNDOSTAN. 


407 


with  them,  together  with  the   produce   of 


their  country, 


borax,  'wool,  dried 


apricots,  silk,  precious 
they  dispose  of  during  the  winter  months, 
feeding  their  flocks  in  the  valleys  of  the 
rivers,  for  they  would  find  no  food  for  them 
in  their  own  country  at  this  season  ;  and  in 
May  all  these  families  move  again  towards 
their  native  hills,  with  their  bags  filled  with 
grain.  So  they  avoid  the  rainy  season  of 
the  lower  hills,  and  enjoy  the  fine  summer 
of  the  higher  hills.  These  wandering  tribes 
alone  form  a  very  interesting  field  of  labor. 
Their  religion  is  Budhism,  and  there  are 
plenty  of  monks  and  nuns  among  them." 

"  The  third  class  is  the  Sikhs.  They  are 
all  of  one  caste,  and  are  readily  influenced 
by  the  preaching  of  the  missionaries.  Those 
of  them  who  have  been  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity at  Oaunpore  and  Benares  are  very 
highly  spoken  of,  as  being  far  superior  to 
the  Hindoo  converts." 

As  to  the  success  of   this   mission,  Mr. 


Procknow  says,  "  I  must  confess  with  deep 
humiliation,  visible  fruits  have  been  few  ; 
but  considering  all  the  difiiculties  which 
have  beset  us  from  our  very  first  beginning 
until  now,  I  am  by  no  means  discouraged. 
The  seed  has  fallen  into  good  ground  ;  it  will 
spring  up  in  God's  own  time."  The  greatest 
difficulty  in  the  way  of  giving  success  to 
this,  and  many  other  new  and  important 
missions,  the  committee  say,  is  the  "  pau- 
city of  missionary  laborers." 

The  Pwnjaub. — The  mission  to  the  Pun- 
jaub  was  commenced  in  1852,  and  has  two 
missionaries,  assisted  by  three  native  cate- 
chists  and  readers.  Portions  of  Scripture, 
books  and  tracts,  in  Punjaub,  Urdu,  and 
Hindi,  have  been  put  into  circulation.  A 
school  has  been  commenced,  with  50 
scholars,  half  of  whom  are  Sikhs,  and  the 
rest  Hindoos  and  Mussulmans.  For  a  fuller 
account  of  the  Punjaub  mission,  see  Mission- 
ary Intelligencer  for  May  and  November, 
1852. 


TABULAR    VIEW. 


NAMES  OF  DISTRICTS 

•i 

_5 

c 

1 

02 

Clergy- 
men. 

a 

1 
1 
I 

3 

1 

2 

i 

? 

f 

§ 
o 

B 

1 

i 

1 
1 

1 

9. 

p 

i 
1 

^ 

OR 

PRINCIPAL  STATIONS, 
1853. 

a- 

I 

Ig 

9 

i 

o 

a 

r  Calcutta  District, 

1816 

3 

4 

1 

46 

4 

6^ 

133 

12 

42 

54 

18 

513 

55 

10 

1400 

1978 

Burdwan  District, 

1817 

1 

2 

17 

3 

22 

47 

4 

29 

33 

10 

513 

50 

60 

623 

Krishnagur  District, 

1831 

8 

8 

1 

1 

2 

93 

8 

113 

403 

6 

189 

195 

49 

1759 

352 

30 

40 

2181 

d 

Bhagulpur, 

1850 

1 

1 

1 

2 

5 

19 

35 

14 

49 

4 

150 

28 

178 

a 

Benares, 

1817 

1 

6 

3 

1 

34 

4 

48 

96 

6 

14 

20 

8 

541 

60 

7 

200 

808 

Jaunpore, 

1831 

1 

1 

1 

17 

1 

i 

12 

4 

5 

5 

396 

11 

21 

428 

^' 

Gorruckpore, 

1823 

2 

1 

1 

8 

0 

34 

1 

10 

11 

4 

265 

24 

289 

% 

Agra, 

1813 

2 

2 

4 

1 

27 

2 

36 

168 

2 

48 

50 

10 

456 

26 

27 

509 

ll 

Mirut, 
Himalaya, 
Punjaub, 
,At  Home, 

1815 
1844 
1852 

1 
1 
1 

2 
2 
2 
2 

9 
6 

0 

11 

8 
2 
2 

55 

15 

10 

26 

3 
4 

71 

6 
15 

92 

98 
86 

«• 

'  Bombay, 

1820 

1 

3 

2 

1 

17 

23 

22 

1 

1 

20 

1219 

214 

1433 

■xi 

Nasik, 

1832 

1 

1 

2 

1 

4 

12 

4 

4 

6 

307 

16 

323 

A< 

Junir  and  Malligaum, 
Sinde  Mission, 

1846 
1850 

2 
1 

2 

2 

2 
5 

4 
3 

14 

8 

8 

16 

6 

168 

19 

187 

^ 

I.  At  Home, 

1 

72 

72 

ci 

'  Madras, 

1815 

1 

2 

2 

3 

2 

13 

10 

32 

209 

9 

17 

26 

12 

264 

276 

540 

'3 

Tinnevelly  Districts, 

1817 

12 

11 

1 

7 

6 

4 

412 

81 

522 

3357 

519 

875 

1394 

286 

5203 

2758 

7963 

a  < 

Travancore  Districts, 

1816 

6 

8 

2 

3 

116 

6 

135 

1256 

185 

195 

380 

76 

1775 

433 

2208 

Teloocoo, 

1841 

1 

4 

2 

16 

7 

29 

18 

2 

8 

10 

4 

113 

56 

169 

OQ 

I  At  Home, 

Totals,                            1 

47 

64 

6 

13 

22 

14 

839 

127 

1094 

5815 

809 

1363 

2272 

526 

13776 

4339 

6^ 

17873 

Society  foii  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel. — This  society  commenced  its  ope- 
rations in  Hindostan  in  1818,  not  long  after 
the  arrival  of  Bishop  Middleton,  the  first 
bishop  of  Calcutta.  He  was  at  this  time  de- 
vising a  plan  for  the  foundation  at  Calcutta 
of  a  missionary  college,  but  as  the  Society's 
funds  were  pledged  to  already  existing  mis- 
sions in  the  western  world,  no  resource  was 
left  except  in  vigorous  efforts  for  the  aug- 
mentation of  its  income.  Accordingly  a 
memorial  was  presented  to  the  Prince  Re- 


gent, praying  that  a  royal  letter,  authorizing 
a  general  collection,  might,  as  in  former 
reigns,  be  issued  ;  and  an  appeal  was  made 
to  the  public  for  the  means  of  entering  upon 
that  new  sphere  of  labor  which  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Episcopate  in  India  had 
opened. 

Bishop^s  College.— Ihe  first  great  work, 
therefore,  to  which  the  Society,  under  the 
advice  of  the  Bishop,  gave  itself  in  India, 
was  the  foundation  of  a  Missionary  College 
near  Calcutta.     To   this    the    proceeds    of 


408 


HINDOSTAN. 


tho  royal  letter  of  1819,  amounting  alto- 
gether to  £45,747,  were  devoted.  The  col- 
lego  was  designed  on  a  scale  to  meet  not 
merely  the  pivisent  wants  of  the  missions, 
out  such  as  would  bo  required  by  a  growing 
church.  Tlie  plan  combined  chapel,  hall, 
library,  and  printing-pi-ess  ;  and  the  estab- 
lishment was  meant  to  afford  instruction, 
not  only  in  the  sacred  and  classical  languages, 
but  also  in  the  principal  languages  and  dia- 
lects of  India.  Accommodation  was  to  be 
provided  for  three  professors  and  twenty 
students.  A  most  eligible  site,  about  four 
miles  below  Calcutta,  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Hoogley,  was  presented  by  the 
Honorable  East  India  Company. 

The  original  object  of  the  college  was  the 
education  of  native,  East  Indian,  and  Euro- 
pean youth,  for  the  service  of  the  church ; 
but  the  college  was  some  years  afterwards 
enlarged  for  the  reception  of  law  students. 
Another  purpose  was  the  translation  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  and  of  the  Liturgy  into  the 
native  languages  of  India.  The  Rev.  W.  II. 
Mill,  fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge, 
was  appointed  the  first  Principal,  and  em- 
barked, in  company  with  Rev.  J.  H.  Alt,  of 
Pembroke  Hall,  as  Professor,  in  August, 
1820.  It  was  a  considerable  time,  however, 
before  the  necessary  buildings  were  com- 
pleted ;  and  the  actual  work  of  education 
did  not  commence  till  March,  1824,  which 
was  after  the  death  of  Bishop  Middleton,  to 
whom  the  College  owed  its  foundation,  and 
who  had  done  much  more  than  provide  for 
the  erection  of  the  material  fabric.  He  had 
suggested  that  a  connection  should  be  estab- 
lished between  Bishop's  College  and  the 
"  School  for  the  Orphans  of  Clergy,"  in  St. 
John's  Wood,  which  might  generally  be 
looked  to  as  a  nursery  of  lads  who  might 
afterwards  be  transplanted  to  Calcutta,  and 
be  there  educated  for  the  same  ministry  as 
that  in  which  their  fathers  had  served, 
though  it  was  to  be  exercised  in  a  far  dis- 
tant land.  This  suggestion,  which  met  with 
the  cordial  and  unanimous  approval  of  the 
Society,  received  also  the  approbation  of  the 
governors  of  the  Clergy  Orphan  School. 
Three  boys  were,  with  the  full  consent  of 
their  guardians,  at  once  dedicated  to  the 
missionary  service.  This  connection,  how- 
ever, between  the  Orphan  School  and  the 
College,  was  not  long  continued. 

As  soon  as  the  college  began  to  send  out 
its  alumni,  missions  were  established  in  some 
of  the  more  important  villages  to  the  south 
of  Calcutta.  The  first  ones  formed  were  at 
Cossipore,  Tallygunge,  Howrah,  and  Barri- 
piir ;  and  no  sooner  had  the  laborers  entered 
into  the  harvest  than  fruit  was  gathered  in. 
Each  year's  report  contains  the  account  of 
many  baptisms  of  infants,  and  not  a  few 
conversions  of  adults.  Substantial  stone 
churches,  which  had  been  erected  at  great 


cost,  at  BarripAr  and  Mogra  IIAt,  were  con- 
secratod  toward  the  end  of  1840  ;  and  at  tho 
same  time  eighty  persons  from  those  two 
districts  were  admitted  to  the  rite  of  con- 
finnation.  The  last  report  which  has  been 
received  from  Calcutta  contains  the  follow- 
ing gratifying  notices :  "  In  the  missions  of 
Tallygunge  and  BarripAr  the  converts  con- 
tinue stedfast,  and  numerous  accessions  to 
the  household  of  faith  are  taking  place,  but 
have  ceased  to  attract  persecution  or  obtain 
notice."  In  the  circle  of  Mogra  Il^t  and 
Dhanghatta,  the  congregations  have  contin- 
ued steadily  to  increase,  and  other  adjoining 
hamlets  now  contain  believers.  The  mis- 
sions extend  over  an  area  of  forty  miles 
north  to  south,  by  from  twelve  to  twenty 
miles  east  to  west.  In  the  summer  of  1850, 
they  embraced  113  villages,  20  chapels,  7 
schools,  55  readers  and  schoolmastere,  1,127 
communicants,  2459  baptized  persons,  and. 
1,215  catechumens. 

Cawnpore. — The  mission  of  Cawnpore,  a 
large  city  about  000  miles  north-west  from 
Calcutta,  with  a  population  of  100,000,  and 
an  important  military  post,  was  established 
in  1841.  In  1845  the  Society,  in  compliance 
with  the  earnest  recommendations  of  the 
Bishop  of  Calcutta,  voted  the  sum  of  £700 
for  the  erection  of  substantial  missionary 
buildings.  The  two  first  missionaries,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Perkins  and  Schleicher,  are  still  on 
the  ground,  and  besides  the  ordinary  duties 
of  preaching  they  superintend  a  school  for 
boys,  and  an  asylum  for  orphan  girls,  which 
has  been  the  means  of  training  several  Chris- 
tian girls  for  the  duties  of  life,  and  preparing 
others  to  meet  an  early  death. 

Madras. — The  missions  in  the  south  of 
India,  which  had  originally  been  founded  by 
Frederic  IV.,  King  of  Denmark,  in  1705,  and 
which  had  afterwards  passed  into  the  hands 
of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian 
Knowledge,  were  by  them  consigned  to  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel, 
in  1825.  (See  p.  328).  There  were  then  in 
the  Madras  presidency,  in  connection  with 
that  society,  only  nine  missionary  stations 
and  seven  missionaries — all  of  them  German. 

The  interruption  and  discouragement  of 
missionary  work  occasioned  by  the  death,  in 
quick  succession,  of  four  bishops  of  Cal 
cutta,— Middleton  in  1822,  Ileber  in  1826, 
James  in  1829,  and  Turner  in  1831,— tended 
grievously  to  retard  the  progress  of  the  So- 
ciety's operations  in  India,  and  though  dur 
ing  this  period  name  after  name  was  added 
to  the  missionary  roll,  no  remarkable  ad- 
vance was  made  till  after  the  subdivision  of 
the  diocese  of  Calcutta,  by  the  erection  of 
the  See  of  Madras,  in  1835.  Even  up  to 
that  time,  the  number  of  missionaries  in 
that  part  of  India  had  not  been  raised  be- 
yond nine ;  but  in  1836  four  were  added ; 
and  in  the  following  year  the  total  number 


HINDOSTAN, 


409 


was  sixteen.  Bishop  Corrie  was  removed  by 
death,  only  a  Httle  more  than  a  year  after 
his  return  to  Madras  as  bishop,  and  again 
the  active  direction  of  the  missions  of  South- 
ern India  was  suspended.  Since  that  period, 
however,  they  have  been  abundantly  blessed, 
more  especially  those  in  the  district  of  Tin- 
nevell3\  This  district  had,  for  missionary'- 
purposes,  been  for  a  long  time  dependent  on 
the  mission  of  Tanjore,  and  all  the  missions 
in  the  South  had  for  many  years  been  sus- 
tained by  the  interest  of  the  munificent 
legacy  of  X10,000,  which  the  devoted  Swartz 
had  bequeathed  to  them. 

Tinnevelly. — The  first  resident  missionary 
for  Tinnevelly  was  appointed  in  1829  ;  a 
second  was  sent  in  1834 ;  and  a  third  in 
1843.  It  was  in  the  next  year,  1844,  that 
the  very  remarkable  movement  towards 
Christianity  took  place  in  the  mission  of 
Sawyerpuram.  Many  villages  expressed  their 
desire  of  Christian  instruction,  and  many 
hundred  natives  were  at  once  admitted  as 
catechumens. 

Another  mission  in  which  wonderful  pro- 
gress has  been  made  of  late  years,  is  Edeyen- 
koody.  For  two  or  three  years  little  appears 
to  have  been  effected,  but  from  1844  to  the 
present  time,  the  progress  of  the  work  has 
been  very  observable.  The  number  of  per- 
sons under  Christian  instruction  is  2,054. 
From  1844  to  1849  inclusive,  twenty  adults, 
on  an  average,  were  baptized  each  year. 
During  the  year  1850,  though  the  same  strict 
system  of  examination  was  maintained,  75 
adults  were  admitted  to  baptism,  of  whom 
70  were  baptized  in  one  day,  in  the  presence 
of  a  congregation  of  800  native  Christians. 

Another  mission,ChristianagramjWas  open- 
ed about  the  Same  time  as  Sawyerpuram,  and 
in  1849  there  were  1.579  persons  under 
Christian  instruction. 

The  mission  of  Nazareth  has  also  been  a 
very  flourishing  one.  At  the  beginning  of 
1850  there  were  2,292  baptized  persons,  and 
1,563  more  under  Christian  instruction. 
Much  has  been  done  of  late  to  raise  the 
qualifications  and  increase  the  efficiency  of 
the  catechists  and  native  readers.  The  sem- 
inaries at  Sawyerpuram,  Vediapuram,  and 
Vepery,  serve  for  the  education  of  mission- 
aries, while  a  school  for  the  boarding  and 
education  of  native  girls  has  forty-four  pupils 
under  instruction.  A  seminary  for  theolo- 
gical students,  and  such  as  may  be  candi- 
dates for  the  office  of  catechist,  has  been 
formed  at  Madras. 

Bombay. — In  the  year  1839,  a  mission  was 
commenced  in  Bombay,  and  a  substantial 
chapel  and  school-houses  were  erected. — 
Each  school  comprised  one  department  for 
day  scholars  and  one  for  boarders.  The  lat- 
ter has  been  made  the  means  of  rescuing 
many  orphan  and  other  poor  children  from 
destitution. 


Guzerat. — The  mission  in  the  provmce  of 
Guzerat  was  first  estabhshed  in  1830,  but  it 
met  with  a  sad  check  in  the  early  death  of 
its  first  missionary,  Kev.  Mr.  Pettinger. 
Years  elapsed  before  his  place  was  filled,  but 
at  length  two  missionaries  were  sent  to 
Ahmedabad,  the  chief  city  of  Guzerat.  But 
subsequent  removals  weakened  the  mission, 
and  in  1850  it  was  transferred  to  the  Bom- 
bay Diocesan  Committee. 

English  Baptist  Missionary  Society. — 
(For  an  account  of  the  origin  of  this  Society 
and  of  its  mission  to  India,  see  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society.)  In  March,  1793,  Messrs. 
Carey  and  Thomas  attended  a  farewell  service 
of  great  solemnity  at  Leicester,  and  soon 
afterwards  proceeded  to  Byde,  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  embarked  on  board  a  ship  for 
India.  The  Captain,  however,  was  informed 
that  he  must  not  proceed  with  ministers  who 
were  unlicensed  by  the  East  India  Company, 
and  he  returned  to  the  shore.  Mr.  Carey 
hastened  to  London  in  the  deepest  distress, 
and  even  Andrew  Fuller  quailed  at  the  news, 
and  said,  "We  are  all vmdone."  Mr.  Thomas 
was  more  hopeful  and  cheerful.  The  inter- 
val before  the  sailing  of  another  vessel  was 
employed  in  renewed  efforts  to  persuade 
Mrs.  Carey  to  accompany  her  husband  (she 
having  steadily  refused,)  and  with  success. 
This  joyful  result  indicated  to  Mr.  Carey  the 
design  of  Providence  in  their  disappoint- 
ment. 

In  June,  1793,  they  all  embarked  in  the 
Kron  Princessa  Maria,  a  Danish  East  India- 
man,  and  on  the  morning  of  sailing  one  of 
them  addressed  a  London  minister,  saying, 
"  The  ship  is  come,  the  signal  made,  the  guns 
are  fired,  and  we  are  going  with  a  fine  fair 
wind.  Farewell,  my  dear  brethren  and  sis- 
ters, farewell.  May  the  God  of  Jacob  be 
ours  and  yours,  by  sea  and  land,  for  time 
and  eternity.  Most  affectionately  adieu." 
They  had  a  prosperous  voyage  of  about  five 
months,  and  arrived  in  Balasore  roads  on 
the  7th  of  November,  and  on  the  10th  went 
on  shore. 

After  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries  in 
Bengal,  they  were  much  perplexed  respecting 
a  place  of  residence,  and  after  three  weeks 
they  proceeded  to  Bandell,  a  Portuguese  set- 
tlement about  thirty  miles  from  Calcutta. 
Not  finding  it  expedient  to  remain  long  here, 
Mr.  Carey,  with  only  his  own  family  and  a 
native  guide,  removed  to  a  considerable  dis- 
tance into  the  interior,  and  found  a  resting 
place  and  a  field  of  labor  at  Collahtullah. 
Here  he  erected  an  humble  dwelling,  and  en- 
tered upon  the  work  of  teaching  a  wild  and 
fierce  people,  from  whom,  and  from  the  tigers 
and  other  wild  animals  that  roamed  through 
those  forests,  the  rest  of  the  population  had 
fled  to  a  distance.  But  this  proved  to  be 
but  a  temporary  field,  for  another  call,  which 
to  the  mind  of  Mr.  Carey  was  imperativCj 


410 


HINDOSTAN. 


invited  him  to  a  place  called  Mudnnbatty. 
about  260  miles  north  of  Calcutta.  Owing 
to  unavoidable  causes,  the  investment  of 
money  taken  out  for  Mr.  Carey's  immediate 
support  was  lost,  and  he  was  left  in  a  strange 
land  with  no  means  of  subsistence:  added 
to  this  was  personal  illness,  the  sickness  of 
his  family,  and  the  irreligion  of  the  Euro- 
peans by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  all  which 
pressed  heavily  upon  his  spirits.  In  this 
condition,  early  in  1794,  a  gentleman  who 
afterwards  filled  some  of  the  most  important 
stations  in  the  government  of  India,  offered 
to  Messrs.  Carey  and  Thomas  the  superin- 
tendence of  two  indigo  factories,  which  he 
was  about  to  establish  in  the  vicinity  of 
Malda.  This  opened  the  way  for  the  remo- 
val of  all  pecuniary  difficulties,  and  also 
promised  the  most  beneficial  results  by  pla- 
cing each  of  the  missionaries  in  the  midst 
of  more  than  a  thousand  people  to  whom 
they  would  have  access.  They  therefore  ac- 
cepted the  proposal,  and  Mr.  Carey  fixed  his 
residence  at  Mudnabatty,  about  thirty  miles 
from  Malda,  and  Mr.  Thomas  settled  at  Moy- 
pauldiggy,  sixteen  miles  further  north.  Soon 
after  reaching  his  new  home  Mr.  Carey  was 
visited  withi  affliction,  in  the  death  of  one  of 
his  children.  Of  this  event  Mr.  ('arey 
writes,  January,  1795 :  "When  my  dear  boy 
died,  I  could  not  prevail  upon  any  one  to 
make  him  a  coffin,  though  we  had  carpenters 
in  our  own  employ :  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  I  engaged  four  Mussulmen  to  dig 
a  grave  for  him.  We  went  seven  or  eight 
miles  for  two  persons  to  carry  the  body  to 
the  place  of  interment,  but  in  vain,  and  my 
wife  and  I  had  agreed  to  do  it  ourselves,  when 
a  lad  who  had  lost  caste,  and  our  mater  (ser- 
vant), who  performed  the  most  servile  offices, 
were  induced  to  relieve  us  of  this  most  pain- 
ful service."  The  four  Mussulmen  lost  caste, 
and  all  the  people  in  the  village  were  forbid- 
den to  eat,  drink,  or  smoke  with  them. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  1795,  the  mis- 
sionaries formed  a  church  at  Mudnabatty, 
consisting  of  themselves  and  two  English- 
men. In  1796,  Mr.  John  Fountain  was  sent 
out  to  reinforce  the  mission.  In  the  early 
part  of  1797,  Messrs.  Carey  and  Thomas 
made  an  excursion  to  Bootan,  preaching 
Christ  in  many  places  where  his  name  had 
never  before  been  heard.  During  the  year 
1798  a  school  was  established,  and  a  printing- 
press  was  set  up  at  Mudnabatty  for  the  print- 
ing of  the  Scriptures,  the  translation  of 
which  was  nearly  completed. 

In  April,  1799,  four  missionaries,  Messrs. 
Ward,  Brunsdon,  Grant,  and  Marshman, 
sailed  for  India,  where  they  arrived  on  the 
12th  of  the  following  October.  They  pro- 
ceeded to  Serampore,  a  village  on  the  banks 
of  the  Hoogly,  fifteen  miles  from  Calcutta, 
described  by  Mr.  Grant  as  "a  beautiful  little 
town,  and  esteemed  the  most  healthy  in  all 


India."  It  was  a  Danish  settlement,  an 
very  much  the  resort  of  decayed  tradesmei 
and  gentlemen  who  had  been  unsuccessful  i 
business  at  Calcutta.  It  contained  about  5 
English  houses,  and  was  inhabited  by  Dane; 
English,  Scots,  Germans,  Greeks,  Armenian! 
Irish,  Bengalees,  and  Portuguese.  The 
waited  at  an  inn  a  few  days,  expecting  th 
arrival  of  Mr.  Carey,  when  one  of  their  num 
ber,  Mr.  Grant,  suddenly  sickened  and  diec 
In  November.  Messrs.  Ward  and  Fountai 
went  to  Mudnabatty,  to  consult  with  Mi 
Carey  respecting  the  removal  of  the  whol 
mission  family  to  Serampore.  The  factor 
at  Mudnabatty  had  declined,  and  added  t 
this  were  other  considerations  of  great  forc( 
and  the  removal  was  determined  upon. 

Mr.  Carey  arrived  at  Serampore  on  th 
10th  of  January,  1800,  and  was  kindly  re 
ceived  by  the  Governor.  They  purchased 
large  house  in  the  middle  of  the  town,  situ 
ated  by  the  river  side,  with  a  large  piece  o 
ground  walled  round,  a  garden  at  the  bottor 
and  a  pool  of  water  in  the  centre. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  1800,  is  recorde 
at  Serampore:  "On  this  memorable  day,  th 
first  page  of  the  New  Testament  was  com 
posed  for  printing  in  Bengalee."  Immediate 
ly  upon  their  settlement  at  this  place,  the; 
commenced  a  system  of  itineracy,  and  goin: 
out,  generally  two  and  two,  they  preachei 
and  held  discussions  with  the  natives.  Oi 
the  24th  of  April,  the  missionaries  unite( 
together  as  a  church,  Carey  being  chose: 
pastor,  and  Fountain  and  Marshman  deacons 
May  26,  they  began  to  print  the  first  shee 
of  the  New  Testament ;  1700  copies  wer 
printed  on  Patna  paper,  and  300  on  Englisli 
A  Bengalese  school  of  40  children  was  als 
in  operation. 

In  June,  this  missionary  circle  were  callei 
to  a  severe  affliction  in  the  death  of  Mi 
Fountain.  lie  died  at  Dinagepore,  at  th 
age  of  thirty-three.  About  the  same  tim 
Mr.  Thomas  fell  into  a  state  of  temporar 
insanity,  which  deprived  the  mission  for  \ 
time  of  his  services.  On  the  22d  of  Decem 
ber,  five  individuals,  four  natives  and  a  so] 
of  Mr.  Carey,  appeared  for  baptism  an< 
church  communion,  and  on  the  29  th  Mi 
Carey  writes,  "Yesterday  was  a  day  of  grea 
joy.  I  had  the  happiness  to  desecrate  th 
Gunga,  by  baptizing  the  first  Hindoo,  Krish 
no,  and  my  son  FeUx."  In  January,  1801 
two  other  natives  were  baptized  and  receivei 
to  the  church.  The  7th  of  February  wa 
observed  as  a  day  of  thanksgiving,  it  bein 
the  day  on  which  they  finished  the  composi 
tion  of  the  New  Testament,  which  had  occu 
pied  nine  months.  About  this  time,  Krishnc 
self-moved,  erected  a  house  for  God  opposit 
his  own,  and  Mr.  Carey  preached  in  it  t 
about  twenty  natives.  This  was  the  firs 
native  place  of  worship  in  Bengal. 

In  the   spring   of  this  year,   Serampore 


HINDOSTAN. 


411 


which  had  been  under  the  Danish  govern- 
ment, quietly  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
English,  without  the  firing  of  a  gun.  Mr. 
Carey  writes,  '-Serampore  is  in  the  hands  of 
the  English,  but  we  have  nothing  to  fear.  I 
was  appointed  Bengalee  and  Sanscrit  pro- 
fessor in  the  college  of  Fort  William,  by 
Lord  Wellesley,  expressly  under  the  char- 
acter of  a  missionary.  I  have  now  gone 
through  one  term."  The  year  1801  was 
mournfully  distinguished  by  the  death  of 
two  more  of  the  missionaries — Mr.  Bruns- 
don,  at  the  age  of  23,  and  Mr.  Thomas,  the 
early  coadjutor  of  Care3^ 

In  May  1802,  Rev.  John  Chamberlain 
sailed  for  India,  with  his  wife,  by  way  of 
America,  and  reached  Serampore  on  the 
27th  of  January,  1803.  He  added  great 
strength  to  the  mission,  both  by  his  pious 
zeal  and  his  learning.  His  progress  in  ac- 
quiring the  language  was  so  rapid,  that  in 
one  year  he  could  speak  the  Bengalee  with 
a  facility  and  accuracy  that  equaled  any  of 
his  cotemporaries. 

The  English  Baptist  Mission  in  India  is 
now  brought  down  to  the  early  part  of  1804, 
a  period  of  ten  years  from  its  commence- 
ment. During  this  time,  amid  many  changes, 
sorrows,  and  discouragements,  the  missiona- 
ries had  penetrated  the  regions  of  idolatry, 
and  gained  a  footing  for  the  Gospel  by  the 
breaking  of  caste  ;  they  had  obtained  a  vic- 
tory almost  as  great  over  the  language,  and 
had  produced  the  New  Testament  in  Ben- 
galee ;  they  had  established  a  printing-press, 
by  which  the  translations  were  capable  of  in- 
definite multiplication,  and  by  means  of  which, 
also,  tracts  or  other  works  could  be  put  into  the 
most  extensive  circulation ;  they  had  secured 
the  conversion  of  man)aiatives,  some  of  whom 
were  becoming  valuable  helpers  in  the  diffu- 
sion of  the  Gospel ;  they  had  opened  schools 
for  native  youth  of  both  sexes  ;  and  finally, 
they  had,  by  their  letters  and  journals,  given 
a  powerful  impulse  to  the  spirit  of  missions  at 
home.  In  view  of  these  results,  and  the  fact, 
also,  that  this  mission  was  prior  to  any  other, 
either  English  or  American,  in  India,  it  will 
be  admitted  that  a  degree  of  success  had 
been  realized  far  beyond  what  could  have 
been  reasonably  anticipated. 

On  the  9th  of  January,  1804,  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain left  Serampore  to  visit  Saugur  Island, 
whither  thousands  were  daily  flocking  to 
their  annual  poojah,  or  festival.  He  was  ac- 
companied in  this  important  journey  by  Fe- 
lix Carey,  Krishno,  and  another  convert 
named  Bhyrub.  Some  details  in  regard  to 
the  island  in  question  will  shed  light  both 
upon  the  shocking  and  degrading  customs 
of  the  Hindoos,  and  upon  the  obstacles 
which  the  Gospel  had  to  encounter  in  that 
quarter. 

The  island  of  Gunga  Saugur  is  situated  at 
the  extreme  point  of  land  where  the  great 


western,  or  holiest  branch  of  the  Ganges 
unites  its  waters  with  those  of  the  Indian 
Ocean;  and  is  so  called  from  the  Sanscrit 
appellation  sagor,  or  sea,  and  ga7iga,  or  river, 
the  latter  term  being  emphatically  apphed 
to  denote  the  Ganges,  the  chief  of  rivers. 
The  island  is  a  flat,  swampy,  and  cheerless 
shore,  but  it  is  the  scene  of  one  of  the  most 
celebrated  places  of  pilgrimage  in  India. 
Its  peculiar  sanctity  arises  from  its  situation 
at  the  junction^  or  point  of  confluence  of  the 
Ganges  and  the  ocean,  where  the  purifying 
virtue  of  the  waters  is  believed  to  be 
mightily  increased.  Here  there  is  a  ruin- 
ous temple,  erected  in  honor  of  the  great 
sage  of  Kapila,  the  founder  of  one  of  the 
chief  schools  of  Indian  philosophy,  who  is 
here  reverenced  as  a  god.  Twice  in  the 
year,  vast  crowds  of  Hindoos  resort  to  this 
temple  and  neighborhood,  to  perform  obse- 
quies for  the  good  of  their  deceased  ances- 
tors, and  to  practice  various  ablutions  in  the 
waters  of  such  efficacy.  "The  reverence 
with  which  the  Ganges  is  regarded,"  says 
Dr.  Duff,  "almost  exceeds  imagination.  At 
the  January  festival  at  Gunga  Saugur,  hun- 
dreds of  mothers  were  accustomed  to  throw 
their  unconscious  infants  into  the  turbid 
waters;  and  they  bewailed  the  sacrifice  as 
lost  and  the  gods  unpropitiated,  if  they  com- 
missioned not  the  sharks  and  other  monsters 
of  the  deep  to  crush  and  devour  them  before 
their  eves."  Mr.  Chamberlain  says,  Jan. 
13th,  1804,  "  Words  fail  to  give  a  true  de- 
scription of  this  scene.  Here  an  immensely 
populous  city  has  been  raised  in  a  very  few 
days,  full  of  streets,  lanes,  bazaars,  &c.,  and 
crowds  upon  crowds  of  men,  women,  and 
children,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  are 
seen  bathing  in  the  water,  and  worshiping 
Gunga.  The  mud  and  water  of  this  place 
are  esteemed  very  holy,  and  are  taken  hun- 
dreds of  miles  on  the  shoulders  of  men. 
The  lowest  computation  of  the  people  here 
is  one  lac,  or  100,000,  and  perhaps  two  lacs 
is  nearer  the  truth."  To  these  deluded  mul- 
titudes Mr.  Chamberlain  preached  the  Gos- 
pel, and  gave  books  and  tracts  as  opportuni- 
ties occurred. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain was  stationed  at  Cutwa,  seventy-five 
miles  north  of  Calcutta.  His  wife  was  his 
only  companion  in  this  dark  region,  and  of 
her  he  was  bereaved  in  the  following  No- 
vember. Fourteen  months  later  he  married 
Mrs.  Grant,  widow  of  that  lamented  mis- 
sionary. But  she  also  died  in  a  few  months, 
and  he  was  left  to  mourn  under  a  second  be- 
reavement. But  notwithstanding  his  trials, 
he  pursued  his  work  with  unremitting  dili- 
gence. In  reviewing  his  labors,  Mr.  Cham- 
berlain says,  "It  is  now  five  years  since 
Providence  fixed  my  lot  here.  What  can  I 
write  of  the  works  of  God  ?  Millions  of 
the  heathen  have  heard  the  glorious  report, 


412 


HINDOSTAN. 


either  from  preaching,  or  from  the  distribu- 
tion of  upwards  of  one  hundred  thousand 
tracts,  and  many  hundreds  of  the  Scrip- 
tun.»8.  Some  read  the  Scriptures,  some  the 
tracts,  many  converse  on  these  things.  The 
leaven  is  at  work,  though  as  yet  its  opcra- 
tio!»s  are  in  silence.  At  present  converts 
are  few."  Amid  all  his  other  labors  Mr. 
Chajnborlain  kept  an  occasional  school  of 
about  40  scholars^or  whose  benefit  he  had 
translated  Dr.  Watts's  Catechism  and  a  few 
hymns.  He  also  made  several  visits  to  Ber- 
hampore,  a  military  station  45  miles  from 
Cutwa,  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  soldiers 
with  so  much  success  that  he  gathered  a 
church  there  of  twenty-four  members. 

In  September,  1809.  Mr.  Chamberlain  was 
married  to  his  third  wife.  Miss  Underwood, 
with  whom  he  had  been  acquainted  in  Eng- 
land, and  who  was  one  of  the  first  to  direct 
his  mind  to  the  missionary  service.  About 
this  time,  by  advice  of  his  brethren,  he  re- 
moved to  Agra.  On  account  of  his  facility 
in  acquiring  languages,  his  acquaintance  with 
the  original  Scriptures,  especially  the  He- 
brew, and  his  tried  zeal  and  experience  in 
the  missionary  work,  they  considered  him 
as  exceedingly  suited  to  engag-e  in  a  mission 
where  at  least  two  versions  of  the  Scriptures, 
the  Hindoo  and  the  Sikh,  would  require  to 
be  carefully  examined  and  improved. 

During  the  five  .years  through  which  we 
have  followed  Mr,  Chamberlain,  the  brethren 
had  been  steadily  pursuing  their  work  at 
Serampore  and  other  places.  In  the  early 
part  of  1805,  four  additional  missionaries 
from  England  arrived  in  Bengal,  having 
sailed  by  way  of  America.  In  January  of 
this  year  a  new  place  of  worship  was  opened 
at  Calcutta,  4,800  rupees  having  been  con- 
tributed for  the  purpose.  In  June  following 
they  built  a  new  printing  office,  with  room 
for  three  presses  and  a  bindery.  During 
this  year  fifteen  natives  were  added  to  the 
church,  and  some  Europeans.  Some  idea 
may  be  formed  of  the  labors  of  the  indefa- 
tigable Carey,  from  a  letter  of  his  to  a 
friend  in  England,  in  which  he  says,  "  You 
may  perhaps  wonder  that  I  write  no  more 
letters,  but  when  you  see  what  I  am  engaged 
in  you  will  cease  to  wonder.  I  translate 
into  Bengalee  ;  and  from  Sanscrit  into  Eng- 
lish. Every  proof  sheet  of  the  Bengalee 
and  Mahratta  Scriptures,  the  Sanscrit  Gram- 
mar, and  the  Ramayunee,  must  go  three 
times  at  least  through  my  hands.  A  dic- 
tionary of  the  Sanscrit  goes  once,  at  least, 
through  my  hands.  I  have  written  and 
printed  a  second  edition  of  my  Bengalee 
grammar,  wholly  worked  over  and  greatly 
enlarged,  and  a  Mahratta  grammar ;  and 
collected  materials  for  a  Mahratta  dictionary. 
Besides  this,  I  preach  twice  a  week,  fre- 
quently thrice,  and  attend  upon  collegiate 
duties.    I  do  not  mention  this  because  I^ 


think  ray  work  a  burthen, — it  is  a  real  plea- 
sure,— but  to  show  that  my  not  writing 
many  letters  is  not  because  I  neglect  my 
brethren,  or  wish  them  to  cease  writing  to 
me." 

In  the  missionary  journals  of  this  period 
particular  mention  is  made  of  the  death  of 
two  native  converts  of  distinction, — Petum- 
ber  Shingee,  and  Krishno  Presaud  ;  and 
deeply  interesting  obituary  notices  are  given. 

In  180G,  and  onward  for  two  or  three 
years,  the  missionaries  experienced  severe 
trials  from  the  opposition  of  the  Indo- 
British  government,  which  was  determined 
to  conciliate  the  Hindoos  by  protecting  their 
idolatrous  forms  of  worship  against  all  inter- 
ference from  the  missionaries.  Prejudiced  and 
infidel  Europeans  circulated  the  most  false 
and  injurious  reports,  and  kindled  in  Britain 
the  fire  of  hatred  to  the  missionary  enter- 
prise, on  the  ground  that  it  was  fraught  with 
danger  to  their  eastern  possessions.  Rev. 
Andrew  Fuller  was  at  once  looked  to  as  the 
most  suitable  person,  from  his  station,  talent, 
and  familiarity  with  the  subject,  to  repel 
these  assaults,  and  with  characteristic  zeal 
and  power  he  met  the  exigency.  His  first 
production  vras  "  An  Apology  for  the  late 
Christian  Missions  to  India,  in  three  parts." 
The  first  section  was  issued  separately  in 
1807,  and  so  nearly  did  its  work  that  the 
court  at  the  India  House  dismissed  the  com- 
plaints, and  refused  to  interfere  with  the 
propagation  of  Christianity  in  India.  The 
two  other  sections  followed  in  quick  succes- 
sion, and  so  thoroughly  silenced  the  adver- 
saries of  missions,  that  no  effective  opposi- 
tion was  ever  afterwards  made.  The  Quar- 
terly Review,  in  this  controversy,  rendered 
valuable  assistance  to  the  missionary  cause. 

At  the  close  of  1809,  Mr.  Ward  remarks, 
in  a  review  of  the  mission,  "  that  from  the 
year  1788,  when  Thomas  began  to  converse 
with  the  natives  in  Bengalee,  to  the  end  of 
1800,  when  Krishno  was  baptized,  the  work 
of  God  in  Bengal  made  but  little  apparent 
progress.  Much  preparatory  work,  how- 
ever, was  performed;  but  from  the  time 
when  this,  the  first  native  who  had  ever 
publicly  renounced  caste  in  Bengal,  entered 
the  church,  the  word  of  the  Lord  seemed 
to  have  a  more  free  course,  and  was  glorified. 
The  church  at  Serampore  had  now  received 
190  members,  by  the  various  modes  of  ad- 
mission, in  its  two  branches  of  Serampore 
and  Calcutta.  The  number  baptized  in  all 
the  churches  in  1809,  amounted  to  sixty- 
seven  ;  two  or  three  only  having  been  sus- 
pended or  excluded.  The  cost  of  the 
chapel  at  Calcutta,  amounting  to  about 
30,000  rupees,  was  nearly  paid  ;  several  na- 
tive itinerants  had  been  sent  forth,  and  a 
valuable  mission  property  had  been  created. 
Besides  the  labors  of  brethren  at  Cutwa, 
Berhampore,  &c.,   a  door  of  entrance  had 


HINBOSTAN, 


413 


been  opened  in  Burmah,  and  important  pre- 
paratory measures  undertaken." 

The  state  of  the  translations  at  this  date 
— 1809 — is  given  by  ]Mr.  Ward  as  follows  : 
"In  Bengalee,  the  whole  Bible  was  printed 
and  published  in  five  volumes.  In  Sanscrit, 
the  New  Testament  was  published,  and  part 
of  the  Pentateuch  printed.  In  Orissa,  the 
New  Testament  and  the  practical  books 
were  printed  and  published,  and  a  consider- 
able part  of  the  prophetical  books  printed. 
In  liindostanee,  the  New  Testament  was 
printed  to  the  end  of  Romans.  In  Mahrat- 
ta,  the  New  Testament  was  finished  as  far  as 
the  middle  of  Acts.  In  the  Sikh  language, 
the  New  Testament  was  put  to  press.  Be- 
sides the  progress  at  press,  the  greater  part 
of  the  whole  Bible  was  translated  into  Hin- 
dostanee,  the  New  Testament  and  part  of 
the  Pentateuch  into  the  Sikh,  the  New  Tes- 
tament and  nearly  all  the  practical  books 
into  the  Mahratta  ;  the  New  Testament  and 
part  of  the  Pentateuch  into  the  Kurnata  and 
Telinga ;  and  the  blocks  for  nearly  the  whole 
of  Matthew  were  cut  and  some  sheets  of 
the  first  part  thrown  off  for  revision,  in 
Chinese."  "  Thus,"  continues  Mr.  Ward, 
"mountains  of  diflBculty,  common  to  first 
efibrts,  have  been  removed  ;  formidable  at- 
tempts to  overturn  the  work  have  been 
rendered  abortive  ;  facilities  of  the  most  im- 
portant nature  opened  to  us ;  a  number  of 
persons  acquainted  with  the  languages  have 
been  raised  up,  and  are  at  their  posts  ;  ac- 
cess to  the  people  of  Bengal,  Bootan,  Orissa, 
Burmah,  and  China,  obtained  by  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  languages  ;  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures are  distributing  or  are  to  be  distributed 
among  all  these,  and  other  nations,  in  their 
own  tongue  ;  the  printing  office  belonging  to 
the  mission  contains  Sanscrit,  Hindostanee, 
Arabic,  Persian,  Bengalee,  Orissa,  Telinga, 
Sikh,  Mahratta,  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  Eng- 
lish types,  besides  presses,  and  every  other 
article  necessary  for  printing  the  sacred  vol- 
ume. And  now,  brethren,  has  not  God 
completely  refuted  the  notion  that  all  at- 
tempts to  promote  the  Gospel  among  the 
Hindoos  arc  vain  ?  This  happy  degree  of 
success,  which  surprises  even  us  who  are  on 
the  ground,  has  been  gained  within  the  space 
of  nine  years,  for  it  is  no  more  since  the 
baptism  of  the  first  Hindoo." 

In  1810  the  missionaries  arranged  their 
labors  under  the  specific  designation  of 
"  The  United  Missionaries  in  India,"  com- 
prehending tlie  Bengal,  the  Burman,  the 
Orissa,  the  Bootan,  and  the  Ilindostan. 
This  afforded  a  convenient  method  of  keep- 
ing in  distinct  view  the  information  they  com- 
municated respecting  their  diversified  opera- 
tions. 

The  Bengal  mission  included  five  stations, 
Serampore  and  Calcutta  being  considered 
one,  Dinagepore   and   Saddamahl    another, 


Goamalty  the  third,  Cutwa  the  fourth,  and 
Jessore  the  fifth.  Dinagepore  is  about  260 
miles  north  of  Calcutta ;  Cutwa  75  miles 
north  north-west ;  and  Jessore,  60  miles 
north  ;  Goamalty  was  soon  abandoned  for  a 
more  eligible  station,  called  English-bazar, 
in  the  Poorniya  district. 

The  Burman  mission  had  not  yet  made 
any  considerable  advances,  the  labors  being 
of  a  preparatory  kind.  The  same  was  true 
of  the  Orissa  and  Bootan  IMssions. 

The  Hindostanee  mission  consisted  of  two 
stations,  Patna  and  Agra.  The  former  is  a 
large  city,  300  miles  north-west  of  Calcutta, 
and  the  latter  is  reached  by  a  journey  of  a 
thousand  miles  up  the  Ganges.  The  mis- 
sionaries, Chamberlain  and  Peacock,  reached 
this  place  in  May  1811.  Mr.  Chamberlain 
was  soon  called  to  great  affliction  in  the 
death  of  two  daughters,  one  of  whom  could 
read  and  converse  in  three  languages,  and 
gave  decided  evidences  of  piety.  A  few 
months  later  he  was  called  to  part  with  his 
only  remaining  child. 

In  1811  the  number  of  members  in  all  the 
churches  exceeded  300,  one-third  of  whom 
had  been  added  within  little  more  than  a 
year ;  and  among  these  it  was  said  that  the 
proportion  of  members  who  were  qualified 
for  public  labor,  was  much  greater  than  the 
average  in  the  British  churches.  Fifteen 
years  before  this  time  the  church  in  Bengal 
numbered  four  members,  and  it  had  doubled 
six  times,  or  once  in  three  years. 

On  the  11th  of  March,  1812,  the  mission 
printing  house  was  entirely  destroyed  by 
fire.  The  building,  which  was  200  feet  long, 
was  a  total  loss  ;  and  the  articles  consumed 
were,  upwards  1,400  reams  of  English 
paper ;  4,460  pounds  of  English  types  ;  a 
double  font  of  Greek,  and  a  small  one  of 
Hebrew  ;  twelve  fonts  of  types  in  the  differ- 
ent languages  of  India,  among  which  were 
a  font  of  Persian,  worth  3,000  rupees,  a 
valuable  font  of  Arabic,  and  a  double  font 
of  Nagree,  containing  1,600  lbs.  weight ;  all 
the  cases,  frames,  and  other  printing  uten- 
sils ;  books  in  various  languages,  to  the 
amount  of  5,000  rupees  ;  manuscripts  to  the 
value  of  7,000  rupees,  among  which  were  a 
Sanscrit  dictionary,  in  five  folio  volumes,  and 
the  materials  for  a  Polyglot  dictionary  of  all 
the  languages  derived  from  the  Sanscrit. 
There  were  burnt  also  more  than  fifty-five 
thousand  sheets  printed  off  but  not  folded, 
among  which  were  seven  sheets,  of  a  thou- 
sand copies  each,  of  Mr.  Martyn's  Hindo- 
stanee New  Testament  in  the  Persian  char- 
acter ;  five  sheets,  five  thousand  each,  of  the 
Tamil  New  Testament  ;  four  sheets  of  the 
Calcutta  Bible  Society's  Report,  &c.  A 
paper  mill,  and  some  presses  and  materials 
in  a  building  adjoining  the  printing  office, 
were  saved.  The  loss  amounted  to  nearly 
£10,000,  no  part  of  which  was  insured.   But 


414 


IIINDOSTAN. 


they  recovered  from  the  ruins  the  punches 
and  melted  metal,  and  immediately  com- 
juenced  recasting  the  type,  and  in  about  a 
fortnijrht,  with  the  presses  they  had  saved, 
wore  able  to  renew  the  work  of  printing  in 
one  Ijjnguage.  In  a  month  or  two  the  fonts 
were  so  far  restored  that  the  printing  of  the 
Scriptures  was  resumed  on  a  large  scale,  and 
the  presses  were  going  day  and  night.  This 
sudden  rising  from  what  seemed  an  over- 
whelming misfortlhe,  occasioned  the  remark 
in  a  Calcutta  paper,  that  "  zeal  and  perse- 
verance are  qualities  that  happily  distinguish 
the  character  of  the  missionaries;  their 
ardor,  instead  of  being  repressed,  derives  a 
new  impulse  from  difficulties  and  misfor- 
tunes." 

No  sooner  did  the  sad  intelligence  of  the 
fire  at  Serampore  arrive  in  England,  than 
the  Christian  public  hastened  to  repair  the 
loss.  ''A  strong  sensation,"  writes  Mr. 
Fuller,  "was  felt  throughout  the  kingdom, 
not  only  in  our  own  denomination,  but 
among  Christians  of  every  name,  each 
vieing  with  the  other  to  repair  the  loss." 
The  entire  sum  required  was  raised  in  the 
short  space  of  fifty  days,  and  even  after  this 
contributions  continued  with  unabated  lib- 
erality. But  the  greatest  advantage  was 
the  powerful  impulse  given  to  the  mission, 
by  rendering  it  more  generally  known,  and 
producing  a  simultaneous  feeling  of  interest 
in  all  denominations. 

In  October,  seven  months  after  the  con- 
flagration, Mr.  Carey  writes  to  Mr.  Fuller, 
that  though  his  manuscript  of  the  Sanscrit 
translation  had  been  destroyed,  yet  he  had 
re-translated  the  whole  of  it,  and  had  begun 
new  translations  in  the  Nepalese  ;  the  Push- 
too, or  that  of  the  Affghans ;  the  Biblochee, 
which  was  spoken  on  the  west  shore  of  the 
Indus,  towards  Persia ;  and  the  Maldivo 
Islands.  Mr.  Chamberlain  had  also  trans- 
lated the  Gospels  into  Brij-Bhasha.  Such 
was  the  surprising  courage  and  energy  of 
these  men. 

At  the  close  of  1812,  the  general  state  of  the 
mission  was  encouraging.  A  work  of  grace 
was  proceeding  in  the  24th  regiment,  then 
in  the  fort  at  Calcutta,  from  which  eleven 
had  made  a  public  profession  of  religion 
during  the  year.  Nearly  seventy  had  been 
added  to  the  church  at  Serampore  and  Cal- 
cutta during  the  same  time,  and  nearly 
ever}--  native  capable  of  speaking,  itinerated 
on  the  Sabbath  through  the  neighboring 
towns.  About  this  time  Mr.  (now  Dr.) 
Carey,  wrote  to  Mr.  Fuller,  that  there  was 
a  general  spirit  of  inquiry  about  the  Gospel 
throughout  the  country,  and  that  Christians, 
either  Europeans  or  natives,  were  to  be 
found  in  every  direction.  He  mentioned 
five  natives  of  high  caste,  near  Serampore, 
who  had  recently  been  baptized,  but  who 
had  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth 


without  any  communication  with  the  mis- 
sionaries. The  Bibles  and  tracts  with  which 
they  had  met,  had  been  the  instruments  of 
their  conversion. 

Early  in  1813,  there  was  a  demonstration 
of  hostility  from  the  government,  and 
several  of  the  missionaries  were  thredtenod 
with  expulsion.  One  was  actually  compelled 
to  leave  in  haste  for  England.  But  the 
evil  was  of  very  limited  extent,  and  th( 
scene  of  the  persecution,  Calcutta  and  th( 
vicinity,  "  blossomed  like  the  garden  of  the 
Lord."  In  Calcutta  there  was  a  congrega- 
tion of  120  attentive  hearers.  Thirty  had 
joined  the  church,  and  many  others  were 
about  to  do  so,  from  the  24th  regiment.  In 
the  schools  there  were  353  boys  and  117  girls, 
making  a  total  of  470.  This  year  Dr.  Carey 
was  permitted  to  rejoice  over  the  conversion 
of  his  third  son,  Jabez,  who  at  once  devoted 
himself  to  the  missionary  work  ;  so  that  now 
he  had  three  sons,  Felix,  William,  and  Jabez, 
engaged  in  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  hea- 
then. In  regard  to  the  translations  at  this 
time.  Dr.  Carey  writes,  "  We  are  engaged 
in  translating  the  Bible  into  twenty-one 
languages,  including  the  Bengalee,  w^hich  is 
finished.  We  have  obtained  a  person  to  as- 
sist in  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
the  Kassai  language.  This  is  an  independent 
nation  of  mountaineers,  lying  between  the 
eastern  border  of  Bengal  and  the  northern 
border  of  the  Burman  dominions.  We  have 
also  obtained  help  for  the  Sindh  and  Wuch 
languages.  The  country  of  Sindh  lies  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Indus,  from  the  sea  about 
500  miles  ;  Wuch  then  continues  along  the 
same  shore,  till  it  joins  the  Punjaub.  I  be- 
lieve we  have  now  all  the  languages  in  that 
part,  except  that  of  Kutch,  which  I  hope 
will  soon  be  within  our  reach.  We  have 
not  yet  been  able  to  secure  the  languages  of 
Nepala,  Bootan,  Munipoora,  and  Siam,  and 
about  five  or  six  tribes  of  mountaineers; 
besides  these  I  am  not  acquainted  with  any 
language  on  the  continent  of  India  into 
which  the  word  of  God  is  not  under  transla- 
tion." 

At  the  public  disputation  of  the  students 
of  the  college  of  Fort  William,  before  the 
Right  Honorable  Lord  Minto,  in  Sept.,  1813, 
that  gentleman  after  alluding  to  the  literary 
labors  of  the  missionaries,  concludes  by  say- 
ing, "  I  profess  a  very  sincere  pleasure  in 
bringing  the  literary  merits  of  Mr.  Marsh- 
man  and  the  other  reverend  members  of  the 
Serampore  mission,  to  the  notice  of  the  pub- 
lic, and  in  bearing  my  testimony  to  the 
great  and  extraordinary  labors  which  con- 
stancy and  energy  in  their  numerous  and 
various  occupations,  have  enabled  this 
modest  and  respectable  community  to  ac- 
complish. I  am  not  less  gratified  by  the  op- 
portunity which  their  literary  achievements 
afford,  of  expressing  my  regard  for  the  ex- 


HINDOSTAN, 


415 


emplary  worth  of  their  lives,  and  the  benefi- 
cent principle  which  distinguishes  and  pre- 
sides in  the  various  useful  establishments 
which  they  have  formed,  and  which  are  con- 
ducted by  themselves." 

The  mission  of  the  English  Baptists  in 
India  now  comprehended  ten  stations  in 
Bengal ;  three  in  the  northern  part — Goa- 
malty  or  Malda,  Dinagepore,  and  Silhet; 
five  in  the  middle — Berhampore,  Cutwa, 
Vans-variya,  Serampore,  and  Calcutta,  and 
two  in  the  south-east — Jessore  and  Chitta- 
gong.  Employed  in  these  twenty  stations 
there  were  twelve  missionaries  who  had 
been  sent  from  Europe,  twelve  who  were 
Europeans  by  birth,  and  thirteen  who  were 
descendants  of  Europeans,  and  others  who 
conversed  in  English.  Adding  to  these  the 
native  laborers,  made  the  aggregate  number 
sixty-three.  They  preached  in  ten  lan- 
guages, and  were  preparing  the  Scriptures 
in  many  more.  Of  the  number  of  churches 
exceeding  twenty  members,  there  were 
eight  in  all  j  and  of  the  smaller  churches, 
thirteen. 

During  this  year,  1813,  the  question  of 
the  renewal  of  the  charter  of  the  East  In- 
dia Company  came  up  in  England,  which 
gave  occasion  for  the  friends  of  missions  to 
apply  for  a  clause  to  be  inserted  in  the  char- 
ter, tolerating  and  protecting  Christian  mis- 
sionaries. This  object  called  into  action  the 
powerful  pens  of  Robert  Hall  and  Andrew 
Fuller,  and  the  efibrt  was  successful,  though 
not  to  the  full  extent  desired. 

The  year  1814  was  saddened  by  the  death 
of  Mr.  Fuller.  He  had  been  the  first  ofiicer, 
the  earliest  and  best  advocate,  and  the  main 
pillar  of  the  Society,  for  more  than  twenty- 
two  years,  and  his  loss  was  deeply  felt  by 
the  friends  of  missions  in  England  and  in 
India. 

During  the  years  1815,  1816,  and  1817, 
upwards  of  four  hundred  persons  were  in- 
troduced into  the  mission  churches  in  India. 
Adding  these  to  previous  accessions,  the 
number  of  baptized  individuals  at  the  diifer- 
ent  stations  in  seventeen  j^ears,  the  first  one 
having  been  baptized  in  1800,  amounted  to 
nearly  twelve  hundred.  And  besides  these, 
not  less  than  10,000  children,  of  all  descrip- 
tions, had  been  in  some  way  brought  under 
Christian  instruction.  About  this  time,  the 
mission  was  strengthened  by  a  fresh  acces- 
sion of  laborers  from  England,  among  whom 
were  Mr.  William  Yates,  Eustice  Carey,  (ne- 
phew of  the  venerable  doctor,)  Mr.  Lawson, 
and  Messrs.  Randall  and  Penney,  with  their 
wives. 

About  eight  miles  north-west  of  Calcutta 
was  the  military  station  of  Dum  Dum.  A 
neat  place  of  worship  was  erected  there,  and 
a  distinguished  native,  Ram  Mohun,  preached 
in  Bengalee  and  Hindoo.  Success  attended 
this  effort,  and  in  the  course  of   1817   nine 


were  baptized,  six  natives  and  three  Eng- 
lish soldiers,  and  added  to  the  little  church, 
then  amounting  to  fourteen  members.  The 
system  of  itinerating  at  Cutwa  was  con- 
ducted on  a  large  scale.  Fourteen  natives 
were  employed,  some  to  preach,  others  to 
read  and  distribute  the  Scriptures. 

In  1818  was  begun  the  erection  of  a  col- 
lege at  Serampore,  on  a  scale  of  great  mag- 
nificence. The  buildings  were  designed  to 
cover  eight  acres  of  ground,  and  to  cost 
£10,000.  The  plan  of  such  a  literary  insti- 
tution, however,  was  deemed  by  some  im- 
practicable, and  its  ultimate  failure  justified 
their  apprehensions.  A  much  better  and 
more  approved  object  was  the  establishment 
of  a  savings'  bank  at  Serampore  ;  and  about 
the  same  time  the  formation  of  an  agricul- 
tural and  horticultural  society,  which  was 
patronized  by  the  governor-general  and  most 
of  the  opulent  natives. 

The  period  from  1818  to  1827,  although 
filled  up  with  arduous  and  successful  labors, 
is  marked  by  no  events  which  appear  to  re- 
quire an  extended  notice.  One  of  the  se- 
verest afflictions  to  which  the  mission  was 
called  during  this  time,  was  the  death  of 
Mr.  Chamberlain.  Having  declined  in  health, 
he  sailed  for  England  with  the  hope  of  re- 
covery, but  died  on  the  passage. 

It  was  during  the  period  now  under  no- 
tice, that  a  controversy  arose  between  the 
Serampore  mission  and  the  parent  societ}^, 
which  resulted  in  placing  the  two  upon  a 
separate  and  independent  basis.  The  na- 
ture and  grounds  of  this  separation  will  be 
understood  from  the  following  "Agreement," 
which  was  published  March  23,  1827. 

"  Several  years  ago,  it  was  officially  an- 
nounced, that  as  the  missionaries  at  Seram- 
pore had  been  enabled  so  far  to  exceed  the 
expectations  of  their  first  supporters,  as 
largely  to  promote  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel  by  funds  which  they  had  themselves 
originated,  a  material  change  had  resulted  in 
relation  to  the  society  from  which  they 
sprang ;  in  consequence  of  which  the  breth- 
ren of  that  station  acted  independently  in 
the  management  of  their  concerns.  Subse- 
quent experience  has  shown  that  the  con- 
tinued operation  of  the  cause  alluded  to, 
has  occasioned  considerable  embarrassment 
in  the  practical  arrangements  of  the  Society 
and  their  brethren  at  Serampore.  The 
means  of  obviating  this  difficulty  have  been 
seriously  considered  in  a  special  meeting  of 
the  committee  assembled  to  confer  with  Dr. 
Marshman  on  the  subject,  which  has  termi- 
nated in  the  full  conviction  that  in  present 
circumstances  it  is  most  expedient  that  the 
Society  at  home  and  the  missionaries  at  Se- 
rampore, should  be  publicly  understood  to 
be  two  distinct  and  independent  missionary 
bodies." 

The  simple  fact  to  be  gathered  from  the 


416 


H1ND08TAN. 


foro{?oinp  8t«lement,  is,  that  tho  missiona- 
ric8  at  Senuupore,  holding  and  using  as  they 
did,  in  the  mission  service,  a  large  amount 
of  property  which  thoy  had  accumulated 
without  tho  aid  of  friends  at  home,  refused 
to  render  to  the  parent  society  a  strict  ac- 
count of  their  pecuniary  transactions. — 
Ilence  the  necessity  of  a  friendly  agreement 
to  become  two  bands. 

During  the  next  ten  years,  from  1827  to 
1837,  the  Baptist  Society  and  the  Seram- 
pore  mission  conducted  their  operations 
separately,  and  they  must  therefore  be  kept 
distinct  in  the  present  notices. 

The  stations  immediately  connected  with 
the  Serampore  mission  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  period,  were,  besides  Seram- 
pore itself,  the  following  nine,  viz. :  Jessore, 
Dacca,  Chittagong,  Arracan,  Dinagepore, 
Benares,  Allahabad,  Futteghur,  and  Delhi. 
The  three  kinds  of  agency  employed  in  con- 
nection with  these  stations  were :  1st.  Na- 
tives, through  whom  it  was  believed  the 
Gospel  would  ultimately  obtain  its  greatest 
diffusion  ;  2d.  Asiatics,  or  those  who  were 
bom  in  the  country  of  European  parents,  at 
least  on  one  side,  and  who  could  be  support- 
ed with  about  half  the  sum  required  for  a 
missionary  from  England.  Of  this  class 
were  Thompson,  Fernandez,  Smith,  Mackin- 
tosh, and  others.  3d.  Europeans,  whose 
knowledge  and  influence  were  of  the  high- 
est importance,  when  exerted  in  connection 
with  bands  of  three,  four,  or  five  Asiatic 
or  native  agents.  Native  schools  for  the  in- 
struction of  boys  had  now  been  established 
about  ten  years ;  and  recently  the  education 
of  female  children,  hitherto  supposed  to  be 
impracticable,  had  been  introduced.  In  Se- 
rampore there  were  thirteen  schools  for 
girls,  four  or  five  at  Dacca,  and  at  least  three 
at  Chittagong.  The  children  included  the 
daughters  of  Mohammedans  as  well  as  Hin- 
doos, who  received  instruction  with  tlie 
greatest  readiness  and  pleasure  ;  and  in  all 
the  schools,  male  and  female,  the  Scriptures 
were  introduced. 

Serampore. — At  this  important  post  were 
Drs.  Carey  and  Marshman,  J.  C.  Marshman, 
Mack,  and  Swan.  During  1827,  eleven  per- 
sons had  been  received  into  the  church. 
The  college  funds  maintained  58  students  at 
the  close  of  the  same  year,  and  Dr.  Carey 
lectured  twice  a  week  as  theological  profes- 
sor. The  report  of  the  college  in  1829  re- 
ferred to  several  grounds  of  encouragement. 
A  charter  had  been  obtained  ;  the  progress 
of  the  students  had  been  good,  and  several 
had  entered  on  the  work  of  imparting  a 
knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  to  the  natives 
of  India,  Mr.  Ward  had  raised  a  fund  in 
Europe  and  America  of  about  50,000  rupees, 
and  a  library  of  nearly  5,000  volumes  had 
been  collected.  It  possessed  a  philosophical 
apparatus,  the  largest  in  the  country. 


In  1829,  three  now  stations  were  entered 
upon,  viz. :  Goamalty,  in  Assam,  240  niilee 
north-east  of  Serampore  ;  Barripore,  31 
miles  south,  and  Burisal,  140  miles  eastward 
of  Serampore  ;  thus  making  twelve  stations 
in  connection  with  Serampore.  And  it  is 
an  interesting  fact,  that  all  these  stations 
were  occupied  by  men  who  were  brought  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  India  itself 
In  May,  1831.  Dr.  Carey  writes  in  an  affect- 
ing strain,  saying  that  his  race  was  nearly 
run,  being  on  the  eve  of  seventy,  and  much 
weakened  by  repeated  bilious  attacks.  He 
was  able,  however,to  resume  his  labors  again. 
During  this  year,  seventeen  joined  the 
church,  fifteen  of  whom.  Were  natives  of 
Bengal,  and  five  of  these  were  members  of 
tho  college.  In  June,  1832,  Dr.  Carey 
brought  the  last  edition  of  his  Bengalee 
Scriptures  through  the  press.  In  a  letter, 
April,  1833,  one  of  the  missionaries  says, 
"Our  venerable  Dr.  Carey  is  in  excellent 
health,  and  takes  his  turn  in  all  our  public 
exercises.  Just  forty  years  ago  he  admin- 
istered the  Lord's  Supper  to  the  church  in 
Leicester,  and  then  started  on  the  morrow 
to  embark  for  India."  The  entire  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  had  at  this 
time  been  printed  and  circulated  in  seven 
different  languages ;  the  New  Testament  had 
been  printed  in  twenty-three  languages 
more  ;  the  Pentateuch,  and  other  parts  of 
the  Old  Testament,  had  been  printed  and 
circulated  in  several  languages  into  which 
the  New  Testament  had  been  completed; 
and  portions  of  the  Scriptures  had  been 
printed  in  ten  others — making  in  all  forty 
languages  ;  so  that  upwards  of  212,000  vol- 
umes of  the  Divine  word,  in  forty  different 
languages,  had  issued  from  the  Serampore 
press  during  thirty  years.  "If,"  say  the 
missionaries,  "  we  reckon  the  Chinese  popu- 
lation according  to  the  most  moderate  compu- 
tation, at  one  hundred  and  fifty  millionSjthese 
languages  embrace  the  vernacular  tongues 
of  two  hundred  and  seventy  millions  of  im- 
mortal beings."  Besides  the  Scriptures, 
many  other  works  had  been  printed  at  the 
Serampore  press,  such  as  grammars,  diction- 
aries, histories,  tracts,  &c.,  so  that  literature 
as  well  as  religion  was  greatly  indebted  to 
these  distinguished  translators. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  1834,  Dr.  Carey,  the 
original  mover  of  this  vast  work,  closed  his 
earthly  labors,  at  the  age  of  73.  In  his  last 
will  was  found  this  highly  characteristic  pro- 
vision :  "  I  direct,  that  before  every  other 
thing,  all  my  lawful  debts  may  be  paid  ; 
that  my  funeral  be  as  plain  as  possible  ;  that 
I  may  be  buried  by  the  side  of  my  second 
wife,  Charlotte  Emilia  Carey ;  and  that  the 
following  inscription,  and  nothing  more,  may 
be  cut  on  the  stone  which  commemorates  her, 
either  above  or  below,  as  there  may  be  room, 
viz. : 


HINDOSTAN. 


4ir 


"  William  Carey, 
Born  August  17,  1761,  died— 

'  A  wretched,  poor,  and  helpless  worm, 

On  thy  kind  arms  I  fall.'  " 

Jessore. — During  1827,  this  station  was 
in  a  discouraging  state,  except  that  the 
schools  for  boys  were  prosperous.  In  1828, 
there  were  only  twenty  members  in  the 
church,  and  every  one  of  them  were  cither 
suspended  or  excluded.  In  1820,  eight  were 
restored,  and  two  added.  There  were  four 
schools,  with  an  average  attendance  of  176 
scholars.  In  1832,  three  more  were  added 
to  the  church  5  but  the  mission  at  this  place 
continued  to  be  of  secondary  importance, 
except  as  the  centre  of  extensive  itinerant 
labors.  The  district  was  estimated  to  con- 
tain about  1,200,000  inhabitants,  Mohamme- 
dans and  Hindoos. 

Dacca. — This  station  suffered  a  great  loss 
in  1827,  in  the  death  of  two  of  its  mission- 
aries, Mr.  D'Cruz  and  Mr.  Leonard.  In 
1828,  the  church  was  reduced  to  four  by  re- 
movals, but  others  were  added  from  time 
to  time.  In  1829,  the  English  congregation, 
which  had  almost  disappeared,  was  formed 
anew.  In  1830  there  were  six  native  schools, 
containing  between  five  and  six  hundred 
scholars.  Widows,  as  well  as  other  native 
females,  were  members  of  these  schools,  and 
permitted  to  read  at  public  examinations, 
instead  of  burning  on  funeral  piles.  This 
being  an  important  military  post,  the  officers 
and  soldiers  benefitted  by  the  labors  of  the 
missionaries,  and  some  of  them  became 
members  of  the  church.  The  commander 
of  a  native  regiment  invited  preaching  in 
the  hall  of  his  own  house. 

Chittagong;  340  miles  east  of  Calcutta, 
was  occupied  by  a  faithful  missionary,  Mr. 
Johannes,  who  superintended  three  native 
female  schools,  and  supported  a  school  him- 
self of  thirty  boys.  There  was  also  a  na- 
tive boys'  school  of  sixty  pupils.  Mr.  Jo- 
hannes also  conducted  public  worship  in 
Bengalee  and  English,  and  preached  in  the 
market-places  and  streets.  Another  female 
school  was  subsequently  established,  and 
frequent  additions  were  made  to  the  church. 
Roman  Catholics  often  attended  the  English 
service,  and  gave  good  attention  to  the  word, 
which  led  the  missionary  to  say,  "  I  have 
been  now  twelve  years  in  Chittagong,  and 
never  felt  that  encouragement  I  do  now, 
when  I  see  Roman  Catholics  searching  the 
Scriptures." 

Arracan. — The  missionary  in  Arracan 
was  Mr.  J.  C.  Fink,  assisted  by  five  native 
preachers.  They  occupied  a  very  extensive 
field,  on  the  east  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and 
south  of  Chittagong,  among  a  mixed  popu- 
lation of  Mugs,  Mohammedans  and  Bur- 
mese. Two  services  in  English  were  main- 
tained on  the  Sabbath,  and  a  permanent 
chapel  was  opened  for  the  Mug  congrega- 

27 


tion.  Natives  were  from  time  to  time  added 
to  the  churchj  and  a  native  Arracanese  was 
ordained  as  a  missionary.  He  had  been  an 
idolatrous  priest. 

Dinagepore. — The  church  in  this  place  in 
1827  numbered  ninety- two.  In  1828  a  few 
were  added,  and  in  1829  three  whole  Mus- 
sulman families,  consisting  of  seventeen  per- 
sons, renounced  their  idols  and  joined  the 
Christian  church.  Ignatius  Fernandez  died 
in  December,  1829.  He  was  a  native  preach- 
er of  great  worth,  and  had  long  been  the 
principal  supporter  of  the  mission  at  this 
place.  He  was  born  at  Macao  in  July,  1757, 
and  was  therefore  73  years  old.  He  came  to 
Bengal  in  1774,  and  of  the  fifty-six  years 
which  had  since  passed,  he  had  spent  forty- 
four  at  Dinagepore.  He  was  the  first  fruit 
of  this  mission,  under  Carey  and  Thomas. 
As  early  as  1796,  he  built  a  dwelling  house 
at  Dinagepore,  which  he  told  these  mission- 
aries, he  intended  for  the  worship  of  God, 
and  when  it  was  done,  he  invited  them  to 
preach  in  it,  which  they  did.  From  that 
time  till  his  death,  33  years,  there  was 
preaching  in  his  house,  and  he  was  instru- 
mental of  gathering  the  largest  church  in 
Bengal.  Dr.  Carey  expressed  the  opinion 
that  his  labors  were  more  blessed  than  those 
of  any  other  missionary  in  Northern  India. 
Feeling  himself  worn  down  by  disease  and 
near  his  end,  he  went  to  Serampore,  and 
died  in  the  presence  of  his  brethren.  He 
was  succeeded  in  the  mission  by  Mr.  Hugh 
Smylie,  assisted  by  Mr.  Bareiro,  a  student 
of  Serampore  college.  These  brethren  suf- 
fered from  repeated  attacks  of  fever,  and  in 
1832  were  obliged  to  leave  their  stations  for 
a  considerable  time. 

Benares. — The  Society  commenced  a  mis- 
sion here  in  1817,  and  a  church,  though  never 
large,  had  been  sustained,  and  the  Gospel 
regularly  preached.  In  1830  and  onward, 
the  schools  were  quite  prosperous,  under  the 
labors  of  Mr.  Smith,  and  a  native  preacher, 
Sivadas. 

Allahabad. — This  was  an  important  sta- 
tion, being  at  the  junction  of  the  Ganges 
and  Jumna,  and  the  resort  of  multitudes  of 
pilgrims  who  come  thither  to  bathe  in  the 
sacred  waters.  Mr.  L.  Mackintosh  was  the 
missionary  here  in  1827,  assisted  by  a  native 
reader,  Gopaul,  who  kept  a  promising  school 
in  his  own  house,  consisting  of  about  twenty 
young  men. 

Delhi. — The  situation  of  this  place  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Ganges  and  the  Jumna, 
renders  it  an  important  field  of  labor.  Great 
numbers  of  pilgrims  resort  thither  to  bathe 
in  the  sacred  waters,  affording  the  missiona- 
ries opportunity  to  preach  the  Gospel  to 
multitudes  besides  the  permanent  residents. 
Mr.  J.  T.  Thompson  and  a  native  preacher 
were  laboring  here  at  the  period  under  no 
tice.    Mr.  Thompson  traveled  extensively 


418 


HINDOSTAN. 


at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  distributinj; 
the  Scriptures  in  the  Vikaneer  language,  to 
the  west  of  Delhi ;  in  the  Marwar  and  the 
Goozerattee,  to  the  south-west ;  in  the  Na- 
palee  to  the  Goorkhas,  on  the  east  north- 
east ;  in  the  Punjabce,  on  the  north-west ; 
in  the  Pushtoo,  to  the  Palans  and  Aftghan 
horse  merchants  ;  and  in  the  language  of 
Cashmere,  to  the  north  of  Delhi.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son makes  particular  mention  of  scenes  wit- 
nessed at  the  Pyree,  a  far-famed  bathing 
spot  at  the  base  of  a  mountain  projecting 
towards  the  river,  where  there  is  room  for 
only  two  persons  to  pass  abrcast.  This  oc- 
casions the  most  lamentable  consequences. 
In  1819,  four  hundred  and  thirty  persons 
were  crushed  to  death,  owing  to  a  desperate 
rush  of  the  pilgrims.  The  assembled  multi- 
tude amounts  to  two  or  three  thousand  ;  but 
once  in  twelve  years,  when  Jupiter  is  in 
Aquarius,  at  the  time  of  the  sun  entering 
Aries,  the  number  is  not  less  than  a  million, 
and  in  1819  it  was  estimated  as  high  as  two 
million.  Mr.  Thompson  spent  much  time  at 
this  place  at  the  proper  seasons,  and  many 
listened  with  apparent  seriousness  to  his 
conversation  and  prayers.  In  1829,  he  men- 
tions having  circulated  nearly  six  thousand 
books,  pamphlets,  and  tracts,  in  Hindee, 
Oordoo,  Sanscrit,  Napalee,  Punjabee,  Per- 
sian, and  Arabic.  At  the  Hurdwar  annual 
fair,  in  1830,  he  distributed,  in  at  least  six 
languages,  2,200  volumes  of  the  Gospels  and 
other  books.  The  word  preached  to  the 
multitudes  was  regarded  with  great  atten- 
tion. The  students  of  the  native  college  of 
Delhi  evinced  great  anxiety  to  be  furnished 
with  the  Scriptures  and  other  works  in 
English,  Hindee,  and  Persian.  Mr.  Thomp- 
son was  much  interested  in  a  sect  called  the 
Sands,  who  reject  idolatry,  and  regard  the 
Ganges  like  any  other  river.  They  profess 
to  believe  in  one  invisible  God.  and  are 
taught  that  the  soul  is  immortal,  but  have 
no  temple  nor  any  regular  priesthood.  This 
sect  is  almost  200  years  old. 

Besides  the  foregoing  stations  in  connec- 
tion with  Serampore,  at  the  time  of  the 
separation  from  the  Society,  a  few  others  of 
less  note  were  formed.  These  were  Dum- 
Dum,  Multra,  Barripore,  Burisal,  Oawnpore, 
and  Assam. 

During  the  same  period,  1827  to  1837,  the 
parent  society  conducted  its  separate  opera- 
tions at  Calcutta,  Cutwa,  Digha,  and  Mon- 
ghyn,  leaving  by  far  the  largest  and  most 
important  part  of  the  field  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Serampore  brethren.  During 
this  period  of  ten  years,  efforts  were  made 
to  unite  the  two  societies,  but  although  they 
harmonized  in  their  spirit  and  aims,  the  di- 
vision continued. 

In  the  spring  of  1838,  however,  the  effort 
at  union  was  renewed,  and  resulted  success- 
fully.    The  particular  agents  or  means  em- 


ployed in  terminating  the  unhappy  contr 
versy,  need  not  be  specified.  All  were  ha; 
py  at  length  in  a  cessation  of  strife,  and 
joining  as  formerly  in  the  glorious  work  < 
spreading  the  Gospel.  Dr.  Marshman,  wl 
had  been  greatly  instrumental  in  bringii 
about  this  happy  change,  died  almost  at  tl 
moment  of  the  termination  of  the  negoti 
tions. 

The  plan  of  union  provided  that  the  tran 
lations  and  all  the  public  property  at  Seraii 
pore,  should  be  transferred  to  Calcutt 
which  from  this  time  becomes  the  centre  ( 
interest  in  regard  to  translations,  printing,  & 

At  the  commencement  of  1838,  the  coi 
gregations  in  nearly  all  the  chapels  in  Ca 
cutta  and  its  neighborhood  were  increasiuj 
Mr.  Robinson,  assisted  by  Mr.  Thomas  ai: 
four  native  preachers,  occupied  the  Lai  Bazj 
chapel  in  Calcutta,  which  had  a  church  men 
bership  of  nearly  a  hundred.  In  Septemb« 
of  this  year  twelve  Hindoos  were  baptize 
eight  of  whom  were  in  the  girls'  Christie 
boarding  school,  under  the  superintendenc 
of  Mrs.  Pearce.  In  the  beginning  of  183 
Mr.  Penney  died  of  cholera,  and  in  Marc 
1840,  Mr.  Pearce  died  of  the  same  diseas 

The  report  respecting  translations  in  184 
embraced  the  following  important  partici 
lars  :  An  edition  of  the  New  Testament  i 
Hindostanee,  with  marginal  references,  IOC 
copies  J  another  edition  of  the  New  Testi 
ment  in  the  same  language,  smaller  siz 
without  references,  500  copies.  Of  this  lai 
edition,  extra  copies  of  the  Gospels  and  c 
the  Acts  were  printed,  making  an  aggregal 
of  9,500  volumes.  An  edition  of  the  Psaln 
in  Sanscrit  verse,  2,500  copies  ;  the  thir 
edition  of  the  New  Testament  in  Bengale 
octavo,  1,500  copies,  with  6,000  extra  copi( 
of  each  of  the  Gospels,  2,000  of  the  Act 
and  500  of  the  Gospels  and  Acts  togethe 
making  a  total  of  28,000  volumes ;  the  fourt 
edition  of  the  New  Testament  in  Bengale 
royal  12mo.,  3000  copies,  with  2,000  of  Goi 
pels  and  Acts  together,  making  5000  vo 
umes ;  an  edition  of  the  New  Testament  i 
modern  Armenian,  with  numerous  margins 
references,  6000  copies  ;  an  edition  of  th 
Gospel  of  Matthew  in  Hindee,  Nagree  chai 
acters,  6,000  copies. 

Besides  the  foregoing  works,  which  had  a 
been  completed,  there  were  in  progress  8,00 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  or  parts  of  i 
in  Sanscrit,  and  8500  copies  of  the  New  Tes 
tament,  or  of  the  Gospels  and  Acts  togethei 
in  Hindostanee.  All  this,  the  work  of  th 
mission  press  at  Calcutta,  and  most  of  i 
within  one  year,  show  the  vast  amount  o 
labor  performed  in  this  department,  and  it 
importance  in  diffusing  the  light  of  trut 
over  benighted  India. 

Frequent  mention  is  made  in  the  journal 
of  the  missionaries,  of  the  "Benevolent  Ir 
stitution."    It  was  established  in  1809,  fo 


HINDOSTAN. 


419 


the  special  benefit  of  the  multitudes  of  chil- 
dren in  the  city  who  were  growing  up  in 
ignorance  and  vice,  with  none  to  care  for 
them.  The  institution  was  not  denomina- 
tional, but  was  common  to  all  classes  of 
missionaries  in  Calcutta,  though  it  fell  to  the 
lot  of  this  society  to  have  the  chief  manage- 
ment of  its  concerns.  For  more  than  twenty 
years  it  was  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Penney, 
whose  exertions  in  its  behalf  were  unremit- 
ting. In  1842  there  were  265  boys  and  123 
girls  under  instruction,  the  children  of  vari- 
ous sects,  as  follows,  viz. :  Roman  Catholics 
142,  Protestants  95,  Hindoos  107,  Moham- 
medans 22,  Burmese  3,  Mugs  5,  Armenians 
4,  Jews  1,  Greeks  1,  Chinese  7. 

In  1843,  90,000  volumes  of  the  Scriptures, 
in  whole  or  in  part,  were  printed  in  Sanscrit, 
Bengali,  Hindostanee,  and  Hindee  languages. 
From  the  country  stations,  during  this  year, 
favorable  intelligence  was  received.  At  Del- 
hi, Mr.  Thompson  baptized  five  persons,  one 
of  them  his  own  daughter,  the  rest  natives. 
At  Patna  a  delightful  work  of  grace  was  in 
progress  three  or  four  months,  as  the  result  of 
which  eight  persons  were  baptized,  and  seve- 
ral more  stood  as  candidates.  At  M»nghyn 
four  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism, 
at  Burisal  two,  at  Ohittagong  six,  at  Patna 
eight,  &c. 

In  January,  1844,  the  London  Society's 
missionaries  at  Calcutta  published  a  state- 
ment, vindicating  their  Baptist  brethren 
Against  an  attack  made  upon  them  in  the 
London  Patriot,  in  reference  to  the  Sanscrit 
version  of  the  Scriptures,  to  which  the  Bap- 
tist translators  had  devoted  themselves  with 
SO  much  zeal.  .  In  this  vindication,  they  say 
that  the  Sanscrit  language  is  the  language 
of  learning  and  religion  throughout  the  whole 
of  Bengal,  Bombay,  and  considerable  por- 
tions of  the  Madras  presidency ;  that  all 
Brahmins,  except  those  wholly  secularized, 
as  soldiers  or  merchants,  are  acquainted  with 
this  language,  which  alone  is  taught  in  their 
colleges  and  employed  in  their  religious  cere- 
monials ;  that  the  highest  reverence  is  uni- 
versally felt  for  it,  and  any  book  written  in 
Sanscrit  will  always  be  received  with  respect, 
and  read  with  more  acceptance  than  if  com- 
posed in  any  of  the  vernacular  dialects  ;  that 
tens  of  thousands  in  all  sections  of  the  coun- 
try are  fully  qualified  to  read  with  intelli- 
gence any  ordinary  composition  in  this  lan- 
guage ;  that  a  translation  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures in  Sanscrit  was,  in  the  opinion  of  the 
most  competent  judges,  every  way  desirable, 
as  furnishing  a  large  Brahminical  population 
with  the  only  version  they  would  probably 
receive,  and  as  laying  a  critical  foundation 
and  furnishing  a  classical  model  for  the  pre- 
paration or  improvement  of  vernacular  ver- 
sions; and  finally,  that  they  deem  it  just  to 
their  brethren  of  the  Baptist  mission  to  give 
these  assurances,  since,  so  far  from  sympa- 


thizing with  the  writer  in  the  Patriot  (who 
was  a  former  missionary  of  the  London  So- 
ciety in  Burmah),  they  wholly  approve  of 
the  zealous  efforts  of  their  Baptist  brethren 
to  secure  a  version  of  the  sacred  Scriptures 
in  the  learned  language  of  Hindostan. 
These  testimonials  are  considered  of  value, 
as  showing  how  the  Sanscrit  language  ranks 
in  Hindostan,  in  the  estimation  of  the  most 
learned  and  competent  men,  after  almost  fifty 
years  of  experience,  and  as  illustrating  the 
kind  and  generous  spirit  which  prevailed 
among  missionaries  of  difierent  denomina- 
tions. 

The  annual  report  for  1844  gives  a  pleasing 
view  of  the  work  in  most  parts  of  India. 
In  Calcutta  there  were  eight  churches,  with 
454  members,  270  of  whom  were  natives. 
The  baptisms  during  the  year  amounted  to 
32,  all  natives  but  three.  The  number  of 
schools  in  Calcutta  and  its  neighborhood  was 
14,  and  the  number  of  scholars  954.  At  the 
various  stations  in  northern  India  there 
were  16  churches,  and  a  membership  of  465. 
Also  19  schools,  and  673  scholars.  During 
this  year,  the  cholera  made  fearful  ravages, 
carrying  off"  in  two  months  between  forty 
and  fifty  thousand  people.  The  missionaries, 
however,  were  all  mercifully  spared.  In 
August  of  this  year,  some  interesting  and 
valuable  statements  were  made  by  a  Calcutta 
missionary  in  regard  to  the  state  of  society, 
and  the  spirit  of  love  and  harmony  which 
actuated  and  pervaded  all  classes  of  laborers. 
He  says,  "On  the  bosom  of  the  Ganges  is 
the  shipping  of  every  nation,  as  may  be  seen 
in  its  streets  the  natives  of  every  shore. 
In  the  city  are  splendid  edifices  and  mud 
hovels;  naked  children  and  half  naked 
adults,  various  and  discordant  sounds,  me- 
chanics at  their  employ,  venders  sitting  by 
their  goods,  innumerable  sledges  drawn  by 
oxen,  fashionable  European  carriages,  bug- 
gies, gazees,  palankins,  grooms  running  to 
clear  the  way,  &c.  Degradation  and  idolatry 
were  around  us,  destruction  and  misery 
walked  hand  in  hand.  We  passed  through 
the  crowded  streets,  and  soon  arrived  at  In- 
tally,  a  beautiful  residence,  as  all  the  dwell- 
ings of  Europeans  in  Calcutta  are.  A  group 
of  Hindoos,  attired  in  snow  white  muslin, 
and  with  intelligent  countenances,  met  us  as 
we  entered  the  gates.  Their  whole  contour 
formed  a  striking  contrast  to  those  we  had 
seen  previously.  The  explanation  is  simple : 
these  were  Christian  Hindoos.  As  they  ut- 
tered their  salams,  my  eyes  filled  with  tears, 
Christianity  finds  man  every  where  debased 
— it  blesses  and  elevates  him.  Next  Sab- 
bath I  expect  to  be  at  Serampore,  where  a 
Carey  and  a  Marshman  found  refuge,  not 
from  native  violence,  but  from  Englishmen 
bearing  the  name  of  Christians;  where  a 
Martyn,  a  Brown  and.  a  Buchanan,  contem- 
plated India's  welfare;  where  a  Chamber- 


420 


HINDOSTAN. 


lain,  a  Judson,  and  a  Newell  found  Christian 
In'spitality  and  were  refreshed.  The  spirit 
tint  animated  them  still  remains  ;  we  are  all 
vuv  liere  ;  we  cannot  aflbrd  to  be  jealous— 
the  common  foe  is  too  strong ;  and  the  mis- 
sionaries are  bound  together  neither  by 
creeds  nor  human  ties,  but  by  the  fear  of 
God  and  the  love  of  Jesus."  These  words 
are  worthy  of  being  engraven  on  the  mem- 
ory of  Christians  and  Christian  ministers 
every  where,  differing  in  name  and  often  ri- 
valing in  interests,  but  having  professedly 
one  spirit  and  one  purpose. 

During  the  year  ending  May  1st,  1845, 
there  had  been  printed  at  Calcutta,  in  San- 
scrit 2,500  volumes;  in  Bengali  23,500;  in 
Hindostanee  26,500;  in  Armenian  2,260; 
total,  54,760  volumes.  These  were  all  vol- 
umes of  the  Scriptures  in  some  form,  and 
the  distribution  kept  pace  with  the  publica- 
tion. The  distinguished  Doctor  Yates  was 
at  this  date  engaged  in  preparing  for  the 
press  the  Old  Testament  in  Sanscrit,  and 
large  portions  of  it  had  already  been 
printed.  His  heart's  desire  was  to  finish 
this  work  by  the  close  of  another  year,  and 
to  be  able  to  report  a  complete  translation 
of  the  whole  of  the  Scriptures  into  this,  the 
sacred  and  learned  language  of  the  East 
But  it  pleased  God  in  a  few  months  to  call 
this  devoted  servant  to  his  rest.  By  the 
advice  of  his  physicians  he  sailed  for  Eng- 
land, and  died  on  the  passage. 

In  November,  1845,  Serampore  is  brought 
to  view  again,  for  the  first  time  since  the 
"union"  in  1837.  More  or  less  labor  had 
been  performed  there,  but  for  some  reason 
no  reports  appeared  through  the  regular 
channels.  Mr.  Denham,  on  taking  charge 
of  the  station  at  this  time,  found  a  church 
of  93  members,  a  good  congregation,  and 
many  pleasant  and  sacred  associations.  Re- 
membering Carey  and  his  coadjutors,  he 
asks,  "  Who  can  recall  the  name  of  Seram- 
pore without  veneration  ?  On  its  sages  rest- 
ed a  sacred  pentecostal  fire,  and  from  their 
hands  India  and  its  hundreds  of  millions  re- 
ceived the  regenerating  word  of  life."  There 
were  also  at  this  time  in  Serampore  two 
schools  for  heathen  boys,  supported  by  the 
Ladies'  Benevolent  Society  of  that  place,  and 
a  third  was  conducted  by  a  European  in  the 
college.  Besides  these,  two  female  schools 
were  maintained,  one  for  heathen  children, 
and  one  for  children  of  nominally  Christian 
parents.  The  number  of  scholars  in  the  va- 
rious schools  was  over  800.  There  were 
eight  sub-stations  around  Serampore,  at 
which  preachmg  was  regularly  maintained, 
and  several  other  places  that  were  visited 
periodically.  In  May,  1846,  Mr.  Denham 
speaks  of  arrangements  then  in  progress  for 
rendering  the  college  buildings  available  to 
the  interests  of  the  community,  and  espe- 
cially for  training  converted  natives  of  India  ^ 


for  missionary  service.  Years  having  passed 
away  since  the  doors  of  the  college  were 
closed,  every  thing  had  to  be  done,  even  to 
the  obtaining  of  pupils;  but  the  effort  was 
successful,  and  this  institution,  for  a  long 
period  so  vitally  connected  with  the  welfare 
of  India,  was  again  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

The  various  stations  of  this  society  having 
now  assumed  a  good  degree  of  stability  and 
of  uniformity  in  their  progress,  it  is  unne- 
cessary to  notice  them  further,  except  as  we 
find  them  in  the  last  report  which  has  been 
received,  that  for  1853. 

Calcutta. — Under  this  head  is  included 
Calcutta  and  its  neighborhood,  embracing 
eight  churches,  each  of  which  is  worthy  of 
a  brief  notice.  The  first  four  are  in  the  city 
proper,  the  others  in  the  suburbs. 

1.  The  Church  in  Circular  Road.  This 
is  an  English  church,  with  91  members  in 
communion,  and  16  non-resident  members. 
The  Sabbath-school  contains  63  children. 
An  English  pastor,  Mr.  Leslie,  has  charge  of 
the  church,  which  supports  itself  without 
aid  from  the  mission. 

2.  Church  in  Lql  Bazar.  This  is  a  mixed 
church,  J.  Thomas  pastor,  with  three  native 
preachers.  Number  of  members  137 ;  non- 
resident members,  20.  The  venerable  and 
distinguished  native  laborer,  Carapeit  Ara- 
toon,  continues  to  render  important  aid. 
Five  were  added  to  the  church  by  baptism 
during  the  year. 

3.  South  Colinga. — A  native  church,  vnth 
one  English  and  one  native  pastor,  and  a 
membership  of  51. 

4.  Intally. — A  native  church,  with  46 
members.  Besides  the  English  pastor,  four 
native  preachers  are  constantly  engaged  in 
disseminating  the  word  of  life  in  and  around 
Calcutta.  Seven  persons  were  baptized  dur- 
ing the  year. 

5.  Haurah  and  Salkiya. — A  mixed  church, 
with  a  pastor,  T.  Morgan,  and  a  native 
preacher;  and  a  membership  of  20.  Two 
day  schools  are  maintained,  having  100  chil- 
dren in  attendance,  and  a  Sabbath'-school 
with  60  scholars.  During  the  year,  4,000 
copies  of  the  Scriptures,  or  portions  thereof, 
were  distributed  by  Mr.  Morgan  in  his  itin- 
erant labors.  In  his  report  of  these  labors, 
he  states  some  facts  of  peculiar  interest; 
and  being  of  so  recent  a  date,  they  set  in  a 
strong  light  the  great  though  slow  progress 
which  the  Gospel  has  made  in  that  quarter 
since  the  early  labors  of  Carey  and  his  com- 
panions. He  says,  "  The  desire  of  the  peo- 
ple to  obtain  the  Scriptures  is  most  intense. 
Imagine  a  large  market  with  from  one  to  two 
thousand  people,  myself  on  an  elevated  spot, 
hundreds  of  hands  stretched  out,  and  hun- 
dreds of  tongues  shouting,  '  0  Sahib,  a  great 
thing,  0  holy  incarnation,  give  me  a  book !' 
Brahmins  and  Sudras  rolling  in  the  dust  to- 
gether, snatching  the  books  from  one  another ; 


HINDOSTAN. 


421 


respectable  people  with  children  iu  their 
hands  and  in  their  arms,  imploring  me  to 
put  the  books  into  tho  hands  of  the  little 
ones;  books  all  gone, — missionary  reeling 
from  the  effects  of  dust,  noise,  and  speaking ; 
people  imploring  for  more  books,  and  in 
some  places  I  have  been  obliged  to  go  to 
police  offices  to  rest  for  half  an  hour.  I 
have  seen  Brahmin  lads  in  tears  because 
they  could  not  get  the  books,  saying,  '  0, 
Sahib,  I  ran  when  I  heard  you  were  here, 
and  now  what  shall  I  do  ?'  Of  a  cold,  bitter 
night,  I  have  found  men  at  my  boat,  from 
distant  places,  up  to  their  shoulders  in 
water."  Mr.  Morgan  speaks  of  another  im- 
portant feature  in  this  work,  viz. :  that  on 
going  to  a  large  town,  if  he  is  suspected  of 
being  a  government  agent,  the  people  will  not 
hear  him,  nor  take  a  book  from  him ;  but  no 
sooner  do  they  learn  that  he  is  a  missionary, 
without  any  connection  with  the  government, 
than  the  whole  town  is  at  his  heels,  the  most 
respectable  sending  for  him  to  their  houses, 
bringing  milk  to  his  boat,  &c.  This  mission- 
ary concludes  by  saying,  that  it  is  evident 
that  the  Hindoos  are  dissatisfied  with  both 
their  civil  and  religious  institutions,  and 
that  while  they  would  regard  with  horror 
any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  English  Go- 
vernment to  convert  them,  disinterested 
efforts  they  can  and  do  appreciate. 

6.  Narsigdarchoke  and  Bishtapore. — A 
native  church  of  45  members,  two  missiona- 
ries, and  five  native  preachers. 

7.  Khari. — A  native  church,  with  two  mis- 
sionaries and  one  native  preacher,  and  a 
membership  of  49.  A  school  with  45  chil- 
dren is  maintained. 

8.  Lakhyantipur. — A  native  church  with 
62  members,  one  missionary,  two  assistant 
missionaries,  and  two  native  preachers.  In 
direct  or  indirect  connection  with  this  church, 
there  are  74  househblds,  comprising  84  men, 
84  women,  and  118  children. 

9.  Dum-Dum. — A  native  church  of  13 
members,  one  missionary,  and  one  native 
preacher. 

10.  Malayapur. — A  native  church  of  5 
members,  a  pastor,  and  two  native  preachers. 
The  Bengal  Association  met  at  this  place  in 
January,  and  although  many  were  detained, 
the  missionary  brethren  and  delegates  made 
up  a  body  of  nearly  500. 

The  work  of  translating  and  printing  the 
Scriptures  has  been  carried  on  with  the 
usual  activity  and  zeal  during  the  past  year. 
The  translations  have  been  chiefly  into  San- 
scrit, Bengali,  Hindee,  and  Hindostanee  ;  and 
the  number  of  Scriptures  issued  from  the 
depository  during  the  year  amounted  to 
34,036  copies. 

Stations  and  Churches  in  Bengal. — Under 
this  head  are  embraced  eight  principal  sta- 
tions. 

1.  Serampore.—Tlh.QYQ  were  in  the  Seram- 


pore  college,  in  1853,  eleven  students,  four 
of  whom  were  natives.  Their  studies  em- 
braced theology,  Christian  evidences,  mental 
and  moral  science,  classics,  and  history. 
There  were  at  this  period  two  missionaries 
at  the  station,  Messrs.  Denham  and  Robin- 
son, and  four  native  preachers.  They  had 
preaching  stations  at  eight  villages,  and  the 
number  of  church  members  was  121.  The 
Native  Christian  Asylum  numbered  18  girls, 
one  having  recently  died  in  great  peace. 
The  two  schools  for  boys  contained  327 
scholars,  and  adding  to  them  the  schools 
connected  with  the  college,  the  whole  num- 
ber of  children  and  youth  under  the  care  of  • 
the  mission  would  not  fall  much  short  of 
600. 

2.  Cutwa. — This  station  has  a  missionary, 
four  native  preachers,  and  a  church  of  35 
members.  A  day  school  for  girls  fs  sus- 
tained, and  has  ten  scholars.  The  copies  of 
Scriptures  distributed  during  the  year 
amount  to  416,  and  of  tracts  to  2,780. 

3.  Jessore. — One  missionary,  eight  native 
preachers,  and  234  church  members.  There 
are  seven  sub-stations  connected  with  this 
mission.  Five  boj's'  schools  are  supported, 
attended  by  about  400  children;  and  one 
boarding  school  attended  by  14  girls. 

4.  Dinajpur. — One  missionary,  one  native 
preacher,  and  19  members.  There  are  two 
day  schools  attended  by  120  children,  and 
a  Sabbath-school  with  10  scholars.  In  the 
course  of  a  few  months  the  missionary 
visited  246  villages,  preaching  and  distribu- 
ting Scriptures  and  tracts. 

5.  Dacca. — Two  missionaries,  four  native 
preachers,  and  36  church  members.  In  va- 
rious journeys  made  during  the  year  the 
missionaries  distributed  5,000  tracts,  and 
4,600  copies  of  portions  of  Scripture.  They 
say,  "  We  now  want  more  preachers,  for  the 
whole  of  East  Bengal  is  open ;  and  on  our 
last  journey  we  often  had  from  400  to  600 
attentive  hearers  of  all  ranks  and  classes." 

6.  Chittagong. — One  missionary,  eight  na- 
tive preachers,  and  65  members.  There  are 
two  day  schools,  attended  by  23  boys,  and 
one  attended  by  13  girls.  Eleven  persons 
have  been  baptized  during  the  year.  Says 
the  missionary,  "The  heathen  do  not  ge- 
nerally disregard  the  word  now.  They 
listen  with  readiness  and  pleasure  to  the 
news  of  salvation,  and  applications  are  un- 
ceasingly made  for  Scriptures  and  tracts." 

7.  Suri. — One  missionary,  four  native 
preachers,  and  37  church  members.  Five 
day  schools  are  taught,  one  English,  and  the 
others  Bengali.  The  attendance  is  about 
220  boys  and  16  girls.  The  Sabbath-school 
contains  20  scholars, 

8.  Burisal. — This  mission  has  under  its 
care  ten  sub-stations,  and  enjoys  the  labors 
of  two  missionaries  and  ten  native  preach- 
ers.    The  whole  number  of  members  is  204, 


422  UINDOSTAN. 

A  variety  of  sclioola  are  supported,  not  only 
for  boys  and  girls,  but  for  men  and  women. 

TABULAR    VIEW. 


STATioire. 


Oaloutia. 

Circuhir 
Road, 

Lai -Bazar. 

Hiiuni, 
^    OoUriKa, 
•    Naralkda- 
ohoke, 

Kharl, 

Lakhyanti- 

InlaU\% 

Dum-Dnm, 

Malyapu'r, 

Bengal. 

Sorampore, 

Outwa, 

Jeasore, 

Dlnsypoor, 

Dacca, 

Sari, 

Burisal, 

Chlttagong, 

northebn 

India. 
Monghlr, 
Benaros, 
Delhi, 
Agra, 
Muttn-v 
Nishtarpur, 
Cawnpore, 

Total, 


1801 
1808 


1818 
1822 


1824 


1817 
1842 

1799 
1804 
1804 
1805 
1818 
1818 
1828 
1817 


1816 
1817 
1818 
1834 
1842 
1849 
1851 


4 

4 
8 
1 
4 
4 

2  11 

1 


I^aof 

t)ay 

Membera. 

d> 

aohoolg 

Oj3 

1 

t 

11 

i 

3 

i 

^3 

ri 

1 

M 

"A 

<l. 

Jz; 

< 

Bab. 
schools 


15 


45 


3    200 
2    100 


10 


20 


35.85    480l  932  1598  43 '2345 1  5'  147  T 


Stations  and  Churches  in  Northern  India. 
— ^In  Northern  India  the  Society  has  under 
its  care  seven  principal  missions,  as  follows  : 

1.  Monghir. — Two  missionaries  are  sta- 
tioned here,  and  four  native  preachers. 
There  are  three  day  schools  with  105  chil- 
dren in  attendance.  The  Scriptures  dis- 
tributed during  the  year  amounted  to  2,359 
copies  ;  tracts  2,370.  Two  Bible  classes  are 
also  maintained. 

2.  Benares. — Two  missionaries,  three  na- 
tive preachers,  and  21  members.  Scriptures 
distributed  GOO ;  tracts  1,000.  Preaching  in 
the  native  language  is  considered  of  preem- 
inent importance,  and  for  this  purpose  much 
time  has  been  spent  in  visiting  the  melas  or 
fairs,  in  the  suburbs  of  Benares. 

3.  Delhi.— The  death  of  Mr.  Thompson 
deprived  this  station  of  a  missionary,  and  no 
one  having  taken  his  place,  it  is  not  reported 
in  detail. 

4.  Agra. — Two  missionaries,  a  native 
church  with  nine  members,  and  an  English 
church  with  00  members.  There  is  a  Mission 
Seminary  with  between  40  and  50  scholars, 
and  a  female  institution  well  sustained. 
Daily  preaching  in  the  city  and  suburbs  is 
maintained. 

5.  Nishtarpur. — This  is  a  quite  recent 
station    near   Agra,   and  has  a  missionary, 


three  native  preachers,  and  a  church  of  42 
members.  Two  schools  are  in  constant 
operation,  besides  a  day  and  evening  Sabbath- 
school,  and  the  Gospel  is  preached  in  the 
villages  and  at  the  bathing  festivals. 

C.  Muttra. — One  missionary,  one  assistant 
missionary,  and  three  native  preachers.  The 
church  has  42  members.  Two  schools,  one 
native  and  one  English,  are  maintained,  and 
the  system  has  been  adopted  of  making  all 
parties  pay  something  for  tuition.  Tracts 
and  Scriptures  are  also  sold  to  many,  while 
their  gratuitous  distribution  is  continued. 

7.  Cawnpore. — One  missionary,  two  na- 
tive preacheps,  and  a  church  of  36  members. 

Southern  India. — The  society  has  had  a 
mission  at  Madras  and  Trichonopoly,  in 
Southern  India,  but  as  the  missionary  there 
has  derived  none  of  his  support  from  the 
society,  and  his  labors  are  confined  chiefly 
to  the  Europeans,  the  connection  has  been 
recently  dissolved. 

London  Missionary  Society. — This  So- 
ciety commenced  its  operations  in  Hindostan 
in  1804.  In  February  of  that  year  three 
missionaries,  Rev.  Messrs.  Ringletaube, 
Gran,  and  Des  Granges,  sailed  from  Eng- 
land, with  the  intention  of  commencing  a 
mission  on  the  Coromandel  coast,  but  on 
their  arrival  in  the  country  a  different  course 
was  determined  upon,  and  Messrs.  Gran  and 
Des  Granges  proceeded  to  establish  them- 
selves at 

Vizagapatam,  five  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  south-west  of  Calcutta,  and  about  the 
same  distance  north-east  of  Madras,  in  the 
Northern  Circars,  a  place  altogether  unoccu- 
pied by  previous  missionaries.  They  were 
received  with  marked  kindness  by  the  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  forces  at  this  place, 
and  also  by  the  judge,  who  had  for  some 
time  been  in  the  habit  of  conducting  public 
worship  in  the  fort  on  the  Sabbath,  with  the 
soldiers  of  the  garrison  and  such  others  as 
might  wish  to  attend.  This  service  how- 
ever was  now  committed  to  the  missiona- 
ries, with  a  government  allowance  for  their 
labors.  A  piece  of  ground,  a  mile  from  the 
town,  comprising  about  ten  acres,  was  also 
granted  to  the  missionaries,  on  which  they 
erected  a  house  and  laid  out  a  garden.  They 
next  conceived  the  plan  of  founding  a 
charity  school,  towards  which  about  1,300 
rupees  were  immediately  contributed,  and 
in  180G  the  school  was  in  successful  opera- 
tion, with  suitable  buildings,  and  between 
thirt}--  and  forty  persons  under  instruction. 
"  Among  our  native  scholars,"  says  the  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Gran,  "  we  have  all  castes, 
from  the  Brahmin  to  the  Sudra,  and  several 
of  them  have  come  from  a  distance  of  ten, 
twenty,  and  even  thirty  miles.  They  arc 
instructed  by  a  native  schoolmaster,  of 
Ghristian  parents,  whom  we  brought  with 
us  from  Madras." 


HINDOSTAN. 


423 


Near  the  close  of  1806,  the  missionaries 
report  themselves  as  able  to  read  and  write 
the  Telinga  language  with  ease,  and  they 
had  translated  into  it  some  passages  of  the 
Scriptures  for  the  use  of  the  natives.  They 
also  about  this  time  formed  the  plan  of  a 
complete  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into 
the  Telinga  language,  spoken  by  all  the  Hin- 
doos in  the  five  northern  Oircars,  and  ap- 
pealed to  the  churches  at  home  for  aid  in 
this  great  work. 

In  1808,  the  missionaries  were  joined  by 
a  converted  Brahmin,  named  Ananderayer, 
of  whom  a  very  interesting  account  is  given 
in  the  Society's  periodical,  the  Evangelical 
Magazine,  for  Feb.,  1808.  In  Jan.,  1809,  the 
mission  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death 
of  Mr.  Cran.  Two  new  missionaries  how- 
ever, Messrs.  Gordon  and  Lee,  arrived  during 
that  year,  to  the  great  joy  of  Mr.  Des 
Granges,  who  had  been  left  alone  in  this 
vast  field. 

The  next  year,  1810,  Mr.  Des  Granges 
himself  was  removed  by  death.  Just  before 
his  decease  it  was  thought  necessary  to  re- 
move his  wife,  who  was  sick  in  an  adjoining 
apartment,  in  doing  which  she  was  carried 
through  the  chamber  of  the  dying  mission- 
ary, and  there  they  exchanged  their  last 
farewell  till  they  should  meet  above.  Before 
his  death,  Mr.  Des  Granges  had  translated 
three  of  the  Gospels,  which  in  1812  were 
printed  at  Serampore  by  the  Baptist  breth- 
ren, and  the  surviving  missionaries,  Lee  and 
Gordon,  spent  much  time  in  reading  and  cir- 
culating these  Gospels  in  the  populous  vil- 
lages around  them. 

The  mission  was  strengthened  in  1817,  by 
the  arrival  of  Rev.  James  Dawson,  from  the 
Seminary  at  Gosport.  In  a  letter  dated 
Jan.  1817,  Mr.  Gordon  says,  "  The  last  year 
has  been  better  to  me  than  any  former  one. 
We  are  out  every  day  among  the  people,  and 
I  have  lately  held  conversations  with  some 
interesting  characters,  whose  questions  were 
uncommonly  striking.  The  children  in  the 
schools  also  perform  wonders,  and  by  inter- 
rogating them  we  find  that  they  make  an 
actual  progress  in  divine  things.  Our  prin- 
cipal school  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  town, 
and  open  to  any  person  who  passes  by." 

In  1819,  Mr.  Pritchett,  who  had  joined 
the  mission,  completed  the  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  into  Telinga,  and  secured  its 
publication  at  Madras,  at  the  expense  of  the 
Calcutta  Bible  Society.  He  also  translated 
several  parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  en- 
tertained the  fond  hope  of  being  able  to  give 
to  the  heathen  around  him  a  complete  copy 
of  the  Bible,  in  their  native  tongue.  But  in 
this  he  was  disappointed,  having  been  called 
to  his  final  reward  before  the  close  of  the 
following  year. 

Twenty  years  after  the  establishment  of 
this  mission,  in  1824,  there  were  five  native 


schools,  and  about  250  boys  under  mstruc- 
tion.  Mr.  Gordon  employed  his  days  in 
translating  the  Old  Testament  into  the 
Telinga  language,  and  his  evenings  in  visit- 
ing the  schools  and  the  neighboring  villages, 
reading  to  the  natives,  and  conversing  with 
them  on  the  subject  of  religion. 

In  1827,  the  schools  had  increased  to 
twelve,  and  the  scholars  to  over  500.  One 
of  these  was  a  girls'  school,  and  several  girls 
were  in  the  schools  for  boys.  These  schools 
were  all  conducted  upon  strictly  Christian 
principles,  for  besides  writing,  cyphering 
&c.,  the  Scriptures  were  read  daily,  ana 
Watts's  Catechism  taught.  Mr.  Gordon 
died  in  1828,  after  having  labored  in 
India  for  19  years  with  great  fidelity  and 
success.  In  the  Society's  report  for  1832, 
mention  is  made  of  the  translation  of 
Pilgrim's  Progress  into  the  language  of  the 
Teloogoos,  and  it  is  said  to  have  been  read 
with  extreme  interest  and  delight  by  intelli- 
gent natives  who  understand  the  Scriptures. 
Considerable  interest  was  awakened  in  1834, 
by  the  conversion  of  a  native  of  high  caste, 
residing  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
mission.  Having  met  with  a  tract  in  Teloo- 
goo,  he  perused  it,  and  kept  it  by  him  17 
months,  and  by  this  means  he  was  enlight- 
ened and  made  a  willing  convert  to  the 
Christian  religion.  A  report  of  his  case 
says,  "We  see  in  this  young  man's  case 
what  Almighty  grace  can  do,  and  how  easy 
it  will  be  for  the  Lord  to  turn  this  whole 
people  to  himself  when  he  is  pleased  to 
pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  them." 

This  mission  has  continued,  with  some 
interruptions  Hby  death  and  removal,  but  on 
the  whole  with  pleasing  success,  to  the  pre- 
sent time.  It  has  now  three  missionaries, 
Messrs.  Gordon,  Hay,  and  Johnston.  The 
number  in  full  communion  with  the  church 
is  forty,  of  whom  twelve  are  natives,  and 
the  rest  East  Indians  and  Europeans.  All 
the  members  meet  together  to  partake  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  every  Sabbath  morning,  after 
which  is  held  a  regular  Teloogoo  service,  and 
also  a  Sunday-school  for  children  of  Euro- 
pean descent.  A  missionary  association  has 
been  formed,  for  the  two-fold  purpose  of 
contributing  to  the  Society's  funds,  and  of 
sustaining  an  interest  in  the  cause  of  Christ 
throughout  the  world.  The  Native  Female 
Orphan  School  is  conducted  with  success. 
and  the  appearance  of  the  pupils  is  highly 
creditable  and  gratifying.  The  press  has 
been  in  active  operation,  and  numerous  and 
most  encouraging  are  the  proofs  furnished, 
of  good  resulting  from  the  circulation  of 
tracts  and  portions  of  Scripture.  In  a  late 
report  one  of  the  missionaries  says,  "  The 
tracts  on  caste  and  Juggernaut,  are  very 
popular,  and  I  should  be  glad  of  a  lai^e 
supply  of  them.  I  have  within  the  last  few 
weeks    had    the    pleasure    of   baptizing  a 


424 


nlNDOSTAN. 


Gooroo,  whose  mind  was  first  aroused  and 
enlightened  by  reading  the  tract  on  caste." 

Madras. — X  mission  was  commenced 
hero  by  the  London  Society  in  1805,  Rev. 
Mr.  Loveless  being  the  first  missionary.  For 
several  years  ho  labored  with  but  little  as- 
sistance, preaching  and  establishing  schools 
as  he  was  able,  and  as  opportunity  offered. 
In  1816,  he  was  joined  by  Rev.  Richard 
Knill,  "  whoso  disposition  and  talents  were 
well  adapted  to  that  important  post."  In 
1818,  however,  Mr.  Knill's  health  declined, 
and  being  obliged  to  seek  a  colder  climate, 
ho  was  appointed  to  a  station  in  Russia. 
Other  laborers  from  time  to  time  joined  the 
Madras  mission,  which  has  been  conducted 
with  steadily  increasing  energy  and  success. 
The  present  missionaries  are  Rev.  Messrs. 
Drew,  Porter,  and  Baylis.  Preaching  to  the 
heathen  in  the  bungalow,  at  the  gate  of  the 
mission  compound,  has  been  continued,  with 
an  increasing  number  of  regular  hearers.  It 
has  been  felt  to  be  a  call  for  great  thankful- 
ness that  these  meetings  have  never  been  in- 
terrupted by  the  heathen. 

The  native  evangelists,  besides  prosecuting 
their  more  stated  labors  at  the  various  out- 
stations,  have  continued  to  proclaim  the  mes 
sages  of  mercy  in  the  numerous  villages 
around  Madras.  The  work  of  education, 
by  means  of  the  various  boarding  and  day 
schools,  has  been  carried  forward  with  great 
activity  and  effect.  There  are  14  schools  for 
boys,  with  643  scholars  ;  and  4  for  girls 
with  232  scholars.  There  are  7  native  con- 
gregations, with  a  total  attendance  of  367  ; 
and  4  native  churches,  with  119  communi- 
cants. In  the  Missionary  Magazine  for  Sept. 
1852,  there  is  a  deeply  interesting  account  of 
the  conversion  and  happy  death  of  a  native 
female, — Eliza,- — for  several  years  a  member 
of  the  Girls'  Boarding  School.  One  feature 
in  her  death-bed  experience  is  so  remarkable 
and  affecting,  that  the  account,  as  given  by 
the  attending  missionary,  may  with  propriety 
be  repeated  in  this  place.  It  was  a  last 
struggle  and  conflict  with  Satan,  and  in  her 
case  a  living  reality,  as  if  the  great  enemy 
of  souls  had  been  visible  to  her.  "Two 
days  before  her  death,  in  the  evening,  she 
became  suddenly  full  of  distress  and  alarm, 
and  her  body  full  of  agitation.  She  cried  out, 
*  Oh,  I  am  afraid  !  I  am  afraid  !  He  is  standing 
close  to  my  ear,  and  is  continually  saying  to 
me,  There  is  no  salvation  for  you  !  There  is 
no  salvation  for  you  1  Oh !  I  am  afraid  ;  lam 
trembling  ;  this  is  very  fearful !  How  is 
this  1  0,  Jesus !  have  I  not  believed  in  thee  ? 
Have  I  not  been  baptized  into  thy  name  ? 
Have  I  not  received  the  teachings  of  thy 
servants  ?  Am  I  not  thy  child  ?  O  how  is 
this  ?  This  is  very  fearful  to  me  !'  She  was 
exhorted  not  to  let  Satan  deprive  her  of  her 
hope,  but  to  abide  firm  in  her  faith.  The 
Scriptures  were  read  to  her,  and  prayer  was 


offered,  and  after  a  considerable  time  her 
mind  became  more  calm,  and  her  hope  re- 
turned, and  she  offered  up  the  following 
prayer :  '  0  sweet  Jesus,  I  taste  that  thou 
art  good.  Thou  hast  fed  me  in  green  pas- 
tures, and  hast  refreshed  me  at  the  fountain 
of  life.  When  we  were  only  infants,  our 
father  and  mother  left  us  (alluding  to  the 
early  orphanage  of  herself  and  another  child), 
but  even  as  thou  hast  said,  '  Although  a 
mother  may  forget  her  sucking  child,  I  will 
not  forget  thee,'  so  didst  thou  appoint  for 
us  honored  ladies  and  gentlemen,  as  fathers 
and  mothers,  to  take  care  of  us  and  bring 
us  up.  0  sweet  Jesus,  for  that  I  praise  thee. 
Thou,  for  my  sins,  didst  suffer  much  ;  thou 
didst  shed  thy  precious  blood,  and  give  thy 
life  ;  and  thou  dost  now  pray  for  me  before 
thy  Father's  face.  Therefore,  do  thou  have 
pity  on  me,  and  wash  me  from  my  sins. 
Thou  hast  cleansed  me  by  thy  blood  ;  thou 
hast  made  me  holy  by  thy  blood ;  thou  hast 
redeemed  me  by  thy  blood;  therefore  I 
praise  thy  holy  name.  0  death,  where  is  thy 
sting  ?  0  grave,  where  is  thy  victory  V  " 

The  missionary  remarks,  "  Such  deaths  as 
this  cheer  us  much.  They  assure  us  that 
our  work  is  real,  and  that  God  is  with  us." 
They  will  also  assure  every  Christian  reader, 
that  a  Gospel  which  can  impart  such  light 
and  joy,  such  faith  in  appealing  to  Christ 
against  the  great  tempter  of  souls,  such 
peace  and  triumph  in  the  final  hour,  and  that 
can  do  all  this  for  a  mind  once  lost  in  the 
utter  darkness  of  heathenism,  is  worthy  of 
being  given  with  the  least  possible  delay  to 
the  whole  world. 

Cuddapah. — The  London  Society  com- 
menced operations  here  in  1822.  Rev.  Mr. 
Howell,  the  first  missionary,  immediately 
set  about  the  establishment  of  schools,  both 
male  and  female,  and  within  a  year  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  native  children  were  gathered 
into  these  schools,  all  under  Christian  in- 
struction. Besides  these  labors,  Mr.  Howell 
preached  in  the  school  room  to  a  small  con- 
gregation of  natives,  translated  several  cat- 
echisms into  Teloogoo,  and  distributed  nu- 
merous copies  of  the  Teloogoo  New  Testa- 
ment. In  the  following  3^ear,  Mr.  Howell 
baptized  74  men,  25  women,  40  boys,  and 
21  girls.  These  had  all  nominally  embraced 
Christianity,  but  only  ten  had  been  formally 
admitted  to  the  church,  of  which  three  na- 
tives were  appointed  deacons.  During  the 
second  year  Mr.  H.  made  a  tour  of  about  100 
miles,  preached  to  great  multitudes,  and  dis- 
tributed tracts  extensively.  In  1826,  a 
chapel  was  completed,  the  expenses  of  which 
were  defrayed  by  subscriptions  on  the  spot. 
By  the  aid  of  a  respectable  European  resident, 
a  workshop  was  built  for  native  Christians, 
affording  them  the  means  of  self-support. 

At  Cuddapah  was  a  settlement,  called 
"  Christian  Village,"  which  was  considered 


HINDOSTAN. 


425 


the  nursery  of  this  mission.  It  had  in  1832, 
238  settlers,  many  of  them  being  baptized 
persons,  the  unbiiptized  having  gone  there 
for  the  purpose  of  receiving  Christian  in- 
struction. 

During  the  succeeding  ten  years  this  mis- 
sion exhibited  no  marked  changes,  but 
showed  increasingly  the  blessing  of  God 
upon  faithful  missionary  labor.  In  1843, 
having  made  a  tour  through  the  surrounding 
country,  the  missionaries  say,  "  During  the 
present  tour  our  minds  have  been  strongly 
impressed  with  the  generally  necessitous 
condition  of  the  province  of  Cuddapah.  In 
consequence  of  the  extensive  cultivation  of 
cotton  and  indigo,  and  the  uncommon  fertil- 
ity of  many  of  its  valleys,  it  may  be  con- 
sidered as  enjoying  more  temporal  prosper- 
ity than  most  other  provinces  in  Southern 
India  ;  but  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  dis- 
trict in  which  heathenism  has  been  less  dis- 
turbed." Yet  they  speak  of  the  towns  and 
villages  as  all  accessible  to  the  Gospel,  and 
urge  upon  the  Society  the  importance  of 
sending  more  laborers  into  the  field. 

In  1845,  still  another  appeal  was  made, 
accompanied  with  a  more  particular  descrip- 
tion of  the  extent  and  importance  of  the 
field.  Addressing  the  churches  of  England, 
the  missionary  says,  "  I  would  call  the  atten- 
tion of  the  friends  of  Christian  missions,  in 
the  first  place,  to  the  extent  and  population 
of  this  hitherto  much  neglected  province  of 
the  British  possessions  in  India.  From 
north  to  south  the  Cuddapah  province  is  up- 
wards of  170  miles,  and  from  east  to  west 
about  120  miles — nearly  half  the  size  of 
England.  This  immense  province  contains 
a  population  of  upwards  of  one  million  of 
souls."  The  writer  proceeds  to  give  a  mi- 
nute and  very  curious  description  of  the 
omens  and  signs  for  which  the  people  enter- 
tain a  superstitious  regard,  and  also  .of  the 
doctrine  of  fate,  to  which  they  ascribe  their 
most  glaring  sins.  (See  Report  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  for  1845.)  In  the 
same  report  it  is  stated  that  no  other  Prot- 
estant missionary  society  had  ever  made  any 
effort  for  the  Christian  instruction  of  this 
immense  population,  in  consequence  of  which 
the  great  mass  were  involved  in  all  the  mis- 
eries of  heathenism.  Self-murder  prevailed 
to  an  astonishing  extent.  In  the  short  space 
of  three  months,  and  in  only  one  part  of  the 
district,  there  were  144  cases  of  suicide. 

One  of  the  worst  features  of  this  mission 
has  been  the  difficulty  of  educating  females. 
The  eSbrt,  early  commenced,  has  been  con- 
stantly embarrassed  by  the  native  prejudice 
on  this  subject.  In  1847,  Mrs.  Porter,  in  an 
appeal  to  the  friends  of  female  education, 
says,  "  The  False  Prophet  of  Mecca  has  his 
standard,  and  thousands  flock  around  it. 
Brahma  and  Vishnu  have  their  altars  and 
their  priests  ;    but  to  which  of  these  shall 


woman  look  for  comfort  or  for  peace  ?  Alas  ! 
she  knows  too  well  that  it  is  not  to  be  found." 
At  a  later  period  schools  for  girls  appear  to 
have  been  maintained  with  more  success. 

In  1851,  a  deeply  interesting  account  is 
given  of  the  conversion  of  several  natives, 
one  of  whom  in  particular  came  to  the  mis- 
sionaries one  morning,  bringing  his  brass 
idols,  and  throwing  them  on  the  ground, 
saying,  "  Enough  of  these  ;  I  have  done  with 
them,  and  wish  to  have  no  more  to  do  with 
them.  I  have  read  much  and  learnt  much  in 
my  heathen  books,  but  I  have  found  no  rest. 
In  Christ  alone  is  rest."  He  also  took  from 
his  neck  a  silver  chain  bearing  the  name  of 
his  god,  and  casting  it  on  the  ground,  said, 
"  Enough !  nothing  but  sin  has  cleaved  to 
me  all  the  while  I  have  kept  this  close  to 
me.  Please,  sir,  take  it.  I  know  of  some- 
thing better — the  love  of  Jesus.  0  how  dif- 
ferent to  all  this  !  I  know  I  must  be  perse- 
cuted by  my  friends  and  relations,  but  I 
must  not  mind  that."  This  individual,  with 
others  baptized  at  the  same  time,  have  per- 
severed in  their  Christian  course. 

The  mission  has  at  present  34  church  mem- 
bers, 6  native  teachers,  9  boys  and  22  girls 
in  the  orphan  and  boarding  schools,  and  in- 
cluding the  vernacular  day  schools  and  the 
English  school,  there  is  a  total  of  261 
scholars. 

Belgaum. — The  mission  was  commenced 
here  in  1820,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor.  In  1821, 
two  native  schools  were  established,  and  the 
number  of  boys  under  instruction  was  120. 
Throughout  its  whole  history,  it  has  been  a 
well  conducted  and  successful  mission.  Yal- 
uable  native  assistants  were  early  raised  up, 
and  of  one  of  them,  Dhondaph,  very  parti- 
cular mention  is  made  in  1828.  The  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Benyon,  says,  "  He  is  the  most 
spiritually-minded  native  Christian  I  have 
ever  conversed  with.  His  trials  and  suf- 
ferings have  been  many  and  severe,  and 
the  sacrifices  he  has  made  have  been  of 
the  most  painful  nature,  and,  amidst  all,  he 
has  sustained  a  most  consistent  character. 
He  has  literally,  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  for- 
saken wife  and  children,  and  brethren  and 
lands.  In  a  conversation  I  had  with  him. 
on  adverting  to  his  sufferings  he  modestly 
observed,  'Yes,  I  have  been  called  to  endure 
a  few  trials,  and  my  friends  frequently  tell 
me  of  my  losses ;  but  it  is  not  always  they 
tell  me  what  I  have  gained  by  them.'' " 

Seasons  of  special  encouragement  were 
from  time  to  time  enjoyed  by  this  mission. 
In  1842,  one  of  the  missionaries  writes, 
"Among  the  Lingarts  and  other  castes  in 
the  vicinity  of  Belgaum,  strong  excitement 
exists  with  reference  to  the  faith  of  the  Gos- 
pel. Inquiries  concerning  the  nature  and 
claims  of  the  new  religion,  combined  with  a 
perception  of  its  immeasurable  superiority 
even  to  the  purest  parts  of  Hindooism,  are 


426 

rapidly  spreading  throughout  the  country." 
In  commencing  their  report  for  1848,  the 
brethren  say,  '•  There  is  much  to  cheer  and 
interest  our  hearts,  and  to  call  forth  fresh 
efforts  of  zeal  and  devotednGSS  in  the  glorious 
work  in  which  wc  are  engaged.  We  hope 
tiiat  the  day  of  gracious  visitation  to  the 
Canarese  people  is  fast  approaching." 

No  report  has  been  received  from  Belgaum 
later  than  1851.  At  that  time  there  were 
two  missionaries,  Rev.  Messrs.  Taylor  and 
Benyon,  31  church  members ;  10  vernacular 
schools,  embracing  272  boys  and  30  girls, 
and  an  English  school  with  60  scholars. 
During  the  year  there  had  been  distributed 
30  Bibles,  42  Testaments,  324  portions  of 
Scripture,  and  5,340  tracts. 

Bellary. — In  the  spring  of  1810,  Rev.  John 
Hands  entered  upon  a  mission  at  this  place, 
situated  in  the  most  northern  part  of  the 
province  of  Mysore,  and  surrounded  by  nu- 
merous and  densely  populated  villages.  He 
had  at  first  great  difficulties  to  contend  with 
in  acquiring  the  native  language,  called  the 
Oanara,  but  by  perseverance  he  not  only 
soon  collected  several  thousand  words,  which 
he  formed  into  a  vocabulary,  but  also  began 
the  preparation  of  a  grammar.  In  1811,  he 
writes,  "  I  now  preach  thrice  every  Lord's 
day  to  my  countrymen  and  the  Portuguese 
half-caste.  A  considerable  stir  begins  to 
appear  among  the  soldiers  (it  was  a  military 
station),  and  eight  or  ten  seem  very  serious 
and  promising.  My  dwelling  was  formerly 
a  pagoda,  but  part  of  it  will  now  be  devoted 
to  the  worship  of  God.  Several  huge  gods 
of  stone  are  lying  about  the  premises,  like 
Dagon  before  the  ark."  In  1812,  Mr.  Hands 
opened  a  native  school,  which  was  soon  at- 
tended by  about  15  native  children,  and 
gradually  increased  to  a  larger  number.  In 
1816,  the  mission  was  joined  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Reeve.  In  January,  1819,  a  juvenile  Bible 
society  was  formed,  principally  through  the 
zeal  of  the  master  of  the  charity  school. 
About  the  same  time,  the  missionaries  ob- 
tained of  a  native  merchant  a  house  situated 
at  the  junction  of  several  streets,  and  favor- 
able for  collecting  large  congregations. 

At  the  close  of  1819,  Mr.  Reeve  remarks, 
"  During  this  year,  the  Gospel  has  been  car- 
ried several  hundred  miles  through  the  dark 
villages,  and  several  thousands  of  tracts  havQ 
been  distributed.  The  translation  and  re- 
vision of  the  Scriptures,  in  Canara,  have  also 
been  proceeding.  A  new  edition  of  Watt? 's 
First  Catechism,  in  that  language,  has  been 
prepared  for  the  press,  and  a  copy  of  the  same 
has  been  prepared  in  Tamil.  The  progress  of 
the  schools  has  been  favorable,  and  several 
hundreds  of  the  pupils  know  perfectly  the  First 
Catechism,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  Lord's 
sermon  on  the  mount."  In  1825,  the  schools 
had  increased  to  17,  and  the  average  attend- 
ance of  boys  was  685.     The  report  for  1829 


niNDOStAN. 


mentions  that  there  had  been  prepared,  dur- 
ing the  previous  year,  in  Canarese,  several 
tracts,  among  which  were  the  "Warning 
Voice,"  a  "  Dialogue  between  a  Shastre  and 
a  Christian  Missionary,"  "  Explanation  of 
the  Ten  Commandents,"  tho  "Excellency 
of  Truth,"  "True  Wisdom,"  "On  Idolatry," 
&c.  In  1831,  the  tracts  and  portions  of 
Scriptures  printed  were  still  moro  numerous 
and  important. 

The  mission  was  left  in  a  very  feeble  state 
in  1841,  Rev.  Mr.  Reid  being  in  January  of 
that  year  removed  by  death,  and  Mr.  Reevo 
having  returned  to  England  several  years 
before.  Very  soon,  however,  two  missiona- 
ries and  their  wives  joined  the  mission,  and 
the  work  went  on  as  usual. 

At  the  latest  report,  there  were  at  Bellary 
three  European  missionaries,  an  assistant 
missionary,  and  a  native  pastor.  The  church 
members  numbered  72,  and  in  the  14  schools 
there  were  460  scholars.  An  asylum  for  the 
poor  was  in  successful  operation. 

Bangalore. — Rev.  Messrs.  Forbes  and 
Laidler  commenced  the  mission  at  this  place 
in  1820.  Its  position,  some  50  miles  west 
of  Madras,  has  rendered  it  an  important 
mission,  and  it  has  been  an  eminently  suc- 
cessful and  useful  one.  The  great  instru- 
mentalities adopted  in  carrying  on  the  mis- 
sion have  been,  preaching,  schools,  and  the 
distribution  of  the  Scriptures  and  religious 
tracts.  While  there  have  been,  each  year,  de- 
velopments of  peculiar  interest  to  those  on 
the  ground,  there  was  nothing  for  several 
years  so  marked  as  to  require  special  notice. 

The  itinerant  labors  of  the  missionaries 
were  abundant.  In  regard  to  these  they 
say,  in  1843,  "In  visiting  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages, we  stay  in  each  place  one,  two,  or 
three  days,  according  to  the  work  offered  to 
us.  Our  mode  of  communication  is  not 
strictly  preaching,  but  conversation,  narra- 
tive, and  argument.  The  heathen  of  this 
country  cannot  follow  a  logical  discourse." 
The  total  disregard  of  truth  among  the  na- 
tives is  strikingly  presented  in  the  fol- 
lowing passage,  by  one  of  the  mission- 
aries :  "  One  of  my  schoolmasters  labor- 
ing in  a  country  town  lately  said,  'Sir,  if 
these  people  really  believed  that  you  are 
speaking  truth,  or,  as  he  expressed  it,  no 
lies,  they  would  instantly  deify  you  ;  but 
they  cannot  believe  that  such  a  thing  as  sin- 
cerity is  possible  in  any  one.'  This  general 
disregard  for  truth  has  been  instilled  into 
the  minds  of  the  Hindoos  by  their  so  called 
sacred  books,  which  abound  in  falsehoods 
and  lying  wonders.  Hence  the  common 
saying  we  hear  at  every  step,  'If  I  do  not 
tell  lies,  how  shall  I  get  through  the  world  V 
And  hence,  also,  the  lamentable  fact,  that  a 
Hindoo  may  be  convinced  ten  times,  without 
being  brought  once  to  act  upon  his  convic- 
tions.    Owing  to  this,  the  Brahmin  docs  not 


HINDOSTAN. 


^7 


blush  in  the  least  when  we  expose  his  false- 1 
hood  and  deceit,  but  says,  with  the  greatest 
indifference,  'In  this  way  I  obtain  my  live- 
lihood.' " 

The  various  schools,  Tamil  and  English, 
have  well  rewarded  the  pains  bestowed  upon 
them.  In  the  Canarese  department  there 
are  five  vernacular  day  schools,  with  100 
boys  and  38  girls  ;  an  orphan  and  boarding 
school,  with  22  boys  and  17  girls ;  and  an 
English  and  Canarese  day  school  with  66 
scholars.  In  the  Tamil  department  there  are 
23  pupils  in  the  girls'  boarding  school,  70 
boys  in  the  English  Tamil  school,  and  in  the 
vernacular  school  30  boys. 

Mijsorc. — Rev.  C.  Campbell  arrived  at 
this  place  in  February,  1839,  and  commenced 
his  labors  under  very  favorable  circum- 
stances. In  the  following  year,  he  describes 
Mysore  as  "a  noble  field  for  missionary  la- 
bor," where  he  found  constant  opportunities 
for  publicly  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the 
people.  The  greater  part  of  the  people, 
however,  as  in  most  heathen  countries,  hated 
the  light,  and  wilfully  shut  their  eyes  against 
it.  Says  the  missionary  in  1847,  "The  hea- 
then often  listen  to  the  preacher  with  the 
utmost  patience  and  politeness  till  they  fully 
understand  the  nature  of  the  Christian  doc- 
trine, and  discover  the  practical  effects  it  is 
intended  to  produce  on  the  heart  and  life, 
and  then  the  natural  hostility  of  man  to  God 
immediately  appears.  Much  that  has  been 
done  at  this  station  is  regarded  rather  as  a 
preparatory  work,  yet  a  chapel  has  been 
erected,  a  church  of  13  members  o%anized, 
and  112  scholars  gathered  into  the  schools." 

Salem. — Rev.  Henry  Crisp  arrived  at  this 
station  in  1827.  He  died  soon  after  entering 
upon  his  work,  and  was  succeeded  by  other 
laborers.  As  usual,  the  journals  of  this 
mission  furnish  numerous  facts  illustrative 
of  the  religion  of  the  country  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  natives,  but  such  details  can  be 
wrought  only  very  sparingly  into  the  present 
work.  Several  seasons  of  spiritual  refresh- 
ing have  been  enjoyed  by  this  mission,  par- 
ticularly in  1847,  when  many  became  alarmed 
under  the  conviction  of  sin,  and  eight  in  one 
day  came  to  the  missionary  with  the  inquiry, 
"What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  The  mis- 
sionaries here  add  their  testimony  to  that 
of  others  in  saying  that  caste  is  a  device  of 
Satan  the  most  adverse  to  Christianity ;  it 
is,  they  say,  like  a  contagion,  calculated,  if 
allowed  to  exist  in  the  Christian  church,  to 
destroy  every  spark  of  vital  godliness. 
Within  the  last  year  or  two  the  mission  has 
experienced  much  opposition,  and  the  mis- 
sionary himself  has  been  once  dragged  be- 
fore a  heathen  court  on  some  frivolous  pre- 
tence. But  he  says,  "  Severe  as  these  afflic- 
tions are,  we  prefer  them  to  apathy,  and 
would  fain  hope  that  they  are  tokens  for 
good." 


In  the  ^lissionary  Magazine  for  March, 
1853,  the  missionary,  Mr.  Lechler,  remarks 
with  great  satisfaction  upon  the  success  of 
the  School  of  Industry,  which  has  been  in 
operation  some  five  years,  and  which  has 
exerted  a  most  valuable  influence  upon  the 
character  and  habits  of  the  native  Christian 
community,  by  developing  their  resources, 
and  supplying  them  with  the  means  of  inde- 
pendent support.  He  adds,  "Our  chapel, 
now  in  progress  and  estimated  to  cost  £400, 
was  built  by  our  own  people,  one  bricklayer 
excepted,  and  is,  I  believe,  the  first  church 
built  in  India  by  the  hands  of  native  Chris- 
tians." The  district  is  described  as  full  of 
iron  ore,  and  through  the  efforts  of  the  mis- 
sionary and  the  School  of  Industry,  improve- 
ments in  the  manufacture  of  iron  were  being 
introduced,  the  primitive  method  being  very 
rude,  and  having  been  unchanged  for  3000 
years.  Mr.  Lechler,  in  speaking  of  the  ob- 
stacles to  the  social  prosperity  of  India, 
says:  "It  appears  to  me  that  very  wrong 
notions  are  entertained  in  England  with  re- 
gard to  the  state  of  the  people  in  India. 
Certainly,  if  one  would  judge  from  the  lordly 
appearance  of  the  Hon.  East  India  Company's 
servants  and  officers,  it  might  be  concluded 
that  the  Indians^  generally,  are  highly  civil- 
ized, and  in  the  most  affluent  circumstances. 
The  nation,  as  such,  is  oppressed  and  ground 
down  both  by  the  government  and  higher 
class  of  natives.  The  soil  is  rich,  it  is  true, 
and  will  produce  almost  any  and  every  thing ; 
but  a  native  once  remarked  to  me,  '  govern- 
ment takes  the  grain,  and  leaves  us  only  the 
btraw.'  It  is  also  rich  in  metals  and  mine- 
rals, but  no  one  teaches  the  natives  how  to 
make  use  of  them.  So  long,  therefore,  as 
we  shall  have  to  do  chiefly  with  the  poor, — 
and  to  the  poor  the  Gospel  is  preached, — 
we  must,  I  feel  convinced,  not  refuse  to  con- 
cern ourselves  about  our  people's  temporal 
affairs."  There  are  at  this  station  33  church 
members,  and  168  scholars  gathered  into  the 
various  schools. 

Combaconum. — This  was  formerly  an  out- 
station  of  the  Travancore  mission ;  but  in 
1830  the  directors  annexed  it  to  the  Madras 
district,  it  having  become  the  residence  of 
the  Rev.  Edmund  Crisp,  from  Madras.  In 
1838,  there  were  ten  Tamil  schools  in  suc- 
cessful operation.  A  singular  instance  of 
moral  impression  is  related  in  the  journal  of 
the  above  date,  of  a  Brahmin,  who,  in  pro- 
ceeding to  the  court-house  to  take  a  false 
oath,  ^passed  by  one  of  the  school-rooms ; 
the  cKildren  were  engaged  at  the  time  loudly 
repeating  the  ninth  commandment,  on  hear- 
ing which  the  Brahmin  hesitated,  returned 
home,  and  such  was  the  impression  produced 
upon  his  conscience,  that  he  relinquished  his 
guilty  intention,  and  refused  to  commit  the 
sin  of  perjury,  on  which  he  had  been  pre- 
viously determined. 


428 


niNDOSTAN. 


In  1847,  nearly  all  the  heathen  festivals 
were  visited  by  the  missionarios,  on  which 
occasion  they  preuched  the  Gospel  to  the 
deluded  multitudes  as  they  had  opportunity, 
and  distributed  lai-ge  numbers  of  tracts  and 
portions  of  Scripture.  Gonccrninp;  the  great 
annual  car  or  chariot  festival,  tlie  writer 
says.  ''Five  large  cai-s  were  drawn  by  about 
30,000  pei*sons.  I  was  greatly  distressed  to 
find  the  poor  people  actually  beaten  and 
compelled  to  assist  in  the  drawing  of  the 
cars.  Not  a  few  complained  to  me  that  they 
were  treated  most  cruelly,  and  confessed 
themselves  heartily  tired  of  idol  worship." 
The  nimiber  of  native  Christians  connected 
with  Combaconum  and  its  affiliated  out-sta- 
tions, comprised,  at  the  latest  dates,  a  total 
of  207  individuals.  There  were  also  ten 
vernacul 
scholars 

Coimbatoor, — Kev.  Mr.  Addis  and  family 
arrived  at  this  station,  in  the  Madras  presi- 
dency, in  October,  1830.  In  1835,  a  Chris- 
tian church  was  formed,  and  six  natives  par- 
ticipated, for  the  first  time,  in  the  ordinance 
of  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  1837,  the  number 
of  native  assistants  had  increased  from  two 
to  twelve,  and  a  class  of  promising  young 
men  was  in  a  course  of  preparation  for  the 
work  of  native  teachers.  There  were  also 
12  boys'  schools,  in  an  efficient  state,  and  a 
female  boarding  school  and  a  girls'  day 
school,  established  on  Christian  principles. 
In  1840  the  Roman  Catholics  in  a  neighboring 
village  manifested  an  earnest  spirit  of  reli- 
gious inquiry,  and  a  desire  to  be  taken  into 
connection  with  the  mission. 

In  1846,  Mr.  Addis  speaks  of  the  extreme 
indifference  of  the  Hindoo  to  the  truths  of 
Revelation,  and  ascribes  it  in  a  great  measure 
to  his  Polytheism,  "  which  meets  him  with 
its  multifarious  remedies  for  all  moral  evil, 
and  causes  a  deadness  and  sterility  of  feeling 
which  nothing  but  power  divine  can  effectu- 
ally remove.  A  preacher  of  the  Gospel  in 
the  most  degraded  parts  of  Christian  lands 
can  form  but  a  faint  conception  of  the  diffi- 
culties which  his  missionary  brethren  in 
India  have  constantly  to  encounter  from 
this  source.  In  1850,  Mr.  C.  J.  Addis,  son 
of  the  missionary,  became  associated  with 
his  father  in  the  labors  of  the  mission. 

There  are  now  at  this  station  35  church  mem- 
bers, 13  native  teachers,  besides  14  other  na- 
tive helpers,  20  children  in  the  female  board- 
ing-school, and  971  scholars  in  the  day  schools. 

Soitih  Travancore. — The  London  Missionary 
Society  has  four  missions  in  South  Travancore, 
viz. :  Nagercoil,  Neyoor,  Quilon,  and  Trevan- 
drum.  The  first  of  these  stations  was  entered 
upon  in  1806, the  second  in  1828,  the  third  in 
1821,  and  the  fourth  in  1838.  These  places  all 
lie  on  the  western  coast  of  Southern  India,  at  no 
great  distance  from  each  other,  Nagercoil  ex- 
tending quite  down  to  Cape  Comorin.    The 


country  in  divided  into  thirty  districts,  and  has 
a  jjopulatiun  of  nearly  a  million.  'J'ho  Malay- 
ahra  is  generally  snoken. 

In  1804,  Ilev.  W.  Ringletaubc  sailed  for 
India,  in  company  with  Rev.  Messrs.  Cran  and 
Des  Granges,  but  not  wishing  to  go  with  them 
to  the  Northern  Circars,  he  directed  his  course 
to  Tinnevelley,  and  subsequently  entered  upon 
his  labors  at  Tranvancore.  He  gathered  sev- 
eral congregations  there,  and  baptized  great 
numbers  of  the  inhabitants,  but  the  motive 
with  many  of  them  was  worldly  advantage. 
Alluding  to  the  crowds  of  Hindoos  and  Mc- 
hammedans  who  expressed  a  willingness  to 
embrace  Christianity  if  their  debts  were  paid, 
Mr.  R.  says :  "  For  two  hundred  rupees  1  could 
have  bought  them  all,  but  as  I  declined  to  pay 
their  debts,  they  never  called  on  me  again." 

In  1816  Mr.  Ringletaube  was  compelled  by 
ill-health  to  relinquish  his  mission,  and  for  a 
year  the  London  Society  had  no  missionary 
in  Travancore.  In  1817  Rev.  Charles  Meade 
arrived,  and  in  1818  he  was  joined  by  Rev. 
Richard  Knill.  The  outward  success  of  the 
missionaries  was  surprisingly  great.  During 
the  years  1818  and  1819,  nearly  three  thousand 
of  the  natives  of  Travancore  placed  themselves 
under  religious  instruction,  in  addition  to  about 
nine  hundred  previously  connected  with  the 
mission.  It  was  evident,  the  missionaries  say, 
that  they  had  not  renounced  their  former  super- 
stitions from  selfish  considerations. 

In  1828  measures  were  taken  for  dividing 
the  Travancore  mission  into  two,  the  eastern 
and  the  western.  The  eastern  division  embrac- 
ed NagiTCoil  and  its  out-stations,  and  the 
western  division  comprised  Trevandrum,  Ne- 
yoor, and  Quilon,  with  their  numerous  out-sta- 
tions. The  work  at  these  several  places  has 
been  carried  on  with  great  vigor  and  success 
from  the  first,  rendering  it  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting and  important  fields  occupied  by  the 
London  Society  in  India.  Particular  interest 
has  been  manifested  in  that  large  and  neglect- 
ed class  called  Parayas,  most  of  whom  are  slaves, 
so  ignorant  and  oppressed  as  to  be  quite  un- 
able to  defend  themselves,  or  to  plead  in  their 
own  behalf.  A  society  has  been  formed  for 
the  special  purpose  of  diffusing  the  Gospel 
among  these  people,  and  ten  or  twelve  agents 
are  stationed  among  them  in  the  different  dis- 
tricts. 

In  the  Eastern,  or  Nagercoil  district,  there 
is  a  local  tract  society,  which  published  during 
the  year  1851,  71,600  copies  of  tracts,  of  va- 
rious kinds.  The  church  members  at  this  sta- 
tion and  its  out-stations  number,  according 
to  the  latest  reports,  340,  and  the  scholars,  in 
57  schools,  2402.  The  congregations  of  this 
district,  25  in  number,  are  spread  over  70  vil- 
lages, comprising  867  families,  and  3333  indi- 
viduals, of  whom  260  have  been  baptized. 

Neyoor,  in  the  western  division,  has  42  out- 
stations,  953  Christian  families,  and  3150  indi- 
viduals under   instruction,  of  whom  185  are 


HINDOSTAN. 


429 


baptized,  and  93  are  in  church  fellowship. 
There  are  also  941  boys  and  235  girls  in  the 
gchool. 

Parechaley,  a  branch  of  the  Neyoor  sta- 
tion, has  enjoyed  special  tokens  of  the  divine 
blessing  within  the  last  two  or  three  years. 
Two  native  theological  classes  have  been 
formed  and  much  encouragement  has  been 
derived  from  their  progress.  The  most  recent 
report  gives  the  number  of  Christian  families 
connected  with  the  Pareychaley  mission  as 
1197,  comprising  4258  individuals.  The  out- 
stations  are  71,  church  members  75,  readers 
and  assistants  77  :  boys  in  the  day-schools 
1372,  girls  200  ;  adult  Bible  classes  25,  schol- 
ars 151  ;  theological  classes  2,  students  51. 

Quilon  has  a  press  in  active  operation,  and 
tracts  to  the  number  of  16,600,  varying  from 
8  to  16  pages  each,  were  issued  during  the 
last  year,  to  which  the  report  extends.  The 
number  of  children  in  the  day-schools  was  281. 

Trevandrum  has  10  village  congregations, 
comprising  about  800  people,  scholars  in  the 
village  schools  148.  Tracts  distributed  dur- 
ing the  last  year,  in  Malay alim  10,428,  Tamil, 
4287. 

These  statements  will  show  that  the  Trav- 
ancore  mission  is  very  extensive,  demanding 
an  immense  amount  of  labor  for  its  successful 
prosecution,  and  rewarding  those  labors  with 
the  most  gratifying  and  blessed  results. 

Calcutta. — The  London  Missionary  Society 
commenced  its  operations  in  Calcutta  in  1816. 
Rev.  Messrs.  Townley  and  Keith,  the  first  mis- 
sionaries, began  at  an  early  period  to  preach 
the  Gospel  in  Bengalee,  to  establish  schools, 
and  distribute  the  Scriptures.  In  1818  a  com- 
modious chapel  was  erected,  called  "  Union 
Chapel,"  the  funds  for  which  were  chiefly  sub- 
scribed at  Calcutta.  A  printing-press  was 
established  in  1820,  and  piit  under  the  super- 
intendance  of  the  Bengal  Auxiliary  Society. 
An  institution  called  the  Christian  School  So- 
ciety was  also  formed  at  Calcutta,  the  object 
of  which  was  to  introduce  Christian  instruc- 
tion into  the  native  schools,  under  the  entire 
management  of  native  schoolmasters.  A  Bethel 
Society  was  established  in  the  same  year,  at 
Calcutta,  in  connection  with  the  Baptist  breth- 
ren residing  at  Calcutta  and  Serampore.  In 
1823  and  1824  the  labors  of  the  missionaries 
were  abundant  and  successful.  Union  Chapel 
was  well  attended,  and  a  flourishing  Sabbath- 
school  was  in  operation.  Bengalee  preaching 
was  continued  at  the  bungalow  chapel,  Mirza- 
pore,  and  a  bungalow  chapel  was  opened  for 
worship  in  the  native  language,  on  the  main 
road  of  Bhopanipore.  In  1825  the  mission 
was  reinforced,  and  a  new  station  was  com- 
menced. The  year  1827  was  marked  by  the 
baptism  of  a  native  female,  who  had  been 
under  serious  impressions  for  years.  The  abo- 
lition of  Suttee  in  India,  by  the  British  Gov- 
ernment, was  a  memorable  event  of  the  year 
1830,   and  proved   the   commencement  of  a 


brighter  day  for  India.  In  1833  mention  13 
made  of  a  diminution  of  schools,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  giving  increased  attention  to  the 
preaching'  of  the  Gospel.  A  year  or  two  later 
there  was  a  manifestation  of  open  and  decided 
hostility  to  Christianity,  which  was  regarded 
as  an  encouraging  feature,  there  having  been 
before  a  degree  of  apathy  to  religious  matters 
which  was  most  trying  to  the  patience  of  the 
missionaries.  The  wane  of  idolatry  was  clearly 
indicated  in  1837,  by  the  greatly  diminished 
number  of  attendants  upon  the  idolatrous  fes- 
tivals, and  the  disappearance  of  the  splendor 
and  pomp  with  which  they  were  formerly  cele- 
brated. Another  favorable  change  at  this 
period  was  the  absence  of  Europeans — the 
British  resident  gentry — from  the  dances  given 
in  honor  of  the  goddess  Doorga  by  the  more 
wealthy  natives.  About  this  time  Rev.  Mr.  La- 
croix  commenced  a  theological  class  which 
embraced  quite  a  number  of  promising  young 
men,  and  whose  course  of  study  consisted  in 
the  practical  investigation  of  the  Scriptures, 
systematic  theology,  the  evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  church  history.  They  also  com- 
posed short  sermons,  which,  after  the  needful 
corrections,  were  preached  to  the  natives  in 
the  presence  of  the  missionaries. 

The  annual  report  of  1843  speaks  of  the  pre- 
vious year  as  a  most  disastrous  one  in  a  tem- 
poral point  of  view,  the  south  of  Calcutta  hav- 
ing been  visited  by  cholera,  devastating  storms, 
inundation,  and  famine.  Many  members  of  the 
Christian  congregations  died,  the  harvests  were 
cut  off',  and  distress  and  despair  followed.  For 
five  months  the  rains  continued  almost  without 
intermission.  Still  the  work  of  the  mission 
went  on  with  encouraging  signs  of  success. 
During  the  succeeding  eight  or  nine  years  un- 
ceasing attention  was  given  to  preaching, 
schools,  translations  of  the  Scriptures,  the  pub- 
lication and  distribution  of  tracts,  and  itinera- 
cies through  the  principal  villages. 

There  are  at  present  five  stations  under 
the  immediate  care  of  the  Calcutta  mission, 
one  of  which  includes  two  native  villages, 
Rammakal-choke  and  Gungree.  The  church 
members  at  this  station  number  180,  and  the 
children  in  the  vernacular  schools  110.  Mr. 
Lacroix,  the  missionary,  has  been  much  em- 
ployed in  conducting  through  the  press  a  new 
edition  of  the  Gospels  of  Matthew,  Luke,  and 
John,  in  Bengalee,  for  the  Calcutta  Bible  So- 
ciety ;  and  in  conjunction  with  Dr.  Duff",  has 
superintended  the  printing  of  the  book  of 
Isaiah,  in  Bengalese,  for  the  same  society. 

The  station  of  Ballia-Hati,  under  the  care  of 
Mr.  Lacroix,  has  60  professing  Christians,  and 
171  pupils  in  the  schools.  At  Cooly  Bazar 
there  is  a  branch  missionary  society,  and  a  Sab- 
bath-school and  Bible  class  have  recently  been 
established.  The  most  important  educational 
institution  is  at  Bowhanipore,  there  being  in 
its  several  departments  803  pupils.  At  the 
opening  of  the  year  1850,  three  college  classes 


430 


HINDOSTAN. 


fbrmed,  contain inp  70  students.  A  juve- 
Bile  society  and  a  ladies'  society  have  con- 
tributed liberally  to  the  ftiuds  of  the  mission. 
The  KishnajMirc  station  has  connected  with  it 
about  100  native  Christians.  There  are  eight 
missionaries  now  laboring  at  the  Calcutta  star 

tiODS. 

Chinsurah. — Rev.  Robert  May  commenced 
the  mission  at  this  place  in  1813.  So  great 
was  his  success  that  in  1816  he  had  formed  30 
schools,  with  2,600  children.  In  1819  these 
schools  were  reported  as  in  a  very  prosperous 
state.  They  were  gratuitously  supplied  with 
books  by  the  Calcutta  school  Book  Society, 
who  ordered  1000  copies  of  a  Bengalee  and 
English  Grammar  to  be  printed  at  their  sole 
expense.  Religious  books  were  also  much 
called  for,  and  extensively  circulated.  In  1820 
a  Bengalee  chapel  was  erected,  and  in  1821  an 
additional  native  school  was  commenced  at  a 
village  called  Khonnian,  the  expense  of  which 
was  defrayed  by  the  Rajah  of  Birdwan.  A  na- 
tive female  school  was  also  opened  in  a  room 
of  the  fort,  kindly  assigned  by  the  Dutch  gov- 
ernor for  the  purpose.  In  1826,  great  success 
attended  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
Europeans  at  this  station,  many  embraced  re- 
ligion, and  a  church  of  about  twenty  members 
was  formed.  The  number  of  schools  support- 
ed by  the  Bengal  government  at  this  station 
in  1828,  was  sixteen,  in  which  over  2,000  boys 
were  in  a  course  of  instruction.  The  mission 
schools  were  three  in  number,  and  contained 
295  boys.  Particular  mention  is  made  in 
1834,  of  the  free  school  in  which  English  was 
taught  to  both  native  and  Portuguese  boys ; 
but  the  attendance  on  this  school  was  small, 
on  account  of  the  number  of  government 
schools  in  which  English  was  taught,  and  the 
prejudices  of  the  parents  against  the  use  of  the 
Bible  as  a  class-book — a  prejudice  tolerated  in 
the  government  schools  by  the  exclusion  of  the 
Bible.  During  the  three  or  four  succeeding 
years  a  spirit  of  earnest  inquiry  prevailed 
among  the  natives  of  high  caste,  some  of  whom 
abandoned  Hindooism  in  favor  of  Christianity, 
but  others  were  deterred  by  the  most  violent 
persecutions.  The  report  for  1837  says,  "  The 
government  has  established  a  college  for  the 
education  of  Hindoo  youths,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  the  station,  and  the  applications  for 
admission  have  been  very  numerous."  Rev. 
Mr.  Mundy,  missionary  at  this  station,  calls 
special  attention,  in  1838,  to  the  fact,  that 
those  who  become  acquainted  with  the  English 
language  are  much  more  favorably  disposed  to 
Christianity  than  those  who  are  ignorant  of  it, 
and  expresses  the  opinion  that  every  college 
and  school  in  the  country  might  be  conducted 
on  Christian  principles,  without  any  objection 
on  the  part  of  the  natives.  But  over  this  ques- 
tion the  missionaries  had  no  direct  control,  the 
British  government  being  pledged  not  to  intro- 
duce Christianity  into  the  schools  for  instruc- 
tion in  English,  nor  in  any  way  to  interfere 


with  the  native  religion.  The  mission  schools 
were  conducted  upon  entirely  different  princi- 
ples, and  the  advancement  of  the  pupils  in 
Christian  knowledge  was  very  observable  from 
year  to  year.  The  female  schools,  and  also 
the  infant  school,  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  ^Mun- 
dy,  were  marked  by  great  prosperity,  and  re- 
ceived the  high  commendation  of  the  Bishop 
of  Calcutta.  But  this  devoted  female  mis- 
sionary died  in  1842,  leaving  her  husband  and 
the  wnole  mission  to  mourn  an  irreparable 
loss.  The  next  year  Mr.  Mundy  himself  was 
obliged,  bv  ill-health,  to  abandon  the  field  in 
which  he  had  labored  many  years,  and  to  re- 
turn to  England.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Bradbury,  from  Calcutta,  and  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel  in  Bengalee  was  sustained  as 
in  former  years.  Great  eagerness  to  obtain 
and  read  the  Scriptures  was  evinced,  and  many 
young  men,  educated  in  the  Government  col- 
le^es  and  schools,  requested  and  thankfully  re- 
ceived copies  of  the  Bible.  These  and  other 
encouraging  signs  led  Mr.  Bradbury  to  believe, 
in  1845,  that  this  locality,  one  of  the  most  edu- 
cated districts  in  India,  would  soon  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  an  extensive  diffusion  of  divine 
knowledge. 

Special  divine  favor  was  granted  to  the  Eng- 
lish female  school  in  1849,  and  cheering  hopes 
were  entertained  of  the  conversion  of  several 
of  the  pupils.  The  number  in  attendance,  at 
the  latest  date,  was  57.  The  Bengalee  school 
has  100  pupils,  employed  in  the  acquisition  of 
general  and  religious  knowledge.  The  older 
boys  have  been  conducted  through  the  Gospel 
of  John,  and  the  younger  have  learnt  the  First 
Catechism.  There  were  70  boys  in  connection 
with  the  English  and  vernacular  school  in 
1847,  but  for  want  of  funds  this  school  has 
been  suspended.  .Preaching  to  the  heathen 
and  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  are  con- 
tinued with  encouraging  success. 

Berhampore. — The  operations  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  at  this  station  were  com- 
menced in  1824,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Hill,  who  had 
been  laboring  at  Calcutta.  He  met  with  op- 
position for  a  time,  but  succeeded  at  length  in 
establishing  schools  for  the  children  of  Hin- 
doos and  Mohammedans.  In  1828  a  chapel 
and  mission-house  were  erected,  and  a  female 
school,  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  Hill  and  another 
lady,  was  in  a  prosperous  condition.  In  1831 
an  orphan  asylum  for  native  children  was  es- 
tablished, to  which  native  orphans  of  both 
sexes  were  received,  under  the  charge  of  two 
native  matrons,  members  of  the  church.  The 
girls  were  instructed  in  reading,  sewing,  spin- 
ning, &c. ;  and  the  boys,  between  school  hours, 
were  taught  gardening  and  weaving. 

In  the  annual  report  for  1837,  Mr.  Hill,  in 
reviewing  the  work  of  thirteen  years,  says, 
"  When  I  entered  the  country  the  jealousy  of 
the  government  was  great.  A  missionary 
could  not  leave  Calcutta  without  special  license, 
and  I  had  to  solicit  from  the  chief  secretary 


HINDOSTAN. 


431 


permission  to  live  at  Berliampore.  The  na- 
tives misrepresented  my  conduct  to  the  civil 
and  military  authorities,  and  my  own  country- 
men were  hostile  to  me.  Our  schools  were 
injured  by  secret  combination  and  open  hos- 
tility. For  some  years  after  my  arrival  at 
Berhampore,  wherever  I  preached  I  was  hooted 
and  hissed,  and  men  have  even  followed  me 
from  preaching  with  clubs  to  strike  me.  But 
things  are  now  different.  People  are  no  lon- 
ger afraid  to  ask  for  a  tract,  nor  try  to  con- 
ceal it  under  their  clothes  to  prevent  the  Brah- 
mins from  tearing  it  in  pieces.  The  Brahmins 
themselves  are  as  eager  for  tracts  and  Gospels 
as  the  other  castes,  and  plead  that  they  are 
BraJimins  as  'a  reason  for  showing  them  a  pre- 
ference. We  now  obtain  congregations  when- 
ever and  wherever  we  wish.  In  all  principal 
thoroughfares,  crossways,  and  markets,  we 
never  wait  five  minutes  until  a  congregation 
assembles.  The  number  of  converts  from  our 
fellow-countrymen  is  not  small.     Of  his  Ma- 

}'esty's  regiments  which  have  been  quartered 
lere,  we  express  with  gratitude  our  belief  that 
all,  excepting  one,  included  at  their  departure 
those  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  had,  during  their 
residence  at  the  station,  sealed  unto  the  day 
of  redemption." 

In  1838,  after  nearly  1*7  years  of  labor  under 
a  tropical  climate,  Mr.  Hill  found  it  necessary 
to  seek  a  residence  in  his  native  country,  and 
Eev.  Mr.  Lessel  removed  from  Calcutta  to 
supply  his  place.  Mr.  Hill  returned  to  his 
field  in  1842.  In  1843  the  mission  was  visited 
with  affliction,  and  not  a  native  church  mem- 
ber, nor  a  native  catechist,  nor  a  child  in  the 
asylum  or  school,  escaped  the  prevailing  sick- 
ness. Some  died,  leaving  the  most  satisfactory 
evidence  of  saving  conversion.  A  deeply  in- 
teresting account  of  the  sickness  and  death  of 
several  children,  appears  in  the  report  for 
1847.  In  January  of  that  year,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hill  removed  to  Calcutta,  where  Mrs.  Hill 
soon  after  died.  Mrs.  Patterson  was  also 
about  this  time  called  to  her  rest,  and  Mr. 
Patterson  removed  to  England.  These  events 
left  almost  the  whole  burden  of  the  mission  on 
Mr.  Lessel,  who,  accompanied  by  native  cate- 
chists,  preached  to  the  heathen,  and  distributed 
tracts  and  scriptures  extensively.  The  pro- 
fessing Christian  community  at  Berhampore  at 
the  present  time,  comprises  about  100  indi- 
viduals. Impediments  to  female  education, 
arising  from  the  force  of  prejudice,  the  apathy 
of  parents,  and  other  causes,  have  been  very 
numerous  at  this  station  ;  but  Mrs.  Bradbury, 
wife  of  one  of  the  missionaries,  has  succeeded 
in  establishing  a  girls'  school,  which  contains 
23  pupils,  12  of  whom  are  day  scholars,  chiefly 
Mohammedans,  and  11  boarders,  consisting  of 
orphans  and  the  children  of  native  Christians. 
They  are  instructed  through  the  medium  of 
the  Bengali  language,  in  reading,  sewing  and 
knitting,  and  also  in  the  Scriptures.  Five  of 
the  sons  of  native  Christians  are  under  the 


care  of  Mr.  Lessel.  Divine  service  intne  Eng- 
lish chapel  has  been  conducted  regularly  every 
Sabbath  evening,  by  the  missionaries  alter- 
nately. In  the  English  boys'  school  the  ave- 
rage attendance  is  30. 

Benares. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Adam  were  sent 
out  to  this  station  in  1820.  Mr.  Adam  im- 
mediately organized  a  native  school,  which 
was  so  far  successful  that  he  opened  another 
the  following  year.  A  chapel  was  opened  in 
1824,  chiefly  through  the  exertions  of  privates 
in  the  artillery.  Concerning  this  station  Mi. 
Adam  forcibly  remarks,  "Benares  exhibits, 
in  full  operation,  some  of  the  worst  principles 
of  Hindoo  superstition."  He  describes  the 
people  as  rich  in  their  own  eyes  and  in  need 
of  nothing,  as  already  at  the  gate  of  heaven 
and  in  no  want  of  aid  ;  as  awfully  wicked  in 
their  lives,  and  altogether  presenting  formida- 
ble obstacles  to  missionary  labor.  In  1826 
Rev.  Mr.  Robertson  joined  this  mission,  and 
in  182*7  the  native  schools,  three  in  number, 
contained  170  pupils.  In  all  these  schools 
Christian  books  were  taught.  A  catechism 
and  a  Hindawee  translation  of  scriptural  les- 
sons was  prepared  by  Mr.  Adam  for  the  use 
of  the  schools.  He  also  printed  1,000  copies 
of  his  tract  on  the  ten  commandments,  and 
soon  after  prepared  another  tract  entitled 
"  Jesus  the  Deliverer  from  ihe  Wrath  of  God." 
In  1831  the  mission  was  strengthened  by  the 
arrival  of  Rev.  Wm.  Buyers.  Mr.  Crawford, 
at  this  date,  had  translated  the  minor  prophets, 
and  a  consecutive  version  of  the  books  of  the 
Old  Testament  had  been  finished,  as  far  as  to 
the  Second  Book  of  Kings.  The  Psalms,  Pro- 
verbs, and  Isaiah,  had  previously  been  printed. 
The  work  of  translation  was  continued  in  the 
following  years,  and  besides  the  Scriptures,  Pil- 
grim's Progress  and  other  books  were  trans- 
lated for  the  use  of  the  natives. 

In  1838  the  report  says :  "  The  obstacles 
presented  by  the  native  language  to  the  diffu- 
sion of  religious  and  general  knowledge  have 
now  almost  disappeared,  and,  after  much  per- 
severance in  endeavoring  to  simplify  the  style 
of  writing  and  instruction  so  as  to  meet  the 
capacities  of  the  peq)le  generally,  the  mission- 
aries, aided  by  the  Benares  Christian  School 
Book  Society,  have  succeeded  in  correcting 
much  of  the  false  taste  formerly  prevalent — a 
taste  which  was  so  vitiated  as  to  prefer  the 
absurdities  of  the  native  literature,  clothed  in 
a  style  of  pedantic  obscurity,  to  the  plain  and 
intelligible  communication  of  sound  and  valu- 
able instruction." 

During  the  years  1839  and  1840,  a  vast 
number  of  tracts  and  copies  of  th6  Scriptures 
were  put  in  circulation  by  the  missionaries; 
but  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  success  of  such 
labors  has  been  the  inability  of  the  people  to 
read,  arising  partly  from  the  peculiar  and 
widely  differing  styles  of  printing.  On  this 
subject  the  missionaries,  in  1840,  offer  the  fol- 
lowing important  remarks  :  "  Though  Benares 


432 


UINDOSTAN. 


is  called  the  Athens  of  India,  it  is  nstonlKliinj,' 
to  find  how  vcrv  few  of  its  inluibitunts  can 
read.  Most  of  the  Brahmins  who  chimt  San- 
scrit sloks,  do  not  know  the  meaning  of  them. 
The  greatest  number  of  the  Mussulman  prit^ts 
who  read,  or  rather  chant  the  Koran,  do  not 
understand  it.  But  the  great  obstacle  to  edu- 
cation arises  from  the  variety  of  charticters. 
The  Mohammedans  use  the  Persian  character, 
the  Brahmins  the  Devanasati,  the  tradesmen 
the  Kayathi,  the  bankers  tne  Mahajani.  On 
this  account  few  can  read  any  printed  charac- 
ters, and  among  these  only  a  small  number  can 
read  fluently,  intelligently,  and  understauding- 
ly.  Whenever  a  man  takes  a  tract  and  reads 
it  fluently,  we  may  be  almost  sure  that  he  has 
learned  to  read  in  a  mission  school.  In  these 
circumstances  the  education  of  the  native 
youth  is  of  the  first  importance. 

In  their  report  for  1851  the  missionaries  say 
that  all  their  labors  are  performed  with  a 
view  to  increase  the  prosperity  of  the  native 
church.  "  For  it  we  translate  the  Scriptures 
and  write  books.  We  preach  the  Gospel  to 
the  heathen  and  teach  it  in  our  schools,  in  the 
hope  that  some  may  be  brought  into  the  fold 
of  Christ.  Our  mission  church,  assembling  at 
Salem  Chapel,  consists  of  twenty  native  mem- 
bers." Of  the  orphan  and  Christian  boys,  ten 
in  number,  recently  under  the  charge  of  this 
mission,  five  have  been  removed  to  Mirzapore, 
to  learn  printing.  Five  of  the  orphan  girls, 
at  the  latest  accounts,  had  been  married,  and 
maintained  an  exemplary  deportment  in  their 
new  position.  In  connection  with  the  mission 
there  are  four  subordinate  schools,  containing 
an  aggregate  of  170  boys.  The  Bazar  girls' 
school,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mrs. 
Buyers,  has  an  attendance  of  33  scholars.  All 
of  these  schools  are  represented  as  in  a  state  of 
growing  efficiency.  I'he  number  of  pupils  in 
the  English  free  school  is  200. 

Mirzapore. — This  is  a  large  and  important 
inland  town,  about  30  miles  south-\vest  of  Be- 
nares, and  was  occupied  by  the  Loudon  Soci- 
ety in  1838.  It  was  at  that  time  a  newly 
erected  city,  devoted  to  trade  and  commerce ; 
and  Mr.  Mather,  the  first  missionary,  had  to 
encounter  obstacles  of  a  peculiar  nature,  aris- 
ing from  the  commercial  character  and  spirit 
of  the  people.  Generally  speaking,  however, 
the  inhabitants  were  disposed  to  attend  to  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  and  displayed  much 
candor  in  judging  of  the  conflicting  claims  of 
their  own  religion  and  that  of  the  Bible. 

One  of  the  earliest  eflbrts  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Mather,  was  the  establishment  of  an  orphan 
school,  to  which  a  large  number  of  children 
were  immediately  sent  from  Agra,  where 
famine  had  deprived  them  of  their  parents. 
These  children  themselves  were  so  reduced, 
that  14  out  of  79  who  left  Agra,  died  on  the 
way,  or  soon  after  their  arrival  In  1840,  Mr. 
Mather  was  joined  by  Mr.  Glen,  who  directed 
his  attention  to  the  Mohammedan  population. 


The  Gospel  was  faithfully  preached,  and  both 
English  and  native  services  were  regularly 
maintained.  The  native  church  received  fre- 
quent accessions,  and  some  of  the  converts 
were  of  such  a  character  and  position  as  to 
render  their  influence  of  great  value  to  the  mis- 
sion. In  1843  the  orphan  schools  had  been 
increased,  and  contained  60  boys  and  34  girls. 
But  a  sad  mortality  occurred  among  them 
about  this  time,  and  17  of  the  children  died. 
The  various  departments  of  this  mission  have 
been  well  sustained,  and  there  are  now  at  the 
station  two  missionaries  and  two  assistant  mis- 
sionaries. The  church  has  twenty-five  mem- 
bers, of  whom"  sixteen  are  natives.  The  free 
school  has  over  100  scholars,  and  the  bazar 
schools,  three  in  number,  contain  an  aggregate 
of  70  boys.  The  orphan  boys'  school  affords 
much  encouragement ;  and  the  orphan  girls' 
school,  and  also  the  infant  school  of  12  mem- 
bers, have  been  attended  with  gratifying  re- 
sults. 

Surat. — The  London  Missionary  Society 
commenced  a  station  at  this  place  in  1813,  and 
continued  it,  at  times  with  the  most  encoura- 
ging results,  until  1845,  when,  "  for  weighty 
reasons,"  the  directors  decided  to  relinquish  it. 
The  mission  was  transfeiTcd  to  the  Irish  Pres- 
byterian Missionary  Society,  whose  mission- 
aries were  on  the  ground,  and  qualified  to  sus- 
tain the  responsibilities  of  the  mission. 

Mahi-Kantha. — The  mission  at  this  place, 
situated  in  the  Guzerat  territory,  about  100 
miles  from  Surat,  was  commenced  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Clarkson,  in  1844.  The  site  of  the  mis- 
sion at  first  was  Baroda,  but  was  changed  to 
Mahi-Kantha,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  of 
that  name.  The  plan  of  forming  a  Christian 
village  has  been  prosecuted,  for  which  purpose 
60  acres  of  land  has  been  procured  from  gov- 
ernment, on  a  lease  of  30  years,  for  cultivation 
by  the  Christian  colonists,  and  six  or  seven 
substantial  brick  houses  have  been  built. 
Preaching,  schooli?,  the  distribution  of  books, 
and  itinerant  labors;  have  all  been  entered 
upon  with  vigor,  and  the  mission  promises  the 
happiest  results.  A  very  interesting  account 
of  the  conversion  and  baptism  of  a  native, 
Patadar,  will  be  found  in  the  annual  report  of 
the  London  Mission.ary  Society  for  1850. 

Almora. — This  station,  in  Northern  India, 
was  entered  upon  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Budden,  in 
1850.  It  was  originated,  and  has  been  chiefly 
sustained,  by  the  liberality  of  J.  H.  Batten, 
Esq.,  and  Capt.  Ramsay,  of  the  East  India 
Company's  service,  and  is  at  present  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.  Schools  have  been  estab- 
lished, and  regular  preaching  services  are 
maintained. 

The  following  table  gives  an  imperfect  view 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society's  operations 
in  India,  owing  to  the  fact  that  in  the  more 
recent  reports  the  number  of  churches  and  of 
communicants  is  not  uniformly  given ;  and  the 
schools  for  boys  and  girls  are  not  always  men- 


HINDOSTAN. 


433 


tioned  separately.  There  are  also  many  iso- 
lated facts  which  could  not  be  conveniently 
classed ;  but  the  account  given  of  each  mission 


or  station,  it 
deficiencies. 


is  believed,  will  supply  these 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


ei 

fi  a 


.9 
2-3 


Madras  .  .  . 
Vizagapatam 
Cuddapah  .  . 
Belgaum  .  . 
Bellary  .  .  . 
Bangalore  . 
Mysore  .  .  . 
Salem  .... 
Combaconum 
Ooimbatoor  . 
Nagercoil .  . 
Neyoor  .  .  . 
Quilon  .... 
Trevandrum . 
Calcutta .  .  . 
Chinsurah  .  . 
Berhampore . 
Bepares  .  .  . 
Mirzapore .  . 
Mahi  Kantha 
Almora  .  .  . 


Totals 


1805 
1804 
1822 
1820 
1810 
1820 
1839 
1827 
1830 
1830 
1806 
1828 
1821 
1838 
1816 
1813 
1824 
1820 
1838 
1844 
1850 


47 


119 
40 
34 
31 
72 
69 
13 
33 

35 

340 

75 

13 
160 


643 

150 

9 

60 


18 

1,392 
147 

30 


232 
19 
22 


23 


40 


200 

16 
32 

23 


6 
102 


93 


281 


23 


1,024 


133 


34 


2,439 


10 


607 


484 


875 

149 

261 

162 

460 

370 

112 

151 

365 

971 

1,669 

1,592 

281 

163 

1,225 

100 

53 

502 

84 


8,919 


Free  Church  of  Scotland. — Eev.  Alex- 
ander Duff,  D.  D.,  was  designated  by  the  Church 
of  Scotland  as  its  first  missionary  to  India, 
early  in  the  year  1829,  and  in  October  of  the 
same  year  he  sailed  from  Portsmouth  in  the 
Lady  Holland.  In  February  this  noble  ship 
struck  on  the  rocks  of  a  barren  island  near 
Cape  Town,  and  almost  everything  on  board, 
except  the  passengers,  perished.  Dr.  Duff 
lost  his  whole  library,  consisting  of  over  800 
different  works,  many  of  them  of  rare  value, 
besides  all  his  journals,  notes,  essays,  &c.,  the 
fruits  of  many  years  of  research  and  reflection. 
He  sailed  in  another  ship  from  the  Cape,  and  in 
March  came  near  being  lost  in  another  gale,  and 
on  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  Ganges  the  vessel 
was  driven  ashore  in  a  hurricane,  amid  all  the 
horrors  of  a  shipwreck.  At  length,  on  the 
27th  of  May,  1830,  he  reached  Calcutta,  "  more 
dead  than  alive."  He  soon  entered  upon  his 
favorite  scheme,  the  establishment  of  a  colle- 
giate institution,  in  which  the  Bible,  in  Eng- 
lish, should  be  the  principal  text  book  ;  and 
after  a  year  or  two  of  trial  and  experiment,  the 
institution  was  carried  into  successful  operar 
tion.  The  history  of  this  college  need  not  be  de- 
28 


tailed.  It  has  educated,  on  its  peculiar  plan, 
many  hundreds  of  Hindoo  young  men,  and  the 
happy  effects  which  it  has  produced  are  recog- 
nized with  gratitude  by  nearly  all  classes 
throughout  the  province  of  Bengal.  Native 
youths  of  great  promise,  connected  with  the 
institution,  have  from  time  to  time  been  con- 
verted,, and  having  renounced  caste  and  all  the 
forms  of  Hindooism,  they  have  received  bap- 
tism, and  have  often  become  most  able  and , 
efficient  assistants  in  the  missionary  work. 
Of  Dr.  Duff's  labors  in  Europe  and  America 
for  the  last  four  years  the  Christian  world  is 
fully  aware,  and  no  particulars  need  be  stated. 
Four  or  five  other  distinguished  missionaries 
have  at  different  periods  been  sent  to  Calcutta, 
one  of  whom,  Eev.  D.  Sinclair,  died  a  year  or 
two  since.  There  are  now,  in  the  absence  of 
Dr.  Duff,  three  European  missionaries  on  the 
ground,  assisted  by  several  native  converts  of 
distinction.  More  than  a  dozen  natives  arc 
employed  as  teachers  in  the  college,  having 
themselves  been  trained  up  in  it,  and  become 
decided  proficients  in  its  various  studies.  Be- 
sides this  institution,  a  female  school  is  in  suc- 
cessful operation  at  Calcutta. 


434 


HINDOSTAN. 


The  society  has  a  branch  gt4\tion  at  Chin- 
suimIi.  a  little  distance  from  Calcutta,  where 
ti.  IV  is  also  a  collegiate  institution,  on  Dr. 
Dull  s  plan,  in  a  very  flourishing  condition. 
It  was  opened  in  1849,  and  has  from  seven  to 
eight  hundred  pupils,  all  boys,  and  these  are 
divided  into  fourteen  classes,  according  to  their 
age  and  standing.  The  first  class,  of  twenty- 
three,  are  of  the  ages  of  16  to  23  and  upwanls, 
and  having  been  in  the  institution  from  its 
commencement,  they  are  far  advanced  in  their 
studies.  The  Old  and  New  Testaments,  as  in 
the  college  at  Calcutta,  are  leading  textrbooks, 
und  are  systematically  taught  for  at  least  one 
hour  each  day.  The  boys  in  this  class,  says  a 
late  report,  "  do  not  believe  in  idolatry  now  ; 
they  are  full  of  Bible  truth."  Still  there  is 
no  evidence  that  any  of  them  have  been  sav- 
ingly converted.  A  female  school  of  much 
promise  has  been  established  at  Chinsurah. 
The  Calcutta  mission  has  also  branch  stations 
a  few  miles  distant,  at  Bansberiah  and  at 
Culnah,  chiefly  for  the  purposes  of  education. 

Madras. — The  society  established  a  mission 
at  Madras  in  1835,  under  the  labors  of  Rev. 
John  Anderson,  who  is  still  at  that  station, 
with  five  others  who  have  come  to  his  aid.  A 
prominent  feature  of  this  mission  at  this  place, 
as  at  Calcutta  and  Chinsurah,  is  the  educa- 
tional institution,  with  the  Bible  for  a  leading 
text^book.  There  are  two  divisions  in  the 
school,  the  upper  or  college  division  being 
taught  by  the  missionaries  and  native  converts ; 
and  the  lower  division,  both  male  and  female, 
taught  by  an  educated  East  Indian,  with  a 
number  of  native  teachers.  There  are  nearly 
600  pupils  in  the  institution,  about  150  of 
whom  are  females. 

Besides  the  institution  at  Madras  there  are 
four  branch  schools,  of  which  the  following  are 
the  statistics  as  furnished  in  the  report  for 
1853.    The  figures  show  the  actual  attendance : 


<n 

« 

a 

?> 

1 

01 

J^ 

s 

o 

a 

g 

s  ? 

g 

s.- 

^ 

1^ 

s 

|3 

Madras 

276 

22 

203 

17 

Treplecane    .    .    . 

143 

32 

100 

15 

Conjeverane    .    .    . 

221 

37 

66 

6 

Chingleput    .    .     . 

269 

53 

61 

0 

Nellore 

179 

26 

115 

29 

Totals     .     . 

1,088 

170 

545 

67 

The  blessing  of  God  has  rested  upon  these 
schools,  conversions  have  been  frequent,  and 
numbers  are  in  a  process  of  training  for  the 
ministry  and  for  teaching. 

Bombay. — A  mission  at  this  place  was  com- 
meuced  in  1828  by  the  Scottish  Missionary 


Society,  but  has  been  for  several  ycara  tinder 
the  care  of  the  Free  Church.  Rev.  John  Wil- 
son, D,  D.,  has  been  laboring  there  ever  since 
1829,  and  he  has  been  joined  from  time  to 
time  by  other  brethren.  The  society  has  there 
an  important  high  school,  or  collegiate  institu- 
tion, aa  at  other  places,  and  at  the  last  accounts 
there  were  about  400  pupils  in  the  school.  In 
a  letter  of  recent  date  Dr.  Wilson  says, — "  We 
are  striving  with  all  our  might  not  only  to  give 
large  stores  of  knowledge  to  our  pupils,  but  to 
qualify  them  by  the  culture  of  the  native  lan- 
guages which  we  have  extensively  studied,  to 
communicate  that  knowledge  to  their  country- 
men, not  only  by  the  living  voice,  but  by  the 
wider  working  press.  We  are  raising  up  a 
body  of  native  authors  and  translators."  Quite 
a  number  of  the  pupils  are  Romanists,  Chal- 
deans, Arminians,  and  Protestants  ;  and  Dr. 
Wilson  says,  "  It  is  an  unspeakable  advantage 
to  them,  that  from  the  first  they  deal  with  the 
Bible  as  the  word  of  God." 

Poonah. — This  place  is  100  miles  S.  E.  of 
Bombay,  and  about  75  miles  from  the  sea-coast, 
and  has  been  emphatically  termed  "  the  native 
land  of  the  Mahrattas."  It  has  a  population 
of  about  100,000,  and  is  the  largest  military 
station  in  the  Bombay  presidency.  The  Free 
Church  has  several  missionaries  at  this  place, 
and  besides  the  public  preaching  of  the  Gospel, 
and  lectures  on  the  evidences  of  Christianity, 
several  schools,  for  males  and  females,  are  effi- 
ciently maintained,  the  total  number  of  pupils 
being  between  five  and  six  hundred. 

Nagpoor. — This  place  is  in  the  interior  of 
northern  Hindostan,  several  hundred  miles 
N.  E.  of  Bombay,  and  has  a  population  of  over 
100,000.  The  Free  Church  had  there  at  the 
latest  dates,  1853,  two  missionaries,  a  small 
church,  and  English  and  vernacular  schools 
containing  about  500  children.  During  the 
year  embraced  in  the  last  report  six  Hindoos 
had  been  baptized,  one  of  whom  was  a  Brah- 
min. The  station  at  Nagpoor  is  regarded  as 
a  very  important  one,  occupying  as  it  does  a 
vast  section  of  country,  where  few,  if  any. 
Christian  influences  of  a  similar  kind  are 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  native  mind.  But 
the  opposition  is  sometimes  very  violent,  both 
from  men  in  power  and  from  the  lower  orders 
of  the  people.  Still  the  missionaries  arc  ena- 
bled to  continue  their  labors,  and  they  actually 
sold  during  the  last  year  over  5000  tracts. 

The  foregoing  brief  statements  show  that  the 
Free  Church  Missions  in  India  are  performing 
a  leading  and  most  important  agency  in  the 
department  of  education,  not  only  by  the  vast 
number  of  youth,  of  both  sexes,  brought  under 
their  tuition,  but  especially  by  the  position 
and  influence  given  to  the  Bible  in  all  their 
schools.  More  full  and  complete  statistics  of 
the  schools  and  churches  at  these  stations 
would  be  desirable,  but  they  are  not  furnished 
in  the  missionary  journals  of  the  society. 

Churcu   op    Scotland. — The  Established 


HINDOSTAN. 


435 


Church  of  Scotland  has  three  missions  m  Hin- 
dostan,  viz.,  at  Bombay,  Calcutta,  and  Madras. 
The  mission  at  Bombay  was  founded  by  the 
Scottish  Missionary  Society  in  1828,  and 
transferred  to  the  General  Assembly  in  1835. 
The  general  course  of  the  mission  has  been 
prosperous.  There  is  now  at  that  station  one 
European  missionary,  Rev.  R.  Miller,  and  two 
female  assistants,  supported  by  the  Scottish 
Ladies'  Association.  The  number  of  scholars 
in  actual  attendance  upon  the  schools,  is  about 
400.  In  tliree  schools  and  an  orphan  asylum 
there  are  100  girls. 

The  Calcutta  mission  was  established  in  1830, 
by  missionaries  now  adhering  to  the  Free 
Church.  It  had  in  1853,  tAvo  missionaries, 
Messrs.  John  Anderson  and  James  Ogilvie,  and 
26  native  assistants.  The  number  of  pupils  in 
the  schools  was  1305,  of  whom  about  1100 
were  generally  in  attendance.  One  of  the  na- 
tive teachers  of  the  "Institution,"  or  high 
school,  had  been  baptized  during  the  year,  but 
not  a  single  pupil  had  been  withdrawn  in  con- 
sequence. "  Five  years  ago,"  say  the  mission- 
aries, "  had  a  teacher  been  baptized,  more  than 
half  the  pupils  would  instantly  have  been  re- 
moved. A  few  years  ago  the  native  newspa- 
pers were  perpetually  attacking  the  Institu- 
tion, and  holding  up  to  reprobation  those  pa- 
rents who  allowed  their  children  to  attend. 
But  this  is  very  seldom  done  now ;  on  the  con- 
trary, the  importance  of  this  and  similar  insti- 
tutions is  very  generally  acknowledged  by  the 
native  press." 

At  Madi-as  the  missionaries,  by  the  last 
report,  1853,  were  Messrs.  Grant,  Sheriff, 
Black,  Walker,  and  Francis  Christian. 
The  number  of  pupils  in  the  schools  had 
been  till  quite  recently,  400  boys  and  200 
girls.  But  the  number  had  been  diminished 
in  consequence  of  a  report  that  some 
of  the  children  were  likely  to  be  baptized, 
and  the  number  of  boys  was  reduced  to 
282,  while  the  number  of  girls  was  increased 
to  220. 

At  the  time  of  the  disruption  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland,  all  the  missionaries  then 
connected  wdth  the  establishment,  adhered 
to  the  Free  Church. 

Irish  Presbyterian  Mission. — The  Irish 
Presbyterian  Church  established  a  mission  in 
Hindostan  in  1841.  The  missionaries  were  Jas. 
Glasgow,  R.  Montgomery,  J.  A.  Speers,  Adam 
Glasgow,  and  J.  McKee.  They  occupied  three 
stations,  viz.,  Rajkote,  Gogo,  and  Surat,  situ- 
ated in  north-western  Hindostan,  the  two  for- 
mer in  Guzerat,  and  the  latter  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Gulf  of  Cambay.  Immediately 
upon  entering  the  field  these  missionaries  were 
enabled,  by  the  aid  of  the  London  Society  and 
the  cooperation  of  government  agents,  to  se- 
cure ample  mission  premises,  and  to  erect  suit- 
able buildings.  They  organized  a  church  of 
21  members,  and  entered  upon  the  usual  course 
of  missionary  labor,  as  preaching,  schools,  &c. 


They  now  have  four  stations,  three  mis- 
sionaries, and  three  native  assistants.  Ver- 
nacular services  are  held  on  the  Sabbath  and 
week-days.  There  are  schools  for  boys  and 
girls,  v/ith  an  average  attendance  of  550 
scholars.  Prayer-meetings  are  maintained, 
and  there  have  been  several  baptisms. 

General  Baptist  Missionary  Society. — 
The  General  Baptists  of  England  commenced 
their  mission  in  Hindostan  in  1822.  They 
chose  for  their  field  that  part  of  the  country 
called  Orissa,  or  Ootkul  K'hand,  supposed  to 
be  the  ancient  country  of  the  Or,  or  Oriya 
tribe  of  Hindoos,  and  lying  between  19°  and 
230  N.  lat.  and  84°  and  88©  E.  long.  The 
boundaries  of  Orissa  have  been  changed  at 
different  periods,  but  as  now  generally  under- 
stood it  is  a  long  narrow  strip  of  land,  extend- 
ing from  Midnapore  in  the  north  to  a  few 
miles  below  Ganjam  in  the  south,  and  from 
the  shores  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal  in  the  east  to 
the  vast  range  of  mountains  in  the  west,  com- 
prising a  tract  of  about  300  miles  in  length, 
and  from  20  to  170  miles  in  breadth.  The 
principal  towns  in  Orissa  are  Cuttack,  Balar 
sore,  Jajepoor,  Pooree,  Midnapore,  Ganjam, 
and  Berhampore. 

Cuttack  was  the  first  place  occupied  by  this 
society  as  a  station,  and  the  first  missionaries 
were  Rev.  Wm.  Bampton  and  Rev.  James 
Peggs,  who  arrived  in  Feb.  1822.  They  were 
soon  joined  by  Rev.  Mr.  Lacey  and  wife. 
They  commenced  at  once  the  study  of  the  lan- 
guage in  which  they  were  to  make  known  the 
Gospel  to  the  benighted  Orissans,  and  in  the 
mean  time  organized  schools,  and  taught  the 
heathen  as  they  were  able.  Preaching  in 
English  on  the  Sabbath  was  practiced  from 
the  commencement  of  the  mission,  and  an  in- 
fant church  was  soon  formed,  and  three  con- 
venient chapels  were  fitted  up.  Thousands  of 
tracts  and  Gospels  were  also  distributed  dur- 
ing the  first  year  or  two. 

Pooree. — In  Sept.  1823,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bamp- 
ton removed  to  Pooree,  or  Juggernaut,  a  little 
to  the  N.  E.  of  Cuttack.  It  was  one  of  the 
strongest  holds  of  Satan  in  all  India,  for  there 
the  idol  Juggernaut  had  his  temple,  making 
the  whole  region  a  modern  Golgotha,  and 
causing  desolation  and  wo  of  the  most  appal- 
ling nature.  The  journals  of  the  missionaries 
at  Pooree  are  filled  with  the  most  shocking 
and  heart>sickening  details  of  the  idolatry,  des- 
titution and  wretchedness  of  the  vast  multi- 
tudes who  thronged  to  the  temple  of  Jugger- 
naut. On  one  occasion,  June,  1825,  250,000 
pilgrims  were  estimated  to  be  in  the  immedi- 
ate neighborhood  of  the  temple,  a  large  por- 
tion of  them  without  shelter,  and  without  de- 
cent food  or  clothing,  and  dying  off  in  the 
most  frightful  manner,  of  famine,  cholera-mor- 
bus,  and  other  diseases.  Says  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, "  In  every  street,  corner  and  open 
space,  in  fact  wherever  you  turned  your  eyes, 
the  dead  and  dying  met  your  view.    At  one 


436 


HINDOSTAN. 


time  I  counted  unwards  of  60  dead  and  dying, 
from  the  temple  down  to  the  lower  end  of  the 
hospital,  omitting  the  sick  that  had  not  much 
life.  At  a  corner  opposite  to  the  hospital,  on 
a  spot  of  ground  twelve  feet  square,  I  counted 
ten  dead,  and  live  who  were  sick  and  nearly 
dead.  This  was  the  case  while  there  were 
several  sets  of  men  in  active  employ  carrying 
out  and  burying  the  dead.  You  will  now  per- 
haj)s  reflect,  that  if  the  streets  were  thus 
crowded,  what  must  the  various  Golgothas  be  ? 
I  visitetl  but  one,  and  that  was  between  the 
town  and  the  principal  entrance.  I  saw  things 
that  I  shall  never  forget.  The  small  river 
tliere  was  quite  glutted  with  corpses,  and  the 
wind  having  drifted  them  together,  they  formed 
a  complete  mass  of  putrifying  flesh.  They 
also  lay  upon  the  ground  in  heaps,  and  the 
dogs  and  vultures  were  able  to  do  but  little 
towards  consuming  them."  At  a  little  later 
date  the  same  writer  adds,  "  Pages  would  not 
be  sufficient  to  detail  the  miseries  of  the  de- 
luded worshipers  of  Juggernaut.  The  poor 
pilgrims  were  to  be  seen  in  every  direction, 
dead  and  in  the  agonies  of  death,  lying  by 
fives,  tens,  twenties,  aud  in  some  instances  there 
were  hundreds  to  be  seen.  In  one  place  Mr. 
Lacey  counted  upwards  of  90,  and  in  another 
Mr.  Bampton  counted  140.  In  the  hospital  I 
believe  I  have  seen  30  dead  at  once,  and  num- 
bers more  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  even 
the  living  using  the  dead  bodies  for  pillows." 

It  was  amicT  such  scenes  as  these  that  the 
missionaries  sought  to  diffuse  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  God,  and  of  a  pure  Christianity, — a 
hopeless  attempt,  except  iu  reliance  upon  the 
almighty  and  regenerating  Spirit  of  God.  This 
dependence  was  deeply  felt;  and  in  circum- 
stances fitted  most  powerfully  to  impress  such 
a  truth,  one  of  the  missionaries  writes  :  "  The 
omnipotence  of  God  is  to  me  an  encouraging 
consideration.  In  the  power  of  God  is  all  my 
hope.  If  I  lad  to  address  any  advocates  for 
ministerial  power  to  convert  sinners,  or  for  the 
power  of  the  Gospel  apart  from  Divine  influ- 
ence, 1  would  say,  come  to  Juggernaut ;  and  if 
that  do  not  change  your  minds  you  are  incor- 
rigible." Again,  the  same  missionary  says, 
"  1  am  daily  more  convinced  of  the  need  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  I  have  seen  the  people  confound- 
ed in  their  gods  ;  I  have  heard  them  acknowl- 
edge the  infinite  superiority  of  Christ ;  I  have 
seen  them  much  affected,  yea,  in  tears,  under 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel ;  but  alas,  what  is 
all  this  without  the  Holy  Spirit  to  change 
their  hearts,  to  enlighten  their  minds,  and  to 
render  the  word  effectual  ?" 

The  constant  recurrence  of  such  language  in 
the  journals  of  these  devoted  laborers,  shows 
how  scriptural  were  their  views  on  fundamen- 
tal points,  and  how  exactly  the  General  Bap- 
tists accorded  in  their  belief,  with  the  mission- 
aries of  other  evangelical  societies  in  the  va.st 
field  of  India.  That  they  should  labor  with 
success,  even  amid  the  dc>solations  of  Jugger- 


naut, was  to  be  expected,  both  from  their  own 
spirit  and  the  promises  of  God.  Accordingly 
we  find,  at  the  end  of  four  years,  that  they  had 
gathered  schools  in  Cuttach  and  Pooree,  com- 
prising 380  boys  and  148  girls.  Many  of  these 
children  were  able  to  read  the  Gospel  with  fa- 
cility ;  and  besides  the  advantage  to  the  child- 
ren, these  schools  became  chapels  for  the  de- 
claration of  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen,  like 
the  "  school  of  Tyrannus,"  in  which  "  Paul  dis- 
puted daily/' 

Balasore. — In  the  early  part  of  1827,  the  so- 
ciety established  a  third  mission  at  Balasore,  a 
town  situated  about  170  miles  S.W,  of  Calcutta, 
and  containing  about  10,000  people.  Rev.  Mr. 
Sutton,  who  had  labored  some  time  at  Cuttack, 
was  the  first  missionary  at  the  place.  In  1832 
the  society  say  in  their  Report  :  "  Ten  years 
ago  our  first  missionaries  opened  their  heavenly 
commission  in  broken  accents  on  the  plains  of 
Hindostan  ;  and  there  Oriya  converts  have 
been  gathered  to  the  Saviour,  and  Hindoos  now 
proclaim  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 
The  grand  contest  between  light  and  darkness 
in  one  of  the  darkest  regions  of  India,  has 
thus  commenced.  Even  in  the  land  of  the 
modern  Moloch  of  the  East,  Satan  no  longer 
maintains  an  unmolested  empire."  It  is  a  fact 
entitled  to  distinct  and  honorable  mention, 
that  a  field  so  dark,  the  very  heart  of  Satan's 
empire  in  Hindostan,  and  a  region  that  had 
never  been  penetrated  by  a  single  missionary, 
was  chosen  by  the  General  Baptists  as  their 
place  of  toil  and  conflict.  They  entered  into 
no  man's  labors,  and  counted  neither  ease  nor 
life  dear,  that  they  might  preach  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  most  benighted  and  wretched  hear 
then  on  earth.  The  report  for  1832  mentions 
the  death  of  Mr.  Bampton,  one  of  the  first  mis- 
sionaries of  the  society  in  India.  The  same 
report  notices  the  suspension  of  missionary  ope- 
rations at  Balasore,  on  account  of  a  deficiency 
of  laborers.  The  town  had  then  but  recently 
been  visited  with  an  inundation,  in  which 
about  20,000  persons  perished. 

From  Pooree  Mr.  Sutton  writes  this  year  : 
'*  The  opposition  in  the  way  of  obscene  abuse 
runs  very  high.  Oh,  the  abominable  expres- 
sions shouted  out  against  me  this  evening.  It 
would  frighten  half  England  to  hear  them." 
Persecution  was  very  bitter,  especially  towards 
those  who  exchanged  Hindooism  for  Christi- 
anity, and  of  this  class  there  were  some  very 
striking  instances.  To  alleviate  the  trials  of 
the  converts  and  render  them  helpers  of  each 
other,  the  plan  was  adopted  of  settling  them 
together,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cuttack,  and  form- 
ing of  them  a  Christian  village.  Being  out- 
casts whom  none  would  assist,  they  could  thus 
enjoy  sympathy  and  aid,  could  assemble  con- 
veniently lor  worship,  and  would  also  form  a 
body  of  Christians,  whose  example  would  be 
salutary.  The  place  of  their  assemblage  was 
named  Christianapoor. 

By  this  time  several  native  preachers  had 


HINDOSTAN. 


437 


been  raised  up,  of  whom  the  most  distinguish- 
ed were  Gung-a  Dhor  and  Rama  Chundra ; 
Gruuga  especially  was  regarded  as  a  powerful 
preacher  and  an  astounding  witness  against 
his  idolatrous  brethren.  His  illustrations  were 
often  exceedingly  bold  and  impressive.  For 
example  :  when  wishing  to  show  how  the  Gos- 
pel would  spread,  he  said — "  Suppose  we  were 
enveloped  in  complete  darkness ;  but  suppose 
it  was  ascertained  that  there  was  fire  in  the 
house  of  a  certain  individual  in  yonder  bazar, 
some  one  would  soon  run  and  light  his  lamp 
from  that  fire  ;  others  would  light  their  lamps 
at  his,  and  others  again  would  light  their 
[amps  from  them,  and  so  on,  till  the  light 
«vould  spread  all  over  Cut  tack.  Thus  it  is 
with  the  true  light  of  religion.  All  is  thick 
iarkness,  but  in  the  padre's  (missionary's) 
liouse  there  is  fire ;  I  have  lighted  my  lamp  at 
Liis  tire  ;  you  will  light  yours  from  mine,  and 
>thers  again  will  light  theirs  from  you.  Thus 
the  true  light  will  become  universal."  Of 
Rama  it  was  also  testified  :  '•'  He  is  conscien- 
tious, humble,  teachable,  and  zealous.  As  a 
preacher,  he  is  a  thunderer.  Sometimes  he 
ilmost  makes  me  .  tremble ;  and  the  effect  on 
la'tives,  when  he  feels  well  and  can  get  a  hear- 
ing, is  very  powerful."  Rama's  wife  was  the 
earliest  object  of  his  solicitude.  He  con- 
stantly taught  her,  and  sought  to  impress  upon 
ler  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  his  efforts 
Neve  blessed.  She  became  a  well-informed 
md  decided  Christian,  and  was  a  great  help 
md  comfort  to  her  husband. 

In  this  year  (1832)  the  plan  was  adopted  by 
the  brethren  at  Cuttack,  of  establishing  coun- 
try bungalows  and  circuits  around  some  cen- 
tral point,  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
principal  station.  They  chose  Bhogepoor  as 
the  centre,  a  place  eight  miles  from  Cuttack, 
surrounded  with  villages  and  markets  to  a 
^reat  extent.  It  was  the  quarter  from  which 
oaost  of  the  converts  had  come,  and  where 
^reat  inquiry  was  made  in  regard  to  Chris- 
tianity. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  mission  at 
Cuttack,  the  missionaries  labored  to  promote 
religion  among  the  European  residents,  preach- 
ing twice  to  them  every  Sabbath.  These 
sfiforts  were  blessed,  and  many  of  the  govern- 
ment officers  and  soldiers  became  decidedly 
pious.  "  At  the  communion  service,"  says  the 
missionary,  "  our  poor  dark  native  brethren 
and  sisters  are  ranged  round  the  same  table 
and  on  the  same  seats  with  the  civil  and  mili- 
tary officers  of  government."  Thus  the  na- 
tives were  led  to  see  that  their  rulers  acknowl- 
edged the  obligations  of  Christianity. 

In  1833  an  important  object  was  supposed 
to  be  gained  for  Pooree  and  for  all  India,  viz., 
the  abolition  of  the  Pilgrim  Tax.  Hitherto 
avarice  had  been  joined  to  Satanic  influence 
in  drawing  pilgrims  to  Juggernaut.  All  the 
worldly  interests  of  the  most  abandoned,  im- 
pure, and  depraved  people  were  involved  in 


the  worship  of  this  idol.  By  this  craft  they 
had  their  wealth,  and  of  course  they  opposed 
every  possible  obstacle  to  tiie  effi)rts  of  the 
missionaries.  The  sanction  which  the  English 
government  had  lent  to  idol  worship  was  also 
an  insuperable  difficulty.  But  now  the  govern- 
ment passed  an  act,  instructing  its  officers  in 
India  to  terminate  the  guilty  support  of  Hin- 
doo idolatry  at  Juggernaut  and  other  temples. 
The  order,  however,  remained  a  dead  letter, 
the  East  India  Company  refusing  to  carry  out 
the  instructions  it  had  received.  As  the  con- 
nection of  the  British  government  with  idola- 
try is  an  important  topic,  and  one  with  which 
the  General  Baptists  came  into  closer  conflict 
than  any  other  missionaries,  a  somewhat  full 
statement  of  the  facts  may  be  desirable.  lo 
their  report  for  1837,  the  Society  say  : 

"  It  appears  that  the  servants  of  the  Com- 
pany, even  when  professedly  Christians,  are 
required  to  attend  heathen  and  Mohammedan 
festivals  for  purposes  of  respect ;  that  in 
some  cases  they  are  required  to  present  offer- 
ings and  do  homage  to  idols  ;  that  the  poor  na- 
tives are  compelled,  without  compensation,  to 
attend  heathen  festivals  to  draw  the  idols' 
cars  ;  and  that  European  officers  exercise  so 
entirely  the  management  and  control  of  vari- 
ous temples,  that  no  expense  can  be  incurred 
but  under  their  direction ;  and,  0  horrible ! 
not  even  the  prostitutes  connected  with  the 
temple  can  be  entertained  or  discharged  with- 
out their  concurrence !  And  those  who  thus 
degrade  themselves  lower  than  the  managers  of 
a  house  of  ill-fame,  are  high-minded  English 
gentlemen!  To  what  infamy  will  not  some 
men  stoop  through  the  accursed  lust  of  gold ! 
By  this  atrocious  system  has  the  British  gov- 
ernment in  India  been  disgraced ;  and  the 
Indian  empire  of  Britain  has  been  exposed  to 
the  frown  of  that  holy  God  who  abhors  idola- 
try and  those  v/ho  participate  in  the  abomina- 
tion." 

Glaring  and  awful  as  was  the  position  of 
Great  Britain  in  this  respect,  apologies  for 
inaction  were  found  from  year  to  year,  till 
1840,  when  the  Society  record  with  great  joy, 
that  "the  wicked  Pilgrim  Tax,  which  in  its 
results  has  tended  so  greatly  to  add  to  the 
celebrity  of  Juggernaut,  is  at  length  abolished." 

Strong  hopes  were  now  entertained  that  the 
great  popularity  of  Juggernaut  would  decline, 
from  the  loss  of  one  of  its  main  supports  ;  but 
these  expectations  proved  fallacious.  The 
Pilgrim  Tax  had  indeed  been  abolished,  but 
the  government,  in  other  forms,  still  extended 
its  support  and  patronage  to  the  bloody  Mo- 
loch of  the  East.  From  year  to  year  the  mis- 
sionaries remonstrated,  and  their  efforts  were 
seconded  by  some  members  of  Parliament  and 
of  the  East  India  Company ;  yet  in  1846  the 
Orissa  conference  of  missionaries  had  occasion 
to  adopt  the  following  resolutions  in  regard  to 
this  enormous  evil : 

''Resolved,  That  as  a  very  general  opinion  is 


438 


HINDOSTAN. 


prevalent  that  the  government  of  India  has 
tbandoutnl  ita  connection  with  the  temple  of 
Jugfferimut,  wo  deem  it  obligatory  on  us  as  a 
missionary  conference,  assembled  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Orissa,  to  state  that  such  is  not  the 
case.  It  is  indeeil  true  that  the  government 
has  restored  certain  lands  to  the  proprietors  of 
the  temple,  and  abolished  the  rilgrim  Tax ; 
they  have,  moreover,  ceased  to  receive  the 
presents  and  other  emoluments  connected  with 
.the  idol :  and  thus  far  they  have  done  well  ; 
but  the  government  do  still,  in  fact,  though  in 
anotlier  form,  contribute  more  largely  than 
before  to  the  support  of  the  idol,  inasmuch  as 
they  have  not  only  relinquished  the  lands  and 
other  emoluments  of  the  temple  from  which 
they  formerly  received  a  revenue,  but  have 
added  an  annual  donation  of  35,000  rupees, 
and  allow  the  proprietors  of  the  temple  to  re- 
ceive all  presents  and  levy  any  contributions 
they  please  on  the  pilgrims,  so  that  a  much 
larger  source  of  revenue  than  ever  is  now  open 
to  the  rajah  and  other  interested  parties. 

"  We  do,  therefore,  consider  the  continuation 
of  this  yearly  grant  to  Juggernaut  as  most 
anti-Christian  in  itself,  and  an  act  of  partiality 
towards  this  idol,  which  is  inconsistent  with 
the  neutral  position  the  government  professes 
to  sustain  towards  all  systems  of  religion  in 
India." 

These  facts  and  statements  are  brought  for- 
ward in  this  place  in  the  belief  that  they  may 
be  needed  both  in  England  and  America  to 
remove  the  impression  that  the  British  govern- 
ment in  India  has  withdrawn  its  direct  and 
ac^ve  support  from  the  worship  of  Jugger- 
naut. Such  is  not  the  fact.  In  their  report 
for  1852,  the  missionaries  say,  "  It  is  much  to 
be  lamented  that  the  government  grant  in 
support  of  this  idolatry  is  not  yet  withdrawn." 
At  the  missionary  conference  held  at  Cuttack 
in  the  year  last  named,  the  brethren  protested 
against  this  crying  evil  in  the  following  terms : 
"Resolvedy  As  the  donation  to  Juggernaut  has 
not  been  discontinued,  and  as  we  have  wit- 
nessed through  another  year  the  wasting  and 
demoralizing  effects  of  the  system  which  it 
sustains,  we  are  constrained  to  repeat  our 
solemn  and  earnest  remonstrance  against  this 
iniquitous  support  of  idolatry." 

As  it  is  due  to  the  friends  of  missions  every 
where  that  this  subject  should  be  understood, 
and  certainly  not  unjust  to  the  Indo-British 
government,  and  as  it  comes  up  in  no  other 
connection  in  the  present  work,  the  precise 
responsibilty  of  the  Government  in  the  support 
of  idolatry  may  be  given  in  another  form  of 
statement  adopted  by  the  missionaries  and  an- 
swering to  the  facts  as  still  existing.  They 
say  :  "  The  rulers  of  India  still  continue,  by  the 
payment  of  the  large  annual  grant  from  the 
public  treasury,  to  support  this  wicked  sys- 
tem, (the  worship  of  Juggernaut.)  Nor  is 
this  all ;  a  pension  amounting  to  nearly  500 
rupees  is  allowed  to  a  byraggee  (public  servant 


or  agent)  on  account  of  daily  food  to  the  idol ; 
and  another  sum  of  2,666  rupees  is  paid  to 
another  byraggee,  that  he  may  distribute  the 
holy  food  among  the  starving  pilgrims." 

These  astounding  facts  tiie  Hindoos  have 
the  sagacity  to  turn  to  their  own  account. 
Wlien  rebuked  for  their  idolatry  by  the  mis- 
sionary, they  reply,  "  Why  don't  you  teach 
your  own  people  to  worship  Jesus  Christ? 
They  mind  Juggernaut.  They  give  a  large 
sum  of  money  to  support  his  worship.  If  Jug- 
gernaut were  not  true,  would  the  government 
give  money  for  his  support  ?  Ask  that  bab- 
bler (missionary)  why  the  government  gives 
35,000  a  year  to  Juggernaut  if  he  be  not  true." 

These,  say  the  missionaries,  are  some  of  the 
forms  in  which  the  British  donation  to  Jug- 
gernaut is  mentioned  by  the  heathen.  The 
fact  of  its  being  given  is  universally  known, 
they  say,  and  only  one  reason  for  the  bestow- 
ment  is  ever  mentioned  by  the  idol  worshipers, 
and  that  is  that  "  Juggernaut  is  true,  and 
therefore  the  wise  and  mighty  of  the  land  con- 
tribute to  his  support."  The  British  govern- 
ment still  persists  in  its  open  and  efficient  pat- 
ronage of  idolatry  in  its  most  shocking  and 
degrading  form,  in  defiance  of  the  fact,  stated 
by  the  missionaries,  over  and  over  again,  that 
the  government  grant  is  the  principal  support 
of  Juggernaut,  that  more  human  life  is  sacri- 
ficed at  the  shrine  of  this  idol  than  by  the  sut- 
tee and  the  sword,  and  that  the  efforts  of  the 
missionaries  to  enlighten  and  save  the  besotted 
and  wretched  masses  who  annually  visit  Poo- 
ree,  are  neutralized  and  baffled  by  British  in- 
terference. In  their  report  for  1853  the  Orissa 
missionaries  protest  with  the  same  earnestness 
as  before  against  this  great  abomination. 
They  say,  "  Our  mission  has  now  reached  the 
thirtieth  year  of  its  history,  and  consequently 
of  its  contest  with  this  gigantic  evil.  During 
this  long  period  we  have  seen  the  ground  of 
controversy  continually  shifting,  but  the  con- 
troversy itself  continually  renewed.  In  vain 
have  the  various  objections  been  met  by  the 
most  conclusive  refutation ;  ever  and  anon 
some  new  friend  of  the  idol,  oblivious  of  past 
arguments  or  imperfectly  acquainted  with  the 
real  facts  of  the  case,  has  come  forward  with 
some  new  caveat."  Thus,  to  this  hour,  the  mis- 
sionaries and  the  Christian  world  are  doomed 
to  disappointment,  and  to  the  humiliation  and 
grief  of  seeing  the  most  cruel,  corrupt,  and 
shocking  form  of  heathen  worship  known  on 
earth,  supported  by  the  money  and  influence  oi 
an  enlightened  and  Christian  nation.  It  is  a 
singular  fact,  moreover,  that  the  devoted  mis- 
sionaries of  this  society  have  occasion  to  ar- 
raign the  government  as  the  persevering  patron 
and  supporter  of  idolatry,  at  the  same  time 
that  they  speak  with  the  highest  satisfaction 
of  its  generous  and  noble  efforts  for  the  sup- 
pression of  human  sacrifices  among  the  mur- 
derous Khnnds.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a 
government  which  is  doing  so  much  to  en- 


HESbOSTAN. 


439 


courage  Christian  missions  should  be  any  way 
involved  in  the  support  of  idolatry. 

For  several  years  past  no  missionaries  have 
resided  permanently  at  Pooree ;  but  the  mis- 
Bionaries  from  several  stations  have  uniform- 
ly visited  this  place  at  the  annual  festivals,  for 
the  purpose  o-f  distributing  tracts  and  Scrip- 
tures among  the  pilgrims,  and  instructing  them 
by  preaching  and  conversation  wherever  hear- 
ers could  be  gathered.  The  Balasore  station 
was  continued  till  1838,  when  it  was  suspended, 
and  has  since  remained  without  a  missionary. 
Bcrhampore,  the  most  southern  station  of  the 
General  Baptists  in  Orissa,  has  been  steadily 
and  efficiently  sustained.  It  is  an  important 
post,  and  enjoys  the  labors  of  two  missionaries 
and  their  wives.  The  people  are  worshipers 
of  a  most  detestable  idol,  and  of  course  are  in 
a  state  of  extreme  degradation.  A  proverb 
of  their  own  says,  "  As  is  the  king  so  are  the 
subjects  ;  as  is  the  god  so  are  the  worshipers." 
There  are  three  native  preachers  at  this  place, 
in  whom  the  missionaries  have  great  confidence. 
Two  asylums,  one  for  boys  and  one  for  girls, 
are  accomplishing  great  good.  They  originat- 
ed in  a  desire  to  provide  for  the  children  of 
converted  natives,  which  could  not  be  done 
except  on  the  mission  premises.  To  these 
were  added  such  children  as  were  made  over 
to  the  missionaries,  from  time  to  time,  by  their 
parents  in  a  season  of  famine.  Some  also  were 
picked  up  in  a  state  of  starvation  after  being 
abandoned  to  death.  More  recently  another 
class  were  added,  viz. ;  children  rescued  from 
sacrifice  among  the  Khunds,  an  extremely 
savage  people  inhabiting  the  Goomsur  moun- 
tains in  the  neighborhood  of  Berhampore,  and 
who  were  in  the  habit  of  sacrificing  great  num- 
bers of  children  to  their  stupid  and  bloody 
goddess.  Through  the  combined  efforts  of  the 
government  agent,  J.  P.  Frye,  Esq.,  and  the 
missionaries,  great  numbers  of  these  poor  vic- 
tims have  been  rescued  from  the  sacrificial 
knife,  and  put  into  the  asylums.  Mr.  Frye 
has  also  greatly  aided  in  the  establishment  of 
schools  among  the  Khunds  themselves,  and  a 
rescued  Khund,  brought  up  in  the  asylum,  is 
now  superintendent  of  those  schools.  It  was 
stated  in  the  report  for  1849,  that  Mr.  Frye 
had  been  instrumental  of  rescuing  one  hundred 
and  six  victims  from  the  horrid  death  to  which 
they  were  doomed.  In  the  same  report  the 
following  deeply  interesting  particulars  are 
given  of  this  before  almost  unheard  of  people  : 
"  The  last  full  moon  had  been  fixed  upon  for  a 
very  great  sacrifice,  in  anticipation  of  the 
agent's  arrival,  (it  is  the  time  for  sacrificing 
through  the  whole  sacrificing  country,)  but  he 
was  happily  in  the  midst  of  them  tAvelve  days 
before  the  appointed  time,  and  the  fearful 
waste  of  human  life  was  mercifully  prevented. 
The  torture  with  which  the  revolting  rite  is 
performed  in  this  part  of  the  Khund  country 
exceeds,  if  it  be  possible,  the  worst  that  has 
been  heard  of  anywhere.    The  victim  is  sur- 


rounded by  a  crowd  of  half  intoxicated  Khunds, 
and  is  dragged  round  some  open  space,  when 
the  savages,  with  loud  shouts,  rush  on  the  vic- 
tim, cutting  the  living  flesh  piece-meal  from 
the  bones,  till  nothing  remains  but  the  head 
and  bowels,  which  are  left  untouched.  Death 
has,  by  this  time,  released  the  unhappy  victim 
from  his  torture  ;  the  head  and  bowels  are 
then  burnt,  and  the  ashes  mixed  with  grain. 
The  efforts  of  the  government  to  suppress  the 
abhorred  rites  of  human  sacrifice  and  female 
infanticide  among  these  barbarous  people,  and 
in  these  hills  and  jungles,  are  in  a  high  degree 
creditable  to  its  character.  The  revolting  rites 
of  sacrifice  and  female  infanticide  have  prevail- 
ed from  time  immemorial  in  the  impenetrable 
jungles  and  inaccessible  hills  of  the  Khund 
country.  No  one  can  tell  where  they  origi- 
nated, or  compute  the  frightful  waste  they 
have  occasioned,  but  it  is  estimated  that,  al- 
lowing these  bloody  rites  to  have  prevailed 
from  the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era, 
as  they  were  found  to  prevail  when  the  district 
was  discovered  a  few  years  since,  on  a  moder- 
ate computation  the  awful  aggregate  would 
exceed  three  millions.  We  have  thought,  and 
talked,  and  prayed  about  the  Khunds,  and  God 
has  answered  our  supplications,  though  in  a 
way  we  did  not  expect.  Who  can  calculate 
the  results  of  so  many  being  brought  under 
Christian  influence  ? '' 

A  late  report  states  that  the  brethren  at 
Berhampore  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
considerable  quantity  of  fertile  land,  for  a  new 
Christian  settlement.  The  experiment  of  thus 
providing  for  the  honorable  maintenance  of  the 
increasing  Christian  community,  promises  to 
be  highly  successful.  A  chapel  and  mission 
bungalow  have  been  built  for  this  village, 
chiefly  by  the  liberality  of  Mr.  Frye,  and  an- 
other government  officer.  The  precise  number 
in  the  church  and  in  the  schools  at  Berham- 
pore is 'not  stated  in  the  recQpt  reports.  The 
report  for  1853  contains  some  deeply  interest- 
ing accounts  of  the  Khund  boys  and  girls  in 
the  asylums.  Fourteen  of  these  rescued  chil- 
dren were  this  year  baptized,  after  giving  evi- 
dence of  sincere  conversion  to  Christ.  They 
have  been,  like  thousands  of  others,  stolen 
from  their  parents  in  early  childhood  and  sold 
to  the  Khunds  for  sacrifice,  and  but  for  the 
eflbrts  of  the  missionaries  and  government 
agents,  their  flesh  would  have  been  distributed 
piece-meal  in  the  fields,  instead  of  coming 
around  the  Lord's  table  to  commemorate  his 
love.  An  older  girl  of  this  class  was  married 
this  year  to  a  young  man  in  the  asylum,  and 
both  went  as  teachers  to  their  native  hills. 
Four  other  young  men,  who  had  been  rescued 
and  trained  in  the  asylum,  also  returned  to  the 
Khund  hills  as  teachers.  During  this  year, 
Col.  Campbell,  the  government  agent  for  the 
suppression  of  human  sacrifices,  rescued  120 
victims.  His  account  ot  the  rescue  of  one 
pretty  little  girl  is  full  of  tender  interest.    He 


440 


HINDOSTAN. 


had  received  information  by  an  anonymous 
letter  that  a  sacrifice  waa  to  take  place  about 
thirty  miles  from  their  encampment.  A  party 
were  sent  to  nrevent  the  sacrifice,  and  by  tra- 
vellug  all  nignt  through  the  jungle  they  reach- 
ed the  village  mentioned  at  day-dawn,  and 
found  everything  ready  for  the  murderous 
offering.  In  a  short  time  the  people  began  to 
assemble,  but  they  were  soon  surprised  by  the 
appearance  of  the  Colonel's  party,  who  made 
the  chief  men  prisoners,  and  brought  the  little 
victim  away.  She  was  ready  bound  for  sacri- 
fice, and  had  the  detachment  been  two  hours 
later,  would  have  been  cruelly  cut  to  pieces, 
She  had  been  sold  for  this  horrid  death  by  her 
own  father.  The  chiefs  and  head  men  of  the 
villages  have  now  signed  an  agreement  to 
abandon  the  inhuman  practice. 

Cuttack,  the  earliest  station  of  the  Society 
has  been  uninterruptedly  maintained,  and  is 
still  prosperous.  The  mission  church  numbers 
125.  There  are  two  asylums  for  boys  and 
girls,  conducted  on  the  same  plan  as  those  at 
Berhampore.  The  average  number  in  these 
asylums,  as  last  reported,  was  105,  of  whom  56 
were  rescued  from  a  bloody  death  on  the  hills 
of  Goomsur,  Boad,  and  Chinna  Kinedy.  Some 
of  the  remainder  are  the  orphan  children  of 
idolatrous  parents,  and  a  large  number  are  the 
children  of  native  Christians,  left  fatherless  or 
motherless.  Eev.  Mr.  Sutton  and  his  wife, 
from  Cuttack  station,  visited  the  United  States 
about  twenty  years  since,  and  after  laboring 
much  to  promote  a  spirit  of  Christian  missions 
among  their  friend",  returned  again  to  their 
chosen  field.  The  two  native  ministers,  of 
whom  mention  has  already  been  made,  viz., 
Gunga  Dhor  and  Kama  Chundra,  have  con- 
tinued to  be  very  faithful,  and  important  help- 
ers to  the  missionaries.  Honorable  mention 
is  also  made  of  two  other  native  preachers. 
An  interesting  sketch  of  these  four  individuals, 
with  fine  specimgns  of  their  style  of  preach- 
ing, will  be  found  in  the  report  of  the  Society 
for  1852. 

Mulnapore,  a  considerable  town  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Orissa  and  Bengal,  and  about  70  miles 
from  Calcutta,  was  determined  upon  as  a  sta- 
tion by  the  Mission  Conference  in  1836,  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Brooks  subsequently  removed  to 
that  place.  A  neat  chapel  was  built,  a  con- 
gregation collected,  and  the  first  Hindoo  con- 
verts soon  gathered  in.  Means  were  also 
found  for  the  extensive  distribution  of  Testa- 
ments, and  other  religious  books  and  tracts. 
But  though  the  mission  promised  well,  it  was 
determined  to  remove  Mr.  Brooks  to  Calcutta, 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  there  a  branch 
mission,  and  after  three  or  four  years  Midna- 
pore  was  dropped  from  the  Society's  reports. 

Gamjam,  situated  between  the  Berhampore 
and  Pooree  districts,  was  occupied  by  a  mis- 
sionary in  1840.  It  was  once  a  very  import- 
ant and  populous  European  settlement ;  but, 
in  consequence  of  the  rapid  growth  of  Cal- 


cutta, and  the  prevalence  of  the  Gamjam  fever, 
so  called,  but  which  was  probably  the  plague, 
it  was  forsaken  by  the  Europeans,  and  the  na- 
tive population  was  much  reduced.  At  the 
time  of  entering  upon  the  mission  here,  it  was 
believed  to  be  a  nealthy  place,  and  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  permanent  labors;  but 
after  some  two  years  it  was  found  to  be  unsafe 
to  remain  there,  and  the  station  was  given  up. 

Khunditta,  not  a  great  distance  from  Poo- 
ree, and  near  the  great  Juggernaut  road, 
is  first  mentioned  as  a  station  in  the  report  for 
1840.  But  no  European  missionary  has  yet 
been  stationed  there,  though  the  Society  has 
been  often  and  strongly  urged  to  send  one. 
Much  good  has  been  accomplished,  however, 
by  native  laborers,  in  proof  of  which  many  in- 
teresting  facts  might  be  stated.  The  station 
is  still  continued. 

Piplee,  near  Pooree,  and  a  place  through 
which  nearly  all  of  Juggernaut's  pilgrims  pass, 
attracted  the  special  attention  of  the  mission- 
aries in  1847,  and  arrangements  were  soon 
made  for  commencing  operations  there.  In 
1849  two  missionaries  were  sent  to  this  sta- 
tion, and  since  that  time  a  church  of  twenty 
members  has  been  gathered,  and  quite  a  num- 
ber of  the  natives  have  embraced  Christianity. 
Deeply  interesting  statements,  in  regard  to 
some  of  the  converts,  appear  in  the  journals  of 
the  brethren  at  this  place. 

Ckoga  is  the  only  remaining  station  of  the 
Society  in  India  to  be  noticed.  It  is  described 
as  a  secluded  and  beautiful  spot,  six  miles 
from  Cuttack,  and  its  history  is  one  of  extreme 
interest.  It  appears  that  in  1833  two  in- 
quirers came  to  Cuttack  from  one  of  the  vil- 
lages of  Choga,  having  heard  much  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  listened  to  the  missionaries,  both 
on  their  journeys  and  in  Cuttack.  The  Gos- 
pel had  deeply  impressed  them ;  but  they 
felt  unwilling  to  give  up  all  for  its  sake. 
The  village  to  which  they  belonged  was  one 
of  sixteen  exempted  from  the  East  India 
Company's  regulations,  and  did  not  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  British  laws,  and  therefore  the  con- 
verts were  subject  to  confiscation,  banishment, 
and  every  abuse.  But  they  at  length  sent  a 
message  to  the  Cuttack  missionaries  to  come 
and  see  them,  and  the  interview  ended  in  their 
deciding  for  Christ.  They  were  baptized,  and 
in  a  moment  lost  caste,  were  stripped  of  every 
possession,  and  persecuted  in  the  bitterest 
manner.  But  the  missionaries  visited  the  rajah, 
and  persuaded  him  to  allow  the  converts  to 
remain,  if  they  would  build  houses  outside  the 
heathen  village.  This  gave  strength  to  other 
inquirers  to  come  out  and  profess  Christianity, 
and  soon  quite  a  number  of  families  were 
gathered  together.  The  work  went  on  gradu- 
ally, and  in  1843  one  of  the  missionaries,  Mr. 
Lacey,  secured  a  large  piece  of  ground  for  a 
Christian  village.  It  was  a  hill  in  the  middle 
of  a  jungly  plain,  with  high  mountains  on  one 
side,  and  was  the  favorite  resort  of  tigers  and 


HINDOSTAN. 


Ml 


thieves.  A  missionary,  in  describing  the  place, 
Bays :  "  Crowded  cities  have  generally  been 
chosen  by  missionaries  as  the  scene  of  their 
labors  ;  but  here  is  a  secluded  mount,  far  away 
from  the  busy  haunts  of  men,  where  the  tiger 
and  the  leopard  and  the  bear  have  remained 
unmolested  for  ages,  on  which  the  God  of  mis- 
sions collects  from  the  rude  agriculturists  of 
the  district  a  people  for  himselK  It  is  cheer- 
ing, indeed,  in  the  midst  of  such  a  dense  jun- 
gle, to  see  a  beautiful  chapel  and  village ;  and, 
as  the  Sabbath  dawns  to  see  the  Christians 
busily  preparing  on  every  hand  for  the  solemn 
services  of  the  sanctuary,  and  to  hear  the  voice 
of  prayer  and  praise,  from  a  spot  which  only  a 
few  years  since  was  darkness — dense  darkness, 
the  residence  of  the  goddess  of  thieves."  The 
village  church  of  Choga,  in  1853,  consisted  of 
sixty-four  members,  besides  eighty-five  nominal 
Christians.  They  are  industrious,  strict  ob- 
servers of  the  Sabbath,  and  the  colony  is  a 
source  of  great  satisfaction  and  encourage- 
ment to  the  missionaries. 

The  foregoing  statements  furnish  a  compre- 
hensive view  of  the  General  Baptist  missions 
in  Hindostan,  the  most  interesting  in  some 
respects  of  any  in  that  vast  field  of  idolatry. 
But  the  reports  are  defective  in  respect  to  the 
details  needed  for  a  statistical  table,  and  none 
can  be  furnished  that  would  be  of  value. 

[The  preceding  portion  of  the  article  on 
Hindostan    was    prepared    by    Rev.    E.    D. 

MoORE.] 

Feee-Will  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 
— ^The  first  two  missionaries  of  this  Society, 
Messrs.  Noyes  and  Phillips,  with  their  wives, 
spent  their  first  six  months  in  India  as  labor- 
ers in  connection  with  the  English  General 
Baptist  missionaries.  Mr.  Phillips  superin- 
tended their  bazar  schools  at  Balasore,  and 
Mr.  Noyes  was  in  the  English  mission  school 
at  Cuttack.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time, 
it  was  mutually  agreed  that  these  brethren 
should  enter  a  separate  field,  and  Sumhhulpore, 
the  capital  of  a  district  of  the  same  name, 
was  selected.  It  lies  on  the  Mahanadi  river, 
250  miles  above  Cuttack,  and  contains  some 
15,000  inhabitants.  It  is  the  residence  of  the 
rajah,  and  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  populous 
country.  The  only  European  family  in  the 
place  showed  the  missionaries  every  possible 
kindness,  and  afforded  them  much  assistance. 
During  the  several  months  spent  in  building 
and  preparing  for  a  permanent  location,  the 
missionaries  did  what  they  could  in  preaching 
and  distributing  books.  Six  starving  children 
were  given  them,  and  with  them  commenced 
a  boarding  school  system  which  has  been  use- 
ful to  the  mission.  Before  they  were  settled 
in  their  new  abodes,  the  missionaries  one  after 
another  were  brought  very  low  by  sickness. 
They  were  almost  destitute  of  the  comforts  of 
life,  and  their  hastily-built  houses  could  not 
shelter  them  from  the  scorching  heat.  Hav- 
ing no  physician  or  nurses,  they  assisted  each 


other  as  well  as  their  debility  would  permit, 
Mrs.  Noyes  on  one  occasion  leaving  her  sick 
bed  to  bleed  her  husband.  After  burying  a 
child,  and  narrowly  escaping  death  themselves, 
they  revived  so  far  as  to  be  put  on  board  a 
boat,  and  were  floated  down  to  Cuttack.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Phillips  were  called  to  bury  their  in- 
fant child,  which  she  followed  in  a  few  days, 
and  was  laid  in  the  grave  by  her  desolate  hus- 
band, attended  by  the  six  small  children  who 
were  her  scholars.  He  was  immediately  taken 
sick,  and  when  hope  had  nearly  fled,  he  too 
was  carried  on  board  a  boat,  being  almost 
unconscious,  and  was  taken  to  Cuttack.  A 
few  weeks'  residence  at  this  place,  where  they 
received  the  most  kind  attentions,  restored  the 
health  of  the  invalids  ;  but  it  was  decided 
that  they  ought  not  to  risk  their  lives  by  a 
return  to  Sumbhulpore.  Balasore  having  been 
recently  vacated  by  the  return  to  England  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Goadly,  a  General  Baptist  mission- 
ary who  had  previously  occupied  that  station, 
by  the  advice  of  the  missionaries  at  Cuttack, 
Messrs.  Noyes  and  Phillips  located  there,  and 
commenced  their  labors  in  1847.  Balasore  is 
the  capital  of  the  district  of  the  same  name. 
It  is  a  small  river  port  situated  on  the  great 
pilgrim  road  leading  from  the  northern  provin- 
ces to  Pooree,  and  lies  on  the  river  Brundha- 
balanga,  about  eight  miles  from  the  sea.  It 
contains  about  14,000  inhabitants,  and  about 
150  coasting  vessels  are  owned  in  the  place, 
which  are  mostly  engaged  in  taking  salt  to 
Calcutta.  The  climate  is  comparatively  cool 
and  healthy.  At  Balasore  the  missionaries 
formed  the  nucleus  of  their  boarding-schools 
with  the  six  native  children  given  to  them 
in  Sumbhulpore.  Others  were  rescued  from 
death  in  time  of  famine,  and  the  number  of 
scholars  soon  increased  to  fifty.  In  1850  there 
were  seventy-nine  merias  or  Khund  children 
in  the  two  boarding-schools  at  this  station, 
with  a  large  number  of  other  children  who, 
like  themselves,  were  kidnapped  and  kept  for 
the  purpose  of  being  oficred  as  sacrifices,  in 
accordance  with  a  horrible  custom  that  pre- 
vails among  the  Khund  tribes.  These  merias, 
as  their  captors  call  them,  were  rescued  from 
their  intended  immolators  by  some  of  the  offi- 
cers of  the  British  government,  who  commit 
the  rescued  victims  to  the  missionaries  in  the 
country,  by  whom  they  are  brought  up  and 
educated.  A  considerable  number  of  the  res- 
cued ones  have  died  of  cholera,  but  the  survi- 
vors are  doing  well. 

In  1840,  Rev.  0.  R.  Bachelerand  wife  were 
located  in  Balasore,  soOn  after  which  ill-health 
compelled  Rev.  E.  Noyes  to  return  to  his  na- 
tive land.  Mrs.  Bacheler  left  the  station  for 
America  in  1845,  but  died  a  few  days  after 
commencing  her  journey.  Rev.  R.  Cooley  and 
wife,  Miss  Lovina  Crawford,  and  Rev.  B.  B. 
Smith  and  wife  now  occupy  this  station  ;  but 
on  account  of  the  ill-health  of  his  present 
wife.  Rev.  Mr.  Bacheler  has  been  compelled  to 


448 


HINDOSTAN. 


with  hor  and  their  children  to  this 
country. 

All  the  missionaries  of  the  Society  have 
been  obligwl  sometimes  to  give  medicine  to 
the  sick  and  dying  heathen  ;  but  in  conse- 
quence of  having  studied  medicine  previously 
to  his  going  to  India,  Rev.  Mr.  Bacheler  de- 
vot^  more  time  and  attention  to  this  depart- 
ment of  usefulness  than  could  be  consistently 
done  by  the  other  brethren  of  the  mission. 
Through  his  efforts  a  dispensary  has  been 
established  at  Balasore,  which,  during  ten 
years  past,  has  been  extensively  patronized. 
All  applicants  for  medicine  have  been  supplied 
aa  fully  as  the  means  furnished  would  admit, 
and  numerous  surgical  operations  have  been 
performed.  In  1850,  Mr.  Bacheler  treated 
2,407  cases,  besides  performing  126  operations 
in  surgery.  As  the  patients  were  mostly  poor, 
the  medicines  and  services  were  bestowed  gra- 
tuitously. These  labors  for  the  physical  com- 
fort of  destitute  and  suffering  idolaters  were 
performed  at  times  set  apart  for  such  services, 
so  as  not  to  allow  the  duties  of  the  physician 
to  interfere  with  those  of  the  missionary.  On 
an  average  he  devoted  only  an  hour  daily  to 
his  patients.  He  also  formed  a  Medical  Class 
of  the  native  converts,  to  whom  he  lectured 
daily.  The  students,  by  taking  copious  notes 
of  his  lectures,  were  furnished  with  a  compe- 
tent guide  in  treating  the  ordinary  diseases  of 
the  country,  which,  if  they  are  studious  and 
industrious,  will  afford  them  a  comfortable 
support,  and  make  them  respected  among  their 
countrymen.  Twelve  young  men  have  attend- 
ed this  class,  six  of  whom  have  completed  the 
course  of  two  years'  study,  and  are  now  useful 
in  their  calling.  Mr.  Bacheler's  medical  la- 
bors were  considered  beneficial  to  his  mission- 
ary work,  as  they  secured  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  many  to  whom  he  could  otherwise 
have  had  no  access. 

Early  in  1840,  Rev.  Mr.  Phillips  took  a  por- 
tion of  the  boarding-school  and  some  of  the 
native  converts  at  Balasore,  and  went  with 
them  to  Jellasore,  where  he  commenced  a  new 
station.  Jellasore  is  situated  on  the  great 
pilgrim  road,  previously  named  in  this  article, 
thirty  miles  north  of  Balasore,  and  in  the  midst 
of  a  densely  populated  country,  one  hundred 
and  twelve  miles  from  Calcutta.  It  is  rather 
a  collection  of  villages  than  a  compact  town. 
Nominally  the  district  in  which  Jellasore  is 
located  belongs  to  the  province  of  Bengal,  but 
its  inhabitants  are  mostly  Oriyaa,  numbering 
about  half  a  million  of  souls.  There  is  but 
one  European  family  within  thirty  miles  of  the 
station,  and  the  missionary  has  toiled  alone 
more  than  thirteen  years.  During  this  period 
he  buried  his  second  wife,  who  was  eminently 
prepared  for  usefulness  in  the  boarding-school. 
A  day  school  and  a  boarding-school  have  been 
in  operation  a  considerable  portion  of  the 
time  at  this  station  ;  and  some  four  years  ago 
a  hospital  was  established  there,  mostly  for  the 


benefit  of  heathen  pilgrims,  and  large  numbers 
of  the  sick  have  received  medical  aid.  The 
annual  number  of  patients  has  usually  varied 
from  four  hundred  to  five  hundred.  The  hos- 
pital was  erected  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  ; 
and  like  the  dispensary  at  Balasore,  it  has 
been  sustained  by  subscriptions  in  India.  The 
natives  have  given  small  sums  for  its  support, 
but  the  principal  contributions  were  made  by 
p]uropeaus. 

Some  six  months  after  his  arrival  in  India, 
in  1844,  Rev.  J.  0.  Dow  located  in  Miduapore. 
It  is  the  capital  of  a  district  in  the  province 
of  Bengal,  and  contains  some  20,000  inhabit- 
ants, and  the  district  is  peopled  by  about  one 
and  a  half  millions  of  Bengalis.  The  town  is 
about  seventy-five  miles  from  Calcutta,  and  the 
climate  is  unusually  healthy.  A  short  time 
before  Mr.  Dow  located  in  Midnapore,  the 
place  was  vacated  by  the  General  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries. Three  years  of  excessive  toil  broke 
him  down,  when  he  was  compelled  to  return  to 
his  native  land  a  confirmed  invalid.  There  are 
some  twenty  European  families  in  the  town, 
who  would  do  considerable  towards  the  sup- 
port of  a  missionary,  were  one  sent  there. 
Three  tim'es  has  this  promising  station  been 
occupied  by  different  missionary  societies,  and 
as  many  times  has  it  been  abandoned  for  want 
of  laborers. 

In  1852,  a  new  interest  was  commenced  at 
a  place  called  Santipur,  which  is  about  six 
miles  from  Jellasore,  and  near  several  large 
villages.  Two  hundred  acres  of  land  have 
been  secured,  on  which  a  Christian  settlement 
has  been  commenced,  especially  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Santals.  There  is  on  the  lot  a  small 
Santal  village,  and  there  are  others  near  it. 
Some  thirty  or  forty  acres  of  the  land  are  un- 
der cultivation,  and  the  rest  is  covered  with 
jungle  or  brush  wood.  The  settlement  is  re- 
garded as  the  outer  court  of  the  temple,  into 
which  Gentiles  may  be  admitted.  It  is  de- 
signed to  afford  refuge  and  protection  to  inqui- 
rers, while  in  their  transition  state  from  hea- 
thenism to  Christianity,  where  the  Santals 
may  be  secure  from  the  interference  and  op- 
pression of  the  landholders,  and  native  Chris- 
tians enjoy  the  fruit  of  their  labors,  and  wor- 
ship God  unmolested.  Though  the  heathen 
are  permitted  to  settle  on  the  premises,  rules 
are  adopted  forbidding  all  idolatrous  practices, 
enjoining  moral  duties,  the  observance  of  the 
Sabbath,  attendance  at  worship,  &c. 

A  Sabbath-school  is  held  every  Lord's-day 
afternoon,  and  a  day  school  has  been  opened 
for  the  heathen  children,  from  the  adjacent 
villages  and  the  children  belonging  to  the  sta- 
tion. It  is  designed  to  be  in  part  a  farming 
community,  and  several  of  the  native  Chris- 
tians are  already  cultivating  small  lots  for  agri- 
cultural purposes. 

During  his  residence  in  Jellasore,  Rev.  Mr. 
Phillips  has  labored  considerably  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  Santals,  spending  what  time  he  could 


HINDOSTAN. 


443 


spare  from  his  other  duties,  in  visiting  their 
villages,  acquiring  their  language,  getting  a 
few  of  their  children  into  school,  and  giving 
the  people  a  written  language.  Having  no 
colleague  he  has  been  able  to  do  but  little  in 
this  interesting  and  important  work,  but  what 
he  has  done  has  not  been  lost.  Several  of  the 
Santal  youth  were  brought  into  a  school 
which  he  established  in  Jellasore,  where  they 
were  taught  their  own  language,  reduced  to 
system,  and  written  for  the  first  time  in  a 
book.  But  little  religious  concern  was  ob- 
served among  them,  till  1847,  when  some  of 
the  scholars  began  to  manifest  a  deep  interest 
in  spiritual  things.  Several  of  them  soon  ob- 
tained a  hope  in  Christ,  two  of  whom  promise 
to  be  useful  to  the  mission  and  their  country- 
men, either  as  preachers  or  school  teachers. 
Though  alone  and  engaged  much  of  the  time 
in  Oriya  labors,  Mr.  Phillips  has  been  enabled 
to  translate  the  Gospel  by  Matthew  into  San- 
tal, and  is  now  engaged  in  translating  Mark 
into  the  same  language.  He  has  written  a 
Santal  primer  of  24  pp. ;  a  sequel  to  it  of  44 
pp.  ;  and  an  Introduction  to  the  Santal  lan- 
guage, comprising  a  grammar,  reading  lessons, 
and  a  vocabulary  of  nearly  five  thousand 
words.  It  contains  190  pp.  He  has  also 
written  a  tract  and  geography  in  Oriya.  Rev. 
Mr.  Noyes  prepared  an  Oriya  tract  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Bacheler  a  medical  guide,  both  in  Oriya 
and  Bengali.  These  are  the  principal  works 
that  the  missionaries  have  published.  Mrs. 
Phillips  has  recently  arrived  in  this  country. 
She  left  Orissa  with  her  children,  partly  with 
a  view  of  educating  them  here,  and  partly  on 
account  of  her  ill-health.  Her  husband  de- 
signs to  follow  his  family  in  a  year  or  two,  and 
after  recruiting  himself,  return  with  part  of 
them  to  his  present  field.  Nothing  occurring 
to  prevent  it,  he  will  then  engage  more  ear- 


nestly in  the  work  of  translating  the  Scrip- 
tures into  Santal.  Appropriations  are  ex- 
pected from  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  to  aid  him  in  the  effort. 

The  following  account  of  the  results  of  the 
mission  is  taken  mostly  from  Rev.  0.  R. 
Bachelor's  work,  entitled  Hindooism  and 
Christianity  in  Orissa : 

1.  The  Gospel  has  been  preached  as  exten- 
sively as  two  or  three  missionaries,  assisted  by 
four  native  preachers,  could  do  it  in  a  district 
inhabited  by  more  than  a  million  souls.  A 
good  impression  has  been  made  ;  the  minds  of 
the  people  have  been  in  a  measure  prepared 
for  the  reception  of  the  Gospel ;  and  obstacles 
to  the  work  that  at  first  seemed  to  be  almost 
insurmountable,  have  begun  to  disappear. 

2.  The  Bible,  either  as  a  whole  or  in  sepa- 
rate parts,  has  been  extensively  circulated. 
Good  has  been  done  in  this  way,  and  also  by 
the  extensive  scattering  of  religious  tracts 
among  the  people,  multitudfis  of  whom  have 
read  what  was  put  into  their  hands. 

3.  Some  seventy-five  young  men,  women, 
and  children  are  receiving  a  religious  educa- 
tion in  the  boarding-schools,  where  several  of 
the  most  prominent  members,  preachers,  ph}^ 
sicians  and  teachers  have  been  instructed,  who 
will  exert  an  important  influence  in  Orissa's 
evangelization. 

4.  Four  native  preachers  have  been  raised 
up,  who  are  qualified  for  extensive  usefulness 
in  this  great  work. 

5.  Two  churches  have  been  organized,  both 
numbering  some  forty-five  members,  gathered 
from  the  darkness  and  degradation  of  heathen- 
ism. Some  who  were  converted  at  the  stations 
have  left  and  united  with  other  churches,  and 
others  have  been  removed  to  their  heavenly 
rest. 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 

1 

a 

Missionaries  and  Assistant 
Missionaries. 

i 

Scholars. 

Ministers. 

l&y  Teachers  and 
others. 

Boarding. 

Day. 

American. 

S.2 

<i 

i 
1 

.2 
1 

4 
1 

i 

j 

1 

i 

b 

1 

Orissa. 

Sumbhulpore*   .  . 

Balasore 

Jellasore 

Midnapore  * .  .  .  . 
Santipur  ...... 

Totals  .... 

1836 
1837 
1840 
1844 
1852 

2 

1 

3 

1 

2 
3 

1 

2 

1 

30 
17 

36 

8 

29 

60 
13 

115 
13 

13 

1 

3 

47 

44 

29 

73 

151 

Unoccupied. 


Rev.  E.  Hutchins. 


444 


IIINDOSTAN. 


American  1*rk.«^hyterian  Missions.— The 
missions  of  the  I'resUytcriun  Uoard  m  India  were 
OOiniuenctHl  iu  lb33.  The  first  missionaries 
were  the  Kev.  Messrs.  William  Keed  and  John 

C.  Lowrie,  and  their  wives,  who  arrived  at 
Calcutta  iu  October  of  that  year.  'J'hey  were 
sent  out  by  the  Western  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety, witli  instructions  to  select  a  station  in  some 
part  of  the  northern  provinces,  if  this  should 
appear  to  be  expedient,  after  consulting  with 
Christian  friends  in  that  city  ;  otherwise,  tiiey 
were  at  liberty  to  proceed  to  any  otlier  part  ot 
India,  or  of  the  Eastern  world.  'J'hey  were 
greatly  favored  iu  obtaining  information  and 
counsel  from  several  gentlemen  who  were 
largely  acquainted  with  the  country,  particu- 
larly the  Kev.  William  II.  Tearce,  of  the  Eng- 
lish Baptist  mission,  the  llev.  Alexander  Dutf, 

D.  D.,  of  the  Scotch  mission,  and  Sir  Charles 
Trevelyau,  K.  C.  B.,  one  of  the  Secretaries  in 
the  political  deportment  of  the  government,  who 
had  himself  resided  in  the  Upper  Provinces. 
As  the  result  of  these  inquiries,  it  was  con- 
sidered advisable  to  proceed,  as  originally  con- 
templated, to  the  remote  north-western  part  of 
the  country ;  and  the  city  of  Lodiana,  on  the 
river  Sutlej,  one  of  the  tributaries  of  the  Indus, 
was  chosen  as  the  station  to  be  first  occupied. 

The  principal  reasons  for  choosing  the  O'pper 
Provinces  as  their  general  field  of  labor,  were 
these:  The  urgent  need  of  missionaries  and 
teachers  in  that  part  of  the  country  ;  its  being 
in  a  great  measure  unoccupied  as  missionary 
ground  ;  the  superior  energy  of  the  people,  as 
compared  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  Lower 
Provinces;  the  relation  of  the  north-western 
parts  of  India  to  other  Asiatic  countries  west 
and  north,  which  suggested  the  hope  that  the 
Gospel  might  be  eventually  extended  from 
.  thence  into  the  heart  of  Central  Asia ;  the 
vicinity  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains,  affording 
places  of  resort  to  missionaries  whose  health 
might  become  impaired  by  the  hot  climate  of 
the  plains.  Besides  general  considerations  of 
this  kind,  there  were  some  special  reasons, 
arising  out  of  the  liberal  views  concerning  the 
education  of  the  natives,  which  were  held  by 
European  gentlemen  of  influence  at  some  of 
the  north-western  cities,  and  the  desire  of  some 
of  the  native  chiefs  to  obtain  for  their  sons  the 
advantages  of  education  in  the  English  lan- 
guage. As  an  example  of  both.  Sir  Claude 
Wade,  the  political  agent  of  the  government 
at  Lodiana,  had  set  on  foot  a  school  for  the  in- 
struction of  native  youth  in  English,  which 
was  attended  by  sons  and  other  relatives  of 
certain  Sikh  Sai'dars  or  chiefs,  and  of  the 
Afighan  exiles  then  living  at  Lodiana.  This 
school  was  afterwards  transferred  to  the  mis- 
sion, and  the  generous  support  of  its  founder 
was  continued  until  his  official  duties  called 
him  to  a  distant  part  of  the  country.  It  is 
still  in  successful  operation. 

The  missionaries  recognized  with  grateful 
feelings  the  hand  of  Providence,  in  directing 


the  time  of  their  arrival  in  India  at  the  precise 
juncture  of  circumstances  which  had  turned 
the  attention  of  Christian  observers  with  spe- 
cial interest  to  the  north-wevstern  provinces. 
If  they  had  reached  India  a  year  sooner,  their 
choice  of  a  field  of  lab(jr  might  have  been  a 
very  different  one  ;  or,  if  a  year  later,  they 
would  probably  have  found  the  ground  at  Lo- 
diana already  occupied,  and  that  perhaps  by 
some  educational  institution  from  which  the 
Christian  religion  would  have  been  excluded. 
They  also  recognized  with  thankfulness  the 
favor  that  was  shown  to  them  in  the  eyes  of 
some  of  the  most  influential  persons  in  the 
country  ;  so  that  although  they  had  landed  at 
Calcutta,  feeling  uncertain  what  their  recep- 
tion might  be,  they  were  cordially  aided  in 
their  work  by  those  who  were  in  positions 
greatly  to  promote  or  to  prevent  its  success ; 
while  nothing  could  exceed  the  friendly  inter- 
est in  their  mission  which  was  manifested  by 
all  the  European  missionary  brethren  with 
whom  they  became  acquainted.  Thas,  having 
favor  in  the  sight  of  God  and  his  people,  their 
missionary  field  was  chosen  and  their  plans  of 
work  were  laid. 

How  often  do  we  see  that  the  Lord's  thoughts 
are  not  our  thoughts,  neither  his  ways  our 
ways  I  Signally  was  this  shown  in  the  early 
history  of  this  mission.  Only  one  of  the  first 
company  of  missionaries  was  permitted  to  see 
this  carefully  and  well  chosen  field  of  labor ; 
two  of  the  others  were  early  called  to  their 
rest — Mrs.  Lowrie  and  Mr.  Reed — both  by 
consumption  ;  and  Mrs.  Reed  had  accompanied 
her  husband  on  the  voyage  homeward,  which 
he  did  not  live  to  complete.  The  remaining 
member  of  this  company  reached  the  Ltation  at 
Lodiana  in  November,  1834,  and  -entered  on 
his  duties  ;  but  a  few  days  afterwards  he  was 
taken  with  dangerous  illness.  For  several 
weeks  the  mission  seemed  likely  to  become  ex- 
tinct, by  his  removal  from  the  scenes  of  this 
life  ;  and,  on  his  partial  recovery,  he  was  told 
by  his  medical  attendants  that  he  must  not 
attempt  to  remain  in  the  hot  climate  of  India. 
A  year  longer,  however,  was  spent  by  him  in 
the  charge  of  a  school,  preaching,  and  making 
journeys  and  inquiries,  to  gain  information  for 
the  use  of  the  mission  and  the  church  at  home ; 
thus  doing  the  work  of  a  pioneer.  In  January, 
1836,  he  left  Lodiana,  and  Calcutta  in  April, 
on  a  visit  to  this  country  for  health  ;  but 
eventually  the  hope  of  returning  to  the  mission 
was,  for  the  same  reason,  reluctantly  aban- 
doned. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  James 
Wilson  and  John  Newton,  and  their  wives, 
hatl  arrived  at  Lodiana  in  December,  1835, 
and  entered  upon  enlarged  labors  in  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ.  Besides  the  school  and  other 
duties,  they  took  charge  of  a  printing-press  in 
1836,  which  has  been  a  valuable  auxiliary  in 
the  missionary  work. 

The  third  company  of  missionaries,  the  Rev. 


HINDOSTAN. 


445 


Messrs.  James-  R.  Campbell  and  James  Mc- 
Ewen,  and  Messrs.  Jesse  M.  Jamieson,  Wil- 
liam S.  Roofers  and  Joseph  Porter,  and  their 
wives,  reached  Calcutta  in  March,  1836.  It 
was  Mr.  Lowrie's  privilege  to  welcome  these 
brethren  on  their  arrival,  and  to  aid  them  in 
preparing  for  their  journey  to  the  Upper  Pro- 
vinces. Their  meeting  was  of  deep  interest, 
as  may  readily  be  supposed,  especially  to  one 
who  had  seen  so  severe  bereavements  and  so 
many  dark  hours  in  the  short  history  of  the 
mission.  It  was  now  apparent  that  these  afflic- 
tions were  not  intended  to  discourage  the  sup- 
porters of  the  mission,  but  to  teach  them  their 
dependence  on  divine  grace  alone ;  to  purify 
their  motives  ;  to  chasten  and  strengthen  their 
zeal ;  and  thus  at  the  latter  end  to  do  them 
good,  so  that  by  their  means  God  would  im- 
part the  greatest  blessings  to  those  who  were 
sitting  in  darkness  and  the  "  region  and  shadow 
of  death." 

The  brethren  of  this  new  reinforcement  soon 
proceeded  on  their  journey  to  Lodiana,  but 
Mr.  McEwen  was  led,  by  what  appeared  to  be 
indications  of  the  will  of  Providence,  to  stop 
at  Allahabad,  a  large  city  at  the  junction  of 
the  Ganges  and  the  Jumna,  which  has  ever 
since  been  occupied  as  a  missionary  station. 
Mr.  McEwen's  labors  were  crowned  with  pleas- 
ing success,  and  a  church  was  formed  in  Jan- 
uary, 1837,  with  13  members.  Besides  preach- 
ing, he  gave  a  part  of  his  time  to  the  charge 
of  schools,  in  which  he  was  greatly  assisted  by 
his  equally  devoted  wife  ;  but  they  were  not 
permitted  to  continue  long  in  these  encourag- 
ing labors.  On  account  of  the  loss  of  health, 
he  was  compelled  to  leave  India  in  1838  ;  and, 
after  serving  the  cause  of  Christ  as  a  pastor, 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  he  was  called  to 
his  rest  in  1845. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  other  members  of  this 
third  company  at  the  end  of  their  journey,  in 
1836,  two  new  stations  were  formed.  One  of 
these  was  at  Saharunpur,  130  miles  south-east 
from  Lodiana ;  the  other  was  at  Sabathu, 
110  miles  north-east  from  the  same  place,  in 
the  lower  ranges  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains, 
at  an  elevation  of  about  4000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  The  unordained  brethren  of 
this  company  were  graduates  of  colleges,  in 
preparation  for  the  work  of  the  ministry.  They 
went  out  as  teachers,  but  with  the  expectation 
of  prosecuting  their  theological  studies,  and 
they  were  afterwards  ordained  to  the  sacred 
office. 

A  church  was  organized  at  Lodiana  in  1837; 
and  it  is  remarkable  that  two  of  its  first  three 
native  members  have  since  become  valuable 
laborers  in  the  missionary  work  ;  one  as  a  min- 
ister of  the  Gospel,  and  another  as  a  teacher. 
This  must  be  viewed  as  a  signal  proof  of  God's 
favor  towards  this  infant  church,  and  as  a  hap- 
py example  of  the  way  in  which  the  Gospel  is 
to  be  more  and  more  extended  in  heathen 
countries.    The  schools  at  Lodiana,  Saharun- 


pur, and  Sabathu,  were  vigorously  carried  for- 
ward, and  the  brethren  were  engaged  in  preach- 
ing, distributing  the  sacred  Scriptures  and  re- 
ligious tracts,  making  journeys  to  places  where 
large  assemblages  of  natives  were  collected  on 
festival  occasions  ;  but  little  more  will  be  at- 
tempted  here  than  to  present  a  chronological 
outline  of  the  arrivals  of  the  missionaries,  with 
some  of  the  leading  facts  in  their  work. 

The  fourth  company  of  missionaries,  consist- 
ing of  Rev.  Messrs.  H.  R.  Wilson,  Jr.,  John 
H.  Morrison,  and  Joseph  Caldwell,  Mr.  James 
Craig,  teacher,  and  Mr.  Reese  Morris,  printer, 
and  their  wives,  arrived  at  Calcutta  in  April, 
1838.  There  they  met  Mr.  and  Mrs.  McEwen, 
on  their  return  homewards,  and  were  greatly 
aided  by  them  in  making  arrangements  for 
their  journey.  One  of  their  number,  however, 
had  already  reached  the  last  stage  of  her  pil- 
grimage ;  Mrs.  Morrison  was  taken  to  her  rest 
before  leaving  Calcutta,  after  a  brief  illness  of 
cholera.  Her  afflicted  companions  proceeded 
to  their  several  stations  :  Mr.  Morrison  to  Alla- 
habad, to  join  the  Rev.  James  Wilson,  who 
had  taken  charge  of  the  station  on  Mr.  Mc- 
Ewen's removal ;  Mr.  Morris  to  Lodiana  ;  and 
Messrs.  Caldwell  and  Craig  to  Saharunpur. 
Mr.  H.  R.  Wilson,  while  proceeding  to  the  station 
at  Lodiana,  was  led  by  Providence  to  stop  at  Fut- 
tehgurh,  on  the  Ganges,  two  hundred  miles  above 
Allahabad,  a  town  which  had  been  pointed 
out  by  some  of  the  earlier  brethren  as  eligible 
for  a  missionary  station.  Here,  with  an  inter- 
esting family  of  orphan  children,  a  part  of 
whom  were  placed  under  his  care  by  a  pious 
English  physician,  and  assisted  by  Gopeenath 
Nundy,  the  teacher  previously  employed  in 
their  instruction,  Mr.  Wilson  began  important 
labors,  which  have  been  steadily  prosecuted 
ever  since,  with  evident  tokens  of  the  favor  of 
Heaven. 

In  February,  1839,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Joseph 
Warren,  John  E.  Freeman,  ^  and  James  L. 
Scott,  and  their  wives,  arrived  at  Calcutta, 
and  became  connected,  the  first  two  with  Alla- 
habad, and  the  last  with  Futtehgurh.  A 
printing-press  was  sent  out  with  Mr.  Warren, 
which,  under  his  efficient  superintendence,  be- 
came an  invaluable  means  of  promoting  the 
influence  of  the  mission.  In  November  of  this 
year,  Mrs.  Caldwell,  at  Saharunpur,  was  called 
to  her  rest. 

In  December  of  the  next  year,  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  John  C.  Rankin  and  William  H. 
McAuley,  and  their  wives ;  the  Rev.  Jos.  Owen 
and  Miss  Jane  Yanderveer,  teacher,  arrived  at 
Calcutta.  Mr.  Owen  joined  the  Allahabad 
Mission,  and  the  rest  proceeded  to  Futtehgurh. 
In  this  year,  1840,  the  work  of  translating  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  and  preparing  other  reli- 
gious books  and  tracts,  began  to  be  reported 
as  occupying  much  of  the  time  of  some  of  the 
missionaries.  One  of  these  works  was  a  trans- 
lation of  the  Gospel  of  John  from  the  original 
Greek  into  Punjabi,  the  language  of  the  Sikhs; 


446 


IIINDOSTAN. 


laotber  was  the  Confession  of  Fiilth  of  the 
PrasbyteriaD  Church  into  IJiiuIustnni,  with 
the  Scriptnrc  references  at  the  bottom  of  the 

^In  the  ycAT  1841,  churches  were  organized 
At  Sahurunpur  and  Futtchgurh,  and  twcnty- 
teven  native  members  were  reported  at  all  the 
stations. 

The  Rev.  Messrs.  Levi  Janvier  and  John 
Wray,  and  their  wives,  reached  India  in  Jan- 
nary,  1842,  and  were  stationed — the  former  at 
Lodiana,  and  the  latter  at  AllaHttbad.  Messrs. 
Morrison  and  Caldwell  were  married.  Mrs. 
Porter  was  called  this  year  to  her  rest.  Dr. 
Willis  Green  reached  India  in  November ; 
spent  a  few  months  at  Lodiana  ;  and  returned 
home,  the  climate  not  suiting  his  health. 
Churches  were  organized  at  Saharunpur  and 
Futtehgurh,  and  the  year  was  further  signal- 
ized by  the  organization  of  three  Presbyteries 
under  the  instructions  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, composed  of  the  ministers  in  each  mission, 
and  taking  their  names,  like  the  missions, 
from  the  leading  city,  or  the  station  first  occu- 
pied, in  the  bounds  of  each  :  Lodiana,  Fur- 
rukhabad,  and  Allahabad.  The  brethren  at 
Saharunpur  being  ecclesiastically  related  to 
the  General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  were  constituted  by  their  Synod 
into  a  separate  Presbytery.  Their  relations 
to  the  Board  as  missionaries  are  the  same  as 
those  of  the  other  brethren,  and  the  intercourse 
between  them  has  been  mutually  pleasant  and 
beneficial.  A  part  of  their  support  has  always 
been  furnished  by  churches  of  the  Reformed 
Synod. 

The  year  1843  was  marked  by  the  arrival  in 
India  of  the  Rev.  John  J.  Walsh  and  his  wife, 
who  were  connected  with  the  Furrukhabad 
mission  ;  the  death  of  the  second  Mrs.  Morri- 
son ;  the  return  to  this  country  of  Mr.  Rogers 
and  family,  on  account  of  Mrs.  Rogers's  ill- 
health  ;  and  of  Mr.  Morrison,  also  for  health  ; 
the  forming  of  a  new  station  at  Mynpurie,  40 
miles  west  of  Futtehgurh ;  the  licensure  of  the 
native  assistants,  Golok  Nath  and  Gopeenath 
Nundy,  by  the  Presbyteries  of  Lodiana  and 
Furrukhabad  ;  and  the  steady  advance  of  the 
missionary  work.  The  church  members  re- 
ported at  Allahabad  in  January  were  nine 
Americans,  three  Europeans,  eight  East  In- 
dians, and  eleven  natives ;  in  all  thirty-one. 

In  1844,  Mr.  Owen  was  married.  Gopeenath 
Nundy  was  ordained.  Parts  of  the  Bible,  in  a 
revised  translation,  were  printed  at  Lodiana  in 
Hindustani.  A  translation  of  the  Koran  into 
the  same  language,  by  a  Maulavi,  with  an  In- 
troduction and  Notes,  refuting  its  errors,  by 
the  Rev.  J.  Wilson,  was  published  at  Allahur 
bad,  marking  quite  a  new  era  in  Mohammedan 
literature.  A  larger  number  of  tracts  and 
books  were  distributed  in  the  Lodiana  Mission 
than  during  any  former  year,  and  all  the 
branches  of  missionary  laVjor  were  faithfully 
carried  forward.    I'he  number  of  church  mem- 


bers reported  at  Futtehgurh  this  year  was 
twenty-seven,  of  whom  sixteen  were  natives. 

The  next  vear  witnessed  the  death  of  Mr. 
Craig  at  Sanarunpur,  and  of  Mrs.  Jamieson 
at  Sabathu ;  the  return  to  this  country  of  Mr. 
Morris  on  account  of  health  ;  the  destruction 
by  fire  of  the  printing-press,  book-repository, 
&c.,  at  Lodiana,  causing  the  loss  of  about 
$10,000  worth  of  property,  including  upwards 
of  90,000  copies  of  parts  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures and  of  tracts.  In  general,  the  labors  of 
the  missionaries  were  continued  without  change. 
In  November  of  this  year,  the  first  meeting  of 
the  Synod  of  North  India  was  held  at  Futteh- 
gurh. Important  questions,  concerning  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  in  India,  received  the  earn- 
est consideration  of  its  members. 

In  1846,  Mr.  Jamieson  visited  this  country, 
to  provide  for  the  education  of  his  motherless 
children  ;  Mr.  H.  R.  Wilson  and  family  also 
returned,  on  account  of  Mrs.  Wilson's  health ; 
and  Miss  Vanderveer  came  home  also  on  ac-  • 
count  of  impaired  health  ;  Mr.  Morrison  having 
regained  his  health,  returned  to  India  with  his 
wife ;  Mr.  Rudolph,  a  German  teacher,  and  his 
wife,  who  had  spent  some  years  in  India,  be- 
came connected  with  the  Lodiana  Mission, 
and  Mr.  Rudolph  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  A  new  station  was  formed  at  Agra ; 
and  a  number  of  the  members  of  the  church 
at  Allahabad  having  removed  to  that  city 
upon  the  transfer  of  the  government  offices, 
they  were  reorganized  as  a  church,  with  other 
members,  making  in  all  fifteen,  under  the  min- 
isterial charge  of  the  missionaries.  At  Fut- 
tegurh,  the  number  of  church  members  re- 
ported was  thirty-four.  At  Allahabad,  a 
church  building,  78  feet  by  45,  was  erected  ; 
while,  to  the  communion  of  the  church  itself, 
it  was  stated  that  from  its  commencement 
seventy-four  persons  had  been  admitted,  fifty- 
one  of  whom  were  received  on  the  profession 
of  their  faith.  The  Government  college  at 
Allahabad  was  transferred  to  the  mission,  and 
the  Christian  religion  and  books  became  a 
part  of  the  daily  study  of  the  scholars. 

Early  in  1847,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Augustus 
H.  Seeley  and  David  Irving  and  their  wives, 
and  Mr.  Robert  M.  Munnis,  licentiate  preach- 
er, arrived  at  Calcutta,  on  their  way  to  the 
Furrukhabad  Mission.  Mr.  Jamieson,  on  his 
return  to  his  field  of  labor,  with  his  wife, 
reached  Calcutta  in  November.  Mr.  Camp- 
bell  with  his  family  arrived  in  this  country  on 
a  visit,  on  account  of  his  wife's  health.  Mr. 
Rudolph  and  Golok  Nath  were  ordained  as 
Evangelists  by  the  Presbytery  of  Lodiana, 
and  Mr.  Munnis  by  the  Presbytery  of  Furruk- 
habad. A  new  station  was  formed  at  Jalan- 
dar,  in  the  Punjab,  about  thirty  miles  west  of 
Lodiana,  which  was  occupied  by  the  Rev.  Go- 
lok Nath  and  a  native  teacher.  Churches 
were  organized  at  Sabathu  and  Jalandar. 
Some  new  members  were  admitted  to  most  of 
the  churches ;  and  the  number  reported  from 


HINDOSTAN. 


447 


all  the  stations,  except  Agra  and  Saharunpur, 
was  107. 

In  January,  1848,  the  Eev.  A.  Alexander 
Hodge  and  his  wife,  and  the  Kev.  Charles  W. 
Forman,  arrived  in  India.  The  former  joined 
the  Allahabad,  and  the  latter  the  Lodiana 
Mission.  In  November,  Mr.  Campbell  and 
his  wife  reached  Calcutta,  on  their  return  to 
Saharunpur,  accompanied  by  the  Rev.  John 
S.  Woodside  and  his  wife,  of  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church,  destined  to  the  same  sta- 
tion. Mr.  Julius  F.  UUman,  a  German  teach- 
er, who  had  lived  for  some  years  in  India,  be- 
came connected  with  the  Furrukhabad  Mis- 
sion, and  was  licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  by 
the  Presbytery.  Mr.  Porter  returned  to  this 
country  on  a  visit  with  his  motherless  children, 
and  Mr.  Rankin  and  his  family  came  home  on 
account  of  his  ill-health.  Mrs.  Scott  was 
called  to  her  rest  while  on  her  return  to  this 
country  for  her  health.  A  new  station  was 
formed  at  Ambala,  a  city  almost  equally  dis- 
tant from  Lodiana,  Saharunpar,  and  Sabathu, 
which  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Jamieson  and  a 
nativ3  catechist.  Some  new  members  were 
admitted  to  the  churches,  and  a  few  were  sus- 
pended from  church  privileges.  The  second 
meeting  of  the  Synod  of  North  India  was 
held  at  Agra,  in  December  of  this  year.  The 
minutes  of  this  meeting,  and  also  of  the  first 
meeting,  are  published  in  the  Foreign  Mission- 
ary Chronicle  of  November,  1849.  They  will 
be  read  in  future  ages,  as  well  as  at  the  present 
time,  with  deep  interest. 

In  the  next  year,  Mr.  Porter  returned,  with 
his  wife,  to  his  field  of  labor ;  Mrs.  Rudolph 
and  Mrs.  Freeman  were  taken  to  their  rest  ; 
and  Messrs.  Irving  and  AVray  and  their  fami- 
lies returned  to  this  country  on  account  of 
health.  Mr.  Ullman  received  ordination  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Furrukhabad,  and  John 
Hari,  a  native  catechist,  was  licensed  to  preach 
the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  Allahabad. 
A  new  station  was  formed  at  Labor,  the  chief 
city  of  the  Punjab,  which  was  occupied  by 
Messrs.  Newton  and  Forman.  A  church  was 
organized  at  Ambala,  and  a  special  work  of 
grace  was  manifested  at  Futtehgurh,  as  the 
result  of  which  thirty-three  members  were  ad- 
mitted to  the  communion  of  the  church.  The 
whole  number  of  church  members  reported 
this  year  was  16  . 

The  year  1850  was  marked  by  the  arrival 
in  India  of  the  Rev.  James  H.  Orbison,  to 
join  the  Lodiana  Mission  ;  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
David  E.  Campbell  and  Robert  S.  Fullerton 
and  their  wives,  to  join  the  Furrukhabad  Mis- 
sion ;  and  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Lawrence  G.  Hay 
and  Horatio  W.  Shaw  and  their  wives,  to  be 
connected  with  the  Allahabad  Mission ;  and 
by  the  return  to  this  country  of  Mr.  Hodge 
and  his  wife,  on  account  of  her  health,  and  of 
Mr.  Freeman,  whose  health  had  also  become 
impaired.  The  number  of  church  members  re- 
ported this  year  was  209. 


Messrs.  J.  Wilson  and  "W.  H.  McAuley  and 
their  families  came  home  in  1851,  on  account 
of  health.  Mr.  Freeman,  with  his  wife,  re- 
turned to  his  field  of  labor,  and  Messrs.  Ru- 
dolph and  Ullman  were  married.  The  num- 
ber of  church  members  reported  this  year  was 
231. 

In  1852,  Mr.  Scott  made  a  visit  to  this 
country  on  account  of  his  children,  and  Mr. 
Newton  and  his  family  came  home  on  account 
of  his  health.  The  Rev.  Robert  E.  Williams 
embarked  for  India,  and  arrived  at  Agra  early 
in  the  following  year.  Schools  were  now 
established  at  this  city  for  the  education  of  the 
children  of  persons  of  mixed  parentage,  Euro- 
pean and  native,  who  are  commonly  called 
East  Indians,  a  class  of  growing  numbers,  in- 
telligence, and  influence.  The  members  of  the 
church,  according  to  the  report  of  this  year,^ 
were  255. 

The  buildings  required  for  their  use  were 
purchased,  with  the  aid  of  very  handsome 
donations  from  the  late  lamented  Governor  of 
the  North-western  Provinces,  the  Hon.  J. 
Thomason,  and  other  English  friends.  One 
feature  of  the  missionary  cause  in  India  should 
be  mentioned  in  this  connection,  as  truly  grati- 
fying. From  the  beginning  the  missionaries 
have  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  many  of  the 
English  residents  in  that  country — civilians, 
officers  in  the  army,  and  others.  With  the 
best  knowledge  of  the  work  in  progress,  they 
have  considered  it  their  privilege  to  promote 
it  by  their  sympathy,  influence,  and  very  lib- 
eral gifts ;  and  thus  have  they  greatly  encour- 
aged the  missionary  brethren,  gratified  the 
friends  of  missions  in  this  country,  and  pro- 
moted the  cause  of  the  Redeemer. 

In  1853,  Mr.  Scott,  with  his  wife,  returned 
to  India  ;  Mr.  Orbison  was  married  ;  and  Mrs. 
Seeley  and  Mr.  Porter  were  called  to  their 
rest.  The  work  of  the  missions  continued  to 
be  carried  forward  with  fidelity  and  zeal. 

The  preceding  sketch  conveys  a  very  inade- 
quate view  of  the  work  of  evangelization 
which  our  brethren  in  India  have  been  permit- 
ted already  to  accomplish.  Besides  preaching 
statedly  at  their  various  stations,  they  are 
accustomed  during  the  cold  months  of  each 
year  to  make  journeys  into  parts  of  the  coun- 
try not  yet  occupied,  in  order  to  make  known 
the  way  of  life  by  public  discourses,  conversa- 
tion, and  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures 
and  other  Christian  books.  To  thousands  of 
towns  and  villages  has  the  Gospel  been  pub- 
lished on  these  tours.  They  are  accustomed 
also  to  attend  the  Melas  held  at  particular 
times  and  places.  These  are  assemblages  of 
the  natives  for  religious  ceremonies,  but  are 
attended  by  many  for  purposes  of  trade  or 
amusement—so  that  they  may  be  regarded  as 
a  kind  of  fair.  They  are  held  at  places  ac- 
counted holy,  such  as  Hardwar,  where  the 
Ganges  enters  the  plains,  and  Allahabad, 
where  the  Gauges,  the  Jumna,  and  according 


448 


niNDOSTAN. 


to  the  native  tradition  a  third  river,  invisible, 
unite  their  streams.  Immense  crowds,  amount- 
ing to  hundreds  of  thousands,  including  many 
pi^rims  and  visitors  from  the  most  distant 
parts  of  the  land,  attend  the  more  celebrated 
of  these  Melas ;  and  there  are  numerous  others 
of  less  note,  attended  by  people  from  the 
neighboring  towns  and  villages.  They  afford 
opportunities  for  widely  disseminating  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel.  'Jlie  good  influence 
exerted  in  this  way  will  not  be  known  until 
the  great  day  reveals  it,  but  sometimes  it  is 
signally  displayed.  An  aged  Brahmin  had 
made  a  pilgrimage  from  Jubbelpore  to  attend 
the  Mela  at  Allahabad,  a  journey  of  several 
hundred  miles,  to  wash  away  his  sins  in  the 
Ganges.  There  he  heard  a  discourse  by  one 
of  the  missionaries,  which  shook  his  faith  in 
Hindooisra.  He  returned  home  without  hav- 
•  ing  had  an  interview  with  the  missionary,  and 
was  led  by  the  pers^aasion  of  a  Qazi  to  study 
the  Koran  ;  but  he  found  in  Mohammedanism 
no  rest  for  his  troubled  mind.  Having  by 
some  means  obtained  a  portion  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, he  carefully  studied  its  lessons,  and 
taught  them  to  his  only  daughter.  At  this 
point,  an  English  officer  became  acquainted 
with  him,  and  found  that  he  had  renounced  his 
own  religion,  and  was  sincerely  seeking  a 
knowledge  of  the  Christian  faith  in  the  face 
of  many  difficulties.  A  Hindi  Bible  for  him 
was  requested  from  one  of  the  missionaries  at 
Agra,  and  thus  his  history  became  known  to 
the  missionary  brethren. 

Another  means  of  promoting  a  knowledge 
of  the  Christian  religion  has  been  afforded  by 
the  press.  Numerous  tracts  and  catechisms, 
in  various  Hindoo  dialects,  and  some  larger 
works,  have  been  published.  The  Way  of 
Life,  by  Dr.  Hodge,  translated  into  Hindus- 
tani ;  another  work,  with  a  similar  title,  by  a 
German  missionary  ;  a  translation  of  the  Ko- 
ran into  Hindustani,  with  notes  in  refutation 
of  its  errors ;  the  Westminster  Confession  of 
Faith  ;  a  volume  of  hymns  ;  revised  editions 
of  the  Scriptures,  in  whole  or  in  part ;  a  trans- 
lation of  the  books  of  Genesis,  Exodus,  chap- 
ters 1-20,  and  Psalms,  and  most  of  the  New 
Testament,  into  Punjabi,  by  Messrs.  Newton 
and  Janvier,  are  among  the  larger  works  is- 
sued by  the  press.  The  whole  amount  of 
printing  at  Lodiana  and  Allahabad  from  the 
beginning  is  over  one  hundred  millions  of 
pages,  of  which  the  sacred  writings  form  a 
large  portion.  By  means  of  these  Christian 
books  a  large  amount  of  truth,  subversive  of 
idolatry  and  Mohammedanism,  and  setting 
forth  the  true  religion,  has  been  widely  difiused. 
Some  striking  examples  of  good  which  has 
been  done  in  this  way,  sometimes  in  places  far 
remote  from  the  stations  of  our  brethren,  have 
been  reported  in  their  letters. 

Still  another  important  agency  has  been  the 
schools  of  the  missions.  These  have  been  sup- 
ported from  the  beginning,  it  having  been  con- 


sidered from  the  commencement  of  the  work 
an  object  of  the  greatest  importance  to  train 
up  a  native  ministry ;  and  the  number  of 
scholars  has  gradually  increased  until,  aa 
stated  in  the  report  of  1854,  about  two  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  of  the  native  youth  are  now 
under  instruction.  A  few  of  the  scholars  are 
in  elementary  schools,  but  most  of  them  are  in 
schools  of  a  higher  grade ;  and  all  of  them 
have  been  brought  in  greater  or  less  degree 
under  the  influence  of  Christian  instruction 
and  example.  A  large  proportion  of  them 
have  become  convinced  of  the  folly,  and  in 
some  measure  of  the  sin,  of  idolatry.  Many  of 
them  are  prepared  to  acknowledge  that  Chris- 
tianity is  the  true  religion  ;  some  of  them  have 
become  the  professed  followers  of  our  Lord, 
and  a  few  are  laboring  in  various  ways — one 
as  an  ordained  minister,  others  as  teachers,  ca- 
techists,  and  Scripture-readers — to  bring  their 
countrymen  to  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  Saviour  of  sinners. 

The  preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  these  mis- 
sions has  not  been  in  vain,  as  the  preceding 
statements  have  shown.  It  is  with  sincere 
thanksgiving  that  we  can  refer  to  still  another 
and  more  impressive  proof  of  the  blessing  of 
God  on  the  labors  of  his  servants, — the  Chris- 
tian life  and  the  dying  testimony  of  some  of 
the  converts,  to  the  power  of  divine  grace.  An 
affecting  and  beautiful  little  memoir  was  pub- 
lished by  Mr.  Warren,  a  few  years  ago,  of 
Jatni,  a  member  of  the  church  at  Allahabad. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  a  Brahmin,  but  she 
became  a  child  of  God.  In  all  the  relations 
and  events  of  life,  her  deportment  was  exem- 
plary. And  when  called  at  length  to  pass 
over  Jordan,  she  was  supported  by  a  good 
hope  through  grace.  Mr.  Warren,  with  ten- 
der caution,  had  apprised  her  of  the  probable 
termination  of  her  disease  ;  and  he  adds,  "  I 
was  delighted  to  find  that  she  had  thought  of 
it,  and  had  come  to  feel  willing  that  God 
should  do  with  her,  as  to  life  just  as  he 
pleased.  I  questioned  her  closely,  and  set 
death  and  the  judgment  before  her  plainly; 
but  her  nerves  were  firm,  her  eye  clear,  and 
her  voice  calm  and  steady  :  '  I  know  Christ, 
and  can  fully  and  completely  trust  him  in  all 
things.  He  keeps  my  mind  in  perfect  peace.' 
I  saw  her  often,  and  always  found  her  the 
same."  She  was  enabled  to  resign  her  soul, 
her  husband  and  her  child  to  the  care  of  her 
Father  in  heaven,  and  at  the  early  age  of 
twenty-two  she  departed  joyfully  to  be  with 
Christ.  Another  example  hardly  less  striking 
was  presented  in  the  Christian  death  of  a  na- 
tive catcchist  at  Saharunpur.  His  missionary 
friend,  Mr.  Campbell,  who  had  frequent  and 
most  pleasing  interviews  with  him  on  his 
death-bed,  gives  a  very  interesting  account  of 
his  religious  views  and  hopes  :  "  I  asked  hira 
if  he  was  afraid  to  die  ?  '  No,  sir,'  he  said, '  I 
am  not  now  afraid.  ...  I  am  now  fully  recon- 
ciled to  the  will  of  God.    I  do  not  wish  to  live 


flINDOSTAN. 


M9 


longer  in  this  sinful  world.'  On  being  asked 
where  his  hopes  for  salvation  were  placed,  he 
replied  emphatically, '  On  Christ  alone :  he  is 
the  only  Saviour,  and  I  know  he  will  not  dis- 
appoint my  hopes  ; '  and  then,  bursting  into 
tears,  he  said,  '  0  sir,  how  much  I  owe  to  you  ! 
You  are  the  means  of  leading  me  to  Christ, 
and  of  instructing  me  and  saving  my  soul.' 
This  was  so  much  more  than  I  had  expected,  it 
was  too  much  for  me,  and  we  both  wept  toge- 


ther. At  that  moment  I  thought  that  this  was 
more  than  enough  to  compensate  me  for  all 
the  little  trials  I  have  ever  been  called  to  en- 
dure as  a  missionary.  I  could  have  changed 
places  with  dear  Samuel,  to  enjoy  his  happi- 
ness and  assurance  of  hope."  Examples  like 
these  are  precious  seals  of  the  favor  of  Heaven 
towards  the  missionary  work. — Lowrie's  Manur 
al  of  Missions. 


TABULAR   VIEW. 


MISSIONS. 


LODIAWA, 


FUBBUKHABAD. . . 


Agra 

AiLAHABAD. 


Names  of  Stations, 


Lodiana  .... 
Saharunpur . 
Sabathu  . . . . 

Ambala 

Jalandar.... 

Labor , 

Dehra  

Futtegurh. . , 
Mynpurie  . . . 

Agra 

Allahabad . . . 
Futtehpore.. 
Ida 

Total 


1 
li 

Missionaries  &  Ass't  Missionaries. 

i 

SCHOLABS. 

Ministers. 

Lay  Teachers  and 
others. 

Boarding. 

Day. 

.1 

d 

1 

Americaiv 

i 

a 
6 

1 

1 

i 

b 

^ 

Male. 

Female 

1834 

2 

3 

1 

19 

18 

231 

249 

1836 

2 

2 

3 

24 

9 

150 

., 

159 

1836 

.. 

1848 

2 

2 

2 

14 

90 

90 

1847 

1 

.. 

1 

7 

250 

250 

1849 

3 

2 

8 

395 

395 

1853 

1 

., 

.. 

^, 

1838 

4 

4 

4 

97 

18 

15 

640 

45 

718 

1843 

1 

1 

2 

5 

220 

220 

1846 

4 

3 

2 

45 

118 

50 

168 

1836 

4 

4 

7 

47 

18 

415 

30 

463 

1852 

1 

.. 

2 

,. 

100 

100 

1853 

•• 

•• 

2 

•• 

120 

120 

23 

2 

21 

26 

266 

27 

51 

2729 

125 

2932 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. — For  many 
years  Dr.  Coke  had  desired  to  enter  India  as  a 
missionary  field,  but  the  keys  of  India  were  in 
the  hands  of  the  East  India  Company,  and  they 
kept  them  with  the  same  jealous  care  as  they 
did  the  keys  of  their  counting-houses.  The 
Doctor  had  often  sounded  individuals  of  the 
Company,  but  without  effect.  The  island  of 
Ceylon,  not  being  in  the  Company's  charter, 
became  the  object  of  Dr.  Coke's  attention  with 
the  hope  that  it  might  prepare  the  way  for 
entrance  into  India.  Finding  certain  gentle- 
men, high  in  ofiBce,  willing  to  encourage  the 
Gospel  in  the  East,  Dr.  Coke  became  satisfied 
of  his  call  to  go,  provided  he  could  find  six 
young  men  of  hopeful  talents  willing  to  devote 
their  lives  to  the  work.  He  waited  on  the 
late  D^k  Buchanan,  and  consulted  him  on  the 
subject.  And  when  his  intentions  became 
known,  five  preachers  already  in  the  work, 
expressed  their  readiness  to  go.  To  these 
were  added  Benjamin  Clough,  a  local  preacher. 
The  conference  could  not  but  approve  of  the 
plan,  as  Providence  obviously  opened  the  way ; 
the  Doctor  being  willing  if  necessary  to  bear 
the  expense  of  the  outfit,  which  amounted  to 
above  £6000.  After  the  conference  of  1813,  he 
assembled  the  six  brethren  in  London,  and  pro- 
cured them  a  Portuguese  tutor,  together  with 
a  printing-press  and  types,  as  one  or  two  of 
the  missionaries  understood  the  art  of  printing. 
29 


Their  books,  clothes  and  other  necessaries, 
were  furnished  suitable  for  a  permanent  resi- 
dence in  India.  Having  established  them- 
selves in  Ceylon  they  soon  turned  their  thoughts 
to  the  continent  of  India,  where  God  seemed 
to  be  opening  their  way  ;  and  it  was  decided 
that  Mr.  Lynch,  the  senior  missionary,  should 
proceed  to  Madras,  which  he  did,  Jan.  25, 1817, 
taking  with  him  letters  of  introduction  from 
persons  of  the  highest  consideration  at  Colum- 
bo,  to  their  friends  at  the  presidency,  which 
insured  for  him  a  kind  reception.  His  piety 
and  zeal  soon  endeared  him  to  all  who  were 
interested  in  the  progress  of  Christianity,  and 
Madras  became  to  him,  in  a  short  time,  a 
scene  of  considerable  usefulness. 

3fr.  ^  Mrs.  Horner  arrived  in  Bombay,  in 
September,  1817,  and  the  day  following  were 
kindly  received  by  Sir  Evan  Nepean,  the  gov- 
ernor. On  the  same  day  he  waited  upon  the 
Bishop  of  Calcutta  who  expressed  his  good 
opinion  of  the  zeal  and  conduct  of  the  Wesley- 
an missionaries  in  Ceylon,  and  wished  Mr. 
Horner  equal  success  at  Bombay.  Mr.  Horner 
immediately  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  the 
Mahratta  language  under  the  tuition  of  a  Brah- 
min. He  soon  acquired  the  language,  and 
began  to  preach  to  the  people  :  he  also  gather- 
ed a  school  of  fifty  boys,  to  whose  instruction 
he  devoted  himself.  In  1819  the  English  and 
Malabar  school  of  Mr.  Lynch  was  attended  by 


450 


HINDOSTAJN. 


150  cbiidrcD,  and  Uie  Mobratta  school  of  Mr. 
Horner  had  180.  lu  consequence  of  applica- 
tion from  Europcttu  residents  at  Bangalwc  and 
S$rinsxtyatam,  in  the  presidency  of  Madras, 
Mr.  HooU  and  Mu  if  Mrs.  Mowatt  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  missionary  committee  to  proceed 
to  those  stations,  Mr.  Close  having  been  pre- 
viously directed  to  assist  Mr.  Lynch  at  Madras. 
On  the  19th  May,  1820,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mowatt, 
and  Mr.  Hoole  embarked  at  Gravesend,  in  the 
Tanjore,  a  private  trader,  in  company  with 
Sir  Richard  Ottely,  Chief-justice  of  Ceylon,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Browning,  of  the  Church  of  England 
Missionary  Society,  and  Adam  Muuhi  Rathana 
and  Alexander  Derma  Rama,  two  Budhist 
priests,  who  had  been  educated  and  baptized 
in  England  by  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  under  the 
eanction  of  the  Methodist  Missionary  Commit- 
tee. On  the  5th  of  September,  the  vessel  an- 
chored off  the  river,  near  Batticaloa.  The  day 
following  having  landed  some  baggage,  they 
weighed  anchor,  but  had  not  sailed  far  before 
they  were  overtaken  by  a  tremendous  storm, 
in  which  the  vessel  was  set  on  fire  by  lightning, 
ond  they  escaped  with  the  loss  of  everything 
on  board.  In  1821  both  the  missionaries  were 
obliged  to  leave  Bombay  on  account  of  afflic- 
tion. But  at  Madras  the  brethren  were  ena- 
bled to  labor  with  considerable  encouragement, 
where  they  had  then  147  persons  united  with 
them  in  church  fellowship,  and  4  schools  which 
were  well  attended,  instructions  being  communi- 
cated in  Tamil  and  English.  In  1823  Seringa- 
vaiam  was  added  to  the  list  of  stations,  Mr.  Hoole 
Deing  placed  there.  So  that  this  year  they 
were  regularly  established  at  Madras,  where 
they  had  four  missionaries,  at  Bangalore,  where 
they  had  one,  at  Negapatam,  where  they  had 
two,  and  one  at  Seringapatam  ;  the  number  of 
members  being  191,  composed  of  English,  Por- 
tuguese, Dutch,  and  Hindoos.  They  had 
erected  nine  or  ten  chapels,  with  as  many 
schools;  one  of  the  chapels  and  two  of  the 
schools  being  at  -S^.  Thomas's  Mmnt.  In  1827 
the  schools  had  increased  to  16,  with  542  child- 
ren, and  the  church  members  to  251,  but  part 
of  this  increase  of  the  members  had  arisen  from 
the^  number  of  pious  soldiers  in  regiments 
which  had  been  just  landed  in  India,  on  ac- 
count of  the  war  then  raging  between  the  Bri- 
tish and  the  Burmese,  during  which  Dr.  Judson 
and  his  devoted  wife  were  suffering  such  "  fiery 
trials,"  at  the  hands  of  the  latter  power.  In 
proportion  as  the  natives  began,  on  conviction, 
to  attach  themselves  to  their  societies,  the 
usual  trials  are  narrated  by  the  missionaries. 
Many  of  the  converts  had  to  endure  the  keen- 
est persecution,  and  all  the  injuries  connected 
with  loss  of  caste,  and  expulsion  from  their 
families  ;  but  by  their  faith  and  patience  they 
showed,  that  they  willingly  "  counted  all  things 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  Jesus  their  Lord." 

In   1830  the  number  of  missionaries  was 
nine  ;  of  schools  25  ;  and  of  scholars  1,000,  of 


I  whom  many  were  females ;  with  314  members 
in  Society.  This  year  Calcutta  was  added  to 
the  list  of  stations,  with  Messrs.  Fercivai  and 
liodson  as  the  laborers  there.  They  operated 
chiefly  among  the  Portuguese  and  Bengalee 
inhabitants  of  that  city,  and  soon  found  a 
wide  and  promising  field  of  labor,  both  among 
the  young  and  the  adult  population.  Two 
years  afterwards,  however,  the  committee  in 
London  considered  that  this  mission  had  not 
presented  those  results  which  would  warrant 
its  continuance.  The  station  was  given  up, 
Mr.  Percival  being  sent  to  Ceylon,  and  Mr. 
liodson  to  Bangalore. 

A  native  ministry  was  raised  up  from  tho 
ranks  of  the  local  preachers,  who  cooperated 
with  their  European  brethren  in  preaching 
Clirist  to  their  countrymen.  The  printing-press 
was,  meanwhile,  at  work,  diffusing  a  Christian 
literature  among  the  people,  and  quietly  under- 
mining their  systems  of  falsehood  and  pollu- 
tion, which  had  stood  for  ages,  only  to  depravo 
and  oppress  their  wretched  adherents. 

In  the  year  1837,  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Crow- 
ther  was  appointed  General  Superintendent  of 
the  India  Missions.  He  was  accompanied  by 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  Best,  Jenkins,  Male,  Griffith, 
and  Fox,  and  their  families.  After  shipwreck 
and  much  suffering,  they  at  length  arrived  in 
safety.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  as  an  exempli- 
fication of  the  advantages  derived  to  the  mis- 
sionary cause  from  the  Theological  Institution, 
founded  by  the  Wesleyans  only  three  years 
before*,  that  these  five  missionaries  having  been 
students  in  the  Theological  Institution,  had 
gained  such  a  knowledge  of  the  lamil  and 
Canarese  languages  before  their  embarkation, 
that  on  their  arrival  in  India,  four  of  them 
immediately  commenced  preaching  to  the  peo- 
ple in  Tamil.  This  year  several  conversions 
took  place  among  the  natives,  and  they  were 
received  into  the  Church  of  Christ  by  public 
baptism  at  Madras.  One  of  these  cases  justi- 
fies a  more  extended  notice.  Arumaga  Tarn- 
hiran  was  a  native  of  the  province  of  Tanjore, 
in  Southern  India,  so  much  celebrated  for 
numerous  and  splendid  temples,  and  for  a  pop- 
ulation inveterately  attached  to  caste  and 
heathen  superstitions.  He  was  born  of  highly 
respectable  parents,  and  had  the  advantages  of 
what  is  esteemed  among  his  countrymen,  as  a 
good  education.  He  was  zealous  abov#many 
his  equals,  in  seeking  knowledge,  but  appears 
never  to  have  been  satisfied  in  the  degradation 
of  heathen  worship.  At  a  very  early  age  he 
lost  his  parents,  and  became  united  to  the  sect 
of  Siva,  under  a  celebrated  gooroo,  one  of  his 
relatives.  After  making  pilgrimages  of  many 
thousand  miles,  he  came  back  to  the  land  of 
his  birth.  There  he  had  time  for  reflection. 
In  those  moments  when  he  brought  to  mind 
what  he  had  passed  through,  and  how  all  his 
companions  that  had  set  out  with  him  on  those 
weary  pilgrimages  had  perished,  some  by  fevers, 
some  by  wild  beasts,  and  he  only  left  alive,  his 


HINDOSTAN. 


451 


spirit  was'  agitated,  and  he  groaned  within  |  (looking  at  the  magistrate  with  great  respect 
himself  with  disquietude  of  conscience.    He  and  firmness,)  offered  me  an  asylum,  a  place  in 


conversed  with  several  native  Christians,  and 
heard  the  Gospel  from  the  lips  of  its  ministers. 
He  felt  the  appeals  of  Christians  against  the 
besotted  maxims  and  usages  of  a  defiling  sys- 
t'em  of  heathenism,  whose  vain  sacrifices  and 
bloody  orgies  proclaim  in  every  high  place 
that  its  worship  is  that  of  devils,  and  not  of 
the  true  God.  The  conversion  of  one  of  his 
pupils  was  the  means  of  leading  to  the  first 
interview  between  Sambrian  and  Mr.  Carver. 
His  intelligent  mind  soon  opened  to  convic- 
tion, and  he  at  once  entered  upon  an  investi- 
gation of  the  claims  of  Christianity,  and  the 
result  was  his  conversion.  He  soon  evidenced 
his  sincerity  by  sacrificing  all  for  Christ. 
This  aroused  the  bitterest  opposition.  Several 
of  his  former  disciples,  assisted  by  other  hea- 
then, attempted  to  carry  him  off  by  force  j 
and  an  appeal  had  to  be  made  to  the  protec- 
tion of  the  law.  In  the  court-house,  before 
the  magistrate,  and  a  multitude  of  his  fellow- 
countrymen,  he  "witnessed  a  good  confession." 
He  appeared  in  the  court  in  his  heathen  robes 
for  the  last  time,  only  that  he  might  be  iden- 
tified there  as  the  head  of  his  order.  On  that 
occasion  he  rose  and  addressed  the  magistrate 
as  follows : 

"  Sir,  I  am  a  man  well  known  in  Madras, 
having  resided  in  this  city  since  1824.  I  was 
born  in  the  province  of  I'anjore.  I  was  united 
when  very  young  to  the  sect  of  Siva,  in  whose 
robes  I  appear  before  you  this  day.  For  many 
years  I  was  engaged  in  traveling  by  way  of 
Delhi,  and  other  great  cities,  to  the  holy  places 
of  the  Hindoos.  I  dwelt  three  years  at  Casi 
in  Bengal,  thence  I  traveled  along  the  coast 
to  Madras,  by  way  of  Juggernaut.  I  visited 
all  the  holy  places  in  the  south  of  India,  and 
went  by  Ramiscram  to  Ceylon,  visited  Mannar, 
Colombo,  Candy,  the  holy  places  called  Kat- 
teragan,  on  the  east  side  of  Ceylon,  and  re- 
turned by  Batticaloa,  Trincomallee,  and  Jaffna, 
to  the  continent.  Fifty  years  of  my  life  have 
been  thus  spent.  I  sought  all  heathen  books, 
but  found  ^wthingfor  the  soul.  I  have  taught 
many  hundred  disciples,  as  you  know,"  (for  the 
magistrate  knew  him  well,  and  congratulated 
the  missionary  on  having  such  a  convert.) 
He  continued :  "  I  found  nothing  in  Iieathen 
booh,  in  heathen  temples,  in  heathen  ceremo- 
nies to  satisfy  the  soul.  I  met  with  this  minis- 
ter, (pointing  to  Mr.  Carver,)  and  he  opened  to 
my  understanding  the  way  of  salvation,  the 
treasures  of  the  Scriptures  :  they  suited  my 
dissatified  heart ;  I  went  again  and  again  to 
the  missionary ;  I  determined  to  abandon 
heathenism.  By  heathenism  I  got  money  in 
abundance,  and  honors.  I  was  worshiped  by 
my  disciples ;  but  my  soul  sunk  back  at  the 
blasphemy  against  the  God  of  whom  I  had 
heard.  I  knew  not  how  to  escape  from  my 
heathen  friends  and  disciples,  who  were  about 
ibe  on   every  side,   when  this  minister,  sir, 


the  Mission  premises.  There,'  sir,  I  went  of 
my  own  free  choice,  there  I  was  when  the 
heathen  made  the  violent  attempt  to  carry  me 
away  by  force,  there  I  wish  to  remain  and  be 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus;  to  teach  others 
also  of  this  Saviour,  as  some  little  attempt  to 
remedy  the  evils  of  having  taught  so  many 
heathen  disciples  a  false  way  in  time  past." 

The  circumstance  of  one  who  had  occupied 
so  high  a  station  renouncing  his  honors  and 
emoluments,  and  subjecting  himself  to  reproach 
and  persecution,  for  the  sake  of  Christianity, 
awoke  the  spirit  of  inquiry  ;  and  his  Poem,  in 
which  he  contrasted  Christianity  and  heathen- 
ism, was  eagerly  inquired  after,  and  exten- 
sively read.  Three  editions  in  a  few  weeks 
could  not  satisfy  the  demand.  Every  one 
wanted  a  copy;  they  were  carried  far  and 
wide  by  the  natives,  sung  in  the  streets, 
and  even  reaS  by  the  children;  until  the 
spirit  of  the  heathen  was  excited  to  opposi- 
tion. The  American  missionaries  at  Madras 
printed  an  edition  of  10,000  copies,  besides  an 
edition  published  by  the  Madras  Religious 
Tract  Society.  From  80,000  to  100,000  copies 
were  distributed  in  a  few  months.  The  effect 
produced  by  the  conversion  of  this  distin- 
guished individual  was  so  great,  that  a  Eu- 
ropean missionary,  who  had  spent  forty  years 
in  India,  and  who  was  present  at  his  baptism, 
declared  "  he  had  not  seen  any  thing  like  it  be- 
fore." The  missionaries  diligently  improved 
the  increasing  opportunities,  which  this  event 
had  afforded,  for  prosecuting  the  work  among 
the  natives. 

In  1838,  Goobee,  in  the  Mysore  country, 
was  occupied  by  the  Wesleyan  missionaries, 
and  Mr.  Hodson  appointed  "to  that  station. 
In  a  few  months  after  he  was  enabled  to  open 
a  mission  in  the  city  of  Mysore.  In  the  older 
stations  in  India  there  had  been  an  increase  in 
the  number  of  professing  Christians,  several 
of  the  heathens  were  baptized,  the  public  ser- 
vices were  weH  attended,  and  the  schools  were 
in  a  prosperous  condition. 

About  this  time  the  various  societies  in 
South  India  were  greatly  agitated  by  the  sub- 
ject of  caste;  but  the  universal  decision  of 
the  missionaries  of  all  denominations  was,  that 
this  odious  distinction  should  be  abolished,  so 
far  as  the  church  of  Christ  was  concerned.  In 
this  year  arrangements  were  made  to  establish 
on  the  Coromandel  coast  an  institution  for 
training  a  native  ministry,  from  the  operation 
of  which  much  assistance  was  expected  in  ad- 
vancing the  work  of  God. 

In  1839,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Arthur,  (now  one 
of  the  General  Secretaries  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society,)  Squarehridge,  Garret,  and 
Pope,  were  sent  out  to  reinforce  the  Indian 
Mission,  and  extend  its  operations  by  planting 
new  stations.  Mr.  Arthur  was  sent  to  Goobee 
and  Mr.  Squarehridge  to  assist  Mr.  Hodson  at 


HINDOSTAJ^. 


Mysore  A  printing-press  waa  also  torwarded 
to  Bangalore,  to  assist  the  missionaries  to  meet 
the  incronsed  demand  for  Christian  books  and 
tracts  in  the  Canarcsc  languages.  In  1841, 
this  mission  experienced  a  painful  reduction 
in  its  strength  and  efficiency.  Mr.  Square- 
bridge  died  of  cholera  at  Coonghull,  Mr.  Fox 
was  also  called  to  his  reward ;  while  Mr. 
Cryer  and  Mr.  Arthur  were  both  obliged  to 
return  home  on  account  of  the  failure  of  their 
health ;  the  committee,  however,  were  enabled 
during  the  next  year  partially  to  supply  the 
vacancies  thus  created,  by  the  appointment  of 
Messi's.  Hardy  and  Sanderson.  This  year  a 
perfect  font  of  Canarese  type  was  prepared  in 
London  for  the  use  of  the  mission.  The  head- 
school  in  Mysore  (the  capital,  with  a  popula- 
tion of  70,000,)  is  patronized  and  supported 
by  the  RajaJi,  much  to  the  displeasure  of  many 
of  the  Brahmins  of  his  court-  He  has  shown 
much  interest  in  some  of  the  operations  of  the 
Mission  ;  and  it  may  be  hoped  that  this  exam- 
ple of  tlie  relaxation  of  Hindoo  bigotry  will 
be  followed  by  many  of  his  subjects.  In  this 
year,  also,  the  officers  of  the  Second  Kegiment 
of  Native  Infantry  erected  a  chapel  at  the 
French  Rocks  Cantonment,  about  five  miles 
N.  E.  of  Seringapatam,  and  presented  it, 
through  Mr,  Hodson,  to  the  Society. 

Mr.  Crowther  having  to  return  home  in 
1843,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Roberts  succeeded  him. 
The  next  year  three  more  missionaries  were 
sent  out. 

The  opposition  awakened  about  this  time 
among  the  Brahmins  and  others,  showed  that 
the  missionaries  were  making  a  decided  im- 
pression upon  the  minds  of  the  population,  and 
this  was  further  evident  by  the  progressive  in- 
crease in  the  number  of  professing  Christians, 
and  in  the  eagerness  with  which  the  people  at 
large  availed  themselves  of  the  instruction 
afforded  in  the  Mission  schools.  The  press  at 
Bangalore  was  meanwhile  diligently  employed ; 
the  amount  of  its  issues  this  year  in  the  Canor 
rese,  Sanscrit,  and  English  languages  was  over 
843,000  pages ;  in  the  next  year  it  was  922,000 
pages ;  and  in  1851  and  1852  it  was  nearly 
two  millions  of  pages  in  each  year  ;  and  over 
100,000  of  the  Canarese  people,  with  more  or 
less  regularity,  had  the  Gospel  preached  to 
them  by  the  missionaries.  In  1849  a  Canarese 
Brahmin  of  high  caste,  with  several  other  con- 
verts, were  baptized  in  Mysore. 

Aft^r  thirty  years  of  devoted  labor  among 
the  Hindoos,  in  Ceylon  and  Continental  India, 
the  Rev.  Joseph  Roberts  was  called  from  his 
work  to  his  eternal  rest.  Mr.  Roberts  received 
his  first  appointment  to  the  East  in  the  year 
1818.  His  vigor  of  mind  made  the  acquisition 
of  the  languages  in  which  he  had  to  labor  a 
work  of  comparative  ease ;  and  his  frank  and 
generous  nature  endeared  him  to  his  colleagues, 
and  to  all  classes  of  the  inhabitants  of  Ceylon, 
for  whose  spiritual  benefit  and  salvation  he 
labored  for  many  years  with  faithfulness  and 


zeol.  In  1833  he  published  a  most  interesting 
volume,  entitled,  "  Oriental  Illustrations  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,"  which  reached  a  second 
edition,  and  has  been  very  much  read  and  ad- 
mired, as  a  remarkable  chapter  in  the  history 
of  the  human  mind,  and  as  throwing  light 
on  numerous  passages  of  holy  Scripture,  which 
has  brought  out  their  meaning  with  peculiar 
beauty  and  force.  He  also  executed  some 
translations  from  the  Tamil  language,  which 
were  published  by  the  Oriental  Translation 
Society  in  London,  connected  with  the  Royal 
Asiatic  Society  for  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
of  which  society  he  was  a  corresponding  mem- 
ber from  an  early  period  of  his  residence  in  the 
East.  In  the  year  1843  he  succeeded  the  Rev. 
Jonathan  Crowther  as  General  Superintendent 
of  the  Society's  Mission  in  the  Presidency  of 
Madras.  In  this  vast  field  he  found  ample  em- 
ployment for  his  sanctified  energies,  and  ad- 
dressed liimself  to  his  work  with  the  utmost 
zeal  and  devotion.  In  preaching  the  word  of 
God  both  to  Europeans  and  natives,  and  in  the 
performance  of  pastoral  duties,  he  was  indefati- 
gable, as  well  as  in  the  superintendence  of 
schools  for  children,  and  catechumen  classes  for 
young  people.  Though  necessarily  engaged 
in  the  management  of  the  temporal  affairs  of 
the  mission  under  his  direction,  he  was  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  Committee  of  the  Madras 
Auxiliary  Bible  Society,  and  of  its  Translation 
Committee,  and  of  several  other  religious  and 
charitable  associations.  In  addition  to  his 
other  engagements,  he  prepared  a  lucid  and 
comprehensive  "Treatise  on  Caste,  and  its 
bearing  on  Christianity  and  Missions,"  which 
was  published  in  England  a  few  years  ago  ;  he 
also  contributed  to  the  "  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Magazine,"  and  other  periodicals,  several  valu- 
able essays  on  Paganism  and  Popery,  and  on 
other  subjects  connected  with  the  work  of  mis- 
sions. The  labors  and  anxieties  connected 
with  the  important  position  he  held,  are  sup- 
posed to  have  weighed  down  his  frame  and 
shortened  his  earthly  career.  He  sunk  into 
the  grave,  exhausted  mainly  by  the  toils  and 
conflicts  of  the  missionary  life.  His  excellent 
widow,  Mrs.  Roberts,  continued  in  India  to 
render  the  aid  of  her  valuable  experience  and 
services  in  the  superintendence  of  the  native 
female  schools. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  impression  produced 
in  favor  of  education  upon  the  minds  of  the 
population  of  Mysore,  it  may  be  stated  that  an 
urgent  petition  from  that  city  was  presented 
to  the  Wesleyan  Confereuve,  held  in  Bradford 
in  1853,  requesting  the  establishment  of  a  first- 
class  English  school  among  them.  This  re- 
markable  and  interesting  document  occupied 
many  folios  of  India  paper  of  a  large  size, 
neatly  backed  with  blue  ribbon.  It  was  a 
petition  from  the  Hindoo  and  Mohammedan 
inhabitants  of  the  city  of  Mysore,  written  in 
the  Canarese  language,  with  an  English  trans- 
lation, and  signed  by  3,340  persons,  in  nine 


HINDOSTAN. 


453 


different  languages.  It  represented 
their  great  desire  to  have  an  Eng- 
lish school  for  their  childi^en,  and 
requested  that  one  might  be  estab- 
lished ;  stating  that,  by  so  doing, 
"  great  fame  and  merit  would  accrue 
to  their  benefactors."  If  a  qualified 
teacher  and  half  the  expenses  could 
be  provided  by  the  Conference, 
the  bearer  of  the  document  enga- 
ged on  behalf  of  the  natives  of  My- 
sore, that  they  would  raise  the  re- 
mainder. This  accomplished,  a 
monthly  grant  of  thirty  pounds 
would  be  given  by  the  liberality  of 
the  Mysore  Commissioner.  It  was 
listened  to  with  deep  interest  and 
attention  by  the  Conference,  and 
the  request  granted.  Perhaps  this 
is  the  first  instance  in  which  an  as- 
sembly of  Christian  ministers  has 
received  a  similar  petition  from  such 
a  number  of  heathens  and  Mussul- 
mans, requesting  the  benefits  of  edu- 
cation at  their  hands,  and  it  re- 
minds us  of  the  prayer  of  the  Man 
of  Macedonia,  "  Come  over  and  help 
us."  The  money  for  this  interesting 
object  was  subscribed,  and  a  valua- 
ble school  apparatus  provided  and 
taken  to  India  at  the  commencement 
of  this  year,  by  Rev.  E.  J.  Hardey. 
At  present.  Rev.  D*  Sanderson  is 
busily  employed  in  London,  with 
Mr.  Watts,  the  type-founder,  in  pre- 
paring new  fonts  of  Canarese  type, 
for  the  use  of  the  printing  establish- 
ment in  Bangalore,  which  will  fur- 
ther increase  its  efficiency, — already 
so  great,  that  few  provincial  offices 
in  England  send  out  more  beautiful 
work,  either  as  to  typography  or 
binding.  The  labors  of  Mr.  Gar- 
rett in  that  department  have  been 
of  distinguished  value  ;  and  Mr. 
Sanderson,  by  able  translations  of 
very  recondite  native  works,  has  done 
much  to  secure  to  the  Christian 
press  a  command  of  the  literature  of 
the  country. 

The  printing  establishment  in 
Bangalore  was  never  so  efficient,  and 
never  promised  such  extensive  use- 
fulness as  at  the  present.  During 
the  year  it  has  issued  59,448  publi- 
cations. It  is  impossible  by  human 
arithmetic  to  calculate  the  real  bene- 
fit which  is  conferred  upon  India  by 
this  one  establishment. — Crowtliefs 
History  of  Methodism ;  Hook's  Mis- 
sion to  Madras ;  W.  Arthur's  Re- 
miniscences of  a  Mission  to  the  My- 
sore;  The  Wesleyan  Missionary  No- 
tices, and  the  Annual  Reports. — Rev. 
W.  Butler. 


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454 


HINDOSTAN. 


Welsh  Calvinmhtio  Methodist  Missionary 
SociKTY.— This  society  sent  out  Rev.  Thomas 
Jones,  in  November,  1840,  who  commenced  a 
station  at  Cherrapuuji,  in  the  north-east  of 
Bengal,  near  Sylhet,  among  the  Kassias,  one 
of  the  hill  tribes.  Other  missionaries  follow- 
ed, and  in  1850  another  station  was  com- 
menced at  Sylhet.  In  1852,  the  number  of 
communicants  at  the  two  stations  was  twenty- 
eight.  Rev.  W.  licwis  has  translated  the 
four  Gospels  and  the  Acts  into  Kassias ;  a 
translation  of  Matthew,  by  Mr.  Jones,  hav- 
ing been  previously  printed  in  the  Roman 
character. — W.  B. 

American  Baptist  Mission  among  the  Te- 
Looaoos. — The  country  of  the  Tdoogoos  lies  on 
the  western  coast  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and 
stretches  nearly  800  miles  from  the  northern 

?art  of  the  Carnatic  to  the  borders  of  Orissa. 
'he  Teloogoos  or  Telin|?is  are  believed  to  be 
descendants  of  an  ancient  and  once  powerful 
race  of  India,  and  though  now  subject  to  dif- 
ferent jurisdictions,  they  are  united  by  a  com- 
mon language  and  common  traditions  as  one 
people.  They  ai-e  generally  estimated  at  up- 
wards of  ten  millions  in  number,  of  whom 
three  millions  dwell  within  the  Northern  Cir- 
cars,  or  collectorates  of  the  presidency  of  Ma- 
dras, while  the  remaining  part  are  under  the 
rule  of  the  Nizam  of  Hyderabad,  or  Golcon- 
dah.  Beyond  this  region  also  they  are  widely 
scattered  over  the  territory  of  Southern  India, 
especially  in  the  districts  of  Tanjore,  Mysore, 
and  the  city  of  Madras.  The  religion  of  the 
Teloogoos  is  Brahminism,  and  the  system  of 
caste  is  established  among  them,  separating 
them  into  classes  and  ranks,  between  which  in- 
tercourse is  impossible.  Each  trade  or  occu- 
pation is  a  caste  by  itself,  and  its  members, 
with  their  families  and  kindred,  cannot  become 
connected,  nor  can  they  even  associate  with 
those  belonging  to  any  other. 

The  mission  of  the  American  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Union  among  this  people  owes  its  ori- 
gin to  the  representations  of  Rev.  Amos  Sut- 
ton, of  the  English  General  Baptist  Mission  in 
Orissa,  during  his  visit  to  the  United  States  in 
1835.  The  London  Missionary  Society  had 
stationed  its  earliest  missionaries  in  India 
among  the  Teloogoos,  but  in  consequence  of 
their  death  and  other  causes,  the  whole  region 
had  been  abandoned.  Their  missionaries  and 
others  dwelling  in  the  neighboring  countries, 
had  prepared  a  gi-ammar  and  dictionary  of  the 
language,  and  had  translated  the  entire  Bible, 
of  which  the  New  Testament,  and  some  books 
of  the  Old,  had  been  printed  in  two  editions, 
one  at  Serampore  and  one  at  Madras.  The 
language  was  said  to  possess  unusual  copious- 
ness and  variety,  and  the  people  to  be  among 
the  most  interesting  and  intelligent  to  be  found 
in  India. 

On  the  22d  of  September,  1835,  Rev.  Sar 
muel  S.  Da^  and  his  wife,  and  Rev.  E.  L. 
Abbott  having  been  appointed  missionaries 


among  these  people,  sailed  for  Calcutta  in  the 
same  ship  which  bore  Rev.  Mr.  Malcolm,  the 
agent  of  the  Board  appointed  to  visit  the  mis- 
sions of  the  East,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Sutton,  who 
was  returning  to  Orissa.  Mr.  Abbott  was, 
on  his  arrival  at  Calcutta,  transferred  to  the 
Karen  mission  in  Burmah,  while  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Day  immediately  proceeded  to  Vizagapatam, 
where  they  entered  upon  the  study  of  the  lan- 
guage, with  the  aid  of  the  books  prepared  by 
the  missionaries  of  former  years.  After  pass- 
ing several  months  in  acquiring  the  language 
and  observing  the  condition  of  the  country  and 
its  populatipn,  Mr.  Day,  with  the  advice  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Malcom,  at  length,  in  March,  1837, 
fixed  his  residence  at  Madras,  which,  though  it 
was  already  the  seat  of  more  than  one  mission- 
ary, yet  had  none  for  the  large  Teloogoo  popu- 
lation of  the  city  and  its  suburbs.  With  the 
aid  of  a  native  convert  whom  he  employed,  he 
established  three  schools,  containing  about 
seventy  scholars,  and  assisted  as  far  as  he  was 
able,  in  maintaining  public  worship  in  the  na- 
tive language,  and  also  preached  in  English 
and  distributed  tracts  and  portions  of  the 
Scriptures  to  those  of  the  population  who 
could  read.  In  1838,  a  church  of  sixteen 
members,  English,  Eurasian,  Hindoo,  and 
Burman,  was  organized  at  Madras,  and  a 
branch  of  it,  comprising  soldiers  of  an  English 
regiment,  was  also  organized  at  Bellary.  The 
preaching  in  English  was  understood  by  mul- 
titudes of  the  native  population,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  schools  soon  evinced  their  desire  to 
acquire  the  language  in  preference  to  any 
other  branch  of  knowledge — a  fact  which 
plainly  indicates  that  the  people  not  unfro- 
quently  attend  the  missionary  schools,  merely 
for  the  purpose  of  gaining  some  worldly  ad- 
vantage. The  experience  of  missionaries  in 
India  on  this  subject  is  rapidly  convincing 
them  that  teaching  English  is  not  a  part  of 
their  appropriate  duty. 

Mr.  Day  was  obliged  to  prosecute  his  mis- 
sion alone,  and  was  constantly  embarrassed 
for  the  want  of  the  sympathy  and  cooperation 
of  an  associate;  but  the  Board  now  found 
themselves  exceedingly  restricted  in  funds,  and 
unable  to  send  another  missionary  to  his  aid. 
During  the  first  four  years  of  his  residence  in 
the  country  he  had  baptized  many  soldiers  of 
the  English  regiments  and  other  English  resi- 
dents of  the  country.  He  had  also  baptized 
several  Eurasians  and  Tamils,  but  none  of  the 
Teloogoos  had  thus  far  embraced  Christianity. 
In  these  circumstances  he  decided,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1839,  to  seek  another  station  for  tho 
mission.  He  at  length  fixed  upon  Nellore, 
and  removed  thither,  with  his  family,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1840.  Having  rented  of  the  govern- 
ment a  lot,  and  erected  a  suitable  building  to 
serve  as  a  mission-house  and  a  zayat,  he  imme- 
diately commenced  the  daily  reading  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  preaching  on  the  Sabbath.  A 
few  weeks  after  his  settlement  at  Nellore,  he 


HINDOSTAN. 


m 


was  joined  by  Kev.  Stephen  Yan  Husen  and 
his  wife,  who  had  been  appointed  to  the  mis- 
sion, and  in  September  of  the  same  year  he 
baptized  the  first  Christian  convert  from  the 
Teloogoos.  In  a  visit  which  Mr.  Day  subse- 
quently made  to  Madras  he  found  the  church 
which  he  had  left  there  scattered,  and  to  a 
great  extent,  fallen  from  the  faith  which  its 
members  professed.  It  was  without  a  pastor, 
and  its  members  had  ceased  to  meet  together, 
and  though  others  were  waiting  for  baptism, 
Mr.  Day  recommended  the  dissolution  of  the 
church  and  the  organization  of  another  at  Ar- 
cott,  which  should  embrace  all  its  living  mem- 
bers and  receive  the  converts  who  were  about 
to  be  baptized. 

The  great  external  hindrances  which  the 
missionaries  from  the  beginning  encountered 
among  the  Teloogoos,  arose  from  the  system 
of  caste,  which  holds  in  its  iron  bondage  all 
classes  of  the  people  in  Hindostan.  They  could 
not  receive  the  missionary  into  their  dwellings 
lest  they  should  lose  caste.  They  would  allow 
their  children  to  attend  schools  for  religious 
instruction,  if  given  by  the  missionary,  or  by 
unconverted  native  teachers,  but  not  by  Chris- 
tian natives.  Children  may  be  sent  to  the 
missionary  to  be  taught,  but  he  may  not  visit 
them  in  the  families  to  which  they  belong. 

It  has  been  the  general  practice  of  mission- 
aries of  the  various  Christian  denominations 
to  translate  the  Scriptures  according  to  the 
authorized  English  version,  a  practice  which 
requires  the  transfer  of  certain  words  from  the 
original  Greek  without  translating  them.  The 
Baptist  missionaries,  however,  both  of  England 
and  America,  have  generally  felt  obliged  to 
translate  these  words,  especially  the  word  bap- 
tize, according  to  their  own  convictions  of  its 
meaning.  The  adoption  of  this  view  by  the 
Board  of  Managers  as  a  rule  for  the  guidance 
of  its  missionaries,  gave  rise  to  the  action  on 
the  part  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  which 
resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  American  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society,  an  institution  which 
was  founded  and  has  been  supported  by  a  por- 
tion of  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States.  The 
copies  of  the  Scriptures  which  Messrs.  Day 
and  Yan  Husen  distributed  in  Madras  and 
Nellore  had  been  furnished  by  the  Madras 
Bible  Society,  and  printed  at  that  city.  But 
this  society  could  not  print  a  translation  of 
the  Scriptures  made  by  the  Baptist  mission- 
aries without  abandoning  their  principles,  and 
the  missionaries,  on  the  other  hand,  could  not 
adopt  any  other  without  disregarding  the  in- 
structions of  the  managers.  This  embarrass- 
ment was  experienced  in  all  the  Baptist  mis- 
sions, and  however  much  a  circulation  of  the 
Bible  in  different  translations  is  to  be  regret- 
fed,  it  yet  seems  to  be  an  inevitable  result  of 
the  existing  diversity  of  views  in  the  Christian 
world. 

In  1841  Messrs.  Day  and  Yan  Husen,  seeing 
the  necessity  of  an  additional  missionary  and 


a  printing-press,  urged  the  matter  in  a  special 
communication  upon  the  attention  of  the 
Board,  but  in  the  condition  of  the  treasury  at 
that  time,  it  was  impossible  to  comply  with 
their  request.  In  1843  three  additional  con- 
verts were  baptized,  and  the  number  of  schools 
both  in  the  city  and  the  adjoining  districts 
was  considerably  enlarged.  But  the  health  of 
the  missionaries  now  began  to  decline,  and  the 
mission  was  soon  afterwards  crippled,  and  sub- 
sequently doomed  to  an  interruption  of  several 
years  in  consequence  of  the  disability  and  ab- 
sence of  the  missionaries.  Mrs.  Day,  whose 
health  first  failed,  was  recruited  after  a  brief 
absence.  Mr.  Van  Husen  was  obliged  to  re- 
turn to  the  United  States  in  1845,  and  has 
never  recovered  his  health.  Mr.  Day  was 
suddenly  stricken  down  in  October  of  the  same 
year,  and  was  obliged  to  hasten  away  when 
too  ill  to  make  any  adequate  arrangements 
either  for  his  personal  comfort  or  the  contin- 
uance of  the  mission.  The  charge  of  the  pro- 
perty and  the  care  of  the  church  at  Nellore 
and  the  schools  were  all  committed  to  an  Eu- 
rasian assistant,  while  Mr.  Day  returned  to  the 
United  States. 

In  1848  the  Missionary  Union,  after  having 
long  considered  the  question,  finding  that  Mr. 
Day  had  now  recovered  his  health,  instructed  tho 
Board  to  reestablish  the  mission.  In  October 
of  that  year  Mr.  Day,  in  company  with  Eev. 
Lyman  Jewett  and  Mrs.  Jewett,  sailed  for  Cal- 
cutta as  missionaries  at  Nellore,  where  they 
arrived  in  the  following  April.  The  missions 
had  been  for  more  than  three  years  wholly 
dependent  on  the  care  of  a  native  assistant,  a 
care  which  at  best  could  not  but  be  very  inad- 
equate to  its  maintenance  and  progress.  The 
church  was  scattered  but  not  destroyed,  and 
though  some  had  forsaken  their  faith,  a  salutary 
discipline  was  productive  of  the  restoration  of 
others.  The  schools  were  soon  reassembled, 
public  worship  resumed,  books  and  tracts  dis- 
tributed, and  the  whole  agency  of  the  mission 
again  put  in  operation.  The  missionaries  also 
took  an  early  opportunity  to  attend  several 
heathen  festivals  of  this  country,  at  which  they 
met  thousands  of  people  from  various  parts  of 
India  and  preached  to  them  the  doctrines  of 
the  Gospel.  These  labors  were  productive  of 
much  inquiry  among  the  people,  and  of  confes- 
sions which  are  constantly  made  to  the  mis- 
sionaries, that  Brahminism  is  an  imposture 
and  is  destined  soon  to  pass  away.  There 
have  also  been  several  apparent  conversions, 
and  two  have  been  baptized;  but  the  field 
occupied  by  the  mission,  it  must  be  admitted, 
still  continues  to  be  one  of  great  promise  rath- 
er than  of  fruit.  The  missionaries  have  work- 
ed on  assiduously  beneath  the  protection  of  the 
English  government,  among  a  people  of  una- 
sual  intelligence,  among  whom  great  preparer 
tions  would  appear  to  have  been  made  for  the 
spread  of  the  Gospel.  The  enervating  heat  of 
the   climate  has  repeatedly  prostrated  their 


456 


HINDOSTAN. 


energies  and  oblipod  them  to  withdraw  for  a 
season  to  recniit,  and  at  length  in  June,  1852, 
Mr.  Day  was  compelledby  ill-health  to  return 
to  the  United  States.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jewett 
have  since  been  in  sole  charge  of  the  mission. 
The  latest  reports  represent  them  as  still  pro- 
secuting their  accustomed  work,  experiencing 
the  greatest  kindness  and  receiving  a  heartv 
cooperation  from  the  English  residents  at  Nel- 
lore,  and  still  more  encouraged  by  tokens  of 
divine  approbation  in  the  conversion  of  several 
of  their  pupils  and  visitors,  of  whom  one  has 
lately  been  baptized. 

Statistics  of  Teloo^oo  Mission  for  1854. — 1 
station,  2  missionaries,  2  female  assistants,  1 
native  assistant,  1  church,  9  members,  1  board- 
ing-school, 13  pupils,  1  day-school,  50  pupils, 
total,  2  schools,  63  pupils.— Frof.  W.  Gammell. 

Basle  Missionary  Society. — Of  the  Ger- 
man missionary  societies,  that  of  Basle  was  the 
first  which  established  a  mission  in  the  East 
Indies.  In  1846  it  had,  in  the  province  of 
Canara,  on  the  west  coast  of  Hindostan,  and 
in  Bodschagner,  north  of  this,  eight  stations, 
of  which  Mangalore  is  the  oldest.  This  was 
founded  in  1834.  It  has,  in  the  city  and  vicin- 
ity, several  common  schools,  a  high  school,  and 
a  lithographic  establishment.  In  1837  and 
1839,  followed  the  stations  at  Dbarwar  and 
Hoobly,  in  the  South-Mahratta  country ;  in 
1841,  the  neighboring  village  of  Bcttigherry. 
There  was  a  prophecy  traditional  in  this  place, 
that,  after  the  fall  of  the  Indian  kingdom,  a 
king  in  the  West  should  send  messengers  to 
teach  Christianity  and  do  away  with  caste ; 
and  as  such  the  German  missionaries  were  re- 
ceived. Malsamoodra  was  also  added  in  the 
same  year.  In  1839,  the  mission  work  was 
carried  on  with  great  success,  by  Gundert,  of 
Wurtemburg.  In  1840  and  1842,  stations 
were  established  at  Cannanore  and  Calicut. 
The  entire  number  of  European  laborers  em- 
ploved  by  the  Basle  Society  at  these  stations, 
including  eleven  women,  was  thirty-three; 
with  thirteen  native  helpers.  2,000  natives, 
partly  adults,  partly  school-children,  were  con- 
nected with  the  mission.  A  Basle  missionary 
in  Mangalore  had  translated  several  books  of 
the  New  Testament  into  the  Tooloo  language, 
which  were  lithographed  at  Mangalore. — 
Translated  from  the  German  of  Wiggers. 

The  following  notices  of  the  several  stations 
of  this  mission  will  show  its  present  condi- 
tion. 

Mangalore. — In  1846  the  lithographic  press 
at  this  station  issued  12,775  copies  of  16  dif- 
ferent works  in  Canarese,  Teloogoo,  and  Ma- 
iayalim.  In  the  year  1847,  39  persons  were 
received  into  the  church  by  baptism,  29  of 
whom  were  adults  and  10  children.  In  the 
year  following,  24  adults  and  10  children  were 
baptized,  and  several  were  excommunicated. 
During  the  years  1849  and  1850,  about  fifty- 
adults  and  children — were  baptized  ;  and  a 
boarding-school  for  Indo-British  boys,  and  an 


industrial  department,  were  formed.  The 
printing  in  1850  amounted  to  966,230  pages. 

Moolky. — At  the  latest  dates,  the  station  at 
Fort  Moolky,  which  was  commenced  in  1845, 
had  about  50  persons  under  the  immediate 
instruction  of  the  mission,  a  small  church,  and 
a  school  into  which  none  but  Christian  chil- 
dren were  admitted.  The  missionary,  Mr. 
Amman,  preached  the  Gospel  in  most  of  the 
neighboring  villages,  and  was  also  engaged  in 
translating  the  Scriptures,  and  revising  the 
Tooloo  translation  of  the  Testament. 

Honore. — In  1847  there  was  at  this  station 
one  missionary,  a  small  congregation,  and  a 
school  of  45  scholars,  but  at  a  later  period  the 
missionary  had  been  removed,  and  do  one  had 
taken  his  place. 

Dharwar. — In  1849  ten  adults  and  two  little 
girls  were  admitted  into  the  chusch.  Six  of 
these  were  Tamulians,  a  people  who  up  to  this 
time  had  rarely  afforded  any  encouragement 
to  the  missionaries.  A  later  report  says, 
"  Several  Lingaites  seem  to  be  inwardly  at- 
tached to  the  Gospel,  but  the  fear  of  man  and 
the  charms  of  the  world  keep  them  back  from 
Christ.  The  thraldom  in  which  the  poor  Lin- 
gaites live,  under  their  avaricious  and  insolent 
high  priests,  four  in  number,  is  very  galling. 
They  farm  their  disciples  out  to  certain  priests, 
called  priests  of  thousands,  who  squeeze  from 
the  poor  deluded  laity  all  they  can  get." 

Hoobly. — The  success  at  this  station  has  not 
been  of  the  most  encouraging  nature  for  the 
last  few  years.  Heathen  hearers  have  been 
few  on  the  Sabbath  ;  and,  at  times,  they  have 
seemed  "  to  shun  the  word  of  God  in  the  same 
measure  as  they  became  more  acquainted  with 
it,"  whether  from  indifference  or  fear,  the  mis- 
sionaries could  not  tell.  Still,  the  schools 
have  been  well  attended,  and  through  these 
the  seed  has  been  sown  among  young  and  old. 
Tracts  and  portions  of  Scripture  were  learnt 
by  heart,  and  the  scholars  catechized  concern- 
ing them. 

Bcttigherry. — The  adult  portion  of  the  pop- 
ulation  at  this  station  and  in  the  villages 
around  have  for  several  years  shown  much  good 
will  to  the  missionaries.  In  most  houses  they 
have  been  welcome ;  and  Hindoo  men,  when 
spoken  to  of  their  hardness  which  prevented 
their  receiving  the  Gospel,  have  entreated  the 
missionaries  to  have  patience  till  a  better  day 
should  come.  In  1848  a  Linga  priest  came  to 
the  station,  from  some  distance,  and  after  mak- 
ing careful  inquiry  into  the  doctrine  preached, 
he  stayed  to  learn,  and  subsequently  embraced 
Christianity  and  was  baptized.  The  event 
created  great  sensation  at  Bcttigherry  and 
elsewhere.  He  became  a  zealous  laborer,  and 
has  traveled  much  with  the  missionaries  in 
their  tours  through  the  neighboring  country. 
Another  priest  joined  them  in  1849,  and  tra- 
veled with  them  several  months.  A  respecta- 
ble widow  also  joined  them,  was  baptized,  and 
subsequently  married  to  the  priest  first  named. 


HTNDOSTAN. 


45Y 


The  people  seem  persuaded  that  the  new  teach- 
ers are  their  best  friends,  and  they  come  in  con- 
siderable numbers  to  hear  the  Gosi3el.  The 
schools  are  in  good  condition. 

Malasamoodra. — A  poor  house  and  hospital 
•were  erected  in  1846,  by  contributions  from 
friends  in  Poorah.  In  June  of  this  year,  on 
a  morning  appointed  for  the  purpose,  several 
prominent  men,  natives,  entered  the  temple  of 
Doorga,  and  broke  the  idol  and  his  seat  in 
pieces  and  cast  them  into  the  street.  This 
caused  considerable  excitement,  but  it  soon 
subsided,  and  the  idol  temple  was  converted 
into  a  school-house,  where  the  Scriptures  were 
daily  read,  and  prayer  offered  to  the  living 
God.  Since  that  period  the  brethren  have 
met  with  serious  discouragements,  but  have 
continued  to  labor  with  some  success,  espe- 
cially in  the  schools. 

Catery. — This  station,  on  the  Neilgherry 
Hills,  has  been  attended  with  considerable 
success.  In  1850  a  native  broke  off  the  inve- 
terate habit  of  opium  eating,  burnt  his  charm 
books,  and  withstood  strong  temptations  to 
those  works  of  darkness  so  profitable  among 
the  superstitious  inhabitants  of  the  Neilgher- 
ries.  He  attended  the  school  with  little  child- 
ren, though  a  man  of  advanced  age,  because 
he  longed  to  be  able  to  read  the  word  of  God. 
He  was  soon  to  be  baptized,  as  the  first  fruit 
of  the  mission  at  this  place.  The  missionaries 
have  visited  the  greater  part  of  the  several 
hundred  villages  scattered  over  the  Neilgher- 
ries,  and  have  become  personally  acquainted 
with  a  large  number  of  the  people.  Some  of 
them  have  a  Tamil  New  Testament,  which, 
without  being  able  to  read,  they  worship  morn- 
ing and  evening.  Others,  from  an  indefinite 
belief  in  the  power  of  Christ,  have  received  his 
name  among  the  rest  of  the  gods,  and  would 
not  think  that  anything  could  prosper  without 
the  invocation  of  his  name. 

Cananore. — During  the  years  1847  and  1848 
the  people  at  this  place  were  visited  with  cho- 
lera and  small  pox,  which  proved  fatal  to 
many,  and  severely  taxed  the  time  and  strength 
of  the  missionaries  in  attending  upon  the  sick 
and  dying.  The  schools  were  much  inter- 
rupted, but  have  since  come  together  as  usual. 
Several  have  been  converted,  and  the  mission- 
aries record  the  happy  deaths  of  two  or  three 
native  converts  within  the  last  few  years. 

Tellicherry. — The  number  of  persons  bap- 
tized at  this  station  in  1846  was  22.  A  print- 
ing-press was  set  up  during  that  year,  from 
which  was  issued  2150  different  works.  In 
1848  this  mission  shared  largely  in  the  special 
divine  influences  which  visited  the  region,  and 
many  of  the  boys  and  girls  in  the  schools  were 
"  shaken  out  of  slumber  and  death,"  and  have 
since  been  baptized.  At  the  out-stations  also 
several  "  found  grace  and  life."  Compara- 
tively few,  however,  show  signs  of  real  spirit- 
ual life.  The  Brahmins,  who  ar^few,  and  the 
Nairs,  a  spirited  class  of  people,  keep  at  a  dis- 


tance from  the  missionary.  The  I'lers  are 
more  accessible,  but  are  altogether  taken  up 
with  the  cares  of  the  world.  The  Mussulmen 
hate  the  Gospel,  and  show  their  hatred  when- 
ever they  have  an  opportunity. 

Chombala. — A  mission  was  commenced  at 
this  place  in  1849,  since  which  time  a  church 
of  20  or  30  members  has  been  gathered,  and  a 
chapel  has  been  built.  Micha,  a  native,  hav- 
ing been  converted,  his  wife  ran  av/ay  from 
him  with  her  children,  but  returned  after  a 
few  months,  "  Micha's  father,  an  old  drunk- 
ard, was  driven  to  his  house  by  want.  At 
first  he  only  laughed  and  mocked  at  the  Gos- 
pel, but  after  some  time,  to  the  astonishment 
of  all,  his  mind  seemed  changed.  The  very  ex- 
pression of  his  countenance  was  altered.  He 
has  been  baptized,  with  Micha's  wife  and 
children. 

Calicut. — In  respect  to  the  care  of  the  poor- 
house,  which  in  1846  was  committed  to  the 
missionaries,  they  say,  "  There  are  about  150 
inmates,  for  whom  every  Saturday  a  service  is 
held  by  one  of  the  catechists.  Such  an  assem- 
bly of  crippled,  lame,  blind,  leprous,  sunk  in 
the  utmost  ignorance  and  apathy,  and  who  on 
a  kind  word  of  exhortation  generally  have 
nothing  to  say  but  '  What  can  I  do  ?  It  is 
the  Lord's  will ;  thus  it  is  written  on  my  skull ;' 
is  a  melancholy  sight."  In  the  autumn  ol 
1847, 18  were  received  into  the  church  at  this 
station.  In  January,  1848,  six  adults  and 
four  girls  belonging  to  the  girls'  institution 
were  baptized  ;  and  in  June  a  weaver  with  his 
family,  three  persons  in  all,  and  in  November 
a  Tamil  family  of  four  persons,  were  baptized. 
In  January,  1849,  a  Nair  family,  together 
with  two  youths,  two  women,  and  two  child- 
ren, were  received  into  the  church.  About 
this  time  Mrs.  Huber,  wife  of  the  missionary, 
commenced  an  English  day  school  for  Indo- 
British  girls,  and  it  has  'prospered  remarkably, 
in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  the  Eomish  priest. 
Three  Parsee  girls  joined  the  school  soon  after 
it  was  opened. 

Dacca. — A  mission  was  commenced  at  this 
place  in  1847,  and  a  school  and  a  small  con- 
gregation of  12  or  14  baptized  heathen  was 
gathered  by  an  English  chaplain.  Others 
were  subsequently  added  ;  but  the  work  became 
embarrassed  by  the  want  of  local  funds,  and 
in  1850  the  station  was  given  up. 

Dagapom. — In  1848,  six  men,  two  women 
and  five  children  of  natives  were  baptized  at 
this  place.  Before  the  rite  was  administered 
to  them,  the  inquirers  had  to  undergo  a  severe 
persecution  from  their  pagan  countrymen,  but 
they  remained  firm  in  their  profession  of  faith 
in  the  Saviour.  On  '  Good  Friday,'  1849, 19 
Christian  natives  sat  down  for  the  first  time  to 
the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  "  On 
the  first  of  April  Mr.  Bion,  with  his  fellow- 
laborers,  opened  a  school.  On  Sunday  fifty  or 
sixty  Hindoos  and  Mohammedans  attended 
divine  service,  of  whom  not  a  few  were  visibly 


40b 


HINDOSTAN. 


aflbcted."  The  missionaries  received  tlic  most 
pressing  invitations  from  places  at  various 
aistances,  to  visit  them. 

CornHla. — A  missionary,  Mr.  Bost,  with  his 
catcchist,  reached  this  place  on  Christmas  day, 
1847,  and  immediately  commenced  preaching 
the  Gospel,  which  roused  the  opposition  of  the 
enemy.  On  assuming  a  more  retired  activity 
in  his  own  house,  he  found  himself  surrounded 
by  crowds  of  visitors,  who  desired  to  hear  the 
word  of  God.  The  higher  castes  asked  for 
schools  for  their  children.  But  embarrass- 
ments overtook  the  mission,  and  it  was  several 
years  since  discontinued. 

Two  of  the  foregoing  stations  having  been 
discontinued,  leaves  thirteen  now  in  actual 
existence,  besides  which  there  are  19  or  20 
out-stations.  « 

In  1851  "  Inspector  Josenhans  "  visited  the 
India  missions  of  the  Basle  Missionary  Society, 
and  his  report  was  of  a  highly  gratifying  na- 
ture. He  found  that  about  1400  persons  had 
been  gathered  into  Christian  congregations ; 
and  in  one  village,  containing  several  hundred 
souls,  only  three  persons  continued  heathen. 
Christian  colonies  had  been  established  in  three 
places,  and  were  regarded  with  peculiar  inte- 
rest. The  inspector  says,  "  The  religious  life 
of  the  new  converts  is  by  no  means  so  weak  as 
many  are  disposed  to  think."  On  the  whole, 
he  expressed  his  astonishment  that  so  much 
had  been  accomplished  by  the  mission  within 
a  period  of  18  years,  for  he  found  the  work 
much  more  difficult  than  Christians  at  home 
had  supposed  it  to  be.  Even  he  who  had 
been  familiar  with  the  operations  and  trials  of 
his  brethren,  had  not  appreciated  the  difficul- 
ties of  the  enterprise  till  he  had  the  advantages 
of  a  personal  inspection. 

TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 

1 

1 

i 

1 

i 

1 
1 

j 

1 

Cakakkb  Miasios. 

1834 
1845 
1845 

7 

1 

5 
3 

138 
25 

2 

190 
5 

Moolky 

Honore 

So.  Mahiutta  Mission. 

Dharwar ^..,. 

Hoobly 

1837 
1839 
1841 
1841 

1841 
1839 
1849 
1842 

1846 

2 

2 

1 

2 
2 

1 
2 

4 

2 

8 
3 
2 
3 

1 

25 
2 
2 
3 

202 
26 
23 
34 

7 

6 
7 
8 

1 

412 

330 

321 

18 

220 

387 

58 

836 

81 

Bettigherry 

Malataum  Mission. 
Cannanore  

TeUicberry 

Calicut 

Nkilghbbbt. 
Catery 

Bengal. 
Dayapoor 

1847 

2 

1 

, 

28 

28 

487 

24 

2358 

The  preceding  table  will  give  some  idea  of 
the  field  occupied  by  this  Society,  and  the  ex- 
tent of  its  labors,  though  imperfect,  aa  the  omis- 
sions indicate.  It  is  based  on  the  reports  for 
1850.  A  report  for  1852  supplies  some  of  the 
deficiencies,  and  swells  the  number  of  commu- 
nicants to  780,  a  large  number  having  been 
added  to  the  churches  during  the  preceding 
two  years.  The  total  number  in  the  congrega- 
tions is  stated  at  1699,  200  having  been  added 
during  1851.  The  whole  number  of  laborers 
from  Europe,  including  the  wives  of  mission- 
aries, is  45.  The  expenditures  of  the  mission 
for  the  year  last  reported,  amounted  to  64,893 
rupees,  a  considerable  portion  of  which  was 
contributed  by  the  friends  of  missions  in 
India. 

Berlin  Missionary  Society. — The  Berlin 
Society  for  Evangelizing  the  Heathen,  estab- 
lished in  November,  1843,  a  station  at  Ghazi- 
pur,  a  city  of  50,000  inhabitants,  on  the 
Ganges,  with  four  missionaries,  who,  in  Feb. 
1844,  having  acquainted  themselves  with  the 
Hindoo  and  Urdu  languages,  made  their  first  ef- 
forts at  public  preaching. 

Leipsic  Missionary  Society. — The  Luthe- 
ran Missionary  Society  at  Leipsic  has,  by  the 
report  for  1853,  eight  stations  in  Southern 
Hindostan.  The  following  table  exhibits  the 
state  of  their  missions  at  the  above  date. 

tabular  view. 


STATIONS. 


Tranquebar 

Tirumenjanam 

Vorreiar 

Mayayer&m ; . . 

Madras 

Puducottah .........  "^ 

Trichinopoly > 

Tanjore J 

Totals 


1 

i 

a 

J 

1 

1 

1 

6 

J 

1 

g 

Si 

1 

s 

il 
1^ 

1 

.§8 

1. 

1 

3 

2 

4 

5 

20 

3 

*454 

211 

1 

2 

1 

4 

1 

111 

115 

75 

1 

5 

2 

12 

21 

19 

2 

814 

310 

1 

1 

5 

1 

26 

7 

66 

223 

20 

1 

5 

1 

3 

12 

9 

7 

330 

60 

1 

2 

4 

2 

12 

35 

139 

1 

2 

1 

2 

20 

60 

45 

2 

1 

1 

1 

150 

121 

30 

6 

21 

15 

36 

68 

55 

371 

2152 

890 

*  Including  Europeans. 

North  German  Missionary  Society. — This 
society,  which  had  two  stations,  one  in  the 
Teloogoo  country.  Eastern  Hindostan,  and  one 
in  the  Neilgherries,  was  obliged,  in  consequence 
of  diminished  receipts,  to  suspend  operations 
in  the  autumn  of  1850,  and  the  mission  was 
transferred  to  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church  in  the  United  States.  Since  that 
time  the  responsibility  of  the  mission  has 
been  assumed  by  the  Bremen  Union,  and  the 
committee  of  this  society  find  themselves  sus- 
tained by  the  sympathy  and  cooperation  of 
many  warm  friends  of  missions  in  Northern 
Germany.  The  station  in  Eastern  Hindostan 
is  Kajamundry,  and  that  in  the  Neilgherries  is 


HINDOSTAN. 


459 


Ootacamund.     Xo  recent  statistics  have  been 
furnished  respecting  either  of  these  stations. 

Gossner's  Missionary  Society. — Gossner's 
missionaries,  with  no  preparatory  education 
except  that  of  the  common  schools,  and  accus- 
tomed to  manual  labor,  appeared  in  1838,  on 
the  middle  Ganges,  and  joined  in  close  fellow- 
ship with  the  English  preacher  Stael,  who  was 
laboring  unconnected  with  any  missionary  or- 
ganization. They  came  to  Patua  on  the  29th 
January,  1839,  and  divided  themselves  among 
the  stations,  Hadschipur,  Muzaffipur,  Chuprali, 


and  Hibbelgandsch!  Hence  they  visited  Pat- 
na,  Monghyr  and  Dinapore.  A  small  colony 
settled  at  Dardschilling,  on  the  boundaries  of 
Nepaul.  Another  expedition  went  from  Bom- 
bay to  Jubblepoor,  in  the  interior  of  India. 
Partly  through  death,  partly  through  its  mem- 
bers becoming  connected  with  other  societies, 
Gossner's  society  met  with  considerable  losses, 
and  the  attempt  was  scarcely  more  successful 
than  that  of  the  Moravians  in  India,  many 
years  previous. — Wiggers. 


GENERAL  TABULAR  VIEW. 


Baptist  Missionary  Society  (English) 
London  Missionary  Society     .     .    . 

American  Board 

Church  Missionary  Society  .  .  . 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society .  .  . 
Soc.  for  Prop.  Gospel  in  For.  Parts 
General  Baptist  Missionary  Society 

Church  of  Scotland 

Free  Church  of  Scotland  .... 
American  Presbyterian  Board  .  . 
Basle  Missionary  Society  .... 
American  Baptist  Union  .... 
Free-Will  Baptist  Society  .... 
Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodists .  .*  . 
Irish  Presbyterian  Church  .  .  *  .  . 
Berlin  Missionary  Society  .... 
Leipsic  Missionary  Society      .    .    . 

Totals 


.• 

1 

S  a 

1 

1 

i 

i 

1 

.a 

a 

a 

2 

w 

s 

< 

d 

<s 

* 

^ 

1793 

26 

35 

85 

1,412 

43 

2,345 

1804 

21 

47 

133 

23 

1,024 

44 

8,919 

1812 

22 

26 

106 

16 

541 

127 

3,800 

1813 

47 

83 

1002 

5,815 

526 

17,873 

1817 

9 

17 

21 

428 

20 

1,183 

1818 

48 

166 

4,629 

5,500 

1822 

5 

10 

255 

2,932 

1828 

3 

7 

3 

2,375 

1829 

6 

18 

4 

7,030 

1834 

13 

23 

28 

266 

2,900 

1834 

13 

26 

28 

487 

24 

2,358 

1835 

1 

2 

3 

1 

9 

2 

63 

1836 

5 

3 

7 

47 

151 

1840 

2 

2 

28 

1841 

1 

5 

1 

21 

1843 

1 

4 

8 

6 

67 

2,152 

890 

178 

357 

1663 

17,093 

787 

58,340 

The  preceding  table  has  been  made  out  from 
the  materials  furnished  by  the  foregoing  state- 
ments. On  some  points  the  information  is 
quite  deficient ;  the  number  of  stations  in  con- 
nection with  some  of  the  societies  is  not  fully 
reported.  The  number  of  native  assistants  is 
fully  reported  by  few,  and  some  societies  re- 
port the  wives  of  missionaries  as  assistants, 
and  others  do  not  report  them  at  all.  The 
number  of  organized  churches  and  of  schools  is 
deficient  in  many  of  them.  But  the  number 
of  missionaries,  communicants,  and  scholars, 
is  pretty  generally  reported.  It  is  to  be  re- 
gretted, however,  that  in  such  full  and  valu- 
able reports  as  are  furnished  by  the  Wesleyans, 
they  do  not  distinguish  between  ordained  mis- 
sionaries and  assistants.  In  judging  of  the 
comparative  success  of  different  societies,  some 
regard  must  be  had  to  the  degree  of  strictness 
practised  in  the  admission  of  ponverts  to 
church  privileges.    There  is  a  difiFerence,  also, 


in  the  mode  of  counting  stations.  In  some  ac- 
counts, only  the  central  stations  are  given, 
and  others  are  reckoned  as  out-stations.  But 
with  all  its  deficiencies,  this  table  speaks,  in 
language  not  to  be  mistaken,  of  the  results  of 
missionary  labor  in  India. 

Present  State  and  Future  Prospects  of 
THE  Missionary  work  in  India. — The  fol- 
lowing letter  from  the  Venerable  Dr.  Scud- 
DER  to  the  author,  will  give  the  impressions 
of  one  on  the  ground,  who  has  witnessed  the 
changes  which  have  been  going  on  for  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century.  We  doubt  not  it  will  be 
read  with  deep  interest. 

Madras,  April  6, 1854. 

My  Dear  Brother  :— Your  letter  of  Janu- 
ary 1,  reached  me  last  month.  India,  as  a  field 
of  missionary  labor,  is  very  difierent  from  what 
it  was  a  few  years  ago — very  different  from 
what  it  was  when  even  the  venerable  Dr.  Carey 
reached  it.    He,  as  you  know,  was  not  allowed 


460 


HINDOSTAN. 


to  commence  his  oix^rations  anywhere  within 
the  dominions  of  the  Eiist  India  Company.  It 
was  on  this  account  that  lie  went  to  Scram- 
pore,  where  he  resided  until  his  death.  Now 
the  missionary  may  enter  any  part  of  India. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  other  changes  of 
a  very  important  nature  have  also  taken  place. 
This  IS  witnessed, 

1 .  In  the  edxuational  department. 

"The  Marquis  of  Hastings's  government 
forms  the  brightest  page  in  the  history  of  In- 
dian improvement,  after  a  long  chapter  of  dark 
*  and  dismal  proceedings.  It  gave  that  impulse 
to  the  cause  of  civilization,  of  which  we  are 
now  reaping  the  benefits.  When  he  first  came 
to  India  in  1813,  he  found  the  press  in  the 
hands  of  a  censor,  who  struck  out  whatever 
he  pleased.  He  found  that  every  attempt  to 
impart  knowledge  to  the  people,  and  to  give 
them  the  means  of  mental  or  social  elevation 
had  not  only  been  neglected,  but  discouraged  ; 
that  the  British  empire  in  India  was  considered 
stable,  in  exact  proportion  to  the  ignorance 
of  the  inhabitants.  The  only  educational  efibrt 
made  in  the  reign  of  his  predecessor  was  a  pro- 
posal by  Lord  Minto  to  set  up  two  or  three 
colleges  to  teach  the  Sanscrit  language,  and 
the  sciences  of  the  Sbasters,  and  the  morality 
of  Ilindooism  ;  but  not  the  remotest  idea  was 
ever  entertained  of  unlocking  to  the  natives 
the  treasures  of  the  English  language,  or  dis- 
seminating knowledge  through  their  own 
tongue.  This  system  Lord  Hastings  was  the 
first  to  break  through.  He  gave  every  encour- 
agement, private  and  public,  to  the  establish- 
ment of  schools  and  colleges.  Under  his  aus- 
pices, the  Calcutta  School  Society,  the  School 
Book  Society,  the  Hindoo  College  and  other 
institutions  sprung  into  being.  He  also  abo- 
lished the  censorship  of  the  press,  with  the  full 
knowledge  that  the  general  feeling  among  the 
directors  and  proprietors,  at  the  India  house, 
was  against  any  relaxation  of  the  restrictions 
on  the  press.  That  he  met  with  opposition  to 
his  views  in  India,  will  appear  from  the  follow- 
ing circumstance  :  An  article  appeared  in  the 
quarterly  series  of  the  Friend  of  India,  on  the 
burning  of  widows,  in  which  the  propriety  of 
abolishing  this  rite  was  advocated  with  a  de- 
gree of  temper  and  moderation  suited  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  times ;  but  which  gave 
such  oflFence  to  Mr.  Adams,  afterwards  our 
temporary  Governor-General,  that  he  took  it 
to  the  council  chamber,  and  insisted  on  the 
suppression  of  the  work,  which  Lord  Hastings 
positively  refused  to  sanction." 

"  After  the  censorship  of  the  press  had  been 
taken  off,  the  Court  of  Directors  showed  their 
opposition  to  what  Lord  Hastings  had  done, 
by  the  preparation  of  a  dispatch,  directing  the 
imposition  of  the  censorship  again,  which,  how- 
ever, George  Canning  nobly  refused  to  sanc- 
tion." 

I  just  alluded  to  the  opposition  which  was 
formerly  made  by  the  India  government  to  the 


education  of  the  natives.  The  reverse  of  this 
now  obtains.  So  anxious  are  they  to  confer 
this  benefit  upon  them,  that  they  \\vi\M  offered 
to  contribute  their  money  for  the  support  of 
those  schools  which  are  taught  by  missionaries, 
and  of  course  in  which  Christianity  is  taught. 

When  speaking  of  the  Marquis  of  Hastings, 
I  referred  you  to  Mr.  Adams,  who  thought  that 
the  Friend  of  India  should  be  suppressed, 
because  it  had  ventured  to  suggest  the  propri- 
ety of  abolishing  the  burning  of  widows  on 
the  funeral  pile.  By  contrasting  his  conduct 
with  that  of  Lord  Bentick  and  Lord  Hardinge, 
we  shall  at  once  see  how  much  the  views  of  the 
politicians  of  India  have,  in  a  short  period, 
been  changed  for  the  better.  Lord  Bentick 
abolished  the  suttee  throughout  the  British 
possessions  of  India,  and  Lord  Hardinge  made 
great  exertions  to  have  it  abolished  in  the  do- 
minions of  the  native  princes,  not  under  British 
jurisdiction.  And  his  labors  were  attended 
with  great  success.  He  returned  to  England, 
six  or  seven  years  ago,  crowned  with  many 
worldly  honors.  But  he  has  other  honors — 
honors  of  a  higher  nature  than  these.  He 
went  home  with  the  satisfaction  of  having  les- 
sened, in  no  small  degree,  the  horrors  of  hea- 
thenism, in  regions  embracing  a  population  of 
not  less  than  twenty  millions.  This  will  ap- 
pear from  the  following  notice  :  "  The  Calcutta 
Gazette  contains  a  proclamation  by  Maha 
Rajah  Golaub  Singh,  prohibiting  infanticide, 
suttee,  and  slavery  throughout  his  territories, 
forming  the  remotest  Hindoo  principality  of 
India.  The  Governor-General,  as  will  be  seen, 
directs  his^thanks  to  be  conveyed  to  a  long 
list — twenty-tliree  in  number — of  potentates, 
who  during  the  last  three  years,  have  cordially 
entered  into  the  views  of  the  British  govern- 
ment, in  suppressing  such  practices.  Those 
edicts  are  estimated  to  affect  not  less  than 
twenty  millions  of  human  creatures." 

Such  innovations  as  Lord  Hardinge  has 
been  instrumental  in  making  on  the  sacred 
customs  of  the  Hindoos  among  the  independ- 
ent governments  of  India,  will  be  the  means 
of  pulling  many  a  stone  from  that  fabric, 
which  they  have  in  times  past  considered  to  be 
as  stable  as  the  heavens.  Under  such  circum- 
stances, the  missionary  may  go  forth  and  la- 
bor among  them  with  a  much  better  prospect 
of  success  than  he  would  otherwise  obtain. 

As  I  before  remarked,  Lord  Hardinge  left 
the  country  six  or  seven  years  ago.  He  left  it 
much  too  soon  for  India's  good.  Had  he  re- 
mained his  full  time,  to  say  nothing  of  any- 
thing else,  the  burning  of  widows  would  per- 
haps now  be  unknown  here.  Previdusly  to 
his  leaving,  however,  he  left  his  protest  against 
the  conduct  of  those  powers  which  had  not 
abolished  the  rite — a  protest  which  may  issue 
in  great  good.  It  is  as  follows  :  "  The  Gover- 
nor-general abstains  on  this  occasion  from  pro- 
minently noticing  those  states  in  which  these 
barbarous  usages  are  still  observed,  as  he  con- 


HINDOSTAN. 


461 


fidently  expects,  at  no  distant  day,  to  hear  of 
the  complete  renunciation  of  them  in  every 
state  in  alliance  with,  or  under  the  protection 
of  the  paramount  power  of  India," 

2.  Infanticide  has  been  very  extensively  sup- 
pressed. You  can  scarcely  imagine  to  what  a 
frightful  extent  this  crime  has  prevailed. 
Among  the  Nairs  in  Mulwa,  in  Oude,  and  the 
northern  provinces,  it  is  impossible  to  calcu- 
late what  numbers  of  infants  have,  in  the  times 
which  have  gone  by,  been  put  to  death.  A 
gentleman  of  the  Bengal  service  was  sent  by 
the  government  through  the  northern  and  in- 
dependent kingdoms  to  find  out  the  number. 
In  the  provinces  through  which  he  passed  the 
principal  chiefs  acknowledged  that  they  had 
murdered  many  of  their  children,  and  that  they 
knew  their  neighbors  had  destroyed  many  of 
theirs,  and  that  this  rite  was  rooted  in  the 
affections  of  the  people.  In  one  village  there 
were  fifty-one  boys  but  only  fourteen  girls.  In 
a  second,  sixty-six  boys  and  only  fourteen  girls. 
In  a  third,  seventy-nine  boys  and  only  twelve 
girls.  In  a  fourth,  ten  boys  and  only  two 
girls.  In  a  fifth,  fifty-eight  boys  and  only  four 
girls.  In  a  sixth,  twenty-two  boys  and  no 
girls. 

As  you  are  aware,  the  Punjaub  has  lately 
been  brought  under  British  rule.  Since  this 
event  took  place,  the  fact  has  been  brought  to 
light  that  mfanticide  has  been  practiced  ex- 
tensively there.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  year 
1851  "  Major  Lake  found  it  to  prevail  in  the 
district  of  which  he  had  charge.  Soon  after- 
wards it  was  found  to  prevail  in  Umballa,  Fe- 
rozepore,  Jullundur,  Hooshearpore,  Lahore, 
Mooltan,  Jhelum,  and  Leia  districts.  It  is 
not,  however,  practiced  by  all  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. It  is  confined  principally  to  the  Bedees 
and  the  Kajpoots,  among  whom  the  custom  is 
one  of  immemorial  antiquity.  The  Khetrees, 
however,  and  even  some  of  the  Mohammedan 
tribes  maintain  the  practice ;  and  the  higher 
the  rank  the  more  certain  are  the  female 
branches  of  destruction.  It  is  believed  also 
by  the  most  experienced  officers  to  have  in- 
fected all  classes  in  a  greater  or  less  degree. 
All  over  the  Punjaub  there  is  a  disproportion 
in  the  number  of  female  births  not  to  be  ac- 
counted for  by  ordinary  causes;  and  in  cer- 
tain districts  this  disproportion  rises  to  such  a 
height,  as  almost  to  imply  the  extinction  of 
the  female  race."  The  subject  came  under  the 
notice  of  our  present  Governor-general,  Earl 
Dalhousie,  several  months  ago,  and  if  this  prac- 
tice has  not  yet  been  put  down,  as  it  has  been 
put  down  in  other  places,  it  must  soon  come 
to  an  end. 

3.  One  of  the  most  appalling  religious 
sects  which  ever  appeared  in  any  country,  has 
been  nearly,  if  not  entirety,  destroyed.  Allow 
me  to  give  you  a  short  description  of  this  sect, 
from  a  work,  which  now  lies  before  me.  Scat- 
tered throughout  India  there  is  a  lawless  set 
of  men  whose  profession  it  is  to  get  their  food 


by  murder.  They  are  called  Phansiagars,  or 
Thugs  :  they  owe  their  origin  and  laws  to  the 
bloody  goddess  Karle :  they  say  that  she  di- 
rected them  to  become  murderers  and  plunder- 
ers :  they  are  called  Phansiagars,  from  the 
name  of  the  instrument  which  they  use  when 
they  murder  people.  Phansiagar  means  a 
strangle,  and  they  use  a  phansi,  or  noose,  which 
they  throw  over  the  necks  of  those  whom  they 
intend  to  plunder,  and  strangle  them.  These 
Phansiagars  are  composed  of  all  castes,  Hin- 
doos, Mohammedans,  Pariahs,  and  Chandellars. 
This  arises  from  the  circumstance  that  they 
never  destroy  the  children  of  those  whom  they 
rob  and  murder.  These  children  they  take 
care  of,  and  bring  them  up  to  their  own  hor- 
rible mode  of  life.  They  always  murder  those 
whom  they  rob,  acting  upon  the  maxim, '  that 
dead  men  tell  no  tales.'  A  gang  of  these  rob- 
bers varies  from  a  dozen  to  sixty  or  seventy 
persons.  These  divide  into  small  parties. 
Those  whom  they  murder  are  travelers  whom 
they  happen  to  meet  on  the  road.  Sometimes 
two  or  three  of  a  gang  will  take  up  their  sta- 
tion in  a  choultry,  or  place  where  the  traveler 
stops,  and  while  he  sleeps  they  rouse  him  from 
his  sleep,  and  cast  the  noose  over  his  head  and 
kill  him.  It  takes  two  persons  to  kill  a  man. 
One  casts  the  noose  over  his  head,  and  imme- 
diately tightens  it  with  all  his  strength  ;  the 
other  strikes  him  on  the  joint  of  the  knees  as 
he  rises,  which  causes  him  to  fall  backwards. 
After  he  has  fallen  they  kick  him  on  the  tem- 
ples till  he  dies,  which  is  usually  in  a  minute. 
They  never  commit  a  murder  until  they  have 
taken  every  precaution  not  to  be  found  out. 
They  will  follow  a  traveler  for  weeks,  if  neces- 
sary, before  they  destroy  him.  After  they 
have  murdered  him,  they  gash  the  body  all 
over  and  bury  it.  They  gash  it  that  it  may 
not  swell  and  cause  cracks  to  take  place  in  the 
ground,  which  might  cause  the  jackalls  to  dig 
down  to  the  body,  and  thus  expose  their  guilt. 
If  a  dog  accompanies  the  person,  they  always 
kill  it,  lest  the  faithful  creature  should  lead  to 
the  discovery  of  his  master.  They  think  it  to 
be  a  very  good  act  to. give  a  part  of  the  plun- 
der, which  they  get  when  they  murder  a  per- 
son, to  their  goddess.  If  they  fail  to  put  him 
to  death  according  to  their  rules,  they  suppose 
that  they  have  made  her  angry,  and  they  make 
offerings  to  her,  that  she  may  be  appeased. 
Thus,  their  religion  teaches  them  to  commit 
the  blackest  of  crimes. 

The  reason  why  this  people  gash  and  bury  the , 
bodies  of  those  whom  they  murder,  is  as  follows  : 
They  say  that  the  goddess  used  to  save  them  the 
trouble  of  burying  the  corpses  of  their  victims  by 
eating  them,  thus  screening  the  murderers  from 
all  chance  of  being  found  out.  Once,  after  the 
murder  of  a  traveler,  the  body  was,  as  usual, 
left  unburied.  One  of  the  Phansiagars  em- 
ployed, unguardedly  looking  behind  him,  saw 
the  goddess  in  the  act  of  feasting  on  it.  This 
made  her  so  angry,  that  she  vowed  never  again 


462 


HINDOSTAN. 


to  devour  a  body  slaughtered  by  tdem,  they 
having  by  tl»is  one  act  of  curiosity  forfeited 
her  favor.  However,  as  an  equivalent  for 
withdrawing  her  patronage,  she  plucked  one 
of  the  fangs  from  her  celestial  jaw,  and  gave 
it  to  them,  saying  that  they  might  use  it  as  a 
pickaxe,  which  would  never  wear  out.  She 
then  opened  her  side,  and  pulled  out  one  of 
her  ribs,  which  she  gave  them  for  a  knife, 
whose  edge  nothing  .could  blunt.  Having 
done  this  she  stooped  down,  and  tore  off  the 
hem  of  her  garment,  which  she  gave  them  for  a 
noose,  declaring  that  it  would  never  fail  to 
strangle  any  person  about  whose  throat  it 
might  be  cast.  She,  moreover,  commanded 
them  to  gash  and  bury  the  bodies  of  those 
whom  they  destroyed. 

The  Phansiagars  bring  up  their  children  to 
their  own  profession.    To  learn  this  the  boy  is 

g laced  under  the  care  of  a  tutor.  Sometimes 
is  father  is  his  teacher.  By  him  he  is  taught 
that  it  is  just  as  proper  to  murder  a  man  as  it 
is  to  kill  a  snake  which  lies  in  his  path,  and 
would  bite  him  as  he  passes.  He  is  not  per- 
mitted at  first  to  see  the  murders,  but  merely 
a  dead  body ;  his  mind  being  gradually  pre- 
pared for  the  sight.  After  this,  the  dreadful 
secret  of  his  trade  is,  by  degrees,  told  him. 
When  he  expresses  a  wish  to  be  engaged  in 
this  horrid  business,  they  tell  him  all  about  it. 
In  the  mean  time,  he  is  allowed  a  small  part 
of  the  plunder,  in  order  that  his  desire  to  com- 
mit these  murders  may  be  increased,  as  it  is 
only  by  murder  that  the  plunder  is  obtained. 
He  is  allowed  from  time  to  time  to  assist  in 
some  things  while  the  murder  is  taking  place  ; 
or  is  allowed  to  be  present  to  see  how  the  busi- 
ness is  managed.  It  is  not,  however,  until  he 
becomes  a  man  that  he  is  permitted  to  apply  the 
noose.  To  attain  this  privilege,  he  usually 
devotes  eight  or  ten  years.  Before  he  can 
commit  a  murder,  his  tutor  must  present  him 
with  a  noose.  This  sets  hira  loose  upon  the 
world,  as  a  licensed  murderer.  When  the  tutor 
is  about  to  give  him  the  noose,  he  takes  him 
apart,  and  solemnly  enjoins  it  upon  him  to  use 
it  with  skill,  as  it  is  to  be  the  means  of  his 
earning  his  food,  and  as  his  safety  will  depend 
upon  the  skill  with  which  it  is  used.  After  he 
receives  it,  he  tries  his  skill  in  strangling  a 
person,  the  first  opportunity  that  occurs. 

By  the  course  of  education  which  the  Phan- 
siagars undergo,  they  become  so  fond  of  their 
dreadful  occupation,  that  nothing  can  induce 
them  to  quit  it.  Some  who  have  been  employed 
in  the  East  India  Company's  service  have 
shown  this,  by  returning  to  their  business  when 
an  opportunity  offered  of  successful  enterprise. 
When  the  Phansiagars  become  old,  they  do 
not  quit  the  service  ;  but  act  as  watchers,  and 
decoy  the  traveler,  by  some  false  tale  of  dis- 
tress, into  some  distant  place,  where  he  is  mur- 
dered. 

Women  are  sometimes  admitted  to  the  soci- 
ety of  these  plunderers,  and  on  some  occasions 


are  allowed  to  apply  the  noose.  They  select  a 
handsome  girl,  and  place  her  in  a  convenient 
spot,  where,  by  her  beauty,  or  by  a  false 
story  of  distress,  she  may  decoy  some  unsus- 
pecting traveler,  and  be  the  means  of  his  de- 
struction. Should  he  be  on  horseback,  she 
will  induce  him  to  take  her  up  behind  him, 
after  which,  when  an  opportunity  offers,  she 
throws  the  noose  over  his  bead,  leaps  from  the 
horse,  drags  him  to  the  ground  and  strangles 
him.  Some  time  since,  it  happened  that  a 
horseman  of  Coorg,  in  the  Madras  Presidency, 
was  passing  by  a  spot  where  one  of  these  in- 
teresting-lookrng  girls  was  stationed.  She 
told  him  a  piteous  story  of  having  been  robbed, 
and  badly  treated,  and  begged  him  to  assist 
her.  Feeling  sorry  for  her,  ne  offered  to  take 
her  up  behind  him  on  his  horse,  and  thus  assist 
her  a  few  miles  on  her  journey.  She  expressed 
much  gratitude  for  his  kindness,  and  mounted. 
Soon  afterwards,  she  suddenly  passed  a  noose 
over  his  head,  and,  drawing  it  with  all  her 
might,  endeavored  to  pull  hira  from  his  saddle. 
At  this  moment  a  number  of  Phansiagars 
started  from  the  neighboring  thicket  and  sur- 
rounded him.  The  murderess  then  slipped 
from  the  horse ;  but  the  Coorg  striking  his 
heels  into  the  horse's  side,  it  threw  out  its 
hind  legs  with  great  violence,  and  struck  the 
girl  to  the  ground,  who  immediately  let  go  the 
cord.  He  then  drew  his  sword,  and  cutting 
his  way  through  the  robbers,  effected  his 
escape.  He  wounded  two  of  them  severely. 
These  men  were  shortly  afterwards  taken,  and, 
through  their  means,  twelve  others  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  judicial  officers  of  the  king  of 
Coorg,  including  the  girl  who  attempted  the 
murder.    They  were  all  put  to  death. 

4.  A  stop  has  been  put,  in  a  good  degree,  to 
the  Meriah  sacrifices  in  the  extensive  hill- 
tracts  of  Orissa.  It  was  not  until  the  military 
operations  of  the  British  took  place  in  Upper 
and  Lower  Goomsoor,  in  1836  and  1837,  that 
the  cruel  rite  of  immolating  human  beings  in 
these  places  was  brought  to  light,  and  it  was 
not  until  that  time  that  the  first  victims  des- 
tined for  sacrifice  were  taken  from  them. 
Captain  Millar  was  the  honored  instrument  in 
rescuing  them.  They  were  twelve  in  number. 
His  services  were  acknowledged  in  the  follow- 
ing manner  by  the  Madras  Government: 
"  Captain  Millar  will  realize  in  his  own  mind 
an  ample  reward  for  his  most  commendable 
conduct,  in  having  rescued  twelve  victims 
destined  for  those  horrible  sacrifices,  as  the 
gratifying  reflection  of  having  been  the  means 
of  saving  so  many  human  beings  from  a  cruel 
and  untimely  death  cannot  fail,  at  all  times, 
to  be  a  source  of  genuine  happiness  to  him. " 
The  discretion,  however,  with  which  he  con- 
tinued to  effect  his  humane  purpose,  is  entitled 
to  the  warmest  and  most  unqualified  approba- 
tion of  government." 

In  the  year  1838,  Captain  Campbell  rescued 
a  much  larger  number.    He  writes,  "  I  have 


HINDOSTAN. 


463 


been  most  fortunate  in  my  late  expedition 
among  the  wild  Khunds  of  Goomsoor,  and 
have  rescued  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  three 
children  of  various  ages,  who  were  intended 
for  sacrifice  by  these  barbarians.  The  chil- 
dren are  now  at  head-quarters,  and  form  a 
most  interesting;  group ;  happy  such  of  them 
as  were  aware  of  their  situation,  in  having 
escaped  the  fate  which  awaited  them." 

I  am  acquainted  with  Captain  Mac  Viccar, 
who  is  one  of  the  British  agents  "  for  the  sup- 
pression of  human  sacrifices  and  female  infan- 
ticide in  the  hill  tracts  of  Orissa."  I  learned 
from  him  that  the  whole  number  of  victims 
who  had  been  rescued,  up  to  the  time  when  I 
saw  him,  from  those  hill  tracts,  amounted  to 
more  than  1,900.  Of  these,  no  less  than  500 
were  rescued  by  himself  and  his  assistant.  Cap- 
tain Frye,  in  the  course  of  a  few  months. 
Since  my  interview  with  Captain  MacYiccar, 
which  was  in  the  year  1851,  other  victims  have 
been  rescued. 

There  are  various  tribes  inhabiting  the  ex- 
tensive hill  districts  to  which  I  have  been  al- 
luding, and  their  manner  of  offering  up  these 
sacrifices  have  been  various  also.  Let  me  give 
you  a  few  quotations  from  a  little  book  before 
me,  to  show  how  the  Khunds  were  in  the  habit 
of  offering  up  their  victims.  "  AVlien  the  day 
which  has  been  appointed  for  the  sacrifice  ar- 
rives, the  Khunds  assemble  from  all  parts  of 
the  country,  dressed  in  their  finery  ;  some  with 
bear  skins  thrown  over  their  shoulders  ;  others 
with  the  tails  of  peacocks  flowing  behind  them, 
and  the  long,  winding  feather  of  the  jungle- 
cock  waving  over  their  heads.  Thus  decked, 
they  dance,  leap,  rejoice,  beat  druills,  and  play 
on  an  instrument  not  unlike  in  sound  to  the 
highland-pipe.  In  the  afternoon,  the  priest 
with  the  aid  of  an  assistant  proceeds  to  fasten 
a  man  or  a  woman,  or  a  boy  or  a  girl  to  a  post 
which  has  been  firmly  fixed  in  the  ground. 
Around  this  post  stand  hundreds  of  those 
Khunds  with  knives  in  their  hands.  At  an 
appointed  signal  they  rush  upon  the  poor 
creature  and  try  who  can  cut  the  first  piece  of 
flesh  from  his  bones.  Great  value  is  attached 
to  the  first  morsel  cut  out  from  his  body,  as  it 
is  supposed  to  possess  greater  virtues.  This  is 
buried  in  the  earth  before  sunset." 

In  Guddapore  a  different  sacrifice  precedes 
this.  A  trench,  seven  feet  long,  is  dug,  over 
which  a  human  body  is  suspended  alive,  by  the 
neck  and  feet,  which  are  fastened  with  ropes 
to  stakes  firmly  fixed  in  the  ground,  at  each 
end  of  the  excavation,  so  that  to  prevent 
strangulation  he  is  compelled  to  support  him- 
self with  his  hands  over  each  side  of  his  grave. 
The  presiding  priest,  after  performing  various 
ceremonies  in  honor  of  their  goddess,  takes  an 
axe  and  inflicts  six  cuts,  at  equal  distances 
from  the  feet  to  the  back  of  the  neck,  repeat- 
ing the  numbers,  one,  two,  three,  and  so  forth, 
Eondi,.  Rendi,  Mungee,  Nalge,  Chingi,  Sajgi, 
and  a^  the  seventh,  Argi,  cuts  off  his  head. 


The  body  falls  into  into  the  pit  and  is  covered 
with  earth. 

Captain  Mac  Viccar  gave  me  an  account  ot 
other  districts,  where  these  sacrifices  are  per- 
formed in  a  different  manner.  "  Some  destroy 
their  victims  by  heavy  blows  from  the  metal 
bangles,  which  they  purchase  at  the  fairs,  and 
wear  on  these  occasions.  If  the  poor  creature 
is  not  killed  by  two  or  three  of  these  heavy 
blows  inflicted  on  his  head,  they  strangle  him 
with  a  cleft  bamboo,  which  they  slip  over  his 
neck.  Others  destroy  their  victims  by  placing 
them  on  the  ground  bound  hand  and  feet,  with 
their  faces  downward,  and  by  throwing  large 
stones  violently  on  the  back  of  their  necks, 
until  life  becomes  extinct. 

"  In  Fatna  the  people  do  not  use  much  of  the 
flesh  of  their  victims,  frequently  none  at  all. 
In  some  districts  they  cut  out  the  liver,  in 
others  the  lungs,  and  after  chopping  them  up 
in  small  pieces,  bury  them.  It  is  customary 
among  some  tribes  to^raw  a  cup  full  of  blood 
from  the  body,  and  elRh  family  takes  a  little 
of  it  and  sprinkles  it  on  the  floor  of  their 
houses.  While  doing  this  they  implore  bless- 
ings on  their  households  and  on  their  fields." 

The  victims  whom  the  Khunds  sacrifice  are 
generally  bought  or  stolen  from  the  low  coun- 
try, and  sold  to  them.  Sometimes  they  escape 
from  their  owners  and  thus  are  saved  from 
death.  After  the  arrival  of  the  British  troops 
in  the  Khund  country,  a  female  found  her  way 
to  the  collector's  camp  y^ith  fetters  on  her  legs. 
She  had  escaped  from  those  who  had  charge 
of  her,  and  said  that  she  had  been  sold  by  her 
own  brother  for  the  purpose  of  being  sacrificed, 

I  will  mention  the  case  of  another  individual 
who  escaped  from  the  Khunds,  and  this  case 
is  the  more  interesting  from  the  circumstance 
that  he  has  gone  back  to  the  hills  to  assist  in 
establishing  and  superintending  schools.  His 
name  is  Joy  Sing.  He  had  witnessed  one  of 
these  sacrifices  by  stealth.  He'  had  seen  a 
child  put  in  the  cleft  of  a  small  tree  which  had 
been  split  for  the  purpose.  He  had  seen 
how  the  child  was  held  fast  in  that  position, 
by  the  split  parts  of  the  tree  having  closed 
upon  its  body ;  and  while  it  was  thus  secured, 
he  had  seen  the  flesh  cut  from  its  bones.  "We 
shall  not  therefore  wonder  that  he  was  filled 
with  horror  at  the  thought  of  meeting  such  a 
doom.  Neither  shall  we  wonder  at  his  deter- 
mination to  make  the  very  last  possible  effort 
to  free  himself  from  the  hands  of  his  intended 
murderers.  The  effort  was  made,  but  it  was, 
at  first,  unsuccessful.  After  traveling  for  two 
days  through  the  jungle,  he  was  recaptured  by 
his  owners  and  put  in  irons.  His  courage 
however  did  not  fail.  He  determined  to  make 
another  attempt  to  escape,  though  he  could 
only  crawl  along,  in  consequence  of  the  irons 
on  his  legs.  Thus  fettered,  he  traveled  for  two 
days  and  two  nights,  and  when  he  had  just 
reached  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  he  again 
espied  those  who  were  in  pursuit  of  him.    Pro. 


464 


HINDOSTAN. 


videntially  Captain  Millar,  of  whom  I  have 
already  spoken,  had  encamped  near  the  place 
where  he  was.  To  this  encampment  he  hasten- 
ed with  all  the  speed  which  he  could  command 
scarcely  daring  to  look  behind  hin^and  happi- 
ly he  reached  it  in  safety.  On  his  arrival  he 
endeavored  to  make  known  his  tale  of  woe  by 
his  looks  and  his  tears,  and  those  looks  and 
tears  spoke  a  language  which  this  officer  could 
not  misunderstand.  His  irons  were  taken  off 
and  he  was  once  more  free. 

Of  the  children  rescued  from  the  Khunds 
and  others,  many  have  been  sent  by  the  Bri- 
tish Government  to  missionary  schools.  Con- 
nected with  a  station,  where  a  very  dear  fellow- 
laborer  of  mine — the  Rev.  Mr.  Wilkinson — 
resides,  a  station  about  ten  miles  distant  from 
.the  first  range  of  mountains  inhabited  by  the 
Khunds,  there  are  two  schools,  one  for  the 
boys  and  the  other  for  the  girls  who  have  been 
rescued  from  this  wretched  people.  Though 
not  altogether  in  pl^e,  I  cannot  conclude 
without  mentioning  airinteresting  case  or  two 
of  children  in  coniiection  with  the  subject 
which  is  now  before  us. 

A  few  years  ago,  a  number  of  these  resetted 
victims  arrived  at  the  gate  of  the  Mission 
house,  on  their  way  to  the  sea-coast.  The 
children  of  the  schools  went  out  to  see  them. 
Belonging  to  the  female  school  there  was  a  lit- 
tle girl,  who  thought  that  she  recognized  her 
brother  among  the  strangers.  In  a  few  min- 
utes she  was  seen  conMng  forward,  leading  him 
by  the  hand,  and  was  heard  exclaiming  with 
joy,  "  I  have  found  ray  brother."  Mr.  Wilkin- 
son said  to  her,  "  How  do  you  know  that  he  is 
your  brother?  Perhaps  you  are  mistaken." 
"  0  no,  papa,"  said  she,  "  I  am  not  mistaken. 
I  thought,  when  I  saw  him  at  the  gate,  that  he 
looked  just  like  a  little  brother  I  had  when  I 
was  taken  from  my  home,  only  he  was  smaller. 
So  I  said  to  myself,  if  he  is  my  brother  he 
will  know  his  own  name.  So  I  called  out 
Pod !  Pod !  and  he  lifted  up  his  head  and  came 
running  to  my  arms."  And  this  sister  WTpt 
over  her  little  brother,  and  kissed  him,  and  at 
last  catching  him  up,  she  bore  him  aw^ay  to 
her  school-room. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Sutton  relates  the  case  of  two 
brothers  who  met  under  similar  circumstances. 
They  had  both  been  sold  at  different  times 
to  the  Khunds,  for  sacrifices,  by  their  unnatural 
uncle. 

Among  the  victims  formerly  rescued  from 
the  Khunds,  there  was  a  very  awkward  lad, 
who  was  called  David.  Great  pains  were 
taken  to  instruct  him,  but  he  was  so  stupid 
that  all  efforts  appeared  to  be  useless.  At 
last  he  was  devoted  to  the  work  of  sweeping 
the  premises  of  the  Mission  house.  "  At  this 
time,"  says  Mr.  Sutton,  "  our  school  was  very 
full,  and  many  of  the  young  natives  had  been 
converted.  All  at  once  a  ray  of  intelligence 
seemed  to  break  upon  the  mind  of  poor  Da- 
vid.   He  seemed  suddenly  to  be  possessed  of 


new  faculties.  All  were  astonished  at  his  un- 
derstanding and  his  answers.  He  now  applied 
himself  so  diligently,  and  was  profited  so  much 
by  the  instruction  afforded,  that  he  was  subse- 
quently received  into  the  church.  Soon  after- 
wards he  was  taken  into  the  printing-office, 
and  as  he  made  rapid  advances  in  his  new 
business,  he  was  made  a  compositor.  W^iile 
thus  engaged,  and  amazing  us  all  by  his  sud- 
den proficiency,  there  appeared  on  his  skin 
numerous  white  spots — the  first  indications  of 
leprosy,  a  very  common  and  also  a  very  fatal 
disease  in  India.  We  sent  him  to  the  hospital, 
and  every  care  was  taken  of  him  ;  but  each  of 
the  white  spots  became  a  putrid  ulcer,  and  his 
limbs  were  much  eaten  away.  Nothing  could 
arrest  the  progress  of  his  malady,  or  save  his 
life,  and  as  there  was  danger  that  he  might 
communicate  his  disease  to  others,  by  coming 
in  contact  with  them,  the  doctor  directed  that 
he  should  be  kept  by  himself.  A  tent  was 
provided  for  him,  from  which  he  would  creep 
at  service  time  to  the  door  of  the  meeting- 
room  and  join  in  the  service.  A  more  inter- 
ested listener  I  never  beheld.  One  day  I  went 
with  my  wife  to  pay  him  a  visit.  He  was 
stretched  on  his  mat.  His  Testament  was 
close  to  his  side.  His  hymn  book  was  in  his 
hand,  and  we  saw  that  his  attention  had  been 
rivited  on  the  following  verses  : 

"  Of  all  that  decks  the  field  or  bower, 
Thoa  art  the  fairest,  sweetest  flower  ; 
Then,  blessed  Jesus,  let  not  me 
In  thy  kind  heart  forgotten  be. 

"  Day  after  day  youth's  joys  decay, 
Death  waits  to  seize  the  trembling  prey  ; 
Tl)>n,  blessed  Jesus,  let  not  me 
In  thy  kind  heart  forgotten  be." 

When  we  left  his  tent,  my  wife  said  to  mo 
with  great  emphasis  and  emotion,  "  There  lies 
an  heir  of  glory,  for  though  like  Lazarus  he  is 
full  of  sores,  like  Lazarus  also,  he  is  rich  in 
assured  hope."  I  could  not  but  concur  in  the 
remark. 

Soon  after  this  the  spirit  of  this  afflicted  but 
happy  youth  took  its  flight,  as  we  have  every 
reason  to  believe,  to  the  bosom  of  his  Saviour, 
rescued  by  the  British  from  the  bands  of  the 
cruel  Khunds,  and  rescued  from  eternal  tor- 
ment in  consequence  of  his  having  been  sold 
to  them  for  the  purpose  of  being  sacrificed. 

5.  The  law  which  declares  that  a  native 
shall  forfeit  his  paternal  inheritance  by  becom- 
ing a  Christian,  has  been  abrogated.  This 
was  a  most  formidable  obstacle  to  the  spread 
of  Christianity  in  this  land,  and  I  need  hardly 
add  that  this  abrogation  is  a  very  powerful 
blow  to  Hindooism. 

6.  Caste,  the  greatest  obstacle  to  the  spread 
of  Christianity  in  India,  has  in  some  degree 
been  put  down.  The  government  do  not  ac- 
knowledge it  in  the  army.  The  Pariahs  and 
the  Brahmins  are  made  to  stand  side  by  side 
when  employed  on  duty.  The  government  also 
disregard  it  in  their  educational  institutions. 


HOME  MISSIONS. 


465 


7.  In  the  courts  the  practice  of  swearing  is 
ill  some  places  changed,  the  Bible  being  sub- 
stituted for  the  water  of  the  Ganges :  or  the 
witnesses  make  only  a  declaration  that  they 
will  speak  the  truth.  I  need  hardly  add  that 
all  such  changes  are  undermining  the  faith  of 
this  people. 

I  have  now  mentioned  a  few  things  to  show 
you  that  India  is  in  a  much  better  condition  for 
the  promotion  of  missionary  labor  than  it  was 
when  you  and  I  commenced  life  ;  and  if  we 
further  take  into  consideration  the  patronage 
and  the  support  which  missionaries  receive  in 
their  work  from  the  British  government,  what 
greater  encouragements  can  Christians  at  home 
need  to  make  this  land  a  prominent  field  for 
their  exertions  ?  This  latter  consideration 
should  not  be  overlooked.  I  have  again  and 
again  said  that  if  we  were  not  under  the  pro- 
tection of  this  government,  our  lives  would 
not  be  safe — humanly  speaking — for  an  hour. 
But  I  have  said  enough.  0  that  the  misery 
and  dying  groans  of  the  130,000,000  of  India 
might  arrest  the  attention  of  the  young  men 
of  our  churches  in  America,  and  constrain 
them  to  flee  to  their  help  before  it  shall  be  too 
late  I  Is  it  not  enough  that  so  many  myriads 
have  already  taken  up  their  abode  in  hell  for- 
ever ?         Very  sincerely,        J.  Sgudder. 

HITIAA  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  on  Tahiti,  South  Seas. 

HOBART  TOWN  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyan  Missionary  Society  in  New  Zealand. 
The  town  is  delightfully  situated  upon  two 
hills,  between  which  there  runs  a  fine  stream 
of  water  from  the  heights  of  Table  Mountain, 
which  towers  above  it. 

HOLAPOOR  :  The  capital  of  an  indepen- 
dent state  in  Southern  Hindostan,  with  a  pop- 
ulation of  550,000.  It  is  130  miles  south  of 
Ahmednuggur,  and  CO  miles  south  of  Satara. 
It  was  occupied  as  a  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  1852,  no  missionary  labor  having 
ever  before  been  performed  there. 

HOME  MISSIONS  :  This  term  is  applied 
to  the  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel*  in  the 
destitute  portions  of  our  own  country,  planting 
new  churches  in  places  where  the  people  are 
not  able  to  do  it  themselves,  and  aiding  feeble 
churches  to  sustain  the  preaching  of  the  Gos- 
pel. And  this  work  is  increasing  in  interest 
and  magnitude  as  our  territory  is  expanding, 
and  the  destitute  classes  of  our  population  are 
multiplying  by  the  immigration  of  hordes  of 
ignorant  and  unevangelized  foreigners.  Not 
only  the  papists  of  Europe,  but  even  the  hea- 
then from  Asia,  are  coming  to  our  shores  ;  and 
if  we  do  not  wish  to  see  the  pagoda  as  well  as 
the  cathedral  established  among  us,  we  must 
meet  the  case  by  the  most  vigorous  applicar 
tion  of  the  means  of  grace  to  our  whole  popu- 
lation. It  is  a  significant  Providence  that  is 
casting  upon  our  shores  these  unevangelized 
multitudes,  just  at  the  time  when  we  have 
arrived  at  such  national  maturity  and  strength 
30 


as  to  be  able  to  bear  them,  and  when  wo  not 
only  have  the  means  of  giving  them  the  Gos- 
pel, but  are  considering  how  we  may  most 
easily  and  successfully  send  it  to  all  nations. 

"  It  was  about  three-quarters  of  a  century 
after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth 
before  anything  answering  to  our  present  idea 
of  Home  Missions  was  attempted,  or  in  fact 
needed.  Churches  were  all  the  while  slowly 
colonizing,  as  new  settlements  were  rising ; 
but  always  through  a  self-sustaining  process. 
In  the  most  missionary  aspect  of  the  work,  ifc 
was  the  bestowraent  of  a  minister  upon  a  new 
congregation,  by  some  older  church  that  had 
furnished  itself  with  two.  In  this  way  an  ap- 
plication was  answered  that  came  to  Boston  in 
1642,  from  "certain  well  disposed  people  in 
the  upper  and  newly  settled  parts  of  Virginia, 
bewailing  their  sad  condition  for  want  of  the 
means  of  salvation,  and  earnestly  entreating  a 
supply  of  faithful  ministers,  whom,  upon  expe- 
rience of  their  gifts  and  godliness,  they  might 
call  to  office."  The  request  was  read  on  "  lec- 
ture day  "  in  Boston ;  and  after  long  consulta- 
tion and  prayer,  it  seemed  good  to  the  elders 
of  the  churches  to  recommend  two  of  their 
number,  Rev.  Messrs.  Knolls  of  Watertown 
and  Thompson  of  Braintree — each  of  which 
had  a  teaching  colleague — to  go  on  this  mis- 
sion ;  and  they  were  accordingly  dismissed  by 
their  people,  and  went.* 

"  A  nearer  approach  to  Home  Missions  was 
made  about  the  year  1695,  when  several  of  the 
98  churches  then  in  Massachusetts  were  found 
to  be  destitute  of  the  stated  means  of  grace 
and  unable  to  procure  them  ; — a  circumstance 
not  more  distressing  to  the  vacant  churches 
themselves,  than  it  was  appalling  to  the  guar- 
dians of  the  Commonwealth.  In  the  archives 
of  the  State  are  to  be  found  about  50  applica- 
tions from  feeble  parishes,  presented  to  the 
Legislature  between  1695  and  1711 ;  and  a 
record  of  as  many  appropriations,  amounting 
in  all  to  nearly  £1,000,  for  their  relief  in  sus- 
taining the  ministry.  This  plan,  of  course, 
could  not  continue. 

"  The  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  amo7ig 
the  Indians  and  others  in  North  America,  was 
founded  in  1787,  and  has  the  honor  of  being 
the  oldest  incorporated  missionary  society  in 
the  United  States.  A  number  of  gentlemen, 
residing  in  Boston  and  its  vicinity,  that  year 
received  a  commission  from  the  '  Society  in 
Scotland  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,' 
to  superintend  funds  which  they  had  devoted 
to  the  purpose  of  Christianizing  the  Indians  in 
this  country.  *  This  Board  of  Commissioners, 
emulous  to  cooperate  with  their  foreign  breth- 
ren in  a  cause  so  benevolent  and  honorable  to 
the  Christian  character,  not  only  as  their 
agents,  but  also  as  principals,  by  raising  funds 
in  America  for  the  like  purpose,  formed  them- 
selves into  a  Society  similar  to  that  iij  Scot- 


Winthrdp's  Journal,  Vol.  H.  p. 


4e6 


HOME  MISSIONS. 


land/  and  obtained  an  act  of  incorporation. 
At  their  request  the  I/?gislaturc  also  granted 
a  brief  for  a  contribution  in  all  the  Conufrega- 
tional  churclu*  throughout  the  State, — which, 
however,  yieldeil  but  $1,561.  A  larger  sum 
was  soon  after  obtained  by  private  subscrij)r 
tion  among  the  members  of  the  Society.  In 
about  16  years  the  fund  had  increased  to 
^23,417,  and  yielded  an  annual  income  of 
$1,145  ; — which,  since  that  time,  has  been  ex- 
pended partly  among  the  Indians  in  different 
sections  of  New  England  and  New  York,  and 
partly  in  new  settlements,  furnishing  mission- 
aries and  Bibles,  and  supporting  charity 
schools. 

"  The  Conned  icxU  Missionary  Societu,  though 
not  instituted  till  1798,  "  may  be  said  to  have 
existed  in  fact,  though  not  in  form,  from  1792  ;" 
for  the  General  Association,  which  at  first 
composed  the  Society,  obtained  permission 
that  year  from  the  Legislature  to  raise  funds 
for  missionary  purposes.  Indeed,  several  mis- 
sionaries are  known  to  have  gone  into  Ver- 
mont and  Western  New  York  under  the  par 
trona^e  of  that  body  as  early  as  1788.  And 
there  is  traditional  authority  for  believing  that 
the  '  grain  of  mustard  €eed  '  from  which  this 
fruitful  tree  has  grown,  was  a  donation  of 
three  dollars,  which  a  poor  but  pious  woman 
put  into  her  pastor's  hand  for  a  missionary 
use.  Not  knowing  through  what  channel  to 
appropriate  the  gift  so  as  to  answer  the  donor's 
purpose,  he  took  it  with  him  to  the  General 
Association,  and  sought  counsel  of  his  breth- 
ren ;  which  resulted  in  this  missionary  move- 
ment, whose  original  object  was,  *  to  Chris- 
tianize the  heathen  in  North  America,  and  to 
support  and  promote  Christian  knowledge  in 
the  new  settlements  within  the  United  States.' 

"  The  Berkshire  and  Columbia  Missionary  So- 
cidy  was  organized  in  1798  for  the  purpose* of 
♦propagating  the  Gospel  in  the  new  settle- 
ments, and  among  heathen  nations.'  Its  first 
name  was  'The  Congregational  Missionary 
Soeiety  originated  in  the  counties  of  Berkshire 
fMass.)  and  Columbia  (N.  Y.) ;'  and  for  a 
few  years  it  received  about  an  equal  share  of 
patronage  from  each  State.  Subsequently 
most  of  the  New  York  members  became  asso- 
ciated with  other  organizations.  When  this 
Society  assumed  an  auxiliary  relation  to  the 
Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Society,  it  had 
expended  about  $13,000  in  sustaining,  on  an 
average,  four  missionaries  per  annum,  under  a 
commission  for  three  months  each — or  one 
minister  through  the  year— besides  a  generous 
distribution  of  books  on  the  missionary  fields, 
and  the  establishment  of  nearly  twenty  '  cha- 
ritable libraries.' 

"  T/ie  New  Hampshire  Missionary  Society  was 
instituted  in  1801,  for  the  purpose  of '  sending 
missionaries  to  destitute  towns,  parishes  and 
socicti^  within  this  State,  and  on  the  borders 
of  the  same.'  Provision  was  also  made  for 
the  distribution  of  religious  books.    It  is  now 


auxiliary  to  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society ;  and  besides  supplying  the  necessities 
within  its  own  bounds,  takes  part  each  year 
in  the  work  of  evangelizing  the  West. 

"  T/ie  Hampshire  Missionary  Society  was  insti- 
tuted at  Northampton,  Mass.,  in  1802,  whose 
'  object  and  business,'  as  stated  in  the  Consti- 
tution, is  '  to  promote  the  preaching  and  pro- 
pagation of  the  Gospel  of  J  esus  Christ  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  new  settlements  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  aboriginal  nations  of 
the  continent.'  At  first  the  Society  covered 
the  '  Old  County  of  Hampshire,'  from  which 
Hampden  and  Franklin  counties  have  since 
been  separated,  and  now  sustain  their  own  cha- 
ritable associations.  By  obtaining  from  be- 
nevolent individuals  'promissory  notes  with 
good  securities,'  a  permanent  fund  was  early 
created,  which  has  since  been  increased  by 
legacies.  The  income  from  this  fund,  together 
with  the  annual  collections,  usually  amounts 
to  several  thousand  dollars  a  year ;  which  is 
paid  in  part  to  the  American  Home  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  in  part  to  the  Massachusetts 
Home  Missionary  Society,  agreeably  to  the 
terms  on  which  its  present  auxiliary  connection 
is  based.  Previously  to  1827,  its  independent 
disbursements  amounted  to  $33,000  for  mis- 
sionary service,  and  about  $10,000  in  the  pur- 
chase and  distribution  of  Bibles  and  other  re- 
ligious books.  Its  missionaries  labored  chiefly 
in  Western  New  York  and  in  Maine,  from 
four  to  six  men  being  under  commission  from 
three  to  six  months  each,  on  an  average,  per 
annum. 

"  The  Massachusetts  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  was  instituted  in  1803, 
'  for  the  benevolent  purpose  of  promoting 
evangelical  truth  and  piety ;  in  the  first  place, 
by  a  charitable  distribution  of  religious  books 
and  tracts  among  poor  and  pious  Christians, 
and  also  among  the  inhabitants  of  new  towns 
and  plantations ;  and  secondly,  by  supporting 
charity  schools  and  pious  missionaries  in 
places  where  the  means  of  religious  instruction 
are  sparingly  eujOyed.'  The  first  distribution 
of  books  was  made  in  1804.  The  first  mis- 
sionary was  employed  in  1811 ;  and  during  the 
subsequent  ten  or  fifteen  years  the  resources  of 
the  Society,  amounting  sometimes  to  $2,000 
per  annum,  were  expended  in  circulating  books 
and  in  helping  partially  supplied  churches  to 
a  permanent  ministry.  These  labors  were  be- 
stowed in  various  parts  of  New  England,  but 
more  especially  in  New  Hampshire.  As  its 
original  objects  are  now  reached  through  the 
Home  Missionary  and  Tract  Societies,  its 
present  income  is  small,  and  is  expended  in 
supplying  destitute  Sabbath-schools  with  li- 
braries. 

"  The  Rhode  Island  Home  Missionary  Society 
arose  about  the  same  time  ;  the  Maine  Mission- 
ary Society  in  1807  ;  and  the  Vermont  Domestic 
Missionary  Society  in  1818  ; — all  of  them  hav- 
ing similar  objects,  and  all  now  sustaining  an 


HOME  MISSIONS. 


467 


auxiliary  relation  to  tlie  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

"  The  Massachusetts  Missionary  Society  was 
formed  in  Boston,  May  28, 1799  ;  the  original 
object  of  which  was,  *  to  diffuse  the  Gospel 
among  the  heathen,  as  well  as  other  people,  in 
the  remote  parts  of  our  country,  where  Christ 
is  seldom  or  never  preached.'  But,  having 
subsequently  become  strictly  a  domestic  mis- 
sionary society,  the  name  was  (in  1844)  chang- 
ed to  the  Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Society. 

"  The  Domestic  Missionary  Society  of  Massa- 
chusetts Proper  was  formed  by  the  General  As- 
sociation in  1818,  to  operate  exclusively  within 
the  State  of  Massachusetts.  On  the  formation 
of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  in 
1826,  these  societies  united,  and  became  aux- 
iliary to  the  American  Society,  confining  their 
operations  to  Massachusetts.  At  this  time, 
one  of  them  had  25  missionaries,  mostly  in 
Maine,  and  the  otlier  about  the  same  number 
in  Massachusetts."* 

T/te  Presbyterian  ChurcJi  in  the  United  States 
has  been  a  missionary  body  from  its  organiza- 
tion, in  1706,  to  the  present  time.  For  the 
first  ten  years  of  its  existence,  its  operations 
were  conducted  by  the  original  Presbytery  of 
Philadelphia,  under  whose  direction  such  min- 
isters as  could  be  had  went  out  into  the  waste 
places,  making  known  the  Gospel.  In  1717 
the  oversight  of  the  missionary  work  was 
transferred  to  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia,  and 
after  24  years  of  labor,  in  the  year  1741,  the 
oversight  was  given  to  the  Synods  of  Phila- 
delphia and  New  York  united,  and  remained 
with  these  bodies  until  the  formation  of  the 
General  Assembly,  in  1789. 

The  business  of  domestic  missions  was  con- 
ducted by  the  General  Assembly,  as  a  body, 
from  1789  to  1802,  but  the  work  having  be- 
come extended,  and  increasing  yearly,  the  as- 
sembly appointed  a  "standing  committee  of 
missions,"  and  that  committee  made  its  first 
annual  report  in  May,  1803.  In  1816,  the 
style  of  this  committee  was  changed  for  that 
of  "  The  Board  of  Missions,"  which  name  it 
still  retains.  "The  Board,  therefore,  is  no 
new  creation,  but  the  old  standing  committee 
of  missions,  under  a  new  name,  and  with  en- 
larged membership  and  powers."  The  Board 
now  consists  of  60  ministers  and  36  laymen, 
elected  for  four  years,  and  arranged  in  four 
classes,  one  of  which  goes  out  each  year,  when 
a  new  class  is  elected.  And  the  reason  for  the 
election  of  so  large  a  body,  and  those  scatter- 
ed over  the  United  States,  is  to  secure  a  quo- 
rum for  business  at  the  annual  meetings  of  the 
General  Assembly,  which  are  held  in  various 
sections  of  the  union ;  and  besides  this,  the 
field  is  so  large,  that  it  is  found  necessary  to 
have  two  executive  committees,  one  located  in 
Philadelphia  and  the  other  in  Louisville,  and 
the  oversight  of  the  several  states  is  divided 
between  them.    The  work  of  church  extension 


*  Rev.  J.  S.  Clarke. 


is  also  committed  to  this  Board.  The  tollow- 
ing  summary  of  a  single  year's  work  will  serve 
as  a  fair  specimen  of  what  has  been  accom- 
plished through  its  instrumentality : — In  the 
year  ending  May  1,  1853,  the  number  of 
churches  and  missionary  stations  supplied,  was 
838  :  organized  within  the  year,  32  churches  : 
admissions  to  the  churches  on  examination, 
1643  ;  on  certificate,  1287  ;  total,  2930.  Total 
number  in  communion  in  these  churches,  19,966. 
The  number  of  Sabbath-schools  in  these  con- 
gregations, 432;  scholars,  19,123;  baptisms, 
1876  ;  houses  of  worship  erected  or  finished, 
45.  "The  total  amount  of  money  paid  out  as 
the  cost  of  all  these  operations  for  the  year, 
was  about  sixty-eight  thousand  dollars.  The 
following  extracts,  from  the  report  of  the 
Board  for  1854,  give  an  interesting  view  of 
the  progress  of  the  work  : — 

"  In  1828,  the  year  of  the  re-organization  of 
the  Board,  there  were  but  31  missionaries,  and 
an  income  of  $2,400  only. 

"  In  1830,  two  years  after,  there  were  198 
missionaries  and  an  income  of  $12,632.  In 
1840,  two  years  after  the  division  of  the  Church, 
and  when  the  parts  were  fairly  separated,  there 
were  256  missionaries,  and  an  income  of 
$40,734.  In  1850,  the  number  of  missionaries 
was  570,  and  the  receipts  were  $67,654  19. 
This  year,  1854,  the  number  of  missionaries  re- 
ported is  523,  and  the  receipts  were  $75,207  80. 

"  Let  us  now  glance  at  the  expansion  of  onr 
Church,  which  has  been  mainly  effected  by 
missionary  labor.  We  will  begin  with  1828. 
the  year  of  the  re-organization  of  the  Board. 

Synods.  P'bt'ries.  Ministers.  Ch'ches.  Members 

1828,        16,  90,  1,285,        1,968,        146,308. 

1830,         19,  98,  1,491,         2,158,         173,329. 

1840,        17,  95,  1,615,        1,673,        126,583. 

1850,        23,  127,  1,926,        2,595,        207,254 

1853,        28,  143,  2,139,        2,879,        219,263. 

"  In  this  brief  reference  to  the  fruits  of  mis- 
sionary labor,  as  seen  in  the  increase  of  Church- 
es, and  Presbyteries,  and  Synods,  we  have  said 
nothing  of  the  thousands  of  religious  volumes 
and  tracts  distributed  by  our  missionaries 
throughout  our  country,  the  tens  of  thousands 
of  children  gathered  by  them  into  Sabbath- 
schools,  the  numerous  Bible  and  catechetical 
classes  they  have  formed,  the  thousands  of  tem- 
perance societies  they  have  organized,  the  nu- 
merous parochial  schools,  academies,  and  colleges 
they  have  founded,  nor  of  the  various  other  in- 
strumentalities which  they  have  set  in  motion, 
and  which  are  silently,  but  effectively  producing 
a  harvest  of  immeasurable  good." 

The  following  table  is  worthy  of  study.  ^  It 
tells  its  own  story,  as  to  the  self-sacrificing 
spirit  of  our  Home  Missionaries  ;  and  it  is 
probably  a  fair  specimen  of  the  whole. 

Table  showing  the  returns  of  342  missiona- 
ries, laboring  in  29  States  and  territories,  of 
amounts  paid  them  by  both  people  and  Board, 
and  average  salary  in  each  State:  amount-s 
paid  in  each  State  by  the  Board,  and  general 


468 


HOME  MISSIONS. 


average  salary  as  paid  by  the  people  and  the 
Board,  and  by  the  Board  alone  for  the  year 
1863-4. 


STATES  AND 
lERRITORlHS. 

u 

.2.3 
3  »   . 

In 

1 
ll 

1^ 

a  $ 

'■-SI 

|8^ 

1    \labama 

2 
4 

1 

1 

2 

6 

83 

39 

15 

8 

1 

12 

5 

1 

1 

10 

17 

33 

8 

32 

2 

57 

1 

5 

12 

24 

11 

$820 
2,450 

600 

600 

1,250 

1,543 

11,846 

15,101 

5,391 

2,780 

650 

5,977 

2,392 

600 

625 

3,929 

6,395 

15,351 

2,935 

10,484 

825 

22,653 

275 

1,882 

6,265 

10,322 

3,725 

$410 
613 

600 

600 
625 
309 
369 
387 
359 
348 
651 
498 
478 
600 
625 
393 
376 
465 
367 
328 
413 
397 
275 
376 
522 
430 
339 

200 

2    Ark<iUHft.s  ,      , , 

700 

a  California 

4.  Connecticut 

6.  Delaware 

300 

6.  IMst.  of  Columbia. 

7.  Florida 

300 
550 

8.  Georgia 

568 

9.  Illinois 

4,563 

10.  Indiana 

4,850 

11.  Iowa 

2,600 

12.  Kentucky 

13.  Ix)uisiaua 

14.  Maryland 

1,320 
■  250 
2,160 

15    Michigan 

1,100 

16.  Minnesota 

17.  Mississippi 

18.  Missouri 

500 

175 

1,780 

19.  New  Jersey 

20.  New  York 

21.  North  Carolina.... 

22.  Ohio 

2,725 
6,010 
1,025 
3,083 

23.  Oregon 

24.  Pennsvlvania 

25.  South  Carolina.... 

26.  Tennesse 

#600 

7,078 

75 

750 

27.  Texas 

2,750 

28.  Virginia       

3,490 

29.  Wisconsin 

No.  of  Miss,  reported, 

2,430 

342 

$137,666 

$61,832 

Arerage  salary  of  missionaries  (from  all  sources)  $403. 
Average  salary  of  missionaries  paid  by  the  Board,  $162. 

American  Home  Missionary  Society. — A  de- 
sire having  arisen  for  a  more  general  coopera- 
tion, in  the  prosecution  of  Domestic  Missions, 
on  the  part  of  several  denominations  which 
harmonized  in  doctrinal  views,  preliminary 
meetings  were  held  in  Boston  for  consultation  ; 
and  on  the  13th  of  March,  1826,  a  circular  was 
issued  by  tie-  Executive  Committee  of  the 
United  Domestic  Missionary  Society  of  New 
Tork,  inviting  a  meeting  of  the  friends  of 
the  cause,  which  took  place  in  the  Brick 
Church,  New  York,  May  10,  1826,  when 
the  society  was  formed,  and  a  constitution 
adopted.  At  its  next  anniversary,  the  United 
Domestic  Missionary  Society  was  dissolved, 
and  its  life  members  and  life  directors  became 
life  members  and  life  directors  of  the  new  so- 
ciety ;  and  subsequently,  the  several  State  so- 
cieties of  the  New  England  States  became 
auxiliary  to  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  on  the  principle  of  first  supplying  the 
wants  of  their  own  States,  and  paying  over  to 
the  American  Society  their  surplus  funds,  their 
missionaries  being  commissioned  by  the  parent 
society. 

This  society  is  composed  of  life  members, 
who  have  become  such  by  the  payment  of  $30, 


who  now  number  nearly  8000.  Its  ^t  presi- 
dent was  Hon.  Stephen  Van  Rciisselaer,  of 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  its  first  secretary,  lie  v. 
Absalom  Peters.  Its  affairs  arc  managed  by  an 
Executive  Committee  of  14  members,  clergymen 
and  laymen,  all  located  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

Summary. — The  society  has  existed  for 
twenty-eight  years.  The  total  amount  of  re- 
ceipts, for  this  time,  is  $2,728,363  71.  The 
total  number  of  missionaries  employed,  is  about 
5,400.  The  total  number  of  years  of  labor,  is 
15,706.  The  total  number  of  preaching  stations 
is  about  4,000.  The  total  number  of  churches 
that  have  become  self-supporting  through  this 
society's  aid,  is  nearly  1 ,000.  The  total  of  addi- 
tions to  the  churches,  is  126,705. 

Interesting  and  important  facts  and  compari- 
sons.— When  the  society  concluded  its  first 
year,  120  out  of  its  169  missionaries  for  that 
period,  or  nearly  three-fourths,  had  been  employ- 
ed in  the  single  State  of  New  York,  and  onl)^ 
thirty-three,  or  about  one-fifth  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley.  The  largest  item  in  its  receipts  was 
less  than  $6,000,  which  included  all  the  contri- 
butions of  auxiliary  and  allied  associations. 
Its  foremost  contributor  was  the  "  Geneva 
Agency,"  which  furnished  the  sum  of  $2313 
36.  When  the  society  concluded  its  twenty- 
eighth  year,  153,  or  little  more  than  one- 
seventh  of  its  missionaries  had  been  employed 
during  the  year,  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
while  530  out  of  1047  (or  more  than  one-half j, 
had  labored  at  the  West.  Its  foremost  contri- 
butor, the  Auxiliary  Society  of  Massachusetts, 
alone,raised  more  than  $46,000  (or  $6,000  more 
than  twice  the  whole  income  of  the  national 
Society  in  1827,)  of  which  over  $38,000  went 
for  the  benefit  of  the  new  settlements.  The 
first  year,  11 0  years  of  labor  were  performed  ; 
in  the  twenty-eighth  year,  870  years.  The 
number  of  Sabbath-school  scholars  now  con- 
nected with  its  churches,  amounts  to  more  than 
65,000.  In  its  last  year,  65  houses  of  worship 
were  built  by  congregations  receiving  its  aid  ; 
49  repaired  or  improved,  while  88  remain  in 
process  of  erection,  and  20  churches  have  built 
parsonages.  The  society  needs  about  200  new 
missionaries,  annually. 

The  direction  of  the  society's  growth  is 
shown  in  the  following  table  : 

In  1827,  Ohio 
"     "      Indiana 
«     "      Illinois 
"     "      Missouri 
"     "      Michigan 
"  1836,  Wisconsin 
Iowa 

California  )  ,, 
&  Oregon  f 

At  the  same  time  its  labors  have  also  been 
much  extended  in  the  older  States. 

Benefit  to  particular  States  and  Sections. — It 
is  estimated  that  one-half  of  the  churches 
in  New  England  have  received  mission- 
ary aid — most  of  them  from  this  society, 
through  its  auxiliaries  ;  and  in  Maine  and  Ver- 


bad  16  missionaries  • 

in  1854,  110 

"      3 

(' 

.<    .<        43 

"      2 

"     •'      106 

'*      3 

<«     «<        28 

«j      4 

"     »        76 

"      1 

«     .<        87 

«      2 

«<    «'        66 

1847, 


12 


HOME  MISSIONS. 


469 


mont,  three-fourth  of  the  churches  ;  in  Central 
and  Western  JS'ew  York,  Jive-sixtlis,  and  in  the 
states  north-west  of  the  Ohio  river,  out  of 
1,200,  all  but  about  50,  or  eleven-twelfths. 


The  operations  of  this  society  from  year  to 
year,  its  regular  increase  of  means  and  labors, 
with  the  results,  will  all  be  seen  in  the  follow- 
ing 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


Society's 
Years. 

Receipts. 

Expenditures 

s 

S5^ 

r  Congre- 
ns      and 
onary 
icts. 

1 

li 

O    o 

^ 

1- 

|ll 

No.  0) 
gatio 
Missi 
Distr 

^ 

111 

m 

l_1826-27 

$18,140.76 

$13,984.17 

169 

68 

196 

110 

not  rep 

not  rep 

$127 

$  83 

2—1827-28 

20,035.78 

17,849.22 

201 

89 

244 

133 

1,000 

306 

134 

89 

3—1828-29 

26,997.31 

26,814.96 

304 

169 

401 

186 

1,678 

423 

144 

88 

4—1829  30 

33,929.44 

42,429.60 

392 

166 

500 

274 

1,959 

572 

155 

108 

5_1830-31 

48,124.73 

47,247.60 

463 

164 

577  _ 

294 

^2,5^2 

im 

160 

102 

6—1831-32 

49,422.i2 

52,808.39 

509 

158 

745 

361 

6,126 

783 

146 

104 

7—1832-33 

68,627.17 

66,277.96 

606 

209 

801 

417 

4,284 

1,148 

159 

109 

8—1833-34 

78,911.44 

80,015.76 

676 

200 

899 

463 

2.736 

Pupils. 

172 

118 

9—1834-35 

88,863.22 

83,394.28 

719 

204 

1,050 

490 

3,300 

52,000 

170 

116 

10—1835-36 

101,565.15 

92,188.94 

755 

249 

1,000 

545 

3,750 

65,000 

169 

122 

11—1836-37 

85,701.59 

99,529.72 

810 

232 

1,025 

554 

3,752 

80,000 

180 

123 

12—1837-38 

86,522.45 

85,066.26 

684 

123 

840 

438 

3.376 

67,000 

194 

124 

13—1838-39 

82,564.63 

82,655,64 

665 

201 

794 

473 

3,920 

58,500 

175 

124 

U-1SS9~4:0 

78,345.20 

78,533,89 

680 

194 

842 

486 

4,750 

60,000 

162 

115 

15-^1840-41 

85,413.34 

84.864.06 

690 

178 

862, 

601 

4,618 

54,100 

169 

123 

16—1841-42 

92,463.61 

94,300.12 

751 

248 

987 

'  594 

'5,ol4 

64,300 

BO 

119 

17—1842-43 

99,812.24 

98,215.11 

848 

225 

1,047 

657 

8,223 

68,400 

149 

116 

18—1843-44 

101,904.99 

104,276.47 

907 

237 

1,245 

665 

7,693 

60,300    157 

115 

19     1844-45 

121,946.28 

118,360.12 

943 

209 

1,285 

736 

4,929 

60,000 

160 

126 

20—1845-46 

125,124.70 

126,193.15 

971 

223 

1,453 

760 

5,311 

76,700 

166 

130 

21—1846-47 

116,617.94 

119,170.40 

972 

189 

1,470 

713 

4,400 

73,000 

167 

123 

22—1847-48 

140,197.10 

139,233.34 

1,006 

205 

1,447 

773 

6,020 

77,000 

180 

138 

23—1848-49 

145,925.91 

143,771.67 

1,019 

192 

1,510 

808 

5,550 

83,500 

178 

141 

24—1849-50 

157,160,78 

145,456,09 

1,032 

205 

1,575 

812 

6,682 

75,000 

179 

141 

25—1850-51 

150',940.25 

153,817.90 

1,065 

211 

1,820 

853 

6,678 

70,000 

180 

144 

26—1851-52 

160,062.25 

162,831.14 

1,065 

204 

1,948 

862 

6,820 

66,500 

189 

153 

27—1852-53 

171,734.24 

174,439.24 

1,087 

213 

2,160 

878 

6,079 

72,500 

199 

160 

28—1853-54 

191,209.07 

184,025.76 

1,047 

167 

2,140 

870 

6,025 

65,400 

212 

171 

Remarks. — The  influence  of  this  society,  how- 
ever, can  hardly  be  estimated  in  figures,  and  is 
not  easily  described  in  words.  Its  missionaries 
are  not  merely  pastors  and  preachers,  they  are 
founders  of  schools,  colleges,  and  theological 
seminaries.  They  labor  not  merely  in  the  pul- 
pit, the  conference-room,  and  by  the  bed-side  of 
the  sick  and  the  dying ;  but  they  are  abroad  in 
the  world,  laying  the  foundations  of  the 
country's  future,  through  labors,  specific,  and 
direct,  as  well  as  in  the  general  influences  of 
their  sacred  calling,  and  of  the  religious  insti- 
tutions that  they  buil'd. 

Methodist  Home  31issions. — The  Methodist 
Home  Missions  in  the  United  States  are  those 
sustained  by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
the  Methodist  E.  Church  South,  and  the  Pro- 
testant Methodist  Church.  The  mode  of  opera- 
tion in  raising  and  appropriating  funds  for 
Domestic  Missions  is  so  much  alike  in  each  of 
these  churches,  that  one  description  will  do  for 


all.  There  is  no  separate  Home  Missionary 
Fund  in  any  of  these  bodies.  What  they 
raise  for  missions,  is  raised  without  any  par- 
ticular designation.  But  out  of  the  whole  sum 
subscribed  by  the  church,  a  certain  proportion 
is  set  apart  for  the  support  of  Home  Missions. 
In  the  month  of  November  of  each  year,  the 
General  Missionary  Committee,  the  Board  of 
Managers,  and  the  Bishops  of  the  Methodist 
E.  Church,  meet  together  in  New-York,  in 
order  to  make  the  appropriations  for  missions 
for  the  ensuing  year.  This  committee,  after 
having  disposed  of  the  foreign  missions,  takes 
up  the  domestic  missions.  First,  the  missions 
to  the  Germans  in  the  United  States  and  Ter- 
ritories are  taken  up  by  the  conferences,  and 
considered  one  by  one,  and  the  amount  neces- 
sary for  each  conference  set  down  ;  then  the 
missions  to  the  foreign  population  other  than 
German  are  taken  up  and  considered,  and  the 
amount  necessary  set  down  ;  then  the  domestic 


470 


nOME   MISSIONS. 


English  Missions  iu  each  annual  conference  are 
taken  up,  and  the  amount  necessary  to  enable 
each  annual  conference  to  carry  on  its  own 
domestic  missions  is  determined,  and  set  down 
to  each  conference.  This  committee  deter- 
mines the  amount  for  which  each  bishop  may 
draw  for  the  domestic  missions  of  those  con- 
ferences over  which  he  shall  preside,  and  he 
cannot  draw  on  the  treasurer  for  more  than  this 
amount.  The  J5ooA;  of  Discipline  (Part  III.  ch. 
iv.)  prescribes  the  plan  for  raising  the  funds 
thus  appropriated.  The  leading  provisions 
are  :  (1)  Each  conference  has  an  auxiliary  to 
the  parent  society  ;  (2)  Every  church  within 
the  bounds  of  that  conference  is  to  have  a  mis- 
sionary committee,  to  aid  in  carrying  into 
efftct  the  disciplinary  measures  for  the  support 
of  missions ;  (3)  In  each  church  suitable  mis- 
sionary collectors  are  appointed  to  solicit  sub- 
scriptions ;  (4)  One  Sabbath  in  the  year  is 
given  to  the  advocacy  of  this  cause,  when  a 
public  collection  is  usually  taken  up  ;  (5)  A 
transcript  return  of  all  subscriptions  of  fifty 
cents  and  upwards,  is  to  be  reported  at  Con- 
ference for  insertion  in  the  Annual  Report  of 
the  Conference  Missionary  Societies. 

The  moneys  appropriated  for  domestic  mis- 
sions are  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  confer- 
ences, severally,  which  have  charge  of  these 
missions.  In  each  of  the  annual  conferences 
there  is  a  mission  committee,  appointed  at  each 
session,  whose  duty  it  is,  in  conjunction  with 
the  bishop  presiding,  to  make  the  estimate  for 
each  mission  under  the  care  of  the  conference ; 
and  the  estimates  must  be  kept  within  the 
credit  allowed  to  the  conference  for  its  mis- 
sions, and,  further,  must  receive  the  sanction 
of  the  bidiop  presiding.  Thus,  it  will  be  seen 
that  each  conference  is  responsible  for  the  use 
made  of  the  money  placed  to  its  credit  for  the 
support  of  the  missions  under  its  care.  The 
conference  missionary  committee  for  estimating 
for  the  support  of  the  missions  under  its  care, 
can  obtain  all  information  of  the  condition 
and  prospects  of  each  of  their  missions,  and 
hence  make  just  estimates;  and  when  these 
estimates  are  made,  they  are  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  bishop  in  council  with  all  the  pre- 
siding elders,  so  that  the  bishop  has  an  oppor- 
tunity of  thoroughly  understanding  each  case, 
and  thus  is  *^nabled  to  give  or  withhold  his 
sanction.  When  the  estimates  are  approved 
by  the  bishop,  he  draws  on  the  treasurer  at 
New  York  for  the  same,  in  quarterly  drafts, 
in  favor  of  each  presiding  elder,  for  the  amount 
estimated  for  the  missions  in  his  district,  and 
under  his  direction.  In  the  expenditure  of 
the  moneys  appropriated  for  these  missions, 
the  Board  of  Managers  at  New  York  are  in 
no  way  responsible  ;  but  each  conference  and 
the  bishop  presiding  are  responsible  for  the 
specific  appropriations  made  to  the  missions 
under  its  care. 

The  Domestic  Missions  of  the  M.  E.  Church 
are  (1)  :  Missions  to  those  who  speak  the  Eng- 


lish language  in  the  destitute,  or  new  por- 
tions of  the  country;  (2)  To  for  cigTieis  Vfho 
have  settled  together  in  various  portions  of 
the  country,  and  in  particular  quarters  of  our 
cities ;  (3)  Besides  these  they  have  also  an 
interesing  mission  to  New  Mexico.  Of  these, 
the  missions  to  the  Germans  are  the  most  nu- 
merous and  successful ;  but  they  have  also 
missions  to  the  Swedes,  Daises,  Norwegians, 
Welsh,  and  French. 

The  missions  to  people  who  speak  the  Eng- 
lish language  are  instituted  by  the  bishop  and 
council  of  presiding  elders  of  each  conference, 
within  whose  bounds  such  mission  fields  lie ; 
and  the  appropriations  for  the  same  are  re- 
ported to  the  conference  for  its  approbation. 
As  these  English  domestic  missions  become 
strong,  they  cease  to  be  missions,  and  become 
self-supporting  churches,  and  in  their  turn  con- 
tribute to  sustain  other  new  or  promising  fields 
of  labor. 

The  missions  to  the  foreign  populations 
which  have  settled  in  the  country,  and  still 
speak  their  own  language,  sprung  up  among 
these  people  spontaneously.  Individuals  were 
converted  under  the  ordinary  ministration  of 
the  Gospel,  and  they  began  to  declare  to  their 
countrjTnen  what  they  had  experienced.  The 
work  among  the  Germans  began  about  seven- 
teen years  ago.  Now  there  are  160  mission- 
aries and  11,000  members,  with  numerous  Sun- 
day-schools, and  a  few  day-schools.  These 
missions  in  the  United  States  have  reacted  on 
Germany,  and  produced  the  Foreign  German 
Missions. 

Then  there  are  the  Scandinavian  Missions  to 
the  Swedes,  Norwegians,  and  Danes.  Of  these 
people  the  Swedes  are  the  most  numerous  in 
this  country,  and  the  missions  are  more  exten- 
sive among  them.  The  Norwegians  also  have 
received  the  Gospel  gladly,  and  have  carried 
it  back  to  Norway ;  and  have  thus  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  mission  there.  The  centre  of 
the  missions  to  the  Sclavonic  people  from  the 
north-west  of  Europe,  is  in  New  York,  where 
they  all  land.  The  Bethel-ship,  John  Wesley, 
in  the  North  River,  is  the  place  where,  upon 
landing,  they  hear  for  the  first  time  the  simple, 
spiritual  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
These  missions  took  form  nine  years  ago,  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  under  the  labors  of  the 
Rev.  0.  G  Hedstrom. 

Besides  these,  there  are  missions  to  the 
Welsh  and  French  immigrants,  as  will  appear 
in  the  table. 

Oregon  and  California  have  hitherto  been 
placed  among  foreign  missions,  owing  to  their 
distance,  the  peculiarities  of  their  population, 
and  their  dependence  upon  the  Missionary 
Society.  It  has  pleased  God  to  give  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  the  earliest,  and, 
as  yet,  the  widest  and  strongest  occupancy  of 
these  new  countries.  Hitherto  this  body  have 
prosecuted  these  missions  vigorously  and  suc- 
cessfully.   They  have  sent  a  large  proportion 


HOSfE   MISSIONS. 


471 


of  their  best  men  into  these  missions ;  and  the 
last  General  Conference  judged  it  best  to  grant 
their  request  to  be  organized  each  into  a  regu- 
lar independent  annual  conference.  From  the 
time  of  their  meeting,  in  the  spring  of  1853, 
under  the  presidency  of  Bishop  Ames,  they  took 
their  places  among  their  sister  conferences. 

The  mission  to  New  Mexico  was  commenced 
about  five  years  ago,  by  the  Rev.  E.  Z.  Nich- 
olson. It  was  for  a  while  suspended,  but  has 
been  again  renewed.  Santa  F'e  is  its  central 
position.  Mr.  Nicholson  is  the  superintendent, 
having  for  his  assistants,  the  Eev.  Messrs.  W. 
Hansen  and  Benigno  Cardenas.  Mr.  Hansen 
is  the  fruit  of  the  Swedish  mission  in  New 
York,  and  being  able  to  preach  in  Spanish, 
had  long  desired  to  go  to  Mexico  as  a  mission- 
ary. Benigno  Cardenas  had  been  an  intelli- 
'gent  and  well-educated  Roman  Catholic  priest 
of  much  influence  at  Santa  Fe,  and  a  preacher 
of  considerable  eloquence.  During  Mr.  Nich- 
olson's previous  residence  in  that  city,  Cardenas 
had  freely  conversed  with  him  upon  the  errors 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and  the  nature  of 
evangelical  religion.  He  afterwards  left  Mex- 
ico and  visited  Rome,  and  returned  by  way  of 
London,  where  he  called  upon  the  Rev.  Mr. 


Rule,  who  had  long  been  a  Wesleyan  mission- 
ary in  Spain.  There  he  remained  for  several 
weeks,  and  his  mind  and  heart  underwent  such 
a  change,  that  he  renounced  popery  for  ever, 
and  cordially  embraced  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
He  then  ofiered  himself  to  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  as  a 
missionary  for  his  native  Mexico,  where  he  is 
now  zealously  and  usefully  employed. 

The  Methodist  E.  Church,  South,  has 
missions  in  the  United  States  : — (1)  In  the 
destitute  portions  of  their  regular  work  ;  (2) 
Among  the  people  of  color ;  (3)  Among  the 
German  emigrants ;  and  (4)  In  California. 
But  these  missions  are  so  like  those  we  have 
described,  that  w^e  need  only  thus  enumerate 
them  and  refer  to  the  annexed  table  for  full 
information.  The  mode  of  raising  the  money 
is  also  the  same  as  that  given  above. 

Hie  Methodist  Protestant  Church  has  99 
missions  in  the  destitute  portions  of  their  regu- 
lar work ;  they  have  no  others. 

The  following  tables  contain  the  results. 
Some  of  the  statistics  are  for  1853,  but  most 
of  them  for  the  present  year.  We  have  made 
the  tables  as  complete  as  we  could,  some  of 
the  Reports  being  quite  defective. 


METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   CHURCH. 


MISSIONS, 

1 

493 

53 

5 

12 

3 

1 

.2 

jj 

1 

1 

1 

1 
1 

Missionary- 
Contributions. 

1 

English  Domestic  Missions 
German  Domestic  Missions 
Swedish  and  Norwegian  . 
Welsh  Mission    .... 

505 

160 

13 

12 

4 

3 

80 

8 
1 

33 
2 

35,830 

11,000 

526 

427 

43 

6839 

271 

27 
9 

27 

132 

8 
2 

42 

$2,885.08 
142 
132.90 

French  Mission  .... 

New  Mexican  Mission     . 

Totals   ........ 

567 

697 

89 

35 

47,826 

7173 

142 

42 

$3159.98 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL    CHURCH   SOUTH. 


MISSIOXS. 


English  Domestic  Missions  ■ 
Missions  among  the  Slaves  • 

German  Missions 

California  Mission 


Totals 350  262 


26,176 
38,844 


141 


XI  o 
X>M 


5413 

17,244 

217 


147  22,928 


It  is  now  thirty-five  years  since  the  Metho- 
dist E.  Church  began  her  domestic  missionary 
operations.    At  the  end  of  the  year 

Missions.      Missionaries.        Members. 


1829  there  were    37 

30 

9,539 

1839     «        <'     140 

164 

18,700 

1849     "        "     250 

275 

29,124 

1854    "        "      568 

698 

47,881 

The  entire  expenditure  during  this  period 
has  been  about  $1,000,000.— Rev.  W.  Butler. 

American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society. 
— At  a  meeting  of  the  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  of  Massachusetts,  held  in  Boston,  in 
November,  1832,  the  spiritual  destitution  of 
many  of  the  new  states,  and  especially  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley,  having  been  made  a  subject 
of  consideration,  it  was  resolved  to  take  mea- 
sures for  the  awakening  of  interest  and  system- 
atic effort,  throughout  the  Baptist  community, 
in  behalf  of  domestic  missions.  Resolutions 
were  passed,  recommending  the  formation  of  a 
General  Home  Mission  Society,  and  appoint- 
ing Rev.  Jonathan  Going,  of  Worcester,  Mass., 
an  agent  on  the  part  of  the  Massachusetts  So- 
ciety, for  the  accomplishment  of  this  plan.  In 
New  York  and  Philadelphia  the  proposal  was 
favorably  received.  A  provisional  executive 
Committee  was  elected  in  New  York  city,  by 


472 


HOME   MISSIONS. 


whom  measures  were  taken,  initiatory  to  a 
convontiou  of  members  of  the  denomination 
from  ttll  parts  of  the  union,  for  the  purpose  of 
form i  nV  iin  organ ization.  This  convention  was 
held  in  the  Baptist  church,  in  Mulberry^treet, 
Kew  York,  on  the  27th  of  April,  1832  ;  four- 
teen of  the  states  and  one  territory  being  re- 
presented by  delegates.  The  American  Bap- 
tist Home  JMissionary  Society  was  formed,  a 
constitution  adopted,  and  Hon.  Heman  Lin- 
coln, of  Massachusetts  was  elected  president. 

The  plan  of  operations  adopted  by  the  exe- 
cutive committee  proposes  :  First,  to  obtain 
and  disseminate  information  respecting  the  mo- 
ral condition  of  the  country — especially  the 
Mississippi  Valley.  Second,  to  excite  the  entire 
Baptist  community  to  systematic,  liberal,  and 
vigorous  action,  in  support  of  missionary  ef- 
fort. Third,  to  establish  state  agencies,  em- 
ploying and  sending  to  destitute  regions,  min- 
isters of  suitable  qualifications.  Fourth,  the 
collection  of  the  necessary  funds. 

It  was  proposed  to  raise  {$10,000  the  first 
year.  The  receipts  amounted,  however,  to  but 
37,586  73,  which  was  expended  in  the  support 
of  59  missionaries  and  agents,  some  of  whom 
labored  only  during  a  part  of  the  year.  Twen- 
ty-two were  appointed  by  the  Kentucky  Bap- 
tist Convention,  a  separate  and  preexisting 
organization.  Missouri,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Ohio 
and  Michigan  chiefly  formed  the  field  of  the 
first  year's  operations.  The  receipts  of  the  so- 
ciety, in  1836,  had  risen  to  $16,910  ;  115  mis- 
sionaries and  agents  had  been  employed  dur- 
ing the  year,  in  fourteen  states,  two  terri- 
tories and  two  provinces.  In  1838,  317  mis- 
sionaries were  employed  during  the  year. 
The  annual  receipts  varied  from  1838  to  1841, 
from  $10,000  to  $20,000.  In  1841,  82  agents 
and  missionaries  were  commissioned,  who 
occupied  300  stations,  preached  10,922  ser- 
mons, traveling  73,451  miles.  The  auxiliary 
Baptist  societies  employed  233  laborers,  mak- 
ing a  total  of  315. 

The  society  now  began  to  receive,  from  the 
churches  aided,  new  and  active  auxiliaries, 
"  who  will  continue  to  repay,  with  large  inte- 
rest, the  debt  of  gratitude,  until  their  charac- 
ter of  debtors  will  be  lost  in  that  of  benefac- 
tors. At  the  annual  meeting  in  1842,  it  was 
resolved  to  commence  a  mission  to  the  Jews 
in  North  America,  provided  suflBcient  funds 
should  be  specifically  contributed  for  its  sup- 
port. The  receipts,  for  this  year,  including 
those  of  auxiliaries,  rose  to  $57,154  72.  Total 
number  of  missionaries,  367.  During  the  ten 
years  of  the  society's  existence,  from  1832,  to 
1842,  great  results  had  been  eflected  through 
its  instrumentality,  in  Kentucky,  Missouri,  In- 
diana, and  Michigan.  Previous  to  1832,  tliere 
were  in  those  states  but  955  Baptist  churches, 
484  ministers — ten  only  being  pastors.  There 
was  an  anti-missionary  spirit  prevalent 
among  the  ministers  and  churches,  and  scarce- 
ly anything  was  contributed  for  benevolent 


objects.  In  1842,  there  were  in  the  same 
states,  1689  churches,  with  772  ministers,  of 
whom  99  were  pastors.  The  anti-missionary 
spirit  had  greatly  decreased,  and  $6,24 f)  had 
been  then  contributed  for  benevolent  purposes. 
In  1832,  there  was  but  one  (Baptist)  scientific 
and  theological  institution ;  in  1842  several 
had  been  established.  During  the  ten  years, 
756  missionaries  had  been  employed  by  the 
society,  generally  west  of  the  Alleghanies; 
732  destitute  churches  and  stations  had  been 
supplied  ;  10,990  persons  baptized,  401 
churches  organized,  142  ministers  ordained. 

During  the  decade,  from  1842  to  1852,  the 
society  extended  its  operations  to  Florida, 
Arkansas,  Iowa,  and  Wisconsin,  and  greatly 
increased  its  labors  in  the  Mississippi  Valley. 
In  the  year  1845,  a  controversy  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  domestic  slavery,  which  had  existed  in 
the  society  for  some  years,  reached  its  crisis, 
and  produced  a  separation.  A  missionary 
body  was  then  organized  in  the  slaveholding 
states,  which  has  since  received  the  support  of 
the  majority  of  southern  Baptists.  Since 
then,  the  operations  of  the  society,  with  two 
exceptions,  have  been  directed  to  the  free 
states  and  territories  only.  From  1842  to 
1852,  877  ministers  were  employed,  9,468  per- 
sons baptized,  354  churches  organized,  246 
ministers  ordained.  In  mission  fields,  105 
houses  of  worship  had  been  built,  and  $18,845. 
57  contributed  to  benevolent  objects ;  65  of 
the  churches  once  aided,  were  sustaining  the 
Gospel  themselves.  In  1852,  three  mission- 
aries were  sent  to  Oregon  and  California  ;  one 
to  an  Indian  tribe  in  New  Mexico :  a  Chip- 
pewa to  his  countrymen.  In  1854,  the  execu- 
tive Board  resolved  to  take  measures  for  the 
establishment  of  a  church  edifice  fund.  The 
society,  from  its  commencement,  has  had  in 
its  employ  1750  missionaries  and  agents. 
They  have  in  the  field  at  present,  184.  The 
entire  amount  of  their  receipts,  from  the  be- 
ginning, is  $430,170.  From  New  York  State, 
$160,039  of  this  sum.  Eeceipts  for  the  fiscal 
year,  ending  31st  March,  1854,  $62,730  26. 

During  the  past  22  years,  the  missionaries 
of  the  society  nave  baptized  22,814  persons, 
organized  911  churches,  ordained  466  minis- 
ters ;  and  the  people  among  whom  the;^  have 
labored  have  built,  and  in  most  cases  paid  for, 
178  houses  of  worship.  About  200,000  chil- 
dren have  been  gathered  into  Sabbath-schools ; 
and  the  Gospel  has  been  preached  in  fourteen 
different  languages.  For  the  past  year,  the 
missionaries  report  the  baptism  of  1,322  per- 
sons, the  organization  of  67  churches,  the  ordi- 
nation of  30  ministers  :  46  church  edifices  have 
been  built,  or  are  in  progress  of  erection. 
About  163  have  been  baptized  from  the  Cath- 
olics and  Lutherans. 

Southern  Baptist  Board  of  Domestic  Missions. 
— In  1845,  owing  to  controversy  arising  from 
the  discussion  of  slaveholding,  a  large  number 
of  the  Southern  Baptist  churches  withdrew 


HOME  MISSIONS. 


473 


from  the  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary 
Society,  and  a  Board  of  Domestic  Missions 
was  formed,  in  connection  with  the  Southern 
Baptist  Convention.  The  receipts  of  this 
Board,  for  1852,  amounted  to  $10,939  15  ;  for 

1853,  to  $13,074  17.  During  1853,  66  mis- 
sionaries and  agents  were  commissioned  by 
this  Board,  a  large  number  of  whom  have 
labored  in  the  rapidly  growing  cities  on  the 
southern  Mississippi  and  Atlantic  seaboard. 
The  reports  are  imperfect ;  217  stations  have 
been  supplied,  5,958  sermons  and  addresses 
delivered,  1,521  prayer  and  other  religious 
meetings  attended,  642  persons  have  been  bap- 
tized, 381  added  by  letter,  763  converted,  not 
baptized — making  1,786  substantial  additions 
to  the  strength  of  our  cause,  in  place  of  1,109 
last  year.  65,182  miles  have  been  traveled, 
8,712  religious  visits  made ;  59  Sabbath- 
schools  and  Bible  classes,  218  teachers,  and 
2,105  pupils  are  reported.  These  latter  statis- 
tics are,  however,  exceedingly  deficient.  17 
meeting-houses  are  reported  as  commenced,  13 
finished  ;  21  churches  have  been  constituted, 
24  ministers  and  34  deacons  ordained ;  8  are 
preparing  for  the  ministry. 

What  is  doing  by  this  Board,  is  as  nothing 
to  what  is  being  carried  on  for  domestic  mis- 
sions by  the  denomination,  through  otlier  chan- 
nels. The  General  Association  of  Baptists  in 
Virginia,  proposed  to  raise  and  expend  $10,000 
in  domestic  missions  during  the  year  1853. 
Nor  does  this  include  the  whole  of  what  is 
done  in  that  State,  a  single  association  raising 
some  $3,000  or  $4,000  more.  In  most,  if  not 
all,  of  the  states  of  the  South  and  South-west, 
associations  are  carrying  on,  independently  of 
any  State  organization,  a  system  of  missions 
within  their  own  borders. 

Board  of  Domestic  Missions  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church. — For  a  history  of  the  organ- 
ization and  constitution  of  this  Board,  toge- 
ther with  its  annual  and  aggregate  receipts, 
see  Episcopal  Board  of  Missions.  The  account 
is  given  in  that  place,  rather  than  this,  because 
of  the  intimate  connection  between  the  foreign 
and  domestic  boards.  The  Board  now  have 
under  their  charge  105  churches  or  stations, 
13  of  which  are  vacant.  They  have  in  their 
employ  92  missionaries,  and  8  missionary 
bishops.  These  missionaries  are  distributed 
as  follows  :  in  Maine,  2  ;  New  Hampshire,  3 ; 
Delaware,  2  ;  Florida,  1 ;  Alabama,  7  ;  Lou- 
isiana, 1 ;  Mississippi,  5  ;  Tennessee,  4  ;  Ken- 
tucky, 3  ;  Indiana,  9  ;  Illinois,  11 ;  Michigan, 
9  ;  Wisconsin,  11 ;  Iowa,  9  ;  Minnesota,  3  ; 
Missouri,  3  ;  Arkansas,  1 ;  Texas,  6  ;  Indian 
Mission,  1 ;  California,  1  (bishop)  ;  Oregon,  3. 

The  amount  of  donations  received  for  the 
financial  year  ending  Sept.  30,  1853,  was 
$23,856  ;  and  from  Oct.  1,  1853,  to  Aug.  15, 

1854,  $36,327.  The  aggregate  amount  of  do- 
nations from  the  beginning  is  $626,751. 

But  a  new  department  of  domestic  missions 
is  opening  up  before  the  Episcopal  Board  of 


Missions.    Rev.  E.  W.  Syle,  of  the  Episcopal 
Mission  in  China,  having  returned  on  account 
of  his  health,  had  his  attention  turned  to  the 
Chinese  in  this  country.    After  much  search- 
ing and  inquiry,  he  discovered  about  70  China- 
men in  New  York,  most  of  them  in  a  destitute 
condition.     He  called  a  meeting  of  them  at 
the  vestry-room  of  old  St.  George's  Church, 
where  he  continued  to  instruct  from  forty  to 
fifty,  who  came  regularly  for  some  time,  every 
Thursday    morning    and    Sunday   afternoon. 
After  some  time,  a  meeting  was  called,  and 
measures  were  taken  to  raise  funds  to  make 
temporary  provision  for  their  wants.    Twenty- 
two  of  them  were  sent  to  California  and  four 
to  China.    The  remainder  were  all  provided 
with  employment  suited   to  their  ability,  by 
which  they  could  earn  a  living,  except  six,  who 
desired   an  education,  and  these  are  placed 
under  the  instruction  of  a  theological  student, 
to  make  trial  of  their  capacities,  and  in  the 
mean  time  are  provided  with  a  support.    The 
sixteen,  who  are  provided  with  employment, 
are  located  at  Gowanus,  near  Greenwood  Cem- 
etery.   They  attend  one  of  the  neighboring 
churches    in    the    morning,    and     Mr     Byle 
preaches  to  them  in  the  afternoon.    In  a  com- 
munication in  the   "  Spirit  of  Missions,"  in 
which  these  facts  are  detailed,  Mr.  Syle  says  : 
"  Our  connection  with  the  Chinese  is  becoming 
daily  more  intimate  and  inevitable.    The  emi- 
gration from  Canton  has  been  so  large  :hat 
old  ships  not  considered  seaworthy  have  been 
bought  up  at  enormous  prices,  to  meet  the 
demand  for  passages.    The  now  indispensable 
guano  is  put  on  board  our  ships  at  the  Chincha 
Islands  by  Chinese  laborers,  and  what  unutter- 
able sufferings  are  they  not  made  to  undergo  in 
the  operation  I     The  labor  on    the  Isthmus 
railroad  is  largely  performed  by  Chinese.    In 
Kentucky,  the  Chinese  coolies  are  said  to  be 
employed  at  certain  iron  mills  on  the  Cumber- 
land River,  near  Eddyville.    Tea-stores,  owned 
and  kept  by  Chinamen,  are  to  be  found  at 
Boston,  Albany,  and   other   places ;   not  to 
mention  that  Chinese  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
tea-stores  of  this  city,  and  at  Cincinnati,  Day- 
ton, Indianapolis,    and    elsewhere.     Chinese 
cooks  and  stewards  on  board  our  ships  are 
now  quite  frequently  to  be  met  with." 

The  fact  that  God  is  sending  the  heathen  to 
us,  as  well  as  requiring  us  to  go  to  them,  oug^t 
to  be  a  matter  of  gratulation  and  thanksgiv- 
ing ;  and  it  certainly  calls  loudly  upon  us  to 
seek  their  evangelization. 

Board  of  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Protestant 
Dutch  Church.— This  Board  has  been  in  exist- 
ence twenty-two  years.  Its  receipts  for  the 
year  ending  May  1, 1854,  were  $15,257.  The 
following  summary  of  results  will  show  what 
the  Board  is  doing  : 

1.  In  nineteen  out  of  twenty-seven  classes, 
one  or  more  churches  or  missionary  stations 
have  been  aided  during  a  part  or  the  whole  of 
the  year. 


474 


HONGKONG— HOTTENTOTS. 


2.  Sixty-nine  pastors  and  missionnriea  have 
reccivwl  aid  duriug  a  part  or  the  ^hole  of  the 
year. 

3.  Eighty  churches  and  missionary  stations 
have  been  aided  from  its  funds. 

4.  Thirteen  new  churches  and  missionary 
stations  have  been  establishetl  and  assisted. 

6.  Eight  churches  have  been  organized,  to 
which  appropriations  have  been  made. 

6.  Twelve  new  houses  of  worship  have  been 
built  b^  congregations  aided  by  the  Board. 

7.  Three  nave  ceased  to  ask  aid  of  the 
Board,  and  several  others  give  notice  that  they 
will  not  need  any  aid  beyond  the  present  year. 

8.  Fcnir  hundred  and  Jifty-nine  persons  have 
been  received,  on  confession  of  their  faith  in 
Christ,  into  the  churches  aided. 

9.  Four  hundred  and  sixty-six  have  been 
received  on  certificate  from  other  churches. 

10.  Eighty-three  Sabbath-schools  have  been 
in  operation  during  the  year ;  besides  many 
Bible  and  catechetical  classes,  both  in  and  out 
of  the  schools. 

11.  Four  thousand  two  hundred  children  and 
youth  have  been  taught  in  those  the  truths 


which  are  able  to  make  them  wise  unto  salva- 
tion. 

12.  Nine  hundred  and  thirty-four  dollars 
have  been  contributed,  by  the  churches  and 
missionary  stations  aided,  to  the  funds  of  the 
Board.     , 

13.  Tliree  thousand  six  hundred  and  seventeen 
dollars  have  been  contributed  by  them  for  other 
benevolent  objects. 

14.  One  hundred  and  ninety-three  out  of  three 
hundred  and  forty-two  of  the  churches  have 
contributed  to  the  cause  of  Domestic  Missions. 

15.  One  hundred  and  forty-nine  out  of  thr^ 
hundred  and  forty-tico  of  tne  churches  have 
given  nothing. 

The  last  report  states  that  the  Domestic 
Missionary  efforts  of  this  Board  have  aided  in 
establishing  a  majority  of  the  Dutch  churches 
in  the  country.  The  churches  aided  are  repre- 
sented to  be  in  a  good  condition.  Special 
efforts  are  made  in  behalf  of  the  Dutch  and 
German  emigrants. 

American  Missionary  Associatim. — This  So^ 
fciety  has  a  Home  Department,  with  90  mis- 
sionaries and  108  churches. 


GENERAL   TABULAE   VIEW. 


SOCffiTIES. 

1 

Years. 

At 

?{ 

"c.2 
1^ 

II 

§ 

i 

ft 

Aggregate  of 
receipts. 

Presbyterian  Board   .     .     . 

38 

838 

523 

32 

45 

2,930 

$75,207 

Am.  Home  Miss.  Society    . 

28 

4,000 

1,047 

65 

6,025 

191,209 

$2,728,363 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

.35 

567^ 

697 

1,000,000 

Meth.  Epis.  Church  South  . 

'■ 

350* 

262 

Am.  Bap.  Home  Miss.  Soc. 

22 

184 

67 

46 

1,332 

62,730 

430,170 

Southern  Baptist  Board      . 

9 

217 

60 

21 

1,786 

13,074 

Episcopal  Board    .... 

34 

105 

92 

36,327 

626,751 

Reformed  Dutch  Board  .    . 

22 

80 

69 

8 

12 

925 

15,257 

American  Missionary  Asso. 

7 

108 

90 

6,266 

3,024 

128 

168 

12,998 

$393,804 

$4,785,284 

*  Number  of  missions.    Probably  preaching  places  many  times  greater. 


HONGKONG  :  A  flourishing  English  se1> 
tlement,  on  an  island  about  40  miles  east  of 
Macao.     (See  China.) 

HONORE :  A  station  of  the  Basle  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  the  province  of  Honore, 
Hindostan.     Pop.  4000. 

HOOBLY  :  A  station  of  the  Basle  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  the  Mahratta  country, 
India. 

HONOLULU  :  The  chief  city  of  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  and  the  seat  of  government.  It 
is  situated  in  a  fertile  plain,  which  extends  9 
or  10  miles  along  the  southern  coast  of  Oahu, 
and  about  two  miles  inward  to  the  base  of  the 
mountains.  A  rich  alluvial  soil,  two  or  three 
feet  deep,  covers  a  layer  of  fine  volcanic  ashes 
and  cinders,  extending  to  the  depth  of  14  to 


16  feet.  These  ashes  rest  on  a  stratum  of  cal 
careous  rock.  The  harbor  is  considered  the 
best  in  the  whole  group,  and  most  frequented 
by  shipping.  It  contains  two  large  churches, 
established  by  the  missionaries. 

HOPED  ALE :  A  station  of  the  Moravi- 
ans in  Labrador. 

HOTTENTOTS:  A  family  of  affiliated 
tribes  in  South  Africa,  formerly  inhabiting 
the  territory  embraced  in  the  English  colony 
of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  comprising  the 
Coranas,  Namaquas,  and  Bushmen,  as  well  as 
the  tribes  on  the  coast. 

The  Hottentot  is  of  a  yellowish  brown,  high 
cheek  bones,  spread  out  above,  and  contracted 
to  a  very  narrow  chin  ;  nose  remarkably  flat ; 
eyes,  chestnut  color  ;  hair  grows  in  small  tufts. 


HUMAN  SACRIFICES. 


4Y5 


and  does  not  cover  the  whole  head.  The  sta- 
ture of  the  Hottentot  is  very  short,  about  four 
feet  six  inches  being  the  medium  size  for  the 
men,  and  four  feet  for  the  women.  Their  his- 
tory and  origin  are  involved  in  obscurity. 
They  resemble  none  of  the  Kaffre  tribes,  and 
are  equally  distinct  from  the  Negro  race.  Mr. 
Moffat  thinks  they  more  nearly  resemble  the 
Chinese  than  any  other  people.  All  these 
tribes  possess  the  same  physical  characteristics, 
the  same  manners  and  customs,  and  their  lan- 
guage is  so  nearly  identical  that  they  readily 
understand  each  other.  Mr.  Moffat  thinks  that 
the  difference  between  the  Hottentots  and 
Bushmen  is  to  be  accounted  for  by  the  fact 
that  the  former,  residing  in  towns,  are  improved 
by  intercourse  with  each  other  ;  while  the  lat- 
ter, being  scattered  over  thinly  inhabited  dis- 
tricts, having  little  intercourse  with  each  other, 
lead  an  exposed  and  half  famished  life,  and 
degenerate  rather  than  improve.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  Hottentots  is  as  singular  as  their 
persons.  Its  pronunciation  has  been  compared 
to  the  clucking  of  the  turkey. 

Character. — Dr.  Philip  gives  a  very  favora- 
ble view  of  the  native  character  of  the  Hot- 
tentots. He  says,  when  the  Portuguese  first 
visited  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  they  found  the 
inhabitants  rich  in  cattle,  and  living  in  a  com- 
fortable manner.  It  was  said  that  they  were 
remarkable  for  the  excellence  of  their  morals, 
and  that  the  records  of  the  colony  during  the 
first  50  years,  unite  in  praising  the  virtues  of 
the  Hottentots,  so  that  they  were  distinguished 
by  the  appellation  of  The  Good  Men.  It  is 
said  that,  during  the  whole  of  that  period,  the 
natives  had  never  been  detected  in  stealing 
from  a  colonist.  But  the  injuries  inflicted  on 
them,  for  150  years,  during  which  they  have 
been  driven  from  the  most  fertile  portions  of 
their  country,  and  deprived  of  their  indepen- 
dence, he  says  must  have  exerted  upon  them  a 
deteriorating  influence.  Mr.  Barrow  says  that 
Hottentots  are  capable  of  strong  attachments, 
are  grateful  for  kindness  shown,  and  honest 
and  trutliful.  They  live  together  in  kraals  or 
villages,  and  have  their  cattle  in  common. 
Eev.  J.  J.  Freeman  estimates  the  present  num- 
ber of  the  Hottentot  tribes  at  150,000. 

Religion. — Like  the  Kafifres,  the  Hottentots 
have  no  religion,  except  a  gross,  undefined  su- 
perstition. Dr.  Philip  says  of  them,  "I  have 
never  been  able  to  discover,  from  my  inter- 
course with  the  natives,  or  from  any  other 
source,  that  this  nation  had  ever  attained  any 
distinct  notion  of  a  Supreme  Being,  or  that  an 
idea  of  a  future  state  had  at  any  period  pre- 
vailed among  them."  Eev.  Mr.  Moffat  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Schmelen  also  testify  to  the  same 
fact,  and  quote  the  conversations  of  the  natives 
and  the  declarations  of  the  converts,  to  con- 
firm their  statements.  Yet,  Dr.  Philip  says 
they  were  not  entirely  without  moral  restraints. 
— Freeman's  Tour  in  South  Africa ;  Moffafs 
South  Africa;  Philip's  Researches ;  McCulloch's 


Geography.     (For  missions  to  the  Hottentots, 
see  Africa,  Southern.) 

HUAHINP] :  One  of  the  Society  Islands, 
on  which  is  a  mission  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society. 

HUMAN  SACRIFICES  :  The  prevalence 
of  human  sacrifices  among  the  heathen,  from 
the  earliest  periods  of  history,  is  a  fact  of  mo- 
mentous interest.  It  shows,  first,  a  sense  of 
the  need  of  an  offering  for  sin,  of  the  highest 
value  that  the  human  mind  can  conceive  ;  and 
second,  false  notions  of  the  character  of  God, 
in  supposing  that  he  would  be  pleased  with 
one  man,  in  consequence  of  his  imbruing  his 
hands  in  another's  blood.  It  shows,  also,  the 
ferocious  character  of  their  gods,  who  are  thus 
represented  as  feasting  upon  human  gore.  We 
said  the  practice  had  prevailed  from  the  remot- 
est ages.  The  ancient  Egyptians,  the  Cretans, 
the  Arabians,  brought  human  blood  to  their 
altars.  The  people  of  Duma  sacrificed  every 
year  a  child,  and  buried  it  under  an  altar. 
The  Persians  buried  their  sacrificial  victims 
alive.  Amestris,  the  wife  of  Xerxes,  entomb- 
ed twelves  persons  alive,  under  ground, /or  the 
good  of  hei-  soul.  The  Cyprians,  the  Rhodians, 
the  Phoenicians,  the  people  of  Chios,  Lesbos, 
Tenedos,  all  had  human  sacrifices.  The  king 
of  Moab  offered  up  his  eldest  son,  his  successor 
to  the  kingdom,  on  the  wall,  when  the  king  of 
Edom  was  fighting  against  his  capital.  When 
an  enemy  was  at  the  gates  of  Carthage,  200 
children  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens 
were  offered  up  to  appease  the  sanguinary  dei- 
ties and  avert  the  danger.  The  natives  of 
Taurie  Chersonesus  offered  up  to  Diana  every 
stranger  whom  chance  threw  on  their  coasts. 
The  Pelasgi,  in  a  time  of  scarcity,  vowed  that 
they  would  give  a  tenth  of  all  that  should  be  born 
to  them  for  a  sacrifice,  in  order  to  procure 
plenty.  Aristomenes,  the  Messenian,  offered  up 
300  noble  Lacedemonians,  and  among  them  the  . 
king  of  Sparta,  at  the  altar  of  Jupiter,  at 
Ithome.  The  Spartan  boys  were  whipped  in 
the  sight  of  their  parents,  before  the  altar  of 
Diana  Orthia,  with  such  severity  that  they 
often  died  under  the  torture.  Every  Grecian 
state  made  it  a  rule,  before  they  marched 
toward  an  enemy,  to  seek  a  blessing  on  their 
expedition,  by  the  sacrifice  of  human  victims. 
The  Romans  likewise  offered  human  sacrifices, 
by  public  authority.  Caius  Marius  offered  up 
his  own  daughter,  to  procure  success  in  a  bat- 
tle against  the  Cimbri.  Augustus  Csesar 
offered  up  on  the  Ides  of  March,  after  the  sur- 
render of  Persia,  three  hundred  chosen  per- 
sons, at  an  altar  dedicated  to  the  manes  of  his 
uncle  Julius.  The  Gauls  and  the  Germans 
were  so  devoted  to  this  shocking  custom,  that 
no  business  of  any  moment  was  transacted  by 
them  without  being  prefaced  by  the  blood  of 
men.  They  were  offered  up  to  various  gods, 
particularly  to  Hesus,  Taranis,  and  Shantates, 
whose  altars  were  far  removed  from  the  com- 
mon resort  of  men,  being  generally  situated 


476 


HUMAN  SACRIFICES. 


in  the  depth  of  woods,  that  the  gloom  might 
add  to  the  horror  of  the  operation,  and  give  a 
reverence  to  the  proceeding.  'J'here  were 
many  places  set  apart  for  this  i)urpose  all  over 
Germany,  but  especially  in  the  woods  of  Ardu- 
enna,  and  the  greater  Hercurian  forest,  a  wild 
that  extended  over  thirty  days'  journey  in 
length.  These  places  were  held  in  great  ven- 
eration, and  only  approached  at  particular 
seasons. 

These  practices  prevailed  among  all  the  peo- 
ple of  the  North  of  Europe,  and  even  among 
our  Saxon  ancestors.  Their  chief  gods  were 
Thor  and  Woden,  whom  they  thought  they 
could  never  sufficiently  glut  with  blood.  Of 
these  sacrifices,  none  were  esteemed  so  auspi- 
cious and  salutary  as  a  sacrifice  of  the  prince 
of  the  coihitry.  'When  the  lot  fell  to  the  king 
to  die,  it  was  received  with  universal  acclama- 
tions of  joy.  In  a  time  of  famine  the  lot  fell 
upon  King  Domakle,  who  was  put  to  death. 
Olans  Triliger.  another  prince,  was  burnt  alive 
to  Woden.  Harold,  the  son  of  Gunild,  slew 
two  of  his  sons  to  ol^tain  a  storm  of  wind  to 
destroy  the  ships  of  his  enemy.  Another  king 
sacrificed  nine  sons,  to  prolong  his  own  life. 
In  Mexico,  in  the  conrts  of  a  single  temple, 
there  were  found  136,000  skulls,  the  remains 
of  those  who  had  been  slain  in  sacrifice.  The 
manner  in  which  the  victims  were  slaughtered 
was  various,  but  generally,  it  was  attended 
with  the  utmost  cruelty.  A  native  Hindoo 
artist  engraved  a  cut  to  represent  a  practice 
of  our  forefathers,  which  is  thus  described 
in  a  Bengalee  paper,  published  by  a  society 
of  natives,  the  followers  of  Ram  Mohun  Roy, 
who  professed  to  have  forsaken  Hindoo  idol- 
atry. 

After  describing  human  sacrifices,  as  they 
have  existed  in  various  countries,  they  say  : 
"  Yet  even  all  these  frightful  enormities  appear 
less  surprising  to  us,  when  we  hear  of  the  hor- 
rors practiced  in  their  religious  rites,  by  the 
ancestors  even  of  the  present  race  of  our 
English  rulers.  Among  them,  on  the  com- 
mencement of  a  war,  or  when  some  great 
chieftain  was  attacked  with  disease,  or  when 
any  other  calamity  affecting  the  public  oc- 
curred, the  Druids,  who  were  the  priests  of 
their  religion,  in  order  to  secure  the  favor  of 
their  gods,  presented  them  with  offerings  of 
human  victims,  attended  with  circumstances 
of  peculiar  cruelty  and  horror.  There  was 
one  special  atrocity,  the  recital  of  which  makes 
the  heart  tremble.*  They  constructed  an  enor- 
mous figure,  resembling  a  man  of  gigantic  sta- 
ture, formed  of  dried  plant  stems,  or  wicker- 
work,  in  the  hollow  interior  of  which  were 
placed,  as  in  a  cage,  numerous  criminals,  fast 
bound,  to  prevent  their  escape.  Or  if  these 
could  not  be  had  in  sufiBcient  numbers  to  fill 
the  capacious  cavities  of  this  terrible  image, 
the  dericiency  was  made  up  of  unoffending  vic- 
tims. Surrounding  the  whole  with  straw  and 
dry  wocd,  they  then  set  fire  to  the  whole,  thus 


murderously  consuming  at  once,  hundreds  of 
living  men,  women  and  children." 

The  editor  of  the  Ix)ndon  Missionary  Ma- 
gazine says  :  "  The  instance  here  described, 
is  a  correct  specimen  of  the  superstitions 
of  ancient  Britain.  When  we  hear  of  these 
horrid  practices  as  existing  among  heathen  na- 
tions, our  feelings  are  instinctively  shocked, 
and  we  seem  to  regard  them  as  sunk  too  low 
almost  for  the  reach  of  the  Gospel ;  but  when 
we  reflect  that  no  pagan  or  barbarous  nation 
that  ever  existed  has  exceeded  in  those  cruel- 
ties our  own  ancestors,  and  reflect  that  the 
Gospel  reached  them,  and  that  we  are  now 
reaping  its  blessed  fruits,  how  ought  the  reflec- 
tion to  stir  us  up  to  send  the  same  Gospel  to 
those  who  dwell  m  similar  dark  places,  which 
are  full  of  similar  habitations  of  cruelty  !  For 
human  sacrifices  still  exist."  In  the  native 
provinces  of  India,  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
British  government,  human  victims  are  offered 
up  to  appease  the  anger  of  their  gods.  Dr. 
Scudder  writes,  in  1848,  that  four  persons 
had  then  recently  been  offered  up  as  sacrifices 
by  the  Khunds  of  Goomsoor,  which  forms  the 
north-western  extremity  of  the  northern  Cir- 
cars.  The  following  description  of  these  cruel 
rites  was  published  in  a  Madras  paper,  in 
1838:— 

"Miria  Pooja,  or  human  sacrifice,  takes 
place  in  Goomsoor  once  a  year,  in  one  or  other 
of  the  confederate  districts  in  succession.  The 
yictims  are  stolen  from  the  low  country,  or 
brought  from  some  other  distant  part,  and  sold 
to  those  districts  where  the  sacrifices  are  offer- 
ed ;  if  children,  they  are  kept  until  they  attain 
a  proper  age. 

"  When  the  appointed  day  arrives,  the 
Khunds  (inhabitants  of  the  hill  country)  as- 
semble from  all  parts  of  the  country,  dressed 
in  their  finery,  some  with  b'ear-skins  thrown 
over  their  shoulders,  others  with  the  tails  of 
peacocks  flowing  behind  them,  and  the  long 
winding  feather  of  the  jungle-cock  waving  on 
their  heads.  Thus  decked  out,  they  dance, 
leap,  and  revel,  beating-drums,  and  playing  on 
an  instrument  not  unlike  in  sound  to  the  High- 
land pipe.  Soon  after  noon  the  Jani,  or  pre- 
siding priest,  with  the  aid  of  his  assistants,  fast- 
ens the  unfortunate  victim  to  a  strong  post,  firmly 
fixed  into  the  ground,  and  then  standing  erect, 
the  living  sacrifice  suffers  the  unutterable  tor- 
ture of  having  the  flesh  cut  off  from  his  bones 
in  small  pieces  by  the  knives  of  the  savage 
crowd  who  rush  on  him  and  contend  with  each 
other  for  a  portion  of  the  gory  and  quivering 
substance.  Great  value  is  attached  to  the 
first  morsel  thus  severed  from  the  victim's  body, 
for  it  is  supposed  to  possess  superior  virtues, 
and  a  proportionate  eagerness  is  evinced  to 
acquire  it. 

"  Women  are  sacrificed  as  well  as  men.  A 
female  found  her  way  into  the  collector's  camp, 
at  Patringia,  with  fetters  on  her  limbs,  who 
related  that  she  had  been  sold  by  her  brother ! 


HUMAN   SACRIFICES. 


477 


"  The  Khunds  are  in  the  habit  of  sacrificing 
children  annually  at  sowing  time,  in  a  most 
cruel  manner,  for  the  purpose  of  propitiating 
the  demon  of  their  worship,  and  of  securing,  as 
they  suppose,  a  good  harvest  by  the  blood  of 
their  victims. 

"  In  January,  just  before  the  turmeric  shrub  is 
planted,  the  Khunds  make  the  sacrifice  alluded 
to.  They  select,  as  their  victims,  male  child- 
ren who  are  devoted  from  infancy  to  this  pur- 
pose, and  are  sold  to  the  chiefs  of  the  different 
villages.  When  the  ground  is  ready,  the  vic- 
tim is  led  forth,  bound  to  bamboos  for  the 
better  security,  and  taken  into  the  open  plain. 
The  cultivators  assemble,  and  at  the  supposed 
auspicious  moment,  commence  the  dreadful 
carnage  by  hacking  with  knives  the  body  of 
the  truly  pitiable  creature ;  each  cutting  off"  a 
part  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  hastening  with 
it  to  the  field  whose  fertility  is  the  object  to  be 
secured.  The  blood,  in  which  the  Khunds 
imagine  the  virtue  of  the  spell  to  subsist,  is 
then  made,  by  pressure  of  the  hand,  to  fall  in 
drops  upon  the  soil ;  and  the  flesh,  not  yet  cold, 
is  cast  into  the  same  ground.  In  hewing  the 
body  great  care  is  taken  not  to  touch  a  vital 
part,  for  should  death  occur  before  the  blood 
is  dropped  on  the  field,  the  charm,  according 
to  the  notions  of  the  people,  would  be  lost. 

"  Some  of  the  Khunds,  on  being  expostu- 
lated with,  asked  what  else  they  could  do,  as 
they  should  have  no  crops  if  they  neglected  to 
perform  this  ceremony." 

Doct.  Spry,  in  his  "  Modern  India,"  gives 
an  account  of  a  tribe  in  the  Nagpore  kingdom, 
who  not  only  sacrifice  human  beings,  but  feast 
upon  the  sacrifice. 

The  practice  of  offering  human  sacrifices  has 
prevailed  to  some  extent  among  the  North 
American  Indians.  In  1838  a  sacrifice  of  this 
kind  was  made  by  the  Pawnee  Loups,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  prevalence  of  the  small-pox. 
Young  females  are  the  victims  selected.  After 
various  preliminary  rites  and  ceremonies,  she 
is  disrobed,  and  one  half  of  her  person  painted 
red  and  the  other  black  ;  the  feet  and  hands 
being  extended,  the  right  wrist  and  ankle  are 
tied  to  an  upright  piece  of  timber,  and  the  left 
wrist  and  ankle  to  another,  and  she  is  thus 
suspended  on  a  scaffold.  At  intervals,  various 
ceremonies  are  performed.  The  young  men 
and  bays,  each  having  provided  a  handful  of 
arrows,  about  a  foot  long,  made  of  the  stems 
of  a  species  of  tall  grass  that  grows  on  the 
prairies,  now  advance,  and  shoot  these  arrows 
into  the  breast  and  other  parts  of  the  unfor- 
tunate sufferer.  The  arrows  enter  just  enough 
to  adhere,  and  the  breast  is  literally  filled  with 
them  ;  but  they  do  not  destroy  life.  An  old  man 
now  comes  forward  and  shoots  an  iron-pointed 
arrow  through  the  vitals.  The  chest  is  now 
cut  open,  and  the  heart  taken  out  and  burned. 
The  smoke  that  rises  from  this  fire  is  con- 
sidered a  most  potent  medicine,  and  their  im- 
plements of  war,  hunting,  and  agriculture  are 


passed  through  it,  to  insure  success  in  their 
use.  The  flesh  is  now  wantonly  slashed  off 
with  knives,  and  thrown  to  be  devoured  by  the 
dogs,  but  the  skeleton  remains  suspended  till 
it  decays  and  falls. 

The  custom  prevails  among  most  of  the  un- 
evangelized  tribes  of  Southern  and  Western 
Africa,  and  is  attended  with  shocking  bar- 
barities. Mr.  Hutchinson  gives  the  following 
account  of  a  sacrifice  offered  by  the  king  of 
Ashantee,  to  secure  the  assistance  of  the  fetish 
in  an  approaching  war  :  "  The  bones  of  the 
king's  mother  and  sisters  were  taken  out  of 
their  coffins,  and  washed  with  rum  and  water, 
wiped  with  silks,  rolled  in  gold  dust,  and 
wrapped  in  strings  of  rock-gold,  aggry  beads, 
and  other  costly  materials.  Those  against 
whom  the  king  had  any  complaints  were  then 
sent  for,  and  immolated  as  they  entered,  that 
their  blood  might  '  water  the  graves '  of  the 
royal  dead.  During  the  whole  night  the  king's 
executioners  traversed  the  streets,  and  dragged 
away  to  execution  all  whom  they  met.  The 
next  morning,  desolation  seemed  to  reign  over 
the  capital,  and  none  appeared  in  the  market 
but  the  king  and  his  attendants.  At  the 
close  of  the  day  the  sacrifice  was  renewed. 
The  bones  were  removed  to  the  sacred  tomb, 
preceded  by  the  victims  in  chains,  and  followed 
by  a  splendid  procession.  When  the  procession 
returned  the  next  day  to  the  market-place,  the 
king's  horns  sounded  the  death-knell,  and  the 
work  of  sacrifice  commenced.  The  king  sat 
with  a  goblet  of  palm-wine  in  his  hand,  and 
every  time  the  executioners  cut  off"  a  head,  he 
imitated  a  dancing  motion  in  the  air." 

In  the  neighboring  kingdom  of  Dahomey, 
the  barbarous  monarch  paves  the  approaches 
to  his  residence  and  ornaments  the  battle- 
ments of  his  palace  with  the  skulls  of  his  vic- 
tims ;  and  the  wide-spreading  branches  of  the 
gigantic  fetish-tree  at  Badagry  are  laden  with 
human  carcases  and  limbs,  which  have  been 
offered  in  sacrifice. 

The  same  rite  was  generally  prevalent  in 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  before  the  introduc- 
tion of  Christianity,  and  the  mode  much  like 
that  practiced  in  Africa.  It  still  prevails 
among  the  Pagans  in  those  islands.  Capt. 
Wilkes,  of  the  United  States  Exploring  Expe- 
dition, thus  describes  the  practice,  as  it  still 
exists  in  the  Feejee  Islands  :  "  The  victims  are 
usually  taken  from  a  distant  tribe,  either  by 
war  or  by  negociation ;  and,  after  being  fattened 
for  the  purpose,  they  are  bound  in  a  sitting 
posture,  and  placed  in  the  oven  and  roasted 
alive  ;  after  which  the  body  is  taken  out,  the 
face  painted  black,  and  carried  to  the  temple, 
where  it  is  offered  to  the  gods.  The  Feejees 
being  cannibals,  it  is  then  cut  up  and  dis- 
tributed, to  be  eaten  by  the  people !"  Surely, 
"  the  dark  places  of  the  earth  are  full  of  the 
habitations  of  cruelty !" 

It  appears,  from  the  foregoing,  that  the  hor- 
rid practice  of  offering  human  sacrifices  to 


478 


mOL— INANDA. 


gain  the  favor  of  blood-thirsty  deities  has  been 
almost  universal,  except  where  the  religion  of 
the  Bible  prevails,  and  that  we  owe  our  de- 
liverance from  it  to  the  introduction  of  the 
Gospel  among  our  ancestors.  What  obliga- 
tions, then,  must  rest  upon  us  to  send  the  Gos- 
pel to  those  who  are  still  groaning  under  the 
cruelties  of  paganism. — Pamphlet  by  Mr.  Peggs, 
late  missionary  to  Orissa ;  London  Missionary 
Magazine  for  July,  1846  ;  Beecham's  Asliantee 
and  the  Gold  Coast;  United  States  Exploring 
Expedition,  Vol.  III.  p.  97. 

IDOL :  A  statue  or  image  of  some  false 
god,  to  whom  divine  honors  are  paid,  altars 
and  temples  erected,  and  sacrifices  otfered.  The 
idol  or  image,  of  whatever  material  it  consists, 
is,  by  certain  ceremonies,  called  consecrar 
tiou,  converted  into  a  god.  While  under  the 
artificer's  hands,  it  is  a  mere  statue.  Three 
things  were  necessary  among  the  ancients  to 
change  the  image  into  a  god :  proper  orna- 
ments, consecration,  and  ovation.  The  orna- 
ments were  various,  and  wholly  designed  to 
blind  the  eyes  of  the  ignorant  and  stupid  mul- 
titude, who  are  chiefly  taken  with  show  and 
pageantry.  Then  followed  the  consecration 
and  ovation,  which  by  the  Romans  were  per- 
formed with  great  solemnity. — Rees'  Cydope- 
di(U 

IDOLATRY  :  The  worship  of  idols,  or  the 
act  of  ascribing  to  things  and  persons,  pro- 
perties which  are  peculiar  to  God  alone.  The 
principal  sources  of  idolatry  seem  to  be  the  ex- 
travagant veneration  for  creatures  and  beings, 
from  which  benefits  accrue  to  men.  The  first 
objects  of  idolatrous  worship  are  thought  to 
have  been  the  sun,  moon  and  stars.  Soon 
after  the  flood  we  find  idolatry  greatly  prevail- 
ing in  the  world.  In  process  of  time  noted 
patriots  or  deceased  kings,  animals,  plants, 
stones,  and  whatever  people  took  a  fancy  to, 
were  idolized.  The  Egyptians  worshiped  pied 
bulls,  snipes,  leeks,  onions,  and  many  other 
equally  insignificant  objects.  The  Greeks  had 
about  30,000  gods. 

The  Apostle  Paul  traces  idolatry  to  its  true 
source,  the  corruption  of  the  human  heart : 
"  As  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their 
knowledge,  God  gave  them  over  to  a  repro- 
bate mind,  to  do  those  things  which  are  not 
convenient."  And  this  statement  is  corrobo- 
rated by  the  discoveries  of  Layard,  among  the 
ruins  of  Nineveh  : — 

"  They  show,  in  conformity  with  the  tenor 
of  Scripture,  that  the  earliest  ages  were  not, 
as  many  think,  barbarous  ages  ;  but  that  the 
race  of  men,  originally  enlightened  from  a  di- 
vine source,  had,  at  first,  a  high  degree  of  gen- 
eral knowledge  which  they  gradually  lost 
through  their  defection  to  idolatry.  It  has 
been  demonstrated  by  these  excavations,  not 
only  that  a  high  state  of  the  arts  existed  in 
Nineveh  a  thousand  years  before  Chrisf,  but 
also,  that  in  the  earliest  ages  of  thfct  city,  dating 
but  a  few  centuries  from  the  flood,  their  sculp- 


tures were  the  best.  In  this  remarkable  result, 
the  Egyptian  and  Assyrian  antiquities  also 
agree. 

"  It  is  also  proved,  contrary  to  the  general 
impression,  that  idolatry  was  introduced  when 
men  had  a  better  knowledge  of  the  true  God 
than  afterwards  prevailed;  that  it  did  not 
grow  up  as  a  religion  of  nature,  by  the  inef- 
fectual attempts  of  men  to  find  the  true  God. 
jBut  it  was  introduced  as  an  expedient  of  men 
in  order  to  obscure  what  knowledge  of  God 
they  possessed,  because  they  did  not  like  to 
retain  God  in  their  knowledge.  This  is  shown 
in  the  fact,  that  the  earliest  representations  of 
God  found  in  these  sculptures  are  the  best,  and 
immeasurably  exceed  every  thing  of  the  kind 
existing  in  after  ages ;  especially  in  their  ap- 
proach to  the  true  idea  of  God.  So  that  idol- 
atry came  in  not  for  want  of  light,  but  by  an 
abuse  of  light.  Men,  knowing  God,  and  yet 
not  willing  to  glorify  him  as  God,  became 
vain  in  their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish 
heart  was  darkened." 

And  the  description  which  Paul  gives  in  the 
first  chapter  of  Romans,  of  the  debasing  influ- 
ence of  idolatry  upon  the  heathen  of  his  day, 
is  a  just  description  of  its  efiects  in  every  age 
and  in  every  portion  of  the  world.  The  wor- 
ship of  inferior  objects  tends  to  debase,  as  the 
worship  of  the  true  God  tends  to  exalt  the  hu- 
man mind.  Nor  is  the  baptized  idolatry  of 
the  church  of  Rome  essentially  better  than 
that  of  pagans.  The  learned  men  profess,  in- 
deed, to  worship,  not  the  images  and  pictures, 
but  through  them  the  objects  they  represent, 
or  the  Supreme  Being  through  them,  as  medi- 
ators ;  and  so  do  the  learned  among  the  hea- 
then. But  it  cannot  be  expected,  that  the 
masses,  whom  they  keep  designedly  in  igno- 
rance, will  make  this  distinction.  And  even 
though  this  distinction  were  made,  the  worship 
of  God  in  this  manner  is  expressly  forbidden 
in  the  second  commandment ;  hence  the  Ro- 
manists leave  out  this  command  from  the  de- 
calogue. 

The  idolatry  of  the  .heathen  is  everywhere 
connected  with  superstitions  the  most  debash 
ing,  and  rites  the  most  crael. 

IFAFA  :  Station  of  the  American  Board 
among  the  Zulus  in  South  Africa,  near  Port 
Natal. 

IFUMI :  Station  of  the  American  Board 
among  the  Zulus,  in  South  Africa,  near  Port 
Natal. 

IGBOHO  :  A  station  of  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist Convention  in  West  Africa,  180  miles 
north  of  Abbeokuta. 

IGGIBIGHA:  Station  of  the  United 
Scotch  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Kaffraria, 
South  Africa. 

IKAI :  Station  of  the  American  Board  at 
the  Gaboon,  West  Africa. 

INANDA  :  Station  of  the  American 
Board  among  the  Zulus,  in  South  Africa,  near 
Port  Natal. 


INDIAN  ARCHIPELAGO. 


479 


_  INDIANT-WALK  :  A  station  of  the  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society  in  Trinidad,  W.  I. 

INDIANS  :  See  North  American  Indians. 

INDIA  :  See  Hindostan. 

INDIAN  ARCHIPELAGO :  This  vast 
extent  of  islands,  which  tradition  reports  to  be 
the  remains  of  a  sunk  continent,  forms,  as  it 
were,  a  bridge  to  that  remote  part  of  the  world, 
Australia,  and  from  thence  again  up  north- 
ward to  China.  Its  exterior  crescent  form 
begins  with  the  Andaman  and  Nicobar  is- 
lands ;  then  come  two  of  the  great  Sunda 
islands,  Sumatra  and  Java,  which  are  followed 
by  the  lesser  Sunda  islands.  Up  northward 
of  these  are  the  Moluccas,  to  which  belong  also 
the  islands  of  Banda,  Amboyna,  and  Ternate. 
These  are  followed  by  the  Philippines,  and 
lastly  by  Formosa.  Within  this  curve  of 
islands  are  embosomed  the  two  other  great 
Sunda  islands  of  Borneo  and  Celebes.  The 
whole  of  these  islands  together,  comprising  an 
area  of  170,000  square  miles,  contain  about 
20,000,000  of  human  beings,  of  all  grades  of 
color  and  stature.  The  most  ancient  appear 
to  be  the  Papoos,  who  are  the  only  inhabitants 
of  the  Andaman  Islands,  but  who  are  found 
farther  eastward  as  a  people  driven  into  the 
forests,  mountains,  and  defiles,  and  are  not 
found  again  as  a  leading  population  till  we 
reach  New  Guinea.  They  are  some  of  the 
most  degenerate  of  the  whole  human  race. 
They  were  supplanted  more  immediately  by 
the  Malays,  who,  having  many  centuries  ago 
emigrated  from  India  beyond  the  Ganges,  have 
become  a  mysteriously  heterogeneous  people, 
by  mixture  with  Papoos,  Hindoos,  Arabs, 
Chinese,  Siamese,  and  even  with  Europeans. 
The  shores  have  of  late  years  been  more  and 
more  covered  with  Chinese  emigrants,  who 
threaten  the  same  fate  to  the  Malays  which 
they  have  inflicted  upon  the  Papoos.  The  re- 
ligions here  are  as  various  as  the  nations,  and 
tribes,  and  languages.  Here  we  may  still 
meet  with  aboriginal  sorcery,  together  with 
the  divine  worship  paid  to  mountains,  rocks, 
woods,  storms,  volcanoes ;  then  with  Brah- 
minism  and  Buddhism,  the  Chinese  worship  of 
ancestors  exalted  into  demigods,  the  Moham- 
medan delusions,  and  the  saint-worship  of  the 
Romish  communion.  The  worship  of  God  in 
spirit  and  in  truth  has  hitherto  been  to  these 
wretched  nations  a  thing  unknown  ;  and  what 
has  been  attempted  for  these  forty  or  fifty 
years  past  by  about  70  or  80  missionaries,  is 
as  yet  but  little  more  than  a  beginning  of  what 
remains  to  be  done. 

1.  The  Nicobar  and  Andaman  Islands. — 
South  of  Burmah  Proper,  and  nearest  to  it, 
are  the  Andaman  Islands,  for  whose  wild  in- 
habitants, the  Papoos,  nothing  has  hitherto 
been  done.  Below  them  are  the  Nicobars, 
which  are  also  called  Sambilang,  or  the  Nine 
Islands,  with  a  Malay  population,  who  are  of 
a  tawny  complexion,  short  stature,  and  strong- 
limbed,  without  any  modesty,  or  any.  know- 


ledge of  any  other  superior  Being  except  the 
evil  spirit.  Here  the  Danish  Government,  in 
1756,  attempted  ta  establish  a  mercantile  set- 
tlement ;  and  two  years  afterwards,  at  the  re- 
quest of  that  Government,  some  missionaries 
of  the  United  Brethren's  church  set  out  on 
their  way  thither.  After  an  eight  years'  so- 
journ at  Tranquebar,  they  came  at  length,  in 
1759,  to  the  island  of  Nancawery.  But  scarce- 
ly ever  had  any  mission  to  encounter  so  many 
privations  and  hardships  of  every  kind,  while 
the  inhabitants  continued  quite  unimpressible. 
Besides  which,  the  climate  was'  so  deadly,  that 
new  comers  were  perpetually  swept  away  after 
a  very  short  interval.  Yet  the  mission  wag 
not  wholly  abandoned  till  1787,  after  eleven 
missionaries  had  been  buried  in  Nancawery, 
and  thirteen  others  had  died  from  the  injurious 
effects  of  the  country  after  they  had  left  it, 
while  none  of  them  had  seen  there  any  fruit  of 
their  labors. 

2.  Sumatra. — This,  first  of  the  Sunda  Islands, 
which  is  almost  bisected  by  the  equator,  is 
1200  miles  in  length,  and  200  in  breadth.  Its 
western  shore,  facing  the  Indian  Ocean,  is 
rugged  and  steep,  and  rises  onward  inland  into 
a  mass  of  mountains  pervading  the  length  of 
the  island.  Their  highest  summit  is  13,000 
feet.  Here  are  brooks  and  rivers  of  no  great 
length  ;  but,  on  the  eastern  side,  where  the  de- 
scent is  gradual  to  the  low  land,  there  are  nu- 
merous river-vales,  which  abound  with  most 
luxuriant  vegetation,  but  whose  exhalations 
cause  a  deadly  fever  to  Europeans.  Ravenous 
animals  of  all  kinds  are  abundant  here.  The 
inhabitants,  who  are  estimated  at  7,000,000, 
are  Malays ;  and  are  considered  as  the  most 
bigoted  and  fierce  abettors  of  the  Mohamme- 
dan delusion.  A  remarkable,  though  less 
known  people,  are  the  Batta  tribes  in  the  north 
of  the  island  ;  as  are  also  the  Kampungs  in 
the  south  of  the  mountainous  interior.  The 
Battas  devour  the  flesh  of  persons  who  have 
been  executed.  When  the  Portuguese  arrived, 
which  was  in  1511,  the  Malays  had  their  prin- 
cipal force  in  the  peninsula  of  Malacca  ;  and 
the  sultans  of  Atshin,  at  the  north  point  of 
Sumatra,  attacked  the  intruding  Portuguese 
at  seven  different  times  within  the  period  of 
130  years.  But,  in  1664,  the  Dutch  took  the 
city  of  Palembang,  in  the  south  ;  and  during 
very  many  wars  they  went  on  enlarging  their 
dominions,  while  the  English  also  in  the  west 
formed  settlements  at  Bencoolen  and  Tapa- 
nooly.  These  English  settlements  have  been 
consigned  to  the  Dutch  since  1825. 

The  English  Baptists  had  previously  com- 
menced several  missions  in  Sumatra ;  first,  at 
Bencoolen,  in  1820,  in  the  vicinity  of  which  is 
Fort  Marlborough;  then  at  Padang,  above 
312  miles  further  north,  in  1821  ;  and  lastly, 
in  1822,  at  the  Batta  village  of  Sebolga,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Tapanooly.  But  the  mission 
was  broken  up  in  consequence  of  the  exchange 
of  governors  ;  for  it  could  not  act  with  sufB- 


480 


INDIAN  ARCHIPELAGO. 


cieiit  freedom  under  the  narrow-hearted  Dutch, 
who,  moreover,  had  drawn  upon  tliomselves  the 
hatrwl  of  the  Malays,  so  that  war,  conflagra- 
tion, and  pillapfc,  were  perpetually  on  the  in- 
crease. The  missionary  Uurton  likewise  found 
it  necessary  to  withdraw  from  Scbolga,  be- 
cause fanatical  Malays,  called  Padrees,  were 
approaching  the  place  with  fury,  to  compel 
th;)so  13attas  to  embrace  Mohammedanism. 
Besides  the  Baptist  missionaries,  there  were 
also  others  from  Holland,  who  from  time  to 
time  attempted  to  establish  themselves  at  Pa- 
dang  and  JPalembang ;  but  their  society,  it 
seems,  wanted  the  means  for  carrying  anything 
fnto  effect  at  those  places.  Lastly,  in  the  year 
1833,  the  American  Board  of  Missions  sent 
out  Messrs.  Munson  and  Lyman  to  make  a 
tour  of  inquiry  through  the  island.  These 
missionaries  pushed  their  way  from  Tapanooly 
through  deep  ravines  and  defiles,  primeval  for- 
ests, and  over  steep  and  precipitous  rocks  and 
mountains ;  but  were  at  last  cruelly  butchered 
by  the  insensate  Battas  near  the  village  of 
Sacca.  The  missionary  Ennis  likewise,  whO; 
in  1837,  ventured  into  the  interior  from  Pa- 
dang,  had  much  difficulty  to  escape  from  the 
perils  and  dangers  of  the  country,  the  attacks 
of  wild  beasts,  and  of  the  savage  inhabitants, 
Since  that  time  there  has  been  nothing  further 
attempted  for  the  mission  in  Sumatra  itself ; 
and  the  Baptist  missionary  Ward,  who  remains 
at  Padang,  can  do  little  more  than  circulate 
copies  of  the  Scriptures  and  tracts,  on  account 
of  the  extreme  je  Jtousy  and  irritability  of  the 


^  The  mission,  however,  is  only  the  more  ac- 
tive, and  prospered  in  some  islands  on  the  east 
coast  of  Sumatra  ;  especially  in  that  of  Bing- 
tang  with  the  isle  of  Lor,  below  Singapore ; 
also,  in  Lingin,  further  south  ;  and  in  the  large 
island  of  Banca,  over  against  the  province  of 
Palembang.  The  two  first  mentioned  islands 
are  possessed  and  governed  by  native  rajahs, 
who,  however,  are  dependent  on  the  Dutch, 
who  have  totally  subjugated  Banca,  To  Bin- 
tang,  in  1827,  came  the  Dutch  missionary 
Wentink,  to  whom  Gutzlaff  for  some  time  lent 
a  successfully  helping  hand.  They  gained 
many  Chinese  and  Malays,  as  likewise  in  the 
neighboring  islands  of  Muntoc,  Poolo  Pinin- 
gat,  and  Tercolee,  so  that  the  otherwise  friend- 
ly rajah  began  to  be  jealous.  Wentink's  suc- 
c^or,  the  missionary  Roettger,  extended  the 
mission  on  to  Lingin  and  Banca;  and,  in 
1836,  baptized  in  the  latter  island  many  Mo- 
hammedans and  pagans. 

3.  Java.— This  next  great  Sunda  island  is 
700  miles  in  length,  and  averages  100  miles  in 
breadth.  Its  southern  coast  consists  of  lofty 
rocks,  behind  which  rises  a  chain  of  mountains 
from  five  to  eight  thousand  feet  high,  with 
thirty-eight  volcanic  craters,  some  of  which 
are  exhausted,  and  others  still  burning.  The 
north  coast  is  inferior  to  no  country  in  beauty 
and  magnificence.    The  island  is  also  one  of 


the  healthiest  of  the  tropical  countries,  except 
in  some  parts  of  it,  as  at  Batavia,  which  is 
built  upon  a  river  in  a  marshy  region,  where 
the  climate  is  so  deadly,  that,  in  the  space  of 
twenty-one    years,  more   than   a  million    of 
human  beings  have  been  swept  away,  so  that 
it  is  called  a  large  bnrying-ground.    The  na- 
tives, who  are  a  finer  formed  people  than  the 
Malays,  are  reckoned  at  about  five  millions. 
Their  habits,  education,  and  religion,  are  of 
Indian  origin,  and  they  formerly  consisted  of 
separate  kingdoms,  one  of  which  at  length 
obtained  dominion  over  the  rest.    But  after 
this  came  the  Arabian  invaders,  in  1327,  who 
subjugated  the  whole  island,  and  established 
in  it  the  Mohammedan  religion  and  customs. 
The  Javanese,  however,  had  nearly  recovered 
their  independence,  when  the  Dutch  arrived, 
and  fixed  themselves  at  Batavia  and  Chapara. 
Amidst  incessant  insurrections  and  civil  wars, 
they  became  increasingly  powerful ;  they  even 
expelled  the  French,  the  Portuguese,  and  the 
English  from  the  island,  and  retained  the  sov- 
ereignty of  all  Java  till  the  year  1749.    But 
it  was  not  till  the  English  took  Java  from 
them,  in  1811,  that  a  better  and  more  liberal 
government  was    introduced,  the   system  of 
which  the  Dutch  themselves,  when  the  country 
was  restored  to  them  in  1815,  could  not  avoid 
retaining  in  some  particulars.    In  the  high 
mountain  regions,  in  the  east  and  west,  there 
are  still  various  pagan  tribes.    The  Chinese 
who  have  come  hither,  have  formed  a  chain  of 
colonies  on  the  northern  coasts ;  and  in  the 
centre,  and  in  the  south,  there  are  still  two 
native  sultans,  whose  residence  cities,  Soora- 
carta,  or  Solo,  and  Yudshyakerta,  each  con- 
tain 100,000  inhabitants.    The  Dutch  terri- 
tory is  divided  into  seventeen  provinces,  each 
of  which  has  a  native  governor  ;  and  these 
again  are  subdivided  into  towns  and  negereys, 
or  smaller  circuits.    The  governor  resides  at 
the  country  seat  called  Buitenzorg,  a  name 
which,  in  the  Dutch  language,  signifies, /rce 
from  care ;  as  Batavia,  the  capital,  with  its 
45,000  inhabitants,  is  the  certain  grave  of  Eu- 
ropeans.   The  other  towns  of  most  importance 
are  Samarang,  with  30,000  inhabitants,  and 
Soorabaya,  which  has  a  population  of  100,000. 
The  London  Missionary  Society  was  at  first 
chiefly  interested  about  the  Chinese  in  Java. 
Several  missionaries,  who  had  been  educated 
in  Holland  and  at  Berlin,  were  consigned  to 
that  society,  and  landed  at  Batavia  in  1813. 
Bruckner,  who  was  one  of  them,  and  who,  in 
1816,  joined  the  Baptist  Society,  repaired  to 
Samarang.     But   Supper,  who  was  another, 
remained  at  Batavia  till  his  death,  in  1816. 
He  was  very  zealous  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Chinese  in  that  quarter,  and  was  employed 
chiefly  in  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures 
among    them.    No  one  succeeded   him    till 
1S19,  when    the   missionary   Slater    arrived 
there,  who  brought  with  him  a  great  many 
printed  works,  and  was  received  in  a  friendly 


;UFI7ERSITrl 


INDIAN   ARCHIPELAGO. 


481 


manner  by  the  Chinese,  whom  he  visited  from 
lio-jse  to  house.  His  dwelling  was,  indeed, 
accidentally  destroyed  by  fire,  with  all  his 
stock  of  books  and  furniture ;  but  this  circum- 
stance only  served  to  awaken  an  increased  in- 
terest among  the  Christians  at  Batavia,  and 
missionary  buildings  and  schools  were  soon 
erected,  together  with  a  chapel.  In  1821,  the 
missionary  Medhurst  came  from  Penang  to 
assist  him  ;  and  the  zeal  and  activity  of  this 
missionary  were  evinced  in  a  particularly  laud- 
able manner.  He  composed  a  number  of 
tracts,  preached  at  four  different  places,  espe- 
cially in  the  village  of  Depoc,  read  the  Scrip- 
tures and  other  books  aloud  in  public  places, 
and  stirred  up  much  desire  for  salvation  among 
the  Chinese,  by  his  familiar  intercourse  and 
journeys.  As  the  government  allowed  him 
entire  liberty  to  preach  and  distribute  books, 
he  frequently  took  very  considerable  journeys 
in  Java  and  the  neighboring  islands.  Many 
Chinese  and  Malays  were  baptized ;  and  the 
ground  was  becoming  more  and  more  decidedly 
prepared  for  a  still  richer  harvest. 

Greater  difficulties  were  thrown  in  the  way 
of  the  Baptist  missionaries,  who  likewise 
arrived  in  1813,  and  labored  more  immediately 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Malays.  Robinson,  it  is 
true,  soon  got  together  one  congregation,  and 
another  at  Batavia,  and  at  Weltevreden,  in  its 
neighborhood ;  but  the  Dutch  mode  of  govern- 
ment was  not  favorable  to  the  desirable  work- 
ing of  a  Malay  mission.  As  he  had  so  many 
and  various  obstacles  put  in  his  way,  he  re- 
paired, in  1821,  to  Bencoolen,  in  Sumatra. 
Trowt  meanwhile  had  come  to  Samarang, 
where  he  was  made  very  useful,  and  set  him- 
self to  learn  the  Cawee  language,  which  is  the 
ancient  and  original  language  of  Java,  and  is 
still  spoken  in  the  island  of  Balee.  But  he 
died  in  1816.  The  missionary  Bruckner  had 
joined  him  in  that  year ;  as  this  missionary, 
however,  could  not  see  much  fruit  of  his  labors 
at  Samarang,  he  removed  in  1823  to  Salatiga, 
in  the  higher  ground  of  the  interior,  and  from 
that  place  his  letters  communicated  more 
cheerful  reports.  But  a  dreadful  insurrection 
against  the  Dutch,  in  the  kingdom  of  Yudshy- 
akerta,  obliged  him  to  return  to  Samarang. 
Here  the  Dutch  refused  him  permission  to 
print  his  translation  of  the  Scriptures  in  the 
vernacular  tongue,  as  well  as  to  circulate 
copies  of  it,  after  it  had  been  printed  at  Sin- 
gapore in  1831.  Even  Medhurst's  applica- 
tions to  the  government  for  that  purpose  were 
rejected.  "  Let  the  Javanese,"  it  was  said, 
"  remain  as  they  are ;  we  do  not  think  it  a 
good  thing  to  have  them  more  learned  and 
knowing."  On  the  other  hand,  there  were 
only  the  more  tracts  put  to  press,  which  were 
eagerly  called  for,  in  the  hospitals,  prisons,  and 
markets. 

The  Netherlands  Missionary  Society  has  two 
stations  on  this  island,  viz.,  Depok  and  iSbora- 
baya.    Of  the  former,  very  little  is  known,  ex- 
31 


cept  that  Mr.  Wentink,  after  labormg  there 
15  years,  has  been  obliged  by  ill-health  to 
retire,  and  has  been  succeeded  by  another  mis- 
sionary. At  Soorabaya  a  great  work  of  evan- 
gelization among  the  Mohammedan  population 
has  been  prosecuted  for  many  years  by  a  Ger- 
man watchmaker,  Emede,  and  his  daughter. 
The  first  fruits  of  their  efforts  were  baptized 
in  Dec.  1843,  viz.,  18  men  and  12  women.  In 
Dec.  1848,  at  a  village  50  miles  from  Soora- 
baya, 56  natives,  young  and  old,  were  bap- 
tized, after  having  been  instructed  in  Chris- 
tianity by  Paul,  a  native  evangelist.  In 
March,  1849,  21  persons  were  baptized  at  a 
neighboring  village ;  and,  at  the  close  of 
1849,  there  were  under  the  care  of  the  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Jellesma,  347  adult  Christians,  or 
baptized  persons,  and  183  children.  He  has 
taken  six  Javanese  youths  into  his  own  house, 
in  order  to  bring  them  up  as  catechists  among 
their  own  countrymen. 

4.  The  Lesser  Sunda  Islands.  —  These 
come  next  to  Java,  eastward,  in  succession, 
and  reach  to  the  Straits  of  Ombay,  beyond 
which  commence  the  islands  of  Timor,  which 
in  a  wider  sense  have  been  reckoned  as  part  of 
the  Moluccas.  The  most  important  of  these 
Sunda  Islands  are  Balee,  with  about  1,000,000 
of  inhabitants,  who  adhere  to  Hindooism,  and, 
agreeably  to  it,  bury  widows  with  their  hus- 
bands ;  Lomboc,  which  is  also  called  Sasac, 
with  180,000  inhabitants,  who  are  mostly  Mo- 
hammedans, and  are  subject  to  the  Baleenese ; 
Soombava,  200  miles  in  length,  with  800,000 
inhabitants,  probably  like  the  Baleenese  ;  also. 
Sandalwood  Island,  which  is  but  little  known ; 
and  Flores,  250  miles  in  length,  which  once 
was  in  the  possession  of  the  Portuguese.  In 
not  one  of  these  islands  has  any  mission  as  yet 
been  established,  though  most  of  them  appear 
to  be  very  promising  fields  for  the  purpose. 
It  is  true  that  in  the  island  of  Balee,  Mr.  Med- 
hurst, in  1831,  met  with  a  very  unfriendly  re- 
ception. The  rajah  even  forbade  him  to  hold 
any  conferences  with  the  inhabitants,  and 
threatened  to  poison  those  who  should  apply 
to  him  for  medicine ;  and  when  Mr.  Medhurst 
complained  of  these  restrictions,  he  was  an- 
swered, "  No  one  sent  for  you  hither ;  if  you 
do  not  like  it,  go  away  to  the  place  you  came 
from."  But  the  missionary  Ennis,  when  he 
arrived  there,  found  things  quite  altered,  with- 
in less  than  seven  years  afterwards ;  he  was 
permitted  to  speak  freely  upon  spiritual  sub- 
jects, was  esteemed,  and  kindly  treated,  and 
was  frequently  even  requested  to  remain  there. 

5.  Borneo. — This  is  the  third  great  Sunda 
Island,  and  is  called  by  the  natives  Broonai. 
It  is  1000  miles  in  length,  and  750  in  breadth, 
but  hitherto  is  known  only  on  the  coasts.  It 
appears  formed  out  of  several  smaller  islands 
by  alluvial  soil,  which  is  especially  evident  on 
the  western  side,  where  all  is  level  inland  for 
several  days'  journey.  In  the  interior,  and  on 
the  eastern  coast,  there  are  lofty  chains  of 


482 


INDIAN   ARCIUPELAGO. 


mountains,  which  contain  (liftraonik,  gold  and 
inferior  metals,  in  abundance  ;  and  from  whost 
heii^'hts  very  many  rivers  descend  in  cataracts 
und  waterfalls.  These  mountains  form  the 
boundary  between  the  Mohammedan  Malays 
of  the  cosist  country  and  the  pagan  Dyaks  of 
the  interior  and  upper  country.  The  former, 
who  are  about  a  million,  are  well  instructed  in 
their  false  faith,  as  well  as  adroit  and  fanati- 
cal in  defending  it ;  they  follow  agriculture, 
traffic,  and  mining,  and  especially  the  cruel 
trade  of  piracy.  The  Dyaks,  of  whom  there 
are  several  millions,  are  behind  no  nation  in 
barbarism  and  rude  ignorance.  The  nearest 
tribes,  who  are  mostly  subject  to  Mohamme- 
dan chieftains,  arc  indeed  good  tempered  and 
social,  but,  at  the  same  time,  stupid  and  cow- 
ardly ;  but  those  of  the  interior  find  their  de- 
light only  in  war  and  murder.  Their  constant 
aim  is  to  strike  off  the  heads  of  their  real  or 
supposed  enemies  ;  and  to  this  every  stranger 
is  exposed  without  ceremony.  In  many  of 
their  provinces,  no  one  is  allowed  to  marry  that 
cannot  show  a  certain  number  of  human  heads 
that  he  has  recently  struck  off.  The  grave  of 
the  chief  must  be  fenced  round  with  human 
heads;  and  the  possession  of  many  human 
skulls  constitutes  the  chief  ornament  and  glory 
of  families.  An  offering  of  human  skulls  is 
with  them  the  surest  safeguard  against  the  evil 
spirits,  to  whom  they  attribute  all  diseases. 
Little  is  known  of  the  rest  of  their  religion. 
Not  less  lawless  are  the  settlers  called  Bug- 
ies,  from  the  island  of  Celebes,  who  are  about 
30,000.  The  most  quiet  inhabitants  are  the 
Chinese,  who  work  in  the  mines,  and  who 
amount  to  about  300,000.  Magellan's  com- 
panions were  the  first  Europeans  that  entered 
the  island;  this  was  in  1521 ;  but  the  subse- 
quent Portuguese  settlements  failed.  In  the 
year  1643,  the  Dutch  founded  a  factory  at 
Pontianak  in  the  west ;  and  their  domains  on 
the  south  coast  have  become  considerably  en- 
larged since  the  year  1812.  They  have  now 
preponderant  influence  upon  both  coasts, 
though  the  native  princes  have  still  much 
power,  and  the  Dyaks  remain  almost  entirely 
independent.  In  the  east,  the  sultan  of  Cotee 
is  the  most  authoritative  despot ;  and  in  the 
north,  the  sultan  of  Broonai. 

Rhenish  Missionary  Society.— In  1835, 
the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society  sent  Barnstein 
and  Heyer  to  Borneo.  Barnstein,  who  had 
learned  the  Malay  at  Java,  brought  with  him 
Lucas  Monton,  a  converted  Celebese.  They 
landed  at  Bandschermassing.  Monton  was  re- 
ceived by  a  Chinese  acquaintance,  in  whose 
house  he  could  read  his  books  to  an  audience 
of  Chinese,  Malays,  and  Arabs.  Monton 
preached  here  in  jmblic  to  a  large  crowd  until 
evening.  The  Chinese  received  the  Gospel 
with  many  favorable  manifestations. 

Soon  after  landing,  Barnstein  made  a  jour- 
ney to  the  Dajak  country, with  Monton.  From 
the  chief  in  Gohong  they  received  a  friendly 


invitation,  and  entered  into  a  treaty  with  him. 
Conforming  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  they 
allowed  incisions  to  be  made  on  their  right 
shoulders,  and  tasted  of  a  draught  with  which 
the  blood  thence  flowing  was  mixed.  When 
the  Dyaks  heard  of  Christ,  they  appeared  like 
a  people  awakened  from  a  long  sleep,  and  con- 
tinually heard  the  word  with  joy.  At  the  mis- 
sionaries' departure,  one  of  the  chiefs  said  to 
them,  "  My  brethren,  do  not  fear  to  remain 
with  us.  We  will  do  you  no  harm,  and  if  any 
one  molests  you,  you  shall  be  defended  with 
our  hearts'  blood.  God  and  this  assembly 
bear  witness  that  this  is  true."  And  all  the 
people  cried  out  in  corroboration,  "  Baalak  I" 
Amen. 

Returning  to  Bandschermassing  every  one 
was  filled  with  wonder  to  hear  that  the  Dyaks 
in  the  south-east  were  asking  for  a  religion,  as 
they  had  none  themselves,  and  would  not  em- 
brace Islamism.  The  Malays  in  the  city, 
moreover,  assembled  themselves  for  the  reading 
of  the  New  Testament.  In  1836,  the  mission 
was  strengthened  by  the  arrival  of  three  new 
Rhenish  missionaries,  who  all  had  cause  to  be 
rejoiced  at  the  success  of  their  labors.  Some 
Dyaks  went  in  troops  to  a  Chinese  temple,where 
one  of  them  destroyed,  with  repeated  blows, 
an  idol  erected  there,  with  the  words,  "  These 
gods  must  perish."  They  demolished  the  hea- 
then temples  and  schools.  The  Chinese  and 
Dyaks  were  won  over.  A  chief  of  the  latter 
expressed  his  sentiments  in  these  words,  "  This 
writing  has  touched  my  heart.  It  has  taken 
possession  of  it."  Stations  were  established 
at  Palingkau,  Sungei  Bintang,  Gohong,  Men- 
tangei,  and  Patey.  Many  Dyaks  were  freed 
from  slavery  by  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  ; 
and  every  missionary  has  a  little  household 
gathered  around  him,  consisting  of  liberated 
debtors,  who  had  fallen  so  deeply  in  debt  that 
they  had  pledged  life  and  limb  to  their  credi- 
tors, and  had  become  their  property.  The 
following  table  shows  the  present  condition  of 
the  mission : 


STATIONS. 


Bandschermassing 

Palingkau 

Bethabara 

Tawa 

Muaratowo 

Totals 


S^ 

!^^ 

'O 

a  a 

s* 

a 

1 

•^ 
^ 

11 

1836 

30,000 

10 

0 

1840 

5,000 

29 

7 

1839 

4,500 

4« 

20 

1851 

2,000 

0 

6 

1851 

2,000 

13 

7 

43,500 

98 

40 

American  Board. — The  first  missionaries 
of  the  Board  to  Borneo  were  Rev.  Messrs. 
Elihu  Doty,  Elbert  Nevius,  and  William 
Youngblood,  with  their  wives,  and  Miss  Azuba 
C.  Condit,  teacher.    Mr.  Doty  arrived  at  Sam- 


INDIAN   ARCHIPELAGO. 


483 


bas,  June  17, 1839  ;  and  Mr.  Youngblood  ar- 
rived at  Pontianak  about  the  end  of  the  follow- 
ing November.  Mr.  Nevius  reached  Pontia- 
nak at  a  little  later  period.  Sambas  is  on  a 
river  of  that  name,  in  the  western  part  of  the 
island,  described  as  a  "  noble  stream,  in  width 
nearly  a  mile,  and  in  depth  sulEcient  for  vessels 
of  large  burden.  Its  borders  are  skirted  with 
an  unbroken  jungle  and  forest,  without  the 
appearance  of  a  single  habitation  or  trace  of 
human  culture  to  enliven  the  scene."  The  Sam- 
bas river  afforded  facilities  for  reaching  the 
scattered  Dyak  population,  but  besides  this  the 
place  held  out  no  strong  inducements  for  a 
permanent  location.  Pontianak,  in  the  west 
part  of  the  island,  further  south,  was  regarded 
as  a  more  desirable  station,  having  a  larger 
population  than  any  other  place  on  the  coast, 
md  being  the  entrance  point,  by  a  navigable 
river,  to  large  settlements  of  Chinese  and  Dyaks 
in  the  interior. 

The  Dyaks,  as  seen  at  home,  are  described 
IS  mild  and  gentle,  and  given  to  hospitality, 
rhey  will  beg,  but  will  rarely  steal,  though 
}lothes  and  other  articles  be  ever  so  much  ex- 
posed. But  when  they  exchange  their  domestic 
labits  for  those  of  the  warrior,  their  greatest 
ielight  seems  to  be  to  revel  in  blood,  and  their 
greatest  honor  to  ornament  their  dwellings  with 
luman  heads,  which  are  the  trophies  of  their 
nhuman  barbarity.  Mr.  Doty,  in  a  tour 
;hrough  that  part  of  the  province  of  which 
Sambas  is  the  seat  of  government,  distributed 
>00  tracts  and  volumes,  including  several  copies 
)f  the  New  Testament,  and  found  that  many 
thousand  volumes  might  be  distributed  during 
luch  a  tour. 

Until  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries,  the 
nhabitants  of  western  Borneo  had  been,  in  a 
eligious  point  of  view,  almost  wholly  unknown. 
rhey  found  there,  as  in  many  other  parts  of 
he  Archipelago,  a  variety  of  races,  the  princi- 
)al  of  which  were  the  Chinese,  Arabs,  Malays, 
ind  Bugies,  all  of  foreign  origin ;  and  the 
)yaks,  who  were  believed  to  be  the  aboriginal 
ace.  The  Malays,  Arabs,  and  Bugies,  were 
bund  to  be  all  Mohammedans.  The  chief 
lifiBculties  of  prosecuting  missionary  labor 
imong  these  people  were,  the  variety  of  lan- 
guages, the  interference  of  petty  chiefs  and 
)riests,  the  levity  and  ignorance  of  the  people, 
md  especially  the  difficulty  of  reaching  the 
nhabitants,  whose  houses  were  generally  built 
ipon  posts,  on  the  banks  of  the  river  ;  or  on 
afts  or  logs,  which  rose  and  fell  with  the  water, 
md  were  accessible  only  by  boats. 

The  report  of  the  Board  for  1842  mentions 
he  removal  of  Mr.  Nevius  to  Singapore,  on 
Lccount  of  ill-health,  and  the  arrival  of  Rev. 
Messrs.  Thomson  and  Pohlman.  The  mission 
Fas  now  concentrated  chiefly  in  the  district  of 
Pontianak,  where  a  Malay  school  of  about  15 
cholars,  half  girls,  was  established,  and  a  reg- 
ilar  preaching  service  maintained  in  Chinese 
ind  Malay. 


But  the  mission  was  exceedingly  annoyed 
and  embarrassed  by  the  Dutch  government  in 
Netherlands  India.  The  missionaries  were, 
required  to  spend  their  first  year  at  Batavia, 
in  the  island  of  Java,  which  was  regarded  by 
the  Board  as  "  unreasonable  and  of  no  good 
tendency;"  and  even  on  reaching  Borneo 
their  labors  would  be  restricted  to  the  sea-coast. 
None  but  native  Dutch  missionaries  were 
allowed  to  penetrate  the  interior  of  the  island, 
and  to  obtain  such  was  difficult.  In  this  state 
of  things  the  Board,  in  connection  with  the 
missionary  Board  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church,  sent  an  agent,  Rev.  Isaac  Ferris,  D.D., 
to  the  government  at  Holland,  with  a  view,  if 
possible,  to  get  these  restrictions  removed. 
The  agent  was  kindly  received,  but  was  inform- 
ed that  the  exclusion  of  all  foreigners  from  the 
interior  of  their  possessions  in  the  Indian  Ar- 
chipelago, was  a  principle  of  settled  state  policy, 
and  that  so  far  as  the  civil  policy  of  the  gov- 
ernment was  concerned,  the  members  of  the 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  and  the  missionaries 
from  the  same  must  be  regarded  as  foreigners. 
Dr.  Ferris  was,  however,  assured  by  the  min- 
ister for  the  colonies,  that  all  proper  means 
should  be  taken  for  bringing  their  government 
to  the  adoption  of  a  more  liberal  policy. 

The  report  of  Dr.  Ferris,  on  his  return, 
rather  encouraged  the  Board  to  continue  its 
labors  in  Borneo,  and  a  mission  was  commenc- 
ed among  the  Dyaks,  at  Karangan,  about 
eight  miles  south  of  Landak,  and  140  from 
Pontianak.  Messrs.  Youngblood  and  Thom- 
son took  charge  of  this  mission  in  September, 
1842,  and  erected  a  house  on  the  banks  of  the 
Karangan.  In  their  journal  of  this  year  they 
make  the  following  interesting  statements  re- 
specting the  Dyak  people,  concerning  whom  so 
little  had  been  previously  known : 

"  We  are  fully  satisfied  that  there  is  nothing 
to  prevent  us  from  settling,  with  our  families, 
immediately  in  the  midst  of  these  interesting 
people,  and  teaching  them  without  reserve  the 
principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ.  They  are 
mild,  inoffensive,  and  docile  in  their  disposi- 
tions. In  our  opinion  there  would  be  no  more 
danger  from  them,  in  ordinary  times,  than  from 
the  most  civilized  people  in  the  world.  They 
almost  universally  expressed  the  utmost  willing- 
ness, if  not  strongest  desire,  to  receive  teachets  ; 
and  some  at  least  of  their  rulers  professed  to 
entertain  the  same  feelings.  As  to  the  coun- 
try, we  hope  it  will  appear  from  the  journal  to 
be  such  as  no  one  need  disdain  to  inhabit." 

In  the  spring  of  1844  Messrs.  Doty  and  Pohl- 
man removed  to  China,  leaving  Pontianak 
without  a  missionary.  Mr.  Youngblood  sub- 
sequently removed  to  that  place,  leaving 
Messrs.  Thomson  and  Steele  at  Karangan. 
Mrs.  Thomson  died  in  December  of  this  year, 
soon  after  following  a  daughter  to  the  grave. 
The  brethren  at  Karangan  say  at  this  period, 
"  These  are  truly  small  things,  but  instead  of 
faint-heartedness  that  we  see  no  greater  results, 


4Si 


INDIAN  ARCHIPELAGO. 


WO  nsk  you  to  join  us  in  most  fervent  praise  to 
God  for  the  cliangcs  wo  have  witnessed,  and 
that  each  day  brings  advancement."  Alluding 
to  their  school  they  say :  "  We  cannot  paint 
to  you  tlie  intellig'ence  and  the  affectionate 
confidence  of  these  little  ones,  their  delight  in 
obtaining  new  and  elevating  ideas,  their  unself- 
isli  rivalry  for  an  approving  word  or  smile  from 
the  teacher  they  nave  learnt  to  love.  The 
number  of  boys  has  seldom  been  more  than 
seven ;  the  number  of  girls  has  been  larger, 
and  they  have  received  instruction  in  needle- 
work and  vocal  music,  in  addition  to  the  les- 
sons in  spelling,  reading,  and  writing." 

A  very  discouraging  feature  in  the  condition 
of  the  Dyaks,  was  found  to  be  their  degrading 
subjection  to  the  Malays.  It  is  described  as 
"  a  despotism  the  most  absolute,  and  yet  the 
most  irrational  perhaps  ever  invented."  Hence 
the  Dyaks  were  unspeakably  and  increasingly 
wretched,  and  without  any  stimulus  to  rise  or 
to  attempt  the  improvement  of  their  condition. 
Their  ignorance  was  profound,  especially  on 
subjects  connected  with  the  soul  and  a  future 
world,  and,  in  their  journal  of  1845,  the  mis- 
sionaries "  could  see  no  signs  of  moral  improve- 
ment." 

In  1847  Mr.  Tliomson  and  Mr.  Toungblood, 
were  both  compelled  to  seek  the  restoration 
of  their  health  by  a  cessation  of  labor,  and  a 
temporary  absence  from  Borneo.  They  sailed 
for  Singapore,  at  which  place  Mr.  Thomson 
was  seized  with  hemorrhage  of  the  lungs ;  but 
after  a  little  delay  he  proceeded  to  Geneva, 
and  1  hence  to  Berne,  at  which  place  he  died. 
Mr.  Youngblood  returned  to  Borneo  with  his 
wife,  but  in  such  feeble  health  as  to  forbid  the 
expectation  of  their  long  continuance  on  the 
island.  Mr.  Steele  was  also  in  feeble  health, 
and  in  1849  he  returned  to  the  United  States. 
Both  he  and  Mr.  Youngblood  had  intended  to 
resume  their  labors,  and  earnestly  desired  to 
do  so,  but  neither  of  them  were  able  to  return ; 
and  neither  did  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church 
find  any  ministers  willing  to  enter  into  this 
field,  and  it  was  left  without  a  missionary. 
In  their  report  for  1852  the  Prudential  Com- 
mittee say  : — "  It  is  indeed  a  hard  ground  to 
cultivate,  though  not  more  so  than  some  others 
•where  success  has  at  length  come.  The  com- 
mittee cannot  believe  that  the  missionary 
labors  and  sacrifices  that  have  been  expended 
on  Borneo  will  be  in  vain.  The  existence, 
character,  necessities,  and  claims  of  a  large 
heathen  people  in  that  great  island,  have  been 
kept  a  long  time  before  the  attention  of  our 
American  churches,  and  the  seed  thus  sown 
may  one  day  result  in  a  rich  harvest." 

Sioce  the  above  date,  no  laborers  have  been 
sent  to  Borneo,  and  it  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  that  mission  will  be  resumed. 

6.  Celebes. — This  name  was  given  by  the 
Portuguese  to  the  fourth  great  Sunda  island, 
called 
count r 


.f;u».o».     lyj    ijjv-    njuiiij     givau     kJUllUU     JPIUIJU, 

by    the    natives    IS  igre-Orang-Bugies, 
ry  of  the  Bugies  people,  a  lofty  island, 


with  four  far-stretching  peninsulas,  whose  nat 
ural  beauties  are  as  striking  as  those  in  Java 
The  three  millions  of  inhabitants  are  dividet 
into  Bugies  and  Macassars.  The  former  art 
the  most  cultivated  islanders  of  this  Archipel 
ago ;  they  are  found  in  all  the  harbors  of  thes( 
seas ;  they  are  also  the  most  formidable  pirates 
The  latter  are  a  coarse  and  clumsy  race  o 
men,  who  inhabit  the  west  of  the  island 
Both  are  at  present  strict  Mussulmans,  anc 
are  subject  to  sultans,  who,  however,  are  verj 
dependent  on  the  lesser  rajahs.  OriginallJ 
they  were  pagans  ;  but,  in  1512,  their  kin^ 
having  resolved  to  embrace  another  religion 
invited  to  tiis  capital  two  Mollahs  and  two 
Jesuits.  The  Mollahs  arrived  first ;  and  soor 
was  Mohammedanism  imposed  upon  the  inhab 
itants,  especially  in  the  kingdom  of  Bonec 
About  the  year  1656,  the  Dutch  lanfled  in  th( 
island  of  Bootong,  in  hostility  against  th( 
Macassars,  and,  since  1677,  the  Macassars  ant 
Bugies  have  remained  subject  to  the  Dutch 
notwithstanding  they  have  made,  from  time  t( 
time,  the  most  savage  insurrections,  to  thToy\ 
off  the  yoke  of  their  masters. 

Netherlands  Missionary  Society. — In  the  nortl 
of  Celebes,  in  the  18th  century,  a  large  numbci 
of  natives  who  had  not  embraced  Islamism 
were  baptized  by  a  native  of  Holland.  Aftei 
long  neglect,  the  mission  work  was  renewec 
here  bj  the  Netherlands  Society.  Three  mis 
sionaries  went  from  Amboyna  to  Meuado,wh( 
were  followed  in  1822  by  Miiller,  and  in  182f 
to  1839,  by  Hillendoorn.  They  found  thai 
many,  of  all  classes,  wished  for  baptism 
among  these  the  chief,  Tondano.  In  Amu 
rang  the  church  numbers  1,000  souls,  and  th( 
schools  115  scholars.  A  church  of  550  was 
gathered  at  Tanowanka.  At  Menado,  26( 
heathen  were  baptized  in  one  year.  In  conse 
quence  of  these  successes,  Midel  and  Scliwarti 
were  sent  by  the  society  as  co-laborers,  whc 
endeavored  to  introduce  the  Malay  into  the 
schools,  as  a  common  medium  of  communica 
tion.  The  number  of  Christians,  old  and  new 
in  Manahasse,  amounted  in  1832  to  5,000 
with  20  schools,  which  latter  number  is  hoy, 
increased  to  56.  The  creed  learned  by  the 
school-children  in  Malay,  was  the  means  ol 
converting  many  heathen.  People  who  hac 
passed  their  years  in  reckless  debauchery 
cheerfully  begun  to  lead  orderly  and  Christiar 
lives.  An  aged  priest,  who,  by  his  craftiness 
had  led  whole  villages  astray,  besought  his 
people  to  embrace  "Christianity,  which  hac 
brought  rest  to  his  own  soul.  The  chief  seats 
of  the  Christian  communities  in  Celebes,  an 
at  Menado,  Kema,  Tondano,  Langowang 
Tomohou,  and  Amurang.  In  Langowang 
Schwartz,  after  11  years  of  hard  labor,  sa-w 
the  first  fruits  of  his  faithfulness,  in  the  bap 
tism  of  30  persons.  Since  1837,  the  missior 
has  had  a  printing-press,  in  order  to  prin1 
school-books  and  tracts.  In  Macassar,  also 
in  the  south,  there  is  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel 


INDIAN   ARCHIPELAGO. 


485 


On  tlie  neighboring  island  of  Bonoa,  lie 
found  Christians,  who  had  so  far  backslidden 
as  to  engage  with  the  heathen  in  the  practice 
of  cutting  off  the  heads  of  human  victims.  On 
other  islands,  he  was  compelled  to  silence  by 
laughter  and  derision.  In  Ternate,  where  Jung- 
michel  was  stationed,  there  were,  in  1819, 
700  Christians  in  a  population  of  5000.  Since 
1821  he  has  paid  frequent  visits  to  the  San- 
geer  islands,  where  Christianity  appears  to  be 
at  a  low  ebb. 

The  Society  has  in  this  island  eight  sta- 
tions. The  station  at  Tondano  has  one  mission- 
ary, Mr.  Riedel,  who  baptized  *  in  the  year 
1847,  356  adults  and  270  children,  all  natives. 
In  1848  he  baptized  440  adults  and  223  chil 
dreu.  In  16  schools  in  his  district  he  ha6i 
768  boys  and  514  girls.  In  1849  he  succeeded 
in  building  a  chapel  and  school-house,  by  the 
assistance  and  contributions  of  the  native 
Christians. 

At  the  Langowang  station  the  missionary  is 
Mr.  Schwartz,  who  baptized,  in  1848, 958  adults 
and  382  children,  and  numbered  in  the  15 
schools  under  his  charge  1182  boys  and  423 
girls.  In  February  1849,  he  wrote — "  In  near- 
ly every  one  of  the  26  villages  in  my  district, 
a  desire  for  instruction  in  Christianity  mani- 
fests itself  with  young  and  old,  so  that  I  and  my 
assistant  and  the  schoolmasters  are  hardly  able 
to  satisfy  all  their  wishes.  The  number  of  Chris- 
tians on  my  list  at  the  close  of  1848,  was  2951, 
and  those  who  attended  preaching  in  my 
seven  congregations  on  the  Sabbath  numbered 
1500. 

At  Amurang  Mr.  Herrmann  baptized,  in 
1847, 195  adults  and  57  children ;  and  in  the 
following  year  321  adults  and  177  children. 
He  had  23  schools,  with  1261  boys  and  661 
girls,  and  eight  places  of  public  worship,  to 
which  he  devoted  more  or  less  attention.  In 
February,  1849,  he  wrote — "  My  present  sphere 
of  labor  includes  75  very  far  scattered  villages, 
with  23,000  souls.  I  usually  preach  on  Sun- 
days at  two  different  places,  in  the  Alfoor  lan- 
guage. 

Tomokon  is  another  station,  where  Mr.  Wil- 
ken  has  several  congregations,  and  16  schools, 
containing  1415  boys  and  242  girls. 

Menado,  a  principal  town,  on  the  northern 
extremity  of  the  island,  enjoys  the  labors  of  a 
faithful  missionary,,  who  has  charge  of  Dutch 
and  Malay  congregations,  and  also  of  five 
schools,  attended  by  230  boys  and  130  girls. 

Tanavangho  was  occupied  in  1849  by  Mr. 
Bossert,  who  found  there  more  than  500  nom- 
inal Christians,  but  who  were  very  far  from 
the  real  life  of  God.  But  he  says,  "  Besides 
Tanavangho  I  have  seven  other  villages  com- 
mitted to  my  charge,  one  of  which  gives  me 
very  much  hope  :  it  is  Tately,  where  there  is  a 

*  Baptism,  with  this  Society,  is  not  admission  to  the 
Church,  but  is  administered  to  those  who  nominally 
embrace  Christianity,  and  are  subsequently  received  to 
Church  fellowship,  if  found  worthy. 


very  good  school  and  a  good  teacher.  Some 
30  or  40  have  received  baptism,  and  as  many 
more  who  are  receiving  instruction  desire 
baptism." 

Kema  is  a  new  station,  where  the  missionary 
in  1848  baptized  299  adults  and  83  children. 
His  12  schools  contain  747  boys  and  107  girls. 

The  station  at  Koomelemboy  was  recently 
commenced  by  Mr.  Ulfers,  who  describes  that 
part  of  the  island  as  "  most  picturesque,  hilly, 
woody,  and  abounding  with  springs  of  excel- 
lent water."  He  lives  there,  in  the  centre  of 
a  missionary  circuit,  comprising  25  villages, 
with  about  9,000  inhabitants,  all  living  on  high 
mountains  or  in  deep  valleys.  He  has  9 
schools  under  his  care. 

7.  The  Moluccas. — In  a  wider  sense,  all  the 
islands  situated  between  New  Guinea  and  Ce- 
lebes are  termed  the  Moluccas,  or  Spice 
Islands  ;  and  thus  there  belong  to  them — 1. 
the  Timor  Islands  in  the  south,  Timor,  liotty, 
Simao,  Dao,  and  others.  2.  The  Banda  Is- 
lands, which  next  form  a  group  of  ten  small 
isles,  about  which,  in  an  extensive  tend,  are 
situated  to  the  south-west  the  islands  of  Wet- 
ter, Roma,  Kissor,  Letty,  Damm,  Moa,  and 
others  ;  and  to  the  south-east,  Timorlaut,  with 
its  surrounding  isles ;  and  eastward,  as  far  as 
towards  New  Guinea,  the  Aroo  Islands,  3. 
The  Amboyna  Islands,  Amboyna,  Ceram, 
Booro,  and  others.  4.  The  proper  Moluccas, 
or  Ternatas,  with  the  islands  Jilolo,  Morty, 
Ternate,  Tidor,  Moteer,  Machian,  Bachian, 
and  others.  Lastly.  5.  The  Sangeer  Islands, 
which  form  the  chain  of  passage  to  the  north 
Philippine  Islands.  All  these  islands,  toge- 
ther, are  splendidly  adorned  and  gifted,  and 
are  particularly  rich  in  spices  of  every  kind ; 
many  of  them,  also,  have  active  volcanos.  But 
the  intercourse  of  their  population  with  civil- 
ized countries,  is  considerably  less  than  in  the 
rest  of  this  vast  Archipelago,  and  they  seldom 
see  a  European  vessel.  The  natives  consist 
partly  of  untractable  and  proud  Malays,  and 
partly  of  savage  aborigines,  called  Alfoors,  or 
Fapoos,  governed  by  their  own  rajahs.  In  the 
year  1521,  the  Portuguese  took  possession  of 
these  islands.  Mohammedanism  had  been 
forced  upon  the  latter  hardly  forty  years  be- 
fore. The  chief  Portaguese  settlement  was  in 
Ternate ;  but  their  cruelty  and  barbarity 
made  them  to  be  so  hated  by  the  natives,  that 
these  oppressed  people  at  length  threw  them- 
selves into  the  arms  of  the  Hollanders,  who,  in 
1617,  first  expelled  the  Portuguese  from  Am- 
boyna, and  then  extended  their  conquests  far- 
ther and  farther. 

Another  sphere  of  missionary  labor  has  been 
formed  in  and  around  the  island  of  Timor, 
whither  the  Dutch  missionary  Lebrun  came, 
in  1819.  He  settled  at  Cupang,  the  seat  of 
the  Dutch  government,  on  the  south  coast  of 
Timor.  The  north  coast  about  Dilly  belongs 
to  the  Portuguese.  For  twenty  years  there 
had  been  no  Christian  minister  among  the  na- 


486 


INDIAN   ARCHIPELAGO. 


lives  thcn\  who  profess  Christianity.  With 
so  much  the  greater  eagerness  did  they  now 
crowd  to  the  niisdionary'a  preaching ;  and  in 
the  very  first  year,  ninety  pagans  were  admit- 
ted to  the  church,  which  already  consisted  of 
3,000  professed  Christians.  Moreover,  the 
rajah  of  Botty  submitted  himself  to  Christ 
crucified;  and,  in  1823,  Lebrun  baptized  in 
Little  Timor,  Kissor,  Letty,  and  Aloa,  four 
hundred  and  ninety-six  persons.  The  Friendly 
Society  which  he  established,  was  subscribed 
to  even  by  some  of  the  pagan  princes.  He 
everywhere  formed  schools,  and  to  the  remote 
churches  he  addressed  pastoral  letters,  after 
the  manner  of  the  apostles,  of  the  good  effect 
of  which  there  are  very  pleasing  testimonies. 
A  few  years  before  his  death,  which  took  place 
in  1829,  eight  missionaries  more  arrived,  who 
distributed  themselves  among  various  stations, 
and  made  it  one  part  of  their  business  to  estab- 
lish more  fundamentally  in  Christianity  the 
churches  and  congregations  that  had  been 
gained  to  it.  The  islands  of  Timor,  Babaw, 
and  Rotty,  as  also  Kissor,  Letty,  Moa,  lloma, 
Wetteiraud  others,  are  places  wheie  they  are 
continually  visiting  and  laboring.  Their 
"work,  indeed,  is  often  exceedingly  harassing 
and  fatiguing  ;  and  though  the  missionary 
Bar,  of  Basle,  who,  in  1825,  was  stationed  in 
Kissor,  and  at  present  in  Amboyna,  was  soon 
enabled  to  baptize  1,500  of  the  5,000  inhabit- 
ants, yet  he  has  to  this  day,  amidst  his  un- 
speakably troublesome  and  wearisome  occupa- 
tions, had  one  of  the  most  difficult  of  posts  to 
maintain.  But  the  persevering  patience  of 
the  messenger  of  peace  is  never  unaccompa- 
nied by  some  blessed  benefit  or  other.  In  the 
proper  Moluccas  there  is  but  little  as  yet  done, 
except  what,  since  1819,  the  missionary  Jung- 
michel  has  been  effecting  in  Ternate.  Since 
1821,  he  has  also  periodically  visited  the  San- 
geer  islands,  150  miles  north-west  of  Celebes  ; 
but  has  found  only  extremely  ignorant  Chris- 
tians and  bad  schools  at  those  places.  In 
1850  it  was  reported  that  the  natives  of 
Amboyna,  being  all  nominal  Christians,  it 
was  no  longer  regarded  as  a  field  for  mission- 
ary labor.  Harookoo,  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood, is  also  inhabited  by  nominal  Christians, 
over  whose  different  congregations  and  schools 
a  missionary,  Mr.Luyke,  is  placed  as  pastor  and 
overseer.  Timor  has  two  stations,  viz. :  Koo- 
pang  and  Babow,  at  which  there  are  four  mis- 
sionaries, the  two  last  having  been  sent  out  in 
1849.  They  have  in  charge  various  congrega- 
tions and  schools,  concerning  which  no  recent 
reports  have  been  made. 

8.  The  Philippine  Islands.  —  Of  these 
islands,  which  contain  about  three  millions  of 
inhabitants,  we  shall  say  but  little,  as  they  are 
110  theatre  of  Protestant  missions.  The  fa- 
mous circumnavigator,  Magellan,  began  here 
his  conversions  with  cannon-ball,  in  1521. 
This  he  did,  especially  in  the  island  of  Zeboo, 
where,  after  a  cannonade,  800  Dyaks,  or  Al- 


foors,  were  immediately  hapLi/i'd.  lie,  how- 
ever, and  his  officers  fell  a  sacrifice  to  this  zeal, 
and  Zeboo  fell  away  again  from  Christianity. 
The  Spaniards  and  Portuguese  soon  contend- 
ed for  possession  of  these  islands :  and  the 
former  got  the  mastery.  Zeboo,  in  15G4,  re- 
ceived a  sanguinary  chastisement  for  its  apos- 
tasy ;  and  as  fast  as  the  conquests  proceeded, 
did  the  llomish  religion  everywhere  take  root, 
as  Augustinian  monks,  Franciscans,  and  Do- 
minicans, zealously  prosecuted  the  work  of 
their  missions.  W.  Hoffman,  in  his  "  Geo- 
graphy," says :  "  Here  is  the  paradise  of  the 
monks.  Here  vegetate  one  thousand  monks, 
Augustinians,  Dominicans,  and  Franciscans, 
in  luxuriant'  and  luxurious  monasteries  ;  four 
provincials  command  them  ;  one  thousand  two 
hundred  parishes  are  occupied  by  them.  The 
temporal  government,  the  instruction,  and  the 
whole  activity  of  the  inhabitants  are  all  under 
their  heavy  hand.  The  pious  idleness  of  their 
festivals  and  processions  is  excessive ;  the 
poorer,  but  without  knowing  it,  are  the  native 
secular  ecclesiastics  in  their  three  thousand 
parishes.  The  titular  archbishop  of  Manilla, 
who  resides  at  Madrid,  together  with  the  bi- 
shops of  New  Segovia,  Zeboo,  and  New  Cace- 
res,  are  at  the  head  of  them. 

9.  The  Island  of  Formosa. — This  island, 
which  is  also  called  Thaiwan,  is  between  the 
Philippines  and  the  Chinese  coast;  and  the 
greater  part  of  it  is  subject  to  the  emperor  of 
China.  Hither,  in  1631,  was  sent  by  the 
Dutch  government,  the  preacher  Junius,  who, 
with  much  labor  acquired  the  language  of  the 
country,  and  at  the  period  of  his  death  had 
collected  a  Protestant  church  of  five  thousand 
nine  hundred  adults.  But  the  light  was  soon 
extinguished,  through  perpetual  wars  with  pi- 
rates, and  the  subsequent  reduction  of  the 
island  by  the  emperor  of  China  ;  and  proba- 
bly at  the  present  day  scarcely  a  single  trace 
of  those  fair  beginnings  can  be  found. 

[The  early  history  of  the  missions  noticed 
in  the  foregoing  article,  has  been  taken  from 
"  A  Manual  of  Christian  Missions,"  by  Rev. 
C.  Barth,  D.D.,  principal  of  the  Basle  Mission- 
ary Institution,  and  W^igger^s  History  of  Missions, 
in  German.  The  later  portions  have  been  ga- 
thered from  various  sources.] 

INFANTICIDE  :  The  practice  of  destroy- 
ing infants  soon  after  their  birth.  That  a 
practice  so  revolting  to  humanity  should  ewr 
prevail,  in  any  country,  seems  almost  incredi- 
ble. One  characteristic  of  heathenism,  how- 
ever, as  given  by  the  Apostle  Paul,  is  that  of 
being  "  without  natural  affection ;"  and,  al- 
though there  are  exceptions,  yet,  as  a  general 
rule,  selfishness,  in  the  heathen  mind,  rises 
above  every  other  principle.  And  hence,  in 
all  ages,  infanticide  has  been  a  prevalent  cus- 
tom of  the  heathen.  It  was  a  law  of  the  an- 
cient Spartans  that  only  promising  children 
should  be  reared.  They  were  submitted  to  the 
examination  of  certain  persons,  and  if  weak  or 


INFANTICIDE. 


487 


deformed,  they  were  thrown  into  a  cavern 
The  exposure  of  children  was  a  practice  com- 
monly sanctioned  by  the  ancients.  Gimelli 
Careri  states  that,  in  the  Philippine  Islands, 
children  born  with  imperfections,  were  put 
into  a  hollow  cave,  and  buried  alive.  In  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  it  was  estimated  by  the  for- 
eigners who  went  first  among  them,  that  two- 
thirds  of  the  infants  that  were  born,  were  de- 
stroyed by  their  own  parents.  The  sickness 
or  deformity  of  the  child,  or  the  trouble  of 
taking  care  of  it,  was  a  sufficient  excuse  for 
its  destruction.  Mothers  would  cast  their 
children  into  a  hole  dug  in  the  earth,  and  cov- 
ering them  up,  would  trample  upon  them  with 
their  feet,  and  thus  stifle  their  cries.  The  wri- 
ter of  this  article  has  seen  a  native  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  who  was  buried  alive  by 
his  mother,  and  rescued  from  the  grave  and 
reared  by  the  missionaries.  Some  of  the  con- 
verted native  women  have  confessed  to  the 
missionaries,  with  tears  in  their  eyes,  that  they 
had  killed  all  their  children. 

In  the  Georgian  and  Society  Islands,  infan- 
ticide prevailed  to  an  incredible  extent.  It  is 
stated  by  one  of  the  missionaries,  that  on  a 
certain  occasion  he  inquired  of  three  women 
who  were  sitting  together,  how  many  children 
they  had  destroyed.  "  One  replied  with  a  fal- 
tering voice,  *  I  have  destroyed  nine.'  The  sec- 
ond, with  eyes  suffused  with  tears,  said,  *  I  have 
destroyed  seven,' — and  the  third  informed  him 
she  had  destroyed  Jive."  To  such  an  extent 
was  this  cruel  and  unnatural  practice  carried, 
that  it  is  the  opinion  of  the  missionaries  that 
two-thirds  of  the  children  were  murdered  by 
their  own  parents. 

There  are  several  tribes  in  India,  in  which 
the  custom  has  long  prevailed  of  destroying 
the  female  children.  The  British  Government 
have  exerted  themselves  to  put  an  end  to  the 
practice,  and  to  some  extent  have  succeeded. 
Infanticide  also  prevails  in  China.  A  mis- 
sionary was  conversing  with  a  Chinaman,  who 
was  away  from  home ;  and  inquiring  for  his 
family,  the  man  said  he  had  three  sons  and  one 
daughter ;  he  had  had  another  daughter,  but 
"  did  not  bring  her  up."  "  Not  bring  her  up," 
said  the  missionary  ;  "  what  did  you  do  with 
her  ?"  "  I  smothered  her,"  he  replied.  When 
expostulated  with  for  murdering  his  own  child, 
he  said,  "  It  is  very  common  in  China.  We 
put  the  female  children  out  of  the  way,  to  save 
the  trouble  of  bringing  them  up.  Some  people 
have  smothered  five  or  six  daughters  !" 

Mr.  Barrow  computes,  from  authentic  data, 
that  not  less  than  9,000  children  are  exposed 
in  the  streets  of  Peking  every  year,  and  as 
many  more  in  the  provinces.  He  states  that 
it  is  part  of  the  duty  of  the  police  to  carry 
away  in  carts,  every  morning,  those  that  have 
been  exposed  at  night,  some  of  whom  are  yet 
alive  ;  but  they  are  all  carried  to  a  pit,  with- 
out the  walls,  and  buried  promiscuously.  Here 
the  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  attend,  se- 


lecting the  most  lively  for  future  propelytes, 
and  administering  baptism  to  others  before 
they  die.  The  practice  is  connived  at  by  the 
government. 

The  people  in  some  parts  of  India,  particu- 
larly in  Orissa  and  the  eastern  part  of  Bengal, 
frequently  offer  their  children  to  the  goddess 
Gunga,  by  drowning  them  in  the  river.  In 
the  northern  districts  of  Bengal,  if  an  infant  is 
sickly,  it  is  hung  up  in  a  basket  on  the  branch 
of  a  tree,  to  be  destroyed  by  the  ants  or  birds 
of  prey.  In  Japan,  mothers,  on  finding  them- 
selves too  poor  to  bring  up  their  children,  do 
not  scruple  to  suffocate  them  at  Ihe  breast.  In 
Greenland,  where  a  mother  died  leaving  an 
infant,  the  latter  was  buried  with  her.  The 
South  American  women  on  the  river  Oronoko 
are  said  frequently  to  destroy  their  daughters, 
to  save  them  the  hardships  and  sufferings  to 
which  they  are  exposed.  The  Bushmen  in 
Africa  take  no  great  care  of  their  children. 
They  kill  them  without  remorse  when  they  are 
ill-shaped,  or  when  they  are  in  want  of  food  ; 
and  when  obliged  to  fly  from  their  enemies, 
they  will  cast  them  aside,  strangle,  smother, 
or  bury  them  alive ;  and,  to  save  themselves, 
they  will  throw  them  to  the  lions,  which  prac- 
tice has  greatly  increased  the  desire  of  the  lion 
for  human  flesh.  In  Madagascar,  the  fate  of 
the  infant  depends  on  the  calculation  of  lucky 
and  unlucky  days.  If,  judging  from  the  time 
of  birth,  its  destiny  is  concluded  to  be  malevo- 
lent, it  is  put  to  death  by  suffocation.  A  poor 
woman  called  on  a  missionary,  and  acknow- 
ledged that  four  out  of  five  of  her  children  had 
been  destroyed  in  this  way.  Where  the  des- 
tiny may  possibly  be  averted,  one  plan  adopted 
for  the  purpose  is,  to  place  the  infant  at  the 
entrance  of  a  cattle-fold,  and  then  to  drive  in 
the  cattle.  If  the  child  is  not  destroyed,  its 
fate  is  declared  to  be  averted ;  but,  if  tram- 
pled on  and  killed,  the  contrary  is  manifest. 
Infanticide  has  also  prevailed  among  the  North 
American  Indians.  From  time  immemorial, 
the  Choctaws  had  considered  it  no  crime,  un- 
til they  received  Christianity.  A  young  man 
would  take  a  wife,  and  having  no  means  of 
supporting  her,  would  soon  leave  her.  The 
woman,  seeing  herself  deserted,  would  say,  the 
child  has  no  father  to  provide  it  a  blanket ;  it 
had  better  be  dead  than  alive.  Sometimes  the 
mother  digs  a  grave  and  -buries  it  alive,  soon 
after  it  is  born.  Sometimes  she  puts  it  to 
death  by  stamping  on  it  with  her  feet.  But 
after  the  establishment  of  a  mission  among 
them,  they  passed  a  law  against  this  crime. 

We  are  amazed  in  contemplating  the  utter 
extinction  of  parental  affection,  which  ages  of 
heathenism  has  thus  effected  ;  but  what  shall 
be  said  of  the  worse  than  heathen,  among  the 
lower  classes  in  England,  who  murder  their 
own  children  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  the 
burial  fee  from  some  mutual  benefit  society  to 
which  they  belong!  Human  nature  is  the 
same  every  where,  when  uuaflected  by  the  Cos- 


488 


IMP  ARANI— JEWS. 


pel :  and  ercn  in  »  Christian  land,  those  who 
tntX  it  with  utter  contempt  or  neglect,  often 
ibll,  if  poasible,  even  below  the  heathen. 


EdinbuTi 


}mrgh    Encyclopedia;    Rees'  Cydopedta  ; 
*9  (Snat  Mord  Evils  in  India ;  Narrative 


afl^ntetUiom  in  Madagascar,  p.  61 ;  Dibble's 
ScMdmeh  Liands ;  Miss.  Her.,  Vol.  XIX.,  p.  9. 

IRISH  PRESBYTERIAN  MISSIONS: 
The  General  Assembly  of  the  Irish  Pres- 
byterian Church  inaintaia  both  Home 
and  Foreign  Missions.  The  former  have 
been  very  successful  among  the  Roman 
Catholics  of  Ireland.  They  have  a  Foreign 
Mission  in  Western  India,  with  four  sta- 
tions. They  have  Jewish  missions  at 
Hamburg,  Bonn,  and  Damascus,  and  colo- 
nial missions  in  British  North  America, 
Australia,  Van  Dieman's  Land,  and  New 
Zealand.  All  these  missions  are  prosecuted 
with  energy  and  zeal. 

ISLE  OF  FRANCE  :    See  Mauritius. 

ITAFAMASI :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Zulus  in  South  Africa, 
near  Port  Natal. 

JEWS,  MISSIONS  TO:  Coeval  with 
the  establishment  of  Christian  missions  among 
the  heathen,  spring  up  in  the  church  the  spirit 
of  missions  to  the  Jews.  The  voice  that,  com- 
ing across  the  lapse  of  centuries,  struck  upon 
the  ear  and  thrilled  the  heart  of  Christendom, 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gos- 
pel," called  attention  to  the  moral  condition 
and  wants  of  God's  ancient  people,  Israel, 
scattered  among  all  nations.  There  was  a 
feeUng,  that  if  the  Gospel  was  to  be  preached 
among  all  nations,  it  ought,  as  in  the  apostles' 
d^,  to  begin  at  Jerusalem.  There  was  also 
a  firm  belief  that  "  the  Gospel  was  the  power  of 
God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth, 
to  the  Jew  first ; "  and  that  God  had  not  cast 
away  this  people  from  the  covenant  of  redemp- 
tion in  a  way  that  thej^  could  not  be  saved  by 
grace,  "  for  even  at  this  present  time  also  there 
was  a  remnant,  according  to  the  election  of 
grace."  Whatever  may  be  the  theories  ad- 
vanced by  many,  respecting  the  future  of  the 
Jewish  people,  it  is  a  prophetic  and  providen- 
tial fact  that  they  have  been  kept  distinct 
from  all  other  nations  from  the  time  of  the 
Abrahamic  call  to  the  present  hour.  During 
the  former  part  of  their  history,  they  were  dis- 
tinguished as  the  people  of  God ;  during  the 
latter  part  they  have  been  distinguished  as  the 

rial  objects  of  Jehovah's  indignation.  In 
respect,  their  relation  to  Christianity  and 
all  other  forms  of  religion  is  peculiar.  While 
all  other  tribes  and  nations,  springing  from 
whatever  source,  have  come  upon  the  stage  of 
the  world,  passed  through  scenes  of  prosperity 
and  adversity,  socially  and  morally,  having  a 
common  history  and  fate,  the  Jewish  people 
remain  always  the  same,  both  in  religious  and 
social  adversity.  They  are  alone,  dwelling  in 
the  valley  of  weeping  ;  a  proverb  among  the 
nations  with  whom  they  sojourn,  but  to  whom 


they  never  assimilate.  As,  in  ancient  days,  in 
respect  to  the  covenant  of  redemption,  the 
whole  Avorld  was  divided  into  two  classes, 
"  Jews  and  Gentiles,"  so  it  is  now,  only  the 
order  of  the  relation  is  reversed.  The  "  Ammi " 
are  now  the  "  Lo-ammi,"  and  the  "  Lo-Ammi" 
are  the  "  Ammi."  Divine  Providence  has 
kept  up  the  distinction,  and  an  enlightened 
Christian  consciousness  always  recognizes  it. 

In  order  to  a  comprehensive  view  of  a  work 
of  Christian  missions  among  the  Jews,  a  briet 
review  of  the  rise  and  progress,  and  decline  of 
Christianity  among  them,  is  necessary.  Chris- 
tianity began  ^t  Jerusalem.  The  story  tha» 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  on  the  cross  expiating  the 
sins  of  the  people,  was  the  long-promised  Mes- 
siah of  the  fathers,  kings,  and  prophets,  con- 
tained the  truth  essential  to  their  salvation. 
It  was  told  and  reported  in  their  hearing.  It 
lodged  in  their  hearts,  and  pricked  their  con- 
sciences. The  Spirit  was  poured  out  from  on 
high,  and  brought  them  to  embrace  the  truth. 
On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  three  thousand  were 
converted.  A  few  days  after,  five  thousand 
more  were  converted.  The  work  thus  begun 
continued  until  the  converts  were  numbered 
by  multitudes  of  men  and  women,  and  great 
companies  of  priests.  The  apostles  to  the  cir- 
cumcision were  as  successful  in  preaching  and 
making  proselytes  to  Christianity  throughout 
the  world,  as  were  the  apostles  to  the  uncir- 
cumcision.  There  was  no  difierence  during 
the  first  century.  The  leaders  and  teachers  of 
the  early  church  never  supposed  that  Jews 
were  not  as  hopeful  subjects  of  grace  as  Gen- 
tiles, notwithstanding  the  "judicial  curse  of 
blindness  "  was  resting  upon  them.  In  every 
province  of  the  Roman  empire,  and  in  all 
known  countries  out  of  the  empire,  Jewish 
Christian  churches  were  established.  At  the 
close  of  the  second  century,  there  were  no  less 
than  forty-four  Jewish  Christian  congregations 
at  Rome.  The  third  century  witnessed  the 
triumph  of  nominal  Christianity  over  the  ter 
ritory  of  the  Roman  empire.  The  state 
espoused  the  church,  and  promised  to  be  her 
protector  and  defender.  The  Roman  govern- 
ment, after  subduing  the  adjacent  states  and 
kingdoms,  reduced  them  to  provinces,  and 
caused  them,  by  the  extension  of  its  laws,  man- 
ners, and  customs,  to  assimilate  to  the  empire. 
The  Jewish  people  alone  remained  unaffected. 
In  the  midst  of  the  Roman  empire,  they  con- 
tinued to  be  a  distinct  people,  and  bitter 
despisers  of  both  church  and  state.  The 
state,  now  a  Christian  government,  attempted 
to  exterminate  this  obstinate  enemy  by  force 
of  arms ;  while  the  church,  sympathizing  with 
her  liege  lord,  imitated  his  example  by  exclud- 
ing the  Jews  from  the  spiritual  mercies  and 
graces  of  Christianity.  Every  effort  at  length 
was  abandoned  to  evangelize  the  Jews.  The 
council  of  Elvira  forbade  all  familiar  inter- 
course with  the  Jews  by  Christians,  under 
pain  of  excommunication   from  the  chureV 


JEWS. 


489 


Finally,  a  decree  was  passed,  forbidding  a  Jew 
to  enter  a  Christian  church.  Thus,  as  through 
corruption,  Christianity  ceased  to  be  propa- 
gated among  the  heathen,  so,  by  wicked 
decrees,  it  was  not  allowed  to  be  extended  to 
the  Jews.  But,  happily,  the  age  of  Christian 
missions  to  the  unevangelized  came.  The 
Jews  were  not  altogether  forgotten. 

The  spirit  of  Jewish  missions  first  manifest- 
ed itself  in  the  national  Synod  of  the  Low- 
countries.  The  subject  engaged  the  serious 
attention  of  the  synods  of  Dordrecht,  Delft, 
and  Leyden,  which  were  held  1676,  '7,  and  '8. 
The  founders  of  these  synods  devised  a  scheme 
for  promoting  the  conversion  of  the  Jews  in 
their  own  country.  Many  Israelites  and  among 
them  some  distinguished  scholars,  embraced 
Christianity.  From  this  date  conversions 
among  the  Jews  were  frequent.  To  prcfmote 
the  work  societies  were  formed  by  interested 
Christians.  In  1728  the  Callenburg  Institution 
was  established  at  Halle,  which  had  for  its 
chief  object  the  conversion  of  the  Jews,  by 
means  of  tracts,  Hebrew  Scriptures,  and  mis- 
sionaries. The  Moravian  brethren,  about  the 
year  1764,  had  their  attention  turned  to  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  Jews.  Some  of  their 
most  distinguished  men,  for  example,  Leonard 
Dober,  Count  Zinzendorf,  and  David  Kirkhoflf, 
did  all  in  their  power  to  further  this  object. 
In  1736, 400  Jews  were  admitted  into  the  evan- 
gelical church  at  Darmstadt.  In  1739,  100 
Jews  embraced  the  Gospel  in  the  Grand  Duchy 
of  Hesse.  The  infidel  revolution  in  Europe  in 
1789  put  an  end  to  all  like  eflbrts  to  evangelize 
the  Jews.  After  these  brief  notices  we  arrive 
at  the  period  of  modern  missions  to  the  Jews. 

Numbers  of  the  Jews. — In  exact  fulfilment  of 
the  Scriptures  the  Jews  are  sojourners  among 
all  nations.  And  so  little  is  known  respecting 
them,  in  many  countries,  that  no  reliable  esti- 
mate can  be  obtained  of  their  numbers.  The 
Jewish  population  of  the  whole  world,  as  far 
as  it  is  known  with  approximate  certainty,  is 
14,000,000.    They  are  distributed  as  follows  : 

In  the  Mohammedan  countries  in 

Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa .    .    .  3,000,000 

China 60,000 

Russian  Empire 1,200,000 

Poland 1,000,000 

Prussia  Proper 150,000 

Austria 453,000 

German  States 138,000 

Holland 66,000 

France 81,000 

Italy 200,000 

England 30,000 

Ionian  Isles 7,000 

Danish  States 15,000 

Sweden 1,700 

Switzerland 1,900 

Gibraltar 4,000 

Rhenish  Provinces 250,000 

Gallicia 200,000 


West  Indies 

North  and  South  America 


Add  to  the  above  the  Beni-Israel 
among  the  Hindoos,  found  in  the 
year  1822,  and  reported  by  the 
agent  of  the  London  Jews  Soci- 
ety, Mr.  Largon,  about     .     .     . 


13,500 
200,000 


6,928,900 


Whole  number 14,000,000 

The  Jews  that  are  accessible  to  missionary 
operations  are  distributed  as  follows  : — Great 
Britain,  30,000  ;  France,  81,000  ;  Italy,  200,- 
000  ;  Austria,  453,000  ;  the  Rhenish  Provinces, 
250,000  ;  Silesia,  50,000 ;  East  and  West 
Prussia,  26,000 ;  Prussia  Proper,  150,000 ; 
Danish  States,  15,000;  Poland,  1,000,000; 
Holland,  66,000;  Palestine,  19,000;  Bagdad, 
100,000  ;  Smyrna,  15,000 ;  Salonica,  35,000  ; 
Russia,  1,000,000  ;  United  States,  100,000  ; 
miscellaneous,  1,000,000.  In  all  about  5,000,- 
000. 

Present  Social  State. — The  social  state  of  the 
Jews  has  not  changed  since  their  dispersion. 
The  same  feeling  in  the  various  governments 
where  they  sojourn,  that  excluded  them  from 
civil  privileges  during  the  sway  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  still  exists  in  the  old  world,  excluding 
them  from  any  participation  in  political  mat- 
ters not  only,  but  depriving  them  of  many 
privileges  enjoyed  by  all  others.  In  Russia, 
Turkey,  Austria,  Italy,  and  Switzerland,  they 
are  not  at  all  regarded  as  citizens,  but  as  aliens 
that  are  to  be  rigidly  watched,  and  that  may 
be  at  any  time  sacrificed,  personally  or  pecu- 
niarily, for  the  benefit  of  those  governments. 
The  Russians  draft  their  young  men  at  an 
earlier  age  and  in  a  larger  proportion  to  their 
numbers,  than  their  own  legitimate  subjects, 
and  make  it  a  crime  worthy  of  death  for  them 
to  leave  the  country.  Austria,  when  it  suits 
her  purposes,  extorts  enormous  taxes  from  them, 
oftentimes  reducing  them  to  the  stages  of  utter 
destitution.  Rome  confines  them  to  filthy  and 
almost  uninhabitable  quarters,  locks  them  in 
at  nightfall,  and  inflicts  death  upon  any  one 
of  them  that  ventures  to  mingle  with  Romans. 
Switzerland  has  but  lately  banished  them  from 
her  cantons.  Among  the  Turks  it  is  no  crime 
to  kill  a  Jew.  In  Prussia,  France,  and  Eng- 
land, although  as  Jews  they  cannot  participate 
in  the  first  offices  of  these  governments,  still 
by  the  force  of  their  genius,  and  the  power  ot 
their  money,  one  may  occasionally  rise  to  po- 
litical distinction.  In  England,  the  most  lib- 
eral and  lenient  government  in  Europe  towards 
them,  a  controversy  has  been  for  many  years 
pending  upon  the  propriety  and  constitution- 
ality of  admitting  Jews  elect  to  seats  in  par- 
liament. In  no  country  of  Europe  have  the 
Jews  been  emancipated  from  the  political 
thraldom  into  which  they  were  thrown  by  the 
Roman  power.  In  Asia,  they  generally  live 
in  exclusion  and  have  no  desire  to  be  received 


490 


JEWS. 


u  ciiiienB.  In  the  United  States  there  are 
presented  no  barriers  to  tl)eir.j)olitical  aspira- 
tkns,  and  the  consequence  is  many  Jewish 
names  aw  found  on  the  rolls  of  both  the  upper 
and  lower  bouses  of  Congress.  Also  in  some 
of  the  iVco  governments  of  the  West  India 
islands  Jews  have  a  prominent  voice  in  their 
legislative  bodies.  I'he  principal  occupation 
of  the  Jews  is  trade  and  traffic.  From  their 
political  relation  to  the  governments,  their 
condition  is  made  one  of  instability^  and  change. 
They  do  not  become  agriculturists,  nor  deal 
largely  in  real  estate.  Having  no  government 
to  protect  them,  they  have  endeavored  to  secure 
that  which  forms  a  very  good  substitute,  viz., 
money.  Their  investments  are  made  in  banks 
and  in  public  or  government  stocks.  So  that, 
whenever  the  decree  goes  forth  for  them  to 
seek  a  new  home,  their  possessions  are  imme- 
diately, as  bv  magic,  turned  to  gold  to  accom- 
pany and  solace  them  on  their  pilgrimage. 

lutcllectwd  Position.— The  intellectual  posi- 
tion of  the  Jews  ranks  high.  They  are  the 
great  thinkers  for  the  masses  of  Europe. 

The  following  eloquent  passage,  from  a  dis- 
course on  the  "  Present  Relation  of  Israel  to 
the  "SVorld,"  may  serve  to  meet  all  historic  de- 
mands in  a  sketch  like  this  :  "  The  European 
continental  press  is  mainly  in  Jewish  hands ; 
every  department  of  periodical  literature 
Bwarms  with  Jewish  laborers.  The  news- 
paper press  is  under  their  control,  and  the  cor- 
respondence is  mainly  conducted  by  them.  Tak- 
ing a  step  higher,  there  we  find  them  again. 
"VVe  ask  for  knowledge  of  the  mysteries  of  the 
starry  heavens,  and  the  children  of  Israel  be- 
come our  instructors.  The  Herschels  and 
the  Aragos  are  the  leaders  of  that  lofty  band 
of  celestial  travelers  that  journey  among  the 
stars.  "We  cry  for  light  upon  the  mysteries  of 
revelation,  and  the  children  of  Israel  open  the 
pearly  gates  of  day,  and  light  flows  around  us. 
Jahn,  llengstenbe'rg,  Tholuck,  Krummacher, 
and  a  host  of  others,  furnish  us  with  biblical 
criticism,  didactic  theology,  and  general  sacred 
literature.  We  ask  for  a  key  to  unlock  a  diar 
lect  of  Moses  and  the  prophets,  and  a  Hebrew 
takes  one  from  his  drawer.  Gesenius  gives  us 
our  lexicon,  and  Nordheimer  our  grammar. 
We  would  have  the  dark  chasm  in  early 
Church  History  filled  up,  and  a  bridge  thrown 
across  it,  in  order  that  we  may  pass  safely 
from  inspired  to  uninspired  history ;  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  furnish  the  materials  and  cover 
the  chasm.  Neander  furnishes  us  with  our 
incomparable  Christian  Church  History,  and 
Da  Costa  with  a  history  of  the  Jews.  What 
need  I  add  more  ?  ITiesc  facts  show  that  the 
Hebrew  intellect  is  exerting  a  powerful  influ- 
ence upon  the  secular  and  sacred  literature  of 
the  age." 

Religious  Condition. — The  religious  condi- 
tion of  the  Jews  may  be  viewed  in  relation  to 
Judaism  and  Christianity.  In  their  relation  to 
Judaism  they  may  be  divided  into  four  classes : 


1.  A  considerable  number  of  the  older  Jews 
are  strict  Talmudists.  1'hey  are  so,  however, 
less  from  conviction  than  because  they  per- 
ceive the  necessary  consequences  of  deserting 
the  old  foundations.  The  link  which  binds 
them  to  Talmudism  is  purely  of  a  negative 
character.  They  adhere  to  it  not  from  love 
to  that  system,  but  from  dread  of  a  worse.  If 
they  leave  traditionary  ground,  they  know  of 
no  evidence  strong  enough  to  arrest  them  on 
this  side  of  infidelity.  Their  state,  therefore, 
may  be  summed  up  in  this  aphorism,  that  some- 
thing is  better  than  nothing,  and  authority  is 
better  than  no  ground  at  all. 

2.  A  secotfd  class  of  Jews  having  thrown 
off  the  Talmud,  endeavor,  perhaps  vainly,  yet 
earnestly,  to  find  a  resting-place  in  the  Old 
Testament.  Having  left  their  old  moorings, 
they  endeavor  to  let  down  their  anchor  there ; 
ancl,  if  it  fixed,  nothing  would  please  them 
more.  But,  missing  the  right  interpretation 
of  the  Old  Testament,  they  can  get  no  sure 
bottom.  They  are  thus  driven  along,  whether 
they  will  or  not,  by  the  spirit  of  the  times. 

3.  A  third  class,  far  more  numerous  than 
the  other  two,  whose  reverence  for  authority 
being  entirely  destroyed,  have  thrown  off  tho 
Talmud,  and  whose  moral  sense  having  be- 
come darkened  and  debased,  have  cast  off  the 
Old  Testament  too.  The  link  which  binds  the 
first  class  to  the  Talmud,  and  that  which  at- 
taches the  heart  of  the  second  to  the  Bible, 
being  broken,  they  have  sunk  down  into  avowed 
infidelity.  It  is  to  be  observed,  however,  that 
all  who  may  be  reckoned  fairly  among  this 
class  do  not  occupy  exactly  the  same  position. 
With  many,  their  infidelity  is  a  mere  nega- 
tion. Their  understandings  being  emanci- 
pated, they  can  receive  nothing  without  evi- 
dence ;  their  hearts  being  callous,  they  do  not 
inquire  after  it.  Still,  if  it  were  presented, 
they  would  be  open  to  conviction.  Another 
party,  and  it  is  one  which  is  daily  increasing, 
places  itself  in  the  position  of  direct  and  active 
antagonism.  They  would  gladly  banish  all 
systems  of  belief  out  of  the  world.  They  re- 
gard them  all  alike  as  imposing  fetters  on  the 
understanding,  and  an  unnecessary  restraint 
on  the  inclinations  of  the  heart.  They  are, 
for  the  most  part,  proud,  high-minded,  neither 
reverencing  God,  nor  regarding  man. 

4.  A  fourth  class  is  found  a  stage  lower 
down  than  all  the  preceding  ones.  The  last 
mentioned.,  though  having  given  up  all  idea  of 
revelation,  stand  at  least  on  deistical  ground. 
But  this  goes  further,  and  treads  the  dreary 
wastes  of  pantheism.  Of  course,  in  dealing 
with  such,  one  must  take  up  a  question  antece- 
dent even  to  the  inspiration  of  Scripture,  viz., 
the  existence  and  personality  of  Him  whose 
revelation  it  professes  to  be.  It  is  difficult  to 
compute  the  number  belonging  to  this  class. 
There  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  already 
large  ;  and,  without  any  doubt,  it  is  continu- 
ally receiving  new  accessions. 


JEWS. 


491 


In  their  relation  to  Christianity,  they  may 
be  divided  into  three  classes  : 

1.  A  very  large  proportion  of  the  Jews 
view  Christianity  in  the  aspect  of  the  double 
apostasy  of  Popery  and  infidelity,  or  Kation- 
alism.  They  see  in  the  one  an  idolatrous  wor- 
ship ;  in  the  other,  a  denial  of  its  very  being. 
There  is  something  abhorrent  to  their  mind  in 
the  former,  and  nothing  attractive  to  it  in  the 
latter.  A  Christianity  that  presents  itself  as 
a  mitigated  form  of  heathen  idolatry,  can 
never  win  the  regards  of  a  Jew  ;  nor  can  it  be 
expected  that  a  Christianity  which  requires  to 
be  pared  and  pruned  of  its  chief  doctrines  by 
its  own  supporters,  should  gain  his  confidence 
or  engage  his  affections.  So  far,  therefore,  as 
Christianity  is  identified  in  his  mind  with 
either  of  these  apostate  systems,  it  is  necessa- 
rily rejected  by  him.  He  regards  it  either  as 
a  vail  thrown  over  the  grosser  features  of  hea- 
thenism, or  as  a  thin  partition  wall,  employed 
for  a  season  to  conceal  the  infidelity  of  the 
heart,  till  circumstances  permit  its  removal 
and  the  free  profession  of  the  inward  senti- 
ments. Popery  has  been  so  long  and  so  wide- 
ly prevalent,  and  infidelity  has  acquired  in  re- 
cent times  so  fearful  an  ascendancy,  that  we 
need  not  wonder  if  most  of  the  notions  float- 
ing about  in  Jewish  society  regarding  Chris- 
tianity, have  been  drawn  from  the  one  or  the 
other  of  these  two  sources.  The  natural  efiect 
is  the  formation  of  the  large  class  of  which  I 
now  speak,  who,  whatever  they  may  think  of 
their  own  position,  consider  that  of  Christians 
as  equally,  if  not  more  untenable.  They  are 
not  animated,  however,  with  any  special  hatred 
of  Christianity,  nor  do  they  show  themselves 
actively  hostile. 

2.  A  second  class,  who  have  come  into  closer 
contact  with  the  Christian  system,  or  with 
true  Christians,  exhibits  a  difference  of  senti- 
ment, corresponding  to  the  difference  of  their 
situation.  Their  views  are  very  indistinct,  nor 
do  they  know  well  what  passes  in  their  own 
minds.  The  idea,  however,  seems  to  have 
started  in  many  of  them  that  possibly  in  Chris- 
tianity is  to  be  found  the  solution  of  their  own 
difficulties,  and  that  Christianity  is  the  termi- 
nating point  of  the  present  movement.  Those 
who  shrink  back  with  horror  from  the  thought 
of  infidelity,  feel  the  necessity  of  some  form 
of  positive  belief  to  rest  upon.  To  return  to 
the  Talmud  is  out  of  the  question.  The  Old 
Testament,  if  they  reject  the  Christian  inter- 
pretation, is  also  untenable.  Christianity, 
therefore,  presents  itself  as  the  only  and  last 
refuge. 

3.  The  third  and  last  party  to  be  mentioned 
entertain  very  different  feelings  towards  Chris- 
tianity from  the  other  two.  They  manifest 
towards  it  the  greatest  hostility,  and  persecute 
it  with  the  utmost  rancor.  The  chief  weapon 
which  they  can  at  present  command  is  the 
tongue ;  but  the  venom  with  which  they  poi- 
son its  arrows  shows  sufficiently  the  disposition 


of  their  hearts,  and  what  they  would  be  in- 
clined to  do  if  they  had  more  power.  They  re- 
gard Christianity,  whether  as  a  system  or  as 
embodied  in  the  persons  of  its  professors,  as 
their  natural  enemy.  They  consider  it  as  the 
one  great  obstacle  to  the  leveling  process 
which  they  are  attempting  to  carry  out  in 
society.  They  declare  they  will  not  rest  till 
it  is  rooted  out  of  the  earth. 

Reasons  for  distinct  Missions  to  the  Jews. — 
The  reasons  for  establishing  distinct  missions 
to  the  Jews  are  various,  and  upon  examination 
they  will  be  found  to  be  the  same  in  some 
respects  now  that  were  acted  upon  by  the 
apostles.  (1)  As  they  were  Israelites  then  to 
whom  pertained  the  adoption,  and  the  glory, 
and  the  covenants,  and  the  giving  of  the  law, 
and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises  ;  so 
are  they  now.  (2)  They  are  a  separate  peo- 
ple, and  those  among  whom  they  dwell  would 
have  no  more  relation  to  them  than  though 
they  did  not  exist.  (3)  As  in  our  Saviour's 
times  it  was  necessary  to  begin  at  Moses  and 
all  the  prophets,  and  expound  unto  them  in 
the  Scriptures  the  things  concerning  Christ,  so 
it  is  now.  In  order  to  this,  the  missionary 
must  not  only  be  thoroughly  versed  in  the 
Hebrew  Scriptures,  but  in  Eabbinical  litera- 
ture in  all  its  departments.  Having  proved 
that  the  Messiah  of  the  ancient  Scriptures  is 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  way  opens  for  preach- 
ing repentance  and  faith.  (4)  There  were,  at 
the  time  of  the  establishment  of  modern  mis- 
sions among  the  Jews,  no  adequate  means  or 
agencies  for  meeting  the  religious  wants  of  the 
Jews.  There  was  also  a  very  prevalent  senti- 
ment that  all  efforts  made  for  their  conversion 
would  prove  abortive ;  and  hence,  on  this 
ground,  if  no  other,  the  church  declined  to 
entertain  the  subject  of  Jewish  missions,  and 
did  not  deem  it  expedient  to  project  any  mea- 
sures for  a  work  of  the  kind.  For  these  and 
like  reasons,  separate  missions  to  the  Jews 
were  needed  and  established. 

The  London  Society  for  promoting  Christian- 
ity among  tlie  Jews. — This  Society  was  formal- 
ly organized  in  the  year  1809.  The  "  object 
of  the  Society  was  to  relieve  the  temporal 
distress  of  the  Jews,  as  well  as  to  promote 
their  spiritual  welfare."  The  fundamental 
principle  on  which  it  was  founded,  was  by 
means  of  temporal  relief  to  gain  access  to  the 
poor.  In  order  to  furnish  employment  to 
converts,  a  printing-press  was  established  in 
1811,  which  yet  continues  in  operation.  The 
Episcopal  Jews'  chapel  for  Christian  worship, 
and  schools,  were  opened  in  1813.  Up  to  this 
time  there  had  been  made  19  proselytes  from 
among  the  Jews  in  London.  In  the  year 
1818,  the  first  foreign  missionary  to  the  Jews 
was  sent  abroad  to  Poland — an  enterprise  that 
has  been  eminently  successful  from  the  first. 
In  contemplating  the  wants  of  the  field,  this 
Society. was  convinced  that  little  could  be 
done  towards  the  conversion  of  the  Jews  with- 


iM 


JEWS. 


oot  misioiuuries  and  editions  of  the  Bible  and 
other  books  adapteti  to  tlieir  relipious  state. 
Accordingly,  in  1821,  a  seminary  for  the  in- 
struction of  mbwionarics  to  the  Jews  was 
opcnc<l.  and  shortly  afterwards  an  edition  of 
tne  Hebrew  Sori|)turt^  was  published.  Sub- 
sequently, the  Scnjitures  were  issued  in  Judeo- 
Polish  fur  the  Polish  Jews,  and  in  Syriac  for 
the  Chasidim  and  Cabalistic  Jews.  In  1840, 
the  ^lebrew  College  was  established  for  the 
instruction  of  missionary  candidates  in  the 
branches  of  learning  requisite  to  promote  the 
efficiency  of  their  missions.  From  this  college 
have  gone  forth  many  converted  Israelites  as 
missionaries,  qot  only  in  connection  with  the 
Loudon  Society,  but  also  other  societies. 

This  Society  has  at  the  present  time  31  mis- 
sion stations  in  Holland,  Frankfort-on-the- 
Maine,  Poland,  Jerusalem,  Pozcn,  Khine  Dis- 
trict, Strasburg,  France,  Konigsburg,  Danzig, 
Smyrna,  North  Africa,  London,  Berlin,  Prus- 
sia, Constantipole,  Safet,  Beyrut,  Sweden, 
Bagdad,  Bucharest,  Salonica,  I3rcslau,  Jassy, 
Adrianople.  The  number  of  missionaries  is 
78.  Of  this  number,  59  are  converted  Israel- 
ites. Since  the  year  1820,  there  have  been 
distributed  among  the  Jews  by  the  agents  and 
missionaries  of  this  Society — Hebrew  Old 
Testament  copies,  61,620 ;  Hebrew  portions 
of  Old  Testament,  167,034;  Hebrew  New 
Testaments,  55,745  ;  Hebrew  prayers  of  the 
Church  of  England,  4,471 ;  tracts  and  publi- 
cations of  diverse  languages,  1,039,665.  The 
Society  has  20  schools,  in  which  there  have 
been  taught  since  the  year  1827,  children  of 
Hebrew  parentage,  9,244.  Since  the  Socie- 
ty's organization,  there  have  been  ordained 
under  its  auspices,  50  clergymen  who  were 
converted  Israelites,  the  majority  of  whom  are 
now  laboring  as  stated  pastors  over  Christian 
congregations.  It  is  almost  impossible  to 
state  with  approximate  certainty  the  number 
of  conversions  that  have  been  made  in  con- 
nection with  this  Society.  The  Society  avows 
its  object  to  be  not  to  baptize  Jews,  but  to 
promote  Christianity  among  them  ;  and  hence 
a  return  of  baptisms  can  form  no  criterion  of 
the  number  really  converted,  for  the  Jews  are 
generally  but  temporary  residents  in  the  towns 
where  they  receive  instruction,  while  only  a 
small  proportion  of  those  instructed  by  the 
missionary  are  baptized  by  him,  and  the  vast 
majority  of  the  proselytes  connect  themselves 
with  the  Christian  Church,  unreported  by  the 
missionar}-.  The  following  is  the  most  authen- 
tic estimate  we  have  seen  of  converts  through 
missionary  eflForta.  In  Germany,  during  the 
last  20  jears,  5,000 ;  Russia,  3,000 ;  London, 
2,000;  in  other  countries  of  Europe,  1,500; 
making,  through  the  operations  of  the  London 
Society,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  11,500. 
It  should  be  remembered  here,  for  the  benefit 
of  certain  classes  of  American  readers,  that 
the  Loudon  Society  has  always  b^en  com- 
posed of   the    evangelical    strength  of   the 


Church  of  England.  Tliere  are  found  among 
ite  principal  managers  the  following  names  : 
Burgess,  llyder,  Nvilberforce,  Simeon,  Basil 
Wood,  Saunders,  Hawtrey,  Way,  Marsh,  Grim- 
shawe,  Bickersteth,  Stewart,  Cunninghahi, 
MeCaul,  McNeile.  Consequently  the  mis.sion- 
aries  of  the  Society  have  been  selected  goner- 
ally  with  a  strict  regard  to  their  evangelical 
views  and  piety.  The  manner  of  conducting 
the  work  of  missions  may  be  seen  by  the  fol- 
lowing extract.  Speaking  of  Poland,  where 
there  are  two  millions  of  Jews  of  the  most  or- 
thodox stamp,  a  writer  says  :  "  A  great  work 
was  thus  begun  in  Poland  in  1821.  Public 
preaching,  pritute  discussions,  daily  conversa- 
tion respecting  the  character  and  coming  of 
the  Messiah,  and  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophe- 
cies in  him  ;  the  circulation  of  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures,  and  the  Scriptures  in  the  Judeo- 
Polish  dialect.  All  these  means  are  owned  and 
blessed  of  God  among  the  numerous  descend- 
ants of  Abraham  in  that  country."  Again,  "A 
great  extent  of  the  kingdom  of  Poland  has 
been  traversed  every  year,  and  the  sound  of  the 
Gospel  has  penetrated  into  almost  every  nook 
and  corner  of  the  land,  and  the  seed  thus  sown 
has  taken  root  in  the  hearts  of  many  Israel- 
ites." The  annual  income  of  this  Society  is 
about  $150,000. 

The  London  Society  is  by  priority  of  exist- 
ence, and  in  the  magnitude  of  its  operations, 
the  leading  Jewish  mission  society  of  Christen- 
dom. It  takes  rank  among  the  great  mission- 
ary enterprises  of  the  day  among  the  heathen, 
and  is  equally  successful  under  the  influence  of 
the  Divine  Spirit  in  bringing  souls  to  Christ. 

The  British  Society  for  the  Propagation,  of  the 
Gospel  among  the  Jews. — This  Society  is  located 
in  London  and  is  mainly  composed  of  the  various 
denominations  of  dissenting  churches  in  Eng- 
land, and  supported  by  them.  It  was  founded 
in  1842.  Its  object  is  to  propagate  the  Gos- 
pel among  the  Jews  by  means  of  missionaries 
and  colporteurs,  who  are  directed  to  preach, 
teach,  and  visit  the  Jews,  and  distribute  Bibles, 
books,  and  tracts  among  them.  Its  first  en- 
deavors were  among  the  Jews  resident  in  Great 
Britain,  with  a  population  of  30,000.  Subse- 
quently it  extended  its  operations  to  foreign 
parts.  The  society  has  now  in  its  employ  24 
missionaries,  mostly  converted  Jews,  located 
in  the  following  places,  besides  the  different 
localities  in  England,  at  Tunis,  in  Northern 
Africa,  at  Gibraltar,  at  one  of  the  gates  of  the 
Holy  Land,  at  Frankfort,  in  Paris,  in  Lyons, 
in  Wurteraburg,  and  in  Breslau,  It  supports 
one  female  agent,  who  has  under  her  charge  60 
Jewesses,  whom  she  instructs  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures.  For  about  seven  years  the  society 
sustained  a  Hebrew  Mission  College,  to  pre- 
pare young  men  for  the  missionary  work  among 
the  Jews.  Eleven  of  the  graduates,  converted 
Jews,  are  now  missionaries  of  the  society,  while 
others  have  become  missionaries  of  other  so- 
cieties. 


JEWS. 


493 


The  number  of  converts  made  through  the 
operations  of  the  society  is  100.  Its  annual 
income  is  about  $20,000,  the  larger  proportion 
of  which  is  the  fruit  of  female  piety  and  devot- 
edness. 

Missions  to  the  Jews  of  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland,  and  other  Presbyterian  bodies  in  Great 
Britain. — The  mission  to  the  Jews  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland  is  not  conducted  by  a  vol- 
untary society,  but  is  one  of  the  departments 
of  the  general  missionary  work  in  which  that 
church  is  engaged.  It  was  originated  before 
the  division  took  place  in  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land. A  deputation  was  sent  to  the  East  to 
make  inquiry  into  the  religious  condition  of 
the  Jews,  in  1839.  The  result  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  Jewish  Missions  at  Pesth,  Hun- 
gary, and  Jassy  Moldavia.  In  1841  the  Presby- 
terian church  in  the  north  of  Ireland  establish- 
ed a  mission  at  Damascus,  and  about  the  same 
time  the  English  Presbyterian  Synod  located 
one  at  Corfu.  At  the  time  of  the  memorable 
disruption,  it  was  found  that  those  clergymen 
that  left  the  established  church  were  the  friends 
of  Jewish  missions,  whose  majority  was  so  large 
that  the  missions  already  established  easily 
passed  over  into  the  hands  of  the  Free  Church. 

About  this  time,  a  great  revival  among  the 
Jews  took  place  at  Pesth.  Hundreds,  and 
many  Jews  of  distinction,  were  converted  to 
Christianity.  This  mission  was  interrupted  by 
the  revolution  in  Hungary,  and  nearly  annihi- 
lated by  the  despotic  decrees  of  the  Austrian 
government.  The  established  missionary  sta- 
tions and  number  of  missionaries  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Pesth,  a  teacher  and  a  school  of  300 
scholars ;  Breslau,  one  missionary  and  wife  aid- 
ed by  Jewish  converts.  Constantinople,  three 
male  and  three  female  missionaries,  one  female 
teacher,  a  colporteur,  and  four  Jewish  teachers, 
in  all  eleven  laborers.  Amsterdam,  two  mission- 
aries, four  teachers  in  the  college,  with  16 
scholars.  The  number  of  converts  is  not 
known.  The  income  of  the  church  devoted  to 
this  branch  of  missionary  labor  was  in  1854 
about  $36,000. 

The  Scottish  Society  for  the  Conversion  of  Is- 
rael.— This  society  is  composed  of  difl'erent 
denominations.  It  was  organized  in  1845. 
Mission  stations  were  established  at  Hamburg, 
Alton  a,  and  Algiers.  The  number  of  mission- 
aries is  two.  A  number  of  Jews  have  been 
converted. 

Besides  these  general  efforts,  many  local  so- 
cieties have,  from  time  to  time,  been  insti- 
tuted on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  for  the  con- 
version of  the  Jews. 

American  Missions  to  the  Jews. — The  at- 
tention of  American  Christians  has  also  been 
attracted  to  the  Jews,  and  many  efforts  have 
been  put  forth  with  varied  success.  In  1832, 
Kev.  W.  J.  Schauffler  settled  in  Constantino- 
ple. He  had  been  preceded  by  Dr.  Wolfe ; 
but  little  or  nothing  was  accomplished  by  him. 
Mr.  Schauffler  labored  alone,  with  extremely 


limited  means.  His  efforts  were  mainly  do- 
voted  to  the  preparation  of  an  edition  of  the 
Scriptures  (O.T.)  in  Hebrew-Spanish,  and 
Hebrew.  In  this  he  was  aided  by  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society.  He  also  published  an  edi- 
tion of  the  Psalms,  and  two  editions  of  the 
Pentateuch,  in  the  same  language.  These 
publications  he  distributed  among  the  Jews. 
He  is  now  engaged  in  printing,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  a  Hebrew,  and 
Hebrew-Spanish  Lexicon,  to  accompany  the 
Old  Testament.  Besides  aiding  Mr.  SchauflBier, 
the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions  have  sent  two  missionaries 
to  the  Jews  at  Salonica  and  Constantinople. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  'Church  in  the 
United  States  has  sent  two  missionaries  to  the 
Jews  at  Salonica  and  Damascus.  The  Camp- 
bellite  Baptists  have  a  mission  station  at  Jeru- 
salem. The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  has  under  its  care  three  missionaries 
to  the  Jews  in  Baltimore,  Md.  and  New 
York.  The  labors  of  these  missionaries  are 
divided  between  Germans  and  Jews.  Two 
places  of  worship  have  been  opened,  which 
are  frequented  on  Sunday,  by  a  promiscuous 
congregation  of  German  population.  A  few 
individuals  have  been  baptized  by  one  of  the 
missionaries. 

The  American  Society  for  Meliorating  the 
Condition  of  the  Jews. — This  society  was  organ- 
ized in  1820.  Its  fundamental  idea  was,  the 
temporal  relief  of  persecuted  converts  from 
abroad.  It  aimed  to  affbrd  an  asylum  for 
such  Jews,  as  believing  in  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, dared  not  profess  their  faith  for  fear  of 
persecution  from  their  kindred.  From  repre- 
sentations made  to  them,  the  whole  American 
Christian  community  became  deeply  interested 
in  the  persecuted  converts  in  Europe.  Con- 
siderable sums  of  money  were  raised,  which 
were  devoted  to  the  purchase,  and  furnishing 
of  an  establishment  for  this  purpose.  But 
either  because  there  were  no  converts  disposed 
or  because  no  provision  was  made  to  enable 
them  to  emigrate,  no  colony  of  converts  was 
ever  fully  organized,  for  want  of  subjects,  '^o 
realize  the  idea  started  with,  a  number  of  dif- 
ferent experiments  were  tried,  all  of  which 
proved  abortive.  It  was  in  1849  that  a  purely 
missionary  work  among  the  Jews  in  the 
United  States  was  projected  on  a  grand  scale. 
Although  the  society  had  employed  mission- 
aries to  the  Jews  previously,  yet  its  purposes 
were  not  well  defined,  nor  its  plans  matured 
until  this  time.  The  society  retaining  its  bap- 
tized title,  so  changed  its  constitution  as  to 
admit  of  a  grand  missionary  enterprize  among 
the  Jews.  The  field  upon  examination  is 
found  to  be  an  extensive  one,  at  the  present 
time.  In  1851  there  were  found  on  the  syna- 
gogues' rolls,  in  the  United  States,  according 
to  a  Jewish  publication,  60,000  males,  from 
thirteen  years  and  upward.  The  number  of 
females  being  about  equal  to  that  of  the  males, 


494 


JACOBITES-JASSORE. 


not  inclodioff  any  under  thirteen  years,  would 
make  the  religious  portion  of  the  Jewish  po- 
pulation in  the  country,  120,000.  Add  to  this 
ihe  thousands  of  Jews  that  are  traveling 
through  the  country,  and  those  who.  have  not 
cntcreil  their  names  on  the  rolls,  together  with 
all  the  children  under  thirteen,  and  we  shall 
have  a  Jewish  population  of  150,000  souls. 

The  society  aims  to  accomplish  its  work  by 
the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  in  Hebrew, 
German  and  French ;  of  tracts  suitable  to 
their  religious  state  ;  and  books  which  have  a 
bearing  upon  the  question  of  the  Mcssiahship 
of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  The  character  of  the 
society's  operations  is  that  of  an  itinerancy.  It 
baptizes  no  converts,  but  prepares  them  for 
that  ordinance,  and  leaves  the  responsibility 
of  a  public  profession  of  faith  with  pastors  of 
churches ;  hence  the  society  can  never  know 
the  amount  of  fruits  resulting  from  the  culti- 
vation of  this  field. 

During  the  year  1854,  the  society  supported 
10  regular  missionaries  and  7  colporteurs,  who 
labored  among  the  Jews  in  forty  cities  and 
large  towns  in  difiFerent  parts  of  the  country. 
It  also  delegated  an  agent  to  Palestine,  on  a 
mission  of  inquiry  as  to  what  could  be  done 
there  in  agriculture  among  the  Jews,  with  a 
view  to  reach  them  with  the  Gospel.  During 
this  same  year,  29  converts  were  reported  as 
the  results  of  the  society's  labors.  The  in- 
come of  the  society  for  the  same  year  was 
about  $14,500.  The  whole  number  of  con- 
verts reported  as  the  results  of  the  missionary 
operations  of  the  society  since  1849,  were  59 
Jews. 

GENERAL  SUMMARY. 
Number  of  Jews  in  the  world,  .        .    14,000,000 

•'  "       now  comprising  a  missionary 

field, 6,000,000 

"        of    Missionary  stations,     ...  115 

*•        "    Missionaries,  about      .        .        .  200 

•♦        ««    Missionaries,      converted     Jews, 

about 100 

"        «»    Converted  Jews,  clergymen,   (be- 
sides)          .  200 

"        "    Hebrew  children  taught  in  Mis- 
sion schools,     .        .        .        .  12,000 
"        ♦'    Converts  during  the  last  60  years,           20,000 
"        "        "   now  in  the  church  (in  1854)  15,000 
Amount  expended  on  all  the  Mission  stations,       $160,000 
Proportion  of  converts  to  the  whole  population,        1  to  700 
"            convertfl  to  Jews,  that  are  acces- 

„    "i^K, 1  to  333 

"  clergymen  to  the  number  of  con- 

▼«^. Ito    60 

Rev.  E.  R.  McGregor. 
JACOBITES:  A  sect  of  Christians  in 
Syria  and  Mesopotamia,  so  called  either  from 
Jacob,  a  Syrian,  who  lived  in  the  reign  of 
the  emperor  Mauritius,  or  from  one  Jacob,  a 
monk,  who  flourished  in  the  year  550.  They 
are  of  two  sects,  one  following  the  rites  of  the 
Latin  church,  and  the  other  continuing  separate 
from  Rome.  There  is  also  a  division  among 
the  latter,  who  have  two  rival  patriarchs. 
The^  number  about  thirty  or  forty  thousand 
families  in  Syria  and  Mesopotamia.  They 
hold  but  one  nature  in  Christ.  With  r-:^jLct 
to  purgatory  and  prayers  for  the  dead,  they 


hold  with  the  Greeks  and  other  Eastern  Chris- 
tians. They  use  unleavened  bread  at  the  enchar 
rist,  reject  confession,  and  practice  circumcision 
before  baptism. — (See  Copts.) 

JACKMEL  :  A  town  in  ITayti,  contain- 
ing a  population  of  about  10,000,  surrounded 
by  a  district  containing  60,000  more.  A  sta- 
tion of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

JAFFA  :  The  ancient  Joppa.  It  is  the 
principal  port  of  Judea,  and  the  only  point  of 
communication  which  David  and  Solomon  had 
with  the  Mediterranean.  It  is  a  station  of  the 
London  Jews'  Society. 

JAFFNA  :,  A  seaport  town,  near  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  the  island  of  Ceylon,  capital  of 
the  district  of  Jaffnapatam.  Population  about 
8000.  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary 
Society. 

JAIPUR:  A  city  in  Upper  Assam,  and 
formerly  a  station  of  the  American  Baptist 
Mission. 

JAINS :  A  remarkable  sect,  scattered 
throughout  India,  but  nowhere  comparatively 
numerous,  except  in  South  Canara,  where  Jain 
temples  still  remain  in  a  state  of  tolerable  per- 
fection. Their  temples  are  of  two  sorts  :  one 
covered  with  a  roof,  named  Busty ;  the  other, 
an  open  area,  called  Betta,  which  signifies  a 
hill.  In  the  Betta  temples,  the  only  image  of 
a  saint  is  that  of  Gornuta  Roya,  said,  when  on 
earth,  to  have  been  a  powerful  king.  The 
word  Jain  signifies  a  person  who  has  renounced 
the  ordinary  modes  of  thinking  and  living 
among  mankind.  The  Jains  assert  that  they 
have  preserved  the  true  and  primitive  religion  ; 
and  say  that  the  Brahmins  have  swerved  from 
all  the  ancient  religious  maxims  of  their  an- 
cestors ;  and  that,  laying  aside  the  venerable 
traditions  of  their  masters,  they  have  substi- 
tuted in  the  place  a  monstrous  combination. 
The  Vedas,  the  eighteen  Puranas,  the  Tri- 
murti,  the  Avataras  of  Vishnu,  the  Lingam, 
the  worship  of  the  cow  and  other  animals,  and 
of  sensible  objects,  the  sacrifice  of  the  Yojna, 
are  all  rejected  by  the  Jains,  who  hold  them 
to  be  a  mass  of  abominations,  innovations,  and 
corruptions  of  the  true  primitive  religion.  The 
Jains  are  frequently  confounded  with  the  wor- 
shipers of  Buddha ;  and  their  tenets  have  cer- 
tainly, in  many  points,  a  strong  resemblance 
to  those  taught  in  Ava  by  the  adherents  of 
Buddha. — Hook's  Year  Book  of  Missions. 

JALNA  :  A  city  of  Hindostan,  120  miles 
N. W.  of  Ahmednuggur,  and  300  miles  from 
Bombay.  It  is  situated  in  the  territories  of 
the  Nizam,  or  Mohammedan  prince,  who  has 
nominally  an  independent  government  over  a 
territory  of  95,000  square  miles.  It  was  oc- 
cupied as  a  station  of  the  American  Board  in 
1837  ;  and  belongs  to  the  Ahmednuggur  mis- 
sion. 

JAMAICA  :  See  West  Indies. 

JASSORE  :  A  town  on  the  Ganges,  62 
miles  N.  of  Calcutta.  The  English  Baptists 
commenced  a  mission  here  in  1800. 


JAUNPUR— KADATCHAPORAM. 


495 


JAUNPUR :  The  capital  of  a  district  of 
the  same  name,  in  Northern  Hindostan,  about 
40  miles  north-west  of  Benares.  It  is  a  sta- 
tion of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 

JAVA  :  See  Indian  Archipelago. 

JERUSALEM:    See    Oriental   Christians, 

JEREMIE  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans,  in 
Hayti. 

JESSORE  :  Capital  of  a  district  of  the 
same  name,  62  miles  N.  E.  of  Calcutta.  A 
station  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

JESUITS  :  The  Society  of  Jesus,  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  monastic  orders  of  the  Romish 
Church,  founded  in  the  year  1540,  by  Ignatius 
Loyola. — (See  Church  of  Rome  and  Europe.) 

JILOLO  :  One  of  the  Molucca  Islands  in 
the  Indian  Archipelago. 

JOONEER  :  A  town  in  the  province  of 
Arungabad,  Hindostan,  about  48  miles  from 
Poona.  The  fort  has  seven  gates  of  masonry, 
one  within  the  other,  and  contains  the  ruins  of 
many  Mohammedan  tombs  and  Hindoo  exca- 
vations. About  a  mile  south  of  Jooneer,  are 
numerous  excavations  and  cave  temples,  the 
sculptures  of  which  prove  them  to  be  of  Jain 
origin. 

JUGGERNAUT  :  A  celebrated  place  of 
Hindoo  worship,  in  the  district  of  Cuttack,  on 
the  sea-coast  of  Orissa.  It  stands  close  to  the 
sea-shore,  a  few  miles  north-east  of  the  Chil- 
ka  lake,  and  immediately  adjacent  to  the  town 
of  Pursottom.  The  town  and  temple  are  sur- 
rounded with  low  sand-hills,  and  the  surround- 
ing country  is  very  sterile.  The  idol  is  a 
carved  block  of  wood,  with  a  frightful  visage, 
painted  black,  with  a  distended  mouth  of  a 
bloody  color.  On  festival  days,  the  throne  of 
the  idol  is  placed  upon  a  stupendous  movable 
tower,  60  feet  high,  resting  on  wheels,  which 
indent  the  ground  deeply  as  they  turn  slowly 
under  the  ponderous  machine.  He  is  accom- 
panied with  two  other  idols,  his  brother  Bala- 
ram,  and  his  sister  Shubudra,  of  a  white  and 
yellow  color,  each  on  a  separate  tower,  and 
sitting  upon  thrones  of  nearly  an  equal  height. 
Attached  to  the  principal  tower  are  six  ropes, 
of  the  length  and  size  of  a  ship's  cable,  by 
w'hich  the  people  draw  it  along.  The  priests 
and  attendants  are  stationed  around  the 
throne,  on  the  car  ;  and  occasionally  address 
the  worshipers  in  libidinous  songs  and  ges- 
tures. Both  the  walls  of  the  temple  and  the 
sides  of  the  car  are  covered  with  the  most  in- 
decent emblems,  in  large  and  durable  sculp- 
ture. Obscenity  and  blood  are  the  character- 
istics of  the  idol's  worship.  As  the  tower 
moves  along,  devotees,  throwing  themselves 
under  its  wheels,  are  crushed  to  death  ;  and 
such  acts  are  hailed  by  the  acclamations  of 
the  multitude,  as  the  most  acceptable  sac- 
rifices. I'he  scenes  which  occur  at  the  tem- 
ple as  acts  of  worship,  are  too  indecent 
to  be  described.  A  number  of  sacred  bulls 
are  kept  in  the  place,  and   fed   with  vege- 


tables from  the  hands  of  the  pilgrims.  In  the 
temple,  also,  is  preserved  what  is  regarded  as 
a  bone  of  Krishna,  considered  a  most  sacred 
relic.  The  temple  of  Juggernaut  is  esteemed 
the  most  sacred  of  all  the  religious  establish- 
ments of  the  Hindoos ;  and  the  concourse  of 
pilgrims  by  which  it  is  annually  visited  is 
immense,  particularly  in  March,  when  the 
Dole  Jattrah  takes  place,  and  in  July,  when 
the  Ruth  Jattrah  is  celebrated.  Dr.  Carey 
was  of  the  opinion  that,  at  the  lowest  calcula- 
tion, 1,200,000  attend  every  year,  of  whom  an 
incredible  portion  die  by  the  way,  from  want, 
fatigue,  or  disease.  At  50  miles  distance,  the 
approach  to  the  spot  is  known  by  the  quantity 
of  human  bones  which  are  strewed  by  the 
way. 

Mr.  Sterling,  in  his  "Account  of  Orissa," 
gives  the  following  description  of  the  grand 
procession  of  the  idol  :  "  On  the  appointed 
day,  after  various  prayers  and  ceremonies,  the 
images  are  brought  from  their  throne  to  the 
outside  of  the  Lion-gate,  not  with  decency  and 
reverence,  but  a  cord  being  fastened  round 
their  necks,  they  are  dragged  by  the  priests 
down  the  steps  and  through  the  mud,  while 
others  keep  their  figures  erect,  and  help  their 
movements  by  shoving  from  behind,  in  the 
most  indifferent  and  unceremonious  manner. 
Thus  the  monstrous  idols  go,  rocking  and 
pitching  along,  through  the  crowd,  until  they 
reach  the  cars,  which  they  are  made  to  ascend 
by  a  similar  process,  up  an  inclined  platform, 
reaching  from  the  stage  of  the  machine  to  the 
ground.  On  the  other  hand,  a  powerful  senti- 
ment of  religious  enthusiasm  pervades  the 
admiring  multitude  of  pilgrims,  when  the  im- 
ages first  make  their  appearance  through  the 
gate.  They  welcome  them  with  shouts  and 
cries  ;  and  when  the  monster  Juggernaut,  the 
most  hideous  of  all,  is  dragged  forth,  the  la^ 
in  order,  the  air  is  rent  with  acclamations. 
After  the  images  have  been  safely  lodged  in 
their  vehicles,  a  box  is  brought  forth,  contain- 
ing the  golden  or  gilded  feet,  hands,  and  ears, 
of  the  great  idol,  which  are  fixed  on  the  proper 
parts  with  due  ceremony,  and  a  scarlet  scarf  is 
carefully  arranged  round  the  lower  part  of  the 
body,  or  pedestal.  The  joy  and  shouts  of  the 
crowd,  on  the  first  movement  of  the  cars,  the 
creaking  sound  of  the  wheels,  as  these  ponder- 
ous machines  roll  along,  the  clatter  of  hun- 
dreds of  harsh-sounding  instruments,  and  the 
general  appearance  of  such  an  immense  mass 
of  human  beings,  produce  an  astounding 
eflfect." 

JU-JU,  or  JEW- JEW  :  A  charm  ;  a  fe- 
tish.    (See  Africa,  West.) 

JUNIN :  In  Western  India,  about  10 
miles  east  of  Bombay.  It  has  3,000  houses, 
and  about  25,000  inhabitants,  and  is  a  station 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 

KADATCHAPORAM  :  A  station  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  the  Tinnevelly 
district,  India. 


496 


KAFFRARIA— KAILUA. 


K  AFFRARIA,  or  Kaffrelmul,  extends  from 
the  Keiskamma  river,  (the  Kei,  according  to 
the  late  arrangement,)  which  separates  it  from 
Cape  Colony,  to  an  undefined  line  somewhere 
OD  the  south  of  Delagoa  Bay.  Its  extent  is 
not  exactly  osoertainiKl.  Ita  western  boundary 
is  supposed  to  be  near  the  source  of  the  Orange 
river,  which  flows  through  a  vast  extent  of 
country  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  the  Ma- 
poota,  which  empties  itself  into  Delagoa  Bay. 

KAFFRES  :  The  appellation  of  Kaffre, 
which  sio^nifies  unbeliever,  was  originally  given, 
by  the  Moorish  navigators  of  the  Indian  Ocean 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  south-eastern  coast 
of  Africa,  and  was  borrowed  from  them  by  the 
Portuguese.  Afterwards,  when  the  Dutch 
colonists  came  in  contact  with  the  most  south- 
ern tribe  of  the  Kaffres,  the  Koosas  or  Amako- 
sa,  the  Moorish  name  was  given  to  them  ex- 
clusively ;  and  in  this  restricted  sense  it  is  gen- 
erally used  by  the  Dutch  and  English  colo- 
nists. It  is,  however,  well  ascertained  that  not 
only  the  tribes  commonly  called  Kaffres,  but 
the  Tambookies,  Mambookies,  Zulus,  Dama- 
ras,  the  inhabitants  of  Delagoa  Bay,  Mozam- 
bique, and  the  numerous  Bechuana  tribes,  who 
occupy  the  interior  of  the  continent  to  an  ex- 
tent yet  unexplored,  are  but  subdivisions  of  one 
great  family,  allied  in  language,  customs,  and 
mode  of  life.  The  Bechuana  dialect,  which 
prevails  univei-sally  among  the  interior  tribes, 
so  far  as  they  have  been  visited,  varies  but 
slightly  from  that  of  the  Damaras,  and  of  the 
natives  of  Delagoa  Bay ;  and  the  Ataakosa  is 
a  dialect  of  the  same  language.  The  natives 
of  the  Comoro  Islands  and  the  aboriginal  tribes 
of  Madagascar  also  speak  a  dialect  intimately 
allied  to  those  of  Kafiraria  and  Mozambique. 
This  word  is  variously  spelled,  Kaffre,  Kaffir, 
Kafir,  and  Caff  re.  Which  is  the  more  proper 
ikis  not  easy  to  determine.  We  have  followed 
the  Encyclopedia  Britannica,  on  the  ground 
that  such  a  standard  work  would  be  most  likely 
to  fix  and  settle  the  orthography. 

Government. — The  ancient  government  of 
the  Kaffre  tribes  is  feudal :  an  aristocracy  of 
chiefs,  acknowledging  the  supremacy  of  the 
sovereign,  but  except  on  extraordinary  occa- 
sions, acting  independently  of  him.  Each 
tribe  is  divided  into  kraals  or  hamlets,  each  of 
which  has  its  petty  chief.  The  general  chief 
is  the  sovereign  of  the  nation,  and  in  a  council 
of  chiefs  is  very  powerful,  and  is  looked  upon 
by  all  the  nobles  and  people  with  unbounded 
respect. 

Tfie  People.— In  personal  appearance,  the 
Kaffres  are  a  remarkably  fine  race  of  men. 
Their  noble  figures  and  power  of  limb  ;  their 
lofty  stature  and  graceful  deportment,  have 
drawn  the  attention  and  excited  the  admira- 
tion of  travelers.  Their  color  is  dark  brown, 
mixed  with  a  warmer  tint  of  yellow.  Their 
hair  is  black  and  woolly,  but  not  the  woolli- 
ness  of  the  Negro.  Their  faces  approach  the 
European  model.    They  wear  no  clothing  but 


a  cloak  of  skin.  In  disposition,  they  are  cheer- 
ful, frank,  good-natured,  and  intelligent.  They 
are  a  pastoral  people,  and  their  flocks  and 
herds  constitute  their  chief  care. 

Religious  and  Moral  Condition. — The  Kaffres 
have  no  national  religion.  They  have  only  a 
few  unmeaning  rites  and  superstitions,  which 
may  be  the  ruins  of  some  forgotten  creed. 
They  practice  circumcision,  abhor  swine's 
flesh  and  fish,  and  have  a  reverential  fear  of 
serpents,  which  may  suggest  their  eastern  ori- 
gin. Mr.  Moffat  states  that  there  is,  with 
them,  an  entire  absence  of  theological  ideas. 
The  venerable  Dr.  V"anderkemp,  the  first  mis- 
sionary among  them,  says,  "  If  by  religion  we 
mean  reverence  for  God,  or  the  external  action 
by  which  that  reverence  is  expressed,  I  never 
could  perceive  that  they  had  any  religion,  nor 
any  idea  of  the  existence  of  God."  This  he  said 
with  reference  to  them  as  a  nation,  for  indi- 
viduals among  them  had  some  notions  of  God, 
which  they  had  acquired  from  those  who  had 
associated  with  white  people.  And,  as  proof 
of  this,  he  said  they  had  no  word  in  their  lan- 
guage to  express  the  idea  of  a  Supreme  Being. 
Mr.  Moffat  adds  his  testimony  to  the  same  fact, 
of  which  he  says  he  became  convinced  in  oppo- 
sition to  his  preconceived  and  cherished  opin- 
ions, both  by  the  declarations  of  the  untutored 
natives  themselves,  and  the  accounts  given  by 
the  native  Christians  of  their  former  state,  to 
illustrate  which  he  relates  a  number  of  inte- 
resting conversations  and  anecdotes.  But, 
although  they  appear  to  possess  no  just  spirit- 
ual ideas,  or  to  have  any  true  conception  of  a 
future  state,  a  belief  in  witchcraft  holds  the 
same  terrible  sway  over  them  as  in  other  Afri- 
can tribes.  So  deplorably  does  this  supersti- 
tious dread  of  the  sorcerer's  art  prevail  among 
them  that  they  never  attribute  the  death  of 
their  people  to  natural  causes.  If  a  KaSre 
should  die  of  extreme  old  age,  they  would  attri- 
bute his  death  to  witchcraft,  and  wreak  their 
vengeance  on  some  poor  innocent  creature  as 
the  witch.  But  in  those  portions  of  their 
country  which  have  come  under  British  autho- 
rity, these  cruelties  have  been  suppressed  by 
law.  Polygamy  is  also  universal  among  the 
Kaffre  tribes. 

The  various  tribes  of  the  Kaffre  family  are 
estimated  by  Rev.  J.  J.  Freeman,  Secretary  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society,  at  2,000,000, 
spread  from  the  eastern  frontier  of  Cape  Colo- 
ny to  beyond  Delagoa  Bay,  and  then  across 
the  whole  continent,  without  break,  to  the 
Atlantic,  in  latitude  20°. — Condafs  Dictionary 
of  Geography ;  Wrongs  of  the  Kaffre  Nation,  by 
Justus  ;  A  Tour  in  South  Africa,  by  Rev.  J.  J. 
Fkeeman  ;  Moffat's  Southern  Africa ;  Philip's 
Researches  in  Southern  Africa.  (For  Missions 
among  the  Kaffres,  see  Afkica,  Southern.) 

KAHUKU  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  on  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  Oahu. 

KAILUA  :  The  first  station  occupied  by 
the  American  Board  at  the  Sandwich  Islands, 


KAITOTEHE— KHARPUT. 


497 


Bituated  about  the  centre  of  the  eastern  coast 
of  Hawaii. 

KAITOTEHE  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New  Zealand. 

KAIKOHI :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand. 

KAIPARA  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  on  the  western  coast  of 
New  Zealand,  celebrated  for  a  large  muscle, 
measuring  11  to  13  inches,  found  there  in  great 
abundance. 

KAITAI:  The  most  northern  station  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  New  Zea- 
land. It  lies  under  a  fine  wooded  range  of  hills, 
having  on  the  east  a  vast  plain,  with  a  dark 
forest  in  the  middle,  extending  to  the  flat, 
marshy  estuary  of  the  Awarua  river,  ending  in 
the  Sandy  Bay ;  to  the  northward  a  bright 
line  of  sand  marks  the  district  of  Muriwenua, 
•which  reaches  to  the  North  Cape ;  on  the 
"Westward  the  wooded  range  of  Maungu  Tanew- 
ha  bridges  the  whole  inland  country  between 
Kaitai  and  Waimate. 

KALUAAHA  :  A  station  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board  on  the  island  of  Molokai. 

KALIFF  :    See  Califf. 

KAMA  STONE  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  South  Africa,  near  Buffalo's  Yleij. 

KAMBEL  :  A  Burman  village  near  Ban- 
goon  and  an  out-station  of  the  Am.  Baptist 
Mission  at  Eangoon. 

KANTHA  :  A  Karen  village  in  the  dis- 
trict of  Tavoy,  Burmah,  and  an  out-station  of 
Am.  Baptist  Mission  at  Tavoy. 

KANEOHE  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  Oahu. 

KANDY:  In  Ceylon,  about  90  miles  N. 
E.  of  Colombo.  It  is  surrounded  bj  hills  and 
mountains,  and  was  anciently  the  capital  of  an 
independent  kingdom  of  the  same  name.  The 
town  itself  has  about  3000  people,  but  in  the 
neighboring  highlands  there  is  a  population  of 
200,000.  It  is  a  station  of  the  Church  and 
Baptist  Societies. 

KAPITI :  An  island  of  New  Zealand,  in 
Cook's  straits,  whose  chief  sent  his  sons  500 
miles  for  a  missionary.  The  whole  island  had 
embraced  Christianity,  by  the  labors  of  one 
native,  who  had  gone  there  of  his  own  accord. 

KAEANGAN :  Formerly  a  station  of 
the  American  Board  in  Borneo. 

KAPtENS  :  An  interesting  race  of  abori- 
ginal inhabitants  of  the  mountainous  regions 
of  the  southern  and  eastern  portions  of  Bur- 
mah Proper,  and  all  parts  of  the  Tenasserim 
provinces,  extending  into  the  western  portions 
of  Siam,  and  thence  northward  among  the 
Shyans.  It  is  'impossible  to  form  a  satisfac- 
tory estimate  of  their  numbers.  In  the  pro- 
vince of  Tavoy  a  British  census  makes  the 
number  2500.  Around  Maulmain  and  Ean- 
goon there  are  perhaps  20,000  more.  In 
Siam  and  Laos,  there  are  probably  10,000, 
making  in  all,  about  30,000.  They  are  a  quiet 
and  intelligent  people,  living  by  agriculture, 
82 


and  their  government  is  patriarchal.  They 
have  received  the  Gospel  with  great  readiness, 
and  among  them  the  missions  of  the  American 
Baptists  have  met  with  wonderful  success.  (See 
Burmah.)     

KAT  EIYEE:  A  district  in  South  Africa, 
on  the  borders  of  Kafiraria,  where  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  have  a  station  at 
Philipton,  with  13  out-stations  on  Kat  Eiver, 
and  four  in  Tambookee  land.  The  population 
consists  chiefly  of  liberated  Hottentots,  living 
in  50  or  60  locations. 

KAUAI :  One  of  the  Sandwich  Islands 
group,  about  75  miles  north-west  of  Oahu.  It 
is  46  miles  in  length  and  23  in  breadth,  moun- 
tainous, and  of  romantic  appearance. 
^  KAUKAUA  :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand.  It  stands 
on  a  plain  immediately  adjoining  a  mountain. 
The  Kaukaua  district  extends  from  Opotiki  in 
the  Bay  of  Plenty  to  Waipiro  in  Open  Bay. 

K  AU  :  A  district  in  the  south  of  the  island 
of  Hawaii,  where  is  a  statibn  of  the  American 
Board. 

KAWHIA  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
on  the  west  coast  of  New  Zealand. 

KEALAKEKUA  :  A  station  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  the 
north-west  coast  of  HaAvaii. 

KEALIA :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  on  Hawaii,  Sandwich  Islands. 

KEISKAMMA:  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  in  Kafireland,  South 
Africa. 

KEMEES  :  A  tribe  inhabiting  the  moun- 
tains of  Burmah,  in  many  of  their-  habits  re- 
sembling the  Karens. 

KEMMENDINE  :  A  Karen  village  near 
Eangoon ;  a  station  of  the  American  Baptist 
Mission  at  Eangoon. 

KENT :  Town  of  liberated  Africans,  in  the 
parish  of  St.  Edward,  at  Cape  Shilling,  Sier- 
ra Leone,  West  Africa,  about  40  miles  south 
of  Freetown — station  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society. 

KEEIKEEI:  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New  Zealand. 

KHAMIESBEEG  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyan Missionary  Society  in  Little  Namaquar 
land.  South  Africa. 

KHAMTIS  :  One  of  the  races  occupying 
the  country  of  Assam,  to  whom  the  missiona- 
ries of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union 
have  preached. 

KHAN  :  In  Asia,  a  governor,  a  prince,  a 
king.     Also,  an  inn. 

_  KHAEI :  A  station  of  the  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  Bengal. 

KHAEPUT  :  Prospectively  a  station  of 
the  American  Board  among  the  Armenians. 
It  is  in  Northern  Mesopotamia,  on  an  extend- 
ed, well-cultivated,  and  beautiful  plain,  having 
a  delightful  climate  ;  366  villages  on  the  plain, 
with  an  Armenian  population,  including  that 
of  the  city,  of  at  least  100,000  souls. 


408 


KHUNDITA— LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


KlirXDlTA:  A  station  of  the  General 
Bapti-its  in  Orisso.  about  200  miles  south 
t  Talcutto.  It  is  surroundetl  by  populous 
\ ,   .    i\s  and  not  fur  from  the  large  town  of 

J  lX^:^•i'\H)n}. 

KING  WILLIAM'S  TOWN:  A  station 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  on  the  Buf- 
falo river,  South  Africa. 

KING  WILL'S  TOAVN  :  A  station  of  the 
American  l*rcsbyterian  Board  in  West  Africa. 
KINGSTON  :  The  capital  of  the  Island  of 
St.  Vincent,  AV.  I.,  and  a  station  of  the  Wcs- 
leyan  Missionary  Society.    Pop.  8,000.    It  is 
fiituatetl  on  the  south-west  side  of  the  island, 
and  stretches  along  the  searshore,  the  moun- 
tains p^radually  rising  behind  in  the  form  of  an 
amphitheatre,  to  a  considerable  height. 
KIOSK  :  In  Turkey,  a  summer-house. 
KIRKWOOD  :    Station    of  the    United 
Scotch  Presbyterian  Church  in  Tambookie- 
land,  South  Africa,  on  the  river  Ixhonse. 

KISSOR:  One  of  the  Banda  Islands,  a 
group  of  the  Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago. 

KISSEY  :  Town  of  liberated  Africans,  and 
station  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  in 
the  River  District,  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa, 
about  three  miles  east  of  Freetown,  on  the 
Sierra  river. 

KLAAS  YOOK'S  RIVT^R  :  A  station  of 
the  Ix)ndon  Missiouarjr  Society  in  Little  Na- 
maqualand.  South  Africa. 

KNAPP'S  HOPE:  A  station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  among  the  Kaf- 
fres  in  South  Africa. 

KOHALA  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  the  north- 
east coast  of  Hawaii. 

KOKFONTEIN:  A  station  of  the  Rhen- 
ish Missionary  Society  in  Little  Namaqua. 
South  Africa. 

KOLOA:  A  station  of  the  Americafi 
Board  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  the  island 
of  Kaui. 

KOLOBENG :  The  most  inland  station 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  in  South 
Africa,  situated  on  the  southern  borders  of  the 
Kalahari  desert,  200  miles  N.  B.  by  N.  from 
Kuruman. 

KOMMAGGAS  :  A  station  of  the  Rhen- 
ish Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  in  the 
north-west  corner  of  Cape  Colony. 

KOTGIIUR  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  the  capital  of  a  chiefship 
of  the  same  name,  in  Himmalaya,  India,  be- 
tween the  Sutlej  and  Jumna,  on  a  declivity  of 
the  Whartoo  Mountain,  near  the  left  bank  of 
the  Sutlej,  at  an  elevation  of  6,634  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  on  the  high  road  to 
Thibet.  The  language  of  the  inhabitants 
is  the  same  as  that  of  the  hilly  parts  of  the 
Sutlej. 

KRAAL  :  A  small  village  in  Africa,  con- 
:sisting  of  a  few  native  huts. 

KRISHNAGUR:     A    station    of     the 


Church  Missionary  Society,  a  little  to  tho 
north-west  of  Calcutta. 

KRISllNAPORE :  A  station  of  the 
Chin-ch  Missionary  Society  in  Ilindostan. 

KRUSFONTEIN  :  An  out-station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa, 
situated  on  a  dry  and  barren  piece  of  land, 
near  the  Gamtoos  river. 

KULANGSU,  or  KOOLANGSOO  :  A 
small  island  near  the  city  of  Amoy,  China,  oc- 
cupied as  a  station  by  the  Presbyterian  Board. 

KUMASI,  KOOMASSIE,  or  COOMAS- 
SIE  :  The  capital  of  Ashantee.  Population, 
15,000.  A  station  of  the  Wesley  an  Mission- 
ary Society,  •- 

KUMISS  :  An  intoxicating  liquor  distilled 
from  mare's  milk,  in  use  among  the  Tartars. 

KURUMAN  :  A  station  of  the  Loudon 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  630  miles 
north-east  of  Cape  Town,  among  the  Bcchu- 
anas. 

KYOUK  PHYOO  :  A  town  in  Arracan, 
on  Ramree  Island,  where  the  mission  of  the 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union  in  Arra- 
can was  first  planted. 

LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND : 
These  two  countries  are  grouped  together  in 
one  article  on  account  of  the  connection  of  the 
missions,  particularly  those  of  the  United 
Brethren,  which  may  be  considered  as  in  fact 
but  one  mission. 

Greenland. — Greenland  is  the  remotest 
tract  of  land  in  the  north,  lying  between 
Europe  and  America,  and  is  divided  into  East 
and  West  Greenland.  The  eastern  coast  is 
almost  inaccessible,  but  on  the  western  coast 
the  Danes  have  erected  several  factories,  for 
the  purpose  of  carrying  on  the  whale  fishery. 
The  want  of  large  timber  is  in  some  measure 
compensated  by  the  drift-wood,  which  floats  in 
great  quantities  into  the  bays  and  islands,  and 
serves  the  Europeans  for  fuel,  and  the  natives 
for  building  their  houses,  tents,  and  boats. 
The  population  of  Greenland  is  estimated  at 
6,000  ;  150  or  200  of  whom  are  Europeans. 
They  are  a  remarkably  docile  and  harmless 
people,  and  the  missionaries  have  not  had  to 
encounter  among  them  any  fixed  forms  of 
superstition  or  idolatry. 

The  climate  in  this  country  is  intensely  cold, 
sometimes  so  severe  that  beer,  and  even  brandy, 
freeze  in  a  room  heated  by  a  stove,  and  yet  it  is 
a  remarkable  fact,  that  the  bays  and  the  water 
between  the  islands  are  seldom  frozen  for  any 
length  of  time,  and  sometimes  they  remain 
open  during  the  whole  winter.  This  is  of 
great  advantage  to  the  Greenlanders,  as  their 
principal  subsistence  is  derived  from  fishing. 

The  summer  seldom  lasts  above  four  months, 
and  even  then  it  frequently  snows,  and  the 
frost  never  leaves  the  ground  entirely,  as  the 
rays  of  the  sun  seldom  penetrate  above  a  foot 
below  the  surface.  Yet  the  heat  in  summer  is 
said  by  the  missionaries  to  be  as  great  as  in 
any  part  of  England  or  Germany,  thouerh  of 


^TftlVBHSITTJ 


LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


499 


shorter  duration.  There  is  scarce  any  night 
in  summer,  as  the  sun  does  not  remain  more 
than  two  or  three  hours  below  the  horizon, 
and  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains  his  beams 
are  reflected  even  at  midnight,  so  that  a  person 
seated  in  a  room  may  read  and  write  without 
the  aid  of  a  candle.  And,  though  the  winter 
nights  are  proportionably  long,  yet  the  dark- 
ness is  considerably  lessened  by  the  stronger 
light  of  the  moon,  the  prevalence  of  the  aurora 
borealis,  and  by  reflections  from  the  ice  and 
snow. 

The  natives  are  of  a  tawny  hue  and  low 
stature,  with  very  dark  or  black  eyes,  and 
strong,  flowing  hair.  They  are  clad  the  whole 
year  round  in  fur  dresses,  made  of  the  skins  of 
seals  and  reindeer,  very  neatly  sewed  by  the 
women.  Their  dwellings  are  of  two  kinds  : 
first,  tents,  which  are  covered  with  seal-skins, 
and  constitute  their  summer  habitations  ;  sec- 
ondly, winter  houses,  constructed  of  large 
stones,  the  walls  being  a  yard  in  thickness, 
and  the  crevices  filled  up  with  earth  and  sods. 
The  roof  is  of  wood,  covered  first  with  sods, 
and  the  whole  overspread  with  skins.  The 
inside  breadth  of  such  a  house  is  generally  12 
feet,  but  its  length  varies  from  24  to  72  feet, 
according  to  the  number  of  inmates.  Four, 
or  even  ten,  families  live  together  in  a  house, 
the  apartments  being  separated  from  each 
other  by  screens,  made  of  skins.  In  every 
apartment  a  lamp  is  kept  constantly  burning, 
which  lights  and  heats  it,  and  serves  also  for 
cooking.  There  is  not  a  great  regard  for 
cleanliness,  and  the  smell  of  the  train-oil  is 
offensive,  but  the  contentment  of  the  Green- 
landers  amid  their  poverty,  and  the  order  and 
,  stillness  observed  among  those  who  dwell  to- 
gether, excite  the  admiration  of  Europeans. 

Notwithstanding  the  rigors  of  the  climate 
and  the  sterility  of  the  soil,  the  missionaries 
have  succeeded  in  laying  out  gardens,  in  which 
they  grow  lettuce,  cabbages,  radishes,  turnips, 
and  a  few  other  vegetables.  However,  as  they 
cannot  be  sown  before  June,  and  killing  frosts 
commence  again  in  September,  they  remain 
small,  but  have  a  fine  flavor.  Oats  and  barley 
spring  up  very  fast,  but  never  come  to  matu- 
rity. The  missionaries  have  introduced  the 
breeding  of  sheep  and  goats,  though  hay  is 
difficult  to  obtain,  as  it  comes  only  from  the 
valleys. 

Several  kinds  of  animals  and  fish  are  ser- 
viceable to  Europeans  and  natives,  both  for 
traffic  and  food,  such  as  reindeer,  hares,  foxes, 
white  bears,  different  descriptions  of ,  winged 
game,  and  a  great  variety  of  fishes,  especially 
herrings,  which,  in  the  beginning  of  summer, 
come  into  the  bays  in  such  shoals,  that  whole 
boats  can  be  filled  with  them  in  a  few  hours. 
But  the  seal  is  the  most  important  to  the 
Greenlanders,  as  it  furnishes  a  principal  article 
of  food,  and  also  serves  for  clothing,  bedding, 
covering  for  boats,  tents,  and  houses,  oil  for 
their  lamps,  implements  for  fishing  and  hunt> 


ing,  and  also  serves  as  a  medium  of  traffic, 


instead  of  money. 

MISSIONS. 

To  Hans  Egede,  a  Danish  missionary,  belongs 
the  honorable  title  of  "  Apostle  of  Ch-eenland" 
and  most  cheerfully  is  this  title  conceded  to 
him  by  the  Moravian  brethren.  It  was  in  the 
year  1721  that  this  excellent  man  exchanged 
his  comfortable  parsonage  at  Vogen,  in  Nor- 
way, for  the  bleak,  desolate  island  of  Kangek, 
near  the  mouth  of  Baal's  river,  on  the  contig- 
uous mainland,  at  Goodhab,  on  the  western 
coast,  where  he  exerted  himself  with  patient 
and  unwearied  zeal,  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Greenlanders  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  Through 
ten  weary  years,  with  very  little  apparent  suc- 
cess, he  persevered  in  his  labors ;  but  it  ap- 
peared as  if  the  mission  must  be  abandoned, 
when  a  new  era  began  to  dawn  upon  benighted 
Greenland.  In  1831,  two  baptized  Greenland- 
ers, who  had  been  taken  to  Denmark  by  some 
colonists,  gave  much  interesting  information 
relative  to  the  state  of  the  nation  to  which 
they  belonged,  and  the  comparative  failure  of 
the  mission.  This  being  reported  to  the  con- 
gregation at  Herrnhut,  a  young  brother,  named 
Matthew  Stach,  felt  an  impulse  which  he  could 
not  resist,  to  offer  himself  as  a  missionary  to 
the  Greenland  race.  His  offer  was  accepted  ; 
and  the  brethren  Christian  Stach,  cousin  of 
Matthew,  and  Christian  David,  the  veteran 
emigrant  from  Moravia,  both  common  work- 
ingmen,  were  commissioned  to  accompany 
him.  On  the  19th  of  January,  1733,  these 
brethren  set  out  on  foot  for  Copenhagen,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  500  miles. 

Nothing  can  more  strikingly  exhibit  the 
zeal  of  these  devoted  servants  of  Christ,  and 
their  truly  apostoHc  spirit,  than  the  manner  in 
which  they  entered  upon  their  great  work. 
They  literally  obeyed  the  injunction,  "  Take 
nothing  for  your  journey."  "  There  was  no 
need,"  says  one  of  them,  "  of  much  time  or  ex- 
pense in  our  equipment.  The  congregation 
consisted  chiefly  of  poor  exiles,  who  had  not 
much  to  give,  and  we  ourselves  had  nothing 
but  the  clothes  on  our  backs.  We  had  been 
used  to  make  shift  with  little,  and  did  not  trou- 
ble our  heads  how  we  should  get  to  Greenland, 
or  how  we  should  live  there.  The  day  before 
our  departure  a  friend  in  Venice  sent  a  dona- 
tion, and  part  of  this  we  received  for  our  jour- 
ney to  Copenhagen.  Now  we  considered  our- 
selves richly  provided  for,  and  therefore  would 
take  nothing  of  any  one  on  the  road,  believing 
that  he  who  had  procured  us  something  for  our 
journey  at  the  very  critical  moment,  would 
also  supply  us  with  everything  requisite  for 
accomplishing  our  purpose,  whenever  it  should 
be  needful." 

On  arriving  at  Copenhagen  they  were  kind- 
ly received  by  many  friends  ;  but  their  design 
appeared  romantic  and  unreasonable,  especially 
as  the  Danish  mission  to  Greenland  was  in  a 


500 


LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


low  Btntc,  nnd  the  povcmnicnt  was  inclined  to 
vitlulnnv  its  colonists  nltogether.  In  this  state 
of  tliintrs  a  rt^idence  on  the  const  of  Greenland 
was  nirartUtl  as  hij^hly  dangerous,  both  on  ac- 
count of  exposure  to  the  cruelty  of  the  natives? 
and  the  liability  of  being  left  without  anv  reg- 
ulor  supply  of  provisions  from  Euroi)c.  I'liese 
mwrts  however  did  not  dispirit  the  mission- 
aries, who  on  being  asked  by  Count  Pless, 
•*  How  they  intended  to  maintain  themselves 
in  (jrcenland,"  answered,  "  By  the  labor  of  our 
bonds,  and  God's  blessing,"  adding,  "  that  they 
would  build  a  house  and  cultivate  a  piece  of 
laud,  and  not  be  burdensome  to  any."  On 
being  told  by  the  Count  that  there  was  no 
timber  fit  for  building  in  that  country,  they 
paid,  •'  If  this  is  the  case  we  will  dig  a  hole  in 
the  earth  and  live  there."  Astonished  at  their 
ardor  in  the  cause  in  which  they  had  embarked, 
the  Count  replied,  "  No ;  you  shall  not  be  driv- 
en to  that  extremity ;  take  timber  with  you 
and  build  a  house ;  accept  of  these  fifty  dollars 
for  that  purpose."  They  then  committed 
their  cause  to  Him  who  orders  all  things,  and 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1733,  they  sailed  from 
Copenhagen,  and  on  the  20th  of  the  next  month 
they  reached  the  place  of  their  destination, 
having  had  a  safe  and  speedy  passage. 

They  soon  fixed  upon  a  place,  to  which  they 
afterwards  gave  the  name  of  New  Herrnhut, 
and  here  they  kneeled  down  and  invoked  the 
blessing  of  God  on  themselves  and  their  under- 
taking. Their  first  labor  was  to  erect  a  small 
hut,  as  a  shelter  against  the  inclemency  of  the 
climate.  A  few  days  after  they  laid  the  foun- 
dations of  their  proper  dwelling,  for  which  they 
had  brought  the  timber  with  them  from  Copen- 
hagen. The  season  was  remarkably  in  their 
favor,  the  ice  and  snow  having  melted  a  month 
Booner  than  usual.  Besides  their  own  house 
they  built  one  after  the  Greenland  manner,  for 
the  accommodation  of  such  of  the  natives  as 
might  be  induced  to  come  to  them  for  instruc- 
tion. During  the  first  year  of  their  residence 
in  Gr^nlaud  the  small-pox  prevailed  to  a  fright- 
ful extent,  during  which  the  brethren  exerted 
til'  I'l.^elycs  much  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and 
il;  -T.  till  at  length  they  were  violently  attack- 
ci  ti.cmselves,  and  nearly  lost  the  use  of  their 
limbs.  Having  thus  passed  their  first  year, 
they  were  strengthened  ana  encourajrefl  m  1734. 
by  the  arrival  of  two  brethren,  ^ Beck  and 
Bocnish,  who  came  in  the  character  of  assist- 
ants. 

They  now  resolved  to  pursue  their  work  with 
redoubled  ardor,  and  applied  themselves  to  the 
study  of  the  language  with  unremitting  dili- 
gence. Unused  though  they  were  to  grammars 
of  any  kind,  they  soon  conquered  the  greatest 
difficulties,  so  as  to  be  able  to  hold  a  short 
conversation  with  the  natives.  They  also  ob- 
tained some  copies  of  pieces  which  Mr.  Egede, 
the  Danish  missionary,  had  translated,  such  as 
the  Ten  Commandments,  the  Apostles'  Creed, 
and  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  embraced  every 


opportunity  of  reading  these  to  the  Greenland 
ers,  with  instructions  suited  to  make  an  im- 
pression on  their  hearts.  By  these  means  they 
conciliated  the  esteem  of  the  natives,  who  often 
visited  them,  though  not  without  asking  for 
lome  article  that  struck  their  fancy,  showing 
that  they  were  actuated  by  selfish  motives. 

In  1735  some  ships  arrived  from  Europe,  but 
without  bringing  them  supplies  of  any  descrip- 
tion. They  were  therefore  reduced  to  great 
distress,  as  their  whole  stock  of  provisions  con- 
sisted of  a  barrel  and  a  half  of  oatmeal.  They 
had  been  less  successful  than  usual  in  hunting 
and  fishing,  and  on  attempting  to  buy  seals  of 
the  natives,  the  most  exorbitant  prices  were 
asked,  and  in  some  cases  they  refused  to  sell  at 
all.  But  in  the  spring  of  1736  an  unexpected 
supply  of  provisions  was  sent  to  them  from 
Holland,  and  by  a  person  from  whom  no  aid 
had  ever  been  solicited.  The  same  individual 
promised  them  other  supplies  for  the  ensuing 
season. 

In  July,  1736,  some  Danish  ships  arrived, 
bringing  with  them  the  mother  of  Matthew 
Stach,  a  widow  about  forty-five  years  of  age, 
with  her  two  daughters,  Rosina  and  Anna,  the 
former  twenty-two,  and  the  latter  twelve  years 
of  age.  Their  domestic  affairs  were  now  con- 
fided to  female  hands;  and  the  two  younger 
being  desirous  of  acting  as  missionaries  among 
their  own  sex,  applied  themselves  sedulously 
and  successfully  to  the  study  of  the  Greenland 
language. 

Their  temporal  circumstances  were  now  more 
comfortable,  but  they  were  severely  tried  with 
the  character  and  conduct  of  the  savages,  who 
seldonj  visited  them  except  in  quest  of  victuals, 
and  who  were  strongly  averse  to  religious  con- 
versation. If  a  missionary  remained  with  them 
more  than  one  night,  they  employed  every 
means  to  draw  him  into  their  dissolute  prac- 
tices, and,  failing  in  this,  they  endeavored  to 
provoke  him  by  mimicking  his  reading,  pray- 
ing, and  singing,  or  by  interrupting  these  exer- 
cises with  frightful  howling  and  the  deafening 
noise  of  drums.  On  some  occasions  they  even 
pelted  the  brethren  with  stones,  destroyed  their 
goods,  strove  to  drive  their  boat  out  to  sea, 
and  even  threatened  to  assassinate  them  in 
their  tent.  In  the  midst  of  all  these  dangers, 
however,  they  were  mercifully  preserved. 

Thus  five  years  passed  away,  and  the  breth- 
ren witnessed  no  abiding  fruits  of  their  self- 
denying  labor.  They  had  tilled  a  soil  appar- 
ently unfit  for  culture,  and  in  tears  had  sown 
the  seed  on  hearts  apparently  as  barren  as  the 
coast  where  they  had  pitched  their  tents.  But 
now  the  Lord  was  about  to  bless  their  work  in 
a  new  and  peculiar  manner. 

"  In  June,  1738,"  write  the  missionaries,"  many 
Southlanders,  or  people  from  the  south  of  Green- 
land, visited  us.  Brother  Beck  was  at  this  time 
translating  a  part  of  St.  Matthew's  Gospel.  The 
heathen  being  very  curious  to  know  the  con- 
tents of  the  book,  he  read  a  few  sentences,  and 


LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


601 


after  some  conversation  with  them,  asked 
whether  they  had  an  immortal  soul,  and  where 
that  soul  would  go  after  death.  Some  said, 
"  Up  yonder."  Others  said,  "  Down  to  the 
abyss."  Having  rectified  their  notions  on  this 
point,  he  inquired,  "Who  made  heaven  and 
earth,  man,  and  all  other  things  ?  "  They  re- 
plied that  they  did  not  know,  nor  had  they 
ever  heard,  but  that  it  must  certainly  be  some 
great  and  mighty  being.  He  then  gave  them 
an  account  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  the 
fall  of  man,  and  his  recovery  by  Christ.  In 
speaking  of  the  redemption  of  man,  the  Spirit 
of  God  enabled  him  to  enlarge  with  more  than 
usual  eviergy,  on  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
tlfc  Kedeemer,  and  in  the  most  pathetic  manner 
to  exhort  his  hearers  to  consider  the  vast  ex- 
pense at  which  Jesus  had  ransomed  their  souls, 
and  no  longer  reject  the  mercy  offered  them  in 
the  Gospel.  He  then  read  to  them  out  of  the 
New  Testament  the  history  of  our  Saviour's 
agony  in  the  garden. 

Upon  tills  the  Lord  opened  the  heart  of  one 
of  the  company,  whose  name  was  Kayarnak, 
who,  stepping  up  to  the  table  in  an  earnest 
manner,  exclaimed  :  "  How  was  that  ?  tell  me 
that  once  more,  for  I  do  desire  to  be  saved." 
These  words,  the  like  of  which  had  never  be- 
fore been  uttered  by  a  Greenlander,  so  pene- 
trated the  soul  of  Mr.  Beck,  that  with  great 
emotion  and  enlargement  of  heart,  he  gave 
them  a  general  account  of  the  life  and  death 
of  our  Saviour,  and  of  the  scheme  of  salvation 
through  him. 

In  the  mean  time  the  other  missionaries  who 
had  been  abroad  on  business,  returned,  and 
with  delight  joined  their  fellow-laborers  in  tes- 
tifying of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Some  of  the  pagans  laid  their 
hands  on  their  mouths,  which  is  their  usual  cus- 
tom when  struck  with  astonishment.  Others, 
who  did  not  relish  the  subject,  slunk  away 
secretly,  but  several  requested  to  be  taught  to 
pray,  and  frequently  repeated  the  expressions 
used  by  the  missionaries,  in  order  to  fix  them 
in  their  memories.  In  short,  they  manifested 
such  an  earnest  and  serious  concern  for  their 
salvation,  as  the  missionaries*  had  never  wit- 
nessed before,  and  at  going  away  they  promis- 
ed soon  to  return,  and  hear  more  of  this  sub- 
ject. They  also  promised  to  tell  it  to  their 
countrymen. 

The  impression  made  on  Kayarnak  was 
not  transient,  for  the  word  had  taken  deep 
root  in  his  heart.  He  frequently  visited  the 
missionaries,  and  at  length  took  up  his  resi- 
dence with  them.  He  told  them  that  he  often 
felt  a  monition  in  his  heart  to  pray,  and  when 
they  spoke  to  him  he  was  often  so  much  affect- 
ed, that  the  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks. 
Considering  the  general  stupidity  of  the 
Greenlanders,  the  missionaries  were  not  a  lit- 
tle surprised  at  the  quickness  with  which  he 
comprehended  every  thing  Avhich  they  told 
him,  and  at  the  retention  of  his  memory.    He 


manifested  very  strong  attachment  to  them, 
and  a  constant  desire  for  further  instruction. 

By  means  of  his  conversion,  those  who  lived 
in  the  same  tent  with  him  were  brought  under 
conviction.  Thus  before  the  end  of  the  mouth 
three  large  families  came  with  all  their  pro- 
perty, and  pitched  their  tents  near  the  dwell- 
ing of  the  missionaries,  *'  in  order,"  as  they 
said,  "  to  hear  the  joyful  news  of  man's  re- 
demption." They  all  appeared  much  affected, 
and  even  some  who  had  formerly  opposed  the 
word,  declared  that  they  would  now  believe, 
and  winter  with  the  missionaries.  Most  of 
them,  however,  soon  went  away  to  hunt  rein- 
deer, but  Kayarnak  refused  to  accompany  them, 
lest  thereby  harm  should  come  to  his  soul.  If 
enticed  to  go  away,  he  would  reply  by  some 
short  remark,  such  as  "  I  will  stay  with  my 
teachers  and  hear  the  word  of  God,  which  I 
have  once  found  sweet  to  my  taste."  If  they 
railed  at  him  he  held  his  peace,  after  he  had 
borne  his  testimony  to  the  truth  in  a  few 
serious  words.  At  length  he  prevailed  so  far 
on  some  of  his  nearest  relatives,  that  tliey  re- 
solved to  return,  and  even  some  other  families 
desired  leave  to  settle  near  the  missionaries. 

Thus,  in  October,  1738,  when  the  Green- 
landers  left  their  tents  to  move  into  their  win- 
ter houses,  above  twenty  persons  took  up  their 
abode  near  the  brethren.  This  induced  them 
to  commence  morning  and  evening  devotions, 
with  the  two  families  of  Kayarnak,  and  his 
relation  Simek,  besides  the  reading  and  ex- 
pounding of  the  Scriptures  on  the  Lord's  day. 
Five  of  these  persons,  who  appeared  most 
serious,  they  selected,  as  suitable  candidates 
for  baptism,  and  gave  them  more  frequent  in- 
struction in  the  truths  of  salvation. 

The  year  1739  was  distinguished  in  the  mis- 
sion, by  the  baptism  of  the  first  Greenland 
converts.  This  interesting  and  solemn  service 
was  performed  on  Sunday,  March  29th.  The 
candidates  having,  before  the  whole  assembly, 
given  a  full  account  of  the  ground  of  their 
hope,  and  promised  to  renounce  all  heathen 
customs  and  superstitions,  to  remain  with  their 
teachers,  and  walk  worthily  of  the  Gospel ; 
were  in  fervent  prayer,  and  with  imposition  of 
hands,  commended  to  the  grace  of  God,  and 
baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the 
Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  presence  of 
the  Great  Head  of  the  Church  was  felt  in  the 
most  powerful  manner  during  this  transac- 
tion ;  the  tears  flowed  in  streams  from  the  eyes 
of  those  just  baptized,  and  the  spectators  were 
so  overcome,  that  they  earnestly  desired  to  be 
made  partakers  of  the  same  grace.  The  first 
fruits  of  the  Greenland  nation,  who  by  this 
rite  were  publicly  ingrafted  into  the  Christian 
church,  were  Kayarnak,  his  wife,  his  son  and 
his  daughter. 

Scarcely  a  month  had  elapsed  before  the 
joy  occasioned  by  this  event  was  succeeded  by 
a  dark  cloud.  The  brother-in-law  of  Kayar- 
nak, who  also  resided  with  the  missionaries, 


502 


LABRADOR   AND  GREENLAND. 


WM  mardeml  by  a  northern  banditti ;  and  as 
Kayarnak  and  his  gurviving  brother-in-law 
wero  threatened  with  the  same  fate,  the  for- 
mer resolved  to  retire  with  his  family  to  the 
aooth.  The  miasionaries  were  sorely  tried 
with  the  loss  of  these  first  converts,  besides 
Iiaving  to  bear  the  renroach,  that  though  tlicy 
might  baptize  Greenland  paprans,  they  could 
never  imbue  them  with  Christianity,  nor 
woan  them  from  their  roving  habits.  But 
tliey  trusted  that  these  events  might  be  over- 
ruled by  the  great  Head  of  the  Church,  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel ;  and  so  it 
proved ;  for  but  a  short  time  had  elapsed, 
when  21  boats  filled  with  Southlanders  arrived 
at  the  mission  station,  with  the  intelligence 
that  they  had  met  with  K^arnak  and  his 
family,  who  had  told  them  many  wonderful 
things  of  a  religious  nature,  and  had  directed 
them  to  apply  to  the  brethren  for  more  ample 
and  satisfactory  instructions.  Soon  after  this 
event  9  families  of  the  Greenlanders  returned 
to  the  vicinity  of  the  missionary  settlement. 

The  missionaries  thus  found  occasion  for 
great  thankfulness  and  encouragement ;  but 
amid  all  their  rejoicings  they  sighed  with  un- 
utterable grief  over  the  absence  of  Kayarnak, 
and  could  not  venture  to  cherish  the  smallest 
hope  of  his  return.  One  day,  however,  while 
they  were  attending  the  nuptial  dinner  of 
Frederic  Boenish  and  Anna  Stach,  he  sudden- 
ly entered  their  dwelling,  after  about  a  year's 
absence,  and  on  this  occasion  they  had  the  sat- 
isfaction to  discover  that  not  only  had  he  re- 
mained steadfast,  but  that  he  had  brought  with 
him  his  brother  and  his  family,  to  whom  he 
had  communicated  the  glad  news  of  salvation. 
About  the  same  time  several  other  Greenland- 
ers took  up  their  abode  at  New  Herrnhut, 
and  gave  unquestionable  proofs  that  they  were 
the  subjects  of  serious  and  deep  convictions  ; 
and  in  spite  of  the  persecution  of  their  coun- 
trymen, they  continued  steadfast,  and  rendered 
many  important  services  to  the  missionaries. 

Early  in  1741,  Kayarnak  was  attacked  with 
a  pleurisy,  which  soon  put  an  end  to  his  earth- 
ly labors.  During  his  illness  he  exhibited  the 
utmost  patience,  and  appeared  alike  regardless 
of  worldly  concerns  and  of  bodily  sufferings. 
Observing  his  relatives  bathed  in  tears,  he 
affectionately  said,  "  Why  do  you  weep  on  my 
account  ?  Are  you  not  aware  that  when  be- 
lievers die  thev  go  to  Jesus,  and  become  par- 
takers of  everlasting  joy  ?  As  I  was  the  first 
of  our  nation  who  was  converted  by  his  grace, 
he  has  determined  that  I  should  be  the  first  to 
enter  into  his  presence.  He  knows  how  to 
provide  for  you  in  my  absence,  and  if  you 
remain  faithful  to  the  end,  we  shall  surely 
meet  again,  and  rejoice  for  ever  before  the 
throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb."  These  words 
completely  tranquilized  the  minds  of  his  wife 
and  brother,  who  evinced  the  most  pious  re- 
signation to  the  bereavement  which  they  were 
called  to  endure,  and  solicited  the  missionaries 


to  bury  him  according  to  the  rites  of  tn^ 
Christian  religion,  which  request  was  complied 
with,  and  he  was  buried  amid  the  most  solemn 
and  impressive  services. 

From  this  time  the  missionaries  found  the 
field  of  their  labors  gradually  extending. 
Wherever  the  new  converts  went  in  quest  of 
food,  they  proclaimed  the  riches  of  the  grace 
of  Christ,  and  numbers  were  led  to  the  Mora- 
vian settlement,  anxious  to  understand  those 
things  more  fully.  One  of  the  baptized  Green- 
landere  informed  the  missionaries  that  he  had 
found  his  countrymen,  many  leagues  to  the 
north,  so  anxious  to  be  instructed  in  the  things 
of  religion,  that  they  urged  him  to  spend  a 
whole  night  with  them  in  conversation.  Evtn 
one  of  their  angekoks,  or  necromancers,  was 
brought  under  such  serious  impressions,  that  he 
wept  almost  incessantly  during  two  days,  and 
asserted  that  he  had  dreamed  he  was  in  hell, 
where  he  witnessed  scenes  which  it  would  be 
utterly  impossible  to  describe.  When  this 
general  awakening  began  to  subside,  the  ne- 
cromancers circulated  the  most  absurd  and 
ridiculous  stories  about  the  effects  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion  ;  but  God  frustrated  these  attacks 
of  the  enemy,  and  the  company  of  believers 
increased  ;  so  that  at  the  close  of  1748  no  less 
than  230  Greenlanders  resided  at  New  Herrn- 
hut, of  whom  35  had  been  baptized  in  the 
course  of  that  year. 

In  1747,  the  brethren  erected  tbeir  first 
church,  the  frame  and  boards  of  which  had 
been  sent  them  by  friends  in  Europe,  and  in 
this  house  they  frequently  had  the  pleasure  of 
addressing  congregations  of  more  than  300 
persons.  At  the  same  time  some  commodious 
storehouses  were  built,  both  for  the  brethren 
and  their  converts  ;  and  such  excellent  regula- 
tions were  adopted  in  the  settlement,  that  the 
believing  Greenlanders  not  only  subsisted  com- 
fortably, but  were  enabled  to  extend  aid  to 
others  in  times  of  scarcity. 

The  winter  of  1752,  and  also  the  winter  fol- 
lowing, were  rendered  extremely  trying  by  the 
dreadful  intensity  of  the  cold,  which  made  it 
nearly  impossible  to  obtain  food,  and  threat- 
ened a  general  famine  ;  and  to  this  was  added 
a  contagious  distemper,  introduced  by  some 
Dutch  vessels.  It  carried  off  great  numbers 
of  the  inhabitants,  and  no  less  than  35  of  the 
converts  fell  victims  to  this  terrible  malady. 
But  these  trials  furnished  to  the  missionaries 
the  most  pleasing  evidence  of  the  sincerity  of 
the  baptized  Greenlanders,  who  sought  in 
every  way  to  relieve  the  distressed,  even  when 
suffering  themselves,  and  who  were  enabled  to 
meet  death  with  great  peace  and  composure, 
"  knowing  in  whom  they  had  believed." 

In  1758,  the  congregation  at  New  Herrn- 
hut having  become  numerous,  the  missionaries 
felt  anxious  to  establish  a  new  settlement, 
more  contiguous  to  the  Southlanders,  many  of 
whom  had  repeatedly  solicited  them  to  come 
and  reside  in  their  part  of  the  country.    On 


LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


503 


hearing  of  this,  Matthew  Stach,  one  of  the 
first  founders  of  the  Greenhxud  mission,  but 
who  was  now  in  Europe,  resolved  on  resuming- 
his  labors  in  the  proposed  new  field.  Accord- 
ingly, in  May,  1758,  he  set  sail,  with  two  as- 
sistant brethren,  and  arrived  at  New  Hernn- 
hut  in  safety.  After  resting  a  few  weeks, 
these  three  brethren,  with  four  Greenland  fam- 
ilies, proceeded  in  search  of  a  situation  for  a 
new  settlement ;  and  after  carefully  exploring 
that  part  of  the  country  to  which  their  atten- 
tion had  been  directed,  they  fixed  upon  an 
island  about  three  miles  from  the  main  ocean, 
and  at  an  equal  distance  from  the  Danish  fac- 
tory at  Fisher's  Bay.  This  spot  did  not  afford 
Buch  a  prospect  of  the  sea  as  they  could  desire, 
but  it  possessed  three  advantages  of  great  im- 
portance, viz.,  fresh  water,  which  is  never 
entirely  frozen  over,  a  secure  harbor  for  their 
boats,  and  a  strand  which  remains  open  the 
whole  year.  Here,  therefore,  they  pitched 
their  tents,  and  called  the  place  Lichtenfels. 

Owing  to  the  scarcity  of  building  materials, 
they  were  likely  to  suffer,  if  not  to  perish,  for 
want  of  shelter,  when,  by  a  most  remarkable 
providence,  beams  suitable  for  their  purpose 
were  drifted  on  to  the  shore. 

In  1760,  the  brethren  at  Lichtenfels  bap- 
tized the  first  heathen  family  at  that  place, 
consisting  of  a  man  and  his  wife,  with  their  son 
and  daughter ;  and  the  congregation  was  now 
rapidly  increasing.  The  next  year  they  ob- 
tained a  supply  of  building  materials  from 
Europe,  and  erected  a  commodious  mission 
house  and  a  spacious  church,  in  which  their 
numerous  hearers  could  be  accommodated. 
At  New  Herrnhut,  in  the  mean  time,  the  cause 
of  Christ  prospered,  and  between  30  and  40 
persons  were  annually  admitted  to  the  church 
by  baptism. 

So  remarkably  had  the  lives  and  health  of 
the  Moravian  brethren  been  preserved,  that 
the  original  founders  of  the  mission  still 
labored  with  undiminished  energy  and  zeal, 
having  been  almost  30  years  in  the  field.  But 
in  1763,  tlie  mission  sustained  a  severe  loss  in 
the  death  of  Frederick  Boenish,  who  died  at 
the  age  of  54,  after  29  years  of  toil  on  the 
dreary  coast  of  Greenland.  In  the  winter  of 
1768,  an  aged  angekok  (sorcerer,)  who  had 
often  heard  the  Gospel,  became  alarmed  about 
his  future  state,  renounced  his  mode  of  life, 
confessed  that  he  and  the  other  angekoks  had 
deceived  the  people,  and  not  only  exhorted 
them  to  repent  and  turn  to  God,  but  sent  mes- 
sengers to  the  brethren  at  New  Herrnhut  with 
an  earnest  solicitation  that  a  missionary  might 
be  sent  to  instruct  them  in  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel.  The  request  was  complied  with  ;  and 
so  extensive  was  the  awakening  that  took  place 
among  the  natives,  that  in  little  more  than 
twelve  months  two  hundred  were  admitted  into 
the  church  by  baptism,  at  the  two  settlements 
of  New  Herrnhut  and  Lichtenfels. 

In  1773,  Christopher  Michael  Koenigseer 


arrived  in  Greenland  as  superintendent  of  the 
mission  in  that  country.  Having  received  the 
advantages  of  a  liberal  education,  he  was  well 
qualified  to  correct  the  translations  of  his  pre- 
decessors ;  and  he  added  to  their  little  stock  a 
Greenland  hymn-book,  a  catechism,  and  some 
other  pieces  of  a  devotional  nature. 

In  1774,  two  of  the  brethren  sailed  from 
Lichtenfels,  in  order  to  form  a  third  settlement 
in  the  south  of  Greenland.  After  a  voyage  of 
about  six  weeks,  they  arrived  at  the  island  of 
Onartok,  where  they  were  surprised  to  find,  at 
the  mouth  of  a  warm  spring,  a  verdant  mea- 
dow, abounding  with  different  kinds  of  flow- 
ers. But  it  was  not  a  good  place  for  obtain- 
ing provisions,  and  they  fixed  upon  a  spot  a 
little  distant,  four  miles  from  Lichtenfels,  to 
which  they  gave  the  name  of  Lichtenau.  Here 
they  found  an  extensive  field  for  their  exer- 
tions, and  their  labors  were  crowned  with  the  > 
most  pleasing  success.  Even  at  first  consider- 
able numbers  of  the  heathen  flocked  to  hear 
them  preach,  so  that  they  were  frequently 
obliged  to  worship  in  the  open  air,  previous  to 
the  erection  of  a  church  ;  and  during  the  win- 
ter of  1775  nearly  200  persons  took  up  their 
abode  with  them.  Many  of  these  were  bap- 
tized at  the  end  of  a  few  months,  and  in  a  few 
years  the  believing  Greeulanders  at  Lichtenau 
exceeded  in  numljer  those  at  either  of  the 
other  settlements. 

In  1782  Greenland  was  visited  by  a  pesti- 
lence more  fatal  than  that  before  noticed,  and 
within  a  few  months  the  deaths  at  New  Herrn- 
hut amounted  to  180.  The  disease  broke 
out  later  at  Lichtenfels  and  Lichtenau,  but  it 
was  equally  fatal.  Among  the  heathen  Green- 
landers  the  mortality  was  still  more  frightful ; 
so  that  the  country  lost  by  this  visitation 
nearly  half  its  inhabitants. 

About  the  same  time  the  directors  of  the 
Greenland  Trading  Company  issued  a  man- 
date, enjoining  that  fewer  Greenlanders  should 
reside  together  in  settlements.  This  led  to  a 
partial  dispersion  of  the  converts,  compelling 
them  to  fix  their  abodes  ten  or  twelve  miles 
from  the  missionaries,  by  which  means  they  were 
deprived  of  regular  instructions.  But  it  was 
soon  resolved  that  a  native  assistant  should 
accompany  each  party,  and  by  this  means,  and 
frequent  visits  from  the  missionaries,  their 
spiritual  wants  were  in  a  measure  provided 
for. 

In  1801,  so  great  had  been  the  success  of 
the  missionaries,  the  people  on  the  western, 
coast  of  Greenland  had  nearly  all  embraced" 
Christianity,  and  of  the  women,  the  last  one- 
that  remained  in  heathenism  was  baptized  irt 
January  of  this  year.  During  many  years  fol- 
lowing the  above  date  the  general  course  of 
things  at  the  settlements  was  prosperous,  al^ 
though  great  trials  were  at  times  endured,, 
both  from  sickness  and  the  want  of  necessary 
food.  Particularly  in  1807,  the  war  between. 
Great  Britain  and  Denmark  interrupted  com-^ 


&04 


LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


manication,  and  sappllcs  from  Europe  were 
entirely  cut  off.  Tho  utmost  distress  followed, 
and  many  died  of  hunger.  It  was  not  until 
1811  thttt  tlic  British  government  permitted 
tbo  Dalies  to  send  vessels  with  provisions  to 
Greenland. 

In  a  letter,  written  July  1818,  the  excellent 
Mr.  Beck,  of  Lichtenau.  says,  "  Of  the  great- 
est port  of  our  congregation,  we  may  say  with 
confidence,  that  their  words  and  walk  give  us 
great  joy  and  encouragement.  Many  of  the 
excludetl  persons  have  been  led,  with  weeping 
and  supplication;  to  confess  the  error  of  their 
ways,  and  to  return  to  the  fold ;  and  those 
who  remain  faithful  have  been  presciTcd  in 
the  conviction,  that  real  happiness  and  rest 
are  only  to  be  found  in  Jesus."  In  the  same 
year  Mr.  Beck  wrote  another  letter,  in  which 
were  stated  the  following  interesting  particu- 
lars :  "  The  Southlanders,  or  those  Green- 
landers  who  reside  south  of  Cape  Farewell, 
though  not  quite  wild,  are  ignorant  of  the 
things  of  God,  and  in  reality  a  heathen  race. 
There  is  another  description  of  heathen  who 
live  on  this  side  of  Cape  Farewell,  and  fre- 
qncntly  join  our  people  at  the  out-stations. 
These  have  acquired  some  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  have  abandoned  their  gross  heathen- 
ish practices." 

The  year  1823  was  rendered  remarkable,  by 
the  printing  and  circulation  of  the  first  com- 
plete Xew  Testament  in  the  Greenland  lan- 
guage. The  translation  was  completed  in 
1821,  and  sent  to  England,  to  be  printed  by 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  The 
manuscript  w^as  accompanied  with  a  note, 
saying, "  The  Society  will  judge  for  themselves 
of  the  number  of  copies  which  will  be  wanted, 
when  they  are  informed  that  the  three  congre- 
gations under  the  care  of  the  brethren  in  Green- 
land consist  of  1278  persons,  viz.,  359  at  New 
Herrnhut,  331  at  Lichtenfels,  and  588  at  Lich- 
tenau." 

In  1824,  a  new  Moravian  settlement  was 
formed  at  the  most  southern  extremity  of 
Greenland,  at  a  place  called  by  the  mission- 
aries Fredericksthal.  Building  materials  soon 
arrived,  and  a  house  and  chapel  were  put  up, 
and  the  people  seemed  anxious  for  religious  in- 
struction ;  and  within  a  year  twelve  persons 
were  admitted  as  candidates  for  baptism.  A 
missionary  at  this  place  writes,  under  date 
Oct.  1825,  "  Fifty  persons  have  returned  hither 
from  Lichtenau,  and  have  been  joined  by  about 
200  heathen  from  this  neighborhood  ;  so  that 
there  are  not  far  from  250  Greenlanders  living 
here.  This  is,  indeed,  a  most  encouraging  be- 
ginning, and  our  little  chapel  is  already  much 
too  small.  On  the  19th  of  Dec.  last,  forty  can- 
didates were  baptized,  and  during  the  winter 
many  more  were  admitted  to  the  same  privi- 
lege. Since  our  arrival  here  in  June  1824, 
104  heathens  have  been  baptized." 

Having  reached  the  period  when  the  four 
Moravian  settlements  in  Greenland  were  in 


successful  operation,  their  subsequent  history 
must  be  noticed  more  briefly.  The  charac- 
teristic zeal  and  earnest  piety  of  these  brethren 
have  never  been  known  to  abate,  and  from 
year  to  year  they  have  met  with  a  degree  of 
encouragement  most  cheering  to  their  own 
hearts,  and  blessed  in  its  results  to  the  people 
for  whose  spiritual  good  they  have  toiled 
through  more  than  120  years. 

One  of  the  severest  trials  which  these  mis- 
sionaries have  had  to  endure,  has  been  the 
repeated  and  long  continued  interference  of 
the  Danish  government,  forbidding  the  con- 
verted Greenlanders  to  dwell  in  communities 
near  the  Mora^n  settlements.  It  has  been 
impossible  in  these  circumstances  to  watch 
over  and  instruct  them  in  a  proper  manner, 
for  since  the  converts  have  increased  and 
spread  over  a  wider  surface,  the  missionaries 
and  their  assistants  have  not  been  numerous 
enough  to  follow  them  into  the  various  and 
often  distant  places,  where  they  have  been 
compelled  to  reside.  Still,  it  is  a  remarkable 
and  most  gratifying  fact,  that  the  converts 
have  generally  been  steadfast,  and  that  apos- 
tacies  have  been  of  comparatively  rare  occur- 
rence. 

The  injurious  and  dishonorable  conduct  of 
the  government,  to  which  they  are  prompted 
by  commercial  cupidity  and  national  jealousy, 
has  led  the  Moravian  brethren  to  consider  the 
importance  of  raising  up  native  teachers,  who, 
on  giving  evidence  of  piety,  might  act  as  assist- 
ant missionaries  in  the  districts  to  which  the 
converted  natives  are. driven. 

Accordingly  in  1851  a  school  was  established 
at  New  Herrnhut,  for  training  native  assist- 
ants, and  strong  hopes  are  entertained  that 
this  will  in  a  measure  repair  the  evils  which  an 
unrighteous  course  of  legislation  has  produced. 
In  their  journal  for  1852,  the  missionaries  em- 
ploy the  following  language  of  hope  and 
cheerfulness : — 

"However  we  may  deplore  the  circum- 
stances referred  to,  (the  dispersion)  we  will 
not  lose  courage  nor  quit  our  post,  but  wc  will 
trust  in  the  help  of  the  Lord.  Nor  will  we  be 
too  much  disheartened  by  the  order  lately  re- 
ceived from  the  Board  of  Trade,  in  Denmark, 
to  baptize  and  receive  no  more  heathen,  but 
to  direct  them  to  the  Danish  mission.  This 
proposition,  however  indicative  of  an  unfriend- 
ly spirit,  has  reference  chiefly  to  Fredericks- 
thai,  the  most  southern  of  our  stations,  since 
heathen  (probably  descendants  of  the  ancient 
Normans)  are  found  in  any  considerable  num- 
ber, only  on  the  east  coast,  a  coast  almost  in- 
accessible to  us  on  account  of  the  ice.  From 
that  quarter  the  congregation  at  Fredericks- 
thai  has  hitherto  had  a  considerable  increase, 
while  such  as  came  only  on  a  visit,  and  could 
not  remain,  took  with  them  what  they  had 
heard,  and  assisted  in  spreading  the  Gospel." 
In  July,  1852,  on  the  occasion  of  administer- 
ing the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  at 


LABRADOR   AND  GREENLAND. 


505 


Liclitenau,  bo  many  of  the  out-dwellers  came 
together  for  the  enjoyment  of  this  sacred  sea- 
son, that  the  number  of  communicants  amount- 
ed to  237. 

The  present  state  of  the  mission,  at  the  four 
Moravian  settlements  in  Greenland,  will  ap- 
pear from  the  following 


TABULAR 

VIEW. 

SE-ITLEMENTS. 

+5 

1 

1 

1 

"Ha 

1733 
1758  ' 
1774 
1824 

3 
3 
3 
3 

202 
161 
268 
211 

423 

Liclitenfels 

382 

703 

Fredericsthal 

493 

Totals 

12 

842 

2001 

Labrador. — On  the  17th  of  May,  1752, 
four  Moravian  brethren  sailed  from  Lon- 
don for  Labrador,  and  on  their  arrival  in  a 
fine  bay,  the  same  year,  they  fixed  upon  a  spot 
which  they  intended  should  be  the  place  of 
their  future  settlement.  But  after  the  lapse  of 
a  few  weeks  the  vessel  proceeded  farther  to  the 
northward,  with  the  design  of  opening  a  com- 
mercial intercourse  with  the  natives  of  the 
coast ;  and  as  the  Esquimaux  were  fearful  of 
venturing  on  board  on  account  of  the  guns,  a 
company  of  five  mariners  went  among  them  in 
an  unarmed  boat,  accompanied  by  Christian 
Erhardt,  a  member  of  the  Moravian  church, 
who,  in  his  voyages  to  Greenland  had  obtained 
some  knowledge  of  the  language,  and  sup- 
posed he  could  mak-e  himself  understood  on  the 
present  occasion.  But  neither  Erhardt  nor 
his  companions  ever  returned ;  and  as  the 
captain  had  no  means  of  sending  in  search  of 
them,  he  made  his  way  back  to  the  mission- 
aries, whom  he  had  left  behind,  and  requested 
their  assistance  in  working  the  ship  back  to 
Europe.  As  the  best  of  his  men  had  been 
lost,  and  there  was  no  other  method  of  accom- 
plishing the  voyage,  they  acceded  to  his  re- 
quest, and  thus  the  mission  was  for  a  time 
abandoned. 

In  the  spring  of  1764,  Jens  Haven,  who  had 
previously  labored  as  a  missionary  in  Green- 
land, sailed  from  England,  with  the  hope  of 
conveying  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
inhabitants  of  Labrador.  lie  did  not  how- 
ever proceed  farther  than  Newfoundland, 
though  he  found  there  some  Esquimaux  chiefs, 
whom  he  addressed  in  language  which  they 
could  perfectly  understand. 

In  May,  1765,  Jens  Haven  sailed  again  for 
Labrador,  taking  w4th  him  C.  L.  Drachart, 
formerly  one  of  the  Danish  missionaries  in 
Greenland,  and  two  other  brethren.  They 
now  penetrated  farther  into  the  interior  of  the 
country,  and  on  their  return  to  the  coast  they 


had  an  opportunity  of  addressing  several  hun- 
dreds of  the  natives,  who  seemed  to  listen  with 
interest  to  the  truths  of  the  Gospel.  As  to 
the  doctrine  of  depravity,  however,  they 
thought  it  might  be  true  in  respect  to  foreign- 
ers, but  not  in  respect  to  themselves.  No  per- 
manent settlement  was  made  at  this  time,  al- 
though land  was  purchased  of  the  natives  for 
that  purpose. 

In  1769,  George  IIL  presented  100,000 
acres  of  land  to  the  Moravian  brethren,  to  aid 
them  in  commencing  a  mission  on  the  coast  of 
Labrador.  A  society  was  also  formed  in 
England  the  same  year,  in  furtherance  of  this 
object.  In  May,  1770,  the  indefatigable  Jens 
Haven,  taking  with  him  nine  brethren,  sailed 
again  for  Labrador,  further  to  explore  the 
coast,  and  if  possible  fix  on  a  place  for  a  settle- 
ment. They  purchased  a  piece  of  land  of  the 
natives  for  that  purpose,  and  returned  again  to 
England  to  make  preparations  for  entering 
upon  their  work.  Accordingly  in  the  spring 
of  1771,  a  company  of  14  persons,  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Haven,  proceeded  to  Labra- 
dor, and  took  possession  of  the  spot  formerly 
purchased,  and  gave  it  the  name  of 

Nain. — This  place  is  on  the  east  coast  of 
Labrador,  in  N.  lat.  55°,  and  is  so  intensely 
cold  in  winter,  that  rum  placed  in  the  open 
air  freezes  like  water,  and  rectified  spirits  in  a 
short  time  become  as  thick  as  oil.  The  breth- 
ren at  once  commenced  the  erection  of  a 
mission-house,  the  frame  and  materials  for 
which  they  had  brought  with  them  from  Eng- 
land, and  by  great  exertions  it  was  completed 
before  the  setting  in  of  winter.  They  could, 
however,  obtain  but  few  of  the  necessaries  of 
life ;  and  as  much  delay  was  experienced  in 
getting  supplies  from  England,  they  began  to 
look  forward  to  all  the  distresses  of  a  famine. 
But  in  season  to  prevent  this  extremity,  and 
at  a  moment  when  they  had  only  two  pieces 
of  meat  and  a  few  berries  left,  a  vessel  arrived 
from  England,  bringing  j;he  needed  relief. 

The  conduct  of  the  Es'quimaux  towards  the 
missionaries  was  uniformly  friendly,  from  their 
first  arrival.  In  former  times,  no  European 
could  have  passed  a  night  among  these  sav- 
ages without  hazarding  hisi  life ;  but  now  the 
missionaries,  regardless  of  the  inclemency  of 
the  season,  traveled  across  the  ice  and  snow  to 
visit  them  in  their  winter  houses,  and  were 
hospitably  entertained  for  several  days  and 
nights  together.  These  visits  were  often  re- 
turned ;  and  in  consequence  of  the  friendly  in- 
tercourse thus  opened,  the  natives  not  only 
asked  the  advice  of  the  brethren  in  all  difficult 
cases,  but  even  chose  them  as  umpires  in  their 
disputes,  and  invariably  submitted  to  their  ar- 
bitration. They  were  also  in  a  mood  to  listen 
with  attention  to  the  preaching  of  the  Word, 
and  at  times  they  seemed  to  be  deeply  im- 
pressed ;  still  they  were  savages,  habituated  to 
the  gratification  of  the  most  brutal  passions,  and 
always  ready  with  some  excuse  for  their  sins. 


506 


LABRADOR  AND   GREENLAND. 


In  1752,  a  year  aflcr  the  Bottlement  of  the 
mittion,  a  native  nanuHl  Anauke,  was  induced 
to  attend  ujwn  the  instructions  of  the  mission- 
aries, and  althouffh  he  hatl  been  a  ferocious  and 
desperate  character,  he  was  so  much  impressed 
that  ho  came  and  pitched  his  tent  near  the 
minion  house.  lie  removed  to  his  winter 
hoosc  after  a  few  months,  but  his  anxiety  con- 
tinued, and  he  visited  the  missionaries  again, 
and  sjHjnt  a  few  days  with  them,  desiring  fur- 
ther instruction.  From  this  time  the  brethren 
heard  nothing  of  him  for  more  than  a  year, 
when  his  wife  came  to  Nain  and  stated  that  An- 
auke had  died,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  From  the  time  that  he  was  seized  with 
his  last  sickness  he  prayed  fervently,  and  ex- 

Sressly  stated  that  he  had  no  wish  to  live,  but 
esired  to  depart  that  he  might  be  with  Christ. 
He  would  not  permit  one  of  the  necromancers, 
called  Angekoks,  to  come  near  him,  but  com- 
mitted himself  unreservedly  into  the  hands  of 
the  great  Physician.  After  his  decease,  this 
person  was  invariably  spoken  of  by  the  natives 
as  "  the  man  whom  the  Saviour  took  to  him- 
self." As  many  of  the  heathen  residing  in  the 
vicinity  of  Nain  appeared  remarkably  atten- 
tive to  the  Gospel,  and  expressed  the  most 
Erofound  reverence  for  the  name  of  Jesus,  the 
rethren  resolved  to  select  a  few  of  the  most 
serious,  and  form  them  into  a  class  of  catechu- 
mens, in  order  to  prepare  them  for  baptism, 
and  ultimately  for  helpers  in  the  missionary 
work.  At  the  same  time  they  resolved  upon 
the  erection  of  a  chapel,  capable  of  containing 
some  hundreds  of  persons,  as  the  apartment  in 
the  mission  house  had  become  too  small  to 
contain  the  congregation. 

Okkak, — In  the  summer  of  1775  two  of  the 
missionaries,  Messrs.  Haven  and  Jensen,  set 
out  with  the  design  of  commencing  a  new  set- 
tlement at  a  place  called  Okkak,  about  a  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  north  of  Nain.  They 
found  it  to  be  an  eligible  spot  for  a  mission, 
being  abundantljr  fiynished  with  wood  and 
fresh  water,  contiguous  to  an  excellent  haven, 
and  surrounded  by  a  numerous  population  of 
heathen.  They  therefore  purchased  the  land 
of  the  natives,  and  in  the  spring  of  1776  the 
missionaries  took  up  their  residence  here  and 
began  to  preach  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to 
the  natives.  They  met  with  little  success  at 
first,  but  at  the  end  of  three  years  they  had 
baptized  38  of  the  natives,  besides  ten  others, 
who,  as  catechumens,  were  receiving  particular 
instruction. 

Hop€(laie.—lnl'i82  the  brethren  proceeded  to 
form  a  third  settlement,  at  a  place  called  Hope- 
dale,  some  distance  to  the  south  of  Nain.  This 
was  the  place  reconnoitered  by  Erhardt  and 
his  companions  in  1852,  but  who,  instead  of 
accomplishing  their  wishes,  were  inhumanly 
murdered  by  the  Indians.  For  several  years 
the  brethren  at  this  place  met  with  little  en- 
couragement, and  were  inclined  to  give  over 
the  enterprise,  when  at  length  the  word  took 


effect,  and  Hopedale  became  the  scene  of  an 
awakening  which  extended  to  the  other  settle- 
ments, and  constrained  the  missionaries  to  ex- 
claim. "  What  hath  God  wrought  ?  " 

In  1790  an  epidemic  broke  out  in  Labrador, 
and  raged  for  several  months  with  great  sever- 
ity, carrying  off  a  great  number  of  the  natives. 
It  was  a  source  of  great  trial  to  the  brethren, 
that  some  of  the  converts,  even  under  this  ca- 
lamity, resorted  to  their  old  heathenish  prac- 
tices for  the  purpose  of  averting  the  disease. 
Most  of  them,  however,  were  soon  convinced 
of  their  folly  and  sin,  and  returned  to  the  mis- 
sionaries with  the  most  humble  confessions. 

The  month't)f  December,  1800,  was  made 
painfully  memorable  by  the  death  of  a  devoted 
brother  at  the  Hopedale  station,  Rev.  J.  W. 
Reiman.  He  went  out  one  morning  with  the 
design  of  procuring  some  fresh  provisions,  by 
shooting,  and  was  never  afterwards  seen  or 
heard  of,  although  immediate  and  long-contin- 
ued search  was  made  for  him. 

At  the  commencement  of  1804  the  mission- 
aries at  the  several  stations  in  Labrador  were 
much  disheartened  on  account  of  the  little  suc- 
cess that  attended  their  labors.  It  had  long 
been  a  subject  of  regret,  that  the  instructions 
given  to  the  Esquimaux  during  the  winter, 
when  they  resided  near  the  settlements,  were 
forgotten  during  the  summer  excursions,  when 
they  associated  with  their  heathen  countrymen, 
and  relapsed  into  many  of  their  old  practices. 
In  the  spring  of  this  year,  however,  the  breth- 
ren were  gratified  to  find  that  the  converts  had 
been  preserved  from  falling  into  sin  and  had 
also  made  important  advances  in  knowledge 
and  humility.  They  appeared  unusually  se- 
rious, and  a  peculiar  unction  attended  their 
conversation  and  prayers,  and  many  who  had 
before  shown  only  an  outward  respect  for  reli- 
gion were  awakened,  and  led  earnestly  to  in- 
quire for  the  way  of  salvation.  The  religious 
interest,  or  revival,  thus  commenced  at  Hope- 
dale,  soon  began  to  manifest  itself  at  Nain, 
where  it  was  specially  promoted  by  the  lemark- 
able  conversion  of  a  young  man  named  Siksi- 
gak  ;  his  wife  had  been  converted,  and  he  had 
formed  the  purpose  of  putting  her  away  and 
marrying  another  who  was  friendly  to  his 
superstitions.  Arriving  at  the  house  of  his 
mother,  who  had  also  become  a  Christian,  just 
at  the  season  of  the  evening  devotion,  he  was 
much  struck  with  what  he  saw  and  heard,  but 
still  nothing  could  dissuade  him  from  abandon- 
ing his  wife.  The  next  day  a  special  prayer- 
meeting  was  held  for  his  conversion,  during 
which  his  mother  besought  the  Lord  in  a  spirit 
of  great  earnestness,  for  the  conversion  and 
salvation  of  her  son.  Almost  immediately 
upon  this  the  young  man  became  convinced  of 
the  error  of  his  ways,  and  was  subdued  under 
the  power  of  the  Gospel.  He  exhibited  an 
entire  change  of  spirit  and  conduct,  and  boldly 
proclaimed  to  his  companions  at  Nain  the 
preciousness  of  that  word  which  had  proved 


LABRADOR    AND    GREENLAND. 


607 


the  power  of  God  to  his  soul.  Many  others 
were  astonished  at  this  change,  and  led  to  con- 
fess their  sins  with  penitential  tears.  The  in- 
telligence of  these  things  reached  Okkak,  and 
proved  the  means  of  a  similar  awakening  there. 
Even  many  of  the  Esquimaux  who  resided  far 
north  of  Okkak,  but  who  occasionally  passed 
that  way,  were  struck  with  astonishment  at 
what  they  saw  and  heard,  and  were  led  to  come 
and  settle  near  the  missionaries.  This  work 
of  grace  continued  several  years,  bringing  in 
many  of  the  children,  as  well  as  the  adult  na- 
tives. 

Early  in  the  summer  of  1811  two  of  the  mis- 
sionaries undertook  the  perilous  task  of  explor- 
ing the  northern  coast,  with  a  view  to  the 
formation  of  a  settlement  in  that  quarter. 
They  embarked  in  a  two  masted  shallop,  owned 
by  one  of  the  converts,  named  Jonathan,  who, 
though  a  chief  of  his  nation  at  Hopedale, 
readily  engaged  in  the  arduous  service.  He 
w^as  a  man  of  superior  understanding  and  great 
courage,  and  when  his  countrymen  represented 
to  him  the  danger  of  his  undertaking,  he  re- 
plied, "When  I  hear  people  talk  about  the 
danger  of  being  killed,  I  recollect  that  the  love 
of  Jesus  induced  him  to  submit  to  death  for 
us  ;  and  therefore  it  would  be  no  great  matter 
if  we  were  to  lose  our  lives  in  his  service, 
should  that  be  his  pleasure  concerning  us." 
They  proceeded  with  great  difficulty  and  peril, 
through  regions  of  ice,  to  the  desert  regions 
west  of  Cape  Chudleigh,  where  they  discovered 
two  places  suitable  for  a  missionary  settlement. 
One  of  these  was  a  verdant  spot,  overgrown 
with  shrubs,  near  the  mouth  of  a  river,  to  which 
they  gave  the  name  of  George's  river,  in  honor 
of  his  Britannic  majesty  ;  and  the  other  was  sit- 
uated in  what  they  called  Unity  Bay,  near  the 
estuary  of  the  Koksoak,  or  Sand  river,  which 
is  nearly  seven  hundred  miles  distant  from  Ok- 
kak. They  found  the  land  level  and  dry,  wat- 
ered by  several  rivulets,  and  producing  a  vari- 
ety of  trees,  plants,  and  flowers.  The  natives 
in  this  region  had  never  before  seen  a  Euro- 
pean, and  were  at  first  rather  reserved,  but 
after  receiving  a  few  trifling  presents  they  be- 
came familiar,  and  not  only  listened  attentively 
to  what  their  visitors  had  to  say,  but  expressed 
a  strong  desire  to  have  them  settle  there.  After 
exploring  the  surrounding  country  sufficiently, 
the  party  started  on  their  return,  and  reached 
Okkak  in  October,  having  been  absent  about 
five  months,  and  performed  a  voyage  of  between 
twelve  and  thirteen  hundred  miles.  No  settle- 
ment, however,  has  yet  been  formed  in  that 
region. 

On  the  9th  of  August,  1820,  the  missionaries 
at  Naiu  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  new 
ship,  called  the  Harmony,  come  to  anchor  in 
their  bay,  just  fifty  years  after  the  first  vessel 
arrived  there  with  fourteen  brethren  and  sis- 
ters on  board.  They  expressed  their  joy  by 
hoisting  two  small  flags,  and  a  white  one  on 
which  some  of  the  sisters  had  formed  the  num- 


ber 50  with  a  red  ribbon,  and  surrounded  it 
with  a  wreath  of  laurel.  Their  small  cannons 
were  also  discharged  and  answered  by  the  guns 
of  the  ship,  and  the  Esquimaux  fired  their  mus- 
kets as  long  as  their  powder  lasted.  Some 
tunes  exj)ressive  of  thanksgiving  were  also 
played  on  wind  instruments,  which,  altogether, 
made  a  suitable  impression  on  the  minds  of  the 
converts,  and  gave  them  some  idea  of  a  jubilee 
rejoicing.  The  missionaries  explained  to  them 
the  whole  thing,  and  after  listening  with  pro- 
found attention  they  exclaimed,  "  Yes  ;  Jesus 
is  worthy  of  thanks !  Jesus  is  worthy  of  thanks, 
indeed ! " 

In  further  noticing  this  joyful  occasion,  the 
missionaries  say,  "In  the  public  services  of 
the  day,  a  spirit  of  joy  and  thanksgiving  pre- 
vailed throughout  the  whole  congregation,  and 
the  baptism  of  two  adults  tended  greatly  to 
solemnize  the  festival.  We  praised  the  Lord 
with  heart  and  voice  for  all  the  wonders  he 
had  wrought  in  behalf  of  the  mission  in  Lab- 
rador, during  half  a  century  ;  in  which  he  had 
led,  preserved,  and  blessed  us  abundantly. 
His  mighty  arm  had  protected  us  in  many 
dangers,  and  the  preaching  of  his  cross  had 
been  attended  with  power  and  with  the  demon- 
stration of  his  own  Spirit,  so  that  many  souls 
had  thereby  been  brought  into  his  kingdom. 
An  account  of  the  commencement  of  the  mis- 
sion, translated  into  the  Esquimaux  language, 
was  communicated  to  the  congregation,  and 
heard  with  great  attention  and  astonishment. 
They  were  indeed  surprised  at  the  recital  of 
what  had  been  done  for  so  many  years,  with  a 
view  to  their  benefit." 

The  jubilee  of  the  mission  was  also  cele- 
brated in  the  other  settlements  with  due  solem- 
nity, and  many  of  the  Esquimaux  afterwards 
testified  that  it  had  been  a  most  important  and 
blessed  season  to  their  souls ;  as  they  had  been 
led  to  consider  more  seriously  than  ever  before, 
what  great  things  the  Lord  had  done  for  them, 
in  making  them  acquainted  with  himself  and 
his  glorious  salvation. 

About  this  time,  portions  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament were  translated  and  printed  in  the  Es- 
quimaux language,  a  work  from  which  very 
important  benefits  appear  to  have  resulted. 
The  following  particulars  have  been  given,  in 
illustration  of  the  gratitude  which  was  excited 
in  the  minds  of  the  natives,  by  the  kind  and 
repeated  donations  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society.  "  Several  of  our  Esquimaux 
at  Nain,  having  been  informed  of  the  nature 
and  aim  of  the  Bible  Society,  began,  of  their 
own  accord,  to  collect  seal's  blubber,  by  way 
of  making  up  a  small  contribution  towards  the 
expenses  of  that  society.  Some  brought  whole 
seals,  or  half  a  seal,  or  pieces,  according  to 
their  ability.  Others  brought  portions  of 
blubber  in  the  name  of  their  children,  request- 
ing, with  the  most  afiecting  expressions,  that 
their  little  offerings  might  be  accepted.  Hav- 
ing been  told  that  in  some  parts  of  the  world, 


508 


LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND. 


poor" 


oooTorti  fW«n  among  Uio  heathen,  who  were 
t»»<>M  thcv,  had  cheerfully  contributed 
irils  the  furtherance  of  the  Gos- 
pti,  lined,  "  How  long  have  we  heard 

Uie  pli-iisiiiit  and  comfortable  words  respecting 
Jesus  C'hrigt,  our  Saviour,  and  how  many  books 
have  ice  received  treating  of  him,  and  yet  we 
have  never  known  or  considered  whence  they 
came.  Wo  have,  indeed,  sometimes  observed 
among  ourselves,  that  so  many  books  freely 
bestowed  upon  us  must  cost  a  great  deal  some- 
where ;  but  we  never  knew  till  now  that  even 
noor  people  have  contributed  their  little  sums 
for  our  instruction  and  comfort  We  are  in- 
deed poor,  yet  we  may  occasionally  bring 
eomo  blubber,  that  othere  who  are  as  ignorant 
OS  we  were  formerly,  may  receive  the  same 
Gospel  which  has  been  so  sweet  to  our  souls, 
and  may  thereby  be  taught  to  find  the  way  to 
Jesus."  "  By  these  spontaneous  declarations," 
says  the  missionary,  "  a  great  impression  was 
made  upon  our  people.  Each  would  bring 
something,  when  they  heard  how  desirous  other 
nations  were  to  hear  the  word  of  God ;  and 
they  now  begged  me  to  send  their  contribu- 
tions to  those  generous  friends  who  printed  the 
Scriptures  for  them,  that  more  heathen  might 
be  presented  with  a  book  so  much  more  pre- 
cious than  any  thing  else  in  the  world." 

A  letter  written  at  Naiu,  August  10, 1823, 
says,  "  Many  are  the  instances  which  we  might 
adduce  as  proofs,  that  the  word  of  the  cross  is 
indeed  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  all 
them  that  hear  and  believe."  Having  related 
many  striking  facts,  he  added,  "During  the 
last  winter  we  perceived  with  great  gratitude 
the  traces  of  renewed  spiritual  life  among  our 
dwir  Esquimaux.  The  schools  and  daily  wor- 
ship are  well  attended,  the  scholars  show  an 
eagerness  to  learn,  and  at  the  examination  they 
all  afforded  us  much  pleasure.  During  the 
last  }-Qa.r  three  adults  and  seven  children  were 
baptized;  five  were  admitted  to  the  Lord's 
Supper  ;  four  were  received  into  the  congrega- 
tion, and  one  departed  this  life.  The  number 
of  inhabitants  m  this  settlement  at  present 
is  181."  ^ 

Letters  of  equal  encouragement  were  written 
from  the  other  settlements  during  the  same 
year.  The  number  of  inhabitants  at  Okkak, 
m  1830,  was  estimated  by  the  missionaries  at 
385,  of  whom  314  were  members  of  the  con- 
gregation. The  population  at  Hopedale,  at 
the  same  date,  consisted  of  179  persons,  of 
whom  56  were  communicants,  7  candidates  for 
admission  to  the  Lord's  table,  21  baptized,  but 
not  yet  communicants,  and  80  children. 

In  1829,  the  congregations  in  Hopedale  and 
Nain  were  visited  by  a  malignant  disorder, 
which  carried  off  great  numbers  of  the  society. 
In  four  weeks  upwards  of  150  lay  ill  at  Nain, 
and  their  situation  was  dcploralilc  indeed.  In 
many  of  the  tents  all  thp  families  lay  in  a  help- 
less state,  nor  could  any  one  give  the  other  so 
much  as  a  drop  of  water.    "  Our  greatest  com- 


fort," says  a  missionary  at  this  time,  "  was  the 
state  of  mind  of  those  who  departed  this  life. 
They  all  declared  that  they  rejoiced  at  the 
prospect  of  soon  seeing  Him,  face  to  face,  who, 
by  his  sufferings  and  death,  had  redeemed 
them  from  the  power  of  sin  and  the  fear  of  the 
grave." 

Hebron. — In  1830  a  fourth  settlement  was 
formed  at  a  place  called  Hebron,  about  90 
miles  north  of  Okkak.  It  is  the  most  northern 
station  on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  During  this 
year  500  copies  of  the  Psalms  were  distributed 
at  the  several  stations. 

One  of  the  sorest  trials  which  the  mission- 
aries at  this  penod,  and  subsequently,  had  to 
endure,  was  the  influence  exerted  on  the  natives 
by  the  Southland  traders.  By  mingling  in 
the  society  of  these  unprincipled  and  mercenary 
nien,  the  converts  were  many  of  them  seduced 
into  vicious  practices,  and  led  far  away  from 
the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel.  Some  of  them 
returned  again  with  penitent  confessions,  but 
the  pernicious  example  of  these  traders  has  had 
a  sensible  effect  on  the  missions. 

In  1837  the  brethren  completed  the  revisal 
of  the  Esquimaux  version  of  the  prophetic 
Scriptures,  and  sent  it  to  England  for  publica- 
tion. 

The  year  1848  was  one  of  great  joy  and 
thanksgiving  to  the  brethren  at  Hebron  ;  for, 
after  years  of  earnest  and  apparently  fruitless 
effort,  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the 
heathen  coming  to  them,  one  after  another, 
till,  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  81  had  found 
their  way  to  the  settlement,  raising  the  num- 
ber of  souls  under  the  care  of  the  brethren  at 
that  place  to  336.  During  this  year  the  Es- 
quimaux version  of  the  book  of  Proverbs  was 
forwarded  to  the  Bible  Society  in  England  to 
be  printed. 

Within  the  last  year  or  two,  new  explorar 
tions  have  been  made  in  the  north  of  Labra- 
dor, and  considerable  bodies  of  Esquimaux, 
speaking  a  language  easily  understood,  have 
been  found.  But  as  yet  no  settlement  has  been 
formed  in  that  distant  and  dreary  region. 

In  Labrador,  as  in  Greenland,  missionary 
operations  have  been  attended  Irom  the  first 
with  peculiar  vicissitudes,  both  of  a  joyful  and 
a  painful  nature.  This  has  resulted,  in  great 
measure,  from  the  severity  of  the  climate, 
which  at  intervals  renders  it  nearly  or  quite 
impossible  to  obtain  food,  subjecting  the  peo- 
ple to  all  the  horrors  of  famine,  to  which  is 
superadded  often  the  ravages  of  pestilence. 
But  it  has  happened  generally  at  such  times, 
that  the  missionaries  have  had  stores  from 
Europe,  with  which  in  some  measure  to  relieve 
the  natives,  and  by  this  means,  and  a  tender 
and  watchful  care  of  the  sick  and  the  dying, 
the  brethren  have  secured  the  gratitude  and 
confidence  of  the  people,  and  gained  a  more 
ready  access  to  their  hearts  and  consciences. 
It  has  ever  been  and  must  be  a  serious  draw- 
back on  these  missions  also,  that  the  congre- 


LAC-QUI-PARLE— LEW-CHEW. 


509 


gations  are  obliged  to  spend  the  warm  months 
away  from  the  settlements,  in  quest  of  provi- 
sions for  the  winter.  They  are  thus  deprived 
of  instructions,  and  subjected  to  many  tempta- 
tions. But  as  a  mitigation  of  this  evil  it  is  to 
be  gratefully  considered,  that  in  their  disper- 
sion the  converts  often  carry  the  news  of  a 
Saviour  to  the  heathen  at  a  distance,  and  bring 
in  many  to  the  settlements  who  otherwise 
never  would  have  heard  of  a  missionary,  or  of 
the  way  of  salvation. 

On  the  whole,  therefore,  while  the  trials  of 
the  missionaries  have  been  great  and  peculiar, 
the  results  of  missionary  labor  in  those  frozen 
and  inhospitable  regions  have  been  happy  and 
encouraging  to  a  remarkable  degree. 

The  present  state  of  the  missions  at  the  four 
stations  in  Labrador,  is  indicated  in  the  fol- 
lowing 


TABULAR 

VIEW. 

SETTLEMENTS. 

1 

1 

*3 

!3 

pi 

Nain 

1771 
1776 

1782 
1830 

4 
4 
4 
3 

84 

176 

59 

75 

366 

Okkak ; 

410 

Hopedale 

234 

HebroQ , 

347 

Totals 

15 

394 

1357 

Re 

V.  E 

D.  Mo 

ORB. 

LAO-QUI-PARLE :  Once  a  station  of  the 
Am.  Board  among  the  Sioux  Indians. 

LAGOS  :  A  large,  well-built,  and  populous 
town,  situated  on  a  small  island  at  the  mouth 
of  a  lagoon  in  the  Bight  of  Benin,  West  Africa, 
about  36  miles  east  of  Badagry.  It  is  accessi- 
ble to  vessels  drawing  ten  or  eleven  feet  of 
water,  and  has  a  water  communication  far  into 
the  interior,  and  for  hundreds  of  miles  along 
the  coast.  It  is  a  great  commanding  point, 
from  whence  Christianity  may  go  forth  into 
the  interior.  The  coast  station  of  the  Yoruba 
mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  has 
been  removed  from  Badagry  to  Lagos. 

LAHAIXA :  A  town  on  the  Island  of 
Maui  (S.  I.),  which  is  rapidly  increasing  in 
commercial  importance.  In  the  year  1844, 
300  ships  visited  its  harbor. — A  station  of  the 
American  Board. 

LAHAINALUNA  :  Upper  Lahaina,  a  sta- 
tion of  the  American  Board  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  on  the  north-east  of  Maui. 

LAHOR  :  The  chief  city  of  the  Punjaub, 
Northern  India,  a  station  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board. 

LA  POINTE  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  among  the  Ojibwas. 

LAUNCESTON  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyau  Missionary  Society  in  Van  Dieman's 
Land. 

LEFAASALELEAGA  :   A  station  of  the 


London  Missionary  Society  on  the  island  of 
Savaii,  one  of  the  Samoan  group. 

LEGUAN:  A  beautiful  island  in  the 
mouth  of  the  Essequibo  river,  containing  22 
sugar  estates.  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

LEICESTER  MO  CTNTAIN:    Station  of 
the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  the  Moun- 
tain District  of  Sierra  Leone,  South  Africa,  • 
about  three  miles  from  Freetown. 

LEKATLOISTG:  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  on  the 
Hart  river,  among  a  branch  of  the  Batlapi 
nation  ;  one  missionary,  300  communicants. 

LEONE  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  on  the  island  of  Tutuila,  one 
of  the  Samoan  group. 

LEOPOLD  :  A  town  of  liberated  Africans 
and  station  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
in  the  parish  of  St.  Peter,  Sierra  Leone,  W. 
Africa,  a  little  south  of  Freetown. 

LEPA :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  on  the  island  of  Upolu,  one  of 
the  Samoan  group. 

LETTY:  One  of  the  Banda  Islands,  a 
group  of  the  Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago. 

LE  ULUMAEGA  :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  on  the  island  of  Upolu, 
one  of  the  Samoas. 

LEW-CHEW,  or  LOO-CHOO  :  The  king- 
dom of  Lew-Chew  consists  of  the  island  bear- 
ing this  name,  the  various  small  islands  lying 
around  it,  with  the  entire  Madjicosimah  group 
on  the  south-west,  the  whole  number  being  36. 
The  island  of  Lew-chew  is  about  60  miles  long 
and  from  12  to  15  wide  ;  and  it  is  nearly  equi- 
distant from  Japan  and  China.  Coral  reefs 
line  the  shores  ;  and  in  some  places  they  seem 
to  have  been  thrown  up  by  volcanic  agency, 
or  to  have  been  raised  so  as  to  form  ledges 
along  the  beach.  The  climate  is  one  of  the 
most  delightful  and  healthy  in  this  region  of 
the  world.  The  vegetation  partakes  more  of 
the  tropics  than  the  adjacent  coasts  of  China. 

Cities  and  Villages. — Napa,  or  Nafa,  lies  on 
the  river,  the  mouth  of  which  is  known  as 
Napa-kiang  ;  and  it  stretches  inland  from  the 
beach  for  more  than  a  mile,  most  of  the  houses 
being  in  view  from  the  anchorage.  Shui,  or 
Shudi,  is  the  residence  of  the  court,  and  is 
prettily  situated  on  the  ridge  and  side  of  a  hill, 
about  three  miles  from  Napa,  the  two  being 
connected  by  a  broad  paved  road,  in  some 
places  elevated  above  the  marsh  with  great 
labor.  Shui  is  a  well-built  town ;  and  the 
stream  which  runs  down  the  hill,  adds  greatly 
to  its  appearance.  The  waters  are  collected 
into  pools  and  tanks  for  the  convenience  of  the 
people,  and  its  banks  are  connected  by  stone 
bridges  of  great  durability  ;  while  the  houses 
are  scattered  along  the  steep  sides,  intermixed 
with  ledges  of  stone  and  trees  in  a  most  pictu- 
resque manner.  The  palace  is  a  collection  of 
large  buildings,  inclosed  and  defended  by  a 


610 


LEW-CHEW. 


stone  mix  of  great  solidity.    The  buildings 

fl      thciiMcivcBaro  of  an  ordinary  description;  but 

tli>  t!;g!»ts  of  stone  8tc'|>s,  the  ornamented  tri- 

uwvLys,  and  the  paved  court-yards,  with 

I  ircca  and  arbors,  exhibit  some  skill. 

irects  of  Napa  and  Shui  are  partly 

maoiuiiunizeil,  with  open  gutters  at  their  sides  ; 

some  of  them  are  wide  enough  for  carriages. 

The  road  between  these  two  cities  is  well 

paved ;  but  elsewhere  the  common  highways 

are  rough,  stony,  and  painful  to  the  feet ;  and 

they  seem  to  have  had  no  mending  since  they 

were  made.     The  markets  arc  held   in  the 

squares  and  corners  of  the  streets,  and  present 

only  a  miserable  assortment  of  the  commonest 

necessaries  of  life. 

The  villages  are  often  prettily  situated  ;  but 
all  of  them  exhibit  proofs  of  the  poverty  and 
oppression  of  their  inhabitants. 

The  People. — In  stature  the  natives  of  Lew- 
chew  are  below  their  neighbors ;  but  they  are 
compactly  built  and  well-proportioned.  In 
general  the  people  are  healthy,  though  their 
countenances  indicate  the  depressing  effect  of 
unremitted  labor.  The  serious  aspect  of  the 
Lew-chewans  strikes  a  visitor  as  soon  as  he 
lands.  Groups  of  women,  with  children  around, 
are  seen  along  the  highways.  The  wrinkled, 
grimmed,  and  care-worn  countenances  of  these 
poor  creatures  offer  a  melancholyproof  of  their 
toil  and  exposure,  and  the  low  position  which 
they  hold  in  society. 

The  color  of  the  Lew-chewans  is  a  pleasing 
reddish-olive  tint,  presenting  a  lighter  or  dark- 
er shade,  according  to  exposure.  In  general 
however,  it  is  darker  than  that  of  the  Chinese. 

Products  of  t/ie  Soil. — The  greatest  part  of 
the  |)opulation  is  engaged  in  agriculture  ;  and 
the  fields  show  abundant  evidence  of  the  un- 
ceasing toil  bestowed  upon  them,  in  which  the 
women  take  a  large  share ;  but  the  productions 
of  Lew-chew  are  less  varied  than  those  of 
China  or  Japan.  Timber  and  fuel  are  sup- 
plied from  the  forests  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  island,  among  which  the  camphor  and  tal- 
low-tree are  found. 

Dwellings.— The  arrangement  of  a  Lew- 
chewan  dwelling  is  very  simple,  it  being  fitted 
only  for  a  warm  climate,  and  so  open  that  in 
the  latitude  of  26^  north  it  must  often  prove 
an  indifferent  shelter.  The  roof  is  supported 
by  a  double  row  of  posts,  on  its  sides,  about 
four  feet  apart ;  and  beams  extend  across  to 
assist  in  upholding  the  roof  in  the  centre. 
These  beams  and  the  rows  of  joists  running 
across,  as  well  as  the  inner  of  the  two  on  the 
outside,  are  provided  with  grooves,  in  which 
panels  slide,  so  as  to  form,  when  closed,  the 
sides  of  the  house  and  the  division  of  the  rooms. 
The  floor  is  elevated  about  two  feet  above  the 
ground  ;  and  it  is  usually  covered  with  stuflFed 
mats  an  inch  thick,  on  which  are  sometimes 
spread  felt  carpets.  The  space  between  the 
outside  posts  forms  a  porch,  sheltered  from  the 
rain.    In  unpleasant  weather  sashes,  covered 


with  oiled  or  thin  paper,  are  slid  along  the  in- 
side grooves,  imperfectly  supplying  the  place 
of  glass,  and  furnishing  a  twilight  to  the,  in- 
mates, who  warm  themselves  with  braziers  of 
charcoal.  The  porch  serves  many  purposes  ; 
and  parts  of  it  are  partitioned  off  in  tiie  rear 
of  the  houses  ;  so  that  the  whole  establishment 
is  under  one  roof,  and  can  be  thrown  into  one 
room.  No  chairs  or  tables  arc  seen  in  the 
houses,  all  persons  eating  and  sleeping  upon 
soft  mats.  A  few  low  stands  are  used  for 
writing-desks.  The  mats  and  felted  carpets 
harbor  an  abundance  of  fleas  ;  and  musquitoes 
annoy  the  inmates.  But  houses  of  the  better 
sort  are  cleanly.*- 

The  houses  are  usually  placed  within  inclo- 
sures,  the  walls  of  which  are  six  or  seven  feet 
high,  and  surmounted  with  plants,  completely 
concealing  the  house.  The  entrance  to  each 
yard  is' usually  at  the  end  of  a  short  lane  nin- 
ning  up  from  the  street ;  but  no  passer-by  can 
look  within. 

Dress. — The  dress  of  the  Lew-chewans  con- 
sists of  loose  robes,  not  unlike  night-gowns, 
lapping  over  in  front,  and  secured  by  a  girdle. 
The  capacious  bosom  thus  made  is  usually 
pretty  well  filled  with  a  variety  of  papers, 
books,  and  other  articles,  so  as  to  give  the 
wearer  a  corpulent  appearance.  The  feet  are 
protected  by  grass  sandals,  fastened  by  a  strap 
passing  between  the  first  and  second  toe.  The 
women  are  always  modestly  dressed.  The  men 
wear  two  hair-pins  of  brass  or  white  copper  to 
secure  their  hair,  which  is  done  up  in  a  coil 
on  the  top  of  the  head,  with  a  bow  above  the 
coil,  through  which  the  large  pin  is  thrust. 
Much  time  is  daily  spent  in  arranging  and 
oiling  this  trosseau.  One  of  the  pins  has  an 
ornamental  end,  like  a  flower,  nearly  an  irfch 
broad,  which  always  points  forward.  The 
other  is  not  much  unlike  a  skewer,  four  or  five 
inches  long,  and  thrust  in  sideways.  Females 
collect  their  hair  in  a  knot  on  the  side  of  the 
head,  where  the  ends  are  kept  from  falling 
over  the  shoulders  by  a  skewer.  All  married 
women  tattoo  or  color  the  back  of  their  hands 
and  fingers  blue.  Neither  sex  wear  any  head- 
dress ;  but  official  rank  is  denoted  by  an  oblong 
flat-topped  cap,  covered  with  red,  yellow,  pur- 
ple or  variegated  silk,  the  last  being  the  badge 
of  the  highest.  In  rainy,  or  cold  weather,  an 
overcoat  of  thick  cotton,  forming  a  comforta- 
ble defence,  is  worn  by  the  gentry. 

Language. — The  language  of  these  islanders 
is  a  dialect  of  the  Japanese,  differing  so  great- 
ly, however,  that  the  people  of  the  two  coun- 
tries cannot  very  readily  understand  each 
other. 

The  Arts  of  Life. — Workshops  are  found  in 
various  places,  occupying  favorable  positions 
near  the  markets  ;  and  as  their  fronts  are  open 
to  the  street,  all  the  operations  of  the  workmen 
can  easily  be  seen.  The  mechanical  arts  are 
at  a  low  point  among  the  Lew-chewans,  judg- 
ing from  these  shops,  in  which  one  sees  tools 


LEW-CHEW. 


511 


and  manipulations  strikingly  resembling  those  [  and  between  February  1843  and  Doc.  1845, 

more  than  £1,000  were  raised  for  tlie  purpose 
of  sending  the  Gospel  to  them,  and  £700  more 
in  1846  ;  and  a  Board  of  Trustees  was  appoint- 
ed to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  mission.  Dr. 
Bettelheim,  a  converted  Jew,  a  physician,  and 
a  learned  man,  with  the  sanction  of  the  bishop 
of  London,  was  sent  out  in  Sept.  1845,  and 
arrived  at  Lew-Chew  in  January,  1846. 

He  was  met  on  board  the  vessel  which  con- 
veyed him  by  a  French  Catholic  missionary, 
who  greeted  him  with  a  cordial  welcome. 
Fearin^g  that  permission  to  settle  would  be  de- 
nied him,  he  effected  a  landing  with  his  wife 
and  his  effects,  by  getting  into  the  native 
boats  that  came  out  to  visit  the  ship.  The 
authorities,  however,  refused  to  give  him  leave 
to  remain,  pleading  poverty  and  scarcity  of 
food  ;  and  he  was  requested  to  give  up  his  de- 
sign of  stopping,  and  to  embark  on  the  vessel 
that  brought  him.  But  this  he  declined  to  do, 
returning  a  good  present  for  an  answer. 

After  the  vessel  had  sailed,  he  was  invited 
to  go  and  look  at  a  house  intended  for  his 
residence,  but  finding  it  low  and  damp,  he  de- 
clined it,  and  was  afterwards  shown  to  the 
temple,  an  old,  but  spacious  and  pleasantly 
situated  wooden  building,  which  was  offered 
him  on  condition  that  the  keeper  of  the  idols 
should  reside  in  the  house,  the  idols  being 
screened  off  by  a  sliding  partition ;  and  ho 
accepted  it.  But  three  guard  stations,  with 
five  men  in  each,  were  arranged  near  the  house, 
under  pretence  of  protection,  but  really  for 
espionage. 

For  about  a  year  he  was  able  to  carry  on 
missionary  operations,  maintaining  a  service 
in  his  own  house  with  his  servants,  and  preach- 
ing to  the  people  as  he  met  them  in  the  streets. 
Crowds  gathered  around  him  wherever  he 
raised  his  humble  pulpit,  upon  a  stone,  or  on 
the  corner  of  a  street,  in  the  market,  in  the 
roads  and  lanes,  or  elsewhere.  Wherever  he 
halted,  there  the  passers-by  stopped,  and  all 
the  people  in  the  neighborhood  came  out  to 
hear  him.  The  stalls  were  idle,  sellers  and 
buyers  forgot  their  trade,  while  apparently  en- 
gaged in  a  higher  business.  "  I  have  seen," 
says  Dr.  B.,  "  the  coolies  lay  down  their  bur- 
dens and  quietly  listen  ;  laborers  lean  their 
heads  on  the  handles  of  their  rural  tools,  and 
rest  in  pensive  attention  ;  thoroughfares  were 
obstructed,  and  roads  and  open  places  rendered 
impassable  from  the  masses  of  the  people 
crowded  in  the  space  around  me ;  none  forbid- 
ding, none  driving  them  away,  much  less  pre- 
venting their  assembling." 

But  suddenly  all  was  changed.  It  was  re- 
ported that  the  king  was  dead;  but  Dr.  B. 
thought  it  was  but  a  feint  to  justify  the  ofiicers 
in_  changing  their  course.  Immediately  all 
things  assumed  a  new  aspect.  On  the  very  day 
which  he  supposed  to  be  the  day  of  the  king's 
burial,  he  was  assaulted  with  stones  and  sticks 
in  the  open  road,  and  his  life  endangered.   Ilia 


of  the  Chinese, 

Religion. — The  religion  of  the  Lew-chewans 
partakes  of  that  of  their  two  neighbors,  from 
whom  they  have  derived  most  of  their  civiliza- 
tion. They  have  ancestral  worship,  the  ritual 
of  which  is  mainly  taken  from  the  Chinese  ; 
from  whom  the  adoration  paid  to  Confucius  is 
also  derived.  The  temples  are  numerous.  They 
are  among  the  best  structures  in  the  island, 
affording  lodging-places  for  travelers  within 
their  precincts,  as  well  as  dwellings  for  the 
priests.  The  latter  possess  but  little  influence 
in  the  government ;  but  they  seem  to  receive 
a  good  support  from  devotees. 

Government. — The  government  is  a  heredi- 
tary monarchy  ;  and  the  political  institutions, 
like  those  of  China,  are  founded  on  the  writ- 
ings of  Confucius ;  who  is  highly  revered  here, 
as  well  as  in  Japan,  as  a  wise  and  safe  guide. 
The  kingdom  has  been  under  the  sway  of  the 
princes  of  Satzuma  for  more  than  two  centu- 
ries. The  present  hereditary  sovereign  of  the 
kingdom  is  a  minor,  about  thirteen  years  old  ; 
and  the  administration  of  affairs  is  nominally 
in  the  hands  of  an  officer  called  "  tsung-li 
kwan,"  or  general  superintendent,  usually 
known  as  the  regent,  assisted  by  three  others, 
called  "  pu-ching,"  or  treasurers,  one  for  each 
of  the  prefectures  into  which  the  island  is 
divided.  No  soldiers  or  arms  of  any  kind  are 
seen  in  the  streets.  The  power  of  the  govern- 
ment seems  to  be  maintained  by  means  of  a 
system  of  espionage,  in  which  the  gentry  act 
as  policemen,  their  duty  being  to  mark  every 
thing  which  is  done  by  the  meanest  person. 
The  servile  fear  which  the  system  has  caused 
in  the  mind  of  the  lowest  beggar,  rendering 
him  suspicious  of  his  neighbors  and  kindred, 
stands  in  lieu  of  the  actual  presence  of  t-he 
officer. 

Foreign  Policy. — The  Lew-chewans,  situated 
between  the  powerful  empires  of  China  and 
Japan,  have  consulted  their  safety  by  a  sys- 
tem of  strict  non-intercourse  ;  and  their  gentle 
disposition  has  led  them  to  exhibit  kindness  to 
all  who  ha^e  been  cast  on  their  shores,  or 
have  visited  their  ports,  prompted  in  a  measure 
too  by  the  conviction  that  kindness  had  no  re- 
prisals to  fear.  For  a  long  time  they  were 
able  to  maintain  their  independence  by  pay- 
ing homage  to  their  neighbors ;  but,  in  1609, 
the  Prince  of  Satzuma,  who  rules  in  the  south- 
WesLern  corner  of  Kiu-siu,  compelled  their 
sovereign  to  go  to  his  capital,  Kagosima,  and 
the  subjects  to  pay  him  tribute  and  receive 
his  tax-gatherers. — S.  Wells  Williams,  in 
Missionary  Herald  for  June,  1854,  abridged. 

.  MISSION. 
The  kind  hospitality  of  the  Lew-Chew  peo- 
ple to  British  and  American  vessels  which 
touch  at  their  islands,  or  were  wrecked  on 
their  coasts,  excited  a  deep  interest  in  their  I 
behalf  among  the  officers  of  the  British  navy ;  | 


612 


LIBERIA. 


appool  to  the  (rorcrnin(*nt  wag  only  met  by  a 
denial  of  the  assault  Soon  after,  the  people, 
who  n?cd  to  crowd  around  him  whenever  he 
went  into  the  street,  now  ran  from  him  :  and 
whenever  he  passed  throagli  a  street,  all  #e 
riioj*  were  el{)S!eil,  and  tlic  doors  and  windows 
of  the  hcuLs'cs  closed.  "  First  there  was  a  bus- 
tle, a  runninc:  here  and  there,  a  rattling  and 
clappiiiif  of  shutters,  doors,  and  windows,  as  if 
a  devil  incnmatehad  come  in  their  way  j  green 

Socers  deserted  their  stalls,  laborers  ceased 
eur  work,  and  crews  left  their  boats ;  women 
dragged  their  children  in-doors  in  such  haste 
ond  fright  as  made  them  scream  out  when 
they  saw  mo  again  far  off.  Often  the  noise, 
confusion,  and  bewilderment  rose  to  such  a 
pitch  that  I  was  not  always  free  from  fear  my- 
self, and  almost  dreaded  to  walk  out." 

AH  his  appeals  to  the  government  were  in- 
effectual. It  seemed  to  be  a  concerted,  sys- 
tematic movement  on  the  part  of  the  authori- 
ties to  drive  him  from  the  country ;  and  the 
people,  being  held  under  an  oppressive  despot- 
ism, were  compelled  to  act  according  to  their 
orders.  This  course  of  incessant  annoyance 
was  continued,  with  increasing  rigor  up  to  the 
time  of  his  writing  a  letter  to  Kev.  Dr.  Peter 
Parker,  of  China,  which  was  published  at' 
Canton  in  1850,  from  which  this  statement  is 
derived. 

We  learn  from  recent  intelligence  that  Dr. 
Bettelheim  has  succeeded  in  maintaining  his 

f)Osition  at  Lew-Chew;  and  a  layman,  after 
aboring  seven  years  in  London  as  a  city  mis- 
sionary, has  been  sent  to  his  assistance.  The 
visit  of  the  American  squadron  has  operated 
favorably ;  and  the  prospects  of  the  mission 
are  brightening.  Three  persons  have  received 
baptism  in  Napa  ;  and  another  is  a  candidate 
for  the  same  privilege  at  Shuy. 

An  appeal  has  been  issued  by  the  committee 
having  charge  of  this  mission,  for  the  men  and 
the  means  of  a  speedy  enlargement.  "  The 
Lord,"  it  is  said, "  seems  to  be  preparing  an 
open  door  for  entering  Japan  ;"  and  "  the  mar 
eninery  and  materials  for  a  future  mission  in 
that  kingdom  are  in  preparation  at  Lew- 
Chew." 

LIBERIA :  A  republic  on  the  western  coast 
of  Africa.  Its  civilized  population,  consisting 
of  free  colored  people  and  emancipated  slaves 
from  the  United  States,  and  their  descendants, 
native  Africans  rescued  from  sKare  traders,  and 
a  few  other  natives  who  have  become  civilized, 
may  be  estimated  at  about  10,000.  Its  native 
population,  entitled  by  treaties  to  protection 
and  the  means  of  civilization,  and  to  all  the 
privileges  of  citizenship  when  civilized,  are 
supposed  to  be  two  or  three  hundred  thousand. 

Oovernment.— The  government  consists  of  a 
president  and  vice-president,  elected  once  in 
two  years,  a  senate  and  house  of  representa- 
tives, chosen  by  the  people,  a  judiciary,  secre- 
taries of  the  necessary  departments,  and  other 
executive  officers,  appointed  by  the  president 


and  senate.  None  but  persons  of  color  can 
hold  office,  hold  laud,  or  be  citizens. 

The  territory  has  been  purchased,  at  various 
times,  by  the  American  Colonization  Society, 
and  the  emigrants,  with  few  exceptions,  sent 
out  at  its  expense.  The  government  was  ad- 
ministered at  first  wholly,  and  afterwards  in 
part,  by  officers  appointed  by  that  Society,  till 
the  growth  of  the  colony  and  the  extent  of  its 
commercial  relations  required  the  establishment 
of  an  independent  government,  which  could 
form  commercial  treaties  with  the  several  powers 
of  Europe.  By  advice  of  the  Society,  there- 
fore, the  colony  proclaimed  its  independence 
August  24, 184^7 ;  and  the  government,  under 
its  present  constitution,  was  organized  at  the 
commencement  of  the  succeeding  year.  It  has 
been  recognized  by  the  principal  nations  of 
Christendom. 

Education. — ^The  laws  of  the  republic  require 
a  free  school  in  every  settlement,  and  pro- 
vide for  raising  money  to  defray  the  expense. 
At  present,  however,  the  whole  educational 
establishment,  including  the  primary  schools 
required  by  law,  are  supported  by  various  mis- 
sionary societies  in  the  United  States,  and  a 
full  account  of  them  will  be  given  in  connec- 
tion with  the  several  missions.  In  addition  to 
these  the  legislature  has  incorporated  a  college, 
and  given  it  a  valuable  tract  of  one  hundred 
acres,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  St.  Paul's, 
about  twelve  miles  from  Monrovia.  For  its  es- 
tablishment and  support,  funds  are  held  by  the 
Trustees  of  Donations  for  Education  in  Libe- 
ria, incorporated  by  the  Legislature  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

The  provisions  for  religious  instruction  and 
worship,  like  those  for  education,  are  connected 
with  the  several  missions,  and  to  a  great  ex- 
tent supported  by  societies  in  the  United 
States. 

Extent. — ^The  name  Liberia,  however,  has  a 
wider  application.  The  whole  country  known 
by  that  name  extends  along  the  western  coast 
of  Africa,  from  Manna  Point,  lat.  7^  25'  N., 
long.  120  34'  W.,  to  the  river  San  Pedro,  lat. 
4°  44'  N.,  long.  6°  37'  W.  The  entire  lenglih 
of  its  searcoast  is  about  520  miles.  Of  this 
coast  about  390  miles,  extending  from  Manna 
Point  on  the  north-west,  to  Grand  S  esters, 
belongs  to  the  republic  of  Liberia.  The  re- 
mainder of  the  coast,  extending  about  130  miles 
to  the  river  San  Pedro,  the  extreme  eastern 
boundary,  belongs  to  Maryland  in  Liberia. 
Its  civilized  settlements  were  planted  by  the 
Maryland  Colonization  Society.  Its  govern- 
ment has  always  been  entirely  distinct  from 
that  of  the  republic.  It  has  this  year,  1854, 
passed  from  its  colonial  state  to  that  of  nation- 
al independence.  These  two  republics  intend 
to  unite  under  one  government.  In  respect  to 
their  religious  interests,  they  are  already  united, 
and  may  be  considered  as  one.  The  territory, 
having  been  purchased  of  numerous  small  tribes, 
extends  inland  as  far  as  the  rights  of  the  sev- 


^<^  Of  THl 

3SI7ERSITT: 


LIBERIA. 


613 


eral  tribes  extended;  in  some  places,  sixty 
miles,  in  others,  only  fourteen.  From  Grand 
Cape  Mount  to  Grand  Sesters,  286  miles,  it 
averages  about  forty-five  miles  in  width,  and 
contains  12,870  square  miles,  or  8,236,800 
acres.  If  the  rem.ainder  averages  twenty  miles 
in  width,  which  is  a  low  estimate,  the  whole 
contains  17,270  square  miles,  or  11,052,800 
acres.  It  is  nearly  all  susceptible  of  cultiva- 
tion ;  and  it  is  a  low  estimate  of  its  fertility  to 
say,  that  every  cultivated  acre  will,  on  an  aver- 
age, furnish  the  necessaries  of  life  for  one  in- 
habitant. For  procuring  luxuries  or  acquiring 
wealth,  they  would  need  other  employments, 
or  larger  farms.  Settled  as  densely  as  Sierra 
Leone,  it  would  contain  1,740,000  inhabitants. 

Liberia  is  every  where  well  watered  by 
numerous  small  streams,  but  has  no  very  large 
rivers.  Sand-bars  at  the  mouths  of  the  rivers 
prevent  the  entrance  of  large  vessels  ;  and,  at 
about  twenty  miles  from  the  coast,  their  navi- 
gation is  obstructed  by  rapids.  Here  is  the 
base  of  the  mountain  range  which  divides  the 
waters  of  the  Atlantic  from  those  which  flow 
into  the  Niger,  the  great  river  of  Central 
Africa.  From  this  range,  spurs  and  detached 
elevations  run  down  between  the  rivers,  in 
some  places  quite  to  the  coast,  forming,  as  at 
Cape  Mount  and  Cape  Mesurado,  bold  pro- 
montories. According  to  the  best  information 
yet  obtained,  the  summit  of  this  range,  beyond 
which  the  waters  flow  eastward  and  north- 
eastward into  the  Niger,  cannot  be  more  than 
150  or  200  miles  from  the  coast. 

Harbors. — ^The  coast  is  deficient  in  natural 
harbors ;  but  in  several  places,  good  harbors 
might  probably  be  constructed  at  a  moderate 
expense.  The  whole  coast,  however,  is  one 
continuous  roadstead,  where,  at  any  season  of 
the  year,  ships  may  lie  at  anchor  within  a  mile 
or  two  of  the  shore,  and  landing-places  for 
boats  occur  as  often  as  once  in  five  or  ten  miles. 

Productions. — The  productions  are  those  of 
other  tropical  countries.  Rice  is  the  principal 
grain.  It  is  grown  on  uplands,  without  irri- 
gation. Yams,  sweet  potatoes,  cassada,  and 
other  esculent  roots,  are  easily  raised,  as  are 
oranges,  bananas,  and  other  tropical  fruits. 
Cofiee  is  indigenous,  of  several  varieties,  in- 
cluding the  Mocha,  as  are  also  several  varieties 
of  cotton.  Indigo  is  a  troublesome  weed. 
Another  native  production  is  the  Malaguette 
pepper,  or  "  Grains  of  Paradise,"  from  the 
abundance  of  which,  the  coast  was  formerly 
known  as  "  the  Grain  Coast."  Sugar-cane, 
ginger,  and  arrow-root,  are  easily  cultivated. 
Palm-oil  is  made  in  large  quantities,  and  cam- 
wood and  ivory  are  brought  from  the  interior 
for  exportation.  The  waters  furnish  fish  abun- 
dantly, and  of  good  quality.  The  domestic  ani- 
mals for  food  are  bullocks,  of  small  size  and  lit- 
tle value  for  the  yoke,  goats,  swine,  and  poultry. 

Climate. — The  climate  is  a  healthy  one  for 
its  native  population  ;  as  is  evident  from  their 
well-developed,  vigorous  forms,  their  usual  free- 
33 


dom  from  disease,  and  the  age  to  which  they 
live.  It  must,  of  course,  be  adapted  to  the 
constitutions  of  their  descendants,  in  propor- 
tion as  they  retain  the  constitutional  peculiar- 
ities of  their  ancestors.  Foreigners,  however, 
from  temperate  climates,  whatever  may  be 
their  ancestry,  must  undergo  an  acclimating 
fever,  within  a  few  weeks  after  their  arrival. 
To  this  rule,  the  exceptions  are  too  few  to  be 
of  any  account.  The  fever  is  sometimes  vio- 
lent, and  even  fatal ;  but  in  most  cases,  where 
the  constitution  was  previously  unimpaired,  it 
is  not  severe,  and  yields  readily  to  judicious 
treatment ;  and  in  many,  it  is  very  slight,  not 
even  confining  the  patient  to  his  house  for  a 
single  day.  White  men  never  become  per- 
fectly acclimated  ;  though,  with  prudence  and 
occasional  visits  to  their  native  air,  they  have 
been  able  to  live  and  labor  usefully  for  five, 
ten,  and  even  twenty  years.  Visitors  may 
avoid  the  fever  by  spending  their  nights  on 
board  their  ships,  half  a  mile,  or  even  less, 
from  the  shore. 

Native  Inhabitants. — Liberia  belongs  to  that 
division  of  Africa,  called  Nigritia  by  the 
Latin  geographers  ;  Belad-es-Sudan — that  is, 
the  Land  of  the  Blacks — by  the  Arabs  ;  and 
Guinea  by  the  Portuguese.  These  names  are 
unknown  to  the  natives,  and  the  last  is  of  un- 
known origin.  It  extends  eastward  across  the 
continent,  north  of  the  equator,  even  into  the 
valley  of  the  Nile.  In  its  inhabitants,  the 
form,  features,  complexion,  and  all  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  negro,  are  most  perfectly  de- 
veloped. They  appear  as  slaves  on  some  of 
the  oldest  monuments  of  ancient  Egypt.  They 
were  carried  as  slaves  across  the  Great 
Desert,  and  sold  to  the  Carthaginians.  They 
have  always  been  hunted  and  seized  as  slaves 
by  the  Arab,  Moorish,  and  mixed  races  on  the 
Great  Desert  and  its  southern  border.  After 
the  discovery  of  the  western  coast  by  the  Por- 
tuguese, they  were  bought  and  carried  as  slaves, 
first  to  Europe,  and  afterwards  to  the  West 
Indies  and  the  American  continent.  This  last 
calamity,  however,  has  fallen  with  almost  equal 
weight  on  the  Zingian  or  Zambezan  races, 
south  of  the  equator.  So  far  as  is  known, 
they  have  always  been  divided  into  numerous 
small  tribes,  ignorant  of  letters,  and  with  but 
slight  knowledge,  if  any,  of  some  of  the  sim- 
plest arts  of  civilization.  A  large  majority — 
a  well-informed  writer  supposes  five-sixths — of 
them  are  slaves.  Wives  are  bought,  worked 
as  slaves,  and  sold,  according  to  each  man's 
ability  and  caprice.  Favorite  wives,  and  other 
slaves,  sometimes  in  great  nufnbers,  are  killed 
in  sacrifice  on  the  death  of  a  king.  Slaves 
are  sometimes  killed,  to  give  solemnity  to_  the 
ratification  of  a  treaty.  In  some  of  the  tribes, 
cannibalism  is  occasionally  practised ;  but  to 
a  less  extent,  probably,  than  in  some  of  the 
Zingian  tribes  farther  south. 

Religion. — See  Africa,  Western. 

Discovery. — The  first  discovery  of  this  coast 


514 


LIBERIA. 


of  which  tre  have  any  authcutic  account,  was 
maclc  by  Piixlro  ile  Cintra,  in  1462.  He  was 
in  the  imnlovmcnt  of  the  King  of  Portugul, 
to  whom  ro'iH;  Martin  V.  had  given  all  the 
territories  ho  might  discover,  from  Cape  Bo- 
jwior  to  the  East  Indies,  to  be  conquered  and 
"recovercil  to  Christ  and  his  church."  The 
natives  had  never  seen  ship?  before.  The  few 
that  came  off  to  him,  16  miles  beyond  Cape 
Mcsurado,  in  canoes  carrying  two  or  three 
each,  were  naked,  had  some  wooden  darts  and 
small  knives,  two  targets  and  three  bows,  rings 
about  their  cars  and  one  in  the  nose,  and 
teeth,  which  seemed  to  be  human,  strung 
about  their  necks.  It  does  not  appear  that  he 
carried  away  any  of  them  as  slaves,  though 
that  practice  had  been  followed  by  most  ex- 
plorers on  the  west  coast  of  Africa,  since  it  was 
first  commenced  by  Antonio  Gonzales,  in  1440. 

For  nearly  a  century  and  a  half  the  Portu- 
guese were  masters  of  this  coast.  They  had 
forts  or  trading  houses  at  numerous  points,  of 
which  Gallinas,  Cape  Mount,  Cape  Mesurado, 
Junk  river,  Sesters  and  Sangwin  seem  to  have 
been  the  most  important. 

Siave  Trade.— The  slave  trade  to  the  West 
Indies  was  commenced  in  1503,  and  encour- 
aged by  edicts  of  Ferdinand  V.  of  Spain,  in 
1511,  and  of  Charles  V.,  in  1515.  From  that 
time  forward,  procuring  slaves  from  the  na- 
tives and  selling  them  to  the  Spaniards,  was  a 
principal  branch  of  their  business.  Their  in- 
fluence was  so  predominant,  that  before  1600 
the  Portuguese  had  become  the  language  in 
which  business  was  usually  transacted,  and 
was  generally  understood  by  natives  who  had 
dealings  with  foreigners. 

The  Pope's  Grant  not  recognized. — ^The  Eng- 
lish and  Dutch,  being  Protestants,  cared 
nothing  for  the  Pope's  grant  to  Portugal ;  and 
the  French  soon  learned  to  disregard  it,  claim- 
ing that  they  had  discovered  the  coast  and 
traded  at  Sesters  before  the  Portuguese,  and 
even  as  early  as  1346.  The  English  took  the 
lead.  In  1553,  having  already  made  two  voy- 
ages to  Morocco,  Thomas  Windham,  though 
the  Portuguese  had  threatened  him  and  his 
crew  with  death,  visited  the  whole  coast  from 
the  river  Sesters  to  Benin.  In  1554,  Captain 
John  Lok,  with  three  ships,  reached  Cape 
Mesurado,  sailed  along  the  coast  to  Benin, 
and  brought  home  "  certain  black  slaves,"  the 
first,  so  far  as  we  know,  ever  seen  in  England. 
In  1588,  the  English  "African  Company" 
was  incorporated  for  the  more  vigorous  prose- 
cution of  commerce  in  this  region.  The  Por- 
tuguese did  what  they  could,  and  hired  the  na- 
tives to  do  what  they  could,  to  resist  these 
encroachments.  They  destroyed  the  ships  of 
the  intruders,  and  killed  or  enslaved  their  crews. 
But  by  1604  they  were  driven  from  all  their 
posts,  from  Cape  Mesurado  to  Cape  Palmas ; 
and  a  few  years  later,  the  Dutch  had  posses- 
sion at  Cape  Mount,  and  the  English  at  Sierra 
Leone.     The  Portuguese,  however,  did  not 


wholly  quit  the  country.  Being  driven  from 
the  coast,  some  of  them,  with  their  mulatto 
descendants,  retired  inland,  and  endeavored, 
with  some  success,  to  monopolize  the  trade  be- 
tween the  interior  and  the  coast,  and  were  gra- 
dually lost  by  umalgamation  with  the  natives. 

Portuguese  Missions. — Of  the  missionary 
labors  of  the  Portuguese  while  in  possession 
of  the  coast,  we  have  no  particular  informa- 
tion ;  but,  as  the  Pope  gave  them  the  country 
for  that  purpose  ;  as  they  had  chapels  and 
priests  at  all  their  settlements ;  as  we  have 
accounts  of  their  efforts  and  success  at  Sierra 
Leone  and  other  places  ;  and  as  they  are  said, 
when  driven  from  the  coast,  to  have  built 
chapels  and  tiled  to  make  converts  in  the 
interior,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  some  such 
labors  were  performed.  From  them  the  na- 
tives probably  first  received  the  idea  of  a  Crear 
tor,  whose  existence  they  admit,  though  they 
never  worship  him.  The  word  "  fetish,"  by 
which  they  designate  a  consecrated  post  or 
any  object  of  their  superstitious  reverence,  is 
derived  from  a  Portuguese  word,  signifying  a 
charm,  such  as  witches  are  supposed  to  use. 
From  the  same  source,  they  may  nave  received 
the  term  '*  devil,"  which  they  apply  to  the  dis- 
guised chief  of  certain  nocturnal  orgies.  These 
are  the  only  remnants  of  their  religious  influ- 
ence, which  even  conjecture  can  now  detect. 

Character  and  Injiuence  of  Traders — Slave 
Trade. — The  character  of  the  traders  to  this 
coast,  whether  Portuguese,  French,  English  or 
Dutch,  appears  to  have  been,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  of  the  worst  kind.  Many  of  the 
English  and  Dutch  were  "  interlopers,"  trading 
there  in  violation  of  the  laws  of  their  own 
countries,  and  indeed  of  all  laws  whatever. 
From  about  1600,  pirates  began  to  mingle 
with  them,  and  the  crews  of  traders  sometimes 
joined  the  pirates,  and  often  copied  their  ex- 
amples. The  slave  trade  raged  with  increas- 
ing violence.  Not  only  were  slaves  bought 
of  the  natives,  and  wars  excited  for  the  pur- 
pose of  making  slaves  for  the  market,  but 
negroes  were  seized  indiscriminately  and  car- 
ried off,  whenever  it  could  be  done  without  too 
much  danger.  The  custom  of  "panyaring," 
that  is,  alluring  an  individual  beyond  the 
reach  of  protection,  and  then  seizing  him  or 
her  as  a  slave,  became  common  ;  and  the  ne- 
gro trader  who  was  employed  to  panyar  his 
countryman  one  day,  was  sometimes  panyared 
himself  the  next.  From  1688  to  1697,  the 
power  of  the  "  buccaneers  "  in  the  West  In- 
dies was  broken,  and  they  were  dispersed. 
They  spread  themselves  over  the  whole  Atlan- ' 
tic  and  Indian  Oceans,  and  in  Western  Africa, 
for  about  30  years,  were  one  of  the  strongest 
powers.  Besides  other  places,  they  several 
times  plundered  Sierra  Leone,  which  was  one 
of  their  favorite  resorts.  They  held  the  bay 
next  south  of  that  cape  for  seven  years,  till,  in 
1730,  they  were  broken  up  by  the  French. 
Meanwhile,  the  Genoese  first,  and  then  the 


LIBERIA. 


515 


French,  obtained  the  exclusive  privilege  of 
furnishing  negro  slaves  for  tlie  Spanish  colo- 
nies. In  1713,  the  English  government,  by 
the  famous  Assiento  treaty,  obtained  it  for  the 
South  Sea  Company  for  thirty  years.  What 
multitudes  were  sold,  and  how  profitably,  may 
be  judged  from  the  fact,  that  in  1739  England 
sold  out  the  remaining  four  years  to  Spain  for 
a  hundred  thousand  pounds — nearly  half  a 
million  dollars. 

Under  such  influences,  the  character  and 
temper  of  the  natives  became  such  that,  in 
1730,  not  a  single  European  factory  was  in 
operation  on  the  whole  coast  of  what  is  now 
Liberia ;  traders  found  it  dangerous  to  go  on 
shore ;  and  trade  was  carried  on  by  sailing 
along  the  coast,  and  coming  to  anchor  where 
the  natives,  by  building  a  fire,  indicated  that 
they  had  slaves  or  other  articles  for  sale.  This 
state  of  things  seems  to  have  continued,  with 
little  change,  to  the  close  of  that  century. 
The  testimony  concerning  the  character  of  the 
slave  trade,  laid  before  the  British  Parliament 
from  1791  to  1807,  showed  that  in  other  parts 
of  Africa,  slaves  were  collected  and  kept  for 
shipment  in  factories ;  but  on  the  "  windward 
coast,"  where  Liberia  now  is,  "  every  tree  was 
a  factory,"  and  ships  stopped  and  traded  wher- 
ever a  signal  was  made. 

Origin  and  Histoi-y  of  the  Colony. — About 
the  year  1770  the  celebrated  theologian,  Rev. 
Samuel  Hopkins  of  Newport,  R.  I.,  began  to 
preach  against  slavery  and  the  slave  trade. 
April  7, 1773,  he  called  on  his  neighbor,  Rev. 
Ezra  Stiles,  afterwards  President  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, for  conversation  on  his  design  "  to  make 
some  negro  ministers,  and  send  them  to  Gui- 
nea." There  were  two  young  natives  of  Africa 
in  his  church,  whom  he  wished  to  educate  for 
that  purpose.  Mr.  Stiles  thought  there  might 
be  some  prospect  of  success  if  thirty  or  forty 
were  sent,  and  a  society  formed  for  the  pur- 
pose. They  "  left  the  matter  to  further 
thought."  August  31,  1773,  they  published 
a  circular,  asking  contributions  for  the  educa- 
tion of  these  young  men.  The  plan  was  re- 
ceived with  favor  by  the  ministers  of  Berkshire 
County,  Mass.,  by  those  of  several  counties  in 
Connecticut,  and  by  the  Presbytery  of  New 
York.  The  young  men  left  New  York  for 
Princeton,  to  be  educated,  Nov.  21,  1774,  and 
three  days  after,  bills  were  drawn  on  a  gentle- 
man in  London  for  fifty  pounds  sterling,  of 
which  thirty  pounds  were  given  by  the  Edin- 
burgh Society  for  promoting  Christian  Knowl- 
edge, and  five  pounds  by  some  one  in  London  ; 
and  assurances  were  received,  both  from  Eng- 
land and  Scotland,  that  more  would  be  given, 
if  needed.  About  as  much  more  was  raised  in 
America,  besides  one  hundred  dollars  for  which 
Mr.  Hopkins  had,  some  years  before,  sold  a 
slave,  and  which  he  now  devoted  to  this  pur- 
pose. 

When  the  plan  of  connecting  a  colony  with 
the  mission  was  first  fully  adopted,  and  how 


far  it  was  understood  by  contributors  m  Eng 
land,  Scotland,  and  America,  is  not  known. 
April  29,  1784,  Mr.  Hopkins  says,  it  "  has 
been  on  foot  for  some  time."  This,  it  was 
thought,  would  not  only  be  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  should  return  to  their  native  coun- 
try, but  would  do  much  to  stop  the  slave  trade, 
and  to  introduce  Christianity  into  Africa. 

March  7, 1787,  his  friends  knew  that  he  had 
been  desirous  to  attempt  such  a  settlement 
"  for  years."  He  was  glad  to  learn  that  "  cer- 
tain Friends  and  other  Dissenters  in  Britain 
have  joined  to  carry  this  design  into  execu- 
tion," on  the  plan,  as  he  supposed,  of  "  the  late 
Dr.  Fothergill."  Dr.  William  Thornton,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  had  been  in  Newport  some 
weeks,  proposing  to  form  such  a  settlement 
with  free  blacks  from  New  England.  A  num- 
ber volunteered  to  go  with  him  ;  but  the  at- 
tempt failed  for  want  of  funds,  perhaps,  be- 
cause others  thought,  with  Mr.  Hopkins,  that 
Dr.  Thornton,  though  "  an  honest  man,"  was 
"  too  flighty  and  unsteady  to  be  the  head  "  of 
such  an  enterprise. 

In  that  year,  1787,  Granville  Sharp  and 
other  British  philanthropists  commenced  the 
colony  at  Sierra  Leone,  with  some  hundreds  of 
colored  people  from  America,  who  had  served 
in  the  British  army  during  the  war  of  Inde- 
pendence. After  some  reverses  it  has  grown 
to  a  colony  of  more  than  fifty  thousand  in- 
habitants. 

The  same  year,  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  was  formed,  by  which  the  seve- 
ral States  were  deprived  of  the  power  of  con- 
tinuing the  slave  trade  more  than  twenty  years. 

In  1789,  Dr.  Hopkins  wrote  to  Granville 
Sharp,  to  learn  whether  colonists  from  Ame- 
rica could  be  received  at  Sierra  Leone,  and 
also  whether  the  character  and  government  of 
that  colony  were  such  that  he  could  recom- 
mend it.  He  was  then  acquainted  with  "  a 
number  of  religious  blacks,"  who  were  ready 
to  form  a  church,  with  one  of  their  own  num- 
ber as  pastor,  and  to  settle  in  Africa,  to  intro- 
duce Christianity  and  civilization,  and  to  re- 
ceive others  who  might  wish  to  emigrate. 
In  1791  he  wished  the  Emancipation  Society 
in  Connecticut  to  embrace  this  object  in  its 
charter.  In  a  sermon  against  slavery  and  the 
slave  trade.  May  17,  1793,  and  more  fully  in 
its  appendix,  he  urged  almost  precisely  the 
same  plan  of  colonizing,  which  has  since  been 
carried  out.  In  1799,  in  the  last  work  he 
ever  published,  he  expressed  the  same  desires, 
and  the  same  hopes  that  they  would  yet  be  re- 
alized. 

The  emancipation  of  slaves  and  their  colo- 
nization in  some  part  of  America  had  been  a 
favorite  idea  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  others  in 
Virginia,  as  early  as  1786,  and  probably  ear- 
lier. In  the  autumn  of  1800,  an  extensive 
and  dangerous  conspiracy  was  discovered 
among  the  slaves  in  and  around  Richmond. 
Unwilling  to  put  so  many  to  death  for  such  a 


616 


LIBERIA. 


^tho  Homo  of  Delegates,  December  31, 

in  secret  newion,  miuested  the  Governor  to 
correspond  with  tlie  rresidcnt  of  the  United 
8Utc8  as  to  procuring  hind  out  of  the  State, 
to  which  they  might  bo  removed.  The  corres- 
pondence continued  till  1805,  and  the  plan 
was  80  modified  as  to  express  a  preference  for 
Africa  as  a  place  of  a  settlement,  but  without 
sovereignty,  and  to  include  free  blacks  and 
slaves  who  might  be  emancipated.  The  Pre- 
sident, Mr.  Jefferson,  applied  to  the  Sierra 
Lcouc  Company  to  receive  the  proposed  colon- 
ists, but  was  refused. 

In  1807,  Congress  passed  an  act  prohibiting 
the  importation  of  slaves  after  the  end  of  that 
year.  Nearly  all  the  States  had  prohibited  it 
many  years  before.  Previous  acts  had  forbid- 
den American  citizens  to  trade  in  slaves  be- 
tween foreign  countries.  The  same  year  the 
British  government,  moved  by  evidence  of  the 
nature  of  the  ti-ade,  collected  principally  at 
Sierra  Leone,  abolished  the  traffic  by  British 
subjects. 

About  1810,  Samuel  J.  Mills  and  others, 
theological  students  at  Andover,  began  to  col- 
lect information  concerning  the  colored  people 
of  the  United  States,  bond  and  free,  and  were 
soon  brought  to  the  conclusion  that,  in  the 
words  often  used  by  Mills,  "  we  must  take  care 
of  them,  or  they  will  ruin  us."  They  endea- 
vored to  rouse  attention  to  the  subject  by  the 
press,  and  by  correspondence  and  conversation 
with  leading  men.  Mills  thought  of  coloniz- 
ing them  north  of  the  Ohio,  but  some  of  his 
associates  early  saw  that  any  colony  on  this 
continent  would  soon  be  overrun  by  white 
people,  and  would  be  a  failure.  This  was  one 
principal  object  for  which  he  afterwards  re- 
sided some  time  in  New  Jersey,  whel-e  he  pro- 
cured the  establishment  of  the  "African 
school "  at  Parsippany. 

About  1811,  Captain  Paul  Cuffee,  a  colored 
man  of  New  Bedford,  carried  38  colored  emi- 
grants to  Sierra  Leone,  in  his  own  vessel,  and 
thirty  of  them  at  his  own  expense.  This 
movement  was  to  have  been  more  extensive, 
but  it  was  stopped  by  the  war  of  1812.  Ann 
Mifflin,  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, advocated  a  colony  in  Africa.  Her 
views  were  communicated  to  Mr.  Jefferson, 
who  expressed  his  warm  approbation  in  1811. 
February  15, 1815,  the  Rev.  Robert  Finley, 
D.  D.,  of  New  Jersey,  wrote  to  a  friend,  ask- 
ing his  opinion  of  an  attempt  to  found  a  co- 
lony of  colored  people  on  the  coast  of  Africa. 
In  February,  1816,  General  Charles  Fenton 
Mercer,  of  the  Virginia  House  of  Delegates, 
became  acquainted  with  the  proceedings  of 
that  house  in  1800-1805,  and  pledged  himself 
to  renew  the  subject,  if  he  should  be  re-elected 
at  the  next  session.  He  soon  after  communi- 
cated the  facts  and  his  intention  to  two  friends, 
Elias  B.  Caldwell  and  Francis  S.  Key,  of 
Washington,  who  pledged  their  cooperation. 

The  same  year,  probably  towards  its  close, 


the  first  meeting  preparatory  to  forming  a  Co* 
Ionization  Society,  was  holden  at  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  and  was  attended  by  most  of  the  pro* 
fesaors  of  the  Theological  Seminary  and  the 
College.  In  December,  Dr.  Finley  visited 
Washington,  and  consulted  with  Elias  B. 
Caldwell,  his  brother-in-law,  and  Francis  S. 
Key,  who  encouraged  him  to  call  a  public 
meeting.  The  meeting  was  holden  December 
23.  Meanwhile  Gen.  Mercer,  yet  unacquainted 
with  Dr.  Finley,  and  ignorant  of  his  plans, 
redeemed  his  pledge.  His  resolution  was  in- 
troduced to  the  House  of  Delegates  on  the 
12th,  sent  to  the  Senate  on  the  14th,  and 
passed  on  the  23d.  The  Constitution  of  the 
Society  was  adopted  Dec.  28,  1816,  and  the 
officers  elected  Jan.  1, 1817.  Samuel  J.  Mills 
was  one  of  the  original  members,  and  Dr.  Wil- 
liam Thornton  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Managers. 

The  society  owed  its  origin,  therefore,  to  the 
union  of  the  various  influences  which,  in  Rhode 
Island,  in  Massachusetts,  in  New  Jersey,  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  in  Virginia,  had  been  tend- 
ing towards  such  a  result  for  nearly  half  a 
century. 

In  1817,  Samuel  J.Mills  and  Ebenezer  Bur- 
gess were  sent  to  Africa,  to  find  a  place  for  a 
colony.  They  selected  a  place  on  Sherbro 
Island,  or  the  adjacent  continent,  near  where 
the  Mendi  mission  now  is.  In  visiting  Paul 
Cuffee,  preparatory  to  this  voyage.  Mills  took 
a  severe  cold,  from  which  he  never  recovered. 
He  died  on  his  voyage  home. 

January  21, 1820,  the  first  colonists,  89  in 
number,  embarked  on  board  of  the  Elizabeth, 
at  New  York.  After  an  unsuccessful  attempt 
to  settle  on  Sherbro  Island,  in  which  many 
lives  were  lost,  and  an  effort  to  purchase  a 
location  in  the  Bassa  country,  which  was  de- 
feated by  the  attachment  of  the  natives  to  the 
slave  trade.  Cape  Mesurado  was  purchased, 
December  15,  1821.  The  colonists  arrived 
January  7,  and  were  landed  on  a  low  island  in 
the  river,  from  which,  in  a  few  months,  under 
the  conduct  of  Elijah  Johnson,  one  of  their 
own  number,  who  had  been  left  as  a  temporary 
Governor,  they  removed  to  the  Cape. 

Before  this  time,  slave-traders  had  begun  to 
reestablish  factories  on  the  coast.  In  1813, 
though  the  trade  had  been  abolished  by  act  of 
Parliament  from  the  beginning  of  1808,  two 
British  subjects,  Bostock  and  McQuinn,  had 
one  on  Cape  Mesurado,  and  in  June  his  Ma- 
jesty's ship  Thais  sent  40  men  on  shore,  who, 
after  a  battle,  in  which  one  of  their  number 
was  killed,  entered  the  factory  and  captured 
its  owners.  The  trade,  however,  still  con- 
tinued. 

Missions  in  Liberia. — ^There  had  been  one 
attempt  at  missionary  labor  in  this  region. 
Mr.  John  Brereton  Cutes,  with  William  Tam- 
ba  and  William  Davis,  two  converted  natives, 
the  latter  a  Bassa,  rescued  from  a  slave-trader, 
spent  February,  March  and  April,  1819,  in  a 


LIBERIA. 


517 


journey  from  Sierra  Leone  to  the  St.  John's 
river.  At  Sugury,  near  Grand  Cape  Mount, 
a  plot  was  laid  to  rob  them,  which  only 
amounted  to  stealings  a  hat,  for  which  they  fol- 
lowed and  arrested  the  wrong  man,  and  had  to 
pay  a  fine  of  "  three  bars,"  or  $2  25.  At  Little 
Cape  Mount,  a  plot  was  laid  to  rob  and  mur- 
der Mr.  Cates  on  his  way  to  Cape  Mesurado  ; 
but  Tamba  understood  enough  of  the  language 
to  detect  it,  and  it  was  abandoned.  On  an 
island  in  the  Mesurado  river,  they  were  hospi- 
tably entertained  by  John  S.  Mill,  a  mulatto 
slave-trader  who  had  been  educated  in  Eng- 
land. Mill  had  houses  on  the  Cape,  which  he 
sold  when  the  Cape  was  purchased.  August 
25,  1824,  he  engaged  as  Secretary  of  the  Col- 
ony, under  Governor  Ashmun.  He  performed 
the  duties  of  the  office  well  till  September  30, 
when,  tired  of  civilized  life,  he  returned  to  his 
former  habits,  and  nothing  has  since  been 
heard  of  him.  At  some  places,  especially 
among  the  Bassas,  the  kingi?  professed  a  will- 
ingness to  receive  missionaries ;  but  Mr.  Cates 
thought  that  only  white  missionaries  would 
command  respect  enough  to  be  successful. 
He  suffered  much  from  the  fever  on  his  jour- 
ney, and  died  in  a  few  months  after  his  return. 
The  first  American  missionary  in  Liberia 
was  Lot  Cary,  who  had  been  a  slave,  and  had 
purchased  himself  and  children  for  ^850.  In 
1815,  more  than  a  year  before  the  Colonization 
Society  was  formed,  he  took  a  leading  part  in 
forming  The  African  Missionary  Society,  in 
Richmond,  Ya.  In  five  years  that  society  had 
raised  about  $700,  which  had  been  expended 
in  aiding  missions  in  Africa.  Having  read 
the  report  of  Mills  and  Burgess,  Cary  resolved 
to  devote  himself  to  the  work.  He  resigned 
the  pastoral  care  of  a  Baptist  church  of  nearly 
800  members,  and  accepted  that  of  a  mission- 
ary church,  composed  of  himself  and  wife, 
Colin  Teage  and  wife  and  son  Hilary,  and 
Joseph  Langford  and  wife.  Cary  and  Colin 
Teage  were  appointed  missionaries  of  the  So- 
ciety, embarked  in  February,  and  arrived  in 
Sierra  Leone  March  8,  1821.  Here  Cary 
preached  to  such  as  could  understand,  and 
started  a  mission  among  the  Mandingoes.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  that  took  possession  of 
Cape  Mesurado.  The  absolute  necessity  for 
his  services  as  magistrate,  physician  and  pas- 
tor among  the  colonists,  detained  him  from 
systematic  labor  among  the  heathen,  till  his 
death,  by  casualty,  November  10, 1828.  Yet, 
before  June,  1825,  he  had  established  at  Mon- 
rovia, a  missionary  school  for  native  children  ; 
and  about  a  year  before  his  death,  was  enabled 
to  establish  another  near  Grand  Cape  Mount. 
Here,  John  Revey,  afterwards  a  distinguished 
Baptist  preacher  and  Colonial  Secretary  at 
Cape  Palmas,  was  for  a  time  the  teacher  ;  and 
one  of  his  pupils,  a  few  years  afterwards,  in- 
vented the  syllabic  alphabet  in  which  the  Vey 
language  has  been  extensively  written  and 
read  for  nearly  20  years.     Cary  was  allowed. 


before  his  death,  to  rejoice  over  a  few  conver- 
sions from  heathenism. 

In  March,  1825,  and  in  May,  1827,  Mr. 
Ashmun,  governor  of  the  colony,  issued  earn- 
est appeals  for  missions  to  be  established  in 
Liberia  ;  not  only  for  the  good  of  the  natives, 
but  as  necessary  to  preserve  the  colonists  them- 
selves from  subsiding  into  barbarism.  His 
first  appeal  reached  the  venerable  Blumhardt, 
of  the  Missionary  Seminary,  at  Basle,  in  Swit- 
zerland ;  and,  after  some  correspondence,  five 
young  men  commenced  special  preparations 
for  the  mission.  About  the  close  of  this  year, 
the  Rev.  Calvin  Holton  was  ordained  at 
Beverly,  Mass.,  as  a  missionary  of  the  Baptist 
Board  to  Liberia.  He  embarked  at  Boston, 
January  4,  1826,  in  the  brig  Vine,  with  thirty- 
four  emigrants,  mostly  from  Rhode  Island. 
Before  embarkation,  eighteen  of  them  were 
organized  into  a  church,  of  which  Newport 
Gardner  and  Salmur  Nubia,  two  of  the  native 
Africans,  whom  Dr.  Hopkius  had  selected  in 
their  youth  to  be  educated  as  missionaries, 
were  chosen  deacons.  This  expedition  proved 
one  of  the  most  disastrous  in  respect  to  life 
and  health,  ever  sent  to  that  country.  Mr. 
Holton  lived  only  to  July  23,  yet  he  had  al- 
ready done  much  towards  giving  system  to  the 
means  of  education,  both  among  colonists  and 
natives. 

Of  the  Swiss  missionaries  from  the  Basle 
Seminary,  Messrs.  Handt  and  Sessing  arrived 
at  Monrovia,  December  21,  1827,  and  the 
others  a  few  months  later.  Mr.  Wulff  died 
December  22, 1828.  Sickness  compelled  Mr. 
Hegele  to  leave,  and  Mr.  Sessing  Avas  obliged 
to  accompany  him.  They  arrived  in  England, 
May  7, 1829.  Mr.  Handt  left  the  service  of 
the  Society,  and  commenced  an  independent 
mission  near  Cape  Mount.  Only  Mr.  Kiss- 
ling  remained.  Mr.  Sessing  soon  returned 
with  his  wife,  Mr.  Buhrer,  Mr.  Graner,  and 
Mr.  Dietschy  who  was  to  reside,  as  secular 
superintendent,  in  a  house  at  Monrovia,  be- 
queathed to  the  mission  by  Gov.  Ashmun  ; 
while  the  principal  seat  of  missionary  labor 
was  to  be  at  Bassa  Cove.  They  visited  the 
United  States  on  their  way,  and  attended  pub- 
lic meetings  and  received  pecuniary  aid  in 
Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston.  Messrs. 
Sessing  and  Buhrer  sailed  early  in  Dec,  and 
the  others  a  few  weeks  later,  arriving  at  Mon- 
rovia March  4,  1830.  There  Mr.  Graner  died, 
May  12.  Mr.  Sessing  remained  for  a  time, 
and  opened  an  orphan  school;  but  he  soon 
removed  to  the  older  colony  of  Sierra  Leone, 
Avhere,  as  he  believed,  the  native  mind  was 
better  prepared  to  profit  by  missionary  labors. 
With  his  removal,  the  mission  seems  to  have 
been  closed.  Nothwithstanding  its  short  du- 
ration and  many  interruptions,  its  beneficial 
influence  is  still  felt.  It  did  much  to  form 
some  of  the  best  minds  in  Liberia,  and  some  of 
its  native  pupils  are  still  useful  missionary 
laborers. 


51S 


LICIITENFELS— LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


Of  miwions  robsequontly  established,  ac- 
counts will  he  foiiiul  under  the  head  of  Africa, 
Western.— IIk\'.  .Toskpii  Tracy. 

LUUITKXFKLS  :  The  first  station  occu- 
pioti  bv  the  Moravians  in  tlic  south  of  Grecn- 
huxl.  *It  is  situated  on  an  island,  about  three 
i.iil..- from  the  main  ocean,  and  at  an  equal 
tii>t;inee  from  the  Danish  factory  at  Fisher's 
Bay. 

LICHTf:NAU  :  A  station  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Greenland,  four  miles  from  Lich- 
tcnfels. 

LIFU  :  One  of  the  New  Hebrides,  where 
is  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

LISIIUAXI :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
among  the  Griquas,  Basutos,  and  Mantatees, 
South  Africa. 

LITITZ:  A  station  of  the  Moravians  in 
Jamaica,  W.  I. 

Ll'lTLE  BASSA  :  A  village  near  Edina 
in  Liberia,  and  a  station  of  the  American 
Baptist  Mission  among  the  Bassas  on  th^west- 
ern  ooust  of  Africa. 

LIVERPOOL  (Australia :)  This  town  was 
founded  about  2G  years  ago  by  Gov.  Macquar- 
rie,  and  for  some  time  its  existence  was  only 
indicated  by  a  post,  with  the  inscription,  "  This 
is  Liverpool."  It  now,  however,  speaks  for  it- 
self; and  though  not  situated  in  a  very  fertile 
country,  yet  affording  a  route  to  the  fine  agri- 
cultural and  pastoral  districts  of  Camden  and 
Argyle,  it  is  a  place  of  considerable  bustle, 
and  daily  increasing  in  importance.  It  is  oc- 
cupied by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel. 

LODIANA  :  The  principal  station  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  in  Northern  India.  The 
city  is  situated  on  the  river  Sutlej,  in  lat.  30^ 
55'  N.  and  long.  75^  48'  E.  It  is  1,170  miles 
north-west  of  Calcutta,  and  115  south-east  from 
Labor. 

LOMBOE :  One  of  the  lesser  Sunda  Is- 
lands, in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY: 
The  formation  of  the  London  Missionary  Soci- 
ety was  one  of  the  grandest  enterprises  of  the 
age.  It  had  for  its  object,  not  the  conversion 
of  the  heathen  to  any  particular  form  of 
church  order  or  government,  but  to  send  the 
Gospel  to  the  heathen,  leaving  it  to  the  minds 
of  those  whom  God  might  "  call  into  the  fel- 
lowship of  his  Son  among  them  to  assume  for 
themselves  such  form  of  church  government  as 
to  them  .shall  appear  most  agreeable  to  the 
word  of  God." 

In  the  year  1794,  the  minds  of  British  Chris- 
tians were  turned  towards  the  subject  of  mis- 
sions by  an  Address  to  Evangelical  Dissenters, 
published  in  the  London  Evangelical  Maga- 
zine, which  excited  considerable  interest,  and 
led  to  a  meeting  with  a  view  to  the  formation 
of  a  society,  which  was  held  on  the  4th  of 
November.  It  consisted  of  "a  small  but 
glowing  and  harmonious  circle  of  ministers  of 
various  connections  and  denominations."    In 


the  month  of  January,  1795,  an  "  Address  to 
Christian  Ministers  and  all  other  Friends  of 
Christianity,  on  the  subject  of  Missions  to  the 
Heathen,"  was  drawn  up  and  sent  as  a  circular 
to  various  persons,  in  which  it  was  proposed 
that  a  meeting  should  be  held  in  London  the 
ensuing  summer  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  Missionary  Society. 

On  the  loth  of  January,  a  number  of  min- 
isters convened  in  the  city  of  London,  and 
"  appointed  a  committee  of  correspondence  to 
collect  the  sentiments  of  their  brethren  in  the 
country  relative  to  the  great  plan  under  con- 
templation." .A  circular  letter  addressed  to 
ministers  was  drawn  up,  acquainting  them 
with  the  plan  and  object  of  the  proposed  soci- 
ety, and  requesting  them  to  communicate  it  to 
their  congregations,  and  to  send  delegates  to 
the  general  meeting.  The  time  appointed  for 
the  convention  was  the  2 2d,  23d,  and  24th 
days  of  September.  On  the  evening  preceding 
the  meeting,  a  consultation  "  was  held  by  a 
numerous  and  highly  respectable  assembly  of 
ministers  friendly  to  the  proposed  institution. 
Several  interesting  letters  from  ministers  and 
private  Christians  approving  of  the  formation 
of  a  society  were  read  to  the  meeting,  and  an 
address  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ilaweis  of 
Aldwinkle.  The  exercises  were  concluded  with 
prayer  by  the  Rev.  Rowland  Hill,  and  the 
assembly  broke  up  with  a  feeling  of  delight 
which,  as  has  been  justly  remarked,  "  the 
highest  gratification  of  sensuality,  avarice, 
ambition,  or  party  zeal  could  never  have  in- 
spired." The  following  day  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Haweis  delivered  a  highly  animating  discourse 
from  Mark  xvi.  15, 16,  to  a  large  congregation 
assembled  at  Spa-fields  chapel.  At  the  close  of 
the  public  exercises,  a  large  number  of  minis- 
ters and  laymen  formed  themselves  into  a  soci- 
ety. In  the  evening  a  sermon  was  preached 
by  the  Rev.  G.  Burder,  and,  on  the  three  sub- 
sequent days,  successive  meetings  were  held,  in 
different  parts  of  the  city,  at  which  the  cause 
of  missions  was  pleaded  with  solemnity  and 
earnestness.  The  effect  of  these  meetings  both 
upon  the  ministers  and  people  was  most  happy. 
"  The  unanimity  and  fervor  of  the  assembly  in 
entering  upon  this  greatest  of  all  schemes — 
the  evangelizing  of  the  world — created  bursts 
of  joy  which  nothing  could  express  but  tears. 
The  Christian  world  seemed  to  awake,  as 
from  a  dream,  wondering  that  they  could  have 
been  so  long  asleep,  while  the  "groans  of  a 
dying  world  were  calling  upon  them  for  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  Another  considera- 
tion that  rendered  these  seasons  inexpressibly 
delightful  was  the  visible  union  of  Christians 
of  all  denominations ;  who,  for  the  first  time, 
forgetting  their  party  prejudices  and  partiali- 
ties, assembled  in  the  same  place,  sang  the 
same  hymns,  united  in  the  same  prayers,  and 
felt  themselves  one  in  Christ." 

The  condition  of  membership  in  this  Socie- 
ty is,  a  subscription  of  a  certain  amount  to  its 


LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


619 


funds.  Its  proceedings  are  conducted  by  a 
Board  of  Directors,  who  hold  monthly  meet- 
in^^s,  in  which  the  treasurer  and  secretaries, 
ministers  who  are  annual  subscribers,  and  the 
officers  of  auxiliaries  are  entitled  to  vote. 
Committees  are  allowed,  but  their  acts  are  not 
valid  till  ratified  at  a  monthly  meeting  ;  and 
the  directors  are  not  allowed  to  make  an  ex- 
penditure exceeding  £500  without  calling  a 
general  meeting  of  the  subscribers. 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  the  Missionary 
Society,  its  members  began  to  agitate  the  im- 
portant question,  "  In  what  part  of  the  world 
they  should  commence  their  work  of  mercy  ?" 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Haweis,  who  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Society,  and  among  its  most 
liberal  supporters,  was  requested  to  prepare  a 
'•_  Memorial "  upon  the  subject,  which  was  de- 
livered at  Surrey  Chapel.  In  the  course  of 
his  address  he  says,  "The  field  before  us  is 
immense !  O  that  we  could  enter  at  a  thou- 
sand gates  !  that  every  limb  were  a  tongue, 
and  every  tongue  a  trumpet,  to  spread  the 
joyful  sound.  Where  so  considerable  a  part  of 
the  habitable  globe  on  every  side  calls  for  our 
efforts,  and  like  the  man  of  Macedonia  cries, 
'  Come  over  and  help  us,'  it  is  not  a  little  diffi- 
cult to  decide  at  what  part  to  begin."  He 
then  drew  a  comparison  between  the  climates, 
the  governments,  the  language,  and  the  reli- 
gions of  heathen  countries,  and  concluded  that 
of  all  the  "  dark  places  of  the  earth "  the 
South  Sea  Islands  presented  the  fewest  diffi- 
culties, and  the  fairest  prospect  of  success. 

Such  was  the  interest  excited  by  this  dis- 
course, and  by  the  glowing  representations 
which  had  been  made  respecting  the  newly  dis- 
covered regions  in  the  South  Seas,  that  the 
directors  determined  to  attempt  a  mission  to 
these  islands,  and  immediately  began  to  raise 
subscriptions,  to  examine  and  select  mission- 
aries, and  to  make  preparations  for  the  voyage. 
At  length  a  ship  was  purchased,  and  in  Au- 
gust, 1796,  twenty-nine  missionaries,  several  of 
whom  had  wives  and  children,  embarked  at 
London  on  board  the  Duff,  commanded  by 
Captain  James  Wilson,  who  had  retired  sev- 
eral years  previous  from  the  East  India  service, 
but  who  now  kindly  offered  to  conduct  the  ad- 
venturous voyage.  On  the  23d  of  September 
they  took  their  final  leave  of  England. 

The  missions  of  this  Society  have  since  been 
extensively  prosecuted  in  the  South  Seas,  West 
Indies,  South  Africa,  African  Islands,  China,  and 
India.  The  following  summary  statement  will 
show  the  extent  of  its  operations  : 

Missionaries:  in  Polynesia,  32  ;  China, 
17  ;  India,  47  ;  Africa'  and  Mauritius, 
43  ;  West  Indies,  20  ;  total,  (exclu- 
sive of  wives  and  children,)      .     .     . 

Native  Teachers  and  Evangelists,  .     . 

Churches 


170 

700 

150 

,       16,000 

Day  Schools 400 


Members,  (exclusive  of  Madagascar) 


Scholars 30,000 

Boarding  schools 32 

Pupils 849 

Institutions  for  training  native  evan- 
gelists        8 

Students 150 

Printing-presses 15 

Translations.  —  The  Scriptures  have  been 
translated  by  the  society's  missionaries  into 
Chinese,  Bengalese,  Urdu,  Teloogoo,  Canarese, 
Tamil,  Goojurattee,  Malayalim,  Buriat,  Tahi- 
tian,  Earotongan,  Samoan,  Sechuana,  Mala- 
gasy, 14  languages  and  dialects.  The  receipts 
of  the  society  for  the  year  1853,  were  £71,821 
Is.  6d.,  of  which  £12,933  7s.  9d.  were  contrib- 
uted at  the  missionary  stations.  The  following 
table  exhibits  the  receipts  of  the  society,  for 
periods  of  four  years  each,  since  1815,  (which 
is  the  first  year  in  which  they  published  a 
financial  report,  when  the  society  possessed 
funds  to  the  amount  of  £39,790,)  with  the  aver- 
age annual  receipts  in  each  of  these  periods. 


Amount 

Average 

Teriods. 

for  the  Period. 

Annual  Receipts. 

1815  to  1818 

£80,109 

£20,027 

1819  "  1822 

95,549 

23,887 

1823  "  1826 

133,431 

33,357 

1827  "  1830 

168,057 

42,014 

1831  "  1834 

155.976 

38,994 

1835 

57,895 

67.895 

1836  "  1839 

300,191 

75,047 

1840  "  1843 

377,467 

94,366 

1844  "  1847 

344,013 

86,003 

1848  "  1851 

292,422 

73,105 

1852  "  1853 

144,599 

72,299 

£2,149,707 

From  this  statement,  it  appears  that  the 
aggregate  of  the  Society's  receipts,  from  dona- 
tions and  legacies,  for  38  years,  has  been 
£2,149,707  ;  and  that,  during  this  period,  the 
contributions  have  been  steadily  rising  in 
amount,  the  average  of  annual  receipts  rising 
from  £20,000  to  £94,000,  with  a  slight  de- 
crease in  the  three  last  periods.  This  may  be 
taken  as  a  fair  index  of  the  growth  of  the 
missionary  spirit  with  the  large  class  of  Chris- 
tians who  make  this  society  tlie  organ  of  their 
missionary  operations.  But,  in  addition  to- 
the  growth  of  the  missionary  spirit  at  home, 
a  fact  is  here  developed  of  great  importance 
to  all  future  missionary  efforts,  that  nearly  one- 
fifth  of  the  contributions  of  this  society,  the: 
last  year,  came  from  its  own  missions.  Here: 
is  a  source  of  supply  which  is  not  to  be  over- 
looked. It  shows  that,  while,  up  to  a  certaia 
point,  the  demands  on  the  churches  at  home 
must  increase  with  the  success  of  the  missions^, 
beyond  that  point  they  will  diminish,  by  means, 
of  the  supply  created  by  success. 

LONG  KLOOF  (LONG  V" ALLEY)  :  A 
station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society  in, 
South  Africa,  commenced  in  1840.    This  val 
ley  extends  more  than  100  miles,  between  a. 


520 


LONSDALE— MADAGASCA  R. 


nmg^  of  monntains  on  one  sido  and  of  high 

gr-A  ■  ■'■  II  the  other.  It  is  celebrated  for 
It'^  ising  from  the  number  of  springs 

fout.u  . ».  i\  -Wierc  to  irrigate  the  soil. 

LONSlKVLE:  A  station  of  the  Ijondon 
Missionary  Society  in  Berbice. 

LOO-Cl  1 00  :    (See  Lew-Chew.) 

LOVKDALE:  A  station  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland  in  South  Africa,  60  miles 
from  Graham's  Town. 

LUCCA  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
donary  Society  in  Jamaica,  \V.  I. 

LUSIGNAN  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  Demarara,  W.  I. 

MACAO :  A  Portuguese  settlement  in 
China,  situated  on  a  small  peninsula  at  the 
south-eastern  extremity  of  the  large  island  of 
Hingshan,  between  60  and  70  miles  south-east 
of  Canton.     (See  China.) 

MACHIAN  :  One  of  the  Molucca  Islands 
in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

MADAGASCAR  :  A  large  island  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  Africa,  containing  an  area 
somewhat  larger  than  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land. Its  mineral  productions  are  silver,  iron, 
slate,  limestone,  and  coal.  It  produces,  also, 
many  valuable  articles  of  commerce,  as  sugar, 
cotton,  hemp,  silk,  indigo,  tobacco,  gum  elas- 
tic, copal,  ebony,  wax,  &c.  The  island  pos- 
sesses many  fine  ports,  from  which  considerable 
trade  is  carried  on  with  Mauritius  and  Bour- 
bon, the  Arabs  from  Muscat,  and  the  Ameri- 
cans. 

^  Populatim. — The  great  mass  of  the  popula- 
tion of  Madagascar  are  of  the  Malay  race ; 
but  with  some  mixture  of  negroes  and  Kaf- 
fres.  They  are  all  of  dark  complexion,  but 
some  more  swarthy  than  others.  The  lan- 
guage, which  is  nearly  the  same  throughout 
the  island,  is  of  Malay  origin.  The  inhabit- 
tants  are  industrious,  intelligent,  and  semi-civ- 
ilized. 

Crovernment. — Madagascar  does  not  appear 
ever  to  have  formed  one  kingdom,  but  to  have 
been  occupied  by  independent  tribes,  to  the 
number  of  20  or  30.  The  most  powerful  State 
is  the  kingdom  of  Madagascar,  situated  about 
200  miles  from  the  eastern  coast,  in  the  cen- 
tral part  of  the  island,  called  the  Hova  coun- 
try. The  Hova  tribe  had  risen  from  a  very 
limited  possession  of  influence  and  power  to 
extensive  authority  under  Andrianimpoinerina, 
who  had  formed  the  ambitious  project  of  sub- 
jugating the  whole  country  to  his  control. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Radama,  in  the  begin- 
ning of  this  century,  who  inherited  his  father's 
ambition,  and  succeeded  in  enlarging  the 
boundaries  of  his  kingdom.  He  encourao-ed 
the  labors  of  the  missionaries,  and  sought°to 
civilize  his  subjects  by  establishing  schools, 
and  sending  some  of  them  to  Mauritius  and 
Europe ;  in  which  he  was  favored  with  the 
friendship  and  aid  of  Sir  Robert  Farquhar, 
the  Governor  of  Mauritius.  He  established  an 
.army,  provided  with  fire-arms  and  horses,  and 


organized  on  the  European  system.  But,  in 
1827,  he  visited  the  eastern  coast  of  the 
island,  where  he  was  feasted,  and  indulged  in 
habits  of  intemperance  and  irregularity,  which 
brought  on  him  a  fatal  disease  that  terminated 
his  life  the  following  year.  The  legitimate 
heir  to  the  throne  was  his  sister's  son,  Rako- 
tobe,  a  young  man  in  the  mission  school,  who 
gave  some  hopeful  indications  of  piety.  But 
Ranavalona,  one  of  the  wives  of  Radama,  a 
woman  combining  in  herself  the  worst  traits 
of  character  of  Jezebel,  Athaliah,  and  bloody 
Queen  Mary,  on  hearing  of  the  king's  death, 
sent  for  two  military  officers  from  her  native 
village,  and  promised,  if  they  would  devote 
themselves  to  her  interest,  and  secure  to  her 
the  throne,  she  would  advance  them  to  the 
highest  rank,  and  reward  them  with  riches, 
and  exempt  them  from  capital  punishment 
whatever  crime  they  might  commit.  Having 
first  secured  the  favor  of  the  gods  by  collusion 
with  the  diviners,  she  succeeded  in  destroying 
four  officers  of  the  late  king,  who  declared  that 
he  had  named  Rakotobe  and  his  own  daughter, 
Raketaka,  to  succeed  him.  She  soon  after 
took  measures  to  destroy  both  these,  their 
mother,  and  a  number  of  other  relatives  of 
Radama,  some  of  whom  were  starved  to  death, 
and  others  openly  speared.  She  afterwards 
perfidiously  murdered  the  principal  actor  in 
her  elevation  to  the  throne,  the  reputed  father 
of  her  only  son,  to  whom  she  had  made  such 
promises  before  her  accession. 

Notwithstanding  the  immoral  and  bloody 
character  of  this  woman,  she  is  as  religious  in 
her  way  as  Queen  Mary,  as  weak  and  devoted 
to  her  superstitions  as  her  Roman  Catholic 
prototype.  She  has  attempted  to  carry  out 
the  design  of  her  predecessor,  in  annexing  the 
whole  island  to  her  dominion,  but  in  such  a 
way  as  tends  rapidly  to  the  depopulation  of  the 
whole  island.  For  years  she  has  maintained  a 
standing  army  of  from  20,000  to  30,000,  and 
these  have  been  in  the  habit  of  going  out  on 
predatory  excursions,  several  thousands  at  a 
time,  desolating  the  villages,  treacherously  de- 
stroying all  the  men  after  they  have  surren- 
dered, and  carrying  captive  the  women  and 
children,  treating  them  with  the  greatest  cru- 
elty, and  selling  them  into  slavery  ;  and  in 
these  expeditions  multitudes  of  the  soldiers 
perish  every  year.  The  people  generally  are 
treated  as  the  servants,  not  subjects  of  the  gov- 
ernment. The  soldiers  are  compelled  to  serve, 
and  the  bourgeois  to  work  for  the  government 
without  pay,  thus  reducing  themselves  and 
their  families  to  starvation.  So  much  of  their 
time  is  employed  in  the  service  of  the  Queen, 
that  they  are  obliged  to  neglect  the  cultivation 
of  the  land,  and  hence  they  have  suffered  se- 
verely by  famine.  Many  have  been  unable, 
for  several  months  of  the  year,  to  obtain  more 
than  one  meal  a  day.  And,  what  renders  the 
oppression  the  more  infamous  is,  that  they  are 
often  employed,  not  in  the  necessary  service  of 


MADAGASCAR. 


521 


the  government,  but  in  collecting  fighting 
bulls  and  dancing  idiots,  for  the  amusement  of 
this  modern  Jezebel.  In  consequence  of  this 
oppression,  hundreds  and  thousands  of  the  peo- 
ple have  deserted  the  villages,  and  fled  to  the 
forests ;  and  robbers  and  highwaymen  have 
fearfully  increased. 

Religion  and  Morals. — The  natives  of  Ma- 
dagascar have  no  just  ideas  of  God.  The 
name  which  they  give  the  Supreme  Being  lite- 
rally signifies  "  Fragrant  Priupe."  They  have 
some  idea  of  such  a  Being,  but  what  pre- 
cise notion  is  affixed  to  it,  it  is  extremely  diffi- 
cult to  ascertain.  Their  ideas  of  a  future 
state,  and  indeed  their  whole  religious  system 
is  indefinite,  discordant,  and  puerile.  It  is  a 
compound  of  heterogeneous  elements,  borrow- 
ed, in  part,  from  the  superstitious  fears  and 
practices  of  Africa,  the  opinions  of  the  ancient 
Egyptians,  and  the  prevalent  idolatrous  sys- 
tems of  India,  blended  with  the  usages  of  the 
Malayan  Archipelago.  There  are  no  public 
temples  in  honor  of  any  divinity,  nor  any 
order  of  men  exclusively  devoted  to  the  priest- 
hood, but  the  keeper  of  the  idols  receives  the 
ofierings  of  the  people,  presents  their  requests, 
and  pretends  to  give  the  response  of  the  god. 
They  worship  also  at  the  grave  or  tomb  of 
their  ancestors.  Some  Jewish  or  Mohamme- 
dan customs  prevail,  such  as  circumcision,  the 
division  of  time  into  weeks  of  seven  days,  ab- 
stinence from  swine's  flesh,  &c.  Marriage  is 
general,  but  polygamy  prevails,  and  conjugal 
fidelity  scarcely  exists. 

The  Malagasy,  though  not  naturally  savage 
and  inhuman,  have  become  dreadfully  familiar 
with  blood,  under  the  present  reign.  False- 
hood, chicanery,  avarice,  deceit  and  sensuality 
extensively  prevail.  But  they  have  some  re- 
deeming qualities.  Parents  are  devoted  to 
their  offspring,  and  children  are  respectful  to 
their  parents.  There  is  much  genuine  hospi- 
tality in  the  country,  and  warm  and  steady 
friendships  exist.  They  are  prepared  for  im- 
provement and  for  rapid  advancement,  under 
favorable  circumstances. 

MISSION. 

London  Missionary  Society. — This  Society, 
from  the  time  of  its  formation,  had  an  eye  upon 
Madagascar  as  a  missionary  field;  and,  in 
1818,  two  married  missionaries,  Messrs.  Jones 
and  Bevan,  were  sent  out ;  and  having  left  their 
families  at  Mauritius,  they  proceeded  to  Mad- 
agascar, and  found  every  encouragement  for 
commencing  a  mission.  They  returned  to 
Mauritius  for  their  families,  and  again,  early 
in  1819,  reached  the  coast  of  Madagascar. 
But  in  a  very  short  time  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bevan 
and  Mrs.  Jones,  with  their  children,  were  re- 
moved by  death,  and  Mr.  Jones  was  so  disabled 
by  serious  illness,  as  to  be  obliged  to  return  to 
Mauritius.  They  had  landed  on  the  coast  dur- 
ing the  rainy  season,  the  most  sultry  and  un- 
healthy portion  of  the  year. 


In  1820,  the  mission  was  recommenced  by 
Rev.  D.  Jones,  at  Tananarivo,  the  capital,  in 
the  district  of  Ankova.  This  was  in  the  in- 
terior of  the  island,  the  most  salubrious  and 
populous  part  of  the  country ;  and  the  mission 
was  commenced  with  the  express  sanction  of 
Radama,  the  chief,  or  king  as  he  styled  himself. 
From  that  time  the  mission  proceeded  without 
interruption  for  fifteen  years.  In  its  early 
stages  it  had  to  encounter  the  jealousy  of  the 
natives,  whose  ideas  of  Europeans  were  associ- 
ated with  the  slave  trade ;  and  many  of  the 
natives  whose  interests  were  involved  in  the 
traffic  opposed  the  proceedings  of  the  king,*in 
forming  a  treaty  with  Great  Britain  for  its 
suppression,  and  in  encouraging  the  residence 
of  Europeans  among  them.  And  some  of  the 
people  imagined  that  the  schools  were  nurseries 
for  making  their  children  more  valuable  when 
sold  into  slavery  ;  and  some  of  them  fancied 
that  their  offspring  were  purchased  by  white 
men  as  articles  of  food ! 

For  a  considerable  time,  the  efforts  of  the 
missionaries  were  directed  almost  exclusively 
to  the  instruction  of  the  children  in  schools, 
under  the  sanction  of  government.  But  two 
facts  in  the  history  of  this  mission,  show  that 
this  was  a  mistaken  policy  :  "  One  is,  that  the 
majority  of  natives  converted  to  a  profession 
of  the  Gospel,  so  as  to  afford  credible  evidence 
of  piety,  consists  of  adults  not  trained  in  the  mis- 
sion schools,  but  impressed  by  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel,  or  by  conversation  with  those  who 
had  received  it.  The  other  is,  that  most  of 
those  who  embraced  the  truth,  voluntarily  and 
immediately  commenced  learning  to  read,  how- 
ever much  engaged  in  secular  business,  or  ad- 
vanced in  life." 

During  the  first  fifteen  years  of  this  mission, 
the  whole  Bible  was  translated,  corrected,  and 
printed  in  the  native  language,  at  the  capital, 
aided  by  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Soci- 
ety ;  20,000  tracts  and  1000  copies  of  Russell's 
Catechism  were  also  printed.  About  100 
schools  had  been  established,  with  4000  schol- 
ars ;  and  during  that  period  10,000  to  15,000 
had  received  the  benefit  of  instruction  in  these 
schools.  Two  printing-presses  were  established 
at  the  capital,  by  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety. A  Malagasy  and  English  dictionary 
was  published  in  two  volumes.  Two  large 
congregations  were  formed  at  the  capital,  and 
nearly  200  persons  applied  for  admission  to  the 
church.  Adult  Bible  classes  were  formed  for 
the  regular  and  systematic  study  of  the  Bible. 
Various  preaching  stations  were  visited  every 
Sabbath  ;  and  the  minds  of  multitudes  had 
become  enlightened  in  regard  to  the  truths  of 
Christianity,  and  had  renounced  the  supersti- 
tious customs  of  the  country.  Meetings  for 
prayer  were  held,  convened  and  conducted  by 
the  natives  themselves.  At  a  village  about 
60  miles  from  the  capital,  a  small  chapel  had 
been  erected  by  the  natives,  chiefly  through 
the  influence  and  exertions  of  a  pious  woman  ; 


MADAGASCAR. 


and  pablic  worship,  cliiefly  for  reading  the 
Scriptures  and  prayer,  was  held  iu  many  dis- 
tant parte  of  the  country,  conducted  by  those 
who  were  formerly  teachers  or  scholars  in  the 
mittiou  schools. 

In  addition  to  the  missionaries  a  number  of 
artisans  wore  sent  to  Madagascar,  in  fulfilment 
of  the  treaty  between  lladama  and  the  British 
Government,  by  whoso  instruction  habits  of 
thought,  attention,  industry,  and  application, 
wore  generated,  a  spirit  of  inquiry  fostered,  and 
a  general  advancement  in  civilization  secured. 
Besides  these  influences  much  good  was  accom- 
plished by  the  religious  exertions  of  these  pious 
missionary  artisans,  who  embraced  suitable  op- 
portunities for  communicating  religious  as  well 
as  secular  knowledge.  The  female  members 
of  the  mission  also  accomplished  much  good, 
by  instructing  the  native  women. 

Numerous  causes  were  operating  to  produce 
an  extensive  change  iu  the  minds,  manners, 
habits,  and  institutions  of  the  people  ;  but  in 
tliat  change,  the  Madagascar  government  did 
not  sympathize.  They  looked  upon  it  from 
the  beginning  with  a  jealous  eye  ;  and,  fearing 
its  progress,  they  determined  to  crush  it.  It 
is  believed  that  this  feeling  was  indulged  by 
Radama  himself.  His  successor,  the  queen, 
tliough  possessing  a  masculine  will,  has  never 
shown  anj'  indication  of  superior  intelligence. 
She  is  slightly  acquainted  with  the  elements 
of  reading  and  writing.  But  she  never  availed 
herself  of  the  opportunity  of  becoming  familiar 
with  the  instructions  of  European  teachers. 
She  has  always  been  strongly  attached  to  the 
superstitions  of  the  country,  and  cherished  a 
veneration  for  the  national  gods.  Her  acces- 
sion to  the  throne  was  publicly  attributed  to 
the  gods,  and  she  necessarily  felt  bound  to  sus- 
tain their  authority.  One  of  the  hereditary 
guardians  of  the  principal  idol,  Rainiharo,  was 
appointed,  as  it  was  pretended,  by  the  com- 
mand of  the  idol,  to  remain  with  the  queen. 
Two  parties  were  formed  at  court;  the  idol 
party,  of  whom  this  man  was  the  head,  and 
the  party  who  sought  to  extend  education,  and 
to  carry  out  and  enlarge  the  measures  of  Rad- 
ama, which  consisted  of  Andriamihiaja  and 
his  friends.  But,  in  about  two  years  after  the 
accession  of  the  queen,  the  idol  party  prevailed, 
and  Andriamihiaja,  as  already  stated,  was  mur- 
dered. 

^  The  idolatrous  party  represented  the  mis- 
sionaries and  teachers  as  having  some  political 
designs,  and  so  wrought  upon  the  jealousies 
and  fears  of  the  queen  to  prejudice  her  against 
them.  The  first  indication  of  this  was  mani- 
fested  in  an  abrupt  order  for  Rev.  D.  Griffiths 
to  leave  the  country,  on  the  ground  that  the 
period  of  five  years,  to  which  his  permission  to 
remain  extended,  had  expired.  Similar  mea- 
sures were  pursued  with  regard  to  other  mis- 
sionaries. Towards  the  close  of  1831,  the  per- 
mission which  had  previously  been  given  for 
the  administration  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 


Supper  was  recalled.  The  next  year,  slaves 
were  prohibited  learning  to  read  and  write. 
This  was  believed  to  have  been  done  because 
many  free  people  were  in  the  habit  of  purchas- 
ing slave  children,  to  place  in  the  schools  in- 
stead of  their  own,  certain  towns  and  villages 
being  required  to  furnish  a  given  number  of 
children  for  the  schools  ;  and  parents  were  un- 
willing to  place  their  children  where  they 
might  so  soon  be  drawn  off  to  the  army  and 
perish. 

In  the  fall  of  1834,  a  circumstance  trans- 
spired,  which  tended  still  further  to  prejudice 
the  mind  of  the  queen  against  Christianity, 
and  to  hasten  the  crisis.  A  middle-aged  man, 
a  keeper  of  an  idol,  had  experienced  iu  1 832  a 
succession  of  calamities,  which  rendered  him 
melancholy ;  and  meeting  with  a  native  Chris- 
tian, who  conversed  with  him  on  the  subject 
of  religion,  a  deep  impression  was  made  on  his 
mind  ;  and,  disregarding  the  advice  of  the 
native  Christian  to  seek  further  instruction,  he 
immediately  set  about  preaching  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  his  native  village,  telling  them  of  the 
day  of  judgment,  the  resurrection,  and  of  the 
happy  time  when  all  men  would  receive  Chris- 
tianity, and  live  in  peace  with  one  another. 
He  imagined  himself  raised  up  for  a  reformer, 
and  professed  to  receive  immediate  revelation 
from  God  ;  and  very  soon  he  began  to  mix  the 
worship  of  his  old  idol  with  that  of  the  true 
God,  probably  with  the  hope  of  conciliating 
the  queen.  In  the  course  of  two  years,  he  had 
gained  200  followers.  In  1834,  this  man  sent 
to  the  queen  that  he  had  an  important  mes- 
sage for  her.  His  message  was  received  by 
Rainiharo,  the  principal  officer,  who  was  in- 
formed that  this  man's  followers  were  very 
numerous.  This  roused  the  jealousy  of  the 
government,  and  the  whole  party  was  sum- 
moned to  the  capital.  When  they  arrived, 
they  stated  that  they  had  a  message  from  God 
to  the  queen,  to  the  effect  that  she  was  to  be 
the  sovereign  of  all  the  world ;  that  the  dead 
would  rise,  and  the  living  never  die  ;  that  all 
would  then  live  peaceably  and  happily,  for 
there  would  be  an  end  put  to  the  ordeal  of 
tangena,  divination,  murder,  wars,  and  conten- 
tion ;  and  they  offered  to  forfeit  their  heads,  if 
these  things  were  false,  "  for,"  said  they,  "  God 
has  told  us  these  things,  and  God  cannot  lie." 
After  an  examination  of  two  or  three  days,  the 
man,  with  three  of  his  principal  followers,  was 
condemned  to  death,  and  led  to  the  north  end 
of  the  town,  and  put  head  downwards  in  a 
rice-pit,  and  boiling  water  poured  on  them ; 
after  which,  the  pit  was  closed  upon  them,  and 
filled  up  with  earth.  A  number  more  of  the 
party  were  cruelly  put  to  death,  and  the  rest 
were  sold  into  slavery  and  their  property  con- 
fiscated ;  which  yielded  a  profit  of  several 
thousand  dollars  to  the  queen,  officers,  and 
judges,  thus  giving  them  a  taste  for  plunder. 
The  queen  and  her  advisers  being  ignorant  of 
the  principles  of  Christianity,  it  was  natural 


MADAGASCAR. 


523 


that  they  should  identify  this  fanatical  sect 
with  the  Christians  ;  and  hence  the  occurrence 
tended  greatly  to  their  prejudice. 

Prejudice  was  further  excited  by  the  indis- 
cretion of  some  young  converts,  who  under- 
took to  be  teachers  of  others  before  they  had 
themselves  become  fully  acquainted  with  the 
principles  of  Christianity.  The  statements 
made  by  native  converts  were  also  misunder- 
stood and  misrepresented.  In  the  beginning 
of  1835,  a  native,  addressing  a  small  congre- 
gation at  the  capital,  was  overheard  to  say 
that  ere  long  God  would  punish  all  the  work- 
ers of  iniquity,  and  reward  those  who  had 
loved  and  served  him.  The  expressions  were 
reported  to  the  queen,  and  she  ordered  spies 
to  be  sent  next  time  to  bring  a  fuller  report. 
The  subject  was  the  resurrection,  and  the 
speaker  said,  "  All  must  rise,  and  God  alone 
will  be  the  judge.  Every  one  in  this  country 
will  be  raised  and  judged  then."  It  was  re- 
ported to  the  queen  that  he  had  said  the  in- 
habitants of  her  country  alone  would  be  judged 
by  God  in  that  day.  "  It  is  false !"  cried  the 
queen.  "  Other  sovereigns  are  allowed  to  judge 
their  people  as  they  please,  and  am  I  alone  to 
be  prohibited  ?  If  so,  God  indeed  is  partial. 
Besides,  how  should  they  know  that  God  will 
raise  the  dead  ?"  After  this,  a  young  man,  a 
native  convert,  who  held  a  meeting  at  some 
distance  from  the  capital,  had  given  offence  to 
the  people,  by  working  on  Saturday,  their 
sacred  day,  and  speaking  disrespectfully  of 
their  idol.  In  revenge,  they  accused  him  to 
the  queen  ;  but  instead  of  punishing  him,  she 
ordered  the  ordeal  of  tangeua  to  be  adminis- 
tered, by  which  he  was  declared  innocent. 
Having  retired  to  a  private  village  a  few  days, 
according  to  the  usual  custom,  he  came  up  to 
town  in  a  public  procession,  which,  being 
joined  by  a  number  of  the  native  Christians, 
dressed  in  white  robes,  was  much  larger  than 
on  ordinary  occasions.  The  queen  happened 
to  see  the  procession,  and  inquired  what  it 
meant.  She  was  informed  that  it  was  the 
young  man's  procession  whom  she  had  ordered 
to  pass  the  ordeal,  and  that  the  persons  dressed 
in  white  were  native  Christians.  "  You  would 
be  surprised,"  they  added,  "  at  the  love  of  these 

Eeople  for  one  another ;  when  any  one  of  them 
appens  to  be  in  distress,  they  all  feel  dis- 
tressed, and  when  any  one  is  happy,  they  are 
all  happy  ;  when  any  are  poor  or  destitute, 
they  form  a  society  to  assist  them ;"  meaning 
that  they  collect  money  of  one  another  to 
afford  relief.  "  I  am  indeed  surprised,"  replied 
the  queen,  "  to  see  such  things  in  my  country. 
Was  it  not  I  who  ordered  him  to  take  the 
ordeal,  and  why  do  they  now  make  such  an 
exhibition,  as  if  they  had  overcome  an  enemy  ? 
All  this  is  intended  for  me,  I  suppose." 

These  circumstances  created  so  much  pre- 
judice in  the  mind  of  the  queen,  as  to  prepare 
her  to  receive  any  charges  that  might  be 
brought  against  the  whole  body  of  the  Chris- 


tians. The  officer  who  had  accused  this  young 
man  in  the  first  instance,  felt  piqued  at  his 
acquittal,  and  hearing  that  the  queen  was  dis- 
pleased with  the  procession,  determined  to 
bring  an  accusation  against  the  whole  body  of 
the  Christians.  And,  in  order  to  get  some- 
thing upon  which  to  found  an  accusation,  he 
went  to  one  of  their  meetings,  where  he  heard 
a  slave  addressing  the  congregation,  from 
Josh.  34  :  14,  15,  exhorting  them  to  forsake 
the  gods  which  their  fathers  had  served,  and  to 
serve  Jehovah  and  Jesus  Christ.  He  then 
represented  to  the  queen  that  there  were  in 
and  around  the  capital  certain  people  who 
were  seeking  to  change  the  customs  of  the 
country,  who  despised  the  idols,  and  divina- 
tions, and  all  the  customs  of  their  forefathers ; 
entering  into  a  league  with  the  English,  hold- 
ing meetings  in  the  night,  and  urging  all  pre- 
sent to  serve  Jehovah  and  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
he  supposed  that  Jehovah  was  the  first  king 
of  England,  and  Jesus  Christ  the  second,  and 
that  the  idols  they  were  urged  to  forsake  were 
the  queen  and  her  successors.  "  Besides,"  said 
he,  "  these  meetings  are  carried  on  by  slaves. 
We  cannot  see  the  end  of  these  things ;  but 
we  fear  that  these  people,  who  have  become  so 
friendly  with  the  English,  will  attempt  to 
transfer  the  kingdom  of  the  queen  to  them." 
Such  a  communication  was  well  calculated  to 
arouse  the  suspicious  temper  of  the  queen ; 
and  she  burst  into  tears,  and  then  swore  that 
she  would  put  a  stop  to  these  things,  and  that 
with  the  shedding  of  blood.  And  soon  after- 
wards she  ordered  the  judges  to  convene  the 
people  at  the  capital,  on  Sunday,  March  1. 
The  previous  Sabbath  she  had  ordered  the 
sewing  women,  (the  women  whom  the  female 
missionaries  had  taught  to  sew,)  to  meet  in  the 
court  yard  to  sew  for  her.  Passing  by  them, 
she  said,  with  a  contemptuous  sneer,  "  You  had 
better  go  and  ask  permission  of  the  Europeans 
to  come  and  sew  for  me  on  the  Sabbath.  You 
observe  the  day  like  the  English ;  I  do  not. 
You  had  better  go  and  ask  their  permission." 
In  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  as  she  was  re- 
turning home  from  a  bull-fight,  passing  the 
chapel  and  hearing  the  singing,  she  said, 
"  These  people  will  not  leave  off  till  some  of 
their  heads  are  taken  from  their  shoulders." 
The  next  Tuesday,  orders  were  given  to  pro- 
cure a  list  of  all  the  houses  where  prayer-meet- 
ings were  held,  and  the  names  of  all  the  bap- 
tized persons.  The  queen  was  astonished  at 
their  numbers,  and  swore  that  she  would  put 
to  death  the  owners  of  the  houses.  She  ap- 
peared now  exceedingly  violent  against  the 
Christians.  One  of  her  officers,  named  Eain- 
ingatabe,  rose  and  said  that  though  she  might 
think  proper  to  destroy  him,  he  could  not  re- 
frain from  speaking  his  mind ;  and  he  entreated 
her  to  consider  well  what  she  proposed  to  do 
to  these  people ;  for  he  had  for  years  had  op- 
portunity to  observe  their  conduct,  and  he  as- 
sured her  that  he  had  seen  none  more  upright, 


594 


MADAGASCAR. 


diligent,  fiuthfnl  and  trustworthy.  Besides 
tliis,  he  said  they  were  the  most  intelligent 
people  in  the  country  ;  and  if  she  put  one  of 
thfin  to  di-ath  she  would  bo  the  loser,  and 
would  l>o  sorrv  for  it.  After  a  long  pause,  the 
queen  saitl,  "I  thank  you  for  your  advice.  I 
lave  indeed  a  father  and  a  mother  in  vou  : 
vou  do  not  conceal  from  me  what  you  think 
will  be  of  service  to  the  kingdom.  We  shall 
coasidcr  well  what  to  do  with  them."  Andria- 
nisa  then  rose  up  and  said  he  very  highly  ap- 
proved of  the  advice  that  had  been  given,  and 
added  that  almost  all  the  new  things  that  had 
been  introduced  for  the  good  of  the  country, 
had  bwn  introduced  by  the  English  ;  and  that 
if  any  who  had  been  placed  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  Europeans  should  be  put  to  death, 
it  would  be  a  reproach  to  the  queen's  country. 
The  queen  had  also  summoned  some  of  the 
head  people  from  other  districts,  to  give  their 
opinion  as  to  putting  to  death  one  or  two  of 
the  most  active  Christians  in  each  district. 
They  did  not  hesitate  to  express  their  disap- 
probation of  such  a  measure. 

On  Thursday,  the  missionaries  received  a 
letter  from  the  queen,  forbidding  them  to 
teach  Christianity  to  the  natives,  but  allowing 
them  to  teach  the  arts  and  sciences.  To  this 
they  replied,  remonstrating  against  the  order, 
but  without  effect.  The  rest  of  the  week  was 
a  time  of  great  excitement  among  all  parties. 
At  length  the  day  of  the  dreaded  assembly 
came,  and  the  people  flocked  in  from  all  quar- 
ters, amid  the  parade  of  troops  and  the  roar 
of  artillery.  After  the  meeting  had  been 
opened  with  pompous  addi esses,  the  queen 
sent  a  message,  couched  in  the  style  of  oriental 
bombast,  in  which  she  called  on  all  who  had 
been  baptized,  or  who  had  attended  places  of 
Christian  worship,  to  come  and  accuse  them- 
selves, threatening  with  death  all  who  re- 
fused, and  forbidding  the  performance  of 
Christian  worship,  or  changing  the  customs  of 
the  country. 

^  Many  of  those  who  had  attended  on  Chris- 
tian worship,  and  among  others,  the  twelve 
principal  teachers,  came  forward,  and  accused 
themselves,  and  made  their  submission  ;  but 
others  remained  faithful,  and  boldly  told  the 
persons  appointed  to  receive  confessions,  "  We 
aid  no  evil,  and  intended  none  to  the  queen  or 
her  kingdom,  in  our  prayers  and  our  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath.  We  prayed  to  the 
Ood  of  Heaven  to  prosper  her  reign."  Being 
asked  how  many  times  they  had  prayed  and 
worshiped  God,  they  said  they  could  not  tell. 
'«  We  always,"  said  they,  "  prayed  before  going 
to  our  work  in  the  morning,  and  before  going 
to  sleep  in  the  evening,  also  before  and  after 
eating,  and  often  at  other  moments  in  the 
course  of  the  day."  A  man  of  considerable 
influence  froni  a  distant  district,  being  asked 
how  many  times  he  had  prayed,  said  he  could 
not  tell,  but  that  for  the  last  three  or  four 
years  he  had  not  spent  a  single  day  without 


-offering  prayer  several  times  a  day,  but  that 
he  asked  for  nothing  injurious  to  any  one. 
The  judges  asked  him  to  givo  them  a  specimen 
of  his  prayer,  which  he  did  in  the  presence  of 
the  multitude.  He  said  he  confessed  his  sins 
before  God,  implored  his  forgiveness,  and 
asked  for  help  to  enable  him  to  live  without 
sinning,  that  he  might  be  holy  and  prepared 
for  heaven.  The  same  blessings  he  asked  for 
his  family  and  friends,  for  the  queen,  and  for 
all  her  subjects.  "  I  asked  all  these  things," 
said  he,  "  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  we 
sinners  can  receive  nothing  from  God  but 
through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  for 
sinners."  The  judges  acknowledged  that  his 
prayers  were  good,  but  as  the  queen  did  not 
approve  of  such  things,  they  ought  not  to  be 
done  in  her  country. 

During  this  time  of  trial  a  small  company 
of  the  converts  met  for  prayer  at  midnight, 
every  night  in  the  week,  and  many  of  them 
said  they  had  never  before  enjoyed  so  much  in 
drawing  near  to  God.  Among  these  was  an 
ofiBcer  of  high  rank,  who  had  never  before  de- 
clared himself  as  a  Christian.  When  asked 
by  a  friend  why  he  joined  the  Christians  at 
this  time,  he  replied  that  he  perceived  so  much 
injustice  in  the  proceedings  of  the  government, 
that  he  determined  to  join  the  injured  party, 
and  that  after  having  united  with  them  in 
these  meetings,  he  had  felt  so  much  pleasure 
in  their  company  that  he  resolved  to  take 
their  God  as  his  God,  and  their  people  as  his 
people.  And  as  to  accusing  himself,  he  had 
determined  not  to  do  it  until  convinced  that 
he  had  done  wrong  in  attending  the  meetings. 
His  wife  has  since  become  a  convert,  and  the 
refugees  who  fled  to  England  were  greatly  in- 
debted to  him  and  his  wife  for  having  conceal- 
ed them  for  some  time  in  his  house. 

During  the  following  week  many  reports 
were  circulated,  and  apprehensions  entertained 
that  some  would  be  put  to  death.  It  was  ex- 
pected that  the  final  result  would  be  announced 
on  the  expiration  of  the  week,  but  it  was  the 
policy  of  the  government  to  keep  the  people  in 
suspense,  that  they  might  fear  the  worst.  The 
people  were  summoned  again  on  the  9th,  and 
the  queen  sent  another  bombastic  and  threat- 
ening communication,  in  which  she  reduced 
the  rank  of  those  officers  of  the  government 
who  had  been  at  the  meetings,  which  punish- 
ment was  received  by  them  with  the  most  de- 
grading servility.  The  number  thus  reduced 
was  not  less  than  400. 

In  the  course  of  the  second  week  in  March, 
orders  were  issued  that  all  persons  who  had 
received  any  books  from  the  Europeans  should 
deliver  them  up,  and  not  conceal  even  a  leaf, 
on  pain  of  death  ;  and  orders  were  sent  to  all 
the  outposts  to  collect  in  the  books,  some  of 
which  had  been  carried  300  miles  from  the  ca- 
pital. The  books  were  delivered  up  by  the 
Christians,  with  great  grief,  but  it  is  supposed 
that  many  were  retained  and  concealed.    After 


MADAGASCAR. 


525 


the  books  -vrere  all  collected,  the  queen  ordered 
four  officers  to  examine  them,  and  ascertain  if 
any  of  them  were  free  from  obnoxious  expres- 
sions. The  twelve  senior  teachers  were  called 
)n  to  read  them  to  the  officers.  As  the  Bible 
ivas  the  largest  book,  it  was  taken  first.  They 
'ound  no  fault  with  the  first  verse ;  but  as  the 
word  darkness  occurred  in  the  second,  they 
said  that  the  queen  did  not  like  darkness,  and 
therefore  the  book  was  condemned.  The  hymn 
book  was  taken  next,  and  that  was  condemned, 
because  the  word  Jehovah  was  found  in  it. 
rhen  several  tracts  and  catechisms  were  ex- 
amined, but  in  all  these  the  words  "  Jesus 
Christ,"  «  Jehovah,"  <'  darkness,"  "  hell,"  "  Sa- 
tan," or  "resurrection"  occurred,  and  they 
tvere  condemned.  After  the  verdict  had  been 
pronounced  upon  all  that  had  been  printed  in 
the  Malagasy  language,  the  examination  of 
books  in  other  languages  commenced.  A  He- 
brew Bible  was  first  taken,  of  which  the  read- 
er knew  about  as  little  as  the  hearers,  but  he 
pretended  to  read  it  off  with  fluency  ;  yet  as  it 
(vas  incomprehensible  to  the  officers  they  pro- 
nounced against  it.  The  English  and  French 
books,  with  a  few  Latin  and  Greek,  shared 
the  same  fate.  These  were  afterwards  sent 
back  to  the  missionaries  as  European  property, 
but  while  in  the  hands  of  the  government, 
they  were  kept  in  an  old  unoccupied  building, 
where  the  rats  were  so  plenty  that  it  was 
feared  the  books  would  be  devoured  by  them  ; 
and  the  soldiers  were  directed  to  provide  cats, 
and  keep  them  on  the  spot,  and  a  weekly  al- 
lowance was  made  from  the  royal  treasury  to 
provide  meat  for  the  canine  guards. 

The  missionaries  continued  to  impart  instruc- 
tion and  comfort  to  the  native  Christians,  up 
to  the  time  of  their  departure,  in  1836. 
The  number  of  converts  had  gradually  in- 
creased, notwithstanding  the  difficulties  under 
which  they  labored,  and  the  dangers  to  which 
they  were  exposed.  The  Lord's  Supper  was 
administered  in  private,  and  several  were  bap- 
tized. They  increased  in  spiritual  knowledge, 
even  more  than  they  had  done  before  the  per- 
secution arose.  A  strong  bond  of  union  was 
formed  among  them,  which  continues  to  the 
present  day.  Before  the  missionaries  left,  they 
supplied  each  one  with  a  copy  of  the  Bible, 
some  of  whom  walked  more  than  a  hundred 
miles  to  obtain  it.  A  sick  man,  who  had  not 
been  able  to  leave  his  house  for  five  months, 
traveled  sixty  miles,  and  when  he  received  the 
Bible,  he  pressed  it  to  his  bosom,  saying, 
"  This  contains  the  words  of  eternal  life  ;  it  is 
my  life,  and  I  will  take  as  much  care  of  it  as 
of  my  own  life."  He  has  since  been  compelled 
to  leave  his  home,  and  take  refuge  in  the  for- 
ests, for  his  adherence  to  the  faith.  Before  the 
departure  of  the  missionaries,  they  translated 
the  Pilgrim's  Progress  into  Malagasy;  and 
eight  copies  were  written  out  by  the  native 
Christians,  and  left  in  their  hands  ;  and  it  has 
proved  a  great  comfort  and  blessing  to  them. 


The  London  Tract  Society  afterwards  printed 
1000  copies,  which  were  sent  to  them. 

The  missionaries  remained  till  they  had 
completed  the  translation  and  printing  of  the 
whole  Bible,  when  they  came  to  the  conclusion 
to  leave,  as  they  were  forbidden  to  impart  re- 
ligious instruction,  and  their  presence  only 
excited  the  jealousy  of  the  queen,  and  increas- 
ed the  rigors  of  the  persecution.  Messrs. 
Freeman,  Cameron,  Chick,  and  Kitching  left 
Madagascar  in  June,  1835  ;  and  Messrs.  Johns 
and  Baker  remained  another  year,  to  see  if 
any  changes  were  likely  to  take  place  favora- 
ble to  the  prosecution  of  the  mission.  That 
was  a  year  of  suspense,  anxiety,  and  pain  to 
them.  The  servants  of  the  missionaries  who 
left  were  subjected  to  the  murderous  ordeal  of 
tangena,  and  two  of  them  died.  The  infant 
of  another  was  suffocated  the  day  after  its 
birth,  by  order  of  the  queen,  because  it  was 
born  on  a  "  fatal  day."  The  oppressions  of 
the  government  became  more  and  more  cruel. 
The  Sabbath  was  purposely  desecrated  by 
public  works  and  amusements.  Yice,  disease, 
and  poverty  increased  at  a  fearful  rate.  Grad- 
ually the  faithful  became  known  to  the  mis- 
sionaries and  to  each  other.  Sometimes  a 
recognition  took  place  by  a  reference  to  Jer. 
38  :  15,  which  was  answered  by  the  following 
verse.  After  some  time  the  native  Christians 
began  to  hold  secret  meetings  at  their  own 
houses,  at  the  houses  of  the  missionaries,  and 
on  the  summits  of  solitary  mountains.  At 
length,  after  leaving  70  complete  Bibles,  and 
several  boxes  of  psalters,  Testaments,  spelling 
and  hymn  books,  catechisms  and  tracts,  chiefly 
buried  underground,  Messrs.  Johns  and  Baker, 
sorrowfully  and  in  great  depression  of  mind, 
left  Madagascar,  and  arrived  at  Mauritius  in 
September,  1836. 

Just  before  they  set  out  from  the  capital,  the 
storm  burst  out  afresh,  and  its  earliest  object  * 
was  Rafaravavy.  She  had  been  a  convert  be- 
fore the  suppression  of  Christianity.  Before 
her  conversion,  she  had  been  so  devoted  to 
idolatry  that,  when  there  was  not  a  meal  of 
rice  in  the  house,  the  money  required  to  pur- 
chase it  was  paid  to  the  support  of  idol  wor- 
ship. But  when  she  embraced  Christianity, 
she  became  one  of  the  most  zealous  converts. 
She  took  one  of  the  largest  houses  in  the  cap- 
ital, for  the  purpose  of  maintaining  a  prayer- 
meeting  ;  and  she  did  much  to  secure  the 
attendance  of  others  on  the  means  of  grace. 
A  short  tin?e  before  the  missionaries  left,  she 
was  accused  by  three  of  her  servants  of  read- 
ing the  Bible  and  praying  on  the  Sabbath, 
with  nine  of  her  companions ;  and  the  charge 
was  received,  though  it  was  contrary  to  law  to 
receive  an  accusation  from  slaves  against  their 
masters.  As  they  did  not  return  home,  her 
father,  who  was  a  heathen,  went  after  them 
and  put  them  in  irons.  But  they  were  released 
by  the  interference  of  Eafaravavy,  by  whom 
they  were  addressed  with  so  much  earnestness 


5S6 


MADAGASCAR. 


that  ahe  found  reason  to  hope  they  had  become 
new  creatures  The  nuke  informed  her  father 
of  the  nccustttion,  and  advised  him  to  persuade 
hiT  to  accuse  lierself,  and  make  known  her 
companions.  She  readily  acknowledged  to 
him  that  she  prayed,  but  steadily  refused  to 
betray  her  associates.  The  queen,  on  hearing 
of  the  case,  was  in  a  great  rage,  and  gave 
orders  to  put  her  to  death  immediately ;  but, 
OS  lur  father  had  rendered  great  service  to  the 
government,  some  influential  persons  at  court 
persuadetl  her  to  a  more  lenient  course. 

While  these  things  were  in  progress,  Rafar- 
ava^7  contrived  to  reach  Mr.  Johns's  house  just 
before  he  left.  It  was  about  3  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  She  was  fully  expecting  to  be  put 
to  death.  The  interview  was  afl'ecting  on 
both  sides.  Mrs.  Johns  remarks,  "  I  shall 
never  forget  the  serenity  and  composure  she 
displaved  while  she  related  to  me  the  consola- 
tion she  enjoyed  in  pleading  the  promises,  and 
in  drawing  near  to  God  in  prayer."  The 
queen  decided  to  spare  her  life  ;  but  fined  her 
to  the  amount  of  half  her  property,  and  half 
her  own  value,  if  sold  into  slavery.  Soon 
after,  she  found  that  she  was  very  narrowly 
watclied  by  her  father  and  friends ;  and  she 
determined  to  sell  her  house  in  the  capital,  and 
purdiase  one  in  a  retired  spot  in  the  suburbs. 
The  little  band  continued  to  meet,  sometimes  at 
her  house,  sometimes  at  the  house  of  one  of 
her  friends,  and  sometimes  on  a  mountain. 

The  number  of  those  confiding  in  each 
other  as  Christians  now  rapidly  increased ; 
and  many  coming  from  Vonizongo  made 
Rafaravavy's  house  their  home  while  at  the 
capital.  In  the  early  part  of  1837,  Mr.  Johns 
wrote  from  Mauritius  to  some  of  the  Christians 
at  the  capital,  intimating  his  intention  of  vis- 
iting Tamatave  in  the  course  of  the  season. 
Rasomaka  (Joseph)  and  others  were  deputed 
to  meet  him.  They  left  their  friends  in  peace 
and  tranquillity.  They  carried  with  them  a 
number  of  letters  from  the  native  Christians. 
The  following  extract  from  a  joint  letter  of 
the  whole  band  will  show  the  spirit  that  ani- 
mated them : 

"  When  we  consider  our  guilt  and  pollution, 
and  the  evil  that  dwells  in  our  hearts,  then 
we  soon  faint ;  but  when  we  remember  and 
reflect  upon  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  redemp- 
tion  there  is  in  Jesus,  and  when  we  call  to 
mind  the  promises,  then  our  hearts  take  confi- 
dence, and  we  believe  that  Jesus  can  cleanse 
us  and  bring  us  to  heaven ;  and  when  we  meet 
there,  we  will  tell  you  all  that  has  befallen  us 
by  the  way  while  yet  here  on  earth.  By  the 
strength  of  God  we  shall  go  forward,  and  not 
fear  what  may  befall  us ;  but  we  will  go  in 
the  power  of  the  Lord,  and  if  accused  by  the 
people,  we  will  still  go  straight  forward,  for  we 
know  that  if  we  deny  him  before  men,  Jesus 
will  deny  us  before  his  Father.  All  the  Chris- 
tians are  teaching  others  to  read.  There  are 
ten  with  one  friend,  six  with  another,  four  with 


another,  and  so  the  number  is  quietly  aug- 
menting. The  Bibles  that  were  left  in  our 
possession  have  all  been  circulated,  and  many 
are  wishing  to  obtain  complete  copies." 

Some  time  after  the  departure  of  those  who 
had  been  deputed  to  meet  Mr.  Johns  at  'J'ama- 
tave,  he  heard  that  persecution  had  broken  out 
afresh  ;  and  afterwards  he  received  a  letter  in- 
forming him  that  fourteen  of  the  Christians 
had  been  apprehended,  and  sold  into  slavery. 
It  afterwards  appeared,  that  while  the  brethren 
were  at  Tamatave,  two  women  had  entered  a 
complaint  against  ten  of  the  Christians,  with 
the  hope  of  getting  a  share  of  their  property. 
Rafaravavy  w*as  immediately  apprehended,  and 
the  next  day  all  the  rest  of  the  ten,  except 
Rasomaka,  who  had  not  yet  returned  from 
Tamatave,  and  Rafaralahiandrianisa,  from  Von- 
izongo, who  was  saved,  because  his  accusers 
did  not  know  his  name.  Some  time  inter- 
vened before  sentence  was  pronounced  ;  and 
Rafaravavy  was  frequently  examined  and  im- 
portuned to  disclose  her  companions.  But 
while  she  freely  confessed  that  she  prayed  to 
God  who  made  all  things ;  and  whatever  the 
queen  might  be  pleased  to  do  with  her,  she 
confessed  that  she  had  done  this,  but  steadily 
refused  to  implicate  others. 

Paul,  another  of  the  accused,  when  the  oflB- 
cers  came  to  apprehend  him,  said,  "  I  have 
certainly  prayed  to  the  God  who  created  me 
and  supported  me,  and  who  made  all  things,  to 
make  me  a  good  man  ;  to  bless  the  queen  and 
give  her  real  happiness,  both  in  this  world  and 
that  which  is  to  come;  to  bless  the  officers 
and  judges,  and  all  the  people,  and  to  make 
them  so  good  that  there  might  be  no  more 
highwaymen  and  liars  in  the  country;  and 
that  God  would  make  all  the  people  wise  and 
good."  This  discreet  answer  had  some  effect 
upon  the  officers  ;  and  some  of  them  said  they 
saw  no  harm  in  all  that ;  and  one  said,  "  Let 
us  do  nothing  rashly,  lest  we  should  advise  the 
queen  to  shed  innocent  blood."  But  another 
said, "  The  queen  has  forbidden  any  to  pray  to 
Jehovah,  and  they  have  done  it ;  and,  having 
despised  the  command  of  the  queen,  are  guilty." 

The  government. was  a  fortnight  consider- 
ing what  punishment  to  inflict  on  the  accused. 
On  the  fourteenth  day,  the  people  in  the  mar- 
ket were  summoned,  and  received  a  message 
from  the  queen  to  go  and  seize  the  property 
of  Rafaravavy.  She  knew  nothing  of  the  order, 
till  some  of  the  people  came  rushing  into  her 
house,  almost  out  of  breath,  and  began  to  seize 
and  carry  away  whatever  they  could  lay  their 
hands  on  ;  and,  in  a  very  short  time,  every  thing 
she  had  was  carried  away,  and  her  house  pulled 
down,  and  the  materials  carried  oflT.  She  was 
then  ordered  to  follow  four  of  the  Tsiarondahy, 
the  class  employed  in  putting  criminals  to  death. 
She  expected  to  be  immediately  put  to  death. 
She  went  on,  repeating  to  herself,  "  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit,"  and  feeling  that  she  had 
done  with  the  body.    She  was  followed  by 


MADAGASCAR. 


527 


several  native  Christians,  who  encouraged  and 
comforted  her.  But  instead  of  going  directly 
to  the  place  of  execution,  they  turned  aside 
into  a  house  by  the  way,  and  put  heavy  irons 
on  her,  the  queen  having  ordered  her  to  be 
put  to  death  before  daylight  the  next  morn- 
ing. But  that  night  a  fire  burst  out  in  the 
capital,  burnt  down  many  houses,  and  created 
so  much  confusion,  that  the  queen's  order  was 
neglected.  The  fire  occasioned  a  good  deal  of 
remark.  Many  said  it  seemed  like  a  judg- 
ment from  heaven,  on  account  of  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  Christians  ;  and  it  was  thought  to 
have  had  some  effect  upon  the  superstitious 
fears  of  the  queen  herself. 

The  rest  of  the  company  were  divided  among 
the  officers,  Paul  being  put  in  irons  and  placed 
in  a  separate  house.  At  length,  the  judgment 
of  the  queen  was  given,  in  a  public  assembly, 
that  they  should  be  reduced  to  perpetual  sla- 
very, so  that  their  friends  should  never  be  allow- 
ed to  redeem  them. 

Easalama,  when  deceitfully  told  that  all  the 
rest  had  informed  of  her  companions,  was  in- 
duced to  mention  the  names  of  several,  who 
had  not  yet  been  impeached ;  and  when  she  after- 
wards ascertained  that  she  had  been  the  means 
of  their  apprehension,  she  was  deeply  grieved. 
During  her  confinement  as  a  prisoner  she  was 
overheard  to  express  her  astonishment  that  the 
people  of  God  should  be  treated  in  this  man- 
ner, and  to  say,  "  I  was  not  afraid,  but  rather 
rejoiced  that  I  was  counted  worthy  to  suffer 
affliction  for  believing  in  Jesus ;  I  bad  hope 
of  the  life  in  heaven."  This  was  reported  to 
the  judges,  and  she  was  put  in  irons  and  cruelly 
beaten.  Referring  to  the  information  she  had 
given  of  her  companions,  she  said,  "  My  life 
shall  go  for  them."  She  was  ordered  for  exe- 
cution the  next  morning,  and  in  the  mean  time, 
put  in  irons,  which  forced  the  extremities  to- 
gether, and  put  the  whole  body  in  an  excru- 
ciating position.  Being  led  to  the  place  of 
execution  the  next  morning,  she  expressed  her 
joy  that  she  had  received  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  continued  singing  hymns  on  the 
way.  On  reaching  the  fatal  spot,  and  having 
received  permission  to  kneel  down  and  pray, 
she  calmly  committed  her  spirit  into  the  hands 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  while  thus  engaged  was 
pierced  through  the  heart  by  the  spears  of  the 
executioners  ;  and  her  body  was  left  to  be  de- 
voured by  the  dogs. 

As  soon  as  the  two  brethren  had  returned 
from  Tamatave,  they  also  were  apprehended, 
their  goods  confiscated,  and  they  and  their 
wives  reduced  to  slavery.  They  were  divided 
among  the  officers  of  government,  and  treated 
in  the  most  cruel  aud  brutal  manner,  the  ob- 
ject apparently  being  to  make  their  condition 
as  uncomfortable  and  wretched  as  possible ; 
all  which  they  bore  with  Christian  meekness 
and  resignation. 

Eafaravavy  was  kept  in  irons  for  five  months, 
expecting  all  the  while  to  be  led  out  for  execu- 


tion. It  was  supposed  that  the  regard  the 
government  entertained  for  her  father  was  the 
means  of  saving  her  life.  Her  friends  did  all 
they  could  to  alleviate  her  sufferings,  visiting 
her  as  often  as  they  durst,  taking  with  them 
Christian  books  and  reading  to  her,  the  guards 
remaining  outside  ;  and  they  were  not  a  little 
encouraged  to  find  her  sustaining  her  afflictions 
so  cheerfully.  Her  conversation  with  the 
guards  and  with  other  persons  who  visited  her, 
was  so  discreet  and  edifying  as  to  produce  a 
very  favorable  impression  upon  their  minds. 
When  asked  if  she  was  not  sorry  that  she  had 
brought  this  trouble  on  herself,  she  replied, 
"  How  can  I  be  sorry  for  the  pardon  of  my  sins, 
and  asking  God  to  bless  me  and  make  me  for 
ever  happy  ? "  She  was  at  length  sold  into  sla- 
very, but,  as  it  was  supposed  by  design,  she  fell 
into  the  hands  of  a  distant  relation  of  hers,  who 
treated  her  kindly,  allowing  her  to  go  and  come 
as  she  pleased,  provided  she  punctually  finished 
her  work.  During  this  time  she  was  visited 
by  her  husband,  a  colonel  in  the  army,  who, 
hearing  of  her  condition,  had  obtained  liberty 
to  spend  a  few  months  at  the  capital.  The 
other  Christians  who  had  been  sold  into  slav- 
ery, had  been  in  the  habit  of  meeting  for  pray- 
er and  religious  conversation  at  the  house  of 
a  young  man  named  Rafaralahy,  who  had  built 
a  house  for  the  purpose  a  short  distance  from 
the  village  where  he  resided.  After  being  re- 
leased, she  found  out  the  little  band  and  united 
herself  with  them.  But  they  were  soon  dis- 
covered, and  Eafaralaby  was  put  to  death,  and 
all  who  had  met  at  his  house,  so  far  as  they 
could  be  discovered,  were  apprehended.  This 
was  brought  about  by  the  perfidy  of  a  man 
named  Rafiakarana,  who  had  received  Chris- 
tian instruction  and  baptism,  and  appeared 
zealous  for  the  truth,  but  had  apostatized  on 
the  suppression  of  Christianity,  and  become 
openly  vicious.  Rafaralahy  having  formerly 
received  instruction  from  him,  conversed  with 
him,  and  thinking  he  had  gained  him,  received 
him  into  partnership,  and  disclosed  to  him  the 
facts  respecting  the  meetings  of  the  Christians ; 
but  his  kindness  was  requited  by  being  cruelly 
betrayed.  Those  who  had  not  been  apprehend- 
ed before,  were  dealt  with  more  leniently ;  but 
Rafaravavy,  Paul,  Joseph,  and  others  who  had 
been  accused  before,  having  nothing  to  expect 
but  death,  they  were  advised  by  their  Christian 
friends  to  seek  safety  by  flight.  But  they 
knew  not  where  to  go.  At  first,  they  thought 
of  attempting  to  go  to  a  neighboring  province 
which  was  at  war  with  Madagascar.  But  the 
dangers  and  difficulties  in  the  way  appeared 
insurmountable.  Three  of  the  company  were 
concealed  for  several  months  in  a  forest  near 
the  capital,  and  fed  by  a  friend  in  the  city, 
until  his  means  were  exhausted.  Others  of  the 
party,  including  the  women,  wandered  about, 
from  one  village  to  another,  concealed  some- 
times in  houses,  sometimes  in  pits,  and  in  bogs, 
the  country  meanwhile  being  filled  with  sol- 


MADAGASCAR. 


dien  in  iearch  of  them.  At  length  Mr.  Johns 
li«ying  visitetl  Tamntavc,  took  measures  to  rauke 
It  inown  through  the  country  that  he  was  there ; 
and  the  refugees  sent  one  of  their  number  to  as- 
certain whether  they  could  not  escape  by  sea  ; 
and  a  plan  was  arranged  between  him  and  a 
friend  at  Tamatavc,  who  held  a  post  of  influence, 
to  effect  the  object  A  party  of  them  immediate- 
ly ?et  out  for  Tamatave,  where,  after  enduring 
iniiidible  hardships,  and  experiencing  many 
hair-breadth  escapes,  the^  arrived  in  safety, 
and  embarked  for  Mauritius.  Six  of  them, 
Eafarava^7,  (Mary,)  Razafy,  (Sarah,j  wife  of 
Andrianilaina,  Andrianomanana,  (Simeon,) 
Rosoamaka,  (Joseph,)  Ratrarahamba,  (David,) 
and  Adriauisa,  (James,)  soon  after  embarked 
for  England,  where  they  arrived  in  May,  1839, 
and  received  the  sympathies  and  friendship  of 
British  Christians.  Six  more  remained  at 
Mauritius,  Andrianilaina, thehusband of  Sarah, 
separating  from  his  wife  and  remaining  behind, 
with  the  hope  of  being  able  to  render  aid  to  the 
Christians  in  Madagascar. 

At  the  time  of  the  martyrdom  of  Rafaralahy, 
an  eminently  pious  young  woman  was  appre- 
hended and  sold  into  perpetual  slavery.  Her 
husband  had  previously  divorced  her,  and  her 
father  had  disowned  her ;  and  her  relations, 
preferring  that  she  should  die  rather  than  dis- 
grace them,  procured  her  trial  by  the  tangena, 
under  the  effects  of  which  she  perished.  Many 
of  the  Christians  who  had  effected  their  escape 
from  the  capital,  but  not  out  of  the  country, 
have  continued  to  suffer  innumerable  hardships 
and  difficulties  ;  and  it  is  supposed  that  many 
of  them  have  perished  through  extreme  fa- 
tigue, hunger,  nakedness,  disease,  and  anxiety. 

At  length,  under  the  pretext  of  fearing  that, 
if  brought  to  the  capital  for  trial,  they  might 
practice  sorcery  upon  her,  the  queen  issued  or- 
ders to  her  soldiers  to  put  the  Christians  to 
death  at  once,  wherever  they  might  be  found, 
^y  <Ji?giDg  a  pit,  tying  them  by  the  hands  and 
feet,  thrusting  them  head  downwards  into  the 
pit,  and  pouring  boiling  water  on  them  till 
they  perished.  Murder  by  the  ordeal  of  tan- 
gena was  proceeding  on  a  large  scale.  On 
one  occasion,  it  was  administered  to  600,  500 
of  whom  perished. 

The  manner  in  which  these  Christians  have 
borne  their  trials,  and  met  the  terrors  of  mar- 
tyrdom, is  worthy  of  apostolic  times.  When 
brought  to  the  final  test,  not  one  of  them  has 
renounced  the  Saviour's  name,  from  the  terrors 
of  martyrdom.  Nominal  professors,  indeed,  in 
great  numbers,  hastened  to  purge  themselvas, 
on  the  first  breaking  out  of  persecution  ;  but 
none  of  those  who  adhered  to  their  profession 
havo  been  led  to  renounce  it  by  the  terrors  of 
martyrdom. 

But  one  great  lesson  forces  itself  upon  our 
attention.  ITie  connection  of  the  Madagascar 
mission  with  the  native  government  has  proved 
one  of  the  greatest  impediments  to  its  success ; 
and  shows  beyond  question,  what  appears  evi- 


dent also  in  other  missions,  that  the  more  en- 
tirely disconnected  missions  are  from  all  polit- 
ical or  governmental  alliances,  the  less  embar- 
rassments they  will  meet  with,  and  the  moro 
successful  they  will  be.  Christianity  does  not 
need  the  support  of  the  state,  and  when  allied 
with  it,  will  always  find  itself  oppressed. 

The  injustice  and  cruelty  of  the  infatuated 
queen  continued  to  rage  with  increased  vio- 
lence and  fatal  success.  Many  of  her  people 
sought  a  sanctuary  on  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains, or  in  the  caves  of  the  wilderness,  where 
they  might  enjoy  liberty  of  mind,  and  hold  fel- 
lowship with  each  other  and  with  God.  In 
June,  1840,  ^sixteen  of  them  determined  to 
seek  under  British  protection  in  Mauritius,  the 
liberty  of  conscience  which  they  could  not 
enjoy  in  their  native  land.  But  they  were  dis- 
covered on  their  journey  to  the  coast,  and  con- 
ducted back  to  the  capital.  Two  of  them 
escaped  on  the  way  ;  five  were  condemned  to 
perpetual  slavery ;  and  nine  were  doomed  to 
die,  and,  after  being  led  up  in  front  of  the 
deserted  mission  house,  they  were  conducted  to 
the  place  of  execution,  ^d,  while  kneeling 
down,  were  speared  to  death. 

The  following  year,  as  appears  by  letters 
from  some  of  tlie  native  Christians,  3,000  per- 
sons had  been  subjected  to  the  ordeal  of  tan- 
gena at  Ponizongo.  But,  amid  these  fiery  tri- 
als they  were  sustained  by  the  gracious  pre- 
sence and  faithful  promises  of  the  Saviour, 
and  not  one  of  those  accounted  believers  had 
proved  traitor  and  denied  Christ. 

In  January,  1842,  four  of  the  six  Malagasy 
refugees  who  had  visited  England,  returned  to 
Mauritius  with  the  hope  of  being  able  to  ben- 
efit their  people.  Joseph  and  Mary  were 
comfortably  settled  on  Minow  Island,  a  few 
miles  from  the  western  coast  of  Madagascar, 
where  they  were  usefully  employed  among  their 
own  people.  David  was  employed  at  Grand 
Bay,  Mauritius,  in  the  instruction  of  the  Mala- 
gasy apprentices,  and  James  was  employed  as 
interpreter  on  board  a  British  vessel. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1842,  Rev.  David  Jones, 
one  of  the  oldest  surviving  members  of  the 
Madagascar  mission,  died  of  paralysis,  at  Port 
Louis,  on  the  island  of  Mauritius. 

During  this  year,  five  new  victims  were 
added  to  the  glorious  company  of  martyrs ; 
and  there  was  no  abatement,  but  rather  an 
increase  in  the  suspicion  and  cruelty  of  the 
queen  and  her  government. 

In  1843,  Mr.  Johns,  another  of  the  Society's 
devoted  missionaries,  met  his  death  on  the 
island  of  Nosibe,  on  the  north-eastern  coast  of 
Madagascar,  having  been  driven  by  the  French 
authorities,  at  the  instigation  of  a  Catholic 
priest,  from  the  island  of  Nosimitsio,  where, 
in  connection  with  the  two  Malagasy  Chris- 
tians, Joseph  and  Mary,  he  was  attempting  to 
establish  a  mission. 

In  1847,  the  report  of  the  society  says,  that 
though  still  persecuted,  the  native  Christians 


MADAGASCAR. 


52^ 


of  this  afiBicted  island  continue  to  increase 
and  multiply. 

By  the  blessing  of  God  bestowed  on  the 
labors  of  a  young  and  zealous  convert,  named 
Eamaka  or  Easalasala,  there  had  been  a  great 
awakening,  and  100  new  converts  had   been 
added  to  their  number ;  and  among  them  was 
Eakotondrama,  only  son   of  the  queen,  and 
heir  presumptive  to  the  throne.    Five  months 
after  his  conversion,  the  queen  issued  orders 
for  the  apprehension  of  all  the  new  converts 
whose  names  had  been  reported  to  the  govern- 
ment, 21  of  whom  were  condemned  to  die. 
The  young  prince,  then  only  17  years  old,  no- 
bly came  forward,  and  used  his  influence  to 
save  their  lives,  in  which  he  was  successful. 
Nine  of  them,  however,  were  obliged  to  sub- 
mit to  the  ordeal  of  tangena,  one  of  whom 
died ;   four  escaped ;  and  the  rest  were  sen- 
tenced to  slavery,  three  of  whom  were  imme- 
diately redeemed  by  their  friends,  the  prince 
contributing  largely  towards  the  object.    He 
l^as  continued  to  afford  the  persecuted  follow- 
ers of  Christ  the  most  conclusive  evidence  that 
he  is  a  faithful  brother  in  the  Lord.    In  defi- 
ance of  the  laws,  he  assembled  with  them  for 
worship  in  their  places  of  retreat ;  and  when 
their  lives  or  liberties  were  in  danger,  he  em- 
ployed all  the  means  in  his  power  to  warn  them 
of  impending  danger,  and  effect  their  rescue. 
The    prime-minister,   addressing    the    queen, 
said,  "  Madam,  your  son  is  a  Christian ;  he 
prays  with  the  Christians,  and  encourages  them 
in  this  new  doctrine.     We  are  lost  if  your 
Majesty  do  not  stop  the  prince  in  this  strange 
way."    "  But,"  replied  the  queen,  "  he  is  my 
son — my  only — my  beloved  son!    Let  him  do 
what  he  pleases  ;  if  he  wishes  to  become  a 
Christian,  let  him !     He  is  my  beloved  son." 
It  is  thus  that  the  "  earth  helps  the  woman." 
God,  in  this  instance,  makes  use  of  the  natural 
affections  of  this  cruel  woman  to  protect  his 
people.    But  in  a  still  more  striking  manner 
did  he  turn  the  heart  of  this  same  prime-min- 
ister.   Being  informed  of  a  meeting  of  Chris- 
tians at  the  capital,  he  sent  his  nephew  to  take 
down  their  names.      The  nephew  went  and 
informed  them  of  the  object  of  his  visit,  and 
begged  them  to  break  up  and  go  home,  which 
they  did.    He  then  returned  to  his  uncle,  who 
inquired,  "Where  is  the  list?"      "There  is 
none,"  he  replied.    "  Why  have  you  disobeyed 
my  orders  ?"  the  uncle  again  inquired.  "  Young 
man,  your  head  must  fall,  for  you  show  that 
you  also  are  a  Christian."    "  Yes,"  he  replied, 
"  I  am  a  Christian  ;  and  if  you  will,  you  may 
put  me  to  death,  for  I  must  pray."    At  these 
words  the  cruel  man's  feelings  gave  way,  and 
he  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  no,  you  shall  not  die  ;"  and 
there  the  matter  ended.     Still  the  persecution ; 


woods ;   and  even  there  they  were  not  safe 
from  the  government  spies. 

In  1850,  a  new  persecution  broke  out  witli 
great  violence.  Nearly  2,000  were  summoned 
to  the  capital  to  answer  for  the  offence  of  wor- 
shiping the  only  true  God,  and  believing- 
in  his  Son.  Three  of  the  most  distinguished 
for  rank  and  devotedness  were  sentenced  to  be 
burnt  to  death ;  and  three  times  while  their 
bodies  were  consuming,  the  rain  descended  in 
torrents,  and  extinguished  the  fires.  Ten 
others  were  thrown  from  a  precipice  near  tho 
city,  and  dashed  in  pieces.  The  prince  now 
interposed,  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  and  boldly- 
withstood  the  prime-minister,  who  was  the 
author  of  this  cruelty. 

The  native  converts,  in  a  letter  describing 
this  scene,  say,  "  At  the  moment  the  first  four 
sufferers  were  brought  to  the  stake,  a  rainbow 
of  an  immense  size,  and  forming  a  triple  arch, 
stretched  across  the  heavens.  One  end  of  it 
appeared  to  rest  on  the  posts  to  which  the 
martyrs  were  tied;  the  rain,  the  meanwhile 
falling  in  torrents.  The  multitudes  were  struck 
with  terror  and  amazement,  and  many  of  them 
took  to  flight."  In  a  letter  requesting  Bi- 
bles, the  following  direction  is  given  :  "  Put 
them  in  the  bottom  of  cases  or  small  casks, — • 
put  some  iron  bars  over  them,  and  fill  up  with 
bottles  or  eatables." 

In  reviewing  the  history  of  the  Madagascar 
mission,  it  presents  one  of  the  most  remarka- 
ble instances  of  the  power  of  the  Gospel  on. 
record.  From  the  commencement  of  the  mis- 
sion, in  1819  to  1828,  the  society  sent  out 
fourteen  laborers,  consisting  of  six  ordained 
missionaries,  two  missionary  printers,  and  six 
missionary  artizans.  We  have  already  given 
the  results  of  the  first  15  years  of  the  mission, 
up  to  the  time  when  the  persecution  com- 
menced. 

For  seventeen  years  the  same  oppressive 
policy  was  continued.  Many  hundreds  were 
degraded  and  impoverished ;  hundreds  moro 
doomed  to  slavery  ;  not  less  than  one  hundred 
have  been  put  to  death,  and  a  large  number 
are  still  suffering  exile,  bonds  and  degradation. 
Yet,  during  this  time  of  trial  there  has  been 
an  astonishing  increase  in  numbers.  As  be- 
fore stated,  there  were  at  the  capital  about 
200  church  members.  It  is  now  impossible  to 
obtain  an  accurate  statement  of  the  number 
of  Christians  on  the  island  ;  yet  it  has  been 
ascertained,  from  reliable  authority,  that  there 
are  now  in  the  capital  and  the  immediate  vi- 
cinity, 1,000  persons  known  to  each  other,  and 
mutually  recognized  as  the  disciples  of  Christ, 
who  meet  regularly  on  the  Sabbath  and  at 
other  times,  for  the  worship  of  God  and  the 
administration   of   the    ordinances.      Besides 


did  not  cease.  Christians  continued  to  be! these,  there  are  known  to  be  cousiderablo 
despoiled  of  their  goods,  confined  in  chains,  or  j  numbers  in  other  places.  The  Christians  com 
sold  into  slavery.  And  those  who  escaped  i  prise  among  them  some  of  the  most  intelligent 
could  only  meet  for  worship  in  the  night,  or  in  and  reputable  men  in  the  community.  _  Many 
solitary  caverns,  or  in  the  deep  recesses  of  the  j  of  them  hold  offices  of  great  responsibility, 
34 


530 


MADAGASCAR. 


of  their  ability,  integrity,  and  known 
wf^rOi.  It  is  suppased  that  their  Christianity 
livotl  at.  on  account  of  the  value  of  their 
r«j.  And,  among  tiie  converts  are  the 
heir  to  the  throne  and  the  nephew  to  the  prime- 
minister,  the  most  bitter  persecutor  of  the 
Christians. 

In  January,  1853,  the  society  received  in- 
telligence that  the  government  had  been  com- 
raittetl  to  the  young  prince,  and  that  the  son 
of  the  late  prime-minister  had  succeeded  to  his 
father's  office ;  that  the  persecution  had  been 
suspended,  and  the  restrictions  upon  foreign 
intercoui-sc  removed.  In  consequence  of  this 
intelligence,  they  issued  an  appeal  to  the  Chris- 
tian public  for  funds  to  recommence  the  mis- 
sion, which  was  liberally  responded  to,  and 
about  £9,000  were  raised,  as  the  Madagascar 
fund.  As  a  preparatory  measure,  the  society 
resolved  to  send  Rev.  Mr.  Ellis,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Cameron,  one  of  the  former  mission- 
aries, to  visit  Madagascar,  and  ascertain  the 
true  state  of  things  on  the  island.  These  gen- 
tlemen reached  I'amatave  on  the  18th  of  July, 
1853,  and  were  kindly  received  by  the  queen's 
officers.  From  that  place  they  dispatched  a 
letter  to  the  queen,  asking  leave  to  make,  a 
visit  of  friendship  and  good-will  to  the  capital, 
and  to  converse  on  such  subjects  as  they  thought 
would  tend  to  the  good  of  the  kingdom.  After 
15  days,  they  received  a  courteous  answer  from 
the  government,  containing  kind  inquiries 
after  the  former  missionaries;  but  advising 
thein,  as  there  was  much  public  business,  re^ 
quiring  considerable  time,  to  return  to  the 
other  side  of  the  waters,  lest  they  should  be 
overtaken  with  the  sickly  season.  They  re- 
garded the  answer  as  by  no  means  unfavorable. 
^  While  remaining  at  Tamatave,  the  deputa- 
tion obtained  all  the  information  they  could, 
in  respect  to  the  actual  state  of  things.  They 
learned  that  the  rumor  that  the  government 
had  been  put  into  the  hands  of  the  prince  was 
incorrect.  The  death  of  the  prime-minister, 
Rainiharo,  however,  was  confirmed;  and  it 
was  stated  that  the  prince  was  first  officer  of 
the  palace,  and  the  son  of  the  late  prime-min- 
ister, (reported  a  Christian,)  through  the  influ- 
ence of  the  prince,  had  been  appointed  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  army.  It  appeared, 
however,  that  there  were  two  great  parties  in 
the  kingdom,  of  nearly  equal  influence ;  the 
one  favorable  to  education,  improvement,  and 
Christianity;  and  the  other  opposed  to  all 
innovation,  and  determined  to  uphold  the  su- 
perstitions and  ancient  customs  of  the  country. 
At  the  head  of  the  former  party  was  the  young 
pnnce,  And  some  others  holding  the  highest 
offices  of  the  government.  At  the  head  of  the 
latter  was  a  nephew  of  the  queen,  cousin  of  the 
young  prince,  a  shrewd,  ambitious,  daring 
man,  of  considerable  business  talent  and  large 
property,  leagued  with  the  patrons  and  sup- 
porters of  the  idols  and  their  keepers,  ot  r][xi- 
nation  and  tangena,  and  of  slavery  and   oerced 


labor.  It  was  said  that  no  efforts  were  spared 
by  this  chief  and  his  party  to  prevent  the  ac- 
cession of  the  young  prince,  lliey  represented 
him  to  the  queen  as  unacquainted  with  the 
business  of  government,  and  bewitched  by  the 
Christians.  This  was  supposed  to  be  the 
queen's  own  opinion  ;  and  she  was  said  to  be 
indignant  at  the  Christians  for  taking  advan- 
tage, as  she  considered  it,  of  his  youth  and  in- 
experience, to  draw  him  over  to  their  party. 
Still,  the  prince  was  firm  ;  both  he  and  his 
wife  were  members  of  the  church,  and  true 
and  constant  friends  to  the  most  afflicted  and 
suffering  of  the  persecuted  flock.  He  is  repre- 
sented as  of  an  amiable  disposition  and  honor- 
able character,  and  possessmg  the  intelligence 
and  cultivation  of  an  English  gentleman. .  He 
is  respectful  and  attentive  to  his  mother,  spends 
much  time  with  her,  and  she  is  said  to  be  ex- 
ceedingly fond  of  him.  There  was,  however, 
a  most  formidable  conspiracy  against  his  life } 
and  the  queen  had  taken  the  strictest  mea- 
sures to  guard  him  from  danger.  Just  before 
Messrs.  Ellis  and  Cameron  left  the  island,  an 
officer  of  considerable  rank  and  long  service 
stated  that  the  queen  had  resolved  to  retire 
from  the  government,  and  was  making  prepa- 
rations for  the  coronation  of  the  prin'ce,  who 
was  to  be  constituted  sole  ruler  of  the  country. 
Should  this  prove  true,  a  great  change  may 
soon  be  expected  in  the  whole  aspect  of  things 
in  Madagascar.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  the 
other  party  should  gain  the  ascendancy,  there 
would  not  only  be  a  great  destruction  of  hu- 
man life,  but  a  revival  of  the  persecutions 
against  the  Christians,  in  all  probability  more 
violent  and  cruel  than  any  yet  witnessed.  The 
rival  of  the  prince  was  the  chief  instigator  in 
the  last  persecution  ;  and  he  is  the"  only  one 
now  who  ventures  to  accuse  the  Christians  to 
the  queen,  all  others  being  deterred  by  the 
fear  that  the  prince  may  remember  it  here- 
after. But  this  man  pursues  them  with  unre- 
lenting hatred. 

Mr.  Cameron  makes  the  following  statement 
respecting  the  young  prince  :  "  He  is  consid- 
ered a  decided  Christian.  In  protecting  the 
Christians  and  meliorating  the  sufferings  of 
the  persecuted,  his  efforts  are  eminently  suc- 
cessful. His  personal  property  is  reduced, 
through  his  liberality,  to  less  than  $1,000,  and 
that  of  his  cousin,  Ramonja,  son  of  the  late 
prime-minister,  to  less  than  ^3,000.  He  is  a 
person  of  intellect  and  good  sense,  and  employs 
much  of  his  time  in  visiting  the  Christians, 
and  conversing  privately  with  them,  but  is 
cautious  about  frequent  attendance  upon  their 
meetings." 

MADEIRA  :  An  island  lying  off  the  west- 
ern coast  of  Africa,  between  lat.  32°  22'  and 
330  10'  N.  and  long.  17°  30'  and  16°  20'  W., 
belonging  to  Portugal.  It  is  about  60  miles 
long  and  20  broad,  and  consists  of  one  im- 
mense mountain,  rising  5,000  feet  above  the 
sea,  on  the  summit  of  which  is  an  excavation. 


MADEIRA. 


531 


supposed  to  have  been  the  crater  of  a  volcano. 
The  various  branches  of  this  mountain  are 
separated  by  narrow  glens,  the  sides  of  which 
are  thinly  covered  with  soil,  but  nevertheless 
fully  reward  the  cultivation  they  receive. 
The  lower  slopes  are  covered  with  vines ;  the 
higher  declivities  Avith  the  chestnut  and  pine 
trees.  The  importance  of  Madeira  is  derived 
solely  from  its  vineyards,  producing  annually 
about  20,000  pipes  of  wine,  15,000  of  which 
are  exported.  The  sugar-cane  is  cultivated  on 
a  small  scale.  The  poorer  classes  chiefly  sub- 
sist on  the  eddoe-root,  sweet  potatoes,  and 
chestnuts.  The  island  abounds  with  beautiful 
scenery,  and  its  different  elevations  afford  every 
variety  of  temperature. 

Under  the  new  constitution,  promulgated  in 
1836,  the  islands  of  Madeira  and  Porto  Santo 
were  included  in  one  district.  At  that  time, 
these  islands  contained  45  parishes,  24,674 
families,  and  115,447  inhabitants ;  108  families 
and  324  souls  being  English,  and  the  remain- 
der consisting,  according  to  Conder,  of  a  mixed 
race,  sprung  principally  from  Portuguese  and 
Moors,  with  some  sprinkling  of  English  blood  ; 
though  Com.  Wilkes  says  there  is  little  if  any 
mixed  blood  among  them.  There  are  about 
5,000  proprietors  of  the  soil,  of  whom  no  more 
than  650  live  on  their  rents ;  and  there  are 
about  400  who  receive  government  salaries. 
Mendicants  are  numerous.  The  native  inhab- 
itants are  meagre,  sallow,  and  short-lived,  which 
is  attributed  to  their  want  of  wholesome  food, 
a  life  of  drudgery  and  exposure  to  great  vicis- 
situdes of  climate,  and  to  a  total  disregard 
of  cleanliness.  They  are  infected  with  a  spe- 
cies of  itch,  which  they  regard  as  incurable. 
In  this  connection,  the  following  description  of 
the  mode  of  expressing  the  juice  of  the  grape, 
on  this  island,  given  by  Commodore  Wilkes, 
may  not  be  uninteresting  to  the  lovers  of  "  Old 
Madeira."  "  On  our  approach,  w^e  heard  a 
sort  of  song,  with  a  continued  thumping  ;  and 
on  entering  the  rude  shed  where  the  men  were 
employed,  we  saw  six  men  stamping  violently 
in  a  vat  of  six  feet  square  by  two  feet  deep, 
three  on  each  side  of  a  huge  lever  beam,  their 
legs  bare  up  to  the  thighs.  On  our  entrance, 
they  redoubled  their  exertions,  till  the  perspi- 
ration fairly  poured  from  them.  After  the 
grapes  had  been  sufficiently  stamped,  and  the 
men's  legs  well  scraped,  the  pulp  was  made 
into  the  shape  of  a  large  bee-hive,  secured  by  a 
rope  made  of  the  young  twigs  of  the  vine,  and 
the  lever  being  used  for  a  press,  the  juice  flows 
off  and  is  received  in  tubs." 

Funchal,  the  chief  town  of  Madeira,  has_  a 
very  pleasing  appearance  from  the  sea,  and  its 
situation  in  a  kind  of  amphitheatre,  formed  by 
the  mountains,  adds  to  its  beauty.  The  con- 
trast of  the  white  buildi'iigs  and  villas,  with 
the  green  mountains,  forms  a  picture  which  is 
much  heightened  by  the  bold,  quadrangular 
Loo  Rock,  with  its  embattled  summit  com- 
manding the  harbor  in  the  foreground. — Con- 


defs  Dictionary  of  Geography ;  U.  S.  Exploring 
Ezpedition^hj  Com.  Wilkes,  Yol.  I.  p.  6. 

The  Roman  Catholic  church  is  the  establish- 
ed religion  of  Madeira,  and  no  other  is  tole- 
rated. 

MISSI^. 

Scotch  Free  Church. — The  mission,  which 
was  ultimately  taken  up  by  the  Scotch  Church, 
was  the  result  of  the  private  labors  of  Dr.  Kal- 
ley,  a  Scotch  physician,  to  benefit  the  native 
population.  For  most  of  the  facts  contained 
in  the  following  sketch  we  are  indebted  to  the 
Memoir  of  Rev.  W.  Hewitson.  In  iho  begin- 
ning of  his  intercourse  with  the  people,  Dr.  Kal- 
ley  met  few  who  had  ever  seen  a  Bible,  or  who 
seemed  to  know  that  the  New  Testament  was 
written  by  men,  the  companions  of  Jesus 
Christ.  In  1839,  a  few  persons  began  to  man- 
ifest a  desire  to  read  and  hear  the  word  of 
God  ;  and  in  1840  this  interest  increased,  and 
many  adults  went  to  school  that  they  might 
learn  to  read  the  Bible.  This  interest  con- 
tinuing to  increase,  in  1841  it  attracted  the 
notice  of  the  Government  at  Lisbon,  who  or- 
dered it  to  be  suppressed.  But  the  popular 
feeling  was  such,  that,  for  the  time,  the  order 
was  not  executed. 

In  1842,  people  came  in  large  numbers  to 
hear  the  Scriptures  read  and  explained,  many 
of  them  walking  10  or  12  miles,  and  climbing 
over  mountains  3000  feet  high.  The  meetings 
were  held  in  the  open  air,  a  part  of  the  time, 
on  a  ridge,  between  two  valleys,  on  the  east 
and  west,  a  lofty  mountain  rising  on  the  south. 
The  numbers  varied  from  1000  to  5000.  The 
people  sat  in  a  clear  space  near  the  house 
which  Dr.  K.  occupied,  and  all  around  was 
covered  with  trees  clustered  with  grapes.  In 
some  places,  the  general  topics  of  conversation 
were,  the  word  of  God,  the  one  sacrifice  for 
sin,  the  free  salvation,  &c.,  and  the  hymns  of 
the  Sabbath  were  heard  through  the  week  in 
the  fields  and  vineyards. 

The  manner  in  which  this  work  commenced 
was  remarkable.  The  gratuitous  medical  aid 
which  Dr.  K.  rendered  the  people,  induced  many 
to  visit  him,  and  to  regard  him  as  a  friend.  He 
took  the  opportunity  to  converse  with  them 
about  the  disease  of  their  souls,  and  direct 
them  to  the  true  remedy,  the  Great  Physician, 
advising  them  to  read  the  Bible,  and  explain- 
ing and  enforcing  its  truths  as  he  had  oppor- 
tunity. Many  of  them  followed  his  advice, 
and  while  searching  the  Scriptures  appear  to 
have  been  truly  taught  of  God.  Some  read 
the  Scriptures  for  some  time  without  perceiv- 
ing that  they  condemned  Popery ;  but  when 
they  perceived  that  masses,  penance,  purga- 
tory, &c.,  were  inconsistent  with  the  One  Sacri- 
fice, they  were  alarmed,  and  consulted  their 
priests,  and  by  this  means  were  exposed  to 
persecution.  This  led  them  to  further  exa- 
mination, confirmed  them  in  the  truth,  and 
prepared  them  for  heavier  suffering.    Upwards 


5S3 


MADEIRA. 


of!  000.  Mwcon  the  ages  of  15  and  30,  lenrn- 

t\1 '  "  ■  ■  Scriptures  intelligently,  and  were 

tl  to  searclj  for  themselves. 

i.ii,  >.....  a  work  could  not  go  on  long  with- 
out attracting  the  attention  of  the  ecclesias- 
tical authoritii^.  A  pastoral  letter  was  issued, 
denouncing  the  Bible  as  "a  book  from  hell," 
and  thrcatcning  all  who  should  read  it  with 
excomnuinication.  Then  a  letter  was  address- 
ed to  the  registrar  of  each  parish,  directing 
him  to  summon  before  him  the  teachers  of  all 
the  schools  established  in  the  parish,  by  Dr. 
K alley,  both  male  and  female,  and  charge 
them  in  the  presence  of  witnesses,  "  not  to 
teach  anj'  livnig  being;"  and,  in  case  they 
should  disobey  the  charge,  to  cause  them  to 
be  arrested.  Two  of  the  converts  having  par- 
taken of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  at  Funchal,  were  formally  excommu- 
nicatetl,  and  all  persons  forbidden  to  hold  com- 
munication with  them,  or  to  "  give  them  fire, 
water,  bread,  or  any  other  thing  that  may  be 
necessary  for  their  support ;"  or  to  pay  them 
their  debts ;  or  to  support  them  in  any  case  be- 
fore the  courts ;  under  pain  of  the  greater 
excommunication. 

In  January,  1843,  the  civil  governor  com- 
manded Dr.  K.  to  abstain  from  speaking  to 
the  Portuguese  on  the  subject  of  religion. 
But  as  the  command  was  arbitrary  and  illegal 
it  was  disobeyed.  After  that,  the  governor 
issued  a  proclamation,  forbidding  the  people 
to  visit  Dr.  K.'s  nouse  ;  and  on  Sabbaths  and 
holidays,  the  police  were  stationed  in  the  roads 
at  his  doors,  to  enforce  the  order.  Many  were 
beaten  or  taken  to  jail  for  disobedience.  One 
wealthy  gentleman,  indignant  at  the  priestly 
attack  on  civil  liberty,  came  on  purpose  to 
have  the  case  tried.  He  was  prosecuted,  and 
the  legal  authorities  decided  that  no  citizen 
could  be  hindered  from  entering  any  house,  if 
he  had  the  consent  of  the  owner.  The  people 
continued  to  come,  but  came  early  to  avoid 
the  police.  Tlie  officers  also  came  earlier  and 
earlier,  till  at  last  they  came  at  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning  ;  and  after  that,  many  of  the  peo- 
ple came  on  Saturday  night,  and  remained 
over  the  Sabbath  to  worship  God  and  hear 
the  truth. 

At  length,  a  prosecution  was  commenced 
against  Dr.  K. ;  but  the  judge,  after  examining 
into  the  case,  decided  that  his  proceedings  did 
not  violilte  any  existing  law  of  Portugal,  and 
dismissed  the  prosecution.  But,  the  judge 
having  left  the  island,  Dr.  K.  was  arrested 
again,  and  refnsed  bail,  on  the  ground  that 
the  crimes  laid  to  his  charge  were  punishable 
with  death !  The  jailor  acted  as  a  spy,  and 
warned  the  people  not  to  visit  him,  and  took 
down  the  names  of  those  who  did,  and  ex- 
pressly forbade  any  singing  or  reading  the 
Bible  in  the  prison.  The  British  Judge  Con- 
servator, with  other  officials,  visited  the  prison 
searched  for  Testaments,  and  carried  away  one 
or  two  that  he  found  among  the  prisoners, 


which  were  never  returned.  But  they  did  not 
search  the  doctor's  rooms,  where  was  a  large 
supply  of  the  Scriptures  ;  and  the  colporteurs 
continued  to  come  for  supplies,  which  they 
took  away  and  sold  as  before.  On  the  Sab- 
bath from  70  to  100  persons  visited  him  by 
threes ;  and  as  the  cathedral  was  near  the  jail, 
the  Komanists  showed  their  zeal  by  spitting 
on  the  heretics,  who  showed  their  spirit  by 
praying  for  their  persecutors. 

The  bishop  now  issued  a  letter  stating  that 
there  was  scarcely  a  verse  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment or  the  New,  in  the  Bibles  circulated  on 
the  island,  but  jyhat  was  adulterated.  To  an- 
swer this  charge,  Dr.  K.  caused  the  Bible  thus 
circulated  to  be  carefully  compared  with  the 
authorized  version,  and  the  result  certified  and 
posted  np  in  the  streets,  showing  the  falsity 
of  the  bishop's  assertions ;  and  at  length  a 
newspaper  arrived  from  Lisbon,  containing 
a  royal  mandate,  sanctioning  the  circulation 
of  the  very  same  edition. 

In  January,  1844,  Dr.  Kalley  was  released 
from  prison,  and  resumed  his  operations,  the 
police  being  employed  around  his  doors  as 
before ;  the  attendance  on  his  services  being 
about  600  on  the  Sabbath,  and  30  on  week 
day  evenings.  In  the  summer  of  that  year  one 
of  the  converts,  Mrs.  Maria  Joaqnima  Alves, 
was  snatched  from  her  family  of  seven  children, 
one  of  them  an  infant,  and  committed  to  prison. 
But  she  remained  firm,  and  was  often  heard 
praising  the  Lord  that  she  was  counted  worthy 
to  suffer  shame  for  his  sake.  After  sixteen 
months  she  was  brought  to  trial  before  the 
Supreme  Court  on  a  charge  of  apostasy,  heresy, 
and  blasphemy.  But  she  was  tried  only  on  the 
last  charge,  the  specification  being,  that  she 
had  refused  to  acknowledge  that  the  consecrat- 
ed wafer  is  the  real  body  and  real  blood, 
and  the  human  soul  and  divinity  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  that  she  had  also  refused  to 
adore  it. 

The  Judge  asked  her,  whether  she  believed 
this  dogma,  and  she,  knowing  that  her  life  or 
death  depended  upon  her  answer,  calmly  replied, 
"J  do  7wt  believe  it."  The  Judge  immediately 
rose,  and  pronounced  sentence  of  death  upon 
her.  This  sentence  was  afterwards  commuted 
by  the  court  at  Lisbon,  on  account  of  a  techni- 
cal error,  but  with  the  instruction  that,  if  she 
had  been  tried  upon  all  the  charges,  the  sentence 
of  death  must  have  been  executed  ! 

No  effort  was  now  spared  by  the  persecutors 
to  inflame  the  public  mind.  Assassination  was 
openly  proposed  in  the  public  papers,  as  an 
easy  way  to  be  freed  from  annoyance ;  the 
free  use  of  the  cudgel  was  recommended ;  and 
even  a  repetition  of  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  or 
the  Sicilian  vespers,  was  hinted  at.  Some  of 
the  converts  w^re  cruelly  beaten  ;  others  were 
stoned ;  houses  were  set  on  fire,  and  some  of 
them  burned  down  ;  and  for  these  injuries  all 
redress  was  refused.  Families  were  denied  any 
place  to  bury  their  dead  except  the  public 


MADEIRA. 


533 


highway  ;  and  when  so  buried  the  bodies  were 
taken  up  and  burned  under  the  inspection  of 
the  police. 

In  the  September  following,  fifty  soldiers 
were  quartered  upon  a  portion  of  the  parish  of 
Antonio  de  Serra,  and  allowed  to  plunder  and 
perpetrate  every  cruelty.  Twenty-two  of  the 
most  respectable  men  and  women  were  taken 
to  Funchal  in  a  vessel,  and  cast  into  prison 
among  the  most  depraved  and  degraded,  with- 
out any  allowance  of  food.  Friends,  both 
English  and  Portuguese,  sent  them  food,  but  it 
was  refused  admission.  Still,  they  were  not  only 
patient  and  resigned,  but  happy.  The  streets 
around  the  jail  resounded  with  their  hymns  of 
praise.  But  this  was  soon  forbidden,  although 
obscene  songs  suog  by  other  prisoners  were  not 
prevented.  They  were  driven  to  mass  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet,  and  forced  to  kneel. 
After  twenty  months'  imprisonment,  they  were 
brought  to  trial  before  a  jury  of  their  own 
countrymen,  and  acquitted.  Still  they  were 
not  allowed  to  return  to  their  plundered  homes 
till  they  would  pay  the  jail  fees ! 

Dr.  Kalley  now  perceiving  that  he  was  like- 
ly to  be  brought  to  trial,  and  expelled  from 
the  country,  though  contrary  to  law,  was  desi- 
rous of  avoiding  such  a  result,  and  therefore 
sailed  for  Loudon.  Lord  Aberdeen,  Secretary 
of  Foreign  Affairs,  demanded  damages  of  the 
Portuguese  government  for  Dr.  K.'s  false  im- 
prisonment, and  to  compromise  the  matter,  it 
was  agreed  that  all  proceedings  against  him 
should  be  dropped,  and  he  returned  to  Madei- 
ra. But  not  many  days  after  his  arrival  a 
warrant  was  issued  for  his  apprehension,  in 
direct  violation  of  the  promises  made  by  the 
Portuguese  government. 

But  Dr.  K.  having  been  warned  by  Lord 
Aberdeen,  that  he  would  not  be  protected  by 
the  British  government  against  any  attempts 
on  the  part  of  the  Portuguese  government  to 
remove  him  from  the  Island,  if  he  permitted 
Portuguese  subjects  to  assemble  in  his  house 
for  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  he  thought 
proper  to  resign  the  work  into  other  hands. 

Kev.  W.  H.  Hewitson  had,  without  Dr.  Kal- 
ley's  knowledge,  been  appointed  in  Scotland  to 
labor  in  Madeira  ;  and  meeting  with  Dr.  K. 
at  Lisbon,  he  returned  with  him,  and  entered 
into  the  work  with  zeal,  yet  with  prudence, 
avoiding  unnecessary  publicity. 

In  March,  1845,  Mr.  Hewitson  administered 
the  Lord's  Supper  in  secret  to  34  Portuguese 
converts.  More  might  have  been  admitted, 
but  there  was  not  room  for  them.  Not  a  few 
in  different  parts  of  the  island  were  being 
taught  to  read  the  Scriptures ;  and  those 
already  converted  were  not  slack  in  comforting 
one  another  and  doing  good  to  souls  still  in 
darkness.  Many  of  them,  through  reading 
and  prayer,  had  become  intelligent  members 
of  society,  and  able  to  give  a  clear  and  distinct 
"  reason  of  the  hope  that  was  in  them."  Some 
of  them  seemed  to  be  altogether  free  from 


doubts  and  fears,  and  to  be  filled  with  joy  and 
peace  in  believing. 

But  it  was  soon  found  that  the  meetings 
were  attracting  the  attention  of  the  priests 
and  the  authorities,  and  they  were  given  up. 
The  people  now  waited  on  Mr.  Hewitson  indi- 
vidually, or  two  or  three  at  a  time  ;  and  their 
hungering  and  thirsting  after  instruction  in 
the  Scriptures  was  remarkable  and  affecting. 
In  this  way,  Mr.  IT.  was  usually  engaged  with 
different  parties  or  individuals,  for  a  great  por- 
tion of  the  day  ;  and  those  who  waited  on  his 
instructions  grew  rapidly  in  knowledge  and 
grace.  After  a  course  of  instruction,  Mr.  H. 
received  them  one  by  one  into  the  Christian 
church.  At  his  first  communion,  twenty-two 
were  admitted,  and  at  the  second,  thirty. 
Some  of  them  had  made  much  progress  in 
grace  and  holiness,  and  their  greatest  joy  was 
to  see  the  work  spreading,  and  new  converts 
coming  into  the  fold;  though  they  had  nothing 
before  them  but  the  prospect  of  suffering  for 
Christ's  sake.  Mr.  H.  took  the  lease  of  a 
house  in  a  retired  place,  where  he  intended  to 
live  and  hold  meetings.  But  soon  the  police 
began  to  watch  about  it,  and  he  was  forced 
again,  for  a  time,  to  discontinue  his  meetings, 
though  he  met  a  few  persons  at  a  time  in  pri- 
vate houses. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  a  man  and  a  woman 
were  put  in  prison  for  teaching  their  neighbors 
to  read  the  Bible.  Soon  after  this,  at  a  dinner 
party,  the  Bishop  of  Madeira  declared  exter- 
minating warfare  against  the  Bible,  and  said 
he  was  determined  to  put  down  all  dissent 
from  the  Koman  Catholic  church.  The  per- 
secution which  the  converts  had  to  endure  in 
private  from  relations  and  neighbors,  was 
growing  fiercer  and  fiercer.  Yet  they  were 
willing  and  even  glad  to  suffer  persecution  for 
Christ's  sake. 

In  June,  Mr,  H.  moved  into  his  house,  and 
held  small  meetings  in  it  almost  daily.  Though 
the  authorities  were  seeking  grounds  for  a 
prosecution  against  him,  they  could,  as  yet, 
find  none.  Before  this  time,  he  had  baptized 
several  children  ;  and  the  suspicion  of  it  going 
abroad,  produced  great  excitement ;  in  conse- 
quence of  which,  about  20  persons  conspired 
together  to  assassinate  Dr.  Kalley.  Notices 
were  posted  on  the  church  doors,  requiring  all 
to  confess  to  the  priest,  or  attend  church, 
within  ten  days,  under  pain  of  imprisonment. 
About  this  time,  after  an  im[)risonment  of 
more  than  two  years,  Maria  Joaquima  wiis  re- 
leased. 

In  August,  Mr.  H.  was  visited  by  a  public 
notary,  who  warned  him  to  discontinue  meet- 
ings in  his  house  with  Portuguese  subjects,  for 
religious  purposes,  under  pain  of  being  pro- 
ceeded with,  and  handed  over  to  the  judicial 
power.  But  he  contiimcd  to  hold  meetings, 
under  cover  of  the  night,  till  a  serious  illness 
interrupted  his  labors.  After  his  recovery,  he 
organized  a  theological  class,  in  order  to  qual- 


584 


MADEIRA. 


ify  them  to  act  as  catochists,  cxi)cctin^,  liim- 
sdf,  soon  to  be  obligcnl  to  leave  the  isluiid. 
This  class  was  CDiiiposod  of  fifteen  or  sixteen 
of  thowj  who  had  nuido  the  greatest  advance- 
ment in  spiritual  knowledge,  some  of  whom 
came  from  the  distance  of  twelve  or  fifteen 
miles.  One  of  them  was  the  father-in-law  of 
one  of  the  principal  judges  of  the  island.  The 
regularity  of  then*  attendance,  and  the  earnest- 
ness of  their  attention,  were  highly  gratifying. 

Under  date  of  Dec.  17,  1845,  Mr.  II.  writes 
that  28  persons  were  imprisoned  for  the  crime 
of  meeting  one  Sabbath  evening  for  reading 
the  word  of  God,  and  prayer*.  The  usual  prac- 
tice in  such  cases,  he  said,  was,  fii-st  to  prepare 
the  sentence  in  writing,  and  afterwards  to  go 
through  the  empty  forni  of  trying  the  case, 
and  hearing  the  evidence.  A  family  of  three 
persons,  hearing  that  they  were  to  be  prose- 
cuted for  not  going  to  confession,  escaped  to 
Demarara. 

Under  date  of  Feb.  6,  1846,  Mr.  H.  says : 
"The  people  are  hungering  for  the  word.  Some 
of  them  say  to  me  occasionally,  *  When  shall 
wc  come,  for  we  are  very  hungry  ? '  On  the 
26th  of  February,  he  wrote,  that  he  had  heard 
it  intimated  that  the  civil  governor  had  charged 
one  of  the  judges  to  proceed  against  him  ;  and 
expecting  soon  to  be  compelled  to  leave,  he 
Bet  about  preparing  the  people  for  his  absence. 
He  administered  the  communion  to  87,  while 
about*  100  more  were  ready  for  examination. 
His  theological  class  he  kept  up  from  Decem- 
ber to  April,  till  he  had  gone  over  all  the 
leading  doctrines  and  duties  of  Christianity  ; 
and  in  the  beginning  of  May  he  left,  intend- 
ing after  a  few  months  to  return  to  his  flock. 
Soon  after,  the  persecution  burst  forth  with 
fury.  On  the  2d  of  August,  30  or  40  converts 
were  assembled  in  the  house  of  an  English 
family,  to  hear  a  pastoral  letter  from  Mr. 
Hewitson,  when  one  of  the  canons  of  the 
cathedral  church  mustered  a  ruffian  mob  and 
appeared  at  the  gate  as  the  people  were  about 
to  retire,  ready  to  attack  them.  The  first  per- 
son who  came  out  was  Arsenio  Da  Silva,  who 
had  been  conducting  the  worship.  The  canon 
thrust  m  his  fivce  an  image,  and  bade  him  kiss 
It  and  adore  his  God,  knocking  off  his  hat,  and 
abusing  him  with  foul  language.  With  great 
difficulty  he  escaped  with  three  or  four  others, 
who  came  out  behind  him.  The  females  took 
refuge  in  the  kitchen.  The  house  was  besieged 
by  the  mob,  at  the  instigation  of  the  canon 
and  several  other  priests,  till  towards  midnight, 
when  they  smashed  in  the  doors  and  windows, 
and  rushed  into  the  apartments  of  the  lady  of 
the  house,  who  was  an  invalid.  After  search- 
ing for  some  time,  they  found  the  Portuguese, 
and  began  to  beat  and  otherwise  maltreat 
them,  when  the  police  and  soldiers  entered, 
and  asked  them  by  what  authority  they  had 
entered  the  house,  when  they  declared  that 
they  did  not  care  for  authority  or  law.  They 
had  befjre  said  there  were  no  laws  for  Calvin- 


ists.    Two  of  them  were  arrested  and  sent  to 
prison. 

About  2  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  Sabbath, 
August  9th,  as  Dr.  K alley  was  escorting  a 
friend  to  his  own  house,  he  overheard  the 
guard  of  soldiers,  which  had  been  8(;nt  at  his 
request  to  protect  him,  in  familiar  conversa- 
tion with  persons  disguised  in  masks,  one  of 
whom  was  sharpening  a  large  knife,  prepara- 
tory, as  he  said,  to  "  the  killing  on  tlie  mor- 
row." This  convinced  him  that  there  was  no 
safety  for  him  but  in  flight ;  and,  disguising 
himself  as  a  country  peasant,  he  hastened  to 
the  house  of  a  Jlriend. 

About  noon,  after  the  services  were  over  in 
the  church,  groups  of  people  were  seen  in  the 
streets,  talking  with  evident  delight  of  the 
work  of  the  day.  At  last  a  rocket  rose  hiss- 
ing in  the  air.  It  was  the  signal  for  proceed- 
ing. "  Those  who  are  in  that  house,"  said  one 
of  the  people  in  the  hearing  of  Mrs.  Kalley, 
as  she  was  escaping  in  disguise  through  the 
street,  "  would  need  to  be  sure  of  salvation." 
At  length  a  dense  mass  surrounded  the  house. 
The  ringleaders  rushed  in,  the  mob  watching 
till  their  benefactor  should  be  brought  forth. 
Chagrined  to  find  that  he  had  escaped,  they 
committed  his  library  to  the  flames,  and  has- 
tened away  in  search  of  him. 

By  this  time,  Dr.  Kalley,  disguised  in  female 
attire,  and  concealed  in  a  hammock,  was  escap- 
ing for  his  life  to  the  bay.  As  the  bearers, 
attended  by  Mr.  Tate,  were  hurried  along, 
the  cry  was  raised,  "  Kalley !  Kalley  !"  The 
infuriated  mob  catching  the  cry,  and  raising 
three  cheers,  ran  towards  the  pier.  As  they 
reached  it,  the  hammock  had  just  been  lowered 
into  the  boat,  and  in  a  few  minutes  it  was 
alongside  the  steamer,  the  hammock  swung  on 
deck,  and  Dr.  Kalley  was  safe.  The  whole 
beach  teemed  with  the  ruffian  crew. 

The  removal  of  Dr.  Kalley  was  the  signal 
for  all  manner  of  cruelty  and  oppression. 
Many  of  the  converts  immediately  fled  to  the 
mountains,  where  they  were  hunted  down  like 
wild  beasts.  When  discovered  in  their  hiding 
places,  they  were  mercilessly  beaten,  to  extort 
from  them  the  promise  that  they  would  go  to 
confession.  One  man  was  brutally  murdered, 
and  several  women  sustained  fatal  injuries. 
About  a  hundred  fled  on  board  an  emigrant 
ship,  with  the  design  of  removing  to  some 
other  land.  Many  of  these  humble  disciples 
manifested  a  spirit  of  devoted  attachment  to 
the  truth,  of  simple  steadfast  faith  in  Jesus, 
and  of  patience  in  the  midst  of  great  tribula- 
tion. 

An  English  resident,  who  had  been  obliged 
to  take  refuge  on  board  the  ship  that  was  to 
take  two  hundred  of  them  to  Trinidad,  wrote 
to  Mr.  Hewitson,  "  The  sound  of  the  hymns  is 
very  sweet,  as  it  rises  from  the  hold.  They 
never  speak  against  their  persecutors.  They 
only  mention  them  with  pity.  Sometimes  1 
overhear  them   in  prayer,  praying  for  their 


MADEBLI— MAGEZZIN. 


635 


enemies,  and  for  those  who  have  turned  back 
againto  the  Casas  d'idolatria.  They  have  all 
been  in  hidings  on  the  mountains,  their  houses 
broken  up  and  pillaged  ;  and  many  of  them 
have  nothing  left  but  the  clothes  they  wear." 

A  woman  Wiis  taken  out  of  her  house,  beat- 
en till  she  was  seemingly  dead,  then  dragged 
down  and  thrown  on  the  graves  of  the  Pro- 
testants, buried  on  the  roadside.  She  revived 
again,  and  was  carried  by  the  police  to  the 
hospital.  Alter  dressing  her  broken  arm, 
they  ordered  her  to  "  confess,"  which  she  re- 
fused ;  in  consequence  of  which  she  was  taken 
to  the  police  station,  where  she  remained  all 
day  in  a  hammock. 

Two  hundred  sailed  on  the  22d  of  August, 
for  Trinidad  ;  350  soon  followed,  and  others 
went  afterwards,  increasing  the  number  to 
800  in  all. 

Dr.  Kalley,  spea,king  of  the  converts,  says, 
they  were  begotten  of  God,  by  his  word  of 
truth  ;  they  grew  by  the  sincere  milk  of  it ;  it 
was  sweeter  to  them  than  honey,  more  pre- 
cious than  gold  ;  the  w^ords  of  Jesus  were 
spirit  and  life  to  them.  They  enjoyed  peace 
through  his  blood.  Sometimes  the  expression 
of  their  attachment  to  him  was  very  striking, 
and  their  sympathy  and  affection  for  each 
other  truly  brotherly.  Their  enemies  witness- 
ed changes  upon  them,  which  appeared  very 
strange  and  unaccountable,  especially  when 
they  persecuted  them.  The  gentleness  and 
patience,  the  love  and  joy,  of  the  sufferers,  con- 
founded even  their  persecutors,  some  of  whom 
were  reported  to  have  used  expressions  like 
these  :  "  We  call  these  people  ugly  names, 
and  they  don't  answer  back  ;  we  spit  upon 
them,  and  they  don't  get  angry  ;  we  beat  them, 
and  they  seem  pleased ;  we  break  open  their 
houses  and  destroy  their  property,  and  they 
are  happy  ;  we  put  them  in  jail,  and  they  sing : 
we  can't  make  them  unhappy." 

Mr.  Da  Silva,  already  mentioned,  was  a 
man  of  wealth  and  distinction  ;  but  he  was 
obliged  to  forsake  all,  even  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren. He  was  afterwards  ordained  pastor  of 
the  exiles  at  Trinidad,  where  he  died,  after 
having  witnessed  the  departure  of  a  portion 
of  them  for  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Hewitson,  after  remaining  some  time  in 
Scotland,  to  recruit  his  health,  visited  the 
exiles  at  Trinidad,  and  labored  for  some  time 
among  them,  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  seek- 
ing to  establish  them  in  the  faith.  After  his 
return  to  Scotland,  another  missionary  was 
appointed  by  the  Free  Church  to  labor  among 
the  exiles,  who  has  since  followed  them  to 
their  settlement  in  Illinois. 

Mr.  Hewitson,  on  visiting  his  flock  at  Trin- 
idad, says  of  them,  "  Though  a  few  of  the 
Portuguese  in  Trinidad  have,  under  the  pow- 
erful influence  of  new  temptations,  declined 
somewhat  in  spirituality  of  mind,  yet  I  have 
discovered  no  good  ground  for  suspecting  the 
sincerity  of  any  whom  I  was  accustomed  to 


regard  in  Madeira  as  having  the  things  which 
accompany  salvation.  A  considerable  num- 
ber seem  to  be  truly  desirous  of  growing  in 
grace,  light  and  holiness.  The  elders  and 
deacons  have  been  faithful  and  exemplary." 

The  Portuguese  converts  of  Madeira  are 
among  the  martyrs  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
They  furnish  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
power  of  God  attending  the  simple  ministry 
of  the  word.  The  facts  in  this  case  show  t«iat 
there  is  no  want  of  power  in  the  Gospel,  pro- 
perly applied,  for  the  conversion  of  the  world. 
They  furnish  also,  a  living  testimony  to  the 
changeless,  persecuting  spirit  of  Popery  ;  and 
to  see  the  identity  of  "  Pope  and  Pagan,"  we 
need  only  compare  the  persecutions  in  Madeira 
with  those  of  Madagascar. 

As  evidence  that  the  blessed  work  is  still  in 
progress,  we  notice  the  recent  arrival  of  a  ves- 
sel at  New  York  from  Madeira,  bringing  158 
more  religious  exiles,  on  their  way  to  the  colo- 
ny in  Illinois. 

MADEBLI:  A  town  of  the  Bassas  in 
Western  Africa,  situated  on  the  Mechlin  river, 
about  20  miles  from  its  mouth.  It  has  been 
a  seat  of  the  African  mission  of  the  American 
Baptist  Missionary  Union. 

MADRAS :  The  capital  of  the  British 
possessions  in  the  south  of  India,  in  lat.  13c 
5'  iST.  and  long.  80°  81'  E. ;  for  two  centuries 
the  seat  of  Jesuit  Missions  in  llindostan. 
The  population  has  recently  been  estimated  at 
630,000,  of  whom  530,000  are  Hindoos,  80,000 
Mohammedans,  and  20,000  Europeans  or  de- 
scendants of  Europeans.  It  is  fortified  to  the 
north  and  west  by  a  wall,  having  five  gates, 
and  on  the  south  by  Fort  St.  George.  It  is 
occupied  by  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Gospel,  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
the  Church  Missionary  Society,  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society,  the  Church  of  Scotland, 
the  American  Board,  and  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland.     (See  Hindostan.) 

MADURA :  A  city  of  Southern  Hindos- 
tan, 136  miles  north-east  from  Cape  Comorin, 
and  210  miles  south-west  from  Madras,  and. 
contains  a  population  of  50,000.  The  district 
of  Madura  has  a  population  of  1,300,000.- 
The  city  itself  is  encircled  by  w^alls,  and  may 
be  emphatically  termed  a  city  of  temples.. 
The  largest,  as  described  by  Mr.  Hoisington,. 
missionary  of  the  Board,  in  1834,  has  at  least 
10,000  massive  pillars  of  stone,  presenting  on; 
every  side,  in  full  relief,  curiously  wrought 
images  of  every  description — men.  women,, 
children,  beasts,  and  creatures  of  the  wildest 
fancy.  This  vast  palace,  covering  ground  suf- 
ficient almost  for  the  site  of  a  town,  is  in  a. 
dilapidated  state,  and  the  immense  wealth  that, 
existed  at  the  period  of  its  construction  has* 
departed.  Madura  is  the  city  of  the  ancient  ' 
Tamil  kings,  and  the  seat  of  Brahminicar 
pride  in  this  part  of  India.  The  _  American. 
Board  commenced  its  mission  here  in  1834. 

MAGEZZIN  :  A  Karen  village  on  the^ 


586 


MAHE— MASULIPATAM. 


confines  of  Arrocan,  in  Burmah,  and  an  out- 
station  of  one  of  the  Karcu  missions  of  the 
American  Baptist  Union. 

MALTA  :  An  island  in  the  Mediterranean, 
60  miles  from  Cicily,  probably  the  ancient 
lielita,  where  Paul  was  shipwrecked.  Pop. 
70,000.  A  mission  was  commenced  here  by 
the  I^ndou  Missionary  Society  in  1811,  and 
continued  for  several  years.  In  1815,  Rev. 
William  Jowett  was  sent  to  Malta  by  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  where  he  re- 
mained several  years.  In  1822,  the  Ameri- 
can Board  established  a  printing  press  in 
Malta,  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Daniel 
Temple  and  Mr.  lloman  Ilallock,  which  was 
removed  to  Smyrna,  Dec.  23,  1833.  (See  p. 
126).  The  Church  Missionary  Society  have 
a  college  there.    (See  p.  633.) 

MALCOM  PETH :  A  temporary  health 
station  of  the  American  Board  upon  the 
Ghauts,  towards  the  south  of  Hindostan. 

MALLIGAUM  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  150  miles  north-east  of 
Bombay. 

MAMRE  :  Station  of  the  United  Brethren, 
in  South  Africa,  on  the  Beka  river. 

MANEPY:  A  parish  in  the  district  of 
Jaffna,  Ceylon,  4>i  miles  N.W.  of  Jaffnapatam, 
and  4  from  Batticotta  :  a  station  of  the  Ame- 
rican Board. 

MANDAHASALIE  :  In  Southern  Hin- 
dostan, and  one  of  the  most  recent  stations  of 
the  American  Board,  in  connexion  with  the 
Madura  mission. 

MA  U  BEE :  A  Karen  village  in  the  Bas- 
sein  province  of  Southern  Burmah,  near  Arrar 
can,  and  an  out-station  of  the  Bassein  mission 
of  the  American  Baptist  Union. 

MANGAIA,  or  MANAIA :  One  of  the 
Herv-ey  Islands,  having  a  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society. 

MAXGALORE :  A  station  of  the  Basle 
Missionary  Society,  in  the  province  of  Canara, 
440  miles  S.  S.  E.  of  Bombay. 

MANUA  :  One  of  the  Samoa  Islands,  cir- 
cular in  form,  and  so  elevated  as  to  be  visible 
at  the  distance  of  40  or  50  miles.  The  inha- 
bitants are  regarded  as  a  conquered  people, 
and  are  despised  and  oppressed  by  the  inhabit- 
ants of  other  islands.  London  Missionary 
Society. 

MAXOXO  :  One  of  the  Samoan  Islands  ; 
a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 
Though  small,  it  has  obtained  a  kind  of  po- 
litical supremacy  over  the  whole  group  of  these 
islands. 

MANAARGOODY :  A  station  of  the 
Wesley  an  Missionary  Society  in  Southern  In- 
^ia. 

MANEROO :  An  extensive  district  in 
A  Qstralia,  on  the  south  side  of  Murrunbidgee 
river,  with  a  wide-spread  pastoral  population. 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel. 

MANTI  :    One  of  the    Hervey    islands ; 


about  15  miles  in  circumference.  Population, 
300. 

MAPUMULO  :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  in  South  Africa,  among  the  Zulus, 
near  Port  Natal. 

MARE  :  One  of  the  New  Hebrides,  where 
is  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

MARAETAI:  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New  Zealand,  on  the 
cast  coast,  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Waikato. 

MARSOVAN  :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Armenians,  situated  in 
Northern  Asia  Minor,  not  far  from  the  Black 
Sea,  S.  E.  from  Samsoou. 

MARTABAN  :  A  province  in  Southern 
Burmah,  annexed  to  the  British  dominions,  in 
part  in  1826,  and  in  part  in  1852.  The  city 
is  near  the  mouth  of  the  Salwen  river,  and  is 
a  seat  of  the  missionary  operations  of  the 
American  Baptist  Union. 

MARONITES  :  A  sect  of  Eastern  Chris- 
tians, who  follow  the  Syrian  rites,  and  are  sub- 
ject to  the  Pope  ;  their  principal  habitation 
being  on  Mount  Libanus,  between  the  Ansar 
rians  to  the  north  and  the  Druses  to  the  south. 
According  to  Mosheim,  the  sect  had  its  origin 
among  the  Monothelites,  who,  having  been 
condemned  by  the  Council  of  Constantinople, 
found  a  refuge  on  Mount  Lebanon,  which,  at 
the  time,  formed  an  asylum  for  vagabonds  of 
all  sorts.  About  the  conclusion  of  the  seventh 
century  they  were  called  Maronites,  after 
Maro,  their  first  bishop.  They  retained  the 
opinions  of  the  Monothelites  until  the  twelfth 
century,  when  they  abandoned  them,  and  were 
admitted  into  the  church  of  Rome.  The  na- 
tion is  divided  into  two  classes,  the  common 
people  and  the  sheikhs.  (See  SJieikh.)  They 
live  dispersed  in  the  mountains,  in  villages, 
hamlets,  and  even  detached  houses.  The  whole 
nation  consists  of  cultivators,  living  frugally, 
with  many  enjoyments  and  few  wants.  Though 
dependent  on  the  Pope,  they  continue  to  elect 
a  head  under  the  title  of  Batrak,  or  patriarch 
of  Antioch.  Their  priests  marry,  but  must 
not  marry  widows,  nor  marry  a  second  time. 
They  say  mass  in  Syriac,  which  they  do  not 
understand ;  but  the  Gospel  is  read  in  Arabic, 
and  the  communion  administered  in  both  kinds. 
They  have  about  200  convents  for  men  and 
women,  of  the  order  of  St.  Anthony.  There 
are  Maronites,  however,  in  Syria,  who  regard 
the  church  of  Rome  with  aversion  and  abhor- 
rence. 

MARQUESAS  ISLANDS  :  A  group  of 
islands  extending  from  7^  to  10°  S.  lat.  and 
1380  to  140°  W.  long.  They  contain  two 
clusters,  of  five  each. 

MASULIPATAM :  A  town  in  the  presi- 
dency of  Madras,  and  capital  of  a  district  of 
the  same  name  on  the  Coromandel  coast,  230 
miles  N.  N.E.  of  Madras.  It  is  very  exten- 
sive, and  for  a  Hindoo  town  tolerably  well 
built.  It  stands  on  the  only  part  of  the  Coro- 
mandel coast  which  is  not  beat  by  a  heavy 


MATAH— MAURITIUS. 


537 


Burf.  It  is  the  residence  of  the  district  col- 
lector aud  judge.  Population  of  the  district 
in  1822,  454  754  persons.  Church  Missionary 
Society. 

MATAH  :  A  Karen  village  in  Tenasserim, 
Burmah,  and  an  out-station  of  the  Tavoy  mis- 
sion of  the  American  Baptist  Missionary 
Union. 

MATURA  :  A  town  in  the  southern  extre- 
mity of  Ceylon,  82  miles  S.  E.  of  Columbo. 
Population,  3,000 ;  surrounded  by  populous 
villages.  The  Matura  priests  are  famed  for 
their  knowledge  of  the  Pali  literature.  The 
people  are  generally  poor,  ignorant,  and  super- 
stitious, and  addicted  to  the  disgusting  practice 
of  devil-dancing.  A  station  of  the  Wesley- 
ans,  and  also  of  the  Gospel  Propagation  So- 
ciety. 

MATANTU  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  Savaii  ;  one  of  the 
Samoa  islands. 

MAUI :  One  of  the  Sandwich  Island  group, 
lying  to  the  IS".  E.  of  Hawaii,  being  about  48 
miles  in  length,  29  in  its  widest  part,  with  a 
surface  of  about  600  square  miles.  The  Ame- 
rican Board  have  five  stations  on  this  island. 

MAULMAIN  :  One  of  the  Tenasserim  pro- 
vinces in  British  Burmah.  The  capital  city 
bears  the  same  name,  and  is  situated  on  the 
Salwen  river,  twenty-five  miles  from  its  mouth. 
It  is  the  seat  of  two  missions — one  for  Bur- 
mans,  and  the  other  for  Karens — of  the  Amer- 
ican Baptist  Union ;  and  has  hitherto  been 
the  residence  of  most  of  the  American  Baptist 
missionaries  in  Burmah.  Dr.  Judson  resided 
here  the  greater  part  of  the  time  from  1827  to 
the  period  of  his  death. 

MAUPITI :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  the  Society  Islands. 

MAURITIUS,  or,  ISLE  OF  FRANCE  : 
An  island  in  the  Indian  Ocean,  belonging  to 
Great  Britain,  situated  between  19°  58'  and 
20-  32'  South  latitude,  70  or  80  miles  N.E.  of 
the  Isle  of  Bourbon,  and  500  E.  of  Madagas- 
car. It  is  an  irregular  oval,  about  36  miles 
long,  by  18  to  27  broad  ;  area,  about  500,000 
acres.  The  population  in  1832  consisted  of 
13,000  whites,  26,000  free  colored  people,  and 
89,000  slaves,  now  freemen.  Its  appearance 
is  in  the  highest  degree  picturesque  and  beau- 
tiful. There  are  several  ranges  of  mountains 
in  different  parts  of  the  island,  from  which 
flow  numerous  small  rivers  and  streams.  The 
whole  coast  is  surrounded  by  reefs  of  coral, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  openings  through 
which  vessels  approach  the  shore.  The  capi- 
tal is  Port  Louis,  on  the  north-west  side  of  the 
island,  population  1830,  26,000.  The  ther- 
mometer in  Mauritius  generally  ranges  from 
79  to  88  degrees.  The  soil  requires  but  little 
labor  to  cultivate,  and  is  particularly  favor- 
able to  the  sugar-cane ;  but  most  of  the  fruits 
of  the  temperate  zones  liave  been  introduced 
and  naturalized.  It  came  into  the  possession 
of  the  English  in  1810,  by  conquest  from  the 


French.  It  has  several  small  dependencies,  the 
chief  of  which  are  the  Seychelles  Islands,  about 
900  miles  north  of  Mauritius. 

Lihabitarits.—Amoug  the  colored  people  of 
Mauritius,  there  are  at  present  supposed  to  be 
about  5000  natives  of  Madagascar.  1'he  great 
majority  of  the  Europeans,  both  at  Mauritius 
and  the  Seychelles,  are  Roman  Catholics. 

MISSION. 
London  Missionary  Society. — This  Soci- 
ety sent  out  Mr.  Le  Brun,  in  1814,  who  arrived 
at  Mauritius  in  June  of  that  year,  and  opened 
a  school  for  the  French  children  at  Port  Louis, 
and  engaged  in  the  circulation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures and  tracts.  In  the  following  year,  he 
had  gathered  a  small  congegation,  amid  much 
opposition,  and  in  connection  with  which  was 
a  prosperous  Sunday-school  of  50  children. 
He  was  countenanced  by  the  Governor,  who 
wrote  to  the  Directors  of  the  Society  in  1816, 
expressing  his  approbation  of  Mr.  Le  Brun's 
labors,  and  stating  that  he  had  succeeded  in 
inducing  the  free  colored  population  to  attend 
upon  his  instructions.  In  1818,  he  had  suc- 
ceeded in  organizing  25  persons  into  a  Chris- 
tian Society  at  Port  Louis.  He  was  also  em- 
ployed by  Gov.  Farquhar  in  the  religious  in- 
struction of  two  brothers  of  a  principal  chief 
of  Madagascar.  In  the  following  year  he  had 
gathered  a  church  of  20  members,  and  six 
more  were  candidates  for  admission.  Two  of 
the  converts  he  had  appointed  to  preach  in 
the  suburbs  of  Port  Louis.  An  auxiliary 
Missionary  Society  had  been  formed  at  that 
place,  the  proceeds  of  which  were  to  be  appli- 
ed to  the  support  of  the  Madagascar  Mission. 
The  inhabitants  of  Mauritius  manifested  a 
strong  inclination  to  cast  aside  their  super- 
stitions. In  1820,  Mr.  Jones,  a  missionary 
under  appointment  to  Madagascar,  spent  a 
portion  of  the  year  in  the  instruction  of  Mr. 
Telfair's  slaves  at  Belombre,  with  great  suc- 
cess. Mr.  Telfair  wrote  to  the  Directors  that 
a  general  spirit  of  religious  feeling  pervaded 
all  classes  of  the  numerous  population  on  his 
plantation  ;  and  that  there  had  been  a  propor- 
tionate improvement  in  their  conduct  and  in- 
dustry. The  school  was  continued  after  Mr. 
Jones  left,  and  many  of  the  slaves  learned  to 
read.  In  1821,  the  church  at  Port  Louis  had 
increased  to  34,  and  the  year  following  to  43. 
Mr.  Le  Brun  continued  his  labors  amid  many 
obstacles,  both  from  the  superstitions  of  the 
people,  and  the  opposition  to  the  instruction 
of  slaves.  His  church  continued  to  increase, 
and  he  extended  his  efforts  to  several  places 
around.  But  in  1832  his  health  failed  ;  and, 
assigning  the  care  of  his  flock  to  pious  friends, 
he  visited  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  with  the 
hope  of  recruiting  his  health ;  but  there  he 
experienced  a  severe  attack,  and  was  obliged 
to  return  to  England.  The  work  wliieh  he 
had  commenced  and  continued  for  18  ycai-s, 
against  much  bitter  opposition  and  persecu- 


588 


MAURITnJ&-MAVELICARE. 


tion,  had  been  successful  beyond  liis  expecta- 
tion, l^ublic  woi-sliip  had  been  maintained  in 
several  diflbrent  places ;  the  slaves  had  been 
instructctl ;  day  and  Sabbath-schools  had  been 
niaiutaincd  ;  a  churyh  had  been  gathered  of 
about  00  mcmbera,  two  of  whom  were  en- 
gaged in  preaching  the  Gospel.  The  state  of 
the  island  being  peculiarly  unfavorable  to  the 
successful  prosecution  of  missionary  labor,  the 
Directors  did  not  think  it  desirable  to  resume 
the  mission  ;  but  Mr.  Lc  Brun,  after  spending 
some  time  in  Europe,  returned  on  his  own  ac- 
count to  Mauritius,  and  took  the  pastoral 
charge  of  the  people  among  whom  he  had 
formerly  labored. 

In  183G,  when  the  missionaries  were  driven 
from  Madagascar,  Mr.  Johns  was  instructed  to 
remain  at  Mauritius,  devoting  himself  to  the 
instruction  of  the  natives  of  Madagascar,  whom 
he  found  on  the  island  ;  and  also  to  embrace 
every  opportunity  of  keeping  up  a  communi- 
cation with  Madagascar.  And  Rev.  D.  Jones, 
who  had  been  a  few  years  in  England,  re- 
turned to  Mauritius,  to  make  himself  useful 
there,  and  await  the  changes  at  Madagascar. 
Two  schools  were  established  for  Malagasy 
children,  consisting  of  52  boys  and  23  girls. 
Public  worship  was  maintained  by  them  and 
Mr.  Le  Brun,  in  French  and  English.  The 
door  was  at  this  time  open  for  the  instruction 
of  all  classes  of  the  people  of  color.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1837,  Mr.  Baker  removed  to  Piton,  12 
miles  from  Port  Louis,  where  he  was  employing 
the  press  for  the  difiusion  of  the  Gospel  and 
promoting  the  cause  of  education. 
^  In  1845,  Mr.  Le  Brun  reported  a  strong  re- 
ligious movement  among  the  people  at  Port 
Louis ;  and  the  200  free  sittings  in  his  chapel 
■were  insufficient  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
negroes,  who  attended  on  the  Sabbath.  An 
adult  Sunday-school  of  80  to  100  persons  had 
been  formed,  consisting  of  Malagasy,  Africans, 
Malays,  and  Creoles. 

Before  Mr.  Johns's  death,  he  had  purchased 
a  piece  of  land  at  Moka,  12  miles  from  Port 
Louis,  intending  to  form  a  settlement  of  the 
Christian  refugees  from  Madagascar.  After 
his  death,  Mrs.  Johns,  with  the  assistance  of 
Mr.  Le  Brun,  proceeded  to  carry  out  his  plan. 
She  afterwards  returned  to  England,  and  the 
station  was  committed  to  the  charge  of  a  son 
of  Mr.  Le  Brun,  who  soon  gathered  a  congrega- 
tion of  more  than  100  Malagasy,  and  on  the 
1st  of  January,  1845,  he  formed  a  church  of 
seren  members ;  and  there  were  many  earnest 
inquirers.  With  Ramiadina  and  Rafaralahy, 
both  men  of  decided  piety,  he  commenced  a 
course  of  theological  instruction.  At  the  same 
time,  they  were  appointed  to  labor  at  an  out- 
station,  in  the  neighboring  mountains.  Mrs. 
Le  Brun  had  established  a  promising  Malagasy 
school  of  55  children.  In  the  year  1847,  six 
new  members  were  added  to  the  church  at 
Moka,  and  there  was  a  class  of  eight  inquirers. 
Mr.  Le  Brun  this  year  established  another  out- 


station,  among  several  villages  of  Malagasy,  at 
a  place  called  La  Nouvelle  Decouvertc.  I'he 
people  came  with  carts  and  donkeys  for  Ra- 
miadana  and  his  wife,  the  native  teachers,  and 
bore  them  away  with  joy.  GO  or  70  of  them 
commenced  meeting  for  public  worship  on  the 
Sabbath.  The^^^  proposed  to  build  a  place  of 
worship  at  their  own  expense,  and  a  woman 
gave  a  piece  of  ground  for  the  chapel  and  a 
house  for  the  teacher.  And  adults  as  well  as 
children  commenced  learning  to  read.  On 
Christmas  day,  1848,  the  new  chapel  was  ded- 
icated by  Mr.  Lo  Brun,  in  the  presence  of  a 
crowded  assembly. 

In  1851  Mr.  Peter  Le  Brun  was  appointed 
to  the  station  at  Moka,  and  Mr.  J.  J.  Le  Brun 
joined  his  father,  in  the  pastoral  office  at  Port 
Louis,  especially  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
charge  of  the  theological  instruction  of  some 
young  men,  natives  of  Madagascar,  with  the 
view  of  their  becoming  evangelists  in  their 
fatherland. 

The  latest  intelligence  from  this  mission  is 
contained  in  letters  from  Mr.  J.  J.  Le  Brun, 
dated  Port  Louis,  June  21,1852,  and  from  Mr. 
Peter  Le  Brun,  dated  Moka,  Aug.  25, 1852. 
Mr.  J.  J.  Lc  Brun  says  the  people  at  Port 
Louis  are  sick  of  popery,  and  are  everywhere 
asking  for  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
faith.  The  Bible  is  in  great  demand.  At  all 
the  stations  and  out-stations,  there  is  an  in- 
crease of  numbers,  and  many  inquirers  are 
coming  to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
Mr.  Peter  Le  Brun  says  the  mission  at  Moka 
has  made  decided  progress,  both  in  numbers, 
and  in  moral  and  spiritual  improvement.  On 
the  21st  of  August,  1852,  a  new  and  commo- 
dious place  of  worship  was  opened  at  this  sta- 
tion, and  near  the  same  time,  18  were  added 
to  the  church. 

The  Malagasy  refugees,  numbering  about 
500,  residing  at  Mauritius,  have  continued  to 
share  in  the  oversight  of  the  Messrs.  Le  Brun  ; 
and  it  is  believed  that  many  of  them  will  be 
raised  up  to  be  the  future  instructors  of  their 
countrymen  in  Madagascar. 

The  latest  reports  from  these  missions  do  not 
give  the  statistics.  The  following  table  gives 
the  present  number  of  stations  and  missionar 
ries ;  but  the  number  of  church  members  at 
Port  Louis  is  taken  from  the  report  of  1850, 
and  at  Moka  the  number  has  been  collected 
from  reports  of  additions  from  time  to  time, 
and  may  not  from  that  cause  be  perfectly  ac- 
curate. 


stations. 

Missionaries. 

Church  members. 

Port  Louis, 
Moka, 

2 

1 

140 
33 

Total, 


173 


MAYELICARE :  A  large  and  populous 
town,  near  the  foot  of  the  Ghauts,  and  much 
shut  out  from  European  intercourse.  Popula- 
tion of  the  district,  about  270,000.    The  pago- 


MEIGNAPOORAM— MICRONESIA. 


539 


das  are  numerous,  and  there  are  21  Syrian 
churches  within  a  few  miles  of  the  town. 

MEIGNAPOOEAM :  A  station  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  the  Tinnevelly 
district,  India. 

MEKUATLING  :  Station  of  the  French 
Protestants  in  South  Africa,  four  or  five  days' 
journey  N.  W.  of  Morija. 

MELBOURNE  :  The  metropolis  of  Aus- 
tralia. In  1838,  it  contained  but  three  houses 
deserving  the  name.  It  is  now  a  large  place. 
It  is  occupied  by  the  Wesleyans  and  the  Soci- 
ety for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel. 

MERGUI :  The  name  of  a  city  and  a  pro- 
vince in  British  Burmah.  The  city  is  on  one 
of  the  branches  of  the  Tenasserim  river,  and  is 
a  station  of  the  Tavoy  mission  of  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Union. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH, 
MISSIONS  OP  :  See  Missionary  Society  of 
tlie  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

MEXICO  :  This  country  exhibits  at  the 
present  time,  a  striking  exemplification  of  the 
legitimate  tendencies  of  unmitigated  Roman- 
ism. After  the  revolution  which  separated 
Mexico  from  the  mother  country,  a  republican 
constitution  was  adopted,  after  the  model  of 
our  own,  with  the  important  exception,  that 
the  Church  of  Rome  was  made  the  established 
religion,  and  no  other  was   tolerated.     The 

Eriests  have  borne  rule  from  the  beginning, 
aving  unlimited  resources  at  their  command ; 
yet  the  people  continue  in  abject  ignorance, 
misruled  by  demagogues,  and  constantly  con- 
vulsed by  internal  dissensions  and  revolutions, 
demonstrating,  beyond  a  doubt,  the  utter  in- 
compatibility of  Romanism  and  a  republican 
form  of  government.  At  present,  so  far  as  we 
can  ascertain,  there  is  little  if  any  opening  for 
missionary  efibrts  in  that  miserable  land.  The 
present  government  appears  to  be  sold  to  the 
priests.  Yet,  in  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs, 
we  cannot  tell  what  a  day  may  bring  forth ; 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  increasing  inter- 
course of  the  people  of  Mexico  with  those  of 
the  United  States,  since  the  conclusion  of  the 
late  war,  may  be  preparing  them  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  Gospel,  when  the  way  shall  be 
opened  for  its  introduction. 

MICHIPOCOTON  :  An  Indian  town  on 
the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  formerly 
a  station  of  the  Ojibwa  mission  of  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Union. 

MICRONESIA  :  The  name  Micronesia  is 
derived  from  the  Greek  Blikros,  small,  and 
Nesion,  a  little  island,  signifying  a  region  of 
small  islands  or  islets.  It  is  applied  to  a  por- 
tion of  the  Central  Archipelago,  Pacific  Ocean, 
including  the  Kingsmill  Group.  As  this  term 
is  of  recent  application,  it  is  not  generally  laid 
down  on  the  maps,  nor  very  well  defined.  The 
Kingsmill  Group  lies  on  both  sides  of  the 
equator,  and  consists  of  15  principal  islands, 
all  coral,  densely  covered  with  cocoanut  groves, 
having  a  population  of  about  50,000.    They 


are  governed  by  independent  kings,  have  a 
limited  intercourse  with  each  other,  are  resorted 
to  by  whalers,  and  occupied  by  a  company  of 
English  traders,  vi^ho  export  annually  more 
than  1200  barrels  of  cocoanut  oil  from  Pitt's 
Island  alone. 

Population. — The  natives  of  these  islands 
lead  a  life  of  indolence.  The  cocoanut,  which 
everywhere  abounds,  supplies  their  few  wants 
with  little  labor.  Their  chief  employment  is 
the  manufacture  of  cocoanut  oil,  which  is  now 
a  source  of  great  profit  to  the  few  traders,  and 
might  bring  a  large  revenue  to  the  people. 
They  also  make  an  excellent  kind  of  molasses 
from  the  cocoanut  sap.  From  this  tree  almost 
every  thing  which  they  eat,  drink,  wear,  live 
in,  or  use  in  any  way,  is  obtained.  The  people 
are  divided  into  three  classes,  chiefs,  landhold- 
ers, and  slaves.  They  live  in  small  communi- 
ties, regarding  the  oldest  of  their  number  as  a 
kind  of  patriarch.  Polygamy  is  common. 
They  are  hospitable,  and  ready  to  share  the 
last  morsel  with  the  needy.  In  each  town  is 
a  **  stranger's  house,"  where  travelers  find  a 
temporary  home.  Some  of  these  are  large, 
and  serve  as  council  chambers  and  places  of 
amusement.  Their  religion  scarcely  deserves 
the  name.  They  have,  so  far  as  is  at  present 
known,  no  idols  and  no  priests.  They  have  a 
loose  system  of  spirit-worship — veneration  for 
the  spirits  of  the  dead — but  their  confidence 
in  it  is  weakened.  When  one  dies,  the  body 
is  placed  upon  mats,  in  the  centre  of  the  house, 
and  rubbed  with  cocoanut  oil  till  the  flesh  is 
gone ;  and  then  the  bones  are  placed  in  the 
loft  or  thrown  into  the  sea.  A  stone  is  placed 
near  the  house,  as  a  resting  place  for  the  spirit, 
and  offerings  are  made  to  it  twice  a  year. 
The  tabu  system  has  little  force.  They  have 
but  few  traditions,  and  cannot  be  said  to  be 
very  superstitious. 

MISSION. 

American  Board . — The  mission  to  Micro- 
nesia had  its  origin,  in  part  at  least,  in  the 
belief  of  some  of  the  officers  of  the  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.  that  something  of  this  kind  was  needed, 
more  fully  to  develop  the  benevolence  and 
strengthen  the  Christian  character  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands  Christians.  Nov.  18th,  1851, 
Rev.  Benjamin  G.  Snow  and  Rev.  Luther  H. 
Gulick,  M.  D.,  with  their  wives,  sailed  from 
Boston  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  on  the 
17th  of  January,  1-852,  Rev.  Albert  A.  Stur- 
gess  and  wife  followed  them.  Dr.  Gulick  was 
born  at  the  Islands,  his  father  having  been 
long  a  missionary  there.  The  Hawaiian  Mis- 
sionary Society  had  been  already  formed  in 
May,  1851,  and  was  expected  to  cooperate  with 
them  in  commencing  a  mission  in  Micronesia. 
The  first  company  arrived  at  Honolulu,  March 
29th,  and  great  interest  was  at  once  awakened. 
The  churches  contributed  with  very  great  lib- 
erality to  their  missionary  society,  and,  by  the 
end  of  its  first  year,  §5,000  had  come  into  the 


540 


MINISTERIAL    EDUCATION. 


treasory  from  Hawaiian  sources.  It  was  then 
proposed  to  pureluuse  a  vessel  for  the  new  mis- 
sion, antl  more  than  half  the  cost  was  raised 
ftt  Honolulu  alone.'  Two  natives  were  wanted, 
at  first,  Ui  be  connected  with  the  mission,  and 
seven  oflers  of  service  were  soon  received.  A 
toncher.  Daniela  Opunui,  and  a  deacon,  Berita 
Kaaikaula,  both  trom  the  second  church  in 
Honolulu,  were  selected,  with  their  wives. 

The  company  sailed  from  Honolulu,  July 
15th,  accompanied  by  liev.  E.  W.  Clark,  Sec- 
retary of  the  Hawaiian  Missionary  Society, 
Rev.  Mr.  Kekela,  native  pastor  of  one  of  the 
churches,  and  a  brother  of  Dr.  Gulick.  They 
reached  Pitt's  Island,  latitude  3^  20'  N.,  and 
longitude  172^  57'  E.,  of  the  Kingsmill  group, 
on  the  5th  of  August.  These  islands  are  of 
the  low,  coral  formation,  and  it  was  thought 
best  to  form  the  mission  on  one  of  the  high 
islands.  On  the  22d  of  August  they  reached 
Strong's  Island,  600  miles  north  of  west  from 
Pitt's  Island.  Obtaining  the  cordial  assent  of 
the  king,  who,  with  some  of  his  people,  had 
obtained  some  knowledge  of  the  English  lan- 
guage from  traders,  it  was  arranged  that  Mr. 
Snow  and  the  teacher,  Opunui,  should  estab- 
lish themselves  there.  The  whole  company, 
however,  proceeded  together  to  Ascension 
Island,  or  Bonabe,  300  miles  distant,  latitude 
7°  K.  Here  a  station  was  selected  for 
Dr.  Gulick,  Mr.  Sturges  and  Kaaikaula,  and 
they  landed,  Sept.  20th,  under  apparently 
favorable  circumstances,  encouraged  by  the 
king,  and  by  a  young  man  whose  official  title 
is  Nanakin,  and  who  seemed  to  have  secured 
the  full  control  of  state  afiairs.  Resident 
foreign  traders  also  encouraged  the  formation 
of  the  mission,  of  one  of  whom  a  house  was 
hired.  Others  of  the  company  now  returned 
to  Strong's  Island,  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Snow, 
with  their  Hawaiian  fellow-laborers,  were  cor- 
dially welcomed  by  the  king,  on  the  Cth  of 
October,  to  their  future  home. 

On  the  13th  of  November,  Mr.  Snow  took 
possession  of  a  house  built  for  him  by  the  king 
and  chiefs,  and  on  the  second  Sabbath  in  De- 
cember, he  held  his  first  public  service  with 
the  natives.    At  the  close  of  the  first  year, 
(Oct.  1853,j  this  service  had  been  regularly 
sustained,  the  congregations  varying  from  75 
to  150.    The  king  used  his  influence  to  secure  j 
the  attendance  of  the  people,  and  was  always ' 
present  himself, — with  his  wife  and  family, — a '' 
very  attentive  listener.    He  had  sent  his  young- ! 
est  son,  a  bright  boy  about  ten  years  of  age,  j 
to  reside  with  Mr.  Snow.    A  school  of  about  | 
30  boys  and  girls  manifested  much  interest  in  i 
learning  to  read  and  spell.     But  the  mission 
company  had    been  deeply  afflicted   by  the 
death  of  Opunui,  in  August.    Other  trials, 
too,  had   been  experienced,  such  as  have  so 
often  and  so  sorely  afflicted  missionaries  on  j 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific.     In  many  instances,  I 
the  deportment  and  the  kindness  of  captains 
of  vessels  and  other  foreigners  had  been  most ' 


cheering ;  but  one  vessel  had  been  at  the 
island,  with  plenty  of  brandy  and  othor 
liquors,  producing  great  evil ;  and  about  the 
close  of  the  year,  the  presence  of  several  ves- 
sels occasioned  an  outbreak  of  licentiousness 
which  had  been  exceedingly  trying. 

Messrs.  Sturges  and  Gulick  commenced 
their  labors  in  behalf  of  the  people  of  Ascen- 
sion Island,  among  the  Kittle  tribe.  But,  in 
June,  1853,  Dr.  Gulick  removed  to  the  Metar 
lanim  tribe,  at  Shalong  Point,  the  landward 
extremity  of  Taman  Island,  which  lies  in  the 
mouth  of  Metalim  harbor,  and  is  about  four 
miles  in  circumference.  He  had  previously 
visited  the  tribe,  secured  the  protection  of  the 
chief,  and  built  a  house.  In  July,  he  had 
opened  a  school,  some  of  his  pupils  being 
adults,  and  three  of  them  chiefs.  They  seemed 
to  have  the  entire  confidence  of  the  rulers,  who 
afforded  them  complete  protection.  Their 
families  had  been  remarkably  healthy,  but 
they  had  been  afflicted  with  the  loss  of  a 
friend,  Mr.  Lewis  Corgat,  a  trader  who  had 
shown  them  great  kindness,  and  of  whom  they 
had  some  hope  that  he  was  a  true  Christian. 
They  had  two  of  his  children  in  their  families, 
whom  they  hoped  to  bring  up  for  usefulness. 

TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 

1 

ll 

j 

9 
Pi 

Apcension  Island 

1 
1 
1 

3 

1 
1 

1 

"T 

1 

1 

1 
1 

2 

30 
80 

Shalong  Point 

Strong's  Island 

Totals 

MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION  :  In  eve- 
ry effort,  looking  to  the  spread  of  the  Gospel 
among  men,  reference  must  always  be  had 
to  the  Christian  ministry.  In  Christ's  great 
plan  for  the  recovery  of  our  lost  world,  the 
ministry  is  made  to  hold  a  fundamental  place, 
and  this  institution  can  never  be  set  aside,  or 
even  lightly  regarded,  without  the  most  inju- 
rious consequences.  Any  serious  deficiency  in 
this  respect,  paralyzes  the  whole  movement  of 
the  church,  in  her  great  contest  with  the  pow- 
ers of  evil.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  most  far- 
seeing  minds  in  every  age  of  the  church  have 
given  special  thought  to  this  subject.  No 
question  with  them  has  been  more  vital  than 
this — how  shall  a  sufficient  number  of  men,  of 
the  right  stamp  of  character,  be  sought  out 
and  fitted  for  the  responsible  work  of  the 
Christian  ministry  ? 

We  shall  not  now  attempt  any  general  his- 
tory of  this  subject,  as  it  stands  connected 
with  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  church 
at  large.  Our  object  will  be  simply  to  give 
some  brief  account  of  the  methods  by  which 
the  ministry  has  hitherto  been  supplied  in  this 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 


541 


country,  and  more  especially  to  set  forth  the 
present  condition  of  this  interest  among  the 
different  religious  denominations  of  our  land. 

The  early  ministers  in  this  country  -yvere, 
almost  without  exception,  men  who  had  been 
educated  and  trained  for  their  work,  in  the  old 
world  ;  and  in  the  great  majority  of  casts  they 
had  filled  the  pastoral  office  before  coming 
hither.  The  intolerance  and  persecution  which 
drove  from  their  homes  so  large  a  portion  of 
these  early  emigrants,  would  be  likely  to  bear, 
with  peculiar  severity,  upon  non-conforming 
ministers ;  and  hence  it  was,  that  so  large  a 
number  of  persons  of  this  class  were  found  in 
the  early  settlements. 

At  no  period  has  this  country  been  bettef 
supplied  with  religious  teachers  than  during 
the  first  few  years  after  these  settlements  be- 
gan. It  has  been  estimated  that  there  was  in 
the  New  England  colonies,  twenty  years  after 
the  landing  at  Plymouth,  a  graduate  of  Oxford 
or  Cambridge  college,  for  every  240  inhabit- 
ants. A  few  of  these  graduates  were  employ- 
ed in  the  civil  administration  of  the  colonies, 
but  most  of  them  were  in  the  ministry. 

But  as  the  population  of  the  country  in- 
creased, and  as  an  adequate  supply  of  ministers 
from  abroad  could  not  be  depended  upon,  the 
thoughts  of  good  men  began  to  turn  toward 
some  method  for  raising  up,  on  these  shores, 
a  supply  of  Christian  teachers.  In  the  year 
163G,  the  foundations  of  Harvard  College  were 
laid,  amid  much  sacrifice  and  self-denial,  with 
special  reference  to  this  sacred  interest.  From 
this  time  forward,  as  new  churches  were  plant- 
ed, or  as  the  early  ministers  passed  away  by 
death,  the  ministerial  office  was  supplied,  in 
great  measure,  from  among  the  graduates  of 
the  infant  college.  More  than  half  of  its  gra- 
duates, during  the  first  century  of  its  existence, 
entered  into  the  labors  of  the  ministry.  Cotton 
Mather,  in  his  Magnalia,  has  given  us  a  list  of 
the  churches  in  the  New  England  colonies, 
for  the  year  1696,  with  their  ministers,  by 
which  it  appears  that  there  were  then  129 
churches,  having  116  pastors,  of  whom  101 
were  graduates  of  Harvard  College.  In  the 
year  1692,  the  College  of  William  and  Mary, 
Ya.,  was  founded,  and  in  1700  Yale  College, 
in  Ct.  To  these  three  institutions  the  churches 
for  a  long  time  were  wont  to  look  for  a  sup- 
ply of  educated  ministers.  For  almost  fifty 
years  no  other  college  was  added  to  the  list. 
In  1746,  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  at  Prince- 
ton, was  founded,  and  from  that  time  forward 
colleges  have  been  springing  up,  numerously 
in  all  parts  of  the  land.  In  the  year  1800, 
we  had  24  institutions  bearing  this  name,  and 
now  the  number  has  increased  to  120.  It 
must  be  confessed,  however,  that  many  of  these 
institutions  are  hardly  deserving  of  the  name, 
though  some  of  the  smallest  of  them  aspire  to 
be  called  universities.  Still  they  have,  to  a 
very  great  extent,  been  founded  lor  the  prima- 
ry purpose  of  training  up  ministers  of  the 


Gospel  for  the  several  denominations  to  which 
they  belong.  Of  these  institutions  the  Bap- 
tists have  the  control  of  24 ;  the  Methodists  of 
10  ;  the  Episcopalians  of  7,  and  the  Catholic? 
of  9.  The  controlling  influence  in  almost  ah 
the  rest  is  Congregational  or  Presbyterian. 

Until  the  beginning  of  the  present  century, 
the  cause  of  ministerial  education  had  but  a 
slow  growth.  There  was  a  sure,  but  at  no 
time  a  rapid  advance.  From  the  early  periods 
of  the  country.  New  England  has  borne  a, 
very  prominent  part  in  the  work  of  raising  up 
ministers ;  and  the  following  table  will  show 
at  a  glance,  the  progress  made  in  this  cause, 
in  New  England,  down  to  the  year  1800.  Thf 
table  dates  from  near  the  time  of  the  found- 
ing of  Harvard  College,  and  exhibits  the  num- 
ber of  ministers  who  have  come  forth  from 
the  N.  E.  colleges,  arranged  in  periods  of  ten 
years : — 


Ministers 

Ministers. 

From  1540-1650 

.     .     22;Trom  1720-1730 

.     .     .195 

"     1650-1660 

.     .    37 

"     1730-1740 

.     .     .195 

' '     16G0-1670 

.     .    31 

"     1740-1750 

.     .     .176 

"     1670-1680 

.     .    28 

' '     1750-1760 

.     .     .178 

"     1680-1690 

.     .     35 

"     1760-1770 

...  224 

"     1690-1700    . 

.     .    72 

"     1770-1780 

.     .     .219 

"     1700-1710   . 

.     .     95 

"     1780-1790 

.     .     .264 

"     1710-1720    . 

.     .    99 

"     1790-1800 

.     .    .310 

Soon  after  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen- 
tury, a  new  and  decided  impulse  was  imparted 
to  the  whole  cause  of  ministerial  education. 
The  population  of  the  country,  which  until 
then  had  been  found  mostly  along  the  Atlan- 
tic shores,  began  to  pour  westward,  and  take 
possession  of  the  vast  territories  which  had 
been  kept  r^ady  for  its  reception.  About  the 
same  time,  too,  the  Foreign  Missionary  enter- 
prise was  started,  creating  an  additional  de- 
mand for  Christian  laborers.  A  new  sense  of 
responsibility  was  enkindled  in  the  church  to- 
ward the  perishing  millions  of  the  heathen 
world.  These  causes  conspired  to  produce  a 
greatly  increased  activity  in  the  work  of  bring- 
ing forward  candidates  for  the  sacred  office. 
Under  the  pressure  which  was  then  felt  upon 
this  subject,  the  American  Education  Society 
was  formed,  in  the  year  1815,  which  very  soon 
began  to  lend  a  powerful  aid  for  the  further- 
ance of  this  great  work.  The  evidence  of  this 
progress  may  be  distinctly  seen,  by  continuing 
the  table  which  we  have  given  above,  down  to 
the  year  1840.  This  table  is  confined,  as  be- 
fore, to  the  New  England  colleges. 

Ministers. 

From  1800-1810 427 

"     1810-1820 635 

"     1820-1830 965 

"     1830-1850 1077 

This  table,  however,  gives  only  a  very  par- 
tial idea  of  the  advance  which  has  actually  been 
made  since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 
Most  of  the  large  New  England  colleges  were 
already  in  existence  before  the  close  of  the  last 
century,  while,  since  that  time,  in  other  parts 
of  the  country,  colleges  have  sprung  up  in  great 


542 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 


numbers.  As  already  stated,  there  were  in  the 
year  1800,  but  24  colleges  in  the  whole  conn- 
try,  and  now  the  number  has  increased  to  120. 
Almost  all  these  institutions  have  been  contri- 
buting, according  to  their  degree,  to  the  ranks 
of  the  ministry. 

There  is  still  another  item,  in  this  enumera- 
tion, which  ought  not  to  be  overlooked.  The 
two  largest  religious  denominations  in  our  land, 
the  Methodists  and  the  Baptists,  the  former 
numbering  12,484  churches,  and  the  latter 
9,G59,  have  to  a  very  great  extent,  been  sup- 
plied with  ministers,  whose  names  are  not  found 
m  the  catalogues  of  our  colleges  or  theological 
schools.  And  yet  it  must  be  confessed  that  the 
ministry,  in  both  these  denominations,  has  been 
remarkably  efficient  and  useful.  It  has  carried 
the  Gospel,  with  its  life-giving  powcr,araong  the 
moving  masses  of  our  population,  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  sadly  neglected.  Though, 
as  was  inevitable,  there  have  been  many  things 
•exceptionable  in  connection  with  a  ministry  of 
this  sort,  yet  we  may  say  with  Paul,  "  Christ 
is  preached,  and  therein  we  rejoice,  yea  and 
will  rejoice."  It  is  very  greatly  to  the  credit 
of  these  two  denominations,  that  as  the  country 
grows  older,  and  as  their  first  rough  work  is 
done,  they  are  turning  their  attention  more 
and  more  to  the  great  enterprise  of  rearing  up 
an  educated  ministry.  The  Baptists  already 
have  some  24  colleges  and  10  theological 
schools  in  different  parts  of  the  land,  devoted  to 
this  work,  and  in  many  of  the  older  portions 
of  the  country,  their  ministry,  for  dignity  and 
culture,  holds  a  most  honorable  position.  The 
Methodists,  though  somewhat  later  in  the  pro- 
cess, are  also  giving  earnest  attention  to  this 
subject.  They  already  number  10  colleges, 
some  of  them  of  a  very  efficient  character.  In 
the  department  of  distinct  theological  study 
they  have  as  ^et  done  but  little.  Thej^  have 
one  theological  school,  the  "  Biblical  Institute," 
at  Concord,  N.  H.,  recently  formed,  which  is 
understood  to  be  working  very  successfully. 
In  the  absence,  however,  of  theological  schools, 
the  candidates  for  the  ministry,  in  the  Metho- 
dist Church,  are  now  for  the  most  part  carried 
through  a  process  of  training,  the  details  of 
which  we  cannot  stop  minutely  to  describe, 
but  which  serves  as  a  partial  substitute  for  a 
regular  course  of  theological  study. 

The  growth  of  theological  schools  in  this 
country  even  among  those  denominations  which 
have  given  most  attention  to  thorough  minis- 
terial education,  has  been  of  comparatively  re- 
cent date.  In  earlier  times,  the  candidate  for 
the  ministry,  after  he  had  closed  his  course  of 
college  study,  was  accustomed  to  reside  for  a 
season  with  some  settled  pastor,  where  he  could 
enjoy  the  benefit  of  books  and  conversation, 
and  could  accustom  himself  also  to  the  practi- 
cal business  of  the  ministry.  This  course  of 
training  had  its  advantages  and  its  disadvan- 
tages. It  gave  the  student  an  ample  opportu- 
nity to  understand  the  details  of  the  pastoral 


work,  but  in  the  department  of  intellectual  and 
biblical  training  it  was  far  less  efficient  than 
the  present  method.  In  many  cases  too  it  was 
unfavorable  to  breadth  and  liberality  of  senti- 
ment. The  teacher,  especially  if  he  was  a  man 
of  decided  force  of  intellect,  was  apt  to  impress 
his  opinions,  theological  and  practical,  too 
bodily  upon  the  mind  of  the  pupil.  In  this  re- 
spect, a  theological  seminary,  with  its  several 
teachers  and  its  diverse  studies,  and  with  the 
influence  derived  from  the  intercourse  of  stu- 
dents among  themselves,  is  far  more-  favorable 
to  completeness  of  education. 

The  oldest  theological  seminary  in  the  coun- 
try is  that  at  Andover,  Mass.,  which  was  found- 
ed in  the  year  1807.  The  next  in  order  is 
the  seminary  at  Princeton,  founded  in  1812. 
Others  soon  followed,  and  now  the  number  has 
increased  to  44.  The  number  of  students  con- 
nected with  these  seminaries  in  1853  was  not 
far  from  1650.  The  three  largest  are  the  semi- 
nary at  Princeton,  the  Union  Seminary  in  New 
York  city,  and  the  seminary  at  Andover. 

In  our  estimate  of  the  progress  of  the 
cause  of  ministerial  education  in  this  country, 
as  seen  in  connection  with  the  colleges,  we 
brought  the  reckoning  down  to  the  year  1840. 
About  this  time  a  reaction  commenced,  which 
has  extended  itself,  to  a  greater  or  less  de- 
gree, throughout  all  the  religious  denomina- 
tions in  the  land,  and  which  is  now  beginning 
to  excite  no  little  apprehension.  JNotwith- 
standing  the  very  rapid  growth  of  our  popula- 
tion, and  the  prosperous  condition  of  the 
country,  in  respect  to  almost  all  forms  of  sec- 
ular enterprise,  there  has  almost  everywhere 
been  an  actual  retrograde  as  regards  this 
sacred  interest.  A  few  statistics  will  show 
how  the  case  stands  better  than  any  general 
statements. 

Let  us  take,  in  the  first  instance,  the  four 
Congregational  seminaries  of  New  England, 
Andover,  Bangor,  East  Windsor,  and  New 
Haven.  The  number  who  completed  their 
education  in  these  four  institutions 


In  1840  was 81 

"1841  "  81 

"1842  "  68 

"1843  "  82 

"1844  "  54 

"1845  "  71 

"1846  "  70 


In  1847  was 64 

"1848  " 57 

"1849  "  67 

"1850  "  62 

"1851  "  49 

"1852  "  58 

«'1853  "  45 


In  Lane  Seminary,  the  course  of  events  has 
been  somewhat  different  during  the  period  of 
time  contemplated  in  the  above  tables,  but  on 
the  whole  discouraging.  In  this  seminary, 
the  number  completing  their  education 


In  1840  was 15 


1841 
1842 
1843 
1844 
1845 
1846 


rn  1847  was 

26 

"1848  "  

.. 28 

"1849  "  

14 

"1850  "  

13 

"1851  "  

"1852  "  

10 

8 

"1853  " 

8 

Take,  again,  the  operations  of  the  two  New 


MINISTERIAL   EDUCATION. 


543 


■  School  Presbyterian  Semiuaries  in  the  State 
of  Kew  York,  Union  and  Auburn.  Although 
the  Union  Seminary  in  New  York  city  has 
continued  to  prosper,  the  Seminary  at  Auburn 
has  materially  declined,  so  that  if  we  take 
their  joint  labors,  there  has  been  no  increase 
upon  the  field  where  they  operate.  The  num- 
ber completing  their  course  of  study  in  these 
two  seminaries, 


In  1840  was 89 

"1841  "  57 

"1842  "  42 

"1843  "  42 

"1844  "  41 

"  1845  "  37 

"1846  "  43 


In  1847  was 49 

"1848  "  89 

"1849  "  43 

"1850  "  41 

"1851  "  44 

"  1852  "  46 

"1853  "  36 


The  candidates  for  the  ministry  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church, 
as  given  in  the  "  Home  and  Foreign  Record  " 
for  February  last,  since  the  year  1844,  range 
as  follows : — 


In  the  year  1844 244 

"    "  1845 257 

"    "  1846. ......  255 

"    "  1847 258 

"    "  1848 246 


In  the  year  1849 250 

"    "  1850 241 

"    "  1851 254 

"    "  1852 267 

"    "  1853 240 


This  table,  it  will  be  noticed,  does  not  give 
the  number  who  have  closed  their  studies  in 
these  years,  as  in  the  previous  tables.  It  in- 
cludes all  the  theological  students  who  are  con- 
nected with  the  Old  School  seminaries.  And 
although  there  is  little  actual  retrograde,  yet 
in  a  denomination  numbering  almost  3,000 
churches,  and  rapidly  extending,  it  is  but  a 
meagre  number  of  candidates  for  the  sacred 
office.  In  connection  with  this  table,  the 
"  Record  "  says,  "  The  statistics  of  our  candi- 
dates for  the  ministry  summon  the  church  to 
the  mercy-seat,  with  an  urgency  of  appeal 
which  no  intelligent  and  zealous  Christian  will 
resist." 

The  statistics  now  given,  though  they  do 
not  cover  the  whole  field,  may  doubtless  be 
taken  as  a  fair  indication  of  the  tendencies  of 
the  times  in  respect  to  the  cause  of  ministerial 
education.  It  is  exceedingly  difficult,  in  re- 
gard to  several  of  the  religious  denominations 
of  the  country,  to  present  the  results,  year  by 
year,  as  in  the  above  tables,  because  so  many 
of  their  candidates  for  the  ministry  are  not 
found  in  their  public  institutions.  Through- 
out the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian 
fields,  we  may  ascertain  very  accurately  how 
the  matter  stands,  by  studying  the  catalogues 
of  the  theological  schools.  But  the  general 
statements  which  are  made  on  this  subject  in 
the  •  publications  of  almost  all  the  religious 
bodies  of  the  land,  give  ample  proof  that  this 
downward  tendency  is  well  nigh  universal. 

The  following  table,  made  up  in  part  from 
the  census  of  1850,  and  in  part  from  statistics 
gathered  still  later  by  the  several  religious 
bodies  to  which  they  refer,  is  designed  to  give 
a  complete  view,  as  far  as  possible,  of  the  re- 


ligious state  of  the  country  in  respect  to  the 
number  of  churches  and  ministers  : 

Churches.  Ministers. 

Methodist 12,484  10,280 

Baptist 9,659  7,430 

Presbyterian 4,639  3,765 

Congregational 1,971  1,687 

Episcopal 1,350  1,650 

Roman  Catholic 1,411  1,421 

Lutheran 1,205  663 

Christian 607  498 

Quaker 715  

Universalist 494  . 

Moravian 331  . 

German  Reformed 260  273 

Dutch  Reformed 296  809 

Unitarian 244  202 

Mennonite 400  260 

Jewish 31  

Swedcnborg 15  

OtherSects 1,857  

While  in  some  of  the  smaller  of  these  bo- 
dies there  seems  to  be  an  adequate  supply  of 
ministers,  in  most  of  them,  and  especially  in 
the  large  denominations,  there  is  a  very  serious 
deficiency.  There  is  doubtless  a  considerable 
number  of  ministers,  who  are  not  included  in 
this  reckoning.  The  colleges  of  the  country, 
founded  as  they  are  upon  religious  principles, 
and  with  primary  reference  to  the  raising  up 
of  ministers,  have  always  supplied  themselves 
with  teachers,  mainly  from  the  ministerial 
ranks ;  and  a  large  number  of  men  are  in  this 
way  withdrawn  from  the  pastoral  office.  The 
religious  press  of  the  country,  also,  absorbs  no 
small  number  of  those  who  have  once  been 
settled  in  the  ministry,  yet  in  both  these  sta- 
tions it  is  deemed  highly  important  to  have 
men  of  this  class,  so  that  this  may  be  regarded 
as  a  part  of  the  regular  demand.  Not  a  few 
also  are  temporarily  out  of  employment,  and 
their  names  may  not  appear  in  the  statistics  of 
the  denominations  to  which  they  belong  ;  but, 
after  making  all  due  allowances,  it  cannot,  we 
think,  be  doubted  that  there  is  already  a  real 
deficiency  in  the  ministerial  supply.  The 
especial  cause  for  alarm,  however,  is  with  refer- 
ence to  the  future.  The  tendency,  at  present 
is  clearly  downward,  and  unless  this  is  soon 
arrested,  it  will  entail  upon  the  churches  the 
most  serious  consequences. 

The  Foreign  Missionary  enterprise  has 
now  become  one  of  such  growing  magnitude 
as  to  demand  a  considerable  number  of  men, 
efficiently  to  carry  on  its  operations.  The  calls 
in  behalf  of  this  work  were  never  more  press- 
ing than  now.  Although  the  number  of  or- 
dained ministers  employed  by  the  several  For- 
eign Missionary  Boards  in  this  country  is  not 
large,  as  compared  with  the  number  of  minis- 
ters in  the  home  field,  yet  it  is  one  most  im- 
portant and  growing  item  in  the  demand  made 
upon  the  churches  in  this  country  for  ministe- 
rial education. 

The  amount  of  agency  exerted  by  education 
societies  in  this  country  in  the  work  of  train- 
ing up  men  for  the  ministry,  may  be  judged 
of  by  reference  to  the  following  items :  The 


6U 


MIRUT— MISS.   SOC.  OF  THE  METH.  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


American  Education  Society,  (including  the 

Earcnt  society  at  Boston,  and  its  Presbyterian 
ranches,)  since  its  formation,  in  the  year 
1815,  has  raised  and  expended  in  the  work  of 
ministerial  education  not  far  from  $1,300,000. 
It  has  afforded  aid  to  4500  young  men  in  their 
course  of  etlucation  for  the  ministry.  The 
amount  raisetl  by  this  society  for  the  year 
ending  April  30,  1854,  was  838,914,  and  the 
number  of  young  men  assisted  for  the  same 
year  was  432. 

The  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  since  its  formation  has 
sent  out  into  the  great  foreign  mission  field, 
not  far  from  325  ordained  ministers.  Of  these 
140  have  been  beneficiaries  of  the  American 
Education  Societjr.  About  one-third  of  the 
Congregational  mmisters  of  New  England  at 
the  nresent  time  were  aided  in  their  Education 
by  this  society,  while  more  than  one-third  of 
that  large  body  of  men  who  have  labored  so 
eflBciently  in  connection  with  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  were  raised  up  in  the  same  way. 

The  Board  of  Education  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  (Old  School,)  has  since  its  formation 
furnished  aid  to  about  2200  young  men.  How 
many  of  these  men  have  been  employed  in 
Foreign  and  Home  missionary  service,  we  have 
no  means  at  hand  for  determining.  The 
amount  raised  by  this  Board,  from  year  to 
year,  for  the  purposes  of  ministerial  education, 
IS  not  far  from  $35,000,  and  the  number  of 
young  men  now  assisted  yearly,  is  but  little 
less  than  400. 

There  is  also  an  Education  Society  in  con- 
nection with  the  Baptist  churches,  which  has 
rendered  efficient  aid  in  the  same  great  work, 
but  the  exact  details  we  cannot  give. 

^  In  view  of  the  facts  thus  set  forth,  it  is  ob- 
vious_  that  the  churches  of  this  country  are 
drawing  near  to  a  time  of  serious  embarrass- 
ment, unless  the  most  speedy  and  efficient 
measures  are  employed  to  change  the  present 
tendencies.  There  is  an  earnest  call  upon  all 
the  friends  of  Christ  to  look  above,  to  the  great 
Lord  of  the  harvest,  entreating  him,  "  that  he 
would  send  forth  laborers  into  the  harvest." — 
Eev.  I.  N.  Tarbox. 

MIRUT,  or  MEEROOT:  Capital  of  a 
district  of  the  same  name  in  Northern  Hindos- 
tan,  30  miles  north-east  of  Delhi.  It  is  the 
residence  of  a  revenue  collector  and  judge,  and 
the  head- quarters  of  a  military  force  of  20,000 
men,  of  whom  about  3,000  are  Europeans. 
The  Church  Society  have  a  mission  there. 

MIRZAPORE  :  A  large  and  flourishing 
town  in  the  province  of  Allahabad,  and  dis- 
trict of  Mirzapore,  situated  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Ganrjcs,  about  30  miles  W.  S.W.  of  Be- 
nares. It  IS  one  of  the  largest  inland  trading 
towns,  and  has  long  been  the  grand  mart  fo'r 
cotton.  The  population  is  supposed  to  be 
about  60,000,  and  that  of  the  whole  district 
1,000,000.  The  London  Missionary  Society 
commenced  its  labors  there  in  1838.  The  city 
was  then    comparatively  new,  and    occupied 


much  the  same  position  in  regard  to  trace  and 
commerce,  as  Benares  did  with  respect  to  re- 
ligion. 

MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  OF  THE 
METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH: 
This  Society  was  organized  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  April  5,  1819,  the  following  persona 
being  chiefly  instrumental  in  its  formation,  viz., 
Messrs.  Freeborn  Garretison,  Samuel  Merwin, 
Joshua  Smile,  Thomas  Mason,  Laban  Clarkj 
Seth  Crowell,  Samuel  Howe,  Thomas  Thorp, 
and  Nathan  Bangs.  Four  of  this  venerable 
band  still  linger  among  us,  to  witness,  after  35 
years,  the  growing  efficiency  of  the  enterprise 
they  were  the  honored  instruments  of  inaugu- 
rating. The  General  Conference,  at  Baltimore, 
in  1820,  fully  endorsed  the  Society,  and  adopt- 
ed it  as  one  of  the  institutions  of  the  church. 

The  Society  embraces,  by  its  constitution, 
both  foreign  and  domestic  missions.  The  terms 
of  membership  are,  the  annual  contribution  of 
f  2  to  its  funds,  or  the  contribution  of  $20  at  one 
time  constitutes  a  member  for  life.  The  officers, 
(except  the  corresponding  secretary,  who  is  ap- 
pointed by  the  General  Conference,  and  a  vice- 
president  from  each  of  the  annual  conferences,) 
are  elected  by  the  Society,  but  must  be  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The 
Corresponding  Secretary  is  under  the  direction 
and  control  of  the  Board  of  Managers.  Thia 
Board  consists  of  32  managers  chosen  by  the 
Society,  together  with  the  president,  vice-pres- 
idents, secretaries,  and  treasurer ;  and  all  or- 
dained Methodist  ministers,  who  are  members 
of  the  Society,  are  ex-oflficio  members  of  the 
Board  of  Managers.  Each  annual  conference 
has  an  auxiliary ;  and  auxiliaries  and  donors 
are  allowed  to  designate  the  mission  to  which 
their  contributions  shall  be  applied.  The  an- 
nual conferences  are  divided  into  mission  dis- 
tricts, with  effective  superintendents,  and  a 
committee  of  one  from  each  district,  appointed 
by  the  bishop,  constitutes  a  General  Missionary 
Committee.  This  committee  meets  annually 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  with  the  Board  of 
Managers,  for  fixing  the  amount  to  be  drawn, 
and  in  the  division  of  it  between  the  foreign 
and  domestic  missions.  This  committee,  also, 
in  concurrence  with  the  Board  of  Managers 
and  at  least  two  of  the  bishops,  determine  what 
fields  shall  be  occupied  or  continued  as  foreign 
missions,  the  number  of  persons  to  be  employ- 
ed, and  the  amounts  to  be  appropriated  to 
each.  The  same  committee  also  determines  the 
amount  for  which  each  bishop  may  draw  for 
domestic  missions  in  those  conferences  over 
which  he  presides.  But  in  the  interim  ihe 
Board  of  Managers,  with  the  bishop  in  charge 
of  the  work  proposed,  may  adopt  a  new  field, 
or  provide  for  any  unforseen  emergency,  not 
exceeding  $5,000.  The  General  Committee 
are  amenable  to  the  General  Conference,  to 
whom  they  are  required  to  make  full  reports  of 
their  proceedings.  There  are  also  eleven 
standing  committees,  and  rules  and  regulations 


MISS.   SOC.  OF  THE  METH.  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


545 


prescribing  the  duties  of  officers,  regulating 
the  salaries  of  missionaries,  &c.  The  Mission- 
ary Board  holds  their  regular  meetings  on  the 
third  Wednesday  of  each  month,  at  the  com- 
mittee rooms,  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  Society  was  incorporated  by  the  Legis- 
lature of  the  State  of  New  York,  in  1839, 
which  authorized  it  to  hold  property ;  and 
another  act  was  passed  in  1850,  by  which  it 
was  authorized  to  receive  legacies. 

The  mode  of  proceeding  in  raising  funds  for 
the  support  of  missions,  the  reader  will  find 
fully  described  in  the  article  on  HoxME  Missions, 
under  the  head  of  Methodist  Home  Missions. 
The  moneys  appropriated  are  paid  out  to  the 
missions  under  the  direction  of  the  Board,  and 
the  accounts  and  vouchers  are  returned  to  the 
treasurer  by  the  superintendent  of  each  mission. 
For  the  right  use  of  the  moneys  appropriated, 
the  Board  is  responsible. 

When  a  foreign  mission  is  authorized,  the 
bishop  having  charge  of  foreign  missions  for 
the  time  being  appoints  the  missionary  or  mis- 
sionaries, making  his  selection  from  the  whole 
body  of  the  ministry  in  the  whole  church.  One 
of  the  missionaries  so  appointed  is  made  super- 
intendent of  the  mission,  and  bears  the  same 
relation  to  it,  as  far  as  circumstances  will  per- 
mit, as  a  presiding  elder  to  his  district.  Thus 
each  mission  is  instantly  organized  on  the 
organic  principle  of  the  church  which  originates 
it ;  namely,  the  principle  of  a  responsible  super- 
intendent. The  spiritual  and  disciplinary  ad- 
ministration of  each  foreign  mission  is  under 
the  supervision  of  the  bishop,  aided  by  the 
Corresponding  Secretary ;  but  the  estimates 
for  the  salaries  and  other  expenses  of  the  mis- 
sion are  under  the  supervision  and  management 
of  the  Board  of  Managers.  Thus  the  spiritual 
affairs  of  the  mission  are  committed  to  the 
bishops  and  its  pecuniary  interests  exclusively 
to  the  Board.  If,  when  a  foreign  mission  goes 
into  operation,  the  missionaries  shall  find 
it  expedient  to  institute  schools,  or  employ 
helpers  or  colporteurs,  the  authority  of  the 
Board  must  be  had  expressly,  both  as  respects 
the  persons,  their  salaries,  and  the  objects  con- 
templated. This  places  the  responsibility  of 
appointing  the  missionaries  upon  the  bishops, 
who  from  their  general  acquaintance  with  the 
whole  ministry  in  the  church,  and  their  facili- 
ties for  ascertaining  the  character  and  fitness  of 
any  minister,  can  put  their  hands  on  the  pro- 
per men  ;  and  the  action  of  the  bishop  in  mak- 
ing the  appointments  is  wholly  independent  of 
the  pecuniary  considerations  involved.  He 
selects  the  man  ;  the  Board  provides  the  means 
to  meet  the  expenses ;  and  yet  the  Board  is 
restricted  from  going  beyond  the  general  ap- 
propriation or  credit  allowed  by  the  General 
Missionary  Committee  for  each  particular  mis- 
sion for  the  year. 

In  all  this  movement  for  making  appropria- 
tions, raising  missionary  funds,  and  instituting 
and  carrying  on  missions  at  home  and  abroad, 
35 


there  is  but  one  regular  office  under  pay  of  the 
society  for  salary,  and  this  is  the  Corresponding 
Secretary,  who  is  required  to  give  his  whole 
time  to  the  work.  He  is  allowed  a  clerk  in 
the  office,  to  keep  the  records,  to  take  charge 
of  business  matters  in  his  absence,  and  to  at 
tend  to  out-door  business.  In  like  manner  the 
Treasurer  is  allowed  a  clerk,  to  keep  the  books 
and  attend  to  the  proper  business  of  the  trea- 
sury; but  the  Treasurer  receives  no  pay  for 
his  own  services. 

Notwithstanding  the  favorable  reception 
which  this  society  received  at  its  inauguration 
in  1819,  yet,  at  its  anniversary  in  1820,  the 
amount  of  money  reported  was  only  $823  04. 
The  amount  expended  was  $85  76.  The  next 
year  the  amount  reported  was  $2,328  76  ;  and 
the  expenditure  $407  37.  Indeed  it  then  seem- 
ed more  difficult  to  expend  than  to  collect, 
though  the  collections  were  sufficiently  small. 
So  difficult  was  it  to  diffuse  the  missionary 
spirit  among  the  ministers  and  members  of  the 
church,  that  the  bishops  seemed  afraid  to  select 
and  appoint  missionaries,  and  to  draw  on  the 
treasury,  so  that  from  the  time  of  its  organiza- 
tion to  the  year  1832,  a  balance  in  the  trea- 
sury was  reported  each  year,  though  the  great- 
est amount  for  any  one  year  was  but  $14,176 11. 
From  that  time,  however, — which  was  the  year 
the  Liberia  Mission  commenced — it  has  gra- 
dually increased  in  its  resources,  and  enlarged 
the  boundaries  of  its  operations  by  taking  in 
new  fields  of  missionary  labor,  until  in  the  year 
1840,  the  receipts  amounted  to  $135,521  94, 
and  the  expenditures  to  $146,498  58;  while 
last  year  the  income  was  $339,072  06,  and  the 
disbursements  $288,506  88,  with  $50,000  in 
the  treasury  Jan.  1, 1854,  to  meet  the  demands 
on  the  society  for  the  quarter  ending  March  31. 
The  annual  income  has  more  than  doubled 
itself  during  the  past  twelve  years. 

Besides  those  noticed  under  the  head  of 
Home  Missions,  the  Society  has  established 
Missions  in  Africa,  CJmia,  South  America,  and 
among  the  North  American  Indians,  particular 
notices  of  which  will  be  found  under  the  appro- 
priate heads.  They  have  also  in  contemplation 
missions  to  Turkey  and  Hindostan,  for  which 
$12,500  have  been  appropriated. 

Up  to  1831,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
had  no  foreign  missions  except  to  the  North 
American  Indians.  That  year,  through  the 
efforts  of  Rev.  Dr.  True,  the  Young  Men's 
Methodist  Missionary  Society  was  formed  at 
Boston,  in  order  to  enter  upon  the  missionary 
work  in  foreign  countries,  and  soon  after  com- 
menced the  mission  to  Africa ;  and  the  same 
year  the  Board  sent  a  missionary  to  Africa. 
The  Young  Men's  Society  afterwards  became 
an  auxiliary  of  the  Board.  The  first  mission- 
ary prayer-meetings  held  by  the  Methodists  of 
New  England  were  suggested  by  the  Young 
Men's  Society, 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  denomination  in  the 
United  States,  according  to  the  last  census,  has 


546 


MISS.  SOC.  OF  THE  METH.  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 


12,464  cluirch  wlificcs,  valued  at  ^14,036,076, 
with  an  ag.trroffate  accommodation  for  4,209,333 
persons.  With  this  array  of  numbers  and 
wealth,  it  may  be  asked  why  they  have  not  done 
more  in  the  work  of  foreign  missions  ?  To  this 
question  it  may  be  answered  that,  seventy-five 
years  ago  next  Christmas-day,  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  had  no 
organized  existence.  The  church  was  organized 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore  in  1784.  Previous 
to  that  time,  there  were  about  13,000  Method- 
ists scattered  over  this  country  and  the  Cana- 
das,  with  only  about  100  licensed  preachers, 
scarcely  a  dozen  of  them  ordained,  and  proba- 
bly not  a  single  church  edifice.  The  work  of 
the  church,  from  its  first  organization,  was 
essentially  missionary  ;  but  it  had  first  to  form 
a  body  from  the  materials  immediately  around 
it,  before  it  could  command  the  resources  for 
carrying  the  Gospel  to  distant  lands.  The 
first  30  or  40  years  after  their  organization 
was  employed  in  the  work  of  acquiring  a  com- 
munion of  their  own.  Then  symptoms  of  ma- 
turity began  to  manifest  themselves  ;  and  the 
want  of  the  institutions  and  arrangements  of 
well-organized  and  established  communions 
began  to  be  felt  and  expressed.  Hence,  cir- 
cuits began  to  yield  up  their  towns  as  stations ; 
city  churches,  which  had  been  associated  as 
circuits  began  to  separate  into  distinct  charges; 
conferences  began  to  feel  the  need  of  schools 
and  academies,  and  colleges,  for  the  people 
born  within  their  congregations  or  acquired 
from  without.  The  Church  in  her  growth  had 
arrived  at  that  state  when  these  institutions 
necessarily  arose  within  her  limits,  if  she 
meant  to  maintain  herself  in  the  execution  of 
her  mission.  And  some  thirty  years  ago  she 
entered  formally  into  the  modern  missionary 
enterprise,  by  the  formation  of  the  Missionary 
Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
Her  first  formal  missionary  efforts  were  neces- 
sarily directed  to  her  home  work,  and  she  did 
not  enter  upon  the  foreign  work  until  Pro- 
vidence called  her  to  establish  a  mission  in 
Liberia,  in  Africa.  Thus  growing  first  by 
spreading  among  the  people,  and  advancing 
into  new  countries,  and  then  coming  to  matu- 
rity by  beginning  to  grow  vigorously  and 
rapidly  within  herself,  she,  within  a  few  years 
past,  has  become  conscious  of  her  mature  and 
permanent  existence  in  the  land,  and  of  her 
responsibilities  and  duties  aa  a  Church.  Taking 
the  whole  body  of  Methodists  in  the  United 
States,  they  have  grown  in  70  years  from 
13,000  to  1,200,000  members,  besides  the  many 
hundreds  that  have  died  during  that  time. 
Thus  the  condition  of  the  Methodist  Church 
since  its  organization  has  been  one  of  unparal- 
leled growth  and  expansion ;  and  its  whole 
attention  and  strength  have  been  employed  in 
advancing  to  its  present  maturity.  But, 
having  gained  that  maturity,  it  is  now  called 
to  wider  and  more  vigorous  action  in  the 
foreign  field. 


In  the  year  1843— the  year  before  the  divi< 
sion  of  the  Church — the  number  of  foreign 
missionaries  was  about  60 ;  with  5,085  mem- 
bers, of  whom  3,851  wore  Indians.  The  amount 
collected  that  year  Avas  $109,452,  and  the 
amount  expended  $145,035  ;  leaving  a  balance 
against  the  Society  of  $35,583. 

After  the  division,  the  Missionary  Society 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South, 
was  formed,  its  operations  being  conducted 
independently  upon  the  same  general  principles 
as  the  original  Society. 

In  1846,  one  year  after  the  division  was  con- 
summated, the  statistics  (for  Indians  and  Af- 
rica, as  before,)  stood  thus  : 


Mission's 

Meth.  E.  Church 27 

"  "  South.. 33 


Memb's.  Income.  Expend. 
1,448  $89,6i?8  $65,444 
3,632        73:667  not  stated 


Totals 60        5,080    $163,195 

In  1854,  they  stood  as  follows  : — 


Methodist  Epis.  Church 

Methodist  Epis.  Church  South. 

United 

Increase  in  eight  years 


2,412 
4,232 


$228,427 
168,031 


$233,263 


The  income  and  expenditure  of  the  Mission- 
ary Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
from  the  time  of  its  organization,  April  5, 
1819,  to  January  1st,  1854  : — 

Receipts.  Expenditures. 

In  1820 $        823.04  $           85.76 

"1821 2,328.76  407.87 

"1822 2,547.39  1,781.40 

"1823 5,427.14  3,740.22 

"1824 3,589,92  4,996.14 

"1825 4,140.16  4,704.21 

"1826 4,964.11  5,510.85 

"1827 6,812.49  7,379.42 

"1828 6,245.17  8,106.18 

From  1829  to  1838  (inclusive).    498,497.49  466,638.23 

"     1839  to  1848          "          .1,106,123.84  1,604,62132 

In  1849 106,196.09  102,939.90 

"1850 107,835.73  100,989.63 

"1851 133,317.41  131,663.40 

"1852 154,858.08  158,031.42 

Eight  months,  ^^g^g ^09 ,641. 12 

ending  Jan.  1, 

lAl854 228,427.27  288,506.88 

Total,  from  April,  1819,  to  \     52, 481, 794. 38  $2,389,803.83 
January,  1854 j  '       ' 

Income  of  the  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  South,  from  the 
first  year  of  their  separate  organization  : — 

For  the  year  ending  M^y,  1846 $  68,529 

i'  "  "  "  1847 72,697 

u  u  u  u  1848 62,613 

<t  "  "  "  1849 65,496 

(1  "  "  "  1850 85,973 

a  "  "  "  1851 113,801 

u  <«  "  "  1852 123.163 

a  "  "  "  1853 166.901 


MITIARO— MORETON  BAY. 


547 


For  the  year  ending  May,  1854 $168,031 

$927,203 
Add  the  contrib.  of  the  Method.  E.  Church.  .2,481,794 


And  we  have  the  sum  of $3,408,997 

coutributed  by  the  members  of  tlie  Methodist 
E.  Church,  for  Home  and  Foreign  Missions, 
during  the  past  34  years. 

In  the  address  of  the  venerable  Dr.  Bangs, 
at  the  opening  of  the  new  Missionary  Rooms, 
in  New  York,  he  stated,  that  from  a  close 
and  anxious  investigation,  he  was  satisfied  that, 
up  to  that  time  there  had  been  at  home  and 
abroad,  at  least  60,000  persons  converted  to 
God  through  the  instrumentality  of  this  soci- 
ety, since  its  organization.  To  God  be  all  the 
glory. 


TABULAR  VIEW   OP    FOREIGN   MISSIONS. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

S 

1 

i 

1 

"1 

s 

1 

Day    1  Sunday 

1 

Xi 

1 
1 
eg 

1 

1 
1 

In  Africa 

11 

1 

13 

25 

1 

29 
47 

19 
11 
30 

1410 
1227 
2637 

27 

9 

36 

640 
304 
944 

16 
13 

29 

839 

American  Indians 

Totals      

292 
1131 

Mdhodist  Episcopal  Church  South. 

In  China 

1 
30 

31 

56 

6 

28 

34 

4232 
4232 

- 



34 
34 

American  Indians .... 
Totals 

1394 
13Q4 

Totals,  both  churches. 

81 

30 

6869 

36 

944 

63 

2525 

Among  the  Indians  both  churches  have 
several  manual  labor  schools  and  four  or  five 
seminaries,  not  included  in  the  above  statistics. 
The  Church  South  has  490  pupils  in  her 
superior  schools. — Authorities :  Bangs  and 
Strickland's  Histories  of  the  Missions  of  the 
Methodist  E.  Church;  the  Annual  Reports  of 
both  societies ;  the  Christian  Advocate  ;  and 
Missionary  Advocate. — Rev.  W.  Butler. 

MITIARO  :  A  small  island  in  the  South 
Seas,  belonging  to  the  Hervey  Islands.  Pop. 
100.  A  station  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  with  one  native  teacher. 

MOA  :  One  of  the  Banda  Islands,  a  group 
of  the  Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

MOGRA  HAT  :  A  station  of  the  Gospel 
Propagation  Society,  32  miles  south-east  of 
Calcutta,  and  12  from  Barripore. 

MOKA  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society  on  the  Mauritius,  about  12  miles 
from  Port  Louis.  Moka  is  well  adapted  as  a 
Bite  for  a  permanent  mission  station.  It  occu- 
pies the  centre  of  a  large  Malagasy  village, 
and  two  other  populous  villages  lie  a  few 
miles  from  it.    The  land  is  capable  of  a  high 


state  of  cultivation.  The  station  was  esta- 
blished for  the  benefit  of  the  Malagasy  refu- 
gees.    (See  Mauritius.) 

MOKAU  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  island. 

MOLOKAI :  One  of  the  smaller  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands  group,  lying  to  the  north- 
east of  Maui,  40  miles  long  by  7  broad,  broken 
by  numerous  deep  ravines,  with  little  level 
land  ;  on  which  is  a  station  of  the  American 
Board. 

MOLLAH  :  A  spiritual  and  judicial  officer 
among  the  Turks,  who  has  civil  and  criminal 
jurisdiction  over  towns  or  whole  districts,  and 
is  therefore  a  superior  judge,  under  whom  are 
the  cadis  or  inferior  judges. 

MOMBAS  :  Station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  East  Africa,  situated  on  a 
small  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tuaca  river, 
near  the  coast  of  Zanzebar,  in  lat.  4^  S.  It 
has  the  finest  harbor  on  the  coast. 

MONGHIR  :  A  celebrated  town  and  for- 
tress in  the  province  of  Bahar,  situated  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Ganges,  and  distant  from 
Calcutta  about  300  miles.  Population  30,000. 
Occupied  by  the  English  Baptists  as  a  station 
in  1816. 

MONROVIA  :  The  capital  of  the  republic 
of  Liberia,  so  called  in  honor  of  the  late  Pre- 
sident Monroe.  It  is  a  place  of  growing  com- 
mercial importance,  occupied  as  a  mission  by 
the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. 

MONTEGO  BAY:  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

MONTROSE :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  in  Demerara,  W.  I. 

MONTSERRAT  :  A  fruitful  and  pleasant 
island,  about  20  miles  south-east  of  Antigua, 
agreeably  diversified  with  hills  and  vales,  with 
streams  of  water  and  a  generous  soil.  Pop. 
10,000.     Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel. 

MONOPHYSITES  :  A  general  name 
given  to  all  those  sects  in  the  Levant  who  own 
but  one  nature  in  Christ,  and  who  maintain 
that  the  divine  and  human  nature  of  Jesus 
Christ  were  so  united  as  to  form  but  one  na- 
ture. They  are  also  called  Jacobites,  after 
Jacob  Baradaeus,  who  restored  the  sect  after 
it  had  been  suppressed  by  the  emperor  Justin. 
They  are  divided  into  two  parties,  one  Afri- 
can, under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  patriarch  of 
Alexandria,  the  other  Asiatic,  at  the  head  of 
whom  is  the  patriarch  of  Antioch. 

MONASTERY  :  A  convent  built  for  the 
reception  of  monks,  mendicant  friars  and  nuns. 

MOOLKY  :  A  station  of  the  Basle  Mission- 
ary Society,  in  the  province  of  Canara.  Hin- 
dostan. 

MORANT  BAY :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

MORETON  BAY  :  An  extensive  grazing 
district  in  Australia,  occupied  by  the  Soci- 
ety for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts. 


548 


MORETY— MOSUL. 


MORETY  :  Ono  of  the  Molucca  Islands,  in 
the  IndiuQ  Archipelago. 

MO  III  AH:  A  station  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren, on  the  Is^lund  of  Tobago,  W.I. 

MOlllJA  :  station  of  the  French  Protest- 
ants in  South  Africa,  160  miles  east  of  Cale- 
don,  among  the  Bassoutos ;  commenced  1833. 
Inhabitants,  4.000.  In  connexion  with  this 
station  arc  280  villages,  of  12,000  inhabitants, 
which,  being  divided  into  28  districts,  are 
placotl  under  the  instruction  of  the  word  of 
God  by  native  teachers. 

MORLEY :  A  station  of  thef  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  in  Kafifraria,  South  Africa. 

MOSUL  :  A  walled  city  of  Mesopotamia, 
in  N.  lat.  36^  20'  17" ;  E.  Ion.  43°  10'  17". 
It  stands  on  the  western  bank  of  the  Tigris, 
where  the  high  land,  that  generally  lies  some 
distance  back,  comes  down  to  the  river.  This, 
at  its  narrowest  point,  is  305  feet  broad,  and 
is  crossed  by  a  bridge  restin^^  on  21  boats, 
which,  during  the  season  of  hij^h  water,  when 
the  river  is  sometimes  a  mile  wide,  is  detached 
from  the  opposite  shore,  and  lies  idle  along  the 
western  bank.  The  average  breadth  of  the 
river  between  Mosul  and  Bagdad,  at  its  ordi- 
nary height,  is  200  yards. 

Directly  opposite  Mosul,  and  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  distant,  lie  the  ruins  of  an- 
cient Nineveh.  These  were  first  accurately 
surveyed  by  Claudius  J.  Rich,  Esq.,  in  1820  ; 
and  in  1843,  Mons.  P.  E.  Batta  led  the  way  in 
their  excavation.  His  remarkable  discoveries 
at  Khorsabad  have  been  followed  by  the  bril- 
liant achievements  of  Hon.  A.  H.  Layard,  at 
Nimrood,  Khoyunjuk  and  other  points  in 
Assyria  and  Mesopotamia. 

The  population  of  Mosul  was  at  one  time 
estimated  to  be  more  than  100,000,  but  does 
not  now  probably  exceed  one-third  of  that 
number,  if  it  amounts  to  that.  8,000  of  the 
inhabitants  are  nominally  Christians  ;  the  rest 
are  Mohammedans,  with  the  exception  of 
about  150  families  of  Jews. 

The  nominal  Christians  belong  mostly  to 
three  sects,  viz. :  Chaldeans,  i.  e.  Nestorians, 
who  acknowledge  the  Pope;  Jacobites,  and 
papal  Syrians,  who  are  seceders  from  the  Ja- 
cobites. Of  these  sects  the  Chaldeans  are  by 
far  the  most  numerous.  A  few  Armenians 
and  others  reside  in  the  city,  l)ut  not  enough 
to  deserve  a  separate  mention. 

The  Arabic  is  the  prevailing  language  in 
Mosul,  both  among  Moslems  and  Christians  ; 
but  besides  this,  Kurdish  is  used  by  those  who 
belong  to  that  race,  or  have  much  intercourse 
with  it.  Turkish  is  the  government  language, 
and  is  spoken  by  those  who  transact  business 
with  the  authorities  ;  and  Fellahi,  a  dialect  of 
the  modern  Syriac,  similar  to  that  used  by  the 
Nestorians,  in  Kurdistan  and  Persia,  is  the 
language  of  the  Christian  villages  around  Mo- 
sul, though  it  is  not  much  used  among  the 
Christians  of  the  city. 

The  climate  of  Mosul  is  very  hot,  the  ther- 


mometer averaging  67.80  Fahr.  for  the  entire 
year.  In  summer  it  rises  to  115°  or  117°  in 
the  shade,  and  in  winter  does  not  usually  sink 
below  30^.  At  one  time  during  the  heat  of 
summer,  the  average  temperature  of  35  conse- 
cutive hours  was  I02o.  But  owing  to  the  ex- 
treme dryness  of  the  air,  the  city  is  considered 
healthy,  notwithstanding  so  high  a  tempe- 
rature. 

The  principal  crops  in  the  vicinity  are  wheat 
and  barley.  Rice  is  brought  from  the  valleys 
of  Kurdistan,  while  its  mountain  sides  supply 
the  city  with  fin  abundance  of  the  finest  grapes. 
Figs  come  mostly  from  the  mountains  of  Sin- 
jar,  in  Mesopotamia.  Palm  trees  flourish  in 
the  plain  near  Mosul  to  some  extent.  The 
olive  grows  in  the  gardens ;  also  pistachio 
nuts  and  other  fruits.  Beets,  turnips,  the  Qg^ 
plant,  melons,  cucumbers,  and  other  vegetables 
are  abundant ;  but  barmia  (hibiscus  esculen 
tus) — called  in  the  United  States  okra — may 
be  said,  par  excellence,  to  be  the  vegetable  of 
the  region. 

The  missionary  field  of  which  Mosul  is  the 
centre  extends  from  Mardin  to  Bagdad  and 
includes  within  its  boundaries  Jebel  Tour,  the 
stronghold  of  the  Jacobites,  which  covers  an 
area  of  1400  square  miles,  the  whole  region  of 
the  Yezidees  extending  from  Jebel  Singar  on 
the  west  as  far  east  as  Sheikh  Adi  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Kurdistan  ;  a  large  part  of  the  country 
of  the  mountain  Nestorians,  and  almost  the 
whole  of  the  Chaldeans  living  within  the  limits 
of  the  Turkish  empire.  Telkeif,  one  of  their 
largest  villages,  about  9  miles  from  Mosul,  ton- 
tains  5,000  inhabitants,  and  Elkosh  3,000  more. 
It  is  estimated  that  more  than  40,000  nomi- 
nal Christians  in  the  valley  of  the  Tigris  speak 
the  Fellahi.  Some  of  the  villages  to  the  east 
of  Mosul  are  inhabited  principally  by  the  Ja- 
cobites. 

The  diplomatic  emissaries  of  Rome  have 
been  in  this  region  for  centuries,  not  preaching 
the  Gospel,  but  straining  every  nerve  to  induce 
the  oriental  churches  to  acknowledge  the  Pope, 
and  whenever  they  have  succeeded  they  have 
only  removed  the  people  further  from  Gospel 
influences,  though  the  change  eifected  has  not 
been  so  radical  as  to  remove  all  danger  of  re- 
turn to  a  purer  faith ;  a  result  which  their 
tyrannical  measures  in  some  instances  favors 
rather  than  retards. 

The  Rev.  Horatio  Southgate,  sent  out  by  the 
American  Episcopal  Church,  visited  Mosul  in 
1838,  on  his  tour  of  exploration  through  Tur- 
key and  Persia.  But  the  first  Protestant  mis- 
sionaries who  resided  here  were  Dr.  A.  Grant 
and  Rev.  A.  K.  Hinsdale,  who  occupied  this 
as  an  outpost  of  their  mission  to  the  mountain 
Nestorians,  in  1841.  Rev.  C.  C.  Mitchell  had 
died  on  the  way  at  the  village  of  Mushtafia,  near 
Mardin,  June  27th.  Mrs.  Mitchell  lived  to 
reach  Mosul,  but  died  there  July  12,  5  days 
after  her  arrival ;  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  were 
themselves  prostrated  by  disease.    Thus  was 


MOSUL. 


549 


the  mission  baptized  in  suffering  at  the  outset. 
On  Mr.  Hinsdale's  recovery  nothing  but  his 
ignorance  of  the  Arabic  prevented  his  laboring 
at  once  among  the  Jacobites,  who,  hard  press- 
ed by  the  Papists,  were  eager  for  instruction. 
Providence  at  this  time  sent  to  his  aid  a  Jacob- 
ite ecclesiastic  from  Malabar,  who,  educated  in 
the  English  College  at  Cottayan,  was  on  his 
way  to  be  ordained  bishop  by  the  Patriarch 
at  Mardin.  He  preached  the  Gospel  in  the 
churches  and  had  much  religious  intercourse 
with  the  people.  On  the  12th  of  November, 
1842,  Rev.  Thomas  Laurie  and  wife  joined  the 
mission  ;  but  on  the  17th  of  the  following 
month  Mr.  Hinsdale  was  called  to  his  rest, 
leaving  the  mission  even  weaker  than  it  was 
before. 

The  massacre  of  the  Nestorians,  in  1843, 
turned  the  attention  of  the  missionaries  more 
exclusively  to  Mosul,  and  "  a  great  door  and 
effectual  was  opened  to  them,  but  there  were 
many  adversaries."  The  opposition,  however, 
did  not  originate  so  much  among  the  people 
themselves  as  from  men  who  came  from  Chris- 
tian lands,  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  oppos- 
ing the  labors  of  evangelical  Protestants. 
Yet,  notwithstanding  all,  the  truth  was  made 
known,  and  agitation  only  stimulated  investi- 
gation. One  man  at  least  gave  delightful  evi- 
dence that  he  was  taught  of  God,  and  others 
were  intellectually  convinced,  if  not  savingly 
converted.  But  the  trials  of  the  mission  were 
not  yet  over.  On  the  morning  of  December 
16,  death  removed  Mrs.  Laurie  from  among 
them ;  and  on  the  24th  of  April,  1844,  the 
little  band  was  again  bereaved  in  the  loss  of 
Dr.  Grant,  the  pioneer  of  the  enterprise  ;  but 
not  till  the  Rev.  Azariah  Smith,  M.D.,  had 
been  sent  to  minister  to  his  last  hours,  and  aid 
the  survivors  by  his  practical  faith  and  devot- 
ed spirit.  The  early  history  of  this  mission 
would  thus  seem  to  be  little  more  than  a  record 
of  the  death  of  its  members  ;  but  the  field  was 
so  full  of  promise  that  the  survivors  would  not 
have  left  it,  nor  would  the  Board  have  recall- 
ed them,  but  for  the  published  intention  of  the 
American  Episcopalians  to  occupy  the  field. 
Yielding  to  their  prior  claim,  the  missionaries 
reluctantly  turned  away  from  this  interesting 
field  on  the  22d  of  October,  1844. 

But  the  intentions  of  the  Episcopal  church 
were  never  carried  out,  and  for  5  years  Mosul 
received  only  brief  visits  at  distant  intervals 
from  Rev.  Messrs.  Bowen  and  Sandreczki, 
English  missionaries  to  the  Jews  in  Bagdad. 
The  report  of  the  piety  of  the  solitary  disciple 
left  there,  led  to  the  visit  of  Messrs.  Perkins 
and  Stocking,  in  May,  1849  ;  and  on  the  22d 
of  November  following.  Rev.  J.  E.  Ford,  of 
Aleppo,  came,  and  remained  till  April  10th, 
1850  ;  and  before  he  left,  the  Rev.  D.  W. 
Marsh  entered  on  his  labors  (March  20)  in 
very  encouraging  circumstances.  Rev.  W. 
F.  Williams  and  family  joined  him  May  16, 
1851,  and  on  November  3,  a  little  church  of  8 


members  was  formed,  which  we  hope  is  only 
the  germ  of  better  things  to  come.  Rev. 
Henry  Lobdell,  M.D.,  joined  the  mission  May 
8,  1852,  and  the  latest  accounts,  though  they 
tell  the  usual  tale  of  persecution  from  the  pa- 
pistSjleagued  with  the  civil  government,  yet  indi- 
cate a  preparation  for  an  extensive  reformation, 
which  may  take  place  at  no  very  distant  day. 
The  political  power  of  the  nominal  Christians 
in  this  region  is  much  less  than  that  of  the 
larger  communities  nearer  the  capital.  The 
Mohammedans,  too,  are  much  more  accessible 
than  elsewhere,  and  both  these  things  encour- 
age us  to  hope  that  there  are  glad  tidings  soon 
to  issue  from  Mosul,  to  all  who  love  the  king- 
dom of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

For  more  extended  notices,  see  Missionary 
Herald,  1839,  seq. ;  Rich's  Narrative  of  a  Resi- 
dence in  Kurdistan;  Laurie's  Dr.  Grant  and 
the  Mountain  Nestorians,  &c.,  &c. — Rev.  T. 
Laurie. 

Present  Condition  and  future  prospects  of  the 
Assyrian  Mission — Rev.  Mr. Marsh  to  the  author. 
— "  The  field  of  the  Assyrian  mission  includes 
the  city  of  Diarbekir  on  the  north  with  some 
40.000  inhabitants,  Mardin  with  20,000,  Jezi- 
rah  with  7,000,  Mosul  with  45,000,  Arhil  with 
perhaps  10,000,  and  Bagdad  with  its  60  or 
70,000.  It  includes  a  population  of  some 
70,000  Christians,  (beside  a  much  larger  Mos- 
lem population,)  of  whom  about  35,000  are  of 
Jacobite,  20,000  of  Nestorian,  and  15,000  of 
Armenian  origin.  But  from  these  three  sects 
large  numbers  have  become  papal — say  of  the 
Nestorians  17,000,  of  the  Armenians  5,000, 
and  of  the  Jacobites  3,000,  making  the  papal 
element  over  one-third.  Of  course  these  num- 
bers are  only  approximate,  but  they  agree  very 
nearly  with  the  best  authorities,  though  based 
upon  a  separate  estimate.  The  strengtli  of  the 
Jacobites  is  in  Jebal  Tour,  or  between  Mardin 
and  Jezirah,  near  the  middle  of  the  field.  The 
strength  of  the  papal  Nestorians  is  upon  the 
plain  east  of  Mosul ;  that  of  the  Armenians  of 
our  field  at  Mardin  and  Diarbekir.  There  are 
some  Jacobites  in  the  whole  field,  but  almost 
no  Armenians  in  the  southern  part  and  almost 
no  Jacobites  in  the  northern. 

"  Stations  are  established  at  Diarbekir  and 
Mosul,  undoubtedly  the  best  points  for  the 
present.  Churches  have  been  formed  at  each 
of  these  places,  consisting  now  at  Mosul  of  12 
members,  at  Diarbekir  of  11.  The  average 
attendance  for  a  few  months  past  at  the  fullest 
Sabbath  service  has  been  at  Diarbekir  over 
100,  and  here  over  30.  There  is  a  flourishing 
school  for  boys  at  Diarbekir,  and  also  one  for 
girls,  so  promising  that  we  have  applied  for  a 
female  teacher  from  America.  There  are  in 
the  schools  at  Mosul  over  80  learning  to  read. 
There  are  schools  also  at  Plince,  near  Diarbe- 
kir, and  at  Nahcrwan  and  Jezirah. 

"  At  Diarbekir  the  great  present  want  is  a 
force  upon  the  spot  to  cherish  the  little  church 
and  to  guide  and  encourage  the  work.    We 


l)i>0 


MOSUL. 


have  been  obliged  to  abandon  that  station 
with  little  present  prospect  of  occupation  be- 
fore at  least  next  spring.  I  do  not  believe 
that  a  more  promising  point  was  over  tempo- 
rarily abandoned  by  missionaries  of  the  Ame- 
rican Board.  It  will  be  supplied  with  native 
belpei's  who  will  sustain  preaching,  but  it 
needs  at  least  three  missionaries.  The  occa- 
sion of  leaving  that  point  has  been  detailed  in 
letters  to  the  rooms  to  which  you  doubtless 
have  access.  The  station  remained  half  man- 
ned till  the  health  of  Mrs.  Dunmore  failed,  and 
should  Mr.  AValker  be  hh  alone  there  a  simi- 
lar result  must  inevitably  ensue.  It  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  in  these  interior  sta- 
tions we  are  cut  off  from  the  refreshment  of 
occasional  intercourse  with  travelers,  and  at 
Diarbekir  there  is  no  consular  protection. 
We  need  the  prayers  of  Christians  that  mis- 
sionaries ma}^  be  supplied  for  and  protected 
171  Diarbekir. 

'•  So  long  as  stations  are  half  manned,  the 
work  must  be  expected  to  languish ;  and  all 
Western  Asia  is  half  manned.  All  the  mem- 
bers sympathize,  for,  whatever  may  be  the 
division  into  missions,  we  are  one  body  in 
Christ.  So  long  as  the  Armenians  are  neg- 
lected and  left  to  perish,  while  calling  to 
American  Christians  for  help,  we  are  left  un- 
heard to  plead  from  a  greater  distance  for 
wants  less  obvious,  requiring  a  more  vigorous 
exercise  of  faith. 

"The  great  want  at  Mosul  and  for  the  As 
Syrian  field  is  a  seminary  for  young  men  to 
train  up  preachers,  to  awaken  mind,  to  pre- 
vent the  waste  of  sending  to  Beirut,  where,  by 
the  distance  from  his  house,  in  case  a  boy  turns 
out  ill,  the  evil  is  greatly  increased.  For  this- 
we  have  urged  the  sending  out  of  additional 
missionaries.  But  how  shall  they  get  here  ? 
They  have  a  gauntlet  to  run.  When  Dr.  Lob- 
dell  came,  the  wants  of  Aintab  were  so  ex- 
ceedingly pressing,  that  a  petition  and  most 
urgent  entreaties  were  used  by  the  natives  to 
detain  him  there.  We  are  glad  that  that  rob- 
bery of  our  field  was  not  consummated.  Had 
Dr.  Lobdell  knoAvn  that  the  Committee  at 
home  would  acquiesce  in  his  stay  there,  he 
would  have  remained.  I  only  allude  to  this 
to  show  that  the  apathy  of  the  American 
church,  in  leaving  that  great  Armenian  field 
without  any  adequate  supply  of  laborers,  crip- 
ples us.  We  want  the  attention  of  American 
Christians  drawn  to  their  suicidal  policy  of 
neglecting  vast  immortal  interests,  whose  mo- 
mentous issues  eternity  alone  can  compute. 
How  many  a  wealthy  family  is  being  ruined, 
especially  in  its  younger  branches,  by  the 
hoarded  manna  !  How  many  I  know  person- 
ally, training  up  children  in  the  worship  of 
mammon,  bowing  down  to  the  golden  calf  ! 
Alas  !  though  that  manna  would  be  bread  of 
life  to  many  famishing  ones  here,  it  comes  not ! 
We  want,  and  must  have  for  the  success  of  our 
work,  the  sober,  prayerful  attention  of  Chris- 


tians to  the  feebleness  of  their  efforts.  For 
want  of  one  more  man,  in  raising  the  timbers 
of  a  house,  the  joists  and  beams  lell  back,  and 
crushed  many  of  those  toiling  their  utmost. 
Is  it  Avisc — is  it  prudent,  to  leave  a  lew  labor- 
ers to  die  with  over-work  ? 

"  The  occupation  of  Mardin  is  desirable.  CX' 
ccedingly  desirable,  provided  we  have  faith. 
Some  Christians  seem  to  think  that  we  are  to 
wait  till  Satan  comes  crouching  to  us,  laying 
down  his  arms,  and  offering  us  the  keys  of  his 
strongholds.  lie  has  been  forced  to  this  in 
some  cities  of  Western  Asia  ;  but  shall  we 
leave,  these  oilier  cities  till  they  throw  down 
their  battlements  and  urge  us  in  ?  Faith  is 
the  great  u-ant,  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
may  suffer  violence  and  the  violent  take  it  by 
force.  We  want  such  a  mighty  moral  move- 
ment behind  us,  that  we  shall  feel  that  we  are 
borne  on  to  new  efforts  as  by  some  silent  gulf- 
stream  flowing  from  our  native  land.  If 
America  were  only  enlisted  for  our  success, 
and  following  us  with  eager  wishes,  as  gen- 
erals and  soldiers  were  followed  to  the  h-alls  of 
Montezuma,  then  they  would  not  withhold 
their  reinforcements,  nor  that  best  of  all  gifts, 
their  prayers. 

"  As  to  the  future  prospects  of  our  work,  my 
impression  is,  that  if  this  effort  making  in 
Western  Asia/a??  now,  a  century  will  not  see 
it  renewed  under  such  promising  auspices. 
If  it  fail,  it  can  only  be  from  the  storms  of  low^- 
ering  war,  which  seems  not  at  all  probable,  or 
from  the  dcadness  of  the  American  church. 
Were  the  American  church  now  to  call  us 
back,  old  Assyrian  kings  would  break  the 
silence  of  ages  and  rise  like  muflBed  Samuels 
to  reproach  us.  The  very  stones  would  cry 
out. 

"  Ultimately,  these  efforts  cannot  fail.  Un- 
less God's  promises  are  a  fable, — unless  Chris- 
tianity is  a  delusion,  and  God  himself  a  being 
indifferent  and  neglectful  of  his  creatures,  this 
preaching  of  his  Gospel  cannot  return  void. 
With  rapt  anticipation  we  watch  the  great 
changes  bursting  upon  the  world — the  opening 
seals  of  the  vision  of  the  church  militant  and 
millenial.  The  day  seems  at  hand  for  Moslems 
to  accept  (yhrist.  At  our  dispensary  we  shun 
not  to  point  them  to  the  great  Physician. 
They  listen  with  respect  to  that  now,  for  which 
our  blood  would  redden  these  streets,  were  they 
what  they  were  twenty  years  since.  Their 
spirit  is  broken  ;  they  expect  the  downfall  of 
their  religion.  Their  expectation  upon  this 
point  is  in  advance  of  the  Christian  church. 
It  is  not  for  mortal  man  to  be  wise  upon  what 
God  has  scaled  ;  but  we  wait  in  hope.  Hope 
thrills  in  our  hearts  and  rises  to  full  assurance. 
Let  the  cannons  roll  on  ;  let  swords  gleam  and 
drip,  and  the  spears  and  chariots  of  war.  The 
King  of  many  crowns  is  marching  forth.  We 
expect  the  fall  of  distant  Rome  ;  and  that  fall 
will  make  freemen  of  her  slaves  here.  Our 
hearts  anticipate  glad  things.    We  rejoice  in 


MOTEER— NATAL. 


551 


the  God  of  our  salvation.    With  sincere  es- 
teem, your  brother  in  Christ, 

"DwiGHT  W.  Marsh. 

"Mosul,  Jfai/ 8, 1854." 

MOTEER  :  One  of  the  Molucca  Islands, 
in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

MOTITO  :  A  station  of  the  French  Pro- 
testants among  the  Bechuanas  of  South  Af- 
rica, 9  miles  south-west  of  Old  Lattikoo,  and 
about  19  miles  from  the  frontier  of  the  colony. 
It  has  five  out-stations.  Rev.  J.  Fredoux,  the 
missionary  at  this  station,  has  married  the  sec- 
ond daughter  of  Rev.  Robert  Mofiat,  of  the 
Kuruman. 

MOUNT  COKE  :  A  station  of  the  Wes 
leyans  in  Kaffraria. 

MOUNT  VAUGHA-N  :  A  station  of  the 
Episcopal  Board,  at  Cape  Palmas,  West  Af- 
rica. 

MOUNT  ZION  :  A  station  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board  among  the  Cherokee  Indians. 

MUFTI  :^  The  chief  of  the  ecclesiastical 
order,  or  primate,  of  the  Mussulman  religion. 
The  authority  of  the  mufti  is  very  great  in  the 
Ottoman  empire  ;  for  even  the  Sultan  himself, 
if  he  will  preserve  any  appearance  of  religion, 
cannot,  without  first  hearing  his  opinion,  put 
any  person  to  death,  or  so  much  as  inflict  any 
corporeal  punishment.  When  the  mufti  comes 
into  his  presence,  the  grand  seignior  himself 
rises  up  before  him.  Yet  the  grand  seignior 
appoints  him  to  office,  and  the  honors  paid  to 
him  have  become  little  more  than  form.  If 
the  Sultau  does  not  like  his  decision,  he  dis- 
misses him  and  appoints  another. 

MUSSULMAN  :  A  professor  of  the  re- 
,  ligion  of  Mohammed. 

MUTTRA  :  A  celebrated  city,  of  great 
antiquity,  situated  on  the  western  bank  of  the 
Jumna,  about  30  miles  N.N.E.  from  Agra, 
and  80  miles  S.S.E.  from  Delhi.  Population, 
80,000,  of  whom  about  one-eighth  are  Moham- 
medans. Mr.  Philips,  of  the  English  Baptist 
Mission,  removed  to  this  place  in  1844. 
^  MYNPURIEj  A  station  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Board  in  Northern  India,  40  miles  west 
of  Futtehgurh. 

MYSORE  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  capital  of  a  province  of 
the  same  name,  in  Southern  Hindostan,  near 
the  western  coast,  to  the  north-west  of  Ma- 
dura. It  is  also  occupied  by  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society. 

NAGERCOIL  :  A  town  in  Southern 
India,  in  the  Travancore  district,  a  little 
north-west  of  Cape  Comorin.  A  station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society. 

NAGPORE  :  A  large  town  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Gundwana,  the  capital  of  the  Boonsla 
Mahrattas,  lat.  20°  9'  N.,  long.  19°  11'  E. 
It  is  elevated  4,104  feet  above  the  sea,  and  in 
the  hot  season,  has  a  decided  advantage  over 
other  stations,  the  niglit  being  almost  invaria- 
bly cool  and  pleasant ;  and  in  the  winter  sea- 
son, it  is  so  cool  as  sometimes  to  produce  hoar 


frost  and  ice.     Population  in  1825,  115,000 
A  station  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland. 

NAIN  :  A  station  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Labrador. 

NANKING  :  The  capital  of  the  Kiang 
su  province,  and  former  capital  of  the  Chinese 
empire,  situated  on  the  southern  banks  of  the 
Yangtsz-kiang,  in  lat.  32°  N.,  and  long.  119^ 
E.     (See  China.) 

NAMAQUALAND  :  See  Africa,  South- 
ern. 

NARSINGDARCHOKE  :  A  station  of 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  in  Bengal. 

NASSAU  :  The  capital  of  the  island  of 
New  Providence,  W.  I.,  and  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment. It  is  situated  on  the  north  side  of 
the  island.  A  station  of  the  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  also  of  the  Society  for  Pro- 
pagating the  Gospel. 

_  NASSUCK  :  A  large  town  and  place  oi' 
pilgrimage  on  the  Godavery,  principally  in- 
habited by  Brahmins.  Population  in  1820, 
30,000.  Near  Nassuck,  the  seat  and  centre 
of  Brahminism  in  the  Deccan,  are  extensive 
Buddhist  excavations,  which  extend  round  a 
high  conical  hill,  five  miles  from  the  town,  with 
many  Buddhist  figures  and  inscriptions,  with- 
out the  slightest  Hindoo  vestiges.  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

NATAL  :  The  colony  of  Natal  lies  in  the 
S.  E.  part  of  the  continent  of  Africa,  betAveen 
the  latitudes  of  31°  31',  and  28=  south.  It  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  river  Tukela, 
which  divides  it  from  the  country  of  the  Ama- 
zulu ;  on  the  south  by  the  river  Umzimkulu, 
separating  it  from  the  territory  of  the  Ama- 
ponda ;  on  the  east  by  the  Indian  Ocean  ;  and 
on  the  west  by  the  Quathamba  range  of  moun- 
tains. Its  length  is  about  180  miles,  and  its 
width  125  miles.  The  white  population  of 
Natal  at  present,  November  1853,  is  estimated 
at  10,000 ;  most  of  whom  have  immigrated 
from  England  since  1845.  The  colored  popu- 
lation, Zulus  (or  Zulu  KaSres,  as  they  are  some- 
times called),  is  about  120,000.  Most  of  them 
are  remnants  of  tribes  which  originally  occu- 
pied this  territory,  but  were  conquered  and 
dispersed  by  the  tyrant  Chaka.  When  the- 
British  established  their  authority  in  Na- 
tal, multitudes,  from  all  sides,  returned  to  the 
land  of  their  nativity  for  protection.  Most,, 
however,  have  come  from  the  country  of  the- 
Amazulu  within  a  few  years  past,  and  the 
number  of  refugees  is  increasing.  Natal,  for 
several  years  past,  has  been  in  a  state  of  quiet 
and  safety,  though  apprehensions  have  been, 
entertained  by  some  that  Umpandi,  the  present. 
King  of  Amazulu,  would  invade  the  colony.. 
These  fears,  for  the  most  part,  are  now  laid^ 
aside  ;  for  Umpandi,  with  his  present  force  is-, 
unable  to  cope  with  the  Dutch  Boers  who  are- 
settling,  without  his  permission,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  his  territory.  So  numerous  have 
been  the  refugees  from  his  dominion,  that  it  is. 
doubtful  whether  the  tyrannical  chief  can  mus- 


552 


NATAL. 


ter  more  than  50,000  warriors.  Uliiku,  the 
king  of  the  Amaponda,  is  more  pacific  than 
meet  of  the  Kaflre  chiefs,  and  endeavors  to 
live  on  good  terms  with  his  white  neighbors. 
He  is  far  more  powerful  than  Umpandi,  and 
commands  an  army  of  80,000  fighting  men. 
The  natives  of  Natal  are  split  up  into  numer- 
ous petty  tribes,  each  tribe  having  a  chief  of 
its  own,  who,  however,  is  amenable  to  British 
authority.  Constant  jealousies  and  animosities 
exist  among  these  tribes,  and  nothing  but  fear 
of  the  English  Government  prevents  them  from 
destroying  each  other.  The  greater  part  of 
the  natives  in  this  colony  dwell  on  locations 
assigneil  them  by  Government,  and  over  each 
location  is  placed  a  white  magistrate,  to  keep 
order,  to  collect  the  annual  tax,  which  is  seven 
shillings  per  hut,  settle  their  numerous  disputes, 
&c.  When  cases  presented  by  the  natives  are 
not  satisfactorily  settled  by  the  magistrates, 
they  have  the  privilege  of  appealing  to  the 
Lieut.  Governor  of  the  colony. 

Natal  Harbor. — The  coast  is  skirted  by  a 
dense  "  bush,"  or  forest  of  thorn  trees,  vines, 
and  brambles,  and  the  monotony  of  the  scene 
is  relieved  only  by  the  mountains  of  silvery 
spray  which  indicate  the  mouths  of  the  nu- 
merous rivers.  The  only  elevated  and  striking 
object  is  the  bluff,  a  rocky  promontory,  desig- 
nating the  entrance  to  the  port.  At  its  foot 
is  a  great  sand  bar,  the  dread  of  all  comers  to 
Natal,  and  the  chief  barrier  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  colony.  The  people  of  Natal  are 
exerting  themselves  to  construct  a  break- 
water far  enough  into  the  sea,  not  only  to 
break  the  violence  of  the  waves,  but  to  check 
the  drifting  of  the  sand  into  the  harbor.         ' 

D'  Urban. — An  hour's  walk  or  ride  from  the 
harbor,  in  an  ox  wagon,  through  the  sand, 
brings  one  to  the  only  seaport  town  in  this 
colony,  which  is  called  D 'Urban,  in  honor  of 
Sir  Benjamin  D'Urban.  The  streets  of  this 
town  which  were  laid  out  by  the  Dutch  at  right 
angles,  are  wide  and  convenient  for  trading 
with  large  wagons,  but  intolerably  sandy. 
Many  of  the  houses  are  one  story  high,  and 
made  of  « wattle  and  daub  "—that  is,  long 
sticks  woven  together  between  posts  and  plas- 
tered with  mud.  ITie  roofs  are  thatched  with 
long  grass.  Some  nice  brick  buildings  are 
now  going  up,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
place  is  rapidly  improving.  The  Wcsleyans, 
the  largest  religious  society  in  Natal,  have 
here  two  houses  of  worship,  one  for  the  whites, 
and  one  for'  the  colored  population.  The 
Episcopalians,  the  Congregationalists,  the 
Baptists,  and  the  Roman  Catholics  have  also 
their  sanctuaries.  New  churches  for  the  troops 
are  about  to  be  erected,  at  an  expense  of  £10,- 
1)00.  The  people  of  D'Urban  are  mostly  mer- 
chants and  mechanics.  But  few  among  them 
are  wealthy.  Some  of  the  oldest  residents  in 
the  colony,  who  occupy  farms,  are  agricultur- 
ists or  graziers,  possess  large  herds  of  cattle, 
and  are  in  comfortable  circumstances.    The 


Natal  Bay  abounds  in  fish,  with  which  the 
market  of  D'Urban  is  supplied ;  and  there  is 
no  lack  of  good  beef,  pork,  mutton,  venison, 
and  fowls.  D'Urban  suffers  for  the  want  of 
good  water.  All  that  is  suitable  for  drinking 
is  brought  in  hogsheads  from  the  Uniqui 
river,  which  is  about  three  miles  distant,  or 
caught  from  the  roofs  of  the  houses  when  it 
rains.  The  water  of  the  wells  is  brackish, 
and  induces  cutaneous  diseases.  This  deficien- 
cy of  good  water,  it  is  supposed,  may  be  rem- 
edied by  turning  the  Uniqui  river  across  the 
long  flat  on  which  the  town  is  built.  The  ex- 
periment will  doubtless  be  made  if  Natal  con- 
tinues to  prosper.  D'Urban  is  a  place  of 
great  importance,  as  all  the  trade  with  the 
tribes  on  the  northern  borders  of  Natal  passes 
through  it,  and  most  of  the  trade  with  the 
Dutch  farmers  over  the  Quathamba  Moun- 
tains, and  beyond  the  Orange  river,  amount- 
ing to  many  thousands  of  pounds. 

Two  weekly  newspapers  are  published  in 
D'Urban,  and  are  well  conducted.  There  is 
also  a  day  school  for  children,  supported  by 
government.  Intemperance  and  horse-racing 
are  quite  prevalent. 

Pietermaritzburg. — The  town  next  in  import- 
ance to  D'Urban  in  Natal,  is  Pietermaritz- 
burg, or  Petermauritzburg,  as  it  is  sometimes 
spelled,  the  capital  of  the  colony.  It  is  about 
50  miles  from  D'Urban,  situated  in  a  large 
valley  nearly  surrounded  by  high  hills,  and 
presents  a  beautiful  appearance.  Its  streets, 
like  those  of  D'Urban,  are  laid  out  at  right 
angles,  are  broad,  and  shaded  on  each  side  by 
large  and  beautiful  trees.  Water,  which 
never  fails  in  the  driest  season,  is  conducted 
through  the  streets  on  each  side,  from  which 
every  house  may  be  supplied,  and  every  garden' 
irrigated.  The  Lieut.  Governor  of  the  colo- 
ny, his  Secretary,  and  other  chief  officers  of 
Government,  have  their  residence  at  this  place. 
Extensive  barracks  have  been  erected  for 
British  soldiers,  and  part  of  a  regiment  is 
quartered  in  them. 

The  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Indepen- 
dents, Wesleyans  and  Catholics  have  their 
houses  of  worship.  A  large  and  flourishing 
school  is  supported  by  Government.  Three 
papers  are  published,  the  "  Independent," 
"  Government  Gazeteer,"  and  "  Witness  for 
the  People."  The  morals  of  this  place  are  far 
in  advance  of  those  in  D'Urban,  and  for  health- 
fulness  of  climate  and  beauty  of  appearance, 
it  is  not  surpassed  by  any  locality  in  the  col- 
ony. 

The  trade  of  Pietermaritzburg  is  principally 
with  the  Dutch  farmers  who  come  from  beyond 
the  Quathamba  Mountains,  some  ten  days' 
journey  with  the  ox  wagon,  and  exchange 
their  ivory,  wheat,  and  wool  for  groceries, 
clothing,  &c. 

Scenei-y — Climate — Prospects  of  the  Colony. — 
Natal  is  preeminent  for  the  beauty  of  its  land- 
scapes.   Along  the  coast,  the  surface  is  for 


NATAL— NESTORIANS. 


663 


the  most  part  level ;  but  inland,  at  the  dis- 
tance of  about  15  miles,  rugged  in  the  extreme. 
A  chain  of  high  table  lands  extends  the  whole 
length  of  the  colony,  intersected  by  numerous 
rivers  which  have  worn  deep  chasms  to  the 
low  country.  During  June  and  July  (the 
winter  months)  the  natives  burn  off  the  long 
grass,  and  the  hills  and  valleys  assume  a  dark 
and  mournful  aspect.  But  in  September  and 
October  the  rain  descends  copiously,  and  the 
whole  country  is  covered,  as  if  by  magic, 
with  a  carpet  of  green.  The  scenery  is  then 
truly  magnificent.  Natal  is  acknowledged  to 
be  one  of  the  healthiest  places  in  Africa. 
The  tops  of  the  Quathamba  Mountains  are 
supposed  to  afford  a  cooling  medium  for  the 
hot  winds  which  come  from  the  interior,  and 
hence  Natal  is  exempt  from  that  debilitating 
atmosphere  which  is  the  scourge  of  other 
warm  climates.  The  Natal  climate  is  mild 
and  temperate,  the  atmosphere  delightfully 
clear,  and  those  noxious  vapors  which  prove 
so  unfavorable  to  health  and  longevity  at  De- 
lagoa  Bay,  on  the  Gaboon  and  Zanzibar  coasts, 
are  here  unknown.  During  the  summer,  the 
heat  is  seldom  so  great  as  to  render  out-of- 
door  labor  oppressive ;  and  in  winter,  it  is 
rarely  cold  enough  to  render  a  fire  necessary. 
It  is  the  united  testimony  of  foreign  residents, 
that  this  colony  is  remarkably  free  from  those 
diseases  which  are  common  in  their  father- 
lands. In  no  English  colony  exist  in  a  greater 
degree  the  elements  of  prosperity,  viz.,  abun- 
dance and  cheapness  of  labor,  fertility  of  soil, 
plenty  of  food,  healthfulness  of  climate,  &c. 
Natal  is  yet  in  its  infancy.  It  is  but  recently 
that  the  tide  of  immigration  has  turned  to- 
wards its  shores.  But  from  what  has  been 
already  seen  of  the  production  of  sugar,  cot- 
ton, rice,  coffee,  indigo,  wheat,  barley,  and 
corn,  of  her'  wool  growing  districts,  and  her 
animal  market,  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude 
that  the  increasing  exports  will  give  an  im- 
petus to  trade  and  industry,  and  thus  the 
colony  will  ere  long  be  filled  with  Europeans. 
— Rev.  Josiah  Tyler,  missionary  to  the  Zulus, 
abridged  from  the  Puritan  Recorder. 

NAVIGATORS'  ISLANDS  :  See  Samoa. 

NAZARETH  :  One  of  forty  native  Chris- 
tian villages,  formed  in  Tinnevelly  by  the  Nar 
tive  Philanthropic  Society,  in  order  to  shelter 
converts  from  persecution.  Also,  a  station  of 
the  Moravians  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

NEGAPATAM  :  A  town  in  the  Madras 
Presidency,  and  district  of  Tanjore,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  British  collector  for  the  district, 
situated  on  the  shore  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal, 
162  miles  south  by  east  from  Madras.  The  na- 
tive town  is  extensive  and  irregular,  and  on  its 
north  side  there  is  a  remarkable  ruin  of  very 
massive  brick  masonry,  about  80  feet  high, 
called  by  mariners  the  Chinese  Pagoda.  It  is 
supposed  to  have  been  a  Jain  temple.  A  sta- 
tion of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

NEGOMBO  :  A  town  on  the  west  coast  of 


Ceylon,  20  miles  north  from  Colombo.  A  sta- 
tion of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

NEGROES  :  The  term  Negro  is  the  Span- 
ish and  Portuguese  word  for  black.  The  Ne- 
gro race  inhabit  that  portion  of  the  continent 
of  Africa  which 'commences  at  the  Great  Des- 
ert of  Sahara,  extending  southerly  to  about 
20°  of  south  latitude,  and  embracing  both  the 
eastern  and  western  coasts  of  the  continent. 

The  skin  and  eyes  of  the  Negro  are  black  ; 
hair  black  and  woolly ;  skull  compressed  later- 
ally and  in  front ;  forehead  low,  narrow,  and 
slanting  ;  cheek  bones  prominent ;  jaws  nar- 
row and  projecting  ;  upper  front  teeth  oblique ; 
chin  receding ;  eyes  prominent ;  nose  broad, 
thick,  flat ;  lips  very  thick  ;  palms  of  the 
hands  and  soles  of  the  feet  flat ;  knees  turned 
in,  toes  turned  out.  The  stature  and  physical 
strength  are  equal  to  the  European.  Many  of 
them  have  made  considerable  progress  in  the 
useful  arts  and  cultivation. 

It  has  been  said  that  no  Negro  nation  ever 
possessed  a  literature,  or  had  the  ingenuity  to 
invent  an  alphabet,  and  until  recently  this  was 
probably  true  ;  but  the  missionaries  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  have  discovered  a 
tribe  in  Western  Africa,  named  Vei,  which 
possess  a  well-constructed  written  language, 
with  books,  the  invention  of  one  of  their  num- 
ber still  living,  which  presents  a  case  as  re- 
markable as  that  of  the  invention  of  the  Cher- 
okee alphabet.  Among  the  Negro  race  there 
is  a  great  variety,  greater,  perhaps,  than 
among  any  other  family.  For  accounts  of  the 
civil,  social,  and  religious  condition  of  the 
Negro  race,  and  of  missions  among  them,  see 
Western  Africa,  Gaboon,  Fernando  Po, 
YoRUBA,  and  Liberia. 

NELLORE  :  A  station  of  the  Church  of 
England  Mission,  in  the  northern  part  of  Cey- 
lon, about  two  miles  from  the  town  of  Jaffna. 
Also,  a  large  city  near  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  Carnatic  in  Bengal — the  principal  sta- 
tion of  the  Teloogoo  Mission  of  the  American 
Baptist  Union. 

NELSON  :  A  town  in  New  Zealand,  situ- 
ated at  the  bottom  of  Tasman's  Bay,  on  the 
northern  shore  of  the  middle  island,  with  a 
population  of  2,100  inhabitants.  The  town  is 
extremely  pretty,  situated  on  a  small  plain  sur- 
rounded by  lofty  hills.  The  climate  is  delight- 
ful. It  is  a  station  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society. 

NENGENENGE  :  Station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  at  the  Gaboon,  West  Africa. 

NESTORIANS  :  Nestorius,  from  whom 
comes  the  name  Nestorians,  was  a  native  of 
Syria,  and  a  presbyter  of  the  church  at  Anti- 
och,  "  esteem.ed  and  celebrated,"  says  Neander, 
"  on  account  of  the  rigid  austerity  of  his  life 
and  the  impressive  fervor  of  his  preaching." 
He  was  made  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  a.  d. 
428.  Possessed  of  an  honest  and  pious  zeal,  he 
was  wanting  probably  in  that  prudence  and 
moderation  by  which  his  zeal  should  have  been 


554 


NESTORIANS. 


governed ;  and  while  his  intemperate  efforts  to 
Bupprees  various  heresies  j)rovoked,  liis  ungimrd- 
ed  langungc  hiid  him  open  to  the  attiicks  of 
some  who  were  jealous  of  his  iiitiueucc,  or  a&- 
pircd  to  his  position.  Cyril  of  Alexandria 
became  his  fierce  antagonist,  and  Nestorius 
waa  stxiu  himself  accused  of  heresy ;  first,  in 
denying  that  Marv  was  the  mother  of  God, 
and  second,  in  holding  that  there  were  two 
persons  as  well  as  two  natures  in  Christ.  lie 
denied  both  the  charges,  as  they  were  brought 
against  him  ;  but  he  was  deposed  by  the  third 
general  council  at  Ephesus,  a.  d.  431,  and  was 
banished  first  to  Arabia,  and  then  to  Lj'bia, 
and  finally  died  in  Upper  Egypt.  His  friends 
denied  the  fairness  of  his  trial,  and  the  justice 
of  his  condemnation,  and  his  opinions  were 
"Warmly  defended,  especially  among  his  coun- 
trymen in  the  East.  The  flourishing  school  for 
the  education  of  divines  at  Edessa,  in  Mesopo- 
tamia, to  which  many  Persian  youth  resorted, 
became  eminently  the  seat  from  which  the  sect 
extended  into  Persia.  This  school  was  broken 
up  on  account  of  its  Nestorianism  by  the  em- 
peror Zeno,  in  489,  but  the  consequence  was 
only  the  transfer  of  the  school  to  Nisibis,  where 
it  could  fully  develop  itself  under  the  Persian 
government,  and  where  for  many  years,  Bar- 
sumas,  a  zealous  Nestorian,  had  been  bishop. 
Having  now  its  principal  seat  in  Persia,  the 
sect  was  fostered  by  the  rivalry  existing  be- 
tween the  governments  of  Persia  and  Constan- 
tinople, and  on  the  death  of  the  archbishop  of 
Seleucia,  a.  d.  496,  Babaeus  (or  Babacus)  a 
Kestoriun,  was  chosen  his  successor.  He  de- 
clared himself  Patriarch  of  the  East,  and  held 
a  synod,  or  council,  a.  d.  499,  at  which  the 
whole  Persian  church  professed  itself  as  belong- 
ing to  the  Nestorian  party. 

From  A.  D.  485  to  a.  d.  640  the  Nestorians 
"were  under  Persian  authority,  generally  favor- 
ed, but  sometimes  persecuted.  From  .640  to 
1257  they  were  subject  to  Arabian  caliphs. 
In  1258,  on  the  taking  of  Bagdad  by  the 
grandson  of  Gengis  Khan,  the  power  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Tartars.  The  patriarchs  resided 
at  Seleucia  until  a.  d.  762,  when  Bagdad  be- 
coming the  capital  of  the  Saracenic  empire  ;  it 
became  also  the  seat  of  the  patriarchs,  who 
now  took  the  title  of  patriarch  of  Babylon  and 
Bagdad.  ^ 

"  The  Nestorians,"  says  Mosheim,  (Ec.Hist., 
vol.  I.  p.  93,)  "  after  they  had  obtained  a  fixed 
residence  in  Persia,  and  had  located  the  head 
of  their  sect  at  Seleucia,  were  as  successful  as 
they  were  industrious  in  disseminating  their 
doctrines  in  the  countries  lying  without  the 
Roman  empire.  It  appears  from  unquestion- 
al)le  documents,  still  existing,  that  there  were 
numerous  societies  in  all  parts  of  Persia,  in 
India,  in  Armenia,  in  Arabia,  in  Syria,  and  in 
otiRi-  countries,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
patriarch  of  Seleucia  during  this  (the  6th)  cen- 
tury." Of  the  7th  century  he  says,  (Ec.  Hist., 
vol.  I.  p.  499,)  "  The  Christian  religion  was,  in 


this  century,  diffiised  beyond  its  former  bounds, 
both  in  the  eastern  and  western  countries. 
In  the  east,  the  Nestorians,  with  incredible 
industry  and  perseverance,  labored  to  propa- 
gate it  from  Persia,  Syria,  and  India,  among 
the  barbarous  and  savage  nations  inhabiting 
the  deserts  and  the  remotest  shores  of  Asia.    In 

f)articular,  the  vast  empire  of  China  was  en- 
ightened,  by  their  zeal  and  industry,  with  the 
light  of  Christianity." 

At  this  time,  from  the  5th  to  the  9th  cen- 
tury, the  Nestorians  had  schools,  some  of  which 
were  quite  celebrated,  designed  especially, 
though  not  exclusively,  for  the  education  of 
ecclesiastics.  "  Previous  to  the  overthrow  of 
the  caliphs,  the  Nestorians  had  become  widely 
extended.  They  occupied,  almost  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  other  Christian  sects,  the  region 
which  forms  the  modern  kingdom  of  Persia,  in 
all  parts  of  which  they  had  churches.  They 
were  numerous  in  Armenia,  Mesopotamia,  and 
Arabia.  They  had  churches  in  Syria  and  in 
the  island  of  Cyprus.  They  had  churches 
among  the  mountains  of  Malabar  in  India. 
They  had  numerous  churches  in  the  vast  re- 
gions of  Tartary,  from  the  Caspian  sea  to 
Mount  Imaus,  and  beyond,  through  the  greater 
part  of  what  is  now  known  as  Chinese  Tartary, 
and  even  in  China  itself.  The  names  of  twen- 
ty-five metropolitan  sees  are  on  record,  which 
of  course  embraced  a  far  greater  number  of 
bishoprics,  and  still  more  numerous  societies  or 
churches." 

But  at  this  time  Christianity,  as  exhibited 
in  the  lives  of  its  professors,  had  lost  not  a 
little  of  its  purity  and  its  power  ;  and  even  if 
we  suppose  the  Nestorians  to  have  been  more 
correct  in  doctrine  and  more  Christian  in  life 
than  other  sects,  there  can  be  no  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  they  published  the  pure  Gospel,  or 
that  they  exhibited,  generally,  the  light  of  a 
holy  life.  Of  the  tenth  century  Mosheim  says, 
"All  are  agreed  that  in  this  century  the  state 
of  Christianity  was  everywhere  most  wretched, 
on  account  of  the  amazing  ignorance,  and  the 
consequent  superstition  and  debased  morals  of 
the  age,  and  also  from  other  causes."  Early  in 
the  eleventh  century  a  Mogul  prince,  in  Cathay, 
(the  northern  part  of  China)  was  converted  to 
Christianity  by  the  Nestorians,  and  perhaps, 
taking  the  name  of  John  upon  bis  baptism,  he 
was  called  Presbyter  John,  or  Prester  John. 
Under  this  name  his  successors  became  widely 
known  and  celebrated.  The  last  of  this  race 
of  Christian  kings — Christian,  with  their  sub- 
jects, in  name,  doubtless  much  more  than  in 
reality — was  slain  by  Gengis  Khan,  about  the 
year  1202.  Gengis,  who  had  a  Christian  wife, 
the  daughter  of  Prester  John,  and  several  of 
his  successors,  appear  in  some  measure  to  have 
favored  the  Christians,  of  whom  numerous 
bodies  were  still  scattered  over  all  northern 
Asia  and  China.  In  the  mean  time,  however, 
Mohammedanism  had  been  gaining  not  only 
in  Persia,  but  upon  all  the  countries  west  of  »! 


NESTORIANS. 


555 


Mount  Imaus  where  the  Nestorians  commenced 
their  missionary  labors.  After*the  descendants 
of  Gcngis  had  extended  their  conquests  and  a 
branch  of  the  family  had  overthrown  the  Ara- 
bian caliph  and  destroyed  Bagdad,  one  of  them 
became  a  Mohammedan  and  engaged  in  a  bit- 
ter persecution  of  the  Christians.  About  the 
close  of  the  fourteenth  century  the  sword  of 
Tamerlain  completed  the  overthrow  of  the 
western  Tartar  churches,  and  Nestorian  Chris- 
tianity was  fully  crushed  in  the  principal  seat 
of  its  life  and  power.  A  little  earlier  than 
this,  in  1369,  the  descendants  of  Gengis  Khan 
were  expelled  from  China  by  a  revolt  of  the 
native  Chinese ;  about  the  same  time  Romish 
missionaries  wore  banished,  and  the  Nestorians, 
though  permitted  to  remain,  suffered  under 
inauspicious  circumstances,  and  their  numbers 
gradually  diminished.  Still  a  metropolitan 
was  sent  to  China  in  1490,  and  some  bishops 
in  1502.  But  when  papal  missions  were  resum- 
ed in  China,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  the 
missionaries  stated  that  they  could  find  no 
distinct  traces  of  Christianity  in  the  empire. 
Thus  the  Nestorian  church,  once  so  extended, 
whose  missions  in  Central  Asia  Avere  continued 
from  an  early  period  to  the  sixteenth  century, 
has  been  crushed  at  its  centre,  by  Mohamme- 
dan power,  and  has  gradually  died  out  in  more 
distant  regions,  in  great  measure,  doubtless,  be- 
cause of  its  want  of  true  Christian  vitality.  For 
three  centuries  past  it  has  been  shut  out  mostly 
from  the  Christian  world,  and  degraded  in  its 
political,  social,  intellectual,  and  moral  condi- 
tion. During  this  period  defections  have 
taken  place  from  time  to  time,  growing  out  of 
dissentions  among  themselves  and  the  efforts 
of  the  Jesuits,  and  a  considerable  part  of  the 
Nestorians  have  submitted  to  the  Pope  of 
Rome.  These  are  governed  by  a  patriarch 
appointed  by  the  Pope,  and  constitute  what  is 
called  the  Chaldean  church.  The  orthodox 
Nestorians,  if  this  title  may  be  thus  used,  are 
reduced  to  a  moderate  number,  perhaps  80,000, 
about  40,000  inhabiting  the  plain  of  Oroomiah, 
in  the  western  part  of  Persia,  and  about  the 
same  number  the  Koordish  mountains  between 
Persia  and  Turkey.  Their  patriarch,  Mar 
Shimon,  resides  in  the  mountains. 

The  mountain  districts  inhabited  by  the 
Nestorians  of  Koordistan  are  exceedingly  wild 
and  rugged  ;  in  some  cases  almost  inaccessible. 
Having  but  small  patches  of  arable  land  the 
people  subsist  mostly  from  their  flocks,  and  are 
miserably  poor.  In  the  rudeness,  wildness,  and 
boldness  of  their  character  they  resemble  their 
Koordish  neighbors. 

The  city  of  Oroomiah,  the  ancient  Theharma, 
the  reputed  birth-place  of  Zoroaster,  is  situated 
on  a  beautiful,  fertile  plain,  about  40  miles  in 
length,  and  in  its  broadest  portion  20  miles 
wide.  The  staple  productions  of  this  plain 
are  wheat,  rice,  cotton,  tobacco,  and  the  vine. 
It  abounds  also  in  a  great  variety  of  fruits, 
and  has  naturally  one  of  the  finest  climates ; 


yet  artificial  causes,  particularly  the  means 
used  to  irrigate  the  fields  and  gardens,  pro- 
ducing not  only  a  great  amount  of  evaporar 
tion,  but  numerous  pools  of  stagnant  water, 
make  it  unhealthy,  particularly  to  foreigners. 
The  city  contains  a  population  of  about 
25,000,  of  whom  less  than  1000  are  Nestorians, 
but  the  Nestorians  are  numerous  in  the  vil- 
lages of  the  plain,  and  most  of  them  are  em- 
ployed in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  The 
number  of  this  people  on  the  plain,  Mr.  Per- 
kins gave  in  1843  as  between  thirty  and  forty 
thousand.  These  "  partake  much,  in  their 
manners,  of  the  suavity  and  urbanity  of  the 
Persian  character.  By  the  side  of  their  rude 
countrymen  from  the  mountains,  though  ori- 
ginally from  the  same  stock,  they  appear  like 
antipodes." 

As  Christians,  up  to  the  time  when  mission- 
ary operations  were  commenced  among  them, 
a  few  years  since,  the  Nestorians,  though  they 
might  have  a  name  to  live,  were  dead.  Their 
religious  belief  and  practices  were  more  sim- 
ple and  scriptural  than  those  of  other  Oriental 
Christian  sects.  They  abhorred  all  image 
worship,  auricular  confession,  the  doctrine  of 
purgatory,  and  many  other  corrupt  dogmas 
and  practices  of  the  Papal  and  Greek  churches. 
Though  not  free  from  errors  and  superstitions, 
their  doctrinal  tenets  were  generally  correct, 
and  the  Scriptures  were  fully  acknowledged  as 
of  supreme  authority.  But "  the  life  and  power 
of  Christianity  had  departed.  Scarcely  a  symi> 
tom  of  spiritual  vitality  remained."  They  clung 
with  great  tenacity  to  the  forms  of  their  reli- 
gion. Many  of  them  would  rather  die  than 
violate  their  periodical  fasts,  which  are  very 
numerous,  covering  nearly  half  the  whole  year. 
Yet,  even  their  most  intelligent  ecclesiastics 
seemed  to  have  hardly  any  idea  of  the  mean- 
ing of  regeneration.  Lying  and  profaneness 
seemed  universal,  and  intemperance  existed  to 
a  fearful  •extent.  "  Education  was  at  an  ebb 
almost  as  low  as  vital  religion.  None  but 
their  ecclesiastics  could  read  at  all,  and  but 
very  few  of  them  could  do  more  than  merely 
repeat  their  devotions  in  an  unknown  tongue, 
while  neither  they  nor  their  hearers  knew  any 
thing  of  the  meaning."  There  was  among 
them  little  if  any  thing  that  could  be  called 
preaching  ;  their  public  services  consisting  of 
chanting  the  Scriptures  and  their  prayers  in 
ancient  SjTiac,  a  language  which  but  few  of 
the  priests,  and  none  of  the  people,  under- 
stand. Yery  little  attempt  had  been  made  to 
reduce  the  vernacular  language  of  the  Nesto- 
rians to  writing,  and  the  printing-press  was 
unknown  among  them.  What  few  books  they 
had,  and  they  were  very  few,  were  manuscripts 
in  the  ancient  Syriac,  a  dead  language. 

The  canons  of  the  Nestorian  church  require 
celibacy  in  all  the  episcopal  orders  of  the  clergy, 
i.  e.  all  from  the  bishop  up  ;  lower  orders  may 
marry.  They  reckon  nine  ecclesiastical  orders, 
viz.,  sub-deacon,  reader,  deacon,  priest,  arch- 


566 


NESTORIANS. 


deacon,  bishop,  metropolitan,  -catholokos,  and 
patriarch ;  but  two  or  three  of  these  are  now 
little  more  than  nonjinal.  Monasteries  and 
iMiiMiits  do  not  exist  among  them.  **They 
;.o  relics  such  as  are  common  in  the 
;,  of  Rome,"  says  Mr.  Badger  {Nestorians 
and  their  Kitmi,  Vol.  II.  p.  136),  yet  "  they 
believe  the  remains  of  the  martyrs  and  saints 
to  be  endowed  with  supernatural  virtues  ;"  and 
they  invoke  the  virgin  and  the  saints,  asking 
for  their  prayers  to  Christ.  They  have  no 
pictni'es  or  images  in  their  churches,  and  are 
much  opposed  to  the  use  of  them.  The  only 
symbol  among  them  is  a  plain  Greek  cross, 
which  they  venerate  highly.  The  sign  of  the 
cross  is  used  in  baptism  and  in  prayer ;  a  cross 
is  engraved  over  the  low  entrances  of  their 
churches,  and  kissed  by  those  who  enter,  and 
the  priests  carry  with  them  a  small  silver 
cross,  which  is  often  kissed  by  the  people. — 
Missionary  Hcrold  for  August,  1838 ;  Dr. 
Grant's  Nestorians;  Mosham  and  Neandefs 
Church  Histoi-y ;  Badger's  Nestorians  and  their 
Ritual,  Vol.  II.  pp.  132-6. 

MISSION. 

Anericax  Board. — In  the  spring  of  1830, 
Rev.  Messrs.  Smith  and  D  wight,  while  on  an  ex- 
ploring missionary  tour,  in  accordance  with  in- 
struct ioi>s  which  had  been  given  them  by  the 
Prudential  Committee  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M., 
visited  the  Nestorians.  They  found  it  not  safe  to 
attempt  to  penetrate  the  Koordish  mountains, 
but  spent  a  lew  days  at  Oroomiah,  and  became 
much  interested  in  the  condition  of  the  Nesto- 
rian  church,  and  satisfied  that  a  favorable  open- 
ing for  missionary  effort  was  there  presented. 
Their  report  led  to  the  formation  of  the  mission. 
In  Januarv,  1833,  soon  after  the  report  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Prudential  Committee,  Mr.  Justin 
Perkins,  then  a  tutor  in  Amherst  College,  was 
appointed  to  commence  the  mission.  In  the 
instructions  given  to  him  the  main  object  of 
the  mission  was  defined  to  be  to  bring  about 
a  change  which  would  "  enable  the  Nestorian 
church,  through  the  grace  of  God,  to  exert  a 
commanding  influence  in  the  spiritual  regener- 
ation of  Asia."  Considering  the  past  history 
of  that  church,  its  present  state,  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  people  embraced  in  it,  it  was 
hoped  that,  brought  again  to  a  fuller  knowl- 
edge ot  the  truth,  and  to  feel  the  regenerating 
and  sanctifying  power  of  truth  attended  by  the 
influences  of  the  Spirit,  the  members  of  that 
church  would  again  become,  not  only  them- 
selves true  disciples  of  Christ  and  heirs  of  life, 
but  efficient  laborers  in  the  great  work  of 
building  up  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  through- 
out the  w  orld. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Perkins  sailed  from  Boston 
Sent.  21, 1833.  Tlic  Committee  had  not  been 
able  as  yet  to  find  a  physician  for  the  mission, 
and  it  was  not  thought  best  to  delay  their  de^ 
parture  on  that  account,  as  Mr.  Perkins  could, 
while  waiting  for  a  colleague  at  Constantino^ 


pie,  avail  himself  of  facilities  which  he  might 
there  find  for  acquiring  the  language  of  the 
Nestorians.  They  reached  Constantinople  on 
the  21st  of  December,  and  on  the  17lh  of  May 
following,  feeling  constrained,  without  waiting 
longer  for  associates,  to  proceed  on  their  way, 
they  sailed  for  Trebizoud,  the  port  on  the 
Black  Sea  from  wliich  their  land  journey 
must  commence.  They  left  this  place  on  the 
16th  of  June ;  but,  owing  to  the  incursions 
of  Koordish  robbers  upon  the  Turkish  fron- 
tiers, they  w-ere  much  detained  and  annoyed  on 
their  journey,  were  obliged  to  take  a  circuit- 
ous route  throngh  Russian  provinces,  and  did 
not  reach  Tabreez  until  the  28th  of  August. 
Sir  John  Campbell,  British  ambassador  at 
Tabreez,  to  whom  Mr.  Perkins  had  written, 
stating  their  detentions  and  perplexities,  sent 
a  courier  to  meet  them,  and  also  a  kind  of  lit- 
ter borne  by  mules,  for  the  accommodation  of 
Mrs.  Perkins  (who  had  been  brought  by  hard- 
ships into  a  critical  state  of  health,)  with  a 
supply  of  provisions.  The  next  day,  August 
21st,  they  were  also  met  by  Dr.  Reach,  the 
physician  of  the  British  embassy,  whose  kind 
regard  for  their  welfare  had  brought  him  about 
sixty  miles,  that  he  might  render  them  assist- 
ance. 

As  no  European  resided  at  Oroomiah  it  was 
not  thought  prudent  for  Mr.  Perkins  to  pro- 
ceed there  until  he  should  be  joined  by  an  asso- 
ciate, and  he  resolved  to  remain  at  l^abreez. 
Anxious,  however,  to  be  making  all  possible 
progress  in  acquiring  the  modern  Syriac  lan- 
guage, he  went  to  Oroomiah  in  October,  ac- 
companied by  Rev.  Mr.  Haas  of  the  Basle  Mis- 
sionary Society,  who  was  residing  at  Tabreez, 
to  procure  a  teacher.  He  obtained  Mar  (bish- 
op) Yohannan  to  return  with  him  to  Tabreez 
as  his  teacher,  and  the  bishop  took,  as  his 
"  servant "  and  companion,  priest  Abraham,  an 
intelligent  young  man,  who  became  from  the 
first  one  of  the  most  valuable  native  helpers  in 
the  mission. 

On  the  11th  of  May,  1835,  Dr.  Grant,  leaving 
a  large  and  lucrative  practice,  and  a  circle  ot 
warm  friends  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  sailed  from  Bos- 
ton with  his  wife  to  join  this  mission.  They 
reached  Tabreez  Oct.  15.  After  resting  a  few 
days  Dr.  Grant  proceeded  to  Oroomiah  to  make 
arrangements.  Comfortable  houses  were  soon 
provided,  and  on  the  20th  of  November,  Mr. 
Perkins  arrived  with  his  wife  and  Mrs.  Grant. 
The  first  missionaries  to  the  Nestorians  had 
now  reached  their  destination,  and  their  com- 
ing was  greeted  by  the  people  with  great  cor- 
diality. Dr.  Grant's  professional  character 
served  to  secure  the  favor  of  the  Persian  gov- 
ernor, and  the  Nestorian  bishops  and  priests 
at  once  gave  them  their  cordial  co-operation 
in  the  prosecution  of  their  missionary  labors, 
regarding  them  not  as  rivals,  but  as  coadjutors 
with  them  in  a  necessary  work  of  instruction 
and  improvement  among  the  people.  A  school 
was  soon  projected  for  educating  teachers  and 


NESTORIANS. 


557 


other  native  helpers,  to  be  taught  by  priest 
Abraham  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Perkins. 
It  was  commenced  on  the  18th  of  Jan.,  1836, 
with  seven  pupils  from  the  city,  and  the  next 
day  11  boarding  scholars  were  received  from 
abroad.  Among  the  pupils  were  three  deacons 
and  one  priest.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  these 
new  favors  conferred  upon  their  Christian  sub- 
jects excited  the  jealousy  of  the  Mohammedans, 
who  resentfully  asked,  "Arc  we  to  be  passed 
by  ?"  and  to  quiet  their  minds  Dr.  Grant  was 
obliged  to  devote  a  few  hours  each  day  to 
teaching  a  school  of  Mussulman  boys. 

In  presenting  some  view  of  the  subsequent 
history  aad  the  success  of  the  mission  thus 
commenced,  a  topical  and  not  a  chronological 
arrangement  will  be  followed.  The  subjoined 
table  will  show  what  laborers  have  been  sent 
from  the  United  States  to  the  mission,  who  of 
these  laborers  have  deceased,  and  who  have 
returned  to  their  native  land.  Mr.  Merrick 
accompanied  Dr.  Grant  to  Tabrecz  in  1835,  to 
commence  an  experimental  mission  among  the 
Mohammedans  of  Persia.  He  resided  some 
years  at  Tabreez,  but  no  such  promise  of  use- 
fulness was  found  as  to  warrant  the  continu- 
ance of  a  distinct  mission,  and  in  1841  he  re- 
moved to  Oroomiah.  In  1845  he  returned  to 
the  United  States. 

MISSIONARY  LABORERS  FROM  THE  UNITED  STATES 
WHO  HAVE  BEEN  CONNECTED  WITH  THE  NES- 
TORIAN    MISSION. 


P 

i 
s 

Rev.  Justin  Perkins,  D.D 

1833 
1833 
1835 
1835 
1335 
1837 
1837 
1837 
1837 
1839 
1839 
1840 
1840 
1841 
1841 
1841 
1841 
1842 
1842 
1843 
1843 
1843 
1843 
1847 
1847 
1847 
1849 
1849 
1849 
1851 
1851 
1851 
1852 
1852 

1842 
1842 
1840 

1845 
1846 
1846 
1853 
1853 
1845 
1845 

1847 

1843 
1843 
1841 

1849 

Mrs.  Charlotte  B.  Perkins 

1844 
1839 

1854 

1842 

1841 
1841 

1843 

1848 

1854 

Asahel  Grant,  M.D 

Mrs.  Grant 

Rer.  James  L.  Merrick 

Rev.  Albert  L.  Halladay 

Mrs.  Halladay 

Rev.  William  R.  Stocking 

Mrs.  Jerusba.  E.  Stocking 

Rev.  Willard  Jones 

Mrs.  Jones 

Austin  H.  Wright,  M.D. . . , 

Edward  Breath  (Printer) 

Rev.  Abel  K.  Hinsdale 

Mrs.  Hinsdale 

1846 
1848 

1851 

Rev.  Colby  C.  Mitchell  . . . 

Mrs.  Mitchell 

Rev.  Thomas  Laurie 

Rev.  David  T.  Stoddard 

Mrs.  Stoddard 

Miss  Fidelia  Fisk 

t 

Miss  Cath'ne  E.  Myers  (Mrs.  Wright) 
Rev.  Joseph  G.  Cochran 

Mrs.  Cochran 

Miss  Mary  Susan  Rice 

Rev.  George  W.  Coan 

Mrs.  Coan 

Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Breath 

Mrs.  Sophia  D.  Stoddard 

Rev.  Samuel  A,  Rhea 

Miss  Martlia  A.  Harris 

Rev.  Edward  H.  Crane 

Sirs.  Crane 

Object  aimed  at. — Cooperation  of  Ecclesiastics. 
— From   the   commencement  of  the  mission 
there  has  been  reason  to  hope  that  pure  r(^- 
gion  might  be  revived  in  the  small  Nestorian 
community  without  seriously  disturbing  the 
existing  ecclesiastical  constitution.    The  mis- 
sionaries have  not  sought  to  form  a  new  Chris- 
tian community,  but  to  bring  individuals,  both 
among  the  ecclesiastics  and  the  common  people, 
to  a  full  and  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
hoping  that  such  a  change  might  be  brought 
about  by  the  grace  of  God  as  should  cause  the 
forsaking  of  false  doctrines,  so  far  as  such  were 
held,  the  laying  aside  of  whatever  was  super- 
stitious or  unscriptural,  and  the  establishing  of 
a  pure  church  upon  existing  foundations.    It 
seemed  at  least  best  to  make  the  experiment, 
and  to  leave  the  question  as  to  the  necessity  or 
propriety  of  forming  new  churches  to  be  de- 
cided by  time  and  providential  circumstances. 
There   has   been  the  more  reason,   and  the 
more    encouragement,   for    pursuing    such  a 
course,  from  the  fact  that  many  of  the  leading 
ecclesiastics,  so  far  from  setting  themselves  in 
opposition  to  the  missionaries  and  to  their  in- 
structions, as  has  been  done  so  generally  among 
'  the  Armenians  and  the  Greeks,  have  been  de- 
cidedly friendly,  and  in  not  a  few  instances 
have  earnestly  cooperated  in  every  effort  to 
elevate  and  evangelize  the  people.    The  four 
bishops  on  the  plain.  Mar  Yohannan,  Mar  Elias, 
Mar  Joseph,  and  Mar  Gabriel,  exhibited  friend- 
liness, and  a  disposition  to  favor  the  objects  of 
the  mission  from  the  first,  and  the  missionaries 
early  made  it  an  object  of  special  attention  to 
instruct  and  benefit  these  and  other  ecclesias- 
tics.   The  four  bishops  named  were  placed  in 
the  relation  of  boarding  pupils  to  the  mission, 
and  for  several  years  the  three  first  received 
daily  instruction  in  a  theological  or  Bible  class, 
forming,  with  some  priests  and  other  promising 
young  men,  the  first  class  in  the  seminary. 
They  were  also  soon  employed  as  native  help- 
ers to  the  mission,  and  as  early  as  1841  Mr. 
Perkins  speaks  of  some  of  the  ecclesiastics  as 
"  enlightened,    and   we    trust    really   pious." 
"  They  not  only  allow  us  to  preach  in  their 
churches,  but  urge  us  to  do  so ;  and  are  for- 
ward   themselves   in  every  good  word    and 
work."    It  is  an  important  fact  that  through 
the  schools  which  have  been  established,  almost 
the  entire  education  of  ecclesiastics  is  now  in 
the  hands  of  the  missionaries. 

British  and  Russian  protecticm — Kindness  of 
British  officials. — The  kindness  of  Sir  John 
Campbell  to  Mr.  Perkins  has  been  already 
mentioned.  In  1835,  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
Et.  Hon.  Henry  Ellis,  British  Ambassador  to 
Persia,  the  missionaries  asked  and  obtained 
from  him  English  protection,  and  the  ambas- 
sador and  his  suite  ever  extended  to  them  all 
possible  kindness.  When  the  English  embassy 
was  withdrawn  from  Persia,  with  a  prospect 
of  war  in  1839,  the  missionaries  applied  for 
protection  to  the  Russian  consul-general  at 


658 


NESTORIANS. 


Tabrceat,  who  clioorfully  gftve  them  passports, 
and  took  other  uunisurea  to  insure  their  safety, 
9d  for  many  years  Kussiau  protection  was 
cxtonthnl  to  them.  In  1851,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Mr.  i^tovens,  British  Consul  at  Tabreez,  Bri- 
tijjh  protection  wjis  again  solicited,  and  at  once 
ffrantixl.  Tlic  many  instances  in  which  Mr. 
Stevens  has  manifested  the  kindest  interest  in 
the  welfare  of  the  missionaries,  and  has  ren- 
dered them  assistance,  can  here  only  be  alluded 
to,  but  arc  worthy  of  most  grateful  notice,  as 
ore  also  the  self-sacrificing  and  earnest  efforts 
made  in  behalf  of  suffering  native  helj)ers  of 
the  mission  during  recent  difficulties  in  the 
mountains,  by  Col.  Williams,  British  Commis- 
sioner for  settling  the  boundary  between  Tur- 
key and  Persia.  Persian  officers,  also,  have 
often  manifested  much  readiness  to  afford  pro- 
tection and  prevent  violence  and  wrong  from 
rosing  ecclesiastics,  Jesuit  or  jSTestorian,  as 
at  times  from  rude  and  abusive  Moham- 
medans. 

The  Press — Translating. — When  the  mis- 
sionaries commenced  their  labors  at  Oroomiah 
they  at  once  felt  the  want  of  a  press  and  a 
printer.  Very  few  books  were  to  be  found 
among  the  people,  and  these  were  in  a  lan- 
guage not  understood.  Excepting  the  Psalms, 
the  mission  had  discovered  in  1838  but  one 
copy  of  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  and 
that  was  in  three  or  four  separate  volumes, 
the  property  of  different  individuals.  The 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  had  printed 
the  Gospels  in  the  Nestorian  character,  but 
scarcely  more  than  one  copy  of  the  Acts  and 
of  the  Epistles  could  be  found,  and  none  of  the 
Book  of  Revelations  in  that  character.  Much 
delay,  however,  was  experienced  in  finding  a 
winter.  At  last,  on  the  21st  of  July,  1840, 
Mr.  Breath  sailed  from  Boston,  taking  with 
him  an  iron  press,  constructed  of  so  many 
pieces  that  it  could  be  transported  on  horse- 
back from  Trebizond  to  Oroomiah.  He  reached 
Oroomiah,  Nov.  17th,  and  the  press  was  im- 
mediately put  in  operation,  exciting  great  in- 
terest among  both  Nestorians  and  Mohamme- 
dans. 1 ,600  volumes,  and  3,600  tracts,  amount- 
ing in  all  to  510,400  pages,  were  reported  as 
having  been  printed  in  1841.  In  1843  a  new 
foot  of  type,  cut  and  cast  expressly  for  the 
mission,  modeled  after  the  best  Syriac  manu- 
scripts, was  forwarded  from  the  United  States. 
The  printing,  up  to  the  close  of  the  year  1850, 
had  amounted  to  6,228,200  pages.  Probably 
more  than  2,000,000  of  pages  have  been  print- 
ed since  that  time. 

^  On  the  15th  of  February,  1836,  the  mis- 
sionaries commenced  the  great  work  of  trans- 
lating the  Bible  into  the  modern  Syriac,  the 
spoken  language  of  the  Nestorians.  In  1846 
an  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  with  the  an- 
cient and  the  modern  Syriac  in  parallel  co- 
lumns, was  carried  through  the  press.  Near 
the  close  of  1852,  the  whole  Bible  was  printed 
in  a  language  which  the  people  could  under- 


stand.  The  Old  Testament  has  been  printed 
like  the  New,  with  the  ancient  and  modern 
languages  in  parallel  columns,  and  thus  the 
living  and  life-giving  Word  of  God  is  going 
abroad  among  the  people  in  an  attractive  Ibrni, 
and  "  in  their  own  tongue  wherein  they  were 
born,"  though  a  few  years  since,  that  was  not 
a  written  language.  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Pro- 
gress also,  Baxter's  Saint's  liest,  and  other 
valuable  religious  books  are  given  to  the  peo- 
ple. For  the  last  three  or  four  years  a  month- 
ly paper,  "  The  Rays  of  Light,"  has  been  pub- 
lished, containing  a  great  amount  and  variety 
of  valuable  reading  matter.  Thus  a  literature 
has  been  already  created  for  the  Nestorians. 
Small,  indeed,  as  yet,  if  we  except  the  Bible, 
which  alone  is  not  small ;  but  of  immense  va- 
lue, and  steadily  increasing. 

Schools. — In  the  mean  time  the  schools  estab- 
lished have  been  raising  up  a  community  of 
readers.  Mention  has  already  been  made  of 
the  opening  of  a  seminary  for  the  education 
of  native  teachers  and  preachers,  on  the  18th 
of  January,  1836.  The  next  Sabbath  the  pu- 
pils requested  permission  to  attend  the  English 
worship  of  the  mission,  and  this  they  continued 
to  do  with  much  interest.  For  some  years 
this  seminary  was,  of  course,  in  an  incipient 
state,  giving  instruction  only  in  the  elements 
of  knowledge  ;  but  it  had  from  the  first,  dea- 
cons, and  priests,  and  bishops  among  the  pu- 
pils, and  was  gradually  rising  in  its  character 
as  a  literary  institution.  There  were  50  pupils 
in  1838.  Early  in  1841  the  school  was  re- 
organized and  improved  ;  the  qualifications  for 
admission  were  raised ;  the  primary  depart- 
ment was  excluded,  and  a  better  system  of 
instruction  was  introduced.  The  two  teachers 
were  "  deacons  from  the  mountains,"  and  were 
"  among  the  best  scholars  of  the  nation."  The 
number  of  pupils  was  thus  for  a  time  dimin- 
ished, but  soon  increased  to  more  than  the  for- 
mer number.  In  1845  it  was  again  entirely 
re-organized,  with  the  design  to  "  reduce  its 
numbers,  make  the  instruction  more  systematic 
and  thorough,  and  exert  a  stronger  religious 
influence  over  the  pupils  ;"  and  in  1846  it  was 
removed  from  Oroomiah  to  Seir,  the  health 
retreat  of  the  mission.  It  has  exerted  a  great 
influence  for  good,  and  has  been  highly  esteem- 
ed by  the  people — the  desire  to  obtain  admis- 
sion having  been  often  very  great.  In  1852, 
the  report  gives  40  as  the  number  of  students 
"  of  whom  30  are  hopefully  pious."  Regular 
instruction  in  theology  is  now  given  to  the 
most  advanced  class.  One  of  the  pupils  "  is 
designed  to  succeed  the  present  bishop  of  the 
largest  ^cese  in  Oroomiah  ;  several  are  from 
mountain  districts,  and  one  from  Bootan,  in 
the  extreme  western  part  of  the  field." 

In  March,  1838,  a  female  boarding-school 
was  commenced  in  the  mission  premises.  A 
few  girls  had  previously  been  in  the  seminary, 
and  in  some  village  schools,  already  commenc- 
ed, but  the  idea  of   female    education  was 


NESTORIAKS. 


559 


strange  to  tlie  Kestorians,  and  until  about 
this  time  the  missionaries  had  not  ventured  to 
commence  a  school  exclusively  for  girls,  fear- 
ing it  might  excite  prejudice.  Now  the  Nes- 
torians  had  become  acquainted  with  them,  had 
learned  to  confide  in  them,  and  seemed  fully 
prepared  to  sustain  such  a  measure.  The  ec- 
clesiastics connected  with  their  families,  were 
active  in  recommending  it,  and  the  mission- 
aries at  once  looked  upon  this  female  school, 
in  which  there  were  some  16  girls,  as  one  of 
the  most  hopeful  departments  of  their  work. 
Since  1843,  this  school  has  been  under  the 
care  of  Miss  Fidelia  Fisk,  from  Shelburn 
Mass.,  who  has  shown  herself  eminently  fitted 
for  the  place,  and  has  been  eminently  useful  in 
it.  Miss  Rice,  from  Lincoln,  Mass.,  has  been 
for  several  years  associated  with  Miss  Fisk. 
Though  a  few  years  since,  it  was  a  novelty, 
and  considered  as  disgraceful  to  teach  ISTesto- 
rian  females ;  now,  "  an  examination  of  this 
female  seminary  draws  together  all  the  princi- 
pal men  and  women  of  the  Nestorian  commu- 
nity, who  sit  and  listen  with  unwearied  interest 
for  two  days  together."  There  were  42  pupils 
in  1852,  and  Mr.  Stoddard  "  doubts  whether 
he  ever  attended  an  examination  of  greater 
excellence "  than  that  of  this  institution. 
Both  this  and  the  male  seminary  have  been 
repeatedly  favored  with  large  measures  of  the 
special  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  first  village  free  school  of  which  notice 
is  found  in  connection  with  the  mission,  was 
commenced  about  August,  1836,  at  Ada,  the 
residence  of  Mar  Yoosuph  (Joseph)  about  15 
miles  from  the  city.  Three  months  after  it 
was  commenced,  Mr.  Perkins  visited  it,  and 
says  :  "  It  now  numbers  about  40  children, 
and  is  as  well  regulated  as  any  school  I  ever 
visited."  It  was  attended  by  girls  as  well  as 
boys-i— "  a  great  novelty  among  the  Nesto- 
rians."  This  school,  and  others  which  began 
now  to  be  formed,  were  collected,  and  taught 
by  those  who  had  been  under  the  instruction 
of  the  missionaries  in  the  seminary.  In  1837 
there  were  tliree  free  schools.  In  1841  there 
were  17,  in  16  different  villages.  The  number 
rapidly  increased,  and  in  1843  there  were  40 
schools  in  36  villages,  with  635  male  and  128 
female  pupils,  and  56  teachers,  of  whom  22 
were  priests  and  26  deacons.  In  June,  1844, 
it  was  judged  best,  from  circumstances  grow- 
ing out  of  the  opposition  of  the  patriarch  to 
the  mission,  and  other  difficulties,  to  dismiss 
all  the  schools,  but  they  were  again  commenc- 
ed in  October,  1845,  in  compliance  with  the 
earnest  wishes  of  both  ecclesiastics  and  peo- 
ple. The  character  of  these  village  free 
schools  has  been  improving  ;  the  Bible  is  the 
prominent  text  book,  and  their  influence  is 
great  and  most  happy.  In  April,  1851,  Mr. 
Stocking,  who  had  then  the  superintendence  of 
the  schools,  reported  45  schools,  with  871  pu- 
pils, of  whom  203  were  females.  The  teach- 
ers, with  but  few  exceptions,  had  been  mem- 


bers of  the  seminary ;  many  of  them  were 
hopefully  pious,  and  all  were  regarded  as 
evangelical  in  sentiment.  In  June,  1853,  the 
number  of  schools  had  increased  to  78. 

About  the  first  of  January,  1840,  a  regular 
school  was  commenced  for  Mussulman  boys, 
aad  soon  numbered  10  promising  boys  and 
young  men  as  pupils,  but  it  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  long  sustained. 

Preaching — Native  Helpers. — The  preach- 
ing service  on  the  mission  premises  at  Oroomi- 
ah,  on  the  Sabbath,  was  attended  by  the  pu- 
pils of  the  two  seminaries,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  these  institutions.  The  missionaries 
had  preached  also  extensively  in  their  village 
schools,  during  the  week,  but  they  were  taken 
quite  by  surprise,  when  in  February,  1838, 
Mar  Yohannan,  requested  Mr.  Perkins  to  go 
into  their  church  every  Sabbath  and  feast 
days,  and  preach  the  Uospel  to  the  people, 
stating,  that  he  and  other  priests  had  often 
spoken  on  the  subject,  and  unanimously  desir- 
ed that  he  Avould  do  so.  The  invitation  was 
complied  with,  at  first  with  some  reluctance, 
as  they  had  not  supposed  that  ecclesiastics  and 
people  were  yet  ready  for  such  a  measure. — 
[Perkins'  "  Residence  in  Persia,"  p.  333.) 

A  jugular  Sabbath  service  by  the  mission- 
aries,lin  a  Nestorian  church,  in  Oroomiah, 
does  not  appear,  however,  to  have  been  com- 
menced until  March,  1840.  {Missionary  He- 
rald, 1840,  p.  493.)  At  this  time,  to  meet  the 
wishes  of  such  as  could  not  find  seats  at  the 
mission  house,  inquiry  was  made  for  a  private 
house,  in  which  they  might  hold  a  service. 
But  deacons,  and  priests,  and  three  bishops, 
who  were  consulted,  all  insisted  that  the  ser- 
vice should  be  in  the  church.  There  would  be 
no  jealousy,  they  said.  "  Do  you  think,"  ask- 
ed Mar  Yohannan,  "  that  we  do  not  know 
lambs  from  wolves  ?"  The  missionaries  had 
before  preached  at  times  in  different  churches 
in  the  city  and  villages,  at  the  request  of  the 
officiating  bishop  or  priest ;  but  now  this  work 
seemed  fairly  commenced,  and  calls  for  preach- 
ing multipled.  Within  a  short  time  those 
who  were  able  to  use  the  language,  preached 
usually  three  times  each  on  the  Sabbath,  to  as 
many  different  congregations,  in  villages,  some 
miles  apart.  There  were  7  regular  preaching 
stations  before  the  close  of  the  year.  A  great 
door  for  usefulness  was  thus  opened,  and  it  has 
not  been  closed.  The  missionaries  have  entire 
access  to  the  people  on  the  plain,  preaching  in 
their  churches,  wherever  they  can  go. 

But  the  Gospel  is  now  preached  among  the 
people  not  by  the  missionaries  only.  When 
the  mission  was  commenced,  the  ecclesiastics 
were  not  preachers,  and  their  public  religious 
services  were  not  preaching  services.  But 
bishops  and  priests  have  been  pupils  in  the 
schools,  and  bishops  and  priests  have  felt  the 
force  of  truth, — have  become  new  creatures  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  are  now,  in  some  cases,  zeal- 
ous and    impressive  preachers.     And    some 


660 


NESTORIANS. 


yoang  men  who  have  been  educated  at  the 
Bominwy,  and  have  become  apuarently  devoted 
Christians,  have  been  ordained  bv  the  bishops 
of  their  clmrch,  and  are  thus  fully  introduced 
into  the  work  of  the  ministry.  In  1844,  five 
intelli"ent  native  preachers  aided  the  mission- 
aries in  maintaiuing  "  preaching,  more  or  less, 
ot  a  score  of  places."  The  patriarch  has  at 
times  opposed,  and  some  of  the  bishops,  in 
1837,  prohibited  the  pious  helpers  of  the  mis- 
sion from  preaching  in  their  dioceses  ;  but,  to 
a  great  extent,  the  whole  field  is,  and  has  been, 
open  to  them,  and  among  them  are  some  who 
make  extensive  tours,  not  only  on  the  plain, 
but  in  the  mountain  districts,  as  zealous  and 
able  evangelists.  At  a  meeting  of  the  mis- 
sion, in  September,  1851,  a  plan  was  devised, 
by  which  it  was  hoped  the  Gospel  would  soon 
be  carried  to  all  the  Nestoriaus  of  Persia. 
For  the  mouth  ending  January  16, 1852,  there 
were  reported  29  places  where  there  had  been 
at  least  one  preaching  service  each  Sabbath, 
and  in  several  of  these  places  two  or  three  ser- 
vices. In  13  other  villages  there  had  been 
preaching  once  or  ofteuer  within  the  month. 
Seven  of  the  native  helpers  of  the  mission  are 
now  regularly  employed  as  preachers,  and 
others,  though  they  have  other  emplo¥nieut, 
preach  every  Sabbath,  and  at  other  f|imes. 
**  The  line  of  demarcation  between  an  evange- 
lically reformed  church  and  a  mere  dead  Chris- 
tianity, is  becoming  more  and  more  distinct." 
Mar  Yohannan  boldly  discards  many  customs 
of  the  church,  and  seems  disposed,  as  do  the 
native  helpers  of  the  mission  and  those  who 
have  been  educated  in  the  schools,  to  go  on 
with  the  work  of  reformation. 

Opposition  from  Papists  and  the  Patriarch. — 
The  missionaries  have  not  prosecuted  their 
work  without  meeting  with  obstacles  and 
trials,  as  well  as  with  encouragements.  Jesu- 
its and  others  of  the  Romish  church,  whose 
missionaries  have  so  often,  for  many  centuries, 
tried  to  induce  the  Nestorians  to  come  under 
allegiance  to  the  pope,  were  not  idle  after  the 
American  missionaries  commenced  their  labors. 
In  1837,  a  Roman  Catholic  bishop,  from  Sal- 
mas,  came  to  Oroomiah,  professing  to  have  a 
large  sum  of  money  to  aid  Nestorians  who 
would  join  his  church.  Other  emissaries  of 
Rome  followed,  and  earnest  efforts  were  made 
to  undermine  the  influence  of  the  mission,  and 
secure  among  the  people  the  ascendancy  of 
popery.  Such,  however,  were  the  folly  and 
rashness  of  the  proceedings  of  French  Jesuits 
among  the  Armenians  of  Isfahan  and  Tabreez, 
that,  in  1842,  they  were  expelled  from  Persia, 
and  an  order  was  passed  by  the  government, 
prohibiting  all  proselyting  from  one  Christian 
sect  to  another.  Remaining  quiet  for  a  while, 
some  of  the  Jesuits  soon  made  their  way  to 
the  province  of  Oroomiah,  and  recommenced 
their  proselyting  career  among  the  Nestorians, 
with  even  greater  zeal  and  assurance  than  they 
had  before  used,  resorting  to  the  most  unprin- 


cipled and  hazardous  expedients,  which  led  to 
their  second  expulsion.  The  French  govern- 
ment sent  an  envoy  to  Pei-sia  to  obtain  per- 
mission for  them  to  return.  Failing  in  this, 
every  effort  was  made  to  procure  the  banish- 
ment of  the  American  missionaries,  on  the 
ground  that  they,  too,  were  violating  the  law, 
in  making  proselytes.  It  seemed  necessary 
that  Messrs.  Perkins  and  Stocking  should  go 
to  Teheran,  in  November,  1844,  to  counteract 
the  influence  which  was  exerted ;  and,  for  a 
considerable  time,  much  solicitude  was  felt ; 
but,  aided  by  the  kind  offices  of  the  Russian 
ambassador,  the  missionaries  and  their  friends 
satisfied  the  government  that  the  charges 
against  thera  were  not  true,  and  they  were 
permitted  to  remain.  In  1851,  an  edict  of 
toleration  was  promulgated  by  the  Persian 
government,  granting  equal  protection  to  all 
Christian  subjects,  and  permitting  them  to 
change  their  religion  or  denomination  at  their 
pleasure.  Of  course,  the  Papists  are  again 
active,  and  will  do  what  they  can.  It  is  as- 
cribed by  the  people  to  the  influence  of  the 
mission,  that  their  efforts  have  been,  as  yet,  so 
unsuccessful,  and,  as  they  have  now  truth,  and 
light,  and  piety,  to  meet,  it  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed that  they  can  now  do  what  they  might 
once  have  done. 

The  Nestorian  patriarch,  Mar  Shimon,  re- 
siding in  a  region  almost  wholly  inaccessible, 
had  never  been  visited  by  any  of  the  mission- 
aries until  Dr.  Grant  penetrated  the  mountain 
districts  in  1839.  He  was  cordially  received, 
and  was,  for  more  than  a  month,  the  guest  of 
the  patriarch,  who  then  urged  that  schools 
and  missionary  labor  should  be  commenced  in 
the  mountains.  Up  to  this  time,  the  Nestori- 
ans of  Koordistan  had  been,  in  their  mountain 
fastnesses,  as  they  were  called,  independent; 
but  in  1843,  determined  hostilities  were  com- 
menced against  them  by  Koordish  chiefs,  en- 
couraged by  the  Turks,  which  resulted,  after 
some  months  of  terrible  warfare,  in  their  en- 
tire subjugation.  The  patriarch  fled  to  Mosul, 
and  some  of  his  brothers  escaped  to  Oroomiah. 
Here,  in  necessitous  circumstances,  they  threw 
themselves  upon  the  hospitality  of  the  mission- 
aries, and  when  the  hospitality  afforded  was 
more  limited  than  were  their  desires,  and  they 
were  informed  that  no  more  could  be  done  for 
theni,  they  attempted  to  coerce  by  opposition. 
In  the  mean  time,  an  influence  hostile  to  the 
mission  had  been  successfully  exerted  on  the 
patriarch  himself  at  Mosul,  and  he  sustained 
his  brothers  in  their  course.  By  such  influ- 
ences, some  of  the  higher  ecclesiastics  at  Oroo- 
miah were  led  also  into  more  or  less  decided 
opposition,  for  a  time.  In  June,  1844,  it  was 
thought  best,  in  view  of  the  difficulties  thus 
brought  about,  to  dismiss  all  the  village 
schools.  As  the  male  seminary  needed  re-or- 
ganization, the  necessity  for  dismissing  this 
also  was  not  so  much  regretted  ;  but  when,  in 
the  course  of  the  summer,  it  became  necessary. 


NESTORIANS. 


561 


as  was  then  supposed,  to  disband  the  female 
seminary,  "  the  tears  and  sobs  of  the  pupils 
told,  more  expressively  than  language  could 
have  done,  the  bitterness  of  their  hearts." 
The  missionaries  could  not  restrain  their  tears, 
and  the  stoutest  Nestorians  who  were  standing 
by  were  melted.  Both  seminaries  were,  how- 
ever, soon  reopened.  Ecclesiastics  and  others, 
who  were  for  a  time  led  to  oppose  by  the  pa- 
triarch and  his  family,  were  again  cooperating 
with  the  mission  with  apparent  cordiality  in 
October  of  this  year,  (1844,)  and  not  long 
after,  the  brothers  of  the  patriarch  were  them- 
selves apparently  wishing  to  regain  their 
standing  with  the  missionaries. 

In  June,  1847,  the  patriarch,  distrusting  the 
motives  of  the  Turkish  government,  by  which 
he  had  been  invited  to  visit  Constantinople, 
fled  from  Mosul  to  Oroomiah.  Two  of  his 
brothers  then  there.  Deacon  Isaac  and  Deacon 
Dunka,liad  now  been.  Deacon  Isaac  especially, 
for  two  years,  apparently  decided  friends  of 
the  mission,  and  for  some  mouths  the  patriarch 
himself  put  on  the  appearance  of  friendliness  ; 
but  in  April,  1846,  he  took  the  stand  of  open 
and  decided  opposition.  Not  satisfied  to  use 
persuasion  only,  and  not  content  with  ecclesi- 
astical interdicts,  he  employed  the  most  abusive 
language  towards  the  pious  Nestorians,  threat- 
ening imprisonment  and  the  bastinado.  His 
servants  and  Koords,  instigated  by  him,  re- 
sorted to  violence ;  and  some  of  the  pious 
native  helpers  of  the  mission  were  cruelly 
abused.  During  these  troubles,  Mr.  Stevens, 
the  British  consul  at  Tabreez,  exerted  himself 
in  the  most  efficient  manner  for  the  protection 
of  the  mission.  Through  his  influence  mainly, 
the  Persian  government  interfered  decidedly, 
in  September,  to  put  a  stop  to  the  violence  of 
the  patriarch  and  his  most  active  instruments. 
In  these  difficulties,  the  prominent  Nestorian 
ecclesiastics  did  not  hesitate  to  oppose  the 
course  of  their  own  patriarch,  the  head  of 
their  church,  giving  their  sympathy  and  co- 
operation to  the  mission.  In  1849  the  patri- 
arch returned  to  the  mountains.  There  he  has 
remained,  sometimes  making  professions  of 
friendship  ;  but  instigating,  probably,  to  the 
opposition  which  has  been  made  to  recent 
efforts  to  plant  a  permanent  missionary  station 
in  the  mountain  district  of  Gawar.  His  influ- 
ence, especially  with  the  Nestorians  of  the 
plain,  has  been  greatly  diminished,  as  the  influ- 
ence of  the  truth  has  increased  among  the 
people. 

Revivals. — In  January,  1844,  this  mission 
was  favored  with  some  tokens  of  the  special 
presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  A  few,  mostly 
young  men  of  promise,  who  had  long  been 
members  of  the  seminary,  or  in  some  way  con- 
nected with  the  mission,  gave  cheering  evi- 
dence that  they  had  passed  from  death  to  life. 
In  the  summer  of  1845  there  was  an  interest- 
ing state  of  religious  feeling  at  Geog  Tapa,  the 
largest  Nestorian  village  on  the  plain,  which 
36 


has  since  been  greatly  favored.  The  first 
great  revival,  however,  commenced  in  Jan- 
uary, 1846.  The  first  instances  of  hopeful 
conversion  were  in  the  female  seminary,  but 
in  a  short  time,  many  in  both  seminaries  were 
inquiring  what  they  should  do  to  be  saved. 
The  feeling  became  general  and  very  deep, 
continuing  for  many  months  in  the  seminaries, 
and  extending  to  many  not  connected  with 
these  institutions.  John  and  Moses,  two 
young  men,  native  helpers  of  the  mission, 
labored  with  deep  interest  and  much  solicitude 
among  the  people  of  Geog  Tapa,  of  which 
place  it  was  said  in  March,  by  Dr.  Perkins,  "  a 
great  work  in  the  conversion  of  souls  is  in 
progress."  Not  far  from  50  persons  in  this 
village,  besides  pupils  in  the  two  seminaries 
from  the  village,  were  hopeful  subjects  of 
renewing  grace  during  the  progress  of  this 
work.  In  the  two  seminaries  there  were 
believed  to  be  also  now  about  50  truly  pious 
youth,  many  of  whom  manifested  great  interest 
in  efforts  for  the  conversion  of  others.  In  the 
village  of  Seir,  where  the  male  seminary  was 
located,  there  was  much  interest,  and  within  a 
few  months  it  was  stated  that  hopefully  pious 
persons  were  to  be  found  in  not  less  than 
eleven  villages  on  the  plain.  The  work  ex- 
tended also,  in  some  measure,  to  the  mountain 
districts.  Deacon  Guergis,  "  an  untamed 
mountaineer,"  came  to  visit  his  daughter,  who 
had  become  hopefully  a  Christian  in  the  female 
seminary,  and  was  soon  himself  bowing  with 
penitence  and  faith,  before  the  cross  of  Christ. 
Eeturning  to  his  mountain  home,  he  exerted 
at  once  a  most  happy  influence.  Others  from 
the  mountains  were  hopefully  converted  at 
Oroomiah,  and  during  the  year  several  excur- 
sions were  made  in  mountain  districts,  by 
members  of  the  mission  and  native  helpers ; 
especially  "  the  young  evangelist,  John,"  who 
made  extensive  missionary  tours,  with  happy 
results.  Thus  did  light  break  in  soon  after  the 
difficulties  with  the  papists  and  with  the  brothers 
of  the  patriarch  ;  ''  whose  powerful  influences 
from  without  and  from  within  had  combined 
to  embarrass,  and,  if  possible,  to  destroy  the 
mission."  Eight  months  after  the  commence- 
ment of  this  work,  not  less  than  150  hopeful 
converts  in  all  were  reckoned,  including  seve- 
ral ecclesiastics.  Early  in  1847,  the  female 
seminary  again  experienced  a  work  of  grace, 
when  it  was  hoped  that  9  others  of  the  pupils 
were  "  born  again."  Again,  in  1849,  follow- 
ing the  night  of  darkness  occasioned  by  the 
bitter  opposition  of  the  patriarch  in  1848,  a 
precious  revival  was  experienced,  commencing, 
as  in  1846,  in  the  two  seminaries  in  January, 
and  extending,  as  then,  to  Geog  Tapa  and 
many  other  Nestorian  villages.  During  this 
work.  Mar  Yohannan  and  Deacon  Isaac,  the 
friendly  brother  of  the  patriarch  before  men- 
tioned, were  both,  it  was  hoped,  truly  born  of 
God.  Another  work  of  grace  was  enjoyed  in 
1850,  commencing,  as  before,  in  the  seminaries- 


662 


NESTORIANS. 


and  extending  itself  abroad.  Though  not  as 
powcrrul  as  the  revival  of  the  i)reviou8  year,  it 
had  all  the  marks  of  a  true  work  of  the  Spirit, 
and  quite  a  number,  before  inipeiiitcnt,  were 
hopefully  rciiewetl,  while  Christians  were 
greatly  quickenetl.  In  1851,  also,  there  were 
uidicatlous  of  the  sixjcial  presence  of  the 
Spirit  at  about  the  same  period ;  and  in 
liUirch,  1853,  Dr.  Perkins  speaks  of  a  "  pre- 
cious refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
which  has  been  in  delightful  progress  in  our 
male  seminary,  and  in  the  village  of  Seir,  dur- 
ing most  of  the  past  mouth."  Few  modern 
missions  have  been  more  favored  mi\\  such 
tokens  of  God's  presence,  than  this  mission  to 
the  Ncstorians.  A  few  years  since,  none 
could  be  found  among  the  people  who  gave 
evidence  of  piety  ;  now,  hundreds  are  heirs  of 
the  grace  of  life.  ' 

EjJ'orts  for  the  Mountain  Nestorians, — In 
1837  the  Prudential  Committee  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  said,  in  their  annual  report,  "  The 
Committee  look  with  great  interest  to  the  day 
when  a  branch  of  this  mission  shall  exist 
among  the  independent  Nestorians.  Among 
these  fierce  mountaineers  the  life  of  the  mis- 
sionary might  be  in  some  peril,  but  sanctified 
t)y  grace  they  would  make  excellent  soldiers  of 
the  cross."  It  having  become  obvious  that 
Dr.  Grant  could  not  endure  the  climate  of 
Oroomiah,  instructions  were  sent  to  him  to 
commence,  if  possible,  a  station  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Koordish  mountains,  in  the  hope 
that  from  there  access  might  be  gained  to  the 
mountains  themselves.  These  instructions  he 
received  in  Feb.  1839,  about  one  month  after 
he  had  been  called  to  bury  his  wife.  His  own 
wish  was  to  attempt  to  enter  the  mountains 
from  Persia  ;  but  overruled  in  this  he  started 
on  the  first  of  April  for  Erzrum,  where  he  ex- 
pected to  meet  Mr.  Homes,  of  the  Armenian 
mission,  who  was  to  be  his  temporary  associ- 
ate. Learning  that  Mr.  Homes  would  not 
meet  him  at  Erzrum,  he  went  to  Constantino- 
ple, and  there  finding  that  Mr.  H.  could  not 
at  once  be  spared  from  that  station,  with  cha- 
racteristic energy  he  proceeded  alone  to  Meso- 
potamia, it  being  undei-stood  that  he  should 
remain  at  or  near  Diarbekir  until  his  associate 
should  join  him.  He  reached  Diarbekir  May 
30,  and  "  found  the  public  mind  in  a  state  of 
suspense  and  expectation,  like  the  calm  which 
precedes  an  overwhelming  storm."  The  Turk- 
ish army  had  been  defeated  by  the  Koords, 
who  were  now  in  a  state  of  commotion,  and  a 
reign  of  violence  and  anarchy  at  once  com- 
menced. He  was  joined  by  Mr.  Homes  on  the 
3d  of  Jnly»  and  they  proceeded  together  to 
Mardin.  Here  they  were  in  great  danger,  and 
once  very  narrowly  escaped  with  their  lives, 
during  a  popular  tumult.  Finding  themselves 
beset  with  dangers,  and  learning  also  that  there 
•were  no  Nestorians  on  the  west  side  of  the 
mountains,  as  there  seemed  hardly  any  hope  of 
doing  good  in  that  vicinity,  after  remaining 


two  months,  Mr.  Homes  escaped  in  disguise  to 
Diarbekir,  and  returned  to  Constantinople. 
Dr.  Grant  resolved  to  spare  no  effort  to  obtain 
access  to  the  mountain  tribes,  and  proceeded 
to  Mosul,  200  miles  distant  on  the  Tigris,  where 
he  arrived  Sept.  20.  Here  he  found  the  coun- 
try more  quiet.  On  the  7th  of  October  he  left 
the  city,  and  in  a  few  days  was  in  the  heart  of 
the  mountain  region  of  Central  Koordistan. 
Riding  a  hardy  mule,  and  when  even  a  mule 
could  not  traverse  the  steep  and  broken  moun- 
tains, going  on  foot,  he  visited  the  Nestorians, 
by  whom  he  was  cordially  received  ;  spent  a 
month  with  the  patriarch,  and  proceeded 
through  the  country  of  the  Ilakary  Koords,  by 
way  of  Salraas,  to  Oroomiah,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  7th  of  December.  He  was  now  pre- 
pared to  urge  the  immediate  commencement 
of  missionary  effort  in  the  mountains,  and  re- 
gretted exceedingly  that  he  could  not  at  once 
enter  upon  labors  there.  In  May,  1840,  he 
again  crossed  the  mountains  with  his  little  son, 
four  years  of  age,  accompanied  by  Mar  Yohan- 
nan  and  Mar  Yoosuph,  on  his  way  to  the 
United  States.    He  reached  Boston  Oct.  3. 

January  18,  1841,  Rev.  Messrs.  Hinsdale 
and  Mitchell,  with  their  wives,  sailed  from 
Boston  for  the  field  among  the  then  indepen- 
dent Ncstorians.  Dr.  Grant  followed  on  the 
1st  of  April,  hoping  to  overtake  them.  Learn- 
ing at  Constantinople  that  they  would  proba- 
bly be  detained  at  Aleppo  by  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  country  on  the  route  which  they 
had  designed  to  take,  he  determined  to  go  by 
way  of  Trebizond  and  Erzrum.  From  Erz- 
rum he  went  to  Yan,  and  from  there  took  the 
shortest  route  to  the  country  of  the  Nestori- 
ans, and  on  the  8th  of  July  he  was  at  Jula- 
merk,  the  residence  of  the  patriarch,  by  whom 
he  was  again  cordially  received.  Messrs. 
Hinsdale  and  Mitchell  left  Aleppo  on  the  28th 
of  May,  to  go  by  way  of  Diarbekir  and  Mar- 
din  to  Mosul.  On  the  journey,  which  was  too 
late  in  the  season  for  traversing  the  hot  plains 
of  Mesopotamia,  Mr.  Mitchell  was  attacked 
with  a  fever  and  died  on  the  27th  of  June. 
Mrs.  Mitchell,  overcome  by  fatigue  and  grief, 
also  died  on  the  12th  of  July,  a  few  days  after 
reaching  Mosul.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hinsdale  both 
suffered  much  from  fatigue,  watching,  and  ex- 
posure, and  greatly  needed  assistance.  Dr. 
Grant,  hearing  of  these  trying  circumstances, 
hastened  to  Mosul,  where  his  arrival,  on  the 
25th  of  August,  was  most  seasonable,  as  Mr. 
Hinsdale  was  then  suffering  from  a  dangerous 
relapse  of  fever. 

In  the  spring  of  1842,  hostilities  having 
arisen  between  the  Turks  and  the  Koords  of 
Amadieh,  it  was  not  safe  to  attempt  going 
into  the  mountains.  Dr.  Grant  however  passed 
to  Oroomiah  by  way  of  Ravendoose.  Mr. 
Stocking  started  to  go  with  him  from  Oroo- 
miah to  the  mountains,  but  was  taken  sick  at 
Salmas,  on  the  way,  and  obliged  to  return. 
Dr.  Grant,  however,  having  obtained  assurance 


NESTORIANS. 


663 


of  protection  from  the  Hakary  chiefs,  the  con 
fidonce  of  one  of  whom,  Nooroolah  Bey,  he  had 
gained  three  years  before,  for  the  fourth  time 
determined  to  traverse  the  wild  fastnesses  of 
Koordistan,  without  a  missionary  associate, 
but  accompanied  by  Mar  Yoosuph.  Finding 
the  patriarch  at  an  encampment  of  one  of  the 
maleks  of  Tyary,  where  he  had  taken  refuge,  on 
a  mountain  summit  overlooking  the  Zab,  they 
descended  together  to  Ashita,  where  arrange- 
ments were  made  for  a  missionary  station. 
The  war  on  the  west  side  of  the  mountains 
being  ended,  Mr.  Hinsdale  left  Mosul  the  last 
of  September,  and  arrived  at  Ashita  in  ten 
days,  where  he  was  welcomed  by  the  people 
with  all  cordialityi  In  November  he  returned 
to  Mosul,  and  was  soon  taken  sick  of  typhus 
fever.  Dr.  Grant  came  to  his  relief,  but  on 
the  26th  of  December  he  rested  from  his  labors. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Laurie  left  the  United  States 
for  this  mission  July  29th,  1842,  and  reached 
Mosul  November  11th.  Eemaining  at  Mosul 
for  the  winter,  in  April,  1843,  Messrs.  Laurie 
and  Grant  went  to  the  new  station  at  Ashita, 
where  it  was  hoped  a  mission-house  would  be 
in  readiness  for  the  removal  of  the  females  in 
June.  A  school  was  opened,  with  20  pupils, 
and  the  patriarch  seemed  as  cordial  as  ever. 
Mr.  Laurie's  impressions  in  regard  to  the  field 
as  one  for  present  cultivation,  were  not,  how- 
ever, altogether  favorable. 

About  this  time  it  became  obvious  that  the 
Turkish  government  was  not  willing  that  mea- 
sures should  just  then  be  taken  to  elevate  the 
mountain  Nestorians,  as  they  wished  to  bring 
them  under  subjection  to  the  Sultan.  At  least 
they  were  not  willing  to  grant  firmans,  en- 
gaging the  protection  of  the  government,  to 
other  laborers  who  were  on  their  way  to  the 
field,  if  they  were  going  as  missionaries  to  this 
people.  A  storm  was  gathering  which  soon 
burst  upon  the  poor  Nestorians  with  terrible 
efiect.  The  Koords  commenced  hostilities  in 
June.  Dr.  Grant  fearlessly  visited  the  hostile 
chiefs,  Bader  Khan  Bey  of  the  Buhtan  Koords, 
and  Nooroolah  Bey,  or  Noor  Ali  Bey,  of  the 
Hakary  Koords,  who  made  no  secret  of  their 
designs,  but  promised  protection  to  the  mission 
property  at  Ashita.  The  scenes  which  now 
commenced,  and  continued  with  intervals  of 
comparative  quiet  for  several  months,  were 
fearful  in  the  extreme.  Thousands  of  the  Nes- 
torians,  men,  women  and  children,  were  mas- 
,sacred,  often  with  horrible  tortures;  others 
were  taken  to  a  terrible  captivity,  and  others 
fled.  Their  villages  were  utterly  destroyed, 
and  what  remained  of  the  people  in  central 
Koordistan  were  entirely  subdued,  and  reduced 
to  a  state  of  yet  deeper  poverty  and  wretched- 
ness than  they  had  known  before. 

The  devoted  Dr.  Grant,  who  had  so  often 
gone,  as  few  men  could  have  done  with  impu- 
nity, and  gaining  favor,  among  wild  mountain- 
eers and  savage  Koords,  was  now  about  to  rest 
from  his  labors.    He  died  at  Mosul,  on  the 


24th  of  April,  1844.  Mrs.  Laurie  had  pre- 
ceded him  to  the  grave,  in  Dec.  1843.  Doctor 
Azariah  Smith  joined  the  company  at  Mosul, 
in  March,  1844,  and  the  following  summer 
Messrs.  Laurie  and  Smith  once  more  explored 
the  mountain  district  of  Tyary,  looking  upon 
a  scene  of  painful  desolation.  The  Prudential 
Committee,  in  view  of  all  the  discouraging 
circumstances  of  the  case,  now  forwarded  defi- 
nite instructions  to  discontinue  this  branch  of 
the  Nestorian  mission,  and  in  October  the 
three  who  remained  of  the  missionary  company 
left  Mosul ;  Dr.  Smith  and  Mrs.  Hinsdale  to 
join  the  mission  to  the  Armenians,  and  Mr. 
Laurie,  the  Syrian  mission.  Good  had  been 
done  at  Mosul,  and  in  1849  missionary  opera- 
tions were  resumed  there,  under  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, but  not  with  special  reference  to 
the  Nestorians.  That  city  is  now  the  centre 
of  what  is  called  the  Assyrian  mission.  (See 
Mosul) 

In  May,  1846,  Dr.  Wright,  from  Oroomiah, 
visited  Bader  Khan  Bey,  at  the  request  of  the 
emir  himself,  who  wished  the  benefit  of  his 
professional  services.  He  was  accompanied  by 
Mr.  Breath  and  the  Nestorian  deacon  Tamu. 
They  found  the  Nestorians  in  the  districts 
which  had  been  ravaged,  again  slowly  collect- 
ing flocks  and  herds  and  resuming  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  soil ;  but  another  scene  of  slaughter 
and  rapine  from  the  Koords  soon  followed,  re- 
ducing them  again  to  deep  destitution.  At 
length,  in  1847,  the  Turks  conquered  the 
Koords  and  garrisoned  the  mountains,  subject- 
ing both  Koords  and  Nestorians  to  taxation. 

Repeated  excursions  have  been  made  during 
the  past  few  years,  to  some  of  the  mountain 
districts,  by  the  missionaries  at  Oroomiah,  and 
more  frequently  and  more  extensively  by  some 
of  the  devoted  Nestorian  helpers  of  the  mis- 
sion, some  of  whom  are  natives  of  these  dis- 
tricts. In  1851,  a  station  was  taken  by 
Messrs.  Coan  and  Rhea,  with  three  native  help- 
ers, in  the  district  of  Gawar,  among  the  moun- 
tains, about  70  miles  N.  W.  from  Oroomiah. 
Much  opposition  has  been  experienced,  and 
unwearied  eSbrts  have  been  made  to  drive 
them  away,  instigated,  doubtless,  by  those 
high  in  office  in  the  Nestorian  church,  with 
the  patriarch  at  their  head,  and  too  willingly 
joined  in  by  the  local  Turkish  authorities. 
Deacon  Tamu,  one  of  the  native  helpers,  upon 
an  utterly  groundless  charge  of  murder,  was 
seized  in  July,  1852,  and  kept  a  prisoner  at 
Van,  until  Septemljer,  1853.  His  Christian 
deportment  during  all  his  trials,  is  worthy  of 
great  praise.  The  station  has  been  maintain- 
ed with  increasing  promise  of  usefulness  ;  and 
in  the  autumn  of  1853,  Messrs.  Coan  and 
Rhea  made  a  preaching  tour  among  the  Nes- 
torians of  Koordistan,  going  to  Mosul,  and 
visiting  Ashita,  the  place  where  a  station  was 
commenced  in  1843.  They  urge  that  effort 
should  now  be  again  commenced,  without  de- 
lay, on  the  west  side  of  the  mountains,  by  at 


564 


>Jb;6TUKlANS. 


least  two  missionnrios,  hcl loving  tliat  the  field 
is  now  o|>en.  and  tliat  if  it  be  not  occupied, 
the  enemy,  from  Home,  will  sow  tares. — See 
Pkrkixs'  "  liesidaice  in  Persia;"  Grant's 
«  Noftoriatis, or  the  Lest  Dibcsf  Laurie's  "  Dr. 
Grar.t  and  the  Mountain  Nestorians  /"  The 
Reports  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  and  the  Mis- 
nonary  Herald.— Bey.  I.  R.  Worcester. 


TABULAR   VIEW. 


STATIONS 
AND  OCT-STATIONS. 


Oroomiah.. 

Gawar 

GeogTapa. 
Ardishai... 

Totals 


1 

1 

Ji 

1 

1 

i 

e 

!"> 

®. 

* 

§ 

^ 

.)i 

i 

S 

|1 

>5 

S 

1 

6 

1 

10 

7 

10 

2 

80 

2 

1 

2 
1 
1 

2 

2 
76 

8 

1 

11 

11 

12 

2 

80 

78 

PRESENT  STATE  AND  FUTURE   PROSPECTS    OP    THE 
MISSION. LETTER  FROM  REV.  DR.  PERKINS. 

Oroomiah,  May  16, 1854. 

My  dear  Sir  : — Xour  favor  of  January  1 
was  received  a  few  days  ago.  I  had  before 
seen  notices  of  your  contemplated  enterprise, 
and  rejoiced  in  view  of  it.  The  work  you 
propose  is  exceedingly  desirable  and  import- 
ant, and  judging  from  the  fruits  of  your  pen, 
which  I  have  from  time  to  time  been  so  much 
favored  as  to  receive,  through  our  common 

friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ,  I  am  happy  in 

the  belief  that  this  great  undertaking  is  fortu- 
nate in  having  fallen  into  your  hands.  With 
all  my  heart,  I  wish  you  the  fullest  success. 

You  request  me  to  give  you  a  sketch  of  the 

f  resent  aspect  of  our  field  and  mission.  This 
will  now  briefly  do  with  pleasure ;  but  owing 
to  the  pressure  of  missionary  duties,  it  must  be 
very  brief ;  which,  however,  is  the  less  to  be 
regretted,  as  our  Reports  to  the  Prudential 
Committee  of  our  Board,  to  which  you  doubt- 
less have  access,  Lave  at  all  times  been  ample. 
^  Our  mission  Press  has  given  to  the  Nesto- 
rians the  entire  Bible,  in  both  the  ancient  and 
modem  Syriac ;  and  an  edition  of  the  New 
Testament,  in  the  modern  language  only,  is 
just  completed.  Into  this  language,  which,  as 
Tou  will  recollect,  was  first  reduced  to  writing 
by  oar  mi.ssion,  we  have  also  introduced  many 
valuable  books  besides  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
as  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  Baxter's 
Saint's  Rest,  the  Dairyman's  Daughter,  the 
Young  Cottager,  the  Shepherd  of  Salisbury 
Plain,  and  other  tracts,  and  many  school 
books  ;  and  we  are  now  printing  a  third  edi- 
tion of  our  hymn  book,  the  first  edition  of 
which  consisted  of  only  four  hymns,  attached 
to  a  small  spelling  book,  while  the  present  edi- 
tion contains  about  two  hundred  hymns.  Our 
monthly  periodical,  entitled  "  The  Rays  of 
Lighl,"  holds  steadily  on  its  way,  having  en- 


tered on  its  fifth  year.  It  is  an  exceedingly 
interesting  auxiliary  in  our  schools  and  among 
the  people,  each  monthly  number  embracing  a 
spice  of  matter  in  the  various  departments  of 
religion,  education,  science,  missionary  intelli- 
gence, juvenile  instruction,  miscellanies,  and 
poetrif. 

It  IS  impossible  for  any  statement  or  descrip- 
tion to  convey  an  adequate  impression  of  the 
blessed  influence  of  the  press  among  this  peo- 
ple, in  whose  vernacular  tongue,  twenty-one 
years  ago,  not  a  syllable  of  printed  or  written 
matter  existed. 

Passing  frwn  the  press  to  our  scliools,  we 
meet  with  correspondnig  phenomena.  Where 
but  a  single  small  school  existed,  and  that  not 
worthy  of  the  name,  when  our  mission  was 
commenced,  we  have  had  more  than  seventy 
village  schools  in  operation,  during  the  past 
winter  ;  differing,  of  course,  in  the  compara- 
tive competency  and  fidelity  of  their  teachers, 
and  corresponding  progress  of  the  pupils,  but 
all  contributing  to  multiply  readers  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  and  other  good  books,  and 
operating  as  important  centres  of  evangelical 
light  and  influence. 

Among  our  most  interesting  and  promising 
labors  are  those  of  oiu"  male  and  female  semi- 
naries— the  former  under  the  care  of  Messrs. 
Stoddard  and  Cochran,  and  the  latter  under 
the  care  of  Misses  Fisk  and  Rice.  I  do  not 
believe  these  two  institutions  of  learning  are 
surpassed,  in  the  order,  industry,  and  improve- 
ment of  the  pupils,  and  especially  in  their  re- 
ligious training,  by  any  seminaries  on  the  face 
of  the  globe.  They  each  contain  about  forty- 
five  pupils,  the  present  year,  the  most  of  whom 
are  hopefully  pious.  The  male  seminary  is 
soon  to  graduate  a  class  of  twenty,  the  largest 
class  that  has  ever  left  it  at  one  time.  The  in- 
fluence of  the  pious  pupils  and  graduates  of 
both  these  seminaries,  on  their  people,  is  alike 
blessed  and  incalculable. 

During  the  few  past  years,  Sabbath-schools 
have  been  multipled  among  the  Nestorians, 
and  with  very  happy  effect.  In  these  schools 
many  adults  have  learned  to  read,  and  thus 
been  qualified  to  go  right  to  the  fountain  of 
God's  word,  for  themselves,  and  draw  from 
thence  the  waters  of  salvation.  Here,  as  else- 
where, the  Sabbath-school  is  found  to  be.  a 
very  efficient  and  precious  instrumentality  in 
the  diffusion  of  Scripture  knowledge,  and  in 
preparing  the  minds  and  hearts  of  men  for  the 
saving  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Last  in  order  of  means  employed,  but  first 
in  importance,  I  may  mention  the  preaching 
of  the  Gospel.  Under  all  the  pressure  of  our 
other  arduous  labors,  we  endeavor  to  keep 
fresh  in  mind  the  cardinal  truth  in  the  work  of 
missions,  that  it  hath  pleased  God,  by  the  fool- 
ishness of  preaching,  to  save  them  that  be- 
lieve. The  clerical  members  of  our  mission, 
unless  sick,  or  otherwise  providentially  pre- 
vented, preach  at  least  twice  on  the  Sabbath, 


NESTORIANS. 


665 


or  conduct  religious  services,  tantamount  to 
preaching,  either  at  the  stations  or  abroad 
among  the  villages,  and  more  or  less  during 
the  week.  And  we  have  now  many  able  and 
faithful  Nestorian  fellow-laborers,  from  Mar 
Yohannan  and  Mar  Ellas,  down  to  graduates 
of  our  seminary,  engaged  in  the  same  way, 
some  of  them  itinerating,  and  others  at  out- 
stations.  And  few  are  the  Nestorians  in  Per- 
sia who  do  not  thus  have  the  Gospel  brought 
to  their  villages,  if  not  to  their  doors,  at  fre- 
quent intervals,  a  great  many  of  them  every 
Sabbath,  and  hundreds  every  day. 

The  pious  Nestorians  are  also  doing  some- 
thing in  the  line  of  missionary  effort.  For 
several  successive  years  they  have  united  with 
us  in  sending  Nestorian  missionaries  to  the 
district  of  Bootan,  on  the  river  Tigris,  about 
300  miles  westward  from  Oroomiah.  To  give 
a  missionary  character  to  this  ancient  church, 
once  so  celebrated  for  its  missionary  efforts 
has  ever  been  the  strong  desire  of  our  hearts : 
and  it  possesses  good  materials  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

But  while  Paul  may  plant  and  Apollos 
water,  it  is  God  who  giveth  the  increase.  You 
have  doubtless  been  made  familiar  with  the 
unspeakably  precious  revivals  with  which  our 
tield  has  been  graciously  visited  in  former 
years.  The  present  year,  the  Lord  has  again 
mercifully  visited  this  missionary  vine.  The 
recent  work  of  grace  here  has  been  more  quiet 
in  its  progress  than  some  previous  revivals ; 
but  I  believe  not  less  pure  and  pervading  in 
its  influence,  nor  less  hopeful  in  its  results.  A 
precious  harvest  has  thus  been  gathered,  the 
present  year,  in  our  two  seminaries,  in  the 
large  village  of  Geog  Tapa,  and  to  some  ex- 
tent in  smaller  villages. 

This  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  is  the  more  interesting  at  this  time,  from 
the  ominous  political  aspects  that  lower  in 
these  Eastern  lands.  We  have  in  this  visita- 
tion a  most  comforting  pledge  that  God  has 
not  forgotten  to  be  gracious  to  our  Zion,  and 
that  he  will  not  forsake  his  missionary  ser- 
vants and  the  holy  cause  in  which  they  are 
engaged,  "  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the 


Under  the  operation  of  these  various  mis- 
sionary means,  and  especially  under  the  re- 
peated showers  of  heavenly  grace  with  which 
our  field  has  been  visited,  it  would  be  strange 
if  evangelical  light  and  truth  were  not  making 
rapid  progress  among  the  Nestorians.  Such 
is  the  fact ;  and  the  result  is  that  the  pious, 
and  many  of  the  enlightened  who  are  not 
pions,  are  casting  off  the  senseless  and  unscrip- 
tural  doctrines  and  practices  with  which  their 
worship  had  been  more  or  less  encumbered, 
and  rapidly  verging  toward  the  Gospel  stand- 
ard. Hitherto  we  have,  as  you  are  aware,  la- 
bored in  the  Nestorian  church  without  "  let  or 
hindrance."    How  Ions-  we  shall  continue  thus 


to  labor  in  the  church,  we  still  leave  for  the 
Lord  to  decide,  ever  endeavoring  carefully  to 
watch  and  implicitly  to  follow  the  guidance  of 
his  hand. 

The  members  of  our  mission  are  all  severely 
worked.  It  cannot  be  otherwise  ;  but  eight 
in  number,  as  we  are,  with  the  great  amount 
of  labor  we  have  constantly  on  our  hands,  in 
the  departments  of  preparing  matter  for  the 
press,  printing,  education,  and  preaching  the 
Gospel.  We  need  more  reapers,  and  the  har- 
vest must  suffer  for  the  want  of  them,  especial- 
ly as  the  vigor  of  youth  and  manhood  is 
departing  from  some  of  us. 

Among  the  obstacles  to  the  progress  of  the 
Gospel  here,  the  efforts  of  the  wily  French 
Papists  to  lead  astray  the  Nestorians  should  be 
mentioned  as  the  most  serious.  No  means  are 
too  low  or  too  iniquitous  for  them  to  adopt ; 
and  among  an  ignorant  and  corrupt  people,  it 
would  be  strange  if  such  means  and  motives, 
constantly  pursued,  and  shamelessly  and  dog- 
gedly urged  on  their  mercenary  feelings,  in 
their  low  state  of  morals,  did  not  meet  with  a 
measure  of  success.  In  view  of  the  corrupt- 
ing and  destructive  efforts  of  these  unprinci- 
pled emissaries  of  Rome,  we  often  feel  like 
uniting  our  cry  with  that  of  the  witnesses 
under  the  altar,  "  0  Lord,  how  long  ?" 

Our  mission  station  in  the  wild  Koordish 
mountains  is  manfully  occupied  by  Messrs. 
Rhea  and  Crane.  They  greatly  need  the  ser- 
vices and  the  influence  of  a  physician  in  that 
self-denying  field.  Their  labors  are  gradually 
becoming  more  and  more  extended  in  those 
dark  regions,  and  we  have  every  reason  to 
hope  that  the  day  is  not  distant  when  the 
handful  of  corn  thus  lodged  in  the  top  of  the 
mountains  shall  shake  like  Lebanon  ;  the  light 
there  kindled,  mingling  with  that  rising  from 
the  plain,  and  both  unitedly  blazing  upward 
and  onward  to  aid  in  the  illumination  of  be- 
nighted Central  Asia. 

I  have  alluded  to  the  warlike  aspects  in 
eastern  lands.  As  yet,  Persia  perseveres  in 
refusing  to  declare  war  against  Turkey, 
though  long  and  strongly  urged  to  do  so  ;  and 
we  hope  that,  in  the  good  providence  of  God, 
the  Shah  will  continue  to  maintain  this  neu- 
tral ground.  Should  there  be  a  rupture  be- 
tween Turkey  and  Persia,  our  position  would 
of  course  be  disturbed,  and  more  or  less  un- 
safe, near  as  we  are  situated  to  the  boundary 
of  these  two  empires,  and  that  boundary  in- 
fested with  hordes  of  bloody  Koords.  But  it 
is  always  safe  to  trust  in  the  Lord.  We  know 
that  the  cause  of  missions  is  infinitely  dearer 
to  him  than  it  can  be  to  us,  and  we  will  trust 
that  He  who  rides  on  the  whirlwind  will  direct 
the  storm.  I  am,  dear  sir,  with  much  respect, 
very  truly  yours,  J.  Perkins. 

NETHERLANDS  MISSIONARY  SO- 
CIETY :  The  Netherlands  Missionary  Society 
was  established  in  December,  1797,  at  Rotter- 
dam, through  the  instrumentality  of  Dr.  Van- 


566 


NETHERLANDS   MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


dor  Kemp.  Tliis  remarkable  man,  after  his 
appointment  by  the  Ix)nclon  Missionary  Society 
to  South  Africa,  visited  his  native  country  to 
aottle  ins  affairs.  There  he  translated  into 
Dutch  and  published  an  address  of  the  direc- 
tors of  the  London  Missionary  Society  to  the 
relijriiujs  j)Oople  of  Holland,  which  led  eventu- 
ally to  the  establishment  of  the  "  Netherlands 
M  iWionary  Society."  The  founders  of  the  soci- 
ety having  been  principally  ministers  and 
inhabitants  of  Rotterdam,  the  chief  seat  of 
the  Netherlands  Missionary  Society  has  re- 
mained at  that  place.  The  members  of  the 
society  belong  principally  to  the  established 
church,  which  is  Presbyterian  in  its  form  of 
government,  and  Calvinistic  in  its  doctrine. 
Thope  ministers  who  have  imbibed  Neologian 
sentiments,  take  scarcely  any  interest  in  it, 
nor  in  anything  connected  with  missionary 
work,  thereby  confirming  the  often-made  ob- 
servation, that  the  orthodox,  evangelical  faith 
is  that  which  alone  produces  true  and  disinter- 
ested love  to  God  and  zeal  for  his  glory,  and 
prompts  men  to  exert  themselves  actively  and 
perseveringly  in  promoting  the  spiritual  and 
eternal  welfare  of  their  fellow-creatures.  The 
General  Synod,  however,  of  the  Dutch  Church 
has  no  control  over  the  missionaries  nor  over 
the  funds  collected  for  missionary  undertak- 
ings. But  all  the  missionaries  sent  out  by  the 
society  are  examined  and  ordained  at  the 
Hague  by  a  committee  of  ministers  appointed 
for  that  purpose  by  the  General  Synod  from 
among  its  members.  The  parish  churches  are 
everywhere  freely  granted  for  missionary  meet- 
ings and  other  missionary  purposes.  The  so- 
ciety is  supported  by  regular  monthly  and 
annual  subscriptions,  and  by  donations  and 
legacies ;  but  no  list  of  subscribers  is  ever 
published.  The  principal  supporters  of  the 
society  belong  to  the  poorer  and  middle  class- 
es ;  few  of  the  great  and  wealthy  being  found 
willing  to  assist  the  good  cause.  A  body  of 
directore,  both  lay  and  clerical,  is  annually 
chosen  from  among  the  subscribers,  who  man- 
age the  affairs  of  the  society. 
^  Wherever  there  are  clergymen  members  of 
tne  society,  the  monthly  prayer-meeting  on  the 
first  Monday  of  the  month  is  publicly  and 
regularly  held  in  the  parish  churches.  In 
some  places  it  is  very  well  attended,  1,000  and 
even  2,000  sometimes  being  present  in  the 
large  towns.  The  directors  publish  monthly  a 
report  of  the  most  interesting  missionary 
events  which  have  come  to  their  knowledoe 
during  the  mouth,  which  is  always  read  at  the 
meeting,  the  officiating  minister  interspersing 
it  with  suitable  remarks. 

Tlu;  annual  general  meeting  takes  place  in 
July,  and  is  held  in  the  Cathedral  Church  of 
Rollmlam,  which  can  accommodate  between 
three  and  four  thousand  people,  and  is  gener- 
ally fiikd  on  the  occasion.  Pious  laymen  and 
clergymen  from  almost  every  part  of  Holland 
attend.    A  report  of  the  proceedings  of  the 


year  is  read  and  a  missionary  sermon  preached  ; 
but  speeches  are  never  made. 

The  society  has  its  foreign  secretary,  who 
corresponds  with  the  missionaries  on  official 
topics.  But,  in  addition  to  this,  every  one  of 
the  leading  directors  chooses  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries he  may  like  best,  and  becomes  his 
particular  and  regular  correspondent,  and  also 
his  advocate  and  that  of  his  station  at  the 
Board.  This  arrangement  has  proved  very 
useful  to  the  Netherlands  Missionary  Society, 
and  most  advantageous  both  to  the  directors 
and  the  missionaries.  7'he  society  has  a  col- 
lege of  its  o\^h,  at  Rotterdam,  for  the  instruc- 
tion, theological  and  scientific,  of  the  candidates 
for  the  missionary  work.  Of  these,  the  small- 
est proportion  generally  are  Dutch,  whilst  the 
greater  number  are  Germans  and  Swiss. 

At  first  the  funds  of  the  society  were  too  small 
to  admit  of  its  sending  missionaries  to  foreign 
lands,  and  that  it  might  not  be  idle,  various 
plans  were  formed  and  carried  into  execution 
for  doing  good  at  home,  especially  by  the  pub- 
lication and  distribution  of  religious  books,  the 
establishment  of  Sunday-schools,  visiting  pri- 
sons and  hospitals,  and  assisting  some  congre- 
gations to  sustain  ministers.  In  such  courses 
of  labor  the  society  M^ent  on  till  the  year  1800, 
when  they  began  to  hope  they  might  enter  on 
the  field  toward  which  their  eye  was  originally 
turned. 

In  a  short  time  their  funds  increased  rapidly. 
Numbers  of  young  men  also  offered  their  ser- 
vices as  missionaries,  several  of  whom  after 
having  gone  through  a  proper  course  of  instruc- 
tion, were  ready  to  occupy  any  field  that  might 
be  pointed  out  to  them  in  the  heathen  world. 
The  political  circumstances  of  the  country,  the 
subjugation  of  Holland  by  France  with  the  con- 
sequent loss  of  its  colonies,  rendered  it  imprac- 
ticable for  the  directors  to  send  these  young 
men  abroad  themselves ;  they  therefore  entered 
into  a  friendly  agreement  with  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  which  engaged  to  send 
them  forth  under  its  auspices,  and  selected  first 
South  Africa  as  the  most  suitable  sphere  for 
them,  owing  chiefly  to  their  being  acquainted 
with  the  Dutch,  which  language  is  generally 
understood  and  spoken  by  the  Hottentots  and 
other  tribes.  For  many  years  afterwards, 
nearly  all  the  missionaries  whom  the  London 
Missionary  Society  sent  to  that  part  of  the 
world,  were  young  men  they  had  obtained  from 
Holland. 

In  1804  the  London  Missionary  Society  sent 
Messrs.  Vos,  Erhardt,  and  Palm,  three  mission- 
aries transferred  to  them  by  the  Netherlands 
Missionary  Society,  to  the  island  of  Ceylon, 
encouraged  by  the  accounts  they  had  received 
of  the  vast  numbers  of  natives  who  professed 
themselves  Christians,  but  who  were  now -in  a 
great  measure  destitute  of  religious  instruction. 
The  first-named  of  these  missionaries  was  greatly 
thwarted  in  his  efforts  among  the  natives  by  the 
English  government,  instigated  it  is  said  by  the 


NETHERLANDS  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


567 


Dutch  consistory  of  tne  island  wliom  he  had 
oifended  by  his  faithfulness  and  zeal.  In 
consequence,  he  was  soon  compelled  to  leave 
the  country.  Messrs.  Palm  and  Erhardt  con- 
tinued at  Ceylon  until  their  death,  which  hap- 
pened several  years  ago,  and  were  successfully 
employed  in  the  superintendence  of  schools  and 
the  pastoral  care  of  two  churches  to  which  they 
had  been  appointed  by  government.  It  does 
not  seem  that  they  were  able  to  accomplish 
much  among  the  heathen. 

About  the  year  1812,  the  directors  of  the 
Netherlands  Missionary  Society,  anxious  to 
exert  themselves  for  the  benefit  of  the  former 
Dutch  settlements  in  the  East,  transferred  again 
for  that  purpose  three  missionaries  to  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society ;  for  Holland  being  as 
yet  under  French  rule,  and  Java  and  the  East- 
•  ern  Islands  being  occupied  by  the  British,  it 
was  not  practicable  for  the  Netherlands  Soci- 
ety then  to  undertake  that  mission  directly. 
These  three  missionaries  were  superior  men 
and  thoroughly  qualified  for  their  work.  They 
were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Kam,  Supper,  and  Bruck- 
ner. These  brethren  were  at  the  outset  of 
their  career  exposed  to  considerable  difficulties 
and  dangers ;  for  the  French  government  hav- 
ing strictly  prohibited  their  leaving  the  country 
for  England,  they  were  compelled  to  assume 
the  attire  of  traveling  mechanics,  and  in  this 
disguise,  succeeded,  after  having  had  many 
narrow  escapes  from  the  French  gendarmes, 
to  reach  Christiana  in  Norway,  from  whence 
they  embarked  for  London.  This  place  they 
left  for  Java  in  the  commencement  of  1813. 
On  their  arrival  at  Batavia  they  separated, 
Mr.  Supper  having  been  appointed  to  that 
capital,  Mr.  Bruckner  to  Samarang,  and  Mr. 
Kam  to  the  Molucca  islands.  Mr.  Supper  died 
not  long  after  his  arrival,  and  Mr.  Bruckner, 
(who  is  still  living  and  actively  employed  in 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  and  other 
missionary  duties,)  joined  the  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society. 

Mr.  Kam  fixed  his  residence  at  Amboyna. 
and  met  there  what  his  heart  so  greatly  longed 
for — a  naost  extensive  field  of  labor.  There 
are  in  the  Eastern  Archipelago  thousands  of 
Malay  native  converts  who  embraced  Chris- 
tianity during  the  dominion  and  by  the  exer- 
tions of  the  old  Dutch  East  India  Company. 
In  propagating  Christianity  in  those  parts, 
there  is  nothing  which  the  Dutch  aimed  more 
at  than  to  furnish  the  inhabitants  with  the 
Holy  Scriptures.  As  early  as  1733,  the  whole 
Bible  in  Malay  and  several  parts  of  the  sacred 
writings  in  other  dialects  of  the  East,  were 
translated  and  published  by  order,  and  at  the 
expense  of  the  Dutch  government,  and  widely 
disseminated  throughout  the  islands.  It  is 
true,  however,  that  the  best  means  to  promote 
the  conversion  of  the  natives,  were  not  always 
used,  nor  the  best  motives  always  held  out, 
neither  was  sufficient  caution  always  exercised 
in  receiviua*  candidates  into  the  church. 


In  1814,  Holland  having  resumed  its  inde- 
pendence, and  received  back  its  colonies,  the 
directors  of  the  Netherlands  Missionary  Soci- 
ety deemed  it  time  to  pursue  operations  for 
the  future,  directly,  and  without  the  interven- 
tion of  other  societies.  They  placed  their 
Missionary  Seminary  upon  a  more  regular  foot- 
ing, and  in  1819  sent  out  five  young  men 
trained  in  it  to  join  Mr.  Kam,  who  meanwhile 
had  been  appointed  by  the  Netherlands  Mis- 
sionary Society  one  of  its  foreign  directors. 

These  young  men,  after  having  obtained 
some  knowledge  of  the  native  language  at 
Amboyna,  were  placed  in  various  islands,  as 
Celebes,  Ceram,  Ternate,  Banda  and  Timor,  and 
have  been  since  from  time  to  time  reinforced  by 
fresh  arrivals  of  laborers  from  Holland,  the 
^Netherlands  Society  viewing  at  present  that 
part  ofthe  world  as  its  principal  sphere  of  action. 
In  July,  1833,  the  zealous  missionary  Kam 
died,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three  years,  from  over 
exertion,  occasioned  by  an  extensive  mission- 
ary tour  he  had  made.  He  was  a  most  active 
and  devoted  servant  of  the  Lord.  Until  his 
death,  he  continued  twice  or  thrice  in  the 
year,  in  a  small  brig  of  his  own,  which  he 
managed  himself  with  the  assistance  of  a  few 
native  lascars,  to  travel  in  that  burning  clime 
for  several  months  together,  from  island  to 
island,  exposed  to  storms  and  dangers  of  vari- 
ous kinds.  On  such  occasions,  he  often  added 
to  his  duties  of  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  those 
of  a  peace-maker  among  the  native  tribes,  and 
was  the  means  of  preventing  much  bloodshed. 
As  Schwartz  had  been  on  the  continent  of  In- 
dia by  the  British  government,  so  was  he  fre- 
quently employed  by  the  Netherlands  govern- 
ment in  allaying  disturbances  and  quelling 
rising  rebellions  among  their  Malay  subjects, 
in  which  endeavors  he  seldom  failed.  His 
judicious  views  of  things,  good  temper,  perfect 
integrity,  and  the  holiness  of  his  life,  rendered 
him  greatly  respected  by  the  chiefs  of  the  East- 
ern Islands,  and  made  the  humble  missionary 
a  far  more  successful  instrument  in  maintain- 
ing peace  among  them,  than  large  bodies  of 
troops  could  ever  have  been. 

The  Netherlands  Society  twenty-five  or  thir- 
ty years  ago,  made  an  attempt  to  contribute 
to  the  evangelization  of  the  Chinese,  and  sent 
out  the  celebrated  Mr.  Gutzl.aff  and  some  other 
missionaries,  for  that  express  purpose. 

In  the  year  1822,  the  Netherlands  Society 
sent  a  missionary  (the  Rev.  Mr.  Yix.)  to  the 
Dutch  colony  of  Surinam,  in  Guiana,  who  has 
labored  there  ever  since  (not  without  fruit,) 
among  the  negro  slave  population.  His  church: 
amounts  to  about  700  members.  The  society 
has  another  missionary  in  the  West  Indies,, 
stationed  at  the  island  of  Curaqao,  who  is  era- 
ployed  much  like  Mr.  Vix. 

In  1820,  the  late  Dr.  Yos,  being  on  a  visit 
to  Holland,  called  the  attention  of  the  directoi-s 
to  the  destitute  state  of  the  Hindoos  in  a  spir-i- 
itual  point  of  view,  upon  which  they  resolvedL 


ff68 


NEVIS— NEW  BRUNSWICK. 


OD  OOHUDMoiiig  two  missions  in  these  parts,  one 
tX  OhioBorah  in  Bengal, and  the  other  ut  Pulicat 
on  the  coast  of  Coronmndel,  both  of  which 
l^aoes  belong  then  to  the  Dutch  government. 
ttev.  A.  F.  Lacroix  was  anpoiuted  to  the  for- 
mer, and  the  Rev.Mr.  Kindlingor,  a  most  pious 
•od  dvvotod  man,  who,  up  to  hia  twenty-fourth 
year  had  been  a  bigoted  Roman  Catholic,  to 
the  hitter.  Dr.  Vos  and  G.  Herklots,  Esq.,  of 
Chinsiirah,  had,  previous  to  their  departure 
from  Holland,  been  elected  foreign  directors  of 
the  society. 

Mr.  Kindlinger  on  his  arrival  at  the  station, 
had  great  difficulties  to  contend  with  on  ac- 
count of  the  exceedingly  degraded  state  of  the 
native  Christians,  great  numbers  of  whom  he 
met  at  Pulicat  and  the  vicinity.  These  had 
cmbracetl  Christianity  through  the  instrumen- 
tality of  the  old  German  missionaries  who  had 
preceded  Schwartz  audjiad  been  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  without  teachers  and  with- 
out instruction.  By  patient  endeavors,  how- 
ever, he  succeeded  in  course  of  time  in  collect- 
ing a  numerous  and  regular  congregation,  es- 
tablished several  schools,  and  spent  much  of 
his  time  in  preaching  to  the  heathen.  In  1823, 
he  was  joined  by  two  other  laborers  from  Hol- 
land, the  Kev.  Messrs.  Irion  and  Winckler,  the 
former  of  whom  remained  with  him  at  Pulicat, 
and  the  latter  was  stationed  at  Sadras,  a  small 
Dutch  settlement  near  the  seven  pagodas  be- 
tween Madras  and  Pondicherry. 

In  1825,  the  Dutch  settlements  on  the  conti- 
nent of  India  having  been  ceded  to  the  British 
government  in  exchange  for  its  possessions  on 
the  island  of  Sumatra,  the  directors  of  the 
Netherlands  Society  informed  their  mission- 
aries that  circumstances  would  not  permit 
them  to  continue  their  missions  in  those  settle- 
ments, and  left  them  free  either  to  proceed  to 
the  Eastern  Archipelago  to  join  their  brethren 
there — or,  if  they  preferred,  to  connect  them- 
selves with  any  one  of  the  English  societies 
laboring  in  India.  All  four,  having  already 
at  the  expense  of  much  time  and  labor,  attain- 
ed a  knowledge  of  the  native  languages  and 
the  native  customs  and  habits,  felt  unwilling 
to  relinquish  so  great  an  advantage,  and  there- 
fore deemed  it  their  duty  to  accept  of  the  lat- 
ter proposal ;  in  consequence  of  which  Messrs. 
Kindlinger  and  Winckler  joined  the  Church 
Missionary  Society.  Mr.  Irion  joined  the 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Paris;  and  Mr.  Lacroix  connected  himself 
with  the  London  Missionary  Society,  which 
made  an  end  to  the  Dutch  mission  in  these 
parts. 

The  receipts  of  the  Society  for  1850  were 
about  837,000.  The  iastitution  for  training 
missionaries  at  Rotterdam  is  continued.  At 
that  time,  the  Society  had  17  stations  in  the 
Indian  Archipelago,  manned  by  19  missionaries, 
besides  having  furnished  a  large  number  of 
missionaries  for  other  societies. 

NEVIS  :    A  small,  but  beautiful  and  fer- 


tile island  in  the  "West  Indies.    A  station  of 
the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

NEW-BARMEN  :  A  station  of  the  Rhen- 
ish Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  200 
miles  north-east  of  Schepnmansdorf. 

NEWASSE  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  Hindostan,  connected  with  the  Ah- 
mednuggur  mission. 

NEW-HEBRIDES  :  A  group  of  islands 
in  Western  Polynesia,  or  Australasia,  where 
the  London  Missionary  Society  have  eight  sta- 
tions. Erromanga,  one  of  this  group,  is  the 
place  of  the  tragical  death  of  the  martyr  mis- 
sionary, Williams.    Population,  150,000. 

NEWERA  ELLA:  A  station  of  the 
Gospel  Propagation  Society  in  Ceylon. 

NEWVILLE  :  A  Karen  village,  in  the 
northern  part  of  Maulmain  province,  in  Bur- 
mah,  and  an  out-station  of  the  Alaulmain 
Karen  Mission  of  the  American  Baptist 
Union. 

NEW-RABBAY  :  Station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  among  the  Wonicas,  in 
East  Africa,  situated  on  the  coast,  a  short  dis- 
tance W.N.W.  of  Mombas. 

NEW-AMSTERDAM:  The  capital  of 
Berbice,  situated  50  miles  up  the  Berbice 
river.  It  is  a  pleasant  town,  intersected  with 
canals,  and  a  considerable  portion  of  ground 
attached  to  each  house.  It  is  occupied  by  the 
Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel. 

NEW-HERRNHUT  :  The  first  station 
occupied  by  the  Moravians  in  Greenland. 
Also,  a  station  of  the  same  on  the  island  of 
St.  Thomas,  W.  I. 

NEW-HOLLAND:    See  Australia. 

NEW-PROVIDENCE  :  One  of  the  Bar 
hama  Islands,  about  25  miles  long  and  nine 
broad,  and  considerably  in  advance  of  the 
other  islands  in  cultivation.  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

NEW-BRUNSWICK  :  One  of  the  pro- 
vinces of  British  America.  The  latest  census 
was  taken  in  1851.  The  population  was  at 
that  time  193,800  ;  but  no  religious  statistics 
are  given  in  this  important  public  document, 
and  there  are  no  denominational  records,  from 
which  the  numbers,  character,  and  condition 
of  the  Christian  community  can  be  accurately 
ascertained.  The  following  items  have  been 
collected  from  documents  under  date  of  1854. 
The  number  of  Catholic  clergy  is  almost  the 
same  as  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  the  circumstances 
would  appear  to  indicate  that  the  proportion 
of  Catholics  to  Protestants  in  New  Brunswick 
must  be  greater  than  in  Nova  Scotia. 

Cliurch  of  England. — 1  bishop,  1  archdea- 
con, and  5  clergymen. 

Church  of  Scotland. — 1  synod,  2  presbyteries, 
8  ministers,  11  congregations,  and  several  mis- 
sionary stations. 

Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  of  Ireland. — 
2  ministers  and  1  missionary. 

Wesleyan  Methodists. — 30  ministers,  22  con- 
gregations, and  2  supernumeraries,  besides  3 


r^HIVBRSITr] 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


569 


ministers  employed  as  principal  and  teachers 
of  Sackville  Academy. 

Baptists. — 2  associations,  52  ministers,  and 
7  licentiates. 

Free  Christian  Baptists. — 16  ministers  and  2 
missionaries. 

Congregationalists. — 3    ministers. 

Rev.  J.  Bayne. 

NEW-ZEALAND  :  Two  extensive  and 
beautiful  islands  in  the  Southern  Pacific, 
stretching  from  latitude  34°  30'  to  47°  20' 
south,  and  from  167°  to  178°  east  longitude, 
being  nearly  900  miles  long  and  over  700  broad ; 
together  with  a  small  one  to  the  south,  called 
Stewart's  Island.  New-Zealand  is  distinguished 
for  its  rich  and  varied  scenery,  and  for  every 
thing  which  naturally  strikes  the  eye  as  beau- 
tiful or  sublime.  Some  of  the  mountains  in 
the  northern  island  rise  more  than  14,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea  ;  their  sides  covered 
with  forest  timber  ;  their  summits  girt  with 
clouds  or  capped  with  snow  ;  and  their  whole 
appearance  strikingly  rich  and  grand.  The 
country  is  remarkably  hilly  and  broken,  the 
hills  being  studded  with  caves,  deep,  dark,  and 
frightful.  New-Zealand  has  several  large  and 
noble  lakes.  The  Thames  is  the  principal 
river  ;  the  others  being  mostly  insignificant 
streams.  The  forests  are  so  extensive  and  so 
dense,  that  no  sound  from  without  disturbs  the 
traveler ;  and  yet  no  beasts  of  prey  infest  these 
retreats  to  put  him  in  fear.  New-Zealand  has 
a  number  of  harbors,  which  are  visited  for 
supplies  by  a  vast  number  of  whaling  vessels. 

The  northern  island  is  divided  into  fourteen 
districts,  viz. :  Kaitaia,  Bay  of  Islands,  Thames, 
Tauranga,  Rotorua,  Bay  of  Plenty,  East  Cape, 
Poverty  Bay,  Wairoa,  Entry  Island,  Taranake, 
Waikato,  Kaipara,  and  Hokianga. 

Climate. — The  climate  of  NeW-Zealand  is 
temperate,  salubrious,  and  congenial  to  Euro- 
pean constitutions.  North  of  the  Thames 
snows  are  unknown,  and  frosts  are  off  the 
ground  by  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Dur- 
ing six  months  of  the  year,  the  country  is  ex- 
posed to  heavy  gales  of  wind  and  tremendous 
falls  of  rain.  The  spring  and  autumn  are  de- 
lightfully temperate.  Spring  commences  the 
middle  of  August,  summer  in  December,  au- 
tumn in  March,  and  winter  in  July. 

Soil  and  Productions. — These  islands  afford 
almost  every  variety  of  soil,  which  produces 
wheat,  barley,  maize,  beans,  peas,  and  various 
grasses  in  abundance.  Most  of  the  trees  are 
evergreens,  and  vegetation  is  scarcely  ever  sus- 
pended. 

Inhabitants.  —  When  first  discovered,  the 
New-Zealanders  were  a  savage  and  barbarous 
people.  When  a  child  was  born,  it  was  wrap- 
ped in  a  coarse  cloth,  and  laid  in  a  verandah 
to  sleep  ;  and  in  a  few  hours,  the  mother  pur- 
sued her  ordinary  work  in  the  field.  The  child 
suffered  much  ;  and  if  its  mother  did  not  fur- 
nish it  nourishment  enough,  it  must  perish. 
Large  holes  were  slit  in  the  ear,  and  a  stick. 


half  an  inch  in  diameter,  thrust  through. 
When  five  days  old,  the  child  was  carried  to  a 
stream  of  water,  and  either  dipped  or  sprinkled, 
and  a  name  given  to  it ;  and  a  priest  mum- 
bled a  prayer,  the  purport  of  which  was  said 
to  be,  an  address  to  some  unknown  spirit,  pray- 
ing that  he  may  so  influence  the  child  that  he 
may  become  cruel,  brave,  warlike,  troublesome, 
adulterous,  murderous,  a  liar,  a  thief,  disobe- 
dient, in  a  word,  guilty  of  every  crime.  After 
this,  small  pebbles,  about  the  size  of  a  pin's 
head,  were  thrust  down  its  throat,  to  make  its 
heart  callous,  hard,  and  incapable  of  pity. 
The  ceremony  w(is  concluded  with  a  feast. 

The  system  of  tahu,  or  consecration,  com- 
mon to  the  Pacific  isles,  nowhere  prevailed  to 
a  greater  extent  than  at  New-Zealand.  (See 
Tabu.) 

With  the  New-Zealander,  superstition  took 
the  place  of  medical  skill.  When  a  person 
had  a  pain  in  the  back,  he  would  lie  down  and 
get  another  to  jump  over  him  and  tread  on  him 
to  remove  the  pain.  A  wound  was  bruised 
with  a  stone,  and  afterwards  held  over  the 
smoke.  In  internal  acute  diseases  the  patient 
sent  for  a  priest,  lay  down,  and  died. 

Dreams  and  omens  were  much  regarded,  and 
had  great  influence  over  their  conduct.  On 
important  occasions,  when  several  tribes  were 
going  to  war,  an  oracle  was  consulted,  by  set- 
ting up  sticks  to  represent  the  different  tribes, 
and  watching  the  wind  to  see  which  way  the 
sticks  would  fall,  in  order  to  determine  which 
party  would  be  victorious.  But  the  person 
performing  the  ceremony,  by  a  little  juggling, 
could  determine  the  question  as  he  pleased. 
The  belief  in  witchcraft,  also,  almost  univer- 
sally prevailed,  and  was  productive  of  all  the 
suspicion,  cruelty,  and  injustice  which  generally 
accompany  it  among  a  barbarous  and  super- 
stitious people.  Polygamy  was  allowed  to 
any  extent ;  being  the  fruitful  source  of  jeal- 
ousy, strife,  and  murder.  Marriages  were 
generally  confined  within  the  tribe.  The  peo- 
ple were  affectionate,  but  desperate  and  re- 
vengeful when  roused  to  anger.  For  an  un- 
civilized people,  they  were  industrious.  Their 
food  consisted  of  a  variety  of  vegetables,  and 
some  kinds  of  animal  food.  They  were  war- 
like, and  ate  their  enemies  killed  in  war ;  and 
prisoners  who  were  not  killed  and  eaten  were 
reduced  to  slavery.  The  heads  of  their  ene- 
mies were  preserved  as  trophies  of  victory. 
They  formerly  preserved  the  heads  of  their 
friends,  and  kept  them  with  religious  strictness. 

Tattooing  was  practised,  and  was  made  a 
much  more  painful  operation  than  in  the  other 
Pacific  Isles.  The  operation  was  performed 
with  a  small  rough  chisel,  with  which  an  in- 
cision was  made  by  a  blow  with  a  mallet,  the 
chisel  being  first  dipped  in  coloring  matter 
made  of  the  root  of  flax,  burnt  to  charcoal, 
and  mixed  with  water,  the  stain  of  which  is 
indelible.  The  flax  is  cultivated  extensively 
in  New  Zealand,  of  which  they  make  gar 


670 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


ments,  nets,  and  lines.  The  houses  of  tlic  bet- 
ter class  were  snug  and  warm,  ornamented 
with  carvctl  work.  They  were  built  of  bul- 
rushes, lined  with  the  leaves  of  the  palm  tree, 
noatJj  platted  together.  They  were  about  IG 
by  10  feet,  and  four  or  five  feet  high.  The 
entrance  was  by  a  low  sliding  door,  and  there 
was  one  window  9  by  6  inches,  with  a  sliding 
sbuttor.  Their  houses  were  without  furniture, 
and  their  cooking  utensils  a  feWStones.  Their 
villages  were  scattered  over  a  large  plot  of 
ground  without  any  order  or  arrangement. 

Religion, — The  New-Zealandcrs,  though  re- 
markably superstitious,  had  no  gods  that  they 
worshiped,  nor  anything  to  represent  a  being 
whom  they  called  god.  They  imagined  that  it 
was  a  great  spirit  (Atua)  who  thundered  ;  but 
all  their  thoughts  of  him  were  those  of  fear 
and  dread.  Sickness,  they  supposed,  was 
brought  on  by  him,  coming  in  the  form  of  a 
lizard,  entering  the  sido,  and  preying  on  the 
vitals.  Hence  they  used  incantations  over  the 
sick,  threatening  to  kill  and  eat  their  deity,  or 
to  burn  him  to  a  cinder,  unless  he  should 
come  out.  Their  idea  of  iViro,  the  evil  spirit, 
was  more  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptural 
idea  of  the  Evil  One.  They  believed  in  a  fu- 
ture state ;  but  their  ideas  of  it  were  vague 
and  sensual ;  and  as  they  supposed  all  the 
functions  of  life  were  there  performed,  slaves 
were  killed  upon  the  death  of  a  chief,  that 
they  might  follow  and  attend  upon  him  ;  and 
widows  often  put  themselves  to  death  that 
they  might  accompany  their  departed  hus- 
bands. 

mSSION. 

_  Church  Missionary  Society. — The  atten- 
tion of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  was  di- 
rected to  New-Zealand,  by  Rev.  Saml.Marsden, 
senior  chaplain  to  the  colony  of  New  South 
Wales,  and  they  sent  out  three  missionaries  to 
labor  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Marsden,  who 
arrived  at  New-Zealand  towards  the  close  of 
1814,  and  commenced  a  station  at  Rangihona, 
on  the  N.  W.  side  of  the  Bay  of  Islands.  But 
for  a  long  time  they  were  treated  with  taunts 
and  jeers  and  threatenings,  while  their  message 
was  neither  understood  nor  regarded,  and  they 
were  subjected  to  great  privations,  from  want 
of  shelter,  food  and  companions.  But  an  influ- 
ential chief  named  Hongi,  visiting  England  and 
returning  loaded  with  presents,  the  mission- 
aries rose  in  the  estimation  of  the  natives,  and 
■  were  beloved  and  protected  by  the  chiefs. 
The  station  was  afterwards  removed  to  Ta- 
puna,  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill ;  and  on  the 
arrival  of  a  reinforcement,  another  station  was 
commenced  at  Kerikeri,  near  which  was  a 
large  native  village,  occupied  by  Hongi  and 
his  people.  But  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
that  they  could  form  a  school,  or  secure  at- 
tendance on  public  worship.  When  the  Sab- 
bath bell  caught  their  ears,  they  would  run 
away,  and  employ  themselves  in    fishing,  or 


some  of  their  native  sports.  Sometimes  they 
would  come  into  the  chapel  dressed  in  the 
most  fantastic  style,  and  at  other  times,  na- 
ked ;  and  in  the  middle  of  the  service  they 
would  start  up  with  the  cry,  "  That's  a  lie  I 
that's  a  lie !    Let  us  all  go." 

Another  station  was  commenced  at  Paihia, 
in  1823,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Bay  of 
Islands,  where  the  people  were  in  an  exceeding- 
ly wild  and  uncontrollable  state. 

The  mission  was  reinforced  from  to  time, 
and  a  schooner  was  built  to  ply  between  the 
mission  and  Port  Jackson,  in  order  to  furnish 
supplies.  She  was  lost  in  1828,  but  another 
was  built,  and  launched  in  May,  1830,  called 
Tlie  Messenger. 

Schools  were  commenced  at  Paihia,  in  1823, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  missionaries  began 
to  visit  the  natives  in  the  neighborhood,  for 
religious  instruction.  In  1824,  those  instruc- 
tions were  blessed  to  the  conversion  of  the 
chief  Waitangi,  who  was  baptized  under  the 
name  of  Christian  Rangi ;  and  by  June  1831, 
20  adults  were  baptized  at  this  station,  with 
10  children. 

For  15  years  the  natives  had  steadily  refused 
to  allow  any  one  to  reside  near  their  villages, 
in  the  interior.  But  having  become  convinc- 
ed that  the  missionaries  were  their  friends,  in 
1830  a  station  was  commenced  at  Waimate, 
the  centre  of  a  large  district  in  the  interior, 
to  which  roads  have  been  cut  by  the  natives 
to  their  residences,  for  thirty-five  miles,  and 
chapels  have  been  erected  in  most  of  the  nu- 
merous villages  in  this  district,  capable  of 
holding  150  to  200  persons,  in  which  services 
are  regularly  held  on  the  Sabbath,  by  assistant 
missionaries,  and  they  are  occasionally  visited 
by  the  resident  clergyman  ;  schools  have  also 
been  established  in  these  villages,  with  the 
sanction  of  the  chiefs.  Four  schools  are  in 
operation  at  Waimate. 

In  January,  1834,  a  settlement  was  formed 
at  Kaitai,  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the 
chiefs  and  people  of  the  Rarawa  tribes,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  North  Cape ;  and  another 
subsequently  at  Puriri,  south  of  the  Bay  of 
Islands. 

Although  the  missionaries  labored  at  these 
stations  under  great  discouragements,  for 
many  years,  yet  after  mastering  the  language 
and  acquiring  the  confidence  of  4^e  natives, 
the  usual  results  of  the  introduction  of  the 
Gospel  into  pagan  lands  began  to  be  seen. 
One  of  them,  Rev.  Mr.  Yate,  in  speaking  of 
this  change  in  1835,  says,  « Instead  of  the 
noisy  merriment,  the  blustering  excitement  to 
mischief,  which  used  to  prevail  on  the  Sab- 
bath, all  is  peace.  Sabbath-schools  in  many 
of  the  native  villages  are  established,  and 
regularly  carried  on ;  work  of  every  descrip- 
tion is  laid  aside ;  Christian  worship  is  punc- 
tually attended  ;  and  the  day  as  strictly  re- 
garded as  in  any  well-regulated  village  in 
'  England.    In  this,  I  am  speaking  of  the  Chris- 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


671 


tianized  villages  in  the  interior  ;  not  of  those 
in  connection  with  the  shipping  ;  in  which,  as 
the  sailors  on  that  day  have  frequently  liberty 
to  go  on  shore,  the  holy  day  is  made  a  season 
of  far  greater  iniquity  than  any  other." 

A  report  of  the  Waimate  station  for  1832, 
stated  that  the  chapel  was  every  Sabbath 
crowded  to  excess  ;  that  the  natives  rejoiced  at 
the  approach  of  every  Sabbath  ;  and  that  the 
preached  word  had  its  effect  upon  many  of  the 
hearers.  On  the  4th  of  May,  1834,  just  before 
embarking  for  Xew  South  Wales,  to  superin- 
tend the  printing  of  some  translations,  Mr. 
Yate  baptized  four  chiefs,  and  several  other 
persons  ;  and  on  the  8th  of  June,  he  baptized 
38  adults,  the  greater  portion  of  them  chiefs. 
They  had  been  candidates  for  many  months. 
The  next  Sabbath  they  were  admitted  to  the 
communion.  Mr.  Yate  gives  an  account  of  the 
deaths  of  several  heathens,  who  met  death  in 
darkness  and  horror  of  mind,  one  of  them,  a 
chief,  declaring,  with  his  last  breath,  that  he  was 
"  going  to  hell ;"  and  a  number  of  native  Chris- 
tians, who  had  died  in  peace  and  comfort,  in 
the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  He  also  publishes  a 
number  of  letters,  which  he  received  from  the 
converts,  which  were  full  of  affection  and  pious 
feeling,  expressive  of  a  deep  insight  into  their 
own  hearts,  and  a  simple  faith  in  Christ. 

At  this  stage  in  the  progress  of  the  mis- 
sion, the  natives  manifested  a  strong  desire  for 
knowledge  ;  and  though  their  facilities  for  in- 
struction were  small,  yet  a  great  many  of 
them  had  learned  to  "read.  And,  captives 
from  distant  tribes,  having  been  sold  into 
slavery,  had  attended  the  mission-schools  ;  and 
by  some  means  gaining  their  liberty,  they  had 
carried  the  knowledge  thus  acquired  to  their 
distant  homes,  and  taught  it  to  their  friends. 

A  great  change  had  been  effected  by  the 
Gospel  in  the  domestic  character  of  those  who 
had  embraced  it.  Polygamy  was  diminish- 
ing, and  husbands  and  Avives  did  not  quarrel 
as  formerly.  The  inhuman  practices  of  former 
times  were  Jseing  suppressed.  It  was  once  the 
custom  for  the  relations  of  a  chief  to  kill  one 
or  more  slaves  at  his  death,  to  wait  upon  him 
in  the  world  of  spirits ;  but,  when  the  great 
chief  Hongi  died,  not  one  was  slain.  The  tabus 
and  other  superstitions,  also,  were  falling  into 
disuse.  And  industry,  regularity,  and  a  desire 
to  make  improvements  in  their  land,  their 
habits  and  customs,  were  on  the  increase  among 
the  great  body  of  the  people.  Mr.  Yate  gives 
the  following  speech  of  a  chief  to  his  people, 
who  seems  to  have  caught  a  correct  idea  of 
the  power  and  influence  of  the  Gospel :  "  What," 
he  inquired, "  what  are  these  missionaries  come 
to  dwell  with  us  for  ?  They  are  come  to  break 
in  two  our  clubs,  to  blunt  the  points  of  our 
spears,  to  draw  the  bullets  from  our  muskets, 
and  to  mak^  this  tribe  and  that  tribe  to  love 
one  another,  and  sit  as  brothers  and  friends. 
'J'hen  let  us  give  our  hearts  to  listening,  and 
we  shall  dwell  in  peace." 


The  following  incident  shows  how  the  leaven 
works  when  it  once  finds  its  way  to  the  heathen 
mind  :  Two  of  the  missionaries,  as  they  were 
traveling  to  a  new  and  distant  part  of  the 
island,  rested  on  the  Sabbath,  and  collected  an 
assembly  of  natives  to  hear  the  Gospel.  They 
commenced  by  singing  a  hymn  ;  and,  to  their 
astonishment,  the  whole  congregation  joined 
with  them.  The  responses  also  were  correctly 
given.  They  afterwards  found  three  boys  who 
had  lived  for  some  time  in  the  mission  family, 
who  had  acted  as  their  teachers. 

In  December,  1837,  a  Koman  Catholic 
bishop  and  two  priests  landed  in  New-Zea- 
land, and  located  themselves  in  the  midst  of 
the  Wesleyan  mission.  Thus  it  is  that  the 
Church  of  Kome  follows  the  track  of  Pro- 
testant missionaries,  like  an  evil  spirit,  to 
counteract  the  good  work.  In  1839,  they  had 
eight  priests  and  two  catechists ;  but  one 
chief  is  represented  as  having  become  more 
deeply  attached  to  the  missionaries,  being  dis- 
gusted with  what  he  had  seen  and  heard  of 
the  Papists. 

In  January,  1839,  the  Bishop  of  Australia 
visited  the  mission  ;  and  in '  a  letter  to  the 
committee,  he  bears  the  following  testimony  to 
the  character  of  the  missionaries,  and  the  re- 
sults of  their  labors  :  "  I  must  offer  a  very 
sincere  and  willing  testimony  to  their  main- 
taining a  conversation  such  as  becomes  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  Their  habits  of  life  are 
devotional.  They  are  not  puffed  up  with  self- 
estimation,  but  appear  willing  to  learn  as  well 
as  apt  to  teach.  And  among  themselves  they 
appear  to  be  drawn  together  by  a  spirit  of 
harmony,  prompted  by  that  Spirit  of  which 
love,  gentleness,  and  goodness  are  the  most  de- 
lightful fruits. 

"  At  every  station  which  I  personally  visit- 
ed, the  converts  were  so  numerous  as  to  bear 
a  considerable  proportion  to  the  entire  popula- 
tion ;  and  I  was  informed  that  the  same  was 
true  at  other  places.  In  most  of  the  native 
villages  in  which  the  missionaries  have  a  foot- 
ing, there  is  a  building  set  apart  for  religious 
worship.  In  these  buildings  generally,  but 
sometimes  in  the  open  air,  the  Christian  classes 
were  assembled  before  me.  The  gray-haired 
man  and  aged  woman  took  their  places  to  read 
and  undergo  examination  among  their  descend- 
ants of  the  second  and  third  generations.  The 
chief  and  the  slave  stood  side  by  side,  with 
the  same  holy  volume  in  their  hands,  and  ex- 
erted their  endeavors  each  to  surpass  the  other 
in  returning  proper  answers." 

The  bishop  states  that  the  native  population 
is  rapidly  diminishing,  even  more  so  than  dur- 
ing their  savage  warfare — a  fact  for  which  he 
is  at  a  loss  to  account. 

The  activity  of  the  natives  in  teaching  their 
countrymen,  and  in  building  places  of  worship, 
forms  an  important  feature  of  this  mission. 
Mr.  Williams  states,  June  3,  1839,  that  on 
his  visit  to  the  East  Cape,  he  found  three  na- 


673 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


live  teachers  actively  engaged,  and  that  the 
degree  of  attention  paid  to  them  by  the  na- 
tives generally  was  astonishing.  At  one  place 
they  found  a  chupol,  CO  by  28  feet,  which  had 
been  erectinl  by  the  natives,  and  a  congrega- 
tion of  fiOO  assembled  in  it  on  the  Lord's  day. 
At  another  place,  where  no  missionary  had 
ever  been,  they  foond  the  natives  assembling 
for  Christian  worship,  in  a  regular  and  order- 
ly manner. 

The  following  account  of  a  native  prayer- 
meeting,  is  related  by  Mr.  Brown,  in  a  letter 
dated  July  21,  1838  :  "  After  evening  service 
I  found  that  a  few  natives  had  met  to  hold  a 
prayer-meeting.  They  commenced  by  sing- 
nig  a  hymn.  A  native  then  engaged  in 
prayer.  That  was  followed  by  reading  a  chap- 
ter.' Another  hymn  was  sung;  and  after  an 
address  by  a  native,  the  meeting  was  closed  by 
another  extemporaneous  prayer," 

In  relation  to  general  improvement,  it  is 
stated  that  at  this  time  (1839)  the  missiona- 
ries had  introduced  among  these  savages  agri- 
culture and  gardening  ;  the  use  of  the  spade, 
the  plow,  and  the  mill;  cattle,  sheep,  and 
horses ;  built  houses  and  chapels ;  cut  roads 
through  forests ;  built  bridges,  &c.,  changing 
a  country  from  a  wild  and  savage  state  to  a 
condition  of  incipient  civilization.  In  all  the 
14  districts  of  the  island,  Christian  congre- 
gations had  been  gathered,  with  an  aggre- 
gate attendance  on  public  worship  of  8,760, 
and  233  communicants ;  and  the  entire  Scrip- 
tures had  been  translated  and  printed  in  the 
native  tongue.  But  so  rapid  was  the  in- 
crease of  interest,  that  in  a  letter  dated  May  5, 
1840,  Rev.  W.  Williams  says  that  the  popula- 
tion as  a  body  professed  Christianity  ;  that  the 
number  attending  public  worship  had  increased 
to  27,000  ;  that  the  baptisms  could  not  be  less 
than  2,000  ;  and  the  number  of  communicants 
during  this  short  period  had  more  than  dou- 
bled. 

In  1841,  the  British  Government  made  New- 
Zealand  an  independent  colony,  and  appointed 
Captain  Hobson  Governor. 

In  September,  1840,  Mr.  Williams  gives  a 
most  encouraging  view  of  the  state  of  things 
in  the  Eastern  District.  He  says  his  parish 
extends  two  degrees  and  a  half;  that  almost  all 
the  people  are  inquiring  after  the  truth ;  and 
that  more  than  8,000  assemble  regularly  for 
worship. 

Iq  1841,  New-Zealand  was  erected  into  an 
Episcopal  see ;  and  Rev.  G.  A.  Selwyn,  D.D., 
was  consecrated  bishop  at  Lambeth,  England.* 
In  June  of  the  same  year,  the  first  mission- 
ary meeting  in  New-Zealand  was  held  at  Kai- 
taia,  attended  by  500  natives  and  a  number  of 
Europeans.  The  resolutions  were  each  moved 
by  a  European  and  seconded  by  a  native. 
Several  of  the  native  addresses  were  appropri- 
ate and  striking.  The  amount  of  the  contri- 
bution taken  on  the  occasion  was  £46  5s. 

The  good  work  in  the  Eastern  District  pro- 


so  rapidly,  that  in  July,  1841,  the 
communicants  had  increased  in  that  district 
alone  to  878,  among  whom  were  included  a 
large  proportion  of  the  leading  chiefs.  The 
whole  fabric  of  the  old  superstitions  was  gone, 
the  idols  cast  away,  weapons  of  war  laid  aside, 
and  petty  quarrels  settled  by  arbitration. 

In  the  Western  District,  in  September,  1839, 
two  young  chiefs  traveled  500  miles  with  a  re- 
quest for  missionaries  from  their  father,  a  noted 
chief  and  warrior  at  Kapiti,  an  island  in 
Cook's  Straits.  To  the  astonishment  of  the 
missionaries,  it  was  found  that  they  could  read 
well ;  and  from  their  statements  it  appeared 
that,  in  many  villages,  the  Lord's  day  was  ob- 
served, public  worship  regularly  held,  and 
great  numbers  were  anxious  for  instruction  ; 
and  all  this  was  the  result  of  the  labors  of  one 
native,  named  Matahau,  who  had  gone  there 
of  his  own  accord,  and  was  actively  engaged 
in  diffusing  a  knowledge  of  the  Gospel. 

The  zeal  of  the  native  converts  for  the  con- 
version of  their  countrymen  has  been  remark- 
able. In  many  parts  of  the  country  where  the 
missionaries  have  journeyed  over  ground  never 
before  trodden  by  Europeans,  they  have  been 
astonished  to  find  chapels  built,  some  of  the 
natives  able  to  read,  and  many  in  the  habit  of 
assembling  for  worship.  Mr.  Ashwell  says 
that  in  a  tour  of  400  miles,  in  every  village  he 
found  some  one  who  could  read,  and  in  all  but 
one  of  them  he  found  the  Testament. 

In  their  report  for  1843,  the  committee  say, 
"  The  blessing  of  God  continues  to  be  vouch- 
safed in  a  marked  degree  to  the  labors  of  the 
missionaries  and  native  teachers,  and  the  cir- 
culation of  the  Scriptures.  Within  the  last 
four  years,  the  number  of  natives  who  have 
embraced  Christianity  has  increased  from  2,000 
to  35,000."  And  although  they  do  not  speak 
confidently  of  the  saving  conversion  of  the 
great  mass  of  them,  yet  they  say  there  is  every 
reason  to  entertain  the  hope  that  not  a  few  of 
this  multitude  have  truly  embraced  the  Gos- 
pel. War  and  cannibalism  had  almost,  if  not 
entirely,  ceased ;  ancient  superstitions  had 
been  forsaken ;  and  many  were  making  rapid 
progress  in  spiritual  knowledge.  Dr.  Sinclair, 
surgeon  of  the  British  Navy,  who  visited  New- 
Zealand  at  the  end  of  1841,  gives  the  follow- 
ing testimony  : 

"  By  means  of  the  well-directed  labors  of 
the  missionaries,  the  natives  have  become  ex- 
emplary Christians,  and  now  show  an  intellec- 
tual capacity  which  strikes  with  surprise  every 
one  who  goes  among  them.  Perhaps  no  peo- 
ple in  the  history  of  mankind  has  been  so 
completely  changed,  in  their  religious  and 
moral  condition,  as  these  natives  have  been, 
in  such  a  short  time,  and  more  particularly  by 
such  a  small  number  of  men,  and  by  such 
peaceful  means.  Frequently  have  I  heard  a 
Christian  native,  when  asked  to  buy  or  sell  on 
the  Lord's  day,  or  break  any  other'  command- 
ment, make  the  decided  answer, '  No — me  mis- 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


573 


sionar ;'  and  that  v/hen  the  temptations  were 
great." 

The  new  bishop  arrived  at  Auckland,  May 
30, 1842,  where  he  was  received  with  demon- 
strations of  joy  by  the  inhabitants.  And,  in 
his  letters  to  the  society,  he  confirms  the  state- 
ments already  made  respecting  the  progress  of 
the  Gospel.  The  committee  say,  in  1844,  that 
they  can  speak  with  increased  confidence  of 
the  extent  to  which  the  Gospel  has  spread 
among  the  natives  of  New-Zealand,  and  the 
essential  change  which  it  has  produced  in  all 
their  moral  habits.  The  message  of  salvation 
had  been  conveyed  to  nearly,  or  quite,  all  the 
settlements  on  the  northern  island  ;  and  in 
many  places  unvisited  by  the  missionaries,  the 
Gospel  was  read  and  public  worship  main- 
tained. War  had  almost  entirely  ceased  ;  and 
where  it  had  occurred  lately,  it  had  been  car- 
ried on  in  a  very  mitigated  form.  Theft  and 
lihirder  were  of  rare  occurrence.  The  bishop 
states  that,  among  the  Christian  natives,  he 
had  met  with  the  most  pleasing  instances  of 
the  natural  expression  of  the  deep  and  earnest 
feelings  of  religion. 

The  bishop  rented  the  mission  farm  at 
Waimate,  and  commenced  a  collegiate  estab- 
lishment for  the  training  of  candidates  for  the 
ministry. 

The  following  incident,  related  by  Rev.  C. 
P.  Davis,  and  which  occurred  in  1844,  shows, 
in  a  very  striking  manner,  the  power  of  the 
Gospel  to  tame  the  most  savage  tribes.  He 
entered  a  village  belonging  to  two  Christian 
chiefs,  Perika  and  Noa,  and  found  them  sur- 
rounded by  their  armed  followers,  engaged  in 
prayer,  expecting  an  attack  from  Ripa,  a  chief 
who  had  made  an  unjust  demand  of  them, 
with  which  they  refused  to  comply.  They  had 
a  white  flag  raised  over  their  heads,  as  a  token 
of  their  desire  for  peace.  Mr.  Davis  went  out 
to  meet  Ripa  and  his  party,  whom  he  found 
naked  and  their  faces  painted  red,  listening  to 
addresses  urging  them  to  vengeance  and 
slaughter.  Noa  walked  between  the  two  pur- 
ties,  telling  the  enemy  that  they  were  acting 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God  ;  and  that,  while 
his  party  were  not  afraid  of  them,  they  were 
restrained  by  the  fear  of  (^d.  Ripa  and  his 
party  were  but  20,  while  tro  Christian  party 
were  100.  After  many  speeches  on  both 
sides,  one  of  Ripa's  men,  in  brandishing  his 
hatchet,  accidentally  hit  Noa's  head.  As  soon 
as  his  men  saw  the  blood  flowing,  every  man's 
musket  was  leveled.  In  another  moment 
Ripa's  whole  party  would  have  fallen  ;  but  the 
wounded  chief  sprang  forward,  and  exclaimed, 
"  If  you  kill  Ripa,  I  will  die  with  him  ; "  and 
then  throwing  his  own  body  as  a  shield  over 
Ripa,  saved  him  from  destruction.  Peace  was 
then  made  between  the  two  parties,  and  there 
was  great  rejoicing.  "  Some  years  ago,"  says 
Mr.  Davis,  "  the  very  sight  of  blood  would 
have  been  a  signal  for  a  dreadful  slaughter." 

In  the  year  1845,  the  mission  was  seriously 


interrupted  by  a  collision  between  some  of  the 
natives  in  the  northern  district  and  the  British 
forces,  which  led  to  a  serious  war  for  some 
time,  some  of  the  natives  ranging  themselves 
on  one  side  and  some  on  the  other,  and  thus 
threatening  a  general  civil  war.  Some  of  the 
stations  in  the  northern  district  were  broken 
up  and  destroyed.  But  the  natives  engaged  in 
this  outbreak,  though  not  generally  professing 
Christianity,  were  very  far  from  manifesting 
the  savage  cruelty  which  formerly  character 
ized  their  warfare.  In  a  number  of  engage- 
ments, the  natives  were  victorious ;  but  the 
governor  states  that,  in  these  circumstances, 
European  troops  would  not  have  behaved  bet- 
ter, or  shown  less  vindictiveness.  Their  for- 
bearance towards  European  settlers,  especially 
the  missionaries,  was  remarkable.  Yet,  the 
effects  of  the  war  upon  missionary  operations, 
and  upon  the  religious  condition  of  the  Chris- 
tian natives,  were  lamentable  in  the  extreme. 
Such  was  the  demoralizing  influence  of  the 
example  of  the  British  soldiers  at  "Waimate 
upon  the  natives  with  whom  they  came  in 
contact,  that  some  of  them  had  given  up  even 
attending  upon  Christian,  ordinances,  and 
others  had  shown  great  lukewarmness.  And, 
in  many  instances,  those  Christian  natives  who 
took  part  with  the  heathen  against  the  Eng- 
lish, relapsed  into  heathenism. 

However,  Rev.  0.  Hadfield,  under  date  of 
March  8,  1847,  writes  :  "  I  certainly  have  a 
much  stronger  conviction  of  the  reality  of  the 
hold  that  religion  has  upon  the  professing  na- 
tives, since  the  late  disturbances,  than  I  had 
previously.  Last  winter,  while  war  was  going 
on  in  the  neighborhood,  Governor  Gray  visited 
Waikanae  on  the  Lord's  Day,  and  attended 
the  native  church  and  school.  It  was  con- 
ducted by  a  native  catechist,  Levi  Te  Ahu, 
a  man  who  has  conducted  himself  invariably 
in  the  most  Christian  manner,  ever  since  his 
conversion,  seven  years  ago.  On  his  return  to 
Wellington,  the  governor  came  to  me,  and  ex- 
pressed himself  as  altogether  astonished  that 
such  a  change  could  have  taken  place  in  a 
barbarous  people  in  so  short  a  time.  I  believe 
that  (Christianity  is  extending  itself  in  New 
Zealand." 

At  a  missionary  meeting  of  native  teachers, 
held  at  Wanganui  the  day  after  Christmas, 
four  of  them  offered  themselves  as  missionaries 
to  a  heathen  tribe  at  war  with  the  English. 
On  the  6th  of  February,  1847,  they  set  out  on 
their  mission.  Knowing  that  it  was  at  the 
risk  of  their  lives,  they  went  directly  to  the 
hostile  chiefs,  preached  to  them  the  Gospel, 
and  endeavored  to  dissuade  them  from  their 
warfare  ;  but  on  their  way  to  the  third,  they 
were  waylaid  and  murdered.  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor 
soon  after  visited  the  tribe  by  whom  this  mur- 
der was  committed,  and  had  an  interview  with 
the  chief.  After  a  number  of  addresses  on 
both  sides,  an  agreement  was  made  between 
Mr.  Taylor,  in  behalf  of  the  tribe  to  whom  the 


674 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


murdered  men  belonged,  and  the  chief  of  the 
tribe  to  whom  the  murderers  belonged,  that 
they  should  make  peace  with  each  other  ;  Mr. 
T.  assuring  the  latter  that,  as  the  former  were 
Christians,  they  would  not  seek  revenge.  But 
he  found  some  difficulty  in  restraining  the 
Christian  tribes,  they  were  so  indignant  at  the 
baseness  of  the  act.  Two  other  native  teach- 
ers offered  to  go  on  a  mission  to  the  same 
tribe.  One  of  them  being  dissuaded  by  his 
friends,  replied  :  "  What  if  a  canoe  be  upset 
at  sea  ?  Will  it  hinder  all  other  canoes  from 
going  to  sea  for  fishing,  lest  they  likewise 
should  be  upset  ?  I  shall  go  to  Taupo,  because 
the  object  is  good — to  make  peace."  He  did 
go,  with  his  associate,  and  they  were  well  re* 
ceived. 

In  1849.  an  institution  was  commenced  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Burrows  at  the  Waimate  station,  for 
training  up  native  teachers.  The  institution 
opened  with  five  pupils,  and  the  hope  was  en- 
tertained that  it  would  prove  a  great  blessing 
to  the  mission. 

To  show  the  rapid  growth  of  Christianity 
in  these  islands,  we  give  the  following  table, 
showing  the  number  of  communicants  in  the 
eastern  district,  from  the  year  1840,  when  the 
church  consisted  entirely  of  natives  who  came 
from  the  Bay  of  Islands,  principally  as 
teachers. 


1840  .  . 

.   29 

1845  . 

.  1484 

1841  .  . 

.  133 

1846  . 

.  1668 

1842  .  . 

.  451 

1847  . 

.  1960 

1843  .  . 

.  675 

1848  . 

.  2054 

1844  .  . 

.  946 

1849  . 

.  2893 

Here  we  have  illustrated  the  fact  seen  in  al- 
most all  missionary  history,  that  while  during 
the  first  years  of  a  mission  the  results  are 
scarcely  perceptible,  and  the  prospects  discour- 
aging, yet,  when  the  Gospel  fairly  gets  a  lodg- 
ment in  the  minds  of  a  people,  however  des- 
perate their  case  might  seem,  its  progress  will 
be  rapid  and  powerful.  After  20  years'  labor 
in  New-Zealand,  the  number  of  communicants 
reported  was  but  8,  and  they  were  all  at  one 
station  ;  but  here  is  an  increase  in  ten  years, 
in  one  district,  from  29  to  2,893  ! 

The  Committee,  in  the  report  for  1852,  state 
that  the  native  population  of  New-Zealand  is' 
estimated  at  from  80,000  to  120,000 ;  that 
more  than  three-fourths  of  these  are  Protestant 
Christians,  and  that  those  connected  with  Ro- 
manists do  not  exceed  5,000.  The  rest  refuse 
to  join  any  Christian  party,  though  they  have 
laid  aside,  for  the  most  part,  their  heathen  prac 
tices.  The  number  of  natives  connected  with 
the  missions  of  this  society  may  be  estimated 
at  50,000,  and  of  communicants  between  5,000 
and  6,000.  And  every  one  who  is  admitted  to 
the  Lord's  table  undergoes  a  strict  examina- 
tion, in  presence  of  their  native  teachers  and 
neighbors. 

Since  the  appointment  of  the  Bishop  of  New- 


Zealand,  the  mission  has  been  put  under  the 
direction  of  a  Central  New-Zealand  Commit- 
tee, with  the  bishop  at  its  head. 

The  Church  Missionary  Record  for  October, 
1853,  contains  the  following  general  view  of 
this  mission.  On  the  8th  of  August,  1822, 
Rev.  William  Williams,  now  Archdeacon  of 
New-Zealand,  received  his  instructions,  on  his 
departure  for  the  mission.  On  the  6th  of  Au- 
gust, 1853,  the  archdeacon's  son.  Rev.  Leonard 
Williams,  received  the  instructions  of  the  com- 
mittee on  his  departure  for  the  same  mission. 
The  instructions  delivered  Aug.  8,  1822,  ex- 
pressly stated  that  there  was  not  a  single  Chris- 
tian convert  among  the  natives  of  New-Zea- 
land. At  the  present  moment,  the  remnant  of 
heathenism  among  them  is  so  small  as  not  to 
interfere  with  their  being  pronounced  a  Chris- 
tian people.  A  corresponding  influence  has 
been  exerted  on  their  native  character.  Can- 
nibalism is  extinct,  and  the  sanguinary  spirit 
that  gladly  availed  itself  of  every  pretext  to 
break  forth  in  deeds  of  blood  is  laid.  The 
New-Zealanders  have  exchanged  the  spear 
and  club  for  the  plowshare  and  the  reaping- 
hook  ;  and  tribes  which  once  wasted  the  dis- 
tricts of  their  neighbors,  are  diligently  em- 
ployed in  cultivating  their  own.  Christian 
Sabbaths  and  Christian  ordinances  are  gene- 
rally observed  over  the  island,  and  this  national 
profession  is  inclusive  of  a  large  proportion  of 
genuine  godliness.  If  it  be  asked  by  what 
means  this  change  has  been  accomplished,  we 
answer,  by  the  preaching  and  teaching  of 
"  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified  ;"  and  God's 
promised  blessing  on  the  same.  The  work  has 
been  a  rapid  one.  Fifteen  years  back,  the 
main  portion  of  the  island  was  lying  in  un- 
broken heathenism. 

The  following  statement,  taken  from  a  recent 
number  of  the  "  Australian  and  New-Zealand 
Gazette,"  shows  what  has  been  done  in  a  single 
district  : 

"  Fourteen  years  ago  the  natives  of  Otaki 
were  among  the  most  dreaded  classes  of  New- 
Zealand.  Their  leaders  were  Rauperaha  and 
Rangihaiata,  par  excellence,  the  two  most  blood-, 
thirsty  men  in  the  whole  islands ;  men  whose 
whole  lives  were  Uterally  spent  in  shedding 
blood,  and  as  literally  in  drinking  it,  for  both 
were  determined  cannibals,  and  gloried  in  what 
is  now  the  shame  of  their  followers. 

"  Mark  the  scene  at  Otaki  at  this  day.  The 
natives  have  built  a  church  80  feet  long,  36 
feet  wide,  and  40  feet  high.  Its  principal 
beam  they  dragged  12  miles  from  the  depth 
of  their  forests,  the  choicest  tree  therein.  The 
pillars  were  brought  from  the  same  spot,  and 
with  the  same  amount  of  labor.  The  church 
is  lighted  with  lanced-shaped  windows,  four  of 
which  occupy  the  east  end.  The  railing  of 
the  communion  table  is  elaborately  carved  by. 
the  natives,  and  those  who  know  what  their 
skill  in  carving  is  will  bear  us  out  in  saying 
that  the  tabernacle  work  of  many-^aai  English 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


575 


church  is  greatly  inferior  to  that  of  the  native 
church  at  Otaki.  For  the  ground  on  which 
the  church  stands,  the  natives  are  indebted  to 
the  former  cannibal,  Te  Kauperaha,  who  died 
a  Christian. 

"  On  the  south  side  of  the  church  stands  the 
school,  equally  substantial  with  the  church 
itself,  and  larger  than  the  school  in  Welling- 
ton. The  instruction  here  given  is  equal  to 
that  given  in  country  places  in  England ;  in 
one  respect  superior,  for  the  natives  are  taught 
music,  of  which  they  are  exceedingly  fond, 
"  looking  forward  to  the  music  lesson  as  a 
regular  treat."  Their  teacher  may  not  be  a 
Costa,  but  he  is  a  native  who  has  become 
sufficiently  skilled  in  the  art,  as  taught  at  the 
Bishop's  College,  to  become  the  instructor  of 
others. 

"  But  the  native  boys  are  widely  scattered  ; 
and,  therefore,  on  the  west  side  of  the  church, 
stands  a  boarding-house  for  the  boys  attending 
the  school.  The  dining-hall — native  work  too 
—is  50  feet  by  25,  and  15  feet  high.  The 
building  contains  dormitories  for  100  children, 
who  will  be  received  in  this  establishment, 
educated,  clothed  and  fed.  On  the  north  side 
of  the  church  will  stand  a  similar  building  for 
native  girls.  The  cost  of  this  was  defrayed  by 
the  natives,  who  have  also  erected  the  whole, 
with  the  assistance  of  an  English  carpenter. 

"  The  school  possesses  a  valuable  estate,  given 
by  the  old  cannibal  chiefs.  Of  this  estate  60 
acres  are  cleared  and  thoroughly  drained  ;  20 
acres  are  cropped  with  wheat,  and  another 
portion  with  potatoes.  The  establishment 
already  numbers  70  head  of  cattle,  four  iron 
plows,  and  four  teams  of  oxen  ;  the  lads  being 
the  plowmen.  Portions  of  the  estate  are  let 
to  other  natives,  who  pay  their  rent  in  pro- 
duce, and  pasture  on  the  estate  200  head  of 
cattle,  and  70  horses.  The  cost  of  all  the 
buildings  is  between  £5,000  and  £6,000,  of 
which  the  government  has,  at  different  times, 
contributed  £2,000  ;  the  remainder,  as  well 
as  materials  and  labor,  has  been  found  by  the 
natives  themselves. 

"  One  of  the  most  enterprising  patrons  of 
this  establishment  is  the  former  savage  Rangi- 


haiata  himself,  who  has  survived  Te  Rauperaha, 
his  partner  in  the  wholesale  slaughter  of  his 
species.  What  this  slaughter  was  may  be 
judged  by  one  instance.  Where  the  Canter- 
bury settlement  now  stands,  30  years  ago  stood 
a  large  pah,  peopled  by  a  numerous  and  happy 
population.  An  English  ruffian,  for  hire,  car- 
ried the  above  chiefs  and  their  forces  in  the 
hold  of  his  vessel  to  the  present  Lyttelton.  On 
the  pretence  of  trade  the  natives  were  thrown 
off  their  guard  and  became  an  easy  prey  to 
Te  Kauperaha  and  his  followers,  who  did  not 
leave  a  man  alive.  The  women  were  carried 
into  slavery  or  eaten. 

"  On  the  voyage  back  the  ship's  coppers  were 
used  for  cooking  human  joints,  the  people 
being  slain  on  board  as  they  were  wanted. 
The  ruffian  commander  of  the  English  vessel 
admitted  this.  Yet  from  those  very  chiefs 
mentioned  as  the  leaders  of  this  fearful  slaugh- 
ter, and  from  their  followers,  have  sprung  the 
Otaki  church  and  schools. 

"  Many  of  our  readers  will  remember  Pira- 
hawau,  long  the  guest  of  Mr.  Halswell,  at  Ken- 
sington. That  man  was,  when  a  youth,  one 
of  the  perpetrators  of  the  horrible  massacre  we 
have  just  spoken  of.  He  was,  while  with  Mr. 
Halswell,  educated  at  the  British  and  Foreign 
School,  through  the  influence  of  Dr.  Hodgkin, 
and  is  now  a  pioneer  of  civilization  in  the  re- 
sponsible post  of  chief  of  the  native  police  in 
the  Wellington  district.  The  above  progress 
of  civilization  among  savages  is  unparalleled  in 
history ;  but  those  savages  far  surpass  all 
others  in  intellectual  character.  Despite  the 
former  cruelties  of  the  race  toward  each  other, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  New-Zealander 
of  the  superior  caste — for  there  are  two  dis- 
tinct races — upon  whose  features  it  is  not  un- 
mistakably stamped  that  he  is  one  of  *  nature's 
gentlemen.'  The  inferior  caste  are  the  abori- 
gines of  the  islands,  who  have  little  in  common 
with  their  superiors  beyond  their  cunning  at 
a  bargain." 

The  following  table  gives  the  statistics  of 
the  mission,  as  they  appeared  in  the  report  of 
the  society  for  1853  ; 


NAMES  OF  MISSION- 
ARY DISTRICTS. 

1 

1 

i 

i 

Lay  Teachers  and  other 
Helpers. 

1 

s 
s 
6 

1 
.9 

a 

1 

s 

1 
1 

1 

1 

3 

European. 

Native. 

1 

1 

.S 
^ 

1 

Northern  District 
Middle  District   . 
Eastern  District  . 
Western  District . 

Totals    .... 

1814 
1834 
1839 
1839 

3 

9 
5 
4 

4 

10 

4 

3 

1 

4 
2 

2 

1 

30 

53 

134 

215 

8 

624 
1247 
3534 
1622 

136 
391 
423 
124 

8 

87 
18 

89 

43 

380 

155 

287 

5,357 
2,080 

21 

21 

7 

3 

432 

8 

7027 

1074 

33 

43 

880 

155 

7,624 

•76 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


Socntrr  fob  Propaoattno  the  Gospel  in 
FoRBiQN  Parts. — This  Society's  first  mission- 
ny  to  New-Zealand  was  sent  out  in  1839. 
Eight  are  now  maintained  by  an  annual  grant 
of  £1,000,  placiHl  at  the  disposal  of  the  bishop. 
Since  the  anpointment  of  the  bishop,  the  soci- 
ety has  paid  £7,000  to  meet  an  equal  amount 
given  by  the  New-Zealand  Company  for  the 
permanent  endowment  of  the  church.  This 
grant  has  been  the  means  of  endowing  three 
chaplains  in  perpetuity. 

AVbslkya.n  Missionary  Society.— In  the 
rear  1819,  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society 
had  a  young  man  (^Ir.  Samuel  Leigh)  station- 
ed at  New  South  Wales.  Having  suffered  in 
his  healtli,  he  was  advised  bv  Mr.  Marsden  to 
visit  New-Zealand,  which  he  did.  He  became 
acquainted  with  the  missionaries,  who  had 
been  introduced  by  Mr.  Marsden  ;  saw  the 
natives,  and  witnessed  many  horrible  scenes  of 
cannibalism  ;  and  was  so  affected  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  things  as  to  cherish  an  ardent  desire 
to  commence  a  Wesleyan  mission  in  the 
country.  The  excellent  brethren  of  the 
Church  of  England  supported  and  encouraged 
him  in  his  project.  He  returned  home  to 
England  ;  obtained  the  sanction  and  authority 
of  the  executive  committee  ;  and  in  1821  re- 
turned with  Mrs.  Leigh  for  New-Zealand. 

At  the  request  of  one  of  the  most  influential 
chiefs,  Mr.  Leigh  determined  to  fix  his  resi- 
dence at  Alercwy  Bay,  near  the  river  Thames, 
but  this  design  was  frustrated  by  the  outbreak 
of  a  war,  in  consequence  of  which,  he  and  his 
excellent  wife  were  under  the  necessity  of  re- 
maining for  some  time  at  the  Church  Mission- 
ary settlement,  where  they  employed  them- 
selves in  acquiring  the  language  and  instruct- 
ing the  natives,  as  they  had  opportunity. 

Mr.  Leigh's  simplicity,  coui-age  and  hardi- 
hood eminently  fitted  him  for  the  work  to 
which  he  was  called  ;  but  mere  natural  resources 
would  have  utterly  failed  in  such  scenes.  He 
had  faith  in  his  Divine  Master,  and  in  his  gra- 
cious declaration,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  And  this 
was  his  strength  and  stay  when  human  forti- 
tude and  endurance  would  have  utterly  failed 
him.  He  dared  their  pointed  muskets  ;  stood 
undaunted  while  clubs  were  sometimes  whirled 
around  his  head  and  spears  were  thrust  close 
by  his  side,  and  felt  that  he  only  lived  from 
hour  k)  hour,  as  sustained  by  the  invisible  pow- 
er of  God.  He  mingled  with  the  people  in 
their  villages  and  huts ;  bartered  with  them 
for  animal  food,  having  been  four  months  with- 
out any ;  conversed  with  them  in  the  most  fa- 
miliar manner,  and  endeavored  to  Avin  their 
confidence  as  well  as  sound  the  depth  of  their 
superstitions.  At  length  he  was  joined  by 
the  brethren  Turner  and  White,  and  the 
whole  mission  party  proceeded  to  Wangaroa, 
on  the  north-cast  coast,  and  north  of  the  Bay 
of  Islands,  Mhere  they  were  received  with  ap- 
parent kindness  by  the  chief,  George.    This 


George  was  a  very  notorious  person.    In  the 
year  1809  he  had  cut  off  the  crew  and  passen- 

§ers  of  the  "  Boyd,"  a  fine  ship  of  five  hun- 
red  tons  burden  ;  on  which  occasion,  at  least 
seventy  persons  were  murdered  and  feasted 
upon  by  the  blood-thirsty  savages,  and  the 
ship  was  burnt  down  to  the  water's  edge. 
From  this  time  George  had  a  lurking  fear  of 
the  Europeans,  though  for  selfish  purposes  he 
wished  to  have  traffic  with  them,  even  to  the 
extent  of  encouraging,  in  some  degree,  their 
settlement  in  the  country.  But  the  vaguo 
idea  of  a  possible  retribution  overtaking  him, 
made  him  distrustful,  overbearing,  and  violent; 
and  the  missionaries,  while  endeavoring  to 
I  erect  their  temporary  dwelling  by  the  aid  of 
hired  native  labor,  were  subjected  to  end- 
less trouble  and  annoyance.  He  came  and 
drove  the  natives  away ;  used  ill-language  to 
Mr.  Turner  ;  threatened  to  level  the  house  to 
the  ground,  and  said  it  was  his  ;  but  all  this 
turbulence  was  to  obtain  some  gift  or  gratuity. 
Afterwards  three  spades  were  forcibly  taken 
away  by  some  of  his  people.  Others  came  in 
canoes,  with  fencing  timber  for  sale,  which  Mr. 
Turner  bought  of  them,  making  payment  in 
various  articles  of  hardware,  though  almost  be- 
wildered by  their  violence  and  vociferation. 
Another  of  the  chiefs  brought  a  pig  for  which 
he  had  previously  received  payment ;  but  he 
demanded  to  be  paid  again.  Mr.  Turner  did 
not  yield  at  first,  but  afterwards  gave  him  an 
iron  pot,  which  he  coveted,  when  he  claimed 
another  article  also.  This  was  refused,  and  he 
fell  into  a  violent  passion,  dashed  the  pot  to 
pieces,  followed  Mr.  Turner,  who  was  leaving 
him,  and  with  all  the  rage  of  a  fiend  pointed 
his  musket  twice  to  shoot  him,  but  was  re- 
strained by  an  invisible  hand.  However,  he 
pushed  Mr.  Turner  very  roughly  about,  until 
Mr.  Hobbs,  the  assistant  missionary  came  up. 
He  charged  them  with  the  design  of  making 
the  New-Zealanders  slaves  ;  and  said,  the  only 
thing  they  gave  him  was  Karakia  ("  prayers,") 
upon  which  he  poured  the  greatest  contempt. 
He  did  not  want  to  hear  about  Christ ;  he 
wanted  muskets,  powder,  tomahawks,  tobacco, 
and  the  like.  He  then  went  back  to  the  house, 
and  threatened  to  kill  Mrs.  Turner  and  the  ser- 
vants ;  saying,  he  would  serve  the  whole  mis- 
sion family  as  his  people  had  served  the  crew 
of  the  "  Boyd."  The  maid  screamed  with  ter- 
ror, but  Mrs.  Turner  preserved  her  composure; 
and  when  the  excited  savage  had  taken  seve- 
ral articles  from  the  mission  store,  she  took 
them  back  from  him  with  calm  resolution,  and 
felt  her  mind  kept  in  peace,  being  stayed 
on  God.  After  a  while  the  storm  ceased,  but 
such  scenes  often  occurred  during  their  first 
month's  residence  at  Wangaroa,  One  morn- 
ing the  missionaries  heard  that  the  heads  of 
an  adjacent  tribe  had  killed  one  of  their  own 
slaves,  and  were  preparing  to  eat  the  body. 
Mr.  Turner  went  down  to  the  place,  and  found 
the  chiefs  sitting  round  the  fire,  and  apparently 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


577 


glad  to  see  him.  After  the  usual  salute  he 
Avent  towards  the  fire,  aud  found  to  his  horror 
a  humau  being  laid  at  length,  and  roasting  be- 
tween two  logs.  He  told  them  that  his  heart 
was  very  sore  at  such  a  sight ;  aud  as  guilt  and 
shame  were  evidently  depicted  on  their  coun- 
tenances, he  made  use  of  the  opportunity  se- 
verely to  rebuke  this  enormity,  warning  them 
of  the  just  judgments  of  Almighty  God. 

The  natives,  who  disliked  toil,  could  not  be 
induced,  even  in  their  most  friendly  moods,  to 
build  a  school-house ;  and  therefore  the  mis- 
sionaries were  content  for  a  while,  in  their 
fine  climate,  to  collect  the  people  and  their 
children  in  the  open  air,  and  there  teach  them 
letters,  catechisms,  prayers,  and  hymns.  Nor 
were  their  efforts  fruitless;  for  many  of  the 
New-Zcaianders  have  dated  their  first  impres- 
sions from  these  primitive  exercises.  Towards 
the  end  of  1824  the  mission  premises  were 
pretty  well  completed.  They  stood  upon  a 
jutting  point  of  laud  on  the  south  side  of  a 
beautiful  vale,  through  which  ran  a  fine  ser- 
pentine river  of  fresh  water,  before  emptying 
itself  beyond  into  a  safe  and  commodious  har- 
bor. The  vale  was  bounded  by  hills  and 
mountains  of  almost  every  size  and  form,  gen- 
erally covered  with  excellent  pines,  many  of 
which  were  from  60  to  100  feet  to  the  lowest 
branch,  and  from  three  to  six  feet  in  diameter. 
The  soil  of  the  valley  was  exceedingly  rich. 
The  missionaries,  having  purchased  the  land, 
had  built  a  good  wooden  house,  with  brick 
chimney — the  bricks  having  been  made  on 
the  premises,  and  the  lime  obtained  by  cal- 
cining cockle-shells.  They  cleared  about  three 
acres  of  ground,  enclosed  it  with  a  log  fence, 
sowed  it  with  wheat  and  barley,  and  likewise 
set  out  a  good  garden  with  vegetables  and  fruit 
trees  :  all  these  were  for  the  mission  families. 
Besides  this  the  missionaries  had,  with  their 


own  hands,  at  two  of  the  principal  villages,  the  task  of  exacting  satisfaction  for  the  death 


natives  of  the  Bay  of  Islands,  which  was  after- 
wards rescued  and  conducted  out  to  sea  by 
two  of  the  missionaries.  The  natives  were 
apprehensive  of  retribution  from  other  English 
vessels,  and  this  made  them  jealous  of  the  mis- 
sionaries. The  chief,  George,  was  now  dan- 
gerously ill,  and  likely  to  die.  His  father  had 
been  killed  in  the  affair  of  the  Boyd ;  and  it 
was  reported  that  George  had  requested  the 
natives  of  Hokianga,  in  case  of  his  death,  to 
come  and  strip  the  Wangaroa  Wesleyan  mis- 
sionaries of  every  thing  they  possessed,  if  not 
to  kill  them,  as  utu,  or  "  payment,"  for  the  death 
of  his  father,  for  which  he  said  he  had  never 
received  satisfaction.  The  death  of  a  chief  is 
a^  day  of  reckoning,  when  all  the  quarrels  of 
his  life  have  to  be  avenged.  These  sources  of 
uneasiness  made  the  more  wicked  natives  very 
overbearing  and  annoying.  They  broke  over 
the  mission  fence  and  committed  petty  de- 
predations on  the  property ;  and  on  being  rear 
soned  with,  proceeded  to  acts  of  violence  against 
Mr.  Turner  and  his  assistants,  assaulting  him 
with  spears,  and  menacing  his  life.  But  God 
protected  him. 

_  The  Church  missionaries  evinced  the  live- 
liest sympathy  with  their  Wesleyan  brethren ; 
and  with  true  Christian  love,  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Williams  and  Kemp  came  over,  and  urged 
that  at  least  Mrs.  Turner  and  the  little  ones 
should  be  removed  to  one  of  their  settlements 
for  a  season.  They  were  removed  accord- 
ingly to  Mr.  Kemp's,  at  Kerikeri,  where  they 
received  every  kindness  and  attention  ;  but 
nothing  could  induce  Mr.  Turner  and  his  fel- 
low-laborers to  forsake  their  posts.  For  a 
time  their  circumstances  were  most  critical ; 
but  they  endured  hardness  as  good  soldiers, 
and  repaid  evil  with  good  ;  till  at  length  the 
old  chief,  George,  sunk  under  his  malady,  and 
died.    The  people  upon  whom  had  devolved 


raised  buildings  to  the  honor  and  service  of 
God,  and  for  the  purposes  of  his  worship.  By 
this  time  the  natives  began  to  listen  with  at- 
tention ;  the  children  were  learning  to  read  in 
their  own  language  ;  and  Mrs.  Turner's  girls 
began  to  make  progress  in  needle-work.  The 
little  settlement  was  visited  by  Messrs.  Bemut 
and  Tyerman,  the  deputation  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  by  whom  the  brethren 
were  greatly  cheered.  The  missionaries  had 
been  instrumental  in  quelling  an  outbreak  of 
jealousy  on  the  part  of  the  natives  in  their 
ship,  while  she  was  lying  off  the  shore,  and 
thereby  saving  their  lives.  Prospects  of  use- 
fulness seemed  to  be  opening  in  a  very  pleas- 
ing manner,  when,  all  at  once,  a  dark  cloud 
gathered  around  them.  A  fresh  series  of  na- 
tive outbreaks  took  place,  which  ended  in  the 
total  destruction  of  the  mission  premises  and 
property ;  and  the  suspension  for  a  while  of 
the  mission  itself. 

About  this  time  an  English  ship,  the  Mer- 
cury, had  been  taken  and  plundered  by  the 
37 


of  his  father,  according  to  his  last  will,  assem- 
bled to  deliberate,  and  for  that  purpose  ap- 
proached the  mission  pr&mises ;  but,  after  they 
had  spent  some  time  in  mutual  conference, 
they  agreed  to  accept  the  blood  of  a  bird  as  a 
sufficient  compensation.  One  of  the  party 
then  jumped  over  into  the  mission  premises, 
bore  off  a  duck,  and  killed  it  as  a  sacrifice  to 
the  manes  of  the  chief's  father.  Mrs.  Turner 
and  the  children  now  returned  to  Wangaroa, 
and  it  was  hoped  all  would  be  well ;  but  very 
soon  far  worse  troubles  arose.  The  valley  of 
Wangaroa  was  suddenly  invaded  by  Shungee, 
one  of  the  most  sanguinary  New-Zealand 
chieftains.  On  the  4th  of  January,  1827, 
while  the  mission  family  were  engaged  in  do- 
mestic worship,  they  received  intelligence  of 
his  approach.  For  several  days  all  was  alarm 
and  confusion.  Canoes  began  to  drop  down 
the  river,  bearing  the  natives  to  the  various 
scenes  of  conflict.  Early  on  the  morning  of 
the  10th  a  party  of  natives  were  descried  by 
the  servant,  approaching  the  missioo-house- 


578 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


The  missionaries  hod  hardly  time  to  put  on 
their  clothes,  when  twenty  savages,  armed 
with  muskets,  spears,  hatchets,  &c.,  entered 
the  mission-ground,  and  were  proceeding  to- 
wanls  tiic  house.  It  was  demanded  of  them 
what  they  wanted.  Oro,  the  chief,  said,  "  We 
are  come  to  make  a  fight ;  your  chief  has  fled, 
your  [>eople  have  left  the  place,  you  will  be 
stripped  of  all  your  property  before  noon; 
therefore  instantly  begone."  At  the  same  time 
he  gave  orders  to  his  party  to  commence  the 
woHc  of  spoliation.  They  fired  several  guns 
as  a  signal,  and  others  came  and  joined  them. 
Mr.  Turner  began  to  prepare  for  quitting 
the  place,  thouj^h  he  lingered  to  the  last  ex- 
tremity, from  his  reluctance  to  leave  a  spot 
upon  which  he  had  bestowed  so  much  labor 
and  care.  The  native  youths  who  had  been 
under  the  instruction  of  the  missionaries  were 
much  alarmed,  and  urged  a  speedy  departure, 
begging  that  they  might  be  allowed  to  accom- 
pany the  family.  At  6  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  all  hope  of  remaining  in  safety  was 
extinct,  the  sorrowful  and  affrighted  household 
began  to  move,  saving  scarcely  anything  from 
the  wreck  but  the  clothes  they  wore,  and  a 
change  or  two  for  the  children.  The  company, 
apart  from  the  native  young  people,  consisted 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Turner,  three  children,  the 
youngest  of  whom  was  an  infant  five  weeks 
old  ;  Luke  Wade,  the  assistant,  and  his  wife ; 
Mr.  Hobbs,  and  Miss  Davis,  a  young  lady 
from  the  Church  settlement  of  Paihia,  who 
had  come  to  spend  a  few  weeks  on  a  visit. 
Their  flight  was  most  perilous,  through  scrub 
and  fern,  drenched  with  heavy  dew,  and 
obliged  to  ford  the  river  with  the  helpless 
children  in  their  arms.  Behind  were  blood- 
thirsty savages,  who  were  only  restrained  from 
murder  by  their  selfish  fears ;  and  all  around 
were  hovering  hostile  parties,  who,  from  vari- 
ous motives,  were  quite  ready  to  exterminate, 
in  this  time  of  excitement,  the  mission  house- 
hold ;  but,  looking  to  God  for  help  and  deliv- 
erance, the  fugitives  directed  their  steps  to- 
ward Kerikeri,  the  nearest  Church  settlement. 
As  they  went  on  they  were  met  by  one  of  their 
own  principal  men,  and  also  a  very  friendly 
old  chief,  iVare  Nui,  from  the  Bay  of  Islands. 
To  the  latter  Mr.  Turner  made  his  appeal  for 
help  and  protection,  to  which  he  immediately 
responded,  and  all  the  group  moved  on  under 
his  guidance.  Twice  more  they  crossed  the 
river,  and  on  turning  a  sharp  bend  of  the 
channel,  all  at  once  they  came  upon  a  formid- 
able body  of  fighting  natives  from  the  Hokian- 
ga,  orderly,  compact,  and  ready  for  action, 
variously  armed,  but  chiefly  with  muskets  and 
bayonets.  They  were  headed  by  several  chiefs, 
the  principal  of  whom  was  Patuone,  lono 
known  to  be  most  friendly  to  Europeans.  He 
caught  a  glance  of  the  missionaries,  and  loudly 
called  upon  his  people  to  stop.  He  then  in- 
vited them  to  sit  down,  and  came  with  several 
of  his  principal  companions  and  rubbed  noses 


with  the  fugitives  in  token  of  friendship  and 
good-will.  After  some  words  of  explanation 
between  the  several  chiefs,  they  iormcd  a 
guard  around  the  mission  party,  and  then 
commanded  the  armed  band  to  march  forward 
to  the  other  side  of  the  river ;  thus  another 
peril  was  passed.  The  travelers  then  plunged 
mto  the  woods.  Soon  after  they  were  met  by 
a  party  from  Paihia,  consisting  of  the  Rev. 
H.  Williams,  Messrs.  Davis,  Richey,  and  a 
dozen  natives.  The  Apostle  Paul  at  "  the 
Appii  Forum  and  the  Three  Taverns,"  could 
hardly  have  paore  fervently  thanked  God  and 
gladly  taken  courage,  than  the  Wesleyan  mis- 
sionaries here.  From  these  excellent  persons, 
and  at  Kerikeri,  where  they  soon  arrived,  they 
received  every  kindness  that  sympathy  and 
Christian  brotherhood  could  suggest.  On 
Thursday,  Jan.  17,  they  removed  to  the  Paihia 
settlement,  where  they  remained  until  the  cap- 
tain of  the  ship  "  Rosanna,"  hearing  of  the 
disasters  of  the  mission  party,  most  kindly 
offered  them  a  passage  to  Sydney ;  and  thus 
they  removed  to  the  colcoy,  and  for  a  while 
the  mission  was  suspended.  While  they  were 
sheltered  at  Paihia,  the  Hokianga  party,  whom 
they  had  met  on  the  10th,  proceeded  to  Wan- 
garoa,  came  in  conflict  with  the  plunderers  at 
the  mission-house,  who  belonged  to  Shungee's 
people,  drove  them  away  with  savage  fury, 
and  seized  upon  the  remainder  of  the  booty 
themselves  ;  burned  the  house  and  barn,  with 
the  wheat  crop  in  straw,  to  ashes  ;  killed  the 
cattle,  goats,  and  poultry ;  and,  worst  of  all, 
the  body  of  Mrs.  Turner's  infant  child,  which 
had  died  and  been  buried  there,  they  dug  up 
for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  blanket  or 
wrapper  in  which  they  supposed  the  tender 
babe  had  been  buried,  and  left  the  cherished 
remains  of  this  little  one  to  moulder  on  the  sur- 
face amid  the  other  monuments  of  this  sad  and 
desolating  outbreak. 

Pattione,  the  chief  who  interposed  on  be- 
half of  Mr.  Turner's  family,  and  shielded  them 
from  native  violence  as  they  fled  from  Wan- 
garoa,  seems  never  to  have  been  easy  at  the 
removal  of  the  W&sleyan  missionaries.  To- 
wards the  latter  end  of  the  year  1827,  he  ear- 
nestly invited  them  to  return  ;  and  they,  not 
wishing  to  entertain  the  thought  of  finally 
abandoning  the  country,  very  willingly  accept- 
ed the  invitation ;  and  in  January,  1828,  we 
find  them  establishsd  at  Mangungu,  on  the 
river  Hokianga,  in  Patuone's  district.  This 
locality  was  selected  in  mutual  council  with 
the  Church  missionaries,  and  purchased  and 
paid  for  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  natives.  The 
soil  was  suitable  for  the  production  of  such 
articles  as  were  needed ;  and  a  vessel  of  500 
tons  might  lie  opposite  within  100  yards  of  the 
premises. 

So  far  this  mission  had  been  one  of  sorrow 
and  discouragement.  Ten  years  of  hard  toil 
and  danger  had  been  passed  through,  and 
much  money  expended,  and  yet  up  to  the  year 


NEW  ZEALAND. 


579 


^ 


1830,  there  seemed  to  be  no  visible  results. 
But  the  faith  of  the  missionaries  was  unshak 
en,  and  they  were  resolved  to  persevere.  We 
now  come  to  a  turn  of  affairs.  The  Gospel 
day  began  to  dawn,  and  the  glorious  light  has 
been  brightening  ever  since.  During  the  year 
just  mentioned,  the  natives  had  narrowly 
watched  the  brethren,  keenly  scrutinized  their 
temper  and  conduct,  and  become  convinced 
that  they  were  real  friends,  who  only  sought  to 
do  them  good.  They  now  began  to  hear  in- 
struction with  great  attention,  and  to  renounce 
their  superstitions.  One  of  the  missionaries 
writes.  May  26th,  1834  :  "  On  the  preceding 
Sabbath  the  native  chapel  was  crowded  to  ex- 
cess, and  great  numbers  had  to  sit  outside,  all 
panting  for  the  Word  of  Life.  Such  was  the 
desire  to  get  there  in  the  evening,  that  they 
almost  trampled  on  each  other,  and  some  of 
them  had  come  in  canoes  from  places  forty 
miles  distant,  and  anxiety  for  salvation  ap- 
peared to  possess  a  great  proportion  of  this  in- 
teresting multitude.  Their  earnest  singing, 
prayers,  attention  to  their  classes,  and  other 
ordinances  of  religion,  left  no  doubt  on  the 
minds  of  the  missionaries  as  to  their  sincerity. 
In  reverential  behavior  in  the  house  of  God 
they  were  a  pattern  even  to  Europeans ;  al- 
most every  Saturday  some  eminent  stranger 
would  arrive,  in  order  to  be  ready  for  worship 
on  the  Sabbath,  and  would  there  profess  his 
attachment  to  Christianity ;  wherever  mission- 
aries went  on  errands  of  mercy  to  the  sur- 
rounding villages,  the  natives  were  all  ready 
to  receive  them ;  and  it  was  manifest  that  a 
glorious  work  was  breaking  forth  in  New- 
Zealand." 

Several  chiefs  and  other  natives  had  declar- 
ed in  favor  of  Christianity.  Tawai  and  Mitt, 
the  former  one  of  the  most  celebrated  and  suc- 
cessful warriors  in  the  land,  with  some  old 
gray-headed  cannibals,  were  sitting  "at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,"  anxious  to  learn  and  ready  to 
do  the  will  of  God.  Various  alterations  had 
now  taken  place  in  the  mission  establishment. 
Mr.  Hobbs  had  been  removed  by  the  com- 
mittee for  a  while,  to  the  Friendly  Islands,  to 
strengthen  the  work  there.  But  Mr.  Whitely 
and  Mr.  Wallis,  with  their  wives,  had  been 
sent  out  to  New-Zealand  to  join  in  occupying 
those  gracious  openings  which  now  seemed  so 
numerous  and  promising ;  and  these  were 
joined  in  1836  by  Mr.  N.  Turner,  who  retm-n- 
ed  from  Van  Dieman's  land  to  the  scene  of  his 
former  labors  and  sufferings.  In  1836  and 
1837,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woon  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Buller  were  respectively  appointed.  A  print- 
ing-press was  employed,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  Woon,  in  supplying  the  mission 
with  books  for  circulation. 

At  this  time  native  teachers  were  extensive- 
ly employed,  so  far  as  their  gifts  and  graces 
qualified  them  for  the  work,  initiating  mission- 
ary operations  in  the  interior  and  along  the 
coast.     They  were  visited  by  the  brethren  at 


the  head  stations  of  Mangunga,  Newark  and 
Kaipara,  as  often  as  possible,  and  were  thus 
more  fully  instructed  in  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
No  less  than  five  deputations  came  to  Man- 
gunga and  Kaipara,  from  the  south,  to  request 
missionaries,  bearing  tidings  that  the  natives 
had  already  built  themselves  several  chapels, 
and  begun  regularly  to  assemble  and  worship 
God,  according  to  their  best  knowledge. 

In  1839,  an  attempt  was  made  to  pass 
through  the  British  Parliament  a  measure  for 
the  colonization  of  New-Zealand.  The  mis- 
sionaries of  the  Church  and  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  believing  that  some  of  the 
provisions  in  this  measure  would  compromise 
the  character  of  England,  by  violating  the  in- 
dependence of  the  New-Zealanders,  and  prove 
detrimental  to  the  labors  of  the  missionaries, 
earnestly  entreated  the  committees  of  those 
societies  to  petition  the  Parliament  against 
that  bill. 

In  1840,  the  Wesleyan  Society  sent  six  ad- 
ditional missionaries  to  New-Zealand,  in  the 
missionary  ship  Triton,  to  strengthen  the  older 
stations,  and  to  answer  some  of  those  calls  for 
new  stations. 

The  Rev.  John  Bumhy  was  one  of  this  rein- 
forcement. Having  been  eminently  useful  in 
home  circuits,  he  offered  himself  for  the  mis- 
sionary work  ;  and  in  March,  1839,  landed  in 
New-Zealand,  where  he  labored  with  great 
zeal,  diligence  and  enterprise,  until  June  26, 
1840,  when  he  was  drowned  by  the  upsetting 
of  a  canoe  in  the  Bay  of  Thames.  His  mis- 
sionary career  was  short,  but  laborious  and 
self-denying.  He  was  the  first  Wesleyan  min- 
ister whose  life  had  fallen  a  sacrifice  in  the 
New-Zealand  mission. 

When  the  New-Zealand  mission  was  com- 
menced at  Wangaroa,  there  was  no  written  or 
printed  book  in  that  language.  In  a  compar-  | 
atively  short  period,  however,  the  missionaries 
were  able  to  hold  conversations  with  the  peo- 
ple, and  to  form  schools  for  the  instruction  of 
the  children ;  and  they  were  cheered  by  the 
effects  of  their  labors  soon  becoming  apparent 
among  both  young  and  old.  In  1842,  the  fol- 
lowing works  had  issued  from  the  mission  •^ 
press :  5,000  Scripture  lessons  ;  3,000  copies 
of  an  elementary  school-book ;  6,700  cate- 
chisms, and  prayers  and  hymns.  At  this  pe- 
riod, the  missionaries  occupied  13  stations; 
there  were  3,259  persons  in  church-fellowship, 
and  4,000  children  in  the  schools.  The  Brit 
ish  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  had  also  sent 
out  15,000  copies  of  the  New-Zealand  Testa- 
ment from  England.  However,  neither  the 
liberality  of  friends  at  home,  nor  the  labors  of 
the  mission  press,  could  keep  pace  with  the 
progress  of  the  natives,  and  the  increasing  de- 
mand for  teachers  and  books.  The  natives 
were  also  rapidly  adopting  the  manners  and 
habits  of  civilized  life.  Many  of  the  chiefs 
appeared  dressed  like  gentlemen,  and  sup- 
ported the  character  by  their  behavior. 


580 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


Al>out  the  mifldlo  of  1842,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
iSWtryii  nrrivcMl  as  Bishop  of  New-55ealaucl. 
Aa  no  was  known  to  possess  "  High  Church 
principles,"  the  missionaries,  especially  the 
WcsU'vuns,  foreboded  evil  from  the  possible 
riso  of  new  controversies  in  the  infant  commu- 
nity. These  forebodings  were  too  soon  real- 
irod ;  for  the  bishop  began  to  teach  and  en- 
force the  doctrines  of  baptismal  regeneration 
and  apostolical  succession,  as  understood  and 
explained  by  the  High  Church  party  ;  thereby 
casting  discredit  upon  all  ministers  not  epis- 
copaliy  ordained,  and  by  implication  denying 
the  validity  especially  of  the  pastoral  acts  of 
the  Wesleyan  missionaries.  This  was  a  seri- 
ous hindrance  to  the  work  of  God.  The  mis- 
sionaries of  the  Wesleyan  Society  and  the 
Church  brethren  had  labored  together  hither- 
to, in  the  utmost  harmony  and  love ;  and  it 
was  with  the  greatest  reluctance  that  the  Wes- 
leyan missionaries  were  compelled  to  act  on 
the  defensive,  against  the  hostility  of  that 
church  which  the  bishop  represented.  The 
Great  Head  of  the  Church  had  put  his  seal 
upon  their  labors,  and  they  could  turn  to 
thousands  of  converted  New-Zealanders,  res- 
cued from  cannibalism  and  sin,  and  say,  "  Ye 
are  our  epistles."  As  the  Wesleyan  flock  was 
disturbed  and  scattered  by  these  dissensions, 
the  Rev.  H.  H.  Hanson  Turton,  at  Taranaki, 
deemed  it  his  duty  to  address  a  spirited,  yet 
Christian  remonstrance  to  Dr.  Selwyn  on  the 
subject,  in_  three  letters,  published  some  time 
afterward  in  one  of  the  country  newspapers. 
There  was  no  great  amount  of  sympathy  with 
this  exclusivism,  however,  in  the  colony  gen- 
erally; and  as  mutual  difficulties  multiplied, 
Dr.  Selwyn  acquired  juster  views  of  the  Wes- 
leyan cause,  and  these  ill-judged  and  divisive 
proceedings  were  gradually  abated  ;  not,  how- 
ever, without  Weakening  that  blessed  bond  of 
attachment  and  respect  which  had  formerly 
united  both  societies. 

On  the  30th  of  March  1842,  the  Rev.  John 
Waterhouse,  of  Hobart  Town,  the  General  Su- 
perintendent, was  summoned  to  his  eternal 
rest  His  last  sickness  was  brought  on  by 
exposure  to  the  heavy  rains  of  Van  Dieman's 
Land ;  but  his  death  was  eminently  edifyin"- 
and  triumphant.  ° 

In  Kaipara,  two  circumstances  of  a  most 
gratifying  character  have  lately  transpired, 
both  illustrating  the  value  of  Christian  missions. 
On  occasion  of  the  distressing  shipwreck  of  a 
vessel  belonging  to  the  French  navy,  nearly 
200  persons  were  cast  naked  and  destitute  upon 
the  shores  of  New-Zealand,  about  thirty  miles 
to  the  north  of  Kaipara  Heads.  They  con- 
structed temporary  huts  upon  the  beach,  and 
sent  out  a  party  in  quest  of  help,  which, 
after  two  days,  fell  in  with  a  few  natives  from 
Okaro,  who  received  them  kindly,  and  encour- 
aged them  to  send  for  the  main  body  of  sufferers 
to  refresh  themselves  at  the  Christian  village. 
Accordingly  they  came,  and  received  from  a 


people,  who  a  few  years  before  would  hare 
murdered  and  perhaps  eaten  them,  a  kind  and 
Christian  welcome.  The  Union  Jack  was 
hoisted  on  the  approach  of  the  party,  and  the 
houses,  the  blankets,  and  the  provisions  of  the 
natives  were  placed  at  their  service  for  about 
ten  days,  until  arrangements  could  be  made 
for  their  removal.  For  this  hospitality  they 
neither  asked  nor  desired  a  recompense  :  but 
the  Lieutenant-Governor  of  New-Zealand, 
knowing  how  largely  their  winter  stores  had 
been  encroached  upon  by  this  unexpected  de- 
mand, gave  theiji  his  high  commendation,  and 
a  handsome  present  likewise.  It  is  hoped  and 
believed  that  the  unfortunate  Frenchmen  would 
carry  with  them  to  Tahiti  a  practical  lesson  of 
the  value  of  Protestant  missionary  labors. 

Nor  is  it  only  for  the  bodies  of  their  fellow- 
men  that  these  newly  reclaimed  savages  have 
learned  to  care.  Concern  for  their  own  souls 
has  taught  them  the  value  of  the  souls  of 
others ;  and  their  own  exx)erience  of  Gospel 
blessings  has  made  them  solicitous  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  world.  Few  missionary 
documents  possess  a  higher  interest  for  the 
thoughtful  mind  than  a  narrative  forwarded 
by  Mr.  Bullers,  of  a  missionary  meeting  held 
at  this  place.  About  300  natives  were  as- 
sembled. The  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated 
on  the  Lord's  day,  and  a  love-feast  on  Tuesday 
morning  concluded  the  services.  Monday  was 
occupied  by  the  missionary  meeting,  at  which 
16  native  speakers  bore  their  testimony  to  the 
value  of  the  Gospel,  and  urged  on  their  breth- 
ren the  duty  and  privilege  of  contributing  to 
the  Missionary  Society.  A  collection  of  £13 
bore  witness  that  they  did  not  plead  in  vain. 
But  the  true  value  of  the  meeting  must  not  be 
estimated  by  the  collection.  The  strong  sense, 
the  cogent  arguments,  the  clear  perception  of 
Christian  duty,  the  union  of  purpose,  and  the 
grateful  acknowledgment  of  their  obligations 
to  British  Christians,  which  marked  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  meeting,  gave  to  it  a  high  im- 
portance, both  as  a  trophy  of  the  past  and  a 
pledge  of  the  future. 

In  1845  and  1846,  the  gracious  spirit  of 
awakening  that  spread  over  all  the  Wesleyan 
stations  in  the  South  Sea,  visited  also  the 
stations  in  New-Zealand  ;  and  a  great  exten- 
sion of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  was  the  con- 
sequence. The  Wesleyan  Institution  for  train- 
ing a  native  ministry  was  established  in  1844, 
making  the  second  of  these  institutions  in 
New-Zealand.  And  about  the  same  time,  a 
college  and  seminary  were  also  established  at 
Auckland,  the  capital,  for  the  purpose  of  edu- 
cating the  children  of  the  missionaries  who 
are  stationed  in  Australia,  New-Zealand,  and 
the  islands  of  the  South  Sea. 

Neat  and  commodious  chapels  were  raised 
in  all  the  peopled  localities  around  the  princi- 
pal stations,  and  thus  those  stations  became 
circuits,  as  in  England ;  native  young  men,  in 
great  numbers,  as  soon  as  their  piety  and  in- 


NEW-ZEALAND. 


581 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


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53  eg      .= 


telligence  were  of  an  order  to  warrant  sucli  an 
arrangement,  were  sent  forth. among  their  hea- 
then countrymen,  to  lead  them  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth.  An  awful  earthquake 
which  happened  in  Wellington,  October  14, 
1848,  destroying  some  lives  and  much  property, 
was  the  means,  in  the  Divine  hand,  of  greatly 
deepening  the  serious  impressions. 

Such  are  the  present  results  and  aspect  of 
the  New-Zealand  mission.  It  is  a  territory 
that  has  been  won  for  Christ  by  the  united 
exertions  of  the  Weslcyan  and  Church  of  Eng- 
land missionaries.  To  the  Wesleyans  espo 
cially,  it  has  been  a  sphere  of  unparalleled  toil, 
carried  on  for  33  years,  at  the  cost  of  several 
thousands  a  year,  and  yet  yielding  glorious 
fruit.  The  fields  are  "  white  unto  the  harvest," 
and  Christian  reapers  are  filling  their  arms 
with  the  sheaves. 

It  yet  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  abo- 
rigines will  be  borne  down  and  lost  under  the 
surging  tide  of  colonial  immigration,  or  whe- 
ther they  will  stand  like  a  rock  amid  it  all. 
Native  tribes  have  generally  disappeared  where 
mere  aggressive  or  commercial  colonization 
has  taken  place ;  but  here,  where  cupidity  has 
received  a  check,  where  the  clear  lines  of  right 
have  been  revealed,  where  the  native  mind  has 
been  elevated,  and  the  trading  spirit  overawed 
by  a  more  than  usual  amount  of  Christian  in- 
fluence and  appliances,  the  results  may  prove 
more  cheering.  Wise  and  experienced  men, 
such  as  the  senior  missionaries,  give  it  as  their 
opinion,  that  the  slave  population  of  Xew- 
Zealand,  the  lowest  in  the  physical  scale,  will 
die  ofif  and  become  extinct ;  while  the  chieftain 
families,  changed  in  their  habits,  and  raised  by 
religion  and  educational  training,  will  be  pre- 
served and  increase,  partly,  and  for  a  while,  as 
a  separate  people,*  and  then  perhaps,  ultimately, 
as  commingled  with  the  Europeans  of  the 
country. 

Their  euphonious  but  poor  language  is  now 
impressed  with  great  Gospel  conceptions,  with 
words  that  shall  stir  the  hearts  of  generations 
yet  to  come.  With  them  the  Sabbath  is  "  a 
delight  and  honorable  ;"'  and,  notwithstanding 
the  number  of  those  who  still  ''  walk  according 
to  the  course  of  the  world,"  there  is  nothing  to 
hinder  the  ordinary  progress  of  the  Gospel 
through  this  fine  and  interesting  country,  or  to 
prevent  it  from  becoming  a  fair,  prosperous, 
and  Christian  land. — Barreifs  Life  of  Bumby  ; 
Wesleijan  Notices,  and  Annual  Kevorts. — Kev. 
W.  Butler. 

GENERAL   TABULAR  VIEW. 


SOCIETIES. 


*  No  returns. 


Cliurch  MijJ*.  See.  . 
Weslevan  Miss.  Soc. 


T.ri 

1 

III 

i 

si 

•21 

=  «^,lj^t. 

c2" 

31 

440 

7,0-27 

16 

20 

ii4 

4,316 

37 

51 

464 

11,343 

7.724 
6;719 


14  443 


Ob: 


NEYOOR-N.  A.  INDIANS. 


NEYOOR  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  at  the  southern  extremity  of 
Hindostan,  in  tlio  Travancore  district. 

NO  ATA  KG  AX  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  the  island  of  Rarotonga, 
one  of  the  Hervey  Islands. 

NU  A  HANTANG  :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
levan  Missionary  Society  in  Sierra  Leone. 

'NGAMO'J'U  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyans 
in  New-Zealand. 

NICOMEDIA :  An  out-station  of  the 
American  Board  among  the  Armenians,  situ- 
ated at  the  head  of  a  gulf  bearing  the  same 
name,  stretching  out  from  the  eastern  extrem- 
ity of  the  sea  of  Marmora,  about  50  miles 
east  of  Constantinople.  It  was  formerly  the 
capital  of  Bythinia,  and  was  also  the  residence 
of  Constantine,  and  several  of  his  successors, 
at  least  during  a  part  of  each  year.  Here 
Dioclesian  also  held  his  court,  when  he  issued 
his  first  edicts  against  the  Christians,  and  here 
the  horrid  work  of  persecution  first  began. 
Population  30,000  ;  of  which  6,000  are  Arme- 
nians. 

NINE  :  One  of  the  New  Hebrides,  where 
is  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

NINGPO  :  One  of  the  five  ports  in  China 
open  to  European  and  American  commerce, 
situated  in  lat.  29o  55'  N.,  and  long.  121°  22' 
E.,  on  the  river  Min,  about  12  miles  from  the 
sea.  Several  societies  have  missions  there. 
(See  Chma.) 

NINA  TUBU-TABA  (KEPPEL'S  IS- 
LAND) :  One  of  the  remote  out-islands  of 
the  Friendly  Isles,  occupied  by  the  Wesleyans 
with  native  teachers. 

NINA-FO-OU  (SAVAGE  ISLAND)  : 
This  island  is  about  130  miles  from  Keppel's 
Island.  It  is  a  cinder  island,  every  portion  of 
it  bearing  marks  of  fire,  Jt  is  occupied  by 
native  teachers,  as  a  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Societv. 

NISBET  BATH  :  The  seat  of  an  exten- 
sive district  in  Namaqualand,  South  Africa, 
occupied  by  a  mission  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS  :  The 
American  Indians  of  this  day  may  be  divided 
into  two  classes, — those  who  are  now  partially 
civilized,  and  live  in  a  somewhat  settled  state, 
and  those  who  are  yet  savage.  They  are  all 
the  remnants  of  once  powerful  nations.  Some 
of  them  are  found  in  the  western  part  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  some  in  Michigan,  but 
the  larger  portion  of  them  live  in  the  territory 
west  of  the  Mississippi  river,  known  as  the 
"  Indian  reservation,"  a  territory  lying  west  of 
the  States  of  Arkansas  and  Missouri,  between 
Red  river  on  the  south,  and  Platte  river  on 
the  north,  being  about  500  miles  in  length  from 
north  to  south,  and  about  three  hundred  miles 
in  breadth  from  east  to  west.  Here  are  col- 
lected together  the  remnants  of  the  Chickasaws, 
Choctaws,  Creeks,  Seminoles,  Cherokees,  Osa- 
ges,  Wyandots,  Putawatomies,  Weas,  Pianke* 


shaws,  Peorias,  Kaskaskias,  Ottawas,  Chippe- 
ways,  Shawnecs,  Kansas,  Delawares,  Kickapoos, 
lowas.  Foxes  and  Sacs,  Otocs,  and  Missouries. 
Immediately  north  of  the  reservation,  the  Oma- 
has,  and  some  other  tribes  have  an  uncertain 
abode.  And  as  we  look  up  to  the  Minnesota, 
and  to  the  north  and  west  of  that  territory,  we 
shall  find  the  Sioux,  the  Ojibwas,  and  others. 
And  further  west,  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  and 
over  that  barrier  to  Oregon,  and  then  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  out  through  the  northern  and  west- 
ern parts  of  Texas,  we  shall  encounter  many 
savage  tribes  -where  property  and  life  would 
not  yet  be  safe.  Most  of  the  Indian  tribes 
now  living  on  tUte  reservation,  once  lived  east 
of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  some  of  them  in 
the  Atlantic  States.  It  was  supposed  that  the 
interests  of  these  States  demanded  their  remo- 
val, and  it  was  urged,  and  finally  carried  by 
the  General  Government.  It  w^s  a  hard  case, 
and  the  right  of  it  has  been  very  justly  ques- 
tioned. It  has,  however,  been  overruled  for 
good. 

MISSIONS. 
Presbyterian  Board. — An  Indian  Mission, 
under  direction  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  was 
commenced  in  1833,  by  the"  Western  Foreign 
Missionary  Society,"  and  established  among  the 
Weas,  a  small  band,  of  not  over  two  or  three 
hundred  persons,  who  occupied  a  part  of  the  re- 
servation, near  its  northern  boundary.  The  Rev. 
Joseph  Kerr,  and  the  Rev.  Wells  Bushnell,  and 
their  wives,  with  several  teachers,  both  male  and 
female,  labored  here  in  a  faithful  and  self-deny- 
ing manner,  and  much  good  was  accomplished. 
But  another  denomination  established  a  mission 
in  a  small  kindred  tribe  near  by,  and  it  was 
thought  expedient  to  relinquish  this.  At  the 
present  time  the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  have  missions  among 
the  Chickasaws,  Choctaws,  Creeks,  and  Semi- 
noles, who  occupy  the  southern  part  of  the  re- 
servation ;  the  lowas  and  Sacs,  near  the  north- 
ern part ;  the  Omahas  and  Otoes,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Council  Bluffs,  on  the  Missouri  river  ;  and 
some  bands  of  the  Chippewas  and  Ottawas,  on 
the  Grand  and  Little  Traverse  Bays,  in  Michi- 
gan. The  Iowa  and  Sac  Mission  is  the  oldest 
on  this  list,Jiaving  been  established  in  1835. 
At  that  time  the  lowas  numbered  about  1100 
souls,  and  the  Sacs  about  500.  They  have 
decreased  since  that,  owing  principally  to 
intemperance,  which  has  grown  upon  them  from 
their  intercourse  with  the  whites,  from  whom 
they  are  separated  only  by  the  Missouri  river. 
Still  the  missionaries  have  prosecuted  their 
work  among  this  people,  and  done  good,  though 
in  the  face  of  great  discouragements.  The 
language  of  the  lowas  was  reduced  to  writing 
in  1843,  when  a  grammar  was  prepared,  por- 
tions of  the  Scriptures  translated,  a  hymn-book, 
and  some  elementary  works  prepared  and  pub- 
lished. It  is  deemed  however  most  expedient 
to  teach  the  natives  English  at  once,  and  thus 
give  them  access  to  the  whole  range  of  our 


[TJITIVBRSITT] 


NORTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


583 


literature.     In   1846  a    boarding--school  was 
established,  which  continues  in  operation. 

Next  in  date  is  the  mission  among  the 
Chippewa  and  Ottawa  tribes,  in  the  State  of 
Michig-an.  This  mission  was  commenced  in 
1838,  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Dougherty.  A  church 
was  organized  in  1843,  to  which  over  thirty 
natives  have  been  admitted.  Two  stations  are 
now  occupied  by  this  mission,  one  at  Great 
Traverse  bay,  where  a  small  boarding-school  is 
established,  and  the  other  at  Little  Traverse 
bay,  where  there  is  a  flourishing  day-school.  A 
further  notice  of  this  mission  will  be  found  at 
the  conclusion  of  this  article. 

The  mission  among  the  Creek  Indians  was 
next  established,  and  was  commenced  in  1842, 
by  the  Rev.  Robert  M.  Loughridge.  The 
Creek  Indians  number  over  20,000  souls,  and 
the  district  of  country  which  they  occupy  lies 
in  the  Indian  Territory,  directly  west  of  the 
State  of  Arkansas,  between  the  Choctaw  dis- 
trict on  the  south,  and  the  Cherokee  on  the 
north.  Missionaries  had  been  sent  among  this 
people  in  former  years,  by  different  societies, 
but  their  labors  not  being  altogether  accept- 
able they  left  the  country,  and  for  several 
years  no  missionary  had  resided  in  the  Creek 
nation.  Mr.  Loughridge  spent  some  months 
in  1841  and  1842,  in  visiting  the  leading 
chiefs  of  the  nation,  explaining  fully  his  object, 
and  securing  their  confidence  and  coopera- 
tion. The  result  was  a  written  agreement 
signed  by  both  parties,  in  which  the  chiefs 
agreed  on  their  part  to  allow  him  and  others 
free  access  to  the  people,  to  teach  them,  and  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  granting  lands  for  all  ne- 
cessary mission  premises,  &c.,  Mr.  Loughridge 
I  engaging  for  himself  and  others,  that  they 
!  would  not  interfere  with  the  government  schools, 
nor  with  the  national  affairs.  Mr.  Loughridge 
then  returned,  and  in  the  early  part  of  1843, 
went  on  with  his  wife.  He  was  most  cordially 
received  by  the  natives,  and  was  soon  settled  in 
his  new  home.  A  church  was  organized  in 
January,  1845,  and  a  boarding-school  was 
established  in  the  same  year.  A  second  station 
was  formed  in  1848,  and  a  large  building 
erected  for  a  boarding-school.  The  whole  mis- 
sionary work  in  the  Creek  nation  is  in  success- 
ful progress. 

The  mission  among  the  Choctaws  is  next  in 
date.  The  Choctaw  people  are  perhaps  more 
like  a  Christian  nation  than  any  other  Indian 
tribe.  Missions  were  commenced  among  them 
by  the  American  Board  in  1818,  while  they 
were  living  east  of  the  Mississippi  river,  and 
one  of  their  early  missionaries,  the  Rev.  Al- 
fred Wright,  a  Presbyterian,  has  but  recently 
'  gone  to  his  rest.  The  progress  of  civilization 
among  the  Choctaws,  though  somewhat  hin- 
dered for  a  time  by  their  removal,  has  advanced 
until  tUey  have  now  a  regular  civil  government, 
a  written  constitution  and  laws,  courts  of  jus- 
tice, and  schools.  The  mission  of  the  Presby- 
terian Board  to  this  nation  grew  out  of  an 


ofTer  by  their  National  Council  to  transfer  to 
the  Board  an  important  school  called  "  Spen- 
cer Academy,"  which  was  established  in  1842, 
and  the  transfer  was  effected  in  the  summer  of 

1845.  In  the  spring  of  the  next  year  a  mis- 
sionary and  his  wife,  with  one  female  teacher, 
commenced  operations  there.  In  1847,  a 
church  was  organized  there,  and  both  church 
and  school  are  in  successful  operation. 

The  mission  among  the  Otoes  and  Omahas 
stands  next  in  date.  The  Otoes  are  divided 
into  six  bands,  and  number  about  1,160.  The 
Omahas  number  about  100  less.    It  was  in 

1846,  when  the  Rev.  Edmund  McKinney  and 
his  wife  removed  from  the  Iowa  station  to  the 
vicinity  of  Council  Bluflfs,  on  the  Missouri 
river,  and  commenced  a  school  for  the  children 
of  these  tribes,  w-ith  some  scattering  Pawnees, 
Puncas,  and  half  breeds.  A  building  for  the 
mission  premises  was  completed  in  1848.  It  is 
yet  the  day  of  small  things  with  this  mission, 
but  not  on  that  account  to  be  despised. 

A  mission  among  the  Seminoles  was  com- 
menced in  1848,  and  is  an  off-shoot  from  the 
Creek  mission,  in  which  territory  the  Semi- 
noles now  reside.  Mr.  Loughridge  visited  this 
tribe  in  1846,  and  the  experiment  of  a  mission 
was  attempted.  There  are  many  obstacles  in 
the  way,  especially  as  this  feeble  remnant  of  a 
once  powerful  and  warlike  tribe  consider  them- 
selves more  deeply  injured  by  the  white  man 
than  most  others.  At  the  same  time,  they 
have  no  school  funds,  and  are  generally  poor 
and  discouraged.  One  fact,  however,  is  pecu- 
liarly encouraging :  one  missionary  teacher, 
Mr.  John  D.  Bems,  is  himself  a  Seminole  In- 
dian, and  has  been  laboring  among  his  people 
faithfully  for  several  years. 

The  Chickasaw  mission  is  the  last  that  has 
been  planted  among  the  Indians  by  the  Pres- 
byterian Board.  This  mission  was  resolved 
upon  in  1849,  but  did  not  go  into  operation 
until  1852.  Two  stations  in  this  tribe  are  oc- 
cupied, but  the  results  can  hardly  be  looked 
for  at  this  early  day. 

The  complete  returns  of  these  Indian  mis- 
sions, as  stated  in  the  Report  of  1854,  are  : — 
8  ministers  of  the  Gospel ;  58  male  and  female 
assistant  missionaries,  of  whom  four  are  na- 
tives— teachers,  farmers,  the  wives  of  mission- 
aries, &c. ;  96  communicants ;  and  517  schol- 
ars, mostly  in  boarding-schools. 

For  the  support  of  these  missions,  the  sum 
of  $43,457  was  expended  in  the  year  ending 
May  1,  1853,  a  part  of  which  was  on  account 
of  the  buildings  for  the  Chickasaw  and  Otta- 
wa  boarding-schools.  The  sum  of  $23,240  j 
was  received  from  the  government  in  aid  of 
the  schools,  being  mostly  moneys  apipropriated 
to  this  object  by  the  Indians,  out  of  their  an-  1 
unities.  This  leaves  a  little  more  than  $20,000 
as  the  amount  furnished  by  the  Presbyterian 
Church  to  the  cause  of  missions  among  the 
Indians. 

The  foregoing  narrative    shows  that   the 


584 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


bowrding-school  system  has  been  largely  adoptr 
ed  in  these  missions.  It  is  a  system  that  has 
some  drawbacks,  and  yet  greater  advantages. 
It  involves  a  considerable  expenditure  of 
money,  for  buildings,  the  support  of  teachers, 
food  and  clothing  of  scholars.  This  consider- 
ation will  always  prevent  the  establishment  of 
such  schools  in  all  tribes  alike.  Some  of  the 
tribes  are  very  poor  ;  others  are  not  willing  to 
appropriate  their  annuities  for  this  or  any  other 
good  object.  No  part  of  the  missionary  work, 
moreover,  requires  so  large  an  amount  of  care 
and  labor,  on  the  part  both  of  the  missionaries 
and  of  the  executive  officers  of  the  Board,  in 
providing  supplies  of  every  kind  for  large 
families, living  far  in  the  interior  of  the  west- 
ern wilderness.  It  is  no  light  matter  to  fur- 
nish all  the  different  kinds  of  food,  clothing, 
and  domestic  service  required  by  a  household 
of  150  inmates,  at  a  place  far  distant  from 
markets,  stores,  and  the  usual  conveniences  of 
civilized  life.  Nor  is  it  a  small  thing  to  keep 
all  the  accounts  of  such  purchases,  with  a 
voucher  for  every  item,  however  minute.  Yet 
with  all  this  complex  and  difficult  labor,  and 
with  the  more  serious  discouragements  of  the 
impaired  health  of  many  engaged  in  the  work, 
and  of  too  frequent  changes  of  scholars  and 
teachers,  the  system  of  boarding-school  instruc- 
tion is  nevertheless  attended  with  the  greatest 
benefit  to  the  Indians — making  it  well  worthy 
of  adoption,  as  a  part  of  missionary  agency. 
The  scholars  in  these  institutions  are  trained 
up  under  Christian  influence,  instruction,  and 
example.  They  live  in  the  missionary  house- 
hold, and  are  clothed,  plainly  but  comfortably, 
after  our  fashion.  The  boys  are  taught  to 
work  in  the  garden  and  on  the  farm  ;  the  girls 
to  knit,  sew,  and  attend  to  the  common  duties 
of  housekeeping.  They  are  taught  the  Eng- 
lish language,  and  the  usual  branches  of  com- 
mon-school learning.  They  are  assembled 
morning  and  evening  at  family  worship,  and 
on  the  Sabbath  they  unite  together  in  the  ser- 
vices of  the  sanctuary.  Thus  they  are  in 
training  for  the  duties  of  life  under  the  hap- 
piest circumstances.  Many  of  them  have  al- 
ready become  the  subjects  of  divine  grace.  A 
few  are  already  looking  to  the  work  of  the 
Christian  ministry;  some  are  already,  and 
otliers  probably  will  be  teachers  ;  others  still 
will  occupy  posts  of  influence  in  their  respec- 
tive tribes,  as  magistrates  or  council-men.  The 
boys  wili  grow  up  to  revere  the  laws  and  in- 
stitutions of  civilized  society  ;  the  girls,  to  ex- 
ert a  hallowed  influence  in  the  domestic  circle 
as  Christian  daughters,  wives  and  mothers.  In 
all  this  we  see  principles  or  elements  of  civili- 
zation of  a  high  order — the  beginnings  of  a 
Christian  life  in  the  wilderness — the  desert 
blossoming  as  the  rc«e. 

The  happy  influence  of  these  missions  on  the 
Indians  may  be  shown  by  an  example.  Fifteen 
.yea»6  ago,  the  Rev.  Peter  Dougherty,  on  leav- 
ing the  seminary  at  Princeton,  went  among  the 


Chippewa  and  Ottawa  Indians  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Grand  Traverse  Bay,  on  Lake  Michi- 
gan, lie  found  them  living  in  a  sad  condition, 
dwelling  in  small  bark  huts  or  wigwams,  poor- 
ly clad,  and  deriving  a  precarious  subsistence 
from  fishing,  making  sugar  from  the  maple 
tree,  and  the  ailtivation  of  little  fields  of  Indian 
corn  by  the  women.  They  were  exposed,  more- 
over, to  the  pernicious  arts  of  the  whisky-trader, 
who  reaped  the  greater  part  of  their  small  an- 
nuities. They  were  thus  fast  traveling  on  the 
road  to  extinction. 

Mr.  Dougherty  mingled  freely  with  this  poor 
people,  and  gained  their  confidence  and  good- 
will, lie  built  a  small  log-cabin  for  himself 
and  another  for  a  school-house,  doing  most  of 
the  work  with  his  own  hands.  He  then  taught 
the  children  during  the  week,  and  preached  to 
as  many  as  could  be  collected  on  the  Sabbath. 
After  some  months  he  returned  to  his  friends 
on  a  short  visit,  and  was  accompanied  back  by 
his  wife,  who  did  not  hesitate  at  the  call  of 
duty,  to  exchange  the  comforts  of  refined  Chris- 
tian society  for  a  home  among  the  children  of 
the  forest.  Gradually  an  impression  was  made 
on  the  minds  of  the  Indians.  One  family  after 
another  was  induced  to  build  small  cabins  of 
rough  logs,  near  the  dwelling  of  their  mission- 
ary ;  little  fields  were  opened  and  fenced  ;  fruit 
trees  were  planted,  and  vegetables  raised  in 
the  gardens.  A  suitable  church  building  was 
erected,  with  a  swee1>toned  bell  to  call  the  wor- 
shipers to  the  house  of  God.  Tfte  unwonted 
sight  of  a  Christian  village  appeared  on  the 
shores  of  the  bay. 

The  means  of  grace  administered  in  this  hum- 
ble village  were  followed  by  the  influences  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  hopeful  conversions  among 
his  Indian  congregation  oteercd  the  heart  of 
the  missionary.  A  church  was  organized  in 
1843,  and  to  its  communion,  at  different  times, 
over  thirty  of  the  Indians  have  been  admitted 
after  receiving  Christian  baptism.  Some  of 
these  have  finished  their  earthly  course,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  good  hope  through  grace,  and 
they  are  now  at  rest  with  Jesus.  Surely  no 
doubt  can  be  entertained  as  to  the  benign  in- 
fluence of  this  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love. 
Its  fruits  are  beautiful  here,  and  in  the  world 
of  glory  they  will  be  forever  perfect. 

The  christianization  of  these  Indians  was  fol- 
lowed by  their  civilization.  Of  this  a  marked 
proof  is  now  to  be  mentioned.  The  land  occu- 
pied by  the  settlement  on  Grand  Traverse  Bay 
had  been  ceded  by  the  Indians  in  former  years 
to  the  Government,  and,  being  a  reservation, 
it  was  not  yet  in  market.  Mr.  Dougherty's 
Indians,  as  they  may  be  called,  in  distinction 
from  the  unevangelized  part  of  the  same  bands, 
were  now  anxious  to  obtain  land  for  permanent 
possession  and  improvement,  so  that  they  might 
have  a  settled  dwelling-place,  and  leave  the 
fruits  of  their  labor  to  their  children. 

They  were  the  more  encouraged  to  desire 
this,  by  the  wise  and  liberal  legislation  of 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


685 


the  State  of  Michigan,  giving  to  the  Indians 
the  rights  of  citizenship.  After  long  con- 
sideration by  the  Indians  and  their  mission- 
ary, and  no  small  degree  of  attention  on  the 
part  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Board, 
including  repeated  references  to  the  Indian  De- 
partment at  Washington,  it  was  eventually 
deemed  best  that  they  should  remove  from 
their  first  settlement,  purchase  small  tracts  of 
land  on  the  other  side  of  the  bay,  and  thus  be- 
gin life  anew.  They  had  carefully  husbanded 
their  small  annuities  and  earnings,  and  some 
of  them  were  able,  in  1852,  to  purchase  little 
tracts  of  forty,  sixty,  or  eighty  acres  each,  to 
which  they  have  now  removed,  and  they  are 
hard  at  work  clearing  their  lands,  and  putting 
up  their  houses. 

It  is  gratifying  to  add,  that  they  were  most 
anxious  to  have  their  benefactor  accompany 
them  to  their  new  abode.  A  memorial  was 
sent  by  them  to  the  Committee,  signed  by  a 
large  number,  requesting  that  Mr.  Dougherty 
might  be  transferred  to  their  new  settlement. 


He  is  now  there,  pursuing  his  work  under  new 
and  more  hopeful  circumstances.  It  has  be- 
come expedient  to  form  a  small  boarding-school, 
as  the  families  are  now  at  considerable  dis- 
tances apart ;  and  two  more  stations  have  been 
occupied  on  Little  Traverse  Bay,  where  inter- 
esting day-schools  are  supported. 

This  narrative  exemplifies  the  working  of 
our  Indian  missions,  and  shows  clearly  the  re- 
sult to  which  they  directly  tend.  Their  aim 
is  to  save  the  Indians  for  this  life  and  the  life 
to  come.  They  promote  their  civilization,  and 
thus  fit  them  to  become  eventually  incorpo- 
rated with  the  other  inhabitants  of  this  coun- 
try,— who  can  have  a  better  right  to  be  en- 
rolled as  native  citizens  under  our  government  ? 
And  they  point  their  minds  to  that  life  and 
immortality  which  the  Uospel  alone  brings  to 
light.  What  has  been  accomplished  among 
these  bands  of  Chippewas  and  Ottawas,  is  pre- 
cisely what  we  hope  to  sec  accomplished  among 
all  the  Indian  tribes. — Rev.  J.  (treenleaf,  and 
Lowrie's  Manual  of  Missions. 


TABULAR  VIEW. 


MISSIONS. 


Choctaws 

Creeks 

Chickasaws 

Sesonoles 

lowAS  AND  Sacs.  .... 
Otoesaxd  Omabas.. 
Cmp'WAS  &  Ottawas 


Names  of  Stations. 


Spencer  Academy 

Kowetah 

Tallahassee 

Wapanucka 

Boggy  Depot 

Little  River,or  Oak-ridge, 

Iowa ', 

Bellevue , 

Grand  Traverse 

Little  Traverse 

Middle  Village 

Totals 


1846 
1842 
1849 
1849 
1852 
1848 
1835 
1846 
1838 
1852 
1853 


Missionaries  and  Assistant 
Missionaries. 


Ministers. 


Lay  Teachers  and 
others, 


18       37 


i 

n 

1 
a 

3 

Scholar.^. 

Boarding. 

Day. 

H 
S 

t 

S 

i 

i 

i 

d 

^ 

e 

^ 

C5 

& 

* 

100 

100 

30 

16 

9 

* 

25 

25 

40 

40 

80 

., 

100 

100 

,. 

14 

12 

26 

20 

20 

40 

26 

16 

42 

32 

23 

11 

34 

20 

20 

40 

96 

•• 

15 
35 

15 

30 

239 

208 

35 

517 

American  Baptist  Missionary  Union. — 
The  history  of  these  missions  is  so  blended 
with  the  changing  fortunes  and  declining  des- 
tiny of  the  Indian  race,  that  it  can  be  fully 
narrated  only  with  considerable  difficulty,  and 
at  a  length  greater  than  is  compatible  with 
the  limits  of  this  sketch.  These  missions  were 
formerly  established  in  portions  of  the  country 
from  which  the  Indians  have  long  since  disap- 
peared, and  are  now,  with  a  single  exception, 
concentrated  in  that  territory  lying  westward 
of  the  states  of  Missouri  and  Arkansas,  which 
is  the  home  appointed  by  the  American  gov- 
ernment for  the  feeble  remnants  of  this  once 
powerful  race. 

In  the  autumn  of  181 7,  Eev.  Isaac  McCoy 
was  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Managers  of 


the  General  Convention,  a  missionary  among 
the  Indians,  at  that  time  scattered  in  great 
numbers  over  many  of  the  states  and  along  the 
entire  western  frontier  of  the  United  States. 
In  accordance  with  the  instructions  he  received, 
he  repaired  to  Fort  AVayne,  in  Indiana,  on  the 
banks  of  the  Wabash,  then  one  of  the  remotest 
settlements  of  the  West.  In  the  region  lying 
around  this  military  establishment  were  the 
Miamies,  the  Kickapoos,  the  Putawatomies, 
and  the  Ottawas — tribes  speaking  substantially 
the  same  language,  and  existing  in  the  same 
social  condition.  In  the  relations  then  exist- 
ing between  the  two  races,  he  found  these 
people  exceedingly  averse  to  everything  be- 
longing to  white  men.  After_  many  perecver- 
ing  efibrts  he  was  able  to  conciliate  their  good 


NORTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


will,  and  by  the  end  of  the  year  to  collect  a 
small  school  of  native  children  to  bo  boarded 
and  instruetetl  in  his  own  family.  In  1820  the 
Bchool  contained  48  ^iuynh,  and  had  become 
instruiutiitiil  in  esUblishinpf  relations  of  confi- 
dnir.'  liitween  the  missionary  and  several 
ihiris  of  tliu  tribes.  In  1822  the  station  was 
rt  iiiovod  200  miles  westward  to  the  borders  of 
Michigan,  to  a  spot  situated  far  from  any  set- 
tlement of  white  men,  and  which  now  received 
the  name  of  Carey,  in  honor  of  the  celebrated 
Kuglish  missionary  at  Serampore.  Two  as- 
sistantij  were  now  added  to  the  mission,  and 
the  school  was  the  means  of  gathering  a  little 
community  in  which  the  arts  of  civilized  life 
began  to  be  practiced,  and  the  influences  of 
Christianity  were  exerted.  The  members  of 
the  church  were  now  30  or  40  in  number, 
many  of  whom  were  Indians,  and  the  public 
woi'ship  maintained  by  the  missionaries  often 
drew  together  large  companies  of  the  Puta- 
watomies,  who  alone  had  hitherto  evinced  any 
interest  in  the  agencies  of  the  mission. 

The  Ottawas,  who  had  opposed  the  efforts 
of  the  missionaries,  soon  began  to  relax  their 
hostility.  Two  pupils  from  that  time  were 
sent  to  the  school  at  Carey,  and  their  chief, 
Noonday,  offered  a  tract  of  600  or  700  acres 
of  laud  to  the  mission,  in  case  a  missionary 
could  be  sent  to  the  settlements  of  his  people 
on  the  Grand  river.  The  proposal  was  ac- 
cepted, and  a  new  station  established,  which 
was  conducted  for  a  year  by  different  members 
of  the  mission  at  Carey ;  but  in  1826,  on  the 
ai-rival  of  other  missionaries,  Mr.  McCoy  tem- 
porarily removed  his  family  to  the  new  settle- 
ment, and  immediately  founded  a  school  and 
the  other  agencies  usually  connected  with  a 
mission  for  the  improvement  of  the  natives. 
This  station  received  the  name  of  Thomas,  and 
in  1827  it  was  placed  by  the  Board  umler  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Leonard  Slater,  who  Was  ap- 
pointed for  this  purpose,  and  Mr.  McCoy  re- 
turned to  Carey.  This  station,  however,  was 
already  beginning  to  decline,  and  the  Puta- 
watomics,  who  had  offered  that  field  of  the  ear- 
liest missionary  effort,  entirely  disappointed  the 
hopes  which  had  been  cherished  in  their  be- 
half. They  yielded  to  the  corrupting  influ- 
ences of  the  white  men  who  came  to  them, 
ceded  thtir  hinds  to  the  government,  and  ceased 
to  practice  the  rudiments  of  civilization  which 
they  had  learned  from  the  missionaries.  In 
these  circumstances,  in  1829,  Mr.  McCoy  and 
his  associates  removed  to  Thomas,  leaving  only 
a  single  missionary.  Rev.  Mr.  Simerwell,  to 
teach  the  school  and  preach  to  the  church  at 
Carey. 

The  Ottawas  at  this  time  presented  a  much 
more  inviting  field  of  philanthropic  labor. 
Their  chiefs  were  more  intelligent,  and  their 
settlements  were  further  removed  from  the  re- 
gions occupied  by  white  men.  In  the  summer 
of  1830,  the  station  was  composed  of  five  mis- 
Bionaries,  a  superintendent  of  the  farm,  and  I 


six  female  assistants,  who  were  engaged  in  in- 
structing the  Indians  around  them  in  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity,  and  the  rudiments  of 
useful  knowledge.  But  the  labors  of  the  mis- 
sion were  at  this  time  too  much  directed  to 
the  mere  outward  improvement  of  the  people, 
and  its  members  soon  felt  the  importance  or 
addressing  themselves  more  directly  to  their 
religious  welfare.  For  this  purpose  new  pro- 
minence was  given  to  the  daily  religious  wor- 
ship, and  the  services  of  the  Sabbath,  so  that 
the  character  of  the  jicople  began  to  improve, 
and  in  1832  several  of  them  gave  evidence  of 
piety,  and  were  received  into  the  church  by 
baptism.  Among  these  earliest  converts  was 
Noonday,  the  chief  of  the  tribe  who  had  in- 
vited the  missionaries  to  come  among  them, 
and  who  now  attempted  to  unite  the  people  in 
an  association  for  preventing  the  sale  of  whis- 
ky, and  for  promoting  the  morals  of  the  settle- 
ments. Every  year  witnessed  improvements 
in  their  condition,  and  the  enlargement  of  the 
church  and  the  mission.  Eight  Indian  youths 
were  sent  to  the  Academy  at  Hamilton,  N.  Y., 
to  receive  a  fuller  education,  and  the  prospects 
of  the  tribe  began  to  brighten.  But  the  set- 
tlements of  the  white  men  were  gradually  ap- 
proaching their  remote  domain,  and  already 
beginning  to  exert  upon  them  their  unfailing 
mischievous  influence.  In  1836,  their  territory 
having  become  covered  with  English  settle- 
ments, was  ceded  to  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  mission  was  removed  to 
Richland,  about  50  miles  south  of  Thomas. 
Here  Mr.  Slater  continued  to  reside,  though 
the  great  body  of  the  Ottawas  had  long  since 
migrated  to  tlie  Indian  territory  beyond  the 
Mississippi.  A  small  settlement,  however,  re- 
mained till  near  the  close  of  1853,  who  then 
joined  their  brethren,  and  the  property  of  the 
mission  has  been  sold  and  the  services  of  Mr. 
Slater  discontinued,  at  his  own  request. 

The  improvement  of  the  Indian  race  had 
early  engaged  the  attention  of  the  government 
of  the  United  States.  Special  appropriations 
had  been  made,  and  different  plans  had  been 
recommended  by  successive  presidents,  and 
various  schemes  had  been  devised  by  philan- 
thropic citizens  in  their  behalf.  At  length,  in 
1819,  a  bill  Avas  passed  by  Congress,  placing 
at  the  disposal  of  the  president  the  sum  of 
$10,000,  as  an  annual  appropriation  for  their 
instruction  and  civilization.  The  schools  at 
Thomas  and  Carey  had  from  the  beginning 
been  supported  by  moneys  derived  from  the 
government,  and  in  accordance  with  the  plan 
adopted  by  the  president  for  disbursing  the 
$10,000,  the  Board  in  1825  began  to  receive 
a  portion  of  this  appropriation,  which,  varying 
with  the  amount  of  service  which  has  been 
rendered,  they  have  continued  to  receive  to  the 
present  time. 

In  1828,  the  Board  appointed  Rev.  Abel 
Bingham  to  establish  &  mission  among  the  Ojib- 
was  at  Sault  de  Ste.  Marie,  an  ancient  French 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


587 


settlement,  about  15  miles  south-east  of  Lake 
Superior.  The  president,  in  accordance  with 
what  was  now  the  settled  policy  of  the  govern- 
ment, had  placed  at  their  disposal  the  sum  ap- 
propriated for  this  tribe,  and  Mr.  Bingham 
immediately  commenced  a  school  with  fifty 
scholars,  and  began  to  preach  in  English  at 
the  neighboring  garrison,  and  through  an  in- 
terpreter to  the  Indians  of  the  settlement. 
Suitable  houses  were  soon  erected  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  members  of  the  mission 
and  the  boarding-school ;  a  temperance  society 
was  formed,  a  church  was  constituted  ;  and,  in 
1830,  two  persons  were  baptized.  Others, 
both  in  the  Indian  and  the  English  congrega- 
tions, soon  became  decided  and  active  Chris- 
tians, whose  good  influence  was  felt  in  the  im- 
proved morals  and  social  habits  of  the  commu- 
nity. Early  in  1832  special  meetings  were 
held  at  frequent  intervals  by  the  members  of 
the  mission,  which  were  also  attended  by  other 
ministers  in  the  neighborhood,  and  which  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  religious  instruction 
and  benefit  of  the  people.  Forty  persons  were 
soon  afterwards  baptized,  and  added  to  the 
church  of  Mr.  Bingham,  of  whom  eleven  were 
Indians ;  the  others  being  principally  officers 
and  soldiers  of  the  neighboring  garrison. 
Among  them  were  Dr.  Edwin  James  and  Mr. 
Cameron,  and  Skegud,  an  Ojibwa  chief,  the 
two  latter  of  whom  were  subsequently  assist- 
ants in  the  missions.  Dr.  James  also  had  trans- 
lated the  New  Testament  into  the  Ojibwa  lan- 
guage, with  which  he  had  long  been  familiar, 
and  after  a  careful  revision  it  was  printed,  in 
1833,  at  Albany,  under  the  direction  of  the 
translator.  At  this  time  also  Messrs.  Meeker 
and  Merrill  were  appointed  missionaries  of  the 
Board,  and  passed  some  time  at  Sault  de  Ste. 
Marie,  but  were  afterwards  removed — Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Merrill  and  a  female  assistant,  to  the 
Otoos,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Meeker  to  Thomas, 
and  afterwards  to  Shawanoe  in  the  Indian  ter- 
ritory beyond  the  Mississippi. 

But  the  station  at  Sault  de  Ste.  Marie  soon 
began  to  suffer  from  the  presence  of  immoral 
and  unprincipled  traffickers,  and  from  the  wan- 
dering habits  of  the  Indians.  The  pious  sol- 
diers of  the  garrison  were  removed  to  a  distant 
post,  and  the  school  and  congregation  were 
both  greatly  reduced  in  consequence  of  the 
intrigues  of  Eoman  Catholic  priests,  who  had 
come  into  the  settlement.  Messrs.  Bingham 
and  Cameron,  however,  still  continued  their 
labors,  and  made  frequent  excursions  to  other 
native  settlements,  and  soon  established  a  sub- 
ordinate station  at  Tikuamina  bay,  which  was 
placed  under  the  charge  of  Shegud,  the  con- 
verted chief  already  mentioned.  Mr.  Cameron, 
who  was  ordained  in  May  1837,  visited  Michi- 
pocotou,  an  Indian  town  in  Upper  Canada,  on 
the  shore  of  LakelSuperior.  He  repeated  his 
visit  in  Successive  seasons,  baptizing  several 
Indians,  whom  he  at  length  formed  into  a 
church,  which,  in  1842,  numbered  thirty  mem- 


bers. The  station,  however,  did  not  long 
thrive,  in  consequence  of  the  changing  habits 
of  the  people,  and  it  was,  after  a  few  years, 
entirely  abandoned,  and  Mr.  Cameron  return- 
ed to  St.  Mary's.  This  latter  station  also  has 
been  gradually  declining  for  several  years, 
while  that  at  Tikuamina  bay  has  become  more 
important. 

In  the  year  1821,  the  Board  assumed  the 
general  care  of  the  mission  established  by  the 
Hamilton  Missionary  Society,  among  the  Sene- 
ca, Tuscarora  and  Oneida  Indians,  in  the  re- 
moter counties  of  New  York.  This  mission  was 
conducted  in  three  separate  stations,  which  at 
length  were  reduced  to  two,  but  both  of  them 
gradually  declined  in  the  waning  fortunes  of 
the  race,  and  have  since  become  extinct. 

AVe  have  thus  far  sketched  those  missions  of 
the  Board  which  were  established  among  the 
tribes  of  the  north.  Similar  missions  were 
also  planted  in  the  south,  among  the  Chero- 
kees  and  Creeks,  in  the  States  of  North  Caro- 
lina, Georgia,  and  Alabama.  Of  these  mis- 
sions, that  among  the  Cherokees  has  been 
attended  with  a  degree  of  interest  and  success, 
that  has  placed  it  at  some  periods  of  its  history 
among  the  foremost  Baptist  missions  of  the 
country.  It  was  established  in  1817,  when  the 
territory  of  the  tribe  embraced  a  large  tract 
lying  on  the  borders  of  the  States  of  North 
Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Tennessee.  The  Chero- 
kees were  already  beginning  a  career  of  civili- 
zation, and  by  being  more  widely  separated 
from  the  settlements  of  white  men,  had  main- 
tained an  independent  national  existence. 
They  had,  in  former  years,  been  visited  by 
Moravian  missionaries,  and  by  agents  of  the 
Presbyterian  Synod  of  Tennessee,  by  whose  in- 
fluence much  good  had  been  accomplished.  In 
1817  also  the  mission  of  the  American  Board 
of  Commissioners  was  commenced  among  the 
Cherokees,  and  a  few  months  later,  Eev. 
Humphrey  Posey  was  appointed  the  first  mis- 
sionary of  the  Baptist  General  Convention,  as 
the  society  was  then  styled.  In  consequence 
of  much  time  being  spent  in  journeys  of  explo- 
ration, and  the  selection  of  a  suitable  locality, 
the  labors  of  the  missionary  were  not  begun 
till  the  spring  of  1820,  when  Mr.  Posey,  with 
a  few  assistants,  went  to  reside  at  Valley 
Towns,  on  the  banks  of  the  Hiwassee  river, 
just  within  the  State  of  North  Carolina.  The 
station  was  commenced,  in  accordance  with 
the  views  at  that  time  prevailing,  by  enclosing 
a  large  piece  of  ground  of  eighty  acres,  as  a 
mission  farm,  which  was  supplied  with  the 
necessary  implements  and  stock.  Buildings 
were  soon  erected  ;  a  school  of  50  children  was 
opened  for  instruction  in  the  Scriptures  and  in 
the  lessons  of  useful  knowledge.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  a  second  station  was  commenced 
at  Tinsawattee,  a  settlement  sixty  miles  sAth 
of  Valley  Towns,  where  was  already  residing  a 
missionary,  supported  by  the  Sarepta  Baptist 
Association  in  Georgia.    In  September  of  the 


588 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


?am<»  year,  Rev.  Thomas  Roberta  was  appoin1> 

[HTiiitendent  of  the  mission,  and  several 

i-s  for  the  schools  and  artizans  lor  the 

;  and  the  workshop  were  added  to  its  sta- 

;ind  under  the  influence  of  their  arrange- 

iii.  ..Us,  the  Indians  made  evident  progress  in 

the  arts  and  morals  of  civilized  life. 

Among  the  members  of  the  mission  at  Val- 
ley Towns  at  this  time,  was  Mr.  Evan  Jones, 
who,  with  his  wife,  had,  for  several  years,  been 
engaged  in  the  instruction  and  management  of 
the  schools.  lu  1825  he  was  ordained  as  pas- 
tor of  the  church  at  Valley  Towns,  and  soon 
after,  on  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Koberts,  was 
appointed  superintendent  of  the  mission.  He 
soon  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  several  of  his 
former  pupils  settled  around  him,  as  heads  of 
Christian  families,  and  illustrating  the  virtues 
of  a  well-ordered  society.  In  1826,  the  civil 
organization  of  the  tribe  having  been  altered, 
a  new  code  of  laws  was  adopted,  and  their 
progress,  as  a  people,  was  greatly  promoted. 
Their  language  had  already  been  reduced  to 
writing,  by  George  Guess,  one  of  their  own 
people.  Many  hymns  were  composed  in  it,  in 
the  singing  of  which  the  natives  especially  de- 
lighted ;  and  in  1825,  the  New  Testament  was 
translated  according  to  the  alphabet  of  Guess, 
by  David  Brown,  a  Cherokee  of  superior  edu- 
cation. A  printing-press  was  soon  purchased 
by  the  council,  and  in  1828  the  "  Cherokee 
Phoenix"  was  published  weekly,  both  in  Che- 
rokee and  in  English.  The  New  Testament 
and  the  hymns  were  also  printed. 

But  the  labors  of  the  mission  were  thus  far 
devoted  too  much  to  the  civilization  and  social 
improvement  of  the  nation,  and  by  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Board,  the  missionaries  now  began 
to  give  themselves  more  fully  to  the  work  of 
preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  people,  and  lead- 
ing them  to  repentance  and  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  The  mission  farm  and  its  kindred  ar- 
rangements were  gradually  abandoned,  and 
the  attention  of  the  Indians  was  directed  espe- 
cially to  the  claims  of  the  Gospel,  with  results 
that  fully  justified  the  wisdom  of  the  change. 
A  religious  awakening  soon  commenced,  which 
spread  widely  through  the  nation,  and  continu- 
ed for  several  years  to  exert  its  beneficial  in- 
fluence upon  the  character  of  the  people.  Mr. 
Jones  established  new  out-stations,  and  organ- 
ized new  churches,  and  at  the  close  of  1833 
the  mission  numbered  200  communicants, 
three-fourths  of  whom  had  been  baptized  in 
the  three  preceding  years.  Many  of  these  In- 
dian converts  were  men  of  superior  intelligence 
and  standing  in  the  tribe,  and  two  of  them 
subsequently  became  respected  and  useful 
ministers  of  the  Gospel.  These  were  Oganaya 
and  Kaneeka,  who  adopted  the  names  of  John 
"WickliSe  and  Jesse  Bushyhead.  The  latter 
}u4J  gained  his  knowledge  of  Christianity  from 
the  Bible  alone,  and  apart  from  all  other  in- 
struction, had  become  a  Christian  of  the  firm- 
est &ith  and  the  loftiest  character.    Both  he 


and  "Wickliffe  wore  ordained  to  the  ministry  in 

1833,  and  became  pastors  of  churches  at  dif- 
ferent stations,  where,  for  many  years  they  de- 
voted their  efforts  to  promoting  the  religious 
welfare  of  their  own  people. 

The  station  at  Tinsawattee  was  never  equal 
in  importance  to  that  of  Valley  Towns.  It 
was  under  the  faithful  superintendence  of  Rev. 
Mr.  O'Briant ;  but  the  Indians  in  that  district 
declined  in  numbers ;  and  at  length  in  1831, 
at  the  recommendation  of  the  United  States 
government,  they  removed  to  the  territory 
which  had  .been  assigned  them,  beyond  the 
Missisippi.  Mr.  O'Briant  accompanied  them,' 
but  he  soon  after  died  ;  and  though  his  place 
was  supplied  by  others,  this  mission  was  aban- 
doned in  1836,  and  the  remaining  missionaries 
removed  to  Shawanoe. 

From  the  year  1822  a  mission  had  also  been 
established  among  the  Indians  known  as  the 
Creek  nation,  in  the  St?ites  of  Georgia  and 
Alabama.  The  attention  of  the  Convention 
was  called  to  the  wants  of  these  people,  and 
the  establishment  of  a  mission  recommended 
by  Governor  Rabun,  of  Georgia, — also  by  Rev. 
Messrs.  Mercer  and  Moscly,  eminent  clergy- 
men of  the  same  state.  In  1822,  Rev.  Lee 
Compere,  of  South  Carolina,  was  appointed  to 
commence  the  mission  at  Withington,  on  the 
borders  of  Alabama.  But  the  Creeks  were 
far  less  civilized  than  the  Cherokees,  and  ^vere, 
withal,  sadly  degraded  by  the  unprincipled 
traders  who  came  among  them  in  great  num- 
bers, to  teach  them  the  vices  of  civilized  life. 
Troubles  were  also  arising  between  them  and 
the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  they 
were  constantly  exposed  to  depredations  from 
their  white  neighbors,  which  provoked  the 
fiercest  passions  of  their  savage  natures.  In 
this  condition  of  the  Creek  nation,  it  was  im- 
possible that  the  mission  should  accomplish 
any  high  success.  A  school  was  maintained 
for  a  few  years,  and  a  small  band  of  Creeks 
were  baptized ;  but  in  1829  a  large  part  of  the 
nation  migrated  beyond  the  Mississippi,  and 
Mr.  Compere  withdrew  from  the  service  of  the 
Board. 

In  1830,  John  Davis,  a  former  member  of 
the  school  at  Withington,  who  had  accompa- 
nied his  people  in  their  removal  westward,  was  | 
appointed  a  missionary,  and  immediately  began 
his  labors  as  a  preacher.  Two  years  later, 
Rev.  Daniel  Lewis  was  sent  to  the  mission,  the 
chief  station  of  which  received  the  name  of 
Ebenezer.  He  soon  organized  a  church,  com- 
posed of  those  who  had  been  baptized  in  Ala- 
bama, and  those  who  had  been  more  recently 
instructed  in  the  Gospel  by  John  Davis.  The 
school  was  well  attended,  and  a  weekly  con- 
gregation of  three  hundred  Creeks  was  assem- 
bled for  public  worship.  Mr.  Davis  was  sub- 
sequently ordained,   and    in   the   autumn   of 

1834,  the  mission  was  placed  under  the  care,  of 
Rev.  David  RoUin,  who,  with  two  assistants, 
went  to  reside  among  the  Creeks.    In  1836,  a 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


589 


second  station  was  establisned  at  Canadian 
Creek,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  prepare  a 
Creek  version  of  the  New  Testament.  But 
the  passions  of  the  tribe  were  too  easily  in- 
flamed to  admit  of  much  social  progress,  or  of 
any  settled  and  uniform  modes  of  life.  Many 
of  the  chiefs  were  opposed  to  the  introduction 
of  Christianity  among  the  people,  and  the 
nation  soon  became  distracted  with  tumults, 
which  threatened  the  safety  of  the  mission- 
aries. Mr.  Rollin  and  his  associates  accord- 
ingly withdrew  to  Shawanoe,  and  the  mission 
was  broken  up.  It  was  afterwards  resumed 
by  Rev.  Messrs.  Kellam  and  Mason,  who  main- 
tained the  government  schools  and  kept  to- 
gether the  churches ;  but  in  1840  they  were 
obliged  to  leave  the  nation,  on  account  of 
threatened  violence.  The  churches,  however, 
continued  to  be  visited  by  members  of  other 
missions  in  the  Indian  Territory,  until  1843, 
when  Rev.  Eber  Tucker,  lately  a  government 
teacher  among  the  Choctaws,  was  appointed 
missionary  among  the  Creeks.  In  the  course 
of  two  years,  he  baptized  more  than  a  hundred 
of  the  tribe ;  and  the  church,  at  the  end  of 
that  period,  numbered  250  members,  of  whom 
many  were  African  slaves  owned  in  the  nation. 
In  1845,  Mr.  Tucker  abandoned  the  mission, 
on  account  of  the  sickness  of  his  family,  and  it 
subsequently  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
American  Indian  Mission  Association. 

In  May,  1830,  the  bill  for  removing  the  In- 
dians from  their  lands  within  the  states  to  the 
territory  of  the  United  States  beyond  the  Mis- 
sissippi, passed  the  national  Congress.  This 
measure  had  been  early  advocated  by  Mr. 
McCoy,  and  repeatedly  commended  to  the 
government  by  the  General  Convention,  as  the 
best  mode  of  relieving  them  from  the  evils  to 
which  they  were  exposed  within  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  states.  Many  of  them  had  already 
consented  to  remove,  and  other  portions  were 
.only  waiting  for  some  definite  arrangements  to 
be  made  by  the  government.  But  the  Chero- 
kees  in  Georgia,  and  other  tribes  in  the  neigh- 
boring states,  claimed  to  be  each  an  indepen- 
dent people,  occupying  lands  which  had  been 
repeatedly  guarantied  to  them  by  treaties  with 
the  United  States.  It  was  while  this  claim 
was  still  a  subject  of  angry  dispute  between 
the  Cherokees  and  the  State  of  Georgia,  that 
the  bill  for  removing  the  Indians  became  a 
law  of  the  land.  It  provided  for  an  equitable 
exchange  of  the  lands  of  the  Indians  ;  for 
their  removal  at  the  public  expense ;  their  full 
indemnification  for  the  losses  they  might  sus- 
tain, and  their  entire  support  for  one  year 
after  their  arrival  in  the  territory  which  was 
set  apart  for  them,  beyond  the  western  borders 
of  the  states  of  Arkansas  and  Missouri.  The 
act  imposed  on  them  a  virtual  necessity,  and 
was  ultimately  carried  into  execution  by  the 
troops  of  the  United  States,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major-General  Scott.  Several  other 
tribes,  seeing  the  necessity  which  they  could 


not  escape,  acceded  to  the  terms  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  exchanged  their  lands  for  portiona 
of  the  new  domain.    Not  so  the  Cherokees. 
They  clung  to  the  promises  of  the  government, 
and  to  the  guaranties  of  their  treaties.     At 
length,  however,  on  the  submission  of  a  por- 
tion of  them,  the  President  of  the  United 
States  felt  obliged  to  compel  their  removal  by 
the  array  of  military  force.    It  was  commenced 
in  the  summer  of  1838  by  the  enforced  depart- 
ure of  3,000  of  the  tribe  ;  but  the  remainder 
having    obtained    permission    from    General 
Scott  to  remain  till  the  sickly  season  of  sum- 
mer was  over,  removed  of  their  own  accord, 
in  companies  of  about  a  thousand  each,  under 
the  conduct  of  leaders  of  their  own  selection. 
It  was  to  them  a  season  of  unprecedented 
national    calamity    and    humiliation.     They 
were,  in  a  great  degree,  a  civilized  and  Chris- 
tian people,  and  they  felt  with  the  keenest  sen- 
sibility the  pressure  of  the  iron  power  which 
tore  them  from  their  ancient  seats,  and  the 
graves  of  their  dead.    But,  amidst  all  their 
deep  afflictions,  the  religious  influence  which 
had  begun  to  show  itself  some  years  before, 
still  continued  to  be  experienced  among  them. 
In  1835,  not  less  than  300  had  been  baptized, 
and  during  the  protracted  period  of  their  ad- 
versity, and,  even  on  their  sorrowful  march 
to  the  western  territory,  they  manifested  a  re- 
ligious sensibility,  and  developed  a  religious 
faith,  which  not  only  sustained  them  in   all 
their  sufferings,  but  awoke  a  thrill  of  sympathy 
in  every  pious  heart    throughout   the  land. 
Among  the  persons  chosen  to  conduct  the 
several  parties  of  the  migrating  nation,  M-ere 
Rev.  Messrs.  Jones  and  Bushyhead,  and   it 
often  happened  that  their  evening  encamp- 
ments resounded  with  the  prayers  and  hymns 
of  devout  assemblies,  engaged  in  the  worship 
of  God ;  and  the  streams  which  they  crossed 
were  sometimes  consecrated  by  the  holy  rite 
of  Christian  baptism. 

In  this  manner  were  the  Cherokees  removed 
to  their  present  home  in  the  Indian  Territory. 
The  missionaries  went  with  them  in  their  long 
and  wearisome  journey,  and  did  all  in  their 
power  to  alleviate  their  sufferings,  and  breathe 
into  them  the  spirit  of  cheerful  Christian  resig- 
nation. The  interests  of  the  mission,  though 
they  had  suffered  a  serious  shock  in  the  changes 
which  had  befallen  the  nation,  yet  soon  revived 
on  the  arrival  of  the  Cherokees  in  their  new 
home,  and  in  a  little  time  its  labors  again  were 
prosecuted  with  their  wonted  regularity.  At 
the  close  of  1839,  Mr.  Jones  returned  to 
the  States,  and  visited  the  managers  at  Boston. 
In  the  course  of  his  visit,  he  narrated  in  the 
cities  of  the  east  the  sufferings  of  the  Chero- 
k(^es,  and  the  spirit  with  which  they  had 
endured  them,  and  made  the  public  more  fully 
acquainted  with  the  progress  they  had  made 
in  the  knoAvledge  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  arts  of 
civilized  life.  His  narratives  awakened  new  in- 
terest in  the  prosperity  of  the  mission,  and  on 


(»0 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


Ub  return  in  1841,  he  resumed  his  labors  with 
Bew  seal  and  ciicoura^oment.  He  found  that 
during  the  eighteen  months  of  his  absence, 

rirds  of  two  hundred  had  been  added  to 
churches  —  a  number  which  was  soon 
increased  by  the  baptism  of  nearly  100  more. 
The  wilderness  was  blooming  with  the  industry 
and  care  of  the  people,  and  the  Cherokees 
became  pioneers  and  exemplars  to  the  other 
tribes  that  occupied  the  territory. 

There  were  at  this  period  within  the  terri- 
tory nine  missions  of  the  Board,  embracing  in 
all  twenty-four  missionaries  and  assistants, 
and  twelve  native  preachers.  Most  of  them 
were  of  recent  origin,  and  some  were  little 
more  than  government  schools,  placed  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Board  for  the  benefit  of  the  several 
tribes  among  whom  they  were  established. 
This  number  of  laborers  was  soon  increased  by 
additions  to  the  Cherokee  mission,  and  the 
missionaries  and  teachers  stationed  among  the 
Shawanocs,  Ottowas,  Putawatomies  and  Dela- 
wares,  were  in  1841  united  in  a  single  mission, 
the  principal  seat  of  which  was  at  Shawanoe, 
with  a  subordinate  station  in  each  of  the 
tribes.  At  Shawanoe  there  had  been  a  press 
since  1833,  at  which  the  Gospel  of  Matthew, 
together  with  many  Christian  hymns  and 
school-books  had  been  printed,  and  from  which, 
for  several  years,  had  been  issued  a  weekly 
newspaper,  called  the  "  Shawanoe  Sun."  Since 
then  other  school  books,  and  other  portions  of 
the  Xew  Testament  have  been  added  to  the 
number.  In  1842,  the  operations  of  a  portion 
of  the  mission  were  suspended  for  a  time,  in 
consequence  of  the  jealousy  and  threatened  vio- 
lence of  the  Indians.  At  about  the  same  time 
also,  it  was  visited  by  Eev.  J.  S.  Bacon,  D.  D., 
a  member  of  the  Board,  who  had  been  appointed 
to  visit  the  several  missions  in  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory. Dr.  Bacon  extended  his  observations 
and  inquiries  to  all  the  leading  tribes  in  the 
territory,  and  his  report  to  the  Board  contrib- 
uted largely  to  their  information  respecting 
the  condition  of  the  people,  the  influence  of 
the  missions,  and  the  modes  in  which  they  should 
be  conducted.  Since  that  time  the  labors  of  the 
mission  have  been  conducted  without  inter- 
ruption, though  amidst  the  unceasing  decline 
of  the  Indian  race  in  all  the  tribes  with  which 
it  is  connected  —  a  decline  which  of  necessity 
spreads  its  shadows  not  only  over  the  prospects 
of  the  people,  but  also  over  the  agencies  that 
are  employed  for  their  improvement.  At 
Shawanoe,  Mr.' and  Mrs.  Barker  with  one  na- 
tive assistant,  and,  within  the  past  two  years 
Miss  Doty,  a  teacher,  have  conducted  the 
station.  The  church  numbers  thirty-one  mem- 
bers. At  Delaware,  the  church  has  also  thirty- 
one  members,  and  is  under  the  charge  of  the 
Eev.  J.  G.  Pratt,  who,  with  Mrs.  Pratt,  Miss 
E.  S.  Morse,  Miss  E.  P.  Gookin,  and  one  native 
assistant,  has  also  the  entire  charge  of  the 
schools,  and  all  the  interests  of  the  mission  in 


the  Delaware  tribe.  At  Ottawa,  the  statioi 
is  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  G.  Meeker,  whc 
with  his  wife  and  one  native  assistant,  is  en 
ployed  among  the  Ottawa  people.  The  churc' 
here  numbers  forty  members.  Around  eac 
of  the  stations,  the  natives  are  making  grat: 
fying  progress  in  morals  and  the  arts  of  civi 
ized  life.  The  members  of  the  churche 
maintain  an  exemplary  Christian  charactei 
and  for  some  years  past  have  made  considers 
ble  contributions  for  the  support  of  the  mis 
sion.  Each  year,  also,  witnesses  additions  t 
their  numbers,  and  an  increase  of  intelligenc 
among  the  children  of  the  schools. 

The  only  other  mission  of  the  Union  now  re 
maining  in  the  Indian  territory  is  that  amonj 
the  Cherokees — a  mission  which  from  its  con 
mencement,  while  the  Cherokee  nation  wer 
still  in  the  State  of  Georgia,  has  been  signall 
blessed  of  heaven,  and  has  been  productive  c 
the  most  gratifying  results  in  the  civilizatioi 
and  religious  improvement  of  the  people.  It 
principal  seat  is  at  Cherokee,  which  is  thre 
miles  west  of  the  boundary  of  Arkansas,  an< 
its  operations  are  extended  over  a  district  oc 
oupied  by  the  tribe,  of  forty  miles  in  extent  t- 
the  west,  the  south,  and  the  north.  Since  184i 
the  mission  has  been  furnished  with  a  pres 
and  printing  establishment,  which  until  rt 
cently  was  under  the  care  of  Mr.  H.  Uphan 
a  printer  by  trade,  who  retired  from  the  sei 
vice  of  the  Board  in  1851.  In  addition  t 
Rev.  E.  Jones,  the  faithful  friend  of  the  native 
who  has  remained  with  them  through  all  thei 
disasters,  the  mission  was  strengthened  in  184; 
by  the  arrival  of  Rev.  W.  P.  Upham,  and  thes 
two  are  now  its  only  managers.  They  have 
however,  employed  at  different  periods  a  num 
ber  of  intelligent  and  educated  Cherokees  a 
assistants  and  coadjutors  in  their  labors,  an( 
these  have  in  most  instances  proved  themseive 
eflBcient  and  faithful  in  carrying  forward  th( 
work  of  the  Gospel.  The  translation  of  th( 
New  Testament  was  completed  by  Mr.  Jonei 
in  1847,  and  some  books  of  the  Old  Testamen 
have  been  translated  by  other  members  of  th( 
mission.  School  books  have  been  prepared  ii 
large  numbers,  and  the  Pilgrim's  Progress  hai 
been  translated  and  extensively  circulatee 
among  the  people  of  the  nation,  everywher< 
awakening  the  deepest  interest,  and  producing 
the  most  beneficial  results.  In  1844  Mr.  Up 
ham  established  the  "  Cherokee  Messenger,"  i 
periodical  which  has  been  continued  by  mem 
bers  of  the  mission,  or  by  natives  of  the  tribe 
The  people  have  occasionally  been  distractec 
by  civil  feuds, — some  of  them  having  their  ori- 
gin in  questions  and  events  connected  witl 
their  removal  from  Georgia — which  have  some- 
times affected  the  interests  of  the  mission,  bul 
its  course  has  been  one  of  unusual  prosperity,  and 
its  agencies  have  conferred  inestimable  benefits 
on  the  Cherokee  nation.  The  national  council 
has  adopted  a  liberal  policy  in  the  administra- 
tion of  its  public  affairs,  and  its  enactments 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


591 


and  decrees  have  for  a  considerable  period 
been  such  as  become  a  civilized  and  Christian 
people.  Its  school  system  is  in  advance  of 
those  of  some  of  the  neighboring  States, 
/  and  the  schools  of  the  mission  are  no  longer 
j  needed,  except  for  religious  instruction.  The 
churches  which,  on  the  migration  of  the 
/Cherokees  in  1839,  contained  500  members, 
Jin  1849  numbered  upwards  of  1200.  They 
very  nearly  support  the  institutions  of  the  Gos- 
pel by  their  own  contributions,  and  have  often 
sent  liberal  sums  to  the  treasury  of  the  Mission- 
ary Union.  In  1854  their  contributions  to  this 
treasury  amounted  to  $409,  and  it  is  believed 
that  were  the  missionaries  now  withdrawn,  the 
churches  would  still  go  on  in  maintaining  the 
faith  of  the  Gospel,  and  spreading  it  more 
widely  among  the  people.  The  mission  is  now 
established  at  five  stations,  Cherokee,  Dela- 
ware Town,  Dsiyohee,  Taquohee,  and  Flint, 
and  at  eight  out-stations.  Its  missionaries  are 
Rev.  Messrs.  E.  Jones  and  W.  P.  Upham,  who 
v/ith  their  families  reside  at  Cherokee,  while 
the  native  assistants  are  distributed  among  the 
other  stations  or  out-stations  of  the  mission. 

The  only  mission  of  the  Union  now  remain- 
ing among  the  Indians  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
is  that  among  the  Ojibwas,  near  Lake  Supe- 
rior. Its  origin  and  early  progress  have  al- 
ready been  narrated.  It  has  from  the  begin- 
ning been  under  the  charge  of  Eev.  Abel 
Bingham,  assisted  for  many  years  past  by  Rev. 
G.  D.  Cameron,  Its  stations  still  continue  to  be, 
as  they  have  long  been,  at  Sault  de  Ste.  Marie 
and  Tikuamina  bay,  with  an  out-station  at 
Michipicoton,  in  Upper  Canada.  A  flourish- 
ing school  is  maintained  at  Tikuamina  bay, 
which  contains,  by  the  latest  reports,  sixty- 
nine  pupils,  and  the  church  numbers  twenty- 
one  members.  The  Ojibwa  tribe,  however,  is 
constantly  diminishing  in  numbers,  and  must 
soon  either  be  removed  to  the  western  terri- 
tory, or  be  merged  in  the  tide  of  popula^on 
that  is  advancing  from  the  east,  and  a  few 
more  years  must  terminate  the  existence  of 
the  mission.  And  even  in  the  Indian  terri- 
tory itself— the  domain  which  the  government 
solemnly  set  apart  as  the  perpetual  home  of 
these  ancient  masters  of  the  whole  land — the 
horizon  of  the  future  is  shutting  darkly  and 
gloomily  upon  the  fortunes  of  the  Indian  race. 
Already  have  the  guarantees  to  which  they 
trusted  been  set  aside,  and  the  titles  which 
they  fondly  thought  would  be  valid  for  ever, 
are  about  to  be  extinguished  by  the  legislation 
of  Congress,  and  the  lands  for  which  they 
abandoned  their  ancient  seats  in  the  States  of 
the  East  are  about  to  be  merged  in  the  terri- 
tories of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,  to  which  the 
tide  of  emigration  is  rapidly  rolling.  The  des- 
tiny of  this  once  powerful  race  is  one  of  the  sad- 
dest in  the  annals  of  mankind,  and  happy  will 
it  be,  if,  before  their  final  extinction,  they  shall 
find  in  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  a  solace 
and  a  balm  for  all  the  mighty  wrongs  which 


they  have  been  forced  to  endure  at  the  hands 
of  the  American  people. 

Statistics  of  Indian  Missions  for  1854. 
Ojibwa  Mmion.-~2  stations,  2  out-stations, 

2  missionaries,  1  female  assistant,  1  native 
assistant,  1  church,  21  members ;  1  boarding- 
school,  6  pupils  ;  2  day-schools,  74  pupils  ; 
total,  3  schools,  80  pupils. 

Shawonoe  Mission.~3  stations,  3  mission- 
aries, 5  female  assistants,  2  native  assistants, 

3  churches,  100  members  ;  2  boarding-schools, 
45  pupils. 

Cherokee  Mission.— fi  stations,  8  out-stations,   ^^ 
2  missionaries,   2  female  assistants,  6  native 
assistants,  10   churches,   1,250  members;    1 
boarding-school,  85  pupils. 

Total— 3  missions,  10  stations,  10  out-sta- 
tions, 7  missionaries,  8  female  assistants,  9 
native  preachers  and  assistants,  14  churches, 
1,371  church-members,  4  boarding-schools,  136 
pupils;  2  day-schools,  74  pupils;  total  6 
schools,  and  210  pupils.— Prof.  W.  Gammell. 

Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist 
Episcop.\l  Church. — This  Society  was  led  by 
a  very  peculiar  providence  to  undertake  the 
missionary  work  among  the  Indians.  JoJm 
Steward,  a  free  colored  man,  who  was  born  and 
bred  in  JPowhattan  county,  Va.,  was  converted, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church.  Though  of  slender  education,  jet 
he  became  deeply  impressed  with  a  conviction 
that  it  was  his  duty  to  call  sinners  to  repent- 
ance ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  his  mind  appear- 
ed to  be  drawn  somewhere  in  a  north-west 
direction,  he  hardly  knew  where,  among  a 
people  to  whom  he  was  a  stranger.  So  strong 
were  his  convictions  on  this  subject,  that, 
though  unauthorized  by  any  body  of  Chris- 
tians, he  arose,  forsook  all,  and  went  alone  and 
unprotected;  crossed  the  Muskingum  river, 
directing  his  way  sometimes  through  a  wilder- 
ness without  any  road  ;  nor  did  he  suffer  him- 
self to  be  diverted  from  his  purpose,  though 
many  with  whom  he  fell  in  company  by  the 
way  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  it,  until 
he  arrived  at  Pipe  Town,  on  Sandusky  river, 
where  a  tribe  of  the  Delaivare  Indians  resided. 

He  was  conducted  to  one  of  the  Indian 
cabins,  and  seated.  Finding,  however,  that  they 
understood  but  little  of  his  language,  he  could 
attract  but  little  attention  by  his  conversation. 
They  were  moreover  preparing  for  one  of  their 
dances,  and  did  not  like  to  be  diverted  from  it 
by  the  arrival  of  a  stranger,  but  commenced 
their  barbarous  exercises  with  such  energy  and 
violence,  that  poor  Steward  thought  they  were 
about  to  kill  him.  Finding,  however,  Uiat  his 
fears  were  groundless,  as  soon  as  they  desisted 
from  their  dance,  he  pulled  out  his  hymn-book 
and  commenced  singing.  Profound  silence 
reigned  in  the  assembly  while  Steward  pro- 
ceeded with  the  hymn.  And  when  lie  ceased, 
one  said,  in  English,  "  Sing  more."  He  com- 
plied, and  then  asked  if  they  could  furnish 


592 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


him  \fith  an  intoriiretcr ;  when  an  old  Dela- 
ware, named  Lyons,  was  produced,  and  Stew- 
ard delivered  to  them  a  discourse  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion,  to  which  they  listened  with 
attention ;  and,  at  the  close  of  it,  they  pre- 
pared lor  their  guest  an  entertainment,  after 
which,  he  rctircKl  to  rest. 

Thinking  he  had  discharged  his  duty  here, 
it  was  his  intention  to  visit  some  friends  in 
Tennessee.  In  the  morning  the  people  wished 
him  to  remain  another  day ;  but  a  secret  im- 
pulse seemed  to  urge  him  to  proceed  still  fur- 
ther to  the  north-west ;  and  so,  disregarding 
his  own  inclinations  to  visit  his  friends,  and 
the  solicitations  of  the  people,  he  traveled  on 
to  the  house  of  the  United  States  sub-agent  of 
Indian  Affairs,  at  Upper  Sandusky. 

At  first  suspecting  Steward  to  be  a  runaway 
slave,  Mr.  Walker  questioned  him  very  closely. 
But  Steward  related  to  him  his  first  experience 
of  the  grace  of  God,  his  subsequent  impres- 
sions, and  the  way  in  which  he  had  performed 
his  journey  and  come  among  them.  Tlie  art- 
less and  unaffected  manner  in  which  he  nar- 
rated the  dealings  of  God  with  him,  soon  re- 
moved the  scruples  from  Walker's  mind,  and 
he  gave  him  encouragement,  directed  him  to 
the  house  of  Jonathan  Pointer,  a  colored  man, 
who  had  been  taken  prisoner  in  his  youth  by 
the  Wyandots,  and  who  had  learned  to  speak 
their  language  with  ease  and  fluency.  When 
Jonathan  learned  the  object  of  Steward's  visit, 
he  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from  his  enter- 
prise, telling  him  he  need  not  attempt  to  do 
that  which  many  great  and  learned  men  had 
failed  in  accomplishing  before  him ;  Steward, 
however,  would  not  be  diverted  from  his  pur- 
pose without  a  thorough  trial,  and  the  same 
day,  with  the  reluctant  consent  of  Jonathan, 
he  attended  a  feast  with  him.  A  large  num- 
ber of  Indians  were  assembled,  and  the  feast  and 
dance  were  conducted  as  usual,  with  great  mirth 
and  hilarity.  Permission  being  granted  at  the 
close  of  the  amusements,  Steward,  by  the  aid 
of  Jonathan,  as  interpreter,  delivered  a  dis- 
course on  the  subject  of  Christianity ;  dwell- 
ing principally  on  its  experimental  effects  upon 
the  heart  and  life.  They  listened  with  pro- 
found attention,  and  then  gave  them  their 
hand  in.  token  of  hosintality  to  a  stranger. 
He  made  an  appointment  for  a  meeting  the 
next  day,  at  the  house  of  Jonathan,  but  how 
surprised  and  disappointed  was  he  to  find,  in- 
stead of  a  large  assembly,  only  one  old  woman. 
Kot  disheartened,  however,  at  this,  Steward 
imitating  the  conduct  of  his  Master  at  Ja- 
cob's well,  preached  the  Gospel  as  faithfully  as 
if  ther«  had  been  hundreds  present  to  hear 
him.  The  next  day  his  congregation  was  in- 
creased by  the  addition  of  one  old  man,  and 
these  two  soon  became  converts. 

The  next  day  being  Sabbath,  8  or  10  assem- 
bled in  the  council-house,  who  seemed  much 
affected  under  his  sermon,  and  a  work  of  grace 
commenced,  which  terminated  in  the  conver- 


sion of  many.  This  was  in  the  month  of  No- 
vember, 1816.  Steward  continued  his  labors, 
visiting  the  families  from  cabin  to  cabin,  talk- 
ing, singing,  and  praying  with  them,  and 
preaching  to  them  on  the  Sabbaths,  in  the 
council-house.  Very  s6on  large  crowds  flock- 
ed to  the  meetings,  and  such  was  the  deep  con- 
cern manifested,  that  for  a  season  they  almost 
entirely  neglected  their  secular  affairs.  This 
gave  occasion  for  the  mercenary  traders  re- 
siding among  them  to  speak  reproachfully  of 
Steward,  and  accuse  him  of  being  instru- 
mental of  starving  the  Indians,  by  preventing 
them  from  hunting.  But  it  was  very  manifest 
that  the  true  reason  of  their  opposition  was, 
that  "their  craft  was  in  danger."  Yet,  al- 
though they  threatened  him  with  imprison- 
ment, he  persisted  in  his  preaching.  One  of 
his  greatest  difficulties  was  with  his  interpre- 
ter. Being  unaffected  with  the  truth,  though 
he  interpreted  faithfully  whatever  Steward 
delivered,  he  would  often  add,  "  so  he  says ; 
but  I  do  not  know  whether  it  is  so  or  not,  nor 
do  I  care  ;  all  my  mind  is  to  interpret  faith- 
fully what  he  says.  You  must  not  think  that 
I  care  whether  you  believe  it  or  not."  The 
word,  however,  took  effect,  and  at  length 
Jonathan  himself,  wicked  and  thoughtless  as 
he  had  been,  yielded  to  the  power  of  truth, 
and  was  afterwards  apparently  hearty  in  the 
work. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Wyandots  had  been 
under  tlie  instruction  of  some  Roman  Catholic 
missionaries  ;  they  had  embraced  the  Eomaii 
Catholic  religion,  and  had  become  attached  ta~ 
its  superstitions  and  unscriptural  ceremonies, 
without  any  visible  reformation  of  manners,  or 
any  saving  influence  of  Divine  grace  upon 
their  hearts.  These  things  added  to  the  diffi- 
culties with  which  Steward  had  to  contend. 
While  the  heathen  party  were  offended  at 
having  the  religion  of  their  fathers  called  in 
que^ion,  those  who  had  become  attached  to 
the  idle  ceremonies  of  the  Church  of  Home 
felt  themselves  abused  by  being  told  that  the 
worship  paid  to  the  Virgin  Mary  and  to  saints 
and  angels  was  rank  idolatry.  Truth,  however, 
triumphed  over  all  opposition,  and  gained  the 
ascendancy  in  the  hearts  of  some  of  these 
savages. 

The  following  circumstance  contributed 
not  a  little  in  its  results,  to  confirm  the  wav- 
ering faith  of  such  as  doubted  of  Steward's 
sincerity,  as  well  as  to  confound  many  of  his 
open  enemies  : — When  he  so  boldly  denounced 
the  peculiarities  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
taught  doctrines  so  different  from  what  they 
had  been  taught  by  the  Romish  priests,  they 
concluded  that  there  must  be  a  discrepancy 
between  his  Bible  and  that  used  by  the  priests. 
To  decide  this  question,  it  was  by  mutual 
agreement  submitted  to  Mr.  Walker,  the  sub- 
agent.  He  accordingly  appointed  a  day  for  the 
examination.  Steward  and  the  chiefs  appear- 
ed before  him.    Many  being  present  of  both 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


593 


parties,  and  all  deeply  interested  in  the  issue, 
a  profound  silence  reigned  in  the  assembly. 
Mr.  Walker  carefully  examined  the  Bible  and 
hymn  book  used  by  Steward,  while  all  eyes 
■were  fixed  upon  him.  The  Christian  party 
gazing  with  intense  interest,  hoping  for  a  re- 
suit  favorable  to  their  desires,  and  the  others 
no  less  anxious  to  be  confirmed  in  their  op- 
position to  Steward  and  his  party.  At  length 
the  examination  closed.  Mr.  Walker  inform- 
ed the  assembly  that  the  only  difference  be- 
tween the  Bible  used  by  Steward  and  the  one 
used  by  the  Koraan  priests  was,  that  the 
former  was  in  the  English  language,  and  the 
latter  was  in  the  Latin ;  and  'as  to  the  hymn- 
book,  he  informed  them  that  the  hymns  it 
contained  were  all  good,  the  subjects  having 
been  taken  from  the  Bible,  and  that  they 
breathed  the  spirit  of  religion.  His  decision 
therefore  was,  that  the  Bible  was  genuine, 
and  the  hymns  good.  On  hearing  this  deci- 
sion, the  countenances  of  the  Christian  party 
instantly  lighted  up  with  joy,  and  their  very 
souls  exulted  in  God  their  Saviour,  while  the 
opposers  stood  abashed.  During  the  whole 
transaction  Steward  sat  calm  and  tranquil, 
fixing  his  eye  upon  the  assembly  with  an  af- 
fectionate regard,  as  if  fully  conscious  that 
truth  and  innocence  would  triumph. 

Being  foiled  in  this  unrighteous  attempt  to 
interrupt  the  progress  of  the  work  of  reforma- 
tion, they  next  objected  to  Steward  that  he 
had  no  authority  from  any  body  of  Christians 
to  preach.  To  this  Mr.  Walker  replied  by 
asking  them  whether  he  had  ever  performed 
the  rite  of  matrimony  or  of  baptism.  Being 
answered  in  the  negative,  he  told  them  that 
there  was  no  law,  either  of  God  or  man,  vio- 
lated, as  any  one  had  a  right  to  talk  about 
religion,  and  try  to  persuade  others  to  embrace 
it.  He  then  dismissed  the  assembly,  who 
"  had  great  reasoning  among  themselves  con- 
cerning these  things."  Steward,  however,  was 
permitted  to  prosecute  his  labors  with  but  lit- 
tle opposition  for  about  three  months,  when  he 
proposed  leaving  them  for  a  season,  and  gave 
them  a  farewell  discourse  in  the  council- 
house,  when  such  was  their  attachment  to 
him,  there  was  a  universal  weeping.  Promis- 
ing to  return  to  them  "  when  the  corn  should 
shoot,"  he  made  a  journey  to  Marietta.  Dur- 
ing his  absence  they  continued  their  meetings 
for  singing,  prayer,  and  exhortation,  and  re- 
ligion prospered,  so  that  on  his  return  at  the 
appointed  time  he  was  hailed  by  the  Chris- 
tian party  with  cordiality  and  great  joy. 

Steward,  in  trying  to  introduce  Christianity, 
had  to  encounter  the  usual  difficulties  with 
these  people — their  idolatry,  their  traditional 
customs,  their  belief  in  witches,  their  scatter- 
ed and  migratory  condition,  their  wars,  their 
ignorance,  and  their  prejudices  against  the 
white  man.  He  felt  them  most  sensibly  among 
the  Wyandots.  He,  however,  persevered  in 
his  work,  and  God  blessed  his  labors.  But 
38 


though  a  number  of  them  had  received  the 
Gospel,  strong  efforts  were  made  by  the  Pagan 
and  Popish  parties  to  oppose  the  work.  Yet, 
confiding  in  God  and  in  the  goodness  of  his 
cause,  he  persevered  in  his  labors.  It  was 
some  time,  however,  before  opposition  ceased. 
Two  chiefs  especially,  Mononcue  and  Bloody 
Eyes,  manifested  particular  opposition  to  the 
Gospel.  With  a  view  to  obviate  the  objec- 
tions against  him,  for  want  of  proper  authority 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  after  laboring  among 
them  for  two  years  with  considerable  success, 
assisted  occasionally  by  a  colored  man  from 
Mad  River  Circuit,  and  by  Moses  Hinckle,  Jr., 
Steward  obtained  a  license  as  a  local  preacher 
at  a  quarterly  conference  held  at  Urbana  in 
March,  1819,  and  was  appointed  a  missionary 
to  Upper  Sandusky.  His  excessive  labors, 
together  with  the  numerous  privations  he  was 
called  to  suffer,  with  his  fastings  and  watch- 
ings,  had  in  the  year  1821  induced  various 
afflictions  of  body,  and  no  doubt  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  his  premature  death.  With  a  view 
to  afford  him  aid  in  his  work,  several  local 
preachers  volunteered  their  services,  and  were 
instrumental  of  much  good.  At  the  Ohio 
Conference,  held  in  Cincinnati,  August  7, 1819, 
the  Eev.  James  B.  Finley  was  appointed  to 
the  Lebanon  District,  which  included  the  San- 
dusky mission,  of  which  he  took  the  over- 
sight. 

On  the  13th  and  14th  of  November,  at  a 
quarterly  meeting  held  for  the  Mad  Eiver  Cir- 
cuit, 42  miles  from  Upper  Sandusky,  about  60 
of  the  natives,  among  whom  were  four  of  the 
chiefs,  JBetween-the-logs,  Mononcue,  Hicks,  and 
Scuteash,  attended  with  their  families,  together 
with  two  interpreters,  Jonathan  Pointer  and 
Armstrong,  both  of  whom  were  happy  in  the 
love  of  God.  It  seems  notwithstanding  the 
former  opposition  of  two  of  these  chiefs  to  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  through  the  pa- 
tient and  indefatigable  labors  of  Steward  and 
those  who  assisted  him  in  the  work,  they  had 
yielded  to  the  power  of  truth  and  grace,  and 
were  now  heartily  engaged  in  building  up  the 
good  cause.  Between-the-logs  was  one  of  the 
chief  councilors  of  the  nation — a  man  of  strong 
powers  of  mind,  and  of  great  eloquence  and 
influence.  Mononcue  was  grave,  dignified,  de- 
liberate in  counsel,  with  a  charming  voice,  and 
a  commanding  eloquence.  The  others,  though 
somewhat  inferior  to  these,  were  much  respect- 
ed by  their  people  and  compeei-s.  The  con- 
version of  such  men  to  the  Christian  cause 
could  not  but  have  a  most  happy  influence  in 
favor  of  the  mission. 

The  mission  was  continued  as  a  regular  ap- 
pointment, and  increased  in  prosperity  ;  many 
of  the  chiefs  embraced  religion  ;  several  of 
them  subsequently  became  preachers,  and  la- 
bored with  great  zeal  and  success  among  their 
brethren.  A  mission-school  was  established 
in  the  Wyandot  Ecserve,  mainly  supported  by 
the  general  government,  which  in  its  treaty 


594 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


with  the  tribe  reserved  a  certain  portion  of 
•4aDd  for  this  purpose. 

Some  time  during  the  war  1820,  reports 
had  reached  a  portion  of  the  Wyandot  tribe  who 
were  living  near  Fort  Maiden,  iu  Canada,  of  the 
great  change  wrought  among  their  brethren  in 
Sandusky.  They  were  visited  by  two  native 
preachers,  who  made  known  to  them,  "  in  their 
own  tongue,  the  wonderful  work  of  God." 
Several  were  converted,  and  a  mission  was 
subsequently  established  among  them.  The 
labors  of  John  Sunday,,  a  converted  native, 
were  of  great  service  in  this  good  work.  The 
missions  in  Canada,  however,  were  all  conveyed 
to  the  Canada  Conference  in  1828. 

In  1826,  being  a  period  of  about  ten  years 
after  the  commencqpient  of  the  mission,  303 
had  become  members  of  the  church.  In  the 
mission  school  there  were  77  scholars  acquiring 
a  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  and 
being  instructed  in  the  useful  arts.  In  1830, 
a  branch  was  added  to  this  mission,  composed 
of  Wmndots  and  Shawnecs,  on  the  Huron 
river,  in  Michigan,  and  continued  to  prosper 
for  several  years.  An  interesting  revival  of 
religion  was  enjoyed  by  the  Wyandots  during 
the  fall  of  1837,  and  many  were  added  to  the 
church.  From  this  time  to  the  period  when 
the  Wyandot  nation  determined  to  sell  their 
lands  to  the  general  government,  and  remove 
beyond  the  Mississippi,  nothing  occurred  of 
any  special  interest.  Preachers  were  regularly 
sent,  and  mission  schools  were  sustained.  By 
the  treaty,  all  the  missionary  improvements 
which  had  been  made  were  appraised  and  paid 
for  by  the  government,  the  avails  of  which 
were  to  go  into  the  treasury  of  the  Missionary 
Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
They  accordingly  removed  to  their  new  home 
in  the  west,  many  of  them  carrying  their 
religion  with  them.  After  the  separation  of 
the  southern  conferences  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  and  the  organization  of  a 
separate  and  distinct  ecclesiastical  connection, 
the  Wyandots  falling  within  the  range  of  that 
jurisdiction,  they  were  supplied  with  preachers 
by  the  Church  South. 

The  next  mission  was  established  in  1822, 
among  the  Creek  Indians,  entitled  the  Asbury 
mission.  This  tribe  resided  in  the  bounds  of 
the  States  of  Alabama  and  Georgia.  Another 
mission  was  commenced  among  the  Mohawks 
on  Grand  river.  Upper  Canada,  who  occupied 
a  reservation  of  land,  60  miles  in  length  and 
12  in  breadth,  on  each  side  of  the  river. 

In  1823,  an  interesting  revival  of  religion 
eommenced  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  Messrs. 
Torrey  and  Crawford,  Methodist  ministers,  a 
very  interesting  account  of  which  is  to  be 
found  in  the  annual  report  for  the  year  1823. 
A  number  of  Mississaugas  were  brought  into 
the  mission-house  and  baptized.  They  after- 
wards removed  to  the  Credit  river.  Several 
Ch?ppeu'ays  were  also  subjects  of  this  work. 
An  interesting  incident  is  connected  with  the 


introduction  of  the  Gospel  among  the  Missis- 
saugas.  In  1801,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Sawyer 
was  holding  a  quarterly  meeting  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Jones.  Mrs.  Jones,  who  was  a  Mohawk 
princess,  presented  herself  for  Christian  bap- 
tism, and,  with  her  husband,  united  with  the 
church.  Their  son,  an  Indian  youth,  was  at 
the  same  time  solemnly  dedicated  to  the  Lord 
in  baptism,  and  while  the  minister  was  con- 
cluding the  ceremony  with  a  prayer,  he  most 
fervently  besought  the  Lord  to  make  that 
youth  the  first  fruits  of  a  harvest  of  souls 
among  that.people.  The  father  of  the  youth, 
having  embraced  Christianity,  and  being  in 
possession  of  two  wives,  he  married  the  Mo- 
hawk princess,  renounced  the  mother  of  the 
boy,  who  was  a  Mississauga,  and  turned  her 
away  from  his  tent.  The  boy  followed  his 
mother  to  the  woods,  and  remained  with  the 
Mississauga  tribe  in  the  wilderness  until  he 
was  twelve  years  of  age,  when  he  entered  an 
English  school,  where  he  made  rapid  progress 
in  the  language,  and  was  soon  able  to  converse 
fluently  in  English.  With  a  ready  knowledge 
of  both  languages,  he  was  made  an  interpre- 
ter, became  a  convert  to  Christianity,  and  was 
called  to  preach  the  Gk)spel  to  his  countrymen. 
His  young  and  ardent  spirit  urged  him  to  pro- 
claim the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  his  kin- 
dred and  friends.  His  clear  and  rich  experi- 
ence in  the  things  of  God,  announced  in  strains 
of  simple  eloquence,  subdued  and  melted  their 
hearts ;  and  many  were  brought  through  his 
ministrations  to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  That 
prayer  was  heard,  and  that  mother,  like  Ha- 
gar  driven  out  into  the  wilderness,  was  not  for- 
gotten nor  forsaken  of  God.  The  labors  of 
this  remarkable  youth  were  wonderfully  owned 
and  blessed  of  God.  The  great  change  which 
was  wrought  among  the  Mississauga  Indians, 
was  followed  by  the  most  blessed  results  on 
other  fragments  of  the  same  tribe.  An  addi- 
tional number  of  22,  who  professed  faith  in 
Christ,  and  were  baptized  in  the  year  1826, 
were  formed  into  a  class  at  Bellville,  Upper 
Canada.  Their  subsequent  deportment  gave 
evidence  of  a  radical  change. 

In  1827,  a  new  mission  was  commenced 
among  another  branch  of  the  Mississaugas, 
residing  on  Snake  and  Yellow  Head  Islands,  in 
Upper  Canada.  They  spoke  the  Chippeway 
language,  and  were  about  600  in  number.  A. 
Sabbath-school  was  established  among  them  ; 
they  were  supplied  with  a  missionary ;  and  so 
successful  was  the  mission  that  in  1829  there 
were  350  that  had  renounced  heathenism,  and 
become  members  of  the  church,  and  100  of 
their  children  were  regularly  taught  in  the 
schools. 

In  the  year  1822,  a  mission  was  commenced 
by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  among  the 
Cherokee  Indians,  who  inhabited  a  tract  of 
country  included  in  the  States  of  Georgia  and 
North  Carolina  on  the  east,  Alabama  on  the 
west,  and  that  part  of  Tennessee  south  of  He* 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


595 


wasse  and  Tennessee  rivers,  comprising  ten 
millions  of  acres.  The  work  of  God  among 
tlie  Cherokees  was  so  great  that  in  1828  the 
number  of  converts  had  increased  to  800 ;  and 
the  number  of  missionaries  employed  was  in- 
creased to  seven.  The  white  missionaries  were 
greatly  assisted  by  the  services  of  a  young  con- 
verted Cherokee,  who  acted  as  interpreter.  In 
1832,  the  Cherokees  were  removed  beyond  the 
Mississippi ;  and  the  faithful,  self-denying  mis- 
sionaries accompanied  them  to  their  distant 
home.  In  1846,  this  Indian  mission  was  em- 
braced in  the  limits  of  the  Church  South.  In 
1825,  the  Mississippi  Conference  established  a 
mission  among  the  Cherokees,  under  the  su- 
perintendence of  the  Eev.  William  Winans ; 
and  the  Rev.  Wiley  Ledbetter  was  appointed 
the  missionary.  For  three  years  this  mission 
gave  but  little  promise,  and  fears  were  enter- 
tained that  it  would  be  necessary  to  abandon 
it  altogether  ;  but  just  at  the  darkest  period  of 
its  history  the  star  of  hope  and  promise  arose. 
A  camp-meeting  was  held  in  the  month  of 
August,  1828,  and  the  Lord  poured  out  his 
Spirit,  and  his  work  revived ;  and  multitudes, 
among  whom  were  four  captains,  were  con- 
verted and  joined  the  church.  At  another 
camp-meeting,  held  a  few  months  afterward,  a 
great  number  of  Indians  united  with  the 
church.  From  this  time  the  work  progressed, 
till,  in  the  year  1830,  the  number  reported  as 
in  communion  with  the  church,  was  4,000. 
All  the  principal  men  of  the  nation,  chiefs  and 
captains,  were  members  of  the  church.  Three 
missionaries,  three  interpreters,  and  three  school 
teachers  were  connected  with  the  mission. 

/A  proposition  made  by  the  general  govern- 
ment to  the  Choctaws,  in  regard  to  their  re- 
moval west  of  the  Mississippi,  cast  a  gloom 
over  the  mission  about  this  period.  In  the 
midst  of  great  division  of  sentiment  and  con- 
flict of  feeling,  at  a  council,  held  in  the  month 
of  March,  the  nation  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
majority  of  votes  to  sell  the  land,  and  accord- 
ingly made  arrangements  for  removal.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Tally  accompanied  the  emigrants  to 
their  new  and"^  distant  home,  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  1831,  500  had  ar- 
rived at  the  Choctaw  mission  west,  most  of 
whom  were  members  of  the  church.  The  re- 
movals became  so  extensive  that  the  old  mis- 
sion east  was  nearly  broken  up.  In  1836, 
there  were  reported  960  members,  an  English 
school,  and  ten  Sabbath-schools,  taught  by  na- 
tive teachers  in  the  Choctaw  language,  con- 
taining 373  scholars.  There  were  two  white 
missionaries,  five  native  preachers,  three  ex- 
horters,  twenty  class  leaders,  and  five  stewards. 
I  At  the  general  council  of  the  natives  an  act 
*  was  passed,  providing  for  the  establishment  of 
seven  literary  institutions  within  their  national 
limits.  Two  of  these.  Fort  Coffee  Academy  and 
Nunnawaya  Acaderny,  w^ere  placed  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Methodist  Church,  with  an 
annual  appropriation  to  the  former  of  $6,000, 


and  to  the  latter  of  $6,500.  The  Rev.  William 
II.  Goodc  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of 
Fort  Coffee  Academy,  and  the  Rev.  Wesley 
Browning  of  the  Nunnawaya  Academy.  The 
Indian  Mission  Conference  having  been  formed, 
the  Choctaw  mission  was  embraced  as  one  of 
its  districts.  The  Choctaw  mission,  by  the 
plan  of  separation,  passed  into  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Church  South  in  1846. 

A  mission  was  established  among  the  Pvta- 
watomies,  a  small  tribe  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort 
Clark,  on  Fox  river,  in  the  year  1823.  The 
Rev.  Jesse  Walker  was  appointed  missionary, 
and  a  school  was  established.  In  1837,  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  Putawatomies  were  con- 
verted, and  joined  the  church  among  the  Kick- 
apoos. 

In  1829  the  Oneida  mission  commenced.  A 
young  Mohawk,  who  had  been  converted  in 
Upper  Canada,  prompted  by  a  love  for  souls, 
came  amoog  them,  and  in  a  short  time,  100 
made  a  profession  of  faith  in  the  Redeemer. 
Through  the  influence  of  the  Oneida  Chris- 
tians, a  work  of  grace  was  commenced  among 
the  Onondagas,  a  neighboring  tribe,  twenty- 
four  of  whom  were  converted,  and  became 
members  of  the  church.  The  Oneida  mission, 
in  1835,  was  reported  as  enjoying  a  state  of 
prosperity,  having  been  blessed  with  a  revival. 
This  mission  extended  its  labors  among  the 
Menominee  and  Kewawenon  Indians,  and  was 
successful  in  establishing  churches  and  schools 
among  them.  The  whole  number  of  church 
members, — including  the  mission  above  speci- 
fied, and  those  in  the  Green  Bay  district, — 
amounted  to  788.  The  number  of  mission- 
aries was  15.  There  were  9  week-day  schools, 
with  9  superintendents ;  23  teachers,  267  schol- 
ars, and  280  volumes  in  the  library.  These 
missions  have  continued  to  prosper,  down  to 
the  present  time. 

In  1830,  an  effort  was  made  by  the  Missouri 
Conference  to  introduce  the  Gospel  among  the 
Shawnee  and  Kansas  Indians.  In  1841,  the 
mission  reported  130  members,  and  was  repre- 
sented as  prosperous.  These  missions  also 
passed  under  the  supervision  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  South. 

In  1830,  a  mission  was  established  among 
the  Iroquois,  including  the  tribe  of  the  KicJca- 
poos  within  the  bounds  of  the  Illinois  Confer- 
ence. A  prophet  had  risen  up  among  them, 
who  acknowledged  the  true  God,  and  was  zeal- 
ously engaged  in  instructing  the  people  in 
religion.  His  religious  notions  were  mixed  up 
with  much  that  was  superstitious.  He,  how- 
ever, afterwards  embraced  Christianity,  and 
became  useful  among  his  brethren  in  promot- 
ing their  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare.  In 
1834,  the  Kickapoo  mission  was  reported  to 
have  230  members,  and  a  school  consisting  of 
24  native  children. 

The  Peoria  mission  was  organized  in  1833, 
and  40  natives  were  received  into  the  church. 
The  report  for  1835  states  that  the  missioa 


596 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


had  doublctl  its  numbers,  and  the  mission 
school  wiw  pros|>erin«^. 

A  missit)ii  was  established  among  the  Sioux, 
Winjickii^s,  and  Chippewai/s,  by  the  Kev. 
Alfml  IJronson,  who,  in  1834,  went  out  on  an 
exphirin;?  tour  through  the  regions  bordering 
on  the  Mississippi.  The  same  year,  the  South 
Indian  missionary  district,  in  the  Arkansas 
Conference,  Koon  Town,  Oothcalooga,  and 
Valley  Town,  were  visited  with  a  powerful  re- 
vival, and  120  natives  were  added  to  the 
church. 

In  1845,  the  following  statement  was  given 
of  the  numbers  of  church  members  in  the  va- 
rious districts  included  in  the  Indian  Confer- 
ence : 

Kansas  River  District 700 

Cherokee  District 2,057 

Choctaw        "           800 

Rock  River  Conference      ....  130 

Michigan  Conference 338 

Oneida              "             90 

Holston            "             109 

Mississippi       "             115 

Total 4,339 

The  most  of  these  Indian  missions  having 
fallen  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Church 
South,  in  1847  there  were  but  nine  Indian 
missions,  15  missionaries,  and  778  church 
members  left  to  the  Methodist  E.  Church. 
In  connection  with  these  missions,  there  were 
nine  week-day  schools,  embracing  200  pupils  ; 
8  Sabbath-schools,  9  superintendents,  23  teach- 
ers, 267  scholars,  and  287  volumes  in  the 
library. 

Missionary  Society  of  the  Methodist  E. 
Church  South. — Full  three-fourths  of  all  the 
Indian  missions  of  the  Methodist  E.  Church, 
lay  within  the  jurisdictional  limits  of  the 
Church  South,  at  the  time  when  the  Church 
was  divided  in  1844.  The  Kansas,  Cherokees, 
Choctaws  and  some  others  falling  over  to  the 
Church  South,  the  Oneidas,  Onondagas,  Ojib- 
was,  and  others  remaining  with  the  Methodist 
E.  Church.  During  the  past  year,  a  portion 
of  the  Cherokee  mission  has  again  come  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Methodist  E.  Church 
The  Church  South  having  taken  up  her  share 
of  the  Indian  missions,  has  pursued  her  duty 
to  these  sons  of  the  forest  with  a  commenda- 
ble zeal.  In  1848,  encouraged  by  the  liberal 
assistance  of  the  U.  S.  Government,  the  Board 
of  missions  of  the  Church  South,  greatly  en- 
larged the  means  of  education  through  their 
Indian  missions ;  and  thej^  were  privileged  to 
see  a  growing  prosperity  in  all  departments  of 
this  portion  of  their  labors.  Last  year  the 
Rev.  J.  C.  Robinson,  Superintendent  of  the 
Chickasaw  ]Manual  Labor  Academy,  paid  a 
visit  to  the  Caddoes,  and  tried  to  introduce  the 
Gospel  among  this  remnant  of  their  nation. 
The  work  of  this  church  among  the  Indians, 


constitutes  a  regular  Conference,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Echota  mission,  which  is  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Holston  Conference.  Their 
work  among  these  people  bears  a  very  com- 
pact aspect,  and  seems  formed  on  a  model 
which  ought  to  work  well.  They  have  a  regular 
Conference,  several  of  the  members  of  which 
are  Indians ;  and  a  Missionary  Society,  with 
male  and  female  seminaries,  and  many  day 
and  Sunday-schools  in  vigorous  and  very  suc- 
cessful operation.  God  has  given  them  some 
noble  specimens  of  living  Christianity  among 
these  people, 'and  every  provision  seems  to  be 
made  for  a  wide  diffusion  of  the  Gospel  among 
them,  and  the  tribes  which  lie  adjacent  to  the 
scAes  of  those  missions. 

The  Kansas  District  was  detached  from  the 
"Indian  Mission  Conference,"  by  the  General 
Conference  of  the  Church  South  in  1850,  and 
was  attached  to  the  St,  Louis  Annual  Confer- 
ence. The  Kansas  district  now  embraces  the 
Shawnee,  Delaware,  Wyandot  and  Kickapoo 
missions,  and  also  the  Fort  Leavenworth  Man- 
ual Labor,  and  the  Kansas  schools.  This  dis- 
trict is  under  the  superintendence  of  the  Rev. 
J.  T.  Peery.  There  are  six  missions  within 
the  bounds  of  this  district,  with  263  members, 
and  405  children  in  the  schools,  and  135  pupils 
in  the  two  seminaries.  The  Echota  mission 
is  situated  among  the  North  Carolina  Chero- 
kees, in  the  north-western  corner  of  that  State. 
The  Holston  Conference  established  missions 
among  this  people ;  and  although  there  is  but 
one  missionary  (Rev.  Ulrich  Keener,)  laboring 
among  them,  yet  such  has  been  the  divine 
blessing  upon  this  one  agent  of  the  Board, 
that  last  year  he  was  able  to  report  200  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  60  children  in  the  school, 
five  or  six  conversions,  and  22  admitted  on 
trial. 

The  Indian  Mission  Conference  in  the  "  far 
west,"  embraces  the  larger  portion  of  the 
Indian  missions  of  this  church.  This  Confer- 
ence is  situated  in  the  Indian  Territory,  in  lat. 
340  N.,  and  long.  97°  W.  We  believe  the 
Chickasaw  station  in  this  territory,  is  the  most 
distant  of  any  of  the  missionary  stations,  until 
we  reach  the  Pacific  coast.  The  seminary  at 
this  place  is  very  efficient,  and  boards  and  edu- 
cates 120  pupils.  The  Indian  Mission  Confer- 
ence contains  three  districts,  the  Cherokee, 
Creek,  and  Choctaw.  The  last  report  of  this 
Conference  with  a  letter  from  the  presiding 
bishop,  will  give  the  reader  a  good  general 
impression  of  this  most  interesting  field  of 
missionary  labor.  The  report  states  that 
general  good  health  has  prevailed  through 
the  mission  during  the  year  1853,  and  then 
gives  a  view  of  the  religious  condition  of  the 
different  districts.  The  Cherokee  district  has 
five  circuits,  with  five  white,  and  seven  native 
preachers.  The  number  of  church  members  is 
1,518  ;  showing  an  increase  from  the  last  year 
of  130. 

Christianity  has  made,  and  is  still  making  a 


NORTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


59T 


powerful  impression  upon  the  Cherokee  people. 
About  thirty  years  since,  Richard  Neatly,  the 
first  Methodist  missionary  sent  to  the  Chero- 
kees,  entered  upon  this  work  ;  since  then,  thou- 
sands of  precious  souls  have  been  "  translated 
from  the  power  of  darkness  into  the  kingdom 
of  God's  dear  Son  ;"  and  while  hundreds  of 
these  have  died  and  are  now  in  heaven,  others 
are  being  converted,  and  ministers  have  been 
raised  up,  who  "  count  not  their  lives  dear 
unto  themselves,"  and  are  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel "  with  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down  from 
Heaven."  The  Creek  district  comprises  five 
circuits  and  one  school.  There  have  been,  dur- 
ing the  past  year,  five  white,  and  four  native 
missionaries.  They  number  728  church  mem- 
bers, showing  an  increase  of  100  over  the  past 
year.  A  great  and  effectual  door  is  now  open 
in  this  nation,  and  almost  every  town  and 
neighborhood  are  inviting  the  missionaries  to 
enter  and  preach  to  them  "  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  The  Choctaw  district  con- 
tains five  circuits  and  seven  academies.  There 
are  eight  white  and  six  native  preachers. 
Number  in  society  1,533  ;  making  an  increase 
over  last  year  of  166.  This  work  is  now  in 
good  condition,  and  bids  fair  to  yield  a  rich 
harvest  of  immortal  souls. 

The  late  Chickasaw  Council  made  an  ap- 
propriation of  $1,000  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
tending the  buildings  of  the  Bloomfield  Acade- 
my, in  the  Chickasaw  nation,  so  as  to  accom- 
modate 45  scholars. 

We  add  some  interesting  extracts  from  a 
letter  of  Bishop  Andrew,  who  presided  at  the 
Jast  session  of  the  Indian  Mission  Conference  : 
"  Yan  Buren,  Ark.,  Nov.  5, 1853. 

"  Dear  Brother — I  bought  a  little  carriage 
and  a  pair  of  ponies  in  St.  Louis,  shipped 
them  up  the  river,  and  at  the  close  of  the  Mis- 
souri Conference,  started  for  the  Creek  agency, 
the  seat  of  the  Indian  Conference.  A  heavy 
ride  of  about  450  miles  brought  me  to  that 
place  the  evening  before  the  Conference  be- 
gan. The  agency  is  located  12  miles  beyond 
Fort  Gibson,  not  far  from  the  Arkansas  river. 
The  situation  is  handsome,  commanding  an 
extensive  prairie  view.  The  weather  is  good, 
and  the  site  I  should  judge  a  healthy  one. 
'  Colonel  Garrett,  the  United  States  agent,  we 
found  a  gentlemanly  man,  who  seems  disposed 
to  do  all  in  his  power  to  promote  the  improve- 
ment and  happiness  of  the  Indians ;  and  I  am 
glad  to  record  that  he  seems  to  be  quite  popu- 
lar with  both  Indians  and  whites.  The  Creeks 
are  steadily  improving,  and  manifest  great  in- 
terest in  having  their  children  educated. 

"  The  schools  in  the  Indian  Conference  are, 
I  think,  with  a  slight  exception,  doing  well. 
We  greatly  need  some  dozen  good  zealous 
preachers — white  men — to  travel  in  this  Con- 
ference. We  have  a  number  of  good  native 
brethren,  and  might  have  more  ;  but  these, 
though  valuable  assistants,  yet,  with  some  few- 
exceptions,  are  not  well  prepared  to  govern 


the  church,  and  very  few  Indians  have  the 
energy  and  enterprise  necessary  for  the  work 
of  church  extension.  The  Indians  themselves 
greatly  prefer  white  men  to  teach  them,  and 
there  are  many  neighborhoods,  and  they  are 
constantly  increasing,  in  which  the  people  all 
understand  English,  and  prefer  to  hear  preach- 
ing in  English.  This  process  must  steadily 
progress,  until  that  language  is  spoken  univer- 
sally, and  the  sooner  the  result  is  accomplished 
the  better  ;  for  never  till  then  will  the  Indiana 
be  generally  enlightened,  converted,  and  pros- 
perous. Meanwhile,  for  the  sake  of  the  old 
people,  translations  of  the  Scriptures  and  ele- 
mentary works  in  the  native  dialects  will  be 
important.  But  our  grand  aim  is,  to  lead  the 
young  into  an  entire  abandonnient  of  the  lan- 
guage, and  whatever  is  distinctly  Indian  ;  for 
after  all  the  sentimentalism  of  poets  and  tour- 
ists, there  is  very  little  which  belongs  to  the 
original 
taining. 

"  The  Conference  closed  on  Tuesday  even- 
ing, and  on  Wednesday,  in  company  with  Bro- 
thers iMcAlister  and  Harrell,  I  left  on  my  way 
to  Tulip,  the  seat  of  the  Arkansas  Conference.. 
I  visited,  on  the  way,  the  interesting  Choctaw 
schools  at  Fort  Coffee  and  New  Hope,  num-j 
bering  about  50  each.  They  seem  to  be  doing 
well.  I  preached  here  last  night,  aHd  to-mor- 
row expect,  God  willing,  to  dedicate  our  new 
church  at  Fort  Smith,  and  then  away  for  Tu- 
lip.   Yours,  very  affectionately, 

"  James  0.  Andrew." 

Exclusive  of  the  lately  established  mission 
among  the  Cherokees  in  Arkansas,  the  follow- 
ing are  the  best  statistics  we  can  find  of  the 
Indian  missions  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  : 


CONFERENCES. 


Missouri 

Wisconsin 

Black  River 

Oneula — Oneidas 

"        Ononda^jas 

Michigan — Notoway  Indians  . . 
"  Kazicr  Mission 

"  Janesville         " 

"  Saut  St.  Marie  " 

"  Kewawenon      " 

Totals 


tc 

■c 

s 

w 

a 

?• 

■ir 

•g 

"^ 

5 

144 

60 

1 

las 

1 

2P 

11 

1 

25 

10 

1 

1 

44 

1 

2 

176 

50 

1 

205 

6 

2 

183 

15 

2 

60 

12 

1 

47 

11 







13 

17 

1051 

176 

l§ 


The  Church  South  have  30  missions  among 
the  Indians,  28  missionaries,  4,232  members, 
35  churches,  34  Sabbath-schools,  1,394  schol- 
ars. 9  manual  labor  schools,  and  4S0  pupils. 

Total  for  both  churches— 44  missions,  46 
missionaries,  5,359  members,  and  1 ,884  schol- 
ars.— Authorities:  Bangs  and  Strickland's 
Histories  of  the  Missions  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church;  the  Missionary  Advocate  and 
Annual  Reports.— Bex.  W.  Butler. 


598 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


Wksletan  Missionary  Society.— The  In- 
dian missions  in  Upper  Canada  arose,  in  the 
providence  of  Goci,  from  the  labors  of  the 
Aletliodist  Episcopal  Church  among  the  abori- 
gines within  the  United  States.  Some  time 
during  the  year  1820,  reports  had  reached  a 
portion  of  the  "Wyandot  tribe,  living  near 
Fort  Maiden,  in  Canada,  of  the  great  change 
which  had  taken  place  among  their  brethren 
at  Sandusky.  Two  native  preachers  also  vis- 
ited them,  and  the  result  was  the  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  among  them.  In  1832, 
there  were  nine  missionary  stations  among  the 
natives  of  Upper  Canada,  all  of  which  were 
reported  as  in  a  prosperous  state.  They  were 
located  at  Graj>e  Island,  River  Credit,  Lake 
Simcoe,  Rice  Lake,  Grand  River,  Macdurk, 
Munccu  Town,  Carnard,  and  Bay  Quinte.  In 
each  tliere  was  a  missionary  and  a  school 
teacher.  Mackinaw  and  Lcegeeng  were  also 
occasionally  visited  by  native  tcac-ners.  Chris- 
tian instruction  was  given  to  2,000  adult  Indi- 
ans, and  in  11  schools  there  w^ere  about  400 
youth.  The  labors  of  John  Sunday,  an  Indian 
preacher,  and  of  another  Indian  preacher, 
refer  Jones,  were  of  great  service  in  the  estab- 
lishment and  carrying  on  of  these  missions. 

In  1828,  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
entrusted  these  missions  to  the  care  of  the 
Canadian  Conference ;  and  that  conference, 
in  1833,^laced  them  under  the  fostering  care 
of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society.  And 
the  following  year,  the  committee  in  London 
sent  out  Rev.  J.  Stinson  to  take  the  general 
superintendency  of  them.  He  soon  visited 
each  station,  and  was  able,  to  transmit  to  the 
committee  a  very  encouraging  report  of  their 
condition.  He  found  no  less  than  1,200  of 
the  native  Indians,  chiefly  Chippeum/s,  united 
in  church  fellowship,  and  by  their  consistent 
conduct,  as  well  as  by  their  progress  in  the 
arts  and  enjoyments  of  settled  and  civilized 
life,  they  strikingly  manifested  the  great 
change  which  had  taken  place  among  them. 
2,000  of  their  children  were  under  a  course  of 
educational  and  Scriptural  instniction.  Six 
missionaries  were  sent  out  by  the  Wesleyan 
Society  in  1834.  And  in  the  report  some 
time  after,  the  following  pleasing  testimony  is 
rendered  to  the  efficiency  of  these  Christian 
labors  :  "  The  Indian  missions  are  eminently 
owned  of  God,  and  furnish  the  most  undoubted 
evidence  of  the  tendency  of  the  Gospel  to  dif- 
fuse the  blessings  of  civilization,  in  connection 
with  those  spiritual  and  everlasting  benefits 
which  it  is  destined  to  communicate  to  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  Hundreds  of  these  once 
wretched  wanderers  have  been  raised  from  the 
lowest  state  of  degradation  to  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  are  living 
in  such  a  state  of  peace  and  purity  as  affords 
the  most  delightful  evidence  of  the  reality  of 
the  outward  and  spiritual  change  which  they 
have  experienced.  It  is,  indeed,  the  Lord's 
doings,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes.    That 


form  of  paganism  which  once  enthralled  them 
has  given  place  to  Christianity  ;  and  the  In- 
dian who  spurned  all  human  restraint  and 
control,  bows  his  neck  to  the  authority  of 
Christ,  and  meekly  carries  the  burden  which 
the  Redeemer  has  placed  upon  his  shoulder. 
A  state  of  brutal  ignorance  has  been  broken 
•up  by  the  force  of  evangelical  truth  ;  and 
minds  from  which  all  that  tends  to  elevate 
human  nature  was  utterly  secluded,  have  been 
enriched,  not  only  with  the  knowledge  of  let- 
ters, but  with  the  saving  knowledge  of  God, 
and  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord.  Hab- 
its of  intemperance,  indolence  and  irregular- 
ity, have  been  succeeded  by  sobriety,  industry, 
and  order.  '  The  songs  of  Zion '  are  now 
sung  in  those  jforests  where,  for  ages,  the  war- 
cry  of  the  savage,  and  the  growling  of  wild 
beasts,  were  the  only  sounds  that  were  heard. 
Instead  of  lodging  in  the  wretched  wigwam, 
and  depending  for  a  scanty  subsistence  upon 
their  success  in  hunting  and  fishing,  the  con- 
verted Indians  occupy  comfortable  houses  near 
the  River  Credit,  and  at  other  stations,  and 
these  are  surrounded  with  gardens  and  fields, 
which  they  themselves  cultivate." 

Exertions  had  been  made  during  a  period 
of  forty  years,  to  educate  and  civilize  the 
Mohawk  tribe  of  the  Six  Nations,  established 
on  the  banks  of  the  Grand  river,  and  some  of 
them  had  been  taught  to  read  and  write ; 
but,  instead  of  any  improvement  having  been 
effected  in  their  moral  and  social  state,  they 
w^ere  more  vicious  and  degraded  in  their  habits 
than  the  neighboring  heathen  tribes,  who  were 
entirely  ignorant  of  letters.  Yet,  as  soon  as 
these  half-educated,  but  ferocious  and  depraved, 
Mohawks  embraced  the  Gospel,  they  became 
the  happy  subjects  of  a  change  as  extraordinary 
and  salutary  as  that  which  had  been  experi- 
enced by  their  converted  brethren  of  the 
Chippeway,  and  other  tribes  of  Indians. 
Thus,  while  every  attempt  (and  many  such 
have  been  tried,)  to  improve  the  condition  of 
the  Indians  by  merely  human  expedients,  has 
invariably  and  signally  failed,  the  "  Gospel  of 
the  grace  of  God,"  in  the  hands  of  mission- 
aries, and  applied  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  has  tri- 
umphed among  them,  and  "  created  them 
anew  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works." 

The  labors  of  the  six  missionaries  sent  out 
by  the  Committee  in  1834,  were  greatly  owned 
and  blessed  of  God,  and  they  were  enabled  to 
report  most  pleasing  statements  of  their  suc- 
cess. An  increased  attention  was  given  to 
education,  and  also  to  the  qualifying  of  native 
teachers  to  preach  the  word  of  life  to  their 
fellow-countrymen.  In  1835  a  whole  tribe  of 
pagan  Indians  had  been  converted  at  the  River 
St.  Clair,  an  event  so  extraordinary  and  unex- 
pected that  His  Excellency  Sir  John  Colborne 
remarked  to  one  of  the  missionaries  that,  "  after 
the  gracious  effects  produced  by  the  Gospel  on 
the  wretched  Indians  of  St.  Clair,  there  was 
no  room  left  to  doubt  that  all  the  tribes  in 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


599 


British  North  America  may  be  converted  to 
the  faith  of  Christ."  This  excellent  man,  then 
Lieutenant-Governor  of  Upper  Canada,  proved 
himself  a  true  friend  to  the  Indians.  He  had 
several  small  villages  built  expressly  for  them, 
with  comfortable  houses  and  good  gardens  for 
their  occupation.  Mr.  Stinson,  on  entering 
one  of  these  comfortable  cottages  one  day,  was 
met  at  the  door  by  the  father  of  the  family, 
and  while  the  tears  of  gratitude  ran  down  his 
face,  he  remarked,  "  When  I  came  here,  nine 
years  ago,  I  was  a  poor  drunken  Indian.  I 
had  nothing  but  one  dirty  blanket ;  but  now,"* 
pointing  to  the  various  articles  of  furniture 
and  provision  in  the  room,  "  now  I  have  all 
these  good  things  that  you  see ;  and,  what  is 
best  of  all,  I  have  the  love  of  Christ  in  my 
heart." 

In  1836,  the  missions  not  only  maintained 
their  ground,  but  also  made  considerable  in- 
roads into  the  territories  of  Satan,  and  pagan- 
ism was  forced  to  retire  a  considerable  dis- 
tance before  the  bold  and  rapid  advances  of 
Christianity.  The  mission  schools  also  were 
in  a  good  state,  and  this  year  some  of  the  more 
advanced  pupils  were  sent  to  the  academy  at 
Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  there  to  gain  that  addi- 
tional information  and  training  which  would 
fit  them  to  be  useiiil  as  instructors  of  their 
countrymen. 

About  the  same  period  it  also  pleased  God 
to  crown  the  patient  labors  of  the  native  teach- 
ers employed  among  the  Tuscarora  and  Onon- 
daga Indians  with  considerable  success.  Many 
of  these  pagans  had  been  awakened,  and  turned 
to  the  Lord,  among  whom  were  two  of  their 
principal  chiefs.  The  Onondagas  were  ex- 
ceedingly intemperate  and  wretched,  as  well  as 
strongly  addicted  to  the  worship  of  idols,  the 
war-dance,  and  other  abominations,  and  had 
long  withstood  the  zealous  efforts  made  by 
their  converted  brethren  to  turn  them  from 
the  error  of  their  ways.  But  among  these 
stones  did  God  raise  up  children  unto  Abra- 
ham. 

Shahwundias,  otherwise  John  Sunday,  a 
converted  chief  of  the  Chippeway  tribe,  and  an 
assistant-missionary  among  his  people,  during 
the  year  1837,  made  a  visit  to  England.  He 
attended  the  anniversary  missionary  meetings 
of  some  of  the  principal  auxiliaries  through 
that  kingdom,  and  by  his  artless  and  Scrip- 
tural account  of  his  conversion  and  Christian 
experience,  and  of  the  progress  of  the  Gospel 
among  the  Indians,  he  was  the  means  of 
greatly  increasing  the  zeal  of  the  friends  of 
Indian  missions.  The  Committee,  in  conduct 
ing  these  missions,  have  been  constantly  tried 
and  annoyed  by  the  selfish  and  wicked  designs 
of  many  unprincipled  traders  among  these 
tribes ;  men  who  have  habitually  used  all  the 
means  in  their  power  to  deceive,  pollute,  and 
rob  the  Indians  with  whom  they  had  inter- 
course. But  in  the  midst  of  these  and  other 
afflictive  circumstances,  our  Indian  brethren 


have  been  sustained  and  encouraged  in  the 
path  of  improvement.  God  raised  them  up 
friends  and  protectors,  who  from  time  to  time 
warded  off  the  evils  which  beset  them.  But, 
about  this  time,  a  new  difficulty  arose,  which 
was  likely  to  produce  a  most  unfavorable  in- 
fluence. It  was  the  want  of  a  title  deed  of 
their  reservations.  They  justly  feared  that  at 
some  future  period,  those  small  portions  of  ter- 
ritory, which  constitute  all  that  remains  to 
them  of  the  vast  possessions  of  their  fathers, 
would  be  wrested  from  them,  and  that  they 
and  their  children  would  thus  be  deprived  of 
the  fruits  of  their  industry.  The  Committee 
of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  pressed 
the  matter  on  the  attention  of  the  Colonial 
Department  of  the  British  Government,  in 
consequence  of  which,  and  of  other  representa- 
tions on  the  subject  from  the  missionaries  and 
chiefs,  a  dispatch  was  addressed  by  the  Colo- 
nial Secretary  to  the  Lieutenant-Governor  of 
Upper  Canada,  on  this  subject,  which  was  pro- 
ductive of  the  best  results.  Yery  valuable  aid 
was  rendered  in  accomplishing  this  result  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Sir  Aug.  d'East.  A  variety 
of  circumstances,  however,  which  occurred 
about  that  time,  endangered  the  advantages 
thus  gained,  and  it  was  found  necessary  by  the 
Committee,  if  they  would  save  these  missions, 
to  make  another  special  effort  on  their  behalf. 
Accordingly,  the  visit  of  the  Kev.  Dr.  Alder, 
one  of  the  missionary  secretaries  to  Canada, 
about  this  period,  had  a  special  reference  to 
these  Indian  missions.  Besides  the  insecurity 
of  their  titles,  the  annual  grant  promised  by 
the  British  Government  to  this  society,  as  a 
fixed  charge  on  the  casual  and  territorial  rev- 
enue of  the  upper  province,  to  enable  the  Com- 
mittee to  support  and  extend  their  Indian  and 
other  missions  in  that  colony,  had  been  with- 
held ;  and  the  Committee  felt  it  to  be  a  duty 
which  they  owed  to  the  society  to  urge  their 
claim  to  a  part  at  least  of  the  arrears  due  to 
them,  and  the  punctual  payment  of  the  grant, 
at  the  rate  fixed  by  Lord  Glenelg,  for  the  fu- 
ture. These  and  other  matters  of  importance 
were  brought  under  the  notice  of  the  colonial 
government  during  the  visit  of  Dr.  Alder,  by 
the  kind  and  active  interference  of  Sir  George 
Arthur ;  and  the  representations  which  were 
made  were  attended  with  much  success.  £1400 
were  received  from  the  colonial  treasury  by 
Mr.  Stinson,  and  several  plans  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Indians  engaged  the  earnest  attention 
of  the  head  of  the  Indian  Department.  The 
results  of  these  exertions  were  soon  witnessed  in 
the  peace  and  contentment  with  which  the  In- 
dians applied  themselves  to  the  improvement 
of  their  holdings  ;  in  the  increased  attention 
which  they  paid  to  the  instructions  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  in  the  efforts  which  they  made 
for  the  education  of  their  children. 

In  1838,  Kah-ke-waquonaby  or  Peter  Jones, 
a  missionary  and  chief,  visited  England,  and 
performed  a  similar  service  for   the  missions 


600 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


to  that  accomplished  by  Shahwumlias,  some 
time  before.  The  tribe,  of  which  the  latter 
is  the  nritu'inal  chief,  remove<l  about  this  time 
from  their  lormt-r  residence  at  Grape  Island, 
to  a  tract  of  land  near  Rice  Lake,  which  was 
laid  out  in  farms  of  50  acres  each,  to  which 
were  attached  snug  cottages  and  gardens.  All 
of  these  Indians  profess  Christianity  ;  no  ves- 
tige of  paganism  remaining  among  them. 
Their  number  is  214.  In  1839,  a  new  and  ex- 
tensive field  of  labor  and  usefulness  was  open- 
ed to  this  society  in  that  part  of  north-western 
America,  known  as  the  "  Territories  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company."  In  the  southern  por- 
tion of  this  territory  there  was  an  Indian  po- 
Sulation  of  over  10,000.  In  the  northern 
epartment,  extending  north  and  west  from 
the  height  of  land  wdich  divides  the  waters 
that  flow  into  Lake  Superior  and  the  St.  Law- 
rence from  those  that  fall  into  the  tributaries 
of  the  Mississippi,  to  the  high  land  that  di- 
vides the  waters  which  fall  into  the  Polar  Sea 
from  those  that  flow  into  Hudson's  Bay,  and 
in  a  westerly  direction  from  Hudson's  Bay  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains — there  is  an  Indian  po- 
pulation of  100,000.  To  these  long-neglected 
children  of  the  forest  the  way  was  opened  in 
consequence  of  arrangements  into  which  the 
committee  of  this  society  had  entered  with 
the  governor  and  committee  of  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company,  who  made  them  most  libe- 
ral offers  of  assistance  to  commence  these  mis- 
sions. For  the  missionaries  which  this  society 
might  send,  whether  married  or  single,  the 
Company  agreed  to  provide  board  and  lodg- 
ing, interpreters,  servants,  and  the  means  of 
conveyance  from  place  to  place,  free  of  all  ex- 
pense to  the  society.  And  in  addition  to  this, 
the  governor  and  company  generously  contri- 
buted £100  toward  the  passage  of  the  first 
missionaries  to  be  sent  out.  In  March,  1840, 
Rev.  Messrs.  Barnley,  Mason,  and  Bundle 
sailed  for  this  trying  and  extensive  field  of  toil, 
and  on  their  arrival  were  joined  by  that  expe- 
rienced and  successful  laborer  in  the  work  of 
Indian  evangelization,  the  Rev.  James  Evans. 
The  stations  they  occupied  were  Michipiciton, 
Moose  Fyrt,  Norway  House,  Lac  la  Pluie,  and 
Rocky  Mountain  House.  In  this  immense  field 
they  itinerate  from  the  longitude  of  Moose 
Factory,  on  the  shores  of  Hudson's  Bay,  back 
N.  W.,  by  Lake  Winnipeg,  to  Edmonton 
and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  a  distance  of  more 
than  2000  miles  from  east  to  west,  in  a  lati- 
tude as  high  as  that  of  Labrador. 

The  general  superintendent  of  these  scatter- 
ed missions,  in  one  round  of  visitation,  has 
sometimes  been  from  home  more  than  three 
months,  traveling  by  snow  shoes,  dog-carriage, 
&c.,  during  which  time  he  has  passed  over 
about  6,000  miles.  Situated  as  these  missions 
are,  it  is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  they  can 
present  large  statistics  for  a  long  time  to  come, 
inasmuch  as  from  the  scattered  and  migratory 
•condition  of  the  Indians,  the  missionaries  can 


do  little  more  than  visit  and  preach  for  a  few 
days,  and  then  pass  on,  perhaps  from  1 00  to 
300  miles  to  the  next  post,  there  to  do  tho 
same,  and  so  on,  all  round.  For  these  200,000 
Indians  this  is  the  only  evangelical  agency  em- 
ployed, and  should  this  be  withdrawn,  they 
would  be  left  in  total  darkness,  or  to  the  super- 
stitions of  popery.  In  this  distant  sphere  of 
labor  the  missionaries  are  of  course  widely 
scattered,  being  from  400  to  1,500  miles  sepa- 
rated from  each  other,  with  no  opportunity  for 
a  personal  interview,  and  no  facilities  for  cor- 
■espondence,  save  twice  in  the  year;  and  of 
these  they  are  by  absence  from  home,  and  other 
causes,  sometimes  unable  to  avail  themselves. 
A  verv  efficient  agent  in  this  miasion  is  Thomas 
Hassel,  an  educated  Indian.  He  can  speak 
English,  French,  Creek,  and  Chippewayan — 
the  latter  being  his  native  language.  He  has 
been  very  useful  as  a  school  teacher  and  in- 
terpreter. Another  Indian,  Peter  Jacobs,  has 
done  good  service  as  a  preacher.  In  1845 
there  were  11  classes,  containing  121  members, 
all  of  whom  gave  good  evidence  of  piety.  But 
this  was  only  a  part  of  the  membership  under 
the  care  of  the  missionaries,  it  being  almost 
impossible  from  the  isolated  and  scattered  con- 
dition of  the  work  in  these  regions,  to  obtain 
anything  like  complete  statistics  of  them. 

The  Wesleyan  missions  among  the  Indians 
in  Upper  Canada  continue  to  prosper.  Schools 
have  been  established,  and  translations  effected 
into  the  Mohawk,  the  Oneida,  the  Ojibwa,  and 
the  Munsey  languages.  Much  is  being  ac- 
complished for  the  elevation  of  these  people 
by  means  of  industrial  schools,  particularly 
those  at  Alnwick  and  Mount  Elgin ;  and  a 
great  deal  more  might  be  done  were  the  pecu- 
niary means  at  the  disposal  of  the  Society. 
It  is  very  affecting  to  read  the  appeals  fre- 
quently made  to  the  missionaries  by  tribes  in 
their  vicinity,  who  are  uttering  the  Macedoni- 
an cry.  As  an  apt  illustration  of  the  anxiety 
of  the  people  to  receive  instruction,  Mr. 
McDougall  reports  the  following  speech  of  a 
chief  of  the  Garden  River  band  of  Indians, 
which  was  addressed  to  him  before  leaving  his 
station  to  attend  the  Canadian  Conference  : 

"  Black  Coat,  I  want  to  say  a  few  words.  I 
want  to  say  them  strong-  We  want  you  to 
repeat  them  to  the  Big  Black  Coat,  and  to  the 
black  coats  assembled  in  council.  The  Indi- 
ans down  south  have  fathers  and  mothers.  We 
are  orphans.  The  Great  Spirit  has  done  a 
great  deal  for  them ;  he  has  given  them  a  rich 
country.  He  has  also  sent  them  missionaries, 
who  have  been  parents  to  them.  The  great 
Woman  Chief  (the  Queen  of  England)  has 
been  a  mother  to  them.  She  has  assisted  their 
missionary  in  building  large  schools  among 
them,  and  in  teaching  them  how  to  work. 
They  are  not  poor  ;  they  have  plenty  of  kind 
friends.  Not  so  with  us;  we  are  orphans — 
we  who  live  on  the  north  shore  of  Huron  and 
Superior.    The  Great  Spirit  has  not  given  us 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


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a  rich  country ;  the  missionary  has  not  taught 
us  the  white  man's  religion;  no  teacher  has 
been  sent  us,  nor  school- house  built  for  u?. 
We  are  poor.  We  have  no  kind  great  fathers 
or  mothers  to  protect  us  ;  we  are  worse  than 
our  forefathers  were  many  years  ago.  Our 
forests  were  full  of  wild  animals — deer,  bear, 
beaver,  &c. ;  but  the  white  man  came  and  in- 
duced us  to  kill  off  all  our  furs.  He  biiought 
his  steamboats  and  large  nets,  and  drove  the 
fish  from  our  shores.  We  are  poor,  and  we  are 
becoming  more  so  every  year.  Xow  we  want 
you  to  say  to  the  big  black  coats  that  we  ask 
them  to  help  us.  We  want  them  very  much. 
We  want  our  sons  and  daughters  to  understand 
paper,  and  to  learn  to  work.  Tell  them  that 
we  live  in  a  very  large  country,  and  that  there 
are  a  great  many  of  us.  Tell  them  about  this 
place,  that  it  lies  between  Huron  and  Superior ; 
that  the  land  is  good  ;  that  we  raise  potatoes, 
oats,  turnips,  &;c.,  and  all  sell  for  a  great  price ; 
but  that  the  Indian  knows  little  about  making 
gardens.  Tell  them  we  ask  for  a  school  like 
the  one  some  of  us  saw  at  Alnwick,  when  we 
went  to  Moneyaung  (Montreal)  three  years 
ago.  We  are  willing  to  give  some  of  the  best 
of  our  land  for  a  farm,  and  assist  in  building 
the  houses  ;  but  we  must  have  white  man  to 
teach  us  the  way." — Authorities  : .  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Notices  and  Annual  Reports.— -W. 
Butler. 

American  Board. — At  the  anniversary  of 
the  American  Board,  in  Sept.  1816,  measures 
were  reported  preparatory  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  among  the  Cherokee  In- 
dians, located  chiefly  within  the  bounds  of  the 
State  of  Georgia.  In  January,  1817,  Rev. 
Mr.  Kingsbury  arrived  at  Chickamaiiga,  in 
the  Cherokee  nation,  and  commenced  prepa- 
rations for  an  establishment  there.  In  March 
following  he  was  joined  by  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Hall  and  Williams,  with  their  wives.  Before 
the  close  of  the  year  they  were  joined  by  other 
missionaries,  and  the  name  of  the  station  was 
changed  to  Brainerd,  in  honor  of  that  devoted 
missionary.  This  place  is  situated  one  mile 
N.  of  the  35th  parallel  of  latitude,  and  seven 
miles  S.  E.  of  the  Tennessee  river ;  consequent- 
ly in  that  part  of  the  Cherokee  country,  which 
falls  within  the  limits  of  Tennessee.  It  is 
about  250  miles  from  Augusta,  Ga.  At  the 
close  of  about  a  year  they  had  a  mission-house, 
a  school-house,  and  45  acres  of  cultivated  land. 
Forty-seven  Cherokee  children  were  under  a 
successful  course  of  instruction. 

In  1818,  a  mission  was  commenced  among 
the  Choctaws,  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Kingsbury 
and  Williams,  from  the  Brainerd  station.  The 
place  selected  for  the  station  was  called  Eliot, 
situated  within  the  bounds  of  the  State  of 
Mississippi,  near  the  Yazoo  river,  and  400 
miles  W.  S.  W.  of  the  Brainerd  station,  in  the 
Cherokee  nation.  In  August  of  that  year  they 
felled  the  first  tree  on  the  mission  ground,  and 
in  the  following  April  they  had  erected  eleven 


602 


NORTH   AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


log  dwellings,  a  mill-house,  stable,  store-house, 
and  several  outbuildings.  They  had  also  clear- 
ed 35  acree  of  good  land,  and  enclosed  it  with 
a  substantial  fence,  besides  enclosing  gardens 
and  yarils  for  cattle,  and  constructing  several 
roads  and  bridges.  In  this  work  they  were 
assisted  by  the  Choctaws,  who  had  never  be- 
fore been  instructed  in  any  such  arts.  Mean- 
while, they  had  preaching  every  Sabbath,  at- 
tende'd  by  a  number  of  natives,  and  some  half- 
bree<ls,  and  negroes.    During  this  year  some 

f)rclrniiuary  steps  were  taken  towards  estab- 
ishing  a  mission  among  that  portion  of  the 
Cherokee  nation  who  had  removed  to  the 
Arkansas,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi 
river,  and  also  among  the  Chickasaws,  whose 
country  lay  partly  between  that  of  the  Chero- 
kees  and  Choctaws. 

The  report  of  the  Board  for  1820  speaks  of 
the  conversion  of  several  natives  among  the 
Cherokees  at  Brainerd,  and  of  the  gathering  of  a 
church  of  20  members,  including  3  or  4  negroes. 
Particular  mention  is  made  of  Catharine  Brown 
and  her  brother  David,  two  Cherokee  converts 
of  great  promise.  Having  occasion  to  visit 
their  father,  who  was  sick,  David  read  and  ex- 
plained to  him  the  Bible,  and  maintained 
family  worship,  and  also  conversed  freely  with 
their  friends  and  neighbors,  warning  them  to 
flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  Several  were 
thus  led  to  inquire  for  the  way  of  truth. 

The  station  at  Eliot,  among  the  Choctaws, 
is  reported  this  year,  1820,  after  an  existence 
of  two  years,  as  having  eight  commodious  log- 
cabins,  a  mill-house,  and  a  blacksmith's  and 
joiner's  shop ;  a  lumber-house,  granary,  and 
stable  ;  more  than  two  hundred  neat  cattle, 
teams  of  oxen,  and  horses ;  wagons,  carts, 
plows,  and  other  implements  of  husbandry, 
sufficient  for  a  large  plantation.  The  import- 
ance of  these  things  to  a  tribe  entirely  savage, 
till  the  missionaries  went  among  them,  and 
without  the  least  knowledge  of  agriculture, 
will  be  readily  understood.  They  had  also  a 
school  of  seventy  or  eighty  youths,  male  and 
female,  taught  in  the  elementary  branches,  and 
in  agriculture  and  domestic  labor.  It  was  a 
most  encouraging  fact,  that  the  Choctaw 
chiefs,  from  the  first,  manifested  the  most 
friendly  disposition  towards  the  mission.  They 
contributed  for  the  support  of  the  mission- 
school  ^2,000  a  year  for  sixteen  years,  from 
each  of  the  three  districts  of  their  nation, 
making  §6,000  a  year,  or  a  total  of  $96,000. 
This  large  sura  was  their  proportion  of  the 
proceeds  of  land  sold  to  the  United  States 
government.  Such  a  gift,  freely  made,  shows 
a  surprising  appreciation  of  the  importance  of 
education,  among  a  people,  till  lately,  ignorant 
of  every  thing  but  the  simple  arts  of  fishing 
and  hunting. 

In  January,  1821 ,  Dr.  Elizur  Butler,  phy- 
sician, and  Rev.  William  Potter,  arrived  at 
Brainerd,  as  mis.sionaries  among  the  Chero- 
kees.   The  mission  had  been   extended,  and 


was  to  embrace  3  out-stations,  viz.,  Taloneney, 
Chatooga,  and  Creckpath.  In  connection 
with  Creckpath  is  mentioned  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  displays  of  Divine  grace  which 
the  history  of  missions  ailbrds,  viz. :  the  con- 
version of  the  entire  family  of  Mr.  John 
Brown,  consisting  of  eight  persons.  The  con- 
version of  Catharine  and  David  Brown,  and 
their  visit  to  their  sick  father,  have  already 
been  mentioned.  The  father  was  converted, 
and  subsequently  the  mother,  a  son's  wife,  and 
three  sisters  of  Catharine.  Thus  a  whole  fa- 
mily emerged  in  a  short  time  from  pagan 
darkness  into  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel. 

The  Choctaw  mission  was  strengthened 
during  this  year,  by  the  arrival  of  several  ad- 
ditional laborers.  Besides  the  station  at 
Eliot,  three  others,  viz.,  at  Mayhew,  100  miles 
east  from  Eliot,  the  Six  Towns,  and  the  French 
Camps,  were  commenced.  Ilev.  Dr.  Worces- 
ter, corresponding  secretary  of  the  Board, 
died  this  year,  while  on  a  visit  to  the  Choctaw 
missions. 

/"In  1822  there  were  218  Cherokee  children 
in  the  school  at  Brainerd,  rapidly  improving 
in  their  studies,  and  in  various  departments  of 
industry.  The  oldest  class  of  girls  sustained, 
it  was  said,  a  better  examination  than  most 
girls  of  the  same  age  who  have  attended  school 
constantly  from  their  early  years.  Several  of 
the  most  promising  scholars  had  become  pious, 
and  others  were  anxiously  inquiring  the  way 
of  salvation. 

Rev.  Mr.  Butrick,  of  the  Cherokee  mission, 
reported  this  year,  1822,  considerable  progress 
in  the  acquisition  of  the  language.  He  found 
it  "  very  artificial  and  complicated,  evincing, 
beyond  a  doubt,  that  it  was  once  spoken  by  a 
highly-cultivated  people."  Mr.  B.  had  made 
translations  into  Cherokee  of  several  portions 
of  the  Scriptures,  a  summary  of  Christian  doc- 
trines and  duties,  and  several  hymns  for  pub- 
lic worship. 

The  report  for  1823  shows  an  extension  of 
the  Cherokee  mission;  three* new  stations 
having  been  occupied,  viz.,  Hightower,  80  miles 
S.  S.  E.  from  Brainerd  ;  Willstown,  50  miles 
S.  W.  from  Brainerd ;  and  Haweis,  GO  miles 
south  from  Brainerd.  In  connection  with  the 
Creckpath  station,  is  noticed  this  year  the 
death  of  Catharine  Brown.  She  had  been  an 
ornament  to  religion  since  joining  the  church 
in  1818,  and  died  a  happy  death.  An  impor- 
tant and  solemn  transaction  occurred  this  year 
— the  admission  to  the  church  of  four  brothers, 
named  Sanders,  their  mother,  the  wives  of  two 
of  the  brothers,  and  one  sister.  These  having 
been  baptized,  proceeded  to  dedicate  their 
household  to  God  in  the  same  ordinance,  to 
the  number  of  21,  some  of  them  adults.  Says 
Mr.  Hall,  one  of  the  missionaries,  "  It  was  a 
melting  scene  ;  scarcely  was  a  dry  eye  in  the 
house.  It  was  not  without  exertion  that  some 
kept  from  weeping  aloud.  The  aged  mother 
and  the  rest  of  the  family  appeared  deeply  af- 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


603 


fected."    Two  or  three  other  members  of  this 
family  were  soon  afterwards  converted. 

Many  interesting  facts  are  stated  this  year, 
1823,  by  the  missionaries  among  the  Choc- 
taws.  In  the  school  at  Eliot  were  about  40 
children,  the  greater  part  of  whom  could  read 
the  Bible  and  write  a  legible  hand.  Some 
were  expert  in  translating  from  English  into 
Choctaw,  and  from  Choctaw  into  English ; 
others  had  made  considerable  progress  in 
arithmetic  and  in  drawing  maps.  Messrs.  By- 
ingtou  and  Wright  had  made  some  progress  in 
reducing  to  form  the  elements  of  the  Choctaw 
language,  assisted  by  Mr.  David  Folsom,  who 
had  spent  four  years  at  the  Foreign  Mission 
School  at  Cornwall,  Ct.  They  had  agreed 
upon  an  alphabet,  and  assigned  the  powers  of 
the  vowels,  marks  of  accent,  &c.  To  adopt  a 
uniform  mode  of  spelling  was  extremely  diffi- 
cult, owing  to  the  variations  of  speaking 
among  the  natives,  who  used  various  letters 
interchangeably,  as  b  for  m,  and  m  for  b,  &c. 
Some  thousands  of  words,  however,  had  been 
collected,  and  Mr.  Byington  had  acquired 
some  facility  in  speaking  "  this  strange  lan- 
guage." 

The  Mayhew  station  experienced  a  severe 
bereavement  this  year,  in  the  death  of  Mrs. 
Kingsbury.  She  was  a  woman  of  rare  quali- 
fications, and  a  devoted  missionary.  She  had 
left  a  father's  house,  abounding  with,  all  the 
comforts  of  a  New  England  home,  for  the  su- 
perintendence of  a  large  mission  family,  among 
the  ignorant  and  neglected  children  of  the 
forest ;  yet  she  never  once  regretted  her  deci- 
sion. C)n  her  death  she  only  lamented  that 
she  had  not  done  more  for  Christ. 

The  station  called  French  Camps,  received 
this  year  the  name  of  Bethel.  It  is  about  60 
miles  S.  W.  from  Mayhew,  and  the  same  dis- 
tance S.  E.  from  Eliot.  Another  Choctaw  sta- 
tion was  commenced  about  this  time  at  a 
place  called  Emmaus,  140  miles  S.  E.  from 
Mayhew,  near  the  line  which  separates  Missis- 
sippi from  Ajabama,  and  not  far  from  the 
white  settlements  of  the  south.  Another  sta- 
tion was  commenced  at  Yok-e-na  Chu-ka-ma, 
115  miles  S.  W.  from  Mayhew,  aud  120  miles 
N.  W.  from  Mobile. 

Two  important  laws  were  passed  by  the 
Choctaw  nation  during  the  year  '1823 ;  one 
was  for  the  suppression  of  intemperance,  and 
the  other  related  to  infanticide.  For  a  long 
time  the  Choctaws  had  carried  on  a  great 
trade  in  *whisky.  Those  who  could,  paid  mo- 
ney for  it,  others  gave  cattle,  clothes,  blankets, 
guns,  and  every  species  of  property.  Their 
love  of  whisky  exceeded  all  bounds,  and 
there  were  white  people  from  the  States,  un- 
principled and  vile  enough  to  furnish  it  to 
them.  The  consequence  was^ poverty,  wretch- 
edness, quarreling  and  murder  filled  the 
country.  The  law  passed  by  the  chiefs  near- 
ly suppressed  this  great  evil.      f^ 

The  inhuman  practice  of  infanticide  had  ex- 


isted among  the  Choctaws  from  time  immemo- 
rial, though  this  fact  was  not  known  till  the 
missionaries  went  among  them.  A  father  or 
mother,  to  get  rid  of  the  trouble  or  support  of  an 
infant,  would  kill  it  by  burying  it  alive,  stamp- 
ing on  its  breast,  strangling  it,  or  knocking 
it  on  the  head.  This  horrid  custom  the  chiefs, 
enlightened  by  missionary  efforts,  put  an  end 
to  by  very  stringent  laws.  The  first  punish- 
ment under  the  new  law  was  that  of  a  woman 
who  had  killed  her  infant  by  knocking  it  on 
the  head  with  a  pine  knot.  She  was  tied  to  a 
tree  and  whipped  till  she  fainted ;  and  her  hus- 
band, who  instigated  the  deed,  was  punished  in 
the  same  manner. 

Supposed  witchcraft  was  another  cause  of 
much  suffering  to  this  people.  They  experi- 
enced imaginary  terrors  from  the  apprehension 
that  evil  spirits  exerted  a  supernatural  power 
to  do  them  harm,;  and  besides  this,  application 
was  often  made  to  a  conjurer  that  he  would 
designate  a  witch,  and  for  some  paltry  fee  he 
would  fix  upon  some  person,  generally  a  wo- 
man, as  the  cause  of  the  calamity  complained 
of.  The  devoted  object  was  then  hunted  down 
and  slain,  or  obtained  safety  by  flight.  But 
this  evil  disappeared  as  the  light  of  the  Gospel 
increased.  \ 

The  mission  among  the  Cherokees  on  the    \ 
A.rkansas   was  now  in  successful  operation. 
The  seat  of  the  mission  was  at  a  place  called 
D  wight,  on  the  Illinois  Creek,  about  four  miles 
north  of  the  Arkansas,  and  nearly  500  miles, 
following  the  course  of  the  stream,  from  the 
junction  of  this  river  with  the  Mississippi.    / 
There  were  at  this  station,  in  1823,  two  mis-  / 
sionaries,  two  teachers,  and  one  mechanic. 

It  may  be  proper  to  state  here  the  reason 
why  some  of  the  Cherokee  tribe  were  found  on 
the  other  side  of  the  Mississippi.  In  the  first 
place  some  of  them  wandered  thither  for  the 
purpose  of  hunting.  Afterwards,  as  they  grew 
more  numerous,  a  treaty  was  made  with  the 
United  States,  by  which  these  Indians  ex- 
changed their  lands  in  Georgia  and  Tennessee, 
for  lands  on  the  Arkansas  river.  This  led  to 
a  considerable  migration,  so  that  nearly  one- 
third  of  the  Cherokee  tribe  removed  to  a  place 
700  miles  west  of  the  place  of  their  nativity. 
They  were  composed  chiefly  of  that  portion  of 
the  Cherokees  who  were  least  inclined  to  look 
with  a  favorable  eye  upon  missions,  schools, 
and  civilization,  so  that  the  prejudices  to  be 
encountered  among  them  were  peculiarly 
strong.  A  school  was,  however,. established, 
and  gradually  the  jealousy  of  the  Indians  gave 
way,  and  they  rejoiced  in  the  education  of  their 
children.  As  the  system  of  education  included 
manual  labor  at  agriculture,  or  the  mecha- 
nic arts,  many  objections  were  raised  on  this 
ground,  but  the  great  utility  of  such  arts  was 
at  length  seen,  and  opposition  died  away. 

From  the  very  commencement  of  missionary 
labors  among  the  North  American  Indians, 
doubts  were  very  extelisively  entertained  as  to 


C04 


NORTH  AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


the  possibility  of  their  conversion,  or  even  civ- 
ilization. Thev  were  looked  upon  as  wild  men, 
savages,  incorrigibly  addicted  to  hunting,  fish- 
ing, and  wars  among  themselves,  and  the  at- 
tempt to  make  them  an  agricultural,  sober, 
and  Christian  people,  was  regarded  by  manv 
good  men  as  liopeless.  The  common  remark 
was,  "  The  Indian  will  be  an  Indian  in  spite  of 
all  that  can  be  done  for  him."  This  deep  pre- 
judice, however,  gradually  gave  way  before  the 
facts  which  were  circulated  through  the  reports 
of  the  Board  and  other  publications.  In  their 
journal  for  1823,  the  missionaries,  alluding  to 
the  prevailing  impression,  say,  "  We  think  it 
would  be  impossible  to  show  any  substantial 
reasons  for  thinking  that  the  aborigines  of 
America  are  in  a  more  hopeless  state  than  the 
inhabitants  of  Asia  or  Africa.  That  such  a 
belief  is  erroneous  is  incontrovertibly  manifest, 
from  the  labors  of  Eliot,  the  Mayhews,  Brain- 
erd,  and  the  United  Brethren."  In  noticing 
these  remarks  the  Board  say,  "  Beyond  all 
reasonable  doubt,  divine  truth  is  as  likely  to 
be  efficacious  upon  the  heart  of  a  Cherokee, 
who  has  arrived  at  mature  age,  as  upon  any 
other  man  who  has  grown  up  in  ignorance  and 
Bin." 

The  above  facts  are  important  as  showing 
the  peculiar  embarrassments  of  the  Board  in 
its  early  efforts  among  the  Indian  tribes  of 
this  country.  Missions  to  the  Islander  and 
the  Hindoo  might  be  successful,  but  not  those 
to  the  red  man  of  the  forest.  But  the  Board 
and  its  missionaries  had  more  faith,  and  pur- 
sued their  object  with  a  steady  purpose. 

The  Cherokee  mission  in  1823  and  1824 
was  marked  by  a  steady  progress,  and  the 
Board  were  led  to  remark,  in  their  review,  that 
the  Cherokees  were  "  making  advances  in  civ- 
ilization and  a  well  regulated  society.  The 
dwellings  arc  made  more  comfortable  from 
year  to  year,  regular  industry  is  more  pursued, 
laws  are  enacted  and  executed  which  restrain 
from  immorality  and  secure  a  respect  for  civil 
government,  and  a  desire  for  acquiring  an 
education  is  becoming  more  prevalent." 

The  Choctaw  mission  was  enlarged  this 
year  by  the  occupancy  of  several  new  stations. 
Mr.  Byington,  Mr.  Wright,  and  some  other 
members  of  the  mission,  were  giving  special 
attention  to  the  language,  in  order  that  they 
might  communicate  religious  instruction  to 
those  who  could  not  understand  English. 
AVhisky  drinking  had  been  very  much  dimin- 
ished, and  the  whoop  of  a  drunken  Indian  had 
not  been  heard  for  some  months.  This  change 
had  been  effected  in  great  measure  by  the 
laws  of  the  Choctaws  themselves.  A  dreadful 
mortality  prevailed  among  this  people  during 
1823  and  1824,  and  2,000  are  supposed  to  have 
died  in  18  months,  which  was  about  one-tenth 
of  the  whole  population.  The  prevalent  dis- 
ease was  the  measles. 
/  The  mission  among  the  Cherokees  of  the 
'      Arkansas  was  more  systematic  and  regular  in 


its  operations  than  the  others,  owing  to  the  fact 
of  its  having  but  one  station,  that  at  I) wight. 
The  school  contained  GO  scholars,  and  the  mis- 
sionaries say,  "  The  number  might  be  increased 
to  100  or  150  within  a  few  days,  if  we  would 
open  our  doors  for  their  reception.  13ut  our 
limited  resources  forbid  our  enlarging  the  num- 
ber." In  their  report  this  year  the  Board  say, 
"  As  the  missionaries  become  more  acquainted 
with  the  state  of  this  tribe,  especially  by  hold 
ing  intercourse  with  the  more  aged,  and  mak- 
ing inquiries  respecting  former  times,  they  are 
convinced  that  anciently  the  people  had  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  ;  but  a  long  period 
must  have  elapsed  since  the  glory  departed 
from  them.  In  many  instances  the  adult  na- 
tives have  never  heard  of  the  immortality  of 
the  soul.  In  others  they  entertain  a  vague 
notion  that  the  good  and  the  bad  go  to  differ- 
ent places  in  the  future  world.  But  how  it  is 
possible  for  a  bad  man  to  become  good  they 
do  not  know.  Indeed  they  have  no  clear  idea 
of  what  goodness  or  badness  is,  no  just  views 
of  sin,  no  idea  of  forgiveness,  no  conception  of 
a  holy  God  or  a  universal  Providence." 

A  highly  favorable  mention  is  made  this  \ 
year  of  Mr.  John  Brown,  a  Choctaw  who 
joined  the  Foreign  Mission  School  at  Corn- 
wall in  1820,  and  subsequently  spent  two  years 
at  Andover,  making  at  both  places  very  rapid 
progress  in  his  studies.  After  lecturing  to 
crowded  audiences  in  the  principal  cities  of 
the  north  on  the  condition  of  his  nation,  and 
spending  a  season  at  Washington,  he  returned 
to  his  countrymen  and  to  his  father's  house, 
near  D wight,  where  he  was  received  with  ^ 
much  kindness  and  attention. 

As  the  missions  among  the  various  tribes  of 
Indians  begin  to  assume  at  this  period  a  more 
distinct  and  important,  as  well  as  complicated 
character,  in  the  reports  and  journals,  and  as 
the  number  requiring  notice  is  from  time  to 
time  increased,  a  separate  and  continued  ac- 
count of  each  down  to  the  present  time  will,  it 
is  thought,  be  a  matter  of  convenience  to  the 
reader,  and  this  method  will  be  hereafter 
adopted.  In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  we  take 
up,  as  first  in  the  order  of  time. 

T]ie  Mission  among  the  Cherokees. — The  pro- 
gress of  the  work  from  its  commencement,  in 
January,  1817,  down  to  1824,  has  already 
been  briefly  sketched.  At  the  period  last 
named,  we  find  the  mission  to  the  Cherokees 
in  the  Southern  States  occupying  seven  sta- 
tions, viz.,  Brainerd,  Carmel,  Creekpath,  High- 
tower,  Willstown,  Haweis,  and  Candy's  Creek. 
The  geographical  position  of  Brainerd,  High- 
tower,  Willstown,  and  Haweis,  has  already 
been  designated.  Carmel  is  within  the  char- 
tered limits  of  Georgia,  62  miles  from  Brain- 
ard,  and  46  miles  north-west  of  the  Chatahoo- 
chee  river.  Creekpath  is  within  the  State  of 
Alabama,  four  miles  south  of  the  Tennessee 
river  ;  Hightower  is  in  Georgia,  3.5  miles 
S.S.W.  of  Carmel ;  Willstown  is  in  Alabama, 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


605 


10  miles  from  the  western  line  of  Georgia, 
and  Candy's  Creek  is  in  Tennessee,  25  miles 
N.E.  of  Brainerd.  The  number  of  laborers 
at  these  seven  stations  at  this  period  (1824,) 
including  missionaries,  teachers,  farmers,  me- 
chanics, and  the  wives  of  these  several  classes, 
amounted  to  30. 

The  number  of  scholars  in  the  mission 
schools  among  the  Cherokees  was  less  at  this 
period  than  in  some  former  years,  partly  be- 
cause more  discrimination  was  used  in  takin^ 
children  into  families.  The  good  done  was  at 
no  tim^  greater. 

It  was  in  this  year  that  the  missionaries, 
and  the  churches  under  their  care  at  Brainerd, 
Carmel,  Hightower,  and  Willstown,  were  re- 
ceived into  the  Union  Presbytery  of  East 
Tennessee.  It  was  expected  that  this  would 
naturally  increase  the  interest  felt  in  missions 
by  the  ministers  and  churches  in  the  adjacent 
new  settlements. 

Another  event  of  importance  to  the  mission 
and  to  the  whole  Cherokee  nation,  was  the 
invention  of  a  form  of  alphabetical  writing 
by  George  Guess.  He  was  a  Cherokee,  and 
could  neither  speak  nor  read  English,  yet  he 
became  acquainted  with  a  leading  principle  of 
the  English  language,  viz.,  that  marks  or  cha- 
racters can  be  made  the  symbols  of  sound,  and 
he  conceived  the  notion  that  he  could  express 
all  the  syllables  of  the  Cherokee  language  by 
separate  characters.  On  collecting  all  the 
syllables  which,  after  long  study  and  trial,  he 
could  recall  to  memory,  he  found  the  number 
to  be  82.  In  order  to  express  these,  he  took 
the  letters  of  our  alphabet  for  a  part  of  them, 
and  various  modifications  of  our  letters,  with 
some  characters  of  his  own  invention,  for  the 
rest.  With  these  symbols  he  set  about  writ> 
ing  letters :  and  very  soon  a  correspondence 
was  actually  maintained  between  him  and  his 
countrymen  beyond  the  Mississippi,  500  miles 
apart.  This  soon  became  a  matter  of  great 
interest,  and  yx)ung  Cherokees  traveled  great 
distances  to  be  instructed  in  this  new  and 
easy  method  of  writing  and  reading.  In  three 
days  they  were  able  to  commence  letter  writ- 
ing, and*  return  home  to  their  native  villages 
prepared  to  teach  others.  Subsequently, 
either  Guess  or  some  other  person,  discovered 
four  other  syllables,  making  all  the  known 
syllables  of  the  Cherokee  language  86.  It  is 
a  curious  fact  that  all  syllables  in  Cherokee 
end  with  vowels.  The  same  is  true  of  the  lan- 
guage of  the  islanders  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
But  in  the  Choctaw  language  syllables  often 
end  with  consonants. 

The  mission  among  the  Cherokees  of  the 
Arkansas  has,  as  already  noticed,  only  the  sta- 
tion at  Dwight,  which  is  near  the  Arkansas 
river,  about  200  miles  from  its  mouth  in  a 
direct  line,  and  500  miles  by  the  course  of  the 
river.  There  were  at  this  place,  in  1824, 12 
white  persons,  including  two  missionaries,  a 
teacher,  a  steward,  a  farmer,  and  a  mechanic, 


and  their  wives.  There  was  a  school  for  boys, 
and  one  for  girls,  which  were  making  very  en- 
couraging progress,  and  the  missionaries  ex- 
pressed the  opinion  that  many  of  the  pupils 
would  not  sufier  by  a  comparison  with  scholars 
of  their  age  in  any  of  the  states.  These  chil- 
dren were  but  a  little  while  before  wandering 
in  the  forest,  totally  without  mental  and 
moral  cultivation. 

In  1825,  Eev.  Samuel  A.  "Worcester  and  his 
wife  joined  the  mission  at  Brainerd,  and,  at 
the  same  time,  two  farmers,  with  their  wives 
and  a  female  teacher,  went  out  to  be  employed 
at  different  stations.  The  schools  at  Brainerd 
were  in  a  fine  condition.  As  evidence  of  ca- 
pacity in  the  Indian  youth,  it  was  stated  that 
a  boy,  ten  years  old,  who  had  been  in  school 
less  than  five  months,  not  having  previously 
learned  the  English  alphabet,  was  spelling  in 
words  of  three  syllables,  and  had  never  missed 
but  a  single  word.  To  master  in  so  short  a 
time  a  foreign  language,  and  one  so  arbitrary 
in  its  mode  of  spelling,  indicates  very  unusual 
quickness  and  strength  of  mind.  The  educar 
tion  of  females  was  found  to  be  of  great  assist- 
ance in  the  work  of  civilization.  At  the 
Willstown  station,  an  important  moral  refor- 
mation had  taken  place.  When  the  first  mis- 
sionary came  there,  in  1823,  the  intemperate 
use  of  ardent  spirits  was  almost  universal ; 
but,  now,  intoxicating  liquor  was  entirely  dis- 
used by  a  great  majority  of  the  people,  and 
riotous  assemblages  were  unknown. 

The  knowledge  of  Guess's  alphabet  was  in- 
creasing, and  many  adults  who  had  never 
learnt  the  English  letters,  and  never  would,  it 
was  thought,  would  immediately  read  the  New 
Testament,  if  printed  and  written  in  this  char- 
acter. As  an  evidence  of  the  progress  of  civ- 
ilization, the  trial  by  jury  was  introduced  this 
year,  and  conducted  with  great  solemnity. 
The  national  council  also  appropriated  money 
for  the  establishment  of  a  printing-press,  with 
English  and  Cherokee  types,  and  for  laying 
the  foundation  of  a  public  school.  In  aid  of 
these  objects,  Mr.  Elias  Boudinot  visited  the 
northern  states,  and  received  liberal  patron- 
age. 

As  the  Cherokees  occupied  portions  of  sev- 
eral states,  and  the  question  of  boundaries  and 
titles  was  one  of  great  importance,  the  secre- 
taries took  occasion  this  year  to  state,  in  their 
report,  that  the  Indian  titles  were  in  no  way 
affected  by  the  limits  of  different  states,  whe- 
ther fixed  by  the  states  themselves,  or  by  Con- 
gress. The  national  authorities  had  uniformly 
admitted  that  the  tribes  of  Indians  in  North 
America  had  a  perfect  right  to  the  soil  of 
their  ancestors,  now  in  their  own  occupancy, 
unless  that  right  had  been  voluntarily  relin- 
quished for  a  good  consideration.  "  When  we 
speak,  therefore,  of  Indian  territoiy,  as  lying 
in  the  State  of  Tennessee,  or  in  the  State  of 
Georgia,  it  is  not  intended  that  the  Indians 
there  residing  are  subject  to  the  laws  of  the 


606 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


whites,  or  that  the  running  of  a  line  through 
their  country,  or  marking  it  upon  a  map,  has 
any  efll'ct  to  impair  their  claims,  or  dispossess 
them  of  their  patrimonial  inheritance.  The 
only  way  in  which  this  inheritance  can  be 
alienated,  is  by  treaties  fairly  and  honorably 
made,  and  with  the  full  assent  of  the  present 
owners."  These  remarks  will  enable  the  read- 
er to  judge,  not  only  of  the  rights  of  the  In- 
dians, but  of  the  manner  in  which  those  rights 
were  subsequently  treated  by  the  national  gov- 
ernment. It  may  be  added,  that  large  tracts 
had  already  been  sold  by  treaties,  to  the  Uni- 
ted States,  and  the  territories  which  remained 
to  the  Cherokees  contained  about  12,000 
square  miles,  or  8,000,000  acres.  About  two- 
thirds  of  this  country  lay  in  the  north-west 
corner  of  Georgia,  one-fifth  in  the  north-east 
part  of  Alabama,  one-tenth  in  the  south-east 
part  of  Tennessee,  and  a  small  portion  in  the 
south-west  corner  of  North  Carolina.  The 
Cherokee  population  was  supposed,  in  1825, 
to  be  about  14,000.  They  had  already  made 
great  advances  in  learning,  and  in  agriculture 
and  mechanic  arts.  The  national  council  met 
annually  for  the  exercise  of  legislative  func- 
tions, and  government  was  administered  ac- 
cording to  the  usages  of  civilized  countries. 
A  regular  constitution,  however,  had  not  been 
adopted,  and  in  the  summer  of  1826  a  council 
was  held,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  draft 
a  constitution.  Measures  were  also  taken  this 
year  at  Boston,  to  prepare  types  in  the  pecu- 
liar character  invented  by  Guess,  and  to  pro- 
vide a  printing-press  for  the  nation. 

In  the  autumn  of  1827,  Mr.  David  Greene 
was  appointed  to  visit  all  the  missionary  sta- 
tions among  the  Indians  in  the  south-western 
and  western  parts  of  the  United  States,  which 
service  he  performed, — traveling  6,000  miles, 
inspecting  30  stations,  and  reaching  Boston  in 
July,  1828.  His  report,  so  far  as  it  related  to 
the  Cherokees,  authorized  the  statement,  that 
nearly  all  the  adult  population,  and  in  the 
tribe  at  large  more  than  half,  were  actually 
capable  of  reading  their  own  language,  a  fact 
almost  incredible,  but  for  the  facilities  afforded 
by  the  alphabet  of  Guess.  There  was  a  won- 
derful improvement,  also,  in  regard  to  houses, 
dress,  style  of  living,  industry,  &c.  ;  the  men 
being  found  upon  well-cultivated  farms,  and 
the  women  spinning  and  weaving  cotton,  and 
providing  garments  of  their  own  manufacture. 
More  than  500  children  had  been  taught  in 
the  mission  schools,  and  160  communicants 
belonged  to  the  churches  of  the  seven  stations. 
This  was  justly  considered  by  the  Board  and 
the  missionaries  very  great  and  encouraging 
progress  to  have  been  made  in  ten  years,°and 
it  ought  to  have  silenced  forever  the  objection 
that  the  Indians  could  not  be  civilized  and 
Christianized.  Rarely,  if  ever,  has  missionary 
labor  been  productive  of  greater  results,  within 
\  the  same  period,  in  any  heathen  country. 
jj^-  In  1828,  Mr.  Worcester  occupied  a  new  sta- 


tion at  New  Echota,  not  far  from  Braincrd 
and  devoted  himself  chiefly  to  the  translation 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  preparation  of  reli- 
gious books  and  tracts.  A  printing-press  had 
been  put  in  operation  at  this  place,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  the  Cherokees. 

Among  the  Cherokees  of  the  Arkansas,  dur- 
ing the  few  years  just  noticed,  operations  were 
continued  with  general  success.  At  Dwight 
a  house  of  worship  had  been  erected,  and  there 
was  no  family  in  which  some  were  not  hope- 
fully pious. ,  Within  25  miles  of  this  place 
there  was  a  population  of  1,200,  not  including 
the  whites,  and  stated  preaching  was  main- 
tained in  various  neighborhoods  among  these 
people.  Schools  were  sustained,  and  the 
progress  made  in  education,  husbandry,  &c., 
was  similar  to  that  among  the  Cherokees  in 
the  southern  states.  A  United  States  agent, 
Major  Duval,  residing  near  Dwight,  declared 
to  the  corresponding  secretary,  that  a  single 
school  for  girls  at  that  place,  had  done  more 
to  improve  the  condition  of  the  Indians,  than 
all  the  sums  of  money  expended  by  the  gov- 
ernment, in  furnishing  them  with  implements 
of  husbandry,  and  annual  distributions  of 
clothing. 

In  1829,  we  find  the  Cherokees  possessed  of 
a  regularly  organized  civil  government,  and  of 
a  written  language,  unlike  any  other  that  ever 
existed,  and  yet  complete,  by  the  use  of  which 
adults  could  learn  to  read  their  native  tongue 
in  ten,  five,  and  even  three  days  ;  and  this  lan- 
guage the  invention  of  an  uuinstructed  Cher- 
okee !  For  a  considerable  time  this  mission 
had  attracted  special  attention,  both  because 
it  was  the  first  mission  of  the  Board  to  the 
American  Indians,  and  because  of  the  success 
which  had  attended  it.  But  now  the  eyes  of 
America  and  of  many  people  in  Europe  began 
to  be  directed  with  new  interest  to  this  tribe, 
on  account  of  the  measures  which  were  in 
contemplation  for  their  removal.  The  Chero- 
kees themselves  began  to  be  in  great  fear  and 
anxiety  lest  they  should  be  driven  from  the 
lands  received  from  their  fathers,  and  con- 
strained to  migrate  to  a  country  for  which 
they  had  no  attachment,  and  which,  in  their 
view,  would  be  only  a  resting-place  for  a  few 
years,  when  they  would  be  again  driven  off, 
dispersed,  and  destroyed. 

In  September  of  this  year  the  nation  waa 
deprived  of  one  of  its  most  useful  and  valued 
men,  Mr.  David  Brown.  He  became  pious  in 
1820,  acquired  his  education  at  the  north,  and 
traveled  much  in  the  United  States,  receiving 
everywhere  the  esteem  and  affection  of  the 
people.  He  had  been  much  engaged  in  public 
business,  but  at  the  time  of  his  last  illness  was 
studying  with  a  view  to  preach  the  Gospel. 
He  was  the  fifth  member  of  the  same  family 
who  had  died  in  the  triumphs  of  the  Christian 
faith. 

In  1830,  we  find  the  Cherokee  nation  in  an 
increasingly  troubled  and  distracted  state.    A 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


607 


treaty  for  their  removal  had  already  been 
formed  between  the  United  States  government 
and  leading  men  of  the  tribe,  in  opposition, 
however,  to  a  large  majority  of  the  Chero- 
kees.  The  subject  was  engrossing  the  atten- 
tion of  Congress  and  of  the  nation,  and  it 
seemed  a  fitting  time  for  the  secretaries  to  re- 
cord publicly  their  views  of  the  subject,  as  it 
related  to  the  Oherokees  ;  and  accordingly, 
in  their  report  of  this  year,  they  said,  "  What- 
ever may  be  thought  of  some  questions  relat- 
ing to  this  matter,  the  following  points  are 
indisputable,  viz.,  that  treaties  in  existence 
between  the  United  States  and  the  Cherokee 
nation  guarantee  the  inviolability  of  the  Cher- 
okee territory  and  of  the  Cherokee  govern- 
ment ;  that  the  words  in  which  these  engage- 
ments are  expressed  are  perfectly  plain,  not 
admitting  of  doubt  or  cavil ;  and  that  these 
words  express  what  was  the  real  meaning  of 
the  parties  at  the  time,  and  what  was  under- 
stood to  be  the  meaning  by  both  parties  for 
more  than  forty  years.  It  is  true,  also,  that 
the  Cherokces  conceive  themselves  to  have  a 
perfect  right  to  their  own  country,  and  that 
they  are  unwilling  to  leave  it.  The  few  who 
have  consented  to  emigrate,  have  done  so  from 
the  apprehension  that  all  would  be  compelled 
to  remove,  and  that  those  who  remained  lon- 
gest would  be  in  the  most  unfavorable  circum- 
stances." In  March  of  the  same  year,  Mr. 
Worcester  wrote  a  letter  on  the  subject  of  the 
advancement  of  the  Cherokees  in  civilization, 
and  their  feelings  with  regard  to  a  removal, 
and  addressed  it  to  a  member  of  the  Cherokee 
deputation  at  Washington.  It  was  printed  by 
the  Senate,  and  appended  to  a  report  from  the 
War  Department.  It  gave  a  fair  and  candid  ac- 
count of  the  actual  condition  of  the  Cherokees, 
and  may  be  found  in  the  Herald  of  May,  1830. 
Amid  all  .these  disturbances,  public  religious 
meetings  were  held  at  all  the  stations  as  usual, 
and  the  schools  and  printing-press  were  kept 
in  operation.  At  tiie  beginning^  of  1831 
there  were  eight  churches,  embracing  in  all 
219  members,  at  the  stations  occupied  by 
this  mission,  of  whom  167  were  Cherokees, 
and  the  remainder  were  of  African  descent, 
or  white  persons  residing  in  the  nation.  The 
number  of  scholars  in  all  the  schools  was  150, 
which  was  less  than  usual,  the  school  at  Brain- 
erd  having  been  broken  up  by  the  burning  of 
their  school-house.  A  Cherokee  Sunday-school 
Union  had  been  organized,  embracing  six 
schools,  eight  teachers,  and  113  scholars. 
During  the  year,  the  mission  had  also  printed 
1,400  copies  of  the  Cherokee  hymn-book, 
1,000  copies  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  and 
3,000  copies  of  a  tract  of  twelve  pages,  con- 
sisting of  extracts  from  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments.  These  had  all  been  prepared  by 
Mr.  Worcester,  assisted  by  Elias  Boudinot, 
who  was  at  the  same  time  editor  of  a  well- 
conducted  and  useful  paper,  called  the  "  Cher- 
okee Phoenix." 


At  the  period  just  named,  fourteen  years 
from  the  commencement  of  the  mission,  tho 
secretaries  could  say,  "  The  mass  of  the  peo- 
ple, in  their  dress,  houses,  furniture,  agricultu- 
ral   implements,   manner  of  cultivating  the 
soil,  raising  stock,  providing  for  their  families, 
and  in  their  estimate  of  the  value  of  an  edu- 
cation, will  not  suffer  by  a  comparison  with 
the  whites  in  the    surrounding  settlements. 
The  mass  of  the  people  have  externally  em- 
braced the  Christian  religion.    Intemperance, 
the  bane  of  the  Indian  as  well  as  the  white 
man,  has  been  checked  ;  the  laws  of  the  na- 
tion rigorously  exclude  intoxicating  liquors 
from  all  public  assemblies ;  and  numerous  so- 
cieties for  the  promotion  of  temperance  have 
been   organized."    But  in  spite  of  these  im- 
provements   and  these  laws,  the  secretaries 
were  obliged  to  add,  in  their  report  for  1831, 
that  "  the  nation  has  been  made  to  experience 
nearly  all  the  political  and  domestic  evils  with 
which,  for  two  or  three  years,  they  had  been 
threatened.    Their  government  has  been  nearly 
prostrated;  their  council  has  been  forbidden 
to  assemble ;  their  laws  have  been   declared 
null  and  void,  and  their  magistrates  prohibited, 
under  severe  penalties,  from  enforcing  them ; 
intoxicating  liquors  have  been  introduced  with- 
out restraint ;  their  country  has  been  traversed 
by  armed  troops ;   their  property  has  been 
plundered,  their  persons  arrested  and  imprison- 
ed ;  the  land  which  they  know  is  theirs  by  im- 
memorial possession,  and  which  has  been  guar- 
anteed to  them  by  numerous  and  perfectly  ex- 
plicit treaties,  has  been  claimed  by  others,  and 
surveyed,  and  they  themselves  threatened  with 
immediate  ejectment.    These  and  other  vexa- 
tions and  sufferings  to  which  they  have  been 
subjected,  have  filled  the  nation  with  anxiety 
and  alarm."    In  this  condition  of  discourage- 
ment, and  almost  of  despair,  some,  as  was  to 
be  expected,  gave  themselves  up  to  idleness 
and  intemperance,  and  ceased  to  cultivate  fields 
and  erect  buildings,  not  knowing  who  should 
possess  'them.    The  future  was  all  dark,  for  if 
they  could  not  hold  their  present  countrythey 
could  be  secure  of  no  resting-place,  however  it 
might  be  secured  to  them  by  solemn  treaties. 
The  Board  had  already  addressed  a  memorial 
to  Congress  on  this  subject,  the  preparation  of 
which  was  the  last  official  act  of  the  Corres- 
ponding Secretary,  Rev.  Dr.  Cornelius.    It  was 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs, 
but  was  not  known  to  produce  any  important 
results. 

In  addition  to  all  the  other  embarrassments 
thrown  in  the  way  of  the  mission,  and  the  dis- 
tresses caused  to  'the  Cherokees,  the  missiona- 
ries themselves  began,  in  1831,  to  be  arrested 
and  imprisoned.  In  January  of  this  year,  the 
missionaries  at  Carmel,  Hightower,  Ilaweis, 
and  New  Bcho'ta,  the  four  stations  lying  within 
the  territory  claimed  by  Georgia,  were  served 
with  copies  of  a  law,  then  just  passed,  declar- 
ing, in  substance,  that  all  white  men  found 


608 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


within  the  State  after  the  hrst  of  the  following 
March,  without  having  taken  an  oath  of  alle- 

S'ance  to  the  State,  would  be  imprisoned 
the  penitentiary  at  hard  labor,  for  a  terra 
of  not  loss  than  four  years.  But  there  were 
important  and  obvious  reasons  why  the  mis- 
sionaries should  not  abandon  the  field ;  and 
they  could  not  take  the  prescribed  oath  with- 
out an  admission  that  Georgia  was  right. 
They  therefore  concluded  to  remain  at  their 
posts  and  abide  the  consequences.  They 
I  were  unmolested  till  the  12th  of  March,  when 
a  detachment  of  the  Georgia  guard,  consist- 
ing of  twenty-six  armed  and  mounted  men, 
proceeded  to  each  of  the  four  stations  named, 
and  arrested  three  of  the  missionaries,  viz., 
Messrs.  Proctor,  Worcester,  and  Thompson. 
The  fourth,  Mr.  Buttrick,  was  absent.  They 
were  taken  to  the  head-quarters  of  the  guard, 
where  they  employed  legal  counsel,  and 
were  set  free  by  the  judge  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  Gwinnet  county,  on  the  ground  that 
they  were  under  the  patronage  of  the  United 
States  government,  and  were  in  such  a  sense 
its  agents  that  the  laws  of  Georgia  did  not 
apply  to  them.  They  therefore  returned  to 
their  stations,  anticipating  no  further  troubles 
of  this  nature. 

A  correspondence  was  now  held  between  the 
Governor  of  Georgia  and  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  the  result  of  which  was  a  state- 
ment by  the  president,  that  he  did  not  consider 
the  missionaries  as  being  in  any  sense  agents 
of  the  government.  Upon  this  the  mission- 
aries received  letters,  informing  them  of  their 
exposure,  and  giving  them  ten  days  to  remove 
out  of  the  State  or  take  the  required  oath. 
Messrs.  Buttrick,  Proctor  and  Thompson 
thought  it  expedient  to  remove  with  their  fa- 
milies. Dr.  Butler  was  arrested,  but  released 
on  account  of  sickness  in  his  family,  upon  a 
promise  that  he  would  deliver  himself  up  at  the 
proper  time.  Mr.  Thompson,  who  continued 
to  visit  his  station  at  Hightower,  was  subse- 
quently arrested  and  treated  in  the  most  brutal 
manner.  Though  seriously  ill,  and  offering  to 
furnish  himself  a  horse,  he  was  compelled  to 
walk,  and  when  he  could  walk  no  longer  he 
was  thrust  into  a  most  offensive  and  uncomfort- 
able wagon.  At  one  time  he  was  chained. 
After  being  locked  up  in  jail  awhile  he  was 
dismissed,  and  told  to  go  where  he  pleased,  but 
no  provision  was  made  for  his  return.  A 
month  later,  Mr.  Worcester  and  Dr.  Butler 
were  again  arrested,  and  subjected  to  cruelties 
and  indignities  such  as  savages  themselves 
would  scarcely  inflict  upon  their  captives.  The 
shocking  and  painful  details  of  the  treatment 
which  they  received  from  the  military,  both 
on  the  march  and  in  the  filthy  and  wretched 
prison  into  which  they  were  thrust,  are  given 
at  length  in  a  letter  written  by  Mr.  Worces- 
ter, and  published  in  the  annual  report  for 
1831.  They  were  finally  taken  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  military,  and  released,  on  giving 


bonds  to  appear  at  the  superior  court  of  Gwin- 
i>et  countv,  in  September."  On  the  2.5th  of 
that  montii  they  were  tried,  and  Mr.  Worcc*. 
ter  and  Dr.  Butler,  with  eight  other  white 
men,  one  a  missionary  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal  church,  were  sentenced  to  four  years 
hard  labor  in  the  penitentiary.  On  arriving 
at  the  door  of  the  prison  they  were  all  of- 
fered a  pardon  and  release,  on  condition  of 
their  removing  from  the  State,  or  taking  the 
oath  of  allegiance  to  the  laws  of  Georgia, 
and  all  but  two  of  them"  accepted  of  these 
humiliating. terms.  Mr.  Worcester  and  Dr. 
Butler,  believing  that  obedience  to  such  laws 
would  be  treason  against  God,  conceded  no- 
thing, and  were  committed  to  the  penitentiary. 

Measures  were  taken  to  bring  the  matter 
before  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States,  and  a  writ  of  error  having  been  grant- 
ed by  the  justices  of  that,  court,  the  case  was 
brought  up  and  ably  argued,  in  February  1832, 
by  Messrs.  Wirt  and  Sergeant  in  behalf  of  the 
plaintiffs  in  error.  The  decision  was  pro- 
nounced by  Chief-Justice  Marshall,  on  the  3d 
of  the  following  March.  I't  reviewed  the 
whole  subject  of  Indian  titles,  the  treaties 
which  had  been  made  with  the  Indians,  and 
the  recent  laws  of  Georgia,  which  extended 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  over  the  Chero- 
kee country,  and  these  laws  were  pronounced 
repugnant  to  the  Constitution,  to  treaties,  and 
to  the  laws  of  the  United  States.  The  man- 
date of  the  Court  was  immediately  issued, 
reversing  and  annulling  the  judgment  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  Georgia,  and  ordering  that 
all  proceedings  on  the  indictment  against  the 
prisoners  do  forever  cease,  and  that  the  prisoners 
be,  and  hereby  are  dismissed  therefrom. 

But  the  Superior  Court  of  Georgia  refused 
to  obey  the  mandate,  or  to  discharge  the  pris- 
oners. A  memorial  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States  was  prepared  by  the  counsel  for 
the  prisoners,  praying  him  to  interpose  his 
authority  for  enforcing  the  decision  of  the 
Court.  Upon  consultation,  however,  it  was 
thought  inexpedient  to  present  the  memorial ; 
neither  was  it  thought  advisable  to  prosecute 
the  case  by  a  second  appeal  to  the  Supreme 
Court ;  for  it  was  well  understood,  that  though 
that  Court  would  sustain  its  own  decision,  the 
President,  (Andrew  Jackson)  was  not  inclined 
to  enforce  it,  and  therefore  the  result  would  be 
doubtful.  Further,  the  missionaries  had  the 
assurance  of  an  unconditional  release,  provi- 
ded they  would  desist  from  the  attempt  to 
obtain  that  release  by  a  military  enforcement 
of  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court.  This 
assurance  came  not  from  any  solicitations  on 
their  part.  They  made  "  no  solicitation,  no 
overture,  no  compromise."  But  they  were  often 
and  earnestly  solicited  by  persons  in  the  confi- 
dence of  the  Governor  of  Georgia,  to  desist 
from  the  prosecution,  and  assured  that  if  they 
did  so,  they  should  not  long  remain  in  prison. 
Even  after  they  had  given  notice,  as  they  did  at 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


609 


one  time,  of  their  intention  to  move  the  Supreme 
Court  for  a  further  process,  they  were  waited  up- 
on by  two  members  elect  of  Congress,  whose 
names  are  given,  and  told  officially,  that  they  had 
conversed  with  the  Governor  on  the  subject, 
and  knew  his  views,  and  that  they  might 
regard  it  as  certain,  if  they  withdrew  the  suit, 
that  they  would  be  discharged  without  any 
concession,  or  condition,  or  even  an  applica- 
tion to  the  Governor.  These  repeated  pledges 
induced  the  prisoners,  by  their  counsel,  to  drop 
all  further  proceedings,  and  on  the  14th  of 
January,  1833,  the  keeper  of  the  penitentiary 
received  a  proclamation  from  the  Governor  of 
the  State,  directing  him  to  set  Messrs.  Wor- 
cester and  Butler  at  liberty.  This  he  commu- 
nicated to  them  forthwith,  and  discharged 
them.  They  immediately  returned  to  the  sta- 
tions which  they  had  respectively  occupied  in 
the  Cherokee  country,  and  resumed  their  mis- 
sionary labors. 

The  reasons  which  determined  the  conduct 
of  these  brethren  from  first  to.  last,  were  sta- 
ted by  them  with  great  clearness  and  force, 
and  published  in  the  report  of  the  Board 
for  1833.  In  the  same  report  may  be  found 
the  decision  and  mandate  of  the  Supreme 
Court ;  the  reply  of  the  Court  of  Georgia ; 
the  memorial  of  the  Board,  praying  for  the 
protection  of  the  missionaries,  and  several 
other  important  documents  relating  to  this 
subject. 

During  the  year  and  four  months  that 
Messrs.  Worcester  and  Butler  were  in  prison, 
they  were  permitted  daily  to  read  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  pray  with  the  prisoners  confined  in 
the  same  building;  and  during  the  last  six 
months  or  more,  Mr.  Worcester  preached  once 
every  Sabbath  to  all  the  prisoners.  A  spirit 
of  inquiry  was  awakened,  and  many,  it  is  be- 
lieved, were  savingly  benefitted. 

It  is  painful  in  the  extreme  to  dwell  upon 
such  facts  as  have  been  recorded  in  the  preced- 
ing pages  ;  and  it  seems  scarcely  credible  that 
they  could  have  occurred  in  a  country  like 
ours,  and  in  an  enlightened  Christian  State. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  missionaries  should 
occasionally  fare  thus  at  the  hands  of  benight- 
ed Brahmins,  or  proud  Mussulmans,  but  that 
in  the  United  States,  and  within  25  years, 
they  should  have  been  dragged  from  their 
fields  of  labor  by  an  armed  soldiery,  and  treat- 
ed like  felons;  under  laws,  too,  enacted  for 
the  very  purpose  of  extinguishing  Indian 
claims,  and  getting  possession  of  their  lands, 
in  violation  of  treaties  and  of  the  Constitution, 
and  all  this  persisted  in  against  the  decision 
of  the  highest  judicial  tribunal  in  the  land,  — 
this  is  surprising  and  deeply  humiliating ;  and 
it  forms  a  chapter  in  our  country's  history, 
which,  for  naked  injustice,  mercenary  aims, 
and  bold  contempt  of  national  faith  and  honor, 
is  scarcely  equaled  by  any  of  the  public 
wrongs  and  oppressions  laid  to  her  charge. 

During  the  period  of  these  troubles  there 
39 


was  no  regular  instruction  at  the  four  stations 
within  the  limits  of  Georgia,  and  at  the  other 
stations  the  work  was  prosecuted  under  great 
disadvantages.  Previous  to  the  release  of 
Messrs.  Worcester  and  Butler,  the  whole  Chero- 
kee country,  lying  within  the  chartered  limits 
of  Georgia,  had  been  surveyed  and  divided  into 
lots  of  140  acres  each,  and  distributed  by  lot- 
tery among  the  citizens  of  that  State.  The 
laws  of  Georgia  had  begun  to  be  enforced, 
counties  had  been  organized,  courts  held,  and 
magistrates  and  civil  officers  appointed.  In 
this  state  of  things,  the  Cherokees  were  divi- 
ded on  the  question  of  ceding  their  lands  by 
treaty  to  the  United  States  ;  but  whether  they 
did  so  or  not,  it  had  become  evident  to  all  that 
they  must  remove,  either  peaceably  or  under 
a  despotism  which  they  could  not  resist.  In 
the  beginning  of  1834,  the  number  of  white 
settlers  on  the  Indian  lands  was  estimated  to 
outnumber  the  Indians  themselves,  and  no  art  \ 
was  left  untried  by  the  whites  to  draw  them  1 
into  intemperance  and  every  kind  of  debauch-  i 
ery.  The  depression  of  morals  was  deplorable, 
and  yet  not  so  general  as  might  have  been  ex- 
pected. Most  of  the  influential  men  of  the 
nation  manifested  much  firmness  and  dignity 
of  character,  and  remained  the  steadfast  friends 
of  the  mission,  and  of  the  intellectual  and 
moral  improvement  of  these  people. 

After  repeated  negotiations  and  conferences 
between  the  Indians  and  the  government  at 
Washington,  the  details  of  which  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  give  here,  a  treaty  was  at  length  agreed 
upon,  Dec.  1835,  by  which  the  Cherokees 
ceded  the  whole  of  the  country  which  they 
occupied,  and  consented  to  be  removed  to  a 
territory  west  of  the  Mississippi  within  two 
years.  For  their  lands,  improvements,  build- 
ings, &c.,  they  were  to  receive  $500,000,  and 
$050,000  to  defray  the  expenses  of  their  re- 
moval, and  of  sustaining  them  one  year  after 
their  arrival  at  their  new  homes.  This  treaty 
was  negotiated  with  the  representatives  of  a 
party  or  section  of  the  Indians,  and  against  it 
Mr.  Ross  and  his  friends  protested  in  all  the 
stages  of  its  progress,  as  being  unsatisfactory 
in  its  provisions,  made  contrary  to  the  will  of 
the  nation,  and  with  persons  wholly  unau- 
thorized to  transact  such  business.  All  at- 
tempts to  annul  or  improve  it,  however,  failed, 
and  nothing  remained  but  its  rigid  enforce- 
ment. 

The  time  allowed  the  Indians  to  remain  ex- 
pired on  the  23d  of  May,  1838fand  immedi- 
ately after  that  day  the  military  commenced 
their  operations.  Families  were  taken  from 
their  houses  and  farms,  leaving  their  furniture, 
fields  and  flocks  as  they  were,  unprotected,  to 
be  possessed  by  they  knew  not  whom,  and  were 
marched  under  strong  guards  to  camps  selected 
to  be  their  starting  places  for  a  distant,  and 
to  them  a  strange  land.  In  June  nearly  the 
whole  tribe  had  been  taken  from  their  houses 
to  the  camps,  and  some  thousands  were  started 


610 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


off  on  their  dreary  march  westward.  Owing, 
however,  to  the  extreme  heat  of  the  season, 
cniijjralion  was  soon  suspended,  and  the  great 
body  of  the  Indians  remained  till  the  coming 
autumn. 

On  the  Sabbath,  Aug.  19,  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  administered  for  the  last  time  by  the  mis- 
sionaries, to  as  many  as  could  be  collected  at 
Brainerd  ;  and  early  in  October  the  Cherokee 
people  bid  a  mournful  and  reluctant  adieu  to 
the  country  of  which  they  had  long  and  strenu- 
/    ously,  but  in  vain,  been  etideavoring  to  retain 
I    possession.    They  were  divided  into  fourteen 
*    companif^s,  embracing  nearly  16,000  persons. 
ilTieir  route  lay  through  the  States  of  Tennessee, 
Kentucky,  Illinois,  Missouri,  and  Arkansas,  a 
distance  of  six  or  seven  hundred  miles,  and  all 
the  companies  but  one  made  this  journey  by 
land,  consuming  from  three  and  a  half  to  five 
and  a  half  months  on  the  way.     Dwelling,  as 
they  had,  within  the  narrow  limits  of  encamp- 
ments  for   four  months  before  starting,  and 
sheltered  only  by  tents  on  the  way,  and  much 
of  the  time  without  adequate  food  or  clothing, 
\      it  is  not  wonderful  that  great  suffering  and 
I      mortality  were  experienced  among  them.     Ac- 
I     cording  to  the  most  careful  estimates,  there 
J     was  an  average  of  from  13  to  15  deaths  a  day 
from  the  time  they  started,  and  by  the  time  the 
last  company  had  reached  its  destination,  be- 
tween 4,000  and  5,000  persons  had  died,  or  more 
than  one-fourth  of  the  whole  population  in  the 
space  of  ten  months.    This,  it  was  admitted 
jby  the  friends  of  the  Cherokees  and  of  the 
'mission,  resulted  from  the  nature  of  the  case, 
and   not  from   any  unnecessary  exposure  or 
bad  treatment  on  the  part  of  those  who  were 
employed  in  carrying  the  deplorable  measure 
into  effect. 

The  dissensions  which  prevailed  among  the 
Cherokees  before  their  removal  were  not  less 
^  annoying  in  their  new  home.  In  June,  1839, 
after  the  close  of  a  council  during  which  there 
had  been  much  party  heat.  Major  Ridge,  his 
son,  John  Ridge,  and  Elias  Boudinot,  were 
assassinated.  They  had  taken  a  leading  part 
in  the  treaty  of  Dec.  1835,  and  fell  victims  to 
the  enmity  awakened  by  that  measure  in  the 
minds  of  the  opposing  party. 
,  Omitting,  for  want  of  space,  the  details  of 
/  re-settlemeht,  and  the  re-organization  of  the 
(  mission,  we  find  them,  in  1840,  occupying  four 
stations,  viz.,  Dwight,  Fairfield,  Park  Hill, 
and  Honey  Creek.  Dwight,  as  already  ex- 
plained, is  a4few  miles  north  of  the  Arkansas 
river,  about  500  miles  from  its  junction  with 
the  Mississippi,  or  200  miles  in  a  straight  line. 
This  had  been  the  centre  of  missionary  opera- 
tions for  several  years  among  the  Cherokees 
who  early  removed  to  that  country.  The  other 
stations  were  at  no  great  distance  from  this, 
and  there  were  in  this  field,  in  1840,  five  mis- 
sionaries, one  physician,  three  male  and  fifteen 
female  assistants,  two  native  preachers,  and 
one  -native  pi'intcr,  making  a  total  of  27. 


Among  the  missionaries  were  Messrs.  Worc^ 
ter  and  Butler,  and  several  others  who  had 
labored  in  the  old  Cherokee  country. 

In  1841,  when  full  returns  began  to  be  re- 
ceived, there  were  five  churches,  and  over  200 
communicants.  There  were  also  five  schools, 
embracing  225  pupils.  The  school  fund  of  the 
Cherokees  was  sufficient  to  support  teachers 
and  furnish  books,  stationery,  &c.,  for  eleven 
public  schools,  and  the  system  was  ready  to  go 
into  operation  as  soon  as  teachers  could  be 
procured.  A  mission  press  was  in  operation 
at  Park  Hill,  and  a  Cherokee  almanac,  an 
edition  of  Cherokee  laws,  and  the  epistles  of 
John,  had  been  printed.  Large  meetings  had 
been  held  for  the  promotion  of  temperance, 
and  about  1,000  of  the  Cherokees  were  living 
in  conformity  to  the  temperance  pledge.  The 
amount  of  printing  executed  at  the  mission 
press  in  1843,  was  reported  to  be  140,000 
pages.  The  congregation  at  Fairfield  erect- 
ed this  year  a  large  and  convenient  house  of 
worship,  the  old  one  having  become  too 
small. 

In  1844  the  mission  press  executed,  in  the 
Cherokee  language,  the  following  works,  viz. : 
Acts  of  the  Apostles,  5000  copies  ;  Gospel  of 
Matthew,  5000  copies  ;  Select  Passages  of 
Scripture,  5000  cqiies ;  Evils  of  Intoxicating 
Drinks,  5000  ;  a  tract,  Poor  Sarah,  5000  ; 
Christian  Almanac,  1000 ;  making  a  total  of 
26,000  copies,  and  of  1,586,000  pages.  Be- 
sides this,  over  50,000  pages  of  various  works 
were  executed  in  the  Choctaw  language. 

During  the  years  1846, 1847,  and  1848,  no 
very  marked  changes  were  reported.  Party 
strifes  continued,  and  outrages  on  property  and 
life  were  prevalent,  but  they  were  not  of  such 
a  nature  as  to  interrupt  missionary  labor  at 
either  of  the  stations.  The  general  sentiment 
of  the  people  was  against  the  sale  of  intoxicat- 
ing liquor,  and  some  3000  persons  were  en- 
rolled as  members  of  total  abstinence  societies. 
The  cause  of  education  also  has  an  upward 
tendency,  and  two  high  schools,  one  for  boys 
and  one  for  girls,  were  established,  and  the 
necessary,  buildings  erected,  at  an  expense  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  thousand  dollars  each,  all 
which  was  defrayed  by  the  Cherokees  them- 
selves. The  structure  of  their  alphabet  afford- 
ed great  facilities  in  the  acquisition  of  knowl- 
edge, and  the  name  of  George  Guess  will  ever 
be  held  in  grateful  remembrance  by  the  friends 
of  Cherokee  learning. 

In  1850  there  were  scattered  over  the  terri- 
tory occupied  by  the  Cherokees,  22  free  public 
schools,  besides  a  boarding-school  at  Dwight, 
j  three  day  schools,  and  the  two  high  schools. 
jThe  communicants  numbered  209,  and  the 
'printing  for  the  year  amounted  to  1,354,000 
'  pages. 

:  The  latest  period  to  which  definite  informa- 
tion has  been  received  is  1853,  and  from  the 
'  reports  of  that  date  the  following  table  is  com- 
piled : 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


611 


STATIONS. 

i 

L 

II 

i 

a 
1 

< 
1 

1 

s 
a 
S 
S 

Dwight 

5 

3 
2 
2 
3 

10 

"i 

1 
1 
1 

4 

48 
8 
69 
50 
42 

05 

Lees' Creek 

41 

Fairfield.   

45 

Park  Hill 

38 

Honey  Creek 

Totals 

149 

In  concluding  this  notice  of  the  Cherokces, 
it  seems  desirable  to  add  the  following  edito- 
rial passage,  from  the  "  Herald"  of  Sept.  1854 : 
"  The  prospects  of  the  Cherokees  seem  to  have 
brightened,  in  certain  directions  within  the 
past  year.  The  committee  employed  Rev. 
Marcus  Palmer,  M.  D.,  formerly  a  missionary 
of  the  Board  among  these  Indians,  to  act  as 

I  an  itinerant  during  the  winter  and  spring  ;  and 
he  says,  in  closing  his  labors,  '  The  Cherokee 

j  nation  is  increasing  fast  in  numbers,  wealth, 
intelligence,  and  civilization.  The  public  po- 
litical mind  is  settled  and  calmed.  The  intem- 
perance and  frequent  murders  which  now  take 
place,  are  the  effects  of  the  storm  which  years 
since  went  by.  The  causes  being  removed,  the 
evils  are  evidently  subsiding,  and  a  better  state 
of  things  seems  to  be  coming  over  the  people.' 
It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that  some  clouds 
still  darken  the  horizon  of  this  interesting  peo- 
ple. A  powerful  revival  of  religion  is  greatly 
needed.  If  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
shall  be  much  longer  withheld,  the  Christian 
will  have  great  occasion  for  solicitude  and 
fear." 

Choctaws. — The  events  of  this  mission,  from 
its  commencement  in  1818  to  1824,  have  been 
sufficiently  noticed.  .  The  Choctaws  occupied 
the  central  part  of  Mississippi,  extending  en- 
tirely across  the  State,  and  numbering  about 
20,000.  The  nine  stations  occupied  by  the 
mission  were  considerably  dispersed,  and  were 
supplied  with  missionaries,  teachers,  and  farm- 
ers, to  such  an  extent  as  to  carry  the  blessings 
of  religion,  education,  and  the  arts  of  agricul- 
ture, to  nearly  all  the  people. 

In  1827  a  highly  favorable  report  was  made 
of  the  schools.  That  at  Eliot  had  38  native 
pupils,  many  of  whom  were  studying  geogra- 
phy, arithmetic,  and  book-keepinj]f,  besides  at- 
tending to  writing  and  composition.  Some 
of  them  could  answer  400  questions  on  the 
maps  of  various  countries,  and  could  describe 
the  boundaries  of  the  screral  States.  A  similar 
progress  had  been  made  in  all  the  schools.  In 
the  spring  of  this  year  there  was  considerable 
religious  interest  atMayhew,.as  the  fruits  of 
which  nine  persons  were  admitted  to  the 
church  in  June.  The -whole  number  of  chil- 
dren instructed  in  tho  Eliot  school,  from  its 
commencement  to  1828,  was  185.     In  the 


Sabbath-school  at  Eliot  this  year,  7,732  verses 
of  Scripture  and  of  hymns  were  committed  to 
memory  by  the  boys,  and  2,688  by  the  girls. 
GR-eat  improvements  had  been  made  within 
four  or  five  years  in  the  cultivation  of  land 
and  the  manner  of  living.  The  introduction 
of  whisky  was,  however,  a  great  impediment 
to  civilization,  leading  to  many  vices,  and  often 
to  violence  and  bloodshed.  \ 

In  1829,  the  chief  of  one  large  district  re-  \ 
solved  to  suspend  the  laws  forbidding  the  im- 
portation  of  whisky  for  two  moons,  and  to 
drink  himself  and  permit  others  to  drink  with- 
out restraint.  For  this  abuse  of  power  he  was 
removed  from  office,  and  a  man  appointed  in 
his  place  who  favored  the  cause  of  morality 
and  religion.  During  this  year  there  was  a 
more  general  attention  to  religion  among  the 
Choctaws  than  at  any  former  period.  The 
three  chiefs  of  the  nation  took  a  very  active 
part  in  favoring  religious  inquiry,  and  in  seve- 
ral instances  meetings  of  three  or  four  days' 
continuance  were  held  at  convenient  places  in 
the  wilderness.  Many  hundreds  manifested 
great  anxiety  to  be  instructed,  and  to  become 
experimentally  acquainted  with  the  Gospel, 
and  fifty  or  sixty  native  converts  were  added 
to  the  churches.  It  was  regarded  as  a  won- 
derful display  of  divine  power  and  grace,  and 
was  a  subject  of  praise  and  joy  both  to  the 
missionaries  and  to  the  churches,  which  had 
aided  them  in  their  work.  At  the  same  time 
school-books  and  hymn-books,  which  had  been 
printed  in  Boston,  in  the  Choctaw  language, 
were  furnishing  the  elements  of  knowledge  to 
as  many  as  were  prepared  to  receive  and  use 
them.  In  each  of  the  three  districts  into 
which  the  nation  was  divided,  intemperance 
received  a  powerful  check,  the  laws  against 
whisky  were  rigidly  enforced,  the  people  were 
better  clothed,  the  lands  were  better  tilled, 
and  in  every  respect  the  improvement  was 
very  striking.  \ 

In  the  early  part  of  1830,  the  Choctaws  be-  • 
gan  to  be  seriously  disturbed  with  the  ques- 
tion of  their  removal  to  a  country  west  of  the 
Mississippi.  In  March  of  that  year  a  treaty 
was  made  between  the  Choctaw  nation  and 
the  government ;  but  it  was  not  ratified,  and 
was  of  no  effect.  In  the  following  September,  a 
deputation  from  the  government  visited  the 
Choctaws,  and  tried  to  persuade  them  to  sell 
their  country,  and  remove  across  the  Missis- 
sippi river.  The  Choctaws,  in  council,  ap- 
pointed a  committee  of  sixty,  twenty  from 
each  district,  to  consider  the  subject  and  make 
a  reply,  and  their  report  was  unanimously 
against  making  any  treaty.  Their  report  was 
approved  by  the  whole  body  of  the  nation 
assembled  ;  and,  supposing  that  the  matter 
was  at  an  end,  most  of  them  returned  to  their 
homes.  '  The  next  day  the  commissioners  for 
the  government  assembled  the  few  who  re- 
mained, and  by  various  threats  and  promises 
induced  them  to  sign  the  treaty.    When  it 


612 


NORTH  AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


was  known  by  the  people  that  their  country 
was  sold,  it  produced  a  general  feelin*,'  of  in- 
dignation. A  large  majority  of  the  captains 
and  warriors  were  strongly  opposed  to  it,  an^ 
the  chiefs  who  were  instrumental  in  forming 
the  treaty  were  turned  out  of  ofiBce,  and  others 
elected  in  their  places. 

By  the  treaty  the  Choctaws  ceded  to  the 
United  Stat<?s  all  their  lands  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  agreed  to  be  removed  to  lands 
provided  for  them  west  of  the  Arkansas  ter- 
ritory; one-half  as  soon  as  the  fall  of  1832, 
and  the  remainder  in  one  year  from  that  date, 
at  the  expense  of  the  government ;  food  to  be 
furnished  to  them  on  the  way,  and  for  one  year 
after  their  arrival.  No  provision  was  made 
in  the  treaty  for  refunding  any  part  of  the 
money  expended  by  the  Board,  in  establishing 
and  sustaining  the  mission,  amounting,  since  its 
commencement,  to  more  than  ^60,000,  besides 
the  labors  of  some  30  missionaries  and  assist- 
ants, for  12  years.  Besides,  the  missionaries 
of  the  Board  were  expressly  forbidden  by  the 
commissioners,  in  writing,  to  be  present  at  the 
^  treaty  ground,  though  the  presence  of  all  other 
persons  was  allowed.    The  treaty  was  ratified 

Iat  Washington,  and  its  effects  were  sadly  visi- 
ble on  the  Choctaw  nation,  producing,  as 
among  the  Cherokees,  distress  and  desponden- 
cy among  some ;  idleness  and  intemperance 
among  others ;  and  extensive  divisions  and 
confusion  in  all  the  affairs  of  the  nation. 
The  influence  of  this  state  of  things  on  reli- 
gious meetings,  schools,  agriculture,  and  all  the 

I    means  used  for  the  improvement  of  the  people 

\  was  disastrous. 

Many  had  been  received  to  the  churches  as 
the  fruit  of  the  late  revival,  and  the  whole 
number  of  communicants  in  the  spring  of 
1831,  was  estimated  at  360,  and  the  number  of 
baptized  children  at  244.  The  number  of 
scholars  in  all  the  schools  was  about  235  ;  of 
these,  144  were  boys  and  91  were  girls  ;  112 
were  full  blood  Choctaws,  and  109  were  mix- 
ed ;  86  read  in  the  New  Testament,  and  75  in 
any  English  book;  37  used  only  Choctaw 
books,  and  165  both  Choctaw  and  English  ; 
74  studied  geography,  63  arithmetic  ;  148 
wrote ;  16  composed  in  Choctaw,  49  in  Eng- 
lish, and  24  in  both  languages.  Besides 
these,  a  large  number  of  adults  were  taught 
to  read  their  own  language  with  ease,  and 
many  of  them  learnt  to  write.  The  Choc- 
taw Sunday-school  Union  embraced  6  schools, 
20  teachers  and  180  scholars,  of  whom  7  had 
been  recently  received  into  the  church.  The 
Gospels  of  Luke  and  of  John  had  been  trans- 
lated by  Mr.  Wright ;  a  work  on  Scripture 
history  had  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Williams, 
and  printed,  and  other  works  were  in  a  state 
of  forwardness.  The  missionaries  at  this  pe- 
riod were  Rev.  Cyrus  Kingsbury  and  Rev.  Cy- 
rus Byington,  assisted  by  4  farmers,  2  teachers, 
3  catechists,  and  the  wives  of  the  missionaries 
and  others. 


Such  was  the  general  state  of  the  mission  at 
the  time  of  the  treaty.  Such  was  the  degree 
of  elevation  and  forwardness  which  had  been 
secured  by  the  thirteen  years  of  missionary  la- 
bor which  had  been  bestowed  upon  the  Choc- 
taw nation  ;  enough  certainly  to  warrant  the 
belief  that  another  such  time  of  service  in  that 
field,  could  it  have  been  uninterrupted,  would 
have  rendered  that  people  in  a  high  degree  in- 
telligent, civilized  and  Christianized. 

The  spring  of  1832  found  a  large  body 
of  the  Chootaws  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Mississippi.  They  had  been  removed,  through 
forests  and  swamps  of  500  miles,  during  a 
winter  of  great  severity,  and  great  suffering 
had  been  endured  ;  men  and  women,  the  old 
and  the  young,  the  decrepid  and  the  sick,  were 
all  included  in  this  melancholy  exodus  from 
the  homes  and  improvements  which  they  had 
cherished  ;  and  multitudes  of  them  were  poor- 
ly clothed  and  fed  ;  bare-footed  ;  without  shel- 
ter, and  in  this  condition  often  overtaken  by 
snow-storms  in  the  dreary  forests  of  that  re- 
gion. In  crossing  the  swamps  of  the  Missis- 
sippi large  numbers,  with  their  horses,  were 
surrounded  by  the  rising  waters,  from  which 
there  was  no  possibility  of  escape.  The  cap- 
tain of  a  steamboat  who  rescued  one  company 
of  Choctaws  who  had  been  six  days  in  this  pe- 
rilous condition,  said  that  he  saw  at  least  a 
hundred  horses  standing,  frozen  dead  in  the 
mud.  Before  the  spring  of  1833  the  Choctaw 
nation  had  all  been  removed  to  their  new 
homes,  if  homes  these  children  of  the  forest 
could  be  said  to  have  on  earth. 

In  their  report  for  1833,  the  Board  say, 
"  Definite  information  respecting  the  number 
of  the  Choctaws  who  have  become  settled  in 
their  new  country  has  not  been  received.  It 
is  probably  between  10,000  and  14,000.  The 
number  of  the  whole  tribe  before  their  remov- 
al commenced,  was  estimated  at  18,000  or 
20,0001  They  generally  appear  to  be  satisfied 
with  their  new  country,  and  are  laboring  with 
a  good  degree  of  vigor  to  prepare  for  them- 
selves fiekls  and  comfortable  residences,  and 
manifest  considerable  industry  and  public  spi- 
rit, though  they  have  obviously  suffered  in 
their  habits  and  moral  character  by  their  ex- 
posures to  temptation  while  preparing  to  re- 
move, and  while  on  their  long  and  hazardous 
journey." 

The  new  territory  occupied  by  the  Choc- 
taws is  situated  between  the  Arkansas  and 
Red  rivers,  west  of  the  State  of  Arkansas,  with 
Texas  on  the  south,  and  the  Seminoles  and 
Cherokees  on  the  north.  As  several  of  the 
missionaries  removed  with  the  Indians,  they 
began  at  an  early  day  to  locate  the  missions, 
and  in  1834  there  were  five  stations,  viz. : 
Wheelock,  Bethabara,  Clear  Creek,  Bok  Tukri 
lo,  and  Cedron.  These  stations  were  all  neat 
Red  river,  or  Little  riv^r,  a  northern  branch, 
and  not  far  from  the  south-western  corner  oi 
Arkansas.    The  missionaries  were  Rev.  Messrs.: 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


613 


Kingsbury  and  Byington,  Alfred  Wright, 
Loring  S.  Williams,  and  H.  R.  Wilson,  the 
latter  also  a  physician.  There  were  three 
churches  ;  one  at  Wheelock,  one  at  Bathabara, 
and  one  at  Bok  Tuklo.  The  first  had  71  mem- 
bers, 60  of  whom  were  professors  of  religion  be- 
fore their  removal ;  the  second  had  113  mem- 
bers, and  the  third  23,  The  missionaries 
preached  as  much  as  their  impaired  health 
would  allow,  and  there  was  some  serious  in- 
quiry and  a  few  hopeful  conversions.  Six  or 
eight  schools  for  instruction  in  the  Choctaw 
language  w^ere  either  opened  or  ready  to  go 
into  operation,  but  they  were  entirely  inter 
rupted  by  the  sickness  which  broke  out  in  the 
preceding  autumn,  and  prevailed  to  a  fearful 
extent.  In  some  populous  neighborhoods  one 
in  every  fifteen  died,  and  not  a  child  under  a 
year  old  was  left.  "  The  wretchedness  of  the 
people,  without  suitable  food,  or  medicine,  or 
nursing,  was  heart-rending,  and  altogether  be- 
yond description."  In  the  summer  and  au- 
tumn of  1834,  sickness  also  prevailed  to  an 
alarming  extent,  and  the  schools  were  suspend- 
ed, and  the  mission  families  were  almost  wholly 
taken  up  with  the  care  of  the  sick  and  the  dy- 
ing. It  was  estimated  that  one  in  ten  of  the 
members  of  the  churches,  many  of  them  pro- 
mising young  persons,  were  hurried  to  the 
grave.  In  the  autumn  of  1835,  Eagle  Town 
and  Pine  Ridge  were  added  to  the  sta- 
tions, and  occupied  by  Messrs.  Byington  and 
Kingsbury.  Each  station  had  a  school  and  a 
competent  teacher,  and  the  whole  number  of 
pupils  was  365.  A  new  church  was  formed  in 
1836,  and  the  total  membership  was  225. 
Several  tracts  in  the  Choctaw  language  were 
printed,  amounting,  in  all,  to  30,500  pages. 
From  this  period  to  1840,  no  very  important 
changes  occurred  in  the  mission. 

From  May  1840  to  May  1841,  85  persons 
were  admitted  to  the  churches,  more  by  far 
than  during  any  preceding  year  since  the  re- 
moval of  the  Choctaws.  The  whole  number 
of  members  was  now  314.  The  cause  of  tem- 
perance had  made  considerable  progress,  and 
in  one  district  300  were  reported  as  having 
signed  the  temperance  pledge.  In  1842,  one 
of  the  missionaries,  who  was  with  the  Choc- 
taws before  their  removal,  wrote,  —  "  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  there  never  has  been,  since 
I  have  been  acquainted  with  this  people,  a 
season  of  so  much  interest  as  the  present. 
Their  crops  were  never  better ;  there  never  was 
more  peace  and  friendship ;  there  never  was 
less  sickness ;  and  drunkenness  has  decreased 
a  hundred  per  cent,  at  least."  In  1843  there 
was  an  accession  of  more  than  a  hundred  to 
the  churches,  the  total  membership  amounting 
to  459.  The  religious  interest  continued,  and 
in  1844  one  of  the  missionaries  writes,  —  "  In 
no  year  since  the  Choctaws  came  to  this  coun- 
try, have  we  been  permitted  to  witness  greater 
displays  of  the  power  and  grace  of  God  in 
the  salvation  of  sinners."    Nearly  100  were 


received  by  profession  this  year,  and  the  mem- 
bership increased  to  546.  Between  80  and  90 
were  added  in  1845,  and  in  1846  the  large 
number  of  218  were  received,  making  the  num- 
ber of  members  769.  During  this  long  season 
of  spiritual  refreshing,  increased  attention  was 
paid  to  education,  and  to  the  printing  of  the 
Scriptures  and  religious  tracts.  The  four  Gos- 
pels had  been  printed,  and  3,000  copies  put  in 
circulation,  besides  other  portions  of  the  New 
Testament, 

The  existence  of  slavery  both  among  the  \ 
Choctaws  and  Cherokees  had  been  a  fact  well 
understood  for  many  years,  and  the  relation 
of  the  missionaries  and  the  mission  churches 
to  this  evil,  had  been  a  matter  of  increasing 
solicitude  to  the  friends  of  these  missions.  In 
1848,  Rev,  Mr.  Treat,  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
visited  these  nations  for  the  special  purpose  of 
ascertaining  the  facts  on  this  subject.  His 
inquiries  related  to  the  origin  of  slavery  among 
these  tribes,  its  character,  the  number  of  slaves, 
their  treatment,  laws  relating  to  slavery,  effects 
of  slavery,  the  influence  of  Christianity  upon 
it,  and  its  prospective  termination.  In  his  re- 
port to  the  Board,  at  its  meeting  in  Boston, 
Sept.  1848,  he  not  only  presented  a  full  and 
clear  statement  on  the  above  points,  but  also 
in  regard  to  the  policy  of  the  missions,  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  reference  to  slavery, 
the  instruction  of  slaveholding  converts,  the 
admission  of  slaveholders  to  the  church,  the 
treatment  of  slaveholders  in  the  church,  and 
the  employment  of  slave  labor.  This  report, 
drawn  up  with  exceeding  clearness  and  force, 
was  published  in  the  Herald  of  October  1848, 
together  with  an  important  correspondence 
between  Mr.  Treat  and  the  Choctaw  and  Cher- 
okee missionaries  on  the  same  subject. 

From  these  documents  it  appeared,  that  in 
the  Cherokee  churches  there  were  24  slave- 
holders, and  in  the  Choctaw  churches  38,  and 
that  the  number  of  slaves  held  by  them  was 
considerably  over  one  hundred.  It  also  ap- 
peared that  the  missionaries  themselves  em- 
ployed slave  labor  in  the  cultivation  of  land, 
sometimes  hiring  slaves,  at  other  times  buying 
them,  "  with  their  own  consent,  and  with  the 
understanding  that  they  should  be  allowed  to 
work  out  the  purchase  money,  and  then  be 
free."  For  the  reasons  assigned  by  the  mission- 
aries in  defence  of  this  practice,  and  their  feel- 
ings in  regard  to  it,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  report  as  above. 

Both  the  Cherokee  and  Choctaw  nations  had 
made  stringent  laws  for  the  protection  of  I 
slavery,  the  Choctaws  especially,  enacting  in  / 
1846*  that  any  missionary  or  preacher,  who 
should  be  found  "  to  take  an  active  part  in 
favoring  the  principles  and  notions  of  the 
most  fatal  and  destructive  doctrines  of  abo- 
litionism," should  be  compelled  to  leave  the 
nation,  and  forever  stay  out  of  it ;  and  they 
also  enacted,  that  to  teach  a  slave  to  road, 
write,  or  sing,  without  the  consent  of  the  owner, 


614 


NORTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


should  bo  sufficient  to  couvict  a  person  of  abo- 
lition principles. 

Having  made  the  needed  investigations, 
through  its  Secretary,  in  regard  to  the  question 
of  slavery  in  these  churches,  and  ascertained 
the  views  of  the  missionaries  ;  and  having  dis- 
tinctly stated  the  principles  that  would  govern 
its  own  action,  the  Board  continued  its  support 
of  the  Choctaw  and  Cherokee  missions,  in  the 
belief  that  divine  Providence  would  indicate 
from  year  to  year  such  further  measures  as 
ought  to  be  adopted  rela,tive  to  this  delicate 
and  difficult  subject. 

During  each  year  since  the  foregoing  trans- 
actions, there  have  been  accessions  to  the  Choc- 
taw churches,  and  diligent  attention  h^  been 
given  to  the  schools,  and  to  the  printingnof  the 
Scriptures  and  of  tracts.  But  these  labors  and 
their  results  have  been  of  so  uniform  a  charac- 
ter as  not  to  require  un  extended  notice,  ex- 
cept as  they  relate  to  the  present  condition  of 
the  mission.  The  Herald  for  January  1854 
reported  129  admissions  to  the  churches  dur- 
ing the  preceding  year,  and  commended  the 
Choctaw  government  for  its  zeal  in  executing 
its  temperance  laws.  A  *'  high  institution  of 
learning  "  had  recently  been  established  by  a 
Choctaw  council,  the  course  of  study  to  be 
such  as  is  usually  taught  in  the  best  female 
institutions  in  the  United  States.  In  the 
Herald  for  Sept.  1854,  mention  is  made  of 
much  seriousness  at  some  of  the  stations,  and 
a  few  conversions.  In  the  same  number  Mr. 
Kingsbury  writes,  "  In  all  the  region  of  coun- 
try where  I  labor,  there  is  very  little  drinking ; 
nor  is  there  any  other  open  vice,  except  that  a 
portion  of  the  community  do  not  regard  the 
Sabbath." 


CHURCHES. 

§§ 

II 

5 

ll 

Stockbridge 

12 
19 

*2 

'i 

1 

3 

8 
'2 

8 

141 

Wheelock 

266 

Mount  Zion 

Pine  Ridge 

5 

6 

56 

GoodWater 

100 

Good  Land 

350 

Mayhew '       . 

11 

7 

7 

13 

35 

Mount  Pleasant 

70 

Six  Town 

Totals 

80 

7 

13 

BOARDING  SCHOOLS. 


Good  Water 
Pine  Ridge . 
Norvvalk... 
Wheelock . . 
Stockbridge 

Totals, 


§£ 


47 
40 
20 
42 
41    ! 


196 


The  foregoing  tables  exhibit  with  tolerable 
accuracy  the  present  state  of  the  Choctaw 
mission  churches  and  schools. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  in  September 
last,  the  Prudential  Committee  reported  a  state 
of  tilings  in  the  Choctaw  nation,  which  seemed 
to  call  for  special  action.  It  appeared  that  the 
Choctaw  Council  had  recently  enacted  a  law, 
prohibiting  the  instruction  of  slaves,  or  the 
children  of  slaves,  at  any  school  or  academy, 
by  any  person  connected  therewith  ;  and  also 
directing  the  expulsion  from  the  nation  of  all 
such  persons,  missionaries  or  teachers,  as 
should  be  found  violating  this  statute.  This 
was  simply  re-affirming  the  old  law  of  1846, 
before  referred  to,  which,  however,  had  so  far 
remained  a  dead  letter  that  the  missionaries 
had  continued  to  teach  slaves  and  their  child- 
ren without  interruption.  The  fresh  promul- 
gation of  such  a  law  indicated  a  determination 
to  enforce  its  requisitions,  and  the  Prudential 
Committee  decided  that  the  Board  could  not 
conscientiously  maintain  its  connection  with 
the  Choctaw  schools  upon  such  conditions. 
This  decision  was  approved  by  the  missiona- 
ries, and  was  in  exact  accordance  W'ith  the 
principles  laid  down  in  the  well-known  letter 
of  Mr.  Treat,  in  1848.  See  the  Herald  for 
October  of  that  year. 

The  subject,  on  being  brought  before  the 
Board  at  Hartford,  was  referred  to  a  commit- 
tee, who  reported  resolutions  which,  after  an 
animated  and  protracted  discussion,  were 
adopted  in  the  following  form  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Board  acknowledge, 
with  gratitude  to  God,  the  wisdom  and  fidelity 
with  which,  so  far  as  appears  from  the  docu- 
ments which  have  been  submitted  to  them,  the 
Prudential  Committee  are  advising  and  direct- 
ing the  missionaries  among  the  Choctaws,  in 
conformity  with  the  principles  presented  by 
them  in  their  correspondence  with  those  mis- 
sionaries, reported  to  the  Board  in  1848. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  decision  of  the  Pruden- 
tial Committee,  with  the  concurrence  of  the 
missionaries,  not  to  conduct  the  bparding- 
.schools  in  the  Choctaw  nation,  in  conformity 
with  the  principles  prescribed  by  the  recent 
legislation  of  the  Choctaw  Council,  meets  the 
cordial  approbation  of  the  Board. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  commission  given  by 
Christ  to  his  disciples,  to  go  and  teach  all  na- 
tions and  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture, which  is  the  warrant  of  Christian  mis- 
sions, is  to  be  respected  and  obeyed  in  all  the 
operations  and  by  all  the  missionaries  of  the 
Board ;  and  that  while  our  missionaries  among 
the  Choctaws  are  allowed  in  fact  to  preach 
the  Gospel  to  all  persons,  of  whatever  com- 
plexion or  condition,  as  they  have  opportunity, 
and  to  preach  it  in  all  its  applications  to  hu- 
man character  and  duty,  they  are  to  continue 
patiently  in  the  work." 

These  resolutions  were  understood  and  in- 
tended as  a  full  endorsement  by  the  Board  of 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


615 


the  principles  of  the  letter  just  referred  to,  and 
upon  which  the  Committee  had  been  acting  for 
six  years,  on  their  own  responsibility.  But 
recent  events  seemed  to  demand  that  the  Board, 
in  its  corporate  capacity,  should  assume  this 
responsibility,  and  this  It  did,  in  the  form  of 
the  above  resolutions,  which  were  adopted  by 
nearly  a  unanimous  vote. 

At  the  period  of  closing  this  article  it  re- 
mains a  doubtful  question,  whether  the  mis- 
sionaries will  be  Allowed  to  preach  the  Gospel 
among  the  Choctaws  in  the  full  and  unqualified 
manner  required  in  the  last  of  these  resolutions, 
or  whether,  being  forbidden  to  do  this,  they 
will  retire  from  the  field. 

_  Osages. — The  mission  among  the  Osage  In- 
dians was  commenced  in  1820,  by  a  Presbyte- 
rian body,  called  the  "United  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society."  At  that  period  the  Osage 
tribe  consisted  of  two  divisions,  located  at  a 
considerable  distance  from  each  other,  the  one 
called  the  Osages  of  the  Neosho,  and  the  other 
the  Osages  of  Missouri.  The  former  dwelt 
upon  the  Neosho,  or  Grand  river,  a  northern 
branch  of  the  Arkansas,  west  of  Missouri ;  and 
the  latter  occupied  a  territory  in  Missouri,  150 
miles  farther  north. 

The  first  station  occupied  by  the  above 
named  society  was  at  Union,  among  the  Osages 
of  the  Neosho,  on  the  west  side  of  that  river, 
and  about  20  miles  from  its  mouth.  In  1823 
a  farming  settlement  was  formed  at  Hopeficld, 
four  miles  from  Union,  the  design  of  which 
was  to  teach  the  Osages  the  arts  and  advan- 
tages of  agriculture.  Many  families  settled  at 
this  place,  and  the  labor  of  the  farm  was  car- 
ried on  with  much  courage  and  zeal ;  but  a 
threatened  war  with  other  tribes  alarmed  them, 
and  some  of  them  fled  to  Union  for  protection. 
A  year  or  two  later  the  place  was  nearly  ruined 
by  an  inundation,  which  swept  away  all  their 
crops,  houses,  fences,  and  every  movable  thing. 
At  Union,  meanwhile,  a  school  was  gathered, 
very  small  at  first,  but  increasing,  till  in  182G 
it  numbered  50  scholars. 

Among  the  Osages  of  Missouri  two  stations 
were  formed,  one  at  Harmony,  near  the  west- 
ern line  of  Missouri,  on  a  branch  of  the  Osage 
river  ;  and  one  at  Neosho,  GO  miles  from  Har- 
mony. Some  progress  was  made  in  teaching 
the  Indians,  and  especially  in  training  them  to 
agricultural  habits.  But  they  were  a  migra- 
tory tribe,  accustomed  to  long  hunting  expe- 
ditions, and  not  stationary  more  than  four  or 
five  months  in  the  year,  so  that  it  was  extremely 
difficult  to  do  them  good. 

In  June,  1826,  a  union  was  formed  between 
the  American  Board  and  the  United  Foreign 
Missionary  Society,  and  from  that  period  the 
Board  shared  in  the  responsibility  of  the  Osage 
mission.  But  the  peculiar  habits  of  the  Osages, 
and  their  frequent  intercourse  with  white  tra- 
ders, who  exerted  upon  them  a  most  corrupt- 
ing influence,  nearly  baffled  all  attempts  to 
benefit  them  either  in  a  spiritual  or  temporal 


respect.  The  difficulty  was  further  increased 
by  treaties  formed  at  different  times  with  the 
United  States,  by  which  the  Osages  ceded 
large  portions  of  their  territory,  and  were  finally 
removed  to  a  considerable  distance  farther 
west,  and  north  of  the  Cherokee  country.  The 
old  stations  were  thus  broken  up,  and  the 
Osage  mission  was  abandoned.  In  view  of 
this  result  the  Board  say,  in  their  report  for 
1836: 

"  A  retrospect  of  the  history  of  this  mission 
cannot  be  taken  without  awakening  many  pain- 
ful emotions.  Very  few,  if  any  of  the  adults 
of  the  tribe  have  been  induced  to  exchange 
their  savage  and  migratory  habits  for  a  civil- 
ized jind  industrious  life  ;  or  to  substitute  the 
Chrfttian  doctrines  and  practice  for  their  ridi- 
culous and  absurd  superstitions ;  nor  do  they 
seem  to  have  been  in  any  way  benefitted  as  to 
their  character  and  condition.  The  number 
of  youths  educated  in  their  schools  has  been 
comparatively  small,  and  of  this  small  number 
few  have  given  evidence  that  the  Gospel,  un- 
der whose  daily  influence  they  sat  for  years, 
has  been  to  them  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation ;  while  many  have  returned  to  their 
friends  and  former  manner  of  life,  and  become 
as  filthy  and  debased  as  those  who  never  en- 
joyed such  advantages ;  and  not  a  few  others 
have  been  enticed  away  to  sink  into  the  low- 
est depths  of  pollution  and  misery.  The 
amount  of  funds  expended  on  the  mission  has 
been  great ;  and  so  also  has  been  the  number 
of  laborers  who  have  engaged  in  promoting  it. 
Not  a  few  of  these,  after  going  through  a 
course  of  arduous  service,  have  gone  down  to 
the  grave,  the  victims  of  disease  and  hardship ; 
others,  M'orn  down  by  toil,  and  disheartened  by 
opposing  difficulties,  have  retired  from  the  field 
with  broken  constitutions  ;  while  the  remnant, 
after  having  labored  with  much  fidelity  and 
patience  nearly  15  years,  have  felt  themselves 
compelled  to  abandon  the  work,  leaving  the 
Osages,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  more  mis- 
erable and  hopeless,  both  as  to  condition  and 
character,  than  they  were  when  the  mission 
was  commenced  among  them." 

Notwithstanding  this  most  deplorable  and 
discouraging  result,  circumstances  encouraged 
the  hope,  in  some  minds,  that  something  might 
be  done  to  benefit  the  Osages,  and  during  the 
following  year,  measures  were  adopted  for  re- 
establishing  the  mission.  It  seemed  probable 
that  the  tribe  would  be  permitted  to  reniaia 
upon  their  new  territory,  and  many  of  them^ 
particularly  those  who'  had  been  connected., 
with  the  agricultural  establishment  at  Hope- 
dale,  manifested  a  disposition  to  abandon  the 
chase  and  cultivate  the  soil.  Funds  were  also 
expected  from  the  sale  of  the  old  missioa 
buildings  and  improvements,  and  the  govern- 
ment, agreeably  to  treaty,  had  furnished  those 
Osages  who  wished  to  engage  in  agriculture, 
with  farming  implements,  and  aid  in  procuring 
stock.    Under  these  circumstances,  Mr.  Ke- 


016 


NOPwTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


qua,  who  had  labored  mnch  with  this  tribe, 
visited  their  towns,  in  the  autumn  of  1836,  and 
selected  a  spot  for  a  large  agricultural  colony, 
on  the  western  branch  of  the  Neosho.  He 
had  made  considerable  progress  in  preparing 
the  requisite  buildings  and  other  improvements, 
and  a  preacher  and  school-teacher  were  expect- 
ed to  join  him  as  soon  as  circumstances  would 
permit.  But  during  the  following  summer,  a 
portion  of  the  tribe  began  to  manifest  their 
hostility  to  the  enterprise,  the  cattle  belonging 
to  the  station  were  killed,  and  other  property 
seized  ;  the  settlers  themselves  were  threatened 
and  assaulted,  and  the  chiefs  justified  these 
savage  acts.  The  annoyance  became  so  great 
that  neither  usefulness  nor  safety  could  be 
hoped  for,  and  Mr.  Requa  removed  his  effects 
and  left  the  Osage  country.  No  mission  has 
since  been  attempted  among  them. 

Chkkasaws. — The  Chickasaw  Indians  origin- 
ally occupied  the  northern  portion  of  the  State 
of  Mississippi,  and  numbered  about  3,000. 
The  first  mission  among  them  was  commenced 
by  the  Synod  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia, 
in  1821  ;  but  was  transferred  to  the  Board,  in 
December,  1827.  The  number  of  stations  at 
the  time  of  the  transfer  was  four,  viz. :  Mon- 
roe, Tokshish,  Martyn,  and  Caney  Creek. 

In  1827  there  was  an  interesting  revival  at 
Munroe,  and  it  extended  to  the  whole  country 
round,  and  continued  many  months.  "  People 
came  thirty  or  forty  miles^  to  inquire  what 
these  things  meant,  and  some  of  the  most  hope- 
less, stubborn  sinners,  were  the  first  subjects  of 
the  work."  Six  were  admitted  to  the  church 
at  Munroe  this  year ;  and  in  1829  seventeen 
were  admitted  to  the  church  at  Tokshish,  and 
25  children  of  believing  parents  were  baptized. 
Schools  were  taught  at  three  of  the  stations, 
the  namber  of  scholars  varying  from  20  to  30. 
Most  of  these  children  learned  to  read  and 
write,  and  many  of  tl/  ^  became  acquainted 
with  geography  and  |  besides  acquiring 

a  knowledge  of  the  Tl i  language.    During 

the  years  1828  and  /    .9,  a  great  reformation 
took  place  among  Vtie  Chickasaws,  in  regard 
to  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors.     The  leading 
men  discountenanced  and  nearly  prevented  the 
sale  of  whisky,  and  one  of  the  missionaries 
remarked  that  he  had  not  seen  an  intoxicated 
Indian  for  a  year  and  a  half. 
.     For  two  or  three  years  previous  to  1830, 
/"the  people  had  been  agitated  with  the  question 
^    of  selling  their  lands  to  the  United  States,  and 
/emoving  to  a  region  west  of  the  Mississippi. 
frhe  State  of  Mississippi  extended  its  own  laws 
'over  the  Indians,  which  broke  the  force  of 
their  temperance  and  other  laws,  and  intemper- 
ance with  its  associated  vices  prevailed  through 
the  nation  "  like  an  overwhelming  tide."    In 
the  fall  of  1830,  a  treaty  was  concluded  with 
the  Chickasaws,  by  which  they  agreed  to  sell 
their  land  and  remove  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
provided  a  country  could  be  found  for  them 
^ith  which  they  should  be  pleased.  A  delegation 


was  sent  to  explore  the  new  country,  and  on 
their  return  they  reported  in  favor  of  a  tract  of 
land  lying  between  the  Sabine  and  Red  rivers, 
in  the  province  of  Texas.  But  this  report  was 
never  acted  upon,  and  the  treaty  was  not  rati- 
fied. The  Indians,  therefore,  still  remained  in 
suspense,  and  in  great  despondency,  the  State 
laws  beginning  to  operate  severely  upon  them, 
and  their  intercourse  with  the  whites  leading 
thera  into  temptation  and  moral  debasement. 

This  state  of  things  greatly  interrupted  mis- 
sionary labor,  and  vet  there  was  considerable 
seriousness  in  the  churches,  and  some  who  had 
been  excommunicated  returned,  and  gave  evi- 
dence of  sincere  repentance.  Two  of  the 
schools  were  maintained  with  an  average  of 
25  or  30  scholars. 

In  October,  1832,  a  new  treaty  was  formed 
by  which  the  lands  of  the  Chickasaws  were  to 
be  sold  in  the  same  manner  as  the  public  lands 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  proceeds  paid 
over  to  them,  out  of  which  they  were  to  pur- 
chase a  new  country  and  remove  themselves ;  i 
provided  however,  that  if  they  could  find  no 
new  country  that  suited  them,  they  might  re- 
main permanently  on  one-third  of  the  territory  j 
held  by  thera,  they  being  subject  to  the  laws  * 
of  the  State  of  Mississippi.  But  they  must 
not  remain  settled  together,  on  one  compact 
third  of  their  country,  but  must  be  dispersed 
over  the  whole  of  it.  This  arrangement  greatly 
aggravated  the  troubles  of  the  Indians ;  for 
white  intruders  kept  pressing  upon  them  from 
all  quarters,  harrassing  them  by  vexatious  law- 
suits and  depredations  upon  their  property, 
and  introducing  large  quantities  of  liquor, 
which  was  sold  often  at  an  enormous  price. 
"  No  less  than  300  gallons  of  these  liquors  were 
brought  into  the  single  neighborhood  of 
Tokshish,  within  a  period  of  three  months, 
where  a  grocery  for  the  sale  of  them  had  been 
erected,  near  the  house  of  God."  The  more 
intelligent  Indians  complained  and  remonstrat- 
ed without  effect. 

Some  of  the  missionaries  lingered  on  the 
ground,  endeavoring,  against  every  disadvan- 
tage, to  keep  up  the  churches  and  schools, 
until  1834,  when  the  mission  was  abandoned. ) 
It  had  been  provided  in  the  treaty,  that  the 
Indians  might  sell  the  reservations  upon  which 
they  rerfiained,  and  this  fact  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  purchasers,  who  entered  the  country 
with  money  and  whisky,  and  exerted  a  most 
corrupting  and  ruinous  influence  throughout 
the  whole  extent  of  the  Indian  settlements. 
They  were  at  first  tempted  with  strong  drink, 
carried  to  every  man's  door  ;  and  then  excited 
with  the  hope  of  making  large  gains  by  selling 
their  lands ;  and  when  they  received  their  pay- 
ments, with  characteristic  improvidence,  they 
gave  themselves  up  to  idleness,  gambling  and 
intoxication.  They  were  thus  rendered  unfit 
to  receive  instruction,  and  all  hope  of  doing 
them  essential  and  permanent  good  was  at  an 
end.    The   Chickasaws  never  removed  in  a  { 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


Gir 


body  to  a  new  territory,  but  have  either  mia- 
gled  with  other  tribes  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
or  wasted  away  under  the  State  laws  that  were 
extended  over  them. 

Creeks. — The  Board  sustained  a  mission 
among  the  Creek  Indians  from  1832  to  1836. 
That  portion  of  the  tribe  to  which  these  labors 
were  directed,  was  located  at  that  time  in  the 
territory  west  of  Arkansas,  on  both  sides  of 
the  Arkansas  river.  Their  number  was  about 
2,500.  A  much  larger  portion  of  this  tribe, 
some  18,000,  resided  on  lands  owned  by  them 
in  the  State  of  Alabama,  but  with  these  the 
Board  had  no  connection. 

The  first  and  only  missionaries  which  the 
Board  at  any  time  had  among  the  Creek  Indi- 
ans, were  John  Flemming  and  his  wife,  and 
R.  L.  Dodge,  physician.  Mr.  Flemming  de- 
voted himself  with  great  zeal  to  the  study  of 
the  Creek  language,  which  ho  one  had  ever 
before  attempted  to  reduce  to  writing.  He 
found  it  an  exceedingly  embarrassing  work,  on 
account  of  the  numerous  and  difficult  combina- 
tions of  consoqants  ;  but,  with  the  aid  of  an 
interpreter,  he  prepared  an  elementary  book 
in  the  language,  containing  also  select  portions 
of  Scripture,  amounting  to  100  pages,  of  which 


500  copies  were  printed.     A  few  hymns  were  Aut  he  was  unacquainted  with  the  Ottawa  dia- 


also  prepared,  to  be  sung  at  meetings 

I't  was  found  difficult,  however,  from  the 
first,  to  interest  the  Creeks  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, or  of  education.  They  were  generally 
indifferent  or  hostile  to  the  missionaries  and 
their  operations,  and  the  difficulty  was  in- 
creased by  the  efforts  of  the  government  to 
dispossess  them  of  their  lands,  and  remove 
them  farther  west.  It  was  judged,  also,  that 
their  jealousy  was  awakened  by  the  presence 
among  them  of  the  missionaries  of  two  other 
religious  denominations,  viz.,  the  Baptist  and 
the  Methodist.  The  number  attending  reli- 
gious meetings  was  at  all  times  small,  and  it 
was  not  found  practicable  to  maintain  a  school 
of  any  promise  within  their  territory. 

In  the  autumn  of  1836,  a  number  of  the 
Indians,  including  some  of  their  chief  men,  for- 
warded a  petition  to  the  United  States'  agent, 
in  their  neighborhood,  requesting  that  the  mis- 
sionaries and  teachers  of  all  denominations 
might  be  removed  from  their  territory.  The 
petition  was  instigated  by  white  men  residing 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Creeks,  and  was  accom- 
panied by  injurious  and  slanderous  charges, 
and,  without  affording  the  missionaries  any 
opportunity  to  examine  or  repel  the  allega- 
tions, they  were  all  directed  immediately  to 
leave  the  Creek  country. 

As  the  Creeks  of  Alabama  had,  a  little  be- 
fore this,  been  removed  to  their  new  country, 
west  of  Arkansas,  composing,  with  those  al- 
ready there,  a  body  of  from  15,000  to  20,000, 
it  was  hoped  that  the  mission  might  be  re- 
sumed among  them  with  better  prospects  of 
success,  as  soon  as  missionaries  could  be  ob- 
tained ;    but,  for   reasons  satisfactory  to  the 


Board,  no  attempt  of  this  kind  has  ever  bocu 
made. 

Ottawas.— The  Ottawa  Indians,  for  whose 
benefit  a  mission  was  commenced  in  1822,  oc- 
cupied five  small  reservations  in  the  north-west- 
ern part  of  Ohio.  They  were  but  a  remnant 
of  the  tribe,  and  numbered  only  about  800 ; 
and  they  were  found  in  a  very  poor  and  de- 
graded state,  their  great  vice  being  an  exces- 
sive fondness  for  ardent  spirits. 

The  mission  was  commenced  at  the  above 
date,  by  the  Western  Missionary  Society,  and 
was  transferred  by  them  to  the  United  For- 
eign Missionary  Society.  The  station  was  at 
Maumee,  about  30  miles  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Maumee  river,  which  empties  into  the 
upper  end  of  Lake  Erie.  The  care  of  the  mis- 
sion was  subsequently  assumed  by  the  Ameri- 
can Board,  and  was  brought  to  a  close  in  1833. 

A  school  was  established  at  Maumee,  which 
in  1828  had  70  pupils,  about  40  of  whom  re- 
mained long  enough  to  make  useful  acquisi- 
tions. Seven  of  them  became  hopefully  pious, 
and  persevered  in  their  Christian  course.  A 
good  farm  was  opened  at  the  station,  and  was 
put  under  good  cultivation.  The  missionary, 
Mr.  Yan  Tassel,  was  untirius:  in  his  labors. 


lect,  which  no  missionary  had  ever  acquired, 
and  as  he  could  find  no  good  interpreter,  he 
could  do  little  in  the  way  of  preaching.  In 
1830,  a  small  church,  formed  several  years  pre- 
vious, but  much  scattered,  the  Lord's  Supper 
not  having  been  administered  for  six  years, 
was  gathered  and  strengthened,  and  much  se- 
riousness prevailed. 

During  this  year  Mr.  Van  Tassel  had  so  far 
mastered  the  Ottawa  language  as  to  prepare 
translations  of  the  Lord's  prayer  and  the  ten 
commandments,  and  also  a  few  hymns  and 
spelling  lessons,  which  were  printed  at  Hudson, 
Ohio.  It  was  hoped  that  some  of  the  Indians 
would  now  learn  to  read  their  own  language. 
About  this  time,  however,  they  were  induced 
to  sell  their  lands  lying  in  the  State  of  Ohio, 
amounting  to  about  50,000  acres ;  but  most 
of  them  absolutely  refused  to  accept  of  lauds 
off'ered  them  by  the  United  States,  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  or  to  be  removed  to  that  country. 

They  were  thus  left  without  lands  and  with- 
out a  home,  surrounded  by  white  settlers  and 
exposed  to  every  species  of  temptation,  and  in 
the  worst  possible  condition  to  be  boneiitted 
by  missionary  labors.  Their  only  prospect 
seemed  to  be  an  unsettled,  wandering  life,  till 
they  should  waste  away  and  disappear.  Their 
mission  was  therefore  discontinued. 

The  number  of  pupils  connected  with  the 
boarding  school  at  Maumee,  during  the  ten 
years  of  its  existence,  was  about  90.  Nearly 
half  of  these  acquired  an  education  sufficient 
for  the  ordinary  business  of  life.  The  church, 
which  was  formed  in  1823,  had  26  members  at 
the  time  the  mission  was  disbanded,  including 
the  mission  family.    The  congregations  on  the 


618 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


Sabbath,  daring  the  last  year,  averaged  about 
80,  and  much  seriousness  prevailed,  both  among 
the  Indians  and  the  white  settlers,  and  fifteen 
or  twenty  persons  gave  evidence  of  a  change 
of  heart.  It  was  never  practicable,  however, 
to  form  a  temperance  society  among  the  Otta- 
was,  and  the  intemperate  and  quarrelsome  ha- 
bits which  generally  prevailed  among  them, 
were  the  occasion  of  much  suffering,  and  a  hin- 
drance to  all  efforts  for  bettering  their  con- 
dition. 

Ojibwas. — ^The  Ojibwav  Indians,  called  also 
Chippeways,  are  located  near  the  south-west 
shore  of  Lake  Superior,  and  about  the  head 
waters  of  the  Mississippi  river.  The  mission 
among  them  was  commenced  in  1830,  at  the  soli- 
citation of  gentlemen  connected  with  the  Amer- 
ican Fur  Company,  who  spent  most  of  the  year 
at  their  trading  posts  in  that  quarter,  and  who 
were  well  acquainted  with  Indiana  in  that  re- 
gion. During  the  first  year  the  only  person 
employed  was  Mr.  Frederic  Ayer,  a  teacher 
and  catechist ;  but  in  1831  the  Board  sent  out 
Rev.  Messrs.  Hall  and  Boutwell,  and  the  next 
year  they  were  joined  by  another  company, 
consisting  of  a  mechanic  and  a  teacher,  with 
their  wives,  and  two  female  teachers. 

They  had  now  four  stations,  viz.,  La  Pointe^ 
Yellow  Lake,  Sandy  Lake,  and  Leech  Lake? 
The  first  of  these  places  is  on  an  island  in  a 
large  bay,  near  the  south-west  part  of  Lake 
Superior,  and  was  a  place  of  resort  for  large 
numbers  of  Indians,  besides  about  200  who  re- 
sided there.  Yellow  Lake  is  150  or  200  miles 
south-west  of  La  Pointe,  and  was,  in  1832,  the 
residence  of  nearly  400  Indians.  Sandy  Lake 
station,  near  the  Mississippi  river,  had  about 
300  Indians  residing  near  it ;  and  Leech  Lake, 
which  communicated  with  the  Mississippi  by 
one  of  its  western  tributaries,  had  an  Indian 
population  of  700.  Each  of  these  stations  was 
near  the  post  of  one  of  the  American  fur 
traders ;  and  though  the  number  of  Indians 
was  not  large,  other  bands,  scattered  over  that 
vast  region,  were  constantly  passing  and  re- 
passing, and  often  remaining  a  considerable 
time  for  the  purposes  of  traffic. 

The  circumstances  supposed  to  favor  this 
mission,  were  the  friendly  disposition  of  most 
of  the  men  engaged  in  the  fur  trade  ;  the  loca- 
tion of  the  country,  remote  from  the  influence 
of  unprincipled  white  men  ;  and  the  determin- 
ation of  the  agent  and  traders  of  the  American 
Fur  Company  that  no  intoxicating  liquors 
should  be  used  in  trade  with  the  Indians.  The 
principal  obstacles  to  be  encountered  were  the 
migratory  and  warlike  character  of  the  In- 
dians ;  the  difficulty  of  supporting  missionary 
families  in  a  region  so  remote  and  dreary  ;  and 
the  opposition  of  a  few  French  Catholics  from 
Canada,  engaged  in  the  fur  trade. 

Schools  were  opened  at  an  early  period  of 
the  mission  at  three  of  the  stations,  and  the 
number  of  pupils  in  them  all  in  1834  was  be- 
tween 40  and  .50.    A  church  was  organized  at 


La  Pointe  in  the  summer  of  1833,  consisting 
of  12  persons,  including  the  mission  families. 
In  July  1834,  Mr.  Ely,  of  the  Sandy  Lake 
station,  removed  to  Fon  du  Lac,  at  the  west>- 
ern  extremity  of  Lake  Superior,  as  affording  a 
more  promising  field  of  permanent  missionary 
labor.  The  missionaries  had  made  so  much 
progress  in  the  acquisition  of  the  Ojibwa  lan- 
guage in  1835,  as  to  prepare  for  the  press 
quite  a  number  of  books,  among  which  were  a 
spelling-book,  Gallaudet's  Picture  Reading  and 
Defining  Boj^k,  a  selection  of  Stories,  a  treatise 
on  Natural  History,  and  a  book  of  hymns. 

In  1836  the  Yellow  Lake  station  was  re- 
moved fifty  miles  south-west,  to  Pokegu- 
ma  Lake,  where  the  soil  was  better,  and  fish 
and  game  more  abundant.  During  this  year 
there  was  an  increased  interest  in  hearing  the 
Gospel  read  and  preaclied,  and  some  of  the 
Indians  manifested  an  anxious  concern  for 
their  salvation.  Two  Indians,  a  man  and  his 
wife,  were  hopefully  converted,  and  received  to 
the  church.  In  1837  the  church  at  La  Pointe 
numbered  nine,  exclusive  of  the  mission  family, 
and  a  new  church  of  three  adult  Indians  and 
the  mission  family,  was  organized.  The  schools 
were  all  in  successful  operation,  and  quite  a 
number  of  Ojibwas  had  learned  to  read  well, 
both  in  their  own  language  and  in  English. 
An  increasing  desire  was  manifested,  especially 
about  Pokeguraa,  to  cultivate  the  soil,  and 
several  Indians  erected  houses,  with  aid  from 
the  mission,  and  raised  good  crops  of  potatoes. 
It  was  found  that  the  migratory  habits  of  the 
Ojibwas  resulted  more  from  ignorance  and 
poverty,  than  from  any  real  attachment  to 
an  unsettled  hunter  life.  They  knew  not  how 
to  enclose  and  cultivate  farms,  neither  could 
they  obtain  agricultural  implements,  seeds,  and 
furniture  for  dwellings,  without  aid.  With 
suitable  assistance  they  seemed  capable  of 
being  brought  up  to  civilized  life,  and  to  a 
condition  of  intelligence  and  comfort. 

In  1838,  the  mission  family  at  Leech  Lake 
removed  to  Pokeguma,  a  change  which  it  was 
thought  would  give  greater  efficiency  to  the 
mission.  At  this  place  there  were  six  or  eight 
hopeful  conversions  during  the  year,  and  the 
Sabbath  was  strictly  observed  by  all  the  fa- 
milies residing  near  the  mission.  The  Gospel 
of  John  and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  were 
printed  this  year,  and  the  Gospel  of  Matthew 
was  prepared  for  the  press.  In  the  autumn  ol 
the  preceding  year  the  Ojibwas  concluded  a 
treaty  with  the  United  States  Government,  bj 
which  they  ceded  a  large  tract  from  the  south- 
ern portion  of  their  country,  the  line  beginning 
at  the  46th  parallel  of  latitude  on  the  Missis 
sippi  river,  and  extending  through  upper  Lake 
St.  Croix  to  Lake  Superior.  The  Indians 
were  to  remove  from  all  the  country  south  o 
the  line,  whenever  the  president  of  the  Unitec 
States  should  direct.  The  station  at  Poke 
guma  was  within  the  ceded  territory  ;  and  thosi 
Indians  who  had  just  begun  to  lead  a  settlec 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


619 


and  agricultural  life,  were  in  trouble  and  sus- 
pense, anxiously  inquiring  what  would  become 
of  their  houses  and  cultivated  fields,  if  the  pre- 
sident should  order  their  removal. 

In  1839,  one  of  the  missionaries,  after  stat- 
ing some  encouraging  facts,  adds,  "  The  mass 
of  the  tribe,  however,  manifest  very  little  de- 
sire to  improve  their  condition,  wretched  as  it 
is.  Few  are  desirous  to  learn  anything  of  the 
Bible,  and  most  of  them  seem  to  have  the  im- 
pression that  the  white  man's  religion  is  not 
made  for  them.  They  say  they  are  a  distinct 
race,  and  tlie  Great  Spirit  designed  they  should 
be  distinct.  They  live  differently,  and  go  to  a 
different  place  when  they  die."  With  these 
views  they  could  not  be  supposed  to  regard  the 
objects  for  which  the  missionaries  were  labor- 
ing, as  anything  very  desirable. 

The  vicinity  of  Fon  du  Lac  was  deserted  by 
the  Indians  in  1840  ;  and  as  there  was  no 
prospect  that  they  would  again  make  it  a 
place  of  resort,  the  station  was  discontinued. 
Pokeguma  and  La  Pointe  were  now  the  only 
remaining  stations,  and  the  missionary  force 
consisted  of  two  missionaries,  three  catechists 
and  teachers,  and  five  female  assistants.  The 
printing  in  Ojibwa,  this  year,  embraced  the 
epistles  of  J.ohn  and  James,  making  30  pages  ; 
a  tract  on  the  Atonement,  20  pages ;  Peter 
Parley's  Geography,  139  pages,  of  which  500 
copies  were  printed,  making  an  aggregate  of 
94,000  pages  ;  and  the  whole  amount  printed 
in  the  language  was  70*7,000  pages,  and  21,000 
volumes.  Most  of  this  printing  was  done  in 
New  England. 
,  For  several  years  a  hostile  feeling  had  ex- 
isted between  the  Ojibwas  and  their  neigh- 
bors, the  Sioux,  and  frequent  acts  of  savage 
violence  had  been  perpetrated.  In  the  early 
part  of  841,  the  Sioux  made  an  attack  upon 
the  Christian  Indians  of  Pokeguma,  in  de- 
scribing which  one  of  the  missionaries  says: 
"War  has  desolated  Pokeguma.  On  the 
morning  of  the  24th  of  May,  more  than  100 
Sioux  fell  upon  our  quiet  settlement,  and  in 
two  short  hours  made  it  a  scene  of  war  and 
death.  The  enemy  bore  away  the  scalps  of 
two  interesting  girls,  one  a  scholar  of  our 
school.  They  did  not  molest  us,  or  injure 
any  of  our  property."  Immediately  after  this 
outbreak,  the  Ojibwas  all  fled  from  Pokeg- 
uma. 

In  August,  1842,  the  mission  was  strength- 
ened by  the  arrival  of  Messrs.  Wheeler  and 
James,  with  their  wives,  and  Miss  Spooner. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  James,  however,  were  obliged, 
by  the  impaired  state  of  her  health,  to  re- 
turn to  their  friends,  after  being  in  the  field 
about  a  month. 

In  October,  1842,  the  superintendent  of  In- 
dian Affairs  in  the  north-west,  Eobert  Stuart, 
Esq.,  met  the  Ojibwas  at  La  Pointe,  and  ne- 
gotiated a  treaty  with  them,  by  which  they 
ceded  to  the  United  States  the  whole  of  their 
lands  lying  on   the  south   and  south-west  of 


Lake  Superior,  and  extending  westerly  to  the 
sources  of  the  Mississippi  river,  except  some 
reservations,  embracing  a  large  tract  about 
Fon  du  Lac,  and  another  about  Sandy  Lake. 
It  was  not  expected,  however,  that  the  Indians 
would  be  dispossessed  for  many  years,  or  that 
any  portion  of  the  country  would  be  occupied 
by  white  settlers,  except  the  mineral  districts 
on  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Superior.  By 
the  terms  of  this  treaty,  annuities  in  money, 
goods,  provisions,  &c.,  were  to  be  granted  to 
the  tribe,  amounting  to  $25,000  a  year,  for 
25  years ;  also  $2,000  annually  for  schools ; 
also  $5,000  for  the  purchase  of  stock,  agricul- 
tural utensils,  &c. ;  $75,000  for  liquidating 
their  debts  to  the  traders ;  and  $13,000  for 
gifts  to  the  half-breeds — amounting,  with  the 
annuities,  to  $768,000.  Blacksmiths,  carpen- 
ters, and  farmers  were  also  to  be  furnished. 
Between  3,000  and  4,000  Indians,  including  all 
the  most  influential  and  intelligent  chiefs,  were 
assembled  at  La  Pointe  on  the  occasion  of  this 
treaty,  and  the  whole  transaction  was  charac- 
terized by  uprightness  and  fair  dealing  on  the 
part  of  the  commissioner,  and  fully  understood 
and  approved  by  the  Indians.  Much  was  done 
to  encourage  the  missionaries  in  their  labors. 
Religious  meetings  were  held  nearly  every  day 
during  the  two  or  three  weeks  of  the  sitting 
of  the  council,  no  business  was  transacted  on 
the  Sabbath,  and  many  of  the  Indians,  influ- 
enced by  the  example  of  the  commissioner, 
listened  to  the  word  of  God,  who  had  seldom 
if  ever  heard  it  before.  By  this  treaty  it  was 
stipulated  that  the  intercourse  law,  forbidding 
the  introduction  of  intoxicating  liquors  into 
the  Indian  country,  should  be  continued  in 
force  over  the  ceded  territory. 

In  the  spring  of  1843,  the  Indians  who  were 
driven  from  Pokeguma  by  the  hostile  incur- 
sions of  the  Sioux,  and  who  had  remained  dis- 
persed nearly  two  years,  reassembled  at  that 
place,  and  were  joined  by  several  families  from 
other  bands.  Here  they  fortified  themselves, 
and  commenced  their  agricultural  labors  with 
more  diligence  and  energy  than  they  had  ever 
before  manifested.  They  also  paid  good  at- 
tention to  public  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
the  members  of  the  church  were  nmch  quick- 
ened. At  the  same  time  the  Holy  Spirit  de- 
scended upon  the  mission  families  at  La  Pointe, 
and  some  of  the  Indians  gave  evidence  of  hav- 
ing been  savingly  renewed.  During  this  year 
also  the  amount  of  reading  matter  in  the  Ojib- 
wa language  was  much  increased  by  the  print  ing 
of  the  whole  New  Testament,  the  Peep  of  Day, 
and  an  enlarged  collection  of  hymns,  making 
in  all  2,500  copies,  and  910,000  pages.  This 
printing  was  done  at  the  expense  of  the  Amer- 
ican Tract  and  Bible  Societies,  and  of  the 
American  Board. 

An  experiment  of  a  year  or  two  convinced 
the  missionaries  that  it  would  be  impracticable 
to  maintain  the  station  at  Pokeguma  with  a 
reasonable  hope  of  success,  and  it  was  given 


620 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


up.  A  little  subsequent  to  this,  a  degree  of 
uncertainty  was  thrown  around  the  prospects 
of  the  Ojibwas  by  tlio  conversion  of  Wiscon- 
sin territory  into  a  State.  A  portion  of  the 
tribe  fell  within  the  chartered  limits  of  that 
State,  and  what  disposition  would  be  made  of 
them  was  uncertain.  The  tide  of  emigration 
was  constantly  rolling  in  upon  them,  and  they 
were  in  constant  expectation  that  the  presi- 
dent would  give  the  order  for  their  removal. 
But  notwithstanding  these  dark  prospects, 
which  for  a  series  of  years  hung  over  the 
Choctaws  and  the  mission  among  them,  they 
have  been  preserved,  though  some  of  them 
have  removed  a  little  further  to  the  north  and 
west,  and  the  mission  has  not  been  without 
some  visible  fruits  from  year  to  year. 

For  the  last  two  or  three  years  only  two  sta- 
tions have  been  maintained,  viz.,  at  Bad  River 
and  Crow  Wing.  The  latter,  west  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  near  its  northern  extremity, 
was  given  up  on  account  of  the  war  between 
the  Ojibwas  and  the  Dakotas,  the  constant  in- 
troduction of  ardent  spirits,  and  the  small  num- 
ber of  Ojibwas  residing  in  that  quarter.  The 
former,  on  Lake  Superior,  was  favorably  no- 
ticed in  the  Herald  for  September,  1854,  the 
missionary,  Mr.  Wheeler,  saying,  "  The  past 
year  has  been  one  of  progress  among  our  peo- 
ple. They  were  never  more  quiet,  friendly, 
industrious,  or  temperate,  and  they  were  never 
more  disposed  to  listen  to  truth.  Our  meet- 
ings upon  the  Sabbath  have  been  well  attend- 
ed. Never  before  have  so  many  Indians  come 
so  regularly  to  our  religious  services,  and  lis- 
tened so  attentively  to  the  preached  word.  A 
number  of  Indians,  including  three  Indian 
chiefs,  have  identified  themselves  with  the 
Christian  party,  and  call  themselves  praying 
Indians.  I  have  seen  but  one  Indian  drunk 
at  Bad  River  for  more  than  a  year.  A  school 
is  maintained  of  about  50  pupils.  The  Indi- 
ans the  past  year  have  planted  more  than  ever 
before,  and  have  a  prospect  of  a  good  crop." 
The  station  was  soon  to  be  reinforced,  and 
hopes  were  entertained  that  much  might  yet 
be  done  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  good  of 
the  Ojibwas;  but  events  of  a  discouraging 
nature  have  occurred,  and  at  the  late  meeting 
of  the  Board  in  Hartford,  notice  was  given  of 
the  entire  suspension  of  the  mission. 

Dahlias. — The  American  Board  commenced 
a  mission  among  the  Dakotas  or  Sioux  in  the 
summer  of  1835.  The  tribe,  as  then  estimatr 
ed,  was  one  of  the  most  powerful  on  the  conti- 
nent, embracing  about  25,000  Indians,  who 
wandered,  for  hunting  and  fishing  purposes, 
through  the  extensive  countiy  lying  between 
the  43d  and  49th  degrees  of  north  latitude, 
and  extending  from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Mis- 
souri rivers. 

The  first  missionaries  were  the  Rev.  Thomas 
S.  Williamson  and  Jedediah  D.  Stevens,  with 
their  wives  ;  Alexander  Huggens,  farmer,  and 
his  wife ;  and  Sarah  Poage  and  I^ucy  C.  Ste- 


vens, assistants.  They  selected  for  their  sta- 
tions Lake  Harriet  and  Lac  qui  Parle,  the 
former  five  or  six  miles  west  of  Fort  Snelling, 
which  is  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi, 
near  its  junction  with  the  St.  Peters,  and  about 
forty  miles  below  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony ; 
and  the  latter  on  the  St.  Peters  river,  about 
200  miles  above  its  junction  with  the  Missis- 
sippi, or  400  following  the  course  of  the  river 
in  a  north-westerly  direction  from  Lake  Har- 
riet. Mr.  Williams,  who  was  also  a  physician, 
and  Mr.  Huggens  and  Miss  Poage,  remained 
at  Lake  Harriet ;  while  the  rest  of  the  com- 
pany proceeded  to  Lac  qui  Parle.  The  first 
few  years  were  chiefly  occupied  in  preparing 
suitable  buildings  for  the  mission  families  and 
school,  and  in  the  study  of  the  Dakota  and 
French  languages,  the  latter  being  thought 
important  in  order  to  communicate  instruction 
to  the  mixed  French  and  Indian  population 
found  at  the  trading  posts  and  other  places  in 
that  region.  The  Dakota  language  was  found 
to  be  peculiarly  destitute  of  a  large  class  of 
words  which  were  indispensable  in  giving  in- 
struction on  moral  and  religious  subjects.  As 
illustrations,  Dr.  Williamson  found  that  in 
Dakota  a  "  good  heart "  meant  simply  joy,  and 
a  "  bad  heart "  grief.  A  "  hard  heart  "  stood 
for  courage.  Giving  religious  instruction  in 
such  a  language  was  a  slow  process.  But  the 
word  was  not  without  efifect ;  and  in  1 838 
churches  had  been  formed  at  both  the  stations, 
that  at  Lac  qui  Parle  having  received  in  all  16 
members,  and  that  at  Lake  Harriet  a  smaller 
number.  The  school  at  the  former  station  had 
about  40  pupils,  and  that  at  the  latter  10  or 
15.  The  tribe  suffered  severely  from  the  pre- 
valence of  the  small-pox  in  the  autumn  of  1837, 
and  great  numbers  died  in  some  localities. 
Famine  also  prevailed  to  some  extent,  and  the 
Ojibwas  were  making  frequent  incursions  into 
the  Dakota  territory,  destroying  or  stealing 
horses  and  cattle,  and  often  murdering  the  peo- 
ple. These  causes,  altogether,  operated  to 
discourage  the  people  and  retard  the  mission  ; 
yet  the  missionaries  were  mastering  the  lan- 
guage, and  drew  increasing  numbers  within 
the  sound  of  the  Gospel.  Portions  of  the 
Scriptures  were  also  translated,  including  the 
Gospel  of  Mark,  and  selections  from  other  G  os- 
pels  and  the  Acts,  and  from  the  Old  Testament, 
amounting  in  all  to  107,500  pages. 

In  1840,  the  Indians  near  Lake  Harriet  all 
fled,  through  fear  of  their  Ojibwa  neighbors, 
and  the  mission  at  that  place  was  suspended. 
At  Lac  qui  Parle  more  progress  was  made 
this  year  than  in  any  preceding  year.  Three 
preaching  services  were  held  each  Sabbath, 
two  in  Dakota  and  one  in  English,  and  the 
hearers  varied  from  40  to  80.  Four  Indian 
women  were  admitted  to  the  church,  and  16 
children  of  the  church  members  were  baptized. 
A  Sabbath-school  was  opened  early  in  the 
year,  which  soon  increased  to  over  30  pupils ; 
and  in  the  day-school  there  was  an  average  of 


NORTH   AMERICAN   INDIANS. 


621 


30  or  40  scholars,  and  a  total  of  112.  Print- 
ing was  also  done  to  the  amount  of  173,000 
pages. 

In  1842,  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  at 
Lac  qui  Parle,  with  the  aid  of  some  of  the 
Indians.  The  monthly  concert  was  held  in 
the  Dakota  language,  attended  by  40  or  50 
Indians.  It  was  estimated  that  200  Indians 
had  attended  the  school,  more  or  less,  and  that 
about  100  had  learned  to  read  intelligently. 

A  new  station  was  occupied  in  1843  at  Tra- 
vers  des  Sioux,  at  the  head  of  boat  navigation 
on  the  St.  Peters,  about  75  miles  from  its 
junction  with  the  Mississippi.  In  1846  and 
1847,  two  other  stations  were  occupied,  one 
called  Kaposia,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, a  little  below  the  St.  Peters,  and  the 
other  Xapedan,  on  the  St.  Peters,  30  miles 
from  Fort  'Snelling.  To  these  places  mission- 
aries and  teachers  were  sent,  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  the  Indians  themselves,  and  it 


was  the  first  time  that  the  Dakotas  had  ever 
shown  such  an  appreciation  of  missionary  in- 
struction and  aid.  The  Indians  residing  around 
the  stations  generally  refrained  from  the  use 
of  ardent  spirits,  and  manifested  an  increasing 
inclination  to  till  the  soil.  About  the  same 
time  invitations  came  from  several  other  Indi- 
an villages,  requesting  that  religious  teachers 
might  come  and  reside  among  them ;  but  there 
were  none  to  send. 

In  the  autumn  of  1848,  the  committee,  wish- 
ing to  make  full  proof  of  the  Dakota  mission, 
sent  out  two  more  missionaries  and  their  wives, 
and  new  stations  were  formed  at  Prairievillo 
and  Red  Wing,  making  six  in  all,  one  having 
been  given  up.  There  M^ere  now  8  missiona- 
ries in  this  field,  and  5  male  and  14  female 
assistants.  The  report  for  1850  presented  the 
following  statistics,  which,  as  they  are  tiiore 
full  than  any  of  a  later  date,  are  presented 
here: 


STATIONS. 

SCHOOIS. 

CHUKCHEB. 

1 

1 

2 

i 

1 

.a 

.a 

2 

1 

1 

1 
1 

.2_. 

1! 

1 

'3 

a 

n 
1 

1 

1 

1 

s 

li 

ft 

i 

1 

g 

i 

1 

1 
50 

2 

i 

^ 

6 

l§ 

Lac  qui  Parle  . 

4 

16 

70 

6 

20 

1 

20 

7 

1 

4 

2 

28 

Travers  des  Sioux 

1 

6 

1 

Prairieville .  .  . 

2 

3 

Oak  Grove  .  .  . 

1 

3 

7 

1 

2 

6 

Kaposia   .... 

12 

5 

24 

5 

12 

6 

3 

1 

8 

8 

1 

17 

Red  Wing  .  .  . 

Totals  .... 

12 

6 

50 

1 

3 

31 

2 
32 

2 

5 

5 

54 

30^ 

27 

144 

11 

32 

57 

6 

In  July,  1851,  treaties  were  entered  into  be- 
tween the  Dakota  Indians  and  the  U.  S. 
Government,  by  which  the  Indians  ceded  a 
large  portion  of  their  territory,  only  reserving 
a  tract  about  150  miles  long  and  20  wide,  in 
the  valley  of  the  St.  Peters.  But  the  treaty  in 
this  form  was  not  ratified,  the  Senate  refusing 
to  confirm  the  reservation,  and  merely  permit- 
ting the  Dakotas  to  remain  upon  it  during 
the  pleasure  of  the  president.  To  these  modi- 
fied terms  the  assent  of  the  Indians  was  subse- 
quently obtained,  and  in  1853  they  removed  on 
to  the  reservation.  As  all  the  stations  but  one 
lay  within  the  ceded  territory,  they  were  for- 
saken of  Indians,  and  of  course  given  up.  The 
Herald,  for  September,  1854,  notices  the  existr 
ence  of  but  two  stations.  Yellow  Medicine  and 
New  Hope,  so  that  from  the  six  flourishing 
stations  above  mentioned,  the  mission  was  sud- 
denly reduced  to  a  very  restricted  condition, 
thus  furnishing  another  instance  of  the  harrass- 
ing  and  disastrous  effects  of  the  government 


policy,  in  driving  the  Indians  from  their  lands, 
and  compelling  them  to  feel  that  they  have  no 
resting  place,  and  no  security  for  any  spot  of 
earth  they  may  dwell  upon,  whether  held  by 
permission  or  under  the  most  solemn  treaty 
stipulations.  To  conduct  missions  successfully 
among  a  people  subject  to  such  removals,  liv- 
ing in  constant  dread  of  government  force,  or 
treachery,  and  rendered  suspicious  of  the  mo- 
tives of  white  men,  has  been  found  extremely 
difficult,  and  often  impossible ;  and  hence  the 
frequent  abandonment  of  Indian  missions,  after 
vast  expenditures  of  labor  and  money  upon 
them  and  the  sacrifice  of  many  precious  lives 
in  efforts  to  sustain  them. 

As  the  Dakotas  hold  the  territory  they  aro 
upon  at  the  pleasure  of  the  president,  tho 
order  for  their  removal  to  some  other  uncertain 
abode  may  be  looked  for  at  any  time,  and, 
therefore,  great  uncertainty  attends  the  mis- 
sion among  them,  both  as  to  its  usefulness  and 
permanency. 


622 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


Abenaqais. — This  band  of  Indians  is  settled 
at  St.  Francis,  in  Lower  Canada,  on  tlie  south 
side  of  Lake  St.  Peters,  about  60  miles  below 
Montreal.  Their  missionary  and  teacher,  Pe- 
ter Paul  Osunkhirhine,  is  a  native  of  this 
tribe,  and  received  a  good  English  education 
at  Hanover,  N.  H.,  where  he  became  hopefully 
pious.  He  afterwards  returned  home,  with  the 
hope  of  doing  good  to  his  people.  Finding  it 
impracticable  to  teach  them  the  English  lan- 
guage, he  prepared  an  elementary  book  in 
their  own  language,  embracing  a  translation 
of  passages  of  Scripture,  and  some  other  useful 
pieces.  This  book,  with  a  small  religious 
tract,  was  printed  at  the  expense  of  the  Board 
in  1830.  With  these  he  returned  again  to  his 
people,  and  having  obtained  the  appointment 
of  schoolmaster  from  the  Canadian  govern- 
ment, he  opened  a  school,  at  the  same  time 
holding  meetings  on  the  Sabbath,  and  endea- 
voring, in  other  ways,  to  enlighten  their  be- 
nighted minds.  Many  children  and  yout|i  at- 
tended his  school,  and  even  some  adults  learned 
to  read  his  books.  Some  who  listened  to  his 
religious  instructions  became  serious  and  hope- 
fully pious.  This  awakened  the  opposition  of 
the  papists,  who  complained  of  him  to  the  gov- 
ernment, for  interfering  with  the  religion  of 
the  Indians,  and  he  was  forbidden  to  hold 
meetings,  or  in  any  manner  to  meddle  with 
their  religious  concerns.  With  this  injunc- 
tion he  could  not  conscientiously  comply,  and 
he  was,  therefore,  much  persecuted,  and  de- 
prived of  his  salary  from  the  government.  He 
then  applied  to  the  Committee  of  the  Board, 
for  such  an  annual  allowance  as  would  furnish 
him  the  means  of  subsistence,  and  enable  him 
to  continue  his  labors  among  his  people.  This 
was  granted,  and  he  has  persevered  in  his  self- 
denying  and  important  work  to  the  present 
time. 

Osunkhirhine  was  licensed  to  preach  in  Jan- 
uary, 1836,  by  the  Champlain  Presbytery,  and 
in  the  following  June,  he  was  ordained  as  an 
evangelist  to  his  native  tribe.  Upon  this,  the 
opposition  of  the  papal  community  was  much 
embittered,  and  efforts  were  made  to  get  him 
removed  from  the  reservation,  but  the  governor 
refused  to  interfere.  When  he  commenced  his 
labors,  the  whole  tribe  were  ignorant  and 
bigoted  papists.  In  1837,  more  than  .30  per- 
sons attended  his  preaching,  all  of  whom  had 
renounced  the  Romish  church,  in  spite  of  the 
most  bitter  persecution.  From  five  to  twenty 
children  were  gathered  into  a  school,  accord- 
ing as  the  people  were  at  home  or  on  their 
hunting  grounds,  and  three  persons,  including 
the  wife  of  Osunkhirhine,  had  joined  the  Pro- 
testant church.  In  1840,  the  church  members 
had  increased  to  27,  and  a  prosperous  school 
of  23  pupils  was  in  operation. 

In  the  winter  of  1841,  President  Lord,  of 
Dartmouth  College,  visited  Osunkhirhine  at 
St.  Francis,  and  in  a  subsequent  statement,  he 
remarked  :"  The  church  now  consists  of  29 


members,  out  of  300  souls,  the  number  of  the 
tribe  now  resident  at  St.  Francis.  Osunkhir- 
hine's  labors  are  steady,  and  well  adapted  to 
the  condition  of  the  people.  His  wife,  a  full- 
blooded  Indian,  is  remarkably  interesting — a 
model.  I  beg  to  commend  the  mission.  Its 
importance,  I  think,  cannot  be  too  highly  ap- 
preciated. Its  relation  to  the  French  popula- 
tion gives  it  its  greatest  importance.  There 
is  hardly  any  other  light  between  Montreal 
and  Quebec.  The  despised  church  at  St. 
Francis  is  hts  witness  along  the  great  river." 

In  1843,  it  was  reported  :  "  Five  Indiana 
have  been  received  to  the  church  on  profession 
during  the  last  year,  and  the  whole  number 
received  since  Mr.  Osunkhirhine  commenced 
his  labors,  is  46,  41  of  whom  still  survive,  and 
are  members  in  good  standing.  The  papal 
priests  are  active,  as  heretofore,  in  opposmg 
the  progress  of  spiritual  religion  among  the 
Indians."  In  1845  it  was  recorded  :  "  Sixty- 
six  Indians,  all  converted  from  Romanism,  and 
hopefully  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  have 
been  received  to  the  church."  The  opposition 
of  the  papal  priests  availed  little.  In  1846  it 
was  estimated  that  one-third  of  the  300  com- 
posing the  Abenaquis  tribe,  had  become  Pro- 
testants, through  the  labors  of  this  judicious 
and  devoted  native  missionary. 

In  June,  1851,  Mr.  Treat,  one  of  the  secre- 
taries of  the  Board,  was  directed  to  visit  the 
Abenaquis  tribe,  which  he  found  composing 
"  an  irregularly-built  village  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  St.  Francis,  four  miles  from  the  St. 
Lawrence.  The  population  of  the  tribe  is 
three  or  four  hundred,  and  in  their  general 
appearance  and  habits  of  life,  they  compare 
well  with  the  Canadians  around  them.  Mr. 
Osunkhirhine  has  a  plain  but  comfortable 
church,  erected  partly  at  the  expense  of  the 
Board,  in  which  he  holds  three  services  on  the 
Sabbath,  and  three  meetings  during  the  week." 

The  latest  intelligence  from  this  mission  is 
to  January,  1854.  The  missionary  continues 
to  labor  with  his  usual  fidelity,  having  been  at 
his  post  more  than  twenty  years,  and,  though 
contending  still  against  papal  influence,  and 
often  tried  by  the  delinquency  of  the  converts, 
he  has  a  reasonable  prospect  of  continuance 
and  usefulness. 

Pawnees.— The  Pawnee  tribe,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  mission  among  them,  in 
1835,  was  divided  into  four  bands ;  Pawnee 
Republicans,  Pawnee  Peeks,  Pawnee  Loups, 
and  Grand  Pawnees, — amounting  in  all  to 
between  6,000  and  7,000  persons.  They  occu- 
pied an  extensive  territory  on  both  sides  of 
the  Platte  river,  in  Nebraska.  The  first  mis- 
sionary company  consisted  of  Rev.  John  Dun- 
bar, missionary,  Benedict  Satterlee,  physician 
and  catechist,  and  Samuel  Allis,  assistant. 
Owing  to  the  wandering  habits  of  these  Indi- 
ans, little  could  be  done  for  several  years  in 
the  w^ay  of  systematic  labor.  Their  head-quar- 
ters were  at  Bellevue,  the  seat  of  the  govern- 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


623 


ment  agency,  and  Messrs.  Dunbar  and  Satter- 
lee  generally  accompauied  large  bands  of  In- 
dians in  their  long  hunting  excursions,  with  a 
view  both  to  acquire  the  language  and  to  give 
instruction,  as  opportunity  was  afforded.  Mr. 
Satterlee  died  on  one  of  these  tours,  in  a  some- 
what mysterious  manner. 

In  1840,  these  four  bands  appeared  strongly 
inclined  to  abandon  the  hunter  life,  and  settle 
in  villages  for  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  The 
tract  of  country  selected  for  this  purpose  was 
located  on  Council  and  Plumb  creeks,  on  the 
north  side  of  Loup  Fork,  which  empties  into 
Platte  river.  To  this  place  the  missionary 
families  removed  in  the  spring  of  1841.  The 
government,  agreeably  to  certain  treaty  pro- 
visions, had  furnished  the  Indians  with  large 
numbers  of  oxen,  plows,  &c.,  and  they  had 
begun  to  plow  and  sow  their  farms  with 
great  zeal  and  satisfaction. 

In  this  early  stage  of  their  progress  they 
were  destined  to  a  terrible  onset  from  a  neigh- 
boring hostile  tribe.  Early  on  a  morning  in 
June,  1843,  a  strong  party  of  Sioux  came  upon 
one  of  the  Pawnee  villages  by  surprise,  when 
a  course  of  fighting  and  plunder  ensued  which 
lasted  till  mid-day,  and  resulted  in  killing  67 
Pawnees,  wounding  twenty  others,  seizing  200 
horses,  and  burning  20  out  of  41  lodges  of 
which  the  village  was  composed.  The  value 
of  property  lost  was  estimated  at  $8,000  or 
$10,000.  The  Indians  of  this  village  were 
scattered  among  the  other  bands,  being  fearful 
of  another  attack  should  they  attempt  to  re- 
build the  village  ;  and  in  all  the  villages  agri- 
cultural labor  was  greatly  retarded  by  the  con- 
stant fear  of  hostile  tribes.  Meanwhile  the 
missionary  brethren  and  sisters,  amid  many 
agitating  scenes,  prosecuted  their  labors  with 
patience  and  hope ;  and  especially  had  they, 
in  1846,  accomplished  an  important  work,  in 
the  translation  of  the  Gospel  of  Mark  into  the 
Pawnee  language. 

In  1847  the  missionaries,  in  view  of  the 
frequent  assaults  made  upon  the  Pawnees,  and 
the  danger  to  which  their  own  lives  were  ex- 
posed, withdrew  from  the  field,  and  the  mission 
has  not  since  been  resumed. 

Oregon  Indians. — After  several  exploring 
expeditions  among  the  Indians  west  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  the  Board  entered  upon  a 
mission  there  in  the  autumn  of  1836.  Their 
attention  was  directed  to  three  tribes,  embrac- 
ing the  Kayuses,  among  whom  was  the  Waii- 
latpu  station ;  the  Nez  Perses,  among  whom 
were  the  Clear  Water  and  Kamiah  stations  ; 
and  the  Flat  Heads,  in  whose  neighborhood 
was  the  Tshimakaiu  station.  These  stations 
were  provided  with  suitable  laborers,  so  that 
in  1840  the  whole  force  consisted  of  four  mis- 
sionaries, one  physician,  two  male  and  six  fe- 
male assistants.  They  were  not  only  kindly 
received,  but  the  Indians  showed  the  utmost 
eagerness  to  receive  instruction  ;  and  other 
tribes,  hearing  that  teachers  had  come  into  the 


I  country,  sent  pressing  messages  requesting  that 
jone  or  more  might  be  sent  to  dwell  amon^ 
'  them. 

The  three  tribes  above  named  were  anxious 
also  to  engage  in  agriculture,  and  hundreds  of 
families  settled  near  the  mission  stations,  and 
cultivated  the  ground  so  assiduously  that  in  a 
little  time  they  had  produced  enough  for  their 
comfortable  subsistence.  Their  desire  for  re- 
ligious instruction  exceeded  anything  ever  be- 
fore met  with  among  the  North  American  In- 
dians. "Among  the  Nez  Perses,"  says  the 
report  for  1840,  "the  congregation  had  in- 
creased from  such  a  number  as  could  be  accom- 
modated in  a  small  school  house,  to  between 
one  and  two  thousand,  many  coming  from  the 
adjacent  bands.  All  seemed  eager  for  religious 
instruction,  and  it  was  believed  that  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  was  working  on  the  hearts  of  many. 
As  many  as  2,000  made  a  public  confession  of 
sin,  and  promised  to  serve  God.  Doubtless  , 
many  did  this  with  a  very  imperfect  idea  of ' 
what  was  involved  in  it,  though  not  a  few 
were  thought  to  give  evidence  of  saving  con- 
version." A  similar  religious  interest  was 
manifested  among  the  Kayuses. 

About  this  time  the  mission  received,  as  a 
donation  from  the  Sandwich  Island  churches, 
a  small  printing-press,  with  the  requisite  type 
and  furniture,  with  paper,  &c.,  all  estimated  at 
about  $450.  From  the  same  source  they  re- 
ceived the  year  before  §80  in  money,  and  ten 
bushels  of  salt.  The  press  was  immediately 
set  up  at  Clear  "V^iiter,  and  employed  to  print 
an  elementary  school  book  of  twenty  pages. 
The  Indians  were  highly  gratified  with  a  book 
in  their  own  language,  and  new  interest  was 
found  to  be  imparted  to  the  schools.  In  1841 
a  second  book  was  prepared  and  printed  in  the 
Nez  Perses  language,  and  800  copies  printed, 
making  41,600  pages.  A  saw  mill  and  grist 
mill  were  also  put  in  operation  at  Clear  "Water, 
and  a  grain  mill  at  Waiilatpu,  all  of  which 
afforded  valuable  aid  to  the  mission  families, 
and  encouraged  a  settled  life  among  the  In- 
dians. 

For  the  three  or  four  succeeding  years  the 
mission  was  attended  with  great  apparent  suc- 
cess, not,  however,  without  some  serious  defec- 
tions among  the  Indians,  and  at  times  abusive 
treatment  from  the  younger  and  more  savage 
portion  of  the  tribes. 

In  the  autumn  of  1847,  however,  a  scene  oc- 
curred at  the  Waiilatpu  station,  among  the 
Kayuses,  of  the  most  tragical  and  distressing 
character.  Owing  to  the  prevalence  and  ex- 
treme fatality  of  the  measles  and  dysentery,  a 
portion  of  the  Indians  became  jealous  of  the 
missionaries,  and  especially  of  Dr.  Whitman, 
who  was  stationed  at  Waiilatpu,  supposing 
that  if  they  would  they  might  use  their  super- 
natural powers  to  stay  the  dreadful  malady. 
Some  even  pretended  that  Dr.  W.  was  giving 
them  poison,  in  order  to  destroy  their  lives. 
They  therefore  determined  on  revenge,  and  on 


624 


NORTH   AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


the  29th  of  Nov.,  1847,  they  fell  upon  the 
"NVaiilatim  station,  and  most  cruelly  massacred 
Dr.  "Whitman,  his  wife,  and  twelve  other  per- 
sons. Of  the  latter,  several  were  emigrants 
from  the  States,  and  one  was  an  assistant  mis- 
sionary. The  details  of  this  tragical  affair 
ore  of  a  most  heart-rending  nature.  They  are 
fully  given  in  the  "  Herald  "  for  July,  1848,  by 
Mr.  Spalding,  one  of  the  missionaries,  with  an 
account  of  his  own  wonderful  escape.  About 
fifty  women  and  children^  who  were  taken  and 
held  as  captives,  were  redeemed  through  the 
agency  of  Mr.  Ogden,  chief  factor  of  the  Hud- 
son Bay  Company,  after  having  suffered  every 
abuse  and  indignity  for  nearly  a  month. 

In  addition  to  the  above-mentioned  cause  for 
this  outrage,  it  was  believed  to  have  been  pro- 
moted in  some  measure  by  the  Romish  priests, 
from  St.  Louis,  who  had  come  into  that  region, 
and  who  had  been  active  in  opposing  the  Pro- 
testant missionaries.  This  suspicion  was 
strengthened  by  the  fact  that  several  children 
of  the  murderers  were  baptized  by  one  of  these 
priests,  while  yet  the  hands  of  their  parents 
were  wet  with  the  blood  of  their  victims.  It 
was  also  known  that  the  Catholic  priest  last 
named  was  in  the  company  of  anindian  who  was 
pui-suing  Mr.  Spalding  with  a  loaded  pistol, 
with  a  view  to  murder  him.  From  these  and 
other  circumstances  it  is  not  difficult  to  deter- 
mine the  relation  and  agency  of  Romish  priests 
to  this  scene — one  of  the  most  savage  and  ap- 
paling  to  be  met  with  in  all  the  annals  of  mis- 
sionary adventure. 

Within  a  short  time  after  the  massacre,  all 
the  stations  were  abandoned,  it  not  being  con- 
sidered safe  for  the  mission  families  to  remain.. 
Some  of  the  missionaries  continued  to  labor 
in  Oregon,  among  the  whites,  but  no  mission 
has  since  been  attempted  among  the  Indian 
tribes. 

Indians  in  New  York. — The  Indians  in  New 
York  are  remnants  of  the  "  Six  Tribes,"  and 
reside  at^he  four  following  places,  viz. :  Tusca- 
rora 
Seneca, 


miles  s( 
western, 
places 
Missionj 
In  181 
Maine, 
caroras, 
Indians, 


.]    4  miles  east  of  Niagara  river  ; 
inc_  f,^,  C0L.|^g^iQ  .  Cattaraugus,  30 


f^' 


^t:Zi:,fi'^''j^^^s^^n}:iko^^ 


,«J^.    The  missions  at  these 
I'erred  by  the  United  Foreign 


irfere. 

j.ky  to  the  Board,  in  1826. 
IjJjj  ..  John  Eliot,  a  young  man  from 
,  ^'ed  upon  his  labors  among  the  Tus- 
rhere  he  found  a  population  of  240 
a  church  of  15  members ;  a  mission 
house  and  farm  worth  $1,800,  and  a  school, 
which  he  immediately  re-organized,  with  30 
scholars.  In  1831,  a  revival  of  religion  was 
enjoyed  at  this  place,  and  the  church  was  in- 
creased to  56  members.  At  this  period  for 
the  first  time,  the  sanctity  and  obligations  of 
the  marriage  relation  were  acknowledged  by 
these  Indians,  and  21  children  were  baptized. 
The  people  also  began  more  strictly  to  regard 
the  Sabbath,  and  to  be  more  temperate  and 
industrious. 


At  Seneca,  a  boarding-school  was  in  opcrc 
tion,  which,  in  1828,  embraced  70  pupils  ;  als 
a  church  of  49  members.  In  1829,  a  ne\ 
house  of  worship  was  dedicated,  the  money  fo 
which,  —  $1,700,  had  been  subscribed  by  th 
chiefs  and  young  men  of  the  tribe.  Durin< 
this  year,  also,  the  Gospel  of  Luke,  the  Sermoi 
on  the  Mount,  and  about  thirty  hymns  wer< 
printed  in  the  Seneca  language.  A  revival  o 
religion  was  enjoyed  at  this  station  in  1831. 

At  Cattaraugus,  there  was  special  attentioi 
to  religion  i«  1827,  and  a  church  of  12  mem 
bers  was  organized.  For  several  subsequen 
years  there  was  much  attention  to  religion  a 
this  place. 

The  station  at  Alleghany  had  enjoyed  thi 
services  of  a  teacher  several  years,  but  hat 
been  without  a  missionary  till  1829,  when  Mr 
William  Hall  was  ordained  to  that  work. 

In  1843,  the  whole  number  of  Indians  resid 
ing  in  Western  New  York,  was  estimated  ai 
3,000,  about  three-fourths  of  whom  were  Sene 
cas,  and  the  remainder  Tuscaroras,  Onondagas 
Cayugas,  Oneidas,  and  Mohawks,  remnants  o 
the  once  powerful  Six  Nations.  They  occu 
pied  five  reservations,  embracing  about  110,00( 
acres.  A  treaty  had,  a  little  before  this,  beer 
concluded,  by  which  a  portion  of  their  lands 
were  ceded  to  the  United  States,  and  this  sub 
ject  caused  much  complaint  and  trouble. 

The  whole  number  of  church  members  ai 
this  time  was  234,  of  whom  49  were  at  Tusca 
rora,  20  at  Seneca,  51  at  Cattaraugus,  anc 
114  at  Alleghany.  The  number  of  pupils  ir 
the  schools  at  these  stations  was  estimated  ai 
200.  The  mission  press  at  Seneca  was  em 
ployed  in  printing  various  small  works,  and  ir 
1845,  more  than  52,000  pages  were  executed 
In  respect  to  agriculture  and  the  comforts  o 
life,  great  good  had  been  effected  among  th( 
the  Indians.  One  of  the  missionaries  reportec 
in  1848,  "  three  times  as  much  productive 
labor  as  there  was  in  1832,  and  five  times  as 
much  provision  obtained." 

Of  late  years  some  changes  have  occurred 
and  the  mission  has  been  reported  under  twc 
separate  heads,  viz.,  the  Seneca  mission,  anc 
the  Tuscarora  mission.  The  Seneca  missioE 
has  4  stations,  4  missionaries,  15  female  as- 
sistant missionaries,  and  one  native  assistant 
In  the  two  churches  there  are  169  members; 
and  in  the  10  schools  there  are  310  pupils. 

The  Tuscarora  mission  has  one  station,  one 
out-station,  one  missionary,  four  female  assist- 
ant missionaries,  and  two  native  helpers.  The 
church  has  96  members ;  and  the  schools,  ol 
which  there  are  two,  have  70  scholars. 

Under  the  labors  of  the  missionaries,  these 
Indians  have  advanced  to  a  high  state  of  civ- 
ilization, and,  in  respect  to  industrial,  social, 
and  moral  habits,  they  show  a  degree  of  im- 
provement rarely  excelled  by  those  who  have 
been  raised  from  a  savage  state. 

Moravian  Missions  to  North  Americai* 
Indians. — The  labors  of  the  Moravian  breth- 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS. 


625 


ren  among  tlie  Indians  of  North  America  were 
commenced  as  early  as  1735.  Their  attention 
was  first  directed  to  the  Creek  nation,  but  their 
labors  were  soon  interrupted  by  hostilities  be- 
tween the  English  and  the  Spaniards.  Subse- 
quently, during  the  18th  century,  they  estab- 
lished missions  at  various  points  in  the  south- 
ern and  middle  States,  and  they  often  had  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  the  Indians  embracing  the 
truth,  and  even  of  witnessing  some  signal  tri- 
umphs of  the  Gospel.;  but  they  were  frequent- 
ly compelled  to  abandon  interesting  fields,  by 
hostilities  among  neighboring  tribes,  and  espe- 
cially by  the  adverse  events  of  the  English  and 
French  war,  and  the  war  of  the  revolution. 
To  follow  them  in  the  varied  results  of  their 
labors  through  this  long  period,  would  require 
more  space  than  can  be  allowed  in  the  present 
work. 

Within  the  present  century  the  Moravians 
have  had  missions  among  the  Delawares,  the 
Chippeways,  the  Creeks,  the  Cherokees,  and 
some  smaller  tribes,  whom  they  have  followed 
in  their  voluntary  or  forced  removals,  quit- 
ting their  posts  only  when  their  continued 
labors  became  fruitless  or  impossible. 

At  the  present  time  their  missions  are  con- 
fined to  two  tribes  :  the  Delawares,  on  the 
Kansas  river,  where  they  have  more  than  350 
Indians  under  religious  instruction,  and  the 
Cherokees,  in  their  new  western  home,  where 
they  have  two  stations,  and  about  120  com- 
municants. The  returns  /rom  these  missions 
are  very  incomplete,  rendering  it  impossible  to 
give  full  statistics,  or  to  state  what  are  their 
present  prospects  and  means  of  usefulness. 

Church  Missionary  Society. — The  only 
mission  which  the  Church  of  England  has 
had  among  the  North  American  Indians  is 
that  among  the  Esquimaux,  on  Red  river, 
south  of  Lake  Winnipeg  and  north  of  Minne- 
sota. It  was  commenced  in  1822  by  Eev.  J. 
West,  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  chaplain, 
on  Red  river.  -  In  the  course  of  a  year  or  two, 
a  school-house  and  church  were  erected,  and 
considerable  progress  was  made  towards  bring- 
ing the  i  iidians  under  instruction.  In  1823 
Rev.  D.  T.  Jones  sailed  from  England  for  the 
purpose  of  strengthening  this  mission,  and  in 
1825  he  was  joined  by  the  Rev.  W.  Cochran. 
The  progress  of  the  mission  at  this  date  had 
been  such,  that  the  school-house  and  church 
were  too  small,  and  new  and  more  commodious 
ones  were  erected.  In  1832  there  were  3  sta- 
tions, with  each  a  church,  and  a  total  of  143 
communicants.  The  number  attending  public 
worship  was  800,  and  the  number  gathered 
into  schools  was  330. 

At  the  present  time,  as  nearly  as  can  be  as- 
certained from  the  incomplete  returns,  there 
are  connected  with  the  Red  river  mission  10 
stations,  8  missionaries,  12  assistants,  8  of 
whom  are  natives,  1733  attendants  on  public 
worship,  507  communicants,  22  schools,  and 
724  pupils.  The  missionaries  have  acquired 
40 


the  Indian  language,  so  as  to  preach  in  it,  and 
they  have  translated  portions  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, the  church  catechism,  the  marriage 
service,  and  the  communion  and  baptism'al 
services.  The  language  of  these  Indians,  de- 
nominated the  Cree  language,  is  said  by  the 
missionaries  to  bear  a  strong  aflBuity  to  the 
Greek. 

In  the  department  of  agriculture,  consider- 
able progress  has  been  made.  The  Indians 
build  very  comfortable  houses,  raise  large 
patches  of  barley,  wheat,  potatoes,  &c.,  and 
enjoy  i^uch  of  social  order  and  comfort.  With- 
in a  short  time  Moose  Lake  has  been  occupied 
as  a  station,  under  the  labors  of  a  pious  Indian 
who  reads  the  New  Testament  well,  and  has 
the  entire  confidence  of  the  missionaries. — Rev. 
E.  D.  MooRB. 

Episcopal  Board. — A  mission  was  com- 
menced at  Green  Bay,  by  the  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 
the  United  States,  in  1825,  under  the  superin- 
tendence of  Rev.  Mr.  Nash,  which  was  sus- 
pended in  1827.  In  1829,  it  was  renewed, 
under  the  superintendence  of  Rev.  R.  F.  Codle, 
by  whom  it  was  continued,  under  many  em- 
barrassments and  difficulties,  till  1837,  when 
treaties  were  entered  into  between  the  United 
States  and  many  of  the  north-western  tribes  of 
Indians  for  their  removal  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. The  unsettled  condition  of  the  tribes 
around  the  mission,  consequent  upon  these 
treaties,  and  their  subsequent  removal,  led  to 
the  discontinuance  of  the  mission.  The  results 
of  this  mission  are  thus  stated  :  About  270  In- 
dian children  enjoyed  the  benefits  of  the  school, 
some  of  whom  have  die8  in  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  the  comfortable  assurance  of  a  blessed 
hereafter.  Some  are  now  adorning  the  doc- 
trine of  God  our  Saviom*  by  a  life  of  consistent 
piety. 

Some  time  after  the  breaking  up  of  this 
mission.  Bishop  Kemper,  accompanied  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Gregory,  embraced  a  number  of  tribes  in 
a  circuit,  in  a  visit  to  the  scattered  members 
of  his  diocese;  and  on  the  2d  of  December, 
1838,  he  consecrated  a  church  at  Duck  Creek, 
erected  by  the  Oneidas  with  a  portion  of  the 
funds  received  from  Government ;  and  in  1839, 
Rev.  Solomon  Davis  had  charge  of  the  church. 
The  department  of  Indian  Missions  was  subse- 
quently transferred  to  the  Domestic  Commit- 
tee ;  who  proposed  a  plan  for  an  Indian  dio- 
cese, with  a  missionary  bishop,  and  considera- 
ble effort  was  made  to  raise  money  to  endow 
the  bishopric ;  but  as  yet,  the  object  has  not 
been  accomplished.  A  mission  has,_  however, 
been  commenced  among  the  Chicktusaws,  and 
an  appropriation  has  been  made  by  the  United 
States  Government  toward  sustaining  a  school 
under  the  direction  of  the  mission. 

American  Missionary  As.sociation. — Ojib- 
wa  Mission.— Tins  mission  comprisi^  four  sta- 
tions, located  at  Red  Lake,  Cass  Lake,  Belle 
Prairie  and  St.  Josephs,  Minnesota  Territory ; 


626 


NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS— NOVA  Si^TIA. 


tho  first  three  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river,  and  the  last  on  the  North  Red 
river,  where  it  enters  the  British  possessions. 
This  is  the  only  mission  in  all  that  region  of 
country.  It  was  commenced  under  the  patron- 
age of  the  Western  Evangelical  Missionary 
Society,  in  1843,  and  afterwards  transferred  to 
the  American  Missionary  Association.  The 
Oiibwa  (or  Chippeway)  Indians  compose  one 
of  the  largest  tribes  in  the  United  States,  num- 
bering some  30,000.  They  are  divided  into 
small  bands  of  from  200  to  500  souls;  the 
bands  each  having  its  own  home,  hunting- 
ground  and  chief,  all  located  from  25  to  100 
miles  apart. 

At  three  of  these  stations,  boarding-schools 
are  established,  and  the  scholars  are  required 
to  engage  in  some  kind  of  manual  labor  a  por- 
tion of  each  day.  Churches  containing  native 
converts  have  been  formed  at  Red  Lake  and 
Cass  Lake.  The  other  stations  have  been 
commenced  within  the  last  two  years. 

When  this  mission  commenced,  the  Indians 
had  no  domestic  animals,  except  dogs,  and  no 
agricultural  implements.  They  raised  nothing, 
but  depended  for  subsistence  on  hunting  and 
fishing,  wild  rice  and  sugar ;  and,  being  in  a 
poor  country  for  game,  they  often  suffered  with 
hunger,  and  sometimes  resorted  to  the  use  of 
human  flesh  to  satisfy  it.  Now  some  of  these 
bands  supply  themselves  abundantly  with  foo^, 


and  have  to  spare  for  their  starving  neighbor 
of  other  bands.  For  this  improvement  the; 
arc  indebted  to  the  instruction  and  example  c 
the  missionaries,  and  the  aid  received  from  ther 
in  plowing  their  lands. — Rev.  G.  Whipple. 


NAME  OP  STATION. 

1^ 

■i. 
II 

II 

1 

3 

5 

il 

1| 
II 

Red  lAke...*. 

1843 

1846 
1852 
1852 

1 
1 

2 

3 
2 
1 

1 

7 

4 
3 
2 
1 

10 

1 
1 
1 

3 

10 
2 
* 

12 

on 

Cass  lAke 

^o 

St.  Josephs 

7 

BeUe  Prairie 

Totals 

* 

as 

4 

Not 

reported. 

American  Indian  Mission  Association.— 
This  society,  the  seat  of  whose  operations  is  ii 
Louisville,  Ky.,  have  four  missions, '  locate( 
among  the  Choctaws,  Creeks,  Weas,  Pianke 
shaws,  Miaraies,  and  Putawatamies";  with  si: 
stations  and  eight  out-stations  ;  28  missiona 
ries  and  assistants;  21  churches,  with  130i 
communicants ;  126  baptisms  during  the  year 
and  165  pupils  in  schools.  This  society  reprc 
sents  a  portion  of/the  Baptist  denomination  ii 
the  south-west. 


GENERAL   TABULAR   VIEW. 


socianES. 


Presbyterian  Board 

American  Baptist  Union 

Methodist  PI  Church  North  and  South 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  .... 

American  Boardf  ^ 

American  Missionary  Association     .    . 

Church  Missionary  Society 

Moravians 

American  Indian  Missionary  Association 

Totals 


i 

s 

» 

O-d 

•s 

H   5* 

^ 

o 

X 

1 

<  a 

1. 

3 

a 

% 

1 

1835 

11 

8 

55 

3 

96 

1-817 

10 

7 

8 

9 

14 

1,371 

6 

1B19 

44 

46 

5,359 

1828 

22* 

28 

2,003 

13 

1818 

24 

-21 

73 

15 

19 

1,669 

26 

1843 

4 

2 

17 

3 

12 

1822 

10 
4 

8 
8 

3 

7 

9 

507 

22 

6 

28* 

21 

1,300 

67 

113 

150 

LG3 

64 

57 

12,817 

51' 
'21( 

188^ 

7^ 

711 

3! 

72^ 

16{ 
433] 


Includes  assLstants.        f  Statistics  for  1853. 
(See  Appendix,  p.  784) 


NOVA  SCOTIA :  The  province  of  Nova 
Scotia  is  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
continent  of  North  America,  between  north 
latitude  43^  25'  and  47°,  and  between  west 
longitude  43^  40'  and  66°  25'.  It  is  one  of 
the  provinces  of  British  North  America.  It 
was  first  colonized  by  the  French,  by  whom  it 
was  called  Acadie,  or  Acadia.  It  was  finally 
ceded  by  France  to  Great  Britain  in  1713. 
Its  principal  natural  divisions  are  Nova  Scotia 
Proper  and  Cape  Breton.    Its  area  is  about 


18,600  square  miles  ;  its  population  276,11*; 
according  to  the  census  of  1851.  The  reli 
gious  parties,  when  ranged  under  the  two  gen 
eral  divisions  of  Protestants  and  Catholics 
stand  thus :  Protestants,  206,483 ;  Romai 
Catholics,  69,634.  Of  the  Protestant  churches 
the  more  prominent  are  the  Established  Churcl 
of  England  and  Ireland ;  the  Presbytcriai 
Church  ;  the  Associate  Baptist ;  the  Wesleyar 
Methodist ;  the  Congregational ;  and  the  Evan 
gelical  Lutheran.   The  religious  statistics  giver 


NOVA  SCOTIA. 


627 


in  this  article  are  to  be  understood  as  those  of 
1854,  except  where  it  is  otherwise  stated. 

The  Church  op  England  is  recognized  by 
the  ancient  laws  of  the  province  as  the  Estab- 
lished Church.    This  legal  recognition  was  ef- 
fected in  1758,  but  though  various  civil  enact- 
ments, as  to  the  limits  of  parishes,  appointment 
of^  church-wardens  and  vestrymen,  were   ob- 
tained thereby,  nothing  beyond  the  mere  name 
of  an  establishment  has  for  many  years  existed. 
The  permanent  endowment  of  AVindsor  Col- 
lege, under  the  exclusive  control  of  this  church, 
has  been  discontinued  by  the  state ;  so  that, 
in  effect,  the  only  privilege  which  remains  of  a 
distinctive  nature,  is  that  the  bishop  retains 
ex-officio  a  seat  in  the  legislative  council  of  the 
province.  _  There  is  much  probability  that  this 
offensive  distinction  will  soon  be  removed,  and 
that  then  the  name,  as  well  as  the*privileges  of 
an  establishment,  will  be  erased  from  the  civil 
statute  book.    The  number  of  adherents   to 
this  church  in  1851  was  36,482.    The  list  of 
clergy  for  1854  contains  one  bishop,  one  arch- 
deacon, 65  ordained  ministers,  and  two  travel- 
ing missionaries.    These  are  located  in  40  dif- 
ferent towns  and  settlements.    Four  of  the 
clergy  are  connected  with  Windsor  College, 
and   three  with  Halifax  Grammar  School : 
two  are  retired  from  service,  and  one  is  an 
agent  for  the  Colonial   Church  and   School 
Society.     Until  recently,  large  annual  remit- 
tances for  the  support  of  the  clergy  and  col- 
lege professors,  had  been  received  from  the 
British  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  and  even,  it  is  under- 
stood, from  grants  of  the  Imperial  Parliament 
of   Great  Britain  and  Ireland.     The  foreign 
aid  is  now  greatly  curtailed,  and  will,  it  is  ex- 
pected, in  the  course  of  a  few  years,  altogether 
cease.     The  effect  of  this  change  of  policy  has 
been  far  from  disastrous.    A  large  portion  of 
the  wealth  of  the  province  is  found  within  the 
pale  of  this  dfcirch,  and  nothing  is  wanting  to 
secure  permanent  and  growing  prosperity  but 
the  prudent  management  of  its  internal  re- 
sources.   Already  this  has  been  tested  in  the 
large  endowment  secured  by  subscription  for 
Windsor  College,  (£10,000,)  and  in  the  efforts 
made  to  sustain  in  thorough  efficiency  the  Di- 
ocesan Society  and  the  Foreign  District  of  the 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge. 

Presbyterian  Church. — Under  this  head 
are  grouped  the  adherents  of  three  distinct 
churches,  who,  though  holding  the  same  stand- 
ards, are  yet  quite  independent  in  church  gov- 
ernment, if  not  really  antagonistic  in  feeling 
and  pursuit.  Their  source  of  dispute,  or 
rather,  ground  of  separation,  depends  entirely 
upon  their  respective  origin.  They  have  all 
descended  from  the  Presbyterian  Churches  of 
Scotland,  and  hold  the  distinctive  principles  of 
what  are  there  denominated.  Kirk,  Free 
Church,  and  United  Presbyterian.  The  old- 
est, largest,  and  most  influential  of  these  bodies 
in  Nova  Scotia  is  that  which  arose  from  the 


two  secession  churches.  Burgher  and  Anti- 
burgher.  A  union  was  happily  effected  be- 
tween the  adherents  of  these,  and  of  all  the 
Presbyterians  then  in  Nova  Scotia,  in  the 
year  1817.  Only  one  Presbyterian  minister 
remained  aloof,  and  he  was  personally  favor- 
able, while  his  congregation  being  originally 
independent,  was  unfavorable  to  this  union. 
The  first  Presbyterian  missionaries  arrived  in 
Nova  Scotia  in  1766,  but  no  permanent  locar 
tion  was  made  before  1771. 

The  first  presbytery  was  formed  in  1786, 
under  the  designation  of  Presbytery  of  Truro. 
Nine  years  afterwards,  another  was  formed  in 
Pictou,  and  so  designated.  At  the  period  of 
the  union  above  referred  to,  there  were  three 
presbyteries,  comprising  in  all  19  ordained 
ministers,  and  25  congregations.  The  great 
difficulty  all  along  experienced  by  this  church, 
has  been  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  an  ade- 
quate supply  of  ministers. 

At  first,  and  for  many  years,  the  only  source 
of  supply  was  the  parent  churches  in  Scotland, 
and  the  missionary  spirit  there  and  then  exist- 
ing was  not  so  ardent  as  to  overcome,  with  suf- 
ficient readiness  and  frequency,  the  terrors  of  a 
climate  generally  reputed,  though  falsely,  as 
vibrating  between  the  extremes  of  heat  and 
cold.    In  1816  a  society  was  formed  to  pro- 
cure the  establishment  of  an  academy  for  the 
training  of  native  youth,  for  the  ministry  and 
other  learned  professions.    The  basis  proposed 
was  sufficiently  liberal  to  unite  all  dissenting 
bodies,  and  the  means  of  support  was  to  be  en- 
dowment by  the  State.    This  effort  was  for  a 
time  apparently  successful,  but  never  so  much 
so  as  to  acquire  the  character  of  permanency. 
Ultimately  it  became  a  bone  of  contention,  in- 
troduced bitter  animosity  and  religious  hate 
into  the  surrounding  community,  and  became 
a  watchword  for  political  party,  so  as  to  form 
an  effectual  hindrance  to  ecclesiastical  union 
on  the  part  of  the  different  Presbyterian  bodies. 
Eventually  all  connection  with  this  institution 
was  abandoned  by  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Nova  Scotia,  and  then  it  became  a  matter 
of  dire  necessity  with  that  church  to  provide 
and  maintain  an  educational  institute  out  of 
her  own  resources.     Several  years,  however, 
elapsed  before  this  step  was  taken.    In  1848 
measures  were  initiated  with  a  view  to  the 
erection  of  a  theological  seminary,  as  prepara- 
tory to  the  Divinity  Hall.     A  professor  of 
philosophy  was  appointed,  who  for  a  time  took 
charge  of  the  literary  classes,  as  well  as  logic, 
and  natural  and  moral  philosojihy.    At  pre- 
sent, 1854,  there  are  two  professors  in  the  se- 
minary, one  having  charge  of  the  classes  in 
languages,  mathematics,  and  natural  philoso- 
phy;  the  other  logic  and  moral  philosophy, 
with  other  branches.    In  the  Divinity  Hall 
there  are  two  professors,  to  one  is  committed 
biblical  literature,  to  the  other  theology,  sys- 
tematic and  pastoral.    The  literary  and  phi- 
losophical classes  have  an  annual  session  of 


628 


NOVA  SCOTIA. 


six  months,  and  students  are  required  to  attend 
three  years  in  order  to  complete  their  curricu- 
lum. The  Divinity  Hall  remains  in  session 
six  weeks,  and  the  lourso  of  study  extends 
over  four  veurs  ;  but  as  the  Hall  meets  annu- 
ally, immetliately  after  t'le  seminary,  the  entire 
com-se  for  students  of  divinity  does  not  exceed 
six  yeai-s.  A  fixed  standard  of  qualification 
for  entrance  to  the  seminary  has  been  estab- 
lishetl,  such  as  can  be  acquired  at  the  general 
schools  and  academies  of  the  province,  and 
special  i)rovisiou  is  ma(}e  to  admit  students 
who  have  received  part  of  their  training  else- 
where to  such  a  standing  in  the  seminary  or 
hall  as  their  acquirements  may  be  found,  on 
examination,  to  entitle  them. 

The  Synod  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Nova  Scotia  meets  annually  on  the  last  Tues- 
day of  June,  and  is  the  final  court  of  judica- 
ture— there  being  no  ecclesiastical  connection 
with  the  Church  in  Scotland,  either  in  regard 
to  pecuniary  support  or  spiritual  control.  It 
has  now  (in  1854)  under  its  inspection  three 
presbyteries  in  Nova  Scotia  and  one  in  Prince 
Edward's  Island.  The  presbytery  of  Pictou 
includes  15  congregations ;  of  these  14  enjoy 
a  settled  ministry,  and  one  of  these  a  collegiate 
charge.  There  are  various  mission  stations 
within  the  bounds  of  this  presbytery  which 
will  soon  be  able  to  support,  as  they  now  re- 
quire, the  labors  of  a  separate  minister.  One 
member  of  this  presbytery  is  located  in  Mera- 
michi,  New  Brunswick,  and  is  the  only  or- 
dained minister  of  this  connection  now  settled 
in  that  province.  The  presbytery  of  Tours  in- 
cludes seven  congregations,  and  at  present  all 
are  supplied  with  a  settled  ministry.  Several 
mission  stations  are  in  course  of  preparation 
for  the  same  position,  and  one  of  these  is  in 
New  Brunswick.  The  presbytery  of  Halifax 
has  within  its  bounds  seven  'congregations. 
Six  are  now  under  a  stated  pastorate.  Mis- 
sion stations  are  thus  numerous  and  promising. 
The  presbytery  of  Prince  Edward's  Island  con- 
tains seven  congregations,  six  ministers,  and 
several  mission  stations.  In  each  of  these 
presbyteries  there  are  congregations  whose 
local  extent,  number  of  adherents,  pecuniary 
resources,  and  prospect  of  increase  are  calling 
aloud  for  division  and  subdivision  :  but  the 
supply  of  ministers  is  yet  too  scanty  to  admit 
of  compliance  with  a  policy  that  would  soon 
double  and  redouble  the  eflSciency  and  spirit- 
ual prosperity  of  the  best  portion  of  the  Church. 
At  present  there  are  but  three  ordained  pro- 
bationers, one  retired  minister  who  takes  occa- 
sional appointments,  and  four  licentiates.  The 
business  of  the  synod,  during  the  interval  of 
its  meetings,  is  conducted  by  four  distinct 
boards,  one  for  the  Home  Mission  supply,  dis- 
tributing supply  of  probationers  according  to 
the  wants  of  the  several  presbyteries,  and  as- 
sisting such  stations  with  the  means  of  occa- 
sional supplies,  under  the  direction  of  the  pres- 
byteries in  whose  bounds  these  are  placed ;  a 


second  board,  for  the  superintendence  of  the 
Foreign  Missionary  operations  of  the  church  ; 
a  third,  for  the  superintendence  of  the  seminary 
and  hall,  and  a  fourth  for  legally  receiving  and 
appropriating  the  moneys  of  the  church  which 
may  be  entrusted  to  their  care. 

The  following  statistics  will  afford  some 
idea  of  the  pecuniary  resources  and  numerical 
strength  of  the  P.  C.  N.  S. :  ordained  minis- 
ters, 38  ;  licentiates,  4  ;  self-sustaining  congre- 
gations, 34  ;  homo  mission  stations,  6  ;  supple- 
mented congregations,  3  ;  foreign  mission  sta- 
tions, 1  ;  adhering  population,  according  to 
census  ^1851,)  28,767  in  Nova  Scotia ;  the 
population  in  Prince  Edward  Island  not  cor- 
rectly ascertained,  but  not  under  4,000,  and  in 
New  Brunswick  1,000.  If  to  all  this  we  add 
2,000  for  the  church  at  Aneiteum,  New  Heb- 
rides, we  have  a  gross  amount  of  adherents, 
35,767  souls,  who  are  depending  for  spiritual 
oversight  on  the  church.  31  congregations 
return  5,369  communicants,  276  accessions. 
According  to  the  statistical  tables  and  finan- 
cial returns  for  1854,  the  average  salary  paid 
to  each  minister  is  supposed  to  be  nearly 
£130  currency,  or  £104  sterling. 

This  would  yield  a  return  in  round  \  ^a  kqq  a  a 

numbers  of j- . . . .  , 

Home  Mission  rcceii)ts  during  same  year..  258  2  2>i 

Foreign     "            "            u          n        «    _  433  15  2 

Synod  Fund                        "          "        "    .,  81  2  1>^ 

Semin.ary  Fund                  "          "        "    ..  328  0  8>^ 

Miscellaneous  purposes,  not  strictly  \  ^  404  8  0 

denominational j  . . . .  , 

Total  raised  during  year  1854 £8,005    7    9>^ 

currency,  or  £6,404  6  3  sterling. 

Additional  funds  under  the  care  of  the  Educa- 
tional Board' : 

Theological  Professorship,  funded  inter© ' t.. .  £581  11  10 
Various  funds,  bequests,  &c.,  "  "      ...    1,500    4    6 

Total £2,08116    4 

currency,  or  £1,665  9  1  sterling. 

Church  of  Scotland. — InWrder  of  date 
the  Church  of  Scotland  is  the  next  branch  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Nova  Scotia. 
For  a  long  period  very  painful  and  injuri- 
ous animosity  existed  between  this  body  and 
the  Presbyterian  church  of  Nova  Scotia. 
Shortly  after  the  union  of  all  the  Presbyterians 
in  the  province,  in  1817,  the  strife  commenced 
and  raged  so  long  as  the  state-paid  academy 
of  Pictou  remained  as  a  source  of  dispute. 
Happily  this  has  been  removed,  and  the  very 
unseemly  and  destructive  feuds  which  it  en- 
gendered, have  to  a  great  extent  disappeared, 
and  feelings  of  friendship  are  now  being  che- 
rished by  ministers  and  people.  This  church 
has  all  along  depended  for  pecuniary  support 
and  ministerial  supply  on  the  parent  church  in 
Scotland.  In  1824,  the  Glasgow  Colonial  So- 
ciety was  organized  (in  Scotland)  with  a  view 
to  supply  the  Presbyterian  population  of  the 
colonies  with  ministers  of  the  Church  of  Scot 
land.    At  the  disruption  which  took  place  ir 


NOVA  SCOTIA. 


629 


May,  1843,  not  fewer  than  8  ministers  left  the 
synod  of  Nova  Scotia  to  fill  up  the  breaches 
at  home.  In  1844,  this  synod  divided,  a  ma- 
jority declaring-  in  favor  of  the  Free  Church, 
and  assuming  the  designation  "  Synod  of  No- 
va Scotia,  adhering  to  the  Westminster  stand- 
ards." For  several  years  a  large  proportion  of 
the  congregations  that  had  been  deserted  by 
their  ministers,  remained  vacant,  but  latterly 
these  have  been  to  a  considerable  extent  sup- 
plied by  new  accessions  from  Scotland.  The 
synod  now  (1854)  consists  of  4  presbyteries. 
There  are,  however,  in  all,  but  9  ordained  min- 
isters, and  1  ordained  missionary,  and  4  cate- 
chists.  While  the  adhering  population  in 
Nova  Scotia  alone  was,  in  1851,  18,867.  It 
will  thus  be  seen  that  a  very  great  deficiency 
of  pastoral  oversight  still  exists.  The  greater 
number  of  those  ministers  now  in  the  field  are 
supported  by  the  Home  Church,  so  that  this 
church,  as  a  whole,  is  far  from  self-sustain- 
ing. 

Free  Church  or  Synod  of  Nova  Scotia, 
adherixg  to  the  westminster  standards. — 
This  body  was  formed  in  1844,  and  consists 
of  the  same  number  of  presbyteries  as  the 
body  from  which  it  was  separated.  It  includes 
a  ministry,  however,  of  24,  of  whom  19  are 
located  in  Nova  Scotia,  and  3  in  Prince  Ed- 
ward's Island,  one  in  Newfoundland,  and  one 
in  Bermuda,  W.  I.  The  adhering  population 
in  Nova  Scotia,  in  1851,  was  found  to  number 
25,820.  A  Free  Church  College  for  the  lower 
provinces  of  British  North  America  is  located 
at  Halifax,  N.  S.,  having  2  professors.  Also 
an  academy,  with  a  rector  and  2  masters, 
which  is  designed  to  prepare  for  the  college. 
Hitherto  the  supply  and  support  of  ministers 
in  this  connection  has  greatly  depended  on  the 
resources  of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  ;  but 
from  the  above  institution,  in  connexion  with 
a  Theological  Hall,  the  native  youth  have  been 
trained,  so  that  the  first  year's  students  have 
advanced  so  far  as  to  be  licensed  and  located 
in  the  different  vacancies  and  mission  stations 
during  the  present  year. 

EeforxMed  Presbyterian  Church. — Three 
congregations  and  3  ministers.  Adhering  po- 
pulation not  accurately  known. 

Associated  Baptist  Churches. — The  earli- 
est efforts  of  this  religious  connectionin  Nova 
Scotia  is  nearly  contemporaneous  with  those 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  It  has  54  settled 
ministers,  with  an  adhering  population  of 
42,243.  This  population,  however,  includes 
several  distinct  Baptist  communities,  whose 
ministry  amounts  to  17  elders  and  3  ministers. 
The  Associated  Baptist  Church  is  divided  into 
3  associations  :  Western,  Central,  and  Eastern. 
The  Baptist  Convention  of  Nova  Scotia,  New 
Brunswick,  and  Prince  Edward  Island,  meets 
annually.  In  Nova  Scotia  their  educational 
institutions  are  located,  consisting  of  a  college 
and  academy.  The  college  has  now  3  profes- 
sors, and  connected  with  it  is  a  theological  in- 


stitute, with  2  professors,  who  also  hold  chairs 
in  the  college.  The  academy  has  two  teach- 
ers, a  principal  and  master,  with  an  assistant. 
Some  years  ago  this  church  sent  a  missionary 
to  the  foreign  field,  but  at  present  they  do  not 
appear  to  have  any  one.  They  have,  however, 
a  missionary  to  the  Acadian  French  in  Nova 
Scotia. 

Wesleyan  Methodist  Church. — Mission- 
aries from  this  body  visited  North  America  as 
early  as  17G9.  In  1786,  missions  were  commenc- 
ed in  Nova  Scotia.  By  the  last  census  (1851) 
it  has  an  adhering  population  of  23,596,  and  in 
1854,  31  ordained  ministers.  This  list  of  min- 
isters includes,  however,  1  chairman  and  gene- 
ral superintendent,  1  editor  of  a  denominational 
newspaper,  and  4  supernumeraries.  The  semi- 
nary under  the  care  of  this  body,  is  situated  on 
the  borders  of  the  two  provinces.  New  Bruns- 
wick and  Nova  Scotia,  and  this  suits  in  its 
locality  the  wants  of  both  denominational  dis- 
tricts. It  has  a  principal,  who  is  also  one  of 
the  professors,  and  a  second  professor  ;  a  clas- 
sical and  French  tutor  and  English  teacher ; 
also  a  chaplain,  treasurer,  and  steward.  The 
students  are  boarded  within  the  institution, 
and  recently  a  large  addition  has  been  made, 
with  a  view  to  accommodate  females  with  suit- 
able board  and  education. 

Congregational  or  Independent  Church. 
— The  origin  of  this  church  in  Nova  Scotia 
was  quite  as  early  as  others  already  described, 
but  its  progress  has  been  very  limited.  It  has 
but  6  ministers  and  2,639  adherents.  A  col- 
lege with  2  professors,  1  of  whom  acts  as 
president,  is  placed  under  the  sanction  and 
control  of  the  Congregational  Union  of  Nova 
Scotia  and  New  Brunswick. 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Church. — This  is 
the  only  other  religious  body  in  Nova  Scotia 
worthy  of  distinct  notice.  Its  adherents  are 
chiefly  of  German  extraction,  and  number 
4087. 

Besides  the  denominational  eflforts  of  each 
of  these  evangelical  bodies,  they  severally 
unite  in  general  schemes  of  benevolence  and 
Christian  philanthropy.  The  Nova  Scotia 
Bible  Society,  and  other  auxiliaries  of  the 
British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  enlist 
the  sympathies  of  all  but  the  Baptists,  and  are 
very  generally  supported.  The  Halifax  Naval 
and"  Military 'Bible  Society  is  in  like  maiiuer 
dependent  upon  the  Christian  public,  gene- 
rally. The  Micmac  Missionary  Society,  while 
its  principal  agent  and  missionary  is  Baptist, 
meets  with  the  countenance  and  support  of  all 
cla'^ses.  The  Nova  Scotia  Sabbath  Alliance 
consists  of  the  leading  ministers  and  members 
of  all  the  leading  Protestant  denominations  in 
Halifax.— Rev.  J.  Bayne,  o/P/rfott. 

NOWGONG  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Baptist  Union  in  Assam. 

NULLOOR  :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  in  the  Tiunevelly  district, 
India. 


630 


OAHU— OLD  CALABAR. 


OATTU  :  One  of  the  principal  of  the  Sand 
wirh  Islands  group.  It  is  25  miles  W.  N 
W.  of  Molokai,  the  most  romantic  and  fer 
tile  of  the  whole  group,  and  the  residence  of 
the  King,  and  seat  of  government.  It  is 
about  48  miles  long  and  23  wide.  The  Am 
erican  Board  have  seven  stations  on  this 
Island. 

OCEANICA:  A  term  somewhat  indefi- 
nitely applied  to  the  islands  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  (See  South  Sea  Islands  tmdi  Indian 
Archipelago.)  ^ 

O.TIBWAS :  A  tribe  of  North  American 
Indians,  inhabiting  the  shores  of  Lakes  Supe- 
rior and  Huron.  (See  North  American  In- 
diaiifi.) 

OKKAH:  A  station  of  the  Moravians  in 
Labrador. 

OLD  TOWN  :  Station  of  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Synod  of  Scotland,  at  the  Old  Cal- 
abar, West  Africa. 

OLD  CALABAR:  Old  Calabar  lies  in  the 
Bight  of  Biafra,  near  the  sixth  degree  of 
north  latitude,  and  between  the  eighth  and 
ninth  degrees  of  east  longitude.  The  coast 
there  runs  east  and  west.  Standing  oppo- 
site the  Old  Calabar  frith,  you  look  directly 
north.  On  your  right  hand  are  the  Came- 
roon mountains,  rising  to  the  height  of 
13,000  feet ;  and  further  to  the  right,  at  the 
distance  of  sixty  miles,  is  the  elevated  and 
beautiful  island  of  Fernando  Po ;  and  on 
your  left  is  an  extensive  level  district,  over 
which  a  dense  mist  is  often  seen  resting : — 
that  is  the  long-sought  Delta  of  the  Niger,  a 
vast  morass,  extending  200  miles  along  the 
sea  shore,  and  upwards  of  250  miles  inland, 
channeled  by  numerous  streams — the  mouths 
of  that  celebrated  river,  covered  with  man- 
grove and  palm-oil  trees,  and  inhabited  by 
fierce  and  savage  tribes,  many  of  whom  are 
cannibals.  Sail  up  the  Old  Calabar  frith,  a 
distance  of  fifty  miles,  and  you  see  two 
large  rivers  flowing  into  it.  The  one  on  your 
left  hand  is  the  Cross  river,  so  called  be- 
cause it  was  supposed  to  communicate  with 
the  Niger,  and  to  be  one  of  its  mouths  ;  but 
it  was  explored  by  Captain  Becroft.  in  1842, 
a  distance  of  175  miles,  and  was  found  to  be 
an  independent  stream,  more  than  a  mile  in 
breadth,  with  a  depth  of  from  six  to  seven 
fathoms,  flowing  from  the  east — a  region  yet 
unexplored  by  Europeans — and  having  its 
banks  studded  with  towns  and  villages.  En- 
ter tlie  river  on  your  right  hand,  which  is 
the  Old  Calabar  river,  fully  three-fourths  of 
a  mile  m  width,  and  after  ascending  it  about 
eight  miles,  and  passing  a  jutting  head-land, 
5'ou  see  upon  the  right  bank  a  cluster  of 
towns.  These  are  Duke  Town,  Ilenshaw 
Town,  Old  Town,  and  seven  miles  up  the 
river,  on  the  left  bank,  Creek  Town,  the 
principal  towns  of  Old  Calabar,  and  the  seat 
of  the  mission  of  ihe  United  Presbyterian 
Synod  of  Scotland.     (See  Africa,  Western.) 


These  towns,  with  the  country  villages,  con- 
tain a  population  of  00,000  or  70,000.  subject 
to  the  sway  of  tlie  King  of  Old  Calabar,  and 
are  accessible  to  missionaries.  Each  town 
has  its  king  or  headman  ;  but  the  chief  au- 
thority is  vested  in  Eyo  Honesty,  of  Creek 
Town.  The  population  is  divided  into  two 
classes,  freemen  and  slaves — the  latter  being 
the  great  majority.  Tliese  are  either  em- 
ploj-ed  on  the  provision  grounds,  which  are 
at  some  distance  from  the  towns,  or  in  the 
operations.of  trade.  The  freemen  are  all  en- 
gaged in  trade,  and  are  mainly  dependent 
upon  it  for  their  support  and  influence. 
Even  the  king,  who  has  no  revenue  from  his 
subjects,  carries  on  trade  to  a  great  extent, 
is  of  active  business  habits,  keeps  regular  ac- 
counts, and  owes  all  his  power  to  the  weight 
of  his  character,  and  the  wealth  which  he 
has  acquired  from  trading.  The  slaves  are 
generally  treated  with  kindness  ;  and  there 
seems  to  be  a  process  of  internal  emancipa- 
tion, the  children  of  the  third  generation 
generally  becoming  free.  It  is  a  happy  cir- 
cumstance that  persons  have  ceased  to  be  ex- 
ported as  slaves  from  this  district  for  a  con- 
siderable number  of  years.  That  horrid 
traffic  is  totally  suppressed  in  the  Bight  of 
Biafra.  This  result  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
beneficial  influence  of  a  growing  trade,  and 
to  the  treaties  made  with  the  chiefs  by  the 
British  Government.  The  trade  which  is 
carried  on  at  Old  Calabar,  is  chiefly  in  palm- 
oil.  The  palm-oil  is  brought  from  the  inte- 
rior, and  is  exchanged  for  British  goods. 
The  humanizing  influence  of  legitimate  com- 
merce is  becoming  every  year  more  obvious. 
Not  only  has  it  enlarged  the  views  of  the 
people,  and  to  a  certain  degree  improved 
their  manners  ;  enabled  them  to  have  com- 
fortable houses,  and  to  furnish  them,  in 
many  instances,  with  costly  articles  of  Eu- 
ropean manufacture  ;  but  it  has  taught  them 
that  it  is  for  their  interest  to  live  at  peace 
with  their  neighbors. 

The  mode  of  government  at  Old  Calabar 
is,  in  the  case  of  freemen,  by  common  con- 
sultation and  agreement.  They  meet  to- 
gether in  the  palaver-house,  talk  over  the 
matter,  and  no  measure  can  become  law  that 
has  not  a  majority  of  votes.  The  great  dif- 
ficulty which  they  feel  is  to  keep  in  subjec- 
tion their  numerous  slaves.  This  seems  to 
be  managed  chiefly  by  the  aid  of  supersti- 
tion. They  have  a  secret  institution,  called 
Egbo,  much  resembling  the  Oro  of  the  Yor- 
ubas,     (See  Yoruha). 

Religion. — They  believe  in  the  existence 
of  God  and  of  the  devil,  in  a  future  state, 
and  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul;  but 
their  ideas  on  these  subjects  are  dim  and 
confused,  and  have,  by  the  wickedness  of 
the  heart,  and  the  malignant  teaching  of 
Satan,  been  framed  into  a  system  of  super- 
stition, dark,  cruel,  and  sanguinary.     They 


ORIENTAL  CHRISTIANS. 


C31 


regard  one  day  of  the  week  as  a  Sabbath, 
they   all  practise  circumcision,   on   festival 
days  they  sprinkle  the  blood  of  the  Egbo 
goat,  and  they  make  a  covenant  of  friend- 
ship betvs'een  parties  that  were  at  variance, 
by  putting  on  them  the  blood  of  a  slain  goat, 
mixed    with    certain     ingredients  j    things 
which  indicate  the  remains  of  the  patriarchal 
religion.     Their  personal  worship,  so  far  as 
it  has  been  ascertained,  ma}^  be  divided  into 
two  parts  ;    that  which  is  observed  within 
the  house,  and  that  which  takes  place  in  the 
court-yard.     The  worship  within  the  house 
consists  in  adoring  a  human  skull,  stuck  upon 
the  top  of  a  stick,  around  the  handle  of 
which  a  bunch  of  feathers  is  tied.     This  dis- 
gusting object — their  domestic  idol — is  said 
to  exist  in  every  house  in  Old  Calabar.   The 
worship  in  the  court-yard  is  of  this  kind :  in 
the  middle  of  the  yard  there  is  a  bason  of 
water  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  small  tree, 
which  is  planted  for  the  purpose.  This  bason 
is  never  emptied  of  its  contents,  but  is  once 
a  week  filled  with  a  fresh  supply  of  water  ; 
and  on  the  day  when  this  is  done,  the  second 
day   of  the   week,  called   God's  day,  they 
"  offer  a  fowl,  or  some  other  small  thing  of 
that  sort,  which  is  tied  by  the  foot  to  the 
tree,"  and  then  they  "  pray  to  Basl  Ebiim, 
the  great  God,  but  without  confession  of 
sin,  and  solely  for  temporal  benefits."  Witch- 
craft  exerts  the  same  terrible  influence  here 
as  in  other  parts  of  Western  Africa. 

But  the  most  desolating  and  sanguinary  of 
all  their  customs  is  the  practice  of  sacrific- 
ing human  victims,  for  the  benefit  of  deceased 
persons  of  rank.  Tnis  horrid  custom  arises 
from  the  belief  that  the  future  world  cor- 
responds to  the  present — that  the  same 
wants  are  felt,  the  same  relationships  sus- 
tained, and  the  same  pursuits  followed  ;  and 
therefore,  that  the  station  and  happiness  of 
a  person  depend  upon  the  number  of  follow- 
ers and  slaves  that  are  killed  and  sent  after 
him.  The  effect  of  this  belief  is,  that  in  pro- 
portion to  the  dignity  of  the  departed,  the 
rank  and  power  of  the  survivors,  and  the 
warmth  of  affection  which  they  cherish  for 
the  deceased,  is  the  number  of  victims  that 
are  seized  and  immolated.  Acquaintances 
also  testify  their  respect  for  the  dead,  and 
sympathy  with  the  sorrowing  relations,  by 
destroying  a  few  of  their  slaves.  The  agents 
in  this  wholesale  system  of  murder  are  the 
nearest  relations  cf  the  deceased,  who  evince 
their  affection  and  their  grief,  by  exerting 
themselves  to  catch  by  force,  by  stratagem, 
and  by  all  manner  of  ways,  and  to  destroy 
as  many  of  their  fellow  creatures  as  they 
can.  It  is  a  season  of  terror.  The  slaves, 
from  whose  ranks  the  victims  are  usually 
taken,  flee  to  the  bush  for  shelter,  the  doors 
of  the  houses  are  fastened,  and  every  one  is 
afraid  to  go  abroad.  And  when  it  is'  con- 
sidered that  the  funeral  ceremonies  continue 


for  four  months,  and  that  at  the  beginning 
and  especially  at  the  close  of  this  perTod 
when  the  grand  carnival,  or  make-devil,  as 
they  call  it,  takes  place,  great  exertions  are 
made  to  obtain  victims,  it  will  at  once  be 
obvious  that  this  is  a  practice  which  spreads 
terror  and  mourning  through  every  part  of 
the  connnunity.  It  prevails  in  the  greater 
part  of  western  Central  Africa,  and  is 
drenching  the  land  with  blood. 

OLENDEBENK  :  Station  of  the  Ameri 
can  Board  at  the  Gaboon,  West  Africa. 

OODOOVILLE:  A  populous  parish  of 
Ceylon,  in  the  district  of  Jaftna,  5  miles 
north  of  Jaffnapatam.  It  stands  on  an  ex- 
tensive plain,  covered  with  groves  of  pal- 
m3'ra,  cocoa-nut,  and  other  fruit  trees,  in 
which  are  many  villages  of  natives,  and,  for- 
merly, many  idol  temples.  The  American 
Board  have  a  station  with  a  female  boarding 
school  here. 

OODOOPITTY:  (Valverty)  A  station  of 
the  American  Board  in  Jaffna,  Ceylon. 

OOBFA  :  A  prospective  station  of  the 
American  Board  among  the  Armenians  :  the 
ancient  Edessa,  as  is  commonly  supposed, 
and  also  the  Er  of  the  Chaldees,  the  birth- 
place of  the  patriarch  Abraham  :  has  a  pop- 
ulation of  7,000  Armenians  and  4.000  Syrians. 
OOTACAMUND :  A  health  station,  on  the 
Neilgherry  Hills,  Southern  India. 

OPOTIKI :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand,  situated  on 
a  plain,  at  the  entrance  of  the  river,  on  the 
south-east  side  of  the  Bay  of  Plenty.  Pop- 
ulation about  1,300. 

ORIENTAL  CHRISTIANS,  MISSIONS 
TO :  For  accounts  of  missions  at  present  ex- 
isting, among  the  decayed  churches  of  the 
East,  see  Armenians,  Nestoi^ians,  Greece,  Sy^ 
ria,  Mostd,  Eg^ypt.  Although  it  docs  not  en- 
ter into  the  plan  of  this  work  to  notice  exten- 
sively those  missions,  which  have  been  prose- 
cuted for  a  time,  and  then  given  up,  3-et  there 
have  been  operations  of  this  kind  in  the  East 
which  deserve  some  notice.  Among  these 
is  the  mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety to  Abyssinia,  for  which  see  Abyssinia. 
There  are,  also,  several  missions  of  recent 
origin,  which  may  be  noticed  more  appro- 
priately in  a  general  article  than  under  geo- 
graphical heads.  And  there  are  certain  gene- 
ral principles,  which  apply  to  all  these  mis- 
sions, which  may  be  properly  noticed  in  a 
general  article.  The  appointment  of  a  mis- 
sionary bishop  to  Jerusalem,  by  the  govern- 
ments of  Great  Britain  and  Prussia,  had  re- 
ference not  only  to  the  Jews,  but  to  Oriental 
Christians ;  but  we  have  no  sources  of  in- 
formation which  will  enable  us  to  give  a 
connected  history  of  his  operations.  Tho 
present  incumbent,  Bishop  Gobat,  the  \yorthy 
pioneer  of  the  Abyssinian  mission,  will  use- 
his  position  to  the  best  advantage  for  the. 
furtjierance  of  evangelical  labors  among  all 


632 


ORIENTAL    CHRISTIANS. 


classes  of  the  people.  The  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  have  a  mission  at  Jerusalem, 
consisting  of  two  ordained  missionaries,  one 
European  lay  secretary,  and  one  native  teach- 
er. This  mission  was  designed  especially, 
though  not  exclusively,  to  provide  for  the 
instruction  of  Abyssinian  pilgrims.  Bishop 
Gobat  having  been  requested,  both  by  the 
king  and  the  Abuna  of  Abyssinia,  to  take 
charge  of  the  Abyssinian  convent  at  that 
place.  (See  Africa  East.)  The  report  of 
that  society  for  1853,  states  that  "The  expe- 
rience of  another  year  has  confirmed  the 
committee  in  the  wisdom  of  the  course  hith- 
erto pursued  by  their  missionaries,  in  making 
an  open  protest  against  the  errors  of  the 
Oriental  churches,  and  in  receiving  under 
Christian  instruction  all  who  desire  to  hear 
and  embrace  the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  Events 
render  it  each  year  more  diflBcult  for  such 
inquirers  to  continue  in  communion  with 
their  own  church.  They  have  now  political 
liberty  to  enrol  themselves  on  the  civil  regis- 
ter of  the  local  pachas  as  Protestants ;  and 
having  done  so,  they  claim  the  assistance 
and  protection  of  the  Protestant  churches, 
and  there  appears  no  just  ground  on  which 
that  claim  can  be  refused.  The  committee 
have  great  satisfaction  in  adding,  that  the 
American  Episcopal  Church,  at  the  late  anni- 
versary of  their  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
announced  their  entire  adherence  to  these 
views,  after  sixteen  years'  experience  in  mis- 
sionary operations  at  Constantinople,  upon 
the  opposite  principle  of  co-operation  with 
the  heads  of  the  Oriental  churches." 

The  mission  at  Constantinople,  here  al- 
luded to,  was  commenced  by  the  Rev.  J.  J. 
Robertson,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  Horatio  South- 
gate,  under  the  direction  of  the  Episcopal 
Board  of  Missions,  in  1839.  It  was  designed 
principally  as  a  mission  to  the  Greek  Church ; 
in  the  words  of  the  annual  report,  "  placing 
our  church  in  a  position  to  be  known  and 
recognized  as  a  branch  of  the  same  Catholic 
Church,  and  a  friend.  It  is  sought  that  its 
missionaries  should,  if  possible,  be  received 
and  sanctioned  as  the  representative  of  their 
church ;  that  a  friendly  intercourse  should 
be  maintained,  and  every  cause  of  needless 
offence  be  avoided.  The  Greek  Church  is 
to  be  approached  as  an  Episcopal  Church, 
and  its  integrity  preserved." 

In  connection  with  this  mission,  it  was 
designed  also  to  establish  a  mission  in  Meso- 
potamia, among  the  Jacobite  Christians. 
Mr.  Southgate  had  made  an  exploring  tour 
in  that  region,  and  Mardin  was  selected  as 
the  site  of  the  mission. 

In  1842,  the  Committee  having  determined 
to  discontinue  the  Constantinople  mission, 
and  concentrate  their  efforts  upon  Mesopo- 
tamia, directed  Mr.  Southgate  to  remove  as 
soon  as  practicable,  either  to  Mardin  or  Mo- 
sul, and  appointed  two  new  missionaries  to 


the  same  ikld.  But  Mr.  Southgate  viewing 
his  appoinnncnt  as  limited  to  Constantinople, 
declined  to  accept  the  appointment  to  Meso- 
potamia. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  in  1843,  the 
committee  were  directed  to  continue  the 
mission  at  Constantinople,  and  re-appoint 
Mr.  Southgate  as  missionary.  One  of  the 
missionaries  appointed  to  Mesopotamia,  Rev. 
Mr.  Taylor,  on  reaching  Constantinople, 
changed  his  views  as  to  his  field  of  labor, 
and  wished^  to  remain  at  Constantinople; 
but  the  committee  refused  to  alter  arrange- 
ments which  they  considered  definitely  set- 
tled. Mr.  Southgate,  after  his  return  to 
Constantinople,  requested  either  that  he 
might  be  permitted  to  return  to  the  United 
States  and  present  the  cause  to  the  churches, 
or  else  that  a  colleague  be  sent  him,  with 
authority  to  commence  labor  among  the  Ar- 
menians, and  that  ^2,000  mission  funds 
should  be  allowed  for  the  coming  year,  both 
which  the  committee  declined,  chiefly  for 
want  of  means.  But  this  decision  was  over- 
ruled by  the  Board  ;  and  the  committee  were 
requested,  so  soon  as  funds  could  be  raised 
for  the  purpose,  to  establish  a  mission  to  the 
Armenians,  and  also  to  grant  Mr.  Southgate 
permission  to  visit  the  United  States  for  the 
purpose  which  he  had  proposed.  In  conse- 
quence of  which  the  Mesopotamia  mission 
was  discontinued,  and  the  whole  operations 
concentrated  upon  Constantinople. 

Soon  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Board, 
Mr.  Southgate  returned  to  the  United  States ; 
and  at  the  triennial  session,  his  plans  were 
submitted  to  the  Board,  and  resolutions  were 
passed,  recommending  to  the  general  con- 
vention the  appointment  of  a  bishop,  appro- 
priating for  the  mission  to  the  Eastern 
churches  ^5,000  per  annum,  and  directing 
the  addition  of  two  missionaries  to  the  sta- 
tion. In  accordance  with  this  recommenda- 
tion, Mr.  Southgate  was  elected  bishop,  and 
consecrated  in  October,  1844,  as  Missionary 
Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
of  the  United  States,  in  the  dominions  and 
dependencies  of  the  Sultan  of  Turkey ;  and 
considerable  sums  of  money  w^ere  raised  to 
sustain  the  mission.  But  the  funds  raised 
specifically  for  this  mission  not  being  suflS- 
cient  to  meet  Bishop  Southgate's  views  of 
what  was  needed  to  carry  on  the  mission, 
and  the  committee  not  deeming  it  expedient 
to  appropriate  the  amount  requested  by  him 
from  the  general  funds  of  the  Board,  Bishop 
Southgate  returned  with  his  family  to  this 
country,  Nov.  6,  1849.  On  his  arrival,  the 
committee  "  came  unanimously  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  removal  of  the  missionary 
bishop  with  his  family,  had  closed  the  mis- 
sion in  Turkey." 

At  the  triennial  meeting  of  the  Board  in 
1851,  a  resolution  was  passed,  requesting 
the  foreign  committee  to  "  renew  the  mission 


ORIENTAL    CHRISTIANS. 


633 


to  the  decayed  churches  in  Asia  Minor,  in 
the  manner  they  shall  deem  most  likely 
to  accomplish  the  best  results."  In  obe- 
dience to  this  resolution,  the  subject  was 
committed  to  Rev.  Messrs.  G.  T.  Bedell 
and  T.  S.  Winston,  who  made  an  elaborate 
report,  which  was  unanimously  adopted  by 
the  committee.  This  report  goes  into  an 
examination  oi  the  two  methods  of  conduct- 
ing missions  to  these  churches:  (1)  "at- 
tempting their  reformation  through  agencies 
and  means  approved  by  their  ecclesiastical 
authorities,  with  the  hope  that  the  ecclesias- 
tics would  first  become  enlightened,  and  be 
chief  instruments  in  promoting  the  general 
result;"  and  (2)  seeking  the  same  object 
"by  the  usual  means  of  diffusing  a  saving 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  among  those  who 
are  ignorant  of  it,  or  '  decayed '  in  the  ap- 
preciation of  its  truth." 

In  regard  to  the  first  of  these,  they  say, 
"The  foreign  committee  have  entertained 
but  one  view  on  the  subject.  Although  at 
the  earnest  representations  of  the  mission- 
ary, they  acquiesced  in  the  trial  of  the  ex- 
periment, yet  from  the  first,  they  have  con- 
sidered it  inadequate  and  impracticable. 
The  experience  of  the  church,"  they  continue, 
"  has  proved  that  a  reformation  cannot  be 
effectual  while  confined  to  the  clergy ;  that 
of  the  two  classes,  the  laity  arc  the  most 
easily  affected,  and  must  be  the  instruments 
of  moving  the  clergy ;  and  that  ecclesiastics, 
as  a  body,  very  slowly  acquiesce  in  a  move- 
ment to  which  self-interest  and  cherished 
prejudices  are  so  much  opposed." 

The  committee  proceed  to  review  the  his- 
tory of  the  experiment  at  Constantinople, 
made  for  16  years,  at  an  expenditure  of 
$45,000,  and  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it 
has  produced  no  practical  results,  bej'ond 
the  translation  of  the  Prayer  Book,  and  a 
few  other  translations,  the  benefits  of  which 
if  any  are  yet  to  be  seen.  They  say,  also, 
that  an  experiment  upon  similar  principles 
was  carried  on  by  the  Church  Missionary 
Society  from  1815  to  1846,  with  a  similar 
result;  and  quote  the  following  language 
from  the  report  of  that  society:  "The  So- 
ciety's chief  failures  have  been  in  its  attempts 
to  establish  missions  among  the  ancient  but 
lapsed  churches  of  the  East.  The  hope 
which  was  cherished,  that  the  light  of^  Di- 
vine truth  might  be  rekindled  with  compa- 
rative ease  among  them,  and  through  their 
agency  be  transmitted  to  their  heathen  and 
Mohammedan  neighbors,  has  failed.  Twice 
were  the  missionaries  of  the  society  driven 
out  of  the  different  districts  of  Abyssinia. 
(See  Abyssinia  and  Africa  East.)  They 
were  compelled,  also,  to  withdraw  from  Asia 
Minor,  through  the  jealousy  of  the  Greek 
Church,  as  soon  as  their  labors  began  to  ex- 
ercise a  spiritual  influence  upon  their  schol- 
ars in  their  mission  schools.     And  the   So- 


ciety's establishment  at  ^falta  was  relin- 
quished, after  a  trial  of  25  years,  as  thcro 
appeared  no  results  sufficient  to  justify  its 
continuance.  The  Society  also  attempted, 
for  several  years,  to  cooperate  with  the  ec- 
clesiastical authorities  of  the  Syrian  Christian 
Church  upon  the  Malabar  coast  of  South  In- 
dia, in  educational  measures  for  the  revival 
of  that  ancient  church;  but  the  attempts 
have  failed."  The  committee  also  quote 
Bishop  Gobat,  and  Archdeacon  Pratt,  of 
Madras,  in  corroboration  of  these  views, 
and  remark :  "  We  are  forced  to  the  conclu- 
sion, that  the  effort  to  produce  a  restoration 
of  those  churches,  by  acting  through  their 
ecclesiastical  authorities,  or  only  in  harmony 
with  them,  and  by  their  approbation,  will, 
in  all  probability,  prove,  as  it  haS  always 
provedj'a  failure  ;  and  therefore,  that,  in  re- 
newing the  mission  to  these  churches,  the 
plan  heretofore  pursued  must  be  abandoned." 
At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Board  to 
which  this  report  was  made,  it  was  resolved, 
"That  the  subject  of  Eastern  Missions  be 
still  left  in  the  discretion  of  the  foreign  com- 
mittee, in  accordance  with  the  resolution 
adopted  at  the  last  triennial  meeting." 

Nazareth. — The  Church  Missionary  So- 
ciety have  a  station  at  Nazareth,  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  F.  A.  Klein,  who  reports  some 
movement  among  the  people  towards  re- 
formation. The  congregation  consists  of 
180  to  200. 

Jerusalem.. — Bishop  Gobat,  in  his  last 
communication,  says,  "During  the  course  of 
last  year,  a  goodly  number  of  families  and 
individuals  have  joined  our  church,  although 
only  13  or  14  communicants  are  with  us. 
But  all  meet  every  Lord's  day,  and  two  or 
three  times  during  the  week  to  hear  the 
word  of  God  read  and  expounded,  and  to 
pray  together,  with  the  help  of  the  Arabic 
version  of  the  Liturgy." 

Nahlous. — Bishop  Gobat  says  the  good 
work  is  progressing  here.  A  few  Protes- 
tants meet  on  the  Lord's  day  and  in  the 
week,  for  reading  the  word  of  God  and 
prayer. 

Syra. — The  Church  Missionary  Society 
have  a  station  at  Syra,  in  charge  of  Rev.  F. 
A.  Ilildner.  He  has  a  school  of  284  pupils, 
mostly  girls.  He  holds  service  on  Sundavs 
in  English  and  German,  and  some  of  the 
people  seem  to  be  under  the  influence  of  di- 
vine grace. 

Smyrna.— Here,  also,  the  Church  Jlission- 
ary  Society  have  a  station,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Rev.  J.  T.  Welters,  and  a  Greek 
catechist.  In  his  report  for  1852,  Mr.  Wel- 
ters says,  "There  are  a  few  Greeks  among 
us,  who  have,  I  trust,  been  brought  from 
darkness  to  light." 

Malta  Protestant  College.— A  Protestant 
college  is  maintained  at  Malta,  of  which  the 


634 


ORISSA. 


eport  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  for 
1853  si)oak8  as  being  in  a  state  of  growing 
prosperity.  It  comprises  a  school  for  youth, 
and  a  chiss  of  adults  under  training  for  na- 
tive teachers.  It  contains  80  well-behaved 
boys  and  youths,  from  various  countries,  and 
of  dillerent  complexions — Abyssinians,  Sy- 
rians and  Persians,  Moslems  and  Jews.  Copts 
and  Greeks,  Nestorians  and  Papists,  are  here 
living  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  pure  word 
of  God,  of  which  some  appear  to  have  ex- 
perienced the  power  during  their  stay  here. 
Bishop  Gobat,  speaking  of  a  visit  '^hich  he 
recently  made  to  the  institution,  says:  "I 
could  not  refrain  from  tears  of  gratitude, 
when  I  saw  them  all  devoutly  kneeling, 
while  an  Italian,  who  but  a  few  years  ago 
was  a  blind  Papist,  or  one  who  was  formerly 
a  blaspheming  Jew,  &c.,  was  offering  up  a 
prayer  to  God,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
full  of  life  and  unction,  for  the  outpouring  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  upon  Israel,  Italy,  Turkey, 
&c.,  each  putting  a  peculiar  emphasis  upon  the 
country  or  the  people  with  whom,  by  nature 
and  former  habits,  he  was  more  particularly 
connected."  Great  hopes  are  entertained 
of  this  institution  for  furnishing  missionary 
laborers  in  the  East. 


TABULAR 

V 

IE 

W. 

t 

1 

! 

2 
1 

CO 

1 
1 

a 

CD 

^. 

u 

-d 

MISSIONS. 

a 
i 

o 
1 

>. 

1 

ffl 

h 
S 

a 

® 

c3 

1 

o 
6 

o 

rt 
^ 

1 

1 

Palestine, 

1851 

2 

2 

1 

1 

G 

2 

65 

12 

77 

Greece, 

1828 

1 

1 

1 

6 

3 

18 

266 

284 

Asia  Minor,    -       - 

1831 

1 

1 

1 

4 

4 

2 

8 

6 

5 

83 

278 

361 

ORTSSA:  A  province  of  India,  situated 
near  the  head  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  on  its 
north-western  shore,  a  short  distance  south- 
west from  Calcutta :  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Bengal,  east  by  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  south 
by  the  country  of  the  Teloogoos,  and  west  by 
Nagopore.  It  is  irregularly  shaped,  about 
three  hundred  miles  long,  and  two  hundred 
and  forty  wide.  Its  population  is  estimated 
at  about  three  millions.  It  is  supposed  that 
the  province  was  anciently  much  larger  than 
it  is  now,  and  that  its  sovereigns  formerly 
sustained  a  rank  much  above  that  of  most 
Hindoo  rajahs,  and  that  it  was  numbered 
among  the  most  powerful  of  the  ancient  In- 
dian sovereignties.  It  was  subjected  in  part 
by  the  Mohammedans  about  400  years  ago, 
and  remained  in  an  unsettled  state  till  1743. 
At  that  time  it  was  overrun  by  the  Mahrat- 
tas,  who  continued  their  plundering  depreda- 
tions till  1803,  when  they  were  expelled  by 


the  English.  Since  that  period,  the  British 
have  held  absolute  sway  over  the  previously 
long  distracted  country,  and  quiet  has  mostly 
prevailed.  Compared  with  the  misrule  and 
oppression  of  the  former  reigning  powers, 
the  policy  of  the  present  government  is  lib' 
eral,  and  the  political  condition  of  the  people* 
is  so  much  improved  that  most  of  them  aro 
better  satisfied  with  their  state  than  their 
predecessors  were  with  the  rule  of  the  na- 
tive princes.  Orissa  is  divided  into  three 
civil  districts,  viz. :  Pooree  in  the  south.  Cut- 
tack  in  the  centre,  and  Balasore  on  the 
north.  The  sea-coast,  which  is  the  eastern 
part  of  the  province,  is  level  and  far  more 
populous  than  the  central  and  western  di- 
visions, which  are  mountainous  and  covered 
in  many  places  with  primeval  forests,  inhab- 
ited by  wild  beasts,  or  men  almost  as  un- 
tamed and  rude  as  they.  The  climate,  soil, 
productions,  animals,  insects,  birds,  reptiles, 
and  fish  of  Orissa  are  similar  to  those  of 
Bengal  and  other  adjacent  portions  of  Ilin- 
dostan  lying  near  the  Tropic  of  Cancer.  The 
villages,  houses,  food,  clothing,  dress,  litera- 
ture, and  trades  of  the  Oriyas  are  also  much 
like  those  of  the  Bengalis  and  the  people  of 
other  large  portions  of  India. 

The  population  of  Orissa  consists  of  Hin- 
doos, Mohammedans,  Santals,  and  Bhumi- 
jahs,  the  Hindoos  constituting  far  the  larger 
number.  The  districts  of  Pooree  and  Cut- 
tack  are  occupied  by  the  English  General 
Baptist  missionaries,  the  district  of  Balasore 
being  the  site  of  the  Freewill  Baptist  mis- 
sion. This  district  lies  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Bay  of  Bengal.  It  is  about  eighty  miles 
long,  and  on  an  average  thirty  or  forty  miles 
wide,  and  contains  about  500,000  inhabitants. 
On  its  northern  boundary  lies  a  considerable 
tract  belonging  to  the  province  of  Bengal, 
which  is  inhabited  by  Oriyas.  On  the  west 
are  several  tributary  states  governed  by  na- 
tive princes,  which  are  peopled  by  Oriyas, 
Santals,  &c.  These  arc  as  numerous  as  the 
inhabitants  of  the  district  of  Balasore,  so 
that  there  are  about  one  million  souls  de- 
pendent on  this  Society  for  religious  light 
and  influence.  From  its  liability  to  inunda- 
tion, the  country  is  not  much  inhabited  for 
three  or  four  miles  inland  from  the  sea.  Be- 
yond this  low  tract  the  plains  are  sufficiently 
elevated  for  security,  and  are  highly  culti- 
vated and  densely  populated.  Farther  in- 
land the  country  becomes  mountainous, 
covered  in  part  by  forests,  where  are 
found  the  scattered  villages  of  the  Oriyas, 
Santals,  and  Bhumijas.  "  There  are,"  says 
Rev.  0.  R.  Bacheler,  who  has  resided  several 
years  in  the  town  of  Balasore,  "  three  ver- 
nacular languages  spoken  by  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Balasore  district.  1.  The  Oriya,  one  of 
the  Hindoo  family  of  languages,  derived 
principally  from  the  Sanscrit.  This  is  spoken 
by  the  greater  part  of  the  Hindoo  population. 


OROOMIAH. 


635 


2.  The  Ilindostanee,  derived  principally  from 
the  Arabic  and  Persian,  and  spoken  by  the 
Mohammedans.  3.  The  Santal,  with  which 
may  be  classed  the  Bhumija,  they  both  being 
dialects  of  the  same  language." 

The  Ori3*a  contains  many  religious  and 
literary  works,  some  translated  from  the 
Sanscrit,  and  others  original.  Most  of  the 
religious  books  are  poetical,  and  some  of 
them  possess  a  great  degree  of  litcrar}^ 
merit.  Some  of  these  works  are  very  large, 
the  Puranas  alone  consisting  of  1,600,000 
lines  !  The  religion  of  the  Hindoos  in  Oris- 
sa,  like  their  manners  and  customs,  is  similar 
to  that  of  multitudes  of  others  of  their  race. 
Caste  in  all  its  ruinous  forms  bears  almost 
unlimited  sway  in  the  province.  They  wor- 
ship the  same  gods  and  observe  the  same 
rites  of  most  other  Hindoos,  and  are  equally 
ignorant  and  superstitious.  The  religious 
opinions  and  customs  of  the  Mohammedans 
are  based  on  the  Koran,  though  somewhat 
modified  by  a  long  contact  with  heathenism. 
They  arc  great  bigots,  and  are  probabl}-  more 
immoral  and  vicious  than  the  Hindoos. 

The  Santals  it  is  supposed  were  tlie  abo- 
rigines of  the  country,  but  were  driven  to 
the  mountainous  regions  by  the  Hindoos, 
by  whom  they  were  conquered  in  some  re- 
mote period.  They  invariably  live  in  the  hilly 
jungle.  They  subsist  mostly  by  selling 
wood,  coal,  and  leaves  to  their  neighbors  ; 
but  they  cultivate  the  soil  to  some  extent. 
In  religion,  language,  manners  and  customs, 
they  are  very  different  from  the  Hindoos, 
and  are  much  less  influenced  b}'  caste.  The 
sun  is  the  chief  object  of  their  worship, 
which  they  believe  is  God,  and  to  which 
they  sacrifice  goats  and  chickens,  at  the 
same  time  repeating  a  prayer  composed  for 
such  occasions.  The  departed  spirits  of 
their  fathers  are  sometimes  adored,  and  they 
are  accustomed  to  worship  their  bullocks 
annually.  This  is  done  out  of  gratitude  to 
the  animals  for  bearing  burdens  during  the 
year.  These  people  are  without  a  regular 
priesthood,  temples,  and  a  systematic  re- 
ligion. The  master  of  a  family  officiates  as 
its  priest,  performing  the  customary  rites 
either  in  the  house  or  un^r  a  tree. 

The  Santals  say  their  race  originated  from 
two  ducks'  eggs  ;  but  their  more  immediate 
origin  is  attributed  to  a  drunken  and  incest- 
uous intercourse,  something  like  that  of  Lot 
with  his  daughters.  Strong  drinks,  music 
and  dancing  are  among  their  favorite  enjoy- 
ments. They  are,  however,  a  mild  and  inof- 
fensive people.  Unlike  the  Hindoos,  they  do 
not  burn  their  dead,  but  bury  them.  Their 
complexion  is  nearly  as  dark  as  that  of  the 
Africans,  but  their  hair  is  straight.  A  few 
oral  songs  and  traditions  constitute  their 
literature,  but  they  have  no  written  language 
except  that  recently  furnished  by  a  mission- 
ary of  the  Freewill  Baptist  Society,   and 


which  none  but  a  few  who  have  bet'n  taught 
in  the  mission  school  can  read.  The  lan- 
guage sounds  very  sweet  and  musical  when 
spoken,  and  is  remarkably  regular,  consider- 
ing it  has  never  been  cultivated.  As  might 
be  expected,  it  is  very  barren  in  theological 
terms.  The  women  iningle  with  the  men  in 
their  labors  and  recreations,  seem  to  be  on 
an  equality  with  them,  and  are  divested  of 
the  squeamislmess  of  the  Hindoo  females. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  years  the 
Santals  usually  marry.  The  ceremony  is 
very  simple  and  performed  as  follows  :  The 
man  puts  some  paint  on  the  bride's  head, 
and  she  in  return  confesses  herself  his  wife 
by  putting  oil  on  his  head. 

The  Bhumijas  are  next  in  importance  to 
the  Santals.  They  are  described  by  Rev. 
jNIr.  Bacheler  as  "  a  similar  people,  occupy- 
ing the  same  portion  of  the  district,  speak- 
ing a  language  strongly  resembling  the  San- 
tal, and,  in  most  particulars,  differing  little 
from  them.  The}'  are  considerably  less  nu- 
merous than  the  former,  and  it  is  probable 
that  missionary  effort  among  them  also 
would  be  eminently  successful,  could  they 
be  brought  under  religious  influence.  There 
are  small  portions  of  other  tribes  scattered 
among  those  already  mentioned,  but  they  are 
not  sufficiently  numerous  to  render  a  par- 
ticular description  necessary." 

"  The  complexion  of  these  different  races 
varies  from  a  dark  copper  color  to  black. 
Those  whose  occupation  is  mostly  within 
doors  are  rather  lighter  than  those  more  ex- 
posed. The  hill  tribes  are  darker  than  the 
people  of  the  plains.  The  hair  is  straight 
and  black,  and  worn  long  both  by  men  and 
women.  The  eyes  are  black,  the  lips  thin, 
nose  prominent,  foreheads  elevated,  the  in- 
tellectual faculties  predominating.  They 
have  an  intellectual  cast  of  countenance, 
and  are  rather  good-looking  than  otherwise." 

OROOMIAH :  A  city  of  Persia,  the  an- 
cient Thebanna,  the  reputed  birth-place  of 
Zoroaster,  situated  on  a  beautiful  fertile 
plain,  the  seat  of  the  Mission  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  to  the  Nestorians.  On  this  plain 
there  arc  about  300  villages,  inhabited  chiefly 
by  Nestorians,  of  whom  there  are  about 
20,000  in  Oroomiah.    (See  Nestorians.) 

OSHUNGA:  Station  of  the  American 
Board  in  West  Africa,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Gaboon  river. 

OTAWAO :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society,  near  the  Waipa  river,  in 
New  Zealand. 

OTAHEITE :  Same  as  Tahiii.  (Sec  South 
Sea  Islands.) 

OZYUNGA  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gaboon  river. 
West  Africa. 

PAARL:  Station  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society,  in  South  Africa,  85  miles  north- 
east of  Cape  Town. 


PACALTSDORP— PAllSEEISM. 


PACALTSDORP :  Stntion  of  the  London 
Missionnry  Society  in  South  Africa,  245 
miles  east'of  Cape  Town. 

PAGO-PAGO  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  Island  of  Tutuila, 
one  of  the  Samoan  group. 

PAGAN :  A  heathen,  a  Gentile,  an  idola- 
tor.  This  word  was  originally  applied  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  who  adhered 
to  idolatry  after  Christianity  had  been  re- 
ceived by  the  cities.  So  heathen  signifies 
the  inhabitants  of  a  heath  or  woods,  and 
Kaffre,  in  Arabic,  signifies  the  inhabitants  of 
a  hut  or  cottage,  and  one  that  does  not  re- 
ceive Mohammedanism. 

PAGODA :  A  house  of  idols.  In  India, 
a  temple  in  which  idols  are  worshiped.  It  is 
likewise  applied  to  an  image  of  some  sup- 
posed deit3^  Also  a  gold  or  silver  coin  cur- 
rent in  Ilindostan,  varying  in  value  from 
$1.75  to  ^2. 

PAIHIA :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Bay  of  Islands. 

PALL  AM  :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  India. 

PALAMCOTTAH:  A  station  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  the  Tinnevclly 
District,  India. 

PALANKEEN,  or  PALANQUIN:  A  cov- 
ered carriage  used  in  India,  China,  &c., 
borne  on  the  shoulders  of  men,  and  in  which 
a  single  person  is  conveyed  from  place  to 
place. 

PANNEIVILEI :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  India. 

PANTURA :  A  village  at  the  mouth  of  a 
river  of  the  same  name,  in  Ceylon,  a  station 
of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 

PANTHEISM:  The  doctrine  that  the 
Universe  is  God. 

P  ANEI V  AD  ALI :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  India. 

PANDITERIPO :  A  parish  in  the  Jaflfna 
district  of  Ceylon,  9  miles  north-west  of 
Jaffnapatam,  where  is  a  station  of  the  Am- 
erican Board. 

PAPENO  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  on  Tahiti,  in  the  Southern 
Pacific. 

PAPAOA :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  on  the  Island  of  Tahiti,  in 
the  Southern  Pacific. 

PAPEETE:  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  the  Island  of  Tahiti, 
in  the  South  Sea. 

P APARA :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  on  Tahiti,  South  Sea. 

PAPEURIRI :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  Tahiti,  South  Sea. 

PAPETOAI :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  Eimco,  South  Sea. 

PARK  HILL  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  among  the  Cherokee  Indians. 

PARAMARIBO:    A  considerable   town. 


situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  Surinam  river. 
Population  18,000  or  20,000.  A  station  of 
the  Moravians. 

PARSEEISM:  The  Parsees  area  some- 
what numerous  and  influential  sect  in  Ilin- 
dostan, especially  in  the  western  part  of  the 
country,  and  also  in  Persia.  In  Bombay  and 
vicinity  they  are  estimated  at  about  75,000. 
Their  sacred  writings,  or  scriptures,  are  con- 
tained in  the  Zand-Avasta,  or  Zand  Word, 
which,  however,  the  missionaries  have  never 
found  in  a  coHected  form  in  the  hands  of  the 
Parsees.  The  Zand-Avasta  consists  of  seve- 
ral parts,  as  the  Vandidad,  which  professes 
to  report  the  result  of  an  interview  of  Zo- 
roaster, the  alleged  founder  of  the  sect, 
with  Hormazd,  the  supreme  object  of  wor- 
ship, the  Yacna  and  Vispard,  which  are  in- 
terspersed with  the  Vandidad,  and  recited 
along  with  it  during  the  celebration  of  the 
most  extended  service  ;  the  Khurdah  Avasta, 
or  minor  liturgy  j  the  Yacts,  and  other  de- 
tached pieces. 

The  Zand-Avasta  is  ascribed  to  Zoroaster, 
who  is  said  to  have  lived  about  500  years 
before  Christ;  but  the  testimonies  of  the 
ancients  respecting  the  epoch  of  Zoroaster 
are  very  conflicting  ;  and  besides,  there  is 
no  proof  of  even  the  existence  of  the  Zand 
writings  till  long  after  the  above  period,  and 
much  less  is  there  evidence  that  they  were 
written  by  such  a  person.  Learned  Euro- 
peans of  every  shade  of  belief  agree  in  pro- 
nouncing the  Zand-Avasta  a  spurious  work. 
Sir  Wm.  Jones,  the  "  prince  and  pioneer  of 
modern  orientalists,"  says  it  contains  noth- 
ing which  corresponds  with  the  character  of 
a  philosopher  and  a  legislator,  and  adds,  that 
"  either  Zoroaster  had  not  common  sense,  or 
he  did  not  write  the  book  which  is  attribu- 
ted to  him."  Not  only  is  it  believed  to  be 
a  spurious  work,  but  a  production  of  com- 
paratively modern  times,  and  probably  of 
Persian  origin. 

According  to  the  Zand-Avasta  there  are 
two  deities,  Hormazd  and  Ahiram,  the  for- 
mer the  author  of  good,  and  the  latter  the 
author  of  evil,  but  both  of  these  are  regard- 
ed as  derived  beings,  coetaneously  produced 
by  Time.  Writers  f)n  this  subject  have  traced 
a  striking  resemblance  between  this  theory 
and  that  of  the  ancient  Manicheans,  who  also 
ascribed  good  and  evil  to  two  distinct  crea- 
tors, corresponding  somewhat  in  name  to 
those  of  the  Parsees,  and  hence  it  is  believed 
that  the  latter  derived  their  notions,  in  part 
at  least,  from  that  heretical  sect. 

The  Parsees  are  idolators,  worshiping  not 
merely  the  good  and  evil  deities,  but  almost 
every  thing  that  is  named  in  heaven  and 
earth.  The  learned  Dr.  Wilson,  long  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Church  of  Scotland  at  Bom- 
bay, makes  a  literal  translation  of  one  sec- 
tion of  the  Parsoe  scriptures,  in  which  the 
devotee  is  taught  to  say,  "I  worship  Hor- 


PARSEEISM. 


637 


mazd,  the  pure,  master  of  purity.  I  wor- 
ship Zoroaster,  the  pure,  master  of  purity. 
I  worship  the  whole  body  of  Hormazd.  I 
worship  ail  the  long  existences  (the  beings 
which  are  to  exist  12,000  years.)  I  worship 
all  the  pure  celestial  and  terrestrial  Izads 
(angels.)  I  worship  all  the  fountains  of 
water,  flowing  and  stationary.  I  worship 
all  the  trees,  and  the  trunks,  and  lofty 
branches,  and  fruit.  I  worship  the  whole 
earth.  I  worship  the  whole  heaven.  I  wor- 
ship all  the  stars,  the  moon,  and  the  sun.  I 
worship  the  primeval  lights.  I  worship  all 
the  animals,  both  aquatic  and  terrene.  I 
worship  all  the  mountains,  the  purely  plea- 
surable.    I  worship  all  the  fires." 

These  are  a  few  from  the  long  catalogue 
of  objects,  animate  and  inanimate,  which  the 
Parsees  are  taught  to  worship.  These  ob- 
jects are  so  jumbled  together  and  confound- 
ed as  to  produce  the  utmost  distraction  and 
degradation  in  the  mind  of  the  worshiper. 
"  Thus,"  Dr.  Wilson  remarks,  "he  at  one 
moment  calls  upon  Hormazd,  at  the  next 
upon  his  own  ghost  ;  at  one  moment  on  an 
archangel,  at  the  next  on  a  sturdy  bull ;  at 
one  time  on  the  brilliant  sun,  the  next  on  a 
blazing  fire  ;  at  one  moment  on  a  lofty  and 
stupendous  mountain,  the  next  on  a  darksome 
cave ;  at  one  moment  on  the  ocean,  at  the 
next  on  a  well  or  spring,  &c."  Not  only  are 
all  distinctions  among  the  different  objects 
of  worship  referred  to  in  the  liturgical  and 
doctrinal  works  of  the  Parsees  levelled,  by 
being  confounded  together  in  the  most 
strange  and  unnatural  associations,  but  the 
same  result  is  brought  about  by  the  fact  that 
all  the  different  objects  of  worship  of  what- 
ever nature,  have  applied  to  them  the  same 
terms  expressive  of  respect,  of  worship,  of 
supplication,  praise,  exaltation,  reverence, 
glory,  and  benediction.  It  has  been  clearly 
ascertained  that  the  terms  and  objects  of 
worship  which  have  been  given  as  specimens, 
are  used  by  the  Parsees,  not  to  express  civil, 
but  religious  respect  and  honor,  and  further, 
that  they  are  used  not  with  levity  and  indi- 
ference,  but  in  the  most  solemn  forms  of  de- 
votion which  they  possess.  Another  singular 
ftict  is,  that  the  service  of  the  inferior  objects 
occupies  more  space  in  the  books  of  the  Par- 
sees,  than  that  of  the  more  exalted  and  com- 
manding objects.  It  appears  therefore  that 
the  Parsees,  worshiping  as  they  do  "  gods 
many  and  lords  many,'  are  polytheists  in 
the  most  literal  and  degrading  sense. 

It  must  be  evident  from  the  number  and 
character  of  the  objects  xcorshiped  by  the 
Parsees,  that  their  ideas  of  personal  respon- 
sibility and  guilt,  of  the  method  of  salvation, 
and  of  a  future  state,  cannot  be  even  an  ap- 
proximation to  the  scripture  doctrine  on 
these  subjects.  They  do,  indeed,  like  all 
idolators,  believe  in  something  called 
guilt,  and  in  some  method  of  expiation ;  but 


how  low  and  corrupting  is  that  belief,  and 
how  shocking  and  disgusting  the  services 
and  sacrifices  offered  for  the  soul.  The 
teachings  of  the  Zand-Avasta  on  these  sub- 
jects occupy  a  large  space,  and  cannot  be 
quoted  here,  but  they  are  alluded  to  with 
suflBcient  distinctness  by  Dr.  Wilson,  when 
he  says,  "  The  religious  war  with,  and  re- 
lentless destruction  of  vermin  ;  the  mending 
of  holes  formed  in  the  earth,  through  which 
the  devils  are  supposed  to  emerge  from  hell ; 
the  feeding  of  the  hungry  flame  with  grease 
and  fat  and  sweet  smelling  odors  ;  the  mut- 
tering and  sputtering  of  prayers  and  praises 
in  an  unknown  tongue,  to  every  object  that 
exists ;  the  disposal  of  corpses  so  as  to  pol- 
lute the  atmosphere  rather  than  the  earth  ; 
the  solemn  funeral  of  bones  and  hair  and 
nails;  the  drinking  and  sipping  of  cow's 
urine  at  morn  and  eve  as  if  it  were  the  very 
elixir  of  immortality ;  the  scrubbing  and 
rubbing  of  the  body  with  various  ablutions 
for  the  expulsion  of  devils  ;  the  frightening 
and  driving  away  of  demons  by  noises  ;  the 
introduction  of  dogs  to  survey  the  bodies  of 
the  deceased  and  to  prognosticate  and  guard 
them  from  the  assaults  of  Satan ;  and  many 
other  practices  said  to  be  enjoined  by  divine 
authority  and  to  be  good  and  virtuous  ac- 
tions, do  not  certainly  commend  themselves 
to  the  reason  of  many  of  those  with  whom 
tyrant  custom  compels  their  observance." 

The  earth,  fire,  water,  dogs,  and  some 
other  objects  are  deemed  peculiarlj^  sacred  ; 
and  hence  the  severe  penalties  attached  to 
the  pollution  or  injury  of  cither  of  these  ob- 
jects. Thus,  for  instance,  a  person  who 
strikes  a  water  dog  is  treated  to  10,000 
stripes  ;  and  he  must  by  way  of  atonement 
cany  10,000  bundles  of  dry  and  the  same 
quantity  of  soft  wood,  to  the  fires  of  Hor- 
mazd. He  must  furnish  10,000  barsams 
(trees),  and  10,000  zorsof  pure  hom  (a  kind 
of  tree)  and  its  juice.  He  must  kill  10.000 
reptiles  that  creep  on  their  bellies,  10,000 
reptiles  in  the  form  of  a  dog,  10,000  turtles, 
10,000  land  frogs,  10,000  water  frogs,  10,000 
ants  which  drag  the  grain,  10,000  stinging 
ants,  10,000  blood  suckers,  and  10,000  sting- 
ing flies ;  and  he  must  take  out  10.000  im- 
pure stones  from  the  ground.  And  these 
are  only  a  part  of  the  penalty. 

So  numerous  and  confused  are  the  rites, 
ceremonies,  superstitions,  and  penal  regula- 
tions of  the  Parsees,  that  to  illustrate  them 
all  would  require  a  volume.  They  are  in 
general  but  little  acquainted  with  tlieir  sa- 
cred writings,  except  by  tradition  and  as  in- 
ferred from  actual  observances,  though  some 
of  them  are  quite  intelligent,  and  able  to  de- 
fend their  svstem  with  a  show  of  leanung 
and  ingenuity.  An  American  missionary  at 
Bombay  says  of  the  Parsees,  "  They  yield  in 
energy  and  influence  to  none.  They  are 
more  ready  than  any  other  class  to  adopt 


63S 


PASL  MALI  h-PILGRlMAGE. 


Buropcan  custonw  and  opinions,  and  not  a 
few  of  them  spoak  and  write  the  English 
koguage  with  facility.  They  have  several 
fine  temples  in  Bombay,  and  at  the  time  of 
sunrise  and  sunset  they  may  be  seen  reading 
and  rt'poating  their  prayers,  and  addressing 
their  worsliip  to  the  sun  and  to  the  sea.  But 
they  are  much  less  of  a  religious  people  than 
the  Hindoos.  They  are  indeed  zealous  for 
their  religion,  but  are  most  ignorant  of  what 
it  really  is,  and  their  zeal  apparently  arises 
rather  from  a  sectional,  national  feeling, 
than  from  their  being  imbued  with  any  re- 
ligious principle.  They  pride  themselves  on 
being  Parsees,  and  they  are  ready  to  defend 
Parseeisra,  whatever  it  may  be.  Among 
them  are  found  the  bitterest  opponents  of 
Christianity,  who  are  familiar  with  the  prin- 
cipal writings  of  opposers,  and  who  manifest 
no  little  zeal  in  disseminating  their  infidel 
views.  Much  use  is  made  of  the  press  for 
this  purpose." — Rkv.  E.  D.  Moore. 

PARIS  PROTESTANT  MISSIONARY 
SOCIETY:  This  society  was  formed  in  1822, 
under  the  title  of  "Societe  des  Missions 
Evangeliques  de  Paris."  A  meeting  was 
held  for  the  purpose  at  the  house  of  S.  V.  S. 
Wilder,  Esq.,  an  American  merchant,  then 
residing  in  Paris,  which  was  attended  by  the 
presidents  of  the  Reformed  and  Lutheran 
Consistories ;  by  other  pastors,  with  lay 
members  of  the  two  churches ;  by  various 
foreign  Protestants,  then  in  Paris,  among 
whom  were  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson,  Rev.  S.  S. 
Wilson,  and  Rev.  Jonas  King,  and  by  Messrs. 
Cook  and  Croggon,.Wesleyan  missionaries 
then  in  France.  One  object  of  the  So 
ciety  was  declared  to  be,  to  enlighten  the 
public  mind,  through  the  press,  as  to  the 
character  and  importance  of  the  dififerent 
missions  of  Protestant  Christians  among  the 
heathen ;  and  another,  to  establish  an  insti- 
tution for  young  persons  recommended  by 
the  different  missionary  societies,  to  whom 
it  might  be  necessary  to  study  some  of  the 
Oriental  languages. 

Rev.  Jonas  King,  being  then  in  Paris,  and 
having  received  an  invitation  from  Rev.  Mr. 
Fisk,  after  the  death  of  his  associate.  Rev. 
Mr.  Parsons,  to  join  him  in  the  mission  to 
the  Iloly  Land,  the  new  society  assumed,  for 
a  given  period,  his  support.  The  committee 
issued  an  address,  setting  forth  the  object 
of  the  society,  and  soliciting  contributions. 
They  also  established  the  Monthly  Concert 
of  Prayer. 

Subsequently,  this  society  directed  all  its 
efforts  to  Southern  Africa,  where  their  mis- 
sions have  been  very  energetically  and  suc- 
cessfully prosecuted  to  the  present  time. 
They  have  thirteen  stations,  among  several 
different  tribes,  with  fourteen  missionaries, 
and  a  large  number  of  native  assistants,  and 
about  thirteen  hundred  communicants.  (See 
Southern  Africa.) 


PAS0MALIE  :  A  station  of  the  Madura 
mission  in  Southern  Ilindostan,  under  the 
care  of  the  American  Board. 

PASIIA:  In  the  Turkish  dominions,  a 
viceroy,  governor,  or  commander. 

PASIIALTC :  The  jurisdiction  of  a  Pasha. 
PATNA:  a  city  of  much  importance  in 
the  presidency  of  Bengal,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Ganges,  about  300  miles  north-west 
of  Calcutta.  The  population  is  estimated  at 
nearly  400,000.  Within  the  walls,  the  city 
is  not  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length 
by  three-fouiths  of  a  mile  in  breadth ;  but 
its  suburbs  extend  nine  miles  along  the 
banks  of  the  river,  and  two  miles  inland. 
The  English  Baptists  commenced  a  mission 
here  in  1811. 

PATE  A :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand. 

PATRIARCH:  In  the  Oriental  churches, 
a  dignitary  superior  to  the  order  of  arch- 
bishops, 

PATRIARCHATE:  The  office  or  juris- 
diction of  a  patriarch. 

PAUMOTU:  A  group,  consisting  of  a 
large  number  of  low,  small  islands,  in  the 
South  Pacific,  between  17°  and  23°  S.  lati- 
tude, and  139°  and  145°  W.  longitude. 
They  have  been  called  by  several  names,  as 
The  Labyrinth,  Pearl  Islands,  Pallisee  Is- 
lands. Dangerous  Archipelago. 

PE'DANG:  A  Dutch  settlement  on  the 
west  coast  of  Sumatra.  Camphor,  benzoin, 
and  pepper,  and  a  considerable  quantity  of 
gold  from  the  interior  are  collected  here, 
and  sent  to  Batavia.  It  is  a  station  of  the 
Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

PEELTON :  Station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  among  the  Kaffres  in  South 
Africa,  destroyed  by  the  Kaffre  war. 

PEHIAKUR  A :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  north-west  side 
of  Waikato  harbor,  New  Zealand. 

PEKING :  The  Northern  Capital  of  China, 
the  residence  of  the  imperial  court,  situated 
in  the  Chihli  province,  in  lat.  39°  54'  N.,  and 
long.  116°  27'  E.     (See  China.) 

PELL  A:  A  station  of  the  Rhenish  Mission- 
ary Society,  in  Little  Namaqua,  South  Africa. 
PERIACOOLUM :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board,  belonging  to  the  Madras  mission, 
in  Southern  Hindostan. 

PHILIPOLIS:  Station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  in  South  Africa,  among 
the  Bosjesmans,  on  the  north  side  of  Cradock 
River,  with  out-stations. 

PHILIPTON:  The  principal  station  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society,  on  Kat 
River,  South  Africa. 

PIETERMAURITZBURG :  A  Dutch  set- 
tlement, near  Port  Natal,  Southern  Africa. 

PILGRIMAGE :  A  journey  to  some  place 
deemed   sacred,  undertaken  with   supersti- 
tious veneration  for  the  place  or  the  relics 
1  or  other  sacred  things  which  it  contains. 


PINE    HIDGE— PRESByTERIAN  BOARD. 


6S9 


PINE  RTDGE:  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can. Board  among  the  Choctaw  Indians. 

PIPLEE :  A  short  distance  from  Pooree, 
in  Hindostan,  and  near  the  coast  of  the  Bay 
of  Bengal,  a  place  through  which  most  of 
the  pilgrims  pass  in  their  annual  journeys 
to  the  great  Juggernaut  festival.  The  Gene- 
ral Baptists  of  England  established  a  mission 
there  in  1847. 

PIRIE :  Station  of  the  Free  Church  of 
Scotland  in  South  Africa,  about  20  miles 
East  of  Burnshill. 

PL AATBERG  t  A  station  of  the  Wesley- 
ans  in  the  Natal  District,  South  Africa. 

POINT  PEDRO :  The  northernmost  ex- 
tremity of  Ceylon,  in  lat.  9°  48'  N.,  and 
long.  80*  7/  E.     A  station  of  the  Wesleyans. 

POINT  VENUS :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society',  on  Tahiti. 

POLYNESIA:  The  Alany  Isles;  a  name 
vaguely  applied  to  numerous  groups  of  Is- 
lands in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  (See  Sandwich 
Islands,  South  Sea  Islands,  &c.) 

PONTIANAK:  A  Dutch  possession  on 
the  west  coast  of  Borneo,  12  miles  from 
the  mouth  of  the  Pontiana  river,  for  some 
time  a  station  of  the  American  Board. 

POOHACOOTEE :  A  large  village,  about 
50  miles  north-east  from  Madura,  within  the 
territory  of  the  Tondiman  rajah.  The  sta- 
tion was  transferred  to  the  American  Board 
in  1845,  by  the  Indian  Church  Missionary 
Society  of  Madras. 

POOTHACOTTAII:  A  town  of  Southern 
Hindostan,  65  miles  north-east  from  Madura. 
Population,  10,000.  The  mission  of  the 
American  Board  at  Madras  had  a  station 
here,  but  transferred  it  to  Madura  in  1845. 
In  1848  it  was  relinquished,  owing  to  its 
distance,  and  the  inconvenience  of  superin- 
tending it. 

POONAH:  A  city  in  the  province  of 
Arungabad,  until  1818  the  capital  of  the 
Mahratta  empire,  about  30  miles  east  of  the 
Ghauts,  100  from  Bombay,  and  75  from  the 
nearest  sea-coast.  A  station  of  the  Free 
Church  of  Scotland. 

POOREE :  A  station  of  the  General  Bap- 
tists in  Orissa. 

PORT  ANTONIO :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyans  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

PORT-AU-PLATT :  A  station  of  the 
"Wesleyans  in  Hayti. 

PORT  MORANT :  A  station  of  the  Wes- 
leyans in  Jamaica,  "W".  I. 

PORT  NATAL':  (D'Urban,)  the  principal 
port  of  the  Natal  District,  South  Africa. 

PORT  REPUBLICAN :  A  station  of  the 
Wesleyans  in  Hayti. 

PORT  OF  SPAIN:  A  station  of  the 
United  Secession  Church  in  Trinidad. 

PORT  ELIZABETH :  Station  of  the  Lon- 
don and  Wesleyan  Missionary  Societies  in 
Algoa  Bay,  South  Africa.  The  London  Mis- 
sioDary  Society's  labors  at  this  station  are 


chiefly  directed  to  the  Fingoes,  a  considera- 
ble portion  of  this  tribe  having  been  for 
years  settled  at  this  place.  There  is  also  an 
English  congregation  and  a  Sabbath-school. 

PORT'  LOKKOH:  A  native  town  in  the 
Timneh  country,  about  40  miles  from  the 
colony  of  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa.  In 
point  of  population  and  geographical  location, 
it  is  a  highly  important  position.  It  is  the 
thoroughftire  of  that  part  of  the  country,  and 
is  visited  by  the  natives  of  various  countries 
to  the  eastward.  This  is  the  site  of  the 
mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
to  the  Timneh  country. 

PORT  LOUIS :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  north-western  side 
of  the  Island  of  Mauritius,  or  the  Isle  of 
France.  It  is  the  principal  town  and  capital 
of  the  Island,  and  contains  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  whole  population.  Its  population 
is  largely  Roman  Catholic,  and,  of  course, 
the  missionary  work  meets  with  much  oppo- 
sition.    (See  Mauritius.') 

PRATTVILLE :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica,  W.  I. 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  MIS- 
SIONS.— The  foreign  missionary  work  was 
commenced  by  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  at  an  early  date.  The 
Society  for  propagating  Christian  knoAvledge 
in  Scotland,  which  was  formed  in  1709,  es- 
tablished a  Board  of  correspondents  in  New 
York,  in  1741,  who  appointed  the  Rev.  Aza- 
riah  Horton,  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of 
New  York,  to  labor  as  a  missionary  among 
the  Indians  on  Long  Island.*  His  labors 
extended  through  two  or  three  years,  though 
the  precise  limit  is  not  now  known.  The 
second  foreign  missionary  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  was  the  justly  celebrated  Da- 
vid Brainerd.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  an  association  of  Congregational  minis- 
ters, assembled  at  Danbury,  Conn.,  July  29, 
1742,  and  spent  about  a  year  at  an  Indian 
settlement  not  very  far  from  Albany.  On 
June  12,  1744,  he  was  ordained  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York,  then  meeting  at  New- 
ark, N.  J.,  and  immediately  commenced  his 
labors  at  the  forks  of  the  Delaware,  on  the 
Susquehannah,  and  at  Cross-weeks,  near  the 
centre  of  New  Jersey.  After  the  death  of 
David  Brainerd,  in  October,  1747,  he  was 
succeeded  by  his  brother,  the  Rev.  John 
Brainerd,  a  member  of  the  same  Presby- 
tery, who  labored  faithfully  and  successfully 
among  the  Indians  for  many  years.  These 
three  first  missionaries  to  the  heathen  tribes 
in  this  land,  under  the  direction  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  maintained  a  correspond- 
ence with  the  parent  Society  in  Scotland, 
and  derived  a  portion  of  their  support  from 
that  country.     Both  Mr.  Horton  and  David 


*  See  Green's  Hist.  Sketch,  page  37,  and  Rov.  A.  Ilor- 
ton'9  Narrative,  from  June,  1742,  to  March,  1743,  in 
Prince's  Christian  History,  VoL  I. 


640 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF   MISSIONS. 


Brainord  received  something  like  two  hiin- 
tlred  dollars  a  year  from  this  source.  But 
John  Braiiicrd  was  supported  principally, 
If  not  wholly,  bv  contributions  in  the 
Presbyterian  churcnes  here.  In  17G3,  the 
Synod  of  New  York  ordered  a  collection 
to  Im?  made  in  all  their  churches  for  the  sup- 
port of  Indian  missions,  allowing  Mr.  Brain- 
erd  a  salary  of  thirty  pounds,  giving  the 
same  amount  for  the  support  of  schools,  and 
voting  sixty-five  pounds  for  the  support  of 
the  Rev.  Sampson  Occimi,  a  native  Indian, 
a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Suffolk,  on 
Long  Island,  and  at  that  time  a  missionary 
among  the  Oneida  Indians.*  Three  years 
after  this,  in  1766,  the  Rev.  Charles  Beatty 
and  the  Rev.  George  Duffield  performed  a 
mission,  under  the  appointment  of  the  Synod 
of  New  York,  to  the  Indians  on  the  Mus- 
kingum river  in  Ohio ;  and  their  report  was 
60  favorable  that  the  Synod  appointed  two 
others  to  labor  in  the  same  region.  But 
troubles  arising  between  the  Indians  and  the 
frontier  inhabitants,  this  mission  was  relin- 
quished. After  the  death  of  Mr.  John 
Brainerd,  in  1780,  so  many  changes  had  oc- 
curred among  the  Indians  in  consequence  of 
the  revolutionary  war,  and  other  causes,  that 
the  foreign  missionary  work  was  to  a  con- 
siderable degree  abandoned  for  several  years. 
It  had  been  prosecuted  by  the  Presbyterian 
Church  from  the  year  1741  to  1780,  a  period 
of  nearly  40  years,  during  which  time  at 
least  six  faithful  ministers  had  labored  in 
the  field,  besides  schoolmasters,  and  some 
other  helpers.  In  the  year  1796,  the  for- 
eign missionary  work  was  resumed  in  the 
formation  of  the  "New  York  Missionary 
Society."  This  body  was  independent  of 
any  presbyterial  supervision,  though  it  is 
believed  to  have  consisted  principally  of 
membersj,  ^f.  the  Presbyterian  Church.  A 
considerable  amount  of  funds  was  collected, 
and  three  Indian  missions  were  established, 
viz. :  among  the  Chickasaws,  the  Tuscaroras, 
and  the  Senecas.  In  the  following  year, 
1797,  the  "Northern  Missionary  Society" 
was  instituted.  This,  like  its  predecessor, 
was  an  independent  body,  though  composed 
in  part  of  Presbyterians.  By  this  Society, 
missions  to  the  Indian  tribes  were  prosecuted 
for  several  years.  But  in  the  year  1800,  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
took  tip  the  work  of  foreign  missions  in  a  sys- 
tematic manner.  They  appointed  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Chapman  as  a  missionary  on  tlie  north- 
western frontier  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
with  reference  to  the  wants  of  both  the  white 
inhabitants  and  the  Indian  tribes ;  and  in  the 
year  1802,  the  General  Assembly's  standing 
committee  on  missions  addressed  a  circular 
to  all  the  Presbyteries  under  their  care, 
urging  collections  for  the  support  of  missions. 

♦  Green's  Sketch,  page  44. 


and  making  inquiries  for  suitable  candidates 
to  be  employed.  In  the  next  year,  1803,  a 
suitable  person  was  found.  The  Rev.  Gideon 
Blackburn  offered  himself  for  the  work  and 
a  mission  was  established  among  the  Cher- 
okee Indians,  then  residing  within  the 
chartered  limits  of  the  State  of  Georgia, 
where  Mr.  Blackburn  prosecuted  his  mis- 
sionary labors  with  zeal,  activity,  and 
devotedness,  for  eight  years,  when  his 
health  failed,  and  ho  was  constrained  to 
leave  his  post.  The  standing  committee  of 
the  Genera}  Assembly  intended  to  have 
prosecuted  this  mission,  but  did  not  succeed 
in  finding  a  man  to  supply  the  place  of  Mr. 
Blackburn,  and  subsequently  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Kingsbury,  acting  under  the  American  Board, 
established  himself  in  the  Cherokee  country, 
and  a  flourishing  mission  was  built  up. 

Missions  among  the  Indians  were  prose- 
cuted by  the  General  Assembly  in  various 
directions  from  1805  to  1818,  and  with  some 
encouraging  results ;  but  in  1818,  measures 
were  taken  to  unite  the  efforts  of  the  Pres- 
byterian, Reformed  Dutch,  and  Associate 
Reformed  Churches,  by  forming  one  inde- 
pendent Society,  and  a  new  body  was  accord- 
ingly formed,  called  "The  United  Foreign 
Missionary  Society."  This  Society  was  in 
active  operation  some  six  or  seven  years, 
and  all  the  existing  missionary  interests  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church  were  merged  in  it. 
In  the  year  1826,  it  had  under  its  care  nine 
missions,  embracing  60  male  and  female  mis- 
sionaries, 250  children  and  youth  under  in- 
struction, and  more  than  40  native  converts 
to  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  Gospel.*  About 
that  time  the  whole  work  was  transferred  to 
the  American  Board,  and  the  United  Foreign 
Missionary  Society  ceased  its  operations. 

It  was  regretted  by  many  Presbyterians 
that  the  church  of  their  preference  should 
not  prosecute  foreign  missions  under  their 
own  distinctive  name,  and  this  feeling  be- 
came at  length  so  deep  that  in  the  month  of 
November,  1831,  the  Synod  of  Pittsburgh 
formed  the  "Western  Foreign  Missionary 
Society."  This  Society  was  intended  to 
unite  the  efforts,  not  of  that  Synod  alone, 
but  the  efforts  of  all  others  who  might 
choose  to  unite  with  them.  Operations 
were  immediately  commenced  and  prose- 
cuted by  this  Society,  with  varied  success, 
for  six  years,  when,  in  June.  1837,  a  Board 
of  Foreign  Missions  was  established  by  the 
General  Assembly,  to  which  the  Western 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  subsequently 
transferred  all  their  missions  and  funds. — 
Rev.  J.  Greenleaf. 

The  following  interesting  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  this  Board  is  organized, 
and  the  principles  upon  which  its  operations 
are  conducted,  is  taken  from  Mr.  Lowric's 
"  Manual  of  Missions ;" 


*  Greon's  Sketch,  page  59. 


PRESBYTERIAN   BOARD  OF   MISSIONS. 


641 


This  Board  consists  of  sixty  ministers, 
and  as  many  laymen,  whose  term  of  oflBce  is 
four  years.  Its  members  are  appointed  by 
the  General  Assembly,  one-fourth  part  each 
year.  To  them  is  "  intrusted,  with  such  di- 
rections as  may  from  time  to  time  be  given, 
the  superintendence  of  the  foreign  missionary 
operations  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  of  America ;"  and  they 
are  required  to  "  make  annually  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  a  report  of  their  proceedings  ; 
and  submit  for  its  approval  such  plans  and 
measures  as  may  be  deemed  useful  and  ne- 
cessary." The  Board  is,  therefore,  simply  a 
Standing  Committee  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, and  the  title  of  Committee  would  have 
more  clearly  indicated  its  relations  to  that 
venerable  court.  For  convenience  in  holding 
certain  real  estate  and  in  the  transaction  of 
some  kinds  of  business,  a  charter  has  been 
obtained  for  the  Board  under  a  general  law 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  with  the  same 
title  precisely  as  designated  by  the  General 
Assembly,  "  Tlie  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
States  of  America."  This  charter  is  not  a 
close  but  an  open  one,  and  the  members  of 
the  incorporated  body  are  the  same  persons, 
and  no  others,  who  are  appointed  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  by  the  General  Assembly. 

The  Board  appoints  annually  an  Executive 
Committee  and  the  Executive  Officers.  On 
these  devolves  the  immediate  charge  of  the 
missionary  work.  T\'"eekly  meetings  are  held 
by  the  Committee,  at  which  every  thing  re- 
lating to  the  interests  of  the  missionary 
cause  at  home  and  abroad  may  be  brought 
under  consideration.  The  selection  of  mis- 
sionary fields,  the  appointment  of  mission- 
aries, the  kinds  of  labor  in  each  country  and 
at  each  station,  the  measures  suitable  for 
promoting  an  interest  in  thfe  missionary 
work  among  the  churches  at  home,  receive 
continued  and  careful  attention.  Most  of 
these  are  matters  of  deep  importance.  They 
require  the  exercise  of  eiilarged  views  and 
the  most  sober  judgment.  A  general  ac- 
quaintance with  tlie  missionary  field,  and 
with  the  history  of  missions,  and  a  particu- 
lar knowledge  of  the  missionary  work  under 
the  charge  of  the  Board,  are  required  for  the 
proper  decision  of  questions  that  occur  from 
time  to  time.  An  application  for  funds  to 
build  a  missionary  chapel,  or  a  request  for 
appointment  as  a  missionary  or  teach^,  may 
easily  bring  under  consideration  the  whole 
subject  of  the  best  method  of  expending 
missionary  funds,  in  view  both  of  the  exi- 
gences of  the  various  missions  and  the 
amount  of  moneys  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Committee. 

The  appointment  of  missionaries  is  one  of 
the  most  important  of  these  duties.  In 
making  appointments  the  Committee  must 
rtiy  very  much  on  recommendations  of  pas- 

4:1 


tors,  instructors,  and  others.  They  are 
anxious  to  send  forth  only  those  who  have 
been  called  to  this  work  by  the  Head  of  the 
Church.  As  a  part  of  the  evidence  of  this 
divine  call,  they  must  take  into  consideration 
the  qualifications  of  the  applicant.  His  rep- 
utation for  piety,  prudence,  and  zeal,  his 
talents  and  scholarship,  his  health  and  its 
adaptation  to  particular  climates,  are  all  mat- 
ters of  great  moment.  Qualifications  of  a 
superior  class  are  greatly  to  be  desired ;  but 
men  of  respectable  talents,  with  good  judg- 
ment and  habits  of  industry  and  energy,  all 
under  the  control  of  humble,  loving,  and  de- 
voted piety,  may  be  very  useful  in  most  mis- 
sionary fields.  It  may  well  be  doubted 
whether  it  is  expedient  to  send  out  men 
whose  qualifications  are  not  fully  equal  to 
the  average  attainments  of  the  ministers  of 
the  churches  in  this  country.  A  rule  was 
adopted  by  the  Board,  at  the  request  of  the 
Executive  Committee,  that  no  ordained  min- 
ister should  be  sent  to  a  foreign  field,  with- 
out the  recommendation  of  his  Presbytery. 
This  places  the  responsibility  of  deciding  on 
the  qualifications  of  missionaries,  to  a  large 
degree,  on  the  Presbyteries  ;  and  it  should 
go  far  to  secure  the  right  kind  of  men.  But 
the  nature  of  the  work  itself,  and  the  sacri- 
fices which  it  involves,  will  always  furnish 
presumptive  evidence  that  the  brethren  who 
ofier  as  volunteers  to  engage  in  it  are  men 
worthy  of  confidence  and  honor. 

The  missionaries  become  members  of  the 
Presbyteries  which  have  been  organized  in 
their  respective  fields  of  labor,  and  all  eccle- 
siastical matters  are  transacted  as  is  usual 
in  these  church  courts.  "With  these,  the 
Committee  do  not  interfere,  unless  by  Chris- 
tian counsel  at  the  request  of  the  missiona- 
ries. Financial  and  other  business  matters 
are  transacted  with  the  mission^das,  not  as 
Presbyteries,  but  as  missions  oriP^commit- 
tees  ;  and  as  a  general  rule  it  is  expedient 
to  leave  local  details  as  far  as  possible  in 
their  hands.  The  general  supervision  must, 
from  the  nature  of  the  case,  be  reserved  to 
the  Committee.  This  is  particularly  neces- 
sary in  the  expenditure  of  the  funds  devoted 
to  missionary  purposes.  Estimates  are  sent 
up,  embracing  the  various  kinds  of  work  in 
each  mission — the  sum  desired  for  the  sup- 
port of  missionaries  and  native  assistants, 
for  building  churches,  chapels,  or  school- 
houses,  for  schools,  for  the  press,  &c.,  being 
separately  stated.  In  forming  these  esti- 
mates, the  missions  proceed  upon  the  ex- 
penses of  the  preceding  year  as  a  basis,  with 
such  enlargement  or  diminution  as  may  he 
called  for  by  their  circumstances  and  pros- 
pects. With  estimates  from  all  the  missions 
before  them,  the  Committee  then  apportion 
to  eacljsuch  part  of  the  probable  receipts  of 
the  Bdftd  as  the  wants  of  each  mission  ap- 
pear to]  require.    The  probable   income  to 


642 


PRESBYTERIAN   BOARD  OF   MISSIONS. 


be  thus  apportioned  is  itself  a  matter  of  es- 
timate, foun(le<l  upon  the  income  of  the  prc- 
rrdinj:  vcar,  and  the  hope  of  enlarged  con- 
f  n!  utio'ns  l.y  the  churches  to  this  cause.  In 
the-  juoper  fulfilment  of  their  trust  in  these 
financial  matters,  the  Committee  are  called 
to  exercise  their  maturest  judgment.  Errors 
or  mistakes  here  would  Involve  the  whole 
work  in  serious  difficulties.  Were  expendi- 
tures to  be  authorized  without  a  strict  regard 
to  the  probable  means  of  payment,  a  debt 
would  soon  be  created,  embarrassing  alike  to 
friends  at  home  and  to  the  missionaries 
abroad.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  easy 
matter  to  withhold  aid  which  is  urgently 
solicited,  and  which  the  churches  are  so  well 
able  to  give. 

The  arrangements  of  the  Board  for  the  re- 
ceipt and  expenditure  of  the  funds  commit- 
ted to  its  charge  for  the  missionary  work, 
are  thoroughly  business-like  and  satisfactory. 
Every  donation,  though  as  small  in  amount 
as  the  widow's  two  mites,  can  be  traced  in 
its  course  from  the  time  it  leaves  its  donor's 
hands,  and  for  every  dollar  expended  a  sat- 
isfactory exhibit  can  be  shown — all  being  on 
record  in  books  kept  for  the  purpose.  Vouch- 
ers are  preserved  for  all  moneys  expended. 
It  is  believed  that  nothing  has  been  at 
any  time  lost  through  want  of  uprightness 
or  fidelity.  Errors  of  judgment  there  may 
have  been,  and  a  consequent  injudicious  ex- 
penditure of  money  in  some  cases.  To  ac- 
knowledge this  is  but  to  concede  that  the 
Executive  Committee  and  Officers  are  far 
from  being  infallible  in  judgment.  But  it  is 
no  small  thing  to  be  able  to  say,  that  in 
twenty  years,  out  of  an  expenditure  amount- 
ing altogether  to  more  than  a  million  and  a 
half  of  dollars,  nothing  has  been  lost  through 
want  of  fidelity  on  the  part  of  those  who 
were  chewed  with  its  disbursement.  The 
further  mCTit  of  economy  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  funds  of  the  Board  may  be  justly 
claimed,  and  is  shown,  among  other  ways, 
by  the  low  per  centage  of  cost  for  executive 
services. 

In  the  transmission  of  moneys  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  missionary  work  abroad,  differ- 
ent methods  are  adopted  for  missions  in 
different  countries.  To  the  missions  among 
the  Indian  tribes,  a  large  amount  of  •'  sup- 
plies"—various  articles  of  clothing,  grocer- 
ies, books,  &c.,— are  forwarded.  These  can 
be  purchased  at  much  lower  rates  in  our 
cities  than  in  the  Indian  country.  For  articles 
purchased  in  the  neighborhood  of  these  mis- 
sionary stations,  payments  are  commonly 
made  by  drafts  drawn  by  the  Treasurer  or 
Superintendent  of  the  mission  on  the  Trea- 
surer in  New  York.  In  the  African  missions, 
particularly  at  Corisco,  money  is  less  conve- 
nient than  some  kinds  of  merchandise,  and 
accordingly  supplies  are  sentfrom  this  coun- 
try.   To  the  missions  in  India,  Siam,  and 


China,  supplies  are  seldom  sent,  and  only 
when  ordered  ;  and  money  is  remitted,  com- 
monly by  letters  of  credit.  The  Treasurer 
goes  down  into  Wall  street,  and  engages  a 
letter  of  credit  for,  say,  five  hundred  pounds 
sterling  ;  on  which  letter,  bills  of  exchange 
may  be  drawn,  payable  in  London  at  four  or 
six  months  after  sight.  This  letter  of  credit 
is  forwarded  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  mission, 
find  bills  are  sold  by  him  at  the  prevailing 
rates.  The  purchaser  sends  the  bill  to  Lon- 
don, where  it  arrives  in  some  five  or  six 
months  aftef  the  time  when  it  was  obtained 
in  Wall  street,  and  four  or  six  months  must 
still  elapse,  after  it  is  presented  for  accept- 
ance by  the  parties  on  whom  it  is  drawn,  be- 
fore it  becomes  payable  by  the  Treasurer  of 
the  Board,  making  altogether  ten  or  twelve 
months  from  its  date  in  New  York.  As  the 
Board  must  in  due  time  pay  this  draft,  it  has 
been  the  good  practice  of  the  Committee  to 
authorize,  at  the  time  of  engaging  the  letter 
of  credit,  the  investment  upon  ample  securi- 
ties of  money  bearing  interest,  so  as  to  be  in 
no  danger  of  not  being  prepared  to  take  it 
up  when  it  becomes  due.  In  this  way,  not 
only  is  safety  secured,  but  the  interest  gained 
in  the  meantime  on  the  money  invested 
serves  to  reduce  the  cost  of  the  bill,  or,  in 
other  words,  to  diminish  the  expense  of  re- 
mitting funds  to  the  missions.  When  the 
fluctuations  of  commerce,  war,  or  any  other 
cause  render  it  difficult  to  sell  bills  of  ex- 
change in  India  or  China,  it  then  becomes 
necessary  to  send  out  silver.  This  must  be 
bought,  sometimes  at  a  premium,  and  it  is 
subject  to  expense  for  freight  and  insurance, 
while  on  the  voyage  it  is  earning  no  interest  j 
so  that  this  kind  of  remittance  is  seldom  a 
desirable  one. 

The  business  of  the  Board  is  transacted 
mainly  in  the  city  of  New  York.  This  city 
has  become  the  chief  foreign  port  of  the 
country,  and  possesses  many  advantages  for 
sending  forth  missionaries,  remitting  funds, 
and  foreign  correspondence.  No  other  city 
in  this  country  affords  equal  facilities  for 
these  purposes.  The  decision  to  establish 
the  business  head-quarters  of  the  Board  in 
this  city  was  therefore  a  measure  of  obvious 
propriety.  Almost  the  only  drawback  to  the 
desirableness  of  this  location  grows  out  of 
the  great  cost  of  living  in  New  York.  This 
renders  a  somewhat  large  outlay  necessary 
for  the  salaries  of  the  Executive  Officers. 
The  amount  paid  by  the  Board,  however,  has 
thus  far  at  no  time  equalled  the  actual  ex- 
penses incurred  by  them  for  their  support. 

The  missions  of  the  Board  are  eight  in 
number,  viz. :  to  North  American  Indians ; 
Western  Africa;  India;  Siam;  China; 
Jews;  and  Papal  Europe.  The  folIoAving 
summary  view  will  exhibit  the  progress  and 
present  condition  of  these  missions,  as  they 
appear  in  the  Report  for  1854 : 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OP  MISSIONS. 


643 


MISSIONS. 

Names  of  Stations. 

1: 

1       Missionaries  and 
Ass't   Missionaries 

1 
a 

30 
25 

5 
4 

32 

96 

40 
33 
41 

114 

19 
24 

14 

7 
8 

97 
5 

45 

47 

266 
2 

30 
4 
34 

512 

Scholars. 

Board'ng 

Day. 

i 

100 
25 
80 

100 

26 
40 
42 
34 
40 
30 

617 

78 
28 

18 
65 

179 

249 
159 

90 
250 
395 

718 
220 
168 
463 
100 
120 

2932 

27 

103 

78 

"isi 

3836 

Minist'rs 

Lay  Teachers 
and  others. 

1 

I 

100 
16 
40 

^ 

26 
23 

239 

4 

9 
13 

9 

18 

27 

23 

30 
26 

56 
358 

5 

9 
40 
100 

12 
20 
16 
11 

208 

12 

18 

15 

18 

61 

4 

6 
29 

35 

310 

1 

20 
15 

35 

78 
24 

18 
28 

148 

231 
150 

90 
250 
395 

640 
220 
118 
415 
100 
120 

2729 

67 
23 

90 
3002 

•i, 

5 

20 
15 

~35 

6 
6 

45 

60 
30 

125 
166 

Ameri- 
can. 

1 

1 

o 

1 

INDIAN  TRIBES: 

Spencer  Academy 

Kowetah 

1846 
1842 
1849 
1849 
1852 
1848 
1835 
1846 
18S8 
1852 
1853 

1842 
1850 
1847 
1841 
1850 

1834 
1836 
1836 
1848 
1847 
1849 
1853 
1838 
1843 
1846 
1836 
1852 
1853 

1840 

1846 
1844 
1850 
1852 

1846 
1850 
1850 

1844 

1853 

8 
1 

1 

4 

6 

2 
2 

2 

3 

1 
4 
1 
4 
4 

23 

2 

3 
6 
3 

1 

13 

1 

1 
1 

1 
66 

1 

1 
2 

2 

6 

2 
3 

1 
1 

2 

1 
1 
1 

18 

1 
1 

1 
3 

1 

1 
1 

2 

1 
1 

25 

7 
2 
4 
8 

2 
1 
3 
4 
4 
1 
1 

37 

2 

1 

3 

6 

3 
2 

2 

2 

4 
1 
3 
4 

21 
1 

3 

7 
3 

1 

14 
79 

1 
2 

3 

1 
8 

2 

1 

4 
2 
2 
7 
2 
2 

26 

1 

1 

1 
2 

32 

Creeks 

Chickasaws 

Tallahassee 

Wapanuck:! 

^''^Sy  Depot 

Little  River,  or  Oak-ridge 
Iowa 

lowAs  AND  Sacs 

Otoes  and  Omaiias 

Chippewas  and  Ottawas 

AFRICA: 

Bellevue 

Grand  Traverse 

Little  Traverse 

Middle  Village 

Total  of  Indian  Missions, 

Kroo  People 

Kentucky 

Sinoe 

Settra  Kroo 

Near  the  Equator, 

INDIA: 

LODIANA . 

Corifico • 

Total  of  African  Missions 
Lodiana 

Sabathu 

Ambala 

Jalandar . 

Dehra 

Agra 

Mynpurie 

Allahabad 

Allahabad 

SI  AM: 

CHINA. 

Canton . - •-- 

Banda 

Total  of  India  Missions, 
Bangkok 

NiNGPO 

Chinese  in  California. 

JEWS: 

ROMANISTS: 

San  Francisco 

Total  of  China  Missions, 
New  York , 

Philadelphia 

Baltimore 

Stations  in  France 

Buenos  ^lyres  .-- 

General  Total 

For  offices,  the  liberality  of  a  few  friends, 
in  addition  to  the  collections  made  in  some 
of  the  churches  in  1842,  has  provided  the 
Mission  House,  in  Centre  street.  The  place 
at  first  occupied  as  an  office  was  a  room  in 
the  Brick  Church  Chapel,  in  partnership 
with  another  benevolent  institution.  This 
was  soon  found  to  be  quite  too  confined  a 
place,  and  two  rooms  were  taken  on  the 
third  floor  of  a  building  at  the  corner  of 
Broadway  and  Murray  street.  The  growing 
business  of  the  Board  and  the  inconvenience 
of  these  rooms  led  to  another  change,  and  a 
part  of  a  house  was  rented  in  City  Hall 
Place,  where  the  office  was  held  for  some 
years.     These  rooms,   however,   were  not 


well  suited  to  the  use  of  the  Board  ;  and  the 
plan  of  renting  an  office  was  found  to  be  ex- 
pensive, and  attended  with  the  risk  of  change 
and  other  serious  inconveniences.  It  is 
therefore  a  most  happy  thing  that  a  house 
conveniently  situated,  well  lighted,  suffi- 
ciently large,  and  planned  for  its  special  use, 
is  now  owned  by  the  Board.  Its  offices  are 
rent-free,  and  arc  better  suited  to  its  pur- 
poses than  rented  rooms  at  almost  any  cost. 
In  the  Mission  House,  besides  the  Trea- 
surer's and  Secretaries'  offices,  there  are 
apartments  for  packing  and  storing  goods  to 
be  sent  to  the  missions.  These  occupy  the 
basement  story.  When  several  missionary 
families   arc    about  to    sail,   their    trunks, 


ou 


PRESBYTEKIAN  BOARD  OF  MISSIONS. 


boxcR,  parcels,  articles  of  furniture,  Ac,  fill 
up  these  apartinenta,  often  to  an  unconjfort- 
»ble  degree  j  and  both  the  economy  and  the 
eonvenience  of  these  rooms  become  quite 
apparent.  To  rent  suitable  places  for  such 
purposes,  when  missionaries  are  preparing  to 
embark,  would  always  be  attended  witli 
much  expense,  and  might  often  be  found  im- 
practicable. 

The  rooms  devoted  to  the  Museum,  in  the 
third  story,  contain  a  rare  variety  of  idol 
gods  and  goddesses,  from  India,  Siam,  China, 
Africa,  and  other  heathen  countries,  besides 
numerous  other  objects  of  interest.  This 
collection  is  gradually  increasing  in  extent 
and  value,  and  is  worthy  of  attention  by  the 
friends  of  missions.  Visitors  are  admitted 
at  aiiy  time,  on  application  to  the  oflScers  or 
clerks  in  the  House. 

A  large  room  is  occupied  by  the  Library. 
The  books  here  collected  number  about  2000 
volumes,  mostly  relating  directly  or  indi- 
rectly to  the  work  of  missons.  They  in- 
clude numerous  translations  of  the  Sacred 
Scriptures,  Dictionaries  and  Grammars  of 
foreign  languages.  Reports  and  periodicals 
of  missionary  institutions,  in  bound  volumes, 
memoirs  of  missionaries,  works  on  the  In- 
dians, on  Africa,  India,  China,  &c.  They 
form  a  collection  of  very  considerable  value, 
and  one  which  should  be  gradually  enlarged. 

A  number  of  works  by  Chinese  authors 
occupy  a  recess  in  the  same  room.  This  is 
probably  the  only  library  of  the  kind  in 
this  country.  It  consists  of  about  1000  vol- 
umes, of  which  400  are  but  one  work,  "  The 
Tweuty-Four  Histories  ;"  and  another  work, 
"A  Universal  Encyclopaedia,"  with  maps, 
diagrams,  and  sketches,  extends  to  120  vol- 
umes. '•  The  Five  Classics"  number  104 
volumes,  and  a  second  series,  under  a  simi- 
lar title,  contains  22  volumes.  These  are  all 
in  octavo,  as  are  works  on  botany,  descrip- 
tions of  particular  districts,  accounts  of 
kings  and  emperors,  dictionaries,  &c.j  be- 
sides some  works  of  smaller  size.  The 
whole  collection  gives  a  striking  view  of  the 
extent  of  Chinese  literature,  and  makes  one 
sigh  over  the  strange  language  which  ren- 
ders its  stores  inaccessible  to  most  readers. 
Yet  for  reference  these  volumes  may  prove 
of  great  service.  They  were  collected  by 
the  late  lamented  Mr.  Olyphant,  a  merchant 
in  the  China  trade,  for  some  years  a  most 
valued  member  of  the  Executive  Committee  ; 
and  by  his  characteristic  liberality  they  oc- 
cupy a  place  in  the  Mission  House  Library. 

In  other  rooms  are  kept  the  bound  vol- 
umes of  letters  received  at  the  missionary 
office.  These  are  arranged  according  to  date. 
All  from  correspondents  in  this  country  are 
classified  under  Domestic,  and  those  from 
the  missionaries  are  placed  under  the  head 
of  the  Missions.  Thus,  the  volume  labeled, 
"  Domestic— January  to   June,   1853,"    in- 


cludes the  home  letters  received  in  those 
months;  and  the  volumes  labeled,  "India 
Letters,  Lodiana,  1847-51,"  contains  the  let- 
ters from  the  Lodiana  Mission  in  that  time. 
Each  volume  has  an  index,  making  reference 
easy.  There  are  upwards  of  sixty  of  these 
thick  volumes,  and  each  year  steadily  in- 
creases the  number.  In  addition  to  these 
are  many  volumes  consisting  exclusively  of 
letters  relating  to  the  Missionary  Chronicle, 
formerly  published,  and  to  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary. The  copies  of  letters  sent  from  the 
office  fill  several  volumes  more.  And  the 
Treasurer's  books  of  account,  of  various 
kinds,  form  still  another  class,  second  to 
none  in  their  importance.  A  copy  of  every 
letter  with  remittances  of  money  to  the  mis- 
sions, and  every  letter  containing  remittances 
from  the  churches  or  individuals  to  the  trea- 
sury, will  be  found  among  these  volumes. 

The  Receipts  of  the  Board,  and  of  the 
AYestern  Foreign  Missionary  Society,  (de- 
ducting the  grants  of  the  Bible  and  Tract 
Societies,  and  the  appropriations  of  the 
TJ.  S.  Government  for  Indian  schools,)  from 
the  commencement  of  their  operations  to 
the  present  time,  as  it  appears  from  the  fol- 
lowing table,  present  a  gratifying  view  of 
the  growth  of  the  missionary  spirit  from 
year  to  year.  The  financial  year  of  the 
Board  terminates  the  first  of  May. 


°t 

rl833, 

$6,431 

Ps.2 

1834, 

.  16,296 

|^< 

1835, 

17,677 

^1 

1836, 

.   '.  19,123 

1837, 

22,832 

fl838, 

.  44,748 

1839, 

56,150 

1840, 

.  54,425 

1841, 

62,344 

1842, 

.  58,924 

1 

1843, 

54,760 

d 

1844, 

.  66,674 

m 

1845, 

72,117 

h 

1846, 

.  76,395 

1847, 

82,739 

i 

1848, 

.  89,165 

^ 

1849, 

96,294 

1 

1850, 

.  104,665 

1 

1851, 

.   108,544 

1852, 

.  117,882 

1853, 

.   122,028 

1854, 

.  140,502 

Total, 


$1,490,795 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  NOVA 
SCOTIA,  BOARD  OF  MISSIONS:  This 
Board  was  first  organized  on  the  11th  July, 
1844,  in  consequence  of  an  overture  on  the 
subject  of  Foreign  Missions  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  Prince  Edward  Island.  The  move- 
ment in  Presbytery  is  understood  to  have 
originated  with  Rev.  John  Geddie,  who  after 
wards  became  the  first  missionary  under  the ' 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  NOVA  SCOTIA. 


645 


direction  of  the  Board.  Its  members  are 
subject  to  the  annual  appointment  of  sj^nod, 
but  for  the  most  part  the  same  individuals 
are  re-appointed.  At  present,  it  consists  of 
eight  clergymen  and  four  laymen  ;  the  Rev. 
David  Roy,  New  Glasgow,  N.  S.,  being  Con- 
vener, and  Rev.  James  Bayne,  Pictou,  N.  S., 
Recording  and  Corresponding  Secretary. 
The  Board  meet  as  often  as  business  re- 
quires, at  the  call  of  the  Convener,  or  their 
own  adjournment.  The  Secretary  is  instruct- 
ed to  correspond  once  in  three  months,  and 
at  other  times,  as  circumstances  require.  A 
monthly  periodical,  called  "  The  Missionary 
Register,"  is  issued  under  the  care  of  the 
Board,  with  a  special  view  to  disseminate 
missionary  intelligence.  An  annual  report 
of  proceedings  is  laid  before  the  synod,  and 
the  minutes  of  the  various  meetings,  during 
each  year,  countersigned  by  the  Moderator. 
The  following  synodical  instructions  were 
given  to  the  Board  at  its  first  formation : 
(1)  That  the  Board  be  authorized  to  receive 
the  cooperation  of  the  several  ministers  of 
the  church  in  making  an  appeal  to  all  the 
congregations  of  the  body  relative  to  the 
object  of  their  appointment,  and  in  counten- 
ancing and  aiding  an  agency,  if  it  be  deemed 
proper  that  one  should  be  employed.  (2) 
That  the  Board  do  apply  to  such  sources  of 
information  as  they  may  deem  requisite  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  most  elegible 
field  for  their  missionary  operations,  expenses 
of  outfit,  passage,  annual  salary,  &c.  (3) 
That  when  funds  adequate  to  maintain  a 
missionary  abroad  shall  be  guaranteed  by 
the  several  congregations  of  the  church,  and 
the  Board  shall  feel  themselves  prepared  to 
negociate  with  candidates  for  such  mission- 
ary employment,  proposals  shall  be  made  to 
obtain  offers  from  qualified  persons  willing 
to  volunteer  their  services  for  this  purpose. 
(4)  That  in  treating  with  candidates,  care- 
ful attention  be  paid  to  their  personal  re- 
ligion, doctrinal  views,  and  missionary  spirit. 
Agreeably  to  these  instructions  the  Board 
took  immediate  steps  to  appeal  for  support, 
and  as  far  as  possible  obtain  a  guarantee  of 
annual  contribution  to  a  specific  amount 
from  the  Church  at  large.  The  result  of  this 
appeal  was  that  a  yearly  contribution  of 
£200  currency,  was  considered  as  an  amount 
that  might  confidently  be  depended  upon. 
It  had  been  ascertained  that  £70  sterling,  or 
£84  currency,  was  sufficient  for  the  support 
of  one  missionary  in  Polynesia,  and  this 
field  was  selected  as  the  least  expensive  and 
most  healthful.  September  26,  1845,  the 
Board  met  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  ten- 
ders of  service  from  duly  qualified  persons, 
when  the  Rev.  John  Geddie,  of  Cavendish 
and  New  London,  Prince  Edward  Island, 
offered  and  was  accepted.  From  the  favor- 
able aspect  of  continued  and  enlarged  pecu- 
niary support,  the  Board  felt  encouraged  to 


appoint  a  catechist  as  companion  and  assist- 
ant to  Mr.  Geddie.  This  was  happily  ac- 
complished so  that  the  divine  example  of 
sending  out  the  disciples  two  by  two  was 
followed  to  the  letter.  Mr.  Isaac  Archibald, 
a  native  of  Nova  Scotia  who  had  received  a 
liberal  education,  though  not  sufficient  to 
warrant  his  immediate  licensure  and  ordina- 
tion as  a  missionary  in  full  standing,  was 
unanimously  accepted,  and  duly  appointed.  In 
the  mean  time  Mr.  Geddie,  who  was  in  a  few 
weeks  loosed  from  his  congregation,  visited 
the  various  congregations  in  his  presbytery 
with  a  view  to  deepen  their  interest  in  the 
mission,  by  a  series  of  farewell  services.  The 
same  course  was  pursued  during  the  earlier 
part  of  the  following  year  throughout  the 
presbyteries  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  was  found 
to  produce  a  very  happy  effect.  Mr.  Geddie 
devoted  some  months  to  the  study  of  medi- 
cine and  also  to  the  art  of  printing,  with  a 
view  to  their  future  practice  on  the  field  of 
foreign  service.  It  was  found  very  difficult 
to  select  the  particular  island  on  which  Mr. 
Geddie  should  commence  operations,  as  it 
was  not  known  which  would  be  most  acces- 
sible to  missionary  effort.  New  Caledonia 
was  chiefly  thought  of,  but  Mr.  G.  was  not 
bound  by  any  decision  of  the  Board  to 
adopt  it,  unless  circumstances  were  found 
favorable.  The  New  Hebrides  group  had 
been  surveyed  by  the  martyr  missionary 
Williams,  for  the  special  occupation  of  the 
parent  church,  (United  Presbyterian,  or  as 
it  was  then  called  the  United  Secession 
Church  of  Scotland,)  and  at  their  expense. 
It  was  felt  to  be  exceedingly  appropriate 
that  the  Church  in  Nova  Scotia  should  adopt 
as  their  field  what  the  Church  at  home  could 
not  enter  upon  at  that  time.  This  arrange- 
ment proved  afterwards  to  be  quite  advan- 
tageous, and  was  accordingly  adopted. 
Messrs.  Geddie  and  Archibald,  with  their 
wives  and  children,  after  a  series  of  farewell 
services  in  Pictou,  Onslow,  and  Halifax,  left 
Nova  Scotia  Nov.  30,  1846.  After  a  brief 
sojourn  in  the  United  States,  at  Newbury- 
port,  where  they  were  very  kindly  entreated 
by  the  friends  of  the  missionary  enterprize, 
they  sailed  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  being 
there  also  entertained,  with  Christian  wel- 
come, and  sent  on  their  way  with  the  pray- 
ers and  offerings  of  the  churches.  They 
found  a  safe  and  prosperous  voyage  to  the 
Samoan  group,  which  is  occupied  by  the 
agents  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
with  whom  they  spent  a  considerable  period, 
receiving  the  benefit  of  their  experience  as 
to  the  manners  and  customs  and  language  of 
the  tribe  whose  evangelization  was  considered 
most  suitable  to  the  resources  of  the  newly 
arrived  missionaries.  After  due  deliberation 
the  island  of  Aneiteum,  New  Hebrides,  was 
selected  for  permanent  location.  In  July, 
1848,  the   mission  families  were  conveyed 


646 


PRIMITI V JJ  METHODISTS— RANGOON. 


thither  and  entered  immediately  upon  their 
allotted  duties.  Mr.  Isaac  Archibald  re- 
Biened  his  connection  with  the  missiofii  in 

1850.  Since  that  jMjriod  the  Board  have  had 
one  missionary  and  a  few  native  teachers 
under  their  charge.  Very  urgent  appeals 
have  been  made  for  additional  assistance,  but 
up  to  the  present  year,  (1854,)  no  favorable 
answer  has  been  returned,  such  as  warrants 
tlie  expectation  of  immediate  aid.  One 
young  man  of  ardent  missionary  spirit,  is 
now  in  course  of  training,  and  will  be  sent 
out  by  the  John  "Williams  on  her  outward 
voyage  next  year.  Two  additional  mission- 
aries are  wanted,  and  if  found,  duly  qualified, 
would  be  sent  immediately.  The  funds  on 
hand  have  always  been  adequate  to  the 
wants  of  the  mission,  and  exhibit  now  a 
more  flourishing  condition  than  they  have 
ever  presented.  After  defraying  the  neces- 
sary expenses  for  the  year  there  will  be  a 
balance  on  hand  of  nearly  £500.  There  is  no 
reason  to  fear  that  the  resources  of  the 
Church  are  quite  equal  to  the  maintenance 
of  four  missionaries.  At  first,  the  salary  of 
the  ordained  missionary  was  £70  sterling, 
but  in  1850  it  was  raised  to  an  equality  with 
the  scale  adopted  by  the  London  Missionary 
Society,  viz.,  £100  sterling,  and  £5  sterling 
for  each  child.  In  addition  to  this,  one  of 
the  children  has  been  for  some  years  at 
Walthanstow,  England,  along  with  the  chil- 
dren of  the  missionaries  of  that  Society. 
The  expense  for  his  education  amounts  to 
£15  sterling  per  annum,  and  with  extras 
does  not  exceed  £20. 

The  entire  amount  contributed  to  this 
mission  since  1846  probably  exceeds,  but 
may  be  stated  at,  £3,000  currency  or  £2,400 
sterling.  The  amount  for  the  past  year  re- 
ceived by  the  Treasurer  is  £424  currency, 
or  £339  sterling  in  money,  and  nearly  £300 
in  mission  goods.  At  present  the  Board  has 
but  one  mission,  and  one  missionary,  with 
several  native  teachers,  on  Aneiteum  and  Fo- 
tenna.  New  Hebrides.     The  church  in  Dec, 

1851,  contained  24  members  and  is  situ- 
ated at  Aniligauhat,  Aneiteum.  There  is 
every  probability  that  the  number  of  con- 
verts greatly  exceeds  this  amount  now.  By 
the  latest  date,  Oct.  1853,  it  appears  that  the 
entire  island,  with  its  3,000  inhabitants,  has 
abandoned  heathenish  practices,  and  that  the 
district  which  had  last  given  up  its  idols  is 
now  exceedingly  anxious  to  have  Christian 
instruction.  (See  South  Sea  Js/ancZ^.)— Rev 
J.  Bayne,  of  Pictou,  N.  S. 

PRIMITIVE  METHODIST  FOREIGN 
MISSIONARY  SOCIETY:  The  Primitive 
Methodists,  (or  "Ranters,"  as  they  are 
sometimes  called,)  are  a  body  of  simple- 
hearted  and  devoted  Christians  which  arose 
in  England  in  1810.  In  1853,  they  reported 
5C8  ministers,  108,920  members.  Finding 
themselves  gaining  strength,  they  organized 


a  foreign  missionary  society  in  March  1844, 
adopting  Canada,  New  Zealand  and  Australia 
as  their  fields  of  labor.  The  Rev.  J.  Long, 
and  J.  Wilson  were  the  first  missionaries 
they  sent  to  Australia.  Since  that  time  they 
have  strengthened  this  mission,  and  God  has 
honored  them  with  considerable  prosperity. 
Their  stations  in  Australia  are  Adelaide, 
Mount  Barker,  Burra  Burra,  Sydney,  Mor- 
peth, Melbourne,  and  Geelong.  The  number 
of  missionaries  is  seven,  and  of  members 
under  their  care  535.  The  total  number  of 
their  forei^  missionaries  throughout  the 
world,  is  23 ;  of  whom  13  are  in  Canada,  7 
in  Australia,  and  3  in  New  Zealand.  Tho 
whole  number  of  members  in  their  stations 
is  2,374— W.  B. 

PROSPECT  PENN :  A  station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society  in  Jamaica, 
West  Indies. 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH, 
MISSIONS  OF  :  (See  Episcopal  Board  of 
Missio7is.) 

PUEN :  A  station  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society  on  Tahiti,  South  Sea. 

PUNA :  A  district  on  the  western  coast 
of  the  Island  of  Hawaii,  forming,  in  connec- 
tion with  Hilo,  the  Parish  of  Rev.  Mr.  Coan, 
formerly  a  missionary  of  the  American 
Board,  now  pastor  of  the  native  church  in 
Hilo  and  Puna,  by  whom  he  is  supported. 

QUILON:  A  seaport  town,  in  Southern 
India,  of  considerable  note  in  former  times, 
said  to  have  been  built  A.  D.  825.  A  station 
of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

RAGGED  ISLAND  :  One  of  the  Baha- 
mas j  a  station  of  the  Baptist  Missionary 
Society. 

RAIATEA:  One  of  the  Society  Islands, 
having  a  mission  of  the  London  Missionary 
Societ}^ 

RAIVAVAI :  One  of  the  Austral  Islands, 
and  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

RAJKOTE  :  A  station  of  the  Irish  Pres- 
byterian mission  in  India,  on  the  Gulf  of 
Cambay,  opposite  to  Surat. 

RAJMUNDRY :  A  town  in  the  Northern 
Circars,  India, — a  station  of  the  Hamburgh 
North  German  Missionary  Society. 

RAJAH,  or  RAJA :  In  India,  a  prince. 
Some  of  the  Rajahs  are  said  to  be  independ- 
ent princes,  and  others  are  tributary  to  the 
Mogul. 

RAMREE  :  The  capital  of  a  district  of  tho 
same  name,  117  miles  south  from  Arracan 
town :  A  station  of  the  American  Baptist 
Union. 

RANGOON :  The  principal  seaport  of  the 
Burman  dominions,  situated  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Rangoon  branch  of  the  Irrawady. 
Its  extent  along  the  river  is  about  a  mile, 
and  its  breadth  about  650  j^ards.  It  is  en- 
closed by  a  stockade  of  teak  timber  and 
planks  from  ten  to  twelve  feet  high,  having 


RHENISH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


647 


two  gates  on  the  northern  face,  and  one  on 
each  of  the  others.     Pop.  40,000  to  50,000. 

RANGIHONA:  The  first  station  occu- 
pied by  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in 
New  Zealand,  on  the  north-east  side  of  the 
Bay  of  Islands. 

RAROTONGA:  The  largest  of  the  Her- 
vey  Islands  group,  in  the  South  Pacific, 
whei«  is  a  mission  of  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society. 

RED  RIVER :  The  Red  River  falls  into 
Lake  Winnipeg.  The  settlement  on  this 
river  is  about  50  miles  in  extent.  Popula- 
tion in  1843,  5,143,  of  whom  2,798  were  Ro- 
man Catholics,  and  2,345  Protestants.  The 
Church  Missionary  Society  have  several 
stations  in  this  settlement. 

REGENT'S  TOWN:  A  town  of  liberated 
Africans,  in  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa,  5 
miles  south  south-east  from  Cape  Town,  in 
a  valley  near  the  heights  of  the  Sierra  Leone 
mountains.  Its  situation  is  romantic  and 
healthy.  No  less  than  8  mountains,  covered 
with  evergreen  forests,  rear  their  heads  and 
form  a  chain  around  the  settlement.  Streams 
descend  from  the  various  clifis,  and  form  a 
large  brook,  which  runs  through  the  middle 
of  the  town.  On  the  banks  is  a  meadow  for 
the  cattle  belonging  to  the  settlement,  which 
is  always  green.  In  1813,  this  spot,  then  un- 
inhabited, was  set  apart  for  the  reception  of 
negroes  delivered  from  slave  ships  by  the 
English  cruisers.  In  1816,  their  number  was 
1,100,  from  22  different  tribes,  barbarous  to 
an  astonishing  degree.  (See  Western  Africa, 
Church  Missionary  Society.) 

REHOBOTH:  A  station  of  the  Rhenish 
Missionary  Society,  at  the  hot  springs,  in 
Namaqualand,  South  Africa. 

REWA :  The  second  place  in  rank  and 
influence  in  the  Feejee  Islands.  A  station 
of  the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

RHENISH  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY: 
The  following  account  of  the  Rhenish  Mis- 
sionary Society  was  given  by  Rev.  L.  Van 
Rohden,  Assistant  Inspector  of  the  Barmen 
Missionarv  Seminary,  in  the  ^^Evangelical 
Christendom"  for  Jan.  1851 :  "  The  Rhenish 
Missionary  Society  was  founded  in  the  year 
1828.  Three  associations,  those  of  Elberfeld, 
Barmen  and  Cologne,  united  in  the  autumn 
of  the  above  year,  that  they  might,  with 
common  powers,  send  out  missionaries  to  the 
heathen  world.  The  above  three  associa- 
tions were  soon  joined  by  others,  in  the 
Rhenish  provinces  and  in  Westphalia,  having 
the  same  objects  in  view.  The  associations 
thus  combined,  which,  up  to  the  present 
time,  have  been  joined  by  about  fifty  other 
small  and  large  associations  in  Western  and 
Middle  Germany,  bear  altogether  the  name 
of  the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society.  The 
associations  have  appointed  a  committee,  or, 
as  we  call  it,  ''  a  deputation,"  consisting  of 
twelve  individuals,  the  whole  residing  either 


in  Elberfeld  or  Barmen,  who  have  the  man- 
agement of  its  affairs  in  their  hands.  They 
hold,  for  this  purpose,  regular  meetings  once 
a  month,  or  oftener,  in  the  mission-house.  A 
part  of  the  correspondence  is  conducted  by 
the  members  of  the  deputation  themselves ; 
but  the  principal  part  of  the  business  de- 
volves on  the  inspectorof  the  mission-house. 
Once  a  year,  or  even  oftener,  the  deputation 
summons  delegates  from  all  the  combined 
associations  to  a  general  assembly  at  Bar- 
men ;  lays  before  them  a  report  of  their 
proceedings  ;  and  adopts  such  resolutions  as 
may  appear  to  be  necessary  for  the  exten- 
sion and  furtherance  of  the  work.  The  gen- 
eral assembly  decides  by  a  majority  of  votes. 

"When  the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society 
met  in  the  autumn  of  1828,  one  of  the  asso- 
ciations composing  it,  viz.,  that  of  Barmen, 
had  already  for  three  years  established  a 
mission  seminary ;  and  had  published  also 
the  Barmen  Missionary  Gazette,  of  which 
20,000  copies  were  in  circulation.  The  mis- 
sion seminary  had  at  the  first  for  its  object 
to  give  young  mechanics  the  necessar}^  in- 
struction to  qualify  them  for  going  out  as 
missionary  assistants  to  the  heathen.  But 
soon  this  plan  was  enlarged  so  far,  that  the 
young  men  should  be  educated  with  a  view 
of  becoming  actual  missionaries,  who  should 
pass  their  theological  examination  here,  and 
should  be  ordained  to  go  out  as  ministers  to 
the  heathen  ;  only  by  way  of  exception  are 
they  sent  out  without  being  ordained  as 
catechists,  or  even  as  assistants  and  mechan- 
ics. The  Rhenish  Missionary  Society  under- 
took, immediately  after  its  foundation,  the 
direction  of  the  Barmen  mission  seminary. 
The  Inspector  and  the  pupils  were  placed 
under  its  control.  The  first  was  a  perma- 
nent member  of  the  deputation.  Dr.  Richter 
was  then  the  Inspector  ;  and  he  remained  so 
till  the  spring  of  1847,  when  he  suddenly 
died.  He  was  assisted  by  his  brother  W. 
Richter,  who  died  about  two  years  before 
him.  His  place  was  filled  by  the  writer  of 
these  lines,  L.  Von  Rohden,  and  that  of  In- 
spector by  C.  Wallman  since  1848. 

"  The  Rhenish  Missionary  Societ}'-  supports 
twenty-five  stations,  with  several  more  out- 
stations,  in  three  different  parts  of  the  mis- 
sion-field; viz.,  in  South-eastern  Africa,  in 
Borneo,  and  in  China.  It  has  sent  out  fifty 
missionaries,  who  are,  for  the  most  part, 
married,  and  of  whom  seven  have  alreadjr 
died.  The  yearly  income  amounts  to  fronk 
28,000  to  32,000  Prussian  thalers,  or  from, 
£3,150  to  £3,600.  It  possesses  a  mission- 
house,  in  which  the  pupils  are  educated,  tea 
at  a  time,  and  a  small  congregation  and  mis- 
sion-chapel, near  the  mission-house,  in  which, 
public  worship  is  conducted  by  the  pupil* 
exclusively,  under  the  direction  of  the  In- 
spector. Once  a  year  missionary  meetings, 
are  held  in  all  the  congregations  connected. 


648 


RIMATARA— SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


with  the  society,  which  have  assumed  the 
character  of  public  festivals.  Once  a  month 
missionary  prayer  meetings  are  held.  Every 
fortnight  there  appears  a  report  of  the 
labors  of  our  missionaries :  and  once  a  year 
A  general  report  is  published." 

Thus  stood  the  affairs  of  the  Society  in 
1851.  It  has  just  entered  its  twenty-sixth 
yew.  It  now  has  twenty-five  auxiliaries  in 
Rhenish  Prussia,  and  thirteen  in  Westphalia ; 
and  many  of  these  embrace  other  "  special 
and  local  unions."  Nor  is  this  all.  Thuringia 
furnishes  four  auxiliaries ;  Nassau,  Hesse 
Darmstadt,  Ac,  three ;  and  there  is  one  in 
the  United  States.  In  1850,  its  receipts  had 
risen  to  39,000  thalers.  Within  the  twenty- 
five  years,  more  than  500,000  thalers  have 
been  expended  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel. 
As  the  result  of  its  efforts  in  behalf  of  the 
heathen,  the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society  can 
point  to  more  than  five  thousand  persons 
who  have  received  baptism,  and  to  eighteen 
hundred  communicants. 

RIMATAR A :  One  of  the  smallest  of  the 
Austral  Islands,  and  a  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society. 

ROBBEN  ISbAND:  Hospital  for  Lepers, 
off  Table  Bay,  South  Africa,  occupied  as  a 
station  by  the  United  Brethren,  removed 
from  Heviel-en-Aarde. 

ROCKBOOKAH  :  A  station  of  the  Ame- 
rican Episcopal  Board  in  West  Africa,  about 
25  miles  east  of  Cape  Palmas,  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  Colony,  being  the  capital  of  the 
Bahboo  tribe. 

ROCK  TOWN :  Station  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Synod  of  Scotland,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Old  Calabar,  West  Africa. 

ROCKTOWN  ;  A  station  of  the  American 
Episcopal  Missionary  Society  in  West 
Africa,  south-west  of  Cape  Palmas. 

ROMA :  One  of  the  Banda  Islands,  a 
group  of  the  Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago. 

ROTORUA:  Astationof  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New  Zealand,  on  the  Ro- 
torua  Lake,  lat.   Z^'^  W  S.  and  longitude 

ne*'  E. 

ROTTY  :  One  of  the  Molucca  Islands,  in 
the  Indian  Archipelago. 

ROYAPOORUM:  A  station  of  the  Ame- 
rican Board,  belonging  to  the  Madras  mis- 
sion, in  Eastern  Hindostan. 

RURUTU  :  A  small  island,  of  the  Aus- 
tral group,  and  a  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

SABATHA  :  A  station  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  in  Northern  India,  110  miles  north- 
east from  Lodiana,  in  the  lower  ranges  of  the 
Himalaya  mountains,  at  an  elevation  of  about 
4j000  feet  above  the  sea. 

SAFET :  A  town,  formerly  of  consider- 
able note,  situated  on  a  hill  overlooking  the 
western  coast  of  the  Lake  of  Tiberias,  65 
miles  west  of  Damascus.    It  formerly  con- 


tained seven  Jewish  synagogues,  and  a  sort 
of  university  for  the  education  of  Jewish 
rabbis.  In  the  year  1759,  the  place  was 
nearly  destroyed  by  an  earthquake.  It  is 
now  a  poor  place.  The  Jews  arc  much  op- 
pressed. The  London  Jews'  Society  have  a 
station  here. 

SAFOTULOFAI :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  on  the  Island  of 
Savaii,  one  of  the  Samoas.  It  is  a  large  and 
important  place.     Population  about  1,000. 

SAHARANPUR  :  A  town  in  the  province 
of  Delhi,  Northern  India,  90  miles  north- 
east from  the  city  of  Delhi,  and  130  south- 
east from  Lodiana.  Its  elevation  above  tho 
sea  is  1,073  feet.  It  is  a  large  town,  and 
many  of  the  houses  are  built  of  brick.  The 
Presbyterian  Board  (American)  have  a  sta- 
tion here. 

S ALULUA  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  on  the  Island  of  Savaii,  one 
of  the  Samoan  group. 

SALEM  :  Chief  town  of  a  district  of  the 
same  name,  in  the  province  of  Mysore, 
India :  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary 
Society.  Also,  a  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  and  of 
the  United  Brethren  m  Surinam. 

SALUAFATA :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  Island  of  Upolu. 
SALONICA :  {See  Tfiessalonica.) 

SAMANA:  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Society  in  Hayti. 

SAMARANG :  A  town  and  seaport  on 
the  north  coast  of  the  Island  of  Java,  near 
the  mouth  of  a  river  of  the  same  name,  240 
miles  east  south-east  from  Batavia.  Popu- 
lation about  20,000.  A  station  of  the  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society. 

SAMOA:  A  group  of  Islands  in  the  South 
Pacific,  between  10*  and  20<='  S.  lat.  and  169^^ 
and  174''  W.  longitude,  sometimes  calle%!^ 
Navigators'  Islands,  8  in  number,  viz.,  Man- 
ua,  Orosenga,  Ofu,  Tutuila,  Upolu,  Manono, 
Aborima,  and'  Savaii.  Population,  160.000. 
The  London  Missionary  Society  have  a  mis- 
sion here.     (See  South  Sea  Islands.) 

SANDOWAY  :•  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Union  in  Arracan. 

SANGEER  ISLANDS :  A  group  of  the 
Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

SANDALWOOD  ISLAND:  One  of  the 
lesser  Sunda  Islands,  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago. 

SANDWICH  ISLANDS :  The  Sandwich 
Islands,  situated  in  the  North  Pacific  Ocean, 
about  20°  N.  lat.  and  160*  W.  long., 
were  discovered  by  Capt.  Cook  in  1778. 
They  consist  of  a  group  of  twelve  volcanic 
islands,  (three  or  four  of  which  are  merely 
uninhabited  rocks. )  standing  quite  by  them- 
selves, and  of  very  considerable  commercial 
importance.  Hawaii  is  the  largest,  but 
Oahu^  more  central  in  the  group,  and  hav- 
ing a  good  harbor,  is  the  seat  of  government 


'^"^   Of  THl^^ 

:UHIVBRSITr] 


SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


649 


and  the  commercial  centre.  The  islands  are 
estimated  to  contain  something  more  than 
6,000  square  miles.  The  face  of  the  country 
is  greatly  diversified  with  hills  and  plains, 
secluded  valleys,  deep  ravines,  lofty  moun- 
tains, and  craters  of  immense  volcanoes.  In 
the  elevated  interior  of  the  Islands  the  cli 
mate  is  cool.  Rains  are  frequent  in  the  in- 
terior and  on  the  windward  side,  and  vege- 
tation in  many  parts  luxuriant ;  but  the  low 
lands  of  the  leeward  side  of  the  islands  are 
mostly  dry  and  barren.  The  native  inhab- 
itants belong  to  the  same  race  with  those  of 
most  of  the  more  easterly  islands  in  the  Pa- 
cific. 

Population. — The  population  was  esti- 
mated by  Capt.  Cook  at  400,000;  an  esti- 
mate, doubtless,  greatly  too  large ;  though, 
from  various  causes,  the  people  have  been 
rapidly  wasting  away  since  his  visit.  About 
1840,  a  census  not  fully  to  be  rehed  upon, 
showed  the  population  to  be  not  far  from 
108,000. 

Social,  Moral,  and  Religious  Condition  of 
the  People. — Before  missionary  operations 
commenced,  the  people  were,  if  not  in  the 
lowest  state  of  barbarism  in  which  men 
are  ever  found,  yet  certainly  in  a  very  low 
state  of  intellectual,  social,  and  moral  de- 
basement. With  no  written  language,  with 
no  comfortable  dwellings,  with  very  little 
clothing,  with  the  family  constitution  in 
ruins,  unmitigated  licentiousness  universal, 
and  every  vile  passion  indulged  without  re- 
straint ;  the  people  "a  nation  of  drunkards," 
with  no  laws  or  courts  of  justice.  "  Society 
was  a  dead  sea  of  pollution,  and  many  ships 
visiting  the  islands  were  floating  exhibitions 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah."  The  government 
was  wholly  arbitrary ;  the  kings  and  chiefs 
were  considered  owners  of  the  soil,  and  the 
people  were  slaves,  with  their  property  and 
their  lives  subject  to  the  will  of  those  above 
them.  The  people  of  all  ranks  were  much 
under  the  influence  of  superstitious  fears, 
and  their  religion,  in  connection  with  the 
cruel  rites  of  idol  worship,  was  in  a  great 
measure  a  tabu  system ;  i.  e.,  a  system  of  re- 
ligious prohibitions  and  consecrations,  which 
had  extended  itself  very  widely,  and  had  be- 
come exceedingly  burdensome  under  the  di- 
rection of  priests  and  kings  who  used  the 
Rystem  to  accomplish  their  own  purposes. 

MISSION". 

American  Boakd. — Just  as  American 
Christians  were  beginning  to  direct  their  at- 
tention to  the  work  of  Christianizing  hea- 
then nations,  two  youths  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  Opukahaia  (Obookiah)  and  Hopu, 
came  in  an  American  vessel  to  the  United 
States.  They  came  from  "  a  boys'  notion," 
but  the  hand  of  God  was  in  it.  Landing  at 
New  York  in  1809,  they  accompanied  the 
captain  of  the  vessel  to  New  Haven,  Conn., 


and  soon  attracted  the  notice  and  Christian 
sympathy  of  some  of  the  students  of  Yale 
College,  who  began  to  give  them  instruction. 
In  1816,  they,  with  several  others  from  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  and  others  from  various 
portions  of  the  heathen  world,  were  gathered 
into  a  "  mission  school "  at  Cornwall,  Conn. 
Opukahaia,  having  become  hopefully  a  Chris- 
tian, expressed  deep  sympathy  for  his  hea- 
then relations  and  nation,  and  a  strong  wish 
that  they  might  be  evangelized.  He,  how- 
ever, was  not  permitted  to  engage  personally 
in  the  work  of  preaching  to  them  the  Gospel, 
as  he  ardently  desired  to  do.  He  died  in 
Feb.,  1818,  before  arrangements  were  made 
for  sending  a  mission  to  the  Islands.  But 
he  had  not  lived  in  vain.  Extensive  interest 
had  been  awakened,  and  it  had  become  ob- 
vious that  Christian  missionaries  would  soon 
be  sent  to  his  kindred  according  to  the  flesh. 

In  the  summer  of  1819,  Hiram  Bingham 
and  Asa  Thurston,  students  in  the  theologi- 
cal seminary  at  Andover,  oflTered  themselves 
to  the  American  Board  for  this  service. 
They  were  ordained  at  Goshen,  Conn.,  Sept. 
19.  Others  offered  themselves  as  assistant 
missionaries ;  a  mission  church  was  organized 
in  the  vestry  of  Park  Street  church,  Boston, 
Oct.  15th.  The  public  instructions  of  the 
Prudential  Committee  were  given  by  the 
Secretary,  Rev.  Dr.  "Worcester,  at  Park  Street, 
the  same  evening,  and  on  the  23d  of  the 
same  month,  (Oct.  1819,)  the  company  sailed 
from  Boston  in  the  Brig  Thaddeus,  Capt. 
Blanchard.  Besides  the  two  ordained  mis- 
sionaries and  their  wives,  there  were,  as 
members  of  the  mission,  Mr.  Daniel  Cham- 
berlain, farmer.  Dr.  Thomas  Holman,  physi- 
cian, Mr.  Samuel  Whitney,  mechanic  and 
teacher,  Mr.  Samuel  Ruggles,  catechist,  and 
Mr.  Elisha  Loomis,  printer  and  teacher,  with 
their  wives,  and  John  Honoree,  Thomas  Ho- 
pu, and  William  Tennooe,  natives  of  the  Is- 
lands who  had  been  educated  at  Cornwall ; 
in  all,  17.  George  Tamoree,  a  son  of  one  of 
the  Island  chiefs,  who  had  also  been  educated 
at  Cornwall,  returned  in  the  same  vessel,  but 
not  as  a  member  of  the  mission.  It  may  be 
stated  here  that  some  of  these  natives  of  the 
Islands  did  not  render  all  that  assistance 
which  it  was  hoped  would  be  derived  from 
them  in  the  operations  of  the  mission.  They 
exhibited  neither  the  intelligence  nor  the  sta- 
bility of  character  needed  in  teachers.  Hopu, 
however,  acquired  the  epithet  of  "  the  faith- 
ful," and  Honoree  appears  to  have  been  la- 
borious and  useful ;  but  Tennooe  rapidly  fell 
into  the  immoral  practices  of  his  countrymen, 
and  was  excluded  from  the  church  in  1820. 
The  mission  was  also  yet  more  deeply  pamed 
by  the  unchristian  conduct  of  Dr.  Holman, 
who  was  excommunicated  in  January,  1821. 

In  the  instructions  given  to  this  band  of 
missionaries,  who  were  going,  emphatically, 
to  one  of  the  "  dark  places  of  the  earth," 


650 


BANDWICII  ISLANDS. 


they  wer«  directed  "  to  aim  at  nothinf;;  short  of 
coTcring  those  ishinds  with  fruitful  fields  and 
pleasant  dwellinpfs,  and  schools  and  churches, 
and  raising  up  the  whole  people  to  an  ele- 
y»ted  state  of  Christian  civilization;"  '"to 
introduce,  and  get  into  extended  operation 
and  inlluence  among  them,  the  arts,  institu- 
tions and  usages  of  civilized  life  and  soci- 
ety ;"  but,  "  above  all,  to  convert  them  from 
their  idolatries,  superstitions  and  vices,  to 
the  living  God."  They  were  going  to  do  a 
great  work,  and  God,  wha  had  prepared  the 
way  for  their  being  sent,  was  also  preparing 
the  way  for  their  reception  and  for  their 
success. 

Preparation  for  the  Mission  at  the  Islands. 
— One  of  the  most  important  of  that  series 
of  events  by  which  the  Sandwich  Islands 
were  prepared  to  be  a  field  of  most  success- 
ful missionary  operations,  was  the  subjuga- 
tion of  the  different  islands  about  the  com- 
mencement of  the  present  century,  and  the 
union  of  all  under  one  government.  Several 
distinct  petty  kingdoms  had  previously  pre- 
sented a  scene  of  uninterrupted  jealousy, 
contention,  and  savage  warfare ;  but  now 
Kamehameha,  of  Hawaii,  a  man  of  great  phy- 
sical strength  and  mental  energy,  and  of 
many  excellent  qualities  as  a  ruler,  had  sub- 
dued all  the  other  kingdoms.  There  was 
one  government  only.  What  was  permitted 
in  one  island  would  be  likely  to  be  permitted 
in  all,  and  any  changes  which  might  take 
place  in  customs,  religion,  or  laws,  would 
readily  become  universal  changes. 

Capt.  Vancouver,  who  visited  the  Islands 
several  times,  in  1792,  '93,  and  '94,  gave  the 
king  much  good  advice,  as  well  as  some  val- 
uable presents ;  and  before  leaving,  is  re- 
ported to  have  said  to  him:  ''There  is  a  God 
above  in  heaven,  and  if  you  desire  to  wor- 
ship him,  when  I  return  to  England  I  will 
entreat  his  majesty  to  appoint  for  you  a 
clergyman ;  and  when  he  comes  you  must 
renounce  your  tabu  system,  which  is  false,— 
there  are  no  earthly  deities."  Kamehameha 
died  May  8,  1819,  a  few  months  before  the 
missionaries  sailed  from  Boston.  On  his 
death-bed.  he  requested  an  American,  who 
was  present,  to  tell  him  about  the  religion 
of  the  Bible  and  the  Christian's  God.  He 
obtained,  however,  no  information,  and  died 
without  the  knowledge  which  he  sought,  leav- 
ing his  son,  Liholiho,  Kamehameha  II.,  to 
succeed  him. 

Almost  immediately,  under  Liholiho,  an- 
other event  occurred,  of  great  importance  in 
the  wa^'  of  preparation  for  the  Gospel :— the 
renunciation  of  the  tabu  system  and  the  old 
idolatry.  Kamehameha  is  said  to  have  spo- 
ken to  his  chiefs,  during  hia  last  sickness,  of 
throwing  off  the  restraints  of  tabu  when  he 
should  recover.  The  testimony  of  foreigners 
residing  at  the  islands  had  been  often  given 
agamst  the  system.     They  had  also  some- 


times allured  the  people  to  acts  which  were 
violations  of  tabu,  and  as  no  harm  had  fol- 
lowed,— as  the  gods  did  not  punish  by  death 
or  in  any  other  way, — the  force  of  supersti- 
tious fears  were  lessened.  The  restrictions 
of  tabu  were  unnumbered,  and  often  of  the 
most  oppressive  character,  bearing,  in  many 
things,  as  heavily  upon  the  chiefs  as  upon 
the  common  people,  so  that  many  motives 
would  urge  to  its  violation.  The  chiefs  pre- 
sent at  the  death  of  the  king  are  said  to 
have  requested  Kaahumanu,  the  one  of  his 
wives  who  was  specially  looked  to  for  direc- 
tion, to  suffer  that  occasion  to  be  taken  for 
disregarding  all  former  ceremonies,  and  re- 
nouncing tabu.  Kaahumanu  however,  did 
not  consent,  but  the  license  and  intemperance 
which  followed  the  king's  death,  helped  the 
matter  forward.  That  very  day,  many  of 
the  common  people  and  a  few  chiefs  ate, 
males  and  females  together,  a  thing  prohibit- 
ed on  pain  of  death,  and  a  few  days  after, 
most  of  the  female  chiefs  partook  of  pro- 
hibited food.  Superstitious  fears  were  grad- 
ually swept  away.  Kaahumanu  advised  the 
king,  on  the  day  of  his  coronation:  ''Let  us 
henceforth  disregard  the  restraints  of  tabu," 
and  within  a  short  time,  the  dissolute  Liho- 
liho, first  in  the  midst  of  drunken  revels, 
ate,  drank,  and  smoked  with  female  chiefs. 
The  people  raised  the  cry,  "The  king  has 
violated  tabu,  there  is  no  longer  any  re- 
straint." Some,  however,  still  resisted. 
One  chief,  encouraged  by  the  priests,  raised 
the  standard  of  rebellion  in  support  of  the 
old  idolatry  ;  but  he  was  subdued, — "  the 
army  with  idols  was  weak,  the  army  with- 
out idols  was  victorious," — and  the  work 
was  done ;  the  islands  were  without  a  reli- 
gion, waiting  for  God's  law.  The  people 
demolished  the  temples  of  the  false  gods 
that  had  enthralled  them,  and  treated  their 
idols  with  contempt,  throwing  some  into  the 
sea,  and  some  into  the  fire.  God  had  brought 
about  events  before  the  missionaries  reached 
the  Islands,  which  they  could  hardly  have 
supposed  it  possible  that  they  should  witness 
until  after  years  of  toil. 

Arrival  and  reception  of  the  missionaries  ; 
first  stations  and  labors. — The  missionaries 
welcomed  their  first  view  of  the  mountains 
of  Hawaii  on  the  30th  of  March,  1820,  and 
entered  the  harbor  of  Kailua  on  the  4th  of 
April,  only  a  short  time  after  the  decisive 
battle  which  had  subdued  the  party  support- 
ing idolatry,  and  near  the  scene  of  that  bat- 
tle. They  had  already  received  intelligence, 
from  some  of  tiie  ship's  company  who  had 
landed  with  a  boat,  of  the  surprising  and 
encouraging  revolution  which  had  been  ef- 
fected J  but  how  they  would  be  received  they 
could  not  tell.  TJie  missionary  company 
were  introduced  to  the  king,  (who  was  then 
at  Kailua,  with  many  of  the  chiefs,)  gave 
him  the  presents  and  the  letter  from  the 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


651 


Secretary  of  the  Board,  which  were  designed 
for  his  father,  and  requested  permission  to 
remain  and  establish  themselves  as  teachers, 
on  different  islands.     They  were   received 
with  respect ;  but  an  answer  to  their  pro- 
posal was  not  given  until  after  a  discussion 
of   several  days.     One   difficulty  was  that 
Vancouver  had  encouraged  Kamehameha  to 
look  for  teachets  from  England,  and   they 
doubted  whether  they  ought  to  receive  those 
who  were  from  another  country ;  but  John 
Young,  an  Englishman  residing  at  the  islands, 
and   who  had   been  recommended  to  their 
confidence  by  Vancouver,  assured  them  that 
missionaries  from  America  were  the  same  as 
missionaries  from  England.     On  the  8th  of 
April,  permission  was  given  for  them  all  to 
remain  one  year  at  Kailua.     They,  however, 
thought  it  better  that  a  part  of  their  number 
should  go  to  Oahu,  and  on  the  llth  the  king 
consented  to  this.     On  the  12th,  Mr.  Thurs- 
ton, Dr.  Ilolman,  Tennooe,  and  Hopu  were 
landed  at  Kailua,  and  the  Thaddeus  sailed 
with  the  rest  of  the  company  for  Honolulu, 
on  Oahu.  Early  in  May  the  Thaddeus  sailed 
for  Kauai,  to  return  George  Tamoree  to  his 
father,  and  Messrs.  Whitney  and  Ruggles  ac- 
companied him.     The  old  chief  received  his 
son  with  great  joy  and  urged  the  missionary 
laborers   who   were   with  him    to    remain. 
After  spending  some  weeks,  and  satisfying 
themselves   that  a  favorable   opening   was 
prcvscnted  there,  they  returned  to  Honolulu 
to  consult  with  their  brethren,  and  in  July 
were  stationed  at  Kauai.     Thus  three  sta- 
tions were  commenced  by  the  first  band  of 
laborers,  on  three   of   the  largest   islands, 
Hawaii  the  most  south-easterl}'',  Kauai  the 
most  north-westerly,  and  Oahu,  central,  and 
commercially  the   most  important    of  the 
group. 

After  establishing  themselves  in  thatched 
native  huts  of  a  single  room,  without  floor, 
ceiling  or  fixtures,  and  with  simple  openings 
for  doors  and  windows,  one  of  the  first  ef- 
forts of  the  missionaries  was  to  collect 
schools,  composed  both  of  children  and 
adults.  The  king,  the  chiefs,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  their  families  were  the  first  pupils. 
As  the  native  language  had  never  been  re- 
duced to  writing,  instruction  ^was  of  neces- 
sity confined  to  the  English,  and  the  difficul- 
ties were  great.  Much  interest  however  was 
awakened  among  the  learners,  though  with 
most  it  soon  abated.  AVithin  three  months, 
the  king  could  read,  and  within  six  months 
several  of  the  chiefs  could  both  read  and 
write.  In  November  of  this  yesLV  the  mis- 
sion reported  4  distinct  schools  with  90 
pupils,  of  difierent  ages  and  rank.  Religious 
services  of  different  kinds,  and  Sabbath 
schools  were  also  at  once  established,  and 
within  a  few  months  some  of  the  missiona- 
aries  were  addressing  the  people  on  religious 
subjects  in  their  own  language,  imperfectly 


used  of  course.  After  residing  about  three 
months  at  Kailua,  Mr.  Thurston  preached  a 
formal  sermon  to  the  royal  family,  using 
Hopu  as  an  interpreter,  from  the  words,  "  I 
have  a  message  from  God  unto  thee."  His 
little  audience  kneeled  in  prayer  before  Je- 
hovah. 

Obstacles. — Wonderfully  as  God  had  pre- 
pared the  way  before  the  missionaries,  it  yet 
could  not  be  otherwise  than  that  they  should 
find  themselves  compassed  with  difficulties 
and  met  by  many  and  sore  trials  in  their  ef- 
forts to  evangelize  a  people  so  degraded. 
There  was  the  difficulty  of  communicating 
with  the  people,  and  when  the  language  was 
learned  so  as  to  be  spoken,  there  was  still 
the  want  of  a  written  language,  and  of 
books ;  and  there  was  the  poverty  of  the 
language,  especially  its  want  of  terms  which 
would  express  correctly  the  sentiments  and 
doctrines  of  a  pure  religion.  But  far  more 
than  all  this  there  was  the  intellectual  and 
the  moral  debasement  of  the  people,  which 
they  themselves  well  termed  their  '•  dark- 
heartedness."  When  the  missionaries  first 
looked  upon  the  degradation  and  barbarism 
of  the  half  naked,  lewd,  and  chattering  sav- 
ages as  they  came  about  the  ship  in  their 
canoes,  some  turned  away  from  the  sight 
with  shrinking  and  with  tears,  and  others 
were  ready  to  ask,  "  Can  these  be  human 
beings  ?  can  they  be  civilized  and  Christian- 
ized? and  can  we  take  up  our  abode  for  life 
with  such  a  people  ?" 

But  as  if  the  character  and  the  condition 
of  the  natives  did  not  present  obstacles 
enough  to  the  successful  prosecution  of  the 
holy  work  for  which  these  Christian  laborers 
had  come,  foreign  residents  at  the  islands, 
from  Christian  lands,  must  bring  in  also,  not 
only  all  their  vices,  but  their  decided  oppo- 
sition. Most  of  the  foreigners  then  at  the 
island,  were  sailors  of  the  "baser  sort," 
some  of  whom  had  been  put  on  shore  by 
masters  of  vessels,  and  some  were  deserters. 
Such  men,  removed  from  all  the  restraints  of 
a  Christian  land  and  shut  out  almost  entirely 
from  the  observation  of  the  virtuous,  lived 
in  open  and  unblushing  vice,  as  vile  as  the 
heathen  about  them,  and  much  more  capable 
of  successfully  opposing  missionary  effort. 
There  were  some  foreigners  of  a  better  class, 
among  traders  and  commercial  agents,  from 
whom  the  missionaries  received,  more  or  less, 
both  of  kind  attention  and  of  encouragement 
in  their  work  ;  but  for  many  years,  the  great 
body  both  of  foreign  residents,  and  of  sea- 
faring men  visiting  the  islands,  exerted  a 
most  pernicious  influence,  and  were  a  source 
of  constant  and  most  painful  trial  to  the 
Christian  laborers.  Nearly  all  the  foreigners 
at  Kailua,  when  the  missionaries  first  arrived, 
used  their  influence  to  induce  the  king  and 
chiefs  to  send  them  away,  asserting,  among 
other  things,  that  they  would  soon  make  war 


652 


SANDWICH   ISLANDS. 


upon  them  and  take  away^hcir  lands.  Ilero 
the  presence  of  missionary  ladies  was  found 
to  be  of  g^reat  service.  "If  they  had  come 
to  make  war  would  they  have  brought  their 
delicate  wives  ?"  said  the  chiefs.  Foiled  in 
their  efforts  to  prevent  the  landing  of  the 
missionaries  they  looked  forward  to  the  end 
of  the  year  for  which  they  had  obtained  per- 
mission to  remain,  hoping  then  to  secure 
their  banishment.  But  in  this  also  they 
were  wholly  unsuccessful.  Before  the  year 
expired  the  chiefs  had  become  satisfied  in 
regard  to  the  character  and  the  objects  of 
their  teachers,  and  instead  of  sending  them 
away  were  requesting  them  to  send  for  more. 
Reinforcements. — To  sustain  and  carry  for- 
ward the  effort  to  Christianize  the  islands, 
additional  laborers  have  been  sent  from  time 
to  time.  The  table  below  will  show  at  one 
view  the  number  of  laborers  of  different 
classes  who  have  gone  from  the  United 
States  (not  including  natives  of  the  islands) 
and  the  date  of  their  arrival  at  the  islands. 
In  regard  to  female  helpers  the  table  is  not 
quite  full,  76  in  all  having  been  sent,  nine  of 
whom  went  out  unmarried. 


t 

^ 

> 

< 
•5 

II 

1820 

3 

4 

7 

1823 

5 

2 

7 

1828 

4 

2 

10 

1831 

3 

1 

4 

1832 

8 

2 

9 

1833 

2 

1 

2 

1835 

1 

2 

5 

1837 

5 

10 

17 

1&41 

3 

1 

4 

1842 

2 

1 

2 

1844 

4 

3 

1848 

2 

1 

1849 

1 

1 

-__. 





42 

.27 

72 

^  Of  the  laymen  sent,  seven  have  been  phy- 
sicians, and  two  have  been  employed  specially 
in  managing  the  secular  affairs  of  the  mis- 
sion. In  April,  1822,  Rev.  Wm.  Ellis,  an 
English  missionary  at  the  Society  Islands, 
came  to  Honolulu  with  Messrs.  Tyerraan  and 
Bennet,  designing  to  go  from  there  to  estab- 
lish a  mission  at  the  Marquesas  Islands. 
Prevented  from  going  as  he  had  expected  to 
do,  and  finding  that  he  could  be  very  useful 
at  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  connection  with 
the  American  missionaries,  ho  was  induced 
to  remain,  and  cooperated  with  affectionate 
harmony  in  the  labors  of  the  mission  until 
obliged  by  the  illness  of  Mrs.  Ellis,  to  leave 
for  England  in  the  autumn  of  1824. 

Position  and  injluence  of  the  Chiefs.—ln 
order  to  understand  correctly  many  of  the 
facts  connected  with  the  history  of  this  mis- 
sion, the  relative  position  of  the  chiefs  and 
the  common  people  must  be  borne  in  mind. 


The  inhabitants  of  the  Islands  were  "  chiefs 
and  slaves,"  with  a  wide  distance  between 
the  two  classes.  The  king  was  supreme,  and 
his  word  was  law,  not  only  in  civil,  but  in 
religious  and  all  other  matters ;  and  the 
chiefs  also  were  regarded  by  the  people 
generally  with  superstitious  reverence  and 
awe,  as  something  more  than  mortal.  They 
were  accustomed,  not  to  suggest  and  advise, 
but  to  direct ;  and  their  wishes,  or  advice, 
had  all  the  force  of  a  command.  The  peo- 
ple were  accustomed  to  obey,  and  to  look  to 
the  chiefs  for  direction.  Hence,  in  the  esti- 
mation of  both  chiefs  and  people,  if  any 
change  was  to  be  introduced  in  laws,  cus- 
toms, or  religion,  the  chiefs  must  take  the 
lead.  "WTien  the  missionaries  came,  the  king 
and  chiefs  were  not  willing  that  the  common 
people  should  be  taught  to  read  till  they  had 
first  learned,  and  when  some  of  the  lower 
chiefs  and  the  common  people  began  to  think 
favorably  of  the  new  religion,  they  consider- 
ed it  out  of  place  for  them  first  to  make  any 
public  profession ;  they  must  wait  "  for  the 
king  to  turn."  From  this  state  of  things 
there  resulted  a  kind  of  necessity  for  paying 
much  attention  to  the  higher  classes,  endea- 
voring to  secure  from  them  attention  to 
schools  and  preaching,  and  such  a  sanctioning 
of  the  instruction  given  as  would  at  least  be 
regarded  by  the  people  as  permitting  them  to 
follow  it.  From  the  same  cause,  when  chiefs 
of  the  highest  rank  did  express  their  wish 
that  the  people  would  learn  to  read,  or 
would  attend  on  preaching,  the  wish  was  at 
once  regarded  ;  when  they  desired  the  peo- 
ple to  build  school-houses,  or  houses  of  wor- 
ship, it  was  done  without  hesitation,  and 
when  they  publicly  professed  their  faith  in 
Christ,  thousands  of  the  people  would  read- 
ily have  done  the  same  at  once.  It  was  not 
easy  to  keep  church  and  state  distinct,  where 
civil  and  religious  matters  bad  always  been 
united,  and  not  always  easy  for  either  chiefs 
or  people  to  perceive  the  difference  between 
permitting  a  suitable  religious  liberty,  and. 
suffering  an  entirely  unsuitable  disobedience 
to  civil  rulers. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  distinctly 
stated,  to  the  honor  of  both  the  missionaries 
and  the  chiefs,  that  discipline  in  the  churches 
has  been  administered  with  impartiality.  In 
1835  a  sister  of  the  king  was  excommuni- 
cated, and  one  of  the  older  missionaries 
writes  in  1847 :  "  High  chiefs  have  been  dis- 
ciplined as  abundantly  as  any  class  of  mem- 
bers in  our  churches,  and  they  are  vastly 
more  docile  under  discipline  than  crooked 
elders,  deacons,  and  gentlemen  of  high  stand- 
ing in  the  United  States." 

First  Four  Years  of  Missionary  Labor. — 
The  reception  which  the  missionaries  met  a.t 
the  islands,  the  first  stations  taken,  and  the 
first  efforts  to  reach  the  people,  have  been 
mentioned.      The  royal  family  left  Kailua, 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


653 


Hawaii,  towards  the  close  of  the  year  1820, 
and  early  in  1821  went  to  Honolulu,  on  Oahu. 
Such  was  now  the  state  of  things  at  Kailua 
that  the  mission  family  was  no  longer  con- 
sidered safe  at  that  place,  and  they  also  re- 
moved to  Honolulu  in  Dec,  1820,  and  Ha- 
waii was  left  without  missionary  labor  until 
Nov.,  1823,  when  Kailua  was  again  occupied, 
and  the  next  year  two  other  stations  were 
taken  on  the  island.  The  interest  at  first 
felt  by  chiefs  and  others  in  learning  to  read 
in  English,  somewhat  abated  as  the  novelty 
wore  away,  and  in  Dec,  1821,  there  were 
but  about  65  pupils.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
missionaries  had  given  themselves  diligently 
to  the  difficult  task  of  learning  the  native 
language  and  reducing  it  to  writing,  and  on 
the  first  Monday  in  January,  1822,  the  first 
sheet  was  printed  in  the  Hawaiian  language, 
containing  the  first  eight  pages  of  a  Ha- 
waiian spelling-book.  (Owing  to  the  ex- 
treme difficulty  of  ascertaining  the  exact 
sounds  of  a  language  never  before  written, 
and  the  best  modes  of  expressing  such 
sounds,  six  months  elapsed  before  the  second 
sheet  was  struck  off.) 

This  introduction  of  printing  awakened 
much  interest,  and  gave  at  once  a  new  im- 
pulse to  schools.  Several  of  the  chiefs  un- 
dertook in  earnest  to  learn  to  read  and  write 
their  own  language.  The  king  resumed  his 
studies  in  August,  and  on  the  16th  of  the 
month  he  wrote  a  letter,  in  a  fair,  legible 
hand,  to  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Society 
Islands.  Kaahumanu  and  others  of  the 
highest  chiefs  followed  the  example  of  the 
king,  and  in  September,  the  number  of  per- 
sons under  instruction  was  estimated  at  500. 

Religious  instruction  began  to  be  given  to 
much  better  advantage.  The  spelhng-book 
contained  easy  but  important  sentences  of 
Christian  truth.  The  missionaries  could  in 
some  measure  dispense  with  the  aid  of  in- 
terpreters in  preaching.  Mr.  Ellis,  who  had 
joined  them,  could  readily  make  himself  un- 
derstood in  the  Hawaiian  tongue,  and  some 
natives  of  the  Society  Islands  who  had  ac- 
companied him,  could  very  soon  pray  and 
converse  with  the  Sandwich  Islanders  in- 
their  own  language.  Many  of  the  people 
listened  with  interest  to  the  Gospel,  but 
"waited  for  the  king  to  turn." 

The  conduct  of  the  king,  Liholiho,  was 
one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  with  which  the 
missionaries  were  called  to  contend.  He 
was  friendly  to  the  mission,  had  sometimes 
applied  himself  with  characteristic  energy  to 
learning  to  read  and  write ;  advised  others 
to  learn ;  regretted  that  he  had  not  more 
perseverance  ;  and  showed  no  resentment 
when  reproved  by  the  missionaries  for  his 
vices.  But  he  was  young,  reckless  and 
profligate ;  was  naturally  daring,  and  when 
partially  intoxicated  was  ready  for  any  ad- 
venture ;  and  a  portion  of  the  foreign  resi- 


dents, taking  advantage  of«  his  weaknesses, 
made  assiduous  and  persevering  efforts  to 
keep  him  from  the  influence  of  the  Gospel. 
Even  in  the  place  of  worship,  means  were 
used  to  divert  his  thoughts  ;  and  to  prevent 
his  attendance  on  preaching,  he  was  more 
than  once  artfully  seduced  into  intoxication, 
against  his  own  deliberate  resolutions. 

While  some  foreigners  thus  endeavored  to 
seduce  the  king,  and  many  complained  that 
the  preaching,  which  was  regularly  main- 
tained, was  too  severe  against  sin  and  sin- 
ners, others  approved  the  preaching  and  sus- 
tained the  preachers.  Chiefly  at  the  ex- 
pense of  foreign  residents,  a  grass  house  of 
worship  was  erected  at  Honolulu,  in  1821, 
54  feet  by  22,  and  calculated  to  hold  200 
hearers.  On  the  15th  of  September,  it  was 
publicly  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God. 

The  missionaries  were  much  encouraged 
and  aided  in  their  work  in  1832,  by  the  visit 
of  Messrs.  Tyerman  and  Bennet,  who  had 
been  sent  by  the  London  Missionary  Soci- 
ety to  visit  their  missions  in  the  Pacific 
They  came  with  Captain  Kent,  who  had  in 
charge  a  small  schooner  as  a  present  from 
the  king  of  Great  Britain  to  the  king  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  and  their  testimony  in 
favor  of  the  missionaries,  as  well  as  the  tes- 
timony of  natives  of  the  Society  Islands 
who  were  with  them,  as  to  the  happy  results 
of  missionary  labor  in  those  islands,  was  of 
great  service.  It  was  specially  of  service, 
and  providentially  timely,  from  the  fact  that 
foreigners,  among  other  efforts  to  prevent 
the  success  of  the  missionaries,  and,  if  possi- 
ble, to  secure  their  banishment,  had  en- 
deavored to  persuade  the  king  and  chiefs 
that  the  English  government  would  be  dis- 
pleased if  they  tolerated  the  residence  of 
American  teachers.  Here  now  were  men 
from  England,  coming  at  the  same  time  with 
the  ship  which  Vancouver  had  long  before 
encouraged  Kamehameha  to  look  for  as  a 
present  from  the  king  of  England,  strongly 
commending  the  missionaries  to  the  confi- 
dence of  the  king,  |||d  urging  attention  to 
their  instructions,  ^fhe  falsehood  and  base- 
ness of  the  opposers  was  made  clear.  The 
commander  of  a  Russian  exploring  squadron 
had  previously,  in  Dec.  1821,  heartily  com- 
mended the  missionaries,  sending  from  him- 
self and  his  officers  a  generous  donation  to 
aid  them  in  their  work. 

In  August,  1822,  the  first  Christian  mar- 
riage, that  of  Thomas  Hopu,  took  place  at 
the  islands  j  and  in  October,  1823,  two  chiefs 
of  high  rank,  at  their  own  request,  were 
publicly,  at  the  house  of  God,  on  the  Sab- 
bath, "'like  the  people  of  Jesus  Christ,  joined 
together  as  man  and  wife."  The  first  Chris- 
tian burial  was  that  of  a  son  of  Mr.  Bing- 
ham, Jan.  19th,  1823.  The  services  were 
attended  by  the  king  and  his  principal  chiefs. 
A  few  days  after,  a  relative  of   Liholiho, 


654 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


whom  he  callcdklstcr,  died  at  Honolulu,  and 
at  his  request  her  funeral  was  conducted 
with  similar  Christian  scr\ices.  In  Febru- 
ary of  this  year,  the  chiefs  Iield  a  consulta- 
tion respecting  the  Christian  Sabbath,  and  a 
crier  was  sent  around  at  Honolulu,  proclaim- 
ing a  law  enjoining  its  observance. 

May  31, 1823,  a  station  was  taken  at  La- 
haina,  on  the  island  of  Maui,  at  the  request 
of  Keopuolani,  the  mother  of  the  king,  and 
the  higncst  chief  of  the  islands,  who  was 
going  to  that  place  to  reside.  "She  inter- 
ested herself  as  a  mother  in  seeing  the  mis- 
sionaries comfortably  located,"  and  exerted 
her  great  influence  to  induce  the  people  to 
respect  them,  and  listen  to  their  instructions. 
A  house  of  worship  "  of  ordinary  structure 
and  frail  material"  was  soon  erected  there, 
and  dedicated  on  the  24th  of  August ;  and 
in  Dec,  a  house  was  dedicated  also  at  Kai- 
lua,  where  labors  had  now  been  resumed. 
Keopuolani  was  the  first  native  baptized  at 
the  Islands.  She  lived  but  a  few  months 
after  the  station  was  taken  at  Lahaina,  in 
which  she  felt  so  deep  an  interest.  Previ- 
ous to  her  last  sickness,  she  had  given  evi- 
dence of  conversion ;  during  that  sickness 
the  evidence  constantly  brightened,  and  at 
her  request  she  received  baptism  a  short 
time  before  her  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  IGth  of  September.  She  had  given  strict 
injunctions  that  no  heathen  customs  should 
follow  her  death  or  attend  her  funeral,  and 
her  injunctions  were  in  good  measure  regard- 
ed ;  though,  but  a  short  time  before,  the 
death  of  such  a  chief  would  have  been  fol- 
lowed, not  only  by  horrid  rites,  but  by  a 
scene  of  universal  licentiousness  and  pillage. 
It  was  expected  now.  Many  natives  fled  to 
the  mountains,  and  foreigners  prepared  to 
take  refuge  on  board  the  ships,  advising  the 
missionaries  to  do  the  same.  "But  not  a 
human  victim  was  slaughtered  ;  not  a  hamlet 
was  burned,  not  a  house  was  pillaged."  Thus 
had  the  mother  of  the  king  given  her  testi- 
mony and  the  influence  of  her  example,  in 
life  and  in  death,  in  fa^  of  the  missionary 
work,  and  thus  was  it  made  apparent  that 
already  much  good  had  been  accomplished. 

Regency  of  Kaahumanu.— On  the  27th  of 
November,  1823,  the  king  embarked  for 
England,  prompted,  probably,  more  by  curi- 
osity and  a  restless,  roving  disposition,  than 
by  any  better  motive.  He  was  accompanied 
by  his  favorite  wife,  several  chiefs,  and  a 
Frenchman  named  John  Rives.  They  reach- 
ed London  in  May,  1824,  received  some  at- 
tention from  statesmen,  and  visited  places 
of  amusement,  but  saw  little  of  religious 
society.  "Within  a  few  weeks,  the  king  and 
queen  were  both  attacked  with  measles,  and 
both  died  in  July. 

Before  sailing,  Liholiho  had  nominated  his 
young  brother  as  his  successor,  in  ca^o  he 
should  not  return,  and  left  the  government 


in  the  hands  of  Kaahumanu,  the  favorite 
wife  of  the  conqueror  Kamehamcha,  and  by 
his  appointment  the  prime  minister  of  Liho- 
liho. Kaahumanu  was  a  woman  of  much 
energy,  decision,  and  strength  of  character ; 
and  though  haughty  and  disdainful,  and 
sometimes  tyrannical  and  cruel,  was  in 
many  respects  well  fitted  for  the  emergency 
in  which  she  was  placed.  Her  prime  minis- 
ter, not  associate  regent,  was  Kalanimoku. 
At  this  time  she  stood  entirely  aloof  from 
religious  influence,  and  looked  down  upon 
the  missionaries  with  contempt;  but  she 
soon  gave  evidence  of  a  great  change  of  char- 
acter, and  in  December,  1825,  she  became  a 
member  of  the  church,  with  several  other 
persons  of  rank.  Six  months  before,  she, 
with  others,  had  made  a  public  declaration 
of  faith  in  Christ  and  desire  to  join  his  peo- 
ple. From  the  time  of  her  hopeful  conver- 
sion, this  remarkable  woman  became  warm 
in  her  attachment  to  the  missionaries  ;  and 
in  the  administration  of  the  government  she 
manifested  a  strong  desire  to  promote  the 
good  of  the  people.  In  a  female  prayer- 
meeting  at  Honolulu,  she  expressed  her  feel- 
ings with  earnestness  and  tears.  Nor  was 
she  content  to  speak  alone.  While  giving 
strict  attention  to  all  the  affairs  of  govern- 
ment, she  began  at  once  the  work  of  "  visit- 
ing every  island  of  the  group,  and  almost 
every  village  of  each  island ;  encouraging 
schools,  introducing  improvements,  and  ex- 
horting the  people  to  forsake  their  many 
vices,  and  cleave  to  the  pure  religion  which 
had  been  brought  to  their  shores."  The 
effect  was  very  great.  Not  the  king,  indeed, 
but  the  regent,  had  turned.  Liholiho  had 
issued  his  proclamation  against  various  crimes 
and  vices,  and  in  favor  of  the  Sabbath,  with 
little  effect  comparatively,  for  his  example 
did  not  show  him  to  be  sincere.  Kaahumanu 
gave  to  her  proclamations  and  instructions 
the  force  of  her  own  consistent  example,  and 
made  it  evident  that  she  was  deeply  in  ear- 
nest. A  great  change  among  the  people  was 
the  immediate  result,  at  least  in  outward  de- 
portment, and  the  way  was  in  some  measure 
prepared  for  a  true  reformation  of  character. 
The  regent  was  not  alone  among  the  chiefs 
in  such  efforts  to  do  good.  Several  others, 
of  much  influence,  were  already,  hopefully, 
true  Christians,  and  still  others  gave  their 
support  to  the  labors  of  the  mission.  In- 
deed, as  early  as  April,  1824,  just  as  the 
printing  of  3,000  copies  of  elementary  les- 
sons in  reading  and  spelling  was  finished,  the 
principal  chiefs  had  called  a  meeting  of  the 
people  of  Oahu,  to  proclaim,  in  a  formal 
manner,  their  united  resolution  to  receive 
instruction  themselves,  to  observe  the  Sab- 
bath, worship  God,  and  obey  his  law,  and 
to  promote  true  knowledge  among  the  peo- 
ple. After  a  public  examination  of  the 
schools,  Kaahumanu  eeleoted  some  of  the 


SANDWICH   ISLANDS. 


655 


most  forward  of  the  pupils  to  teach  in  other 
districts,  and  before  the  end  of  the  year 
1824,  50  natives  were  thus  employed  as 
teachers,  and  at  least  2,000  persons  were  said 
to  have  learned  to  read  ;  but  both  the  teach- 
ing and  the  learning  were,  of  course,  in  most 
cases,  of  a  very  imperfect  kind.  This  was 
the  commencement  of  a  kind  of  native 
school  system  which  rapidly  extended  it- 
self, and  continued  in  operation  without  very 
much  change,  for  eight  or  ten  years.  Na- 
tive houses  were  built  for  the  purpose  by 
direction  of  the  chiefs,  and  large  numbers 
of  the  people,  a  great  majority  being  adults, 
were  collected  in  what  were  called  schools, 
and  taught  to  read,  and  in  many  instances 
to  write  their  own  language,  by  native  teach- 
ers who  themselves  knew,  in  most  instances, 
"  this  much,  no  more."  But  defective  as 
these  schools  were,  they  were  much  better 
than  nothing,  and  they  were  all  that  could 
then  be  had.  In  1831  there  were  reported 
1100  schools,  with  near  53,000  learners,  at 
least  one-third  of  whom  could  read  with  a 
good  degree  of  ease,  many  could  write,  and 
a  few  had  some  knowledge  of  arithmetic. 

Kapiolani. — iflfention  should  here  be  made 
of  another  "honorable  woman" — Kapiolani, 
of  the  island  of  Hawaii.  A  woman  of  high 
rank  and  of  great  influence,  she  united  with 
the  church  about  the  same  time  with  Kaa- 
humanu,  and,  like  her,  made  it  her  great  busi- 
ness to  induce  the  people  to  attend  to  the 
instructions  of  the  missionaries.  Like  her, 
she  made  frequent  extensive  tours  among  the 
people,  exhorting  them  to  forsake  their  sins, 
and  destroying  every  vestige  of  idolatry. 
She  became,  also,  a  pattern  to  the  people  in 
civilization.  "  She  built  a  large  framed 
house,  enclosed  a  yard,  and  cultivated  flow- 
ers, and  in  her  dress,  manners,  and  mode  of 
living  appeared  more  like  a  Christian  lady 
than  any  ather  high-born  native  of  her  day." 
In  December,  1824,  that  she  might  more 
effectually  destroy  from  among  the  people 
any  remaining  fear  of  old  divinities,  she  de- 
termined to  visit  the  great  crater  of  Kilaua, 
the  reputed  residence  of  Pele.  The  whole 
mountain  was  a  dreaded  place.  Its  fire  and 
smoke,  its  frequent  mutterings,  and  occa- 
sional desolating  eruptions,  served  to  keep 
alive  the  superstitious  dread.  Clinging  even 
to  the  feet  of  their  chief,  the  people  besought 
her,  with  tears,  not  to  go.  Before  reaching 
the  crater,  she  was  met  by  a  pretended 
priestess,  wild  with  rage,  who  warned  her 
to  desist.  But  her  purpose  was  fixed. 
With  calm  dignity  rebuking  the  pretensions 
of  the  prophetess,  she  had  her  soon  hum- 
bled and  calm,  saying  that  the  god  had  left 
her,  and  she  could  not  answer.  Accompa- 
nied-by  one  of  the  missionaries,  and  b)''  some 
trembling  native  attendants,  she  descended 
into  the  crater,  and  standing  upon  a  ledge 
500  feet  below  the  top,  with  the  lake  of  mol- 


ten fire  before  her,  she  cast  stones  into  the 
fiery  gulf,  ate  the  sacred  berries  consecrated 
to  Pele,  and  called  upon  one  of  her  attend- 
ants to  offer  prayer  and  praise  to  the  one 
true  God.  The  rock  did  not  open  under  her 
feet ;  the  hissing  and  bellowing  gases  did 
not  destroy  her,  and  the  boiling  lava  did  not 
rise  to  consume  her.  The  people  felt  that 
Pele  was  powerless,  and  Jehovah  was  God. 
Visit  of  the  British  frigate  Blonde,  Lord 
Byron. — While  the  influence  of  honored 
chiefs,  whose  hearts  God  had  touched,  was 
thus  doing  much  to  turn  the  tide  of  feeling 
in  favor  of  Christianity,  another  event  oc- 
curred, of  much  importance,  tending  to  the 
same  result.  The  frigate  Blonde,  command- 
ed by  Lord  Byron,  which  had  been  sent  from 
England  with  the  remains  of  Liholiho  and 
the  queen,  and  with  the  few  survivors  of  the 
natives  who  had  attended  them,  reached 
Honolulu  on  the  7th  of  May,  1824.  At  first 
there  was  a  burst  of  tumultuous  feeling,  but 
the  strength  of  heathenism  was  broken,  and 
Christian  services  took  the  place  of  cruel 
pagan  rites.  In  the  evening,  the  crowd  at- 
tended at  the  chapel,  to  engage  in  religious 
services.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting,  Baki, 
the  chief  of  highest  rank  who  had  returned 
from  England,  made  some  report  of  what  he 
had  seen  in  a  Christian  country  :  of  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Christian  religion,  as  he  sup- 
posed, in  giving  so  much  wealth  and  power, 
and  of  what  the  king  of  England  had  said, 
urging  that  the  people  should  attend  to  the 
instructions  of  the  missionaries.  Lord  By- 
ron, during  his  stay  of  two  months  at  the 
islands,  showed  himself  the  decided  friend 
of  the  mission,  thus  adding  the  weight  of  his 
influence  to  increase  the  favor  with  which 
the  Gospel  and  the  American  teachers  were 
beginning  now  to  be  received.  On  the  6th 
of  June  a  council  of  the  chiefs  was  held, 
to  fix  the  succession  in  a  formal  manner. 
Lord  Byron  attended,  and  aided  by  his  ad- 
vice. Everything  was  conducted  in  an  ami- 
cable and  Christian  manner,  the  rightful 
claims  of  Kamikeaouli,  the  young  brother  of 
Liholiho,  about  nine  years  of  age,  were  fully 
admitted,  and  it  was  resolved  to  acknow- 
ledge and  sustain  him.  Kaahumanu  was 
still  to  act  as  regent  during  his  youth,  and 
he  was  to  be  put,  for  a  time,  under  the  in- 
struction of  the  missionaries.  It  was  gen- 
erally felt  by  the  chiefs  and  the  people  that 
here  was  a  triumph  of  the  Gospel  of  peace, 
since,  had  it  not  been  for  the  influence  of  the 
Gospel,  that  mere  boy  could  never  have  been 
king. 

Various  circumstances  thus  combined  to 
give  strength  to  the  religious  influence  of  the 
regent.  The  Spirit  of  God,  which  had 
changed  the  hearts  of  chiefs,  was  present 
also  with  the  people,  and  some  from  time  to 
time  gave  pleasing  evidence  of  a  saving 
change.  The  mission  having  been  reinforced, 


650 


SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


more  stations  had  been  taken  ;  more  houses 
of  worship  were  erected,  and  largo  numbers 
attended  upon  preachine,  while  schools  of 
some  sort,  were  established  at  almost  every 
villa;?e  throughout  the  group  of  islands. 
"  Thhigs  as  they  were  in  the  days  of  Kaa- 
humanu,"  has  long  been  a  phrase  well  under- 
stood at  the  islands. 

Opposition  from  foreigners — Whale  Ship 
Daniel.— But  all  was  not  bright.  Well 
would  it  have  been  if  all  foreign  vessels  had 
exerted  as  good  an  influence  as  the  Blonde 
and  her  commander.  But  the  commanders 
and  the  crews  of  merchant  vessels,  and 
sometimes  also  of  vessels  belonging  to  the 
navies  of  the  United  States  and  of  Great 
Britain,  as  well  as  of  France,  have  disgraced 
themselves,  while  they  have  thrown  the 
most  serious  obstacles  in  the  way  of  mis- 
sionary effort  at  these  as  well  as  at  other  is- 
lands. On  the  3d  of  Oct.  1825,  the  English 
whale  ship  Daniel,  Capt.  Buckle,  came  to 
anchor  at  Lahaina.  The  crew  soon  found 
that  a  change  had  taken  place  since  their 
former  visit  to  the  islands.  A  law  o{  the 
chiefs  had  gone  into  operation,  forbidding 
females  to  visit  ships  for  immoral  purposes  ; 
and  instead  of  the  throng  of  native  females 
which  they  had  expected  to  see,  not  one  ap- 
proached the  vessel.  Suspecting  the  cause, 
they  cursed  the  missionaries,  and  clenching 
their  fists,  declared  that  they  would  have  re- 
venge ;  and  in  spite  of  missionaries,  and 
chiefs,  and  laws,  they  would  have  the  liber- 
ties of  former  years.  On  the  evening  of  the 
5th  some  of  the  crew  came  to  the  house  of 
Mr.  Richards,  the  missionary,  insisting  that 
he  should  exert  his  influence  to  have  the 
law  repealed,  and  threatening  destruction  to 
his  property,  his  life,  and  his  family  if  he  re- 
fused. He  firmly  told  them  that  he  would 
die  rather  than  give  any  countenance  to  such 
vile  demands,  and  his  wife,  in  feeble  health, 
and  with  her  helpless  little  children  around 
her,  assured  them  of  her  readiness  to  share 
the  fate  of  her  husband  in  such  a  cause.  The 
men  at  last  withdrew,  and  the  house  was 
guarded  through  the  night  by  natives.  The 
next  day  Mr.  Richards  wrote  to  the  com- 
manders of  some  American  vessels,  who 
took  no  notice  of  his  letter.  He  wrote  also 
to  Capt.  Buckle,  asking  him  to  control  his 
men,  but  he  replied  that  the  men  were  all  on 
shore  determined  not  to  return  without  wo- 
men, and  Mr.  Richards  had  better  give  his 
consent,  when  all  would  be  quiet.  On  the 
next  day  the  men  again  landed,  and,  having 
a  black  flag  and  armed  with  knives,  they 
presented  themselves  before  the  mission- 
house  to  the  number  of  about  forty,  de- 
manding, with  oaths  and  execrations,  that 
Mr.  Riclxards  should  not  resist  their  purpose. 
Tlie  chiefs,  who  had  exercised  all  forbear- 
ance, and  had  at  first  sent  natives  armed 
only  with  clubs  to  defend  the  mission  family, 


satisfied  that  milder  measures  would  not 
answer,  at  length  called  out  a  company  of 
two  hundred  men  armed  with  muskets  and 
spears.  The  mob  was  compelled  to  retire, 
the  law  was  sustained,  and  quiet  restored. 
From  Lahaina  the  ship  went  to  Honolulu, 
where,  aided  by  American  sailors,  the  crew 
engaged  in  similar  outrages. 

Schooner  Dolphin. — The  crews  of  whale 
ships  were  not  to  be  left  alone  in  the  unen- 
viable notoriety  secured  by  such  proceed- 
ings. The^armed  schooner  Dolphin,  of  the 
United  States  navy,  Lieutenant  Percival 
commander,  came  to  Honolulu  Jan.  14th, 
1826,  when  the  law  against  females  visiting 
ships  had  been  in  operation  about  three 
months.  The  ten  commandments  also  had 
been  translated  and  printed  in  the  Hawaiian 
language,  and  the  chiefs  had  adopted  them 
as  a  basis  of  law  and  government.  The  mis- 
sionaries had  been  instructed,  as  are  all  mis- 
sionaries of  the  Board,  to  abstain  from  inter- 
meddling with  the  afiairs  of  civil  govern- 
ment, that  they  might  give  rulers  no  occa- 
sion for  jealousy,  and  unreasonable  men  no 
grounds  for  finding  fault,  and  they  had  so 
abstained.  It  was  obvious  however  that  the 
religious  instruction  which  they  had  im- 
parted had  given  the  chiefs  new  views  of 
right  and  duty,  and  had  in  this  way  led  to 
the  enacting  of  such  laws  ;  and  foreigners 
who  did  themselves  intermeddle,  in  the  most 
objectionable  way,  accused  the  missionaries 
of  intermeddling  and  dictating  laws,  which 
were  to  them  offensive.  Even  the  English 
and  American  consuls  violently  opposed  some 
of  the  new  laws,  recommending  a  code 
which  should  prohibit  nothing  but  murder, 
treason  and  theft.  They  even  went  to  the 
young  king  and  told  him  that  the  regent  and 
chiefs  had  no  right  to  make  laws,  but  that 
the  right  belonged  to  him  alone.  When  the 
Dolphin  arrived,  her  commander  at  once 
manifested  his  sympathy  for  those  who  were 
thus  endeavoring  to  prevent  improvement  in 
the  morals  of  the  people,  and  in  the  laws  ; 
at  least  any  improvement  which  should  in- 
terfere with  their  vices.  He  expressed  his 
disapprobation  of  the  law  which  kept  females 
from  going  to  the  ships  for  purposes  of  in- 
famy, and  insisted  upon  the  release  of  four 
prostitutes  then  in  custody  for  a  violation  of 
the  law.  Imputing  its  existence  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  missionaries,  he  threatened 
violence  against  their  houses  and  their  per- 
sons if  it  were  not  repealed.  The  chiefs  be- 
came alarmed,  and  repeatedly  inquired  of  the 
missionaries  what  would  be  the  duty  of  the 
people  in  case  such  threats  were  put  in  exe- 
cution. They  were  assured  that  the  com- 
mander would  not  venture  to  injure  them,  as 
he  was  responsible  to  the  United  States 
Government,  and  when  they  still  pressed  the 
inquiry, ."  What  shall  we  do  in  case  your 
houses  are  attacked  ?"    they  were  exhorted 


SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


657 


in  no  case  to  resort  to  violence  in  their  de- 
fence. On  the  afternoon  of  the  Sabbatli, 
Feb.  26,  when  Mr.  Bingham  and  several  of 
the  chiefs  were  collected  for  religious  worship 
around  the  sick  bed  of  the  minister,  Kalan- 
imoku,  six  or  seven  sailors  from  the  Dolphin, 
armed  with  knives  and  clubs,  entered  the 
room  and  demanded  the  repeal  of  the  law, 
threatening  to  tear  down  the  house  if  it  were 
not  repealed.  After  a  scene  of  confusion, 
during  which  they  broke  all  the  windows  in 
the  front  of  the  house,  they  were  con- 
strained to  retire,  when  they  directed  their 
course  towards  the  house  of  Mr.  Bingham. 
The  missionary,  alarmed  for  his  family,  at- 
.  tempted  to  reach  his  house  before  them  by 
another  way,  but  fell  into  their  hands  and 
very  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life,  rescued 
by  the  natives.  The  same  evening,  Lieut. 
Percival,  instead  of  restraining  his  crew,  or 
apologizing  for  the  outrage,  called  on  the 
chiefs,  and  declared  that  the  prohibition 
should  come  off  j  that  he  was  determined  not 
to  leave  the  islands  till  the  law  was  repealed. 
Kalanimoku  was  confined  by  sickness,  some 
of  the  chiefs  yielded  to  fear,  and  a  conni- 
vance at  a  breach  of  the  law  was  the  result. 
"  In  the  dusk  of  the  evening  of  the  next  day, 
a  boat  with  females  passed  along  the  harbor, 
and  a  shout  arose  among  the  shipping  at  the 
glorious  victory  that  had  been  achieved." 
The  Dolphin  remained  at  the  islands  about 
four  months,  and  lef+  a  most  disastrous  in- 
fluence behind,  when  at  last,  she  sailed.  The 
law  was  broken  down  for  a  time ;  the  flood- 
gates of  vice  were  opened  ;  and  irreligion 
and  immorality  had  gained  strength  and 
boldness  which  could  not  be  overcome  at 
once.  Similar  scenes  of  violence  and  out- 
rage were  enacted  by  the  crews  of  English 
and  American  whale  ships  at  Lahaina  in 
Oct.  1826.  A  mob  of  such  sailors  went  to 
the  house  of  Mr.  Richards  with  the  declared 
intention  of  taking  his  life.  He  was  not  at 
home,  and  his  house  was  guarded  by  the  na- 
tives ;  but  for  some  days  they  filled  the  place 
with  violence,  pillaging  the  tents  of  the  na- 
tives and  destroying  their  property.  Here, 
however,  females  were  not  obtained.  The 
Governor  was  absent,  and  the  place  was  in 
the  charge  of  a  female  chief,  who  directed 
the  women  to  flee  with  her  to  the  mountains, 
which  they  did ;  all  the  females  from  a  town 
of  4,000  native  inhabitants,  fleeing  from  the 
violence  and  lust  of  sailors  from  Christian 
lands  !  Such  are  the  sailors,  and  such  the 
foreign  residents  at  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
by  whom  so  many  basely  false  and  slander- 
ous reports  against  the  missionaries  have 
been  put  in  circulation. 

United  States  Sloop  of  War  Peacock- 
Vindication  of  the  Missionaries. — We  gladly 
turn  from  such  scenes  to  look  at  the  honor- 
able conduct  of  a  more  honorable  commander 
in  the  navy  of  our  country,  \yithin  the 
42 


same  month  in  which  these  scenes  were  en- 
acted at  Lahaina,  the  United  States  sloop  of 
war  Peacock,  Capt.  T.  H.  0.  Jones,  arrived 
at  Honolulu,  where  it  remained  till  January 
1827.     Hearing  of  the  proceedings  of  Lieut. 
Percival,  and  hearing  also  the  many  slander- 
ous reports  against  the  missionaries,  Capt. 
Jones  kept  himself  uncommitted,  until  he 
should  be  able  to  judge  from  a  knowledge 
of  the  facts.     About  this  time  the  mission- 
aries published  a  circular,  stating  the  course 
they  had  pursued,  and  some  of  the  good  re- 
sults of  their  labors,  denying  the  charges 
brought  against  them,  and  challenging  inves- 
tigation.    Opposing  foreign  residents,  laying 
hold   of   the   word    '•  challenge,"    called   a 
meeting  at  which  Capt.  Jones  and  the  other 
officers  of  the  Peacock  were  to  be  present, 
and  a  hearing  was  to  be  had.    Without  de- 
tailing the  proceedings  of  the  meeting,  we 
quote  Capt.  Jones'  own  opinion  of  the  case 
as  he  subsequently  gave  it  to  the  public : — 
"  I  own,  I  trembled  for  the  cause  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  for  the  poor  benighted  islanders, 
whenri  saw,  on  the  one  hand  the  British 
Consul  backed  by  the  most  wealthy  and 
hitherto     influential    residents     and    ship- 
masters in  formidable  array,  and  prepared  as 
I  supposed,  to  testify  against  some  half  a 
dozen  meek  and  humble   servants   of  the 
Lord,  calmly  seated  on  the  other,  ready  and 
anxious  to  be  tried  by  their  bitterest  ene- 
mies,  who   on   this   occasion  occupied   the 
quadruple  station  of  judge,  jury,  witness, 
and  prosecutor.     Thus  situated,  what  could 
the  friends  of  the  mission  hope  for  or  ex- 
pect ?    But  what,  in  reality,  was  the  result 
of  this  portentous  meeting,  which  was   to 
overthrow  the  mission,  and  uproot  the  seeds 
of  civilization  and  Christianity  so  extensively 
and  prosperously  sown  by  them  in  every  di- 
rection, while  in  their  stead,  heathenism  and 
idolatry  were  to  ride  triumphantly  through 
all  coming  time  ?    Such  was  the  object,  and 
such  were  the  hopes  of  many  of  the  foreign 
residents  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  1826. 
What,  I  again  ask,  was  the  result  of  this 
great  trial  ?  The  most  perfect,  full,  complete, 
and  triumphant  victory  for  the  missionaries 
that  could  have  been  asked  by  their  most  de- 
voted friends.  Not  one  jot  or  tittle — not  one 
iota  derogatory  to  their  character  as  men, 
as  ministers  of  the  Gospel  of  the  strictest 
order,  or  as  missionaries — could  be  made  to 
appear  by  the  united  efforts  of  all  conspired 
against  them." 

Further  Outrages.— in  Oct.,  1827,  the 
crew  of  the  English  whale  ship  John  Palmer, 
Capt.  Clark,  at  Lahaina,  enticed  several  base 
women  on  board.  Hoapili,  the  Governor  of 
the  island,  demanded  that  they  should  be 
^ven  up,  but  the  Captain  evaded  and  ridi- 
^led  the  demand,  and  when  the  Governor 
detained  him  on  shore  insisting  that  it  should 
be  complied  with,  he  sent  directions  to  his 


(;:>s 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


crow  to  fire  npon  the  town  if  he  should  not 
he    relensed    within    an    hour.      He    soon 
promised  however  that  the  women  shouhl  be 
iiont  on  shore  if  the  Governor  would  release 
him,  and  he  wa3  released  accordingly,  but  be- 
fore the  crew  had  learned  this  fact  they  dis- 
chanrcil  five  cannon  balls,  all  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  Richard's  house.    The  next  day 
the  Captain  sailed  for  Honolulu,  basely  dis- 
regarding his  promise  to  send  the  women  on 
shore.     At  that  time  Capt.  Buckle,  of  the 
Daniel,  was  again  at  Honolulu.     The  report 
of  his  conduct  at  Lahaina  two  years  before 
had  been  sent  to  the  United  States  and  ex- 
tensively published,  and  the  published  ac- 
count had   just    returned  to   the    islands. 
The  excitement  was  intense.     There  were 
other  captains  and  crews,  and  there  were 
foreign    residents    at    Honolulu,   with    the 
British  Consul  at  their  head,  who  sympa- 
thized with  Capt.  B.     Deeds  which  hereto- 
fore they  had  supposed  they  could  commit 
at  these  far  off  islands  in  darkness,  were 
being  brought  to  the  light.    The  privilege  of 
wallowing  in  all  pollution  there,  and  return 
ing  with  untarnished  reputations   to  their 
homes,  they  were  likely  to  lose.  Complaints 
were   bitter  and  threatenings  were    loud. 
Some  who  had  before  sustained  the  mission- 
aries now  thought  Mr.  Richards  had  done 
wrong  in  reporting  the  outrage.     Even  Boki 
and  John  Young  took  this  ground.     Kaahu- 
manu  was  for  a  time  perplexed  and  troubled. 
She  sent  for  the  principal  chiefs  at  Lahaina, 
and  Mr.  Richards,  to  repair  to  Honolulu,  and 
called  a  Council  to  consider  whether  it  would 
be  right  to  give  up  Mr.  Richards  to  the  for- 
eigners, or  whether  it  was  their  duty  to  pro- 
tect him.     Before  any  decision  was  reached, 
meeting  a  shrewd  man  of  the  common  peo- 
ple in  whom  she  had  confidence,  David  Malo, 
kaahumanu  asked  him,  "  What  can  we  do 
for  our  teacher  ?    for  even   Mr.   Young  and 
Boki  say  he  was  very  guilty  in  writing  to 
America."      After  a  few    remarks,  David 
asked,  "  In  what  country  is  it  the  practice 
to  condemn  the  man  who  gives  true  inform- 
ation of  crimes  committed,  and  let  the  crim- 
inal go  uncensured  and  unpunished  ?"     "  No 
where,"  she  replied,  and  her  resolution  and 
that   of  the  chiefs   was   soon  taken.     Mr. 
Richards  had  done  no  wrong  ;   he  had  told 
only  what  they  all  knew  to  be  true,  and  they 
would  protect  him.    The  British  Consul  and 
his  party  saw  that  they  were  defeated,  and 
when  Mr.  Richards  was  sent  for  to  meet 
them  before  the  Council  they  hastily  with- 
drew- 

Letter  from  the  President  of  the  United 
States. — Before  turning  entirely  from  this 
kind  of  foreign  opposition,  allusion  must  be 
made  to  some  other  facts.  Every  effort  was 
made  to  prevent  the  enacting  and  the  en- 
forcement of  wholesome  laws.  Especially 
did  many  foreign  residents  and  visitors  pre- 


tend to  be  themselves  exempt  from  all  obli- 
gation to  obey  the  laws,  and  threaten  the 
chiefs  with  the  vengeance  of  their  respective 
governments  if  they  should  be  punished  for 
violating  them.  The  government  was  how- 
ever gradually  gaining  strength  and  confi- 
dence, and  in  1829  a  proclamation  was  is- 
sued declaring  that  the  laws  of  the  country- 
forbade  murder,  theft,  licentiousness,  retail- 
ing ardent  spirits.  Sabbath-breaking  and  gam- 
bling ;  and  that  these  laws  were  in  force 
equally  against  all  residents  at  the  islands, 
both  foreign  and  native.  On  the  14th  of 
October,  just  one  week  after  this  proclama- 
tion was  issued,  the  American  sloop  of  war 
Vincennes  arrived  at  Honolulu.  Her  com- 
mander, Capt.  Finch,  brought  presents,  and 
a  letter  to  the  king  from  the  President  of 
the  United  States.  That  letter,  after  con- 
gratulating the  king  on  the  progress  of  civil- 
ization and  religion  in  his  dominions,  and  re- 
commending "  earnest  attention  to  the  true 
religion  of  the  Christian's  Bible,"  proceeded 
to  say :  "  The  President  also  anxiously  hopes 
that  peace,  and  kindness,  and  justice  will 
prevail  between  your  people  and  those  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States  who  visit  your  is- 
land, and  that  the  regulations  of  your  gov- 
vernment  will  be  such  as  to  enforce  them 
upon  all.  Our  citizens  who  violate  your 
laws,  or  interfere  with  your  regulations, 
violate  at  the  same  time  their  duty  to  their 
own  government  and  country,  and  merit  cen- 
sure and  punishment."  The  letter  also  ex- 
pressed entire  confidence  in  the  missionaries, 
and  bespoke  protection  and  favor  for  them 
and  for  other  American  citizens  who  con- 
ducted with  propriety.  Nothing  could  have 
been  more  opportune.  A  kind  Providence 
had  sent  this  decided  sanction  by  a  foreign 
power  of  the  course  they  were  pursuing  just 
at  the  time  when  it  was  most  needed  to 
strengthen  the  hands  of  the  chiefs. 

Papal  Missionaries — French  Outrages. — 
It  has  been  mentioned  that  John  Rives,  a 
French  adventurer,  left  the  Islands  with 
Liholiho  when  he  went  to  England.  From 
England,  Rives  went  to  France,  and  pretend- 
ing to  be  the  owner  of  large  estates  at  the 
Island,  and  to  have  great  influence  with  the 
king,  he  applied  for  priests  to  establish  a 
Catholic  mission.  In  1826,  John  Alexius 
Augustine  Bachelot  was  appointed,  by  the 
Pope,  Apostolic  Prefect  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  He  arrived  at  Honolulu,  July  7, 
1827,  with  two  other  Romish  priests  and 
four  laymen.  Disregarding  the  law  which 
required  foreigners  to  obtain  permission  be- 
fore landing,  the  priests  and  their  company 
landed  privately.  They  were  ordered  to 
leave,  and  the  captain  of  the  vessel  was  told 
that  as  he  had  landed  foreigners  without  per- 
mission, he  must  take  thern  away.  He,  how- 
ever, took  his  departure,  leaving  them  on 
1  shore,  where  they  never  obtained  permission 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


659 


to  reside,  but  remained  in  disregard  of  law. 
Boki,  governor  of  Oahu,  was   disposed  to 
court  the  favor  of  foreigners,  and  was,   as 
early  as  this,  manifesting  some  disposition 
to  resist,  or  at  least  disregard  the  authority 
of  the  Regent.    The  priests  immediately  con- 
nected themselves  particularly  with  his  party, 
but  even  he  never  gave  them  permission  to 
remain,  which,  indeed,  he  had  no  authority 
to  do.     They  soon  opened  a  chapel,  and  it 
was  at  once  reported  that  they  worshiped 
images.     The  young  king  went  to  see  for 
himself,  and,  as  he  thought,  found  the  report 
correct.     The  chiefs  feared  their  old  religion, 
which  they  knew  to  be  bad  in  all  its  tendency, 
was  about  to  be  revived.     English  captains 
told  them  of  the  influence  of  the  Papal  reli- 
gion and  Papal  priests  in  Europe,  and  pre- 
dicted that  they  would  work  evil  there  if 
they  were   suffered  to  remain.     They  and 
their  adherents  continued  to  identify  them- 
selves with  the  party  of  Boki,  whose  career 
was  one  of  intemperance,  prodigality,  and  at 
last  rebellion.     Collecting  armed  men  and 
ammunition  in  different  places,  he  threatened 
the  life  of  the  Regent  and  a  revolution  in 
the  government.     Fortunately,  in  December, 
1839,  he  embarked  on  a  wild  expedition  in 
search  of  sandal  wood,  and  was  lost  at  sea ; 
but  his  wife  Liliha,  whom  he  had  left  as 
governor  of  Oahu,  continued  to  head  the 
disorderly  party  until  in  1831,  when  a  con- 
spiracy seemed  fast  ripening,  and  she  was  de- 
posed from  her  office.    In  the  mean  time, 
there  was  much  trouble  with  the  Papists. 
The  priests  countenanced  and  encouraged,  in 
their  adherents,   various  violations   of  the 
laws,  until   the  natives  were  forbidden  to 
attend  their  services,  and  some  were  punished 
for  doing  so.     At  length,  in  April,  1831,  the 
chiefs  passed  a  formal  order,  requiring  these 
priests,  whom  they  regarded  as  abettors  of 
rebellion  and  promoters  of  vice  and  distur- 
bance, and  who  were  residing  there  without 
authority,  to -leave  the  islands.    They  had 
borne  with  them  almost  four  years,  and  could 
bear  no  longer.     The  priests,  however,  re- 
sorted to  various  expedients  to  evade  obe- 
dience to  the  order,  and  in  December  the 
government  fitted  out  one  of  its  own  vessels 
and  sent  them  to  California,  with  orders  to 
the  captain  to  "land  them  safe   on  shore, 
with  every  thing  belonging  to  them,  where 
they  might  subsist."     The  banishment  of 
these  priests,  as  well  as  preceding  and  sub- 
sequent proceedings  against  the  Catholics, 
has  often  been  attributed  to  the  agency  of 
the  American  missionaries ;   but  both  the 
missionaries  themselves  and  the  Sandwich 
Islands  government  have  always  denied  the 
charge,  and  there  is  ample  evidence  that  the 
missionaries  have  decidedl}'  discountenanced 
any  thing  which  could  be  regarded  as  inter- 
fering with  religious  liberty. 

In  September,  1836,  another  Papal  priest 


came  to  the  Islands.  He  was  forbidden  to 
remain ;  but  aided  by  the  English  Consul, 
who  claimed  a  residence  for  him  as  a  British 
subject,  he  evaded  repeated  orders  to  leave. 
In  March,  1837,  two  of  the  banished  priests, 
M.  Bachelot  and  Mr.  Short,  returned  from 
California.  They  designed  to  land  secretly 
and  conceal  themselves  for  a  time  ;  but  they 
were  recognized  and  ordered  to  return  on 
board  the  vessel.  Refusing  obedience,  after 
much  delay  they  were  put  on  board  by  the 
police,  where  they  remained,  in  the  harbor. 
On  the  8th  of  July,  a  British,  and  on  the 
10th,  a  French  ship  of  war  came  into  port. 
The  captains  of  these  vessels  interfering,  an 
arrangement  was  made  by  which  the  priests 
were  to  be  allowed  to  remain  on  shore  until 
they  should  have  opportunity  to  go  to  some 
other  civilized  country ;  but  in  the  mean  time 
they  were  not  to  be  allowed  to  proselyte.  On 
the  24th  of  July,  the  French  captain  negotia- 
ted a  treaty  with  the  king,  in  which  it  was 
stipulated  that  the  French  should  "go  and 
come  freely"  at  the  Islands,  "and  enjoy  the 
same  advantages  which  subjects  of  the  most 
favored  nation  enjoy."  This,  of  course,  did 
not  secure  the  right  of  teaching  a  prohibited 
religion.  In  October,  Mr.  Short  left  the  is- 
lands, and  in  November,  M.  Bachelot  also 
left,  with  another  priest  who  had  recently 
arrived,  and  had  been  refused  permission  to 
remain.  On  the  18th  December,  the  govern- 
ment issued  an  ordinance  forbidding  the 
teaching  '*'  of  the  Pope's  religion,"  and  an- 
nouncing that  no  teacher  of  that  religion 
would  be  allowed  to  reside  a-t  the  islands. 
Some  persecution  of  Romanists  followed; 
but  in  June,  1829,  under  the  influence  of  Mr. 
Richards,  who,  at  their  earnest  request,  had 
become  the  political  teacher  of  the  king  and 
chiefs,  the  king  issued  orders  that  no  further 
punishments  should  be  inflicted  upon  ad- 
herents of  the  Romish  faith. 

About  three  weeks  after  this  order  was 
given,  on  the  9th  of  July,  the  French  frigate 
L'Artemise,  Capt.  Laplace,  came  to  Honolulu. 
A  full  account  of  the  proceedings  which  fol- 
lowed cannot  be  given  here.  The  captain 
immediately  issued  a  manifesto,  stating  that 
he  had  been  sent  out  to  put  an  end  to  the 
ill-treatment  which  the  French  had  received 
at  the  islands,  and  demanding,  among  other 
things,  "that  the  Catholic  worship  should 
be  declared  free ;"  "that  a  site  for  a  Catholic 
Church  should  be  given  by  the  Government 
at  Honolulu,"  and  that  ^20,000  should  be 
deposited  with  him,  by  the  king,  as  a  guaran- 
tee of  his  future  conduct  towards  France. 
These  "  equitable  conditions  "  must  be  com- 
plied with,  and  the  treaty  which  accompanied 
the  manifesto  must  be  signed  at  once,  or  he 
should  make  immediate  war  upon  the  islands. 
Offering  protection,  in  case  of  hostilities,  to 
English  and  American  residents,  he  expressly 
excepted  the  "Protestant  clergy."    As  the 


660 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


king  was  ahscnt,  ho  consented  to  wait  for 
his  return  until  the  15th,  before  commencing 
hostilities.  The  king  not  returning,  the 
^20,000  was  sent  on  board  by  the  governor 
of  Oahu,  on  the  13th,  and  the  treaty  was 
signed  by  the  governor  and  the  Premier. 
On  the  IGth,  the  king  returned,  and  was 
compelled,  almost  at  once,  to  sign  it  himself. 
The  most  offensive  articles  were  the  fourth 
and  sixth:  the  fourth  providing  that  no 
Frenchman  accused  of  crime  should  bo  tried 
except  by  a  jury  composed  of  foreign  resi- 
dents proposed  by  the  French  Consul ;  and 
the  6th  declaring  that  French  merchandize, 
"and  particularly  wines  and  brandy,"  cannot 
be  prohibited,  and  shall  not  pay  a  duty  higher 
than  five  per  cent.,  ad  valorum.  A  law  had 
just  before  been  enacted  to  promote  tem- 
perance, which  excluded  distilled  spirits  and 
imposed  a  heavy  duty  on  wines.  This  was 
now  effectually  repealed ;  the  French  Consul 
at  once  engaged  largely  in  the  sale  of  intoxi- 
cating drinks^  and  intemperance  rapidly  in- 
creased. Of  course,  numbers  of  Papal  priests 
soon  arrived,  and  located  themselves  on  dif- 
ferent islands  of  the  group.  It  was  not, 
however,  to  the  advantage  of  Romanism 
that  it  was  thus  forced  upon  the  people,  and 
that  in  connection  with  brandy.  The  same 
word  in  the  native  language,  says  Mr.  Hunt, 
now  means  a  Frenchman^  a  Papist,  and 
brandy.  The  priests  have  continued  their 
efforts  to  the  present  time  with  varying  suc- 
cess, sometimes  interfering  seriously  with  the 
efforts  of  the  Protestant  missionaries  and  of 
the  government  for  the  elevation  of  the  peo- 
ple, especially  opposing  the  school  laws,  and 
interfering  with  efforts  to  promote  general 
education ;  but  by  no  means  gaining  the  con- 
fidence of  the  better  and  more  intelligent 
classes  of  the  community.  For  several  years 
their  influence  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
increasing,  but  rather  diminishing.  In  1852, 
of  436  common  schools,  supporte-d  by  the 
government,  92  were  Papal,  with  2,174  pupils. 
In  September,  1842,  the  French  sloop  of 
war  Erabuscade  visited  Honolulu,  the  captain 
making  most  arrogant  demands,  designed  to 
secure  the  more  free  use  of  French  intoxi- 
cating liquors,  and  still  greater  facilities  for 
propagating  the  Papal  faith.  Providentially, 
the  king  had  recently  sent  a  delegation  to 
the  court  of  France,  to  adjust  all  difficulties, 
80  that  he  could  with  good  reason  decline 
negotiations  with  the  commander,  and  that 
without  giving  him  a  pretext  for  offering 
violence.  In  1846,  treaties  were  negotiated 
both  with  England  and  France,  by  which  the 
government  of  the  islands  was  allowed  to 
impose  any  duties  on  wines  and  spirituous 
liquors  which  should  not  be  so  high  as  "  ab- 
solutely to  prohibit "  their  introduction.  A 
duty  of  five  dollars  a  gallon  was  imposed, 
against  which  the  French  Consul  protested. 
In  August,  1849,  Admiral  Tromelin  came  to 


Honolulu,  and  misled,  as  is  believed,  by  M. 
Dillon,  who  had  been  there  as  Consiil  since 
February,  1848,  made  demands  upon  tho 
government  utterly  unreasonable  and  unjust, 
having  reference  in  great  measure,  as  usual, 
to  French  spirits  and  the  Romanists.  As 
these  demands  were  not  complied  with,  ho 
took  possession  of  the  fort,  tho  custom 
house  and  the  government  offices  by  an 
anned  force,  seized  the  king's  yacht,  which 
he  sent  away  as  a  prize,  dismantled  the  fort, 
and  destroyed  the  arms,  powder,  &c.  Tho 
government  abstained  from  all  forcible  re- 
sistance ;  but  the  representatives  of  Great 
Britain  and  of  the  United  States  made  a 
formal  protest  against  tho  ungenerous  pro- 
ceeding. To  complete  the  series  of  such 
outrages  on  the  part  of  the,  French,  in  De- 
cember, 1850,  M.  Perrin  came  to  Honolulu 
as  Commissioner  of  tho  French  Republic, 
presenting  demands,  which  were  mostly  a 
reiteration  of  those  made  the  year  before, 
and  prepared,  it  is  supposed,  again  to  uso 
force.  But  in  the  kind  providence  of  God, — 
not  by  any  previous  arrangement  or  direction 
from  home, — the  United  States  ship  Vandalia, 
Captain  Gardner,  came  into  port  at  the  most 
critical  point  of  the  negotiation,  and  the  im- 
pression that  this  vessel  would  resist  any  acts 
of  violence  if  appealed  to  by  the  native  go- 
vernment doubtless  led  the  commissioner  to 
moderate  his  demands,  and  the  islands  were 
saved,  perhaps,  from  such  a  French  protector- 
ate as  has  been  forced  upon  some  other  is- 
lands in  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

Having  thus  presented  a  connected  view 
of  difficulties  thrown  in  the  way  of  the 
Christiauization  of  the  islands  by  unprinci- 
pled foreigners,  of  the  forced  introduction 
of  Roman  Catholics,  and  the  aggressions  of 
the  French,  it  is  time  to  return  to  the  days 
of  Kaahuraanu,  and  consider  more  directly 
the  progress  and  results  of  the  missionary 
work. 

Results  of  the  first  ten  years  of  missionary 
labor. — A  few  brief  statements  in  regard  to 
the  state  of  the  mission,  and  results  which 
had  been  already  reached  in  1830,  will  show 
that  the  first  ten  years  of  labor  by  the 
American  missionaries  had  accomplished 
very  much,  over  which  they,  and  all  friends 
of  their  work,  might  well  rejoice.  Not  only 
had  the  language  of  the  islands  been  reduced 
to  writing,  but  two  printing-presses  were  in 
operation  at  Honolulu,  at  which  387,000  cop- 
ies in  all,  of  twenty-two  distinct  books  in 
the  native  tongue,  had  been  printed,  amount- 
ing to  10,287,800  pages.  A  large  edition 
of  the  Gospels  of  Matthew,  Mark,  and  John, 
had  also  been  printed  in  the  United  States 
for  the  mission,  swelling  the  whole  number  of 
pages  in  the  Hawaiian  language  to  13,632,800. 
Most  of  these  pages  were  portions  of  the 
Scriptures,  or  other  strictly  evangelical  and 
most  important  matter.     Nine  hundred  na- 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


661 


tive  schools,  for  teaching  the  people  to  read, 
were  in  operation,  and  about  45,000  scholars, 
about  21,000  readers,  and  more  than  3,000 
writers,  were  reported.  The  government 
had  adopted  the  moral  law  of  God  as  the 
basis  of  its  future  administration,  and  recog- 
nized the  Christian  rehgion  as  the  religion 
of  the  nation.  Most  of  the  higher  chiefs 
and  rulers  were  members  of  the  church  of 
Christ.  Special  laws  against  the  grosser 
vices,  and  also  against  retailing  ardent  spirits. 
Sabbath  breaking,  and  gambling,  had  been 
enacted  and  were  enforced,  and  the  Christian 
law  of  marriage  was  the  law  of  the  laud. 
Decent  houses  for  public  worship  had  been 
erected  by  the  chiefs  and  people  in  very  many 
villages.  Those  at  the  several  mission  stations 
were  large :  one  at  Kailua,  180  feet  by  78, 
and  one  at  Honolulu,  196  by  63.  At  Lahaina, 
the  church  was  of  stone,  98  feet  long  and  62 
broad,  with  galleries  ;  "  the  most  substantial 
and  noble  structure  in  Polynesia."  It  would 
Beat  3000  persons  after  the  native  manner. 
The  other  churches  were  all  thatched  build- 
ings. In  these  houses  large  congregations 
assembled  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  or 
when  the  missionary  could  attend,  to  listen 
to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  Churches 
had  been  gathered  at  different  stations,  to 
which  there  had  been  admitted  185  native 
members  at  the  close  of  the  year  1829. 

There  were  now  connected  with  the  mis- 
sion, 11  ordained  missionaries  with  3  male 
and  16  female  associate  laborers  from  the 
United  States.  Six  stations  were  occupied, 
three  on  Hawaii,  one  on  Maui,  one  on  Oahu, 
and  one  on  Kauai.  A  third  reinforcement 
was  about  to  join  the  mission. 

Death  of  Kaahumanu. — Reaction  against 
Religion. — In  1827,  the  mission  mourned  the 
death  of  Kalanimoku,  the  prime-minister  of 
Kaahumanu,  often  spoken  of  as  joint  regent 
with  her,  whom  foreigners  called  Pitt,  and 
whom  the  natives  regarded  as  the  "  iron 
cable"  of  their  country.  He  gave  satisfac- 
tory evidence  of  preparation  for  a  better 
world.  On  the  5th  of  June,  1832,  Kaahu- 
manu also  "  fell  asleep,"  and  "  the  mission 
and  nation  mourned  as  for  a  mother."  She 
had  nominated  Kinau  or  Kaahumanu  II.,  a 
pious  daughter  of  Kamehameha  I.,  to  be  her 
successor,  as  regent,  and  had  given  affection- 
ate and  earnest  parting  counsels  to  the 
young  king.  For  a  time  sad  reverses  fol- 
lowed her  death.  Kinau,  though  a  consistent 
Christian,  had  neither  the  dignity,  the 
strength  of  character,  nor  the  influence  of 
Kaahumanu,  and  the  king,  inclined  to  dissi- 
pation and  led  on  by  vicious  foreigners, 
broke  over  all  restraints.  Others  followed 
his  example.  Many  schools  were  deserted  ; 
teachers  relapstd  into  vice ;  congregations 
on  the  Sabbath  were  reduced;  some 
churches  were  burned ;  in  a  few  places  hea- 
then    rites    were    revived,    and    opposing 


foreigners  predicted  that  the  missionaries 
would  soon  be  banished.  Early  in  1833,  the 
king  assembled  the  chiefs  and  people  at  Hon- 
olulu, and  declared  the  regency  at  an  end.  It 
had  been  said  that  he  would  remove  Kinau 
from  all  authority,  and  appoint  Liliha,  the 
unprincipled  wife  of  Boki,  as  his  premier. 
This  was  hoped  for  and  expected  by  the  dis- 
solute, but  when  the  time  came  he  shrunk 
from  such  a  step  and  named  Kinau.  When 
asked  by  his  companions  why  he  had  not 
done  as  he  intended,  his  significant  reply 
was,  "  Very  strong  is  the  kingdom  of  God." 
The  reverse  had  long  been  expected  by  the 
missionaries,  for  religion  had  been  too  pop- 
ular, and  sustained  too  much  by  the  in- 
fluence of  the  chiefs ;  but  the  crisis  was  al- 
ready passed  when  the  king  named  Kinau 
as  his  principal  agent,  and  the  reaction  in 
favor  of  vice  and  idolatry  was  but  temporary 
and  more  apparent  than  real. 

Progress. — Schools. — Additions  continued 
to  be  made  to  the  mission  churches  from 
year  to  year,  and  that  great  care  was  exer- 
cised in  receiving  members  must  be  obvious 
from  the  fact,  taken  in  connection  with  the 
character  of  the  people,  that  in  1835,  of  the 
whole  number  who  had  been  received  from 
the  beginning  (864)  only  13  had  been  ex- 
communicated, and  that  though  the  year  of 
reaction  had  passed. 

The  character  of  the  first  native  schools 
at  the  islands  has  been  already  spoken  of. 
The  missionaries  soon  felt  the  great  import- 
ance of  raising  the  qualifications  of  teachers, 
and  as  early  as  1830  commenced  schools  in 
various  places  for  this  purpose,  which  were 
instructed  by  themselves,  or  by  females  from 
the  United  States.  In  1831,  a  seminary  was 
commenced  at  Lahainaluna  (Upper  Lahaina) 
for  the  education  of  teachers  and  other 
helpers  in  the  missionary  work.  The  school 
was  first  opened  in  a  mere  shed  made  of 
poles  and  grass,  but  under  the  direction  of 
the  teacher,  Mr.  Andrews,  the  scholars,  most 
of  whom  were  adults,  soon  began  the  erec- 
tion of  a  stone  house,  which  was  covered 
with  a  thatched  roof  in  1832.  The  school 
prospered,  and  its  importance  became  more 
and  more  obvious.  Another  teacher  was  as- 
sociated with  Mr.  Andrews  in  1834,  and 
about  the  same  time  a  large  permanent 
building  was  commenced.  In  1836  the 
school  became  more  distinctively  a  boarding 
school  for  unmarried  lads,  and  it  has  now, 
for  many  years,  been  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  important  of  the  means  in  operation 
for  supplying  the  Sandwich  Islands  with 
educated  teachers  and  an  educated  native 
ministry,  "  sending  out  streams  of  the  best 
influence  to  every  part  of  the  nation."  In 
1849,  the  support  of  this  seminary  was  as- 
sumed by  the  government  of  the  islands. 

A   female   seminary  was   commenced   at 


662 


SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


school  for  bovs,  at  Ililo,  on  Hawaii,  in  1839, 
for  both  of  wKich  commodious  buildings  have 
been  erected.  Quito  a  number  of  other 
boarding  and  high  schools  of  similar  charac- 
ter, some  for  boys  and  some  for  girls,  have 
been  in  operation  at  the  islands,  accomplish- 
ing much  good.  In  1839,  a  family  school  for 
young  chiefs  was  opened  at  Honolulu,  which 
has  been  attended  with  much  success.  The 
expenses  of  this  institution  have  been  paid 
by  the  government  for  the  last  ten  years.  A 
school  for  the  education  of  the  children  of 
the  missionaries  was  commenced  at  Punahau, 
on  Oahu,  in  1841,  which  has  recently  re- 
ceived a  charter  from  the  government  as  a 
collegiate  institution.  By  these  various 
seminaries  and  select  schools  much  has  been 
done  to  bring  forward  native  teachers,  who 
are  in  good  measure  fitted  for  their  work, 
and  the  character  of  the  schools  has  greatly 
improved.  The  government  of  the  island 
has  assumed  the  support  and  superintend- 
ence of  the  common  schools.  In  1840,  laws 
were  enacted  requiring  parents  to  send  their 
children  to  school,  and  providing  for  the 
erection  of  school  houses,  and  the  support  of 
native  teachers.  These  laws  have  since  been 
revised,  and  increased  efficiency  has  been 
given  to  the  school  system.  In  1846,  Mr. 
Ricliards  was  appointed  minister  of  public 
instruction,  and  after  his  death,  Mr.  Arm- 
strong, who  had  been  long  connected  with 
the  mission,  was  induced,  by  the  earnest  so- 
licitation of  the  government,  to  take  the 
same  office.  In  no  country  probably  are  the 
children  more  universally  collected  into 
schools.  The  government  expends  near 
$50,000  annually  for  purposes  of  education ; 
of  which  between  $25,000  and  $30,000  is 
for  the  support  of  common  schools. 

The  Press — Churches — Great  Revival. — 
The  first  newspaper  ever  issued  at  the  is- 
lands was  printed  in  February,  1834,  at  the 
Lahainaluna  Seminary,  "  The  Hawaiiaji 
Luminary:''  This  was  designed  especially 
for  the  members  of  the  seminary,  but  a 
semi-monthly  paper  designed  for  general 
circulation,  "  The  Hawaiian  Teacher,"  was 
commenced  soon  after  at  Honolulu,  and  in 
183C,  3,000  copies  were  circulated.  In  1847, 
five  periodicals  were  published  at  the  islands. 
Several  printing-presses  and  a  bindery  are 
now  in  operation,  and  most  of  the  workmen 
are  natives.  From  the  commencement,  near 
200,000,000  of  pages  have  been  printed  at 
the  mission  presses.  "Besides  the  Bible 
and  a  hynm-book,  no  mean  library  has  been 
translated  and  composed,  consisting  of  re- 
ligious, scientific  and  literary  books  of  vari- 
ous kinds." 

As  early  as  1836,  it  began  to  be  manifest 
that  the  churches  were  fully  recovering  from 
the  depressing  influence  of  the  reaction 
which  followed  the  death  of  Kaahumanu. 
At  most  of  the  stations  there  were  tokens 


of  the  special  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
In  June,  1837,  there  were  15  churches  on  tho 
islands,  with  1,049  members  in  good  stand- 
ing, and  during  the  remainder  of  the  year 
admissions  were  numerous.  The  churches 
were  gaining  strength  and  influence  ;  there 
was  increasing  preparation  of  mind  among 
the  people  at  large  to  listen  to  preaching, 
and  to  feel  the  force  of  truth,  and  about  the 
close  of  the  year  it  seemed  obvious  that  the 
time  had  come  for  greater  triumphs  of  the 
Gospel  than  had  yet  been  witnessed.  Tho 
labors  of  the  missionaries,  particularly  in 
the  way  of  preaching,  were  increased,  as  in- 
creasing feeling  among  the  people  called  for 
more  effort,  and  at  the  general  meeting  of 
the  mission  in  June,  1848,  it  was  found  that 
religion  had  been  revived  at  every  station  j 
about  5,000  persons  giving  evidence  of  true 
conversion,  had  been  added  to  the  churches 
since  the  last  meeting,  about  2,400  then 
stood  propounded  for  admission,  and  many 
others  were  giving  evidence  of  a  change  of 
heart.  The  work  continued, — a  great  work 
of  the  Spirit  of  God, — and  during  the  next 
twelve  mouths  more  than  10,000  persons 
were  added  to  the  number  of  the  professing 
followers  of  Christ.  In  June,  1840,  there 
were  19  churches,  with  18,451  members  in 
regular  standing. 

To  suppose  that  all  those  who  had  been 
brought  during  the  progress  of  this  "  great 
awakening"  to  give,  for  a  time,  satisfactory 
evidence  of  a  saving  change,  would  continue 
to  give  such  evidence,  would  be  to  expect 
far  more  from  the  ignorant  and  degraded  na- 
tives of  these  islands  than  is  ever  realized  in 
the  most  enlightened  Christian  nations.  In 
most  cases  the  missionaries  were  very  cau- 
tious, and  candidates  for  church  fellowship 
were  kept  many  months  on  probation.  Some 
indeed,  were  probably  too  cautious ;  but 
some  others  erred  upon  the  other  extreme, 
and  at  some  stations  there  began  to  be  ex- 
perienced, in  1839,  something  of  the  reaction 
which  usually  follows  high  excitement.  It 
is  remarkable,  however,  that,  if  we  except  one 
church  to  which  the  additions  were  very  nu- 
merous, it  has  been  found  necessary  to  ex- 
clude so  few  of  the  thousands  who  were  re- 
ceived as  the  fruits  of  this  revival.  It  is 
also  remarkable  that  no  year  has  passed  from 
that  time  to  this,  during  which  there  have 
not  been  large  additions  to  the  churches,  on 
profession  ;  very  few  years  in  which  the 
number  thus  added  has  not  considerably  ex- 
ceeded 1,000.  Up  to  June,  1853,  the  whole 
number  of  those  who  had  been  admitted  to 
the  churches,  on  examination,  from  the  origin 
of  the  mission,  was  38,544.  Of  these  11,782 
had  deceased.  The  number  then  in  regular 
standing  was  22,236,  more  Ifhan  one-fourth 
part  of  the  whole  population  of  the  islands. 

Benevolence. — From  the  very  commence- 
ment of  the  mission  the  chiefs  and  people 


SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


have  been  accustomed  to  make  efforts  to 
provide  houses  of  worship  and  school  houses, 
and  sometimes  also  for  other  purposes  ;  and 
as  the  churches  have  increased,  as  civiliza- 
tion has  advanced,  and  the  people  have  begun 
to  rise  from  their  utter  poverty,  their  benev- 
olent efforts  have  greatly  increased.  With 
the  great  revival  in  1838  and  '39  there  came 
an  increase  of  effort  worthy  of  notice.  At 
the  general  meeting  in  1839,  mention  was 
made  of  four  large  stone  churches  in  pro- 
cess of  erection  at  as  many  different  sta- 
tions. Contributions  iii  money  to  the  amount 
of  more  than  8.000  were  reported,  mostly  for 
building  churches  and  school  houses.  Four 
churches  had  contributed  towards  the  sup 
port  of  their  missionary  pastors.  In  1844, 
the  subject  of  fully  supporting  their  own 
pastors  began  to  be  agitated,  and  at  least 
two  of  the  churches  resolved  to  undertake 
the  work  at  once.  Contributions  to  different 
benevolent  societies  commenced  early,  and 
have  been  greatly  increased.  In  1851,  the 
whole  amount  of  contributions  reported  for 
different  objects  was  ^21,211,  of  which 
$^5,608  was  for  the  support  of  pastors,  and 
^2,838  for  the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions.  In  1852,  con- 
tributions to  the  Hawaiian  Missionary  So- 
ciety, now  an  independent  body,  amounted 
to  $4,981  ;  and  contributions  io  all  objects 
exceeded  ^24,000.  May  it  not  be  said  that 
"  their  deep  poverty"  hath  "  abounded  unto 
the  riches  of  their  liberality  ?" 

The  importance  of  raising  up  a  native  min- 
istry for  the  churches  has  long  been  felt  by 
the  missionaries,  and  has  been  urged  upon 
their  attention  by  th^officers  of  the  Amer- 
ican Board.  But  they  have  been  cautious, 
fearing  to  "lay  hands  suddenly"  on  those 
who  might  not  prove  "faithful  men."  In 
1842,  there  were  but  two  regularly  licensed 
native  preachers,  with  one  other,  who,  though 
not  yet  licensed,  was  entirely  devoted  to  the 
work  of  preaching.  A  very  considerable 
number,  however,  were  employed  in  different 
villages,  as  a  subordinate  class  of  religious 
teachers.  The  first  instance  of  the  ordina- 
tion of  a  native  as  the  pastor  of  one  of  the 
churches,  occurred  in  December,  1849.  In 
1850,  two  others  were  ordained;  there  were 
five  other  fully  licensed  native  preachers, 
and  quite  a  number  who  had  a  qualified  li- 
cense to  preach  at  out-stations. 

Civilization  —  Government  —  Laws. — The 
Christianization  of  the  Hawaiians  has  ad- 
vanced more  rapidly  than  their  civilization 
and  refinement,  and  school  education  more 
rapidly  than  a  knowledge  of  the  mechanic 
arts.  Those,  however,  who  saw  the  islanders 
as  they  were  in  1820,  see  now  an  advance  in 
civilization  which  is  truly  wonderful ;  and 
Christianity  and  common  schools  have  laid 
the  foundation  for  a  rabid  advance  in  future. 

In  1838,  the  king  ai>d  chiefs  having  endea- 


vored in  vain  to  procure  from  the  United 
States  some  suitable  person  of  legal  attain- 
ments to  become  their  adviser,  requested 
Mr.  Kichards  to  become  their  teaclier  in  the 
science  of  government  and  laws,  their  chap- 
lain, and  their  interpreter  in  intercourse  with 
foreigners.  He  and  his  brethren  thought  it 
his  duty  to  comply  with  the  request.  Up 
to  this  time,  the  government  was  an  absolute 
despotism.  The  chiefs  were  still  the  sole 
proprietors  of  the  soil,  and  the  people  were 
virtually  their  slaves,  though  some  laws  had 
been  published,  and  the  administration  of 
the  government  had  been  greatly  meliorated. 
In  1839,  the  first  code  of  written  laws  was 
published,  prepared  wholly  by  a  native.  In 
1840,  a  constitution  was  adopted,  and  a  new 
code  of  laws  soon  took  the  place  of  the  first. 
Of  their  own  accord,  a  king  and  chiefs,  who 
were  absolute  hereditary  despots,  had  now 
set  limits  to  their  own  power,  and  given  con- 
stitutional liberty  to  their  subjects,  for  their 
good.  In  1846,  the  different  departments 
of  the  general  government  were  fully  organ- 
ized, and  the  organization  of  the  judiciary 
soon  followed.  The  legislative  power  is 
vested  in  a  house  of  nobles,  mostly  heredi- 
tary, and  a  house  of  representatives,  elected 
by  the  people.  Substantial  court  houses 
and  prisons  are  being  erected  in  different 
districts.  Honolulu  has  its  "  noble  custom 
house,"  its  "costly  court  house,"  and  its 
'•splendid  and  convenient  market  house." 
Roads  and  bridges  are  in  process  of  construc- 
tion in  every  part  of  the  islands,  for  building 
which  the  people  are  all  taxed.  And  most 
important  of  all,  perhaps,  the  people  are 
rapidly  becoming  owners  of  the  soil  they 
cultivate,  a  commission  having  been  ap- 
pointed several  years  since  to  investigate 
claims  and  give  titles,  which  "  are  not  to  be 
disturbed  or  questioned,"  and  which  "are 
intended  to  be  as  perfect  and  independent 
titles  to  the  soil  as  are  enjoyed  by  the  citi- 
zens of  any  country  in  the  world." 

The  laws  are  not  a  dead  letter.  Very 
soon  after  they  were  first  published,  a  high 
chief  murdered  his  wife.  It  was  at  once 
predicted  that  justice  would  not  reach  one 
of  such  rank ;  but,  to  the  surprise  of  foreign- 
ers and  the  astonishment  of  the  common 
people,  the  chief  was  hung.  Mr.  Lee,  the 
present  chief-justice  of  the  Islands,  testifies 
that  now  "  in  no  part  of  the  world  are  life- 
and  property  more  safe."  Yet,  a  few  years- 
since,  this  was  a  nation  of  thieves,  robbers^ 
and  murderers. 

Seizure  of  the  Islands  by  Lord  George- 
Paulet — Independence  acknowledged. — Re- 
cord must  be  made  of  one  more  gross  act  of 
aggression  upon  the  rights  of  the  Sandwich  Is- 
lands government  and  people.  In  February, 
1843,  Her  Brittanic  Majesty's  ship  Carysfort; 
came  to  Honolulu.  The  commander.  Lord, 
George  Paulet,  at  once  opened  a  correspond- 


ee^ 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS. 


ence  with  the  king,  conducted,  on  liis  part, 
in  a  style  of  shameless  insolence,  in  which, 
pretending  to  seek  protection  for  British 
subjects,  and  to  support  the  position  of 
Mr.  Simpson,  to  whom  Mr.  Charlton,  now 
going  to  England,  had  delegated  the  functions 
of  British  Consul,  he  made  demands  which 
could  not  be  complied  with,  under  threat  of 
an  immediate  bombardment  of  the  town. 
The  king,  having  no  alternative,  surrendered 
the  government  of  the  Islands,  provisionally, 
to  Lord  Paulet,  at  the  same  time  protesting 
against  the  justice  of  his  demands,  and  ap- 
pealing to  the  British  Government,  to  which 
he  had  already  sent  ministers,  for  redress.  A 
commission  was  appointed  for  the  provisional 
administration  of  the  government,  which  pro- 
ceeded at  once  to  abrogate  some  of  the 
most  important  laws,  and,  among  others,  that 
against  fornication.  The  government  was 
in  the  hands  of  this  commission  for  five 
months,  and  they  were  months,  at  Honolulu, 
-  of  vice  and  sorrow.  In  July,  1843,  Rear- 
Admiral  Thomas,  commander-in-chief  of  the 
British  forces  in  the  Pacific,  having  learned 
what  had  been  done,  came  to  Honolulu,  and 
at  once  restored  the  sovereignty  to  the  king. 
The  English  government,  also,  on  learning 
the  proceedings  of  Lord  Paulet,  promptly 
disavowed  having  authorized  them,  or  giving 
them  any  sanction. 

Previous  to  these  transactions,  the  king 
had  sent  Mr.  Richards  and  Haalilio,  as  com- 
missioners, with  full  powers,  to  the  United 
Slates  and  different  European  governments. 
They  secured  an  acknowledgment  of  the 
independence  of  the  Islands  by  the  United 
States,  Great  Britain,  France,  and  Belgium. 
As  has  been  previously  mentioned,  impor- 
tant treaties  were  negotiated  with  England 
and  France  in  1846.  and  in  1850  the  United 
States  government  entered  into  a  treaty  with 
the  Islands  on  a  more  liberal  scale  than  any 
which  the  Hawaiian  government  had  been 
before  able  to  negotiate  with  leading  Chris- 
tian nations. 

Decrease  of  Population.— li  is  a  painful 
fact  that  the  native  population  of  these  Is- 
lands is  still  diminishing.  The  reasons  for 
this  are  perhaps  in  part  inexplicable,  or  at 
least  not  now  understood ;  but  doubtless  a 
vitiated  national  constitution,  the  fearful 
•consequence  of  disease  introduced  by  the 
vices  of  foreign  visitors,  long  before  the  in- 
troduction of  Christianity,  has  been  a«romi- 
nent  cause.  For  many  years,  deaths  were 
many,  and  births  few.  Other  causes  are  to 
be  found  in  the  fact  that  there  is  neither  suf- 
ficient intelligence,  nor  sufficient  preparation 
in  the  way  of  home  comforts,  among  the 
people,  to  enable  them  to  contend  success- 
fully with  contagious  and  epidemic,  or  other 
violent  diseases  now  from  time  to  time 
introduced  from  abroad.  In  1848-9,  measles 
and  whooping  cough,  followed  by  diarrhcea 


and  influenza,  passed  over  the  Islands  with 
fearful  fatality,  carrying  away  about  one- 
twelfth  part  of  the  whole  people.  A  census 
taken  in  1850,  showed  the  population  to  bo 
only  about  84,000.  Recently,  the  small-pox 
has  proved  very  fatal  in  some  districts,  but 
its  ravages  have  not  been  like  those  of  the 
measles.     (See  Report,  1849,  p.  187.) 

The  Mission  dissolved. — The  missions  of 
the  American  Board,  as  other  foreign  mis- 
sions, are  never  regarded  as  permanent  insti- 
tutions. Thejc  are  established  and  conducted 
with  reference  to  a  definite  end ;  to  plant  tho 
institutions  of  the  Gospel,  and  to  Christianize 
the  people,  and  prepare  them  to  support,  them- 
selves. Christian  institutions.  The  Hawaiian 
nation  has  been  Christianized.  Much  remains 
to  be  accomplished  for  the  more  full  civiliza- 
tion of  the  people,  and  to  bring  them  to  a  high- 
er state  of  intellectual  and  social  as  well  as  re- 
ligious cultivation ;  but  it  is  a  Christian  peo- 
ple. One-fourth  part  of  the  whole  people 
are  members  of  Protestant  Christian  church- 

;  and  the  first  article  of  the  national  con- 
stitution, adopted  by  the  chiefs  in  1840,  de- 
clares that  all  the  laws  of  the  Islands  shall 
be  in  consistency  with  God's  law. 

In  July,  1848,  the  Prudential  Committee 
of  the  American  Board  addressed  a  long 
communication  to  the  mission,  designed  to 
bring  about  changes  in  the  constitution  of 
the  mission,  and  its  ultimate  separation  from 
the  Board ;  and  thus  a  change  in  the  mode 
of  affording  needed  assistance  to  the  native 
churches,  and  to  educational  institutions 
adapted  to  the  changed  circumstances  of  the 
people,  while  yet  the  continued  residence  of 
the  missionaries  and  oL  their  families  at  tho 
islands  should  bo  secured.  In  accordance 
with  propositions  made,  some  of  the  mis- 
sionaries very  soon  took  a  release  from  their 
full  connection  with  the  Board  ;  others  have 
from  time  to  time  been  doing  the  same,  and 
at  the  meeting  of  the  mission  in  May,  1853, 
the  transition  was  completed,  and  the  mis- 
sion was  merged  in  the  Christian  community 
of  the  Islands.  Its  organization  as  a  mis- 
sion, under  the  direction  of  the  Board,  was 
dissolved. 

Much  assistance  must  doubtless  be  ren- 
dered, still,  to  this  new  and  poor  Christian 
community ;  but  the  churches  at  the  Islands 
are  put  forward  to  the  leading  position,  and 
are  to  take  the  leading  responsibility  in  sup- 
porting the  Gospel  institutions.  It  is  ex- 
pected that  they  will  erect  their  own  church 
edifices,  and  support  native  pastors ;  and  aid 
furnished  in  the  support  of  foreign  pastors, — 
when  this  is  necessary, — will  be  given  on 
the  Home  Missionary  plan  of  making  up  de- 
ficiencies, after  the  churches  have  done,  in- 
dividually, what  they  can.  The  Hawaiian 
Missionary  Society  has  become  an  indepen- 
dent body,  but  will  act  to  some  extent  as  a 
disbursing  agent  for  the  board.     Various 


SANDWICH    ISLANDS. 


665 


other  benevolent  societies  have  been  organ- 
ized at  the  Islands,  yet  the  pecuniary  means 
for  accomplishing  what  is  done  for  the  newer 
sections  of  our  own  land  by  Education,  Col- 
lege, Tract,  and  other  benevolent  institutions, 
must  obviously  be  furnished  in  good  measure 
Btill  from  the  United  States. 

Substantially,  the  appropriate  work  of  a 
Toreign  Missionary  Society  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands  has  been  done.  A  new  nation  has 
been  born  into  the  family  of  Christian  na- 
tions. To  bring  about  this  "intellectual, 
moral,  religious,  and  social  new  creation  of 
the  Hawaiian  nation,"  the  American  Board 
has  expended  ^817,383 ;  the  American  Bible 
Society,  $41,500 ;  and  the  American  Tract 
Society,  $23,800:  in  all,  $882,683:— less 
than  it  costs   to  build    one    line-of-battle 

STATISTICS    OF    THE 


ship, 
year. 


and  keep  it  in  service  for  a  single 


The  number  of  laborers,  male  and  female, 
sent  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  by  the  Board, 
is  145 : — 42  ministers,  7  physicians,  20  lay 
helpers,  and  76  females.  Of  these,  27  minis- 
ters, 3  physicians,  9  of  the  other  lay  helpers, 
and  42  females,  are  now  at  the  Islands. 

SUMMARY. 

Foreign  pastors  and  preachers, 24 

Native  pastors, 4 

Ministers  supported  on  the  Home  Missionary  plan, 
and  reckoned  among  the  missionaries   of  the 

Board 13 

Ministers  supported  wholly  through  the  Board 3 

Ministers  not  supported  through  the  Board 8 

Laymen  supported  wholly  or  in  part  through  the  Board  3 

Laymen  not  supported  through  the  Board 6 

Females  supported  wholly  or  in  part  through  the 

Board 24 

Females  not  supported  through  the  Board 14 

CHURCHES — 1853. 


STATIONS. 


THilo  and  Puna. 

«     Wairaea 

^  j  Kohala 

'%]  Kailua 

M     Kealakekaa 

^  [Kau .— 

fHana -. 
Wailuku 
Lahainaluna 
Lahaina 
Kaanapali-— .  -- 

MOLOKAI 

r  Honolulu,  1st — 

Honolulu,  2d 

tj  I  Ewa -. 

Waianae 

Waialua .. 

Kahuku-... 

Kaneohe . 

Waioli 

Koloa , 

Waimea--- 


10,614 
6,268 
1,853 
2,770 
3,018 
1,488 

990 

1,224 


3,404 
2,267 
1,981 


382 


1136 
312 
624 


268 


12 


4,385 
1,835 
734 
685 
662 
507 


509 

759 
860 
445 


5,742 

2,096 

1,038 

1,730 

1,069 

944 

511 

758 


2,589 

1,179 

912 

394 

575 


700 


Total  in  churches  reported, 


1,544  3792  1880  286  5492  3Q7  11,782  499  103  224  22,236  675  13,3871  924 


3,520 
1,387 


2,028 
1,181 


Teachers  sent  to  the  Marquesas  Islands. — 
Some  account  of  what  has  been  done  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands  in  connection  with  the 
mission  to  Micronesia,  will  be  found  in  the 
account  of  the  "  Micronesian  Mission ;"  but 
Bome  notice  should  be  taken  here  of  a  mis- 
sion to  the  Marquesas  Islands.  In  March, 
1853,  Matunui,  the  principal  chief  of  Fatu- 
hiva,  one  of  the  southern  islands  of  the 
Marquesas  group,  came  in  a  whale-ship  to 
Lahaina,  accompanied  by  a  son-in-law,  who 
was  a  native  of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  lie 
had  come  thousands  of  miles  to  obtain  mis- 
sionaries to  teach  him  and  his  people  the 
word  of  God.  Desiring  a  white  missionary 
if  he  could  be  had,  he  would  yet  greatly  pre- 
fer Hawaiian  teachers  to  none,  and  was 
alTectiugly  urgent  to  obtain  those  who  would 
return  with  him  at  an  early  da3^  "We 
have,"  said  he,  "  nothing  but  war,  war,  war 


— fear,  trouble,  and  poverty.  "VYe  are  tired 
of  living  so,  and  wish  to  be  as  you  are  here." 
The  case  awdkened  much  interest  among  the 
churches ;  Hawaiian  pastors  and  teachers 
offered  themselves  for  the  service ;  the  peo- 
ple were  willing  contributors  to  provide  for 
their  outfit  and  support,  and  on  the  16th  of 
June,  two  native  pastors  and  two  deacons, 
with  their  wives,  sailed  for  the  Marquesas, 
in  a  brig  chartered  for  the  purpose,  at  an 
expense  of  $2,000.  They  were  accompanied 
by  Rev.  R.  W.  Parker,  who  would  give  them 
advice  and  assistance  in  commencing  their 
work,  and  then  return  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  They  reached  Fatuhiva,  (usually 
called  Magdalena  on  the  charts,)  on  the  26th 
of  August,  and  were  "  received  with  much 
joy  by  the  natives."  Only  five  days  after 
their  arrival,  a  French  brig,  which  had  sailed 
from  Tahiti  while  they  were  detained  at  that 


666 


SANDWICH   ISLANDS. 


island,  anchored  in  the  liarbor,  and  a  Catho- 
lic priest  landed.  The  captain  of  the  brig, 
and  the  priest,  in  a  long  interview  with  Man- 
tunui  and  other  chiefs,  claimed  the  islands 
M  the  possessions  of  the  French,  and  de- 
manded that  the  Protestant  teachers  should 
be  sent  back  to  the  Sandwich  Islands.  The 
chiefs,  however,  insisted  that  the  land  was 
theirs,  and  that  the  Protestants  must  re- 
main ;  they  wanted  them,  and  not  the  Pa- 
pists. After  a  few  days,  the  brig  left,  taking 
the  priest,  but  leaving  two  Hawaiian  Catho- 
lic teachers,  with  the  promise  that  in  a  few 
months  a  French  priest  would  come  to  re- 
main. The  Protestant  missionaries  were 
soon  established  in  a  house  belonging  to 
Matunui,  and  engaged  in  their  work.  Papal, 
and  probably  French,  opposition  is  to  be  ex- 
pected ;  but  it  may  be  hoped  that  God  has 
good  things  in  store  for  a  mission  commenced 
under  circumstances  so  remarkable. — See 
Reports  and  Publications  of  the  American 
Board;  Jarvis^s,  Dibble^s,  and  Bingham's 
Histories^  and  Hunt's  "  Pa^t  and  Present" 
of  the  Sandwich  Islands. — Rev.  I.  R.  Wor- 

CESTEK. 

American  Missionary  Association. — 
Rev.  Mr.  Green,  who  was  originally  a  mis- 
sionary of  the  Board,  has  been,  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  connected  with  the  American 
Missionary  Association.  He  has  under  his 
care  two  churches,  one  at  Makawao,  and  the 
other  at  Keokea,  the  latter  having  a  native 
pastor,  David  Malo.  Mr.  Green  has  also 
three  or  four  native  helpers.  The  whole 
number  of  members  in  these  churches  is 
750,  residing  at  various  places  within  an  ex- 
tensive district,  and  having  a  number  of 
different  places  of  meeting.  The  Committee 
say,  in  their  last  report :  "  The  indications 
of  progress  are  very  encouraging.  More 
than  one  hundred  and  eighty  members  have 
been  added  to  the  church  in  Mr.  Green's 
field.  The  interest  of  his  people  in  behalf 
of  the  conversion  of  the  world  and  the  re- 
lief of  the  enslaved  is  maintained,  and,  in 
general,  the  members  of  the  church,  are  dili- 
gent and  attentive  readers  of  the  Bible." 

Present  Condition  and  Future  Prospects 
of  the  Missionary  Work  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands— Letter  from  Rev.  Titus  Coa?z.— The 
following  letter,  addressed  to  the  author,  by 
the  pastor  of  the  largest  church  in  the 
world,  giving  his  impressions  of  the  state 
of  things  in  this  most  remarkable  field,  can- 
not fail  of  being  read  with  deep  interest : 
HiLo,  Hawaii,  April  17,  1854. 

My  Dear  Brother :— Yon  ask  my  impres- 
sions concerning  the  present  condition  and  fu- 
ture prospects  of  the  missionary  work  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  It  is  impossible  to  do  jus- 
tice to  the  subject  in  one  brief  letter ;  but  allow 
me  to  say,  that  I  believe  the  Gospel  has  effected 
a  signal  triumph  on  these  shores.  Savagism 
has  fled  before  it,  never  to  return.    Idola- 


try^ in  its  grossest  forms,  has  fallen,  never  to 
rise  again.  Ignorance  and  superstition  have 
fled  apace  before  its  rising  light.  Not  that 
the  people  are  remarkable  for  intelligence 
and  wisdom ;  but  they  have  made  progress. 
They  are  not  where  they  were  35  years  ago. 
Most  of  them  can  read  and  write,  and  what 
is  more,  their  minds  have  been  impercepti- 
bly expanded  by  the  silent  and  constant  in- 
flux of  ideas  from  a  world  opening  and  mov- 
ing around  them.  Like  the  man  ascending 
the  mountain,  their  horizon  is  extending  at 
every  step.  The  comforts  and  improvements 
of  civilization  are  multiplying  here.  All 
men  with  eyes  can  see  this,  and  all  men  of 
candor  confess  it.  Social  relations  are  bet- 
ter understood,  and  social  obligations  more 
faithfully  discharged  than  in  former  days. 
Not  that  we  are  perfect,  or  near  it ;  but  we 
can  report  progress.  The  nation  has  expe- 
rienced a  great  civil  revolution,  a  political 
emancipation,  and  this  without  rebellion  and 
without  blood.  Calmly,  silently,  but  with 
the  energy  of  light,  the  Gospel  has  under- 
mined, overthrown,  and  melted  the  ancient 
despotism,  and  the  temple  of  freedom  is 
now  rising  on  its  ruins.  "  Instead  of  the  ca- 
pricious, the  selfish,  the  irresponsible,  the 
crushing  will  of  despots,  we  now  have  con- 
stitutional laws,  the  elective  franchise  re- 
cognized, prerogatives  limited,  rights  defined, 
and  life,  limb,  liberty,  character,  and  the 
fruits  of  physical  and  mental  toil  protected. 

External  morality  is  also  more  generally 
practiced  here  than  in  most  nations,  or  per- 
haps, any  nation.  No  where  on  earth  are 
life  and  property  more  secure.  No  where 
may  the  people  sleep  with  open  doors,  by 
the  wayside,  or  in  the  forests,  with  more 
safety  than  here.  No  where  may  the  travel- 
er with  more  impunity  encamp  where  night 
overtakes  him,  lay  his  purse  by  his  side,  hang 
his  watch  on  a  tree,  and  commit  himself  to 
sleep.  Natives  often  hang  calabashes  of 
food,  fish,  clothing,  and  other  things  on  the 
limb  of  a  tree  by  the  wayside,  and  leave 
them  thus  for  days  or  weeks,  until  they  re- 
turn from  an  excursion.  Open  crimes  are  of 
rare  occurrence  here.  They  increase,  how- 
ever, as  a  certain  class  of  white  men  are  in- 
troduced. 

As  to  "pure  and  undefiled  religion" 
among  the  people,  we  would  speak  with 
modesty.  God  only  knows  the  heart.  Our 
enemies  say  that  in  this,  as  in  all  good,  we 
have  signally  failed.  We  are  sure  that  the 
word  of  God  has  not  been  without  effect — 
that  it  has  not  returned  void — that  those 
who  have  sown  in  tears  have  not  reaped  in 
sadness — that  those  who  have  fought  with 
spiritual  weapons  have  not  beat  the  air.  It 
is  our  joy,  and  a  part  of  our  reward,  to  be- 
lieve that  many  of  the  poor  sons  and  daugh- 
ters of  Hawaii  have  been  prepared  unto 
glory;    that  they  now  sing  with  the  re 


SANDWICH  ISLANDS— SAVAGE  ISLAND. 


667 


deemed  in  heaven ;  and  that  many  now  with 
us  are  following  in  the  steps  of  those  who 
through  faith  and  patience,  now  inherit  the 


promises.  This  we  believe,  because  God's 
word  and  the  fruits  we  see,  warrant  such 
confidence.  How  many,  or  what  proportion 
of  our  church  members  are  the  true  seed  of 
Abraham,  we  do  not  even  conjecture.  This 
we  leave  for  the  disclosures  of  the  final  day. 
That  all  of  our  converts  are  weak  and  child- 
like, we  confess ;  while  at  the  same  time  we 
feel  that  many  of  them  are  better  than  our- 
selves. We  do  not  boast  that  in  any  one 
thing  we  have  attained  or  are  perfect,  but 
we  follow  after.  We  are  toiling  up  the  hill, 
and  we  may  say,  with  all  our  defects — and 
they  are  many — that  no  savage  tribe  ever 
went  so  fast  and  so  far,  in  35  years,  as  the 
Hawaiians.  And  the  Gospel  is  the  efficient 
cause.  Not  that  we  overlook  or  undervalue 
collateral  agencies.  These  have  been  many 
One  class  of  facts  has  had  a  happy  influence 
in  helping  to  elevate  and  to  bless  this  peo- 
ple, while  another  class  has  been  decidedly 
antagouistical.  For  whatever  good  has  been 
done,  let  God  he  praised. 

As  to  the  future  prospects  of  our  islands, 
what  shall  we  say  ?  Here,  of  course,  our 
knowledge  is  at  fault.  Our  missionary  ope- 
rations are  now  in  a  transition  state.  As  in 
other  respects,  so  also  in  this,  old  things 
are  passing  away,  and  all  things  are 
becoming  new.  The  islands  are  adopted 
into  the  great  fraternity  of  Christian  nations. 
Henceforth  we  are  no  longer  to  be  known  as 
foreign  missionaries.  Many  of  us  are  already 
receiving  our  full  support  from  the  churches 
over  whom  we  are  pastors.  Others  receive 
support  in  part,  the  lack  being  supplied  from 
foreign  sources.  For  years  to  come  we  may 
need  to  call  on  the  A.  B,  0.  F.  M.,  and  on 
the  Bible  and  Tract  Societies,  for  special 
grants  to  aid  us  in  our  work.  But  these  aids 
will  be  collateral.  We  are  organizing  inde- 
pendent institutions  in  the  land.  Our 
churches  are  settling  their  pastors,  obtaining 
charters,  etc.  We  have  our  Missionary, 
Bible,  Tract,  and  other  benevolent  Societies, 
to  draw  out,  collect,  and  scatter  over  many 
waters  the  beneficence  of  our  churches. 
Already  the  relative  amount  of  those  chari- 
ties does  not  suffer  by  comparison,  with  the 
gifts  of  more  favored  lands.  In  a  word,  we 
consider  the  Church  of  Christ  as  planted 
here,  as  having  taken  root,  and  as  bearing 
fruit.  And  as  Christ  said  to  his  disciples, 
that  their  '''  fruit  should  remain.^^  so  we  say 
of  these  children  of  the  kingdom.  We  are 
sure  that  the  Redeemer  has  a  church  here, 
that  it  is  founded  on  "  The  Rock,^^  and  that 
"  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against 
it."  But  in  saying  this  we  do  not  affirm  the 
perpetuity  of  the  Hawaiian  race.  This  may, 
and   probably   will,   become   extinct.      The 


moral  power,  feeble.     Amidst  the  march  of 
men,  the  rush  and  the  surges  of  a  moving 
world,  they  may  be  overwhelmed  and  lost. 
Fleets  of  merchantmen,  whalemen,  and  war- 
ships, are  scattering  thousands  of  our  vigor- 
ous young  men  to  all  the  winds  of  heaven. 
Foreigners  are  pouring  in  upon  us  from  every 
point   of   the   compass.      Amalgamation  is 
fast  taking  place— new  forms  of  disease  have 
swept  off  thousands  to  the  tomb.     The  base 
passions  of  many  rile  and  reckless  seamen, 
like  the  consuming  fires  of  hell,  are  destroy- 
ing many  in  our  sea-ports  who  should  have 
become  the  mothers  and  matrons  of  a  rising 
race.     The  English  language  is  being  learned 
by  many  and   coveted  by  most— and   all 
things  combining,  indicate  the  absorption  or 
extinction   of  the  Hawaiians  as  a  distinct 
race,  at  no  distant  day.     Let  it  be  so— still 
the  islands  will  have  a  people,  and  God  will 
have  a  Church  here.     A  crisis  may  be  at 
hand  which  will  try  men's  souls.    We  shall 
need  the  prayers,  the  sympathies,  the  coun- 
sels, and  the  alms  of  the  Church  in  older 
lands.     The  cause  of  education  must  be  sus- 
tained here.    We  must  have  a  college.     We 
must  have  teachers  and  evangelical  ministers 
— men  of  wise  heads  and  holy  hearts.     Men 
of    self-denial,    patience,    zeal     discretion, 
and  broad  philanthropy.     Our  work  is  not 
done.     Probably   our  responsibilities  were 
never  so  great  as  at  the  present  hour.     All 
things  grow  around  us,  and  we  need  great 
faith,  firmness,  and  wisdom,  lest  all  good  be 
swept  away  by  the  currents  of  passion  and 
of  worldly  and  civil  policy.     Our  joy  and 
our  triumph  are,  that  "  The  Lord  reigns," 
and  his  kingdom  is  safe.    In  Christian  love, 
Your  friend  and  brother, 

Titus  Coan. 
SAPAPALII:   A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  island  of  Savaii, 
one  of  the  Samoan  group. 

SARON :  A  station  of  the  Rhenish  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  South  Africa,  nearTulbagh. 
S  AS  AC :  One  of  the  Lesser  Sunda  Islands, 
in  the  Indian  Archipelago. 

SATTAUKOOLAM :  A  station  of  tho 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  the  Tinnevelly 
District,  Hindostan. 

S  ATARA :  a  city  of  Hindostan,  and  a  sta- 
tion of  the  Am.  Board.  It  is  170  miles  S. 
E.  of  Bombay,  and  50  miles  from  the  western 
coast.  It  is  2,320  miles  above  the  level  of 
the  sea,  and  its  position  is  singularlv  beau- 
tiful. The  population  of  the  city  is '32,000. 
It  was  occupied  as  a  station  of  the  Bombay 
mission  till  1848,  when  it  became  a  distinct 
mission. 

SAVAII :  One  of  the  Samoan  Islands,  on 
Avhich  the  London  Missionary  Society  have 
four  stations. 

SAVAGE  ISLAND :  One  of  the  Friendly 
Islands,  situated  about  130  miles  from  Kep- 


natives  are  few,  and  in  physical,  mental,  and  ^  pel's  Island.     It  is  a  cinder  island,  produced 


668 


BCHEPPMANNSDORF— SEAMEN. 


by  volcanic  action.  It  is  a  remote  island, 
the  landing  dangerous.  The  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  liavo  a  station  liere,  in  charge 
of  native  teachers.  It  has  six  chapels,  one 
of  which  is  wholly  built  from  the  bread-fruit 
tree. 

SCIIEPPMANNSDORF :  A  station  of  the 
Rhenish  Missionary  Society  in  Namaqualand, 
South  Africa,  at  Whalo  Bay. 

SEAMEN :  The  subjects  of  inquiry  here 
are  three,  viz. :  1.  The  number  of  persons 
employed.  2.  The  origin  and  progress  of 
missionary  efforts  among  them.  3.  The  re- 
sults.— In  ascertaining  the  number  of  per- 
sons employed  in  connection  with  navigation 
both  on  the  sea  and  on  the  interior  waters, 
there  will  necessarily  be  a  degree  of  uncer- 
taintVj  as  a  part  of  it  cannot  be  known  with 
precision,  there  being  no  documents  in  exist- 
ence to  point  it  out,  and  an  estimate  is  all 
that  we  can  obtain.  But  in  other  cases  there 
are  authentic  documents,  on  which  we  may 
safely  rely.  This  is  the  fact  in  relation  to 
British  and  American  seamen.  From  the 
latest  document  which  could  be  consulted, 
it  is  found  that  there  are  about  30,000  regis- 
tered vessels  in  Great  Britain,  the  measured 
burthen  of  which  is  about  3,000,000  of  tons. 
These  vessels  are  manned  by  about  170,000 
sailors.  To  these  there  should  be  added 
about  40,000,  who  are  always  in  port  look- 
ing for  ships,  and  between  50,000  and  60,000 
engaged  in  the  fisheries,  and  nearly  40,000 
more  in  the  Royal  navy,  making  in  all  of 
British  sailors  about  300,000.  The  number 
of  American  seamen  is  correctly  stated  in 
the  last  annual  reports  made  to  Congress  by 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Navy.  They  are  as  follows  : 
The  measured  burthen  of  American  vessels 
in  the  foreign  trade  is  3,230,590  tons,  and 
the  number  of  their  crews  is  117,043.  The 
measured  burthen  of  vessels  in  the  coasting 
trade  is  2,008,021  tons,  and  the  estimated 
number  of  men  in  them  is  about  one  hundred 
thousand.  This  is  an  estimate  based  on  the 
tonnage.  It  includes  the  vessels  on  the 
lakes  and  rivers  in  the  western  country, 
steamers  as  well  as  sail  vessels.  The  mea- 
sured burthen  of  the  vessels  engaged  in  the 
fisheries  is  175,205  tons,  carrying  about 
22,000  men,  making  in  all  of  American  sea- 
men in  the  foreign  and  coasting  trade,  and 
the  fisheries,  239,000  souls.  And  when  we 
add  to  these  not  far  from  ten  thousand  sea- 
men in  our  national  vessels,  we  shall  have  a 
total  of  not  less  than  two  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  men  in  American  vessels  for  whose 
salvation  we  should  labor.  The  seamen  of 
Russia,  Sweden,  Denmark,  the  Dutch  and 
German  States,  of  France,  Spain,  and  Por- 
tugal, are  probably  nearly  or  quite  double 
the  number  found  in  Great  Britain  and 
America.  Looking  now  up  the  Mediterra- 
nean on  the  African  coast,  and  away  to  the 


eastern  Archipelago,  and  thence  to  Turkey 
and  the  Grecian  Islands,  we  shall  en- 
counter a  multitude  of  seafaring  men ;  and 
then  looking  across  the  Atlantic  to  the 
South  American  coast,  both  on  its  eastern 
and  western  shores,  we  shall  find  multitudes 
more,  not  yet  counted,  to  be  added  to  those 
already  estimated.  And  when  we  turn  cast- 
ward  again,  and  passing  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  stretch  away  toward  India,  and  China, 
and  the  eastern  Islands,  an  almost  innumer- 
able multitude  of  seafaring  men  arc  found 
thronging  the  native  vessels  which  fill  those 
seas.  Putting  the  wholetogether,  not  much 
short  of  three  millions  of  men  will  bo  found 
floating  upon  the  waters  for  whose  salvation 
every  effort  should  be  made.  "VVe  turn  now, 
2.  To  the  origin  and  progress  of  mission- 
ary efforts  among  feameti. — The  first  effort 
known  to  have  been  made  to  benefit  seamen 
as  a  distinct  class  of  men,  took  place  in  Lon- 
don, in  the  year  1814.  and  under  the  follow- 
ing circumstances  :  At  an  evening  meeting, 
a  stranger  was  observed  to  enter  the  assem- 
bly, and  to  sit  weeping  bitterly  during  the 
sermon.  When  the  service  was  closed,  a 
pious  man,  who  had  observed  him.  followed 
him  out,  and  asked  him  who  he  was.  He 
said  he  was  a  sailor,  belonging  to  a  collier 
vessel,  which  then  lay  among  others  in  the 
Thames.  On  farther  inquiry  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  there  were  a  few  other  seamen 
belonging  to  those  vessels  who  were  also  se- 
rious minded  men,  and  who  were  accustom- 
ed to  meet  together  occasionally  and  pray. 
A  few  pious  men  from  the  shore  sought  op- 
portunity to  visit  those  vessels,  and  hold 
prayer-meetings  on  board,  until  it  became  a 
common  thing,  and  as  an  appropriate  name, 
they  called  them  "  Bethel  meetings,"  and  a 
flag  was  prepared  to  designate  the  vessel 
where  the  meeting  was  held,  which  they  de- 
nominated the  "  Bethel  Flag."  It  was  a 
piece  of  blue  bunting,  bearing  the  word 
"  Bethel"  in  white  letters,  having  over  it  a 
star,  and  under  it  a  dove  bearing  an  olive 
branch.  After  about  two  years,  preaching 
was  added,  either  on  ship  board,  or  in  a 
chapel  near  the  water,  and  the  commence- 
ment of  this  was  at  London  and  New  York, 
at  about  the  same  time,  yet  without  any 
concert  of  action.  It  was  in  the  j^ear  1816, 
when  the  Rev.  Ward  Stafford  was  laboring 
in  New  York  as  a  city  missionary,  and  car- 
rying the  Gospel  to  the  destitute  as  he  could 
find  them.  In  prosecuting  this  work  he 
placed  his  eye  on  the  sailors,  some  thousands 
of  M'hom  were  visiting  the  port  of  New 
York  every  year,  and  procuring  a  school 
room,  he  commenced  preaching  to  them.  The 
Mariner's  Church  in  New  York  grew  out  of 
this  effort.  In  1818,  a  similar  meeting  was 
opened  in  Boston,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jenks, 
and  in  the  following  year,   1819,  the  Rev. 


SEAMEN— SETTRA  KROO. 


669 


men  in  Philadelphia.  Efforts  of  the  same 
kind  haye  been  made  in  other  places,  and 
regular  meeting^  have  been  established  in 
Portland,  Baltimore,  Richmond,  Charleston, 
Savannah,  Mobile,  and  "New  Orleans.  In 
some  of  the  larger  ports,  different  denomina- 
tions have  embarked  in  the  cause,  and  are 
carrying  on  the  work,  each  under  their  own 
flag,  but  harmoniously  as  against  a  common 
enemy.  Thus  in  Great  Britain  and  the 
United  States,  all  the  large  ports  are  provi- 
ded with  mariners'  churches,  and  the  work 
of  promoting  religion  among  seamen  is  very 
judiciously  carried  on,  under  the  patronage 
of  local  societies. 

About  the  year  1831,  an  advance  was  made 
in  this  work  by  extending  it  to  the  inland 
waters,  and  after  various  efforts  to  establish 
Bethel  meetings  at  some  of  the  more  im- 
portant places  on  the  line  of  the  canals, 
rivers,  and  lakes  of  the  western  country,  a 
large  meeting  was  held  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y., 
Aug.  11,  1833,  which  resulted  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  "Boatmen's  Friend  Society." 
Several  local  societies  had  been  previously 
formed,  which,  to  some  extent,  were  now 
merged  in  this.  After  a  year  or  two  of 
rather  declining  operations,  a  convention  of 
the  friends  of  the  cause  was  held  at  Buffalo, 
in  June,  1836,  when  the  "  American  Bethel 
Society"  was  formed,  which  took  charge  of 
most,  if  not  all  of  the  Bethel  operations  on 
the  western  waters. 

The  friends  of  seamen  in  the  United 
States  having  seen  the  permanent  establish- 
ment of  mariners'  churches  in  most  of  the 
large  ports  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  having 
labored  successfully  in  this  department  for 
about  ten  years,  began  to  consider  the  con- 
dition of  seamen  in  foreign  ports,  and  the 
importance  of  providing  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel  for  them  there.  This  led  to  the 
establishment  of  the  "  American  Seamen's 
Friend  Society,"  in  1827,  the  grand  object 
of  which  is  to  provide  and  sustain  chaplains 
for  seamen  in  every  large  foreign  port,  where 
an  open  door  can  be  found.  In  the  prosecu- 
tion of  this  work  that  society  has  stationed 
chaplains  at  Canton,  Havre,  Marseilles, 
Smyrna,  Cronstadt,  Stockholm,  Gottenburg, 
Rio  Janeiro,  Sandwich  Islands,  San  Francis- 
co, Havana,  and  some  other  smaller  ports, 
most  of  which  remain  to  the  present  time. 

The  friends  of  seamen  in  Great  Britain, 
through  a  general  organization  styled  "  The 
British  and  Foreign  Sailors'  Society,"  has 
accomplished  much  for  the  benefit  of  seamen 
in  their  own  ports,  though,  as  yet,  but  little 
abroad.  Such  is  a  larief  outline  of  the  origin 
and  progress  of  the  missionary  efforts  among 
sailors  up  to  the  present  day.  These  efforts 
have  involved  a  large  outlay  of  money,  but 
the  precise  amount  cannot  be  stated.  We 
turn  to  consider, 

3.  The  results  of  these  efforts. — We  have 


no  means  of  counting  the  number  of  pious 
seamen,  were  we  so  disposed.  They  are 
scattered  in  almost  every  vessel  that  floats 
upon  the  ocean  ;  but  as  a  general  remark, 
proved  by  many  facts,  we  feel  safe  in  the 
assertion  that  the  character  of  seamen,  as  a 
whole,  is  greatly  improved  since  Bethel  ef- 
forts were  commenced,  and  many  vessels  are 
now  found  where  the  Sabbath  is  strictly  ob- 
served, and  daily  prayer  is  maintained ; 
things  almost  unknown  in  former  days.  Tem- 
perance has  gained  ground  among  sailors, 
since  the  efforts  for  their  benefit  commenced, 
quite  as  fast  if  not  faster  than  among  lauds- 
men.  Forty  years  ago  it  was  thought 
wholly  impracticable  to  manage  a  vessel 
without  ardent  spirits,  and  merchants  would 
almost  as  soon  have  thought  of  sending  their 
ships  to  sea  without  bread  as  without  rum. 
But  that  day  has  passed,  and  a  large  propor- 
tion of  vessels  are  now  manned  on  temperance 
principles,  and  "  no  rum,"  is  put  forward  to 
a  prominent  place  on  the  shipping  paper. 
Marine  temperance  societies  are  common  in 
every  port,  bearing  the  names  of  many  thou- 
sands of  pledged  men,  both  oflScers  and 
common  sailors.  The  immediate  and  very 
natural  result  of  temperance  in  seamen  is 
frugality,  and  a  careful  saving  of  their  hard 
earnings  ;  and  an  investigation  of  the  various 
Seamen's  Savings  Batfks,  which  are  founded 
in  every  large  port,  shows  us  that  immense 
sums  have  been  there  deposited  by  sailors 
for  use  in  future  life.  We  have  thus  briefly 
hinted  at  the  several  subjects  of  inquiry  re- 
specting seamen.  The  details  may  be  found 
in  the  twenty-five  annual  reports  of  the  Am- 
erican Seamen's  Friend  Society ;  the  annual 
reports  of  the  American  Bethel  Society ;  the 
twenty-five  volumes  of  the  Sailors'  Maga- 
zine ;  the  annual  reports  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  relating  to  commerce  ;  the  an- 
nual reports  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  ; 
the  annual  reports  of  the  British  and  Foreign 
Sailors'  Society  j  "  Britannia,"  by  the  Rev. 
John  Harris ;  the  "  Retrospect,"  by  Rev. 
R.  Marks  ;  publications  of  Rev.  G.  C.  Smith, 
Rev.  William  Scoresby,  and  others. — Rev. 
J.  Greenleaf. 

SEIR:  A  village  near  Oroomiah,  Persia, 
where  the  seminaries  of  the  mission  of  the 
American  Board  are  located. 

SERAMPORE :  Formerly  a  Danish  settle- 
ment, in  the  province  of  Bengal,  situated  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Hooghl}^  river,  about  12 
miles  above  Calcutta.  Population  15,000. 
For  many  years,  the  principal  station  of  tho 
English  Baptists  in  Bengal. 

SEROOR  :  In  Hindostan,  28  miles  south- 
west from  Ahmednuggur.  Pop.  6,500.  Be- 
came a  station  of  the  American  Board  in  1841. 

SETTRA  KROO :  A  station  of  the  Am- 
erican Presbyterian  General  Assembly's 
Board  on  the  western  coast  of  Africa,  about 
halfway  between  Cape  Palmos  and  Monrovia. 


670 


SEVAGUNGA— SIAM. 


SEVAGFNGA  :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  in  Soutliern  Ilindostan,  25  miles 
east  of  Madufa,  and  connected  with  that 
mission.  ^ 

SEYCHELLES:  A  chister  of  small  is- 
lands, which  lie  nearly  north  from  Madagas- 
car. They  are  high  and  rocky,  and  little  fit- 
ted for  any  culture  except  cotton.  Popula- 
tion 4,000.  They  are  famous  for  the  produc- 
tion of  a  palm  not  known  in  any  other  part 
of  the  world.  A  station  of  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel. 

SHALONG  POINT:  A  station  of  the 
American  Board  in  Micronesia,  on  Taman 
Island,  a  small  island  in  the  mouth  of  Me- 
talim  Harbor,  Ascension  Island. 

SHANGHAI :  A  city  in  China,  in  latitude 
3P  10'  north  and  longitude  121^'  30'  east,  on 
the  "Wosung  river,  about  14  miles  from  its 
mouth.     (See  China.) 

SHAWANOE :  A  town  in  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory, and  the  seat  of  a  mission  of  the  Am- 
erican Baptist  Union  for  the  Shawanoe  and 
other  tribes. 

SHEIKH  :  (pronounced  Shehh  or  Shuhh) 
means  literally  an  old  man,  but  besides  being 
used  in  that  sense  it  is  also  employed  as  a 
prefix  to  the  names  of  respectable  heads  of 
families  like  our  "Mr."  Somewhat  like  our  M. 
A.  it  is  applied  to  sch^lmasters  and  learned 
men.  It  is  also  the  tme  of  the  heads  of  the 
Mohammedan  sects  as  the  Hhanafees,  Mali- 
kees,  &c.  But  among  the  Bedaween  it  de- 
notes the  head  of  the  tribe,  and  where  seve- 
ral Sheikhs  unite  together  for  greater  secu- 
rity, they  choose  a  chief  from  among  them- 
selves who  is  called  Sheikh  el  k'bir  or  Sheikh 
el  ShoyAkh.  Sheikh  el  Islam  is  one  of  the 
titles  of  the  Grand  Mufti  of  Constantinople, 
who  is  the  President  of  the  College  of  the 
Ulema,  or  professors  of  Mohammedan  Law. 
Shiekh  is  also  the  name  of  one  of  the  orders 
of  priesthood  among  the  Yezidees.  and  has 
a  like  religious  meaning  among  the  Druzes. 

SHILOH:  Station  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  South  Africa,  on  the  Klipplaat  river, 
among  the  Tambookies  and  Hottentots. 

SHWAYDOUNG:  A  town  in  Burmah 
near  Prome,  and  the  seat  of  the  Prome  mis- 
sion of  the  American  Baptist  Union.  It  is 
one  of  the  principal  centres  of  Burman  edu- 
cation and  religion,  and  has  been  styled  the 
"  Oxford  of  Burmah." 

SHWAYGYEEN:  A  city  in  Southern 
Burmah,  at  the  junction  of  the  Shwaygyeen 
and  Sitang  rivers.  It  is  the  seat  of  amission 
of  the  American  Baptist  Union. 

SIAM:  Siam  is  a  long,  narrow  country, 
lying  between  Burmah  and  Cochin-China, 
and  extending  from  the  Gulf  of  Siam  to  the 
borders  of  China.  It  is  watered  by  several 
rivers  and  by  numerous  canals  ;  and  as  the 
soil  is  generally  quite  fertile,  it  is  capable  of  j 
supporting  a  large  population.  Having  been 
distracted  by  wars,  however,    until   within! 


comparatively  a  modem  period,  tlie  actual 
number  of  inhabitants  is  estimated  at  not 
more  than  from  3,000,000  ito  5,000,000.  Of 
these  some  hundred  thousands  are  Cliinese, 
and  there  are  many  Peguans,  Burmese, 
Shans,  &c.  This  diversity  among  the  inhab- 
itants imparts  the  greater  interest  to  Siam 
as  a  sphere  of  missionarj'-  labor.  Some  races 
may  be  reached  here  who  cannot  be  visited 
in  their  own  lands.  Numerous  Chinese,  for 
instance,  from  the  island  of  Hainan,  are  now 
living  in  Bangkok,  who  keep  up  a  constant 
intercourse  with  their  own  country ;  and 
through  whom  a  Christian  influence  might 
readily  be  exerted  on  the  1,500,000  inhabi- 
tants of  that  island. 

In  Siam  the  inhabitants  live  chiefly  on  the 
banks  of  rivers  and  canals, — a  circumstance 
worthy  of  being  noted,  as  it  renders  them 
easily  accessible  by  missionaries  in  boats — 
the  common  mode  of  traveling.  The  princi- 
pal city  is  Bangkok,  of  which  the  population 
is  estimated  at  300,000  ;  it  is  situated  on  the 
Meinam,  about  twenty-five  miles  from  its 
mouth.  The  people  of  this  country  are 
hardly  inferior  in  civilization  to  other  nations 
of  South-eastern  Asia.  They  carry  on.vari 
ous  kinds  of  industrial  occupation.  Many 
are  able  to  read,  and  schools  are  commonly 
connected  with  the  wats,  or  places  devoted  to 
temples  and  idolatrous  worship,  where  edu- 
cation is  given  without  charge  by  some  of 
the  priests  ;  yet  the  knowledge  thus  acquired 
by  the  youth  is  little  more  than  that  of  the 
simplest  kind. 

Government. — The  government  of  this 
country  is  a  despotism.  The  king  is  chosen, 
however,  on  some  basis  of  hereditary  de- 
scent, by  the  principal  nobles,  which  must 
give  them  influence  in  the  administration  of 
public  affairs.  In  no  other  country  in  the 
East,  and  probably  in  no  country  in  any  part 
of  the  world,  is  the  influence  of  the  king 
more  controlling  over  all  the  opinions  and 
conduct  of  his  subjects  ;  the  servility  of  all 
classes  is  most  abject,  and  is  fitly  shown  by 
the  prostration,  with  the  face  to  the  ground, 
of  even  the  chief  men  when  they  appear  in 
the  royal  presence. 

Religion. — The  religion  of  the  Siamese  is 
Budhism,  which  may  be  characterized  as  a 
kind  of  atheistical  idolatry ;  for  Budh,  in  his 
most  common  form,  Gotama,  is  not  sup- 
posed to  take  any  concern  in  the  affairs  of 
men.  (See  Budhism.)  It  is  one  of  the  rea- 
sons for  regarding  Siam  with  special  interest 
as  a  missionary  field,  that  it  is  the  head- 
quarters of  this  widely-spread  system  of 
false  religion,  so  far  as  this  bad  preeminence 
can  be  assigned  to  any  country.  It  is  a  re- 
ligion held  here  in  great  honor.  The  king  is 
its  subject ;  the  revenues  of  the  kingdom 
are  to  a  large  extent  devoted  to  the  wats,  the 
support  of  priests,  processions  in  honor  of 
Gotama,  and    other  religious    ceremonies. 


SUM. 


671 


If  Budh  were  dethroned  in  this  country,  his 
downfall  would  doubtless  be  felt  in  other 
parts  of  Asia. 

MISSIONS. 

Presbyterian  Board. — The  mission  es- 
tablished by  the  Board  in  Siam  was  resolved 
upon  in  1839.  It  was  formed  at  first  with 
reference  to  the  Chinese  rather  than  to  the 
Siamese.  The  door  into  China  was  not  then 
open,  and  missionary  societies  adopted  the 
policy  of  supporting  stations  among  the 
large  numbers  of  Chinese  emigrants  who 
were  found  in  the  neighboring  countries. 
The  Rev.  Robert  W.  Orr,  one  of  the  first 
missionaries  to  the  Chinese,  whose  station 
was  at  Singapore,  made  a  visit  to  Siam  in 
the  autumn  of  1838  3  and  upon  his  favorable 
report  it  was  deemed  expedient  to  form  a 
branch  of  the  Chinese  mission  at  Bangkok, 
and  also  a  mission  to  the  Siamese  at  the  same 
place.  The  Rev.  William  P.  Buell  and  his 
wife,  appointed  to  the  latter  mission,  arrived 
at  Bangkok  in  August,  1840.  A  physician 
and  his  wife  were  appointed  to  this  field  of 
labor  in  1841,  and  a  minister  and  his  wife  in 
1843.  They  were  led,  however,  to  proceed 
to  China  instead  of  Siam,  so  that  Mr.  Buell 
was  not  joined  by  any  associate.  After 
learning  the  language,  he  was  able  to 
preach  the  Gospel  and  distribute  the  Holy 
Scriptures  and  other  religious  books,  ex- 
plaining them  to  the  people.  He  was  en- 
couraged in  his  work ;  but  in  1844  he  was 
compelled  to  return  to  this  Country  by  the 
state  of  his  wife's  health. 

In  March,  1847,  the  Rev.  Stephen  Mattoon 
and  his  wife,  and  Samuel  R,  House,  M.  D., 
licentiate  preacher,  arrived  at  Bangkok  ;  and 
in  April,  1849,  they  were  joined  by  the  Rev. 
Stephen  Bush  and  his  wife.  These  brethren 
found  ample  employment  in  preaching  and 
distributing  the  Scriptures  and  religious 
tracts.  The  medical  labors  of  Dr.  House 
were  of  the  greatest  benefit  to  large  num- 
bers of  patients  ;  while  they  brought  many 
persons  within  the  reach  of  the  Gospel, 
whose  attention  could  not  otherwise  have 
been  gairied ;  and  they  also  tended  to  con- 
ciliate the  confidence  and  good-will  of  per- 
sons of  all  classes  towards  the  missionaries. 

The  year  1850  was  marked  by  vigorous 
'abors  in  preaching  and  tract  distribution  in 
Bangkok ;  bj'-  missionary  tours  to  several 
distant  parts  of  the  country,  which  were 
made  without  hindrance,  and  afibrded  many 
opportunities  of  publishing  the  Gospel  j  by 
the  printing  at  the  press  of  another  mission 
in  Bangkok  of  422.000  pages  of  books  of 
Scripture  history  ;  and  by  faithful  and  suc- 
cessful medico-missionary  practice.  This 
year  was  also  marked  by  a  singular  exigency 
in  the  history  of  the  mission,  which  for 
months  threatened  its  existence. 

The  missionaries  had  lived  in  houses  for- 
merly occupied  by  missionaries  of  the  Ame- 


rican Board.  On  relinquishing  Siam  as  a 
field  of  labor,  the  American  Board  trans- 
ferred these  houses  to  the  American  Associ- 
ation, and  it  became  necessary  for  the  breth- 
ren to  seek  other  places  of  abode.  After 
long  search  and  many  disappointments, 
they  found  it  impossible  either  to  purchase 
or  rent  new  quarters.  The  increasing  bigo- 
try of  the  king  was  the  obstacle  in  their  way. 
He  did  not  openly  oppose  their  wishes,  but 
it  was  soon  understood  among  his  abject 
people  that  he  was  unfriendly  to  foreign 
teachers  ;  and  no  man  was  willing  to  sell  or 
lease  real  estate  to  those  who  at  any  hour 
might  be  ordered  out  of  the  kingdom.  Tiie 
strange  issue  was  apparently  reached,  that 
Christian  missionaries  must  withdraw  from 
a  heathen  land,  where  their  life  and  liberty 
were  still  safe,  and  where  their  labors  might 
be  carried  forward  in  many  ways,  solely  for 
the  want  of  houses  in  which  to  live  !  The 
question  had  been  viewed  in  every  aspect ; 
referred  home  to  the  Executive  Committee  ; 
reconsidered  after  obtaining  the  sanction  of 
the  Committee,  given  fully,  but  with  deep 
regret,  to  their  removal  to  some  new  field  of 
labor— and  still  the  necessity  for  this  re- 
moval appeared  to  be  unavoidable. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  year  matters  grew 
worse.  The  teachers  of  the  missionaries 
were  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison,  their 
Siamese  servants  left  them  or  were  taken 
away,  and  none  of  the  people  dared  to  hold 
intercourse  with  them  on  religious  subjects. 
In  the  mean  time  prayer  was  oflered  without 
ceasing  on  their  behalf,  and  in  answer  to  the 
requests  of  his  people,  God  interposed  for 
the  help  of  his  servants, — but  in  a  way  not 
expected  by  them.  The  king  was  attacked 
with  disease  in  January,  1851 ;  and,  though 
he  had  the  prospect  of  many  years  of  life,  ho 
was  cut  down  by  death  in  April. 

His  successor,  the  present  king,  had  much 
intercourse  with  the  missionaries  before  his 
accession  to  the  throne,  and  he  has  since 
shown  himself  to  be  their  friend.  The  diffi- 
culty about  a  site  for  mission  premises  was 
soon  removed  ;  suitable  houses  have  been 
erected,  and  the  work  of  the  mission  can 
now  be  prosecuted  with  greater  freedom  than 
at  any  former  period. 

The  little  company  of  missionaries  have 
since  been  called  to  meet  with  trials  of  a 
different  kind — to  see  their  number  dimin- 
ished, instead  of  beiiig  increased.  Mrs. 
Bush  was  removed  by  death  in  July,  1851. 
Her  last  days  were  full  of  Christian  peace 
and  joy,  and  her  associates  could  say,  that 
"  in  the  full  possession  of  all  her  fiiculties, 
without  one  cloud  to  separate  between  her 
and  a  present  Saviour,  she  went  down  into 
the  Jordan  of  death,  singing  Hallelujah, 
in  the  triumph  of  victory.  The  Siamese 
have  lost  in  her  a  faithful,  praying  friend  j 
the  mission,  an  exemplary  fellow-laborer ; 


SIAM. 


and  her  bereaved  husband,  an  affectionate 
and  beloved  companion."  The  health  of 
Mr.  Bush  afterwards  gave  way,  and  it  be- 
came necessary  for  hira  to  return  to  this 
country,  in  1853,  for  his  recovery.  He  has 
not  yet  become  sufficiently  restored  to  re- 
turn to  his  field  of  labor. 

"With  the  single  exception  of  the  embar- 
rassment growing  out  of  their  small  number, 
the  missionaries  have  reason  to  be  much  en- 
couraged in  their  work  and  its  prospects. 
They  are  permitted  to  preach  the  Gospel  in 
stated  services  and  by  the  way-side  ;  and 
the  Word  has  not  been  preached  in  vain. 
Besides  the  testimony  thereby  held  forth  for 
God  and  against  idols,  and  the  secret  con- 
victions and  impressions  of  many  hearers, 
which  may  yet  result  in  the  open  confession 
of  Christ  before  men,  two  hopeful  converts 
have  been  admitted  to  the  church.  They 
are  both  Chinese,  and  one  of  them  is  a  native 
of  Hainan.  Their  walk  and  conversation 
are  exemplary,  and  both  of  them  are  engaged 
in  efforts  to  make  the  Gospel  known  unto 
their  own  people.  Some  .progress  has  been 
made  in  giving  the  Scriptures  to  the  Siamese 
in  their  own  tongue.  The  New  Testament 
and  the  books  of  Genesis  and  Exodus  have 
been  translated  by  the  missionaries  of  other 
Boards  ;  but  the  translation  will  require  re- 
vision, and  it  may  be  expedient  to  make  al- 
together a  new  translation.  Mr.  Mattoon's 
biblical  scholarship  and  his  knowledge  of 
Siamese  will  enable  hifn  to  perform  good 
service  in  this  work.  Schools  have  been 
opened  on  the  mission  premises,  and  a  small 
number  of  boarding-scholars  are  under  daily 
Christian  instruction.  It  seems  to  be  not 
iinlikely  that  a  Christian  element  may  be 
largely  introduced  into  the  education  of 
Siamese  youth.  The  distribution  of  the 
Scriptures  in  Bangkok  and  in  the  interior  is 
going  forward,  and  many  of  the  people  are 
not  only  able  to  read  and  willing  to  receive 
Christian  books,  but  give  a  cordial  welcome 
to  the  missionary,  and  have  many  inquiries 
to  make  about  this  new  religion.  Mrs.  Mat- 
toon  and  the  wives  of  the  other  missionaries 
have  been  requested  by  the  King  to  give  in- 
struction in  English  to  some  of  the  female 
members  of  his  family  ;  and  they  can  in  this 
way  bring  before  persons  of  the  highest  rank 
—in  Eastern  countries  commonly  secluded 
from  intercourse  with  foreigners — the  all- 
important  lessons  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
These  engagements  are  still  in  progress,  and 
may  result  in  the  greatest  good  to  some  of 
the  ladies  of  the  royal  family,  and  by  their 
means  to  many  others  in  high  and  low  sta- 
tions. One  of  their  pupils,  a  princess  of 
amiable  disposition,  who  had  given  pleasing 
attention  to  the  instructions  of  the  mission- 
ary teachers,  was  suddenly  removed  by  death. 
Her  serious  interest  in  listening  to  the  story 
of  the  cross  would  lead  us  to  hope  that  her 


trust  in  her  last  hour  may  have  been  placed 
in  Jesus. 

In  connection  with  this  brief  sketch  of 
missionary  labors,  the  character  of  the  pre- 
sent King  of  Siam  should  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration. He  is  a  Budhist  in  his  religious 
profession ;  and  he  is  an  absolute  monarch. 
He  might  on  any  day  banish  every  mission- 
ary from  his  kingdom.  The  Church  must 
ever  remember  that  her  dependence  is  not 
on  the  kings  of  the  earth,  but  on  the  God  of 
heaven.  This  being  deeply  felt,  it  is  still 
allowable  to  survey  things  future  in  the  light 
of  present  providences.  Now  he  who,  con- 
trary to  human  expectation,  has  been  ele- 
vated to  the  throne  of  Siam,  possesses  a  con- 
siderable degree  of  Christian  knowledge.  lie 
is  a  much  more  enlightened  and  liberal  man 
than  his  predecessor.  He  has  learnt  the 
English  language.  He  has  paid  some  atten- 
tion to  the  history  of  our  country,  probably 
led  to  this  by  his  acquaintance  with  Ameri- 
can missionaries,  and  he  is  a  warm  admirer 
of  Washington.  He  is  disposed  to  adopt  the 
improvements  of  western  civilization.  Ho 
has  under  consideration  the  opening  of  a 
ship-canal  to  connect  the  Gulf  of  Siam  with 
the  Bay  of  Bengal — a  measure  which  would 
prove  greatly  favorable  to  commerce  be- 
tween India  and  China,  and  would  bring  his 
hitherto  secluded  country  out  upon  one  of 
the  highways  of  the  world.  He  is  surround- 
ed by  the  priests  of  Budh,  but  Christian 
ministers  are  living  at  his  capital,  and  their 
wives  are  giving  lessons  of  Christian  truth 
in  his  palace.  Reasons  of  state  policy  may 
commend  Budhism  to  his  pride,  but  the 
Spirit  of  God  may  easily  constrain  his  heart 
to  bow  unto  Him  who  is  the  King  of  kings 
and  the  Lord  of  lords.  The  influence  of  the 
king  and  court  in  Siam,  is  almost  unbounded, 
especially  in  religious  matters.  If  the  king 
should  embrace  Christianity,  a  large  part  of 
his  subjects  would  follow  his  example.  They 
are  in  some  degree  prepared  for  this,  by  their 
acquaintance  with  the  general  truths  of  the 
Christian  religion ;  the  circulation  of  the 
Scriptures  and  Christian  books,  and  other 
labors  of  the  missionaries,  have  been  the 
means  of  widely  disseminating  a  knowledge 
of  the  Gospel.  It  is,  therefore,  in  the  power 
of  one  man,  not  only  to  make  his  own  reign 
an  era  in  the  history  of  his  country,  but  to 
lead  his  people  from  the  wat  to  the  church — 
from  a  miserable  paganism  to  the  profession 
of  Christianity  ;  and  if  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  were  poured  out  from  on  high,  we  might 
soon  see  in  Siam  "  a  nation  born  in  a  day." 
•*  The  king's  heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  ; 
as  the  rivers  of  water,  heturneth  it  whitherso- 
ever he  will." — Lowrie's  Manual  of  Missions. 

American  Baptist  Mission  in  Siam. — 
This  mission  was  originally  designed  in  part 
for  the  native  Siamese,  and  in  part  for  the 
Chinese  who  are  found  in  Siam  in  great  num- 


SUM. 


673 


bers,  and  who,  until  within  a  recent  period, 
were  wholly  inaccessible  in  their  own  coun- 
try. It  was  commenced  in  March  1833,  by 
Rev.  J.  T.  Jones,  foi'mcrly  of  the  mission  in 
Burmah,  who  with  Mrs.  Jones  at  that  time 
established  his  residence  at  Bangkok,  the 
capital  of  the  kingdom.  The  city  had  at 
former  periods  been  visited  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Gutzlaff,  of  the  Basle  Missionary  Society, 
Rev.  Mr.  Abeel,  of  the  American  Board,  and 
quite  recently  by  Rev.  Mr.  Trumlin,  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  They  had,  how- 
ever, all  abandoned  the  attempt  to  plant  a 
mission  there,  and  the  latter  on  his  depart- 
ture  had  written  to  the  missionaries  in  Bur- 
mah, urging  them  to  send  one  of  thoir  num- 
ber to  Siam.  It  was  by  the  appointment  of 
his  brethren  of  the  Burman  mission,  that  Mr. 
Jones  first  settled  at  Bangkok,  and  com- 
menced his  labors  among  the  several  races 
composing  its  diversified  population,  the 
most  numerous  of  whom  were  the  Chinese. 

He  was  courteously  received  bv  the  public 
personages  to  whom  he  became  known,  and 
in  a  little  time  his  house  became  the  resort 
of  considerable  numbers  of  Chinese,  Bur- 
mans,  and  Peguans.  He  found  the  Chinese 
by  far  the  most  amiable  and  inquisitive, 
but  he  understood  neither  their  language, 
nor  the  Siamese,  and  was  in  consequence 
obliged  to  confine  his  teachings  and  conver- 
sations to  the  Burman  tongue,  which,  how- 
ever, seems  to  have  been  comprehended  by 
others  than  the  Burman  population.  He 
baptized  his  first  five  converts  in  December, 
1833.  They  were  all  Chinese,  two  of  whom 
had  been  instructed  by  Messrs.  Gutzlaff  and 
Abeel.  One  of  them  was  immediately  ap- 
pointed an  assistant  in  the  mission,  to  take 
charge  of  a  school  for  Chinese  boys,  and  to 
conduct  public  worship  in  Chinese  on  the 
Sabbath.  In  1835,  Mr.  Jones  had  acquired 
sufficient  familiarity  with  the  language  to 
warrant  his  attempting  a  translation  of  the 
Scriptures.  He  soon  completed  the  Gospel 
of  Matthew,  and  a  Catechism  of  the  New 
Testament,  both  of  which  he  carried  to  Singa- 
pore to  be  printed  by  the  press  of  the  mis- 
sion of  the  American  Board  established  there. 

When  Mr.  Jones  removed  from  Rangoon 
to  Bangkok,  it  was  without  the  knowledge 
of  tlie  Board  of  Managers.  They,  however, 
wcra  already  directing  their  attention  to  that 
country,  and  not  only  approved  the  steps 
taken  by  Mr.  Jones,  by  the  advice  of 
his  associates  in  Burmah,  but  deter- 
mined immediately  to  send  additional  mis- 
sionaries to  be  united  with  him.  Accord- 
ingly, Rev.  William  Dean,  and  Mrs.  Dean, 
were  appointed  by  the  Board  in  the  summer 
of  1834,  and  sailing  in  the  following  September, 
arrived  at  Singapore  in  February,  1835,  while 
Mr.  Jones  was  still  there  engaged  in  printing 
the  Gospel  of  Matthew.  Both  the  mission- 
iries  remained  here  for  several  months  for 
43 


the  purpose  of  studying  the  Chinese  lan- 
guage ;  here  Mrs.  Dean,  a  few  weeks  after 
her  arrival,  was  suddenly  summoned  away 
by  death.  Mr.  Dean  accompanied  Air.  Jones 
to  Bangkok  in  June,  1835,  and  they  com- 
menced together  the  labors  of  the  mission ; 
the  former  more  particularly  among  the 
Chinese,  and  the  latter  among  the  Siamese. 
In  December  of  the  same  year,  three  other 
Chinamen  were  baptized.  But  so  strong 
was  the  appetite  for  opium,  and  so  general 
its  use  among  the  Chinese,  that  several  of 
those  who  had  been  baptized  were  unable  to 
withstand  the  temptation,  and  fell  away  from 
the  faith  which  they  professed. 

In  March,  1836,  Mr.  Jones  had  completed 
the  translation  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
and  went  a  second  time  to  Singapore  to  obtain 
fonts  of  type  both  in  Siamese  and  Chinese, 
to  be  used  with  a  press  which  had  been  for- 
warded from  America,  and  which  was  expect- 
ed soon  to  arrive.  It  was  while  he  was  absent 
on  this  excursion  that  there  arrived  at  Singa^ 
pore.  Rev.  Messrs.  Davenport,  Reed,  and 
Shuck,  with  their  wives,  together  with  the 
expected  press,  and  the  necessary  materials 
for  printing.  Messrs.  Davenport  and  Reed 
soon  went  with  Mr.  Jones  to  Bangkok,  the 
former  to  be  attached  as  preacher  and  print- 
er to  the  Siamese,  and  the  latter  to  be  con- 
nected with  Mr.  Dean  in  the  Chinese  de- 
partment of  the  mission.  Mr.  Shuck  re- 
mained for  the  present  in  Singapore,  with 
the  intention  of  establishing  himself  ulti- 
mately either  at  Macao  or  at  Canton.  A 
printing  house  was  immediately  built  at 
Bangkok,  together  with  a  substantial  brick 
building  for  a  store-house,  and  the  press  was 
set  into  immediate  operation  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  Davenport,  in  printing  books  and 
tracts  both  in  Siamese  and  Chinese.  Mr.  Dean 
occupied  a  floating  house  on  the  river,  and 
employed  himself  in  conversing  with  visitors 
and  on  Sundays  in  preaching  to  a  congrega- 
tion varying  from  thirty  to  fifty  Chinese, 
while  Mr.  Jones  was  occupied  with  translating 
the  Scriptures  into  Siamese,  preparing  tracts 
and  visiting  the  wais  or  places  of  worship 
for  the  purpose  of  scattering  the  knowledge 
of  the  Gospel  among  the  people.  The  ladies 
of  the  mission  also  were  employed  in  teach- 
ing such  pupils  as  could  be  induced  to  attend 
their  instructions.  The  children,  however, 
were  in  many  instances  forbidden  by  their 
parents  to  attend  the  schools,  lest  by  so 
doing  their  value  would  be  diminished  in 
case  their  parents  should  wish  to  sell  them 
as  slaves. 

In  1834,  the  mission  was  visited  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Malcom,  and  its  members,  together  with 
those  converts  who  still  remained  faithfu*,. 
were  organized  into  a  church.  Three  othe  6 
were  added  soon  afterwards,  and  the  labc  s 
of  the  mission,  particularly  among  the  Chi- 
nese, continued  to  progress,  until  they  were 


674 


SUM. 


sadly  interrupted  by  a  series  of  bereavements 
which  for  a  time  paralyzed  its  energies.  Mr. 
Reed  was  taken  away  by  death,  in  August, 
1837  ;  Mrs.  Dean  had  already  fallen  a  victim 
to  a  fever ;  Mr.  Dean  was  now  obliged  to 
withdraw  for  a  period,  in  order  to  recruit 
his  failing  health  ;  and  early  in  1838,  Mrs. 
Jones,  a  missionary  of  great  excellence, 
closed  her  valuable  life  at  Bangkok.  The 
printing  arrangements  proved  very  defective 
on  account  of  the  imperfection  of  the  type, 
and  a  type-foundry  was  established  in  the 
summer  of  1838,  and  at  the  same  time  a 
second  press  was  added  to  the  property  of 
the  mission.  By  these  means  the  books  of 
the  New  Testament,  which  Mr.  Jones  was 
rapidly  tr.anslating,  were  printed  in  great 
numbers,  and  with  these  a  multitude  of  tracts 
and  other  works  prepared  for  circulation 
among  the  people. 

In  June,  1839,  Rev.  Messrs.  Slafter  and 
Goddard,  arrived  at  Singapore,  as  a  rein- 
forcement of  the  mission  in  Siam.  Mr.  Slaf- 
ter brought  with  him  an  additional  press,  and 
went  almost  immediately  to  Bangkok,  where 
he  became  associated  with  Mr.  Jones  in  the 
Siamese  department  of  the  mission.  He 
speedily  acquired  the  language,  and  gave 
great  promise  of  usefulness,  but  in  1841  he 
fell  a  victim  to  disease  before  he  had  begun 
his  labors  as  a  preacher.  Mr.  Goddard,  who 
was  appointed  to  the  Chinese  department, 
remained  at  Singapore  studying  the  language, 
until  October,  1840,  when  he  repaired  to 
Bangkok  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his 
post  as  an  associate  of  Mr.  Dean.  In  1843, 
Mr.  Chandler,  a  machinist  and  type  founder 
connected  with  the  mission  at  Maulmain, 
went  to  reside  at  Bangkok.  He  became  the 
principal  manager  of  the  printing  establish- 
ment, and  immediately  interested  himself  in 
introducing  among  the  people  a  knowledge 
of  the  mechanic  arts.  Prince  Momfanoi  in- 
vited him  to  aid  in  building  several  kinds  of 
machinery  after  American  models,  and 
evinced  such  deference  for  his  Christian 
principles  that  he  directed  his  laborers  to 
abstain  from  work  on  Sunday.  Much  inci- 
dental good  was  thus  accomplished,  though 
it  of  course  fell  far  short  of  the  great  objects 
for  which  the  mission  was  established. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  mission- 
aries in  Siam  have  encountered  none  of  the 
hindrances  usually  interposed  by  the  govern- 
ments of  oriental  nations,  it  is  also  true  that 
they  have  been  encouraged  by  comparatively 
few  religious  fruits  among  the  native  Siamese. 
They  have  translated  the  books  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  some  of  the  Old,  into  the 
language  of  the  country.  They  have  printed 
and  circulated  very  widely  among  the  people 
copies  of  the  Scriptures  and  of  religious 
tracts.  They  have  introduced  the  mechanic 
arts,  and  have  won  the  favor  of  several  of 
the  princes  and  noblemen  of  the  country, 


but  they  have  not  thus  far  succeeded  in  per- 
suading the  people  to  accept  the  Gospel. 
The  native  race  of  Siam  is  said  to  be  com- 
paratively stupid  and  less  civilized  than  those 
of  the  neighboring  countries.  They  have 
the  Gospel,  but  they  do  not  embrace  it.  They 
acknowledge  the  superiority  of  Christ's  re- 
ligion, but  they  still  remain  indifferent  to 
it.  Messrs.  Jones  and  Chandler,  with  the 
interruptions  of  occasional  absence,  were  for 
many  years  the  principal  laborers  in  this 
department  of  the  mission.  The  former, 
though  repeatedly  prostrated  by  ill-health, 
on  account  of  which  he  twice  returned  to  the 
United  States,  died  at  Bangkok,  September 
13,  1851.  He  had  been  a  missionary  up- 
wards of  twenty  years,  and  had  passed 
eighteen  years  in  Siam.  He  had  acquired 
the  language  to  a  degree  of  unusual  perfec- 
tion, and  had  won  the  respect  and  confi- 
dence of  the  king  and  the  leading  public  per- 
sonages of  the  country.  He  had  written 
many  tracts  and  books  in  the  Siamese  lan- 
guage, and  had  translated  the  entire  New 
Testament  and  parts  of  the  Old  Testament, 
the  former  of  which  he  had  just  revised  for 
the  third  time.  These  contributions  to  the 
literature  of  Siam  will  remain  forever,  as 
memorials  of  his  well-spent  and  most  labor- 
ious life. 

In  1849  the  Siamese  department  of  the 
mission  was  strengthened  by  the  arrival  at 
Bangkok  of  Rev.  Samuel  G.  Smith,  who 
since  the  death  of  Mr.  Jones  has  been  the 
only  missionary  whose  work  was  preaching 
the  Gospel.  Mrs.  Jones  and  Miss  Morse 
conduct  schools  and  render  such  other  as- 
sistance as  may  be  in  their  power,  while  Mr. 
Chandler  has  lately  returned  from  a  visit  to 
the  United  States,  better  supplied  than  ever 
before  with  the  means  of  printing,  both  in 
Siamese  and  in  Chinese.  A  few  native 
Siamese  have  been  converted  to  Christianity, 
and  have  been  admitted  to  the  Chinese 
church,  but  as  has  been  already  intimated, 
the  spiritual  results  of  this  department  of 
the  mission,  after  the  lapse  of  twenty  years, 
in  which  it  has  not  only  encountered  no  op- 
position, but  has  been  received  with  decided 
favor  from  the  Government,  appear  thus  far 
to  be  unusually  small.  It  may  be,  however, 
that  these  have  been  only  years  of  toilsome 
preparation,  and  a  period  of  sowing  the  seed 
which  shall  yet  spring  up  and  yield  an  abun- 
dant harvest. 

The  Chinese  department  of  the  mission  at 
Bangkok,  however,  has  from  the  beginning 
been  attended  with  far  more  encouraging  re- 
sults. It  was  established  at  a  period  when 
the  Gospel  was  shut  out  from  the  countless 
population  of  Chinese,  and  was  designed  to 
accomplish  for  her  wandering  traffickers  and 
the  emigrants  from  her  shores  what  could 
not  be  done  for  her  people  at  home.  The 
only  church  at  Bangkok  has  been  composed. 


SIAM. 


675 


with  few  exceptions,  of  converted  Chinamen, 
who  at  first  learned  the  Scriptures  through 
the  Siamese  translations  of  Mr.  Jones. 
From  1840,  to  the  removal  of  Mr.  Dean  to 
China  in  1842,  the  mission  was  managed 
principally  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Dean  and  God- 
dard,  and  the  former  engaged  in  preparing 
books  and  tracts  and  the  latter  in  translating 
the  Scriptures,  and  both  in  preaching  to  the 
people.  In  1840,  the  members  of  the  church 
were  nine  in  number,  -and  each  year  has  wit- 
nessed a  gradual  increase,  until  in  1853  they 
were  tliirty-five.  In  January,  1851,  the  mis- 
sion suffered  a  severe  loss  in  the  destruction 
of  its  buildings,  and  the  entire  property 
which  they  contained,  together  with  many 
of  the  personal  effects  of  the  missionaries, 
the  whole  amounting  to  not  less  than 
^12,000  to  $15,000,  a  calamity  from  which 
it  has  not  even  yet  fully  recovered. 

It  has  already  been  stated  that  Mr.  Shuck 
with  his  family  settled  at  Macao,  a  port 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Portugese,  in 
1830,  also  for  the  purpose  of  laboring  as  a 
missionary  among  the  Chinese.  He  found 
them,  as  at  Bangkok,  entirely  accessible  to 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  In  1841,  Rev. 
Issachar  J.  Roberts,  who  had  been  residing 
for  some  time  at  Macao  under  the  direction 
of  a  missionary  society  in  the  "Western 
States,  became  associated  with  Mr.  Shuck 
under  the  patronage  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Union.  Two  or  three  Chinese 
converts  have  been  baptized  at  this  station, 
religious  books  and  tracts  have  been  circula- 
ted very  widely  among  the  multitudes  of 
Chinese  who  frequent  this  mart  of  oriental 
commerce,  and  the  missionaries  were  looking 
with  the  fondest  hopes  on  the  prospect  that 
was  opening  before  them,  when  in  1841  their 
labors  for  a  time  were  wholly  interrupted 
by  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  between 
Great  Britain  and  China,  and  the  blockade 
of  the  port  of  Macao.  This  was  continued 
till  August  1842,  when  a  treaty  of  perpetual 
amity  was  concluded,  by  which  the  island  of 
Hongkong,  at  the  mouth  of  Canton  river, 
was  ceded  to  England,  and  the  five  ports  of 
Canton,  Amoy,  Fuhchau,  Ningpo  and  Shang- 
hai were  opened  to  the  commerce  of  Great 
Britain  and  the  residence  of  foreigners. 
This  most  important  event  altered  the  rela- 
tions of  this  ancient  people  to  the  rest  of  the 
human  race,  and  effectually  severed  the  bar- 
riers which  have  hitherto  prevented  the  in- 
troduction of  the  Gospel  to  the  country.  So 
soon  as  the  treaty  was  published,  Messrs. 
Shuck  and  Roberts  from  Macao,  and  Mr. 
Dean  from  Bangkok,  removed  to  China  and 
took  up  their  residence  at  Hongkong ; 
Messrs.  Dean  and  Shuck  at  the  new  town 
of  Victoria,  and  Mr.  Roberts  in  another  part 
of  the  island  at  Chek-chu.  Mr.  Goddard 
remained  at  Bangkok  prosecuting  his  accus- 
tomed labors  among  the  Chinese  population 


of  that  city  till  1848,  when  he  went  to  join 
the  mission  in  China. 

Meanwhile  at  Bangkok  both  departments 
of  the  mission  were  committed  to  the  care 
of  the  Siamese  missionaries.     Two  out-sta- 
tions were  established,  one  at  Teng-kia-chu, 
and  one  at  Bang-chang,  both  of  which  were 
placed  under  the  charge  of  native  assistants. 
In  1851,  Rev.  W.  Ashmore  and  Mrs.  Ash- 
more  arrived  at  Bangkok  as  missionaries  to 
the   Chinese.    Mr.   Ashmore  has  now  ac- 
quired the  language,  and  is  prosecuting  those 
labors  to  which  he   was   appointed.      The 
latest  reports  of  the  mission  bear  witness  to 
a  somewhat  more    gratifying    progress   in 
both  its  departments.  The  Siamese  mission- 
aries had  before  been  often  invited  to  the 
palace  of  the  king  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 
the  monarch  and  some  members  of  the  royal 
family  in  the  study  of  English  and  the  me- 
chanic arts,  and  much  incidental  conversa- 
tion had  been  held  respecting  the  doctrines 
of   the   Gospel.      These    interviews,   while 
they  have  been  latterly  declined  by  the  mis- 
sionaries, when  proposed  for  the  former  ob- 
jects, have   become  more  frequent  for   the 
latter  object,  and  have  led  to  the  establish- 
ment of  a  regular  system  of  biblical  instruc- 
tion at  the  palace.     The  two  ladies  of  this 
department  of  the  mission.  Miss  Morse  and 
Mrs.  Smith,  formerly  Mrs.  Jones,  are  also 
constantly  engaged  in  similar  teaching  either 
at  the  mission  school  or  in  private.     The 
most  friendly  relations  are  still  maintained 
with  the  government,  and  even  the  Budhist 
priests  themselves  in  Siam,  appear  less  per- 
tinacious in  their  opposition  to  the  new  re- 
ligion than  in  other  countries  in  which  Budh- 
ism  prevails.     The   Chinese  church,  which 
is  still  the  only  one  belonging  to  the  mission, 
numbers  at  present  only  twenty-six  mem- 
bers, nine  having  removed  to  China.    In  ad- 
dition to  this,  and  several  Siamese  who  have 
been  baptized,  but  live  away  from  Bangkok, 
there  were  at  recent  dates  eight  additional 
converts  who  were  about  to  be  baptized. 
These  are  all  Siamese.    In  February,  1854, 
Rev.  R.  Telford  and  Mr.  G.  H.  Chandler,  the 
printer,   with  their  wives,  sailed  from  the 
United  States  for  Siam  ;  Mr.  Chandler  hav- 
ing been  home  on  a  visit  for  the  benefit  of 
his  health,  and  the  improvement  of  his  ar- 
rangements for  printing.     Mr.  Telford  is  ap- 
pointed to  the  Chinese  department  of  the 
mission.     When  they  arrive  at  their  stations 
the  two  departments  will  be  nearly  equally 
supplied,  though  neither  will  possess  a  mis- 
sionary force  at  all  adequate  to  the  work 
which  may  be  advantageously  undertaken. 
The  prospects  of  the  mission— though  pros- 
pects are  often  illusory — are  thought  to  be 
more  encouraging  than  at  any  former  period. 
The  mission  is  organized  in  one  station  at 
Bangkok,  and  four  out-stations  in  the  towns 
of  the  neighboring  country.     It  embraces  in 


676 


SIBSAQAR— SIERRA  LEONE. 


the  Siamese  department  Rev.  S.  G.  Smith 
and  Mr.  0.  II.  Chandler,  with  their  wives, 
and  Miss  Morse  a  teacher,  and  in  the  Chi- 
nese department  Rev.  Messrs.  Ashmore  and 
Telford  and  their  wives,  and  four  native  as- 
sistants who  are  employed  in  both  depart- 
mcut.s. 

STATISTICS    FOR    1854. 

1  station,  4  out-stations,  4  missionaries, 
5  female  assistants ;  9  missionaries  and  as- 
sistants ;  4  native  preachers  and  assistants  ; 
1  church,  35  members ;  2  boarding  schools, 
21  pupils ;  2  day-schools,  20  pupils ;  total  of 
schools  4,  and  41  pupils. — TV.  Gammell. 

American  Board. — Messrs.  Abeel  and 
Tomlin  spent  some  time  in  Bangkok  in  1831, 
and  again  Mr.  Abeel  in  1832.  Messrs.  Robin- 
son and  Johnson,  with  their  wives,  arrived 
July  23,  1834,  and  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Bradley 
on  the  18th  of  July,  1835,  with  a  printing- 
press,  and  Siamese  type.  Mr.  Caswell  after- 
wards joined  the  mission.  The  missionary 
work  was  prosecuted  here  by  the  Board 
until  1848 ;  but  without  any  marked  results. 
That  year,  in  consequence  of  a  change  of 
sentiment  on  the  part  of  Doctor  Bradley  and 
Mr.  Caswell,  a  separation  took  place  between 
them  and  the  Board.  And,  on  the  matter 
coming  up  at  the  meeting  of  the  Board,  the 
discontinuance  of  the  mission  was  recom- 
mended, and  the  Prudential  Committee  after- 
wards took  action  accord  ingl}'.  Messrs.  Brad- 
ley and  Caswell  were  afterwards  received 
under  the  care  of  the  American  Missionary 
Association,  and  the  mission  premises  were 
transferred  to  that  body.  For  a  full  account 
of  the  causes  which  led  to  these  results,  the 
reader  is  referred  to  the  report  of  the  Board 
and  of  the  Association  for  1848. 

American  Missionary  As  sociation. — In 
October,  1849,  the  Association  sent  out  Doc- 
tor Bradley,  Rev.  L.  B.  Lane,  M.  D.,  Prof. 
J.  Silsby,  with  their  wives,  who  in  due  time 
arrived  at  Bangkok,  and  entered  upon  the 
missionary  service.  In  1853,  the  executive 
committee  authorized  the  opening  of  a  new 
station  in  Siam,  and  they  speak  hopefully  of 
the  future  prospects  of  the  mission.  The 
present  missionary  force  is  two  ordained  mis- 
sionaries, with  their  wives. 

SIBSAGOR :  A  town  in  Assam, — one  of 
the  stations  of  the  Assam  mission  of  the 
Am.  Baptist  Union. 

SIBERIA:  See  Tartary  hnd  Siberia. 

SIERRA  LEONE:  A  colonial  establish- 
ment of  Great  Britain,  on  the  west  coast  of 
Africa,  consisting  of  a  peninsula  about  25 
miles  in  length,  north  and  south,  washed  by 
the  Atlantic  on  the  north-west  and  south, 
and  partly  bounded  on  the  east  by  a  bay 
formed  by  the  Sierra  Leone  river.  The 
population,  consisting  chiefly  of  liberated 
slaves,  amounted,  in  1847,  to  41,735.  Free- 
town, the  capital,  has   10,580  inhabitants. 


The  peninsula  consists  principally  of  a  range 
of  conical  mountains,  from  2000  to  3000  feet 
in  height,  surrounded  by  a  belt  of  level 
ground,  from  one  to  five  miles  in  breadth. 
The  location,  for  Europeans  or  Americans, 
is  unhealthy,  though  not  more  so  than  the 
French  and  Portuguese  settlements  in  other 
parts  of  Western  Africa.'  The  chief  charac- 
teristic is  its  extreme  humidity.  More  rain 
fell  there  in  two  days  of  August,  1838,  than 
in  Britain  thipoughout  the  entire  year. 

This  colony  was  founded  in  1787.  About 
1200  free  negroes,  who,  having  joined  the 
royal  standard  in  the  war  of  the  American 
Revolution,  took  refuge,  at  the  termination 
of  the  contest,  in  Nova  Scotia,  were  conveyed 
to  Sierra  Leone,  in  1792.  To  these  were 
added  the  Maroons  from  Jamaica :  and  since 
the  legal  abolition  of  the  slave  trade,  the 
negroes  taken  in  the  captured  vessels,  and 
liberated,  have  been  carried  to  the  wlony. 
The  constant  influx  of  these  poor  heathen 
Africans  has  materially  tended  to  retard  the 
improvement  of  the  colony.  A  large  pro- 
portion, however,  are  enjoying  the  means  of 
moral  and  religious  instruction,  under  the 
direction  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Church 
and  other  missionary  Societies.  (See  Africa, 
Western,  under  the  heads  of  Church  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  Wesleyan  Missionary  So- 
ciety.) Many  of  the  colored  people  brought 
from  Nova  Scotia  had  there  been  converted, 
under  the  labors  of  missionaries  who  were 
associated  with  Lady  Huntingdon.  For 
more  than  sixty  years  they  have  existed  as 
a  distinct  religious  body,  under  the  name  of 
the  "  Connection  of  the  Countess  of  Hunting- 
don." Simple  faith  and  earnest  prayerful- 
ness  have  distinguished  them  from  the  be- 
ginning, and  sustained  them  under  many  and 
heavy  trials.  They  have  now  forty-eight 
preachers  and  exhorters,  and  more  than 
fifteen  hundred  members  in  church  fellow- 
ship ;  they  have  also  eleven  chapels  and 
several  schools.  Aid  has  seldom  been  re- 
ceived by  them  from  any  quarter.  They 
have  all  along  maintained  a  steadfast  devo- 
tion to  the  welfare  of  their  countrymen. 
Their  attention  has  been  directed  to  several 
localities  in  and  around  the  colony  where  the 
people  have  no  Christian  teachers,  and  seve- 
ral tribes  have  invited  them  to  send  them 
teachers.  By  means  of  some  assistance  from 
England,  they  have  sent  out  two  ministers 
and  several  teachers,  and  it  is  expected  that 
others  will  speedily  follow  them. 

Rev.  E.  J.  Pierce,  in  a  letter  dated  Jan- 
uary 11,  1854,  states  that  Rev.  E.  Jones, 
principal  of  a  seminary  for  the  education  of 
young  men  for  the  ministry,  has  16  students, 
who  read  Hebrew  quite  as  well  as  the  ave- 
rage of  students  in  the  senior  class  in  our 
own  theological  seminaries.  They  also  read 
the  Greek  Testament,  and  seemed  to  under- 
stand the  structure  of  the  language. 


SOCIETY  FOE  THE  PROPAGATION  OP  THE  GOSPEL. 


677 


Freetown  is  the  chief  city  of  Sierra  Leone ; 
in  which  the  Wesleyans  have  17  chap- 
els, 1  out-station  for  preaching,  5  mifisiona- 
ries  and  assistants,  4  catechists,  27  day- 
school  teachers,  71  Sunday-school  teachers, 
67  local  preachers,  4,213  church  members, 
256  on  trial,  12  Sunday-schools,  665  scholars, 
11  day-schools,  1400  day-scholars:  2,065 
scholars  in  all ;  number  of  attendants  on 
public  worship,  7,534.  The  Baptists  have  2 
churches. 

SIMLA:  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  among  the  hills,  between 
the  Sutlej  and  Jumna,  situated  near  Saba- 
thoo,  and  elevated  7,200  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  It  is  a  sanatorium  for  invalids 
from  the  plains  of  India,  a  retreat  for  the 
civil  and  military  officers,  and  a  place  of 
fashionable  resort.  The  number  of  English 
houses  is  about  200.  The  country  around  it 
contains  a  numerous  population. 

SIMAO:  One  of  the  Molucca  Islands,  in 
the  Indian  Archipelago. 
.  SINGAPORE:  A  small  island  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  the  Malay  peninsula, 
including  the  town  of  the  same  name.  In 
1836,  it  contained  a  population  of  29,984,  of 
whom  13,749  were  Chinese  settlers,  and 
9,632  Malays.  The  town  of  Singapore  is 
situated  on  the  south  side  of  the  island.  Its 
central  part  is  occupied  with  the  dwellings 
of  the  merchants,  and  the  military  canton- 
ments. The  Malay  quarter  is  at  the  east, 
and  the  principal  Chinese  commercial  quar- 
ter at  the  west  extremity.  The  junks  from 
China  bring  annually  a  large  number  of  Chi- 
nese settlers.  Most  of  the  artizans,  laborers, 
agriculturists,  and  shopkeepers,  are  Chinese. 
Singapore  was  occupied,  for  a  number  of 
years  before  the  opening  of  the  Five  Ports, 
as  a  Chinese  mission,  by  a  number  of  differ- 
ent societies ;  but  the  missions  there  have 
never  been  very  productive. 

SINDE :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society,  a  little  east  of  Bombay. 

SINMAH :  A  town  in  the  south  of  Arra- 
can,  on  the  confines  of  Burmah ;  an  out-sta- 
tion of  the  Bassein  mission  of  the  American 
Baptist  Union. 

SMYRNA :  The  principal  city  of  Asiatic 
Turkey.  Of  the  cities  of  the  seven  churches 
addressed  in  the  Apocalypse,  Smyrna  alone 
can  be  regarded  as  still  flourishing.  The 
modern  town,  which  has  long  been  the  em- 
porium of  the  Levant,  contains  a  mixed  popu- 
lation of  about  120,000.  It  is  a  station  of 
the  mission  of  the  Am.  Board  to  the  Arme- 
nians :  also  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 
SOCIETY  FOR  THE    PROPAGATION 


native  inhabitants  of  those  countries.  The 
principal  efforts  of  this  Society,  however, 
have  been  directed  to  the  British  colonists, 
rather  than  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen 
in  general ;  and  therefore  it  assumes  more 
the  character  of  a  Home  than  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary enterprise.  Yet,  the  Society  have 
not  been  backward  to  embrace  opportunities 
of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen. 
Though  occasional  assistance  in  books  and 
money  was  given  to  Jamaica,  Antigua,  New- 
foundland, and  other  islands,  for  fourscore 
years,  the  great  field  of  the  Society's  mis- 
sionary labor  was  the  continent  of  North 
America.  Shortly  after  the  establishment 
of  the  Society,  missions  were  founded  iu 
Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island, 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  Carolinas  ;  and  the  ministers  who  were 
sent  to  take  charge  of  them  were  the  only 
ministers  of  the  Church  of  England  in  vast 
districts.  Among  other  missionaries  of  the 
Society,  the  celebrated  John  Weslerj  received 
an  appointment  and  allowance,  in  1735,  as 
its  first  missionary  in  Georgia.  It  sulase- 
quently  extended  its  operations,  and  now 
has  missionaries  in  Canada,  Nova  Scotia, 
Newfoundland,  the  West  Indies,  the  East 
Indies,  South  Africa,  Seychelles,  Australia, 
Tasmania,  and  New-Zealand.  The  whole 
number  of  missionaries  now  maintained  by 
the  Society,  in  whole  or  in  part,  is  491.  Be- 
sides this,  it  supports  300  Divinity  students, 
catechists,  and  schoolmasters.  The  follow- 
ing: table  shows  the  location  of  the  mission- 


DIOCESE. 


Nova  Scotia. 


Fredkrickton- 

QCEBEO 

Montreal 

Toronto 


Colony. 


Nova  Scotia 

Cape  Breton 

Prince  Edward's  Island 

New  Brunswick 

Canada  East 


Canada  "West. 


Rupert's  Land iHudson's  B'y Territory 

Newfoundland Newfoundland 

Labrador 


Jamaica 

Barbadoks- 

Ahtigda 

Guiana 

Calcutta- 
Madras 

Bombay 

Colombo 

Cape  Towk. 


SiDNET 

Newcastle 

Melbourne 

OF  THE  GOSPEL  IN  FOREIGN  PARTS  :  |  Adelaide 

This  Society  received  its  charter  from  King!  j^^^  Zealand. 


Bermudiis- 
Jamaica... 
Bahamas— 


William  III.,  in  1701 ;  its  two  great  objects  .  Tasmania. 
being,  "  to  provide  for  the  ministrations  of  \  rJ,^^^^^y^  d'Achuna. 
the  Church  of  England  in  the  British  Colo-  j 
nies,  and  to  propagate  the  Gospel  among  the  1 


Bengal 

Madras 

Bombay 

Ceylon 

Cape  of  Good  Hope... 

St.  Helena 

Now  South  Wales 

New  North  Wales 

Portrhilip 

South  Australia 

Western  Australia 

New -Zealand 

Van  Dieraau's  Land... 
Seychelles — 


Missionaries. 


I 
o  2 
d  § 

12;  I 


63 
40 
26 
42 
121 
1 


;678 


SOCIETY  ISLANDS— SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


Of  this  number,  74,  in  Canada  West,  are 
supported  from  the  interest  of  the  Clergy 
Reserve  Fund,  and  IC,  in  Nova  Scotia,  by  a 
Parliamentary  grant.  The  following  state- 
ment shows  the  aggregate  receipts  in  periods 
of  twenty  years,  the  average  annual  receipts. 
the  receipts  of  1849  and  1850,  and  the  gene- 
ral aggregate  from  the  beginning : 

Av'ge  ann.  rec'pts. 

1769  to  1788,  £82,299         £4,1M 

1789  «  1808,  75,616            3,780 

1809  «  1828,  386,749          19,337 

1829  «  1848,  1,018,888 

1849  67,489 

1850  62,365 


50,944 


Grand  Total,     1,093,406 

These  sums  have  been  realized  by  annual 
subscriptions,  donations,  legacies,  collections, 
dividends,  Royal  Letters  for  collections  in 
churches,  and  Parliamentary  grants. 

SOCIETY  ISLANDS :  A  group  of  Is- 
lands in  the  Southern  Pacific,  embracing 
Huahine,  Raiatea,  Tahaa,  Borabora,  Maurua, 
Tubai,  Moupiha,  and  Fenuaura,  having  a 
population  of  10,000. 

SOUTHERN  BAPTIST  CONVENTION, 
Board  of  Missions  :  The  Southern  Baptist 
Convention  was  organized  in  1845,  in  conse- 
quence of  disagreement  between  the  north- 
ern and  southern  portions  of  the  Baptist 
churches  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  when  a 
separate  Board  of  Missions  was  constituted 
for  the  south.  It  held  its  first  annual  meet- 
ing at  Richmond,  Va.,  June  10,  1846,  on 
which  occasion  its  two  first  missionaries 
were  designated  to  China.  It  now  has  a 
mission  to  China,  with  three  stations ;  and 
a  mission  to  Liberia,  with  thirteen  stations. 
It  has  also  projected  a  mission  to  Central 
Africa,  the  ground  of  which  has  been  sur- 
veyed by  one  of  its  missionaries.  The  whole 
amount  received  by  the  Board,  as  appears 
from  its  biennial  reports,  is  $118,262  22, 
being  an  annual  average  of  $14,782  77. 

SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS:  The  islands 
which  lie  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  south  of  the 
Equator,  from  their  prominence  in  the  mis- 
sionary operations  of  the  present  century, 
have  become  generally  known  as  The  South 
Sea  Islands.  Under  this  designation,  we 
shall  include,  in  this  article,  the  following 

§  roups,  being  the  field  of  operations  in  the 
outh  Sea,  occupied  by  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society,  viz. :  the  Georgian,  Society,  Aus- 
tral, Hervey,  Navigators^  or  Samoa,  Pearl, 
and  Marquesas  Islands ;  and  the  Friendly 
and  Feejee  Islands,  by  the  Wesleyan  Mission- 
ary Society. 

The  Georgian'    Islands  are  situated  in 
the  South  Pacific  Ocean  between  17"  and  18° 
south  latitude,  and  149""  and  153°  west  lon- 
itude.      The   group    contains   six   islands. 
ahlti,  Eimeo,  Tabuaemanu,  or  Sir  Charles 


f. 


Sander^s  Island,  Tetuaroa,  Matea,  and  Mee- 
tia. 

Tahiti  is  the  largest  of  these  islands,  and 
sometimes  gives  name  to  the  whole  group. 

Tahiti  was  visited  by  Captain  Cook,  and 
from  him  received  the  name  of  Otaheite,  but 
Tahiti  is  the  name  given  to  it  by  the  natives. 
It  consists  of  two  peninsulas  united  by  an 
isthmus.  The  largest  is  nearly  circular,  and 
about  20  miles  in  diameter.  The  smaller 
one  is  oval,*  about  16  miles  long,  and  8 
broad.  The  circumference  of  the  whole  is- 
land is  108  miles.  The  interior  is  mountain- 
ous, but  is  surrounded  by  a  border  from  2  to 
3  miles  wide,  of  low,  rich,  level  land,  which 
extends  from  the  base  of  the  mountains  to 
the  sea.  The  population  of  Tahiti  is  esti- 
mated at  about  10,000. 

Eimeo,  or,  as  it  is  called  by  the  natives, 
Moorea,  is  situated  about  2°  west  of  Tahiti. 
It  is  about  25  miles  in  circumference.  The 
other  islands  though  equally  elevated  are  of 
smaller  extent. 

The  Society  Islands  include  Huahin' . 
Raiatea,  Tahaa,  Borabora,  Maurua,  Tubal. 
Moupiha,  and  Fenuaura.  The  population  of 
this  group  is  supposed  to  be  about  10,000. 

The  Austral  Islands  are  Raivavai,  or 
High  Island,  Tubuai,  Rurutu,  Riraatara,  and 
Rapa.  They  are  situated  between  22°  27' 
and  27°  36'  south  latitude,  and  144°  11'  and 
150°  47'  west  longitude.  The  population  is 
about  1,000. 

Raivavai  is  one  of  the  most  important  is- 
lands of  this  group.  It  is  about  20  miles  in 
circumference,  mountainous  in  the  centre, 
but  has  considerable  low  land. 

Rapa  is  the  most  southerly  of  the  Austral 
Islands.  The  mountains  are  craggy,  and 
picturesque,  and  the  land  generally  fertile. 

Tubuai  is  a  small  island  about  12  miles  in 
circumference  and  thinly  peopled. 

Rurutu  and  Ramatara  are  small,  and  but 
little  is  known  of  either  of  them. 

The  Hervey  Islands  are  situated  be- 
tween 19°  and  21°  south  latitude,  and  156^ 
and  161°  west  longitude,  and  contain  a  pop- 
ulation of  16,000  or  18,000.  The  largest  and 
most  important  island  of  the  group  is  Raro- 
tonga.  This  beautiful  island  remained  un- 
known until  1823.  It  was  then  discovered 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Williams,  an  English  mis- 
sionary. It  is  a  mass  of  mountains,  many 
of  which  are  high,  and  remarkably  romantic. 
The  island  is  about  30  miles  in  circumference, 
and  has  several  good  harbors  for  boats.  Its 
population  is  about  7,000. 

Mangaia  is  20  or  25  miles  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  contains  between  2,000  and  3,000 
inhabitants. 

Atiu  is  about  20  miles  in  circumference, 
hilly,  but  not  mountainous.  It  is  a  very  ver- 
dant island,  and  contains  nearly  2,000  inhab- 
itants. 

Aitutaki  is  18  miles  in  circumference,  and 


Of  TBI 

Uiri7BRSIT>l 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


679 


has  a  population  of  about  2,000.    The  land- 
scapes on  this  island  are  rich  and  variegated. 

Mauke  is  a  small,  low  island,  discovered 
by  Messrs.  Williams  and  Bourne  in  1823. 
Its  former  population  was  considerable,  but 
when  discovered  it  was  so  much  reduced  by 
repeated  wars  that  it  numbered  only  300. 

Mitlaro  is  a  still  smaller  island  lying  20 
miles  north-west  of  Mauke.  It  has  also  been 
nearly  depopulated  by  famine  and  wars,  so 
that  it  contains  not  more  than  100  inhabi- 
tants. 

Hervey^s  Island  is  the  one  from  which  the 
group  takes  its  name,  which  was  given  by 
Captain  Cook,  in  honor  of  Captain  Hervey. 

The  Navigators'  or  Samoa  Islands  are 
situated  between  10*^  and  20°  south  latitude, 
and  169*  and  174*  west  longitude,  and  con- 
sist of  eight  islands,  Manua,  Orosenga,  Ofu, 
Tictuila,  Upolu,  Manono,  Aborima,  and 
Savaii. 

Manua  is  a  small  and  almost  uninhabi- 
ted island,  circular  in  form,  and  so  elevated 
as  to  be  visible  at  a  distance  of  40  or  50 
miles. 

Orosenga  and  Ofu  are  two  small  islands, 
separated  from  each  other  by  a  narrow  chan- 
nel. 

Tutuila  is  about  50  miles  west  of  Orosenga. 
It  is  from  80  to  100  miles  in  circumference. 

Upolu  is  between  150  and  200  miles  in 
circumference.  The  mountains  on  this  is- 
land are  very  high,  and  covered  with  verdure 
to  their  summits. 

Manono  is  about  5  miles  in  circumference, 
and  is  attached  to  Upolu  by  a  coral  reef 

Aborima  is  a  small  island  about  2  miles 
in  circumference,  situated  half  way  between 
Manono  and  Savaii.  It  received  its  name, 
which  signifies  the  hollow  of  the  hand,  from 
its  shape.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  crater  of 
an  extinct  volcano. 

Savaii,  the  largest  island  of  the  group,  is 
about  250  miles  in  circumference.  The 
mountains  are  very  high,  and  visible  at  a 
distance  of  600  or  700  miles.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  this  group 
is  the  largest  and  most  populous  of  the  nu- 
merous clusters  in  the  Pacific  at  which  mis- 
sions have  been  commenced.  Its  population 
is  estimated  at  160,000. 

The  Paumotu,  or  Pearl  Islands,  are  sit- 
uated between  17°  and  23°.  south  latitude, 
and  139°  and  145°  west  longitude.  The 
group  consists  of  a  large  number  of  small, 
low  islands.  They  have  been  called  by  differ- 
ent names,  as,  the  Labyrinth,  the  Pearl  Is- 
lands, Paumotu,  the  Palliser  Islands,  and  the 
Dangerous  Archipelago.  Some  of  the  islands 
have  received  the  name  of  Crescent,  Bow, 
Harp,  and  Chain,  which  have  been  regarded 
as  indicative  of  their  shape.  The  population 
is  3,000  or  4,000. 

The  Marquesas  Islands  are  situated 
about  7°  or  8°  north  of  the  Pearl  Islands, 


and  extend  from  7*  to  10°  south  latitude, 
and  from  138°  to  140°  west  longitude.  They 
consist  of  two  clusters.  The  southern  clus- 
ter contains  five  islands.  They  were  called 
Marquesas  by  Alvaro  Mendano,  a  Spanish 
navigator,  in  honor  of  his  patron.  Marques 
Mendoza,  viceroy  of  Peru.  The  northern 
group  also  consists  of  five  islands,  and  as  it 
is  distinct  from  the  other  cluster,  it  has 
sometimes  been  called  by  another  name. 
Both  groups,  however,  are  usually  designa- 
ted by  the  common  name  Marquesas.  The 
geographical  extent  of  the  united  groups  is 
inferior  to  that  of  the  Georgian  and  Society 
Islands,  but  the  population  is  supposed  to  be 
much  greater. 

Most  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  are  sur- 
rounded, at  a  distance  of  from  one  to  two 
miles  from  the  shore,  by  a  coral  reef,  or  belt 
of  coral  rock,  several  yards  in  width. 
Against  this  reef  the  waves  of  the  Pacific 
are  constantly  dashing,  and  being  impeded 
in  their  course,  rise  from  10  to  14  feet  above 
the  surface  of  the  reef,  and  thus  form  a  beau- 
tiful liquid  arch.  From  the  outer  edge,  the 
reefs  shelve  away  underneath  into  deep  hol- 
lows. In  landing  from  canoes,  when  the  sea 
is  high,  there  is  danger  of  upsetting,  and 
being  forced  by  the  violence  of  the  waves 
into  these  awful  caverns,  from  which  escape 
would  be  impossible.  The  water  within  the 
reef  is  placid  and  transparent,  and  at  the 
bottom  may  be  seen  coral  of  every  shape  and 
color,  among  which  fishes  of  various  hues 
and  sizes  are  constantly  sporting.  In  most 
of  these  reefs  there  is  an  opening  large 
enough  to  admit  vessels,  through  which  a 
stream  of  water  enters  the  ocean. 

The  climate,  though  hotter  than  that  of 
Europe,  is  more  temperate  than  in  those 
parts  of  South  America  whose  latitude  is 
the  same.  Though  the  distance  of  the 
groups  from  the  equator  is,  on  an  average, 
only  17°,  they  are  surrounded  by  a  vast  ex- 
panse of  water,  and  enjoy  almost  daily  a  re- 
freshing land  and  sea  breeze.  Still,  the  heat 
in  the  low  lands  is  constant,  and  often  ex- 
cessive. The  changes,  on  the  other  hand,  are 
neither  sudden  nor  violent,  and  the  warmth 
of  the  climate,  though  debilitating  to  Eu- 
ropeans, occasions  no  inconvenience  to  the 
natives. 

The  islands  are  for  the  most  part  hilly,^ 
often  mountainous,  and  on  some  of  them  the 
mountains  rise  to  an  immense  height.  The 
sides  of  the  mountains  are  covered  with  ver- 
dure, and  at  their  bases  are  spread  fertile  and 
luxuriant  valleys.  It  would  be  difficult  for 
the  strongest  'imagination  to  conceive  an 
earthly  paradise  more  lovely  than  is  to  be 
found  in  some  portions  of  the  South  Seals- 
hinds.  Freed  from  the  usual  power  of  the 
tropical  heat,  and  fanned  by  the  soft  breezes 
of  a  perpetual  spring,  these  delightful 
regions  present  to  the  eye  extensive  and 


682 


SOUTH   SEA  ISLANDS 


and  vessels  for  washing  their  hands  were 
made  of  the  cocoa-nut  shell,  and  were  often 
beautiftilly  carved.  A  piece  of  bamboo-canc 
was  their  only  substitute  for  a  knife,  but 
this  they  used  for  a  variety  of  purposes. 
Like  the  American  Indians,  they  obtained 
fire  by  rubbing  together  two  dry  sticks. 
Their  principal  agricultural  instrument  was 
a  short  stick,  and  their  only  tools  were  an 
adze  of  stone  and  chisels  of  bone.  Their 
cloth  and  mats  were  made  by  the  women, 
from  the  bark  of  trees. 

Wars,  at  most  of  the  islands,  were  fre- 
quent and  exceedingly  destructive.  At  Iler- 
vey's  Island,  they  occurred  so  often,  and 
were  so  exterminating  in  their  character, 
that  the  whole  population  was  at  one  time 
reduced  to  about  sixty.  A  few  years  after- 
wards, when  this  island  was  visited  by  one 
of  the  missionaries,  it  was  found  that  by  re- 
peated combats  this  little  remnant  of  the 
former  population  had  become  smaller  still, 
so  that  five  men,  three  women,  and  a  few 
children  were  the  only  survivors.  When 
preparations  were  to  be  made  for  war,  every 
thing  else  was  neglected ;  for  war  was  con- 
sidered the  most  important  end  of  life,  and 
training  for  its  successful  pursuit  was  held 
in  the  highest  estimation.  In  time  of  war 
all  who  were  capable  of  bearing  arms  were 
called  on  to  join  the  forces  of  the  chieftain 
to  whom  they  belonged,  and  the  farmers 
were  obliged  to  render  military  service  when- 
ever their  landlord  required  it. 

War  was  seldom  proclaimed  hastily,  and 
the  preparatory  deliberations  were  frequent 
and  protracted.  Great  importance  was  at- 
tached to  the  will  of  the  gods.  If  they  were 
favorable,  conquest  was  considered  as  sure  ; 
but  if  unfavorable,  defeat,  and  perhaps  death, 
was  certain.  For  the  purpose  of  ascertaining 
the  decision  of  the  gods,  divination  was  em- 
ployed, and  in  connection  with  it,  offerings 
were  presented  to  the  divinities  invoked.  Suc- 
cess or  failure  was  inferred  from  the  appear- 
ance of  the  animal  offered,  either  before  or  af- 
ter it  was  placed  on  the  altar.  The  victorious 
party  pillaged  the  villages  of  their  enemies, 
cut  down  and  destroyed  all  the  bread-fruit 
and  cocoa-nut  trees,  and  often  left  the  island 
almost  uninhabited.  The  vanquished  fled  to 
the  mountains,  where  they  were  pursued  by 
their  enemies,  and  sometimes  overtaken  and 
slain.  Those  who  eluded  pursuit,  took  up 
their  residence  in  caves  and  dens  of  the 
mountains,  and  sometimes  became  perfectly 
wild.  Captives  taken  in  war  were  either 
slain  on  the  spot,  or  sacrificed  to  the  gods. 
On  the  day  following  the  battle,  the  bodies 
of  the  slain,  having  suffered  the  greatest  in- 
dignities, were  offered  to  Oro,  the  god  of 
war.  as  an-  acknowledgment  of  his  assistance. 
In  connection  with  their  wars,  the  natives 
were  accustomed  to  observe  many  ceremo- 
nies, and  to  offer  human  sacrifices  to  Oro, 


whom  they  Wished  to  preside  over  the  army. 
Various  ceremonies  and  offerings  to  the  gods, 
together  with  divination,  also  accompanied 
the  making  of  peace. 

Government. — Although  there  were  many 
points  of  resemblance  in  the  government  of 
the  different'  clusters  of  islands  in  the  South 
Sea.  there  were  also  some  peculiarities  in 
each.  In  the  Society  Islands,  and  in  some 
of  the  other  groups,  the  government  was 
hereditary  and  despotic.  The  chiefs  in  the 
island  of  Tongataboo  were  elected,  and  their 
power  limited.  In  the  Marquesas  and  Navi- 
gators' Islands,  each  tribe  was  governed  by 
its  own  chief,  and  was  independent  of  every 
other.  In  all  the  islands,  the  government 
was  interwoven  with  their  system  of  idola- 
try. The  god  and  the  king  were  generally 
supposed  to  share  the  authority  over  man- 
kind. Next  in  rank  to  the  king  was  the 
queen,  who  often  governed  a  whole  island. 
Immediately  on  the  birth  of  son  to  the 
king,  the  infant  was  proclaimed  sovereign, 
and  the  father  became  a  subject.  lie,  how- 
ever, continued  to  transact  business,  but  paid 
the  same  homage  to  his  son  that  he  had  be- 
fore demanded  for  himself.  The  king  and 
queen,  whenever  they  traveled  by  land,  were 
always  carried  on  men's  shoulders,  and  ac- 
companied by  a  number  of  "sacred  men,  or 
bearers,"  who  relieved  each  other  of  their 
burdens.  The  distinction  between  king  and 
people  was  strongly  marked.  Every  thing 
connected  with  the  former,  even  the  ground 
on  which  he  trod,  was  considered  sacred,  and 
no  person  was  allowed  to  touch  either  the 
king  or  queen,  on  pain  of  death.  The  inau- 
guration of  the  king  took  place  some  years 
before  he  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty-one, 
and  this  festival,  although  celebrated  in  a 
magnificent  manner,  was  marked  with  crimes 
of  the  deepest  dye.  Each  district  had  its 
own  chief,  whose  power  in  that  district  was 
supreme.  They  had  no  regular  code  of  laws, 
nor  any  court  of  justice.  The  people  avenged 
their  own  injuries,  and  the  chiefs  punished 
with  death  or  banishment.  Theft,  although 
common  among  them,  was  severely  punished. 

Religion. — The  islanders  generally,  and  es- 
pecially the  Samoans,  had  a  vague  idea  of  a 
Supreme  Being,  whom  they  regarded  as  "  the 
Creator  of  all  things,  and  the  Author  of  their 
mercies,"  called  Tangaroa,  or  Taaroa.  They 
believed  in  a  future  state,  but  their  ideas  re- 
specting it  were  vague  and  indefinite ;  and 
their  notions  of  paradise  were  material  and 
sensual.  Idolatry  prevailed  at  most  of  the 
islands.  The  inhabitants  of  several  of  them 
worshiped  their  departed  ancestors  ;  others, 
birds  and  insects,  while  the  greater  part  of 
them  had  gods,  the  work  of  their  own  hands. 
Their  gods  were  nearly  a  hundred  in  number, 
and  every  family  of  rank  had  its  tutelar  idol. 
So  great  was  their  fear  of  the  gods,  that,  to 
avert  their  anger,  they  would  not  only  devote 


SOUTH   SEA  ISLANDS. 


683 


to  them  every  valuable  article  they  possessed, 
but  murder  their  fellow  beings^  and  offer 
them  to  the  god.  The  worship  of  the  is- 
landers consisted  in  prayers,  offerings,  and 
the  sacrifice  of  victims.  Their  prayers 
were  generally  vain  and  useless  repeti- 
tions, addressed  to  the  god  in  a  loud  and 
unpleasant  tone  of  voice.  Their  offerings 
included  "the  fowls  of  the  air,  the  fishes  of 
the  sea,  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  the  fruits 
of  the  earth,  together  with  their  choicest 
manufactures."  Domestic  altars,  or  those 
erected  near  the  corpse  of  a  departed  friend, 
were  small  squares  of  wicker  work.  The 
altars  in  the  temples  were  usually  eight  or 
ten  feet  high,  and  were  ornamented  with 
plantain  leaves,  and  covered  with  sacred 
boughs.  The  animals,  when  presented  alive, 
received  the  sacred  mark,  and  were  allowed 
to  roam  at  liberty.  When  slain,  great  care 
was  taken  that  a  bone  should  not  be  broken, 
or  the  animal  disfigured  in  any  wa}^.  The 
atmosphere  in  the  vicinity  of  the  maraes  was 
frequently  rendered  offensive  by  the  action 
of  the  heat  on  the  offerings  of  meat  left  on 
the  altar.  In  some  of  the  islands,  the  in- 
habitants inflict  injuries  on  themselves,  in 
connection  with  their  offerings. 

Besides  animals  and  fruits,  human  victims 
were  not  unfrequently  offered  to  the  gods. 
These  barbarous  rites  commonly  took  place 
in  time  of  war,  at  great  national  festivals,  or 
the  erection  of  temples,  and  during  the  ill- 
ness of  the  king  and  chiefs.  The  victims 
were  generally  captives  taken  in  war,  or 
persons  who  had  rendered  themselves  odious 
to  the  king.  At  the  request  of  the  priest,  a 
stone  was  sent  by  the  king  to  the  chief  of 
the  district  where  the  person  selected  as  a 
victim  resided.  If  the  stone  was  received, 
it  was  an  indication  that  the  requisition 
would  be  complied  with.  Certain  districts 
were  regarded  as  tabu,  or  devoted.  From 
these  districts,  and  generally  from  families 
where  one  victim  had  been  previously  taken, 
another  was  demanded.  When  it  was  known 
that  any  ceremonies  were  near,  at  which  hu- 
man sacrifices  would  be  offered,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  devoted  families  fled  to  the 
mountains  or  caves,  and  remained  till  the 
ceremonies  were  past.  The  victims  were 
generally  unconscious  of  danger,  till  they 
were  seized,  or  stunned  by  a  blow.  Their 
doom  was  then  fixed,  and  their  death  certAin. 

The  account  which  has  here  been  given 
does  not,  however,  apply  to  the  religious 
system  of  the  natives  of  the  Samoas,  or 
Navigators'  Islands.  They  had  neither  tem- 
ples nor  altars,  and  practised  none  of  the 
barbarous  rites  that  were  observed  at  some 
of  the  other  groups.  The  form  of  supersti- 
tion most  prevalent  at  the  Samoas  was  the 
worship  of  the  etu.  This  consisted  of  some 
bird,  fish,  or  reptile,  in  which  they  supposed 
that  a  spirit  resided.    It  was  not  uncommon 


to  see  an  intelligent  looking  chief  praying  to 
a  fly,  an  ant,  or  a  lizard. 

The  islanders  generally  had  both  stated 
and  occasional  seasons  of  worship.  The  lat- 
ter were  observed  in  times  of  national  ca- 
lamities, such  as  the  desolation  of  war,  or 
the  illness  of  their  rulers.  At  the  close  of 
war. they  were  accustomed  to  perform  certain 
ceremonies,  the  object  of  which  was  to  purify 
the  land  from  the  defilement  occasioned  by 
the  incursions  of  an  enemy.  In  connection 
with  these  ceremonies,  prayers  were  offircd 
to  the  gods,  that  they  would  cleanse  the  land 
from  pollution.  It  was  then  considered  safe 
to  remain  on  the  soil ;  but  if  the  ceremony 
had  been  neglected,  death  would  have  been 
anticipated.  The  illness  of  the  king  or  chiefs 
was  supposed  to  have  been  owing  to  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  gods,  on  account  of  some 
offence  committed  either  by  them  or  the  peo- 
ple. Prayers,  if  offered  frequently,  were 
supposed  to  avert  anger  and  prevent  death. 
Costly  offerings  alwa5's  accompanied  their 
prayers  to  the  god,  and  the  value  of  the  gift 
was  in  proportion  to  the  rank  of  the  chief. 
Whole  fields  of  plantains,  and  a  hundred  pigs 
have  often  been  presented  to  a  god  at  once. 
If  recovery  followed  these  ceremonies,  the 
gods  were  supposed  to  be  pacified,  but  if 
death  ensued,  they  were  considered  as  inex- 
orable, and  were  destroyed. 

Religious  ceremonies  were  connected  with 
almost  every  event  of  their  lives.  An  ubu, 
or  prayer,  was  offered  before  they  ate  their 
food,  when  they  tilled  their  ground,  planted 
their  gardens,  built  their  houses,  launched 
their  canoes,  cast  their  nets,  and  commenced 
or  concluded  a  journey. 

Their  "  first  fruits  "  were  always  present- 
ed to  the  gods.  At  the  close  of  the  year 
they  observed  a  national  festival,  which  was 
considered  as  an  annual  acknowledgment  to 
the  gods.  A  sumptuous  banquet  was  pro- 
vided, after  which  each  individual  visited  his 
family  marae  or  temple,  to  ofter  prayers  for 
the  spirits  of  departed  friends.  Wi'tohcrafl 
and  sorcery  were  common  among  them. 

MISSIONS. 
London  Missionary  Society. — Georgian 
Islands.— In  1796,  this  Society  purchased 
the  ship  Duff,  and  sent  her  out  under  the 
command  of  Capt.  James  Wilson,  who  had 
retired  from  the  East  India  service  sovoral 
years  before,  with  twenty-nine  mis-^ion.iries. 
They  left  Portsmouth  on  the  23d  of  Septem- 
ber, and  arrived  in  safety  at  Tahiti  on  the 
4th  of  March  following.  On  their  arnval, 
seventy-four  canoes,  each  carrying  about 
twenty  natives,  put  off  from  the  shore,  and 
rowed  rapidly  towards  them.  About  ono 
hundred  of  the  natives  came  on  board,  and 
began  to  dance  and  caper  about  the  <leck  in 
the  most  frantic  manner.  When  their  aston- 
ishment and  delight  had  in  some  mcawire 


684 


SOUTH   SEA  ISLANDS. 


Bubsulcd,  many  of  them  voluntarily  left  the 
vessel,  and  others  were  sent  away  by  a  ven- 
erable old  man,  a  near  relation  of  the  royal 
family,  called  Manne  Manne.  They  after- 
wards landed,  and  were  presented  by  the 
king  with  a  house,  built  by  his  father  for 
Oapt.  Blip^h— a  spacious  building,  108  feet 
long  and  48  wide. 

The  island  had  been  visited  by  two  Spanish 
Catholic  priests,  in  1774,  who  resided  about 
ton  months  on  the  island,  but  effected  nothing. 

Captain  Wilson,  through  the  medium  of  a 
Swede  who  acted  as  interpreter,  informed 
Otu,  the  king,  of  the  object  and  design  of  the 
voyage.  The  king  received  the  communica- 
tion with  favor,  and  formally  ceded  the  whole 
district  of  Matavai  to  Captain  Wilson  and 
the  missionaries  ;  but  the  missionaries  were 
not  expected  to  appropriate  the  land  to  their 
own  use  to  the  exclusion  of  the  original  pro- 
prietors. 

The  Duff  now  proceeded  on  her  way  to 
the  Friendly  Islands,  where  ten  missionaries 
were  landed.  Captain  Wilson  then  visited 
the  Marquesian  Islands,  and  left  one  mis- 
sionary there,  after  which  he  returned  again 
to  Tahiti.  He  found  all  the  missionaries  in 
good  health,  and  learned  with  pleasure  from 
them  that  the  natives  continued  to  treat 
them  as  friends,  and  that  they  had  furnished 
them  with  abundant  supplies  of  food.  On 
the  4th  of  August,  1797,  he  sailed  from  Ma- 
tavai, taking  with  him  one  of  the  mission- 
aries, who  expressed  a  desire  to  return ;  and 
on  his  arrival  in  England,  the  society  ob- 
served a  day  of  public  thanksgiving  for  the 
success  that  had  attended  the  voyage.  This 
day  was  kept  on  the  first  Monday  of  the 
month,  the  same  that  has  since  been  observed 
as  the  Monthly  Concert.  Dr.  Haweis  preached 
on  the  occasion,  and  such  was  the  effect  of 
his  appeal,  that  the  very  next  day  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  passed  a  resolution  to  un- 
dertake another  voyage  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
In  the  latter  part  of  December,  1798,  the 
Duff  sailed  from  England,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  Thomas  Robson,  on  her 
second  voyage,  with  a  reinforcement  of  twen- 
ty-nine missionaries.  Ten  of  them  were 
married,  five  were  ordained  ministers,  two 
were  acquainted  with  medicine  and  surgery, 
and  most  of  the  others  were  botanists,  agri- 
culturists, and  artisans.  On  the  13th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1799,  a  little  less  than  two  months 
from  the  time  of  leaving  England,  the  Duff 
and  all  the  missionaries  on  board  were  cap- 
tured off  Cape  Frio  by  the  Buonaparte,  a 
French  privateer.  They  were  taken  to  Monte 
Video,  where  they  remained  several  weeks. 
The  Captain  of  the  privateer  appears  to  have 
been  a  kind-hearted  man,  and  expressed 
great  sympathy  for  the  missionaries,  saying. 
that  if  he  had  known  who  they  were  and  the 
"luse  in  which  they  were  engaged,  he  would 
^^'     ^iven  five  hundred  pounds  out 


of  his  own  pocket  than  to  have  met  with 
them.  By  his  kindness  the  missionaries 
were  at  length  furnished  with  a  passage  to 
Rio  Janeiro.  On  their  way  to  that  port 
they  were  again  taken  captive  by  a  Portu- 
guese frigate  bound  to  Lisbon.  During  this 
voyage,  the  missionaries  suffered  not  only 
from  want  of  proper  accommodations  and 
food,  but  from  the  inhuman  conduct  of  the 
Captain  of  the  frigate.  On  their  arrival  at 
Lisbon,  September  22d,  they  were  set  at 
liberty,  and,  with  the  exception  of  one  of 
their  number  who  had  died,  returned  to 
England. 

In  the  meantime,  the  king  and  chiefs  con- 
tinued friendly  to  the  missionaries,  and  sup- 
plied them  liberally  with  such  things  as  the 
island  afforded.  Several  of  the  missionaries 
had  been  selected  on  account  of  their  ac- 
quaintance with  the  mechanic  arts  ;  and  the 
surprise  of  the  natives  was  great,  on  seeing 
their  tools,  and  the  readiness  with  which 
they  were  used,  but  particularly,  in  the  work- 
ing of  iron. 

While  some  of  the  missionaries  were  em- 
ployed in  making  the  natives  acquainted  with 
the  arts,  others  were  diligently  exploring  the 
adjacent  country,  and  planting  the  seeds 
which  they  had  brought  from  Europe.  They 
all  beganj.  to  apply  themselves  diligently  to 
the  acquisition  of  the  language,  which  proved 
to  be  a  most  laborious  undertaking. 

In  1798,  in  consequence  of  attempting  to 
assist  Captain  Bishop,  of  the  ship  Nautilus, 
in  recovering  two  of  his  sailors,  who  had  de- 
serted with  the  ship's  boat,  four  of  the  mis- 
sionaries were  seized  by  a  party  of  natives, 
who  attempted  to  drown  them  j  and  it  was 
thought  that  the  outrage  was  committed 
with  the  sanction  of  Otu,  the  young  king. 
However,  they  were  rescued  by  some  of  the 
natives,  and  taken  to  Pomare,  the  old  king  ; 
who,  with  his  queen,  treated  them  kindly, 
restored  several  articles  which  had  been 
taken  from  them,  and  sent  them  home  in  his 
own  boat.  But,  in  consequence  of  this  oc- 
currence, eleven  of  the  missionaries,  con- 
sidering their  lives  in  danger,  determined  to 
leave  the  island,  in  the  ship  that  was  then 
there.  Pomare,  with  much  persuasion,  in- 
duced Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eyre,  and  five  single  mis- 
sionaries to  remain  ;  but  the  departure  of  the 
remainder  of  the  eleven  crippled  the  mission 
very  much.  Those  who  remained  now  deemed 
it  expedient  to  give  up  to  Pomare  their  public 
stores,  and  all  the  property  they  possessed, 
together  with  the  blacksmith's  shop  and  the 
tools.  But,  notwithstanding  this  precaution, 
they  were  frequently  alarmed  by  intelligence 
that  the  mission-house  was  marked  out  for 
destruction,  and  they  were  several  times 
plundered  of  valuable  articles.  Hostilities 
also  commenced  in  the  district  of  Pare,  in 
consequence  of  the  execution,  by  order  of 
Pomare,  of  two  of  the  men  who  had  so 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


cruelly  treated  the  missionaries.  The  in- 
habitants rose  in  arms  to  revenge  their  death  • 
and  when  peace  was  offered  them,  they  re- 
jected it.  Pomare  therefore  attacked  them 
with  a  numerous  force,  drove  them  to  the 
mountains,  killed  fourteen  of  their  number 
and  burnt  forty  or  fifty  houses.  Otu,  and 
his  father  Pomare,  not  bemg  on  friendly 
terms,  Manne  Manne,  the  chief  priest,  taking 
Bides  with  Otu,  formed  a  league  with  him  to 
deprive  Pomare  of  all  authority  in  Tahiti. 
They  made  war  upon  the  district  of  Matavai, 
put  the  inhabitants  to  flight,  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  land.  The  triumph  of  the  old 
priest,  however,  was  short.  Pomare  gave 
private  directions  to  Idia,  the  queen,  to  pro- 
cure his  assassination.  At  the  earnest  solici- 
tation of  his  mother,  Otu,  though  in  the 
3losest  alliance  with  Manne  Manne,  con- 
sented to  his  death.  This  event  appeared  to 
anite  in  one  interest  Otu  and  his  father, 
rhe  inhabitants  of  Matavai  left  their  places 
)f  retreat,  and  having  presented  a  peace- 
>ffering,  re-occupied  their  land.  The  mis- 
sionaries resumed  their  attempts  to  instruct 
;he  natives,  but  continued  to  meet  with  much 
;o  discourage  them,  not  only  in  the  acquisi- 
;ion  of  the  language,  but  from  the  insensi- 
bility of  the  natives. 

In  November,  1799,  the  missionaries  were 
sailed  to  mourn  over  the  death  of  Mr.  Lewis, 
me  of  their  number.  For  some  months  pre- 
vious to  this  event,  his  conduct  had  been 
luch  as  to  excite  the  fears  of  his  brethren, 
Lud  lead  them  to  feel  the  utmost  solicitude 
■especting  him.  Soon  after  the  departure 
>f  the  Nautilus,  he  expressed  his  intention 
►f  uniting  in  marriage  with  a  native  female, 
mt  as  the  missionaries  considered  her  as  an 
dolatress,  they  endeavored  to  dissuade  him 
i-om  it.  Mr.  Lewis,  however,  persevered  in 
lis  determination,  on  account  of  which  the 
onnection  that  had  subsisted  between  him 
,nd  the  other  missionaries  was  dissolved, 
le  removed  from  the  mission-house  to  an- 
ither  part  of  the  district,  but  was  still  con- 
tant  in  attendance  on  public  worship,  and 
ndustrious  in  the  cultivation  of  his  garden. 
U  soon  as  the  report  of  his  death  reached 
he  missionaries,  they  hastened  to  his  house, 
sphere  they  found  his  body,  which  presented 
adi cations  that  he  had  been  murdered, 
loon  after  this  the  small  band  was  again  re- 
uced,  by  the  departure  of  Mr.  Harris  to 
Jew  South  Wales ;  but  his  place  was  sup- 
lied,  in  the  January  following,  by  the  return 
f  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  from  Port  Jackson. 

Until  the  year  1800,  public  worship  was 
eld  in  the  mission  house;  but  on  the  5th 
f  March,  of  that  year,  the  missionaries,  with 
tie  assistance  of  several  of  the  natives,  com- 
lenced  the  erection  of  a  chapel.  The  mate- 
tals  were  mostly  furnished  by  the  chiefs, 
nd  when  it  was  nearly  completed,  Pomare 
ent  ajish  as  an  offering  to  Jesus  Christ,  re- 


685 


questmg  that  it  might  be  hung  up  in  the  new 
chapel.  This  was  the  first  building  erected 
in  the  South  Sea  Islands  for  the  worship  of 
the  true  God.  At  the  time  of  its  completion 
the  missionaries  indulged  the  hope  of  seeinc 
It  regularly  filled  with  worshipere ;  but  the? 
were  obliged  early  in  the  year  1802,  to  i)ull 
It  down  in  order  to  prevent  its  affording 
shelter  to  their  enemies,  or  being  set  on  fire. 
The  missionaries  continued  to  labor  among 
the  people,  but  without  any  apparent  success. 
Their  situation  was  in  many  respects  im- 
proved, but  their  property  was  still  exposed 
to  the  thefts  of  the  natives,  and  their  feelings 
constantly  tried  by  the  apathy  of  the  de- 
graded beings  for  whose  benefit  they  were 
making  such  sacrifices. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1800,  the  mission- 
aries were  visited  with  a  new  and  unexi^cted 
affliction.  Mr.  Broomhall,  who  had  for  some 
time  evinced  much  coldness  and  indifference  in 
respect  to  religious  things,  at  length  avowed 
that  his  sentiments  had  become  entirely  chang- 
ed, and  that  he  no  longer  believed  in  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  or  the  reality  of  a  divine 
influence  on  the  mind.  His  companions  en- 
deavored to  remove  his  skepticism ;  but,  fail- 
ing in  their  efforts,  they  separated  him  from 
their  communion,  and  he  soon  afterwards  left 
the  island.  The  brethren  followed  him  with 
their  prayers,  but  for  years  received  no  ac- 
count of  him.  At  length  he  made  himself 
known  to  the  Baptist  missionaries  at  Seram- 
pore,  and  conversed  freely  with  them  respect- 
ing his  state.  He  appeared  deeply  penitent, 
renounced  his  erroneous  sentiments,  and  pro 
fessed  his  belief  in  the  truths  of  the  Christian 
revelation.  Shortly  afterwards,  ho  embarked 
on  another  vovage  from  which  he  never  re- 
turned, and  nothing  has  since  been  heard  of  him. 
In  July,  1801,  a  reinforcement  of  eight  mis- 
sionaries arrived  at  Tahiti  from  England. 
The  number  of  missionaries  now  amounted  to 
thirteen,  who  were  organized  into  a  regular 
body.with  rules  for  the  regulation  of  their  pro- 
ceedings. 

In  1802,  the  missionaries  who  had  been 
longest  on  the  island  had  acquired  sp  much  of 
the  language  as  to  be  able  to  preach  to  the 
natives  in  their  tongue.  f]arly  in  that  year, 
Messrs.  Nott  and  Elder  made  the  first  rais- 
sionarv  tour  of  Tahiti,  and  in  a  little  more 
than  thirty  days  preached  in  nearly  every  dis- 
trict. The  natives  seemed  interested  in  the 
account  of  the  creation,  and  asketl  various 
questions  about  Jehovah,  and  bis  Son  Jcsos 
Christ.  Some  of  them  were  much  affected  by 
the  exhibition  of  Jesus  as  the  atonement  for 
sin,  others  said  they  desired  to  pray  to  the 
true  God,  but  were  afraid  to  do  so  lest  the 
gods  of  Tahiti  should  destroy  them.^  But  at 
this  time  a  serious  war  broke  out,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  king  having  taken  their  national 
idol,  Oro,  from  the  district  of  Atehuru,  by 
force  ;  which,  for  a  time,  interrupted  the  ope- 


686 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS 


rations  of  the  mission.  For  many  ^cars  the 
misBlonarics  were  treated  with  ridicule  and 
contempt,  and  their  hearts  were  often  grieved 
to  see  the  same  ignorance,  superstition,  and 
orucltv,  which  they  found  on  their  arrival,  still 
prcvad  among  the  heathen.  Sometimes  when 
tliey  had  gone  to  every  house  in  a  village,  and 
the  people  had  not  only  promised  to  attend 
their  meeting,  but  had  actually  set  out  with 
them,  they  found  on  reaching  the  appointed 
place,  that  only  two  or  three  had  arrived  there. 
Those  that  came  often  brought  with  them  dogs 
or  cocks,  which  they  would  set  to  fighting 
outside  the  circle  of  persons  to  whom  the  mis- 
sionaries were  preaching.  In  addition  to  these 
and  similar  trials,  they  were  sometimes  charg- 
ed with  being  the  authors  of  all  the  disasters 
of  the  people,  and  especially  with  being  the 
cause  of  all  the  diseases  which  prevailed  among 
them,  and  which  they  supposed  were  brought 
upon  them  by  the  influence  of  the  foreigners 
with  their  God. 

In  Sept.  1803,  old  King  Pomare,  who  had 
always  been  their  friend,  died.  Before  his 
death  he  recommended  them  to  the  protection 
of  his  son,  Otu,  who  now  assumed  the  name  of 
Pomare.  Early  in  1805,  they  had  formed  a 
vocabulary  of  Tahitian  words,  and  prepared  a 
catechism  in  the  language.  They  had  also 
made  considerable  progress  in  the  instruction 
of  the  children. 

The  king  had  for  some  time  applied  himself 
to  writing,  and  had  become  so  fond  of  using 
his  pen,  and  his  progress  was  so  rapid,  that  in 
the  beginning  of  1807  he  was  able  to  address 
a  letter  to  the  Missionary  Society  of  London. 
He  first  composed  it  in  the  Tahitian  language, 
and  afterwards  transcribed  the  English  trans- 
lation which  was  made  for  him. 

In  October  of  this  year,  Mr.  Davies  opened 
a  school  for  boys  in  a  part  of  the  mission- 
house,  and  was  so  much  encouraged  that  he 
composed  a  spelling-book  in  the  Tahitian  lan- 
guage, which  was  sent  to  England  and  printed. 
Kear  the  close  of  1807,  the  mission  sustain- 
ed a  heavy  loss  in  the  death  of  Mr.  Jefferson. 
He  was  a  man  of  ardent  piety  and  great  per- 
severance, who  for  ten  years  had  labored  unre- 
mittingly to  bring  the  heathen  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  ^ 

^  In  November  of  the  following  year  a  rebel- 
lion broke  out,  and  the  king  was  defeated. 
The  missionaries  were  compelled  to  leave  the 
island,  their  premises  being  destroyed,  and  all 
their  labor  apparently  lost.  All  of  them,  with 
the  exception  of  Mr.  Nott,  embarked  the 
first  opportunity  from  Huahine,  and  arrived  at 
Port  Jackson,  New  South  Wales,  in  Febru- 
ary, 1810,  Mr.  Nott  remaining  on  the  island 
of  Eimeo.  But  it  was  not  long  before  they 
received  letters  from  King  Pomare,  expressing 
the  deepest  sorrow  at  their  absence,  and  in- 
viting them  to  return  as  soon  as  possible. 
And  in  the  autumn  of  1811,  five  of  them  re- 
joined Mr.  Nott,  at  Eimeo.   They  were  receiv- 


ed with  ioy  by  the  king.  During  their  ab- 
sence he  had  scrupulously  observed  the  Chris- 
tian Sabbath,  and  he  now  expressed  the 
deepest  contrition  on  account  of  his  past  life. 
He  spent  much  of  his  time  in  reading  and 
writing  and  in  earnest  inquiries  about  God, 
and  the  way  of  acceptance  through  Jesus 
Christ.  He  had  for  some  time  past  shown 
contempt  for  the  idols  of  his  ancestors,  and 
expressed  a  desire  to  be  taught  a  more  excel- 
lent way,  that  he  might  obtain  the  favor  of 
the  true  God.  This  change  in  the  king's  views 
had  been  noticed  by  his  subjects  with  the  most 
fearful  apprehensions.  They  were  powerfully 
affected  on  one  occasion,  when  a  present  was 
brought  him  of  a  turtle,  an  animal  which  had 
always  been  held  sacred,  and  which  it  wag 
customary  to  dress  with  sacred  fire  w  ithin  the 
precincts  of  the  temple,  part  of  it  being  inva- 
riably offered  to  the  idol.  The  attendants 
were  proceeding  with  the  turtle  to  the  marae, 
when  Pomare  called  them  back,  audtold  them 
to  prepare  an  oven  to  bake  it,  in  his  own  kitch- 
en, and  serve  it  up,  without  offering  it  to  the 
idol.  The  people  around  were  astonished,  and 
could  hardly  believe  that  the  king  was  in  a 
state  of  sanity,  or  was  really  in  earnest.  The 
king  repeated  his  direction  ;  a  fire  was  made, 
the  turtle  baked,  and  served  up  at  the  next 
repast.  The  people  of  the  king's  household 
stood  in  mute  expectation  of  some  fearful  visi- 
tation of  the  anger  of  the  god  as  soon  as  a 
morsel  of  the  fish  should  be  touched.  The 
king  cut  up  the  turtle,  and  began  to  eat  it, 
inviting  some  that  sat  at  meat  with  him  to  do 
the  same,  but  no  one  could  be  induced  to 
touch  it,  as  they  all  expected  every  moment  to 
see  him  either  expire  or  writhe  in  strong  con- 
vulsions ;  and  although  the  meal  was  finished 
without  any  evil  result,  they  carried  away  the 
dishes  with  many  expressions  of  astonishment, 
confidently  expecting  that  some  judgment 
would  overtake  him  before  the  morrow. 
Pomare  now  requested  baptism,  but  the  mis- 
sionaries judged  it  expedient  to  defer  it  till  he 
received  more  instruction. 

Soon  after  the  return  of  the  missionaries, 
two  chiefs  arrived  from  Tahiti,  and  invited  Po- 
mare to  return  and  resume  his  government  in 
that  island.  After  his  departure  they  were 
cheered  by  the  accounts  which  they  received 
from  time  to  time  of  his  efforts  to  enlighten 
his  subjects  ;  and  one  of  the  missionaries  who 
visited  Tahiti,  returned  with  the  report  that  a 
spirit  of  inquiry  had  been  awakened  among 
some  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  island,  and 
that  two  of  those  whom  they  had  formerly  in- 
structed, occasionally  met  to  pray  to  God. 
Messrs.  Scott  and  Hayward  were  then  sent  to 
visit  Tahiti ;  and  the  morning  after  their  arri- 
val they  retired  to  the  bushes  near  their  lodg- 
ings for  meditation  and  prayer,  when  Mr. 
Scott  heard  a  native  engaged  in  prayer  in  his 
own  mother-tongue.  "  It  was  the  first  native 
voice  in  praise  and  prayer  that  he  had  ever 


iSOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


687 


heard,  and  lie  listened  almost  entranced  with 
the  appropriate  and  glowing  language  of  de- 
votion employed,  until  his  feelings  could  be 
restrained  no  longer.  Tears  of  joy  started 
from  his  gladdened  eye,  and  rolled  in  swift 
succession  down  his  cheeks,  while  he  could 
scarcely  forbear  rushing  to  the  spot,  and  clasp- 
ing in  his  arms  the  unconscious  author  of  his 
ecstacy.  The  name  of  the  native  was  Oito. 
He  had  formerly  been  an  inmate  of  the  mission 
family,  and  had  there  been  instructed  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God. 

Since  the  return  of  the  king  to  Tahiti,  Oito 
had  been  with  him  occasionally,  and  some  re- 
marks from  him  had  awakened  convictions  of 
sin.  Having  no  one  to  direct  him,  and  not 
knowing  how  to  obtain  relief,  he  applied  to 
Tuahine,  who  had  for  a  long  time  lived  with 
the  missionaries.  Tuahine  was  in  a  state  of 
mind  similar  to  that  of  Oito.  Their  conversa- 
tion strengthened  their  impressions,  and  they 
resolved  to  retire  to  the  valleys  for  meditation 
and  prayer.  This  course  at  first  excited  ridi- 
cule, but,  after  a  time,  several  young  persons 
united  with  them,  and  this  little  band,  without 
any  missionary  to  guide  them,  agreed  to  re- 
frain from  the  worship  of  their  idols,  and  from 
the  evil  practices  of  their  country,  and  to  ob- 
serve the  Sabbath  day,  and  to  worship  Jeho- 
vah only. 

Tuahine  afterwards  became  a  valuable  as- 
sistant to  the  missionaries,  not  only  as  a  teach- 
er in  the  schools,  but  also  in  translating  the 
Scriptures  into  the  native  language.  He  sub- 
sequently accompanied  one  of  the  missionaries 
to  Eaiatea,  and  was  appointed  deacon  in  the 
native  church  there,  a  station  which  he  con 
tinned  to  fill  till  his  death,  in  1827.  He  was 
nuch  respected  by  the  people,  and  died  in  the 
enjoyment  of  the  consolations  of  the  Gospel, 
it  the  age  of  forty-five. 

After  making  the  tour  of  the  island,  Messrs, 
i5Cott  and  Hayward  returned  to  Eimeo,  taking 
Fvith  them  Tuahine  and  Oito,  that  they  might 
ittend  the  school  which  had  been  opened 
here.  At  a  meeting  held  at  Eimeo,  after  the 
ledication  of  a  new  chapel,  in  July,  1813, 
M  natives  declared  that  they  had  already  cast 
iway  their  idols,  and  desired  that  their  names 
night  be  written  down  as  th6se  who  were 
ietermined  to  worship  the  true  God.  To  this 
lumber  11  others  w^re  soon  added,  among 
vhom  were  Taaroarii,  a  young  chief  of  Hua- 
line,  and  Matapuupuu,  the  chief  priest  of 
Eluahine,  who  had  long  been  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal supporters  of  idolatry  in  that  island, 
rhe  missionaries  held  frequent  meetings  with 
hem,  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  to  them 
he  doctrines  of  revelation,  and  uniting  with 
;hem  in  social  worship.  They  had  the  satis- 
action  of  hearing  some  of  the  new  converts 
ead  in  prayer,  and  were  surprised  and  gratified 
vith  their  fluency  and  fervor,  as  well  as  the 
ippropriateness  of  their  language. 
On  one  of  Mr.  Scott's  visits  to  the  residence 


of  Taaroarii,  to  preach  to  his  people,  Patii, 
the  priest  of  Papetoai,  expressed  his  intention 
of  bringing  out  his  idols  the  day  following, 
and  publicly  burning  them.  In  the  forenoon 
of  the  next  day,  the  preparations  were  made  ; 
and  the^ews  spreading,  multitudes  assembled 
to  witness  what  they  considered  a  daring  act 
of  impiety. 

A  short  time  before  sunset  Patii  appeared, 
and  ordered  his  attendants  to  apply  fire  to  the 
pile.  This  being  done,  he  hastened  to  the 
sacred  depository  of  his  gods,  brought  them 
out,  and  laid  them  down  on  the  ground.  They 
were  small  carved  wooden  images,  rude  imita- 
tions of  the  human  figure ;  or  shapeless  logs 
of  wood,  covered  with  finely  braided  and  curi- 
ously wrought  cinet,  of  cocoanut  fibres,  and 
ornamented  with  red  feathers.  Patii  tore  off 
the  sacred  cloth  in  which  they  were  enveloped, 
stripped  them  of  their  ornaments,  which  he 
cast  into  the  fire  ;  and  then,  one  by  one,  threw 
the  idols  themselves  into  the  crackling  flames, 
sometimes  pronouncing  the  name  and  pedigree 
of  the  idol,  and  expressing  his  omu  regret  at 
having  woi-shiped  it, — at  others,  calling  upon 
the  spectators  to  behold  their  inability  even  to 
help  themselves. 

The  example  of  Patii  produced  the  most 
decisive  effects  on  the  priests  and  people. 
Many  in  Tahiti  and  Eimeo,  emboldened  by  hia 
example,  not  only  burnt  their  idols,  but  de- 
stroyed their  maraes.  Patii  himself  became  a 
pupil  of  the  missionaries,  and  his  subsequent 
life  evinced  the  sincerity  of  his  profession  of 
Christianity. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  1813,  the  native 
Christians  for  the  first  time  united  with  their 
teachers  in  observing  the  Monthly  Concert  of 
Prayer.  The  names  of  50  who  had  renounced 
idolatry  were  now  recorded,  and  the  number 
of  those  who  attended  public  worship  was  so 
great,  that  it  was  found  necessary  to  enlarge 
their  place  of  meeting.  The  deportment  of 
those  who  professed  to  have  been  converted 
was  most  encouraging.  They  were  punctual 
and  regular  ip  their  observance  of  the  outward 
ordinances  of  religion,  in  social  meetings  for 
prayer,  and  in  seasons  of  retirement  for  private 
devotion. 

King  Pomare,  not  being  successful  in  recov- 
ering his  authority  at  Tahiti,  in  the  autumn 
of  1814,  returned  to  Eimeo,  with  a  large  num- 
ber of  followers,  all  of  whom  professed  to  be 
Christians.  And  so  rapid  was  the  progress  of 
divine  truth  among  the  natives,  that,  at  the 
close  of  1814,  no  less  than  300  hearers  regu- 
larly attended  the  preaching  of  the  GosjmjI, 
and  about  200  were  constantly  receiving  in- 
struction in  the  different  schools. 

But  the  success  of  Christianity  awakened 
the  jealousy  of  the  priests,  and  of  those  chiefs 
who  adhered  to  idolatry,  and  a  persecution 
broke  out  against  the  native  Christians.  One 
young  man  was  shot  at  and  wounded  ;  another 
was  seized  while  in  a  retired  spot  for  devotion, 


088 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


carried  off,  and  sacrificed  to  their  gods  1  The 
chiefe  of  several  districts  on  Tahiti  entered 
into  a  conspiracy  to  exterminate  the  Chris- 
tians ;  on  liearing  of  which,  they  fled  to  Eimeo. 
But,  on  being  invited  by  the  rebel  chiefs  to 
return  to  Eimeo,  Pomare  and  his  people  ac- 
companied them,  and  an  apparent  reconcilia- 
tion wiis  effected.  But,  on  the  Sabbath,  as  the 
king  and  his  people  were  at  worship,  they 
were  attacked,  and  an  obstinate  engagement 
followed,  in  which  the  king  was  victorious, 
and  the  pagan  party  completely  routed.  The 
king,  however,  would  not  allow  his  men  to  fol- 
low up  the  victory,  according  to  their  former 
customs,  to  take  vengeance  on  their  enemies, 
but  said,  "  It  is  enough." 

At  the  close  of  the  battle,  the  king  directed 
a  number  of  his  people  to  proceed  to  the  tem- 
ple in  which  Oro,  the  great  national  idol,  was 
deposited,  and  to  destroy  the  temple,  altar, 
idols,  and  every  vestige  of  idolatry.  In  the 
evening  of  the  same  day,  Pomare  and  the 
chiefs  invited  the  Christians  to  assemble,  and 
render  "thanks  to  God  for  the  protection  he  had 
afforded  them.  On  this  occasion,  they  were 
joined  by  many  who  had,  till  then,  been  zeal- 
ous worshipers  of  idols,  but  who  now  desired 
to  acknowledge  Jehovah  as  the  true  God. 

The  party  sent  by  the  king  to  destroy  the 
god  Oro  proceeded  to  the  temple  at  Tautira, 
and,  having  brought  out  the  idol,  stripped  it 
of  its  sacred  coverings  and  highly  valued  orna- 
ments, and  threw  it  contemptuously  on  the 
ground.  The  altars  were  then  broken  down, 
the  temples  demolished,  and  the  sacred  houses 
of  the  gods,  with  all  their  appendages,  com- 
mitted to  the  flames.  The  temples,  altars,  and 
idols,  all  around  Tahiti,  were  soon  after  de- 
stroyed in  the  same  way. 

Pomare  was  now  by  universal  consent  re- 
stored to  his  government,  and  to  supreme  au- 
thority in  his  dominions.  His  clemency,  on 
this  occasion,  made  a  strong  impression  on  the 
minds  of  the  vanquished,  who  concluded  that 
it  must  be  the  new  religion  which  had  pro- 
duced such  a  change,  and  unanimously  ex- 
pressed their  determination  to  embrace  it 
themselves.  "The  family  and  district  tem- 
ples, and  altars,  as  well  as  those  that  were 
national,  were  demolished,— the  idols  destroyed 
by  the  very  individuals  who  had  but  recently 
been  so  zealous  for  their  preservation,  and,  in 
a  short  time,  there  was  not  one  professed  idol- 
ater remaining."  The  people  were  earnest  in 
inviting  the  missionaries  to  come  and  instruct 
them  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion. Schools  were  established,  and  places  for 
public  worship  erected,  the  Sabbath  was  ob- 
served, divine  service  performed,  and  infant 
murder,  with  all  the  abominations  of  idolatry, 
were  discontinued. 

As  soon  as  possible  after  the  battle,  tidings 
of  the  result  were  conveyed  to  Eimeo.  The 
missionaries  were  almost  overcome  with  joy, 
when  they  learned  that  the  Christians  were 


safe,  and  hastened  to  render  thanks  to  God, 
with  feelings  which  it  would  be  impossible  to 
describe.  "  In  that  one  year  they  reaped  the 
harvest  of  sixteen  laborious  seed-times,  sixteen 
dreary  and  anxious  winters,  and  sixteen  unpro- 
ductive summers."  A  missionary  from  Eimeo 
was  soon  despatched  to  Tahiti.  On  his  arri- 
val, he  found  the  people  so  anxious  to  hear 
about  Jesus  Christ,  that  they  would  often 
spend  the  whole  night  in  conversation  and 
inquiry  on  subjects  connected  with  religion. 
The  schools  everywhere  greatly  increased,  and 
hundreds  wlio  had  been  among  the  earliest 
scholars,  were  now  engaged  in  imparting  to 
others  the  knowledge  they  had  received. 
"  Aged  priests  and  warriors,  with  their  spel- 
ling-books in  their  hands,  might  be  seen  sit- 
ting on  the  benches  in  the  schools,  by  the  side, 
perhaps,  of  some  smiling  little  boy  or  girl, 
by  whom  they  were  now  taught  the  use  of  let- 
ters. Others  might  be  often  seen  employed  in 
pulling  down  the  houses  of  their  idols,  and 
erecting  temples  for  the  worship  of  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  working  in  companionship  and  har- 
mony with  those  whom  they  had  so  recently 
met  on  the  field  of  battle." 

In  1816,  Pomare  sent  most  of  his  family 
idols  to  the  missionaries,  to  be  either  burnt  or 
scLt  to  England,  "  that  the  people  might  know 
Tahiti's  foolish  gods."  The  idols  were  accord- 
ingly sent  to  England,  and  deposited  in  the 
Missionary  Museum.  In  February  of  the  fol- 
lowing year,  the  mission  was  reinforced  by  the 
arrival  at  Tahiti  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ellis,  who 
expressed  his  astonishment  at  the  change  that 
had  taken  place.  Mr.  Ellis  had  brought  with 
him  from  England  a  printing-press  and  types, 
and  at  the  request  of  the  directors  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  had  learned  the  art  of  print- 
ing. The  curiosity  of  the  natives  to  see  the 
printing-press  brought  persons  from  different 
parts  of  the  island,  and  also  from  Tahiti,  to 
look  at  this  "  wonderful  machine."  Hundreds 
who  had  learned  to  read  were  still  destitute  of 
a  book.  Some  had  written  out  the  whole 
spelling  book  on  sheets  of  writing  paper, 
while  others  had  written  the  alphabet  on  pieces 
of  cloth  made  from  the  bark  of  a  tree.  Po- 
mare manifested  a  strong  interest  in  the  press, 
and  rendered  much  assistance  in  the  erection 
of  the  building  for  its  accommodation.  He 
was  allowed  the  privilege  of  setting  the  types 
for  the  first  alphabet,  and  of  making  the  im- 
pression of  the  first  sheet  that  issued  from  the 
press,  which  gave  him  great  satisfaction. 

The  curiosity  of  the  natives,  excited  by  the 
establishment  of  the  printing-press,  was  not 
easily  satisfied.  Pomare  visited  the  printing- 
oflSce  almost  every  day  ;  the  chiefs  requested 
to  be  admitted  inside,  and  the  windows,  doors, 
and  every  crevice  through  which  they  could 
peep,  were  filled  with  people  exclaiming,  "Ber- 
itanie  !  fentm  paari ; '  "  0,  Britain,  land  of 
skill,"  (or  knowledge.)  Multitudes  from  every 
district  in  Eimeo,  and  many  from  other  islands, 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


689 


came  to  procure  books  and  to  see  the  machine 
which  performed  such  wonders.  For  several 
■weeks  before  the  first  portion  of  Scripture  was 
finished,  the  district  of  Afareaitu,  in  which  the 
printing-office  was  situated,  resembled  a  public 
fair.  The  beach  was  lined  with  canoes,  the 
houses  of  the  inhabitants  were  filled  to  over- 
flowing, and  temporary  encampments  were 
everywhere  erected.  The  printing-office  was 
visited  by  such  numbers  of  the  strangers,  that 
they  often  climbed  upon  each  other's  backs,  or 
on  the  sides  of  the  windows,  so  as  to  darken 
the  room.  So  anxious  were  the  people  to  ob- 
tain books,  that  they  were  constantly  coming 
from  other  islands,  and  many  waited  five  or  six 
•weeks  rather  than  return  without  them.  Most 
of  those  who  received  the  books  made  them 
their  constant  companions,  and  read  them  care- 
fully and  regularly,  so  that  they  became  to 
them  the  source  of  their  highest  enjoyment. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  Georgian  Islands  having  embraced  Chris- 
tianity, the  missionaries  proposed  to  the  king, 
and  to  several  of  the  leading  chiefs,  the  plan 
of  forming  an  auxiliary  missionary  society, 
which  was  at  once  approved  by  them,  and  the 
13th  of  May,  1818,  which  was  the  anniver- 
sary of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  was 
appointed  for  its  organization.  At  sunrise, 
the  missionaries  attended  a  meeting  for  prayer 
in  the  English  language.  The  natives,  also, 
held  one  among  themselves  at  the  same  hour. 
In  the  forenoon  a  sermon  was  preached  in 
English  by  one  of  the  missionaries;  in  the 
afternoon  the  services  were  entirely  in  the  na- 
tive language.  Long  before  the  appointed 
hour,  the  chapel  was  crowded,  and  the  meeting 
was  adjourned  to  a  beautiful  grove  at  a  short 
distance  from  the  chapel.  Chairs  were  pro- 
vided for  the  king  and  chiefs,  and  a  raised 
stand,  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground,  for  Mr. 
JSTott.  The  services  commenced  with  singing 
and  prayer  ;  after  which  Mr.  Nott  delivered  a 
short  and  appropriate  discourse  from  Acts  8  : 
30,  31.  At  the  conclusion,  Poraare  rose  and 
addressed  the  multitude,  referring  to  their  for- 
mer habits,  and  to  the  wonderful  change  which 
the  Gospel  had  produced  in  their  condition, 
and  showing  their  obligation  to  extend  the 
same  blessing  to  others  still  in  heathenish 
darkness.  He  concluded  by  proposing  the 
formation  of  a  Tahitian  Misstonary  Society,  to 
aid  the  London  Missionary  Society  in  sending 
the  Gospel  to  the  heathen,  and  requested  those 
who  approved  the  object  to  hold  up  their  right 
hands.  Two  or  three  thousand  hands  were 
instantly  raised.  The  constitution  of  the  so- 
ciety, previously  prepared  by  the  missionaries, 
was  then  read  ;  a  treasurer  and  secretaries  were 
chosen,  and  the  people  retired  to  their  dwell- 
ings with  excited  and  happy  feelings. 

In  1817,  the  mission  had  been  remforccd 

with  seven  missionaries  and  their  wives ;  and 

early  in  1818  two  of  them,  Messrs.  Wilson  and 

Darling,  removed  to  Tahiti,  and  commenced 

44 


their  labors  near  the  place  from  which  the 
missionaries  had  been  obliged  to  fly  in  1809. 
New  stations  were  also  commenced  in  three 
other  districts  on  the  island  of  Tahiti. 

Pomare  had  for  a  long  time  been  engaged 
in  preparing  materials  and  erecting  at  Papaoa, 
on  the  island  of  Tahiti,  a  chapel  712  feet  in 
length  and  54  feet  in  width,  llie  roof  was 
supported  by  36  massive  pillars  of  the  bread- 
fruit tree,  and  the  sides  by  280  smaller  ones. 
The  walls  were  composed  of  boards  fixed  per- 
pendicularly in  square  sleepers,  and  were  either 
smoothed  with  a  plane  or  polished  by  rul^bing 
with  coral  and  sand.  The  building  contained 
133  windows  and  29  doors.  The  floor  was 
covered  with  long  grass,  and  the  area  was 
filled  with  plain  but  substantial'  benches. 
The  rafters  were  bound  with  braided  cord, 
colored  in  native  dyes,  or  covered  with  white 
matting,  the  ends  of  which  hung  down  several 
feet  from  the  upper  part  of  the  rafter,  and  ter- 
minated in  a  broad  fringe.  The  chapel  con- 
tained three  pulpits,  260  feet  apart,  but  with- 
out any  partition  between.  It  was  called  the 
Royal  Mission  Chapel,  and  was  first  opened  for 
divine  service  on  the  11th  of  May,  1819.  A 
sermon  was  preached  at  the  same  time  in  each 
pulpit,  to  an  audience  of  more  than  2,000 
hearers.  The  encampment  of  the  multitude 
extended  along  the  beach  on  each  side  of  the 
chapel  to  the  distance  of  four  miles.  A  long 
aisle  extended  from  one  end  of  the  chapel  to 
the  other,  crossed  in  an  oblique  direction  by  a 
stream  of  water  five  or  six  feet  wide.  The 
plan  of  so  large  a  place  of  worship  originated 
entirely  with  the  King,  and  the  chapel  was 
erected  by  the  united  efforts  of  the  chiefs  and 
people  of  Tahiti  and  Eimeo.  When  Pomare 
was  asked  why  he  built  so  large  a  house,  he 
inquired  "whether  Solomon  was  not  a  good 
king,  and  whether  he  did  not  build  a  house  for 
Jehovah  superior  to  every  edifice  in  Judea  or 
in  the  surrounding  countries." 

The  first  baptism  at  the  islands  took  place 
in  1819.  and  the  king  was  the  first  subject. 
The  ceremony  was  performed  on  Sabbath,  the 
6th  of  June,  m  the  new  chapel,  in  the  presence 
of  4,000  or  5,000  people.  The  exercises  were 
conducted  by  Messi-s.  Bicknell  aud  Henry,  two 
missionaries  who  had  arrived  in  the  Duff  more 
than  22  years  before.  This  public  prufes-sion 
of  religion  by  Pomare  was  followed  by  the 
baptism  of  many  of  the  converts. 

As  the  people  had  now  embraced  Christian- 
ity, they  were  desirous  that  their  civil  aud  ju- 
dicial proceedings  should   be  in  acconlanco 
with  the  principles  of  the  Christian  r^V  ' 
The  missionaries,  at  the  re<jui>st  of  1* 
assisted  him  and  his  chief--  •■■  <"•■"■:" 
of  laws.    On  the  13th  of  ^; 
large  number  of  people  from 
were  assembled  at  the  ann'w 
sionary  society ;  after  the  i 
opened  with  i)raycr,  the  ki  I  t'X- 

plained  the  laws,  and  aftti  d  the 


690 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


chiefs  if  they  assented  to  them.  They  replied, 
•*  We  heartily  agree  to  them."  Then  address- 
ing the  people,  the  king  desired  them,  if  they 
approved  of  the  laws,  to  signify  it  by  holding 
up  their  right  hands.  Thousamla  of  arms  were 
immediately  raised.  The  meeting  was  then 
closed  with  prayer  by  Mr.  Henry.  The  laws 
were  subsequently  printed  on  a  large  sheet  of 
paper,  and  sent  to  every  chief  and  magistrate 
throughout  the  islands,  and  posted  up  m  most 
of  the  public  places.  After  the  promulgation 
of  the  new  laws,  two  or  three  slight  insurrec- 
tions occurred,  but  they  were  easily  quelled ; 
and  their  authority  firmly  established. 

In  the  islands  of  Tahiti  and  Eimco,  Chris- 
tian churches  were  formed  early  in  1820,  which, 
though  small  at  first,  gradually  increased  in 
numbers. 

An  interesting  change  had  now  taken  place 
in  the  Georgian  Islands,  and  the  efifects  of  the 
Christian  religion  were  becoming  more  and 
more  apparent.  The  appearance  of  the  mis- 
sionary station  at  Burder's  Point,  in  Tahiti,  is 
thus  described  by  Mr.  Ellis,  who  visited  it  in 
April,  1821  :  "  Newly  planted  gardens  and 
enclosures  appeared  in  every  direction ;  several 
good  houses  were  finished  ;  some  were  plaster- 
ed and  thatched,  while  only  the  frames  of  others 
were  completed.  A  school-house  and  chapel 
had  been  erected.  The  latter  was  neatly 
finished  with  a  gallery,  the  first  built  in  the 
South  Sea  Islands.  The  congregation  on  the 
Sabbath  consisted  of  about  five  hundred,  who 
were  generally  attentive.  Here,  as  in  other 
stations,  the  singing  forms  an  interesting  part 
of  the  worship.  The  female  voices  are  usually 
clear  and  distinct,  but  those  of  the  men  rather 
inclined  to  harshness." 

With  the  introduction  of  Christianity  into 
the  Georgian  Islands,  a  striking  change  took 
place  in  the  habits  of  the  natives.  The  females, 
who  had  until  this  time  been  treated  with  con- 
tempt or  cruelty,  and  regarded  as  fit  only  for 
the^  most  menial  offices,  now  began  to  assume 
their  proper  station  in  society. 

When  the  missionaries  first  went  there,  they 
.were  annoyed  with  the  thievish  propensities  of 
the  natives ;  but,  after  this  change,  Mr.  Ellis, 
who  had  resided  at  Eimeo  more  than  a  year, 
remarked :  "  Although  we  had  no  lock,  and 
for  a  long  time  no  bolt,  on  our  door,  and  though 
sometimes  the  door  was  left  open  all  night,  yet 
we  do  not  know  that  a  single  article  was  stolen 
from  us  hy  the  natives,  during  the  eighteen 
months  we  resided  among  them." 

The  observance  of  the  Sabbath  was  so 
marked  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  offi- 
cers of  vessels,  which  visited  the  islands.  A 
ship  arrived  at  Tahiti  on  Friday.  It  was  soon 
thronged  with  natives,  who  offered  fowls,  fruit, 
and  vegetables  for  sale.  On  the  following  day 
the  traffic  was  continued,  but  on  the  third,  to 
the  astonishment  of  all  on  board,  no  individual 
-Came  near  the  ship.  The  reason  afterward 
iissigned  was,  that  it  was  the  Sabbath.    On 


Monday  the  intercourse  was  resumed  again,  as 
briskly  as  before. 

In  1821,  two  laymen  were  sent  out  for  the 
purpose  of  teaching  the  natives  the  useful  arts ; 
and  they  learned  to  manufacture  cotton  cloth, 
and  to  make  lathes,  looms,  and  spinning- 
wheels. 

While  these  things  were  taking  place  at 
Tahiti  and  Eimeo,  similar  events  were  occur- 
ring at  Tabuaemanu,  another  of  the  Georgian 
Islands.  Having  heard  that  the  people  of  the 
Huahine  had  destroyed  their  idols,  they  re- 
solved to  do  the  same.  In  1818,  Mr.  Davis, 
while  on  a  voyage  to  Tahiti,  being  driven  out 
of  his  course,  spent  nine  weeks  on  Tabuaemanu, 
instructing  the  natives,  and  when  he  left  them, 
appointed  two  of  the  best  informed  to  teach 
the  rest.  In  1819,  nearly  all  the  inhabitants, 
with  their  chief,  removed  to  Huahine,  to  re- 
ceive religious  instruction.  The  next  year 
they  returned  to  their  own  island. 

Mr.  Barff  visited  this  island  in  1822,  and 
found  the  inhabitants  living  together  in  great 
harmony,  and  diligently  endeavoring  to  im- 
prove in  knowledge.  Those  who  had  been 
received,  while  at  Huahine,  as  candidates  for 
baptism,  continued  to  act  consistently  with 
their  profession,  and  frequently  met  together 
to  exhort  each  other  to  love  and  good  works. 
During  his  stay  at  Tabuaemanu,  Mr.  Barff 
baptized  fifty-four  adults,  and  thirty  children. 
Two  native  teachers  from  the  church  at  Hua- 
hine were  appointed  to  labor  among  them,  and 
on  the  departure  of  Mr.  Barff  nearly  all  the 
inhabitants  placed  themselves  under  their  in- 
struction. In  1823,  a  church  of  thirty-one 
members  was  formed  at  this  station,  to  which 
thirty-five  more  were  added  in  1825.  In  1833, 
Mr.  Barff  found  the  outward  appearance  of 
the  settlement  greatly  improved  by  the  erec- 
tion of  houses  built  after  the  European  man- 
ner, with  neat  and  well  cultivated  gardens. 
The  judicious  labors  of  the  native  teachers 
had  been  followed  with  the  divine  blessing, 
and  order,  harmony,  and  industry  prevailed.  A 
new  chapel  had  also  been  built,  and  dedicated 
to  the  worship  of  God.  In  1836,  the  church 
had  increased  to  ninety  members,  and  there 
were  in  the  school  seventy-six  children.  AU 
the  adults  were  under  instruction,  and  most  of 
them  had  learned  to  read  the  Scriptures. 

Near  the  close  of  the  year  1821,  the  mission 
in  the  Georgian  Islands  experienced  a  heavy 
bereavement  in  the  decease  of  the  king  Pomare 
II.  He  was  the  first  convert,  and  proved  a 
steady  friend  of  the  missionaries ;  but  towards 
the  close  of  his  life  he  contracted  a  fondness 
for  spirituous  liquors,  which  proved  a  snare  to 
him.  On  his  death-bed,  being  reminded  of 
the  number  and  magnitude  of  his  sins,  and  di- 
rected to  Jesus  Christ,  he  replied, "  Jesus  Christ  ■ 
alone,"  and  shortly  after  expired.  He  wasj 
succeeded  by  his  son,  Pomare  HI,,  only  four 
years  old,  who  was  crowned  with  Christian  cere-i 
monies.    He  lived,  however,  but  about  a  year  I 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


C91 


and  a  half,  and  was  succeeded  by  a  daughter  of 
his  father,  who  was  afterwards  married  to  the 
yonug  chief  Tahaa,  to  whom  her  father  had 
given  his  own  name. 

In  March  1824,  the  South  Sea  Academy 
was  established  at  Eimeo,  by  the  Deputation 
from  the  Missionary  Society,  the  primary  do- 
sign  of  which  was  to  furnish  a  suitable  educa- 
tion to  the  children  of  the  missionaries.  Na- 
tive children  also  of  piety  and  talent  had 
access  to  its  advantages,  and  it  was  intended 
as  preparatory  to  a  seminary  for  training  native 
pastors. 

In  1829,  nineteen  years  after  the  natives  be- 
came Christians,  the  Rev.  Mi*.  Stewart  visited 
the  Georgian  Islands,  as  chaplain  of  the  United 
States'  frigate  Vincennes.  After  giving  an 
account  of  the  schools,  and  the  public  services 
on  the  Sabbath,  he  adds,  "  A  single  glance 
around  was  sufficient  to  convince  the  most 
skeptical  observer  of  the  success  and  benefit 
of  missions  to  the  heathen ;  for  it  could  not 
be  made  without  meeting  the  plainest  demon- 
stration, that  such  can  be  rescued  from  all  the 
rudeness  and  wildness  of  their  original  condi- 
tion, can  be  brought  to  a  state  of  cleanliness 
and  modesty  in  their  personal  appearance,  can 
be  taught  to  read  and  write ;  for  many,  be- 
sides the  intelligent  and  familiar  use  of  the 
Scriptures  and  their  hymn-book,  took  notes  in 
pencil  of  the  sermon  delivered ;  in  a  word,  can 
be  transformed  into  all  that  civilization  and 
Christianity  vouchsafes  to  man." 

In  1835,  there  was  an  awakening,  and  the 
houses  of  the  missionaries  were  thronged  with 
those  who  desired  to  be  instructed  in  the  way 
of  life.  Some  of  these  were  wild  men  and 
women  from  the  mountains  ;  but  among  those 
who  desired  admission  to  the  church  were  the 
queen,  her  husband,  and  her  mother.  In  Dec. 
of  this  year,  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures 
was  completed,  and  Mr.  Nott  went  to  Eng- 
land to  superintend  the  printing,  as  well  as  to 
recover  his  health.  In  1836,  there  were,  in 
Tahiti,  nearly  two  thousand  natives  in  church 
fellowship  ;  two- thirds  of  the  people  could 
read  ;  a  great  number  of  them  had  learned  to 
write  ;  and  the  schools  and  chapels  were  well 
attended. 

An  attempt  was  made  in  183G  to  introduce 
Catholic  priests  into  the  Georgian  Islands,  but 
the  queen  refused  them  permission  to  remain, 
and  ordered  them  to  depart  in  the  same  vessel 
in  which  they  came.  But  Mr.  Mocrenhaut, 
the  American  consul,  received  them,  and 
placed  them  in  a  house  where  they  locked 
themselves  in.  The  officers  of  the  queen,  how- 
ever, lifted  off  the  roof,  and  took  them  out  by 
force,  and  put  them  on  board  the  ship.  In 
1837,  a  second  attempt  was  made  by  an  Ame- 
rican ship,  from  Boston,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Williams,  who  undertook  to  force  two  Catho- 
lic priests  upon  the  queen,  in  which  he  was 
aided  by  the  American  consul.  Because  she 
would  not  receive  them,  he  demanded  $2,000 


damages,  and  threatened  to  send  a  man-of-war 
to  enforce  the  demand.  The  queen  wrote  a 
letter  to  President  Van  Bureu,  complaining  of 
the  conduct  of  Mr.  Moerenhaut,  and  the  presi- 
dent promptly  removed  him,  and  appoinfbd 
Samuel  R.  Blackley  in  his  room. 

Mr.  Moerenh«ut,  however,  was  rewarded  for 
his^eal  in  behalf  of  the  Catholics,  with  the 
French  Consulate.  The  Frencli  frigate,  Ve- 
nus, was  ordered  to  proceed  from  the  South 
American  station  to  punish  the  insults  offered  at 
Tahiti  to  the  subjects  of  His  Most  Christian 
Majesty.  The  captain,  on  his  arrival,  ordered 
the  queen  to  send  on  board  his  frigate 
$2,000  ;  to  write  to  the  king  of  France  an 
humble  letter  of  apology ;  and  to  permit  all 
French  subjects  to  reside  on  the  island,  on  tho 
most  favorable  terms.  The  deck  of  the  frigate 
having  been  cleared  for  action* these  requisi- 
tions, as  well  as  some  others,  were  enforced  by 
threats  of  the  immediate  destruction  of  the 
town  ;  and  the  queen  was  obliged  to  borrow 
the  money  to  meet  this  unexpected  demand. 

Captain  Harvey,  master  of  a  whaling  vessel 
who  visited  Tahiti,  in  May,  1839,  gives  the 
following  testimony  to  the  good  effects  of  mis- 
sionary labor  on  the  island: — "This  is  the 
most  civilized  place  that  I  have  been  at  in  the 
South  Seas ;  it  is  governed  by  a  queen,  daugh- 
ter of  old  Pomare,  a  dignified  young  lady, 
about  25  years  of  age.  They  have  a  good 
code  of  laws  ;  no  spirits  whatever  are  allowed 
to  be  landed  on  the  island  ;  therefore  the  sail- 
ors have  no  chance  of  getting  drunk,  and  are 
all  in  an  orderly  state,  and  work  goes  on  pro- 
perly. It  is  one  of  the  most  gratifying  sights 
the  eye  can  witness  on  a  Sunday  in  their 
church,  which  holds  about  5,000,  to  see  tho 
queen  near  the  pulpit,  and  all  her  subjects 
around  her  decently  appareled,  and  in  seem- 
ingly pure  devotion.  I  really  never  felt  such 
a  conviction  of  the  great  benefit  of  missionary 
labors  before.  The  attire  of  the  women  is  as 
near  the  English  as  they  can  copy." 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  in  these  islands, 
previous  to  the  introduction  of  the  French  pro- 
tectorate, which  has  been  the  means  of  opening 
the  floodgates  of  iniquity,  and  of  embarrassing 
and  finally  breaking  up  the  mission.  This 
measure  appears  to  have  been  brought  about, 
through  the  combined  influence  of  rurasellera 
and  Catholic  priests.  It  is  stated  in  the  report 
for  1843,  that  the  French  and  American  Con- 
suls had  determined  to  break  through  all  re- 
strictions ;  and  in  spite  of  law,  they  had  openly 
forced  the  sale  of  spirits.  "  I  have  seen  more 
drunkenness,"  says  a  missionary,  "  at  Eimeo, 
the  last  six  months,  than  in  seven  years  before." 
The  first  French  outrage  was  committed,  as 
already  stated,  in  consequence  of  the  Queen's 
refusing  to  permit  two  Catholic  priests  to  re- 
main on  the  island,  in  the  cxcrci.se  of  her  un- 
doubted right  of  sovereignty.  This  was  in  Au- 
gust, 1838.  In  April,  '39,  the  Artcmise,  another 
French  frigate,  put  into  Papeete  for  ftjpairs  ; 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


and  nftcr  receiving  tho  aid  of  the  natives,  and 
the  kind  hospitality  of  tho  ^'overnment,  for 
three  inontlis,  tlie.sc  acts  of  kindness  were  re- 
p^d  by  obliging  the  queen  to  abrogate  the 
law  excluding  Papists  from  settling  on  the 
island,  under  threat  of  overturning  her  govern- 
ment. In  Ma^,  1842,  Tahiti  was  visited  by 
the  French  ship  of  war,  LAuhe,  under*  the 
command  of  Capt.  Dubuset,  wlio  compelled  the 
queen  to  disband  her  police  force,  because  the 
commander  of  a  French  whaler  had  been  put 
in  confinement  for  drunkenness  and  riot.  On 
the  first  of  September,  of  tlie  same  year,  the 
French  ship  of  war,  Reine  Blanche,  of  CO  guns. 
Admiral  A.  Dupetit  Thouars,  arrived  at  Pa- 
peete, with  professions  of  peace.  After  a  few 
days,  the  queen,  who  was  at  Eimeo,  daily  ex- 
pecting confinement,  with  the  principal  chiefs, 
were  invited  to  come  to  Papeete,  that  the  Ad- 
miral might  pay  his  respects  to  them.  The 
principal  chiefs  came  and  dined  on  board,  on 
the  8th,  it  being  understood  that  a  meeting  or 
conference  was  to  be  held  the  next  day.  The 
same  evening,  the  British  vice-consul  and  the 
American  consul  were  notified  of  probable 
hostilities.  During  the  night,  a  secret  meeting 
was  held  between  the  French  and  four  princi- 
pal chiefs,  at  which  the  latter  were  induced  to 
sign  a  document,  addressed  to  the  Admiral, 
soliciting  the  protection  of  the  French,  osten- 
sibly leaving  the  internal  afiairs  of  the  govern- 
ment in  the  hands  of  the  queen,  and  stipulat- 
ing for  the  freedom  of  religion  and  the  protec- 
tion of  the  English  missionaries  ;  but  leaving 
all  afifairs  concerning  foreign  governments, 
foreign  residents,  port  regulations,  &c.,  with 
officers  appointed  by  the  French  government ; 
thus,  in  reality,  nullifying  the  stipulation  con- 
cerning the  English  missionaries.  The  Admi- 
ral demanded  the  queen's  signature  to  this 
surrender  of  her  sovereignty,  or  a  fine  of 
$10,000  for  alleged  injuries ;  and  if  she  did  not 
comply  with  one  or  the  other  of  these  demands 
in  24  hours,  he  threatened  to  plant  the  French 
flag  and  capture  the  island.  The  queen  signed 
the  docuinent  just  one  hour  before  the  firing 
was  to  have  commenced.  A  supreme  council 
of  three  Frenchmen  was  appointed,  from  whom 
there  was  no  appeal  but  to  the  king  of  France ; 
and  a  proclamation  was  issued,  threatening 
with  banishment  from  the  island,  any  person 
who  should,  by  word  or  deed,  prejudice  the 
people  against  the  French  government.  Un- 
der such  laws,  we  can  see  how  easy  it  would 
be,  at  &nj  time,  to  find  a  pretext  for  annoying 
the  missionaries.  ITiis  gross  outrage  called 
forth  protests  and  ex-pressions  of  sympathy 
from  most  of  the  Protestant  Missionary  Socie- 
ties in  Great  Britain  and  on  the  continent  of 
Europe,  as  well  as  of  the  American  Board  ; 
and  appeals  were  made  by  the  Directors  of  the 
Society  to  the  Governments  of  France  and 
Great  Britain. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  1843,  Tahiti  was 
visited  by  the  British  frigate  Talbot,  Sir  Tho- 


ma.s  Thompson,  Captain,  by  whom  a  meeting 
was  convened  of  the  queen  and  principal  chiefs, 
at  which  the  French  and  American  Consuls 
were  present,  to  confer  upon  the  changes  that 
had  taken  place.  By  request  of  the  queen,  the 
meeting  was  opened  with  prayer.  A  letter 
was  read  from  the  British  Admiral,  expressing 
the  sympathies  of  the  Queen  of  England  to- 
ward Queen  Pomare ;  and,  in  answer  to  inqui- 
ries, the  principal  chiefs  of  each  district  declared 
that  Queen  Pomare  was  their  only  sovereign  ; 
that  they  desired  to  bo  on  friendly  terms  with 
all  nations,  but  that,  if  she  required  aid  of  any 
nation,  it  was  her  intention  to  seek  it  of  Great 
Britain.  And  even  the  chiefs  who  signed  the 
request  for  French  protection  declared  that 
they  did  not  desire  the  aid  of  the  French,  but 
that  they  signed  the  request  because  they  were 
teased  to  do  so. 

On  the  2d  of  November,  following.  Admiral 
Dupetit  Thouars  paid  a  second  visit  to  Papeete, 
with  three  men  of  war,  and  demanded  the  re- 
moval of  the  emblem  of  the  queen's  sove- 
reignty from  the  national  colors,  which  she  re- 
solutely refused  to  do  ;  whereupon  the  gallant 
Admiral  declared  that  she  had  ceased  to  reign, 
and  took  possession  of  the  island  in  the  name  of 
the  king  of  the  French.  The  queen  issued  her 
proclamation,  ordering  her  subjects  to  offer  no 
resistance.  The  British  Consul  struck  his  flag, 
and  protested  against  these  proceedings.  The 
French  government  refused  to  sanction  this 
act ;  but  the  French  Protectorate  still  remained, 
to  the  lasting  disgrace  of  that  nation.  The 
French  authorities,  allying  themselves  with  the 
most  unprincipled  portion  of  the  chiefs,  have 
been  able  to  secure  the  passage  of  laws,  pur- 
porting to  come  from  a  native  legislative  body, 
to  suit  their  own  nefarious  designs,  and  sub- 
versive even  of  the  original  conditions  of  theii 
own  proposing. 

These  events  were  followed  by  continued  acti 
of  aggression,  on  the  part  of  the  French; 
which,  notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of 
the  missionaries,  and  the  commands  of  the 
queen,  led  to  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  na/- 
tives;  and  the  fairer  portions  of  the  island 
were  desolated  by  the  French. 

Early  in  the  year  1844,  Queen  Pomare  took 
refuge  from  the  insults  and  hostility  of  the 
French  on  board  a  British  vessel,  where  she 
remained  six  months,  and  afterwards  sailed  ic 
the  Carysfoot  to  Kaiatea.  On  the  2d  ot 
May,  Rev.  Henry  Nott,  one  of  the  missionaries 
who  first  landed  at  Tahiti,  in  1796,  was  called 
to  his  rest,  and  on  the  30th  of  June,  Rev. 
T.  S.  McKean  was  accidentally  shot  by  one  of 
the  native  soldiers.  A  number  of  stations 
were  at  this  time  broken  up,  and  others  re- 
duced very  low,  and  several  of  the  mission- 
aries returned  to  England. 

The  French  continued  to  exercise  full  sove- 
reignty, till  January,  1845,  when,  in  conse- 
quence of  instructions  from  government,  this 
'  claim  was  nominally  abandoned,  but  one  of 


SOUTH   SEA  ISLANDS. 


693 


the  most  corrupt  and  unprincipled  of  the 
chiefs  was  named  "  liegent,"  and  affairs  were 
carried  on  in  tlie  queen's  name,  though  really 
by  the  French  ;  and  many  arbitrary  regular 
tions  were  introduced,  among  which  was  one, 
changing  the  Sabbath  from  Sunday  to  Mon- 
day ;  and  another  prohibiting  the  missionaries 
to  travel  in  the  island  without  a  passport. 

In  1845,  the  French  attempted  to  introduce 
the  protectorate  at  the  Society  Islands,  where 
they  met  with  a  decided  resistance,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  they  blockaded  some  of  the 
ports.  But  subsequently  the  independence  of 
these  islands  was  guaranteed  by  the  French 
and  English  governments ;  yet  the  latter,  to 
the  surprise  and  grief  of  good  men,  acknowl- 
edged ihe  protectorate  of  the  French  in  the 
Georgian  Islands. 

In  1846,  in  revenge  for  an  attack  by  the 
natives  on  Papeete,  Governor  Bruat  drove 
them  into  the  mountains,  and  destroyed  every 
vestige  of  civilization  and  fertility  in  the 
country  below.  Every  house  was  leveled,  and 
every  tree  cut  down  and  burnt.  And  while 
the  better  portion  of  the  natives  were  thus 
hewed  down,  those  who  submitted  to  French 
rule  were  seduced  into  the  vices  of  the  invad- 
ers, and  intemperance  and  licentiousness  pre- 
vailed in  their  most  loathsome  forms. 

In  December,  1846,  the  patriot  forces  of 
Tahiti,  seeing  no  possibility  of  successful  re- 
sistance, surrendered  to  the  French ;  the  queen 
returned,  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  resusci- 1  Hitl'aa* 
tate  the  mission.  In  1849  the  new  French 
governor  under  the  Republic  arrived,  and  at 
first  he  appeared  friendly  to  the  missionaries, 
but  afterwards  he  employed  his  authority  and 
influeni;e  to  prevent  the  natives  repairing  their 
houses  of  worship,  or  making  contributions 
for  the  diffusion  of  the  Gospel ;  and  from  one 
district,  where  there  were  two  Catholic  priests, 
they  were  entirely  excluded,  lest  there  should 
be  controversy  about  religion !  But  amid  all 
these  troubles  the  Tahitiau  churches  received 
nui^erous  ac^^essions,  and  exhibited  progressive 
improvements  in  Christian  character ;  109 
members  were  added  to  the  church  at  Papaoa, 
in  six  months,  and  134  at  Papeete  ;  and  the 
queen  has  maintained  her  Christian  character 
throughout,  in  these  most  trying  circum- 
stances. 

The  missionaries  continued  to  be  subjected 
to  the  harrassing  interfei'cnce  of  the  French 
authorities,  while  an  influence  was  exerted  by 
the  latter  upon  the  natives,  exceedingly  preju- 
dicial to  good  morals  and  social  order.  At 
length,  in  1852,  a  law  was  enacted,  removing 
the  choice  of  pastors  from  the  members  of  the 
churches  to  the  principal  chiefs.  The  mission- 
aries of  the  London  Missionary  Society  were 
likewise  denied  the  privilege  allowed  by  others 
of  preaching  the  Gospel  in  their  own  houses. 
The  missionaries  regarding  this  as  a  violation 
of  treaty  stipulations  with  Great  Britain,  as 
well  as  of  every  principle  of  religious  liberty. 


retired  from  tho  island,  leaving  Mr.  Howe  in 
charge  of  the  mission  property  and  of  the 
theological  seminary  at  Papeete.  A  number 
of  native  pastors,  educated  at  this  seminary, 
had,  however,  previously  been  ordained,  and 
several  of  the  superammatcd  missionaries  ro- 
mained  at  different  places,  where  the  churches 
had  native  pastors. 

It  will  readily  be  perceived  that  the  state  of 
confusion  into  which  this  group  of  islands  has 
been  thrown  by  these  outrages  and  oppressive 
proceedings  must  have  proved  disastrous  to  the 
missionary  work.  It  has  certainly  been  the 
means  of  the  dissolution  of  morals,  the  destruo- 
tion  of  good  order,  and  of  strengthening  every 
evil  influence.  And  yet  the  work  of  God  has 
not  been  destroyed.  The  following  table  will 
show  the  state  of  the  churches  before  the  giv- 
ing up  of  the  mission  : — 


STATIONS. 


Tahiti. 

Papeete 

Paiiaoa 

Papeno 

Point  Venus 

Biinnauia 


Tiarci.... 
Paponriri. 
Tautira... 
Puea 


EWGO. 


Papetoai . . 
Afareaitu . 


Totals. 


is 


370 


The  returns  in  regard  to  schools  and  attend- 
ance on  public  worship  are  very  incomplete. 
The  number  of  communicants  is  probably  be- 
low the  fact,  the  churches  having  been  much 
scattered  during  tht^sc  trials.  At  Bunaauia, 
there  was  an  extensive  awakening  in  1850, 
which  was  much  accelerated  by  Mr.  Darling's 
farewell  sermon,  on  his  deuarture  for  England, 
and  which  resulted  in  the  addition  to  the 
church  of  about  80.  An  institution  for  rais- 
ing up  a  native  ministry  has  been  maintained 
for  many  years  at  Papeete,  which  promises  to 
supply  native  pastors  for  tliese  churchc-i.  Five 
of  them  were  called  to  the  pastoral  offurc  in 
1851,  and  8  more  were  in  the  institution, 
making  good  progress  in  tlieir  studies. 

Society  is/aju/i-.—When  the  missionaries  were 
obliged  to  flee  from  Tahiti  in  1808,  they  si)cnt 
sometime  atlluahine;  and  in  1814,  Mcsssrs. 
Nott  and  Ilay ward  made  a  second  visit,  and 
were  welcomed,  and  their  iiLstructi-—  --<.—<? 
to  with  serious  attention.  Aft. 
Wilson  and  Pomare,  while  sailing  :  •, 


694 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


were  driven  to  Huahine,  where  they  spent 
three  nioutlis  iu  preaching  the  Gospel  and  per- 
suading the  natives  to  abandon  their  idols.  In 
June,  1818,  Messrs.  Davies,  Williams,  Ors- 
mond  and  Ellis,  accompanied  by  a  number  of 
the  priucinal  chiefs  of  Eimeo,  sailed  from  that 
bland  to  lluahine  for  the  purpose  of  establish- 
ing a  mission  there.  On  lantling,  the  mission- 
aries found  that,  with  one  or  two  exceptions, 
the  natives  had  renounced  idolatry,  and,  in 

frofession  at  least,  had  become  Christians, 
nfanticide,  and  some  of  the  most  degrading 
vices  had  been  discontinued.  The  people, 
however,  were  not  yet  fully  acquainted  with 
tlie  nature  of  Christianity,  and  were  only 
partially  under  the  influence  of  its  moral  re- 
straints. The  outward  change  which  had 
taken  place  was  owing  to  the  example  and 
eflbrts  of  Tamatoa,  the  king  of  Raiatea,  and 
certain  other  chiefs  who  had  been  with  him 
at  Tahiti  and  Eimeo.  Soon  after  his  return, 
Tamatoa  publicly  renounced  his  idols  and  de- 
clared himself  a  believer  in  Jehovah  and  Je- 
sus Christ.  Several  of  the  chiefs  and  a  num- 
ber of  the  people  followed  his  example.  Here, 
however,  as  in  Tahiti,  the  idolatrous  chiefs  and 
inhabitants  resorted  to  arms  in  defence  of  the 
gods.  Exasperated  at  the  destruction  of  Oro, 
their  grcatnational  idol,theydetermined  to  make 
war  upon  the  Christians  and  to  put  them  all  to 
death.  Having  erected  a  house,  and  enclosed 
it  with  the  trunks  of  cocoanut  and  bread-fruit 
trees,  they  resolved  to  thrust  the  Christians 
into  it,  and  burn  them  alive.  Tamatoa  sent 
frequent  overtures  of  peace,  but  the  invariable 
reply  was,  "  There  is  no  peace  for  god-burners, 
until  they  have  felt  the  effects  of  the  fire  which 
destroyed  Oro."  The  attack  was  made  by  the 
idolaters  in  canoes,  early  iu  the  morning,  while 
the  Christians .  were  at  prayers.  AVhile  the 
idolaters  were  landing,  the  Christians  rushed 
to  the  shore,  and  extended  their  little  army  as 
far  as  it  would  reach.  The  boldness  of  this 
movement  filled  the  assailants  with  consterna- 
tion. After  a  short  resistance,  they  threw 
away  their  arms  and  fled  for  their  lives,  ex- 
pecting to  meet  with  the  same  barbarous 
treatment  which  they  would  have  inflicted  had 
they  been  the  conquerors.  Perceiving,  how- 
ever, that  those  who  had  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  the  Christians  sustained  no  injury,  they 
came  forward  and  threw  themselves  on  the 
mercy  of  the  victors.  As  the  prisoners  were 
conducted  into  the  presence  of  the  chief,  a 
herald  who  stood  by  his  side,  shouted,  "  Wel- 
come !  welcome  !  you  are  saved  by  Jesus,  and 
the  influence  of  the  religion  of  mercy  which 
we  have  embraced !"  When  the  chief  who 
had  led  the  heathen  party  was  taken,  and  con- 
ducted, pale  and  trembling,  into  the  presence 
of  Tamatoa,  he  exclaimed,  "  Am  I  dead  ?" 
His  fears  were,  however,  soon  dissipated  by 
the  reply,  "  No,  brother  ;  cease  to  tremble  ; 
you  are  saved  by  Jesus !"  The  Christians 
soon  prepared  a  feast  for  them,  consisting  of  a 


hundred  baked  pigs,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
bread-fruit.  J3ut  so  overcome  were  the  prison- 
ers by  the  kindness  with  which  they  were 
treated,  that  but  few  of  them  were  able  to  par- 
take of  the  food.  One  of  them  rose  from  the 
table,  and  declared  his  determination  never 
again  to  worship  the  gods  who  could  not  pro- 
tect them  in  the  hour  of  danger.  "  We  were," 
said  he,  "  four  times  the  number  of  the  praying 
people,  yet  they  have  conquered  us  with  the 
greatest  ease.  Jehovah  is  the  true  God.  Had 
we  conquered  them,  they  would  at  this  moment 
have  been  burning  in  the  house  we  made  strong 
for  the  purpose.  But  instead  of  injuring  us, 
or  our  wives  or  children,  they  have  prepared 
for  us  this  sumptuous  feast.  Theirs  is  a  reli- 
gion of  mercy.  I  will  go  and  unite  myself  to 
this  people."  A  similar  feeling  seemed  to 
pervade  the  whole  company.  That  very  night 
they  bowed  their  knees,  and  united  with  the 
Christians  in  returning  thanks  to  God  for  the. 
victory  he  had  given  them.  On  the  following 
morning,  the  Christians  and  the  heathen  joined 
their  eflbrts  to  demolish  the  gods  and  maraes, 
and  three  days  after  the  battle  every  vestige 
of  idolatn^  was  destroyed. 

The  inhabitants  of  Tahaa,  Borabora,  and 
Huahine  soon  followed  the  example  of  the  Ra- 
iateans,  demolishing  their  temples  and  burning 
their  gods.  A  number  of  the  chiefs  and  peo- 
ple of  Borabora  and  Raiatea  visited  Maurua, 
the  most  westerly  of  the  Society  Islands,  and 
succeeded  in  persuading  the  inhabitants  to  de- 
stroy their  temples  and  idols.  The  reign  of 
idolatry  in  this  group  was  now  at  an  end.  In 
one  year  the  system  of  false  worship,  which 
had  so  long  prevailed,  was  abolished,  and  most 
of  the  people  adopted  the  external  forms  of 
Christianity. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  missionaries  at 
Huahine,  Tamatoa,  king  of  Raiatea,  visited 
them,  in  order  to  persuade  some  of  them  to 
remove  to  these  islands ;  and  Messrs.  Williams 
and  Threlkeld  accompanied  him  to  Raiatea. 
Immediately  on  the  introduction  of  the  6^os- 
pel,  the  natives  began  to  lay  aside  their  "idle 
habits,  and  to  cultivate  the  arts  of  civilized 
life.  They  began  the  cultivation  of  cotton 
and  sugar-cane ;  and  in  October,  1818,  they 
followed  the  example  of  the  Tahitians  in  the 
formation  of  a  missionary  society.  The  mis- 
sionaries soon  acquired  a  BufiBcient  knowledge 
of  the  language  to  preach  to  the  natives,  of 
whom  they  had  large  and  attentive  congrega- 
tions.   A  flourishing  school  was  also  sustained. 

A  carpenter's  shop  had  been  erected,  the 
forge  was  in  daily  operation,  and  a  large  place 
of  worship  was  building.  The  missionaries 
had  erected  dwellings  for  themselves,  the  frame- 
work of  which  was  of  wood,  wattled,  and  plas- 
tered with  lime  made  of  coral.  "  It  was  my 
determination  when  I  left  England,"  says  Mr. 
Williams,  "  to  have  as  respectable  a  dwelling 
as  I  could  erect,  for  the  missionary  does  not  go 
to  barbarize  himself,  but  to  civilize  the  hea- 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


695 


then.    He  ought  not  therefore  to  sink  down  to 
their  standard,  but  to  elevate  them  to  his." 

A  house  similar  to  that  of  Mr.  AVillianis' 
was  soon  after  built  for  Tamatoa,  which  was 
the  first  of  the  kind  erected  for  their  own 
abode  by  any  of  the  natives  of  the  South  Sea 
Islands.  A  plastered  house  was  soon  after  fin- 
ished on  the  island  of  Huahine,  in  the  district 
of  Fare.  The  success  of  the  individuals  who 
had  built  houses  encouraged  others  to  follow 
their  example,  and  the  settlements  in  the  Lee- 
ward Islands  soon  began  to  assume  a  new 
aspect.  The  people  of  these  islands  were  also 
occupied  in  building  chapels  for  the  worship 
of  God.  The  edifice  erected  for  this  purpose 
in  Raiatca  was  more  than  one  hundred  feet 
in  length  and  forty-two  feet  in  width.  It 
was  completed  and  opened  for  divine  service 
early  in  the  year  1820,  when  upwards  of  2,400 
inhabitants  of  that  and  the  adjacent  islands 
assembled  within  its  walls.  By  the  ingenuity 
of  the  missionaries,  it  was  subsequently  fur- 
nished with  a  rustic  set  of  chandeliers,  the 
frames  of  which  were  of  light  wood  and  opaque 
cocoanut  shells.  The  chapel  in  Huahine,  100 
feet  long  and  60  wide,  was  also  finished  and 
opened  in  May  of  this  year.  The  walls  were 
plastered  within  and  without,  and  the  windows 
closed  with  sliding  shutters.  All  classes  had 
cheerfully  united  in  the  work,  and  the  king  of 
the  island,  with  his  son,  a  youth  of  seventeen, 
were  daily  employed  in  directing  the  laborers 
or  using  the  plane  and  chisel  themselves. 

The  old  chapel  was  converted  into  a  school- 
house,  and  two  other  buildings  were  afterwards 
erected,  one  for  the  boys'  school  and  the  other 
for  the  girls'.  Schools  were  also  established 
in  the  other  islands  of  the  group,  and  the 
improvement  of  the  pupils  became  daily  more 
and  more  perceptible.  The  same  eagerness  to 
obtain  books  was  manifested  here  as  in  the 
Windward  Islands,  and  nothing  could  exceed 
the  delight  with  which  the  treasure  was  re- 
ceived by  those  who  were  so  fortunate  as  to 
obtain  one.  And  the  same  general  improve- 
ment was  manifest  in  the  people  as  has  been 
described  at  the  Georgian  Islands,  in  the  adoi> 
tiou  of  the  dress  and  habits  of  civilization. 
But  in  no  respect  was  the  change  in  the  South 
Sea  Islanders  more  apparent  than  in  their 
manner  of  spending  the  Sabbath.  It  was  cus- 
tomary for  those  who  resided  at  a  distance  to 
repair  to  the  settlement  before  the  Sabbath. 
On  a  Saturday  afternoon,  parties  from  every 
direction  were  seen  approaching  the  missionary  j 
station,  either  by  sea  or  by  land.  The  shore 
was  lined  with  canoes,  and  the  encampment  of 
natives  along  the  beach  presented  a  scene  of 
bustling  activity.  Their  food  for  the  Sabbath 
was  all  prepared  on  Saturday,  and  carefully 
placed  in  baskets.  Their  calabashes  were  filled 
with  fresh  water,  their  fruit  was  gathered,  and 
bundles  of  the  broad  hibiscus  leaf  were  collect- 
ed to  serve  instead  of  plates.  The  dwellings 
of  the  natives  appeared  more  than  usually  neat 


and  clean,  and  at  an  early  hour  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  Sabbath  were  completed.  No 
visits  were  made  on  the  Sabbath,  and  no  com- 
pany entertained ;  nor  was  any  fire  kindled 
except  in  case  of  sickness.  This  strict  observ- 
ance of  the  Sabbath  was  never  directly  enjoin- 
ed by  the  missionaries.  It  was  no  doubt  partly 
attributable  to  the  example  of  their  teachers, 
but  with  many  it  was  probably  the  result  of 
impressions  left  on  their  minds  by  their  former 
superstitious  system.  While  they  were  hea- 
then, their  religion  consisted  in  a  great  mea- 
sure in  the  strict  observance  of  sacred  days, 
and  the  pur.ctilious  performance  of  ceremonies. 
But  some  of  them  were  actuated  by  conscien- 
tious Christian  motives. 

The  private  devotions  of  the  natives  on  the 
Sabbath  were  finished  by  sunrise;  and  soon 
after  that  time  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabit- 
ants assembled  for  their  weekly  prayer-meeting. 
Often  600  or  800  were  present.  The  meeting 
was  generally  conducted  by  a  native,  one  per- 
haps who  had  formerly  been  an  idolatrous 
priest.  The  singing  of  a  hynm,  and  the  read- 
ing of  a  portion  of  Scripture,  were  followed  by 
prayers  of  the  most  appropriate  and  touching 
character.  At  eight  o'clock,  the  children  as- 
sembled in  the  Sabbath-school,  where  they 
remained  an  hour.  They  were  then  conducted 
to  the  chapel,  each  class  walking  in  ])airs  with 
its  teacher.  A  particular  portion  of  the  cha- 
pel was  assigned  to  the  Sabbath-school  schol- 
ars, and  here  they  all  quietly  seated  themselves, 
waiting  for  the  commencement  of  public  wor- 
ship. In  the  afternoon  they  again  assembled 
in  the  schools  to  read  the  Scriptures,  and  to 
repeat  hymns  and  the  catechism.  They  were 
also  questioned  as  to  their  recollection  'of  the 
morning  sermon,  and  it  was  often  surprising 
to  see  the  readiness  with  which  they  would 
repeat  not  only  the  text,  but  the  divisions,  and 
often  the  leading  thoughts  of  the  discourse. 
At  the  close  of  the  school  the  afternoon  wor- 
ship was  held.  A  weekly  lecture  was  also  de- 
livered, which  was  always  well  attended.  A 
sea  captain,  who  was  present  at  one  of  these 
meetings,  says,  "The  most  perfect  order  reigned 
the  whole  time  of  the  service.  The  devout 
attention  which  these  poor  people  paid  to  what 
was  going  forward,  and  the  earnestness  with 
which  they  listened  to  their  teacher,  would 
shame  an  English  congregation." 

A  meeting  was  held  every  week  for  the  in- 
struction of  those  who  wished  to  make  a  pnb- 
lie  profession  of  religion  ;  basides  which  there 
were  occasional  meetings  for  convei>atiou.  At 
these  the  natives  inquired  the  meaning  of  dif- 
ferent passages  of  Scripture,  and  a>ked  <»ll.er 
questions  on  miscellaneous  subjects. 

The  baptism  of  the  first  converts  in  the  So- 
ciety Islands  took  place  in  Huahine.  in  Sep- 
tember, 1819.  Mahine,  the  principal  chief  of 
the  island,  was  among  the  number.  'I'he  name 
of  every  individual  was  formerly  dej«eriptivc  of 
some  event  or  quality,  and  many  of  them  were. 


696 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


signilicant  of  son^jibing  blasphemous,  idola- 
trous, or  impure.  ^Thcse  the  niissionaries  ad- 
vised the  people  to  renounce,  and  select  those 
by  wliich  iu  future  they  wished  to  be  called. 
Script unil  names  were  in  general  chosen  by 
the  adults  for  themselves  and  their  children. 
After  the  first  baptism,  an  address,  on  the  na 
turc  of  the  ordinance  and  the  duties  of  those 
who  received  it,  was  printed  and  widely  cir- 
culated, apparently  with  good  effect.  The 
weekly  meeting  for  those  who  desired  baptism 
was  continued,  and,  after  the  first  administra- 
tion of  this  rite,  the  number  of  those  attending 
it  was  greatly  increased.  Many,  who  had 
previously  been  indifferent  to  religion,  now 
seemed  in  earnest  to  obtain  it,  and  not  only  in 
Huahine  but  in  the  other  missionary  stations, 
a  general  desire  to  obtain  the  favor  of  God 
seemed  to  prevail  among  the  people.  "  Often," 
says  Mr.  Ellis,  "  have  we  been  aroused  at  break 
of  day,  by  persons  coming  to  inquire  what 
they  must  do  to  be  gaved."  Many,  who  at  that 
time  were  awakened  and  professed  conversion, 
have  ever  since  given  evidence  of  being  actu- 
ated by  Christian  principle ;  but  some  having 
been  baptized,  were  disposed  to  rest  satisfied 
without  making  greater  attainments.  It  there- 
fore became  necessary  for  the  missionaries  to 
lengthen  the  terra  of  probation,  and  in  some 
instances  persons  have  been  candidates  more 
than  two  years. 

This  first  awakening  in  the  Society  Islands 
occurred  in  the  years  1819  and  1820.  Early 
in  May,  1820,  the  first  Christian  church  in  this 
group  was  organized  at  Huahine,  and  on  the 
following  Sabbath  16  persons,  who  gave  evi- 
dence of  a  saving  change,  united  for  the  first 
time  with  the  missionaries  in  the  commemora- 
tion of  the  death  of  Christ,  in  the  presence  of 
several  hundreds,  who  by  their  thoughtful  and 
serious  countenances  evinced  how  deeply  they 
were  affected  by  it.  The  annual  meeting  of 
the  Missionary  Society  in  Huahine  was  held 
soon  after  the  formation  of  the  church.  The 
subscriptions  amounted  to  between  3,000  and 
4,000  gallons  of  oil,  besides  cotton  and  other 
articles.  In  February  of  the  following  year, 
four  of  the  converts,  who  had  long  been  con- 
sistent Christians,  were  set  apart  to  the  office 
of  deacons,  and  proved  valuable  assistants  to 
the  missionaries.  So  general  had  the  interest 
in  religious  things  become,  that  wherever  the 
people  were  collected,  religion  was  the  topic 
of  conversation.  The  houses  of  the  missiona- 
ries were  sometimes  thronged  at  day-break  by 
those  whose  minds  were  distressed,  and  often, 
after  they  had  retired  to  rest,  some  would 
ccrae  to  their  doors  and  beg  for  instruction. 
A  great  change  had  taken  place  in  these  once 
degraded  islanders.  The  aged  and  the  sick, 
who  had  formerly  been  treated  with  the  great- 
est neglect  and  cruelty,  were  now  nursed  with 
care  by  their  relatives  and  children.  In  some 
of  the  islands,  benevolent  societies  were  formed 
.among  the  natives,  for  the  purpose  of  building 


houses  for  the  poor,  and  supplying  with  food 
and  clothing  the  sick  who  had  no  friends  to 
take  care  of  them.  Besides  this,  they  were 
visited  by  persons  who  read  the  Scriptures  and 
prayed  with  them,  so  that  their  last  days  were 
cheered  by  the  precious  consolations  of  the 
(Gospel.  Parental  restraint  and  discipline  be- 
gan also  to  receive  attention.  The  mothers 
endeavored  to  influence  their  children  and  gain 
their  affection  by  kindness.  The  fathers  some- 
times resorted  to  harsher  measures. 

But  there  were  some  young  men  who  did 
not  relish  the  restraints  which  Christianity  had 
imposed  upon  them  ;  and  they  entered  into  a 
conspiracy  to  murder  the  missionaries  and 
overturn  the  government.  They  w^ere,  how- 
ever, detected,  and  the  chiefs  held  a  meeting 
and  determined  to  put  the  ringleaders  to 
death.  But  the  missionaries  interceded  for 
their  lives,  and,  after  a  whole  day's  discussion, 
the  chiefs  yielded.  In  the  course  of  conversa- 
tion, the  chiefs  inquired  what  the  English 
people  would  do  in  such  circumstances,  and 
were  informed  that  in  England  there  were  es- 
tablished laws,  by  which  all  offenders  were 
tried  before  judges  appointed  for  the  purpose. 
They  then  wished  to  know  what  judges  and 
laws  were,  and  when  the  subject  was  explained 
to  them,  they  said,  "  Why  cannot  we  have  the 
same  ? "  A  temporary  judge  was  then  ap- 
pointed, by  whom  the  criminals  were  tried, 
and  the  ringleaders  sentenced  to  four  years 
banishment  on  an  uninhabited  island. 

A  code  of  laws  was  soon  after  prepared  by 
the  missionaries,  and  recognized  by  the  chiefs 
and  people  of  Raiatea.  It  was  publicly  pro- 
claimed in  May,  1820.  At  a  national  assem- 
bly, held  in  Huahine  in  May,  1821,  a  code  of 
laws  similar  to  that  adopted  in  llaiatea  was 
promulgated  in  that  island  also,  under  the 
authority  of  the  queen,  the  governor,  and  the 
chiefs.  These  laws  met  with  the  approbation 
of  the  people  ;  but  there  were  a  number  of 
dissolute  young  men,  who  did  not  relish  the 
restraints  which  these  laws  imposed  on  their 
appetites  and  passions.  The  practice  of  tat- 
tooing, on  account  of  its  connection  with  idol- 
atry and  with  certain  vices,  had  been  prohib- 
ited. It  was  discovered  that  46  young  men 
had  been  marking  themselves,  not  from  any 
desire  to  ornament  their  persons,  but  from  im- 
patience of  the  restraint  of  law.  They  were 
publicly  tried,  and  sentenced  to  build  a  certain 
quantity  of  stone  work,  as  a  punishment.  A 
day  or  two  afterwards,  it  was  discovered  that 
Taaroarii,  the  king's  son,  a  youth  about  eight- 
teen  years  of  age,  had  also  been  tattooed. 
This  was  considered  as  evidence  of  a  determi- 
nation to  oppose  his  father,  and  produced  a 
strong  sensation  among  the  people.  The 
father,  a  venerable  old  man,  was  deeply  agi- 
tated by  a  struggle  between  affection  and 
duty.  The  latter  prevailed,  and  his  son  was 
brought  to  trial.  His  punishment  was  the 
same  as  that  of  the  others.    In  the  month  of 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


697 


August,  he  withdrew  from  the  place  of  punish- 
ment, with  a  number  of  the  culprits,  to  Parea, 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  island.  There 
they  were  joined  by  the  son  of  the  king  of 
Eaiatea,  a  young  man  twenty-six  years  of  age, 
and  by  a  large  party  of  associates.  These 
proceedings  seemed  to  indicate  that  a  formid- 
able rebellion  was  about  to  break  out.  A 
Eublic  council  of  the  chiefs  and  people  was 
_  eld,  and,  after  several  interesting  and  affect- 
ing speeches,  it  was  determined  that  kindness 
should  be  mingled  with  decision.  An  armed 
force  was  sent,  with  orders  to  reason  with  the 
malcontents,  and  invite  them  to  return  to 
their  duty,  and  to  resort  to  arms  only  in  case 
of  resistance.  The  insurrection  was  quelled 
without  violence.  The  rebels  surrendered  and 
were  brought  back  as  captives.  Two  days 
after,  they  were  tried  and  sentenced  to  public 
labor,  with  police  officers  to  guard  them.  On 
the  evening  after  the  trial,  the  weekly  service 
was  thronged  by  great  numbers  of  the  people, 
and  their  attention  was  directed  to  the  history 
of  Absalom's  rebellion.  The  turbulence  of  these 
disaffected  young  men  having  been  repressed 
without  any  bloodshed,  the  supremacy  of  the 
laws  was  firmly  and  permanently  established. 

Slight  insurrections,  similar  to  that  which 
was  excited  in  Huahine,  occurred  in  Tahaa 
and  some  of  the  other  islands  ;  but,  since  the 
introduction  of  Christianity,  peace  has  pre- 
vailed for  a  much  longer  period  than  was  ever 
before  known.    Their  love  for  peace  is  ex- 

Eressed  in  terms  like  the  following  :  "  Let  our 
ands  forget  how  to  lift  the  club  or  throw  the 
spear.  Let  our  guns  decay  with  rust,  we  do 
not  want  them  ;  though  we  have  been  pierced 
with  balls  or  spears,  if  we  pierce  each  other 
now,  let  it  be  with  the  word  of  God.^  How 
happy  are  we  now ;  we  sleep  not  with  our 
cartridges  under,  our  heads,  our  muskets  bv 
our  sides,  and  our  hearts  palpitating  with 
alarm.  AVe  have  the  Bible,  we  know  the 
Saviour,  and  if  all  knew  him,  if  all  obeyed 
him,  there  would  be  no  more  war." 

In  1821,  Taaroarii,  the  king's  only  son,  died, 
as  he  had  lived,  without  the  Christian  hope, 
much  to  the  grief  of  his  aged  father. 

During  the  year  1837,  the  most  happy 
effects  were  observable  in  the  improved  moral 
state  of  the  people  at  Huahine.  Numbers 
came  forward  and  offered  themselves  as  candi- 
dates for  baptism ;  nearly  all  of  whom  were 
from  that  class  who  had  lived  in  the  practice 
of  the  most  debasing  vices.  A  considerable 
addition  was  also  made  to  the  church,  chiefly 
from  among  the  young.  The  schools  were 
better  attended  by  adults  and  children  than  in 
former  years,  and  a  desire  for  knowledge,  par- 
ticularly for  religious  knowledge,  was  much 
increased  among  all  classes.  At  Borabora, 
also,  a  great  interest  in  religious  things  was 
manifested,  and  in  1838,  more  than  100  mem- 
bers were  admitted  to  church-fellowship. 

In  February,  1839,  the  mission  at  Huahine 


sufitained  a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  Mahine, 
the  chief  of  that  island.  He  was  nearly  80 
years  of  age,  and,  from  the  time  when  he  be- 
came a  Christian,  he  had  been  a  steady,  active, 
and  consistent  member  of  the  chnrch.  For 
several  years  he  had  been  a  deacon,  an<!  '•  •  ' 
discharged  the  duties  of  that  office  with 
faithfulness.  He  showed  a  sincere  and  .-' 
attachment  to  the  missionaries,  and  on  several 
occasions  hazarded  his  life  in  defence  of  the 
truth  which  they  preached.  In  the  pro-^'.cct 
of  death,  he  was  calm  and  composed.  In  i  ;  >! y 
to  one  who  asked  him  how  he  felt,  ho  Mid, 
"  Christ  is  my  resting-place ;  the  fear  of  dr-.if  h 
is  removed  ;  I  have  taken  leave  of  all  things 
here,  and  am  waiting  and  praying  for  the  Lord 
to  take  me." 

Since  that  time,  the  mission  to  these  islands 
has  been  subject  to  various  vicissitudes  of  de- 
cline and  advancement.  Their  proximity  to 
the  Georgian  group  has  subjected  them  to  the 
injurious  influence  of  the  excitement  created 
by  the  French  outrages ;  and  they  have  not 
been  unmolested,  the  attempt  hanng  been  un- 
successfully made  to  subject  them  to  the  Pro- 
tectorate. There  has,  however,  on  the  whole, 
been  a  steady  advancement  of  the  work.  In 
1851,  all  the  stations  were  reported  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.  But  in  1852,  owing  to  tlie 
tyranny  of  the  queen  of  Huahine,  she  was  de- 
posed, and  the  chief  Teururai,  a  mild  man, 
and  a  member  of  the  church,  was  chosen  in 
her  place.  A  young  man  nanunl  Otare,  who 
had  been  one  of  the  principal  agents  in  bring- 
ing about  this  change,  was  appointe<l  prime 
minister,  and  several  of  his  relations  were  ap- 
pointed to  offices  of  trust.  These  men  sought 
the  repeal  of  the  laws  prohibiting  licentious- 
ness and  the  use  of  ardent  spirits.  This  led  to 
a  civil  war,  in  which,  however,  Teururai  was 
victorious,  and  the  laws  sustaincKl.  Yet,  amid 
this  confusion,  the  church  members  generally 
adorned  their  profession.  Raiutea,  also,  the 
same  year,  was  afflicted  with  a  civil  war,  aris- 
ing out  of  a  quarrel  between  the  king  and  one 
of  his  principal  chiefs. 

TABULAR  VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


Huahine 

llaiatea. 

Tahaa 

Borabora  and  Maupiti 

Totals.. 


100 


I 

240 

4ao 

676 


Hervey  Islands.— In  1821,  two  natives  ^ 
set  apart  with  appropriate  religious  scmoa, 
at  the  Society  Islands,  and  scut  to  Aitutaki. 


698 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


Mr.  Williams  accompanied  them,  who  found 
the  natives  exhibiting  in  their  manners  all  the 
features  of  savage  life.  Mr.  Williams  related 
to  the  chief,  to  his  astonishment,  what  had 
transpired  on  the  other  islands,  and  the  teach- 
ei-s  were  kindly  received,  with  promises  of  pro- 
tection. For  some  time,  however,  they  labored 
in  great  discouragement,  suffering  much  from 
the  j)ersecution  of  the  natives.  But,  while  the 
old  chief  was  engaged  in  an  idolatrous  feast  of 
several  weeks'  continuance,  his  daughter  was 
taken  dangerously  ill.  Offerings  were  imme- 
diately presented  to  the  gods ;  and  to  induce 
them  to  restore  the  child  to  health,  their  favor 
was  invoked  from  morning  till  evening.  The 
disease,  however,  increased,  and  the  girl  died. 
The  old  chief,  incensed  at  the  ingratitude  of 
the  gods  in  requiting  his  zeal  with  such  un- 
kindness,  determined  at  once  to  abandon  them, 
and  the  next  day  sent  his  son  to  set  fire  to  his 
marae.  Two  other  maraes  near  it  took  fire 
and  were  also  consumed.  On  the  Sabbath, 
after  the  death  of  the  chiefs  daughter,  the 
people  of  several  districts  brought  their  idols 
to  the  teachers,  and  professed  themselves  wor- 
shipers of  Jehovah.  Others  followed  their 
example,  and  at  the  close  of  the  week  there 
was  not  a  professed  idolater  on  the  island. 
Fifteen  months  after  the  arrival  of  the  teach- 
ers at  Aitutaki,  a  general  meeting  of  the  in- 
habitants was  convened  at  the  request  of 
Papeiha.  In  an  address  to  the  assembly,  he 
spoke  of  the  immense  labor  they  had  formerly 
bestowed  in  the  erection  of  their  maraes  and 
in  the  worship  of  their  gods,  and  exhorted 
them  to  let  their  "  strength,  devotedness,  and 
steadfastness  in  the  service  of  the  true  God  far 
exceed."  He  then  proposed  that  all  the  maraes 
in  the  island  should  be  burned,  and  the  idols 
be  brought  to  him  that  he  might  send  them 
to  Raiatea,  and  also  that  they  should  immedi- 
ately commence  building  a  house  for  the  wor- 
ship of  Jehovah.  To  both  these  proposals  the 
multitude  assented.  At  the  close  of  the  meet- 
ing, a  general  conflagration  of  the  maraes  took 
place,  and  on  the  following  morning  not  a  sin- 
gle temple  remained  The  whole  population 
then  came  in  procession,  district  after  district, 
the  chief  and  the  priest  leading  the  way,  and 
the  people  following  them,  leaving  their  re- 
jected idols,  which  they  laid  at  the  teachers' 
feet,  and  received  in  return  copies  of  the  (los- 
pels  and  elementary  books.  The  missionaries 
at  Raiatea,  hearing  of  the  success  of  the  native 
teachers  at  Aitutaki,  resolved  to  visit  them, 
and  to  attempt  the  introduction  of  the  Gospel 
into  every  island  of  that  group.  In  July,  1823, 
Messrs.  Bourne  and  Williams,  with  six  natives 
who  had  been  solemnly  set  apart  as  teachers, 
sailed  from  Raiatea,  and  after  a  pleasant  pas- 
sage of  five  days,  arrived  at  Aitutaki.  A 
number  of  canoes  filled  with  men  crowded 
around  the  vessel,  saluting  the  missionaries 
with  such  expressions  as  these  :  "  Good  is  the 
Word  of  God  ;  it  is  now  well  with  Aitutaki ! 


The  good  word  has  taken  root  at  Aitutaki." 
The  teachers  soon  came  on  board,  and  inform- 
ed Mr.  AVilliams  of  the  destruction  of  the  idols 
and  temples,  and  added  that  the  Sabbath  was 
regarded  as  a  sacred  day,  that  all  the  people 
attended  divine  service,  and  that  family  prayer 
was  very  general  throughout  the  island. 

Soon  after,  Messrs.  Williams  and  Bourne, 
with  two  native  teachers  and  several  natives  of 
Rarotongo  set  sail  for  that  island  ;  and  after 
six  or  eight  days'  fruitless  search  for  it,  they 
landed  at  Maugaia  ;  where,  after  being  receiv- 
ed in  a  friendly  manner,  the  native  teachers 
were  stripped  of  every  thing  they  had,  and 
obliged  to  reembark.  A  few  months  after- 
wards, two  other  native  teachers  went  to  the 
island,  and  found  the  people  prepared  to  receive 
them ;  a  fatal  epidemic  having  broken  out, 
which  they  attributed  to  the  anger  of  God  for 
their  treatment  of  the  teachers.  Though  meet- 
ing with  opposition  for  some  time,  the  Gospel 
was  ultimately  successful  at  this  island.  When 
Mr.  Williams  left  Maugaia,  after  his  first  visit 
in  1823,  he  proceeded  to  Atiu,  where  two  na- 
tive teachers  had  been  sent  two  or  three 
months  before.  He  found  them  in  a  most 
pitiable  condition.  They  had  been  stripped 
by  the  natives  of  all  their  property,  had  suffer- 
ed exceedingly  from  hunger,  and  become  very 
much  disheartened  by  their  want  of  success. 
The  chief  came  on  board,  where  he  met  a  na- 
tive convert,  who  astonished  him  by  relating 
what  had  taken  place,  in  the  burning  of  idols, 
in  Aitutaki ;  and  Mr.  Williams  commented 
upon  what  is  said  by  David  and  Isaiah  in  re- 
ference to  idols,  by  which  the  mind  of  Roma- 
tane  was  powerfully  impressed ;  especially  by 
the  words,  "  With  part  thereof  he  roasteth 
roast  and  is  satisfied  ;  and  the  residue  thereof 
he  maketh  a  god,  and  worshipeth  it,  and 
prayeth  unto  it,  and  saith,  Deliver  me,  for  thou 
art  my  god."  The  effect  of  this  striking  pass- 
age of  Scripture  on  the  mind  of  the  heathen 
chief,  was  powerfully  expressed  by  the  language 
in  which  it  was  uttered.  There  are  in  that 
language  two  words,  similar  in  sound  but  ex- 
pressing opposite  ideas,  moa  and  noa,  the  for- 
mer meaning  sacred,  and  the  latter  profane  or 
common.  All  that  pertains  to  the  gods  is  the 
superlative  of  moa,  and  all  that  relates  to  food 
the  superlative  of  noa.  The  chief  now  saw,  for 
the  first  time,  the  folly  of  making  a  god  and 
cooking  food  from  the  same  tree,  thus  uniting 
two  opposite  extremes,  the  moa  and  the  noa. 
For  some  time  he  appeared  lost  in  wonder.  At 
length  he  retired,  and  spent  the  whole  of  the 
night  in  conversation  with  the  Aitutakians 
about  the  wonderful  truths  he  had  heard,  fre- 
quently rising  up  and  stamping  with  astonish- 
ment that  he  should  have  been  so  long  deluded. 
His  idol  gods  he  determined  never  again  to  wor- 
ship. "Eyes,  it  is  true,"  said  he, "  they  have,  but 
wood  cannot  see ;  ears,  they  have,  but  wood 
cannot  hear."  He  expressed  a  determination 
to  demolish  his  maraes,  to  burn  his  idols,  and 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


699 


to  commence  immediately  the  erection  of  a 
house  for  the  worship  of  Jehovah.  Leaving 
Atiu,  Mr.  AVilliaras  sailed  in  search  of  the  two 
small  islands  Mitiaro  and  Mauke,  taking  with 
hira  the  newly  converted  Romatane,  who  was 
king  of  those  islands  also.  On  arriving  at 
Mitiaro,  the  king  had  an  interview  with  the 
resident  chief  of  the  island,  to  whom  he  stated 
that  the  object  of  his  visit  was  to  exhort  him 
and  his  people  to  burn  their  maraes,  and  aban- 
don the  worship  of  their  false  gods.  He  wished 
also  that  they  would  place  themselves  under 
the  instruction  of  a  Christian  teacher,  and 
convert  the  house  they  were  erecting  for  him- 
self into  a  house  of  prayer.  The  people  listened 
with  astonishment,  and  inquired  if  the  gods 
would  not  all  be  enraged  and  strangle  them. 
"  No,"  replied  the  king,  "  it  is  out  of  the  pow- 
er of  the  wood,  that  we  have  adorned  and  called 
a  god,  to  kill  us." 

Sailing  from  Mitiaro,  Mr.  "Williams  proceed- 
ed to  Mauke,  where  he  found  the  people  wait- 
ing on  the  shore  to  welcome  their  king.  The 
first  words  of  Romatane  were,  "  I  am  come  to 
advise  you  to  receive  the  word  of  Jehovah,  the 
true  God,  and  to  leave  with  pua  teacher  and  his 
wife  who  will  instruct  you.  Let  us  destroy  our 
maraes,  and  burn  all  the  evil  spirits  with  fire  : 
never  let  us  worship  them  again.  They  are 
wood,  which  we  have  carved  and  decorated, 
and  called  gods.  Here  is  the  true  God  and 
his  word,  and  a  teacher  to  instruct  you.  The 
true  God  is  Jehovah,  and  the  true  sacrifice  is 
Lis  Son  Jesus  Christ."  The  people  listened 
with  astonishment,  but  said  that  as  the  king 
assured  them  it  was  a  "  good  word  "  which  he 
brought,  they  would  receive  it.  It  was  deter- 
mined to  leave  here  a  native  teacher  with  his 
wife,  to  whom  the  king  presented  a  new  house 
which  had  been  erected  for  himself,  and  com- 
mending them  to  the  care  of  the  chief,  he  re- 
turned to  the  vessel  and  shortly  afterwards  de- 
parted. These  islands  were  afterwards  visited, 
and  found  to  have  wholly  abandoned  idolatry, 
and  to  have  adopted  the  habits  of  Christian 
people. 

The  Gospel  had  now  been  introduced  into 
five  of  the  Hervey  Islands,  but  Rarotonga,  the 
largest  island  of  the  group,  remained  undiscov- 
ered. Mr.  Williams  inquired  of  Romatane  if 
he  had  ever  heard  of  it,  and  learning  from  this 
chief  the  direction  in  which  it  lay,  he  determined 
to  go  again  in  search  of  it.  He  sailed  on  this 
vovage  in  1823,  and  after  having  been  so  long 
tossed  about  by  contrary  winds  as  to  be  on  the 
point  of  giving  up  all  hope  of  accomplishing 
his  object,  he  was  at  last  delighted  with  the 
sight  of  the  lofty  mountains  and  beautiful  val- 
leys of  this  lovely  island.  A  boat  was  soon  sent 
on  shore  with  Papeiha,  another  teacher,  and  one 
of  the  Rarotongans  whom  Mr.  AVilliams  had 
found  at  Aitutaki.  Meeting  with  a  favorable 
reception,  they  immediately  stated  to  the  peo- 
ple who  gathered  around  them  in  great  num- 
bers, the  object  of  their  visit.     Having  in- 


formed them  of  the  renunciation  of  idolatrv  at 
the  other  islands  of  that  group,  the  teaeficrs 
proposed  to  the  natives  that  they  also  should 
receive  Christian  instruction,  and  become  ac- 
quainted with  the  way  of  salvation  through 
Jesus  Christ.  The  proposition  was  agreed  to, 
and  ;Makea  the  king  came  on  board  to  conduct 
the  teachers  to  the  shore.  He  was  intro<hiced 
to  his  own  people  who  had  come  with  Mr. 
Williams,  among  whom  was  his  cousin.  Early 
the  next  morning  the  teachers  and  their  wives 
canne  off  to  the  vessel  in  a  most  pitiable  con- 
dition, and  related  the  sad  treatment  which 
they,  and  especially  the  females,  had  received 
during  the  night.  A  powerful  chief  who  had 
conquered  the  principal  part  of  the  island  had 
heard  of  their  arrival,  and  had  come  with  a 
large  retinue  to  take  away  one  of  the  female 
teachers,  for  the  purpose  of  making  her  his 
wife.  He  had  already  nineteen  wives,  and  the 
teacher  was  to  be  the  twentieth. 

Tapaireu,  the  cousin  of  Makea,  was  a  per- 
son of  much  influence,  and  to  her  exertions 
the  preservation  of  the  females  was  owing. 
Discouraged  by  the  roughness  of  their  rcce^>- 
tion,  the  teachers  would  have  abandoned  this 
field  of  labor  had  not  Papeiha,  when  the  chiefs 
expressed  a  desire  that  they  should  stay,  offered 
to  remain  alone  on  the  island  on  condition  that 
his  friend  Tiberio  should  be  sent  from  Raiatea 
to  his  assistance.  This  was  readily  promisetl, 
and  Papeiha,  after  taking  leave  of  his  friends, 
got  into  a  canoe  and  went  on  shore  carrying 
nothing  with  him  but  the  clothes  he  wore,  his 
native  Testament,  and  a  bundle  of  elementary 
books. 

Papeiha  was  conducted  to  the  house  of  Ma- 
kea, and  was  followed  by  an  immense  crowd, 
one  of  whom  cried  out,  "  I'll  have  his  hat ; " 
another,  "  I'll  have  his  jacket ; "  a  third,  "  I'll 
have  his  shirt."  Before  they  were  able  to 
carry  their  threats  into  execution,  they  were 
met  by  the  chief,  who,  addressing  Papeiha, 
said,  "  Speak  to  us,  0  man !  that  we  may 
know  the  business  on  which  you  have  come." 
The  teacher  replied  that  he  had  come  to  in- 
struct them  in  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
and  the  way  of  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ, 
that  they  might  burn  their  idols  as  the  inhal>- 
itants  of  Tahiti  and  other  islands  had  done. 
The  multitude  cried  out  with  surprise  and  kor- 
iror,  "What!  burn  the  gods!  Wh'nt  gotls 
I  shall  we  then  have,  and  what  shall  we  do  with- 
'  out  the  gods  ?  " 

After  five  months,  Tiberio,  Rapeiha's  friend, 
arrived,  and  they  visited  together  all  the  c'-<  f- 
on  the  island,  explaining  to  them  the  ]' 
pies  of  Christianity.     Carrying  this  phn: 
effect,  at  some  places  they  were  kindly  tr> 
at  others  ridiculed,  while  from  some  tin ;. 
rowly  escaped  with  their  lives.    A  few 
after  their  return  to  the  station,  a  pnest  ■  , 
to  the  teachers  and  expressed  a  del 
to  burn  his  idols,  and  requested  i- 
place  his  son,  a  boy  of  ten  years  of  ..._^ .  «....-.. 


700 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


their  care,  lest  the  gods  in  their  anger  should 
destroy  hira.  Leaving  the  child  with  the 
teachorn,  he  returned  homo,  and  next  morning 
came  bending  under  the  weight  of  the  god  he 
vraa  bringing  to  be  burned.  A  crowd  follow- 
ed, calling  him  a  madman,  but  he  persisted  in 
his  resolution  to  embrace  Christianity,  and 
threw  hi3  idol  at  the  teachers'  feet.  One  of 
the  teachers  brought  a  saw  to  cut  it  up,  but 
03  soon  as  the  people  saw  the  instrument  ap- 
plieil  to  the  head  of  the  god,  they  became 
frightened  and  ran  away.  In  a  short  time 
they  returned,  and  in  the  presence  of  an  im- 
mense multitude  the  first  rejected  idol  of  Ra- 
rotonga  was  committed  to  the  flames.  So 
great  an  eflcct  was  produced  on  the  minds  of 
the  jwople  by  this  event,  that  in  less  than  ten 
days  after  it  occurred  14  idols  were  destroyed. 
Immediately  afterwards  the  chief  Tinomana 
sent  for  the  teachers,  and  informed  them  that 
after  much  deliberation  he  had  concluded  to 
embrace  Christianity,  and  to  place  himself 
under  their  instruction.  He  therefore  wished 
to  know  what  was  the  first  step  towards  be- 
coming a  Christian.  Being  told  that  he  must 
desitroy  his  maraes  and  burn  his  idols,  he  in- 
stantly replied,  "  Come  with  me  and  see  them 
destroyed."  The  temple  was  immediately  set  on 
fire,  and  was  soon  consumed,  together  with  the 
sacred  pieces  of  wood  with  which  it  was  deco- 
rated. The  idols  were  then  brought  and  laid 
at  the  feet  of  the  teacher,  who,  having  dis- 
robed them,  threw  them  into  the  fire.  Some  of 
the  people  were  much  enraged  with  the  chief, 
and  called  him  a  fool  and  a  madman  for  burn- 
ing his  gods.  The  women  became  frantic  with 
gi'ief,  and  made  loud  and  doleful  lamentations. 
But  notwithstanding  this  excitement,  an  im- 
pression was  made  in  favor  of  the  new  religion, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  few  days  all  the  idols 
in  the  district  were  brought  to  the  teachers  for 
their  disposal.  From  this  time  the  destruction 
of  the  gods  and  maraes  went  on  rapidly  through- 
out the  island.  Among  the  last  of  the  chiefs 
to  renounce  his  idols  was  the  king.  Though 
many  still  adhered  to  their  superstitious, 
the  supremacy  of  idolatry  was  now  at  an  end. 
Through  the  influence  of  the  teachers,  a  chapel 
600  feet  in  length  was  built  for  the  worship  of 
the  true  God,  in  the  erection  of  which  the  peo- 
ple were  all  anxious  to  assist.  When  the  first 
Eost  was  laid,  Tinomana  was  requested  by  the 
ing  to  implore  the  blessing  of  God ;  and  in 
order  that  all  might  see  and  hear,  the  chief 
climbed  up  into  a  tree  and  oficred  an  appro- 
priate prayer.  While  this  chapel  was  build- 
ing, Rarotonga  was  visited  by  Messrs.  Tycr- 
man  and  Bennet,  who  found  that  the  whole 

{)opulation  had  renounced  idolatry.  One  year 
ater  Mr.  Bourne  preached  to  large  congrega- 
tions in  Rarotonga,  and  baptized  many  con- 
verts. Of  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  in  this 
island  he  observes,  "  Much  has  been  said  con- 
cerning the  success  of  the  Gospel  in  Tahiti  and 
the  Society  Islands,  but  it  is  not  to  be  compar- 


ed with  its  progress  in  Rarotonga.  In  Tahiti, 
European  missionaries  labored  for  15  long 
years  before  the  least  fruit  appeared.  But  two 
years  ago  Rarotonga  was  hardly  known  to  exist, 
was  not  marked  in  any  of  the  charts,  and  wo 
spent  much  time  in  traversing  the  ocean  in 
search  of  it.  Two  years  ago  the  Rarotongana 
did  not  know  there  was  such  good  news  as  the 
Gospel.  And  now  I  scruple  not  to  say  that 
their  attention  to  the  means  of  grace,  their 
regard  to  family  and  private  prayer,  equals 
whatever  has  been  witnessed  at  Tahiti  and  the 
neighboring  islands.  And  when  we  look  at 
the  means,  it  becomes  more  astonishing.  Two 
native  teachers,  not  particularly  distinguished 
among  their  own  countrymen  for  intelligence, 
have  been  the  instruments  of  effecting  this 
wonderful  change,  and  that  before  a  single 
missionary  had  set  his  foot  upon  the  island." 

The  heathen  party  at  Rarotonga,  though 
comparatively  small,  was  sufficiently  numerous 
to  annoy  the  Christians,  and  at  last  the  per- 
sonal injuries  inflicted  on  the  converts  to  the 
new  religion  led  to  a  conflict  between  the  two 
parties.  In  this  battle  the  Christians  con- 
quered. Having  led  their  captives  to  the  sea- 
side, the  victorious  chiefs,  instead  of  putting 
them  to  death,  ordered  them  not  to  be  injured, 
and  advised  them  to  embrace  Christianity,  in 
order  that  peace  and  happiness  might  be  estab- 
lished. The  prisoners  replied  that  they  were 
now  convinced  of  the  superior  power  of  Jeho- 
vah and  of  the  merciful  character  of  the  Chris- 
tians, and  that  they  would  therefore  unite 
with  them  in  the  worship  of  the  true  God. 
On  the  following  day  they  demolished  all  their 
maraes  and  brought  their  idols  to  the  teachers. 

The  island  was  soon  after  visited  by  Mr. 
Williams  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pitman.  A  cha- 
pel was  built,  well  plastered,  capable  of  con- 
taining nearly  3,000  people,  without  a  single 
nail  or  any  iron  work.  The  people  were  at- 
tentive to  instruction.  Their  anxiety  to  under- 
stand the  truths  of  the  Gospel,  and  their  punc- 
tual attendance  on  public  worship,  were  very 
encouraging.  Previous  to  the  commencement 
of  public  worship  on  the  Sabbath,  the  people 
met  in  classes  of  10  or  12  families,  and  a  par- 
ticular portion  of  the  sermon  was  assigned  to 
each  person,  which  he  was  to  bring  away. 
One  said,  "  Mine  shall  be  the  text,  and  all  that 
is  said  in  immediate  connection  with  it;]'  an- 
other, "  I  will  take  care  of  the  first  division  ;" 
and  a  third,  "  I  will  bring  home  the  particu- 
lars under  that  head."  After  public  worship 
the  classes  met  again,  and  after  singing  and 
prayer,  one  among  them  began  the  examina- 
tion by  inquiring,  "  With  whom  is  the  text  T' 
and  proposed  a  variety  of  questions  respecting 
its  meaning.  He  then  proceeded  to  other  parts 
of  the  discourse,  till  the  whole  sermon  had 
passed  in  review,  and  to  such  habits  of  atten- 
tion were  the  people  trained,  that  a  sentiment 
of  importance  was  rarely  omitted.  A  code  of 
laws  was  established,  and  the  difficult  subject 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


701 


of  polygamy  was  disposed  of,  by  requiring  the 
converts,  from  the  king  down,  to  select  one 
of  their  wives,  and  then  be  united  in  marriage 
to  her  in  public.  Wc  think  the  Gospel  rule 
would  explicitly  require  that  the  first  wife 
should  be  retained,  and  all  the  others  discarded. 

The  last  visit  which  Mr.  Williams  made  to 
Earotonga  was  in  1834.  The  contrast  be- 
tween the  appearance  of  the  inhabitants  at 
this  time  and  on  his  first  visit  is  thus  stated  : 
**  When  I  found  them  in  1823,  they  were  igno- 
rant of  the  nature  of  Christian  worship ;  and 
when  I  left  them  in  1834, 1  am  not  aware  that 
there  was  a  house  in  the  island  where  family 
prayer  was  not  observed  every  morning  and 
every  evening." 

During  the  year  1838,  several  native  con- 
Terts  were  removed  by  death.  Their  last  days 
were  full  of  hope  and  joy,  and  afforded  to  sur- 
viving friends  abundant  consolation  in  the  be- 
lief that  the  exchange  was  their  eternal  gain. 
In  this  year  also  great  additions  were  made 
to  the  churches  at  Earotonga.  The  spirit  of 
inquiry  seemed  to  be  general,  and  the  lives  of 
very  many  testified  that  they  had  become  sin- 
cere Christians. 

One  of  the  missionaries,  in  a  letter  from 
Earotonga  dated  January  14, 1840,  stated  that 
a  meeting  was  regularly  held  in  the  chapel  at 
Arorangi,  to  give  opportunity  for  persons  to 
express  their  feelings  and  to  exhort  one  an- 
other to  diligence  and  love  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord.  At  one  of  these  meetings  an  old  man 
who  was  a  candidate  for  church  fellowship, 
said  that  he  had  lived  during  the  reign  of  four 
kings.  "  During  the  first  we  were  continually 
at  war.  During  the  second  we  were  overtaken 
with  a  severe  famine,  and  all  expected  to  per- 
ish. During  the  third  we  were  conquered,  and 
became  the  prey  of  two  other  settlements. 
But  during  the  reign  of  this  third  king  we 
were  visited  by  another  King— a  good  King 
—a  powerful  King— a  King  of  love— Jesus 
the  Lord  from  heaven.  He  has  gained  the 
victory  ;  he  has  conquered  our  hearts  ;  we  are 
all  his  subjects  ;  therefore  we  now  have  peace 
and  plenty  in  this  world,  and  hope  soon  to 
dwell  with  him  in  heaven." 

In  1841,  the  directors  record  with  satisfac- 
tion the  progress  of  their  missions  in  these 
islands.  In  Earotonga,  the  largest  of  the 
group,  they  say  the  Christian  churches  present- 
ed a  most  impressive  and  animating  abject, 
both  as  to  numbers  and  character ;  and  the 
social  and  moral  character  of  the  population, 
a  few  years  previous  loathsome  and  terrific, 
was  then  pure  and  peaceful.  One  of  the  most 
consistent  members  of  the  church,  and  an  ac- 
tive evangelist,  was,  in  the  days  of  his  youth, 
a  cannibal.  An  institution  was  commenced 
about  this  time  at  Avarua,  for  the  training  of 
native  missionaries,  in  which  young  men  are 
instructed  in  Christian  theology  and  other 
branches  of  useful  knowledge.  ^    .  ,     , 

In  1843,  the  directors  say  that  in  the  islands 


forming  the  Hervey  Group,  the  people  gener- 
ally evince  a  sincere  attachment  to  the  Gos- 
pel. "  The  entire  aspect  of  society  is  changed 
from  the  savage  to  the  civilized  ;  and  misery, 
strife,  and  bloodshed  have  given  place  to  the 
comforts  and  amenities  of  social  life,  l^lnea- 
tion  is  generally  sought  for,  and  the  membcT3 
of  the  church  adorn  their  profession  ;  and  the 
entire  Bible  is  now  translated  into  the  Earo- 
tonga dialect," 

Since  that  time  the  work  has  been  advanc- 
ing with  a  steady  progress  from  year  to  year. 
In  18.51,  there  was  a  general  awakening  at 
three  of  the  stations,  affecting  about  300  per- 
sons, most  of  whom  gave  evidence  of  a  saving 
change. 

Since  1846,  the  institution  for  training  na- 
tive evangelists  and  teachers  at  Avarna,  has 
sent  forth  15  men  and  9  women  to  occupy  dif 
ferent  spheres  of  missionary  labor. 

On  the  24th  of  Au^st,  the  churches  on  the 
island  of  Earotonga  held  a  meeting  at  Nga- 
tangaia,  where  700  communicants  united  in 
the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
among  them  were  the  captain  and  part  of  the 
crew  of  the  missionary  ship,  the  John  Wil- 
liams. 


TABULAR  VIEW, 


1853. 


STATIONS. 

i 

u 

1 

6^ 

« 

!!■ 

^.2 

1 

(2 

1 

Rarotonoa, 

Ngatangaia, 

Avarua, >-3  stations. . 

3 

24 

700 

206 

8 

800 

Arorangai,.., 

Aitutaki*       

1 

'^0 

461 

■32 

's 

850 

Mauiraia          

Totals 

6 

94 

1281 

238 

6 

1660 

•  1851. 

Samoan  or  Navigators'  Is/awrfs.—These^  is- 
lands were  visited  by  a  French  vessel,  in  17S7, 
when  several  of  the  party  were  treacherously 
murdered ;  and  this  act  created  such  an  im- 
pression of  their  treachery  and  ferocity,  that 
for  many  years  they  seem  not  to  have  been 
visited  by  any  vessel  from  any  part  of  the  ci- 
vilized world. 

The  idea  of  introducing  the  Gospel  mt-  • 
group   appears  to  have  originated  witl 
Williams,  who,  in  1824,  formetl  the  1  . 
making  a  voyage  to  the  Jsavigntors' 1! 
But  the  great  distance  of  this  grcnii  (n   1:  ly 
2,000  miles)  from  Eaiatca,  the  ftTonous  cha- 
racter of  its  inhabitants,  and  in  the  i  yont  of 
his  death  the  desolate  condition  of  hi>  Mitt' 
and  children  at  so  great  a  distnnco  from  1  !i    r 
home  and  friends,  naturally  r- 
liams  unwillin-'  that  her  bus) 
on  such  an  undertaking.    At  u^yi^i...  ;;••"*» 
she  gave  her  "  full  concurrence,'  and  Mr.  »  il- 


702 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


Hams  began  to  tlcvi^i'  the  means  for  carrying 
his  plan  into  execution.  Having  no  vessel 
suitable  for  such  a  voyage,  he  attempted  to 
build  one,  and  with  the  assistance  of  the  na- 
tives completed  it  in  about  three  months.  In 
tlie  prosecution  of  this  work,  the  ingenuity 
and  skill  of  Mr.  W.  was  put  to  the  test. 

It  was  indispensable  to  its  accomplishment 
that  he  should  have  a  pair  of  smith's  bellows, 
as  well  as  certain  tools  for  working  in  iron, 
which  were  not  to  be  found  in  Rarotonga. 
Having  killed,  for  the  sake  of  their  skins,  3  of 
the  4  goats  on  the  island,  he  constructed,  with 
much  difficulty,  a  tolerable  bellows.  But 
when  the  rats  had  left  nothing  more  of  his 
new  apparatus  than  the  naked  boards,  all 
hope  of  accomplishing  his  object  in  the  ordi- 
nary way  was  removed.  Unwilling,  however, 
to  relinquish  his  purpose,  he  persevered  in  his 
eflforts,  and  at  last  hit  upon  a  novel  expedient 
to  "  raise  the  wind."  It  occurred  to  him  that 
as  w^ater  is  thrown  by  a  pump,  air  might  be 
projected  on  the  same  principle.  With  two 
boxes  eighteen  inches  square  and  four  feet 
high,  fitted  with  valves  and  levers,  and  worked 
by  8  or  10  natives,  he  contrived  to  procure 
such  a  succession  of  blasts  as  answered  all  his 
purposes  in  the  building  of  his  vessel.  A  stone 
was  substituted  for  an  anvil,  and  a  pair  of  car- 
penter's pincers  for  tongs.  With  very  little 
iron,  without  a  saw,  without  oakum,  or  cord- 
age, or  sail  cloth,  he  succeeded  in  launching  a 
vessel  sixty  feet  in  length  and  eighteen  in 
breadth,  of  seventy  or  eighty  tons  burthen. 
It  was  named  "The  Messenger  of  Peace." 
The  trees  were  split  with  w^edges,  and  for 
adzes  the  natives  used  small  hatchets.  The 
bark  of  the  hibiscus  was  twisted  into  ropes, 
and  native  mats  quilted  for  sails,  and  the  rud- 
der was  constructed  of  "  a  piece  of  a  pickaxe, 
a  cooper's  adze,  and  a  large  hoe." 

^  In  the  vessel  so  constructed,  Messrs.  Wil- 
liams and  Barflf,  with  7  native  teachers,  sailed 
from  Raiatea  for  the  Navigators'  Islands,  on 
the  24th  of  May,  1830.  They  proceeded  first 
to  Tongataboo,  where  they  found  Fauea,  a 
chief  of  one  of  the  Navigators'  Islands,  who 
stated  that  he  was  related  to  the  most  influen- 
tial families  there ;  that  he  had  been  eleven 
years  absent  from  his  home,  and  that  he  was 
now  desirous  of  returning.  Having  heard 
that  the  Messenger  of  Peace  was  on  a  voyage 
to  these  islands,  and  that  the  object  of  the 
missionaries  was  to  convey  the  Gospel  to  his 
countrymen,  he  offered,  if  they  would  take  him 
with  them,  to  use  all  his  influence  with  his  re- 
latives and  the  chiefs  to  induce  them  to  receive 
the  teachers  kindly,  and  attend  to  their  instruc- 
tions. After  spending  a  fortnight  at  Tonga- 
taboo,  the  missionaries  and  the  chief,  Fauea, 
sailed  for  the  Navigators'  Islands.  They  had 
not  been  long  at  sea,  when  Fauea  came  and 
seated  himself  by  the  side  of  Mr.  Williams, 
and  said  that  he  had  been  thinking  of  the 

great  work  which  the  missionaries  had  under- 


taken, and  though  he  had  no  doubt  that  t'lO 
chiefs  and  people  would  gladly  receive  them,  ho 
feared  opposition  from  a  person  called  Tamalai  n- 
ga,in  whom  the  spirit  of  the  gods  dwelt,  and  who 
was  a  terror  to  all  the  inhabitants.  He  ('ei- 
ther added,  that  if  he  forbade  it,  the  people 
would  be  afraid  to  place  themselves  uiuln- 
Christian  instruction.  After  a  protracted  voy- 
age, the  beautiful  island  of  Savaii  was  <l(s- 
cried  in  the  distance.  As  soon  as  the  vessel 
reached  the  shore  a  number  of  natives  came 
off  in  their  canoes,  and  welcomed  Fauea  to 
his  native  land.  After  some  conversation  the 
chief  inquired  "  Where  is  Tamafainga  ? " 
"  Oh !  "  replfed  the  people,  "  he  is  dead,  lie  is 
dead !  he  was  killed  10  or  12  days  ago."  Al- 
most frantic  with  joy  at  this  information, 
Fauea  leaped  about  the  deck,  shouting,  "  The 
devil  is  dead !  the  devil  is  dead  I  our  work  is 
done  ;  the  devil  is  dead ! " 

On  the  first  Sabbath  after  their  arrival, 
canoes  came  off  to  the  vessel,  bringing  articles 
for  barter.  Fauea  informed  the  people  that 
the  ship  was  e  vaa  lotu,  or  a  praying  ship,  and 
that  as  it  was  le  asosa,  a  sacred  day,  they  could 
not  trade  with  them  until  the  morrow.  This 
information  surprised  them,  but  Fauea  col- 
lecting a  circle  around  him  on  the  deck  of  the 
ship,  stated  the  object  of  the  missionaries  in 
coming  among  them,  informed  them  that  a 
number  of  islands  had  embraced  Christianity, 
and  specified  some  of  the  advantages  which 
the  inhabitants  were  deriving  from  this  new 
religion.  "  Can  the  religion  of  these  foreigners 
be  any  thing  but  wise  and  good  ?"  said  thei 
chief  to  his  countrymen.  "  Let  us  look  at  themj 
and  then  at  ourselves ;  their  heads  are  covered, 
while  ours  are  exposed  to  the  heat  of  the  sun 
and  the  wet  of  the  rain.  Their  bodies  are 
clothed  all  over  with  beautiful  cloth,  while  we 
have  nothing  but  a  bandage  of  leaves  around 
our  waists ;  they  have  clothes  upon  their  very 
feet,  while  ours  are  like  the  dog's.  Look  at 
their  axes,  their  scissors,  and  their  other  prop- 
erty, how  rich  they  are !"  This  address  was 
listened  to  with  great  interest  by  the  natives, 
who  crowded  around  the  speaker,  and  with 
outstretched  necks  and  gaping  mouths  care- 
fully caught  the  words  as  they  fell  from  his 
lips. 

While  Fauea  was  thus  employed  on  board 
the  vessel,  his  wife,' who  had  gone  on  shore 
with  the  teachers  and  their  wives,  was  equally 
diligent  in  describing  to  the  natives  the  won- 
ders she  had  seen,  and  the  value  of  the  religion 
which  was  now  brought  to  their  island.  When 
food  was  offered,  she  stood  up  and  asked  a 
blessing  in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  mul- 
titude. Malietoa,  the  king,  though  engaged 
in  a  war,  to  avenge  the  death  of  Tamafainga, 
received  them  kindly,  and  declared  that  it  was 
the  happiest  day  of  his  life. 

In  October,  1832,  Mr.  Williams  sailed  from 
Rarotonga  on  a  second  visit  to  the  Samoas. 
The  first  island  that  appeared  in  sight  was 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


703 


Manua,  the  most  easterly  of  the  group.  As; 
the  vessel  approached  the  shore,  a  number  of 
canoes  put  off  and  advanced  towards  it.  In ! 
one  of  them  a  native  stood  up,  and  shouted, ! 
"  "We  are  sons  of  the  Word,  we  are  sons  of  j 
the  Word  ;  we  are  waiting  for  a  falau  lotu,  a 
religious  ship,  to  bring  us  some  people  whom 
they  call  missionaries,  to  tell  us  about  Jesus 
Christ."  One  of  the  chiefs  came  on  board, 
and  finding  that  the  vessel  was  a  "  religious 
ship,"  appeared  highly  delighted,  and  asked  for 
a  missionary.  On  being  informed  that  there 
■was  but  one,  and  that  he  was  intended  for 
Manono,  he  manifested  great  regret,  and  beg- 1 
ged  to  be  supplied  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  vessel  next  touched  at  Tutuila,  where  it 
was  immediately  surrounded  by  a  number  of 
canoes,  filled  with  savage  men,  anxious  to  ob- 
tain powder  and  muskets.  The  missionaries 
did  not  land  here,  but  passed  along  the  coast 
to  a  district  called  Leone,  where  a  person 
came  on  board,  and  introduced  himself  as  a 
"  son  of  the  Word."  He  informed  Mr.  Wil- 
liams that  about  fifty  persons  in  his  district 
had  embraced  Christianity  and  erected  a  place 
worship,  and  that  they  were  waiting  his  arri- 
val. The  heathen  party  arranged  themselves 
along  the  beach,  and  presented  rather  a  form- 
idable appearance.  Mr.  Williams  supposing 
his  life  might  be  in  danger,  desired  the  natives 
to  cease  rowing  and  unite  with  him  in  prayer. 
The  chief  who  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  as- 
sembled multitude  perceiving  that  the  mission- 
aries were  afraid  to  land,  directed  the  people 
to  sit  down,  and  wading  into  the  water,  ad- 
dressed Mr.  W.  with  "  Son,  will  you  not  come 
on  shore?  will  you  not  land  amongst  us?" 
Mr.  W.  replied  that  he  had  heard  that  the 
inhabitants  of  that  bay  were  exceedingly  sav- 
age, and  that  he  did  not  know  that  he  should 
trust  himself  among  them.  "  Oh !"  replied  the 
chief,  "  we  are  not  savages  now,  we  are  Chris- 
tians." "  Where  did  you  hear  of  Christianity  ?" 
asked  Mr.  W.  "  Oh  I"  he  exclaimed,  "  a  great 
chief  from  the  white  man's  country,  named 
Williams,  came  to  Savaii  about  twenty  moons 
ago,  and  placed  there  some  tamafai-lotu  (work- 
ers of  religion,)  and  several  of  our  people  who 
were  there,  began  on  their  return  to  mstruct 
their  friends,  many  of  whom  have  become  sons 
of  the  Word."  Then  pointing  to  a  group  of 
persons  sitting  apart  from  the  rest,  each  of 
•whom  had  a  piece  of  white  native  cloth  tied 
round  his  arm,  he  added, "  These  are  the  Chris- 
tians, and  they  are  distinguished  from  their 
heathen  countrymen  by  the  cloth  which  you 
see  upon  their  arms."  Mr.  Williams  then  in- 
formed him  that  he  himself  was  the  "  great 
chief"  he  had  spoken  of,  and  that  he  had  car- 
ried the  "  workers  of  religion"  to  Savaii  about 
twenty  moons  before.  On  hearing  this,  the 
chief  made  a  signal  to  the  multitude,  who  in- 
stantly sprang  from  their  seats,  rushed  to  the 
sea,  seized  the  boat  and  carried  both  it  and  Mr. 
W.  to  the  shore.  Amoamo,  the  chief,  conducted 


Mr.  W.  to  the  Christians,  by  one  of  whom  he 
was  informed  that  a  chapel  had  been  built, 
and  that  service  was  performed  every  Sabbath 
day.  "  And  who,"  asked  Mr.  Williams,  "  con- 
ducts the  worship  ?"  "  I  do,"  said  he,  "  I  take 
my  canoe,  go  down  to  the  teachers,  get  some 
religion,  w-hich  I  bring  carefully  home,  and 
give  to  the  people ;  and  when  tliat  is  gone,  I 
take  my  canoe  again  and  fetch  some  more. 
And  now  you  are  come,  for  whom  we  have 
been  so  long  waiting !  Where's  our  teacher  ? 
give  me  a  man  full  of  religion,  that  I  may  not 
expose  my  life  to  danger  by  going  so  long  a 
distance  to  fetch  it."  On  hearing  that  he 
could  not  be  supplied  with  a  teacher,  he  was 
affected  almost  to  tears,  and  would  scarcely 
believe  it,  for  he  imaginetl  that  the  vessel  was 
full  of  them.  Mr.  AV.  inquired  of  the  chief  if 
he  had  become  a  worshiper  of  Jehovah.  He 
replied  that  he  had  not,  but  added,  "  If  you 
will  give  me  a  worker  of  religion  to  teach  me, 
I  will  become  a  believer  immediately."  It 
w'as  with  sincere  regret  that  Mr.  Williams  left 
this  little  band  without  a  missionary  to  teach 
them,  and  returned  to  the  ship  to  prosecute 
his  voyage.  He  found  there  a  party  of  natives 
from  an  adjoining  district  who  were  waiting 
to  present  a  request  that  he  would  pay  them  a 
visit.  The  chief  assured  Mr.  Williams  that  he 
and  nearly  all  his  people  were  Christians,  and 
that  they  had  erected  a  spacious  place  of  wor- 
ship in  imitation  of  the  one  at  Savaii,  and  that 
he  was  daily  engaged  in  teaching  his  people 
what  he  had  himself  been  taught.  Seeing  that 
Mr.AV.  was  inclined  to  doubt  his  statements, 
he  placed  his  hands  before  him  in  the  form  of 
a  book,  and  recited  a  chapter  out  of  the  Tahi- 
tian  primer,  after  which  he  said,  "  I^et  us 
pray,"  and  kneeling  down  upon  the  deck,  he 
repeated  the  Lord's  prayer  in  the  Tahitian 
language.  The  next  day  Mr.  W.  reached 
Upolu,  when  natives  from  various  parts  of  the 
island  approached  the  vessel,  saying  that  they 
were  "  sons  of  the  Word,",  and  that  they  were 
waiting  for  a  "  religion  ship  "  to  bring  them 
missionaries. 

When  Mr.  Williams  reached  Manono,  the 
chief,  Matetau,  whom  he  had  seen  on  his  first 
visit  to  this  island,  came  off  to  the  ship  and 
inq^ljpd  with  great  earnestness,  "  Where's  my 
mis^nary?"  Te-ava  and  his  wife,  the  native 
teachers  who  had  been  set  apart  for  this  sta- 
tion, were  then  introduced  to  him.  He  seized 
them  with  delight,  and  exclaimed,  "  Good,  very 
good,  I  am  happy  now  I"  After  a  hasty  visit 
to  this  island,  Mr.  Williams  proceeded  to  S» 
vaii,  where  he  was  received  by  the  teachers 
and  people  with  many  expressions  of  joy.  They 
informed  him  that  Mahetoa,  his  brother,  the 
principal  chiefs,  and  nearly  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  settlement,  had  embraced  Chriiitiamtv, 
and  that  the  body  of  the  people  wore  only 
awaiting  his  arrival  to  follow  their  example. 
The  next  day  he  addrcsseti  about  700  persons 
in  the  chapel.    He  was  followed  by  one  of  tho 


704 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


native  teachers,  who  was  succee<leJ  by  Malie- 
toa,  who  ileclared  that  it  was  his  inteiitiou  to 
"  give  his  whole  soul  to  the  word  of  Jehovah, 
and  to  employ  his  utmost  eudeavoi-s  that  it 
might  speedily  encircle  the  land  in  which  he 
dwelt." 

During  his  stay  at  Savaii,  Mr.  Williams 
learned  from  the   teachers  many  interesting 

Sarticulars  respecting  the  introduction  of  the 
lospel  into  the  island,  and  especially  its  recep- 
tion by  Malietoa  and  his  family.  A  short 
time  previous  to  the  day  fixed  upon  for  the 
opening  of  the  new  chapel,  the  king  called  to- 
gether his  family,  and  stated  that  he  was  about 
to  fulfil  his  promise  and  become  a  worshiper 
of  Jehovah.  His  sons  replied  that  if  it  was 
good  for  him  it  was  also  good  for  them,  and 
that  they  also  would  receive  the  Gospel.  But 
to  this  he  objected,  saying  tliat  the  gods  would 
be  enraged  with  him  for  abandoning  them,  and 
endeavor  to  destroy  him,  "  and  perhaps,"  added 
he,  "  Jehovah  may  not  have  power  to  protect 
me  against  the  effects  of  their  anger.  I  will 
therefore  try  the  experiment  of  becoming  his 
worshiper,  and  if  he  can  protect  me  you  may 
with  safety  follow  my  example ;  but  if  not,  I 
only  shall  fall  a  victim  to  their  vengeance — 
you  will  be  safe."  The  young  men  unwillingly 
consented  to  wait  a  month  or  six  weeks ;  but 
the  third  week  their  patience  became  exhaust- 
ed, and  going  to  their  father  they  stated  that 
he  had  tried  the  experiment  long  enough,  and 
as  no  evil  had  befallen  him,  they  would  imme- 
diately follow  his  example.  Not  only  his  sons, 
but  all  his  relatives,  and  nearly  all  his  people, 
abandoned  their  heathen  worship.  In  connec- 
tion with  this  renunciation  of  their  old  reli- 
gion, a  singular  ceremony  was  observed.  Eve- 
ry chief  of  note  at  the  Samoa  Islands  had  his 
etu,  in  which  the  spirit  of  the  gods  was  sup- 
posed to  reside.  This  etu  was  some  species  of 
bird,  fish,  or  reptile,  and  if  any  one  of  that 
class  was  cooked  and  eaten,  the  etu  was  con- 
sidered so  entirely  desecrated  that  it  could 
never  again  be  regarded  as  an  object  of  reli- 
gious veneration.  The  etu  of  Malietoa's  sons 
was  a  fish  called  anae.  On  the  day  appointed, 
a  large  party  of  friends  and  relatives  were  in- 
vited to  partake  of  the  feast.  A  nuinj^r  of 
anae  were  dressed,  and  a  portion  laid  Wfore 
each  individual,  who  with  feai*  and  trembling 
ate  of  the  sacred  food.  The  superstitious  fears 
of  the  young  men  were  so  much  excited  lest 
they  should  be  punished  with  death  for  their 
presumption,  that  on  returning  from  the  feast 
they  drank  a  large  dose  of  cocoanut  oil  and 
salt  water,  to  prevent  the  effects  which  they 
feared  might  follow.  The  people  who  were 
spectators  of  this  feast,  expected  that  those 
who  partook  of  it  would  fall  down  dead  sud- 
denly, but  seeing  no  harm  happen  to  them  they 
changed  their  minds,  and  said  that  Jehovah 
was  the  true  God.  The  result  of  this  experi- 
ment produced  a  decided  change  in  favor  of 
Christianity,  and  induced  many  of  the  people 


to  place  themselves  under  the  instruction  of 
the  teachers. 

Having  completed  the  object  of  his  voyage, 
and  visited  all  the  islands  of  the  Samoa  group, 
Mr.  W.  returned  to  his  family  with  feeliflgs  of 
gratitude  and  joy.  In  less  than  twenty  months 
an  entire  change  had  taken  place  in  the  habits 
and  character  of  the  Samoans.  Chapels  had 
been  built  in  all  the  islands,  and  every  where 
the  people  seemed  waiting  to  receive  instruc- 
tion. The  desire  of  the  chiefs  and  people  of 
this  group  to  receive  English  missionaries,  was 
communicated  by  Mr.  Williams  to  the  Direc- 
tors of  the  Missionary  Society,  and  in  Novem- 
ber, 1835,  six  missionaries,  five  of  whom  were 
accompanied  by  their  wives,  sailed  from  Lon- 
don for  the  Navigators'  Islands. 

The  last  accounts  from  this  group  of  islands 
is  of  the  most  interesting  and  encouraging 
character.  Mr.  Heath  estimates  that  there 
are  now  on  the  island  of  Upolu  20,000  persons 
who  have  embraced  Christianity.  On  Manono 
all  the  inhabitants,  consisting  of  about  2,000, 
are  professedly  Christians.  At  Savaii- thera 
are  from  12,000  to  13,000  converts.  On  Tu- 
tuila  there  are  6,000,  and  several  hundreds  on 
the  smaller  islands.  AYhat  a  contrast  with 
the  condition  of  the  natives  in  1830,  when  the 
heralds  of  salvation  first  visited  their  shores  I 
"  Then,  their  beautiful  country  was  '  burned 
with  fire ;'  rapine,  murder,  cannibalism,  crimes 
and  horrors  at  which  the  heart  sickens,  gene- 
rally prevailed ;  now,  with  wonder  and  grati- 
tude the  messengers  of  mercy  exclaim, '  Behold 
how  good  and  pleasant  a  thing  it  is  for  breth- 
ren to  dwell  together  in  unity.'  And  this 
change,  as  great  as  it  is  blessed,  has  been 
effected  within  the  short  space  of  ten  years. 
Truly  may  we  exclaim,  '  What  hath  God 
wrought.  1'  " 

In"l843,  there  were  some  painful  defec- 
tions among  the  members  of  the  churches  at 
Savaii  and  Palauli ;  and  this  was  followed  _bv 
a  disturbance  between  two  villages,  which 
threatened  to  embroil  the  whole  group  in  a; 
general  war.  In  November,  1843,  the  party 
at  Sapapalii  declared  open  war  against  the 
inhabitants  of  Palauli.  The  missionary  and 
members  of  the  church  at  the  former  place 
used  every  means  in  their  power  to  turn  the 
war  party  from  their  evil  course,  without  effect. 
When  the  attack  was  made,  the  people  of  Pa- 
lauli, unwilling  to  shed  blood,  fled  to  the  dis^ 
trict  beyond,  while  the  invaders  wasted  the 
plantations,  cut  down  the  bread-fruit  and 
cocoanut  trees,  killed  and  devoured  the  do- 
mestic animals,  and  burnt  or  removed  every 
house  in  the  district,  except  the  chapel  and 
the  houses  of  the  missionaries.  On  the  return 
of  the  party,  they  began  to  persecute  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  and  threatened  to  burn 
their  houses  and  drive  them  from  their  lands. 
But,  out  of  430  members,  there  was  a  defec- 
tion, during  these  trying  times,  of  but  about 
35.    This  war  continued  to  distract  the  coun- 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


705 


try  and  disturb  the  operations  of  the  mission- 
aries, for  several  years ;  producing  the  most 
disastrous  results,  desolating  many  fertile  dis- 
tricts. And  yet,  God  overruled  it  for  good, 
as  it  led  many  of  those  opposed  to  the  war  to 
seek  an  asylum  at  the  station,  and  thus  in- 
creased the  attendance  upon  the  word.  Mr. 
McDonald  wrote,  in  1849,  that  there  were 
nearly  400  candidates  for  admission  to  the 
church.  This  war  was  not  brought  to  a  close 
till  April,  1851,  when  a  battle  was  fought, 
which  resulted  in  the  complete  triumph  of  the 
injured  party  ;  but  such  was  the  influence  of 
Christianity  upon  the  victors,  that  not  a  single 
act  of  retributive  vengeance  was  perpetrated 
upon  the  vanquished,  though  their  provocations 
were  very  aggravated.  The  missionaries  say 
that  the  means  they  have  used  to  restore  peace 
and  harmony  have  commended  themselves  to 
all,  and  convinced  them  that  they  were  their 
friends.  Yet,  the  war  had  produced  a  very 
demoralizing  effect,  and  led  to  the  revival  of 
heathen  customs. 

The  Samoan  Seminary  at  Malua,  forms  one 
of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  mission. 
In  the  course  of  seven  years  from  its  com- 
mencement, this  institution  had  under  its  in- 
struction 53  teachers,  34  women,  wives  of 
teachers,  and  50  boys  ;  many  of  whom  are  now 
employed  in  the  missionary  work.  And,  to  a 
considerable  extent,  it  has  been  a  self-sup- 
porting institution.  In  1852,  there  were  in  the 
institution  4  Erromangans,  4  natives  of  Sav- 
age Island,  4  from  Fate,  1  from  New  Caledo- 
nia, 1  from  Clarence  Island,  18  Samoan  youths, 
and  36  teachers,  with  their  wives  and  children, 
making  146  in  all. 

The  Papists  have  made  a  descent  upon  these 
islands,  but  as  yet  have  been  unable  to  obtain 
a  footing. 

TABULAR  VIEW,  1853. 


STATIONS. 


Savah  : 
Lafaasaleleaga 

Matautu 

Sapapalii 

Salulua 


Upolu  : . . . . 

Apia 

Fasitootai. . . 

Malua 

Ulemoega . . . 
Taluafata . . . 

Talealili 

Lepa  (1848) . 

Manoko:. 


TUTUILA  :. 
Pago-Pago 
Leone 


^}r 


Manxja:. 
Totals . 


22 


34 


120 


2141 


10 


Several  stations,  where  charcbes  existed  be- 
fore the  war,  are  not  mentioned  in  the  latest 
reports,  and  probably  have  been  broken  up ; 
^nd  some  of  the  stations  noticed  above  have  a 
number  of  out^tations.  Near  Lcpa,  for  in- 
stance, there  are  40  villages,  with  a  population 
of  15,000.  It  is  impracticable,  from  the  im- 
perfect returns,  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
native  teachers,  or  to  distinguish  between 
teachers  and  preachers.  The  number  is  un- 
doubtedly much  larger  than  apj>ears  in  the 
table.  So  also  in  regard  to  the  schools,  many 
of  the  stations  only  reporting  the  number  of 
scholars,  not  of  schools. 

Austral  Islands. — In  1821,  a  fatal  epidemic 
prevailed  at  Rurutu,  and  Aiiura,  a  young  chief, 
with  some  of  his  companions,  fled  from  the 
island,  and  remained  for  some  time  at  Tubuai, 
about  100  miles  distant.  On  their  return 
they  were  drifted  about  for  3  weeks,  and  after 
the  loss  of  some  of  their  crew,  they  landed  at 
Maurua,  the  most  westerly  of  the  Society  Is- 
lands. Here  they  were  shown  the  demolished 
temples,  prostrate  altars,  and  broken  idols, 
and  informed  that  the  inhabitants  of  these 
islands  had  become  worshipers  of  Jehovah, 
the  one  living  and  true  God.  They  immedi- 
ately determined  to  proceed  to  Borabora,  to 
see  the  missionaries,  and  from  this  place  they 
went  to  Raiatea.  They  were  filled  with  won- 
der at  what  they  saw. 

On  the  Sabbath  they  were  conducted  to  the 
chapel,  and  beheld  with  astonishment  the  as- 
sembled multitude.  The  songs  of  praise  in 
which  the  people  joined,  and  the  sermon  from 
one  of  the  missionaries,  excited  the  deepest  in- 
terest in  their  minds.  They  were  at  once  con- 
vinced of  the  superioritv  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  desired  to  be  instnicted  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God.  They  became 
pupils  in  the  school,  and  soon  learned  to  read 
and  spell  correctly.  Auura  was  exceedingly 
diligent  in  learning,  and  made  very  rapid  pro- 
gress. In  a  little  more  than  three  months  he 
was  able  to  read  and  write  well,  and  had  com- 
mitted to  memory  the  greater  part  of  the  cate- 
chism. Having  publicly  renounced  their 
idols  and  professed  themselves  worshipers  of 
Jehovah,  the  strangers  became  anxious  to  re- 
turn to  their  own  island,  that  they  might  carry 
to  their  countrymen  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
God  and  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ.  An  oppor- 
tunity occurring  for  them  to  go  in  a  vessel 
bound  for  England,  Auura  and  his  friends, 
were  delightcnJ  with  the  prosjwct  of  returning 
to  their  country,  but  they  ob^ectetl  to  going  to 
their  "land  of  darkness  without  a  light  ia 
their  hand."  Hastening  to  the  missionaries, 
the  chief  earnestly  requested  them  to  send  in- 
structcrs  to  his  native  land.  On  assembling 
the  people  and  inquiring  who  among  them. 
would  go,  two  of  the  native  deacons,  Mahar 
mene  and  Puna,  came  forward  and  said, "  ller» 
are  we  ;  send  us."  Every  member  of  tha 
church  at  Raiutea   brought  something  as  a 


45 


ro9 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


testimony  of  hia  affection,  which  they  present- 
ed to  tlie  tcftchers.  The  mi.«siouarics  Bupplied 
them  with  elementary  books  and  a  few  copies 
of  the  Gospel  in  the  Tahitian  language,  from 
which  their  own  does  not  essentially  dificr. 
Thus  equipped,  the  Raiatcan  Christians  em- 
barked on  the  6th  of  July,  1821,  with  Auura 
and  his  friends,  and  on  the  third  day  after 
their  departure  arrived  at  Rurutu,  where 
Auura  was  welcomed  by  the  remnant  of  his 
countrymen.  The  tidings  of  his  return  soon 
bpread  through  the  island,  and  the  whole  popu- 
lation came  to  offer  their  congratulations.  On 
the  night  of  his  arrival,  Auura  conveyed  his 
own  idol  on  board  the  ship  in  which  he  had 
returned,  and  on  the  following  day  convened  a 
meeting  of  his  countrymen.  The  little  band 
of  Christians  entered  the  assembly,  and  Auura 
demanding  attention,  informed  them  of  the 
incidents  of  his  voyage,  and  the  islands  he  had 
visited,  and  of  the 'knowledge  he  had  obtained 
respecting  the  true  God,  the  destiny  of  man, 
and  the  means  of  happiness  in  a  future  state. 
He  declared  that  the  god  whom  they  worship- 
ed was  the  foundation  of  all  deceit,  that  their 
idols  were  mere  images,  and  their  priests  im- 
postors. He  therefore  proposed  to  his  country- 
men to  follow  his  example  by  renouncing  their 
false  religion,  and  adopting  that  which  would 
lead  to  immortality.  The  priests  opposed  this 
startling  proposition,  but  the  king  and  chiefs 
replied,  "  We  will  receive  the  word  of  life ; 
we  will  burn  the  evil  spirits  ;  let  every  thing 
made  by  our  hands  as  an  object  of  worship  be 
totally  charred  in  the  fire."  An  aged  man, 
who  had  listened  to  Auura  with  deep  interest, 
arose  and  said,  "  Behold  you  say,  0  Auura, 
that  we  have  souls  ;  till  now,  we  never  knew 
that  man  possessed  a  soul."  The  chief  then 
introduced  the  two  missionaries  from  Raiatea; 
stated  their  object  in  coming  to  Rurutu,  and 
recommended  them  to  the  kind  attentions  of 
the  people.  The  missionaries  then  briefly  ad- 
dressed the  meeting,  and  concluded  by  recom- 
mending to  the  chiefs  to  provide  an  entertain- 
ment the  next  day  of  a  number  of  kinds  of 
food  which  were  considered  as  sacred,  and  of 
which  it  was  thought  a  female  could  not  par- 
take without  instant  death.  The  feast  was 
accordingly  prepared,  and  Auura,  his  wife  and 
friends,  with  the  Raiatean  Christians,  unitedly 
partook  of  the  sacred  food.  The  chiefs  and 
people  stood  around,  expecting  to  see  those 
who  had  thus  openly  violated  the  law  of  the 
gods,  either  fall  into  convulsions  or  expire  in 
agony.  But  when  they  saw  that  no  harm  be- 
fel  them,  they  simultaneously  exclaimed,  "  The 
priests  have  deceived  us,"  and  hastening  to 
their  temples,  they  hurled  the  idols  from  the 
places  they  had  so  long  occupied,  burnt  to  the 
ground  their  sacred  buildings,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  the  demolition  of  every  marae  in 
the  island. 

In  October,  1822,  the  island  was  visited  by 
Messrs.  Tyerman  and  Bennet,  who  found  the 


results  of  a  little  more  than  one  year's  exertion 
surprising.  Many  had  learned  to  read,  and 
some  to  write.  The  teachers  had  erected  neat 
plastered  dwellings  for  themselves,  and  under 
their  direction  the  people  had  built  a  chapel 
eighty  feet  long  and  thirty-six  feet  wide.  The 
railing  around  the  table,  in  front  of  the  pulpit 
and  by  the  side  of  the  stairs,  was  composed  of 
the  handles  of  warriors'  spears.  "  I'he  people 
here,"  says  a  missionary,  "  learn  war  no  more, 
but  all  submitting  to  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
have  cast  away  their  instruments  of  cruelty 
with  their  idols." 

In  1823,  Rurutu  was  visited  by  Mr.  Wil- 
liams. He  found  that  the  industry  and  im- 
provement of  the  people  had  been  progressive. 
"  Many  of  the  chiefs  were  dressed  in  European 
clothing,  and  all  were  attired  in  the  most  de- 
cent and  becoming  manner.  In  the  house  of 
God,  no  congregation  could  have  behaved 
with  more  propriety.  Not  a  vestige  of  idola- 
try was  to  be  seen,  not  a  god  was  to  be  found 
in  the  island." 

In  1825,  the  Falcon,  a  large  American  ship, 
commanded  by  Captain  Chase,  was  wrecked  at 
Rurutu.  The  chief  officer  and  crew  remained 
some  time  on  the  island,  and  the  captain  on 
his  departure  left  the  following  testimony  with 
the  native  teachers  :  "  The  natives  gave  us  all 
the  assistance  in  their  power,  from  the  time 
the  ship  struck  to  the  present  moment.  The 
first  day,  while  landing  the  things  from  the 
ship,  they  were  put  into  the  hands  of  the  na- 
tives, and  not  a  single  article  of  clothing  was 
taken  from  any  man  belonging  to  the  ship, 
though  they  had  it  in  their  power  to  have 
plundered  us  of  every  thing.  Since  I  have 
lived  on  shore,  myself,  officers,  and  people 
have  received  the  kindest  treatment  from  the 
natives,  for  which  I  shall  ever  be  thankful." 

Captain  Chase  afterwards  rewarded  the  na- 
tives for  their  assistance,  by  giving  them  a 
portion  of  the  oil.  They  immediately  formed 
a  native  missionary  society,  and  contributed  a 
considerable  part  of  the  oil  in  aid  of  ^e  funds 
of  the  Parent  Society.  It  was  afterwards  sold 
for  £66,  and  the  proceeds  sent  to  the  Society 
in  London. 

In  1829,  this  island  was  again  visited  by  Mr. 
Williams,  who  found  that  the  people,  although 
their  teachers  had  left  them,  continued  to  ob- 
serve all  their  religious  services,  and  that  Auura 
officiated  as  minister.  During  the  previous 
year,  they  had  contributed  to  the  Missionary 
Society  750  bamboos  of  cocoanut-oil.  They 
earnestly  requested  that  another  teacher  might 
be  sent  them,  saying  that  "  one-handed  people 
were  very  good,  but  that  two-handed  people 
were  much  better." 

On  the  return  of  Auura  to  his  native  island, 
he  found  there  a  number  of  the  inhabitants  of 
Rimatara.  These  followed  the  example  of  the 
Rurutuans  in  destroying  their  idols  and  receiv- 
ing Christian  instruction.  They  shortly  after- 
ward sailed  for  their  own  island,  and  induced 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


707 


many  of  tlieir  countrymen  to  abandon  their 
idols  and  embrace  Christianity. 

In  June,  1822,  two  native  Christians  were 
sent  from  Borabora,  to  instruct  the  inhabitants 
of  Rimatara  in  reading,  writing,  and  the  first 
elements  of  religion.  These  teachers  labored 
with  so  much  diligence  and  success  that,  when 
the  island  was  visited  by  Mr.  Williams  in  Oc- 
tober, 1828,  the  inhabitants  had  renounced 
their  idols,  and  were  living  in  harmony  with 
their  teachers.  A  chapel  had  been  erected 
for  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  which  was 
opened  during  Mr.  Williams's  visit.  The  fe- 
males were  neatly  dressed  in  white  native  cloth, 
with  bonnets  which  the  teachers'  wives  had 
taught  them  to  make.  The  entire  population 
were  receiving  instruction,  and  the  school  for 
children  contained  one  hundred  and  thirty 
cholars.  In  1825,  Rimatara  was  visited  by 
Mr.  Bourne,  who  was  delighted  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  station,  and  in  1819,  Pomare, 
king  of  Tahiti,  left  a  man  on  the  island  of 
Raivavai,  who,  though  ignorant  and  immoral 
himself,  undertook  to  teach  the  people ;  and  in 

1821,  when  visited  by  Capt.  Henry,  they  had 
made  such  improvement  of  this  poor  instruc- 
tion that  the  renunciation  of  idolatry  had  be- 
come general  throughout  the  land;  and  he 
says  of  them,  "  The  very  quiet,  devout,  and 
orderly  manner  in  which  they  conducted  them- 
selves, not  only  in  church  but  during  the  Sab- 
bath, excited  my  highest  admiration.  They 
sent  a  request  for  suitable  teachers,  and  in 

1822,  three  native  missionaries  were  sent  from 
Eimeo.  In  1826,  a  Christian  church  was 
formed  among  this  people,  and  sixteen  persons, 
after  examination,  were  admitted  to  its  privi- 


The  inhabitants  of  the  neighboring  island  of 
Tubuai,  hearing  that  the  people  of  Rurutu  and 
other  islands  had  renounced  their  idols  and 
embraced  Christianity,  sent  a  deputation  to 
Tahiti,  requesting  teachers  and  books.  Two 
native  teachers,  with  a  supply  of  useful  arti- 
cles, embarked,  in  June,  1822,  for  the  island  of 
Tubuai,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Nott.  On  arriv- 
ing at  Tubuai,  they  found  the  whole  population 
engaged  in  war  and  on  the  eve  of  a  battle. 
They  went  immediately  to  the  king,  acquainted 
him  with  the  design  of  their  visit,  and  re- 
quested that  hostilities  might  be  suspended. 
The  king  expressed  a  willingness  to  accede  to 
their  proposal,  provided  the  consent  of  the  op- 
posing party  could  be  obtained.  A  chief 
having  been  despatched  with  a  message  of 
peace,  his  proposal  was  receipted,  and  the  next 
morning,  the  two  parties  met,  and  peace  was 
concluded.  The  chiefs  then  embraced  each 
other,  and  the  warriors,  perceiving  the  recon- 
ciliation of  their  leaders,  dropped  their  imple- 
ments of  war,  and  rushing  into  each  other  s 
arms,  presented  a  scene  of  joy,  far  different 
"rom  the  conflict  in  which  they  expected  to  be 
engaged.  The  next  day,  the  inhabitants  of 
Tubuai  were  invited  to  attend  public  worship. 


when  Mr.  Nott  delivered  the  first  Christian  dis- 
course to  which  they  had  ever  listened.  In 
1826,  when  this  island  was  visited  by  Mr.  Da- 
vies,  the  profession  of  Christianity  had  become 
general  throughout  the  island,  and  the  chiefs 
and  people  were  assisting  the  teachers  in  erecting 
comfortable  dwellings,  and  a  substantial  house 
for  public  worship. 

In  the  year  1825,  Rapa  was  visited  by  a 
vessel  from  Tahiti,  which  on  its  return  earned 
two  of  the  inhabitants  to  that  island,  who  were 
astonished  and  delighted  at  the  strange  objects 
presented  to  their  notice.  Having  attended 
the  schools  and  places  of  public  worship,  and 
learned  the  alphabet,  they  soon  after  returned 
to  their  own  island,  accompanied  by  two  Tahi- 
tians,  to  whom  the  inhabitants  became  so  much 
attached,  that  they  were  invited  by  the  chiefe 
and  people  to  reside  among  them  permanently. 
In  January,  1826,  two  Tahitian  teachers  with 
their  wives,  accompanied  by  a  schoolmaster 
and  a  mechanic,  sailed  from  Tahiti  for  Rapa. 
They  carried  with  them  not  only  spelling-books 
and  copies  of  the  Tahitian  translation  of  the 
Scriptures,  but  also  a  variety  of  useful  tools, 
seeds,  and  plants,  together  with  timber  for  a 
chapel.  Mr.  Davies,  one  of  the  senior  mission- 
aries at  Tahiti,  accompanied  the  teachers  to 
their  new  station.  The  chiefs  received  them 
with  every  mark  of  respect,  and  promised  them 
protection  and  aid.  On  the  first  Sabbath  after 
their  arrival,  Mr.  Davies  preached  in  the  Tahi- 
tian language  to  a  number  of  the  natives,  who 
seemed  impressed  with  the  services.  This 
island  was  visited  in  1829  by  two  missionaries, 
who  found  that  four  chapels,  in  which  religious 
instruction  was  statedly  given,  had  been  erected 
at  different  stations.  The  people  manifested 
an  increasing  interest  in  religious  things,  and 
their  improvement  exceeded  the  expectations 
of  their  visiters. 

TABULAR  VIKW. 


STATIONS. 


Raiyavai 

Tubuai 

Rurulu 

Rimatara 

ToUla 


Church 
Members. 

Additions  re- 
ported the 
last  jc*r. 

40 
36 
36 

47 

11 

19 
7 

159 

37 

The  work  has  continued  to  be  carried  on  by 
native  agency  alone,  except  the  occasional  vis- 
its of  missionaries ;  and,  owing  to  their  remote 
situation,  it  is  seldom  that  anv  intelligence 
is  received  from  ihc  mission.  Mr.  Rodgeijon 
visited  Raivavai  and  l\ibuai  in  1838,  and  Mr. 
Orsmond,  Rurutu  and  Rimatara,  in  1839; 
when  they  observed  many  signs  of  improve- 
ment.  In  May  and  June,  1846,  they  were 
again  visited  by  Mr.  Barff;  of  Iluahme^o 
was  greatly  encouraged  by  what  he  witnessed. 


m 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


Peace  aud  purity  prevailed  among  the  native 
believers  ;  and  the  native  agents  were  faithful 
and  zt>alous  in  their  work,  and  their  labors  ap- 
peared to  have  been  crowned  witli  the  divine 
olcssing.  The  population  of  these  islands  is 
email,  probably  not  exceeding  1,000. 

Paumotu  or  Pearl  Islands. — In  the  early  part 
of  the  reign  of  Pomare  II.,  king  of  Tahiti, 
many  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Paumotu  or 
Pearl  Islands  fled  to  the  Georgian  Islands  for 
security  during  a  war.  They  were  protected 
and  hospitably  entertained  by  Pomare,  and 
when  the  'I'ahitians  renounced  idolatry,  they 
also  cast  away  the  idols  they  had  brought  with 
them,  and  placed  themselves  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  missionaries.  In  1827,  they  re- 
turned to  their  own  islands,  and  immediately 
after  their  arrival,  Moorea,  one  of  the  number, 
who  had  learned  to  read  and  had  been  hope- 
fully converted,  began  to  instruct  his  country- 
men. He  met  with  such  success,  that  with 
the  exception  of  the  inhabitants  of  one  district, 
the  whole  population  agreed  to  renounce 
heathenism.  Moorea  was  subsequently  charged 
with  having  deceived  his  countrymen,  in  the 
accounts  he  had  given  of  the  change  at  Tahiti, 
and,  to  save  his  life,  was  obliged  to  leave  the 
island.  But  when  the  people  afterwards  be- 
came convinced  that  they  had  accused  him 
falsely,  they  burnt  their  idols  and  demolished 
their  temples.  Several  hundreds  of  them  soon 
after  sailed  to  Tahiti,  a  distance  of  three  hun- 
dred miles,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  books 
and  receiving  instruction,  and,  before  they  left 
the  island,  several  of  them  were  admitted  to 
Christian  fellowship.  Early  in  the  year  1822, 
Moorea  and  Teraa,  another  Christian  native, 
were  publicly  set  apart  as  teachers,  and  soon 
after  sailed  for  Anaa,  or  Chain  Island. 
Shortly  afterwards,  a  canoe  from  this  island 
arrived  at  Tahiti,  bringing  the  pleasing  intelli- 
gence that  the  inhabitants  were  willing  to  re- 
ceive Christianity ;  that  war,  cannibalism,  and 
idolatry  had  ceased,  and  that  a  place  of  wor- 
ship was  building  in  every  district.  Two 
other  native  teachers  were  afterwards  sent  to 
these  islands. 

Mr.  Orsmond  visited  Chain  Island  in  1839  ; 
where  he  addressed  congregations  of  300  or 
400,  and  formed  a  church  of  43  members. 

Marquesas  Islands. — In  1797,  Captain  Wil- 
son, after  landing  the  missionaries  at  Tahiti 
and  Tongataboo,  sailed  for  the  Marquesas. 
At  Santa  Christina  he  left  Mr.  Crook,  who, 
after  residing  on  the  island  about  a  year,  be- 
came discouraged  and  returned  to  Tahiti.  In 
1825,  Mr.  Crook  returned  to  Santa  Christina 
with  two  native  teachers  from  Huahine,  and 
one  from  Tahiti.  Ho  found  that  some  of  the 
inhabitants  had  destroyed  their  idols,  but  the 
greater  part  were  exceedingly  rude,  vicious, 
and  disorderly  in  their  behavior,  and  strongly 
attached  to  their  superstitions.  After  remain- 
ing about  a  month  among  them,  Mr.  Crook 
left  the  native  teachers  under  the  protection  of 


a  friendly  chief.  Their  prospects  of  usefulness 
were  at  lirst  encouraging,  but  the  wickedness 
of  the  people  was  80  great,  and  their  conduct 
so  violent  and  alarming,  that  the  Tahitians 
(whom  they  threatened  to  kill  and  devour) 
were  obliged  to  return.  They  were  succeeded 
by  others  in  1826,  who  were  obliged  to  leave 
in  1828.  In  the  following  year,  Messrs.  Prit- 
chard  and  Sampson  visited  the  islands,  but  so 
turbulent  and  repulsive  was  the  conduct  of  the 
natives,  that  they  deemed  the  establishment  of 
a  mission  impracticable.  In  1831,  Mr.  Dar- 
ling, one  of  JLhe  missionaries  stationed  at  Ta- 
hiti, visited  the  Marquesas,  and  in  consequence 
of  his  report,  the  Directors  of  the  Missionary 
Society,  in  1833,  sent  two  missionaries,  Messrs. 
Rodgerson  and  Stallworthy,  to  commence  a 
mission  in  those  islands.  Having  been  joined 
at  Tahiti  by  Mr.  Darling  and  four  Tahitians, 
they  were  kindly  received  at  Santa  Christina 
by  lotete,  the  king,  who  promised  to  protect 
them,  and  gave  them  half  of  his  own  house 
for  their  residence. 

These  missionaries  labored  for  a  number  of 
years,  in  great  discouragement,  and  at  the  peril 
of  their  lives.  In  1838,  Mr.  Rodgerson,  com- 
ing to  the  conclusion  that  he  could  not  remain 
there  with  his  family,  removed  to  Raiatea ; 
Mr.  Stallworthy  continuing  his  labors  alone. 
In  August,  1838,  two  Roman  Catholic  mis- 
sionaries from  the  Popish  College  at  Valpa- 
raiso were  brought  to  the  island  by  the  French 
frigate  La  Venus.  Mr.  Stallworthy  made 
strong  objections  to  their  settling  at  any  sta- 
tion where  missionaries  had  been  placed  by  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  but  without  effect. 
The  chief  having  received  several  presents  from 
the  captain  of  the  frigate,  cordially  received 
the  priests,  and  gave  them  a  piece  of  land  for 
a  garden.  He,  however,  evinced  an  unshaken 
attachment  to  the  missionary  who  resided  on 
the  island,  but  the  people  showed  the  same 
indifference  to  the  Gospel  which  they  had  al- 
ways done.  Early  in  the  following  year  seven 
more  Romish  missionaries  arrived  at  Santa 
Christina,  and  established  themselves  in  va- 
rious parts  of  the  island.  The  imposing  cere- 
monies connected  with  their  worship,  their  in- 
sinuating manners,  and  their  skill  in  operating 
on  the  self-interested  motives  of  the  people 
have  not  been  without  effect. 

This  mission  was  continued,  in  the  face  of 
great  discouragement,  and  without  any  visible 
fruit,  till  1841,  when  the  missionaries,  Messrs. 
stallworthy  and  Thompson,  abandoned  the 
field,  and  removed  to  Tahiti.  The  group  has 
since  been  seized  by  the  French ;  but  the 
Romish  missionaries  have  been  no  more  suc- 
cessful than  the  Protestants.  Native  teachers 
have  recently  been  sent  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands.     (See  Sandwich  Islands.) 

New  Hebrides. — 31r.  Williams's  last  Voyage 
and  Death. — After  seventeen  years  of  unremit- 
ted toil,  the  illness  of  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil-' 
liams  obliged  them,  in  1833,  to  leave  the- 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


Y09 


Islands.  In  June  of  the  following  year,  they 
arrived  in  England.  His  own  health  and  that 
of  Mrs.  Williams  having  been  recruited  by  the 
voyage,  and  by  a  residence  of  four  years  in 
England,  Mr.  W.  became  anxious  to  return  to 
the  scene  of  his  former  labors.  The  plan  pro- 
posed by  him  was  to  undertake  an  exploring 
voyage  among  tha  groups  situated  between 
the  Navigators'  Islands  and  New  Guinea,  and 
to  place  on  them  native  teachers.  For  the 
prosecution  of  this  object,  it  was  deemed  advi- 
sable to  purchase  a  ship  which  should  be  ex- 
clusively devoted  to  missionary  purposes.  And 
for  this  purpose  an  appeal  was  made  to  Chris- 
tians in  England,  which  was  speedily  responded 
to  in  a  very  generous  manner.  The  interest 
which  Mr.  Williams'  narrative  excited  through- 
out England,  seconded  by  his  personal  repre- 
sentations, was  so  great  that  he  found  easy  ac- 
cess to  the  hearts  and  the  charities  of  those 
whom  he  addressed. 

A  sum  more  than  sufficient  for  the  purchase 
of  a  ship  was  soon  raised,  and  the  Directors  of 
the  Missionary  Society  purchased  the  Camden, 
a  vessel  of  two  hundred  tons  burthen.  Every 
arrangement  for  the  safety  of  the  vessel  and  the 
comfort  of  the  passengers  was  made  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  on  the  4th  of  April,  1838, 
a  meeting  was  held  in  London,  at  which  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Williams  and  ten  other  missionaries, 
one  of  whom  was  -Mr.  John  Williams,  Jun., 
received  their  parting  instructions.  The  meet- 
ing was  one  of  intense  interest.  On  the  11th 
of  April,  1838,  these  missionaries  embarked, 
being  escorted  to  the  vessel  by  an  immense 
crowd  of  the  friends  of  missions,  who  followed 
them  with  their  prayers.   . 

After  visiting  the  Navigators',  Georgian, 
and  Society  Islands,  Mr.  Williams,  in  conform- 
ity with  his  original  plan,  proceeded  to  visit 
the  New  Hebrides.  He  was  accompanied  by 
Captain  Morgan,  Mr.  Cunningham,  vice-consul 
for  the  South  Sea  Islands,  and  Mr.  Harris, 
who  was  intending  to  go  as  a  missionary  to 
the  Marquesas. 

On  the  19th  of  November,  1839,  this  apos- 
tle of  the  Pacific  unfurled  the  banner  of  peace 
on  the  island  of  Tanna,  one  of  the  New  Heb- 
rides group,  where  the  barbarous  people  show- 
ed him  no  little  kindness,  and  received  the 
Christian  teachers  from  Samoa  gladly.  In  the 
evening,  having  recorded  his  gratitude  to  God, 
who  had  done  such  great  things  for  them,  he 
assembled  with  his  beloved  companions  for  the 
solemn  exercise,  which  Captain  Morgan  so 
appropriately  styles  their  "  family  prayer,"  and 
Mr.  Harris,  in  the  orderly  course  of  their 
Scripture  reading,  read  the  15th  chapter  of  the 
first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians— the  sublime 
record  of  the  believer's  triumph  over  death ! 

The  next  day  thev  proceeded  to  Erromanga, 
another  island  of  the  same  group.  The  natives 
appeared  quite  different  from  those  of  the  other 
islands,  being  more  rude  and  barbarous  in  their 
behavior.    They  were  at  first  averse  to  holding 


any  intercourse  with  the  strangers,  but  having 
received  presents  of  fish-hooks  and  beads,  they 
brought  the  missionaries  some  cocoanuts.  They 
were  still,  however,  exceedingly  shy.  Think- 
ing that  they  had  gained  the  confidence  of  the 
natives,  they  all  went  on  shore.  While  Capt. 
Morgan  stopped  to  see  the  boat  safely  anchor- 
ed, the  missionaries  walked  up  tli'e  beach. 
The  captain  soon  followed  them,  but  had  not 
gone  far  before  the  boat's  crew  called  tf)  him 
to  come  back.  He  looked  round  and  saw  Mr. 
Williams  and  Mr.  Cunningham  running  to- 
wards the  sea,  the  former  closely  pursued  by  a 
native.  Captain  Morgan  immediately  return- 
ed to  the  boat,  from  which  he  saw  a  native 
strike  Mr.  Williams,  who  had  just  reached  the 
water.  The  beach  was  stony  and  steep,  and 
in  consequence  of  the  blow,  Mr.  Williaiy  •  '  ■" 
backward  to  the  ground.  Other  nativi 
came  up,  one  of  whom  struck  him  with  :i 
and  another  pierced  his  body  with  sevt-ral 
arrows.  Mr.  Harris  was  also  overtaken  and 
shared  the  same  fate.  Captain  Morgan  made 
several  attempts  to  obtain  the  bodies,  but  nei- 
ther of  them  could  be  procure<l.  The  natives 
seeing  the  boat  approaching  the  shore  for  this 
purpose,  attacked  the  persons  remaining  in  it, 
and  left  one  of  their  arrows  sticking  in  its  side. 

The  news  of  this  sad  event  reached  England 
a  few  days  before  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Missionary  Society.  The  particulars  respect- 
ing it  were  communicated  to  the  asscnil)ly, 
and  resolutions  passed  by  the  Society  expres:?- 
ing  the  deepest  sympathy  with  the  bereaved 
families  of  their  lamented  missionaries.  A 
subscription  was  soon  after  commenced  in  aid 
of  Mrs.  Williams  and  her  children,  and  a  hand- 
some sum  was  raised  and  appropriated  to  their 
use. 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1840,  the  British 
ship  Favorite  sailed  from  Svdney  to  search  for 
the  remains  of  Messrs.  Williams  and  Harris. 
The  expedition  was  accompanied  by  Mr.  Cun- 
ningham, and  a  Samoan  chief  to  act  as  inter- 
preter. At  Erromanga  they  had  an  interview 
with  the  natives,  and  by  means  of  presents 
and  threats  obtained  from  them  part  of  the 
bones  of  the  two  missionaries.  The  vessel 
then  sailed  for  the  Samoivs,  where  the  recover- 
ed bones  were  interred,  amid  the  respect fuLro 
grets  of  the  officers  of  the  Favorite,  and  the 
tears  of  their  brethren,  and  of  hundre<ls  of  Sa- 
moans,  who  remembered  Mr.  Williams  as  the 
first  herald  of  salvation  to  their  shore?. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Williams,  Mr.  Heath 
of  the  Samoa  mission  was  re<[ueste<l  by  Ins 

brethren  to  make  an  exploring  v<\' •■' ''"' 

Camden.     He  visited  the  New  II.  1 

left  native  teachers  at  four  of  the  i 
of  which  was  Erromanga,  the  very  ialaml  uq 
which  the  missionaries  were  nmrdorH. 

One  object  which  Mr.  Will"  "    i  view 

in  his  last  voyage  to  the  S"  ';inds, 

was  the  establishment  of  a  coli.  -v  i -i   iiie  ed- 
ucation of  native  teachers.    The  mi-ssionaries 


no 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


at  the  diflR?rent  stations  entered  fully  into  his 
plans  respecting  it,  and  one  was  immediately 
commenced  at  Rarotonga,  which  soon  num- 
bered eleven  students.  A  large  piece  of  ground 
on  which  to  erect  the  building,  was  purchased 
of  tlio  king,  and  there  is  every  reason  to  hope 
that  the  institution  will  posper. 

Mciisrs.  Turner  and  Nisbet,  having  been  ap- 
pointed to  this  mission,  arrived  at  Tanna  on 
the  30th  of  June,  1842,  and  having  assembled 
the  principal  chiefs,  and  made  known  their  ob- 
ject, were  kindly  received,  with  assurances  of 
protection ;  and  on  the  following  Sabbath 
they  held  the  firet  religious ^rvice,  and  preached 
to  over  200  people.  They  soon  found,  how- 
ever, that  the  character  of  the  people  was  de- 
praved and  cruel  in  the  extreme,  and  that  they 
were  distracted  with  internal  division  and 
strife.  The  natives  with  whom  they  were  im- 
mediately located,  manifested  some  attach- 
ment to  them  ;  but  by  all  others  they  were  re- 
garded with  distrust  and  hatred.  More  than 
once  their  destruction  was  secretly  attempted. 
At  length  the  chiefs  in  the  interior,  under  pre- 
text that  a  fatal  disease  which  prevailed,  was 
to  be  attributed  to  their  arts,  demanded  their 
expulsion  from  the  island.  This  was  resisted 
by  their  few  adherents,  and  led  to  a  savage 
war,  which  compelled  the  missionaries  to  quit 
the  island  in  their  small  open  boat.  They 
were  driven  back,  where  death  in  its  most 
horrid  form  seemed  inevitable.  But  a  merci- 
ful Providence  prepared  them  an  ark.  Just 
as  they  were  entering  the  harbor,  an  American 
vessel  appeared  ofi  Tauna,  in  which  they  em- 
barked for  the  Navigators'  Islands. 

In  the  Isle  of  Pines,  where  native  teachers 
were  stationed  in  1840,  the  result  was  still 
more  tragical.  In  1842,  the  crew  of  the  brig 
Star,  being  treated  with  apparent  friendship, 
went  on  shore  to  cut  timber,  when  they  were 
treacherously  murdered  and  devoured  by  the 
natives.  After  which  the  Samoan  teachers, 
after  assisting  to  tow  the  vessel  ashore,  were 
murdered  at  the  command  of  the  chief.  This 
was  done,  however,  not  from  opposition  to  the 
teachers  or  to  what  they  taught,  but  as  an  act 
of  revenge  for  the  outrages  previously  commit- 
ted among  them  by  European  and  American 
traders.  This  is  believed  also  to  have  been 
the  cause  of  the  death  of  the  lamented  Wil- 
liams. The  visits  of  these  trading  vessels 
have  been  marked  by  robbery  and  murder. 
The  natives,  on  one  occasion,  having  offered 
some  resistance  to  these  outrages,  they  were 
attacked  with  deadly  weapons,  many  of  them 
slain,  and  others,  having  taken  refuge  in  a 
cave,  were  suffocated  by  fire  at  its  mouth.  The 
immediate  cause  of  the  death  of  these  native 
teachers  is  supposed  to  have  been  that  some 
traders  presented  them  with  forged  letters  from 
missionaries,  directing  them  to  assist  in  pro- 
moting the  objects  of  the  traders,  thereby  ex- 
citing the  jealousy  of  the  people  against  them. 

In  1845,  the'  mission  at  the  New  Hebrides 


was  renewed.  Messrs.  Murray  and  Turner  luibi- 
ed  at  Tainia  with  15  native  teachers,  where  tin  y 
were  most  cordially  welcomed  and  kindly  tnnt 
ed  by  the  inhabitants.  I'hey  left  four  mw 
teachei-s  at  this  island,  and  two  native  evuiiL;^- 
lists  at  Nina;  aftor  which  they  proceeded  to 
Erromanga ;  but,  from  the  appearance  of  tin; 
natives,  they  came  to  the  conclusion  that  tlic 
island  was  still  closed  against  the  Gospel,  and 
did  not  land.  They  next  proceeded  to  Sand- 
wich Island,  a  beautiful  island  about  50  niili; 
from  Erromanga,  teeming  with  a  population 
of  noble  aspect  and  gentle  manners,  wli<  lu 
they  introduoed  four  native  evangelists,  wlm 
were  received  with  hearty  good  will  by  chii i: 
and  people.  They  also  left  teachers  at  two  of 
the  New  Caledonia  group ;  but  at  the  lai',u<; 
island  of  New  Caledonia  they  found  things  in 
such  a  state  from  the  influence  of  Matuku, 
chief  of  the  Isle  of  Pines,  that  they  thouiilit 
proper  to  withdraw  the  native  teachers  Vvlio 
were  there  before. 

The  last  intelligence  from  the  Western  Poly- 
nesian Islands  was  obtained  by  a  visit  of  Kc'w 
Messrs.  Murray  and  Sunderland,  of  the  ►'-^m.- 
moa  mission,  in  1852.  They  took  with  tlicia 
five  native  teachers,  with  their  wives,  from  tlic 
Ilervey  Islands,  two  unmarried  teachers  IVoik 
Samoa,  four  natives  of  Savage  Island,  lour 
Erromangaus,  and  four  P'atese,  who  having 
been  for  years  under  Christian  instruction  at 
Samoa,  were  now  returning  to  carry  the  Gos- 
pel to  their  native  isles.  In  nearly  all  tlio 
islands  they  found  an  extraordinary  change  in 
the  sentiments  and  habits  of  the  people  had 
taken  place  since  the  previous  voyage  of  tlic 
John  Williams  ;  and  large  numbers  had  re- 
nounced idolatry  and  put  themselves  und(  r 
Christian  instruction.  Commodious  places 
worship  and  dwellings  for  teachers  had  1h 
erected,  congregations  and  schools  gather' 
and  a  few  were  hopeful  candidates  for  chur. 
fellowship. 

Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova  Scotia. — 
Aneiteum  is  an  island  of  the  New  Hebrid  - 
group,  situated,  according  to  Captain   Coo':. 
in  lat.  20O  3'  S.,  and  long.  170°  4'  E.    It  L 
about  30  or  35  miles  in  circumference,  u 
contains  a  population  of  3,000  souls.     Its  i 
terior  appearance  is  pleasing  and  rather  ii:: 
posing,  rising  to  the  height  of  2,000  feet  abo, . 
the  level  of  the  sea,  and  presenting  an  inter- 
esting variety  of  mountain  and  valley,  large 
tracts  of  low  land  in  some  parts  of  the  coast, 
and  a  bold  shore  in  others  ;   high  land  and 
deep  ravines  running    to    a    great  distance 
inland ;    well  wooded    and   watered,   having 
streams  of  considerable  size,  and  valuable  tim- 
ber, available  for  almost  any  purpose.     The 
soil  is  not  remarkably  rich  in  general,  though 
in  some  parts  it  appears  very  fertile.     The  na-J 
tives  of  Aneiteum  are  very  low  in  civilization,,] 
and  their  moral  and  social  condition,  like  thai 
of  all  other  heathen  tribes,  is  such  that  it  cai 
not  fully  be  brought  out  to  light.    They 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


711 


not  live  together,  like  the  Eastern  Polynesians, 
in  regular  villages.    In  language,  in  color,  in 
manners  and  customs,  in  religion,  in  almost 
every  thing  that  distinguishes  one  race  of  men 
from  another,  they  differ  from   the  eastern 
tribes.    They  are  generally  of  small  stature, 
very  dark,  slender,  and  lacking  in  the  spirit 
and  energy  which  characterize  adjacent  tribes ; 
yet  there  are  some  fine-looking  people  among 
them,  and  the  mental  capabilities  of  many  of 
them  are  of  a  very  fair  order.    They  are  not 
destitute  of  ingenuity,  as  appears  from  their 
ornaments,  their  war  weapons,  their  planta- 
tions,  &c.    War  was  very  frequent  among 
them  before  the  introduction  of  the  Gospel. 
Cannibalism  is  found  in  all  the  islands  of  the 
New  Hebrides  group.    One  of  the  most  re- 
volting practices  found  on  Aneiteum,  and  one 
which  appears  to  be  confined  to  this  island,  is 
the  strangling  of  widows.    Till  very  lately, 
an  old  woman  was  scarcely  to  be  seen  on  the 
island.    Even  since  the  English  missionaries 
have  been  located  there,  as  many  as  11  widows 
have  been  known  to  be  strangled  within  a  sin- 
gle year.    The  monstrous  deed  is  done  by  the 
brother  of  the  woman,  if  she  have  a  brother, 
and  when  that  is  not  the  case,  by  some  other 
relative  or  friend.    The  idea  of  the  people  is, 
that  the  soul  of  the  wife  should  accompany 
that  of  her  husband  to  the  other  world.    It  is 
remarkable  that  the  greatest  difficulty  in  re- 
moving this  practice,  has  all  along  arisen  from 
the  widows  themselves.    What  an  amazing 
hold  must  their  religious  belief  have  upon  their 
minds !    Here  is  one  of  the  very  strongest  in- 
stincts of  our  nature — the  love  of  life,  fairly 
overmatched  by  it.     Something,  however,  is 
to  be  attributed  to  other  than  religious  influ 
ences.    It  would  be  considered  disgraceful  not 
only  to  the  party  herself,  but  to  the  whole 
family  to  which  she  belongs,  were  she  to  con- 
tinue to  live.    How  potent  is  public  opinion 
even  among  savages !    Of  late  years,  this  inhu- 
man practice  has  received  an  extensive  check, 
and,  as  the  last  heathen  district  has  abandoned 
idolatry  and  besought  the  aid  of  missionary 
teachers,  it  may  now  be  said,  to  have  almost 
ceased  to  exist.    From  what  has  been  said,  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  people  of  Aneiteum  be- 
lieve in  a  future  state  of  existence.    They  be- 
lieve in  gods  many  and  lords  manv.    They 
have  gods  of  the  sea  and  gods  of  the  bush  ; 
and  among  themselves  are  men  who  pretend 
to  have,  and  are  believed  to  have,  power  over 
diseases,  over  the  sea,  the  winds,  thunder,  rain 
&c.    They  make  a  difference    between    the 
future  abode  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked ; 
but  their  hell  lacks,  and  their  heaven  abounds 
with  such  sensual  gratifications  as  they  most 
prize  on  earth.    It  docs  not  appear  that  the 
island  was  much  visited  prior  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  the   Gospel.    That  important  event 


a  footing,  and  introducing  Christian  teachcra. 
This  was  a  work  of  no  small  difficulty.  The 
people  were  in  a  state  of  pure  barbarism  ; 
they  were  shy  and  suspicious  of  the  mission- 
aries, and  the  missionaries  had  no  confidence 
in  them.  It  was  by  the  aid  of  an  individual, 
himself  a  savage,  atid  chief  of  a  nelghborinaf 
island,  that  communication  was  held  with  the 
natives,  and  they  were  induced  to  receive  tho 
teachers.  The  names  of  these  teachers,  who 
began  the  work  of  evangelization,  were  Tavita 
(David)  and  Fuatieve.  They  were  natives  of 
the  island  of  Savaii,  Samoan  group.  During 
the  early  years  of  the  mission,  no  visible  im- 
pression was  made.  The  teachers  passed 
through  great  hardships  and  difficulties.  One 
of  them,  with  his  wife,  died,  after  a  short 
course  of  service.  The  mission  was  sustained 
by  a  reinforcement  from  Tanna,sent  by  Messrs. 
Turner  and  Nisbet,  of  the  London  ^lissionary 
Society,  who  were  on  the  island  at  the  time. 
Apolo  (Apollos,)  and  Simeona,  (Simeon,) 
who  were  thus  introduced,  labored  usefully  on 
the  island  for  several  years.     It  was  not  till 

1845,  that  any  visible  success  was  obtained. 
In  April  of  that  year  the  island  was  visited. 
The  teachers  had  suffered  severely  from  scarci- 
ty of  food,  frequent  attacks  of  illness,  the  un- 
kindness  of  the  natives,  &c.  They  had,  how- 
ever, been  sustained  under  all  their  trials,  and 
enabled  not  only  to  keep  their  ground,  but  to 
make  a  little  advancement.  A  few  of  the  na- 
tives had  attended  for  some  time  on  their  in- 
structions, and  one  man  had  decidedly  attached 
himself  to  them,  and  had  acted  towards  thera 
with  great  kindness.  Up  to  this  time,  only 
one  station  had  been  occupied,  viz.,  Ipeki,  on 
the  north-west  side  of  the  island.  Now,  ope- 
rations were  commenced  at  another  part 
Two  teachers  were  placed  at  Aniligauhat, 
where  is  the  principal  harbor.  After  this 
visit,  the  prospects  of  the  mission  were  again 
overcast,  and  when  the  island  was  visited  in 

1846,  about  twelve  months  after,  it  appeared 
as  if  it  must  be  abandoned  altogether.  ITie 
teachers  had,  from  various  causes,  siiffere<l  so 
severely,  and  their  labors  had  been  so  unpro- 
ductive, that  they  were  greatly  discouraged, 
and  were  ready  to  give  up  in  despair.  Two  of 
them,  however,  were  induced  to  stay,  and  thus 
the  door  was  kept  open  till  it  was  possible  to 
locate  English  missionaries.  In  July,  1848^ 
the  Rev.  John  Geddie  and  a  catcchist  from 
Nova  Scotia,  N.  A.,  and  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Powell,  from  Samoa,  were  placed  on  the 
island.  Aniliganhat  was  thought  the  most 
eligible  place  at  which  to  commence  their 
labors,  and  they  accordingly  scttKnl  there. 
Difficulties  and  trials,  similar  to  those  which 
had  been  encountered  by  the  teachers,  were 
experienced  by  the  missionaries,  and  a  consid- 


took  place  in  March,  1841.  On  the  20th  of 
that  month,  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
by  thcir^zealous  agents,  succeeded  in  obtaining 


erable  time  passed  before  any  marked  impres- 
sion was  made.  In  July,  1849,  the  mission 
wi#vi8ited,  and  slight  symntoms  of  an  im- 
proved state  of  things  had  begun  to  appear. 


71S 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


A  tnudl  pluiered  chni)cl  had  been  erected, 
aod  ft  plawoed  dwelling-hoiise.  Services  were 
beiltf  wgttlftrly  cooductwl  by  the  teachers  in 
UMBftUve  Uogiittge,  and,  though  the  attend- 
aaoe  on  these  was  both  small  and  irregular, 
yet  a  little  progreas  was  being  made.  Five  or 
six  individaalB  nad  begun  to  exhibit  symptoms 
of  An  awakeninff  interest  in  the  truths  of  reli- 
rioiL  The  night  was  passed;  the  morning 
had  dawned.  r»^ew  troubles,  however,  awaited 
the  mission ;  circumstances  led  to  the  separa- 
tion from  it  of  the  catechist,  and  Mr.  Powell 
returned  to  Samoa,  Thus,  Mr.  Geddie  was 
left  to  struggle,  single-handed,  with  the  great 
and  formidable  difficulties  through  which  the 
misBion  was  destined  to  pass.  It  is  found,  in 
the  history  of  missions,  that  the  most  severe 
trials  do  not  generally  occur  till  the  Gospel 
begins  to  take  effect.  So  long  as  all  remains 
in  the  stillness  of  spiritual  deatli,  the  mission- 
ary is  ffenerally  permitted  to  carry  on  his 
work  wiUi  comparatively  little  molestation ; 
but  when  the  power  of  divine  truth  begins  to 
be  felt  on  the  heart,  and  decided  symptoms  of 
spiritual  life  show  themselves,  then  it  is  found 
tnat  the  Ijord  of  missions  did  not  say  in  vain, 
"  Suppose  ye  that  I  am  come  to  give  peace  on 
the  earth  ?  I  tell  you,  nay  ;  but  rather  divi- 
sion." It  was  thus  with  the  Aneiteura  mis- 
sion. The  opposition  encountered  in  its  early 
years  was  trifling,  compared  with  what  it  had 
to  pass  through  after  the  truth  of  God  actually 
took  hold  of  the  hearts  of  men.  When  that 
was  the  case,  parties  among  the  heathen,  gen- 
erally official  characters,  whose  craft  was  in 
danger,  and  other  parties  also  besides  the  na- 
tives, whose  proceedings  and  pursuits  were 
incidentally  interfered  with  by  the  new  reli- 
gion, were  greatly  enraged  against  the  faithful 
missionary  and  his  adherents ;  and  many  and 
formidable  were  the  combinations  entered 
into,  and  the  attempts  made,  to  rid  themselves 
altogether  of  his  unwelcome  presence.  In 
one  instance,  the  infatuated  heathen  vented 
their  rage  on  one  of  their  own  countrymen. 
They  entrapped  and  killed  a  young  man, 
named  Wmevai.  Thus,  martyr  blood  has 
flowed  on  Aneiteum.  The  mission  property 
and  lives  of  the  mission  family  were  seriously 
endangered  by  incendiarism.  On  this  subject, 
Mr.  Geddie  says  :  "  We  often  look  back  on 
those  days  of  trial  with  trembling  and  with 
thankfulness  to  God.  This  hostility  to  the 
mission  seemed  to  have  reached  its  crisis  in 
1851,  when  an  attempt  was  made  on  my  own 
life  and  that  of  my  lamily,  by  setting  fire  to 
my  house  at  midnight ;  but  the  arm  of  the 
Ix)rd  was  stretched  out  for  our  protection,  and 
no  harm  was  permitted  to  befall  us.  The  ex- 
citement which  that  act  caused  among  the 
Christian  party  was  very  great,  and  it  required 
all  the  influence  that  I  possessed  among  them 
to  control  it.  The  enemies  of  the  cause  of 
God  were  then  convinced  that  the  trutl^ad 
taken  a  stronger  hold  of  the  hearts  of  the  na- 


[  tives  than  they  had  expected,  and  if  they  op- 
posed it  by  violent  means,  it  must  be  at  their 
peril.  The  last  exciting  event  occurred  about 
two  years  ago,  (August,  1852,)  wlien  the 
heathen  district  of  Anau-un-sc  contemplated 
an  attack  on  the  people  of  a  Christian  village. 
The  Christian  party  from  all  parts  of  the  island 
assembled  at  the  hostile  district,  with  a  view 
to  reason  with  the  heathen  and  warn  them. 
The  meditated  attack  was  abandoned,  and  all 
parties  rettirned  peaceably  to  their  homes. 
We  have  ever 'since  been  permitted  to  labor 
without  interruption  or  harm." 

The  trutlis  of  the  Gospel  first  took  decided 
hold  on  a  few  individuals  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  the  missionary.  Among  them 
were  five  or  six  men  adapted  to  be  useful  to 
their  countrymen.  These  were  employed  by 
the  missionary  to  assist  in  diffusing  the  truths 
of  the  Gospel  in  such  ways  as  they  were  able. 
In  the  warmth  and  zeal  of  their  first  love  they 
went  forth  to  beseech  their  fellow-countrymen 
to  turn  from  the  vanities  and  abominations  of 
pagan  idolatry  and  embrace  the  pure  and  holy 
religion  of  the  Bible.  Astonishing  results  fol- 
lowed their  labors  in  connection  with  those  of 
the  missionary.  A  spirit  of  inquiry  was  awa- 
kened, large  numbers  abandoned  heathenism 
and  embraced  Christianity,  and  a  goodly  num- 
ber there  is  reason  to  believe  became  anxious 
inquirers  after  salvation.  Hcath6n  worship 
and  heathen  practices  were  extensively  aban- 
doned, and  a  series  of  changes  commenced 
which  have  already  led  to  tlie  most  beneficial 
results,  and  promise  to  continue  till  every  ves- 
tige of  heathenism  be  swept  away,  and  the  re- 
ligion of  Jesus  fill  the  island  with  its  own 
blessed  fruits.  The  Rev.  A.  W.  Murray  and 
Rev.  J.  P.  Sunderland  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  visited  the  island  in  June,, 
1852,  and  again  in  company  with  Rev.  W.' 
(jrill,  in  December  of  the  same  year.  Mr.  Mur- 
ray had  several  times  visited  it  before,  and 
knew  it  as  it  was  while  the  reign  of  heathen- 
ism was  unbroken.  He  had  it  before  his  mind 
as  it  was  under  that  reign,  and  though  he  had 
heard  something  of  a  change  being  in  progress, 
his  expectations  were  not  highly  raised.  Let 
the  reader  judge  of  the  grateful  surprise,  w^hen, 
on  approaching  the  shore,  instead  of  a  crowd 
of  naked,  wondering,  rude,  suspicious  savages, 
with  long  hair  and  painted  bodies,  and  armed 
with  clubs,  spears,  and  other  weapons,  he  found 
a  company  of  quiet,  orderly  people,  all  more 
or  less  clothed,  with  confiding,  affectionate 
countenances,  long  hair,  and  other  marks  of 
heathenism  almost  entirely  gone,  and  not  a 
weapon  of  war  to  be  seen — all  pressing  forward, 
each  eager  to  be  foremost  in  giving  the  most 
cordial  welcome.  The  visiters  did  not  need  to 
be  told  that  a  mighty  change  was  in  progress, 
and  all  they  saw  and  heard  during  their  stay 
in  the  island  tended  to  confirm  their  first  im- 
pressions. A  large  number,  probably  about 
half  the  population  of  the  island,  had  efabraced 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


713 


Christianity.  The  services  and  schools  were 
being  attended  by  large  numbers  ;  many  had 
learned  to  read,  and  hundreds  were  striving 
with  the  utmost  diligence  to  do  so.  A  moral 
change,  moreover,  was  in  progress,  corHCspond- 
ing  to  the  great  external  one  that  was  every- 
where visible.  A  considerable  number  were 
professedly  seeking  the  salvation  of  their  souls, 
and  some  among  them  had,  according  to  the 
opinions  of  the  missionaries,  really  found  the 
pearl  of  great  price.  Mr.  Geddie  was  waiting 
the  arrival  of  the  John  Williams,  that  he  might 
constitute  a  Christian  church.  Accordingly 
it  was  the  high  privilege  of  the  deputation  to 
witness  the  baptism  of  11  of  the  natives  of 
Aneiteum  on  the  Sabbath  following,  and  to 
unite  with  them  in  commemorating  the  Sa- 
viour's dying  love.  The  occasion  was  one  of 
the  deepest  and  most  hallowed  interest.  It  was 
an  era  not  only  in  the  history  of  Aneiteum, 
but  of  the  entire  group  to  which  it  belongs. 
The  work  is  now  fairly  begun.  God  has  un- 
mistakably afiBxed  the  seal  of  his  approbation 
and  given  a  pledge  of  ultimate  and  complete 
success.  In  December,  1852,  the  little  church 
had  increased  to  the  number  of  24,  and  every 
thing  indicated  a  healthy  and  advancing 
state. 

The  Eev.  John  Inglis,  a  missionary  from  the 
Eeformed  Presbyterian  Church  of  Scotland, 
who  had  been  several  years  in  New-Zealand, 
had  joined  the  mission.  Mr.  Inglis  had  been 
about  six  months  on  the  island,  and  Mr.  Ged- 
die and  he  were  most  harmoniously  and  zeal- 
ously prosecuting  their  interesting  and  delight- 
ful work.  These  esteemed  brethren  are  con- 
templating great  things.  In  addition  to  plans 
now  in  operation,  they  are  about  to  commence 
an  institution  for  the  training  of  native  teach- 
ers to  assist  them  in  carrying  forward  and  ex- 
tending their  operations  in  Aneiteum,  and  also 
on  the  neighboring  islands.  This  is  to  be  at 
Ipeki,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Inglis.  Mr.  Ged- 
die is  at  Aniligauhat ;  and  in  addition  to  his 
other  duties,  manages  the  printing  department. 
Thus  Aneiteum  is  fully  embraced,  and  if  the 
lives  and  health  of  the  devoted  and  excellent 
men  who  occupy  it  are  continued,  we  may  an- 
ticipate the  happiest  results,  not  to  Aneiteum 
alone,  but  also  to  the  extensive  region  beyond. 
They  expect  a  reinforcement  from  their  re- 
spective churches,  ere  a  great  while,  and  when 
that  arrives,  they  will.  Providence  permitting, 
extend  their  operations  to  the  neighboring 
islands.  Under  date  October  1,  1853,  Mr. 
Geddie  writes  to  the  effect,  that  the  church 
erected  at  his  station  about  15  months  pre- 
viously, and  in  dimensions  62  feet  by  25,  was 
found  quite  too  small,  and  an  enlargement  was 
contemplated  to  be  made  in  the  course  of  a 
few  mouths.  A  mission  house  of  stone,  56  by 
19,  with  a  room  attached  to  the  rear  19  by  13, 
has  taken  the  place  of  the  former  temporary 
and  incommodious  building.  The  attendance 
at  both  stations  is  on  the  increase,  and  the 


hearts  of  the  missionaries  are  cheered  with  the 
most  attractive  prospects. 

The  home  churches  are  earnestly  at  work  in 
their  efforts  to  send  additional  laborers,  and  it 
is  gratifying  to  know,  that  while  there  are  few 
found  to  respond  to  the  call,  "  Who  will  go 
for  us  ?"  there  has  never  yet  been  found  any 
difficulty  to  defray  most  liberally  all  necessary 
expenditure.  Besides  the  annual  salaries  of 
the  missionaries,  funds  to  a  large  amount  have 
been  raised  for  boats  and  other  contingencies. 
Last  year,  and  the  earlier  part  of  the  present 
year,  the  free-will  offerings  of  the  church  in 
Nova  Scotia,  in  clothing  and  other  supplies,  ad- 
ditional to  the  necessary  expenditure,  amounted 
to  £400,  a  sum  more  than  equal  to  the  salary 
of  two  missionaries.  The  Synod,  at  its  recent 
meeting,  instructed  the  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions to  secure,  if  possible,  the  services  of  two 
additional  missionaries,  besides  the  present 
candidate  for  the  same  field  now  engaged  in 
preparatory  study.  Should  their  efforts  be 
successful  in  procuring  this  large  accession  to 
the  mission  staff,  the  island  of  Aneiteum  will 
soon  become  the  centre  of  a  very  widely  ex- 
tended scene  of  missionary  effort.  It  is  pre- 
sumed that  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church 
in  Scotland,  whose  zealous  agent,  Mr.  Inglis, 
has  within  so  short  a  period  exercised  great 
and  permanent  influence  on  the  prospects  of 
the  mission,  will  soon  secure  a  similar  rein- 
forcement. The  churches  in  Sydney,  New 
South  Wales,  have  raised  £2,000  for  the  per- 
manent support  of  two  missionaries  on  the 
same  group ;  and  as  there  are  peculiar  facili- 
ties of  communication  between  Australia  and 
the  New  Hebrides,  the  amount  of  effective  aid 
from  that  prosperous  colony  is  capable  of  great 
extension. — Rev.  J.  Bayke,  of  Fidou,  N.  S. 

TABULAR  VIEW   OF   WESTERN   POLYNESIA. 


ISLANDS. 

1 

i 

II 

1 

s 

a 
a 

3 

2 

3 
4 
2 
3 
2 
3 
1 
3 

24 

Lilu 

Mare 

Toka 

Totals     

2 

21          S 

A 

Owing  to  the  difficulty  of  access  to  these 
islands,  several  years  frequently  elapse  between 
the  communications  received  from  them,  and 
hence  the  returns  must  be  very  imperfect. 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society.— The  mis- 
sions of  the  Wesleyans  in  the  South  Seas  are 
situated  in  the  Friendly  Islands  and  neighbor- 
ing groups,  and  also  in  the  Feejee  Islands ;  the 


711 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


miarion  was  begun  in  1622,  and  the 
faUter  in  1836. 

P^imdh  Ji/<mA.— The  Friendly  or  Tonga 
Uaadi  aro  ntoatcd  in  the  Pacific  between  lat. 
180  Md  MO  g.,  and  long.  173o  and  176°  W. 
Th€y  coDiist  of  three  scijarate  groups,  which 
wn  Mid  to  contain  more  than  150  islands. 
Fifteen  of  Uicm  rise  to  a  considerable  height, 
thirty-five  arc  moderately  elevated,  and  the 
rest  arc  low.  The  most  southern  group,  the 
Tongataboo  Islands,  were  discovered  by  Tasman 
in  1 643.  Tonga,  the  hirgest  of  them  is  about  20 
milro  long  and  12  wide,  in  its  broadest  part. 
The  highest  part  of  Tonga,  the  little  mount  of 
Nukualofa,  on  which  a  chapel  stands,  rises  about 
60  feet  above  the  sea.  The  surface  of  the 
isUind  generally  is  only  a  few  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  ocean.  The  central  group,  called 
the  Habai  Islands,  is  composed  of  a  consider- 
able number  of  small  islands.  The  most  popu- 
lous of  them  is  Lefuka,  about  8  or  9  miles  long 
and  4  broad.  ITiese  islands  are  very  fertile. 
The  most  northern  group  is  formed  by  the 
Havau  Islands,  which  are  somewhat  larger  and 
higher  than  the  Habai  Islands.  The  island 
of  Vavau,  which  is  a  fine  island,  is  about  36 
miles  in  circumference ;  its  surface  is  uneven, 
and,  on  the  northern  side,  rises  to  a  consider- 
able elevation. 

Tlie  clwiate  of  the  Friendly  Islands  is  humid, 
and  the  heat  rather  oppressive,  rising  frequent- 
ly to  980  in  the  shade.  Much  rain  falls  pe- 
riodically. The  trade-winds  are  noti  constant, 
and  westerly  winds  occasionally  blow  in  every 
season,  which,  from  their  variable  character, 
have  obtained  from  the  natives  the  name  of 
"  foolish  winds." 

These  islands  are  remarkable  for  their  fer- 
tility, and  the  variety  of  their  vegetable  pro- 
ductions. Ewa  is  so  fruitful  as  to  be  desig- 
nated the  granary  of  "Tongataboo."  The 
island  of  Tongataboo,  which  is  nearly  a  dead 
level,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  hillocks,  30 
or  40  feet  high,  has  a  rich  and  fertile  vegetable 
mould,  which  is  not  composed  of  sand,  as  in 
the  other  coral  islands.  The  Friendly  Islands 
abound  in  tropical  fruits  and  productions. 
Ilie  inhabitants  of  these  islands  belong  to  the 
Baroc  general  stock,  and  resemble  those  of  the 
other  South  Sea  Islands,  already  described. 
The  population  is  estimated  by  missionaries 
at  about  50,000. 

Their  political  constitution  is  despotism,  sup- 
ported by  a  hereditary  aristocracy.  In  one 
view,  however,  the  government  may  be  con- 
sidered as  a  kind  of  family  compact ;  for  the 
persons  holding  offices  and  titles  address  one 
another  by  the  names  of  father,  son,  uncle,  and 
grandfather,  without  any  reference  to  kindred. 
Their  ranks  are,  kine,  chiefs,  matabooles,  tooas, 
and  tamaiocihs,  or  slaves.  The  matabooles 
Tank  next  to  the  chiefs,  and  are  a  sort  of  min- 
ivers. They  arc  always  looked  up  to  as  men 
of  experience,  and  superior  information.  The 
sons  and  brothers  of  matabooles  assist  at  pub- 


lic ceremonies,  under  the  direction  of  the  mata- 
booles. The  matabooles  attend  to  the  good 
order  of  society,  and  look  to  the  morals  of  the 
younger  chiefs,  who  are  apt  to  run  into  ex- 
cesses, and  oppress  the  lower  orders.  They 
are  much  respected  by  all  classes.  The  com- 
monalty are  called  Tooas. 

The  present  king  of  these  islands  is  an  ex- 
empliiry  Christian,  and  a  preacher  of  the  Gos- 
pel. The  inhabitants  are  in  a  transition  state. 
A  new  order  of  things  is  springing  up.  Club 
arbitration,  wlbich  formerly  prevailed,  has  been 
laid  aside  ;  a  code  of  laws  has  been  framed ; 
governors  are  appointed  to  the  different  groups, 
and  courts  of  justice  instituted. 

The  first  attempt  to  introduce  Christianity 
into  the  Friendly  Islands  was  made  in  the  year 
1797,  when  Captain  Wilson  of  the  "  Duff," 
left  ten  mechanics  at  Hihifo,  a  town  on  Ton- 
gataboo, in  the  capacity  of  missionaries.  After 
having  resided  together  some  time,  they  sepa- 
rated, for  the  purpose  of  being  more  exten- 
sively useful.  The  chief  under  whose  protec- 
tion they  resided,  was  murdered  by  his  own  i 
brother,  and  the  island  involved  in  a  sangui-  j 
nary  and  desolating  war.  Three  of  them  were 
murdered  by  the  natives ;  the  others  were 
obliged  to  take  refuge  among  the  rocks  and 
dens  of  the  island.  They  were  plundered  of 
their  property,  stripped  of  their  clothing,  and 
subjected  to  various  kinds  of  insult.  When 
the  strife  terminated,  the  missionaries  endea- 
vored to  support  themselves  by  hard  labor. 
The  natives,  however,  having  stolen  every 
thing  they  possessed,  it  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty they  succeeded  in  constructing  a  forge. 
When  this  was  accomplished  the  thievish  in- 
habitants brought  the  articles  they  had  stolen, 
in  order  to  have  them  manufactured  into  some 
other  form  that  pleased  them  better.  In  1800 
an  English  ship  arrived  among  the  islands,  the 
captain  of  which  offered  the  distressed  mission- 
aries a  passage  to  New  South  Wales ;  and 
they  being  utterly  destitute,  and  having  but 
little  prospect  of  usefulness  among  the  natives, 
gladly  accepted  the  proposal.  For  20  years 
after  this,  no  missionaries  visited  these  islands. 
The  Eev.  Walter  Lawry,  of  the  Wesleyan 
Missionary  Society,  arrived  at  Tongataboo  in 
August,  1822.  He  was  kindly  received  by  the. 
people,  and  for  a  time  well  treated.  Like  his 
predecessors,  however,  he  experienced  but  lit- 
tle encouragement.  The  natives  received  him 
as  the  harbinger  of  soldiers  who  would  shortly 
come  to  kill  them,  and  seize  their  island  ;  and 
consequently  treated  him  with  suspicion.  In 
1823  he  was  obliged  to  remove  to  the  colony 
of  New  South  Wales,  on  account  of  domestic 
circumstances.  In  1825,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  John 
Thomas  and  John  Hutchinson  were  appointed 
to  Tongataboo,  where  they  arrived  in  June, 
1826.  They  fixed  their  residence  at  Hihifo, 
where  they  erected  a  substantial  dwelling- 
house,  and  commenced  the  study  of  the  lan- 
guage and  the  instruction  of  the  people.  They 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


715 


also  met  with  great  opposition  and  with  little 
success. 

In  the  year  1827  they  were  reinforced  by  the 
arrival  of  Eev.  Nathaniel  Turner,  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Cross,  and  Mr.  AVeiss.  They  found  at 
Nukualofu,  one  of  the  chief  towns  of  the 
island,  two  native  teachers  from  Tahiti,  who 
had  been  some  time  employed  in  that  locality, 
preachinj^  to  the  people  in  the  Tahitian  lan- 
guage. They  had  erected  a  chapel,  and  240 
persons  attended  their  teaching. 

In  January,  1830,  Mr.  Thomas  proceeded 
to  Lifuka,  the  chief  of  the  Habai  Islands.  On 
his  arrival  he  found  that  the  king  Taufaahau 
had  renounced  idolatry,  and  acknowledged  Je- 
hovah as  the  true  God,  and  that  the  houses 
that  were  formerly  held  sacred  were  used  as 
common  dwellings.  The  chief  had  visited 
Tonga  a  few  months  before,  and  on  his  return 
he  was  accompanied  by  a  young  man  and  his 
wife,  who  had  been  baptized,  as  teachers.  Im- 
mediately on  his  arrival,  Mr.  Thomas  began  to 
preach  to  the  natives.  He  also  opened  schools 
both  for  males  and  females,  which  were  well 
attended,  chiefly  by  adults.  They  were  taught 
principally  by  the  natives  themselves.  Such 
as  had  learned  a  little  taught  others  what  they 
knew.  The  king  and  others  of  the  chiefs  at- 
tended, and  stood  up  in  the  same  ring  with 
their  people,  to  be  catechized  every  morning. 

Mr.  Thomas,  after  being  some  months  in  the 
Habai  Islands,  baptized  a  number  of  the  na- 
tives, among  whom  was  Taufaahau,  the  king. 
He  and  his  people  erected  a  large  building  for 
public  worship,  which  was  usually  attended  by 
great  numbers  of  the  natives,  there  being  gen- 
erally from  a  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred  per- 
sons present.  The  king  was  very  zealous  in 
bringing  over  the  people  from  idolatry,  and 
youDg  and  old,  rich  and  poor,  masters  and  ser- 
vants, might  now  be  seen  renouncing  the  wor- 
ship of  idols,  and  turning  to  the  true  God. 
Among  others  was  Tamaha,  a  female  chief  of 
the  highest  rank,  who  had  been  regarded  as  a 
deity,  and  was  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  popu- 
lar superstition.— ikfe^;?.  Mag.  1832,  p.  144 ; 
Miss.  kot.  Vol.  YII.,  p.  513. 

Idolatry  also  received  a  heavy  blow  in  the 
island  of  Yavau.  Three  years  before,  Finau 
the  king  appeared  anxious  for  a  missionary, 
but  afterwards  he  acted  the  part  of  a  perse- 
cutor, and  was  mad  on  his  idols.  The  king  of 
the  Habai  Islands,  and  some  of  his  people 
had,  however,  gone  on  a  visit  to  Vavau,  with 
24  canoes,  and  the  missionaries  wrote  a  friend- 
ly letter  to  Finau.  The  king  of  Habai  ex- 
horted him  to  turn  to  God,  and  put  away  his 
lying  spirits,  and  he  at  length  yielded,  saying, 
"  Well,  I  will ;  and  I  will  spend  the  Sabbath 
with  you,  in  worshiping  your  God."  He  then 
gave  orders  to  his  servants  to  worship  Jeho- 
vah, and  to  set  on  fire  the  houses  of  the  idols. 
These  orders  were  promptly  obeyed.  Some  of 
the  houses  of  the  idols  were  taken  by  the 
people  for  their  own  use  ;  others,  to  the  num- 


ber of  18,  were  burnt  to  the  ground,  and  their 
gods  in  them.  Some,  however,  were  much 
alarmed  at  these  proceedings ;  but  a  thousand 
people  at  least,  it  was  supposed,  joined  with 
the  king  in  renouncing  idolatry.  They  showed 
great  eagerness  to  hear  about  the  new  reli- 
gion. The  Habai  people  had  no  rest  from 
them  day  nor  night.  Wlien  they  had  done 
with  one  company  another  would  come  for  in- 
struction, and  thus  they  were  kept  constantly 
employed. 

In  March,  1831,  Messrs.  Nathaniel  Turner, 
J.  Watkin,  and  W.  Woon,  three  new  mission- 
aries, arrived  at  Nukualofa,  in  Tongataboo, 
the  last  of  whom  was  a  printer.  Hitherto  the 
missionaries  had  had  great  trouble  in  writing 
out  books  for  the  natives ;  but  now  a  press 
was  established,  at  which  'wfere  printed  large 
editions  of  several  school-books,  select  passages 
of  Scripture,  hymn-books,  catechisms,  and 
other  useful  works.  The  people  were  greatly 
delighted,  and  not  a  little  surprised  when  they 
first  saw  the  press  in  operation.  Thousands  of 
these  little  books  were  in  a  short  time  circu- 
lated, and  were  read  by  them  with  great  inte- 
rest. The  desire  for  books  was  very  great, 
and  the  missionaries,  availing  themselves  of 
this,  did  not  think  it  advisable  to  give  them 
generally  gratuitously.  But  the  people  were 
so  poor  that  many  found  it  diflBcult  to  purchase 
them.  The  missionaries  were  greatly  assisted 
by  a  host  of  native  helpers,  not  only  teachers 
of  schools  but  class-leaders,  exhorters,  and  even 
local  preachers.  The  overthrow  of  idolatry 
and  the  reception  of  Christianity  in  the  various 
islands  was  in  fact  efiected  very  much  tlirough 
the  instrumentality  of  the  natives  themselves. 
In  the  schools  were  some  thousands  of  scholars, 
of  whom  a  large  portion  were  adults,  and 
about  one-half  females.  Several  hundreds  of 
the  natives,  both  male  and  female,  were  em- 
ployed as  teachers,  among  whom  were  some 
of  the  most  influential  of  the  chiefs,  and  their 
wives.  Many  of  the  females,  besides  learning 
to  read,  were  taught  to  sew  by  the  wives  of 
the  missionaries,  and  it  was  truly  surprising  to 
see  the  rapidity  with  which  they  acquired  this 
useful  art,  and  the  neatness  of  their  work. 
There  was  a  great  desire  among  them  to  adopt 
the  style  of  dress  worn  by  English  women. 
The  religious  instruction  communicated  by 
the  natives  contributed  essentially  to  the  over- 
throw of  idolatry,  not  only  in  their  own  and 
neighboring  islands,  but  even  in  islands  at  a 
great  distance.  One  day  the  missionaries  in 
Vavau  observed  three  canoes  approaching  the 
shore,  which  proved  to  be  from  the  island  of 
Nina-Fo-ou,  300  miles  distant,  where  no  mis- 
sionaries had  ever  visited.  Some  of  the  Va- 
vau converts,  however,  had  been  there,  and 
such  was  the  effect  of  their  statements  that  the 
whole  of  the  inhabitants  had  cast  away  their 
idols.  One  of  their  visitors  they  had  detained 
to  afford  them  further  instruction. 

In  July,  1834,  a  powerful  religious  move 


716 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


OMBt  bwAD  in  Yvna,  which  qnickly  extended 
to  tbo  whole  of  the  Habai  Islands,  and  after- 
wank,  though  in  •  lc«  degree,  to  the  Tonga 
trhap.  Tboowwds  of  the  natives  had  before 
been  nominally  Christians ;  yet,  the  number 
who  gtte  erideneo  of  true  conversion  was  not 
oonsrambla;  Now,  hundreds  of  men,  women, 
and  childran,  iucludinif  some  of  the  principal 
chiefc,  might  be  seen  m  deep  distress,  weepmg 
alood  and  ciylng  to  God  for  mercy.  Often  as 
•oon  as  the  service  commenced,  the  cries  of 
the  people  began.  Many  trembled  as  if  thoy 
were  about  to  be  judged  at  the  bar  of  God. 
For  a  time,  the  people  laid  aside  their  ordinary 
employments,  and  gave  themselves  up  entirely  to 
rdigious  exercises.  The  missionaries  went 
aboat  among  them,  imparting  instruction,  and 
pointing  them  t^  Christ,  and  many  of  them 
soon  found  peace  in  believing.  The  work  was 
not  confined  merely  to  the  principal  islands, 
bat  spread,  like  fire  among  stubble,  through 
the  whole  of  them.  In  a  short  time,  every 
island  had  caught  the  flame :  everywhere  the 
people  were  earnestly  seeking  the  Lord,  or  re- 
loicuig  because  they  had  found  him.  This  re- 
ligious movement  was  followed  by  a  remark- 
able reformation  of  manners.  Among  other 
sins,  polygamy  was  now  abandoned  ;  marriage 
became  general ;  and  they  were  more  decent 
and  mcdost  in  their  apparel,  many  of  them 
dressing  in  the  English  style.  They  set  a  high 
value  on  the  means  of  grace.  They  kept  the 
Sabbath  with  remarkable  strictness,  resting 
from  labor ;  and  employing  the  whole  day  in 
the  public  and  private  exercises  of  religion. 
They  also  maintained  morning  and  evening 
worship  every  day.  In  their^)rayers  there  was 
an  affectionate  simplicity.  Their  former  hatred 
of  each  other  was  now  exchanged  for  love. 
The  missionaries  had  great  pleasure  in  laboring 
among  a  people  so  affectionate  in  their  disposi- 
tions, BO  attentive  to  their  instructions,  and  so 
tractable  in  their  manners.  To  assist  the  reader 
in  iudging  of  the  character  of  the  work,  we 
shall  here  give  a  few  extracts  from  the  letters 
of  the  missionaries  : 

"  On  Tuceday,  July  27th,"  says  Mr.  Turner 
of  Vavau,  "  we  believe  that  not  fewer  than 
1000  souls  were  converted;  not  now  from 
dumb  idols  only,  but  from  the  power  of  Satan 
unto  God.  For  a  week  or  two  we  were  not 
able  to  hold  the  schools,  but  had  prayer  meet> 
ings  six  times  a  day.  We  could  not  speak  five 
minutes  before  all  were  in  tears,  and  numbers 
prostrated  before  the  Lord,  absorbed  in  deep 
concern  about  salvation.  Frequently  their 
words  were,  *  Praise  the  Lord  !  I  never  knew 
Jesus  until  now,  now  I  do  know  him,  he  has 
taken  away  all  my  sins ;  I  love  Jesus  Kalaise: 
Some  were  so  filled  with  joy  that  they  could 
not  contain  themselves,  but  cried  out  for '  hearts 
to  praise  the  Lord.'  Tliis  has  not  been  like  the 
dew  descending  upon  the  tender  herb,  but  as 
the  sprnig-tide,  or  as  the  overflowing  of  some 
mighty  river ;  all  the  mounds  of  sin  have  been 


swept  awav ;  the  Lord  has  bowed  the  whole 
island  to  his  sway.  We  have  to  hold  two 
prayer  meetings  daily.  We  have  ascertained 
that  the  total  number  in  society,  is  306G  :  and 
the  number  converted,  for  the  most  part,  with- 
in the  past  six  weeks,  is  2262." 

"  In  the  morning,"  says  Mr.  Tucker,  of  the 
Habai  Islands,  "  we  repaired  to  the  house  of 
prayer  as  soon  as  it  was  light.  The  Lord  made 
*  the  place  of  his  feet  glorious,'  the  stout-hearted 
began  to  tremble,  there  was  a  mighty  shaking 
among  the  dry  .bones.  As  soon  as  service  be- 
gan, the  cries  of  the  people  commenced — what 
a  solemn  but  joyful  sight  to  behold !  One  thous- 
and or  more  individuals  bowed  before  the  Lord, 
weeping  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  praying  in 
agony  of  soul !  I  never  saw  such  distress, 
never  heard  such  cries  for  mercy,  or  such  con- 
fessions of  sin  before.  These  things  were  uni- 
versal, from  the  greatest  chiefs  in  the  land  to 
the  meanest  individuals,  and  of  both  sexes,  old 
and  young.  The  Lord  heard  the  sighing  of  the 
prisoners,  he  bound  up  many  a  broken-hearted 
sinner  in  that  meeting,  and  proclaimed  liberty 
to  many  a  captive.  We  were  engaged  nearly 
the  whole  day  in  this  blessed  work.  I  attended 
four  services  and  witnessed  hundreds  of  precious 
souls  made  happy  by  a  sense  of  the  Saviour's 
love,  on  that  day  and  the  preceding  evening. 
We  have  not  yet  received  an  account  from  all 
the  islands  of  those  who  have  obtained  peace 
with  God  during  this  revival,  but  from  the  num- 
ber already  brought  in  by  the  leaders,  we  be- 
lieve that  upwards  of  2000  were  converted  to 
God  in  the  course  of  a  fortnight." — Miss.  No- 
tices, Vol.  YIII.,  p.  149. 

Not  the  least  remarkable  of  the  converts 
was  Taufaahau,  the  king  both  of  the  ITabai 
and  Yavau  Islands,  and  who,  at  his  baptism, 
was  called  George,  while  his  queen  was  named 
ClmrloUe.  They  both  adorned  their  Christian 
profession,  and  were  truly  zealous,  devoted  per- 
sons. They  both  met  classes  and  superintended 
schools.  The  king  is  a  very  excellent  local 
preacher,  and  never,  sought  to  be  preferred  be- 
fore others,  but  went  wherever  he  was  sent, 
fulfilling  his  appointments  with  the  greatest 
cheerfulness.  Mr.  Tucker,  having  one  day  in 
the  course  of  conversation,  stated  his  views  on 
the  subject  of  slavery,  and  mentioned  the 
emancipation  of  the  negroes  in  the  W^est  In- 
dies, he  (King  George,)  said  several  of  his  ser- 
vants were  slaves,  having  been  given  to  him  by 
his  father  and  other  chiefs  ;  but  that  he  would 
liberate  them  that  very  day.  In  the  evening, 
he  accordingly  called  them  all  together  and  set 
them  at  liberty.  The  scene  was  very  affecting. 
He  told  them  of  the  many  evils  which  were 
practised  among  them  during  the  reign  of 
neathenism,  and  spoke  of  the  love  and  mercy 
of  God,  in  sending  the  Gospel  to  them  with  all 
its  attendant  blessings.  He  told  them  how 
much  he  loved  them,  and  then  said,  "  You  are 
no  longer  slaves :  you  are  your  own  masters, 
and  may  go  and  reside  where  you  please." 


SOUTH  SEA   ISLANDS. 


717 


They  all  burst  into  tears  and  wept  aloud ;  the 
king  himself  and  his  queen  could  not  refrain 
from  tears.  Two  of  them  begged  to  be  allow- 
ed to  live  and  die  with  him  ;  but  he  would  not 
consent  to  their  remaining  as  slares.  "  If  you 
wish,"  said  he,  "  to  reside  a  little  longer  with 
us,  well ;  if  you  desire  to  go  and  dwell  in  any 
other  island,  just  please  yourselves." — Miss. 
Not.  Vol.  VIII.  p.  315,  317,  320. 

The  missionaries  were  indebted  to  the  king 
for  the  erection  of  a  very  large  chapel  in 
Habai.  It  was  110  feet  by  45  inside,  and  was 
expected  to  be  capable  of  holding  all  the  in- 
habitants of  the  island.  It  was  probably  the 
largest  and  most  elegant  building  ever  erected 
in  the  Friendly  Islands,  and  was  a  fine  monu- 
ment of  the  zeal  and  good  taste  of  the  king. 
It  was  built  in  little  more  than  two  months, 
and  for  several  weeks  there  were  about  a  thou- 
sand people  engaged  in  the  work.  Most  of 
the  chiefs  were  employed  in  plaiting  kafa  or 
cinet,  while  the  common  people  did  the  heavier 
work.  The  pillars  and  other  timber  used  in 
the  frame  work  were  brought  from  other 
islands.  The  labor  was  regularly  divided 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  group, 
and  each  party  tried  to  excel  the  others  in 
their  workmanship.  As  they  had  no  nails  the 
timbers  were  fastened  with  kafa,  made  of  the 
fibres  of  the  cocoa-nut  husks,  and  dyed  black, 
red,  and  other  colors.  These  colors  they  in- 
terweave with  almost  mathematical  accuracy, 
which  makes  their  work  appear  to  great  ad- 
vantage. The  king  gave  several  beautifully 
carved  spears  which  were  left  to  him  by  his 
predecessors,  and  had  often  been  used  in  war, 
to  be  converted  into  rails  for  the  communion- 
table, and  two  beautifully  carved  clubs,  which 
were  formerly  worshiped  as  gods,  were  now 
fixed  at  the  bottom  of  the  pulpit-stairs. 

At  the  opening  of  the  chapel,  the  natives 
assembled  in  great  numbers  from  all  the  islands, 
on  many  of  which  the  sick  and  aged  only  were 
left.  On  this  occasion,  the  king  delivered  a 
very  appropriate  sermon  from  Solomon's  prayer 
at  the  dedication  of  the  temple.  King  George 
is  one  of  nature's  noblemen  :  he  is  six  feet 
four  inches  high,  well  made,  with  an  intelli- 
gent and  benevolent  countenance. 

Commander  Wilkes,  of  the  "  United  States' 
Exploring  Expedition,"  describes  his  late  re- 
ception by  the  Friendly  Islanders  in  terms  of 
great  interest.  He  says,  "  On  the  morning  of 
the  24th,  I  landed  at  Nukualofa  with  all  the 
officers  that  could  be  spared  from  other  duties. 
We  were  received  on  the  beach  by  Mr.  Tucker, 
one  of  the  missionaries,  and  were  at  once  sur- 
rounded by  a  large  number  of  natives.  It  was 
impossible  not  to  be  struck  with  the  great 
diflerence  between  these  people  and  those  we 
had  left  in  New-Zealand  ;  nothing  of  the  mo- 
rose and  savage  appearance,  so  remarkable 
there,  was  seen.  Here  all  was  cheerfulness 
and  gayety ;  all  appeared  well  fed,  and  well 
formed,  with  full  faces  and  muscles.  The  number 


of  children  particularly  attracted  our  notice, 
in  striking  contrast  with  the  New-Zealand 
group,  where  but  a  few  were  seen.  We  wait^ 
ed  some  minutes  for  King  George.  When  he 
made  his  appearance,  I  could  not  but  admire 
him  ;  he  is  upwards  of  six  feet  in  height,  ex- 
tremely well  proportioned  and  athletic;  his 
limbs  are  rounded  and  full ;  his  features  regu- 
lar and  manly,  with  a  fine  open  countenance, 
and  sensible  face ;  all  which  were  seen  to  the 
greatest  advantage.  He  at  once  attracted  all 
eyes  ;  for,  on  approaching,  every  movement 
showed  that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  command- 
ing those  about  him.  With  unassuming  dig- 
nity he  quietly  took  his  seat." 

King  George  is  now  about  fifty  years  old. 
He  was  converted  during  the  great  revival  in 
Tonga,  in  July  and  August,  1834.  He  suc- 
ceeded to  the  sovereignty  of  all  the  islands  in 
1845.  He  has  thrown  the  whole  weight  of  his 
influence  in  favor  of  Christianity.  Mr.  Lawry 
says,  "  What  God  declares  to  be  wrong,  he 
causes  to  be  refrained  from,  or  punished  when 
done;  but  religion,  in  all  its  operations,  he 
leaves,  where  God  leaves  it,  between  God  and 
the  conscience." 

In  February,  1835,  Mr,  Peter  Turner,  accom- 
panied by  some  of  the  natives,  sailed  from 
Vavau  for  NiuarTubu-tabu,  or  Keppel's  Island, 
about  170  miles  distant.  After  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Turner,  a  work  similar  to  that  which  had 
lately  occurred  in  the  Habai  and  Vavau 
Islands,  commenced  here.  Mr,  Turner  remain- 
ed on  the  island  between  three  and  four  months. 
He  baptized  514  adults  and  200  children, 
united  the  former  into  a  Methodist  Society, 
and  married  240  persons,  while  in  the  schools 
there  were  557  scholars,  male  and  female,  old 
and  young.  He  now  left  them  under  the  care 
of  the  native  teachers.  Mr.  Thomas,  on  a  sub- 
sequent visit  to  the  islands  of  Niua-Tubu-tabu 
and  Niua-fo-ou,  baptized  778  adults  and  403 
children,  forming,  with  those  previously  bajv 
tized,  the  greater  part  of  the  population. 

In  1836,  auxiliary  Missionary  Societic>s  were 
formed  in  the  islands  of  Habai  and  Vavau. 
Great  numbers  of  the  natives  were  present  at 
the  meetings  for  their  formation,  and  their 
speeches  were  deeply  interesting.  The  con- 
trasts which  they  drew  between  their  past  and 
present  condition,  were  affecting.  The  sub- 
scribers were  very  numerous,  and  included  per- 
sons of  all  ages,  and  of  all  ranks,  from  the  king 
down  to  the  poorest  of  the  i)eof)le.  In  the 
absence  of  a  circulating  metlium,  their  con- 
tributions consisted  chiefly  of  articles  of  native 
manufacture.  The  most  valuable  of  these  were 
fine  mats,  which  many  of  the  chiefs  presented. 
A  few  gave  pigs,  many  gave  native  cloth, 
some  native  fish-hooks,  others  oils,  yams,  ar- 
row-root, tortoise-shell,  baskets,  ornaments, 
&c.  The  king  was  particularly  zealous  in 
carrying  on  these  auxiliary  societies,  and  on 
one  occasion  he  and  his  queen  gave  a  dona- 
tion of  ten  sovereigns,  which  had  been  received 


ns 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


by  King  Ooorg«  m  »  present  from  the  captain 
oTao  EnfflUi  war  sliip. 

Ib  Maich,  1889,  King  George  promulgated, 
b  A  krM  aaembly  of  the  chiefs  and  ])eople,  a 
codb^Zmt,  which  had  been  drawn  up  for 
thtir  gorernmcnt,  and  appointed  judges  to 
hnr  and  decide  all  cases  of  complaint  which 
tmtJkt  triw  among  them.  No  one,  whether 
dSr  or  private  person,  was  now  to  take  the 
law  into  nis  own  nand ;  but  must  bring  every 
matter  of  importance  before  the  iudges.  It  is 
efideot,  from  the  character  of  this  code,  that 
the  minionaries  had  some  hand  in  its  fornia- 
tioii.  And,  although  it  may  not  be  free  from 
defects,  yet  its  adoption  was  an  important 
step  in  the  progress  of  civilization,  laymg  the 
foundation  for  the  security  of  life  and  property, 
and  for  the  future  improvement  and  happiness 
of  the  people. 

In  longataboo,  Christianity  had  made  much 
less  progress  than  in  Habai  and  Yavau  Islands. 
There  b^thenism  had  all  along  maintained  itself 
in  vigor,  particularly  in  the  district  of  Hihifo, 
where  the  missionaries  originally  settled,  but 
which,  after  two  or  three  years,  they  left  in 
consequence  of  the  opposition  they  encoun- 
tered. Tonga  was,  in  fact,  the  centre  of  the 
snperstition  of  the  Friendly  Isles.  Its  very 
name,  Tongataboo,  or  Tonga,  the  holy  or  con- 
secrated, would  seem  to  mark  it  out  as  a  strong- 
hold of  the  ancicut  religion.  ITiough  many  of 
the  natives,  particularly  at  Nukualofa,  em- 
braced Christianitv,  yet  there  were  thousands 
throughout  the  island  who  clung  to  idolatry, 
and  from  time  to  time  they  manifested  deter- 
mined hostility  to  the  Christians. 

In  June,  1840,  the  heathen  chiefs  of  Tonga 
broke  out  in  rebellion.  Capt.  Croker,  of  the 
British  ship  Favorite,  happening  to  arrive  just 
at  this  time,  united  the  force  under  his  com- 
mand to  that  of  King  George,  in  the  hope  of 
bringing  the  quarrel  to  a  speedy  conclusion. 
But  he,  with  two  of  his  ofiGcers,  were  killed, 
and  the  first  lieutenant  and  19  men  danger- 
ously wounded.  By  this  unfortunate  occur- 
rence the  mission  was  broken  up  for  a  time, 
bat  was  resumed  again  at  the  restoration  of 
pesfoe. 

Of  late  years,  Christianity  has  greatly  ex- 
tended itself  in  the  Friendly  Islands,  notwith- 
standing the  opposition  of  heathenism  and 
popery.  Quite  lately  the  character  and  actions 
of  the  Christian  king  of  these  islands  has  a1^ 
tracted  considerable  public  attention.  Tonga, 
the  principal  island,  has  been  again  the  scene 
of  a  rel)ellion,  instigated  by  a  few  chiefs  who 
still  adhere  to  heathenism.  The  rebels  were 
aided  by  Romish  priests,  who,  for  some  years, 
have  had  a  settlement  on  the  island.  An  ec- 
clesiastic, said  to  he  a  bishop,  was  prominent 
in  the  quarrel,  and  went  in  search  of  a  French 
ship  of  war  to  chastise  King  George.  Fears 
were  excited  that  there  might  be  a  repetition. 
Hi  ^"<^"^'y  Is^es,  of  those  acts  of  despotic 
tyranny  practiced  by  the  same  power  in  Tahiti 


a  few  years  ago.  In  the  interval  many  prayers 
were  offered  up  to  God  in  behalf  of  King 
George  and  his  people.  During  the  bishop's 
absence,  the  British  war  ship  Calliope,  com- 
manded by  Sir  E.  Home,  came  into  the  harbor 
of  Tonga.  Meanwhile  King  George's  efforts 
for  suppressing  the  rebellion  were  successful ; 
the  rebels  surrendered,  and  were  magnani- 
mously pardoned,  and  the  war  wsis  brought  to 
a  happy  termination.  The  king  by  his  for- ' 
bearance  and  generosity,  in  the  hour  of  tri- 
umph, and  by  the  practical  wisdom  of  other 
parts  of  his  conduct,  has  eminently  adorned 
his  Christian  profession.  The  chiefs  of  the 
fort  called  Houmd,  having  first  notified  their 
intention  to  submit,  a  day  was  appointed  to 
receive  this  submission ;  and  as  the  custom  of 
the  nation  is  to  destroy  the  vanquished,  the 
missionaries  thought  it  right  to  be  present 
at  the  ceremony,  that  they  might  intercede  for 
the  captives,  if  needful.  But  their  good  oJBBces 
were  not  required.  The  king  caused  it  to  be 
proclaimed  that  he  did  not  intend  to  take 
irom  these  chiefs  either  their  lives,  their  dig- 
nity, or  their  lands,  but  that  he  "  freely  for- 
gave them  for  the  sake  of  lotu  alone."  The 
clemency  of  Christianity,  which  thus  shone  so 
conspicuously  in  the  king's  conduct  towards 
the  rebels  is  the  more  marked  when  we  re- 
member that  they  had  barbarously  murdered 
some  of  his  own  relatives,  among  the  many 
victims  that  fell  into  their  hands.  His  con- 
duct on  this  occasion  won  the  hearts  and  alle- 
giance of  even  his  bitterest  enemies.  The 
pardoned  chiefs  returned  from  the  assembly  to 
the  king's  house,  and  that  same  night  re- 
nounced their  heathenism,  and  at  the  family 
altar  of  King  George,  for  the  first  time  in  their 
lives,  they  bowed  their  knees  to  the  Lord  Jo- 
sus  Christ.  More  than  100  persons  followed 
their  example  when  Mr.  West  visited  the  fort 
a  few  days  afterward.  On  the  16th  of  August 
the  remaining  fortress  surrendered,  and  was 
destroyed ;  and  mercy  again  triumphed  in  sav- 
ing the  lives  of  the  vanquished.  The  Romish 
priests  who  had  persisted  in  remaining  in  it  to 
the  last,  notwithstanding  the  remonstrances 
addressed  to  them  both  by  the  king  and  Sir 
E.  Home,  escaped  without  injury,  and  their  pro- 
perty was  saved  from  destruction  by  the  per- 
sonal exertions  of  the  king  and  the  baronet, 
who  went  thrmigh  the  midst  of  burning  houses 
and  falling  trees  to  save  their  goods.  Thus 
did  Providence  guard  this  worthy  king,  and 
reward  his  Christian  courage  and  consistency 
and  mercy.  Sir  E.  Home  was  surprised 
and  delighted,  and  afterwards  said  to  one  of 
the  missionaries,  "  I  saw  the  noble  and  Chris- 
tian conduct  of  King  George.  He  can  only 
be  compared  to  Alfred  the  Great,  of  blessed 
memory.  He  is  worthy  of  being  called  a  king. 
He  is  the  greatest  man  in  these  seas." 

These  events  took  place  in  August,  1852. 
In  November,  Sir  E.  Home  returned  in  the 
Calliope  to  the  Friendly  Isles,  that  he  might 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


719 


learn  the  result  of  the  visit  of  the  French 
ship  of  war.  He  seemed  very  anxious  that 
no  harm  should  happen  to  the  Friendly  Island- 
ers or  the  kin<^.  His  visit  was  an  occasion  of 
much  joy  to  all  parties.  However,  the  French 
ship  had  not  arrived.  But  on  the  12th  of  No- 
vember, two  days  after  Sir  E.  Home  left  Ton- 
ga, the  Moselle  made  her  appearance.  Her 
commander,  Captain  Belland,  was  commis- 
sioned by  the  Popish  governor  of  Tahiti  to 
inquire  into  certain  complaints  lodged  against 
King  George  by  the  captain  of  a  French 
whaler,  the  Gustave  of  Havre-dc-Grace,  and 
also  by  the  Bomish  priests  residing  in  Tonga. 
The  king  obeyed  the  summons  of  thq  captain, 
and  went  on  board  the  Moselle,  taking  with 
him  his  state  paper  box,  in  which  he  had  copies 
of  all  his  correspondence,  especially  that  with 
the  Romish  priests.  This  correspondence  he 
laid  before  the  captain,  who  viewed  the  king 
and  his  papers  with  astonishment.  At  the 
close  of  their  long  interview,  which  lasted  five 
hours,  and  throughout  which  the  king  con- 
ducted himself  with  the  greatest  Christian 
propriety,  the  French  captain  expressed  him- 
self entirely  satisfied,  and  stated  to  the  king 
that  "  the  French  government,  through  him, 
acknowledged  George  as  king  of  the  Friendly 
Islands  ;  and  that  the  only  condition  he  would 
impose  was  that,  if  any  Frenchman  chose  to 
reside  in  his  dominions,  he  should  be  protect- 
ed, so  long  as  he  obeyed  the  laws  ;  and  that  if 
any  of  the  king's  subjects  chose  to  become 
Roman  Catholics  they  should  be  allowed  to 
do  so."  To  these  conditions  the  king  agreed, 
and  the  dreaded  French  war  ship  took  her  de- 
parture, the  captain  declaring  that  he  "  had 
seen  and  conversed  with  many  chiefs  in  the 
South  Seas,  but  that  he  had  not  seen  one  to 
be  compared  in  knowledge  and  ability,  in 
courage  and  dignity,  to  George,  the  king  of 
the  Friendly  Islands." 

And  thus  this  man,  who  29  years  ago  was  a 
savage,  noted  through  the  South  Seas  for  his 
bravery  and  fierceness  of  ilieposition,  has  be- 
come "  a  wonder  unto  many" — a  monument  of 
the  enlightening  and  transforming  power  of 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.  In  1844,  he  lost  his 
peace,  and  became  a  "backslider  in  heart;" 
but  it  was  only  for  a  short  time.  Publicly,  at 
a  love  feast,  he  penitently  acknowledged  his 
fall,  and  immediately  found  peace  anew,  and 
ever  since  he  has  maintained  a  walk  conform- 
able to  the  Gospel. 

The  war,  thus  brought  to  a  close,  had  an 
unfavorable  influence  on  the  mission ;  but 
much  is  hoped  for  from  the  moral  influence  of 
the  events  connected  with  its  termination.  In 
the  month  of  October  a  great  council  was 
held,  at  which  all  the  ruling  chiefs  were  pres- 
ent, and  many  important  regulations  were 
enacted.  The  following  extracts  will  speak 
for  themselves  :  "  The  system  of  tabu  is  abol- 
ished. All  slaves  are  hereby  set  at  liberty ; 
and  no  man  is  to  keep  a  slave  or  other  person 


I  in  bondage.  All  persons  are  to  dress  modestly 
and  becomingly.  All  crime  will  be  punished  ; 
and  the  laws  already  printed  are  to  be  en- 
forced throughout  the  land.  All  children  arc 
to  be  sent  to  school,  for  on  this  depends  the 
future  welfare  of  our  nation." 

In  no  other  mission  of  the  Wesleyans  has  so 
large  a  number  of  native  preaJicrs  been  raised 
up  to  proclaim  the  Gospel  to  their  country- 
men as  in  this  mission.  Nearly  500  of  the 
Friendly  Islanders  are  regularly  licensed  to 
preach.  In  this  great  result,  the  institution 
for  training  a  native  ministry  has  exerted  an 
important  influence,  and  was  early  brought 
into  operation. 

The  printing-press  also  is  worked  with  great 
efficiency,  and  so  is  also  their  system  of  day 
schools,  in  which  arc  nearly  8,000  children. 
Altogether  this  mission  is  worthy  to  stand  by 
the  side  of  that  to  the  Sandwich  Isles,  as  a 
witness  before  the  world  of  what  the  religion 
of  the  cross  can  effect,  even  among  a  savage 
people,  in  the  short  space  of  thirty  years. 

The  Rev.  Robert  Young,  the  deputation 
lately  sent  from  London  to  visit  these  mis- 
sions, has  just  returned,  and  in  his  report 
bears  the  most  delightful  testimony  to  what 
the  religion  of  Christ  has  done  for  this  peo- 
ple. Among  other  things  he  says  :  "  With 
the  exception  of  about  50  persons,  the  en- 
tire population  have  embraced  Christianity. 
It  is  true  they  have  not  all  felt  its  saving 
power,  yet  they  have  all  been  more  or  less 
benefited  by  its  influence,  and  some  thousands 
of  them  have  experienced  its  transforming 
power,  and  are  now,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
adorning  the  doctrine  of  God  their  Saviour. 
There  were  many  things  that  delighted  me 
during  my  visit  to  that  interesting  land.  I 
was  pleased  with  the  reverence  of  the  people 
for  the  Lord's  day.  On  that  day  nothing  is 
heard  or  seen  infringing  upon  its  sacred  right 
If  people  are  beheld  coming  from  their  habi- 
tations, it  is  that  they  may  go  to  the  house  of 
the  Lord  and  inquire  in  his  holy  temple.  If 
a  canoe  is  seen  in  the  offing,  it  is  conveying  a 
local  preacher  to  his  appointment  on  some 
distant  island,  that  he  may  preach  Jesus  to 
the  people.  If  noises  occasionally  fall  upon 
the  ear,  they  are  not  those  of  revelry  and  strife, 
but  son^  of  praise  and  earnest  prayer  to  the 
God  of  heaven.  I  was  also  delignted  with  the 
attention  of  the  people  to  family  worsltip. 
That  duty  is  strictly  attended  to,  there  being 
very  few  families  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  these  islands  bearing  the  Christian 
name  where  they  have  not  a  domestic  altar  on 
which  is  presented  the  morning  and  evening 
sacrifice.  I  was  also  pleased  with  their  profi- 
ciency in  learning.  Not  less  than  8,000  of 
them  can  read  the  sacretl  Scriptures,  and  5,000 
can  write  their  own  language,  and  some  of 
them  very  elegantly.  I  examined  several 
of  our  schools ;  and  many  of  the  pupils,  in 
addition  to  reading  and  writing,  had  acquired 


780 


SOUTH  SBA  ISLANDS. 


a  Tcry  rwpccuii>io  Knowledge  of  geography, 
tfithmetic,  natural  history,  aud  some  other 
brandMi  of  learning.  A  few  of  them  were 
even  makiitf  attempts  to  master  astronomy. 
I  had  alio  tSe  pleasuro  of  examiuiug  the  stu- 
dents of  oar  normal  instituttou,  and  was 
gitaUy  delighted  with  their  proficiency. 

*•  Tnongh  as  a  nation  they  arc,  after  all,  but 
in  a  transition  state,  yet,  iu  point  of  truthful- 
ntmt  and  honesty,  and  hospitality,  and  tcm- 
peranee,  and  chastity,  they  might  be  placed  in 
noet  advantageous  contrast  with  the  refined 
and  polite  nations  of  the  civilized  world. 
King  George  is  a  most  decided  and  exemplary 
Christian.  I  had  the  privilege  of  being  with 
him  for  nearly  two  months,  and  during  that 
period  I  never  heard  a  foolish  word  drop  from 
bis  lips,  nor  did  I  ever  see  anything  in  his 
spirit  or  deportment  inconsistent  with  the 
most  entire  devotedness  as  a  disciple  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  He  is  a  local  preacher, 
and  I  heard  him  preach  in  Feejee  a  most  in- 
toresting,  powerful,  and  effective  sermon.  On 
his  arrival  in  Sydney,  to  which  place  he  ac- 
companied Mr.  Young,  he  attended  a  mission- 
aiy  meeting.  It  appears  that  some  years  ago 
he  gave  to  Mr.  Rabone,  a  missionary  in  the 
Friendly  Islands,  an  idol  god  which  ho  and  his 
femily  had  been  accustomed  to  worship.  That 
idol  god  had  been  preserved  by  Mr.  Rabone, 
who  being  at  the  mission  in  Sydney,  showed 
this  to  the  king,  and  requested  him  to  take  it 
with  him  to  the  meeting.  King  George  did 
so,  and  on  the  platform  he  held  up  the  idol  and 
said, '  This  is  the  thing  which  I  and  my  family 
were  accustomed  to  worship.'  Then  holding 
up  first  one  hand  and  then  the  other,  each  of 
wnich  was  minus  two  joints  of  the  little  finger, 
he  said, '  My  father  cut  off  these  fingers  and 
offered  them  in  sacrifice  to  this  very  thing.' 
Bat  the  king  had  been  amply  revenged  upon 
his  idol  eods.  On  his  embracing  Christianity, 
he  had  them  all  collected,  and,  to  the  indescri- 
bable alarm  of  his  people,  he  hanged  the 
whole  fraternity  of  them  in  his  kitchen,  aud 
left  them  dangling  in  evidence  of  their  ina- 
bility to  save  themselves  or  those  who  had  put 
their  trust  in  them." 

Feejee  Islaiuh.— The  Feejee  Group  is  situated 
about  360  miles  north-west  of  the  Friendly 
Islands,  between  lat.  15^  30'  and  19^  30',  and 
long.  177=>  and  178o  W.  It  comprises  150 
islands,  about  100  of  which  are  inhabited. 
The  remaining  islands  are  occasionally  resorted 
to  by  the  natives  for  the  purpose  of  fishing,  and 
taking  the  hiche-de-mer,  or  sea-slug.  There  are 
also  numerous  reefe  and  shoals.  Two  are  large 
isUnds,  stretching  north-east  and  south-west, 
nearly  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the 
group  ;  and  are  supposed  to  be  each  about  300 
Ailes  in  circumference.  This  group  of  islands 
comprises  seven  districts,  and  is  under  as  many 
pnncipal  chiefs.  All  the  minor  chiefs,  on  the 
different  islands,  are  more  or  less  connected  or 
subject  to  one  of  these,  and  as  the  one  party 


or  the  other  prevails  in  war,  they  change  mas- 
ters. War  is  the  constant  occupation  of  the  na- 
tives aud  engrosses  all  their  time  and  thoughts. 
The  introduction  of  fire  arms  brought  about  a 
great  change  of  power.  This  happened  in  the 
year  1809.  A  brig  was  wrecked  on  the  reef 
off  Nairai,  which  had  both  guns  and  powder 
on  board.  The  crew,  in  order  to  preserve  their 
lives,  showed  the  natives  the  use  of  the  new  in- 
strument. They  joined  the  Mbau  people,  in- 
structed them  in  the  use  of  the  musket,  and 
assisted  them  m  their  wars. 

The  people  are  divided  into  a  number  of 
tribes  independent  of,  and  often  hostile  to,  each 
other.  In  each  tribe  great  and  marked  distinc- 
tions of  rank  exist.  The  classes,  which  are 
readily  distinguished,  are  as  follows  : — 1,  kings  ; 
2,  chiefs ;  3,  warriors ;  4,  matanivanua,  liter- 
ally "  Eyes  of  the  land."  They  are  the  king's 
messengers  ;  5,  slaves,  (kaisL)  The  last  have 
nomiuallj^  little  influence. 

The  climate  of  the  different  sides  of  the 
islands  may,  as  in  all  the  Polynesian  islands,  be 
distinguished  as  wet  or  dry,  the  windward  side 
being  subject  to  showers,  while  to  the  leeward 
it  is  remarkably  dry,  and  the  droughts  are  of 
long  continuance.  The  difference  of  tempera- 
ture is,  however,  small.  Earthquakes  are  not 
unfrequent,  generally  occurring,  iu  the  month  of 
February.  Several  shocks  are  often  felt  in  a 
single  night.  By  observing  the  plants  whose 
flowera  succeed  each  other,  the  natives  are 
guided  in  their  agricultural  occupations. 

Next  to  war,  agriculture  is  the  most  gene- 
ral occupation  of  this  people.  To  this  they  pay 
much  attention,  and  have  a  great  number  of 
esculent  fruits  and  roots,  which  they  cultivate, 
in  addition  to  many  spontaneous  productions 
of  the  soil. 

The  population  of  these  islands  has  been  es- 
timated at  300,000.  This  computation,  how- 
ever, proceeds  upon  the  supposition  that  the 
interior  of  the  islands  is  thickly  inhabited, 
which  seems  very  doubtful.  It  is  probable 
that  the  number  vomj  be  about  200,000. 

The  Feejeans  are  generally  above  the  middle 
height,  and  exhibit  a  great  variety  of  figure. 
The  chiefs  are  tall,  well-made,  and  muscular, 
while  the  lower  orders  are  meagre,  from  labo- 
rious service  and  scanty  nourishment.  Their 
complexion,  in  general,  is  between  that  of  the 
black  and  copper-colored  races,  although  in- 
stances of  both  extremes  are  to  be  met  with, 
indicating  a  descent  from  two  different  stocks. 
They  are  inferior  to  the  natives  of  Tonga  in 
beauty  of  person.  In  the  Tonguese  there  is  a 
native  grace  combined  with  fine  forms,  and  an 
expression  and  carriage  as  if  educated  ;  while 
there  is  an  air  of  power  and  independence  in 
the  Feejeeans,  that  makes  them  claim  attention. 
They  at  once  strike  one  as  peculiar,  and,  unlike 
other  Polynesian  natives,  they  have  a  great 
deal  of  activity  both  of  mind  and  body,  which 
may  be  ascribed,  in  some  measure,  to  their  con- 
stant wars,  and  the  necessity  of  their  being 


SOUTH  SEA   ISLANDS. 


721 


continually  on  the  alert  to  prevent  surprise. 
They  are  much  more  intelligent  than  those  of 
other  parts  of  Polynesia,  and  express  them- 
selves with  great  clearness  and  force.  They 
excel  the  inhabitants  of  Tonga  in  ingenuity,  as 
appears  from  their  clubs  and  spears,  which  are 
carved  in  a  very  masterly  manner,  neatly  form- 
ed, and  ponderous  ;  cloth  beautifully  checkered ; 
variegated  mats ;  earthen  pots  ;  wicker-work 
baskets,  and  other  articles  ;  all  of  which  have 
a  cast  of  superiority  in  the  execution. 

The  faces  of  the  greater  number  are  long, 
with  a  large  mouth,  good  and  well-set  teeth, 
and  a  well  formed  nose.  Instances,  however, 
are  by  no  means  rare,  of  narrow  and  high  fore- 
heads, flat  noses,  and  thick  lips,  with  a  broad, 
short  chin.  Still,  they  have  nothing  about 
them  of  the  negro  type.  Their  eyes  are  gener- 
ally fine,  being  black  and  penetrating.  The 
expression  of  their  countenances  is  usually  rest- 
less and  watchful ;  they  are  observing  and 
quick  in  their  movements.  Their  hair  is  some- 
what curly  and  rather  disposed  to  be  woolly. 
Their  whole  external  character,  viewed  gener- 
ally, is  fierce  and  warlike,  rather  than  brave  and 
noble.  For  an  account  of  their  cannibal  pro- 
pensities, see  Cannibals. 

A  feast  frequently  takes  place  among  the 
chiefs,  to  which  each  is  required  to  bring  a  pig. 
On  these  occasions,  Tanoa,  king  of  Mbau,  from 
pride  and  ostentation,  always  furnishes  a  human 
body.  A  whale's  tooth  is  about  the  price  they 
put  on  a  human  life,  even  when  the  party  slain 
is  a  person  of  rank.  This  is  viewed  by  the  re- 
latives of  the  victim  as  a  sufficient  compensa- 
tron.  It  is,  therefore,  not  to  be  expected,  that 
a  people  who  set  so  little  value  upon  the  lives 
of  their  own  countrymen  should  much  regard 
those  of  foreigners.  Hence  the  necessity,  while 
holding  intercourse  with  them,  to  be  continually 
guarded  against  their  murderous  designs,  which 
they  are  always  meditating  for  the  sake  of  the 
property  about  the  person,  or  to  obtain  the 
body  for  food.  Several  instances  are  related  of 
crews  of  vessels  visiting  i^  islands,  having 
been  put  to  death  and  eatenT 

The  pantheon  of  the  Feejeeans  contains  many 
deities.  "  Many  of  the  natives,"  says  Mr.  Hunt, 
in  his  Memoirs  of  Mr.  Cross,  "  believe  in  the 
existence  of  a  deity  called  Ovb,  who  is  con- 
sidered the  maker  of  all  men ;  yet  different 
parts  of  the  group  ascribe  their  origin  to  other 
gods.  A  certain  female  deity  is  said  to  have 
created  the  Vewa  people ;  and  yet  if  a  child 
is  born  malformed  it  is  attributed  to  an  over- 
sight of  Ove."  The  god  most  generally  known 
next  to  Ove  is  Ndengei.  He  is  worshiped  in 
the  form  of  a  large  serpent,  alleged  to  dwell  in 
a  district  under  the  authority  of  Mbau,  which 
is  called  Nakauvandra,  and  is  situated  near  the 
western  end  of  V'iti-Levu.  To  this  deity  they 
believe  that  the  spirit  goes  immediately  after 
death  for  purification,  or  to  receive  sentence. 

All  spirits,  however,  are  not  believed  to  be 
permitted  to  reach  the  judgment  seat  of  Nden- 
46 


gei ;  for,  upon  the  road  it  is  supposed  that  an 
enormous  giant,  armed  with  a  large  axe,  stands 
constantly  on  the  watch.  With  this  weapon 
he  endeavors  to  wound  all  who  attempt  to 
pass  him.  Those  who  are  wounded  dare  not 
present  themselves  to  Ndengei,  and  are  obliged 
to  wander  about  in  the  mountains.  Whether 
the  spirit  be  wounded  or  not,  depends  not  upon 
the  conduct  in  life  ;  but  they  ascribe  an  escape 
from  a  blow  to  good  luck.  They  have  four 
classes  of  gods  besides  their  malicious  deities. 

The  occasions  on  which  the  priests  are  re- 
quired to  ofliciate  are  usually  the  following  : 
to  implore  good  crops  of  yams  and  taro ;  on 
going  to  battle ;  for  propitious  voyages ;  for 
rain ;  for  storms,  to  drive  boats  and  ships 
ashore,  in  order  that  the  natives  may  plunder 
them ;  and  for  the  destruction  of  their  enemies. 
Their  belief  in  a  future  state,  guided  by  no 
just  notions  of  religious  or  moral  obligation,  is 
the  source  of  many  abhorrent  practices ;  among 
which  are  the  custom  of  putting  their  parente 
to  death  when  they  are  advanced  in  years,  sui- 
cide, the  immolation  of  wives  at  the  funeral  of 
their  husbands,  and  human  sacrifices.  (See 
Human  Sacrifices.) 

Mbau,  the  metropolis  and  imperial  city  of 
Feejee,  is  situated  on  a  small  island  about  two 
miles  in  circumference.  It  contains  nearly  one 
thousand  inhabitants,  most  of  whom  are  chiefs. 
The  houses  are  of  a  very  superior  description. 

In  October,  1835,  Rev.  Wm.  Cross  and  D. 
Cargill  .proceeded  from  Vavau,  one  of  the 
Friendly  Islands,  to  Lakemba,  one  of  the  Fee- 
jee Islands.  It  was  but  a  small  island,  being 
only  about  22  miles  in  circumference,  and  did 
not  contain  above  1000  inhabitants.  With  a 
view  of  ^certaining  the  disposition  of  the 
chiefs  ana  people,  it  was  agreed  that  the  two 
missionaries  should  go  ashore  in  the  boat.  As 
they  approached  the  beach,  many  of  the  natives 
were  running  hither  and  thither  on  the  sand ; 
and  as  they  drew  near  the  landing-place,  nearly 
200  men  were  standing  at  the  distance  of  about 
100  feet  from  it,  some  armed  with  muskets, 
others  with  bayonets  fastened  to  long  sticks, 
some  with  clubs  and  spears,  others  with  bows 
and  arrows,  their  faces  painted  some  jet  black, 
others  red,  some  after  one  fashion,  others  after 
another.  This  was  rather  a  formidable  array. 
However,  being  told  that  the  chief  wished  to 
know  who  they  were,  and  what  they  wanted, 
the  missionaries  went  on  to  his  house,  a  large 
building  within  a  fortress,  nearly  a  mile  from 
the  shore.  Having  had  their  object  exnlained 
to  him,  he  appeared  friendly,  gave  them  a 
piece  of  laud  on  which  to  live,  and  built  a  tem- 
porary dwelling  for  each  of  their  families. 

The  missionaries  soon  began  to  preach  to 
the  natives,  and  in  a  few  months  they  luiptizcd 
a  number  of  them,  some  of  whom  had  previ- 
ously obtained  a  knowledge  of  divine  truth  in 
the  Friendly  Islands.  The  Gospel  silently 
made  its  way  among  the  people ;  and  every 
week  one  or  more  turned  their  backs  upon 


729 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


wiliin 


Uoklrr.  A  deiiro  to  embrace  the  new  reli- 
fioo  preraUed  amoDg  many  of  the  iulmbitants 
Sr  lAkemba;  bot  thoy  were  afmid  ojjonly  to 
deelaM  themMlYei,  as  the  chief,  notwitlistand- 
ittff  hb  flwt  profesBion,  tlireateriod  and  j)ersc^ 
JxTu^]  tlH.^>  wlu»  first  einbruccd  it.  He  himself 
Iv  a  irilmtary  chief,  and  appeared  un- 
•  •  '  I'lv  step  in  favor  of  Christian- 
,  the  mind  of  the  more  power- 
ful clu...  -.  i  j  '"■  •*  When  Tauao,"  said  he, 
icferriog  to  one ''of  the  most  renowned  chiefs, 
••  leads  the  way,  I  and  all  my  people  will  em- 
brace the  new  religion." 

In  the  coarse  of  a  few  years,  the  missiona- 
ries, with  the  aid  of  native  teachers  and  preach- 
ers, some  of  whom  cumc  from  the  Vavau 
laiimK  introduced  the  Gospel  into  various 
otber  islands  of  the  Fecjee  Group,  beside  La- 
kemba,as  Bewa,  Vewa,  Bua,  Naudy,  and  some 
others  of  le&j  importance.  Though  in  some 
instances  they  had  many  difficulties  to  contend 
with,  yet,  generally  speaking,  they  met  with 
a  favorable  reception  from  the  chiefe  and 
people.  Their  motives,  however,  for  this  kind 
reception  of  the  missionaries  were  very  various, 
and,  in  some  instances,  altogether  of  a  secular 
character.  But  the  missionaries  labored  on, 
trying  to  enter  every  open  door,  and  sow  "  the 
seed  of  the  kingdom  "  even  on  Feejeean  soil. 
Nor  did  they  toil  in  vain.  In  1845  and  the 
following  year,  there  was  a  religious  movement 
in  the  island  of  Vewa,  which  extended  also  to 
others  of  the  islands,  similar  to  that  at  the 
Friendly  Islands,  already  described.  "  Busi- 
ness, sleep,  and  food,"  says  Mr.  Hunt,  in  de- 
scribing it,  "  were  almost  entirely  laid  aside. 
We  were  at  length  obliged  almost  to  force 
some  of  the  new  converts  to  take  ^methiug 
for  the  sustenance  of  the  body.  Some  of  the 
cases  were  the  most  remarkable  I  have  ever 
heard  of ;  yet  only  such  as  one  might  expect 
the  conversion  of  such  dreadful  murderers  and 
cannibals  would  be.  If  such  men  manifested 
nothing  more  than  ordinary  feelings  when  they 
repent,  one  would  suspect  they  were  not  fully 
convinced  of  sin.  They  literally  roared  for 
hoars,  through  the  discjuietude  of  their  souls. 
This  frequently  terminated  in  fainting  from 
exhaustion,  which  was  the  only  respite  some 
of  them  had  till  they  found  peace.  They  no 
sooner  recovered  their  consciousness  thau  they 
prayed  themselves  first  into  an  agony,  and 
then  again  into  a  state  of  entire  insensibility. 
The  results  of  this  work  of  grace  have  been 
most  happy.  The  preaching  of  the  word  has 
been  attended  with  more  power  than  before 
the  revival.  Many  who  were  careless  and  use- 
less have  become  sincere  and  devoted  to  God. 
The  experience  of  most  has  been  much  im- 
proved, and  many  have  become  by  adoption 
and  regeneration  the  sons  of  God." 

Says  Mr.  Wat.tford,  "  The  people,  old  and 
voung,  chiefs  and  common  people,  were  broken- 
hearted before  the  Lord.  The  cries  for  mercy 
drowned  every  other  sound,  and  the  struggling 


and  roaring  for  deliverance  evinced  indO' 
scribable  agony  and  bitterness  of  spirit.  They 
felt  themselves  great  sinners,  and  their  repent> 
ance  was  deep  and  genuine.  The  joy  of  those 
who  were  pardoned  was  as  great  as  their  dis- 
tress had  been.  At  some  of  our  meetings  the 
feeling  was  overpowering,  and  the  peoi)le  fell 
before  the  Lord,  and  were  unable  to  stand,  be- 
cause of  the  glory."  Perhaps  the  most  remark' 
able  instance  of  the  mercy  of  Heaven  whicl 
this  revival  witnessed,  was  the  conversion  of 
chief,  whose,  name  was  Varin.  He  had  lonj 
acted  as  the  human  butcher  of  Seni,  callet 
"  the  Napoleon  of  Feejee."  He  was  a  man 
a  dreadful  character.  But  by  the  faithfuj 
warnings  and  instruction  of  the  missionaric 
his  guilty  conscience  was  aroused,  and  hil 
haughty  looks  were  humbled ;  and  now,  likj 
another  Paul,  he  is  preaching  "  the  faith 
once  labored  to  destroy." 

The  missionaries  continued  to  pursue  theil 
work  in  the  midst  of  dangers,  and  scenes  ol 
blood  and  cruelty,  which  make  the  flesh  cree| 
at  the  bare  recital,  and  were  cheered  to  fine 
that  the  Gospel  was,  even  in  Feejee,  "the 
power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  thai 
believeth."  God  wonderfully  protected  thei 
from  every  evil,  and  the  little  flocks  which  thej 
have  gathered  have  grown  in  grace,  and  ii 
numbers  far  beyond  the  most  sanguine  anticid 
pations  of  those  who  projected  the  mission^ 
Mr.  Young,  who  has  just  returned  from  Feejeei 
bears  the  following  testimony  to  the  state  o 
things  :  "  After  visiting  Lakemba  and  Vewa, 
proceeded  to  Bau,  the  capital  of  the  country 
and  doubtless  the  deepest  hell  upon  earth, 
Here  I  was  shown  six  hovels  in  which  18  ha 
man  beings  had  recently  been  cooked,  in  ord€ 
to  provide  a  feast  for  some  distinguished 
stranger,  and  the  remains  of  that  horrid  repasi 
were  still  to  be  seen.  I  next  went  to  one 
the  temples,  at  the  door  of  which  was  a  largi 
stone,  against  which  the  heads  of  the  victimi 
had  been  dashed,  previous  to  their  being  pro? 
sented  in  the  teiWe,  and  that  stone  still  bor 
the  marks  of  Wood.  I  saw — but  I  pauses 
There  are  scenes  of  wickedness  in  that  countrj 
that  cannot  be  told.  There  are  forms  of  caa 
nibalism  and  developments  of  depravity  thai 
can  never  be  made  known.  No  traveler 
whatever  may  be  his  character,  could  h 
the  hardihood  to  put  on  record  what  he  wit 
nesscd  in  that  region  of  the  shadow  of  deatl 
I  went  to  see  Sakembow,  the  king  of  Feeje( 
He  received  me  with  great  politeness,  atki 
got  up  and  handed  me  a  chair ;  and  hil 
queen  knowing  I  was  from  England,  at  one 
made  me  a  comfortable  cup  of  tea — a  thinf 
hardly  expected  in  the  palace  of  a  canniba 
king.  Before  I  left,  King  George  (of  Yavaa 
arrived  at  the  palace,  and  I  requested  him 
deal  faithfully  with  Sakembow's  conscience 
and  I  believe  he  attended  to  my  request,  an( 
did  it  with  good  effect,  and  I  hope  the  frui 
of  that  visit  will  be  found  after  many  days 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


728 


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SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


Bat  notwithstanding  the  darkness  nnd  im- 
plctv,  and  nln  ond  connilmlism  in  Fetjeo,  a 
great  work  it=  Jx^ing  effected  in  that  countrj' 
Ke  fool  bird*  of  ni{flit  nre  hastening  away 
•nd  tJ»o  Sun  of  Kii'htwusness  is  about  to 
orbc  with  majesty  and  (flory  in  that  benight- 
ed land.  >tuch  gocxl  hna  already  been  acconi- 
pY^h.^i  \\\'  have  3,000  of  the  people  in 
cli  !up;  4,000  in  the  schools;  and 

6,i'<  attendants   on    the   ministry. 

We  have  50  native  teachers,  who  are  valiant 
for  the  truth,  and  who  in  different  parts  of 
the  land  are  making  known  the  power  of 
Christ's  galvation."  Then  the  people  in  gene- 
ra] are  beginning  to  understand  and  to  value 
the  character,  the  motives,  and  the  objects  of 
the  missionaries ;  and  the  conviction  gains 
ground,  even  in  the  minds  of  the  priests  them- 
eelves,  that  the  idolatry  of  Feejee  is  doomed 
to  fall  before  the  conquering  religion  of  the 
Son  of  God.  Both  in  the  Friendly  Isles  and 
in  Feejee,  the  printing-press  is  in  active  ope- 
ration ;  and  bv  the  assistance  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  the  natives  of  both 
have  been  well  supplied  with  the  Word  of  God, 
and  this  fact  accounts  for  the  failure  of  Popery 
among  the  Wesleyan  missions  in  Polynesia. 
AcTHORiTiEs  :  Anmuil  Revorts  and  Missionary 
Noiius ;  J.  JlunCs  Life  of  Mr.  Cross ;  Brown's 
History  of  Missions,  Vol.  I. ;  Missions  in  Ton- 
pa  and  Feejee,  by  Walter  Laiory,  and  Wilkes' 
Vnited  States  Exploring  Expedition. — Rev.  W. 
Bun.KR- 

Temperance. — The  introduction  of  spirituous 
liquors  into  the  South  Sea  Islands  has  proved 
one  of  the  greatest  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the 
Gospel.  The  Tahitians  were  early  taught  by 
some  natives  of  the  Sandwich  Islands  to  distil 
ardent  spirits  from  the  ti  root,  and  they  soon 
acquired  such  a  fondness  for  it,  that  no  sacri- 
fice was  deemed  too  great  by  which  the  grati- 
fication of  their  appetite  might  be  secured. 
"Whole  districts  frequently  united  to  erect  a 
rode  still,  of  which,  at  one  time,  there  were  on 
Tahiti  alone.  150.  The  first  spirit  that  issued 
from  the  still,  on  account  of  its  being  the 
strongest,  was  called  ao,  and  was  carefully  pre- 
eerved  and  given  to  the  chiefs.  The  less  pow- 
erful liquor  which  was  subsequently  obtained, 
was  distributed  among  the  common  people. 
A  temporary  house  was  erected  over  the  still, 
where  the  men  and  boys  assembled,  and  spent 
several  days  in  rioting  and  drunkenness,  and 
where  they  often  practised  the  most  atrocious 
barbarities.  When  they  were  either  preparing 
a  still  or  engaged  in  drinking,  it  was  impossi- 
ble to  obtain  from  them  the  most  common  offi- 
ces of  hospitality.  "  Under  the  uurestrained 
mflnence  of  their  intoxicating  draught,  in 
tiieir  appearance  and  actions  they  resembled 
demons  more  than  human  beings.  Sometimes 
in  u  deserted  btill-house  might  be  seen  the 
firagmenta  of  the  rude  boiler,  and  the  other 
appendages  of  the  still,  scattered  in  confusion 
on  the  ground,  and  among  them  the  dead  and 


I  mangled  bodies  of  those  who  had  been  mnr- 
I  dered  with  axes  or  billets  of  wood  in  the  quar- 
rels that  had  terminated  their  debauch."  It 
wtus  not  among  themselves  only  that  they  quar- 
reled ;  vessels  were  sometimes  seized,  and  their 
crews  murdered.  The  most  daring  acts  of  out- 
rage and  cruelty  occurred  from  time  to  time, 
and  led  the  missionaries  to  feel  that  if  these 
immoralities  were  not  suppressed,  the  most 
disastrous  consequences  would  ensue,  not  only 
to  the  natives  but  to  themselves.  A  meeting 
of  the  missionaries  was  convened  in  1831,  for 
the  purpose  of  considering  what  could  be  done 
to  counteract  the  existing  evils.  Each  one 
made  a  report  respecting  his  station,  and 
deeply  lamented  the  comparative  smallness  of 
his  congregation  and  the  little  regard  paid  to 
divine  things.  The  cause  which  had  operated 
in  producing  so  sad  a  change  was  sought  for, 
and  it  was  found  in  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors 
among  the  people.  The  formation  of  a  Tem- 
perance Society  was  proposed  and  agreed  to 
by  the  missionaries,  who  all  resolved  to  use 
their  influence  to  induce  the  natives  to  engage 
with  them  to  abstain  entirely  from  all  ardent 
spirits.  Papers  were  immediately  drawn  up, 
stating  the  object  of  the  Society  and  signed 
by  the  missionaries  at  each  station.  At  Papa- 
ra,  a  district  on  the  island  of  Tahiti,  the  chief 
Tati  entered  cheerfully  into  the  plan,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  society  at  that  station  number- 
ed 360.  "  The  vacant  seats  in  the  chapel  be- 
gan again  to  be  filled,  the  schools  were  well 
attended,  and  attention  to  religion  revived ; 
the  happy  state  of  things  prior  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  spirits  re-appeared."  The  people  were 
so  much  delighted  with  this  change,  that  they 
called  a  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  dis- 
trict, and  agreed  among  themselves  that  they 
would  not  trade  with  any  vessel  that  should 
bring  ardent  spirits  to  their  shores.  The  chiefs 
and  people  of  other  districts,  seeing  the  favor- 
able results  of  this  measure  at  Papara,  follow- 
ed the  good  example.  Soon  after  this  the 
"Parliament"  met.  Before  proceeding  to 
business,  the  members  sent  a  message  to  the 
queen  to  know  upon  what  principles  they  were 
to  act.  She  returned  a  copy  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, saying,  "  Let  the  principles  contained  in 
that  book  be  the  foundation  of  all  your  proceed- 
ings ;"  and  immediately  they  enacted  a  law  to 
prohibit  trading  with  any  vessel  which  brought 
ardent  spirits  for  sale.  It  was  some  months 
after  the  formation  of  the  Temperance  Society 
at  Tahiti  before  it  was  joined  by  the  queen 
and  her  attendants.  In  March,  1834,  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Irite  Ture,  or  law-makers,  was  held 
to  prohibit  the  importation  of  spirits,  at  which 
it  was  agreed  that  if  any  one  was  found  to 
have  used  even  one  glass,  he  should  be  tried, 
and  that  if  proved  guilty  he  should  suffer  a 
penalty,  which  was,  for  a  native,  ten  hogs,  and 
for  a  foreigner,  ten  dollars,  and  banishment 
from  the  country.  Notwithstanding  this  pe- 
nalty, the  runaway  seamen  who  were  living  at 


SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS. 


725 


Tahiti,  continually  smuggled  liquor  on  shore, 
but  whenever  they  were  discovered  their  rum 
was  poured  upon  the  beach. 

In  1831,  during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Williams 
from  Raiatea,  an  unprincipled  captain  brought 
a  cask  of  spirits  to  the  island,  and  sold  it  to 
the  natives.  Encouraged  by  their  chief,  the 
people  gave  way  to  almost  universal  dissipa- 
tion. As  the  cask  which  had  been  imported 
was  sufficient  only  to  awaken  a  desire  for  more, 
they  prepared  stills  and  commenced  the  distil- 
lation of  spirits  from  the  ti  root.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams, on  his  return,  found  the  people  in  a 
dreadful  state.  A  meeting  was  immediately 
called,  which  Mr.  Williams  attended,  and  reso- 
lutions were  passed  that  all  the  stills  should  be 
destroyed.  A.  new  judge  was  chosen,  the  laws 
were  re-established,  and  persons  selected  to  go 
round  the  island  and  carry  the  resolutions  into 
effect.  In  some  districts  they  met  with  con- 
siderable opposition,  but  they  made  repeated 
circuits,  and,  in  the  course  of  a  few  months, 
every  still  was  demolished,  and  every  still-house 
burnt  to  the  ground.  A  law  was  also  enacted, 
inflicting  a  heavy  penalty  on  any  one  who 
should  be  found  engaged  in  the  work  of  distil- 
lation. A  temperance  society  was  soon  after 
formed  at  Eaiatea,  which  was  joined  by  the 
dissipated  young  chief,  who  said,  in  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Williams  after  his  return  to  England, 
"  The  spirits,  about  which  your  thoughts  were 
evil  towards  me,  I  have  entirely  done  away 
with,  because  my  heart  is  sick  of  that  bad 
path,  and  I  am  now  'pressing  towards  the 
mai-k  for  the  prize  of  my  high  calling.'  These 
are  now  my  thoughts,  that  God  may  become 
my  own  God.  This  is  really  my  wish.  I  am 
commending  myself  to  God  and  to  the  word  of 
his  grace." 

Daniel  Wheeler,  a  member  of  the  Society 
of  Friends,  who  visited  these  islands  in  1834, 
states  that,  though  great  efforts  were  made  to 
suppress  the  traffic,  yet  spirituous  liquors  were 
introduced  clandestinely,  and  in  some  of  the 
islands,  produced  most  disastrous  results.  He 
states,  also,  the  disgraceful  fact  that  much  of 
this  traffic  is  carried  on  by  American  vessels, 
many    of    them    denominated    "  temperance 


During  the  visit  of  the  American  Exploring 
Expedition  at  the  Fecjee  Islands  in  June,  1840, 
a  series  of  commercial  regulations  were  agreed 
to  by  the  principal  kings  and  chiefs  on  the  one 
part,  and  Commodore  Wilkes  and  some  of  his 
officers  on  the  other,  the  6th  article  of  which 
is  as  follows  : 

"  All  trading  in  spirituous  liquors,  or  land- 
ing the  same,  is  strictly  forbidden.  Any  per- 
son offending,  shall  pay  a  fine  of  twenty-five 
dollars,  and  the  vessel  to  which  he  belongs 
shall  receive  no  more  refreshments.  Any  spir- 
ituous liquors  found  on  shore  shall  be  seized 
and  destroyed." 

If  these  untutored  natives  had  been  left  to 
themselves,  they  might  have  been  saved  from 


this  scourge.  But  one  of  the  missionaries 
writes,  in  1841  :  "  We  have  had  peace  in  the 
islands  for  several  years,  and,  for  the  last  six  or 
seven,  we  have  had  but  little  drunkenness. 
But,  of  late,  the  French  and  American  consuls 
have  determined  to  break  through  all  restric- 
tions. I  have  seen  more  drunkenness  at  Eimeo 
the  last  six  months  than  in  seven  years  before." 
The  establishment  of  the  French  Protectorate 
at  Tahiti  has  removed  all  restraints  ;  and  the 
chiefs  at  Kaiatea  have  followed  the  example 
of  the  French,  and  given  encouragement  to 
the  traffic,  which  has  exerted  a  most  baneful 
influence,  upon  the  young  people  especially. 
But  it  is  gratifying  to  know  that  the  members 
of  the  church  have,  for  the  most  part,  escaped 
the  seductive  influence. 

GENERAL   SUMMARY. 


GROUPS  OF 
ISLANDS. 


Georgian  Islands. . . 

Society  Islands 

Hervey  Islands. . , . 
Samoan  Islands. . . . 
Friendly  Islands . . . 

Austral  Isbvnds 

Feejee  Islands 

Western  Polynesia. 
Paumotu 


*5 


5 

97 

143 

1,221 

490 
21 
4 


Totals 59  57  1,981  16,150    538    368  18,972 


1,870 
9t.)9 
1,281 
2,141 
7,161 
159 
2,526 

43 


It 


970 

676 

1.650 

3,680 

7,928 

4,068 


These  returns  are  deficient  in  several  impor- 
tant points.  The  number  of  schools  is  not 
given  at  half  the  stations,  and  at  some  of  them, 
the  number  of  scholars  is  not  given  ;  though 
the  latter  item  approximates  somewhat  to  the 
fact.  The  number  of  European  missionaries 
is  correctly  given  from  the  latest  reports  ;  but 
the  number  of  native  helpers  falls  liir  below 
the  truth.  The  returns,  in  regard  to  the  num- 
ber of  church  members,  are  full ;  but  some  of 
them  are  several  years  old,  so  that  the  number 
here  stated  must  fall  somewhat  below  the  fact. 
Taken  as  it  is,  it  furnishes  a  very  encouraging 
result,  when  compared  with  the  labor  bestowed 
upon  the  missions.  Here  are  283  communi- 
cants to  each  European  laborer,  which  is 
probably  much  more  than  the  average  among 
us.  And  the  results  of  the  last  year  re]Jortcd, 
show  that  the  work  is  still  progressing  in  aa 
encouraging  manner.  Here  is  au  increase  on 
an  average  of  10  to  each  missionary  of  the 
London  Society,  that  of  the  Wesleyans  not 
being  given. 

But  the  peculiar  feature  of  this  mission  is, 
that  so  much  of  the  work  has  been  accom- 
plished  by  native  agency.  Here  are  59  sta- 
tions, and  but  57  European  missionaries; 
while  many  of  the  stations  embrace  a  largo 


796 


SOUTH  AMERICA. 


of  (mutations,  served    by  natives. 

And,  on  a  large  number  of  islands,  there  has 
nerer  beeo  any  labor  but  that  of  natives,  with 
the  oecaskmal  visit3  from  missionaries.  Insti- 
lalionB  for  training  native  teachers  and  cvan- 
gdkta,  were  establu^heii  at  an  early  period  of 
the  miaBioo,  at  Avarua,  on  Karotonga,  in  the 
Hertey  Group ;  at  GriflBth's  Town,  on  Eimeo, 
in  the  Georgian  Group ;  at  MaUm,  on  Upolu, 
and  Leone  on  Tutuila,  in  the  Samoan  Group. 
There  h,  also,  one  or  more  sustained  by  the 
Weelcyans.  And  these  institutions  have  been 
eonstantiv  turning  out  teachers  and  evango- 
liits.  Although  we  cannot  suppose  them  to 
the  high  qualifications  required  for 
offices  in  this  country,  yet  they  appear  to 
have  labored  with  great  zeal  and  success,  and 
generally  to  hav6  sustained  an  excellent  char- 
acter, both  in  view  of  the  natives  and  of  the 
missionaries. 

A  missionary  ship  has  been  employed  most 
of  the  time,  since  tlie  establishment  of  the  mis- 
sion, in  furnishing  supplies,  and  in  making 
Toyages  among  the  islands  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
troducing the  Gospel.  The  John  Williams,  the 
ehip  emploved  for  a  number  of  years  past,  was 
purchased  by  the  contributions  of  children. 

In  all  these  islands,  the  languages  have  been 
reduced  to  writing  by  the  missionaries,  and  a 
literature  given  them.  The  entire  Scriptures 
have  been  translated  and  printed  in  the  lan- 
jc  of  the  Georgian,  and  also  of  the  Ilervey 
ids,  and  the  New  Testament,  in  Samoan  ; 
and  many  thousand  copies  of  these,  and  of  ele- 
mentary books,  have  been  printed  and  sold  in 
those  islands. 

Soon  after  the  formation  of  churches  in  these 
islands,  the  natives  were  encouraged  to  make 
contributions  for  the  missionary  cause  ;.  and 
the  amount  contributed  for  the  last  year  re- 
ported was  £445. 

Almost  everv  year,  since  the  Gospel  obtained 
a  foothold  in  these  islands,  there  have  been  re- 
ported, at  some  one  or  more  of  the  different 
statlong,  such  seasons  as,  among  us,  are  tech- 
nically termed  Revivals,  when  a  community 
generally  are  simultaneously  moved  by  the  spe- 
cial presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  an  awaken- 
ed and  earnest  attention  to  the  great  concerns 
of  the  soul.  And,  in  the  wonderful  events  that 
have  transpired  in  this  mission,  has  been  lite- 
rally fulfilled  the  prophetic  declaration,  "  The 
isles  shall  tcait  for  his  /otf."— (For  a  portion 
of  this  article,  the  author  is  indebted  to  a  small 
work  entitled,  "  South  Sea  Islands,"  published 
in  Boston,  by  Tappan  &  Whittemore.) 

SOUTH  Al^feRICA  :  South  America 
covers  an  area  of  6,500,000  English  square 
miles,  its  greatest  length  being  4,550  miles 
and  its  greatest  breadth  3,200.  Three-fourths 
of  this  area  lie  between  the  tropics,  one-fourth 
in  the  temperate  zone.  The  long  chains  of  the 
Andre  exercise  great  influence  over  the  climate 
of  a  large  portion  of  the  country.  Two  mil- 
lions of  square  miles  are  fertilized  by  the  Ama- 


zon, and  large  tracts  by  the  rivers  Orinoco  and 
Plata.  Prairies  cover  a  large  extent  of  coun- 
try, and  afford,  during  a  part  of  the  year,  sus- 
tenance to  immense  herds  of  horses  and  cattle. 
The  Pacific  shore,  the  basin  of  the  Orinoco, 
the  basin  of  the  Amazon,  the  country  watered 
by  the  Plata,  and  Brazil,  form  five  natural 
divisions,  comprehending  the  whole  continent. 

Brazil. — After  the  Russian  Empire,  China, 
and  the  United  States,  this  state  has  the  most 
extensive  contiguous  territory  of  any  in  the 
world.  It  possesses  more  than  4,000  miles  of 
sea-coast,  and  the  coast  commerce  of  the  coun- 
try is  second  only  to  that  of  the  United  States. 
The  climate  is  remarkably  even  and  healthy 
for  a  tropical  country,  owing  to  the  great  ele- 
vation of  the  whole  empire.  Until  Dec.  1849, 
the  yellow  fever  was  not  known,  and  at  Rio 
Janeiro  it  was  said,  proverbially,  that  physi- 
cians could  not  live.  The  fever  seems  now  to 
have  left  the  country.  In  mineral  and  vegetable 
productions,  Brazil  is  exceedingly  rich.  Coffee, 
sugar,  cotton,  furniture  and  dye-woods,  india- 
rubber,  hides,  and  drugs,  are  the  principal  articles 
for  export.  The  coffee  crop  more  than  doubles 
that  of  the  rest  of  the  world.  The  Chinese 
tea-plant  is  quite  extensively  cultivated  in  some 
of  the  southern  provinces,  also  the  matte. 
Fruits  and  flowers  abound,  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  empire  enjoys  a  perpetual  summer. 

History. — Brazil  was  discovered  by  the  Por- 
tuguese, under  Cabral,  in  1500.  In  1530,  it 
was  divided  into  captaincies,  by  the  king  of 
Portugal.  .T)e  Souza  entered  the  bay  now 
called  Rio  de  Janeiro  in  January,  1531 ;  and, 
supposing  it  to  be  a  river,  named  it  the  Rive)' 
of  January.  The  city  founded  a  few  years 
after  this  discovery,  was  called  San  Sebastian, 
a  name  now  rarely  used.  Of  the  various  early 
colonies,  that  which  possesses  the  most  inter- 
est, in  a  historical  as  well  as  missionary  point 
of  view,  is  the  French  Protestant  colony,  sent 
out  in  1555,  to  Rio  Janeiro,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  great  and  good  Admiral  Coligny.  The 
idea  of  building  up  a  Protestant  community  on 
the  new-found  and  fertile  shores,  excited  great 
interest  among  the  persecuted  European  re- 
formers. Geneva  sent  two  clergymen  and  14 
students  to  accompany  the  colonists.  But  the 
enterprise  seemed  to  be  attended  with  misfor- 
tunes at  every  step.  Through  the  treachery 
of  Yillegagnon,  the  leader  of  the  first  expedi- 
tion, the  colony  was  soon  broken  up,  and  the 
whole  plan  frustrated.  ,Yarious  colonies  were 
attempted  by  the  French  and  Dutch ;  but 
finally  the  whole  country  of  Brazil  came  under 
the  dominion  of  Portugal.  In  1808,  Brazil 
became  the  residence  of  the  Portuguese  court, 
Rio  Janeiro  being  the  capital.  In  1822,  un- 
der Don  Pedro  I.,  it  became  an  independent 
empire.  In  1823  an  excellent  constitution  was 
framed.  The  government  is  decentralized.  Each 
of  the  21  provinces  has  its  own  governor 
and  legislature,  besides  which  there  is  an  im- 
perial parliament,  consisting  of  a  Senate  and 


SOUTH  AMERICA. 


727 


House  of  Representatives.  The  emperor,  now 
Don  Pedro  Sogundo,  is  the  oonstitutional  head  ; 
a  fine  man,  descended  from  the  houses  of  Bra- 
ganza  and  Hapsburg,  and  connected  with  the 
Bourbon  and  Orleans  families.  The  great 
cities  of  the  empire  being  situated  on  the  sea- 
coast,  there  is  little  narrow-mindedness  and 
bigotry  prevalent  among  the  people.  All  de- 
nominations are  free  to  worship  God  according 
to  the  dictates  of  conscience. 

MISSIONS. 

The  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society 
have,  for  many  years,  maintained  chaplains  in 
the  cities  of  Brazil.  The  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  .the  United  States  have  also,  for  a 
considerable  time,  had  a  mission  there.  In 
1833,  the  subject  of  a  mission  to  South  Amer- 
ica came  before  the  Missionary  Board. 

In  1834,  an  invitation  was  received  from  a 
few  pious  persons  in  Buenos  Ayres,  and  in  the 
hope  of  being  useful  to  the  Protestants  of  that 
city,  and  of  gaining  a  foothold  in  that  land  of 
unmitigated  Romani^,  the  committee  resolv- 
ed to  obey  the  call.  Accordingly,  the  Rev. 
F.  E.  Pitts  was  sent  out,  and  the  next  year 
Rev.  John  Dempster  (now  President  of  the 
Biblical  Institute,  Concord,  N.  H.,)  was  ap- 
pointed to  follow  him.  A  congregation  was 
soon  formed,  and  a  church  built ;  and  after 
that  a  parsonage,  and  now  there  is  a  very 
flourishing  Society  and  Sabbath-school  in  that 
city.  In  1837,  the  Board  sent  out  Rev.  Dr.  P. 
Kidder  and  Rev.  J.  Spaulding.  Much  was 
done  by  Dr.  Kidder  in  the  dissemination  of 
the  Scriptures,  which  were  everywhere  gladly 
received.  Just  as  he  was  ready  to  commence 
preaching  in  the  Brazilian  language,  Mrs.  Kid- 
der died,  and  he  was  compelled  to  return  with 
his  family  of  young  children.  The  mission  is 
still  continued,  and  all  its  expenses  are  borne 
by  the  people.  The  present  missionary  is  Rev. 
D.  D.  Lares 

The  next  missionary  effort  was  made  under 
the  joint  auspices  of  the  American  Seamen's 
Friend  Society  and  the  American  and  Foreign 
Christian  Union.  Rev.  J.  C.  Fletcher  was 
stationed  at  Rio,  and  labored  between  two  and 
three  years,  both  among  his  own  countrymen, 
who  flock  to  that  port  for  purposes  of  commerce, 
and  among  the  natives.  He  found  copies  of 
the  Bible  in  the  Portuguese  language,  which 
had  doubtless  been  given  or  sold  by  Dr.  Kidder. 
He  found  tracts  especially  useful ;  and  in  the 
city,  in  the  foreign  hospitals,  and  in  the  coun- 
try, tracts  and  Bibles  were  always  gladly  re- 
ceived. He  there  made  journeys  from  30  to 
200  miles  into  the  interior,  always  having  with 
him  a  supply  of  Bibles  and  tracts.  In  some 
instances,  he  had  discussions  with  the  prR'sts, 
some  of  whom  were  induced  to  receive  the 
Bible.  One  not  only  with  joy  received  the 
Word,  but  demanded  Bibles  and  tracts,  ibr  dis- 
tribution among  his  people.  Mr.  Fletcher  heard 
this  priest  read  the  Bible  to  his  people  iu  their 


own  vernacular.  The  priests,  as  a  general 
thing,  are  ignorant,  lazy,  impure,  and  not  very 
devoted  to  their  own  religion.  Infidelity  pre- 
vails among  them,  and  an  English  Roman 
Catholic  priest,  of  Rio  de  Janerio,  informed 
Ex-Governor  Kent,  American  Consul  at  Rio, 
that  a  priest  of  his  acquaintance  died  a  few 
years  ago  refusing  the  sacrament  to  the  last. 
Dr.  Kidder  found  a  few  excellent  priests,  who 
seemed  to  appreciate  the  Bible ;  and  one  or 
two  were  very  desirous  to  see  it  introduced 
into  the  schools  of  the  empire.  Sen.  Feijo, 
formerly  regent  of  the  empire,  was  once  a 
priest,  and  even  a  bishop  ;  but  he  wrote  the 
most  powerful  book  against  the  celibacy  of  the 
Brazilian  priesthood  and  of  the  Romish  clergy  in 
general,  that  has  appeared  from  any  other  pen 
either  Romanist  or  Protestant.  Through  the 
influence  of  Feijo,  Montezuma,  and  other  Bra- 
zilian statesmen,  this  important  step  towards 
breaking  from  Rome,  i.  e.,  the  marriage  of  the 
clergy,  nearly  became  a  law.  There  ie  a  great 
deficiency  of  priests  in  Brazil,  and  for  years 
the  presidents  or  governors  of  the  different 
provinces  when  delivering  their  messages,  make 
this  the  subject  of  much  complaint.  Some 
parishes  have  been  twenty  years  without  a 
priest,  and  the  country  is  constantly  increasing 
in  wealth  and  population.  The  priests  are  cor- 
rupt and  the  people  have  very  little  of  what 
the  French  call  religiosit'e. 

An  attempt  was  mado  by  some  foreign 
priests,  to  prevent  Dr.  Kidder  from  circulating 
the  Bible ;  but  their  efforts  made  the  Bible 
more  sought  for.  In  1846,  an  American  gen- 
tleman residing  in  one  qf  the  southern  pro- 
vinces, received  from  the  United  States  a 
number  of  Portuguese  Bibles,  from  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society.  Some  foreign  priests  per- 
suaded a  few  of  the  people  to  give  up  these, 
and  they  were  burned  ;  but  the  Brazilian  priests 
were  indignant,  and  at  a  great  festival,  bor- 
rowed a  large  gilt  Bible,  belonging  to  this 
American  gentleman,  and  bore  it  at  the  head 
of  one  of  their  processions.  During  a  part  of 
1852  and  1853,  Mr.  Fletcher  was  Secretary  of 
the  U.  S.  Legation  at  Rio,  and  enjoyed  unusual 
facilities  among  the  higher  portion  of  the  Bra- 
zilians for  promoting  religion.  He  was  begin- 
ning to  reap  the  advantage  of  such  a  position 
for  religious  influence,  when  he  was  called  away 
by  sickness  in  his  family.  During  his  residence 
there,  the  yellow  fever  raged,  and  he  Avas  called 
to  witness  many  deaths  among  his  country- 
men, and  also,  to  behold,  in  the  midst  of  this 
terrible  pestilence,  the  spiritual  birth  of  many. 

The  Roman  Catholic  religion  in  Brazil,  has 
been  several  times  almost  severed  from  the 
authority  of  the  Pope.  It  is  characterized  by 
great  indifference  in  its  devotees,  and  by  great 
theatrical  splendor  on  festival  occasions — the 
only  occasions,  except  funerals,  when  the 
churches  are  full.  Mr.  Fletclier  says  :  "  I 
have  seen  the  Romish  Church  in  France,  Ger- 
many, and  Italy  ;  but  in  show,  glitter,  and  the- 


m 


SOUTH  AMERICA— SUNDAY  SCHOOLS. 


•trieal  cflbct.  nrazil  takw  the  loud.  The  slave 
trade  in  Hnudl  wa*  formally  put  down  by 
BriUrii  cruixers  lu  IHSO.  Slavery  will  soon  be 
done  »wav  with,  (thouph  nearly  two-lhirds  of 

tbepoiM*  ' ■  Un'oause  eolor  is  not 

i^qif^lir  ability.     Some  of  the 

Moffii'-  •  ••  rs  nnicnt,  civil  and  mili- 
taiT,  tw  tingeti  with  African  blood.  On  the 
whole,  there  is  no  part  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
world,  Mcent  the  Uniteil  Sates  and  England, 
where  missionary  labors  are  so  unimpeded, 
or  where  they  would  be  better  rewarded.— 
The  press  is  entirely  free.  There  are  three  or 
four  Knglish  chaplains  in  the  coast  cities. 
Railroads  are  being  built,  and  other  indications 
of  progress  are  manifest. 

"In  1852  and  1853,  treaties  were  made  by 
the  United  States,  through  our  ministers,  Hon. 
Meeers.  Sehenck  and  Pendleton,  with  the  repub- 
lics of  Untf^tay,  the  Argentine  Confedei-atioii, 
and  Paraguay  (so  long  shut  up),  and  clauses 
permitting  Protestant  worship  and  the  burial 
of  the  Protestant  dead,  were  insisted  on  and 
agreed  to. 

'*  Patagonia  is  still  heathen  ground,  and  so 
fttr  as  known,  the  inhabitants  have  very  few 
religious  rites  and  no  idols.  The  Teerra  del 
Fugians  are  sunk  very  low  in  barbarism,  though 
the  few  that  I  saw  in  the  straits  of  Magellan 
apiKaretl  as  capable  of  elevation  as  our  North 
American  Indians."  An  attempt  was  made 
in  1850  and  1851,  by  some  English  mission- 
aries, to  labor  among  them  ;  the  sad  account 
of  whose  sufferings  and  death  from  starvation, 
has  appeared  in  the  newspapers. 

"  Chili,"  continues  Mr.  Fletcher, "  is  the  most 
peaceful,  and  perhaps  the  most  flourishing  of 
the  Spanish-American  republics.  But,  at  the 
present  time,  the  priests'  party  rule.  There  is 
no  freedom  of  opinion  in  religious  matters. 
The  press  is  muzzled  ;  the  Bible  in  the  Spanish 
language  is  forbidden  to  be  circulated.  Out 
<^  Valparaiso,  the  Protestant  dead  are  buried 
like  do^.  Such  abject  devotion  to  the  Church 
of  Rome  docs  not  exist  even  in  Rome  itself,  as 
I  hare  witnessed  among  the  Chilians  at  Val- 
paraiso. Rev.  David  Turnbull  labored  there 
a  namber  of  years,  as  a  mi.«sionary  of  the  Ame- 
rican and  Foreign  Christian  Union  ;  but  he 
now  has  a  regularly  organized  church  of  his 
own.  Rev.  Air.  "Williams,  formerly  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  Uniontown,  Pa.,  is 
now  laboring  in  Chili  for  the  American  and 
Foreign  Christian  Union,  and  has  a  flourishing 
school  of  Chilian  youth,  who  are  also  under 
Gospel  influences.  Mr.  Turnbull  also  has  a 
successful  school  for  young  ladies,  taught  by 
Mrs.  T.  and  his  sister.  Chili  is  progressino- 
rapidly  in  material  improvements,  railroads, 
mining,  &c." 

Peru  and  Bolivia  are  both  bigoted  in  the 
extreme,  and  nothing  has  been  done  bejond 
individual  effort 

^ew  Grenada. — In  this  state,  a  few  years 
ago,  religious  liberty  was  proclaimed,  and  the 


Jesuits  were  banislud,  giving  the  Pope  a  great 
deal  of  trouble.  Still,  however,  the  priestly 
party  is  very  strong,  and  the  recent  overturn- 
ing of  the  constitutional  government  has  given 
great  pain  to  all  lovers  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty.  All  the  South  American  governments, 
with  the  exception  of  Brazil,  have  had  bloody 
revolutions.  The  influence  of  the  Americans 
on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  which  belongs  to 
New  Grenada,  has  been  felt  throughout  the 
whole  republic.  The  American  Seamen's 
Friend  chaplain,  at  Panama,  Rev.  Mr.  Ravel, 
has  done  something  toward  distributing  the 
Spanish  Scriptures  and  tract,s.  Rev.  Mr. 
Mont  Salvatge,  a  converted  Spanish  monk, 
has  recently  been  sent  to  New  Grenada,  by 
the  American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union. 

Venezuela. — This  country  has  been  almost 
constantly  involved  in  revolutions,  and  is  now 
under  the  government  of  two  tyrants,  the 
brothers  Monagas.  An  agent  of  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society  is  now  at  work  there. 

Guiana. — For  the  missions  in  British  and 
Dutch  Guiana,  see  West  Indies. 

Aborigines. — The  aboriginal  tribes  of  South 
America  still  exist  in  large  numbers.  Thou- 
sands of  them  are  still  in  heathenism ;  but  by 
far  the  greater  part  are  very  loosely  connected 
with  the  Church  of  Rome.  In  the  N.  E.  portion 
of  the  continent  are  the  "  Arromack  "  Indians, 
for  whom  a  portion  of  the  Bible  has  been 
translated.  But  these  tribes,  as  to  Protestant 
missions,  constitute  an  almost  unbroken  field. 

SPANISH  TOWN  :  The  seat  of  govern- 
ment  of  the  island  of  Jamaica,  W.  I.  It  is 
very  pleasantly  situated  in  the  interior  of  the 
island,  16  miles  from  Kingston.  A  station  of 
the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

ST.  EUSTATIUS  :     (See  West  Indies.) 

ST.  KITTS,  or  ST.  CHRISTOPHER'S  : 
(See  West  Indies.) 

ST.  THOMAS  :     (See  West  Indies.) 

ST.  VINCENT  :  (See  West  Indies.) 

STELLENBOSCH  :  A  station  of  the  Rhen- 
ish Missionary  Society  in  South  Africa. 

STRONG'S  ISLAND  :  An  island  in  Mi- 
cronesia, where  is  a  station  of  the  American 
Board. 

SUGANA  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  on  the  Island  of  Upolu,  one  of 
the  Samoan  group. 

SUMATRA  :     (See  "  Indian  Archipelago.") 

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  :  The  institution  of 
Sunday-schools  was  inaugurated  by  an  humble 
layman,  a  little  more  than  seventy  years  ago ; 
and  it  has  been  mainly  conducted  and  sustained 
by  laymen  since  that  time,  and  has  proved  itself 
a  powerful  adjunct  to  the  ministry  and  church 
of  Christ.  God  has  blessed  it  with  wonderful 
success,  and  we  may  safely  expect  it  has  far 
greater  blessings  in  store  for  our  race.  Said 
the  late  venerable  Dr.  A.  Alexander,  "  Al- 
though this  method  of  teaching  the  young  and 
ignorant  is  so  simple,  yet  it  deserves  to  be 
ranked  second  to  no  discovery  of  our  age.    I  do 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 


729 


not  know  that  the  beneficence  of  Providence 
has  been  more  manifest  in  anything  that  has 
occurred  in  our  day,  than  in  the  general  in- 
stitution of  Sunday-schools.  Other  benevo- 
lent institutions  provide  the  means  of  religious 
instruction ;  but  the  Sunday-school  tnakes  the 
application  of  them."  Says  Dr.  Drew,  of  Eng- 
land, most  eloquently — "  Honor  rest  upon  our 
age.  A  wonderful  machinery  has  sprung  up 
into  existence  from  humble  and  feeble  sources. 
God  gave  the  word,  and  since  that  blessed 
hour  a  million  of  teaching  men  and  women 
arose  on  Sabbath  mornings  to  tell  infancy  of 
Jesus,  and  to  lead  with  loving  hand  the  poor 
man's  child  onward  on  Zion's  road.  In  human 
history  no  institution  of  man  holds  such  an  honor- 
ed place.  The  unpaid,  untiring,  and  unceasing 
efforts  of  Sunday-school  love,  are  of  the  kind- 
est, strongest  and  most  effective  doings  of 
modern  times.  How  do  such  teachers  aid  the 
responsibilities  of  parents ;  relieve  and  gladden 
the  pastor's  heart ;  bring  Christ  and  all  Christ's 
truth  to  warm  young  hearts,  and  captivate  list- 
ening ears,  and  penetrate  earth's  dark  places, 
led  by  the  light  of  their  own  Bible,  and  cheered 
by  the  faith  of  their  Christ-sustained  souls." 

The  followmg  interesting  account  of  the 
origin  of  the  first  Sabbath-school  is  from  the 
graphic  pen  of  Mr.  Lancaster,  to  whom  it  was 
communicated  by  Mr.  Raikes  when  far  ad- 
vanced in  life.  "  He  said,"  observes  Mr.  L., 
"  about  the  year  1782  he  had  taken  a  garden 
and  wanted  a  gardener.  He  went  to  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city  of  Gloucester  to  hire  one ; 
and  while  waiting  for  the  man,  he  was  greatly 
disturbed  by  a  troop  of  wretched,  noisy  boys, 
who  interrupted  him  while  conversing  with  the 
man's  wife.  He  anxiously  inquired  the  cause 
of  those  children  being  thus  miserably  neg- 
lected and  depraved.  *  0  sir,'  said  the  woman, 
*  if  you  were  here  on  a  Sunday,  you  would  pity 
them  indeed.  They  are  then  much  more  nu- 
merous, and  a  hundred  times  worse — it  is  a 
very  hell  upon  earth.  We  cannot  read  our  Bible 
in  peace  for  tJiem.'  It  was  this  affecting  an- 
swer which  moved  every  feeling  within  him. 
He  immediately  asked,  *  Can  nothing  be  done 
for  these  poor  children  ?  Is  there  any  body 
near  that  will  take  them  to  school  on  a  Sun- 
day ?'  He  was  answered  there  was  a  person 
who  kept  a  school  in  the  lane  who  perhaps 
might  do  it.  At  this  important  moment, 
while  revolving  the  matter  in  his  mind,  the 


this,  instead  of  going  to  bed,  he  directly  wrote 
a  paragraph  and  had  it  inserted  in  his  news- 
paper,  the  Gloucester  Journal,  Nov.  3,  1783, 
in  which  he  described  the  good  effects  of  the 
Sunday-schools  already  in  operation,  and  re- 
commended their  extension  over  the  country. 
This  paragraph  was  copied  into  many  other 
papers,  and  in  consequence  he  had  applications 
from  all  parts  of  the  empire;  an  answer  to 
which  he  published  in  his  paper.  The  result 
was,  that  the  dormant  zeal  of  many  was  called 
into  action,  and  the  establishment  of  these 
schools  proceeded  throughout  the  nation  with 
the  rapidity  of  lightning. 

"  Sept.  7,  1785,  a  society  for  the  support  and 
encouragement  of  Sunday-schools  in  the  differ- 
ent counties  of  England  was  formed  in  lion- 
don.  This  society  engaged  the  cooperation  of 
the  Bishops  of  Salisbury  and  Landaff,  the 
Deans  of  Canterbury  and  Lincoln,  and  other 
distinguished  persons,  and  was  the  means  of 
greatly  advancing  the  cause. 

"  Before  his  death,  which  took  place  in  1811, 
Mr.  Raikes  had  accounts  of  the  establishment 
of  similar  schools  in  various  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, embracing  no  less  than  300,000  children. 
Well  might  he  say, '  I  can  never  pass  by  the  spot 
where  the  word  try  came  so  powerfully  into  my 
mind,  without  lifting  up  my  hands  and  Iieart 
to  /leaven,  in  gratitude  to  God,  for  having  put 
such  a  thought  into  my  heart.'/' 

The  schools  were  at  first  conducted  by 
hired  teachers,  who  were  paid  thirty-three  cents 
a  Sabbath.  This  entailed  a  load  of  pecuniary 
difficulty  upon  the  plan.  The  Sunday-school 
society  alone  expended,  during  the  first  16 
years  of  its  existence,  no  less  than  £4,000  ster- 
ling in  the  salaries  of  teachers.  Gratuitous 
instruction  was  an  astonishing  improvement 
upon  the  system,  laying  a  solid  basfls  for  its 
efficiency,  and  ensuring  its  succe^.  'J'he  exact 
time  when  this  was  first  introduced  was  not 
k\iown,  nor  where  it  commenced  ;  but  about 
the  year  1800  this  plan  became  very  general. 
The  institution  of  Sunday-schools  was  now 
become  universal  throughout  England.  Every 
city  and  every  town  had  warmly  espoused  the 
cause  ;  and  on  July  13,  1803,  the  London 
Sunday-school  Union  was  formed,  which  gave 
the  cause  an  additional  impulse. 

Scotland,  as  early  as  1797,  entered  spiritedly 
into  this  good  work,  enrolling  34  schools  that 
year,  and   the  next    year  adding    20   more. 


word  'try'  Afas  so  powerfully  impressed  on  I  Wales,  at  a  very  early  period,  entered  with 
his  mind  as  to  decide  him  at  once  to  action,  eagerness  into  the  scheme,  and  adorned  her 


He  went  and  entered  into  treaty  with  the 
school-mistress  to  take  a  number  of  these  poor 
destitute  children.  Here  was  the  first  Sabbath- 
school  Britain  ever  saw. 

"  When  two  years  had  elapsed  after  the 
commencement  of  the  first  school,  on  retiring 
to  rest  one  evening,  Mr.  Raikes  began  to  con- 
sider that  his  schools  had  now  been  fully  tried, 
and  that  it  was  time  for  the  public  good  that 
they  should  be  made  generally  known.    On 


romantic  and  picturesque  valleys  with  nume- 
rous asylums  for  the  instruction  of  the  poor. 
And  the  necessity  of  supplying  these  schools 
with  Bibles,  suggested  the  idea  and  letl  to  iho 
formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Jiible 
Society.  So  great  was  the  progress  of  Sun- 
dav-schools  in  Wales,  that  in  three  years  177 
schools  were  established,  containing  more  than 
8,000  children. 
The  Sunday-school  system  was  introduced 


m 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 


Into  IrtUuid  in  1793 ;  but  its  progr^  was  not 
r»pid  until  the  forniatiou  of  the  Uiberinan 
82nda^6ohool  Society,  in  Dublin,  in  1809. 
In  April,  1B15,  there  were  252  schools,  con- 
taining inore  than  25,000  children,  under  the 
earo  of  this  institution.  Since  that  time  the 
Bonber  of  schools  has  been  greatly  augmented. 
The  first  adult  Sunday-school  wa.s  planted  by 
Mr.  Charles,  upon  the  mountains  of  Wales,  in 
themmmer  of  1811. 

The  first  Sunday-school  in  Asia  was  cstab- 
Ikhed  by  the  Wcsleyan  missionaries  in  Ceylon, 
June  4, 1815,  and  gained  them  great  favor  in 
the  eyes  of  tlie  people.  In  the  Annual  Re- 
port of  the  London  Sunday-school  Union,  May 
1, 1818,  they  give  us  an  account  of  Sabbath- 
schools  in  successful  operation  in  Bordeaux 
and  La  Garde,  near  Montauban,  France ;  also 
in  Holland,  in  Rotterdam  and  Zeist ;  also  in 
Sidney,  Richmond,  and  seven  other  places  men- 
tioned in  New  South  Wales,  and  further  cheer- 
ing accounts  from  the  cause  in  Ceylon. 

Tint  Sunday-schools  in  t/ie  United  States. — 
The  Sunday-school  Repository  of  August, 
1818,  states  that  the  first  Sunday-school  in  the 
city  of  New  York  (and  it  is  believed  in  this 
country,)  was  instituted  in  1791,  and  incorpo- 
rated in  1796.  Its  object  was  to  instruct  chil- 
dren to  read  and  write,  gratuitously,  who  were 
unable  to  go  to  school  during  the  week  ;  but 
their  instructions  were  carried  on  by  means  of 
hired  teachers,  and  their  design  did  not  extend 
to  the  religious  instruction  of  the  scholars.  In 
the  Sunday-school  Teachers'  Magazine  for 
1824,  it  is  stated  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bethune 
had  spent  part  of  the  years  1801  and  1802  in 
Great  Britain,  where  they  had  observed  the 
progress  Sunday-schools  were  then  making  in 
that  couijtry ;  and  on  their  return,  they  con- 
versed on  the  subject  with  their  pious  and  ex- 
cellent mother,  Mrs.  Isabella  Graham  of  New 
York,  who  resided  with  them,  and  it  was  deter- 
mined that  as  soon  as  possible  they  would  try 
to  introduce  them  here.  Accordingly,  in  the 
autumn  of  1803,  these  three  Christian  philan- 
thropists opened  the  first  Sabbath-school  in  this 
city,  for  religious  and  catechetical  instruction, 
at  their  men  expense,  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Leech 
in  Mott  Street,  which  was  attended  by  about 
forty  male  and   female  scholars;    and  their 

Sinctaality  of  attendance  was  rewarded  on 
onday  mornings,  by  frequent  donations  of 
tracts,  shoes  4;c.,  to  a  considerable  amount. 
Mrs.  Graham  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bethune  then 
established  two  other  Sabbath-schools  in  other 
parts  of  the  city  ;  which  they  attended  every 
afternoon  during  the  summer,  and  during  the 
winter  between  the  services  of  the  churcb,°when 
they  brought  their  provisions  with  them  from 
their  residence  in  Greenwich,  as  there  was  no 
time  to  return  to  dinner.  Mrs.  Graham  opened 
the  first  adult  school  at  Greenwich,  on  the  se- 
cond Sabbath  of  June,  1814,  only  about  two 
months  before  her  departure  from  this  scene  of 
active  benevolence  to  her  promised  rest     It 


was  not  until  1809,  however,  that  churches  or 
public  bodies  began  to  institute  and  patronize 
Sabbath-schools  in  this  country.  The  first 
school  on  this  plan,  was  probably  one  organized 
August  22,  1809,  in  the  city  of  Pittsburgh, 
Pa.,  which  met  for  the  first  time,  on  the  first 
Sabbath  of  September,  in  the  jury  room  of 
the  Court  House.  It  was  regularly  organized 
under  an  excellent  constitution,  and  was  attend- 
ed by  240  children  and  adults.  This  school 
was  formed  without  a  knowledge  of  the  mode 
of  organization  in  Europe,  and  coincided  in  its 

f>rincipal  features  with  the  schools  now  estab- 
ished.  In  1811  a  similar  school  was  established 
in  Philadelphia,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Rev. 
Robert  May,  a  missionary  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  who  does  not  appear  to  have 
had  any  knowledge  of  the  school  at  Pittsburgh. 
In  1813,  a  school  was  established  by  a  gentle- 
man in  Albany,  and  continued  for  some  time. 
In  the  autumn  of  1814  a  school  was  establish- 
ed in  Wilmington,  Delaware.  In  April,  1815, 
schools  were  commenced  in  the  Northern  Liber- 
ties of  Philadelphia,  which  in  a  few  months 
contained  500  scholars.  In  1816  they  began 
to  be  generally  introduced. 

The  citizens  of  New  York  claim  the  honor 
of  forming  the  first  society  for  the  regular  or- 
ganization and  conduct  of  Sabbath-schools. 
The  first  proposition  for  the  formation  of  the 
Female  Union  Society,  for  the  promotion  of 
Sabbath-schools,  was  made  by  the  benevolent 
ladies  of  the  several  denominations  in  this 
city,  assembled  by  public  invitation  on  the 
24th  of  January,  1816.  On  the  12th  of  Febru- 
ary following,  the  gentlemen  of  New  York,  as- 
sembled by  public  notice,  adopted  measures  for 
the  formation  of  a  similar  society  for  boys : 
and  on  the  26th  of  that  month,  the  New  York 
Sunday-school  Union  Society  was  instituted. 
Schools  were  immediately  established ;  and 
during  the  first  year,  more  than  6000  scholars 
were  entered  in  their  schools. 

About  this  time  Sunday-schools  multiplied 
rapidly  all  over  the  United  States.  In  May, 
1824,  the  American  Sunday-school  Union  was 
formed  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  This  So- 
ciety has  been  doing,  as  rapidly  as  means  have 
been  furnished,  a  great  work  for  our  country  in 
exploring  its  waste  places,  establishing  schools 
everywhere,  and  publishing  and  circulating  a 
juvenile  literature  of  great  value  and  extent 
Its  operations  during  the  past  year  embrace  the 
organization  of  2,012  new  schools,  containing 
not  less  than  60,000  children,  with  8000  volun- 
tary teachers  in  them ;  besides  encouraging 
and  aiding  2,961  other  schools,  and  putting  in- 
to circulation  about  50,000  dollars  worth  of 
Sunday-school  publications.  The  whole  mis- 
sionary work  above  referred  to,  cost  ^20,071  68 
for  the  work  done,  or  at  the  rate  of  ^36  50  per 
month  ;  $284  37x  for  their  expenses  ;  being, 
in  the  aggregate,  $1  50  per  day,  or  75  cents  a 
day  less  than  the  wages  for  which  the  dressers 
of  brown  stone  are  said  to  have  lately  "  struck" 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 


731 


in  Philadelpliia,  This  Society  hag  already 
published,  and  is  now  circulating^  a  catalogue 
of  872  bound  volumes  of  choice  juvenile  reli- 
gious books,  and  an  assortment  of  other  Sab- 
bath-school requisites.  It  also  publishes  the 
Sunday-school  Journal,  a  serai-monthly  paper 
for  teachers,  and  the  Youths'  Penny  Gazette, 
every  other  Aveek  for  scholars.  The  latter  has 
a  circulation  of  135,000.  The  sales  during 
the  year  ending  March,  1854,  amounted  io 
$172,041  30,  or  an  average  of  1,720,000  18mo 
volumes  of  120  pages  each. 

The  General  Protestant  Episcopal  S.  S.  Union. 
— Froni  the  Annual  Report  of  this  Society,  for 
1853,  it  appears  that  it  is  quite  rapidly  increas- 
ing in  means  and  influence.  In  1851,  its  dona- 
tion and  collection  list  was  reported  as  only 
$28  15,  while  in  1853  the  amount  had  run  up 
to  $1,375  95.  Its  list  of  Sunday-school  books 
numbers  about  224  volumes,  and  receipts  from 
cash  sales  in  the  Depository,  $20,793  82. 
This  society  embraces  the  denomination  in  the 
U.  S.,  and  is  located  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

The  Sunday-school  Union  of  the  Metliodist 
Episcopal  Church. — This  Society  has  its  head 
quarters  in  the  Methodist  Book  Room,  200 
Mulberry-street,  New  York.  It  reported  in 
1852  in  the  different  states,  9,074  S.  Schools  ; 
98,031  officers  and  teachers ;  504,679  scholars ; 
1,402,010  volumes  in  libraries ;  7,213  Bible 
classes  ;  45,632  scholars  in  infant  classes  ;  100,- 
584  S.  S.  Advocates  taken ;  13,242  conver- 
sions; and  expenses  of  schools  $69,094  00. 
Raised  for  the  S.  S.  Union,  $7,258.  It  has  an 
,  extensive  list  of  excellent  juvenile  books  and 
tracts,  and  is  constantly  adding  valuable  works 
to  its  catalogue. 

The  American  Baptist  Publication  Society 
reports  103  Sunday-school  books  on  its  ca- 
talogue, while  three  years  ago  it  had  only  28. 
The  society  is  more  largely  engaged  in  pub- 
lishing and  selling  books  and  tracts  for  gene- 
ral purposes,  and  the  Sunday-school  publica- 
tions are  mingled  with  other  sales. 

The  New  England  Sabbath-school  Union 
is  an  organization  in  connexion  with  the  Bap- 
tist denomination  in  New  England,  and  has 
its  centre  of  operations  in  the  city  of  Boston. 
They  have  issued  the  past  year  30  reprints, 
28,000  copies,  and  12  new  books.  They  also 
issue  the  "  Young  Reaper,"  which  has  a  month- 
ly circulation  of  16,000  copies.  The  entire 
receipts  of  the  society  for  the  past  year  were 
$1,803.  It  has  increased  its  schools  about  50 
per  cent,  within  the  year,  and  has  encouraging 
prospects  for  the  future. 

Tlie  Massachusetts  Sabbath-school  Society  is 
the  Sabbath-school  publication  society  for  the 
Congregational  denomination  throughout  the 
country.  It  has  received  an  act  of  incorpora- 
tion from  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  and 
its  capital  for  its  publishing  operations  was 
raised  some  years  ago  by  the  friends  of  the 
cause,  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  where  it  is 
located. 


Of  late  that  society  has  made  vigorous  and 
praise-worthy  exertions  towards  extending  it« 
Sabbath-school  missionary  laboi-s  and  libraries 
among  the  destitute  of  the  West.  The  ra- 
pid demand  for  Sabbath-schools  and  a  whole- 
some juvenile  literature  has  made  the  co- 
operation  of  this  society  on  an  enlarged 
scale,  both  timely  and  grateful  to  the  public 
The  society  has  published  658  bound  volumes, 
for  the  libraries.  It  has  also  an  extensive 
series  of  Scripture  questions,  of  which  many 
hundred  thousand  copies  have  been  circulatecl. 
Its  juvenile  paper,  the  "  Well-spring,"  has  an 
extensive  circulation,  and  is,  we  believe,  the 
only  Sabbath-school  paper  that  is  published 
weekly.  From  the  annual  report  of  1853,  it 
appears  that  its  sales  of  books  amounted  to 
$23,872  17,  the  last  year,  and  its  donations  and 
legacies  were  $2,910  95. 

Every  city  and  almost  every  county  in  our 
States  has  a  Sunday-school  Union,  but  un- 
fortunately they  have  lost  the  habit  of  report- 
ing regularly  to  the  parent  society,  so  that  it 
is  impossible  to  give  with  accuracy  the' extent 
of  our  Sunday-school  efforts  in  the  United 
States.  We,  however,  know  the  numbers  in 
our  cities  and  some  of  the  counties,  and  from 
these  we  have  made  an  estimate  that  approxi- 
mates as  nearly  as  our  resources  and  judgment 
enables  us  to  do.  The  result  is,  we  think,  all 
the  Sunday-schools  of  our  country  contain  at 
the  present  time  not  less  than  1,800,000  chil- 
dren, with  a  noble  army  of  200,000  voluntary 
unpaid  teachers  and  ofiBcers.  Great  Britain 
includes  in  her  schools,  it  is  estimated,  not  less 
than  2,000,000  children,  and  200,000  volun- 
tary teachers — a  noble  army  of  400,000  in 
these  kindred  countries,  who,  with  ceaseless 
energy,  are  making  a  vigorous  onset  upon  Sa- 
tan's kingdom.  (Rev.  Mr.  McClure  estimates 
the  children  in  our  Sunday-schools  at  3,000,000. 
See  United  States.) 

Mission  Schools. — The  original  Sabbath- 
school  of  Robert  Raikes  was  preeminently  a 
Mission  school ;  and  for  many  years,  both  in 
England  and  this  country  the  Sabbath-school 
effort  was  mostly  of  this  character.  In  both 
countries  the  earliest  efforts  were  confmcil  to 
paid  teachers,  and  the  teachers  or  teachings 
were  not  always  of  a  strictly  religion^  charac- 
ter. Soon,  however,  the  Sabbath-school  enter- 
prise found  its  lioine  and  resting-place  among 
the  churches  ;  and  the  tendency  of  things  of 
late  years  has  been  to  gradually  relinquish  the 
mission  schools,  and  remain  satisfiiHl  with 
teaching  the  children  of  the  churclio.-?,  and  such 
others  as  could  conveniently  be  brought  into 
company  and  association  with  them.  Some 
noble  exceptions  in  different  parta  of  our 
country  ought  here  to  be  named,  among  which 
stands  preeminently  the  New  York  Sunday- 
school  Union,  and  its  enterprising  and  devoted 
officers  and  teachers.  Besides  some  125 
church  Sabbath-schools,  this  Union  embraces 
between  50  and  60  mission  schools,  with  about 


783 


SURAT— SUTTEE. 


1,500  teaeben  and  10,000  scholars.  About 
ooo-foorth  of  these  schools  were  formed  in 
18&S,  »od  their  present  efforts  arc  dcsij,'ned  to 
incraun  the  uiunl)cr  still  more  rapidly  in  fu- 
turv«.  Thw  union  comprises  members  and 
churches  of  20  different  denominations,  or 
thatk'S  of  denominations,  and  is  well  adapted 
to  reach  the  destitute  by  ita  combined  influ- 
ence. About  20  mission  schools  are  also  in 
MCOOKful  oi)eration  in  Brooklyn.  Some  of 
thcM  schools  have  been  in  operation  more 
than  thirty  years,  and  they  can  refer  to  their 
well-trainwl  children  now  standing  at  the 
bead  of  the  professions.  Many  are  in  the 
Christian  ministry,  some  of  whom  are  mission- 
aries of  the  cross,  in  pagan  lands,  and  one  or 
two  are  presidents  of  colleges.  Whole  neigh- 
borhoods of  the  lowest  classes  are  every  year 
iu  a  measure  purified  and  elevated  by  the  in- 
fluence of  these  mission  schools.  The  personal 
intemjurse  of  intelligent,  refined  and  Christian 
teachers  and  visitors,  with  even  the  most  pol- 
luted and  criminal,  has  the  happiest  effect  in 
restraining,  and  now  and  then  of  saving.  The 
most  bitter  hostility  against  the  upper  classes 
is  thus  checked  and  changed,  so  that  the  great 
book  of  remembrance  alone  can  reveal  how 
much  the  privileged  classes  are  indebted  to 
such  teachers  for  the  safety  of  persons  and 
proprty.  The  poor  emigrant  melts  into  tears 
of  joy  as  he  witnesses  the  first  act  of  kindness 
in  this  strange  land,  in  the  approach  of  the 
gentle  teacher  for  his  children.  Said  one  old 
man  recently,  "  I  thought  there  was  no  religion 
in  America  until  you  came  and  led  my  chil- 
dren to  the  Sunday-school."  And  said  a  poor 
Catholic  woman  with  a  bursting  heart,  "  Oh, 
you  Protestants  are  kinder  than  the  Catholics." 
There  is  imperative  need  everywhere  of  Chris- 
tiaua  turning  their  attention  and  labors  more 
in  the  direction  of  this  mission  school  move- 
ment. 

In  all  our  principal  cities,  and  even  in  our 
country  towns,  there  are  multitudes  of  chil- 
dren, whose  religious  instruction  is  neglected. 
Their  Sabbaths  are  spent  in  idleness  and  vice, 
Olid  they  are  rapidly  preparing  for  their  ap- 
peaiuncc  in  our  criminal  courts,  gaols  and  pe- 
nitentiaries. The  Sabbath-school  is  almost 
the  only  instrumentality  that  can  reach  them. 
Its  success  in  reclaiming  and  saving  them  has 
often  been  tested  ;  and  it  must  occupy  a  pro- 
minent place  in  any  system  of  measures  that 
may  be  adopted  for  the  evangelization  of  our 
great  cities.— R.  G.  Pardee,  Esq. 

SUUAT:  A  large  and  populous  town  on 
the  south  bank  of  the  Tuptee  river,  177  miles 
north  of  Bombay.  It  is  the  head-tjuartcrs  of 
a  considerable  military  force,  the  residence  of 
the  British  collector,  judge,  &c.,  and  the  chief 
tribunal  for  the  entire  presidency  of  Bombay. 
The  London  Missionary  Society  had  a  station 
at  this  place  from  1813  to  1845. 
^  SUUI :  Capital  of  the  district  of  Birbhum 
m  the  province  of  Bengal,  130  miles  X.X.W. 


from  Calcutta.  Station  commenced  by  tho 
English. Baptists  in  1818. 
SURINAM  :  (See  West  Indies.) 
SUTTEE :  The  name  given  in  India  to  a 
woman  who  immolates  herself  on  the  funeral 
pile  of  her  husband,  and  denotes  that  she  is 
considered  true  and  faithful  to  liini.  The  term 
is  also  applied  to  the  horrid  rite  itself.  The 
origin  of  the  practice  is  supposed  to  have  been 
the  voluntary  sacrifice  of  a  widow,  who  was 
inconsolable  for  the  loss  of  her  husband,  her 
affection  for  Che  deceased  making  life  a  bur- 
den ;  the  Brahmins  taking  advantage  of  the 
novelty  and  admiration  it  excited  to  recom- 
mend the  practice  as  most  meritorious  and 
productive  of  good  effect  to  the  souls  of  the 
widow,  her  husband,  and  the  surviving  friends, 
in  order  to  turn  it  to  their  own  advantage. 
W.  Ewcn,  Esq.,  superintendent  of  police  in 
the  lower  provinces  of  Bengal  Presidency,  was 
of  the  opinion  that  the  widow  can  rarely  be 
considered  voluntary  in  the  sacrifice.  Few 
widows,  he  says,  would  ever  think  of  sacrific- 
ing themselves,  unless  overpowered  with  force 
and  persuasion,  very  little  of  either  being  suf- 
ficient to  overcome  the  physical  or  mental 
powers  of  Hindoo  females.  A  crowd  of  hun- 
gry Brahmins  represent  to  her  that,  by  becom- 
ing a  Suttee,  she  will  remain  so  many  years 
in  heaven,  rescue  her  husband  from  hell,  and 
purify  the  family  of  her  father,  mother,  and 
husband ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  disgrace 
in  this  life,  and  continual  transmigration  into 
the  body  of  a  female  animal  will  be  the 
certain  consequence  of  this  refusal.  In  this 
state  of  confusion,  a  few  hours  quickly  pass, 
and  the  widow  is  burnt  before  she  has  had  time 
even  to  think  on  the  subject. 

The  details  of  this  practice  have  often  been 
given  in  our  missionary  periodicals.  We  need 
not  repeat  them  here.  But  the  extent  to 
which  this  abomination  has  been  carried,  and 
the  terrible  sufferings  which  it  has  occasioned, 
will  appear  from  the  fact  that,  in  ten  years, 
from  1815  to  1825,  no  less  than  5,997  widows 
were  thus  immolated.  For  a  long  time  the 
Suttee  was  winked  at  by  the  British  govern- 
ment in  India.  Dr.  Scuddersays  that  in  1819, 
when  he  first  went  to  India,  no  order  had  been 
issued  against  it.  In  1828,  a  society  was 
formed  at  Coventry,  England,  called  the  Hu- 
man Sacrifice  Abolition  Society,  the  object  of 
which  was  to  effect,  by  appeals  to  British  hu- 
manity and  justice,  the  abolition  of  widow- 
burning,  infanticide,  and  other  superstitious 
murders  in  India.  In  their  report  for  1834, 
they  state  that  the  Suttee  was  abolished  in  tho 
Bengal  Presidency  in  1829,  and  in  the  other 
Presidencies  the  following  year.  In  1848, 
Dr.  Scudder  stated  that  the  practice  still  pre- 
vailed in  the  native  States  of  Meywar,  Yotah, 
Marvvar,  Beekaneir,  Kishengur,  Ulwar,  and 
Boondce,  a  portion  of  the  country  larger  than 
New-England.  He  says  Suttees  are  rooted  in 
the  affections  of  the  people  ;  as  an  evidence  of 


[UFIVBRSIXr] 


3'sfXongitoae  Ja^  troTg   Crggnw.ch 


SWAN  RIVER-SYRIA. 


733 


which,  he  states  that  the  Rajah  of  Ihallawar 
issued  a  proclamation  denouncing  any  one 
who  should  assist  at  a  widow-burning.  He 
soon  after  died,  and  the  first  victim  after  his 
proclamation  was  his  own  widow.  But  he 
says  that,  whenever  a  province  is  taken 
possession  of  by  the  British  government,  the 
Suttee  is  immediately  abolished;  and  that 
government  is  exerting  its  influence  with  the 
native  kings  to  secure  its  entire  abolition  ;  in 
consequence  of  which  some  of  them  are  issu- 
ing their  orders  against  it. —  The  Suttee's  Cry 
to  Britain,  by  J.  Beggs  ;  3Iiss.  Her.,  Sept., 
1834,  p.  347,  and  March,  1848,  p.  90. 

SWAN  RIVER  :  A  settlement  in  Austra- 
lia, on  the  river  of  this  name,  occupied  by  the 
Wesley  an  Societv. 

SYDNEY  :  The  capital  of  Australia.  It 
is  situated  upon  a  cove  which  opens  from  the 
spacious  basin  of  Port  Jackson.  The  town  is 
built  upon  the  head  of  the  cove,  on  a  rivulet 
which  falls  into  it,  and  in  a  valley  between  two 
opposite  ridges.  The  best  houses  are  of  white 
free-stone,  or  brick  plastered,  and  have  a  light, 
airy  appearance.  Population  about  8,000.  It 
is  occupied  by  the  Wesleyans  and  the  Propa- 
gation Society. 

SYRIAN  CHRISTIANS  :  Called  also  St. 
Thomas's  Christians.  They  inhabit  the  intc^ 
rior  of  Malabar  and  Travancore,  in  the  S.W. 
part  of  Hindostan.  They  extend  from  N.  to 
S.  150  or  200  miles,  and  in  breadth  40  or  50. 
Between  50  and  60  churches  belong  to  this 
ancient  branch  of  the  Christian  church,  which 
has  preserved  the  Syi'iac  Scriptures,  in  manu- 
script, from  Christ  and  the  Apostles,  and,  un- 
connected with  the  rest  of  the  Christian 
world,  has  stood  for  ages  amid  the  darkest 
scenes  of  wickedness,  idolatry,  and  persecution. 
The  tradition  among  them  is,  that  the  Gospel 
was  planted  in  Hindostan  by  the  apostle 
Thomas.  Landing  at  Cranganore,  or  Chen- 
ganoor,  from  Aden  in  Arabia,  he  was  well  re- 
ceived by  Masdeus,  king  of  the  country,  whose 
son,  Zuzan,  he  baptized,  and  afterwards  or- 
dained deacon.  After  continuing  some  time 
at  Cranganore,  he  visited  the  coast  of  Coro- 
mandel,  and  preached  the  Gospel  at  Melapoor, 
and  finally  at  St.  Thomas's  Mount,  near  Mad- 
ras, where  he  was  put  to  death.  His  tomb 
long  remained  an  object  of  veneration.  Dr. 
Buchanan  entertained  a  decided  opinion  that 
we  have  as  good  authority  to  believe  that  the 
apostle  Thomas  died  in  India,  as  that  the  apos- 
tle Potor  died  at  Rome. 

That  Christians  existed  in  India  in  the  second 
century,  is  a  fact  fully  attested.  The  bishop 
of  India  was  present  and  signed  his  name  at 
the  Council  of  Nice,  in  325.  The  next  year, 
Frumentius  was  consecrated  to  that  office  by 
Athanasius  of  Alexandria,  and  founded  many 
churches  in  India.  In  the  fifth  century,  a 
Christian  bishop  from  Antioch,  accompanied 
by  a  small  colony  of  Syrians,  emigrated  to 
India  and  settled  on  the  coast  of  Malabar. 


The  Syrian  Christians  enjoyed  a  succession  of 
bishops,  appointed  by  the  patriarch  of  Anti- 
och, from  the  begininng  of  the  third  century 
till  thoy  were  invaded  by  the  Portuguese. 
They  still  retain  the  Liturgy,  anciently  used 
in  the  churches  of  Syria,  and  employ  in  their 
public  worship  the  language  spoken  by  our  Sa- 
viour in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem. 

The  first  notices  of  this  people  in  modern 
times  are  found  in  the  Portuguese  histories. 
In  1503,  there  were  upwards  of  100  Christian 
churches  on  the  coast  of  Malabar.  As  soon 
as  the  Portuguese  were  able,  they  compelled 
the  churches  nearest  the  coast  to  acknowledge 
the  supremacy  of  the  Pope;  and,  in  1599, 
they  burnt  all  the  Syriac  and  Chaldaic  booka 
and  records  on  which  they  could  lay  their 
hands.  The  churches  which  were  thus  sub- 
dued, are  called  the  Syro-Roman  Christians, 
and,  with  the  converts  from  other  tribes,  form 
a  population  of  nearly  150,000.  Those  in  the 
interior  would  noUgubmit  to  Rome  ;  but  after 
a  show  of  union  for  a  time,  fled  to  the  moun- 
tains in  1653,  hid  their  books,  and  put  them- 
selves under  the  protection  of  the  native 
princes,  by  whom  they  have  been  kept  in  a 
state  of  depression.  These  are  called  the  Sy- 
rian Christians.  About  10,000  persons,  with 
53  churches,  separated  from  the  Catholics; 
but  in  consequence  of  the  corrupt  doctrines 
and  licentious  manners  of  their  associates,  they 
have  fallen  from  their  former  estate,  and  very 
few  traces  of  the  high  character  which  they 
once  possessed  can  now  be  discovered.  Their 
number  was  estimated  in  1825  at  about  50,- 
000.  (See  Hindostan.) — Chapin's  3Iissionary 
Gazetteer. 

SYRIA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND.— 
Throughout  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
there  is  a  frequent  reference  to  Syria,  a  coun- 
try which  has  been  subject  first  to  one  conquer- 
or and  then  to  another,  and  made  the  bloody 
theatre  on  which  ambition  and  tpanny  have 
displayed  their  fiercest  energies.  The  Chal- 
dees,  the  Pei-sians,  the  Romans,  the  Saracens, 
the  Mohammedans,  were  successively  its  mas- 
ters. In  1517,  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  took  pos- 
session of  Syria,  and  his  successors  held  sway 
there  without  interruption  till  1832,  when 
Ibrahim  Pasha  fought  his  way  into  the  coun- 
try, and  brought  it  under  the  dominion  of 
Egypt.  In  1841,  with  the  aid  of  the  European 
powers,  Syria  was  again  restored  to  Turkey, 
and  ic  is  still  subject  to  the  Sultan,  though  u 
dark  uncertainty  hangs  over  its  future  dt^tiny. 

In  the  south-west  "part  of  Syria,  with  the 
Dead  Sea  and  the  river  Jordan  on  the  right, 
and  the  Mediterranean  Sea  on  the  left,  lies 
Palestine,  or  the  Holy  Land,  which  has  l)een 
the  scene  of  those  great  events  which  involvr 
the  destinies  of  mankind.  Of  the  present  con 
dition  of  Svria  and  Palestine  so  much  ha.v  !»  ,  r 
said  by  modern  writers,  that  it  is  unnecf>^:u7 
to  go  into  particulars  here.  But  as  there  Is  a 
constant  reference  in  the  missionary  lecorda  to 


T84 


SYBIA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


the  If^y^g  rdigioaB  sects  which  occupy  thci 
ooantiT,  some  statistics  on  this  subject  may  be 
of  we  to  the  reader,  in  the  riglit  understanding ; 
of  the  succeeding  pages.  From  the  statements 
of  a  »l»ioDnrv,  as  hite  aa  1840,  who  had  en- 
joyed uonsual  iucilitifs  for  obtaining  correct  in- 
'fonnatioD,  the  following  facts  are  gatliered. 

The  i>opultttion  of  Syria,  including  Palestine 
m41  Lebanon,  does  not  vary  nmch  from  one 
niillioQ  and  a  quarter.  Of  this  population,  in- 
cluding the  wandering  tribes,  the  following  is 
a  tolerably  correct  division. 


666,000 

11m  ADtioeh  or  Orthodox  Greeks 240,000 

M^y«M.»— """ 

Otfk  Ptfiai* 


Jew. 

Metewaliet,  a  sect  of  Uoslems. 
Axmixtem  and  Ismayeleea. . . . 
Anwnians  and  other  sects... 


180,000 
40,000 

100,000 
30,000 
25,000 

200,000 


The  Moslems  are  spread  over  the  whole 
country,  except  Lebanon  q^  the  large  moun- 
tainous r^ions  of  the  Ansaireea,  in  both  which 
districts  they  are  so  few  as  scarcely  to  merit 
attention.  The  orthodox  Greeks  extend  to 
every  part  of  Syria  and  Palestine.  The  Druses 
occupy  Lebanon,  and  particularly  the  southern 
half  of  it  The  Ansaireea  and  Ismayeleea  oc- 
cupy the  large  and  fertile  region  north  of  Tri- 
poli, and  spread  over  mountain  and  plain  all 
the  way  round  the  head  of  the  sea  to  Tarsus 
and  the  plain  of  Adona.  The  Maronites  re- 
side chiefly  in  Lebanon,  while  about  2,000  are 
found  in  Aleppo,  a  few  in  Damascus,  and  small 
communities  in  other  places.  The  Greek  Pa- 
pists are  confined  chiefly  to  Aleppo,  Damascus, 
Beirut,  Sidon,  and  different  villages  in  Leba- 
non, and  a  few  in  the  Haouran.  The  Arme- 
nians reside  chiefly  in  Jerusalem  and  Aleppo. 
They  increase  along  the  southern  frontier  of 
S;  ri.i.  The  Jews,  who  are  chiefly  Spanish, 
■  iiun,  and  Polish,  are  confined  mostly  to 
J:;\i.-idem,  Hebron,  Tiberias,  Damascus,  and 
Aleppo.  Small  communities  are  found  in  some 
of  the  other  cities.  Small  Arab  tribes  occupy 
portions  of  nearly  all  the  great  plains  in  Syria 
and  Palestine,  but  chiefly  along  the  eastern 
frontier  and  in  the  Haouran.  There  is  a  sect 
called  Yezzidecs,  worshipers  of  the  devil,  but 
they  are  few,  and  occupy  the  extreme  north- 
east frontier. 

Tlie  Drt^es.— This  sect,  though  not  the  most 
numerous,  yet  holds  a  very  conspicuous  place. 
They  derive  their  name  from  Mohammed  Eben 
Ismael,  surnamed  El  Drusi,  who  came  from  a 
foreign  country,  and  became  a  follower  of 
Hakem,  the  supposed  founder  of  the  sect  in 
the  eleventh  century.  'ITie  Druses  acknowl- 
edge seven  law  givers :  Adam,  Noah,  Abra- 
ham, Moses,  Jesus,  Mohammed,  and  Said. 
They  believe  in  ten  incarnations  of  God,  the 
last  and  most  important  being  that  in  the  per- 
son of  Hakem.  Thev  call  Hakem  the  creator 
of  heaven  and  earth,  the  onlv  God  worthy 
of  reverence  in  heaven,  and  the  only  Lord  on 


earth.  "  He  is  one,  the  only  one,  who  knows 
no  consort  and  no  number.  He  neither  begets 
nor  is  begotten.  He  does  what  he  will  and  as 
he  will.  He  tears  down  and  builds  up.  He 
lifts  up  and  throws  down.  He  says  to  all 
things,  be ;  and  they  are.  He  is  the  begin- 
ning and  the  end  of  all  things.  He  is  the  be- 
ginning .  and  the  end,  the  powerful,  the  excel- 
lent, the  victorious.  I  am,  he  says,  the  foun- 
dation of  religion,  the  way,  the  Lord  of  the 
resurrection  and  the  new  life,  &c."  This  Ha- 
kem, they  bdievc,  will  appear  again  in  human 
form,  at  the  judgment,  to  give  to  every  man 
according  to  his  desert.  The  time  of  his  com- 
ing is  pointed  out  to  be  when  kings  rule  with 
unlimited  power,  and  Christians  get  the  supe- 
riority over  the  Moslems.  At  the  judgment 
those  who  are  called  Muwahhidin,  i.  e.  Unita- 
rians, in  opposition  to  Polytheists  and  Chris- 
tians, will  be  rewarded,  and  all  apostates  pun- 
ished. There  are  two  classes  of  Druses,  viz., 
the  Akkal,  or  the  learned  and  initiated  ;  and 
the  Jahal,  or  the  ignorant  and  uninitiated. 
The  initiated  are  very  strict  in  regard  to  food, 
not  eating  with  strangers ;  in  regard  to  mar- 
riage, not  marrying  out  of  their  own  order ; 
and  in  the  use  of  oaths,  using  only  the  expres- 
sion, "  I  have  said  it."  They  form  a  sort  of 
sacred  or  aristocratic  order,  and  perform  the 
ceremonies  of  their  religion  in  secret.  From 
them  is  taken  the  imam,  the  spiritual  or  eccle- 
siastical head  of  the  Druses.  The  uninitiated, 
comprehending  the  greater  part  of  the  Druses, 
and  even  the  emir  himself,  who  is  not  permitted  to 
interfere  in  matters  of  religion,  are  very  differ- 
ent as  to  religion  and  religious  usages.  They 
make  no  distinctions  of  meats,  drink  wine, 
marry  wives  out  of  their  own  sect,  and  wear  a 
variegated  dress.  They  conform  to  the  reli- 
gion which  happens  to  predominate.  With 
the  Mohammedans  they  are  Mohammedans ; 
with  the  Christians  they  are  Christians.  This 
conduct  is  said  to  be  commanded  them  in  their 
sacred  books,  in  order  to  conceal  the  fact  that 
they  belong  to  a  particular  sect.  This  class 
of  the  Druses  are  exceedingly  ignorant  and 
degraded,  knowing  but  little  about  God,  and 
still  less  about  the  Saviour  ;  yet  they  are  teach- 
able, and  not  being  subject  to  ignorant  and 
bigoted  priests,  they  have  been  found  more 
ready  to  receive  the  Gospel  than  the  nominal 
Christians  of  Syria. 

Missions  op  the  Ameeican  Board. — Rev. 
Messrs.  Levi  Parsons  and  Pliny  Fiske,  em- 
barked at  Boston,  Nov.  3,  1819,  for  what  was 
then  denominated  the  mission  to  Palestine, 
and  on  the  15th  of  the  following  January,  they 
entered  the  harbor  of  Smyrna.  In  December 
of  the  same  year,  Mr.  Parsons  embarked  for 
Jerusalem,  where  he  arrived  in  March — the 
first  Protestant  missionary  who  had  entered 
that  field  with  a  view  of  making  it  the  centre 
of  his  own  evangelical  operations.  He  had, 
however,  scarcely  surveyed  his  field,  when  dis- 
ease undermined  his  constitution,  and  he  em- 


SYRIA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


735 


barked  for  Alexandria,  where  he  died,  Febru- 
ary 10,  1822.  Ill  April,  1823,  Mr.  Fiske  en- 
tered Jerusalem,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Jonas 
Kiug.  They  spent  some  time  in  explorations 
in  and  around  the  holy  city,  and  in  excursions 
to  Lebanon  and  other  places,  meanwhile  dis- 
tributing Scriptures  and  tracts,  and  studying 
the  prevailing  language.  In  November,  1823, 
Rev.  William  Goodell  and  Rev.  Isaac  Bird, 
with  their  wives,  arrived  at  Beirut.  As  this 
city  holds  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  history  of 
the  Syrian  mission,  a  particular  description  of 
it  seems  desirable.  Soon  after  their  arrival 
the  missionaries  wrote  : 

"  Beirut  is  pleasantly  situated  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Lebanon,  on  the  western  side  of  a  large 
bay,  in  latitude  33°  49'  N.  and  long.  35o  50' 
E.  It  has  a  fertile  soil,  and  is  abundantly  fur- 
nished with  good  water  from  spring  that  flow 
Irom  the  adjacent  hills.  The  houses  are  built 
of  mud,  and  of  a  soft,  crumbling  stone,  and  are 
dark,  damp,  and  inconvenient.  The  streets  are 
narrow  and  dirty,  and  during  the  winter  are 
seldom  dry.  They  were  once  paved,  in  a  slov- 
enly manner  with  stones  of  irregular  shape, 
which  are  now  wide  apart,  and  simply  furnish 
stepping  stones  in  rainy  weather.  The  filth  of 
the  city,  together  with  its  dampness  in  winter 
and  its  heat  in  summer,  renders  it  a  very  un- 
desirable place  for  a  family.  Ships  are  forced 
to  lie  at  anchor  at  the  eastern  extremity  of  the 
bay,  about  two  miles  from  the  city.  The  port 
is  choked  up  with  sands,  and  with  some  of  the 
pillars  of  granite,  which  remain  as  almost  the 
only  relics  of  the  ancient  magnificence  of  the 
place.  On  the  north  and  north-west  Beirut  is 
entirely  open  to  the  sea,  and  at  no  great  dis- 
tance to  the  east  is  Lebanon,  which  stretches 
far  to  the  north  and  to  the  south.  Nearer  to 
the  city  on  the  south,  is  a  large  and  beautiful 
plain,  varied  by  small  hills,  covered  with  olive, 
palm,  orange,  lemon,  pine,  and  mulberry  trees, 
and  enlivened  by  numerous  cottages.  From 
the  terrace?  of  the  house  we  occupy  wo  can 
count  more  than  200  of  these  cottages,  scatter- 
ed here  and  there  among  the  trees.  Besides 
three  large  mosques  and  several  smaller  ones, 
the  city  contains  a  Roman  Catholic,  a  Maron- 
ite,  a  Greek,  and  a  Catholic  Greek  church." — 
{See  Beirut.) 

In  view  of  this  beginning  of  Protestant  mis- 
sions in  a  quarter  of  the  world  the  most  inter- 
esting and  sacred,  the  Board  say  in  their  re- 
port for  1824  :  "  In  Jerusalem,  the  ancient 
capital  of  the  visible  Church,  the  standard  of 
truth  and  righteousness  has  been  erected,  it  is 
hoped,  never  more  to  be  permanently  removed. 
Among  the  mountains  of  Lebanon,  the  Gospel 
has  been  proclaimed  to  Druses,  Maronites,  Sy- 
rians, and  Greeks.  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea 
have  heard  the  sound,  and  Bethlehem,  Caper- 
naum, and  Nazareth.  In  that  most  interest- 
ing portion  of  the  world,  the  light  of  life,  after 
having  been  for  ages  quite  extinguished,  has 
been  rekindled — and  by  whom  ?    The  mission- 


aries of  the  Board — thanks  unto  our  merciful 
{jtod  for  the  unmerited  privilege— have  been 
among  the  first  and  principal  instruments.  A 
great  crowd  of  witnesses  upon  earth,  and 
doubtless  many  more  on  the  heights  of  the 
heavenly  Zion,  contemplate  this  enterprise." 
A  prominent  feature  in  the  mission  for  the  first 
few  years,  was  the  determined  and  systematic 
opposition  to  the  circulation  of  the  Bible, 
made  by  the  Romish  church  ;  and  not  to  the 
Bible  only,  but  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel, 
the  establishment  of  schools,  and  the  diffusion 
of  knowledge  generally.  In  spite  of  the  op- 
position, however,  a  school  was  established 
and  continued  at  Beirfit,  and  the  Scriptures 
were  put  into  the  hands  of  many,  notwithstand- 
ing a  proclamation  from  the  Grand  Signior 
forbidding  their  distribution.  In  the  fall  of 
1825,  Mr.  King  left  the  mission,  having  engag- 
ed in  it  only  for  a  limited  period.  About  the 
same  time  a  severe  loss  was  sustained  in  the 
death  of  Mr.  Fj^.  He  had  been  preparing 
an  Arabic  ancfflEnglish  dictionary,  which  it 
was  necessary  now  to  commit  to  other  hands. 

As  the  missionaries  became  acquainted  with 
the  language  of  the  country,  so  as  to  converse 
with  the  people  freely,  and  engage  in  contro- 
versy with  the  patriarchs  and  others,  a  spirit 
of  religious  inquiry  was  awakened,  and  the  ex- 
citement became  general ;  so  that  the  time  of 
Mr.  Bird,  and  often  that  of  Mr.  Goodell,  was 
demanded  night  and  day  to  converse  with  men 
and  women  from  different  places,  who  were 
convinced  of  the  rottenness  of  their  old  system, 
and  wished  to  become  acquainted  with  a  more 
excellent  way.  As  the  work  went  on,  the  op 
position  of  rulers,  both  ecclesiastical  and  civil, 
became  more  violent,  threatening  decrees  were 
fulminated,  and  in  some  instances  the  most 
cruel  forms  of  persecution  were  resorted  to. 
Among  the  objects  of  this  persecution  was' 
Asaad  Shidiak,  who  had  been  Mr.  King's 
teacher  in  Arabic  and  Syriac,  and  who  was 
one  of  the  most  intelligent  men  on  Mount 
Lebanon.  He  was  a  Maronite  Roman  Cath- 
olic, had  been  much  acquainted  with  the 
bishop  of  Beirut,  and  with  the  Maronite  patri- 
arch, and  on  his  showing  a  strong  tendency 
towards  evangelical  religion,  he  was  threat- 
ened with  immediate  excommunication,  if  he 
did  not  cease  from  his  connection  with  the 
"  Bible  men."  To  avoid  this  evil  he  was  ad- 
vised to  retire  for  a  season  to  Iladet,  in  the 
hope  that  the  opposition  would  subside.  In 
this  retirement  his  mind  became  still  more 
serious  and  determined,  and  on  his  return  to 
Beirilt  he  was  resolved  to  risk  whatever  ob- 
loquy and  violence  might  come  upon  him. 
The  suspicion  that  he  was  heretical  made  it 
necessary  for  him  to  give  up  a  marriage  con- 
tract into  which  he  had  entered  ;  and  he  pre- 
ferred this  sacrifice  rather  than  shut  himself 
out  from  the  means  of  access  to  the  truth.  In 
January,  1826,  the  patriarch  sent  his  own 
brother  to  call  upon  Asaad,  to  urge  him  to  an 


786 


STRIA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


iotflrricw,  and  though  warned  by  the  mission- 
•rici  of  the  dangers  to  which  ho  would  be  cx- 
poMd,  ho  compliiHl  with  the  request,  and  went 
tothe  convent  of  J)er  Alma,  where  he  met  the 
Mtrimrch,  and  had  many  conversations  with 
him.    The  topics  upon  which  Asaad  insisted, 
were  the  necessity  of  a  spiritual  religion,  in 
distinction  from  modes  and  form ;  the  suffi- 
.  of  the  Scriptures ;  and  the  absurdity  of 
_r  the  l*o|)C  to  be  infallible.    The  patri- 
..s  !ii;,'hly  displeased  with  these  bold  sen- 
i;.     i.;^.  aiKJ  uttered,  first,  cruel  threats,  and 
il  ,M(I  honor,  promotion,  money,  &c. 

'1  -f  Beirut  was  present  at  several  of 

til.  'IIS,  and  threatened  Asaad's  life  in 

the  U)u6l  angry  and  violent  manner. 

After  an  absence  of  seven  weeks,  he  return- 
ed to  Beirut,  and  wrote  a  history  of  what  had 
transpired.  The  document  was  published  in 
the  Missionary  Herald,  and  indicated  great 
talents,  a  sincere  love  of  the  truth,  and  the 
spirit  of  a  mart^T  in  its  de^ce.  As  soon  as 
Asaad's  mother,  brothers,  and  other  relations 
heard  of  his  return,  they  flocked  around  him, 
and  besought  him  to  leave  the  missionaries. 
Against  the  urgent  entreaties  of  the  brethren, 
be  accompanied  four  of  his  relatives  home,  in 
the  belief  that  it  would  be  safe,  and  that  he 
should  do  some  good  by  the  visit.  In  about  a 
fortnight  some  of  his  relatives  took  him  by 
force,  and  carried  him  to  the  convent  of  Der 
Alma,  and  delivered  him  np  to  the  patriarch, 
bv  whose  order  he  was  removed  to  Cannobeen, 
about  50  miles  from  Beirut.  There  he  suffered 
imprisonment,  chains,  stripes,  and  revilings. 
To  those  who  delivered  him  up,  he  said  that  if 
he  had  not  read  the  Gospel  he  never  should 
have  known  how  to  explain  their  conduct ; 
but  there  he  learned  that  "  the  brother  shall 
deliver  up  the  brother  to  death,  and  a  man's 
foes  shall  be  those  of  his  own  household."  For 
several  months  he  was  beaten  dally,  and  hav- 
ing made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  escape,  a 
heavy  chain  was  put  around  his  neck,  and  the 
other  end  fastened  to  the  wall.  The  common 
people  were  encouraged  to  visit  him  and  spit 
ID  his  face,  and  otherwise  insult  him,  with  a 
riew  to  shame  him  and  break  his  spirit.  His 
mother  and  one  or  two  of  his  brothers,  finding 
how  cruelly  he  was  treated,  relented,  and  ear- 
nestly sought  his  release.  One  who  visited 
him  declared  that  he  had  been  beaten  till  his 
body  was  of  the  color  of  blue  cloth.  In  the 
midst  of  his  suflerings  he  wrote  a  kind  letter 
to  the  missionaries,  but  not  having  an  oppor- 
tunity to  send  it,  the  patriarch  discovered  it, 
and  both  he  and  othei-s  beat  him  severely  on 
this  account.  For  many  months  intelligence 
was  received  of  Asaad's  condition,  and  though 
his  sufferings  knew  no  abatement,  the  hope 
was  entertained  that  his  deliverance  would  in 
some  way  be  effected.  But  at  length  communi- 
cation was  cutoff,  a  dreadful  uncertainty  hun 
over  his  fate,  and  the  sad  conclusion  was  forced 
upon  the  missionaries  that  he  had  died  in  the 


hands  of  his  unrelenting  tormentors.  N^othing 
has  ever  occurred  to  relieve  this  painful  ap- 
prehension. The  piety  and  constancy  of  Asa- 
ad Shidiak  were  regarded  as  very  extraordi- 
nary. His  pride  of  talents  and  of  authorship, 
his  reverence  for  his  former  tutors,  patrons, 
and  ecclesiastical  superiors,  and  all  his  previ- 
ous habits  of  thinking  and  a,cting,  were  opposed 
to  his  joining  the  missionaries  and  yielding  to 
the  authority  of  the  Scriptures.  To  these 
were  added  the  anathemas  of  the  Church,  the 
revilings  of  friends,  the  malice  of  a  bigoted 
and  bloody  priesthood,  and  the  horrors  of  a 
long  imprisonment  under  chains  and  stripes^ 
till  his  vigorous  frame  became  one  mass  o^ 
suffering ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  deliver- 
ance, honor,  emoluments,  all  that  wealth  and 
power  could  offer,  awaited  him  in  case  of  his 
recantation.  That  under  these  circumstances 
Asaad  should  have  adhered  with  unwavering 
firmness  to  the  Gospel  and  the  religion  of 
Christ,  must  certainly  bo  regarded  as  a  sur- 
prising triumph  of  Christianity  over  the  natu- 
ral inclinations  of  the  heart,  and  over  the  prin- 
cipalities and  powers  of  this  world.  With 
propriety  did  the  Board  ask,  "  How  many  are 
there  among  ourselves,  with  all  our  means  of 
knowledge  and  all  the  strength  of  confirmed 
religious  principle,  who  could  assure  them- 
selves that,  in  such  a  fearful  controversy,  they 
should  stand  like  Asaad  Shidiak,  calm  and 
unruffled  amid  the  war  of  angry  passions,  de- 
prived of  every  earthly  support,  and  looking 
through  tears,  yet  with*  a  resolute  eye,  to  hea- 
ven as  his  home,  and  to  Christ  as  his  only  de- 
liverer?" A  brother  of  this  first  martyr^ 
Pharez  Shidiak,  also  embraced  the  truth,  and 
was  pursued  with  the  same  persecuting  spirit, 
but  saved  himself  from  the  fate  of  Asaad  by 
a  timely  escape  to  Malta.  After  the  occur- 
rence of  these  two  cases,  the  Maronite  patri- 
arch issued  a  proclamation  to  be  read  in  all 
the  Maronite  churches,  strictly  forbidding  all 
connection  with  the  missionaries,  in  the  way  of 
buying  or  selling,  borrowing  or  lending,  giv- 
ing or  receiving,  attending  schools  or  teaching 
them,  or  rendering  any  service,  on  pain  of  the 
loss  of  office  and  the  great  excommunication. 
The  patriarch  admitted  that  the  missionaries 
were  "unwearied  in  their  efforts;"  that  they 
went  about  "  manifesting  a  zeal  in  compassion- 
ating their  neighbors ;"  that  they  "  opened 
schools  and  supplied  instructions,  all  at  their 
own  expense,"  &c.  The  Greek  Catholics  man- 
ifested a  similar  hostility,  though  they  were 
less  inclined  to  persecute  ;  and  the  Mohamme- 
dans were  ready  to  pursue  every  professor  of 
Christianity  with  inexorable  vengeance.  Thus 
it  became  evident  in  the  early  history  of  the 
mission,  that  those  who  would  follow  Christ, 
must  be  prepared,  like  the  primitive  Christiana 
on  the  same  soil,  to  seal  their  testimony  with 
their  blood.  The  people  might  turn  from  one 
form  of  nominal  Christianity  to  another,  and 
embrace  the  Greek,  or  Greek   Catholic,  or 


SYRIA  AM)  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


737 


Maronite,  or  Latin  faith,  -without  giving 
oflfence  ;  but  to  be  Christians  indeed,  and  take 
the  word  of  God  as  their  only  rule  of  failh, 
was  to  incur  the  wrath  of  bishops  and  patri- 
archs, and  required  the  spirit  of  a  Christian 
hero.  Along  with  these  violent  persecutions 
came  political  and  warlike  agitations,  and  all 
the  schools  which  had  been  organized  at  Bei- 
rut, Tripoli,  and  elsewhere,  had  to  be  given 
up.  In  May,  1828,  the  missionaries  removed 
from  Beirut  to  Malta.  Their  reasons  for  this 
step  were  the  prospect  of  war,  which  soon 
after  commenced,  the  difficulty  of  holding 
communication  with  other  places,  and  the  in- 
security which  was  felt  after  the  removal  of 
the  British  consul.  After  an  absence  of  two 
years,  during  which  they  devoted  themselves 
to  the  study  of  the  various  languages  of 
the  east,  the  missionaries,  learning  that  the 
English  consul  had  again  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence at  Beirilt,  returned  to  that  place.  On 
entering  that  city,  they  were  saluted  with 
kindness  by  the  people,  but  the  priests  were 
disturbed,  and  soon  the  papal  thunders  began 
again  to  roar  in  the  churches.  The  mission- 
ary work  proceeded,  however,  without  material 
interruption,  except  by  the  ravages  of  the 
plague,  which  prevailed  through  Syria,  Arme- 
nia, and  Persia,  in  1831. '  In  1832,  the  mission 
sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Gregory 
Wortabed,  an  early  and  distinguished  convert, 
concerning  whom  full  accounts  may  be  found 
in  the  Missionary  Herald  of  that  and  previous 
dates.  The  reply  of  Mr.  Bird  to  the  Bishop 
of  Beirut,  in  1833,  received  special  attention, 
and  served  to  awaken  a  spirit  of  inquiry  among 
the  people.  About  the  same  time  a  press  was 
established  in  Beirut,  to  be  superintended  by 
the  Kev.  Eli  Smith,  under  the  general  direc- 
tion of  the  mission. 

Syria  and  the  Holy  Land  were  now  under 
the  government  of  the  viceroy  of  Egypt,  and 
embraced  the  four  pashalics  of  Aleppo,  Tripoli, 
Damascus,  and  Acre.  Beirut,  being  the  prin- 
cipal port  of  commerce,  was  assuming  increased 
importance  as  a  missionary  station,  while  ex- 
plorations were  made  in  Damascus,  Tripoli, 
Sidon,  and  other  large  towns,  with  a  view  to 
the  occupancy  of  new  fields.  The  system  of 
Bchools  was  yet  in  its  infancy,  the  missionaries 
not  having  been  in  circumstances  to  give  to 
this  subject  the  necessary  attention.  In  their 
report  for  1834  the  Committee  of  the  Board 
say,  "  They  are  not  aware  that  any  material 
change  has  taken  place  in  the  character  and 
condition  of  the  people  at  large,  in  consequence 
of  the  establishment  of  the  mission.  But  the 
impression  is  said  to  have  been  extensively  re- 
moved, which  had  been  given  by  the  Jesuits  in 
former  years,  that  the  Protestants  have  no  re- 
ligion, no  priesthood,  no  churches,  &c.  The 
bigotry,  intolerance,  unreasonableness,  and 
worldly-mi ndedness  of  the  papal  priests  have 
also  been  brought  to  light,  by  their  opposition 
to  the  Scriptures  and  schools,  and  it  is  thought 
47 


that  image  worship  is  growing  unpopular  in 
the  vicinity  of  Beirut.  Among  the  inhabitants 
of  that  place  now  living,  the  missionaries  reck- 
on bfit  four  native  converts.  A  fifth  hopeful 
convert  is  teaching  a  school  at  Tripoli.  The 
number  admitted  to  communion  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  mission  is  seven,  not  includ- 
ing the  lamented  Asaad  Shidiak,  nor  Jacob,  a 
young  Armenian,  who  died  giving  evidence  of 
repentance  and  faith  in  Christ."  Correspond- 
ing with  the  date  of  the  foregoing,  is  a  joint 
statement  by  the  missionaries,  in  which  they 
speak  of  the  insufficiency,  in  that  country  at 
least,  of  the  mere  circulation  of  the  Scriptures. 
Many  copies  had  been  distributed  from  Alep- 
po to  Hebron  and  Gaza,  and  after  ten  or  twelve 
years'  use  of  them,  not  a  single  soul  had,  to  their 
knowledge,  been  by  this  means  brought  to  a 
sense  of  sin,  and  converted  to  God.  "  Not," 
they  say,  "  that  the  word  of  God  has  taken  no 
effect ;  not  that  it  has  done  no  good  ;  but  we 
state  a  fact,  and  from  it  we  draw  the  conclu- 
sion that  other  efforts  ought  to  be  connected 
with  Bible  distribution."  The  missionaries  at 
Beirut  in  1835,  were  Eli  Smith,  Isaac  Bird, 
and  William  M.  Thompson,  with  the  wives  of 
the  two  latter,  and  Eebecca  W.  Williams, 
teacher.  A  class  of  ten  young  men  were  un- 
der instruction  in  geography,  astronomy,  and 
the  English  language,  and  three  other  schools 
were  taught  by  natives,  the  whole  number  of 
pupils  being  140.  Besides  these  a  female 
school  had  been  opened  by  the  female  members 
of  the  mission,  assisted  by  the  widow  of  the 
lamented  Gregory  Wortabed,  and  eighteen  pu- 
pils were  in  attendance.  For  this  school  a 
building  had  been  erected  on  the  mission  pre- 
mises, by  the  avails  of  a  subscription  among 
foreign  residents.  The  measure  met  wi^  no 
opposition. 

Jerusalem  was  at  this  date  the  centre  of  a 
great  tumult  among  the  people,  the  mountain- 
eers of  Palestine  having  suddenly  risen  in  gene- 
ral rebellion  against  the  government  of  Egypt. 
That  government,  however,  maintained  its  su- 
premacy, and  the  whole  country  of  Syria,  un- 
der the  sway  of  the  Pacha  of  Egypt,  was  soon 
disarmed  and  quiet.  In  1836  the  Committee, 
in  surveying  this  field,  were  able  tp  say,  •'  Al- 
most every  change  opens  the  door  still  wider 
for  missionary  work.  Lebanon  is  completely 
open.  Missionaries  can  go  where  they  please. 
The  Druse  population  in  particular  have  been 
rendered  accessible  to  the  truth.  They  are  fre- 
quently seen  at  the  chapel  of  the  mission."  At 
Jerusalem,  Mr.  Whiting  found  much  encour- 
agement in  the  distribution  of  books  and  tracts 
among  the  pilgrims  who  visited  the  Uoly  City 
from  all  quarters.  A  school  was  also  in  opera- 
tion there,  and  a  few  Moslem  girls  were  learn- 
ing to  read  and  sew.  The  island  of  Cyprus 
having  been  thoroughly  explored,  a  mission 
was  commenced  there  in  1836,  by  Messrs. 
Pease,  J.  L.  ITiompson,  and  Daniel  Ladd.  The 
number  of  Greek  Christians  on  the  island  was 


m 


SYRU  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


Cftimated  »t  70,000,  and  there  did  not  appear 
to  be  aqy  obtUde  io  the  way  of  spreading  the 
GcmmI  10009 them.  The  death  of  Mrs.  Smith, 
in  copeeoococe  of  exposures  bv  shipwreck,  on 
her  wiy  to  Smvrno  with  her  husband,  was  u 
■erioas  looi  to  the  mission  ;  Mr.  Smith  also  lost 
•t  the  nine  time,  the  vahiablc  manuscript  of  a 
Journal,  which  he  had  kept  during  a  tour 
through  the  Uaouran,  and  the  models  of  Arabic 
lettm  which  he  had  procured  for  the  cutting 
of  a  new  font  of  t^-pe  in  that  language.  The 
Utter  he  was  able  afterwards  to  replace.    The 

Kinting  in  1836,  at  the  Beirfit  press,  all  in  Ara- 
c,  was  as  follows,  viz. :  A  Hymn  Book,  24 
iMges,  200  copies ;  Watts'  Catechism,  16  pages, 
1^^  copies ;  Elements  of  Arabic  Grammar, 
168  pages,  1000  copies ;  Dairyman's  Daughter, 
96 pages,  2000  copies ;  making  a  total  of  380,800 
pages.  Besides  this  there  were  struck  off  from 
the  lithographic  press  200  copies  of  the  Arabic 
alphabet,  for  the  schools  ;  and  2000  copies  of 
Chn-sostom  on  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

llie  year  1838,  and  a  part  of  the  following 
year  were  spent  by  Mr.  Smith  in  an  exploring 
tour  with  Dr.  Robinson,  through  Arabia  and 
Syria.  The  results  of  these  observations  are 
well  known  to  the  public.  There  were  6,642 
books  and  tracts  distributed  from  Beirut  sta- 
tion in  1838,  amounting  to  490,629  pages. 
The  larger  portion  of  this  work  was  effected  by 
a  native  employed  for  the  purpose.  The  people 
manifested  an  unexpected  eagerness  to  receive 
books.  The  ecclesiastical  rulers  of  every  de- 
prce  made  fierce  opposition,  but  very  many  of 
the  people  received  the  books  in  open  defiance 
of  patriarchs  and  bishops.  • 

It  was  a  highly  interesting  fact,  recorded  in 
1839,  that  several  papal  priests,  from  different 
parts  of  the  country,  all  of  them  strangers  to 
each  other,  were  so  enlightened  and  so  evan- 
gelical in  sentiment,  as  to  become  disgusted 
with  popery  and  anxious  to  escape  from  it. 
TbiB  and  the  preceding  year  were  also  signal- 
laed  by  an  extraordinary  religious  excitement 
among  the  Druses.  The  extent  and  effects  of 
this  awakening,  and  the  spirit  in  which  it  was 
met  by  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  powers, 
forms  an  exceedingly  interesting  chapter  in  the 
history  of  the  Syrian  mission  ;  but  for  the  par- 
ticulars refetence  must  be  had  to  the  journals 
of  the  missionaries  published  in  the  Herald.  The 
books  and  tracts  distributed  from  Beirut  during 
the  y^  1839,  amounted  to  3,543.  Of  these  103 
were  Bibles,  264  Testaments,  419  Psalters,  and 
2,i5<  smaller  poHions  of  the  Scriptures.  A 
large  and  convenient  chapel  was  built  at  Bei- 
rut, in  which  were  held  two  services  in  the 
Arabic  language,  one  soon  after  sunrise,  the 
other  m  the  afternoon .  Between  these  services 
was  one  in  English  at  the  American  Consulate, 
and  a  Sabbath^chool  was  conducted  in  the 
natrve  chapel. 

The  free  school  contained  upwards  of  56 
scholars, and  the  attendance  was  full  and  regular 
•throughout  the  year.    The  school  at  Tripoli 


already  mentioned  as  under  the  care  of  a  na- 
tive, had  about  30  scholars. 

In  the  autumn  of  1840,  Beirut  was  bom» 
barded  by  Turkey  and  her  allies,  and  the  mis- 
sionaries fled,  some  to  Jerusalem,  and  others 
to  Larnica  in  Cyprus.  The  houses  and  other 
property  of  the  mission  were  nnharnicd.  In 
the  summer  of  1841,  the  war  having  ended  in 
placing  the  government  under  Turkish  rule, 
the  missionaries  returned  to  Beirfit  and  re- 
sumed their  labors.  About  the  same  time  a 
printer  from  Boston,  with  an  improved  font  of 
Arabic  type,  and  Rev.  Eli  Smith,  who  had 
been  spending  a  little  time  in  America,  joined 
the  mission.  The  whole  missionary  force  at 
Beirut,  on  being  collected  at  this  period,  con- 
sisted of  Messrs.  Smith,  W.  M.  'J'hompson, 
Nathaniel  A.  Keyes,  Samuel  Wolcott,  L. 
Thompson,  missionaries,  and  their  wives  ;  Mr. 
Yan  Dyck,  physician  ;  a  printer  ;  and  five  na- 
tive assistants.  At  Jerusalem  there  were  two 
missionaries,  Messrs.  Whiting  and  Sherman, 
with  their  wives,  and  one  native  assistant ;  and 
at  a  station  on  Mount  Lebanon,  called  B'ham- 
dAn,  there  was  a  missionary  and  a  physician. 
The  country,  however,  was  not  quiet,  for  the 
war  that  had  transferred  the  government  from 
the  dominion  of  Mohammed  Ali  to  that  of  the 
Sultan,  was  followed  by  a  civil  war,  in  which 
the  Maronites  and  Druses  of  Mount  Lebanon 
contended  for  the  ascendancy.  It  was  in  fact 
a  war  of  the  Druses  against  the  Papists,  who 
had  provoked  it,  and  ended  in  the  complete 
triumph  of  the  Druses.  In  view  of  this  con- 
stant disturbance  and  change,  Mr.  Smith  wrote, 
in  January,  1842,  "There  is  an  evil,  a  great 
evil,  in  being  thus  beaten  about  by  these  po- 
litical surges,  and  we  try  to  avoid  them  all  in 
our  power,  and  seek  the  stillest  waters  we  can 
find.  Yet  our  minds  are  never  free  from  anxi- 
ety, looking  out  for  what  may  come  next. 
And  besides  this,  we  are  excessively  troubled 
to  give  our  friends  at  home  proper  and  correct 
accounts  of  our  labors  and  prospects.  One  of 
the  brethren,  in  giving  reasons  for  not  writing 
home  more  full  accounts,  remarked  that  he 
could  not  get  the  world  here  to  stand  still  long 
enough  to  describe  it.  So  it  is — we  write 
home  now  an  account  of  our  labors  and  pros- 
pects, with  propositions  for  money  and  men  to 
do  this  or  that,  and  before  our  letter  reaches 
the  United  States,  some  revolution  has  taken 
place  which  materially  alters  our  plans,  and 
we  want  to  do  something  very  different  from 
the  thing  proposed."  Four  months  later  Mr. 
Smith  wrote,  that  the  power  of  the  Maronite 
patriarch,  which  had  always  presented  the 
greatest  obstacle  to  missionary  labor,  appeared 
to  be  broken  ;  that  wherever  they  went  they 
had  free  access  to  the  Druses,  and  that  an  im- 
pulse had  been  extensively  given  in  favor  of 
schools.  And  yet,  he  adds,  "  The  Turkish  au- 
thorities have  taken  such  a  course,  that  their 
designs  remain  wholly  unknown ;  and  what 
will  be  the  result  of  the  present  position  of 


SYRIA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


739 


things  Te  feel  entirely  unable  to  conjecture." 
In  spite  ^f  these  perplexities  ten  schools  were 
maintained,  nine  at  Beirut  and  one  at  Jerusa- 
lem, containing  an  aggregate  of  287  pupils, 
and  the  printing  during  the  year  1841  amount- 
ed to  636,000  pages,  half  of  which  were  por- 
tions of  the  Scriptures.    In  their  report  for 

1843,  the  Prudential  Committee  say,  "  During 
the  past  year  a  good  house  for  a  permanent 
establishment  has  been  obtained  at  Abeih,  a 
mountain  village  about  15  miles  southward  of 
Beirut,  facing  the  sea,  sufficiently  elevated  to 
render  it  a  safe  and  healthy  residence  the  whole 
year,  central  with  regard  to  the  Druse  people, 
with  1000  or  1500  inhabitants,  and  villages  in 
all  directions  around  it.  The  mission  has  also 
gained  much  experience  during  the  few  years 
past,  made  many  favorable  acquaintances,  dis- 
semmated  mucn  evangelical  truth,  done  aaray 
no  small  amount  of  prejudice,  and  conquered 
one  of  the  most  difficult  and  important  lan- 
guages of  the  world — the  Arabic — spoken  by 
60,000,000  people,  it  being  the  sacred  lan- 
guage of  the  vast  Moslem  nation."  The  sta- 
tion at  Jerusalem  was  reported  this  year  as 
having  been  suspended,  the  missionary,  Mr. 
Whiting,  having  joined  Mr.  Thompson  and 
Dr.  Van  Dyck  at  Abeih. 

In  1844,  soon  after  the  visit  of  Dr.  Anderson 
and  Dr.  Hawes  to  the  Syrian  mission,  the 
committee  say,  "  Besides  the  large  and  rapidly 
increasing  population  of  Beirut,  Lebanon  is 
terraced  and  planted  from  the  profoundest 
depths  of  her  numerous  valleys  up  to  the  dizzy 
summits  of  her  majestic  hills,  and  more  than 
200,000  hard-working  mountaineers  reside  in 
her  romantic  valleys  and  hamlets.  Here  the 
members  of  the  mission  may  abide,  and  travel, 
and  teach,  and  preach,  and  distribute  the  word 
of  life  ;  and  here  it  is  the  present  intention  of 
the  committee,  in  following  out  the  apparent 
leadings  of  Providence,  to  combine  and  con- 
centrate the  power  and  resources  of  the  mis- 
sion. The  people  are  divided  into  different 
sects,  but  they  are  essentially  ojae  race,  the 
Arab,  by  whatever  name  called  ;'with  a  com- 
mon language,  the  Arabic,  spoken  just  as  it  is 
written,  and  the  same  as  in  ancient  times  ;  and 
the  manners,  customs,  and  social  condition 
throughout  are  substantially  the  same."  In 
connection  with  these  statements  of  the  com- 
mittee, the  report  for  this  year  contains  a 
document  of  extraordinary  interest,  drawn  up 
by  the  mission  while  Drs.  Anderson  and  Hawes 
were  on  the  ground,  which  gives  a  description 
of  the  Arabic  race,  and  an  impression  of  the 
importance  of  this  mission,  as  being  the  only 
one  aspecially  to  that  race,  which  every  one 
should  examine  who  would  fully  appreciate  this 
mission.  We  regret  that  our  limits  will  not 
allow  us  to  give  the  document  entire.  The 
reader  is  referred  to  the  report  of  the  Board  for 

1844,  where  it  may  be  found  in  full. 

At  Abeih,  two  rooms  in  the  house  occupied 
by  ^h\  Thompson  were  arranged  for  a  tem- 


porary chapel,  and  an  Arabic  service  was 
kept  up  twice  every  Sabbath.  Between  the 
services  an  interesting  Sabbath-school  was 
held.  The  shyness  and  reserve  of  the  people 
wore  oft'  as  they  became  acquainted.  The  ad- 
verse portions  of  the  Druses  and  Maronites, 
both  of  whom  resided  in  the  village,  began  to 
consult  the  missionaries  in  their  mutual  diffi- 
culties, ancl  Mr.  Thompson  had  more  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  Maronite  priesthood  dur- 
ing the  first  summer  of  his  residence  at  Abeih 
than  during  all  his  previous  missionary  life. 

The  years  1844  and  1845  were  distinguished 
by  a  sudden  and  wonderful  Protestant  move- 
ment at  Hasbeiya,  a  village  at  the  foot  of 
Mount  Hermon,  containing  a  population  of 
about  4000,  composed  of  Greek  Arabs.  Maro- 
nites, Greek  Catholics,  Jews  and  Druses.  In 
February,  1844,  the  brethren  of  Beirut  were 
visited  by  a  party  of  about  50  men  of  the 
Greek  Arabs  of  Hasbeiya,  who  declared  their 
intention  to  become  Protestants,  and  asked  for 
ministers  and  teachers.  After  much  conversa- 
tion with  them,  it  was  agreed  that  a  native 
assistant  should  be  sent  to  them,  and  that  if 
his  report  of  their  case  was  favorable,  the  mis- 
sionaries would  visit  them.  The  intelligence 
proved  of  so  interesting  a  character,  that  in 
May,  Messrs.  Smith  and  Whiting  proceeded 
to  Hasbeiya,  when  they  were  convinced  that 
they  had  been  too  slow  to  credit  the  sincerity 
of  these  professed  Protestants.  They  amount- 
ed to  about  150  men,  besides  women  and 
children,  and  among  them  were  some  of  the 
most  respectable  men  in  the  village,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  enterprizing  young  men. 
Some  of  them  had  made  considerable  improve- 
ment in  Christian  knowledge,  having  received 
many  of  the  works  of  the  mission,  both  from 
Beirut  and  Jerusalem,  and  heard  much  of  the 
character  and  doctrines  of  the  missionaries. 
That  they  were  sincere  in  their  determination 
to  adhere  to  the  Protestant  faith,  and  to  take 
the  Bible  alone  for  their  guide,  the  missionaries 
could  not  doubt.  Their  separation  from  the 
Greek  church  appeared  to  be  entire,  and  even 
the  Greeks  acknowledged  that  there  was  a  de- 
cided improvement  in  their  character ;  t^at 
the  profane  had  left  ofif  swearing ;  that  the 
drunkard  had  abandoned  his  cups,  and  that 
the  Lord's  day  was  carefully  observed  for  reli- 
gious improvement.  Schools  were  established 
among  them,  and  the  field  seemed  white  for 
the  harvest.  In  June,  one  month  later,  ano- 
ther missionary  visited  Hasbeiya,  and  wrote : 
"The  Protestants  hold  out  and  increase  in 
numbers.  They  are  increasing  in  knowledge 
also  ;  some  of  them  quite  rapidly.  The  school 
has  40  or  50  scholars,  and  we  must  establish 
another  soon."  In  July  Mr.  Whiting  wrote  : 
"  We  cannot  but  feel  much  anxiety  for  this 
little  band  of  Protestants,  imperfectly  instruct- 
ed as  they  are,  but  up  to  this  time,  although 
very  strong  eflbrts  have  been  made  to  induce 
them  to  return  to  the  Greek  church,  they  have, 


740 


SYRU  AND  THE  UOLY  LAND. 


with  Terr  fcw  cxceptioni*.  reraained  firm  in 
their  adbereaoe  to  the  truth."  At  about  the 
f^^m^  jjate,  Mr.  Smith,  in  describinj?  their  first 
SabbAth  in  Hasbeiya,  said,  '•  How  stranj^e  and 
exciting  our  oircunistanoes.  It  seemed  ahnost 
ftdraini.  Hero  we  were,  in  this  wild  corner 
of  S\Tia,  always  peculiarly  lawless,  and  now 
entirx'lv  withmit  a  jrovcrnment.  Befoit;  us  was 
a  consideral  '  :;ition,  broup^ht  up  in  the 

pTti*<  and  •!  superstitions  of  the 

t:-    '    •'•••   ,;.  ,.,..  .,ww  abandoning",  and  with 
-  almost  miraculous,  all  their  faste 
.1  ilioir  image  and  saint  worship,  and 

u  :  i  ;;  :i.r  If'xl  with  US  aft«r  the  simple  forms 
01  i'r  ;  -tuutism,  yet  not  a  hand  was  raised 
to  molest  \n,  and  we  went  through  our  worship 
witli  as  much  quiet  and  security  as  if  we  had 
been  in  the  luwrt  of  New  England." 

It  8con  Dccame  evident,  however,  that  this 
little  body  of  Protestants  was  to  expect  no 
protection  from  the  government,  .and  that 
their  enemies  were  aware  of  this,  and  had  de- 
termined on  using  violence.  In  view  of  the 
storm  which  was  about  to  burst  upon  them, 
and  the  fiery  trials  through  which  they  must 
pass,  the  whole  company  of  the  Protestants 
assembled  at  Mr.  Smith's  house  on  a  Sabbath 
evening,  for  the  purpose  of  entering  into  a 
solemn  covenant  to  stand  by  each  other  to  the 
last.  In  describing  this  scene,  Mr.  Smith 
says :  "  The  step  was  entirely  of  their  own  sug- 
cttstion,  and  I  knew  nothing  of  it  until  they 
had  begun  to  assemble.  Being  all  collected, 
they  drew  up  a  covenant  engagemont  in  the 
following  terms  : — *  We  whose  names  are  here- 
to subscribed,  do  covenant  together  before 
God  and  this  assembly,  and  pledge  om'selves 
upon  the  Holy  Gospel,  that  we  will  remain 
leagued  together  in  one  faith ;  that  we 
will  not  forsake  this  faith,  nor  shall  any  se- 
parate us  from  each  other  while  we  are  in 
this  world ;  and  that  we  will  be  of  one  hand 
and  one  heart  in  the  worship  of  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  doctrines  of  the  Gospel.  In  God 
18  our  help.'  Each  one  took  this  covenant 
aeporately,  standing  by  the  table,  and  laying 
h-  ■  '•  "  '  "Jon  the  Bible,  as  it  was  rCad  to  him. 
names  were  subscribed  on  the  spot, 
u-  .  :.-  ...xt  day  the  number  was  increased  to 
seventy-six,  all  adult  males.  The  affecting  so- 
lemnity of  this  scene  I  leave  you  to  imagine. 
I  have  been  many  years  a  missionary,  and  have 
witnessed  a  great  variety  of  heart>thrilling 
events,  but  this  is  one  of  the  last  that  I  shaU 
forget."  In  a  day  or  two  after  this  solemn 
trauaaction,  the  persecution  broke  out  with 
great  violence,  and  to  escape  the  murderous 
hands  of  their  enemies  the  Protestants  fled  to 
Abcih,  as  their  only  place  of  safety.  They 
remained  there  till  October,  wlifen  learning 
that  the  unfriendly  emir  had  been  deposed, 
and  that  another  governor  had  been  appoint- 
ed, with  express  instructions  to  restore  the  Pro- 
testants to  their  houses;  they  returned  to 
Huabeiya.    The  quici,  however,  was  of  short 


duration,  for  by  some  means  the  new  governor 
was  soon  removed,  and  a  son  of  the  former 
governor  appointed  in  his  place,  so  that  the 
poor  Protestants  were  again  at  the  mercy  of 
their  enemies.  They  were  publicly  insulted 
and  beaten  in  the  streets ;  their  houses  were 
attacked  and  much  injured,  and  no  Protestant 
could  appear  in  the  streets  without  being 
stoned.  It  required  more  courage,  faith  and 
love  for  the  truth  than  these  brethren  had  air 
tained,  to  stand  firm  in  such  circumstances, 
and  the  result  was,  say  the  committee,  "  That 
the  poor  persecuted  people,  since  it  had  not 
ple£ised  God  yet  to  give  them  fully  the  martyr 
spirit,  yielded  the  case  in  despair,  and  one  after 
another  made  peace  with  the  authorities  of  the 
Greek  church."  It  was  believed,  however, 
that  they  did  not  fully  conform  to  the  rites  of 
the  Greek  church,  but  were  allowed  consider- 
able liberty ;  and  one  of  the  Protestants,  in 
writing  to  the  missionaries,  in  January,  1845, 
said,  "  We  meet  together  and  have  prayers  as 
often  as  we  have  opportunity.  Thanks  to 
God,  the  faith  of  the  brethren  increases  ;  but 
we  are  thirsting  to  hear  your  prayers  and  spi- 
ritual instructions  again.  You  are  never  out 
of  our  minds  a  moment.  We  pray  for  grace 
to  wait  for  that  privilege  with  patience." 
Thus  the  door  was  closed  in  Hasbeiya  for  the 
present,  but  in  circumstances  which  left  a 
strong  conviction  that  it  would  be  opened 
again  ere  long,  and  that  God  would  yet  com- 
plete the  work  which  he  had  so  signally  be- 
gun. 

In  the  spring  of  1845,  Lebanon  was  again 
disturbed  with  civil  war.  It  was  a  struggle 
for  political  ascendancy  between  the  Maronites 
and  Druses,  and  after  twenty  days'  fighting  in 
different  sections  of  the  mountains,  the  Maron- 
ites were  defeated,  and  driven  out  of  nearly  all 
the  Druse  quarter  of  Lebanon.  As  the  Maro- 
nites w^ere  bigoted  adherents  of  the  Romish 
church,  and  the  most  bitter  opponents  the 
missionaries  had  ever  met  with  in  Lebanon, 
their  loss  of  power  at  this  time  had  an  impor- 
tant bearing  on  the  mission.  In  describing 
this  event,  Mr.  Thompson  wrote  :  "  Again  the 
Maronite  patriarch  has  sunk  under  disappoint- 
ment. He  died  a  few  days  ago.  Moreover, 
that  party  in  Hasbeiya  who  opposed  us  and 
stoned  our  people,  has  been  driven  out  of  tho 
place  by  the  Druses,  and  great  numbers  of 
them  killed.  The  whole  combination  is  com- 
pletely broken  up  and  dispersed."  Mr.  Smith, 
in  writing  on  this  subject  has  the  following 
very  striking  comments  on  the  death  of  the 
patriarch  : — "  I  cannot  conclude  without  al- 
luding to  the  death  of  the  old  Maronite  patri- 
arch. What  a  lesson  does  that  event,  in  such 
circumstances  teach  us !  After  having  mar- 
tyred that  faithful  witness,  Asaad  Shidiak, 
caused  «the  Bible  often  to  be  burned,  had 
missionaries  insulted  and  stoned,  and  boasted 
that  he  had  at  last  left  no  place  open  for 
them  to  enter  the  mountains,  he  finds  him- 


SYRIA  AND  THE  UOLY  LAND. 


741 


self  stripped  of  all  bis   power ;   missionaries 


established  permaueatly  in  the  midst  of  his 
flock,  and  his  own  favorite  bishop  constrained 
to  give  orders  for  their  protection  ;  and  finally 
he  sinks  himself  under  his  disappointment, 
and  dies.  How  signally  has  the  blood  of 
the  martyred  Asaad  been  avenged  upon  him, 
even  in  this  life." 

^  At  Beirut  and  Abcih  the  labors  of  the  mis- 
sionary brethren  had  suffered  but  slight  inter- 
ruptions during  the  troubles  in  Mount  Lebanon 
and  in  Hasbeiya.  In  184:7,  there  appeared  at 
Beirut  evidence  that  evangelical  principles 
were  spreading  with  increased  rapidity.  Most 
of  those  who  attended  upon  the  preaching  of 
the  missionaries  openly  avowed  their  evan- 
gelical sentiments,  in  the  face  of  violent  oppo- 
sition. More  than  fifty  young  men  of  the 
papal  church  refused  to  confess  for  more  than 
a  year,  and  this  they  regarded  as  a  final  renun- 
ciation of  popery.  At  Abeih,  about  thirty 
adults  were  in  attendance  on  the  Arabic  ser- 
vice, and  stated  preaching  was  maintained  in 
four  of  the  neighboring  villages.  There  was 
evidence  of  the  special  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  many  minds. 

In  April,  1848,  a  station  was  commenced  at 
Aleppo,  and  Messrs.  W.  A.  Benton  and  J.  A. 
Ford  were  appointed  as  missionaries  to  that 
place.  Mr.  Smith,  who  accompanied  the 
brethren  to  their  station,  describes  the  people 
as  intelligent;  social,  inquisitive,  and  not  so 
nmch  afraid  as  elsewhere  of  changing  sects. 
The  Arab  Christian  population  was  the  largest 
and  most  intelligent  to  be  found  in  any  place 
in  Syria. 

An  important  event  of  this  year  was  the 
formation  of  a  purely  native  church.  Previ- 
ous to  this  the  native  converts  had  joined  the 
mission  church,  composed  in  part  of  mission- 
ary families.  The  petition  for  a  church  to  be 
composed  only  of  converted  natives,  origuated 
with  the  natives  themselves,  and  is  a  document 
of  considerable  length  and  of  great  interest. 
(See  Annual  Report  for  1848,  or  Herald  for 
August  1848.  The  latter  contains  also  the 
constitution  and  discipline  of  the  new 
church.) 

In  November,  1848,  a  new  mission  was 
commenced  at  Tripoli,  and  Messrs.  David  M. 
Wilson  and  Horace  Foot  were  stationed  at 
that  place.  They  met  with  vigorous  and  de- 
termined opposition  at  the  outset,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  that  they  procured  houses  in  the 
city.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1849  there 
were  four  common  schools  in  connection  with 
the  station  at  Beirut,  and  five  in  connection 
with  that  at  Abeih,  with  an  aggregate  of  210 
male  and  55  female  pupils.  Tiiere  was  also  a 
school 
one 

printing  during  the  precednig  yei 
ed  to  1,010,000  pages,  and  the  total  amount 


ceeding  with  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into 


naie  ana  ao  lemaie  pupiis.  i  nurc  wits  uisu  u 
chool  at  Tripoli,  containing  20  scholars,  and 
»ne  at  Hasbeiya,  containing  70  pupils.  The 
)rintinGr  durino;  the  preceding  year  had  amountr 


the  Arabic  lanj^uage,  aided  by  Butrus  Bistany, 
one  of  the  native  brethren.     Special  interest 
was  awakened  in  the  beginning  of  this  year 
by  a  learned  Greek  Catholic  of  Damascus  who 
had  become  fully  convinced  of  the  errors  of 
his  church,  and  had  openly  declared  himself  a 
Protestant.     He  stated  that   for  about  six 
years  his  conscience  had  been  troubling  him  ; 
that  he  had  embraced  infidel  views,  but  by 
reading  books  furnished  him  by  the  mission- 
aries, and  by  convereation  with  Mr.  Smith  and 
others,  he  had  been  led  to  take  a  decided  stand 
on  the  subject  of  religion.    An  open  profes- 
sion of  his  sentiments  brought  on  a  discussion 
between  him  and  his  patriarch ;  and,  as  Mr. 
Meshakah,   the    individual    in  question,   waa 
esteemed  the  most  intelligent  native  layman  in 
the  country,  and  the  patriarch  the  most  learn- 
ed eccksiastic,  attention  from  all  quarters  was 
directed  to  this  controversy.    Mr.  Meshakah 
also  immediately  prepared  a  treatise  in  Arabic, 
addressed  to  his  countrymen  and  friends,  the 
object  of  which  was  to  explain  to  them  the 
reasons  of  his  secession   from    the   Catholic 
church,  and  to  set  forth  proofs  of  the  corrup- 
tion  of  the  doctrines  and   practices  of  that 
{church.    This  book  produced  a  great  sensa- 
tion. 

The  printing  during  the  year  1849  amounted 
to  1,934,000  pages.  The  mission  had  two 
fonts  of  beautiful  Arabic  typo,  of  difTorent 
sizes,  cast  in  Syria,  under  the  supervision  of 
Mr.  Hurter,  printer  for  the  mission,  at  Beirut. 
Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  but  one  mis- 
sion church — that  at  Beirut,  and  the  number 
of  members  was  27.  Ten  of  these  were  from 
the  Greek  church,  four  were  papal  Greeks,  four 
Maronites,  five  Armenians,  three  Druses,  and 
one  a  Jacobite  Syrian.  In  the  latter  part  of 
1850  there  was  an  outbreak  of  Turkish  vio- 
lence at  Aleppo,  resulting  in  terrible  scenes  of 
violence  and  blood,  and  subjecting  the  nominal 
Christians  to  serious  disadvantages.  (For  full 
accounts  of  these  scenes  see  Missionary  Herald 
for  February  and  April,  1851.) 

The  report  for  1851  includes  Hasbeiya 
among  ita  regular  stations.  For  several  years 
the  missionaries  liad  paid  frequent  visits  to 
that  place,  and  had  held  frequent  correspond- 
ence with  leading  men  of  the  Protestant  com- 
munity ;  but  no  missionary  had  been  perma- 
nently stationed  there.  The  time  liaving  come, 
as  was  believed,  for  carrying  on  the  work  tliero 
in  a  more  systematic  manner,  Messrs.  Thomp- 
son and  Van  Dyck  were  designated  to  that 
field;  and,  in  July,  a  church  was  formed  at 
Hasbeiya,  composed  of  16  native  brethren. 
The  necessary  officers  were  chosen,  and  Mr. 
Thompson  was  requested  to  act  as  pastor  till 
one  from  their  own  number  should  be  raiseti  ap. 
But  it  was  a  church  planttnl  in  the  midst  of 
enemies,  and  persecution  still  awaited  it.     Bo- 


priated  from  the  commencement  of  the  mission  |  fore  the  close  of  1851  the  government  ceased 
75,765,800  pages.    Mr.  Smith  was   pro- '  to  have  any  control  over  that  region,  and  anar- 


748 


gnUA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


d^  set  in,  robbers  inrcstcd  tho  roads,  and 
property  and  life  were  at  tho  mercy  of  law- 
Mi  and  mftraadiog  bands  of  {K'ople.    This  con- 
dition of  things  continuc^l  through  most  of 
1852  and  1853,  and  of  course  had  a  most  dis- 
tttroos  eflfect  apon  the  church  at  Ilasbcija. 
It  was  oAen  impossible  for  tiic  missionaries  or 
the  natire  assistants  to  visit  the  people  in 
MfetT.     Nor  could  the  people  assemble  for 
voruip  without  danger.    At  a  communion 
season,  in  1853.  the  Protestants  came  fully 
armed,  and  stacked  their  guns,  and  hung  their 
swords  in  the  court  of  the  chapel,  forcibly  re- 
minding the  missionaries  of  scenes  often  wit- 
nessed m  the  carlv  planting  of  churches  among 
the  8avr.gC3  of  tue  American  wilderness.    It 
was  hardly  to  be  expected  that  the  Gosj)el 
would  achieve  nxany  triumphs  amid  such  dis- 
orders and  tumults ;  and  it  is  even  more  than 
could  liave  been  anticipated,  to  hear  the  mis- 
sionaries say,  as  they  do,  in  the  Herald  for 
July,  1853, "  We  are  thankful  that  none  of 
the  members  of  the  church  have  been  terrified 
into  submission  ;  nor  indeed  have  any  of  the  old 
and  established  members  of  the  congregation 
yielded  to  the  pressure.    The  number  who  at- 
tend public  worship,  however,  is  sensibly  re- 
duced ;  and  these  absorbing  social  troubles 
have  sadly  distracted  all  minds,  and  diminish- 
ed that  earnest  zeal  which  has  at  other  times 
been  so  encouraging  a  feature  of  our  work  at 
Hasbeiya." 

At  the  last  accounts,  civil  war  was  again 
peudfng,  and  seemed  almost  inevitable;  and 
yet  It  was  evident  to  those  on  the  ground,  that 
neither  war  nor  persecution  could  drive  the 
Gospel  from  Hasbeiya,  nor  prevent  its  progress 
among  a  people  who  had  begun  to  be  enlight- 
ened and  quickened  by  its  power.  The  latest 
intelligence  from  Beirut  is  that  found  in  the 
Herald  for  August,  1854.  The  native  church 
has  26  members,  8  having  been  recently  dis- 
missed and  formed  into  a  church  at  Abeih. 
"  Most  of  the  members,"  say  the  missionaries, 
^  give  evidence  of  sincere  piety,  and  are  lead- 
ing upright  and  aseful  lives.  The  church  has 
Mnt  1,000  piastres  to  assist  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  in  their  special  effort  to 
furnish^  a  million  of  New  Testaments  for 
China."  Mr.  Smith  was  progressing  rapidly 
with  the  work  of  translating  the  Scriptures 
into  Arabic,  having  completed  the  Pentateuch, 
and  the  New  Testament  as  far  as  2  Corinth- 
ians. As  an  evidence  of  the  capabilities  of 
the  mission  press  at  Beirut  the  brethren  say 
"We  have  been  able  to  print  an  Algebra,  and 
have  now  in  hand  an  edition  of  the  Pentateuch, 
with  references,  using  all  the  varieties  of  letters 
found  in  Algebras,  and  reference  Bibles  in 
English.  The  whole  has  been  created  since 
183.5,  the  fonts  of  type  all  having  been  made 
by  Mr.  Hallock,  either  in  Smyrna  or  in  the 
UniWd  States,  after  improved  models  furnished 
by  members  of  the  mission.  We  have  finished 
prmting  during  the  year,  a  new  edition  of  the 


Scripture  spelling-book  ;  Dr.  Van  Dyck's  Al- 
gebra ;  a  sermon  on  the  second  commandment ; 
an  Arabic  grammar ;  Meshakah  on  Skepticism, 
besides  some  broad  sheets  ;  and  we  now  have 
in  the  press,  Schneider  on  Rites  and  Ceremo- 
nies, and  a  new  edition  of  the  Psalter,  making 
in  all  1,083,000  pages."    There  had  been  is- 
sued from  the  depository  during  the  year  5,008 
books  and  tracts,  of  which  725  were  disposed 
of  in  Beirut,  923  were  sent  to  Sidon,  1,073  to 
the  raountaio,  242  to  Tripoli,  313  to  Aleppo, 
76  to  Mosul,  71  to  Damascus,  100  to  Jerusa- 
lem, 20  to  Alexandria,  and  306  to  Bombay. 
The  primary  school  at  Beirut  had  about  75 
pupils.    The  female  seminary  was  in  a  pros- 
perous condition.     Some  of  the  studies  pur- 
sued were,  Watts  on  the  Mind ;  Church  His- 
tory, in  Arabic ;  an  abridged  work  on  Moral 
Philosophy ;  besides  which  the  girls  had  read 
the  whole  of  D'Aubigne's  History  of  the  Re- 
formation, aud  other  history,  with  Mrs.  De 
Forest  in  an  evening  class,  the  atlas  being  al- 
ways open  before  them.     A  Sabbath  afternoon 
service,  in  Arabic,  was  kept  up,  ihe  congrega- 
tions varying  from  60  to  120.     The  excited 
state  of  men's  minds  in  regard  to  political  mat- 
ters and  the  prevailing  wars,  had  turned  away 
the  thoughts  of  many  from  spiritual  things ; 
and  it  was  remarked  as  a  serious  evil  also,  that 
for  at  least  one-third  of  the  year  there  must  be 
a  virtual  suspension  of  labor  at  Beirut,  owing 
to  the  absence  of  the  missionaries  among  the 
mountains  during  the  hot  season.     Repeated 
trials  have  shown  this  absence  to  be  necessary. 
A  good  report  is  made  of  the  little  church  at 
Abeih,  in  the  Herald   for  May,  1854.     The 
chapel  was  kept  open  during  the  year,  and  the 
average  attendance  was  about  50.    There  was 
an  increasing  demand  for  free  schools  among 
the  Druses.     Six  of  these  schools  were  already 
in  operation  on  the  mountains,  and  in  them  all 
a  large  amount  of  religious  instruction  was  com- 
municated.    At  Aleppo  a  church  had  been  or- 
ganized with  six  members,  all  of  whom  gave  evi- 
dence that  they  were  living  branches  of  the 
true  vine.   Little  had  been  done  for  education  in 
Aleppo.   They  are  an  ignorant  people.   Though 
the  largest,  wealthiest,  and  most  intelligent 
community  of  nominal   Christians  in  Syria, 
there  is  not  a  common  school  in  the  city  that 
deserves  the  name,  and  scarcely  a  person  com- 
petent to  teach  his  native  tongue  correctly. 
Yet  a  large  and  increasing  number  were  intel- 
lectually convinced  of  the  truth,  and  many 
were  anxious  for  evangelical  instruction.    Some 
females  were  concerned  for  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.    The  brethren  say,  "  We  feel  that 
we  can  now  work  to  advantage,  having  a  hold 
upon  the  consciences  of  men." 

Mr.  Thompson,  the  only  missionary  stationed 
at  Sidon,  reports  favorably  of  that  station.' 
In  the  Herald,  May,  1854,  he  says :  "  Our  chapel  j 
has  not  been  closed  for  a  single  Sabbath  dur- 
ing the  year.  Our  Protestants  carry  theu*; 
faith  and  zeal  wherever  they  go,  and  make 


edjB 

"J 


TABU— TAMLOOK. 


743 


very  successful  laborers  among  their  country- 
men. Our  congregations  arc  now  fuller  than 
they  ever  were  before,  and  the  attention  has 
been  marked  and  solemn."  During  the  last 
half  of  the  year,  the  school  in  Sidon  was  quite 
full.  In  many  places  around,  there  were  im- 
portant openings  for  schools,  but  there  was  a 
want  of  competent  teachers.  Among  the 
places  visited  by  Mr.  Thompson  was  Tyre, 
where  he  found  many  anxious  to  extricate 
themselves  from  the  yoke  of  the  priesthood, 
and  form  a  Protestant  community.  The  same 
was  true  of  Alma,  a  village  higher  up  in  the 
mountains,  where  an  important  individual  had 
become  a  Protestant,  and  had  sustained  him- 
self against  all  opposition,  though  he  was  en- 
tirely isolated,  and  had  never  seen  an  Ameri- 
can missionary.  He  was  led  to  embrace  evan- 
gelical sentiments,  by  the  perusal  of  a  single 
book  from  the  press  at  Beirut,  which  was 
sent  him  by  a  friend.  Acre  was  also  found  to 
present  a  favorable  opening,  and  a  missionary 
was  much  needed  there.  Tripoli  is  regarded 
by  the  missionaries  at  that  station,  Messrs. 
Wilson  and  Foot,  as  a  promising  field  of  labor, 
— as  much  so  as  any  in  Syria,  although  the 
congregation  has  hitherto  been  small,  and  the 
school  was  last  year  broken  up  by  the  Greeks. 

Besides  the  regular  stations,  there  are  four 
out-stations,  where  considerable  labor  is  per- 
formed. These  are  B'hamdun,  Bhawara,  Kefr- 
Shima,  and  Ibel. 

The  Syrian  mission,  as  now  constituted,  em- 
braces Beirut,  Abeih,  Hasbeiya,  Sidon,  Tripoli, 
and  Aleppo,  with  the  out-stations.  The  mis- 
sionary force  employed  consists  of  11  mission- 
aries, 1  physician,  1  printer,  13  female  assistant 
missionaries,  4  native  preachers,  and  1  native 
helper.  The  state  of  the  schools  connected 
with  the  mission  is  presented  in  the  following 
table  : 


STATIONS. 


Beirut 

Abeih 

Hasbeiya  and  Sidon . 

Tripoli 

Aleppo 


OUT-STATIOXS. 

B'hamdun 

Bhawara 

Kefr-Shima 

Ibcl 


Totals. 


Rev.  E.  D.  Moore. 

TABU  :    A  term  used  in  the  Sandwich 

Islands,  and  other  islands  in  the  Pacific,  to 

denote  a  kind  of  religious  interdiction,  of  very 

powerful  and  extensive  operation.   With  places 


and  persons  that  were  tabued,  all  intercourse 
was  prohibited.  The  term  was  also  used  to 
indicate  any  thing  sacred  or  devoted.  There 
were  tabued  or  sacred  day.s,  when  it  was  death 
to  be  found  in  a  canoe.  Pork,  bananifs,  cocoa- 
nuts,  and  certain  kinds  of  fish,  were  tabued  to 
women,  and  it  was  death  for  them  to  cat  these 
articles  of  food.  Another  tabu  forbade  men 
and  women  eating  together ;  so  that  a  man 
must  build  an  eating-house  for  himself  and 
another  for  his  wife,  and  have  separate  ovens 
for  their  food.  Anything  of  which  a  man 
made  an  idol,  was  tabu  to  him.  If  he  mado 
his  idol  of  the  native  apple  tree,  then  the 
apple  tree  was  tabu  to  him.  Birds,  fowls, 
beasts,  fish,  and  stones,  were  objects  of  wor- 
ship, and  whoever  made  any  of  these  his 
god,  they  were  tabu  for  him.  'So,  too,  of  arti- 
cles of  food,  which  were  employed  as  offerings 
to  idols  ;  they  were  afterwards  tabu  to  tho 
offerer.  If  a  king  died,  the  whole  district  was 
tabu,  and  his  heir  went  to  another. 

TABLE  MOUNTAIN  :  Station  of  the 
American  Board  among  the  Zulus,  in  South 
Africa,  near  Port  Natal. 

TABOO :  A  station  of  the  American 
Episcopal  Board  in  West  Africa,  about  40 
miles  to  the  leeward  of  Cape  Palmus. 

TAHAA  :  One  of  the  Society  Islands,  and 
a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

TAHITI :  'Jlie  largest  Island  of  the  Geor- 
gian Group,  in  the  South  Seas. 

T  ALUAFATA  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  Island  of  Upolu, 
one  of  the  Samoan  group. 

TALAPOINS  :  Priests  or  friars  of  the 
Siamese,  and  other  Eastern  nations.  They  re- 
side in  convents,  which  are  square  enclosures, 
in  the  centre  of  which  stands  a  temple,  and 
round  it  the  cells  of  the  talapoins,  like  so  many 
tents  in  a  camp.  There  are  likewise  female  ta- 
lapoins, who  live  under  the  same  regulations  as 
the  men,  and  in  the  same  convents.  They  have 
likewise  nens,  or  young  talapoins,  who  wait  on 
the  old  ones,  and  receive  their  education. from 
them.  Each  convent  is  under  the  direction  of 
a  superior,  whom  they  call  a  sancrat.  These 
priests  subsist  wholly  upon  the  sins  and  the  liber- 
ality of  the  people  ;  for  they  undergo  a  course 
of  penance  for  the  iniquities  of  such  as  bestow 
upon  them  their  charitable  benevolence.  They 
are  indulgent  and  hospitable  to  strangers  ;  and 
there  are  two  lodges  on  each  side  of  the  en- 
trance to  their  cells,  which  are  wholly  reserved 
for  the  accommodation  of  their  gui^tv^.  They  aro 
under  an  indispensable  obligation  to  live  single :. 
and  those  who  offend  against  chivstity  are  subject 
to  be  burnt  at  the  stake. — Broughtons  Diet, 

TAMAKTIA  :  A  station  of  the  Wesleyan 
Society  in  Kaflraria,  South  Africa. 

TAMTAM  :  A  large  flat  drum  used  by  the 
Hindoos. 

TAMLOOK  :  A  town  about  35  miles  S. 
W.  from  Calcutta,  head-quarters  of  an  agency 
for  the  government  manufacture  of  salt,  whicL 


744 


TARTARY  AND  SIBERIA. 


b  pNptnd  bj  filtration  Trom  the  mud  uf  the 
HoogSiy  river,  ami  is  cstct'raed  of  i)cculiar 
talM  bv  tho  Himloos,  as  being  extracted^  on 
the  bttiit  of  the  holiest  branch  of  the  Gau- 
ges. It  iiit  a  station  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propa^tioM  of  the  Gospel. 

TAN'  '  "  *  ■  "\'0:  The  capital  of  Madagas- 
cm-,  f  f  the  mission  of  the  Lou- 
don Mi^- y  •   '^it^ty.    It  is  situated  in  the 

Interior  of  the  island,  in  the  district  of  An- 
kont,  the  most  populous  and  salubrious  part 
of  the  country. 

TAN  GEN  A :  An  ordeal  administered  in 
Madagascar  to  determine  the  guilt  or  iuno- 
eraoe  of  aperson  suspected  of  witchcraft  or 
sorcery.  The  accusctl  is  first  made  to  cat  a 
hearty  meal  of  rice ;  after  whicli,  three  pieces 
of  the  skin  of  a  fowl,  killed  for  the  occasion, 
aro  swallowed  ;  and  then  an  emetic  is  adrain- 
istered,  coasisting  of  the  tangcna  nut.  If  the 
three  pieces  are  returned  from  the  stomach, 
the  party  is  declared  innocent,  and  he  is  led 
np  by  his  friends  to  his  village  with  much 
pomp  and  ceremony.  If  the  skin  is  not  thrown 
np,  ne  is  declared  guilty,  and  immediately 
denmtched  with  a  club,  unless  a  slave,  in 
which  case  he  is  sent  to  some  distant  part  of 
the  country  and  sold.  They  are,  however, 
sometimes  thrown  into  the  under-ground  rice 
granaries,  and  scalded  to  death  with  boiling 
water.  This  ordeal  is  likewise  often  resorted 
to  when  persons  are  accused  of  other  offences, 
Ds  a  trial  of  guilt  or  innocence.  It  is  some- 
times administered  to  large  numbers  at  the 
same  time.  It  forms  one  of  the  most  cruel 
and^  destructive  of  the  heathen  superstitions. 
A  similar  ordeal,  though  varying  in  form,  is  in 
nse  generally  among  the  different  tribes  of 
West  Africa, 

TANNA  :  An  island  of  the  New  Hebrides 
Group,  on  which  is  a  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society. 

TAOUISTS  :  A  religious  sect  among  the 
Chinese.     (See  China.) 
^  TAPUN  A  :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  the  Bay  of  Islands,  New- 
Zealand. 

TAQUOHEE :  An  Indian  town  among 
the  Cherokees  in  the  Indian  Territory  ;  a  star 
tion  of  the  Cherokee  mission  of  the  American 
Baptist  Union. 

TARTARY  AND  SIBERIA:  Tartary 
is  the  name  given  to  that  immense  region  ex- 
tending almost  entirely  across  Asia  from  the 
Caspian  Sea  to  the  Eastern  Ocean  ;  but  the 
name  is  only  partially  recognized  within  these 
limits.  Many  parts  of  it  are  bordered  and 
even  pervaded  by  chains  of  mountains ;  and 
large  cities,  cultivated  spots,  and  fixed  socie- 
ties, here  and  there  occur.  It  contains  also 
sandy  deserts  of  considerable  extent.  Still, 
the  predominant  characteristic  is  that  of  im- 
mense plains  or  steppes,  covered  with  herbage 
^re  or  less  abundant,  and  occupied  by  wan- 
"denng  and  pastoral  tribes,  whose  camps,  like 


moving  cities,  pass  continually  to  and  fro  ovor 
its  surface.  The  extensive  chain  of  the  Altai 
mountains  separates  the  whole  of  Mongolia  or 
Eastern  Tartar^,  from  Siberia,  and  another 
long  chain  divides  it  from  Thibet.  There  is 
also  a  transverse  range  of  mountains,  called  the 
Beloor  or  Bolor  mountains,  connecting  the 
wc^stcrn  extremities  of  these  two  boundary 
chains  together,  of  a  peculiarly  lofty  and  rug- 
ged character,  and  affording  only  two  narrow 
and  diflScult  passes  by  which  to  penetrate  into 
Eastern  Tartftry  or  Mongolia.  A  considerar 
ble  number  of  rivers,  descending  from  these 
high  mountain  ranges,  traverse  the  great  up- 
land plain  of  Independent  Tartary,  but  unable, 
across  so  many  barriers,  to  reach  any  of  the 
surrounding  oceans,  they  expand  into  large 
interior  salt  lakes,  two  of  which,  the  Caspian 
and  Aral,  are  entitled  by  their  magnitude  to 
the  appellation  of  seas.  The  irrigation  pro- 
duced by  these  seas  breaks  the  continuity  of 
the  desert,  and  on  their  banks  are  situated  the 
most  fertile  and  populous  tracts,  and  the  most 
powerful  states  of  Western  Tartary. 

Bokhara,  or  Bucharia,  is  an  extensive  table 
land,  very  imperfectly  explored,  but,  according 
to  Ilumboldt,  much  more  fertile  than  the  rest 
of  Tartary.  The  cotton,  the  vine,  and  the 
mulberry  are,  in  many  parts,  cultivated.  It 
has  also  valuable  mines  of  precious  stones. 
The  other  more  northerly  table  land  of  Tar- 
tary, Mongolia,  is  much  more  bleak  and  un- 
congenial. It  yields  in  its  best  tracts  only 
pasturage,  and  includes  large  expanses  of  sandy 
and  saline  deserts. 

But  that  portion  usually  called  Russian 
Tartary  is  almost  the  only  spot,  on  this  widely- 
extended  tract,  that  has  been  the  scene  of  mis- 
sionary labor.  It  is  situated  between  the  Cas- 
pian and  Black  Seas,  and  appears  to  hold  out 
the  advantages  of  a  genial  climate,  and  a  tho- 
roughfare between  more  populous  countries, 
which  render  it  desirable  as  a  field  of  mission- 
ary operations. 

The  province  of  Orenburgh  forms  the  link 
between  European  and  Asiatic  Russia.  Tar- 
tars compose  its  chief  population ;  but  many 
of  them  have  been  trained  to  regular  and  in- 
dustrious habits  by  the  Russians,  in  their 
mines  and  other  works.  The  country  is  capa- 
ble of  every  kind  of  culture,  but  is  mostly 
cavered  with  rich  pastures. 

To  the  south  of  the  lofty  range  of  the  Cau- 
casian mountains  is  Georgia,  a  region  pro- 
fusely gifted  both  with  richness  and  beauty. 
It  is  fertilized  by  numerous  mountain  streams, 
and  clothed  with  magnificent  forests  of  beech, 
ash,  chestnut,  oak,  and  pine  ;  while  the  ground 
is  covered  with  vines,  growing  wild,  in  vast 
profusion.  In  this  province  are  Teflis  and 
Shusha,  each  having  been,  at  different  times, 
missionary  stations.  This  country  has  been 
the  seat  of  continual  wars  and  commotions, 
and  was,  about  two  centuries  ago,  wrested 
from  Persia  by  Russia.    Its  population,  rcduo- 


TARTARY  AND  SIBERIA. 


745 


ed  by  war  and  other  causes,  does  not  much 
exceed  300,000. 

The  most  northern  regions  of  Asia  present 
an  ahnost  unbounded  expanse  of  frozen  forest 
desert.  Some  of  the  plains  of  the  southern 
borders  of  Siberia  are  covered  with  pastures  ; 
but,  as  we  proceed  to  the  northern  boundaries 
of  the  bleak  shores  of  the  frozen  ocean,  human 
life,  with  the  means  of  its  support,  becomes  more 
and  more  deficient.  But  those  regions  abound 
in  animals  producing  the  richest  furs ;  and  the  nu- 
merous rivers  furnish  abundance  of  fish,  which 
form  the  principal  part  of  the  food  of  the 
scanty,  wandering  tribes ;  and  all  the  western 
districts  of  Asiatic  Russia,  which  border  on  the 
Ural  mountains,  contain  valuable  mines  of 
gold,  silver,  copper,  and  precious  stones. 

Selinginsk,  which  for  twenty  yeai-s  was  a 
station  of  the  Loudon  Missionary  Society,  for 
the  Tartars  of  the  Buriat-Moogolian  race,  is  a 
small  town  on  the  frontiers  of  Siberia  and  Chi- 
nese Tartary,  south-east  of  Lake  Baikal,  and 
"was  built  by  the  Russians,  to  facilitate  their 
route  up  the  river  Selinga,  as  far  as  Kiachta, 
on  the  Chinese  frontier.  All  the  towns  of  Si- 
beria are  chiefly  of  Russian  origin,  and  are 
built  to  facilitate  trade  and  the  collection  of 
revenue.  The  native  inhabitants  of  these 
thinly  peopled  and  desolate  regions  prefer  liv- 
ing a  rude  and  wandering  life  iu  tents  or  mov- 
able huts. 

The  two  leading  races  among  the  various 
tribes  inhabiting  this  immense  region,  are  the 
Mongols  and  Turks.  The  first  have  complex- 
ions of  a  dark  yellow  tint,  broad,  square,  flat 
faces,  thick  lips,  and  small  eyes  inclining  down- 
wards, and  scanty  hair.  The  Turks  are  a  much 
handsomer  people,  with  a  rich  profusion  of 
hair,  broad  foreheads,  and  clear  ruddy  com- 
plexions. The  Circassian  females  are  famed 
for  their  great  beauty,  fine  forms,  and  delicate 
complexion.  The  daughters  of  all  above  the 
rank  of  slaves  are  exempt  from  degrading  or 
oppressive  labor,  and  occupy  themselves  in 
sewing,  embroidery,  or  plaiting  straw.  The 
face  is  carefully  shaded  from  the  sun,  their  feet 
are  protected  by  a  wooden  shoe,  and  their 
hands  by  gloves.  Their  food  consists  chiefly 
of  milk  and  pastry.  But  their  condition  is  a 
sad  one  ;  for  their  parents  invariably  sell  their 
daughters  to  the  highest  bidder.  Georgia,  and 
still  more  Circassia,  have  been  distinguished 
for  the  athletic  strength  of  their  men,  and  the 
beauty  of  their  women,  and  hence  they  have 
been  iu  great  request  as  domestic  slaves  all 
over  the  Turkish  empire. 

'J'he  Tartars  do  not,  like  the  shepherds  of  a 
civilized  country,  lead  their  flocks  through  r(> 
mote  and  sequestered  valleys,  and  spend  their 
time  m  peaceful  seclusion.  They  move  from 
place  to  place,  usually  in  large  bodies,  for  war 
or  plunder.  Their  government  has  a  strong 
tendency  towards  despotism,  which  is  increased 
by  the  superstition  incident  to  a  barbarous 
people,  whose  creeds  are  accommodated  to  a 


system  of  absolute  power.  Under  the  charac- 
ter of  Mohammedan  mullohs,  or  Budhist  lamas, 
many  of  the  princes  of  Asia  both  preach  and 
rule.  In  Bokhara,  the  former  sovereign  raisfvl 
himself  from  a  low  rank  to  that  high  staiiMii, 
solely  by  his  eminence  as  a  mulloh,  or  Mohani- 
medun  doctor,  and  by  his  rigid  observance  of 
the  austerities  enjoined  in  that  religion.  In 
those  parts  of  Tartary  where  Mohammedan- 
ism prevails,  the  Koran  is  enforced,  not  only 
as  a  sacred,  but  as  a  civil  code.  According 
to  its  rules,  justice  is  administered  and  the 
revenue  collected  ;  and  conformably  to  its  pre- 
cepts, a  tenth  part  of  the  revenue  is  bestowed 
in  alms. 

Nearly  the  whole  territory  of  Mount  Cau- 
casus, and  the  country  north  and  west  of  the 
Caspian  Sea,  own  the  sovereignty  of  Ru->ia. 
On  the  borders  of  Persia,  where  the  Ru  :,.s 
must  court  the  natives  as  their  allies  agaiiiit 
that  power,  they  are  obliged  to  allow  the  Tar- 
tars the  unrestrained  exercise  of  their  national 
propensities.  The  vast  plains  on  every  side  of 
Astiachan  are  continually  travei-sed  by  Cal- 
mucks,  Nogays,  Kubans,  and  other  Tartar 
tribes,  whose  internal  affairs  are  administered 
by  khans  or  rulers,  who  collect  and  transmit 
such  scanty  tribute  as  can  be  drawn  from  the 
flocks  and  herds  of  their  vassals.  It  is  only  in 
the  more  northern  provinces  of  Oufa  and  oVen- 
berg,  where  cities  with  a  civilized  population 
and  extensive  mining  establishments  have  been 
formed,  that  Russia  has  been  able  to  mould 
the  people  into  that  uniform  subjection  which 
prevails  in  other  parts  of  her  Euroi)can  and 
Asiatic  territory. 

In  the  mountainous  regions  of  Circassia  and 
Caucasus,  the  distinctions  of  birth  and  rank 
are  observed  with  all  the  strictness  of  highland 
pride.  Under  the  prince  are  the  nobles,  who 
exercise  almost  absolute  sway  over  their  vas- 
sals. These  are  of  two  kinds,  the  bondsmen, 
who  cultivate  the  soil,  and  the  armed  retainers, 
who  attend  the  nobles  to  the  field,  either  for 
war  or  for  prey.  The  life  led  by  the  nobles  is 
one  constant  round  of  war  and  feasting,  hunt- 
ing and  jollity.  On  state  occasions,  they  are 
attired  iu  splendid  robes,  while  their  food  and 
furniture  are  of  the  most  plain  and  homely  de- 
scription. Their  drink  is  a  fermented  liquor 
called  Aoumws,  made  from  mare's  milk,  of  whii  h 
they  are  very  fond.  It  supplies  the  place  of 
wine,  which  is  prohibited  by  the  Koran.  All 
Tartar  tribes  are  addicted  to  habits  of  plun- 
der ;  and  if  a  stranger  enters  their  territory, 
except  under  the  protection  of  one  of  their 
chiefs,  he  is  sure  to  be  enslaved.  The  Russians 
have  never  yet  been  able  to  subdue  the  Cir- 
cassians. The  most  she  can  do  is  to  hold  mil- 
itary occupation  of  the  leading  petitions. 

The  kingdoms  of  Kiva  and  Bok!' -  '■"^"'  n 

kind  of  oases  in  the  midst  of  the  v.;  f 

Turcomani,  which  is  the  name  gi  s 

whole  region  as  far  as  the  Caspian  and  the 
Aral. 


746 


TARTARY  AND  SIBERIA- 


TV  pombikm  of  Ttftary,  including  Mon- 
CoUa  •DalUncborla,  is  estimated  at  about 
logOOO/XK).  The  immense  region  of  Siberia 
tmhneta  6,000,000  square  miles,  and  is  coni- 
noied  to  coDtnin  father  more  than  5,000,000 
taikftbitant«.  This  scanty  population  consists 
of  two  distinct  portions,  the  foreign  rulers,  and 
the  mtin  tribes.  The  Russian  inhabitants 
tn  eompoeed  of  the  unfortunate  exiles,  >vho 
■!«  btDisbed  to  those  desolate  wilds  for  some 
icti  or  fancied  offence  against  the  State,  the 
conricts,  who  work  in  the  mines,  and  the  ofiB- 
C9B  stationed  at  the  different  Russian  towns 
thTODghoot  Siberia,  to  collect  the  furs  and 
skins,  as  tribute  or  tax  to  the  emperor.  There 
wn  likewise  the  dignitaries  of  the  church  and 
the  inferior  clergy  connected  with  the  estab- 
Ushnent  Each  of  the  four  large  provinces, 
Tobolsk,  Tomsk,  Irkutsk,  and  Okkotsk,  has 
its  archbishop  and  patriarch,  who  reside  en- 
tirely in  the  towns.  Of  the  native  Siberian 
races,  those  which  occupy  the  whole  of  the 
southern  frontier  arc  of  Tartar  origin  ;  and 
until  conquered  by  Russia,  they  held  supreme 
sway  in  Siberia-  The  people  inhabiting  the 
fioathern  and  eastern  shores  of  Lake  Baikal 
are  the  Buriats,  a  division  of  the  Mongolians. 
ITic  authority  of  Russia  has  suppressed  the 
system  of  plunder  which  used  to  prevail  among 
these  people.  The  Samoyedes  and  Tungusi 
races  inhabit  the  northern  coasts,  and  these 
are  unlike  the  Tartars,  both  in  their  persons 
and  habits.  They  lead  a  wandering  life,  their 
sole  employment  being  hunting  and  fishing. 
Their  dress  is  composed  chiefly  of  skins. 

Religiot}. — All  the  eastern  regions  of  Tar- 
tary  acknowledge  the  supremacy  of  the  Grand 
Lama,  and  hold  the  Shaman  doctrine,  which  is 
a  modification  of  Budhism.  The  nations  in- 
habiting Western  and  Independent  Tartary 
are  devoted  to  the  Mussulman  creed.  Under 
the  Budhist  system  of  religion,  the  various 
little  tribes  of  eastern  Asia  have  minor  lamas, 
who  hold  a  mixed  temporal  and  spiritual  juris- 
diction oyer  the  people,  and  in  Tartary  this 
form  of  idolatry  seems  combined  with  magic 
and  sorcer}*,  and  many  similar  modes  of  terri- 
fvin;^  and  deluding  the  ignorant  wanderers  of 
the  desert 

Burchan  is  the  name  of  the  Calmuc  idols, 
and  most  of  their  gods  are  supposed  to  have 

> ■  ■'T:al  beings, who, after  passing  through 

;  rent  degrees  of  transmigration,  have 

■- 'd  themselves  to  the  dignity  of  the 

p'  r.ii ;  >:.  I,y  great  deeds  and  extreme  sufferings. 

i  i.c  ii  luihitants  of  the  Tartar  villages  near 
Afitrachau  are  Mohammedans,  and  there  are 
also  many  Persians,  professing  the  same  faith, 
residing  in  this  country,  for  trade. 

That  race  of  Mongolian  Tartars  called  Bu- 
riats, inhabiting  the  southern  shores  of  Lake 
Baikal,  as  far  as  the  Chinese  frontier,  are  wor- 
Aipers  of  the  Grand  Lama;  but  they  have 
iramerons  other  objects  of  worship.  Their 
worship  abounds  in  burdensome  and  disagree- 


able ceremonies,  but  is  accompanied  with  no 
sanguinary  rites.  A  portion  of  the  people  pro- 
fess Shamanism,  which  is  supposed  to  be  the 
most  ancient  religion  of  the  country. 

MISSIONS. 

United  Brethren, — In  ITG.'),  five  Brethren 
from  Ilernhutt  in  Silesia,  were  appointed  to 
undertake  a  mission  to  the  wandering  Tartar 
tribes  in  Asiatic  Russia,  and  settled  at  Sarcp- 
ta,  not  far  from  Georgeisk,  one  of  the  chief 
Russian  towns,  between  the  Caspian  and  Black 
Seas,  on  the  road  from  St.  Petersburg  to  Per- 
sia. They  ransomed  some  of  the  Tartars  from 
slavery,  and  preached  the  Gospel  to  all  whose 
attention  they  could  gain,  conforming,  in  some 
respects,  to  the  Tartar  mode  of  life.  They 
translated  the  Gospel  and  several  tracts  into 
Calmuc.  They  met  with  very  little  success, 
till  1815,  when  a  little  flock  of  Calmuc  Tar- 
tars came  out  from  among  their  heathen  coun 
trymen,  and  joined  their  congregation.  In 
1823,  their  congregation  had  increased  to  300. 
About  this  time,  the  emperor  refused  to  grant 
them  permission  to  baptize  their  converts,  22 
in  number,  under  an  old  law  which  forbids  the 
conversion  and  baptism  of  the  heathen,  unless 
it  be  done  by  the  Russian  Greek  clergy !  But 
the  Emperor  Alexander  gave  them  permission 
to  preach  and  distribute  the  Scriptures.  Very 
valuable  assistance  was  at  this  time 'rendered 
not  only  to  the  Moravian  mission,  but  also  to  the 
Scotch  and  London  Society's  missions,  by  the 
Russian  Bible  Society,  whose  interests  the  Em- 
peror and  the  pious  Galatzin  warmly  promoted. 
This  society  was  at  the  expense  of  printing  the 
Scriptures  in  modern  Russ,  Mongolian,  and  a 
portion  of  them  in  Turkish  Tartar,  after  they 
had  been  translated  into  these  languages  by  the 
missionaries  of  these  societies. 

Scottish  Missionary  Society. — This  society 
commenced  a  mission  in  1802,  at  Karsass,  in 
Asiatic  Russia.  They  obtained  from  the  Rus- 
sian Government,  a  grant  of  land  consisting  of 
14,000  acres,  with  certain  immunities  attached, 
and  they  seem  to  have  obtained  greater  privi- 
leges than  the  Moravians,  for  liberty  was  given 
to  their  converts  to  "  emlDrace  the  religion  of 
the  colony,  and  become  members  of  it."  They 
also  had  the  privilege  of  giving  passports  to 
the  members  of  their  congregation  to  settle  in 
other  parts  of  the  empire.  In  consequence  of 
these  privileges,  probably,  the  Scotch  mission- 
ary settlement  continued  in  existence  longer 
than  any  other  missionary  establishment  in 
Tartary.  Native  youths,  slaves  to  the  Circas- 
sians and  Cuban  Tartars,  were  redeemed  by  the 
Scotch  missionaries  and  placed  in  schools, 
where  they  acquired  the  Turkish  and  English 
languages,  the  principles  of  Christianity,  and 
several  useful  arts.  In  1805,  a  printing-press 
was  sent  out  to  Karass,  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  printed  in  Turkish,  and  tracts  in  the 
Tartar  language.  In  1814,  they  extended  their 
missionary  efforts  to  Astrachan  and  Orenberg; 


TARTARY  AND  SIBERIA. 


747 


and  at  the  former  place,  another  printing-press 
was  established,  which  printed  the  Tartar  New 
Testament  and  other  books,  which  were  carried 
into  Pe)-sia  by  the  numerous  merchants  trading 
from  that  country  with  Russia.  One  of  their 
Tartar  converts,  named  John  Abercrombie. 
was  for  many  years  printer  to  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  at  Selinginsk.  In  1817  they 
issued  4000  tracts  and  5000  Testaments. 
These  found  their  way,  by  means  of  Mohamme- 
dan merchants  and  pilgrims,  and  even  Brah 
mins  and  Jews,  to  Bagdad,  Persia,  Bokhara, 
and  even  to  China.  A  Tartar  prince  of  the 
Crimea,  called  the  Sultan  of  Katagherry,  ap- 
pears to  have  been  the  first  fruits  of  their  mis- 
sionary labor.  Walter  Buchanan,  a  Circas- 
sian, was  the  next.  He  faithfully  served  the 
Scottish  or  Edinburgh  Society,  for  many  years, 
at  Orenburgh,  in  Russian  Tartary. 

In  1822,  the  Scotch  colony  was  joined  by 
several  German  missionaries,  sent  out  by  the 
Basle  Institution,  some  of  whom  settled  in 
Tartary,  and  others  proceeded  to  Teflis  and 
Shusha,  in  Georgia,  to  labor  among  the  Arme- 
nians. 4 

In  1823,  Mirza  Mohammed  Ali,  son  of  a 
Mohammedan  judge,  was  employed  by  the  mis- 
sionaries at  Astrachan,  as  a  teacher ;  and  in 
consequence  of  the  discussions  which  he  had 
with  the  missionaries,  his  faith  in  Moham- 
medanism was  shaken  ;  and,  after  a  short  time, 
in  the  face  of  the  opposition  of  friends,  he  cor- 
dially embraced  Christianity.  The  Greek  arch- 
bishop proposed  that  he  should  be  admitted 
into  that  church  by  baptism  ;  but  he  wrote  a 
petition  to  the  Emperor  Alexander,  through 
Prince  Galatzin,  asking  to  be  allowed  to  re- 
ceive baptism  from  those  who  had  been  the 
instruments  of  his  conversion,  which  request 
was  instantly  granted.  He  was,  therefore,  ad- 
mitted to  the  church,  in  the  presence  of  Greeks 
and  Turks,  Persians  and  Frenchmen,  Germans 
and  Armenians,  the  service  being  in  English, 
Turkish,  and  Persian.  But  he  was  afterwards 
treated  with  great  harshness  by  the  Russian 
government  of  the  Caucasus,  being  compelled, 
in  1825,  to  enter  the  Russian  service,  and  or- 
dered to  refrain  from  interfering  or  coopera^ 
ting  in  any  missionary  work.  In  consequence 
of  this  and  other  restrictions  imposed  upon 
them  by  the  Russian  government,  both  the 
Scotch  and  the  Moravian  Missionary  Societies 
relinquished  their  missions,  though  with  the 
greatest  regret ;  but  the  settlement  at  Karass 
continued  to  be  occupied  several  years  longer. 

A  great  revolution  also  took  place  about  this 
time  in  Russia  with  regard  to  the  Bible  Society. 
This  institution,  under  the  fostering  care  of 
the  Emperor  Alexander,  had  pursued  a  distin- 
guished career,  and  promised  to  supply  the 
Word  of  Life  not  only  to  the  Russian  popula- 
tion, but  to  the  heathen  and  Mohammedans. 
A  powerful  opposition,  however,  was  raised 
against  it  in  1825,  the  year  that  Alexander 
died ;  in  consequence  of  which,  Prince  Galat- 


zin retired  from  office,  and  resigned  his  station  as 
Minister  of  Religion.  Its  secretary,  M.  Papoff, 
was  put  upon  his  trial  in  the  criminal  court,  for 
allowing  a  book  to  be  published,  in  which  were 
some  reflections  considered  unfavorable  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Greek  church,  in  relation  to  the 
Virgin  Mary !  It  had  been  intended  that  the 
missionaries  at  Astrachan  should  be  employed 
by  the  Bible  Society  to  print  a  new  and  correct 
edition  of  Henry  Mart.'VTi's  Persian  New  Tes-  J 
tament,  and  the  types  had  been  ordered  from  St.  * 
Petersburgh  ;  but  this  work  was  now  stopped, 
and  the  missionaries  were  told  that  their  Tar- 
tar version  of  the  Old  Testament  would  have 
to  be  submitted  to  three  archbishops  of  the 
Greek  church ;  so  that,  when  they  had  com- 
pleted the  translation,  it  was  doubtful  whether 
it  would  bo  allowed  to  be  published.  All  these 
causes,  together  with  the  growing  indifference 
of  the  native  tribes,  combined  to  cause  tlie 
Scotch  and  United  Brethren's  Societies  to 
withdraw  their  missionaries  in  1825. 

London  Missionary  Society. — This  society 
undertook  a  mission  to  Selinginsk,  in  Siberia, 
in  1819.  When  the  missionaries  had  finished 
the  translation  of  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  the 
first  printed  edition  was  sent  to  the  governor 
of  Irkutsk,  to  distribute  among  the  Tartars  on 
the  shores  of  Lake  Baikal; 'but  the  Calmuc 
Tartar  character  being  different  from  that 
which  the  Buriat  tribes  had  retained,  the  books 
were  not  generally  understood  by  these  people. 
But  two  of  their  nobles  were  found  who  could 
decipher  the  character,  and  were  able  to  read 
and  explain  its  contents.  This  so  astonished 
the  Buriat  chiefs  and  the  head  lama,  that  each, 
among  his  own  people,  made  a  collection 
amounting  to  £550,  which  they  sent  to  the 
Russian  Bible  Society,  begging  to  have  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew,  and,  if  possible,  other 
books  of  the  New  Testament,  translated  into 
their  own  dialect,  and  printed  in  a  character 
which  they  could  read.  The  two  Buriat  nobles 
who  had  interpreted  the  former  edition,  were 
sent  for,  and  repaired  to  St.  Petersburgh  to 
undertake  the  work.  As  they  proceeded  with 
their  work,  they  became  deeply  interested,  and 
frequently  came  to  Rev.  Mr.  Schmidt  to  in- 
quire the  meaning  of  passages.  When  they 
had  completed  the  23a  chapter  of  Jfatthew, 
they  came  to  him,  and  declared  that  they  had 
resolved  to  renounce  their  former  superstitions, 
and  embrace  the  Christian  faith.  He  warned 
them  of  the  trials  they  would  have  to  encoun- 
ter, but  they  replied  :  "  If  is  our  firm  determi- 
natibn  to  be  followers  of  Jesus,  and  to  share 
in  his  reproach,  if  that  be  our  lot ;  though  we 
hope'that  such  trials  may  not  befall  us  soon,  on 
account  of  our  weakness  in  the  faith."  One  of 
them  died  at  Sarcpta,  in  October,  1822. 

In  1838,  the  mission  is  thus  mentioned  in 
the  Society's  report :  "  Shagdur  and  Tekshee, 
two  of  the  native  converts,  conduct  the  daily 
Mongolian  worship  with  much  propriety,  dur- 
ing Mr.  Stallybross's  visit  to  England.    The 


748 


TASJtfANIA. 


ffirb*  »chool  at  Khodon  makes  satisfactory 

jir, The  boys  arc  ten  in  number.     At 

()  ,11  issorrounded  bv  anumbcr  of 

U  .  who  have  been  brought  under 

the  in:h'a-iKX'  of  relii,'ion,  and  whose  chief  de- 
riri'  L<  to  impart  to  their  countrymen  the  bkvs- 
inpt  they  so  highly  prize."  The  whole  of  the 
OKI  Tistament  was  translated  into  Mongolian, 

'      ■  •   ':  and  some  of  the  Gospels  had 
iiid  circulated. 

11,  the  mission  was  suppressed  by 
,1  :  the  Russian  Synod,  the  reason 

|:  ,  •  that  the  mission,  in  relation  to 

tJiat  form  of  Cliristianity  already  established 
in  the  Ru.ssian  empire,  did  not  coincide  with 
the  views  of  the  church  and  the  government." 
The  missionaries  wrote,  concerning  the  aban- 
donment of  this  mission  :  "  It  is  painful  to  bid 
adieu  to  the  scenes  where  we  have  spent  so 
many  vcars,  and  to  the  people  of  whom,  we 
trust,  tue  first  fruits  Iiave  been  gathered  unto 
Christ.  They  arc  living  evidences  that  we 
have  not  labored  in  vain,  and  earnests  of  the 
abundant  harvests  to  be  expected  when  the 
word  of  God  shall  have  free  course,  and  be 
glorified  in  this  land. — Missionary  Guide  Book. 

We  may  judge,  from  these  examples,  what 
will  be  the  fate  of  our  missions  in  Turkey, 
should  Russia  sutcecd  in  her  present  crusade. 

TASMANIA,    or    VAN    DIEMAN'S 
LAND:    An  island,  lying  at   the  southern 
cxtremitv  of  New  Holland,  between  40°  42' 
and  430  43-  g.  Jat. ;  and  145°  31'  and  148° 
22'    K.    long.,    reckoned  to  contain   27,192 
square  miles.    In  general  it  is  composed  of  al- 
ternate hill  and  dale,  and  even  the  nigh  dowMis 
are  generally  fit  for  cultivation  and  pasture. 
The  chief  lines,  both  of  mountain  and  river, 
run  from  north  to  south,  through  the  eastern 
part  of  the  colony.     Table  'Mountain,  the 
most  elevated  hill  m  the  island,  nearly  over- 
hangs the    southern    settlement  of    Hobart 
Town,  rising  to  the  height  of  3,936  feet.    Al- 
though the  country  is  productive,  and  but  a 
nnaH  portion  of  it  is  occupied  Ijy  British  co- 
lonists, the  aboriginal    inhabitants  have  en- 
tirely disappeared.    In  consequence  of  the  in- 
ces^nt  mutual  hostility  which  subsisted  be- 
tween them  and  the  colonists,  the  whole  of 
them  were  hunted  out,  and  removed  in  the 
year  183.5.  to  Flinder's  Island,  in  Bass's  Straits, 
wli        '       •  (Table  remnant  still  reside.  They 
in;  1),  Init  in  1842,  were  reduced  to 

51.     .....  ^  i.ad  been  only  14  children  born  in 

8  years. 

MISSION. 

Wesletaw    Missionary    Society. The 

Wesley  an  Mi.ssionary  Society  began  opera- 
tions ill  Tasmania  in  the  year  1820,  at  a  time 
when  there  was  but  one  minister  of  any  pcr- 
raasion  in  the  whole  island.  That  year  the 
committee  in  London  directed  Mr.  Carrosso 
to  proceed  from  New  South  Wales  and  com- 
mence a  mission  there  ;  but  he  failing  to  reach 


the  island,  and  Mr.  ITorton  being  then  on  hia 
way  to  New  South  Wales,  was  directed  to  re- 
main in  Tasmania.  At  that  period  the  state 
of  .society  in  the  island  was  most  deplorable. 
The  aboriginal  inhabitants,  greatly  reduced  in 
number,  wandered  about  in  wretchedness,  con- 
stantly exposed  to  the  hostility  of  the  white 
settlers.  The  white  population,  made  up  of 
convicts  and  settlers,  then  amounted  to  about 
8,000  jxjrsons.  And  on  Mr.  ITorton's  commenc- 
ing his  efforts,  he  thus  describes  the  mor^l 
condition  of  t\ie  place  where  he  was  appoints 
ed  to  labor :  "  Adultery  and  drunkenness, 
and  blasphemy  arc  sins  which  prevail  to  an 
awful  extent  among  all  classes,  associated 
with  idleness,  dishonesty,  malice,  quarreling, 
and  misery.  Almost  every  tongue  has  learned 
to  swear,  and  among  the  lower  classes  every 
hand  to  steal.  The  houses  are  surrounded  by 
fierce  dogs,  to  guard  them  against  nocturnal 
depredations ;  and  yet  when  thieves  are  de- 
tected in  the  act  of  plundering,  thev  seldom 
resist,  but  scamper  off  as  fast  as  they  can. 
Indeed  a  vigilant  and  active  police  prevents 
thcLfrequent  perpetration  of  very  daring  deeds 
of  outrage.  Before  we  arrived,  there  was 
only  one  Protestant  minister,  a  clergyman  of 
the  established  church,  whose  labors  were  al- 
most wholly  confined  to  Hobart  Town,  and  one 
Catholic  priest,  who  had  been  but  a  few  months 
in  the  colony.  The  out-settlements  were  there- 
fore left  without  the  public  ordinances  of  reli- 
gion. Thus  Satan  enjoyed  an  undisturbed 
reign.  When  we  landed  in  this  country,  we 
were  not  a  little  surprised  and  pleased  to  find 
a  Wesleyan  Methodist  Society  already  formed, 
and  a  chapel  in  a  state  of  preparation.  There 
are  about  20  who  very  regularly  attend  class, 
and  appear  to  be  sincere  inquirers ;  some  of 
whom  have   found  peace  with  God." 

The  mission  was  soon  strengthened  by  ano- 
ther missionary.  The  missionaries  received 
every  encouragement  from  the  governor  of  the 
colony,  who  showed  himself  laudably  anxious 
for  the  moral  benefit  of  all  classes  of  the  popu- 
lation. In  1827  he  applied  to  the  committee 
for  two  more  missionaries  to  be  sent  out ;  their 
passage,  together  with  an  annual  allowance 
toward  their  support,  having  been  voted  from 
the  public  funds. 

But  the  labor  in  such  a  mission  field  as  Tas- 
mania is  one  of  no  ordinary  difficulty,  especi- 
ally that  portion  of  it  employed  among  the 
convicts.  These  unhappy  creatures,  while  suf- 
fering the  punishment  of  their  crimes,  retain 
the  vicious  habits  and  daring  disregard  of  the 
laws  of  God  and  man,  which  have  been  the 
occasion  of  their  banishment  to  those  distant 
lands.  And  yet  among  these  children  of  crime 
and  sorrow  the  missionaries  have  labored  with 
very  considerable  success.  One  of  them  gives 
it  as  his  opinion,  that  out  of  ,50  criminals  exe- 
cuted within  six  years,  many  of  them  had  been 
snatched  "  as  brands  from  the  burning,"  and 
shared  with  "  the  dying  thief"  in  the  kingdom 


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HruiJIaZera) 
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s  ^  JO  o  jsr  z    c  ^i 


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■-{irissa 


TATT^OING—TENASSERIM. 


749 


of  a  compassionate  Saviour.  The  missionaries 
gave  what  attention  they  could  to  scliools,  for 
the  education  of  the  young  ;  but  they  had  to  be 
held  in  the  evening,  and  to  be  taught,  at  least 
in  part,  by  the  more  educated  criminals.  The 
prisoners  generally  seem  to  have  entertained 
toward  the  missionaries  feelings  of  respect  and 
affection.  This  may  be  partly  accounted  for 
from  the  fact,  that  usually  the  only  words  of 
kindness  which  cheered  their  bitter  lot,  fell 
from  the  lips  of  these  men  of  God.  In  1832, 
the  government  requested  the  appointment  of 
an  additional  missionary  for  the  new  penal  set- 
tlement of  Port  Arthur,  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Butters  was  sent  out  to  supply  that  post.  At 
this  period  the  number  of  members  had  risen 
to  163,  and  283  children  were  in  the  schools. 
Many  of  these  had  been  among  the  most 
guilty  and  abandoned  of  mankind.  Many 
even  of  the  scholars  had  already  been  trained 
and  graduated  at  the  school  of  vice,  and  had 
arrived  at  early  maturity  in  depravity  and 
guilt.  In  this  class  of  men  the  colonial  gov- 
ernment had  found  it  necessary  to  make  dis- 
tinctions ;  the  most  hardened  and  incorrigible 
being  separated  from  the  rest,  and  placed 
under  severe  discipline  in  the  penal  settlements 
or  condemned  stations  in  Tasmania.  Among 
those  thus  "  twice  dead,"  the  Wesleyan  mis- 
sionaries were  appointed  to  labor ;  and  such 
were  the  results  of  the  Gospel  over  the  hearts 
and  conduct  of  many  of  these  outcasts,  that 
successive  governors  of  this  colony  have  gi-ate- 
fully  acknowledged  the  importance  of  the  ser- 
vices rendered  by  the  missionaries.  In  1837, 
four  additional  missionaries  were  sent  out  to  ex- 
tend its  operations.  The  mission  was  farther 
enlarged  in  1839,  when  the  statistics  stood 
thus :  9  missionaries  ;  570  church  members, 
and  922  scholars.  The  Rev.  John  Water- 
house  became  central  superintendent  of  the 
missions  in  Australia  and  Polynesia,  in  1839. 
In  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties  he  per- 
formed long  and  perilous  journeys,  both  by 
sea  and  land,  while  visiting  the  various  stations 
under  his  care.  On  one  of  these  journeys  in 
Tasmania  he  was  much  exposed  to  heavy 
rains,  the  result  of  which  waa  a  protracted  ill- 
ness, which  at  length  ended  his  vahiable  life. 
The  excellent  financial  measures  which  he  and 
others  introduced  into  these  missions  have  re- 
lieved the  missionary  society  from  the  respon- 
sibility of  their  maintenance  and  now  this  por- 
tion of  the  mission  field  has  become  nearly, 
if  not  quite,  self-supporting. 

The  gold  discoveries  in  Australia  have  ra- 
ther retarded  the  prosperity  of  this  mission  dur- 
ing the  past  three  years.  An  extensive^  emi- 
gra-tion  took  place,  which  affected  every  circuit 
more  or  less.  Yet,  under  all  these  disadvan- 
tages, the  district  has  sustained  itself  during 
the  past  year  by  the  help  of  its  own  contingent 
fund ;  the  missionaries  in  general  report  very 
favorably  of  the  spiritual  state  of  the  mem- 
bers who  have  remained  at  home,  and  encour- 


age themselves  with  the  hope  of  future  im- 
provement.—Rev.  W.  Butler. 


TABULAR 

VIEW. 

CENTRAL 
OR  PRINCIPAL 

1- 

1 

l' 

1 

1 

S 

STATIONS 

i-  = 

■^^ 

. 

i  Y> 

:^ 

ORcmcurrs. 

If 

II 

II 

i 

2 

1 

1 

Hobart-Town... 

11 

41 

10 

361 

.Ifll 

1500 

New  Norfolk.. . 

10 

?3 

104 

250 

CarapbcII-Town. 

6 

2 

37 

55 

"50 

I-aunceston  .... 

2 

3S 

A 

104 

30fi 

1100 

J-ongford 

12 

6 

72 

f)5 

450 

Westbury 

4 

47 

4? 

300 

Oatlands 

•  • 

1 

3 

2 

26 

6 

150 

Totals 

39       6 

3 

114 

24    750 

1159l400o| 

TATTOOING  :  A  process  of  marking  the 
human  body  with  various  figures,  by  stained 
lines,  practiced  by  the  natives  of  the  Pacific 
islands  before  the  introduction  of  Christianity 
among  them,  and  still  practiced  by  the  pagan 
tribes.  Until  a  young  man  is  tattooed,  he  is 
considered  in  his  minority.  He  need  not 
think  of  marriage,  and  he  is  constantly  ex- 
posed to  taunts  and  ridicule,  as  being  poor  and 
of  low  birth,  and  as  having  no  right  to  speak 
in  the  society  of  men.  But  as  soon  as  he  is 
tattooed,  he  passes  into  his  majority,  and  con- 
siders himself  entitled  to  the  respect  and  pri- 
vileges of  mature  years.  "When  a  youth, 
therefore,  reaches  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  and 
his  friends  are  all  anxiety  that  ho  should  be 
tattooed.  He  is  then  on  the  out-look  for  the 
tattooing  of  some  neighboring  chief,  with 
whom  he  may  unite.  On  these  occasions,  six 
or  a  dozen  young  men  may  be  tattooed  at  one 
time  ;  and  for  these  there  may  be  four  or  five 
tattooers  employed.  Tattooing  is  a  regular 
profession,  just  as  house-building,  and  well 
paid.     (See  New-Zealand,  p.  5G9.) 

TAUTIRA  :  A  station  of  the  ly^ndon  Mis- 
sionarv  Society  on  Tahiti,  South  Sea. 

TAURANGA  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New-Zealand,  on  the 
Bay  of  Plenty. 

TAVOY  :  A  province  and  a  city  in  Bur- 
mah  annexed  to  the  possessions  of  the  East 
India  Company  by  the  treaty  of  Yaudaboo 
in  1826.  The  city  is  the  seat  of  a  mission  of 
the  American  Bapti.st  Union.  The  entire  dis- 
trict has  been  brought  in  some  degree  under 
the  influence  of  its  operations. 

TELLTCHERRY  :  A  station  of  the  Basle 
Missionary  Society,  on  the  Malabar  coast,  in 
the  western  part  of  Southern  Hindostan,  126 
miles  from  Seringapatam. 

TELOOGOO:  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  Southern  India,  on  the 
eastern  coast,  and  some  distance  north  of 
Madras. 

TENASSERIM:    The  name  of   a  large 


i50 


TERNATE^-TRBBIZOND. 


rivff  ia  Bvmfth,  and  also  applied  to  the  three 
proTiDces  of  Maulmain,  Tavoy,  and  Mergui, 
•Boeied  to  the  territory  of  the  British  Kiist 
JnAltk  Company  by  tlie  treaty  of  Yaudaboo  in 

:  N' ATE  :  One  of  the  Molucca  Islands, 
Hi         hi.linn  Arrhipolago. 

IIIAirv  I'.ASSIOU:  A  station  of  the 
FrtULh  rrott'stantd  in  South  Africa,  on  a 
bmnrh  of  the  river  Kaledon. 

THKOPOLIS :  A  station  of  the  London 
Musionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  550  miles 
iMt  of  Gape  Town. 

THESSALONICA,  (called  by  the  Turks 
Sdanik,  and  by  the  French  Salonica)  is  situated 
at  the  head  of  the  gulf  of  Salonica  (ancient 
Sintu  Tkermaicus^  a  branch  of  the  ^-Egean  Sea. 
It  is  about  175  railes  north  of  Athens  and  300 
west  of  Constantinople.  It  is,  as  in  Paul's  da^, 
the  chief  city  of  Macedonia,  being  its  mam 
sea-port,  and  next  to  Constantinople,  the  chief 
port  of  European  Turkey.  It  has  a  population 
of  60.000  or  70,000,  of  whom  perhaps  15,000 
are  Turks,  15,000  Greeks,  30,000  Jews  (in- 
cluding 5,000  Mohammedan  Jews),  and  a  few 
thousand  Bulgarians,  Wallachians,  Albanians, 
&C.,  tc 

In  1849,  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  established  a 
mission  among  the  Jews  of  this  city.  It  con- 
sisted  at  first  of  Messrs.  Maynard  and  Dodd, 
with  their  wives,  of  whom  the  former  died  in 
a  few  months,  and  his  widow  returned  to  this 
country.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dodd  were  subse- 
quently joined  by  Messrs.  Parsons  and  Morgan 
with  their  wives.  Mrs.  Morgan  also  died  in  a 
few  months  and  Mr.  Morgan  afterwards  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Sutphen,  widow  of  a  missionary. 
The  members  of  the  mission  suffered  much 
from  sickness,  especially  from  fever  and  ague, 
which  is  prevalent  in  Macedonia  ;  and  at  the 
present  (July  1854)  they  are  all  absent  from 
their  stations :  Messrs.  Parsons  and  Morgan  in 
Smyrna,  laboring  among  the  Jews  there,  and 
Mr.  Dodd  in  America,  expecting  to  return 
soon. 

It  is  hoped  that  hereafter  both  stations 
may  bo  occupied,  and  that  in  Thessalonica  a 
more  favorable  residence  may  be  secured,  and 
better  health  enjoyed. 

Thessalonica  is  the  most  important  literary 
centre  of  the  Jews  in  the  east,  and  a  foothold 
there  gained  will  be  valuable.  The  Jews  there 
arc  peculiarly  sociable  and  accessible  to  mis- 
sionary influence.  The  missionaries  have  met 
with  encouragement  in  their  work.  There 
have  been  a  few  cases  of  hopeful  conversion 
among  Jews  and  Mussulmans.  Many  others 
seem  convinced,  intellectually,  of  the  truth, 
though  yet  unrenewed,  and  of  a  still  larger 
circle  the  prejudices*  are  broken  ;  their  esteem, 
and  sometimes  affection,  is  won,  and  they  lie 
open  to  the  influence  of  the  truth.  The  field 
is  hopeful.— Rev.  E.  M.  Dodd. 

THUGS  :  (See  Hindostan,  Dr.  Scudder's 
Letter.) 


TIABEI :  A  station  of  the  London  Mia* 
sionary  Society  on  Tahiti,  South  Sea. 

TIDMANTON  :  Out-station  to  Kat  River 
station,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society  in 
South  Africa,  formerly  Blinkwater. 

TIDOR  :  One  of  the  Molucca  .Islands,  in 
the  Indian  Archipelago. 

TILLIPALLY  :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  in  Ceylon,  about  10  miles  north  of 
Jaffuapatam. 

TIMOR  :  A  group  of  the  Molucca  Islands 
in  the  Indian- Archipelago. 

TIMORLAUT  :  One  of  the  Banda  Islands, 
a  group  of  the  Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago. 

TINNEVELLY  :  A  district  in  the  South- 
ern Carnatic,  South  India,  and  an  important 
field  of  missionary  operations. 

TIRUMUNGALUM  :  A  station  of  the 
Am.  Board,  about  12  miles  S.  W.  of  Madura, 
in  Southern  Hindostan,  and  belonging  to  that 
mission. 

TIRUPOOVANUM  :  A  station  of  the 
Am.  Board,  in  Southern  Hindostan,  8  or  10 
railes  S.  E.  of  Madura,  and  belonging  to  that 
mission. 

TOBAGO  :    (See  West  Indies.) 

TOKA  :  One  of  the  New  Hebrides,  where 
is  a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  So- 
ciety. 

TONGATABOO  :  One  of  the  Friendly 
Islands,  a  station  of  the  Wcsleyan  Society. 

TOUNGOO  :  A  large  city  in  Southern 
Burmah,  100  miles  above  Shwaygyeen  on  the 
Sitang  river.  It  is  in  territory  which  was 
annexed  to  British  Burmah  in  1852,  and  is  the 
seat  of  a  mission  for  both  Burmans  and  Ka- 
rens, of  the  Am.  Baptist  Union. 

TRANQUEBAR:  A  settlement  formed 
by  the  Danes,  on  the  Coromandel  coast,  in 
1616.  It  is  145  miles  S.  by  W.  from  Madras. 
The  town,  and  a  small  adjoining  territory, 
were  ceded  to  the  Danish  crown  in  1621,  on 
payment  of  an  annual  tribute  of  2,000  crowns 
to  the  rajah  of  Tanjore.  The  Danish  govern- 
ment have  recently  relinquished  Tranquebar  ; 
and  the  British  collector  has  removed  there 
from  Negapatam.  This  was  the  scene  of  the 
early  Danish  missions  in  India.  The  mission 
is  now  supported  by  the  Lutheran  Missionary 
Society  at  Dresden. 

TRAY  AN  CORE  :  The  southern  extremity 
of  Hindostan,  between  10°  and  11°  N.  lat. 
It  is  about  140  miles  in  length,  by  40,  the  ave- 
rage breadth.  The  population  is  not  far  from 
1,000,000.  The  principal  part  of  the  popula- 
tion consists  of  Brahmins  and  Nairs ;  there 
are  also  many  Mohammedans.  The  missions 
in  Travancore  are  those  of  the  London  Society, 
the  Church  Society,  and  the  Church  of  Scot- 
land's mission  to  the  Jews. 

TREBIZOND  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board,  situated  near  the  south-eastern  extre- 
mity of  the  Black  Sea,  and  supposed  to  be  the 
precise  spot  where  XenopJwn,  with  his  retreat- 


TREVANDER  Ail— TURKEY. 


751 


ing  army,  first  touched  the  sea.  It  has  about 
15,000  inhabitants,  1,250  of  whom  are  Arme- 
nians. Its  chief  importance  as  a  missionary 
station,  arises  from  the  fact  of  its  being  the 
principal  sea-port  of  ancient  Armenia,  and  its 
consequent  influence  over  the  proper  country 
of  the  Armenian  race. 

TEEVANDER AM  :  A  station  of  the  Lon- 
don Missionary  Society,  in  the  Travancore  dis- 
trict, Southern  India,  near  Cape  Comorin. 

TRICHONOPOLY  :  A  large  fortified  town, 
capital  of  a  district  of  the  same  name,  situated 
on  the  Cavery,  186  miles  south-west  of  Madras. 
Population,  exclusive  of  troops,  estimated  at 
74,000.  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel. 

TRICHOOR :  A  large  town  50  miles  north 
of  Cochin,  a  station  of  the  Church  Missionary 
Society. 

TRINCOMALEE  :  A  town  on  the  N.  E. 
coast  of  Ceylon,  150  miles  N.  E.  of  Colombo, 
having  one  of  the  finest  harbors  in  the  world. 
A  station  of  the  Wesleyan  Society. 

TRINIDAD  :  (See  West  Indies.) 

TSHICKSOO:  A  Karen  village  in  the 
district  of  Tavoy,  in  Burmah,  and  an  out-sta- 
tion of  the  Tavoy  mission  of  the  American 
Baptist  Union. 

TUBUAI :  One  of  the  Austral  Islands,  and 
a  station  of  the  London  Missionary  Society. 

TULBAGH :  Station  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  South  Africa,  75  miles 
north-east  of  Cape  Town.  AJso  of  the  Rhen- 
ish Society. 

TURANGA:  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New-Zealand,  situated 
on  Poverty  Bay. 

TURKEY:  The  dominion  of  the  Grand 
Turk,  or  Sultan,  extends  over  territory  situated 
in  Asia,  Africa,  and  Europe,  and  lying  be- 
tween the  20th  and  45th  degrees  of  north 
latitude,  the  10th  and  47th  of  east  longitude. 
The  countries  composing  this  empire  are,  for 
the  most  part,  rich  in  natural  resources,  and 
have  been  the  seats  of  mighty  empires  and  re- 
publics, which  at  various  times  have  exercised 
a  controlling  influence  on  the  world's  history. 
The  entire  territory  covers  a  surface  of  about 
210,000  square  miles,  including  the  tributary 
provinces  of  Moldavia,  Wallachia,  Servia, 
Egypt,  Tripoli  and  Tunis. 

Turkey  in  Europe,  by  ^nature  formed  to  be 
the  garden  of  the  world,'ha3  become  a  wilder- 
ness, from  the  devastations  of  war  and  the  op- 
pressions of  government.  It.  is  l^unded  on 
the  east  by  the  Black  Sea,  the  Bosphorus,  and 
the  Sea  of  Marmora ;  on  the  south  by  the 
Dardanelles  and  Archipelago.  The  climate 
is,  for  the  most  part,  temperate  ;  the  surface  of 
the  country  is  varied  with  mountains  and  well- 
watered  plains.  The  unusually  large  extent  of 
sea-coast,  and  the  number  of  good  harbors, 
afford  every  facility  for  commercial  operations. 
The  Danube  carries  steam  navigation  into  the 
neart    of    the    country.      Constantinople,  or 


Istamboul,  including  its  suburbs,  is  situated 
upon  both  sides  of  the  channel  which  separates 
Europe  from  Asia,  numbers  about  1 ,000.000 
inhabitants,  and  commands  the  Euxine  and 
the  Levant.  Turkey  might  long  ago  have 
shared  the  fate  of  Poland,  had  the  powers  of 
Europe  dared  to  deliver  Constantinople,  the 
key  city,  into  the  hands  of  any  one  of  their 
number.  Moldavia,  Wallachia,  and  Servia 
are  tributary  principalities,  over  which  the 
Sultan  has  now  but  little  power. 

Turkey  in  Asia  includes  the  countries  be- 
tween the  Sea  of  Marmora,  the  Euxine,  and 
Russian  Asia,  on  the  north,  and  Arabia  on 
the  south ;  between  Russian  Asia  and  Persia 
on  the  east,  and  the  Mediterranean  and  Archi- 
pelago on  the  west.  Within  its  boundaries  lio 
the  Holy  City,  the  ancient  seats  of  power,  and 
fountain-heads  of  learning,  and  Turkistan, 
from  whence  came  the  savage  tribe  who  have 
given  their  name  to  a  great  empire,  and  iden- 
tified it  with  the  faith  of  Mohammed.  Many 
wealthy  and  thriving  cities  exist  among 
the  old  ruins,  supported  by  the  Asiatic  com- 
merce which  passes  to  Europe  through  these 
countries.  Among  these  are  Brusa,  Sjinrna, 
Trebizond,  Erzriim,  Bagdad,  Tripoli,  Damas- 
cus. Manufactures  of  steel  and  cloths  are  car- 
ried on  prosperously  in  several  towns. 

Turkey  in  Africa  consists  of  the  tributary 
countries  of  Egypt,  Tunis,  and  Tripoli.  The 
universal  prevalence  of  Mohammedanism  in 
these  countries  tends  to  preserve  tlie  political 
union  with  Turkey,  the  stronghold  of  their 
faith. 

Population. — By  the  table  annexed,  it  will 
be  seen  that,  in  European  Turkey  the  Moham- 
medans, although  the  dominant  race,  do  not 
constitute  a  third  part  of  the  population. 
They  hold  the  fortresses  and  important  towns, 
but  Greeks,  Bulgarians,  Armenians,  &c.,  form 
the  mass  of  the  population.  The  European 
Turks  preserve  their  original  character  of  a 
military  colony : 

EUROPEAN  TURKEY    (rUMKLIA.) 

Thrace 1,800,000 

Bulgaria 4,000,000 

iloMavia 1,400,000 

Wallachia 2,600,000 

Bosnia  and  Herzegowina 1,400,000 

Rumelia 2,600,000 

^^en•ia 1,000,000 

Ishinds  of  the  Archipelago 700,000 


15,600,000 


ASIATIC  TURKEY    (aNADOI.U.) 

Asia  Minor 10,700.000 

Syria,  Mesopotamia  and  Kurdi.stan. . .  4,460,000 
Arabia  (Mecca,  Medina  Habeeh) 900,000 


19,060,000 


AFRICAN  TURKEY   (OARB.) 

EgjT>t 2,000,000 

TripoU,  Feuaii,  Tunis 1,800,000 


8,800,000 
86,360,000 


DiTiding  the  population  into  races 
tribet,  Um>  rvult  is  as  follows : 


TURKEY. 


and 


lUCDOS 
TUKSl 

IbEotoii*. 

In  Ada. 

In  Africa. 

Total 

OltMWM.. 

MmmutkM 
AiMato... 

Jwrt 

nrtofi.... 

Ttukoauu 

};J!5:!5S 

1,000,000 

'400.000 

70.000 
MO^OOO 

•• 
.. 

10,700,000 

1,000,000 

2,000,000 

100,000 

obb.ooo 

235,000 

25,000 

1,000,000 

90,000 

«,80b,000 

.. 

■■ 
•• 

11,800,000 
7,200,000 
4,000,000 
1,500,000 
2,000,000 
2,400,000 
170,000 
230,000 
4,700,000 

235,000 

26,000 

1,000,000 

90,000 

TotMiM... 

18,500,0001  16,050,000|    3,800,000 

35,350,000 

Taking  the  population  according  to  religious 
creeds,  the  result  is  : 

CRKEDe. 

In  Europe. 

InABia. 

In  Africa. 

Total. 

UAhom'd'n 
Greeks  and 
AnnenUiu 

BoB-ath. 

J«Wi 

TbUU... 

3,800,000 

11,370,000 

260,000 

70,000 

12,950,000 

2,360,000 

640,000 
100,000 

3,800,000 

20,550,000 

13,730,000 

900.000 

170,000 

15,500,000 

16,050,000 

3,800,000 

35,350,000 

There  are  now,  also,  more  than  2,000  in  the 
Protestant  community  lately  organized,  and  a 
great  number,  particularly  among  the  Arme- 
nians, who  have  embraced  Protestant  senti- 
ments. Protestantism  is  likely  to  have  a  rapid 
jprowth,  and  become  an  element  of  great  power 
m  the  future  of  Turkey. 

The  Ecclesiastico  Political  Character'  of  the 
Turkish  Government,  and  its  bearing  upon  the 
rnti'htion  of  the  different  Religious  Classes  of  its 
Subjects. — The  Turkish  Government  is,  in  spirit, 
•  theocracy.  Its  legislation  is  derived  from 
foor  sources ;  the  word  of  God,  i.  e.,  the  Ko- 
ran ;  the  Sunna,  word  of  the  prophet,  the  sen- 
tences of  the  four  grand  Imams,  the  fathers  of 
%lamism  ;  and  the  laws  of  the  reigning  sove- 
reign, representative  of  the  prophet.  Moham- 
med aimed  at  being  the  founder  of  a  new  state, 
and  the  Koran  was  declared  to  be,  as  it  now  is, 

*' ••■•'  ■■■'1  religious  code  of  the  Mussulmans. 

il  are  the  proper  subjects  of  the  Sul- 
il-beloved  children.  Unbelievers  are 
his  enemies.  Unable  to  carry  out  the  principle  of 
intolerance,  the  Sultan  still  recognizes  the  Mus- 
sulmans as  his  more  immediate  and  privileo-ed 
snbjects.  lie  tolerates  and  grants  privile'o-es 
to  certain  incorporated  bodies  of  unbelievers, 
and  recognizes  his  Christian  subjects  only  as 

T"''"' -  "f  some  one  of  the  existing  Christian 

s.  in  which  every  individual  must 
1  1.     Each  of  these  bodies,  excepting 

the  FruUatants,  has  a  Patriarch  at  its  head, 
who  becomes  responsible  to  the  Sultan  for  the 


whole.  Every  trade,  moreover,  is  incorporated 
under  the  direction  of  a  committee,  who  grant 
licenses  to  tradesmen,  journeymen  and  appren- 
tices, and  are  responsible  to  the  head  of  their 
community.  In  the  early  years  of  the  Arme- 
nian mission,  this  power,  in  the  possession  of  the 
patriarch,  enabled  him  to  inflict  intolerable  per- 
secutions upon  the  missionary  converts.  They 
could  not  withdraw  from  the  community,  with- 
out rebelling  against  the  civil  law  of  the  coun- 
try. They  were  finally  excommunicated,  were 
unable  to  obtain  licenses  to  trade,  had  their 
property  taken  from  them  with  no  means  of 
recovery,  and  were  only  preserved  from  starva- 
tion by  the  charity  of  foreign  residents  and 
Mussulmans. 

On  the  15th  of  November,  1847,  after  long- 
continued  exertions  on  the  part  of  Sir  Strat- 
ford Canning,  carried  forward  by  Lord  Cow- 
ley, his  successor  to  the  British  Embassy,  an 
imperial  decree  was  issued,  recognizing  native 
Protestants,  as  constituting  a  separate  and  in- 
dependent community  in  Turkey. 

Reforms  in  the  Turkish  Body-folitic. — For 
more  than  three  centuries  Turkey  was  the  ter- 
ror of  her  European  neighbors.  Her  armies 
were  as  well  disciplined  and  equipped  as  those 
of  other  nations,  while  their  fanatic  devotion 
to  their  religion,  inseparably  united  as  it  was, 
with  the  civil  power,  and  their  intense  hatred 
of  unbelievers,  rendered  them  almost  irresistible. 
So  long  as  the  zeal  and  valor  of  individual 
combatants  decided  the  day,  the  Turkish  ar- 
mies retained  supremacy.  But  while  civiliza- 
tion was  advancing  in  the  surrounding  Chris- 
tian nations,  and  martial  tactics  were  studied 
and  practised,  there  was  no  advance,  but  rather 
a  retrogression,  in  Turkey.  Toward  the  latter 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century  the  Turkish 
power  was  at  its  zenith ;  from  that  time,  it  be- 
gan to  decline.  The  Janissaries  became  alarm- 
ingly powerful,  audacious  and  overbearing. 
While  there  was  no  progress  made  in  the  art 
of  war,  the  Ottoman  people  gradually  degene- 
rated, and  lost  much  of  their  original  native 
valor. 

Reform  was  commenced  in  1789,  by  Sultan 
Selim.  Prejudice  and  ignorance,  on  the  part 
of  his  subjects,  were  obstacles  almost  insuper- 
able to  the  introduction  of  measures  which 
would  tend  to  place  Turkey  on  a  level  with  her 
neighbors.  An  army  was  formed  by  Selim  on 
the  European  plan,  and  various  governmental 
reforms  were  introduced.  These  new  measures 
were  considered  as  sacrilegious  by  the  body  ol 
Mussulman  subjects,  and  a  revolt  of  the  Jan- 
issaries deposed  Selim  from  his  throne. 

Mahmoud,  successor  of  Selim,  was  disposed 
to  continue  the  reforms  commenced  by  that 
monarch,  but  was,  for  a  long  time,  kept  in 
check  by  the  Janissaries.  At  length,  on  the 
14th  of  June,  1826,  they  were  carried  oflF  by  a 
general  massacre,  and  the  Sultan  was  free  to 
pursue  his  plans  of  reform.  The  red  cap  and 
trowsers  were  substituted  for  the  turban  and 


TUTUILA— UNITED  STATES. 


753 


loose  robes.  Women  were  allowed  greater 
freedom.  The  Christians  and  Franks  received 
new  privileges  and  protection.  The  army  was 
increased,  the  power  of  the  Pashas  limited,  fo- 
reign officers,  mechanics  and  engineers  employ- 
ed, and  the  navy  renovated  and  enlarged.  A 
medical  college  was  also  instituted,  and  quaran- 
tine laws  introduced.  These  reforms  were  not 
appreciated  nor  understood  by  the  people. 
They  were  contrary  to  the  genius  of  Moham- 
medanism, encountered  the  stern  opposition  of 
the  priesthood,  and  were  carried  forward  with 
great  difficulty.  Their  first  effect  was  to  weaken 
the  power  of  the  empire,  and  from  a  succession 
of  untoward  events,  it  seemed,  at  the  death 
of  Sultan  Mahmoud,  in  1839,  to  be  on  the  verge 
of  destruction.  His  son  Abdul  Medjid,  ascend- 
ing the  throne  at  the  early  age  of  17,  however 
persevered  in  the  same  line  of  policy  ;  and  on 
the  3d  November,  of  that  year,  the  celebrated 
Hatti  Scheriff  was  proclaimed  in  Gul  Hane, 
a  park  within  the  limits  of  the  Seraglio,  to  the 
assembled  grandees  of  the  empire,  and  in  the 

fresence  of  the  ambassadors  of  foreign  powers, 
n  this  extraordinary  document  the  new  sove- 
reign, unsolicited  by  his  people,  but  constrain- 
ed by  the  necessity  of  circumstances,  limited 
his  own  authority,  guaranteed  to  every  subject 
security  of  life  and  property,  ordained  an  equal 
and  fair  system  of  taxation,  ordered  a  regular 
method  of  drawing  the  conscription  for  the 
army  and  fixed  the  period  of  service  ;  did  away 
with  the  confiscation  of  the  property  of  crimi- 
nals and  visiting  punishment  on  innocent  re- 
latives; promised  better  administration  of  jus- 
tice, and  placed  Mohammedans,  Christians, 
Jews,  and  Pagans,  on  the  same  footing,  as  re- 
garded civil  rights  and  the  law.  Changes  so 
great  and  opposed  to  Mohammedan  feeling  and 
usage,  were,  of  course,  but  imperfectly  execut- 
ed, and  the  tanzimat  or  "new  regulations," 
can  be  made  a  reality  only  by  gradual  steps  of 
enforcement.  The  government,  however,  has 
entered  upon  the  right  path,  and  under  the  in- 
fluences from  abroad  which  must  control^  it,  is 
moving  onward  in  it.  The  action  taken  in  be- 
half of  the  Protestants,  the  guarantees  given 
recently  to  the  Western  Powers,  and  the  fir- 
mans addressed  to  the  Christian  and  Jewish 
communities,  are  events  of  the  happiest  signi- 
ficance in  reference  to  the  cause  of  civilization, 
of  religious  freedom,  and  of  true  Christianity  in 
Turkey. 

TUTUILA  :  One  of  the  Samoan  Islands  on 
which  the  Londpn  Missionary  Society  have 
two  stations. 

TUMBOO  :  A  village  beautifully  situated 
near  the  sea,  in  Sierra  Leone,  West  Africa, 
about  H  miles  from  Kent.  Church  Mission- 
ary Society. 

UAWA  :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  in  New-Zealand,  36  miles  north  of 
Turanga. 

UITENHAGE:   A  town  and  district   in 

South  Africa,  occupied  by  the  London  Mis- 

48 


sionary  Society,  and  the  Society  for  the  Pro- 
pagation of  the  Gospel.  The  district  is  pas- 
toral and  agricultural,  lying  chiefly  between 
the  Chantoos  and  Bushman's  rivers.  In  the 
neighborhood  of  the  town,  it  is  of  extreme  fer- 
tility, and  has  been  known  to  yield  from  80  to 
90  returns  of  wheat.  The  town  is  regularly 
built,  each  house  having  behind  it  an  •llotment 
of  garden  ground ;  and  the  water  from  a  spring 
in  the  vicinity  has  been  laid  along  the  princi- 
pal street,  furnishing  an  abundant  supply  for 
all.  Fruit  and  vegetables  are  successfully  cul- 
tivated, and  sold  in  market  at  Port  Elizabeth. 
The  interior  trade  is  carried  on  through  Gra- 
ham's Town. 

ULAH  :  A  Karen  town  in  the  district  of 
Mergui,  in  Burmah,  on  the  Tenasserim  river, 
an  out-station  of  the  Tavoy  mission  of  the  Am. 
Baptist  Union. 

ULEMOEGA  :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  the  island  of  Upolu,  one 
of  the  Samoan  Group. 

UMLAZI  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  South  Africa,  12  miles  south-west  of 
Umlazi  river,  containing  100,000  Zulus. 

UMPUKANI :  A  station  of  the  Glasgow 
African  Society,  among  the  Grequas,  Basutos, 
and  Mantatees,  South  Africa. 

UMSUNDUZI :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Zulus  in  South  Africa, 
near  Port  Natal. 

UMTWALUMI :  A  station  of  the  Ameri- 
can Board  among  the  Zulus,  near  Port  Natal, 
in  South  Africa. 

UxMVELO  :  A  station  of  the  London  Mia- 
sionary  Society  in  South  Africa,  formerly 
called  Botman's  Kraal. 

UMVOTI  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  South  Africa,  about  40  miles  north 
of  Port  Natal,  on  the  Umvoti  river.  It  is  a 
most  delightful  site  for  a  mission,  well-watered 
and  wooded,  with  good  arable  and  pasture 
grounds,  so  that  several  thousands  of  natives 
might  live  within  a  short  distance  of  the  mis- 
sionary's residence. 

UPOLU  ;   One  of  the  Samoan  Islands,  on 
which  the  London   Missionary  Society  bave9 
seven  stations. 

USSA  :  Danish  Akra,  occupied  by  the  Ger- 
man Missionary  Society. 

Ul^UMAORO :  A  station  of  the  London 
Missionary  Society  on  the  east  side  of  the 
island  of  Ilaiatea,  situated  on  an  open  bay. 

UVEA  :  One  of  the  Friendly  Islands,  tXxo 
most  remote  in  the  district  of  Ilabai,  occu- 
pied by  the  Wesleyans.  A  Romish  bishop, 
two  priests,  and  an  old  friar  have  taken  up 
their  residence  here,  and  done  much  mischief, 
by  kindling  up  a  religious  war  and  setting  the 
people  to  destroy  one  another. 

UNITED  STATES  :  I.  Extetit  of  Terri- 
torj/.— Inl819,the  territory  belonging  to  the 
United  States  included  not  less  than  2,300,000 
square  miles.  Since  then,  at  different  times, 
another  million  has  been  acquired  by  varioua 


754 


UNITED  STATES. 


trwUci.  Th«  prwent  area  of  our  "  real  estate  " 
It  aboot  3,300.000  nqoare  inile.<<,  and  there  is 
Uw  prtifpect  of  further  annexations.  Within 
afingle  generation,  the  star-spangled  flag  has 
moviHl  nonlhwanl,  from  the  "  still  St.  Mary's 
river."  on  the  confines  of  Georgia,  to  the  Sunken 
Floritlion  kvv^  ;  and  westward  to  the  Rio  Bra- 
ro,  on  the  furthest  Texian  border  ;  and  beyond 
that,  soaftwurd  and  westward  still,  to  the  Rio 
Uila  and  the  Californian  gold  coast.  The 
bannertHl  eagle,  which,  till  of  late,  fluttered 
only  on  the  Atlantic  breezes,  has  sped  her 
flight  across  the  "  Father  of  Waters,"  and  over 
the  nigged  sierras  or  saws  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, and  now  hovers  in  proud  supremacy  on 
the  gales  of  the  Pacific,  and  "  the  stretching 
oot  of  his  wings  filleth  the  breadth  of  the  land." 
Neither  the  empire  of  Rome  nor  even  that  of 
Alexander  spread  so  far.  The  sun  is  more 
than  two  hours  and  a  half  in  rising  to  the  view 
of  all  oar  people,  and  bringing  morning  to  the 
whole  lanti.  Refore  the  denizens  of  San  Fran- 
cisco have  eaten  their  breakfast,  their  fellow- 
citizens  of  Eastport  are  beginning  to  think  of 
their  dinners.  From  north  to  south,  "  as  the 
wild  goose  flies,"  in  passing  from  his  summer 
retreats  among  the  Canadian  lakes,  to  his  win- 
ter (juarters  on  the  Mexican  Gulf,  the  poor 
bird  must  wing  an  aerial  journey  of  1500  miles 
ere  he  is  safe  from  the  guns  of  our  sportsmen. 
An  indented  coast-line,  meandering  through 
more  than  30,000  miles,  affords  numerous  har- 
bors for  the  purposes  of  commerce  ;  and  these 
still  further  favored  by  even  a  greater  number 
of  miles  of  inland  communication  by  those 
natural  canals,  our  noble  navigable  rivers. 
Nearly  the  whole  of  this  vast  area  is  within 
eas^  reach  of  water  conveyance. 

It  was  said  by  the  cynical  Randolph,  that 
Washington  is  "a  city  of  magnificent  dis- 
tances;" and,  in  this  respect,  our  national 
caoital  is  a  fit  type  of  the  great  country  whose 
political  interests  centre  there.  The  mind, 
which  can  traverse  any  space  with  the  quick- 
neas  of  thought,  is  bewildered  in  wandering 
orer  this  vast  domain.  And  as  for  the  body, 
there  be  few  indeed,  even  in  our  huge  "  travel- 
^ig  community,"  with  its  restless  ramblings, 
who  have  so  much  as  set  foot  in  each  one  of 
onr  States  and  organized  Territories.  Out  of 
oar  country  there  could  be  carved  38  such 
kingdoms  as  Great  Britain,  and  16  such  em- 
pires as  France.  The  possession  of  land  has 
ever  been  regarded  as  one  of  the  grand  ele- 
ments of  national  greatness,  wealth,  and  power. 

II.  Physical  Resources.— Of  these  we  can 
catch  but  a  hasty  glimpse.  With  a  country, 
of  which  portions  are  buried  for  half  the  year 
in  ice  and  snow,  while  other  portions  have 
never  seen  so  much  as  a  snow-flake  ;— a  coun- 
try where  the  rivers— those  liquid  roads  of 
commerce,  roll  in  paths  of  a  thousand  miles,— 
•."^o^try  affording  every  variety  of  climate, 
jwdmg  in  teeming  exuberance  almost  every 
■Kftil  vegetable  product,  and  whose  mines  of 


up  with  a  people  who  know  how  to  find 
use  them  ; — with  such  a  country,  and  sucl: 


the  most  valuable  metals  are  beyond  exhaus* 
tion, — a  country  stored  with  the  endless  treas* 
ures  of  the  forest  and  the  quarry, — a  country 
endowed  with  such  resources,  and  fast  filling 

and 
untry,  and  such  re- 
sources, it  is  impossible  we  should  not  heap  up 
riches,  and  rapidly  rise  to  that  eminence  of 
moral  and  political  power,  which  amplitude  of 
material  means  secures.  Take  a  few  items 
from  the  census  returns  of  1850.  1'he  an- 
nual crop  of 'only  one  of  the  cereals,  Indian- 
corn,  reached  the  inconceivable  amount  of 
600,000,000  of  bushels ;  the  yield  of  wheat 
was  100,000,000  bushels;  that  of  cotton, 
1,000,000,000  of  pounds.  A  very  large  pro- 
portion of  the  soil  is  of  the  richest  kind } 
though  this  is  of  the  less  consequence,  as,  by 
the  help  of  modern  science,  and  agricultural 
chemistry,  the  poorest  soils  can  be  made  per- 
manently fertile.  As  to  mineral  wealth,  we 
have  already  ascertained  218,000  square  miles 
of  coal-formation,  equal  to  twenty-seven  States 
like  Massachusetts.  Not  less  than  1,100 
cubic  miles  of  this  fuel  are  deposited  beneath 
the  surface  of  our  soil ;  and  one  of  these  cubic 
miles,  at  the  present  rate  of  consumption, 
would  last  1,000  years;  so  that  a  million  of 
years  would  not  exhaust  the  stock.  Of  iron, 
so  far  as  utility  is  concerned,  the  most  precious 
of  the  metals,  there  are  vast  deposits  every- 
where in  the  Mississippi  valley,  along  the  cen- 
tral axis  of  the  country.'  Some  of  them  are 
prodigious.  There  is  a  mountain  in  Missouri 
500  feet  in  height,  and  miles  in  circuit,  almost 
wholly  composed  of  iron.  The  abundance  of 
it  is  even  greater  in  the  region  of  Lake  Supe- 
rior; and  it  is  also  richly,  though  less  pro- 
fusely, scattered  over  the  Atlantic  slope.  The 
lead  formations  in  the  great  central  valley  oc- 
cupy 3,000  square  miles,  annually  yielding 
more  than  20,000  tons.  The  copper  deposits 
in  the  wide  regions  of  the  north-west  are  still 
more  extensive,  affording  thousands  of  tons 
every  year,  though  the  exploration  is  but  just 
begun ;  and  some  of  the  Southern  States  are 
found  to  be  still  richer  in  this  metal.  To  say 
nothing  of  silver,  zinc,  and  other  metS,ls  used  in 
the  economy  of  civilized  life,  gold  is  found  all 
along  the  eastern  slope  from  Texas  to  Canada, 
in  many  places  profitably  mined  ;  while,  on 
our  Pacific  slope,  it  is  so  lavishly  diffused,  that 
there  is  enough  to  reward  the  industry,  and 
excite  the  greed,  of  generations  to  come. 

III.  Commerce. — The  internal  traffic  is  be- 
yond all  computation.  Its  statistics  are  too 
huge  to  be  meddled  with.  The  active  transfer 
of  property  to  and  from  all  portions  of  the 
land,  and  the  exchange  of  values  in  crude  and 
manufactured  articles,  employ  and  reward  an 
inconceivable  amount  of  industry  and  capital. 
To  say  nothing  of  the  traction  on  common 
roads,  illimitable  for  extent  and  ramification, 
and  of  the  freightage  on  our  immense  system 
of  railways  and  canals,  the  tonnage  of  the 


UNITED  STATES. 


755 


steamboats  occupied  with  our  inland  trade  is 
more  than  400,000  tons. 

Our  foreign  trade  is  also  conducted  upon 
an  enormous  scale,  employing  above  4,000,000 
of  shipping  in  the  transportation  of  above 
400,000,000  in  value  of  imports  and  exports. 
Our  sails  are  courting  every  breeze  that  blows, 
and  seeking  every  shore.  Our  sinuous  coast 
affords  abundance  of  bays  and  harbors  for 
these  floating  bridges  and  ferries  of  the  sea. 
The  winds  and  the  waves  are  wafting  to  us  the 
commodities  of  the  world.  Our  merchant- 
princes  and  maritime  adventurers  are  con- 
tinually extending  the  range  and  magnitude 
of  their  enterprizes. 

lY.  Population. — Since  the  revolution,  when 
it  was  but  little  more  than  3,000,000,  it  has 
swelled,  at  the  last  census,  in  1850,  to  more 
than  23,000,000.  At  each  decennial  census, 
since  1790,  it  has  been  found  that  the  increase 
has  been  at  a  rate  so  surprisingly  uniform,  that 
we  can  safely  estimate  its  increase  for  future 
periods.  By  the  year  1875,  it  will  be  close 
upon  50,000,000,  and  will  far  exceed  100,000,- 
000  by  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
Even  then,  it  will  not  be  a  densely  peopled 
country,  being  capable  of  sustaining  a  far 
greater  population  than  that.  We  have  now, 
on  the  average,  but  seven  inhabitants  to  each 
square  mile  of  territory.  In  Great  Britain, 
there  are  223  to  the  square  mile.  If  this  coun- 
try becomes  only  one  half  as  populous,  we  shall 
have  350,000,000.  As  yet,  but  one-fourteenth 
part  of  our  land  is  occupied  at  all.  But  the 
immigration  from  all  parts  of  the  world  brings 
half  a  million  every  year  to  fill  the  vacant 
space  ;  while,  in  the  same  time,  even  a  larger 
number  is  born  upon  the  soil.  Thus,  our  wide- 
gpfead  territory  is  rapidly  rescued  from  the 
dominion  of  savage  nature,  and  is  replenished 
with  a  population  intelligent  and  active,  brave 
and  free,  full  of  the  republican  spirit,  glowing 
with  patriotic  fire,  and  waxing  bold  aS  to  their 
country's  glorious  destiny,  and  the  part  she  is 
yet  to  act  in  propagating  among  the  nations  a 
nobler  system  of  political  and  social  life. 

V.  Public  Works. — The  old  historic  empires 
fell  to  pieces,  like  uncemented  masses  of  ma- 
sonry, by  their  weight.  Their  magnificent 
capitals,  the  seat  of  power  and  the  heart  of 
government,  could  not,  with  their  mightiest 
throbbings,  send  out  and  draw  back  a  quick 
and  healthful  circulation  through  their  remoter 
members.  But  this  fatal  difficulty  is  quite 
remedied  for  us,  by  those  modern  means  of 
inter-communication,  whereby  the  pulsing  life- 
blood  of  our  grand  confederation  is  carried  in 
full  vigor  to  the  most  distant  bounds  of  our 
sovereignty.  Cheap  postage  keeps  up  a  con- 
stant ripple  along  the  innumerable  mail-routes, 
whose  branching  veins  run,  like  a  vascular  net- 
work, over  the  whole  body  politic.  The  aggre- 
gate of  mail-service  under  contract  for  the  pre- 
sent year  is  more  than  200,000  miles.  24,000 
miles  of  telegraph-wires,  like  a  vital  nervous 


system,  with  its  numerous  ganglionic  centres, 
carry  instant  sensibility  to  every  chief  limb 
and  member ;  so  that  all  parts  of  the  nation 
are  touched  at  once  by  the  same  sympathies, 
and  excited  by  the  same  volitions.  15,Qpo 
niilcs  of  completed  railroad,  and  as  many  nwi-e 
in  the  course  of  construction,  like  iron  sinews 
of  vast  strength  and  wondrous  flexibility,  are 
linking  joint  with  joint ;  and,  compacting  the 
whole  by  that  which  every  joint  supplicth,  are 
giving  to  the  huge  body  corporate  a  ready 
command  over  all  its  movements  and  resources. 
On  land  and  water,  the  steam-power,  with  hot 
breath,  inflates  the  lungs  with  vital  energy, 
and  breathes  through  all  the  nation  an  ani- 
mating principle,  which  puts  vigor  into  every 
muscle,  and  sharpens  every  sense.  For  all  the 
practical  purposes  of  locomotion,  and  inter- 
course and  business  interests,  and  political 
efficiency  and  military  operation,  this  country, 
notwithstanding  its  recent  prodigious  annexa- 
tions of  territory,  is  not  one-tenth  as  large  as 
it  was  thirty  years  ago.  Quick  as  her  growth 
has  been,  still  more  rapid  is  the  diffusion  of 
her  working  power,  and  the  concentration  of 
her  governing  capacity. 

VI.  Geographical  Position.  —  The  oceans 
which  for  ages  separated  this  continent,  and 
hid  its  existence  from  the  rest  of  the  world, 
have  now  become  broad  and  easy  highways  of.* 
intercourse  with  all  nations.  Nearly  every 
pagan,  papal,  and  Mohammedan  land'  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  may  be  reached  by  lines  of 
communication  almost  direct,  drawn  from  our 
eastern,  western,  or  southern  ports.  Along 
these  lines  of  marine  travel  immigration  is 
pouring  in  its  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands, 
while  our  people  are  passing  out  by  the  same 
lines,  scattering  themselves  everywhere  in  pros- 
ecuting all  the  great  material,  intellectual,  and 
religious  interests  of  life.  Our  country  pre- 
sents one  front  to  the  civilization  of  Europe 
and  the  degradation  of  Africa,  and  another 
front  to  the  barbaric  wealth  of  Asia  and  the 
luxuriant  isles  of  the  southern  seas,  and  offers 
to  mediate  among  them  all.  On  her  north 
flank,  she  lifts  a  mighty  arm  of  warning  and 
menace  against  the  aggressive  despotism  of 
Russia ;  and  on  her  southern  side,  she  is  be- 
ginning to  stretch  out  a  hand  of  help  towards 
the  distracted  governments  and  the  sweeping 
solitudes  of  the  other  American  continent 
The  four  corners  of  the  heavens  seem  to  be 
bending  towards  her,  to  lift  her  to  the  highest 
sphere  of  moral  and  political  influence  over  all 
the  globe.  Her  very  location  on  the  map  of 
the  world  seems  to  mark  her  out  as  "  the 
glory  of  all  lands,"  "  an  eternal  excellency,  a 
joy  of  many  generations." 

VII.  Peculiar  character  of  the  veopU, — 
Prominent  and  offensive  as  its  faults  may 
sometimes  be,  we  find  in  the  very  genius 
of  the  people  strong  elements  of  national 
power  and  influence  in  the  world.  It  is 
said,  that  the  most  fertile  soils  are  made  by 


756 


UNITED  STATES. 


tin  commlxtnro  of  oarths  obtained  by  the 
tfUnbUnK  of  dUR'n-"'  ^  --'-^  '>f  rock.  And 
the  dUfcwot  ncoB  d  ''J?  Ji'ther  their 

1^  wfttotaandveii  ,  nits, have  bleDd- 

td  tin  mow  active  trait.s  of  their  several  na- 
Uooalitioi  in  a  now  and  highly-  energetic  and 
praclical  type  of  the  human  kind.  When  the 
Edored  Lafayette  made  his  triumphal  pro- 
gfCM  through  this  country  in  1825,  he  was 
aiked  by  the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  what 
Bnt*  ■■  '  •*■"  old  world  we  most  resembled? 
•Til  >  expected,  that  in  one  of  his 

ncii:  .  .  :  <ompliment8  he  would  liken  us 
to  his  own  "  Iwautiful  France ;"  but  the  smil- 
ing veteran  replied  :  "  Sir,  tlie  American  is  an 
Englishman  reinforced!"  To  the  original 
Anglo-Saxon  stock,  with  the  old  British  har- 
dihood and  steadiness  stimulated  by  freer  scope 
for  activity,  there  is  an  in-wrought  re-inforce- 
ment  of  the  more  mobile  and  versatile  spirits 
of  other  Kuropean  races.  Puritan,  Covenant- 
er, Uuguenot,  Hollander,  and  many  more,  have 
mixed  their  firmness,  their  vivacity,  their  piety 
and  other  active  ingredients  in  our  national 
composition.  Our  people  have  a  wondrous 
talent  for  self-government  and  social  organiza- 
tion anywhere,  and  at  the  shortest  notice.  So 
completely  is  the  government  the  offspring  of 
the  public  sentiment  and  will,  that  if  the  mat- 
ter were  to  be  put  to  the  vote  to-morrow,  not 
a  thousand  ballots  among  millions  would  be 
cast  in  favor  of  any  essential  change  in  the 
form  of  government.  Such  a  government  has 
no  need  of  any  standing  armv  to  maintain  it 
at  home,  and  we  have  never  had  one  for  that 
pnrpoee.  Where,  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  is 
there  a  form  of  government  so  firmly  and 
safelv  established  as  ours  ?  It  is  wonderful  to 
aee  the  peaceful  party  revolutions,  which,  even 
after  the  most  violent  political  agitations,  are 
80  calmy  acquiesced  in,  at  our  great  periodic 
elections.  The  power  of  the  nation  is  trans- 
ferred to  new  hands  at  the  bidding  of  a  mar 
jority  of  one  vote,  as  quietly  as  at  that  of  a 
million.  In  all  the  settled  parts  of  the  country, 
the  authority  of  the  law  and  the  magistracy  is 
acquiesced  in  by  the  native  population,  with- 
out a  thought  of  resistance,  and  without  a 
show  of  force.  All  the  mobs  and  popular  tu- 
mults which  have  occurred  in  the  Atlantic 
States  for  the  last  half  century,  if  taken  to- 
gether, would  not  equal  for  violence  the  famous 
"no-popery  mob,"  headed  by  Lord  George 
Gordon,  at  London,  in  1780. 

Our  nation  has  proved  itself  able  thus  far, 
by  the  Divine  blessing,  to  absorb  and  assimi- 
taU  a  vast  amount  of  foreign  immigration.  It 
abounds  in  inventive  talent,  in  the  faculty  of 
adaptation  to  circumstances,  in  practical  effi- 
ciency, and  in  tireless  industry.  As  such  a 
people  advance  in  wealth  and  industry,  it 
must  roll  an  enormous  weight  into  the  "  ba- 
lance of  power,"  among  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  The  popular  voice  uttered  from  this 
contment,  will,  ere  long,  speak  in  tones  of  de- 


cision in  the  arbitrament  of  the  great  political 
questions  which  agitate  the  world.  May  it 
be  a  voice  of  truth  and  love,  as  well  as  power ! 

VIII.  Education. — The  statistics  of  this 
subject  are  so  great  iis  to  crowd  themselves 
out  of  the  narrow  space  that  could  be  afforded 
here.  We  have  160  colleges  and  theological 
seminaries,  all  but  14  of  them  Protestant ;  and 
with  very  few  exceptions,  and  these  not  infi- 
del, under  decidedly  evangelical  auspices. 
They  have  20,000  students  under  more  than 
1,000  professors'"  In  at  least  12  of  the  States, 
the  public  school  system,  which  offers  gratui- 
tous instruction  to  every  child,  is  established 
by  law.  In  many  of  these  States  it  is  all  but 
impossible  to  find  an  adult  native  of  either  sex 
who  cannot  read  and  write.  This  system  of 
free  schools  is  constantly  rising  in  efficiency,  in 
importance,  and  in  public  estimation.  It  is 
spreading  into  the  States  contiguous ;  and  it 
can  hardly  be,  in  course  of  time,  but  it  will 
be  adopted  in  all.  In  the  new  States  of  the 
West  there  are  reservations  of  the  public  lands 
set  apart  for  this  object,  which  will  form  a 
most  munificent  endowment.  In  the  Sunday- 
schools  sustained  by  different  branches  of  the 
church,  3,000,000  of  children  and  youth  are 
taught  '•  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of 
God."  It  is  a  most  gratifying  fact,  that  this 
immense  array  of  means  for  the  right  training 
of  "  young  America "  is  almost  wholly  ad- 
ministered by  men  of  high  moral  feeling,  and 
generally  of  strong  religious  prinpiple.  But 
even  this  mighty  enginery  for  mental  discipline 
will  not  suffice  for  the  safety  of  our  country, 
unless  true  religion  shall  keep  pace  with  its 
progress,  and  guide  it  to  right  results. 

IX.  Religion. — The  grand  idea  of  full  reli- 
gious liberty  is  to  leave  religion  entirely  to  it- 
self, except  so  far  as  it  may  be  necessary  to 
protect  it  from  violence.  This  idea  was  early 
introduced,  and  in  time  won  complete  ascendan- 
cy. It  has  now  few  enemies,  unless  it  may  be 
among  the  more  bigoted  part  of  the  adherents 
to  the  Romish  hierarchy.  We  have  now  ra- 
ther more  than  12  Protestants  to  every  Papist, 
and  this  majority  is  ever  increasing.  The 
spirit  of  Popery  is  so  contrary  to  the  spirit  of 
our  people,  and  of  their  history  and  institu- 
tions, that  Eomanism  would  rapidly  dry  up 
but  for  the  streams  of  immigration  running 
over  from  so-called  Catholic  Europe.  Their 
best-informed  ecclesiastics  represent  that  one- 
half  of  all  the  children  born  in  this  country, 
fall  off  from  their  communion.  So,  too,  infi- 
delity, which  has  never  been  very  prevalent  in 
this  country,  has  been  on  the  wane  ever  since 
the  beginning  of  this  century,  among  the  in- 
born population ;  and  like  Popery,  depends 
mostly  for  its  continuance  on  foreign  impor- 
tation. 

The  supporting  of  religion  on  the  voluntary 
system  has  worked  well.  Never,  since  the 
primitive  age  of  the  martyrs,  has  there  been 
an  experiment  so  successful  and  instructive. 


UNITED  STATES. 


757 


Nothing  tries  the  strength  of  this  system  more 
thoroughly  than  the  building  of  churches  to 
meet  the  growing  wants  of  the  people.     And 
yet  the  careful  estimates  of  Dr.  Baird  show- 
that  more  than  3,000,000  of  dollars  are  ex- 
pended for  this  purpose  alone  in  each  year. 
The  last  census  proves  that  there  were  then 
over  36,000  church  edifices  by  actual  enumer- 
ation ;  and  also  that  in  these  there  were  al- 
most 14,000,000  of  sittings,  sufficient,  if  these 
buildings  were  located  as  the  population  is,  to 
accommodate  nearly  two-thirds  of  it,  which  is 
quite  as  much  as  could  be  in  attendance  at  one 
time.     The  amount  thus  voluntarily  invested 
in   church-property  was  over  $86,000,000   in 
1850 ;  and,  by  this  time,  can  be  little,  if  at  all, 
short  of  $100,000,000.    By  careful  estimates, 
it  is  found  that  during  the  last  year  above  nine 
millions  of  dollars  were  expended  in  the  cur- 
rent expenses  of  the  churches,  such  as  the  sus- 
tentatiou    of  ministers,   &c. ;    three    millions 
more  in  the  erection  of  new  houses  of  worship ; 
and  two   millions  and  a  half  in  the  various 
missionary  and  benevolent  operations  of  all 
denominations ;  making  in  all  a  self-imposed 
tax  of  not  far  from  fifteen  millions  of  dollars 
for  the  support  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  spread 
of  its  institutions.    So  much  for  leaving  the 
Gospel  to  its  own  vital  resources,  and  to  the 
blessing  of  Him,  who  gave  it  to  make  men 
liberal  and  free  like  Himself.    These  expendi- 
tures have  not  been  in  vain.    God  has  made 
them,  as  we  shall  see,  of  great  effect  in  pro- 
moting the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  nation. 
Yet,  the  sum  so  expended  the  last  year,  great 
as  it  seems  in  the  aggregate,  is  not  burthen- 
some  by  any  means.    It  is  but  one  dollar  upon 
every  four  hundred   of  the  valuation  of  im- 
proved lands,  or  one  quarter  of  one  per  cent. 
It  is  but  one  dollar  upon  every  sixty  of  the 
valuation  of  only  the  agricultural  products  of 
the  country  for  the  same  year. 

In  the  first  fifty  years  of  this  century,  the 
population  of  the  United  States  increased  a 
little  less  than  fourfold  and  a  half.  During  the 
same  time,  as  appears  by  their  several  statis- 
tics, the  number  of  members  in  the  various 
churches  called  Evangelical,  has  increased 
nearly  tenfold.  That  is  to  say,  the  church 
membership  has  increased  more  than  twice  as 
fast  as  the  population.  If  these  rates  of  in- 
crease shall  continue  the  same  for  the  next 
fifty  years,  the  whole  adult  population  of  the 
United  States  must  be  included  in  these 
churches  before  the  century  is  ended.  Where 
is  there  in  the  world  another  field  which  can 
show  such  wonderful  religious  prosperity  ?  "  It 
is  the  Lord's  doing ;  and  it  is  marvelous  in  our 
eyes !" 

X.  Pauperism  and  Crime.— In  the  year  end- 
ing June  1st,  1850,  the  whole  number  who  re- 
ceived aid  as  paupers  in  the  United  States  was 
135,000.  These  were  less  than  one  in  a  hun- 
dred of  the  free  population  ;  and  of  these  above 
68,000,  or  more  than  half,  were  foreigners. 


The  native  paupers  were  not  two-fifths  of  one 
per  cent,  in  the  population.     This   indicat*.^ 
that  there  is  an  abundance  of  the  means  of 
subsistence  here ;  and  that  this  ought  to  take 
away  from  the  inducement  to  commit  crimes 
against  property.    The  whole  number  of  per- 
sons convicted  of  crime  during  the  year  above- 
mentioned,  was  about  27,000.    This  is  a  gad 
array ;  and  such  a  host  of  culprits  may  seem 
to  indicate  a  low  standard  of  morality.     But, 
happily  for  the  reputation  of  our  country,  it  is, 
found   that  14,000   of  these  malefactors  are 
foreign-born  ;  so  that  there  are  eight  times  as 
many  criminals  from  our  foreign,  as  from  our 
native,  population,  in  proportion  to  the  num- 
ber of  each.  Very  many  of  the  native  criminals 
are  the  children  of  foreign-born  parents,  and 
ought  to  be  classed  with  those  who  trained 
them.    Our  stock,  both  of  paupers  and  crimi- 
nals, would  be  admirably  small,  were  it  not 
for  the  constant  supplies  with  which  we  are 
furnished  by  the  nations  of  the  old  world. 

Most  of  the  European  immigrants,  (seven- 
eighths  of  them.)  settle  in  the  free  States  ;  and 
hence  the  larger  proportion  of  poverty  and 
crime  to  be  found  in  those  States.  The  im- 
migrants are  also  prone  to  locate  themselves 
in  the  large  cities  of  the  free  North  and  West, 
whose  alms-houses  and  jails  are  almost  wholly 
filled  by  the  imbecility  and  demoralization  of 
the  lower  orders  of  European  society.  Thus, 
in  one  of  the  largest  cities  of  New  Jersey,  it 
was  found,  last  year,  that  all  the  inmates  of  the 
poor-house  were  Irish  ;  and  of  a  larger  num- 
ber who  received  outrdoor  relief,  all  were 
foreigners  but  two.  Of  4,000  charged  with 
minor  offences  before  the  city  police,  only  80 
were  native  Americans. 

The  prospects  of  our  large  cities  would  be 
gloomy  indeed,  were  it  not  for  the  moral  ener- 
gy of  the  resident  natives,  and  their  prompt- 
ness to  aid  in  the  execution  of  the  laws.  There 
is  also  at  work  among  them  a  vast  amount  of 
organized  benevolent  effort,  working  with 
silent  and  unrecognized  power,  but  with  the 
noblest  results,  for  tiie  relief  of  the  miserable, 
the  instruction  of  the  ignorant,  the  reclaiming 
of  the  profligate,  and  the  prevention  of  crime. 
Numerous  voluntary  associations  for  these 
purposes,  besides  the  various  churches,  are  en- 
gaged in  these  objects  with  remarkable  wis- 
dom and  zeal ;  and  the  ramifications  of  their 
influence  reach  all  parts  of  the  mass  of  suflfer- 
ing,  ignorance,  and  vice. 

The  temperance  reform,  which  began  here 
some  25  or  30  years  ago,  has  wrought  its  won- 
ders ;  and,  ere  this,  would  have  won  what 
might  be  called  a  complete  victory,  but  for  the 
resistance  it  meets  from  the  Irish  and  Gerniana 
among  us.  Already  several  of  the  States 
have  adopted  and  rigorously  enforced  a  system 
of  prohibitory  legislation,  aiming  at  the  en- 
tire suppression  of  the  traffic  in  intoxicating 
liquors  as  a  beverage.  Other  Statt^s  are  on 
the  point  of   adopting  the  same  protective 


758 


UNITED  BRETHREN'S  MISSIONS. 


polky  against  this  prolific  source  of  penary 

Amoog  the  means  by  which  it  has  pleased 
QodmaJnly  to  sustain  the  spiritual  lire  and 
■oral  health  of  this  great  and  growing  nation, 
tiM  hiffbeat  place  must  be  as8igne<l  to  what 
■re  oafled  "  revivals  of  religion."  The  nnmcr- 
kal  statistics  of  these  can  only  be  tabled  by 
veeording  angels,  and  fully  published  at  the 
JMlnieit  dav.  But  the  men  among  us  best 
miSified  to  judge  of  their  power,  extent,  and 
inutB,  do  not  hi>sitate  to  speak  of  them  as  the 
nlration  of  America. — Rev.  A.  W.  McClure. 

UNITED  BRETHREN'S  MISSIONS: 
Early  in  the  hi.story  of  the  Moravian  Brethren 
they  were  baptized  with  the  missionary  spirit. 
Count  Zinzondorf,  having  resigned  his  civil 
dignities  and  become  a  minister  of  the  Breth- 
ren's Church,  devoted  himself,  with  his  whole 
estate,  to  the  diffusion  of  the  Gospel,  in  con- 
nection with  that  church.  Having  been, 
through  false  accusations,  banished  from  Sax- 
ony, on  receiving  the  elector's  order  to  quit  the 
kingdom,  he  made  the  following  characteristic 
rvmark,  which  contains  the  germe  of  the  future 
missionary  history  of  the  Moravian  Church  : 
•  Now  we  must  collect  a  Congregation  of  Pil- 
grims, and  train  laborers  to  go  forth  into  all 

THE  WORLD,  AND    PREACH  ChRIST  AND    HIS  SAL- 

TATio.v."  "  Viewing  the  Brethren's  Church  as 
a  society  revived  by  the  Lord,  for  the  special 
purpose  of  diffusing  the  Gospel  throughout  the 
world,  Zinzendorf  considered  himself  solemnly 
pledcred  to  see  to  it,  that  this,  its  destination, 
should  be  carefully  attended  to,  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  faithfully  executed.  When  banished 
from  Saxony,  he  saw  no  other  way  for  obtain- 
ing the  proposed  end,  than  by  having,  besides 
his  own  family,  those  persons  constantly  about 
him  who  were  under  preparation  for  service  in 
the  church.  These  were  occasionally  joined 
by  missionaries  who  had  returned  from  pagan 
conntries,  and  by  Brethren,  who  had  come 
back  from  their  deputations  to  different  parts 
of  Christendom,  and  who  mostly  remained 
with  the  Count,  till  they  resumed  their  former 
employment,  or  received  new  appointments. 
These  persons  constituted  the  Congregation  of 
Pilgrrims,  which,  strictly  speaking,  was  never 
stationary ;  for,  whenever  the  Count  changed 
his  place  of  residence,  the  greater  part  of  the 
company  followed  him.  Special  attention  was 
paid  to  the  design  of  their  Institution ;  and 
for  tills  purpose,  days  and  even  weeks  were 
sometimes  occupied  in  conferences,  for  deliber- 
ating on  subjects  bearing  on  the  enlargement 
of  Christ's  kingdom." 

When  the  refugees  on  Count  Zinzendorf's 
estates,  scarcely  amounting  to"  GOO  persons— 
where  they  bad  themselves  just  found  rest  from 
soffering.  and  were  beginning  to  build  a  church 
and  habitations,  where  there  had  previously 
been  a  wilderness, — the  missionary  spirit  was 
sent  down  upon  them  with  such  constraininrr 
mflueuce.  that  within  the  short  period  of  ten 


years,  they  had  sent  missionaries  to  St.  Tho- 
mas  and  St.  Croix  in  the  West  Indies,  to 
Greenland,  to  the  Indians  in  North  and  South 
America,  to  Lapland,  to  Tartary,  to  Algiers, 
to  Western  Africa,  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
and  to  Ceylon ;  as  they  did  subsequently  to 
others  of  the  West  India  Islands,  to  Persia,  to 
Egypt,  to  Labrador,  and  to  India.  In  several 
of  these  countries,  their  attempts  to  Christian- 
ize and  civilize  have  proved  unsuccessful.  In 
some  instances  the  missionaries  sent  out  never 
reached  the  pfaces  of  their  destination  ;  and 
in  others,  the  political  state  of  the  country,  to 
which  they  went,  rendered  their  immediate  re- 
turn an  imperious  duty ;  and  in  several  cases, 
they  were  compelled  to  relinquish  their  benev- 
olent designs,  after  years  of  patient  perseve- 
rance and  heroic  fortitude,  spent  in  fruitless 
endeavors  to  impress  the  wretched  natives  with 
the  importance  of  the  Gospel.  Going  forth  as 
hardy  pioneers,  who  penetrate  the  thickest 
forest,  unrestrained  by  dangers  and  privations, 
their  eaxlier  missionaries  submitted  to  the  most 
painful  sacrifices  in  order  to  communicate  the 
blessings  of  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen. 

The  missions  of  the  United  Brethren  in  for- 
eign countries  had  their  origin  in  a  Providen- 
tial circumstance,  which  directed  the  attention 
of  the  Brethren  to  the  condition  of  slaves  in 
the  West  Indies.  Count  Zinzendorf  being  in 
Copenhagen  in  1731,  some  of  his  domestics  be- 
came acquainted  with  a  black  man  named  An- 
thony, who  told  them  of  the  sufferings  of  the 
slaves  on  the  island  of  St.  Thomas,  and  of  their 
earnest  desire  to  be  instructed  in  the  way  of 
salvation.  The  Count  was  deeply  affected  by 
the  statements  of  AntlK)ny,  and  on  his  return 
to  Herrnhut  mentioned  them  to  his  congrega- 
tion. The  zeal  of  the  Brethren  was  awakened 
for  the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  and  they  de- 
termined, at  whatever  cost,  to  send  a  mission  to 
the  slaves,  in  whose  condition  they  had  become 
so  deeply  interested ;  and  in  the  following  year 
two  brethren  sailed  for  the  Danish  Islands. 
And  such  was  their  devotion  to  the  work  that, 
having  heard  that  they  could  not  otherwise 
have  access  to  the  slaves,  they  went  with  the 
determination  of  submitting  to  be  themselves 
enslaved,  that  they  might  have  the  opportunity 
of  teaching  the  poor  captive  Africans  the  way 
of  deliverance  from  the  bondage  of  sin  and 
Satan.  Although  this  sacrifice  was  not  re- 
quired of  them,  they  still  maintained  them- . 
selves  by  manual  labor,  under  a  tropical  sun, 
employing  every  opportunity  for  conversing 
with  the  heathen.  A  similar  zeal  characterized 
the  first  missionaries  to  Greenland,  in  1733. 
While  at  Copenhagen,  Count  Pless,  who  was 
much  interested  for  them,  asked  them  how 
they  intended  to  procure  a  livelihood  in  Green- 
land ?  Unacquainted  with  the  situation  and 
climate  of  the  country,  the  missionaries  replied, 
"  By  the  labor  of  our  hands,  and  God's  bless- 
ing ;"  adding,  that  they  would  build  a  house, 
and  cultivate  a  piece  of  land.,  not  wishing  to 


UNITED  BRETHREN'S  MISSIONS. 


769 


be  burdensome  to  any  one.  Being  told,  there 
was  no  wood  fit  for  building  in  that  desolate 
region,  they  said  :  "  In  that  case  we  will  dig  a 
hole  in  the  earth,  and  lodge  there."  So  suc- 
cessful has  this  mission  been,  that  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  Greenland  population  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  settlements  has  been  con- 
verted to  Christianity. 

The  following  short  notice  of  the  Doctrine 
and  Constitution  of  the  Moravian  Brethren's 
Church,  as  far  as  they  affect  the  missions,  may 
not  be  misplaced  here.  It  is  the  constant  aim 
of  their  missionaries  to  make  known  "  Christ 
and  Him  crucified."  Their  motto  is:  "To 
humble  the  sinner,  to  exalt  the  Saviour,  and  to 
promote  holiness." 

The  internal  regulations  are  the  same  in 
every  mission.  Such  heathen  as  from  the  hear- 
ing of  the  Gospel,  or  the  private  conversations 
of  the  missionaries,  are  led  to  serious  reflec- 
tions, and  desire  their  names  to  be  put  down, 
for  further  instruction,  are  called  new  people, 
and  reckoned  to  the  class  of  catechumens.  If 
they  remain  steadfast  in  their  resolutions  to 
forsake  heathenism,  and  desire  baptism,  they 
are  considered  as  candidates  for  that  ordinance ; 
and  after  previous  instruction,  are  baptized. 
If  their  conduct  proves  consistent  with  their 
professions,  they  at  length  become  candidates 
for  the  communion,  and  finally  communicants. 
When  the  number  of  converts  is  very  large, 
assistants  are  chosen,  who  have  particular  dis- 
tricts assigned  them,  in  which  they  visit  the 
people,  attend  to  the  poor,  the  sick  and  infirm, 
and  are  occasionally  employed  to  hold  meet- 
ings, and  to  preach  at  the  outposts. 

The  external  regulations  vary  in  the  differ- 
ent missions.  Among  free  heathen,  as  in  Green- 
land, North  America,  South  Africa,  &c.,  most 
of  the  converts  live  together  in  regular  settle- 
ments, and  thus  enjoy  the  advantages  of  vari- 
ous regulations  for  promoting  their  progress  in 
spiritual  knowledge,  and  in  civilization,  which 
regulations  are  impracticable  in  missions 
among  slaves. 

Church  discipline  is  exercised  without  re- 
spect of  persons ;  and  consists  according  to 
the  nature  of  the  offence,  either  in  exclusion 
from  the  meetings  of  the  baptized,  or  in  sus- 
pension from  the  Lord's  Supper,  or  in  total 
separation  from  the  church. 

The  general  superintendence  of  the  missions 
is  vested  in  the  synods  of  the  church.  But,  as 
these  are  convened  only  occasionally,  the  el- 
ders' conierence  has  the  oversight  of  the  mis- 
sion. The  missionary  service  is  in  the  strictest 
sense,  voluntary.  Any  person  desirous  of  en- 
gaging in  it,  makes  known  his  wishes  to  the 
directors;  and  if,  after  being  informed  of  the 
difficulties  and  dangers  attending  the  life  of  a 
missionary,  his  resolution  remains  fixed,  he  is 
considered  a  candidate  for  the  service.  Should 
he  eventually  feel  any  reluctance,  he  is  at  full 
liberty  either  to  accept  or  decline  any  proposal 
or  call,  which  may  be  oflered  him. 


The  Brethren's  Church  has  no  penuanent 
fund  for  the  missions.  They  are  maintained 
by  voluntary  contributions  collected  mostly  at 
stated  times  in  their  congregations  ;  and  also 
by  the  many  female,  young  men's,  and  juvenile 
missionary  societies  in  the  church.  Not  able, 
however,  to  raise  one  half  of  the  sum  annually 
required,  friends,  and  societies  in  other  Chris- 
tian communities  have  hitherto  been  most 
liberal  in  their  donations. 

The  Moravians  now  have  17  settlements  and 
congregations  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  with 
46  home  mission  stations.  The  aggregate 
number  of  persons  in  these  congregations  is 
5,900.  They  have  institutions  of  learning  in 
Nisky,  Gnadenbcrg,  Gnadenfrey,  Neusalz,  Neu- 
wied,  Koenigsfcld,  and  Zeyst.  There  is  also  a 
high-school  at  Nisky,  and  a  college  for  train- 
ing candidates  for  the  ministry  at  (inadenfeld. 
In  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  they  have  34 
settlements  and  congregations,  with  six  home 
mission  stations  in  Ireland,  and  a  membership 
of  5,000.  They  have  institutions  for  the  edu- 
cation of  youth  at  Fulneck,  Gomesal,  Mirfield, 
Ockbrook,  Bedford,  Tytherton  and  Gracehill. 
In  the  United  States,  they  have  28  settlements 
and  congregations,  with  home  missionary  sta- 
tions in  Philadelphia,  Green  Bay,  Sturgeon 
Bay,  among  the  Norwegians,  New  York,  Olney, 
and  Kichland.  Their  institutions  of  learning 
in  the  United  States  are  at  Nazareth,  Bethle- 
hem, Litiz,  and  Salem. 

They  now  have  missions  in  Greenland,  Lor 
brador,  Danish  West  India  Islands,  Jamaica, 
Antigua,  St.  Kitts,  Barbadoes,  Tobago,  Suri- 
nam, South  Africa,  Australia,  and  the  North 
American  Indians. 

Missions  have  been  undertaken  by  the  Bre- 
thren, at  various  periods,  and  abandoned  as 
unsuccessful,  in  Lapland,  in  Siberia,  among 
the  Jews  in  Amsterdam,  among  the  gypsies ;  in 
Guinea,  in  Egypt,  in  Tranquebar,  in  Ceylon, 
in  Persia,  in  the  AV'est  Indies,  and  in  South 
America. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  present 
state  of  their  missions  : 


Uission 

6 

1 

1 

MISSIONS. 

anes. 

•5 

a 

i 

s 

i 

1 

.1 

« 

1 
S 

a 

.1 

0. 

a 

1 

i 

S 

& 

>; 

d 

& 

6 

6 

£ 

Danish  W.I. . 

15 

10 

10,087 

1782 

Greenland.. .. 

14 

9 

2,054    .. 

.. 

1738 

N.  A.  IndiiiUi. 

g 

7 

491    .. 

,. 

.. 

1734 

Surinam 

29 

26 

18,831     .. 

17S& 

Soutli  Africa. 

27 

•27;    0,6''0  1882  2210 

1733 

6«» 

ITM 

Jamaica 

la 

18 

i7!ia,;ui   .. 

.. 

.. 

17M 

Antigua 

Barbadoes  . . . 

10 
6 

9    8,0 Jl 
6    3.198 

'• 

•• 

1766 
17«6 

Labrador 

17 

11     1,326 

,, 

,, 

1770 

St.  Kitts 

6 

5    4.045 

, . 

.. 

1777 

Tobago 

8 

8j  2,io:j 

17M 

Nicaragua..., 

8 

ll         20 

nm 

Australia 

2 

..       .. 

IMfl 

_ 

-^—. 

— — 

TotaU 

7--IJ50 

!3l  -0,047  lf«*(-"«lOj  1738  6985 

reo 


AIAhKTY— WAIROA. 


Tb«  whole  namlxT  of  missionurics  employed 
by  the  United  Brethrfn,  from  Uie  eommence- 

ment  .-'•'-  rations,  is  1947,-1100  males 

uid  '  C43  of  these  have  died  in 

fH..  I.  V  :  9  of  whom  have  deceased 

during  service,  11  on  the 

.  2  on  the  way  home  ;  22  met 

•viuiclv  end,  mostly  by  shipwreck  ; 

•U'red  bv  the  Esquimaux  in  Lab- 

r  '  >y  the  Indians  near  Gnaden- 

1  <vc  shot  or  burned  to  death 

ou  luv  :,;....>.w^  ,.  in  North  America. 

That  80  small  a  body  of  Christians  should 
h«Te  accomplished  so  much  missionary  labor, 
18  truly  wonderful.  Yet,  the  fact  does  but 
show  what  might  be  done  by  the  whole  Pro- 
tft^tjint  Church,  were  they  to  enter  upon  the 
work  of  evangelizing  the  world,  with  the  same 
WDgleucss  of  purpose  and  spirit  of  consecration 
which  have,  from  the  beginning,  distinguished 
this  little  baud  of  brethren. 

We  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  ag- 
gTt^te  receipts  of  the  United  Brethren's  Mis- 
sions from  their  commencement.  We  give 
the  income  of  several  years,  which  will  enable 
the  reader  to  judge  of  the  average  receipts  : 


1848 £12,442 

1M9 11,043 

1860 14,026 

1862 13,061 


Ayeragefor  four  years,  £12,640. 


The  London  Association  in  aid  of  the  Missions 
of  the  United  Brethren,  which  has  existed  for 
thirty-six  years,  contributes  to  their  funds  be- 
tween £4,000  and  £5,000  annually,  which  is 
included  in  the  amounts  above  stated.  Con- 
sidering the  extent  of  the  Brethren's  opera- 
tions, it  seems  unaccountable  that  they  should 
be  able  to  maintain  them  with  so  small  an  ex- 

Senditure.  They  have,  however,  been  con- 
acted,  80  far  as  practicable,  on  the  self-sus- 
taining principle.  Their  missions  are  "  settle- 
ments," containing  farmers  and  artizans,  who 
live  on  lands  belonging  to  the  mission,  and,  by 
their  labor,  contribute  to  its  support.  With 
so  small  a  body,  possessing  such  slender  means, 
this  plan  appears  to  have  been  a  matter  of  ne- 
cessity, like  that  of  Paul's  laboring  with  his 
hands  while  preaching  to  the  heathen.  But, 
with  the  wealth  now  in  the  possession  of  the 
Protestant  churches,  it  must  be  the  height  of 
injustice  to  send  a  man  to  preach  the  Gospel 
to  the  heathen  "  at  his  own  charges ; "  as  it  is, 
ateo,  the  poorest  economy  to  employ  men  capa- 
ble of  doing  missionary  work,  iu  laboring  for 
their  own  bread.— //o/mes's  History  of  the  Mis- 
nom  of  the  United  Brethren ;  Moravian  Mis- 
nonary  Alias. 

VALVERTY  (OODOOPITTY)  :    A  sta. 

tion  of  the  American  Board  in  Ceylon. 

^f  J;\^iKMAN'S  LAND  :  See  Tasmania. 

V  AKAN  Y  :    A  station  of  the  American 

«»rd  in  the  Jaffna  district,  Ceylon,  a  little' 

•east  of  Oodooville. 

VARTABED:    A    religious   teacher,   or 


doctor  of  divinity,  amon^  the  Armenians. 
This  degree  is  conferred  with  the  solemnities 
of  ordination,  and  those  who  receive  it  are 
appealed  to  in  all  religious  debates.  They 
preach  in  the  churches,  reconcile  differences, 
and  exert  themselves  to  maintain  the  Arme- 
nian creed.  They  are  supported  by  the  volun- 
tary contributions  of  their  hearers,  and  of 
those  who  apply  to  them  for  the  decision  of 
any  religious  question. 

VEDAS  :  The  sacred  books  of  the  Hin- 
doos, believed  to  be  revealed  by  God,  and 
called  immortal.  They  are  considered  as  the 
fountain  of  all  knowledge,  human  and  divine. 
They  are  four  in  number,  the  principal  part 
being  that  which  explains  the  duties  of  man  in 
methodical  arrangement.  The  fourth  book 
contains  a  system  of  divine  ordinances. — Asi- 
otic  Researches. 

VEWA :  A  small  island,  about  3  miles  in 
circumference,  in  the  Feejee  group,  having 
every,  variety  of  hill  and  dale  in  miniature. 
It  is  nearly  covered  with  bread-fruit  trees  and 
eve,  a  kind  of  chestnut,  the  flowers  of  which 
have  an  odor  like  the  violet,  that  fills  the 
whole  island  with  its  fragrance.  Population, 
150.    Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. 

VICTORIA  :  The  chief  city  of  Hong- 
Kong,  China,  situated  in  lat.  22°  16'  N.,  and 
long.  1140  8'  E.     (See  China.) 

VIZAGAPATAM:  A  station  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society,  situated  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  Hindostan,  in  the  Northern 
Circars,  about  500  miles  south-west  of  Calcutta, 
and  north-east  of  Madras  about  the  same  dis- 
tance. 

WADAGAUM  :  A  town  in  Hindostan, 
30  miles  south  of  Ahmednuggur, — became 
a  station  of  the  American  Board  in  1845. 

WADESVILLE  :  A  Karen  village,  near 
Tavoy,  in  Burmah,  named  for  Rev.  Dr.  Wade, 
the  missionary.  It  is  an  out-station  of  the 
Tavoy  Mission  of  the  American  Baptist  Union. 

WAGENMAKER  VALLEY  :  See  Wel- 
lington. 

WAIALUA :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  Oahu. 

WAIANAE  :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  Oahu. 

WAIMEA  :  One  of  the  three  first  stations 
of  the  American  Board  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  situated  on  the  north-west  coast  of 
Kaui.  Also,  an  interior  station  on  the  island 
of  Hawaii. 

WAIKANAE  :  A  station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  in  New-Zealand. 

WAIOLI :  A  station  of  the  American 
Board,  in  the  Sandwich  Islands,  on  the  island 
of  Kauai. 

WAIROA  :  A  station  of  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  New-Zealand,  situated  on 
the  shore  of  Hawke  Bay.  It  is  a  very  pretty 
station,  with  a  beautiful  river  winding  through 
an  extensive  plain,  and  communicating  with  a 
chain  of  inland  lakes. 


Hi 

n 


^^  0?  thb"^^^ 
TJITIVBRSITTl 


WELLINGTON— WEST   INDIES. 


761 


WELLINGTON:  Formerly,  WagenmaJcer 
Valley:  Station  of  the  Freuch  Protestant 
Society  in  South  Africa,  30  miles  north-east  of 
Cape  Town.  Inhabitants,  7,000  or  8,000  free 
neg-roes,  with  many  descendants  of  French 
Huguenot  refugees.  Also  a  station  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society  in  New-Zealand, 
having  a  European  population  of  2,500. 

WELSH  CALVINISTIG  METHODIST 
FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  :— 
The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodists  arose  during 
the  revival  of  religion  in  England  under  Wes- 
ley and  Whitefiefd ;  chiefly  from  the  devoted 
labors  of  Howell  Harris,  Esq.,  of  Trcvecca,  in 
Brecknockshire.    Having  obtained  peace  with 
God  himself,  he  began  a  course  of  missionary 
labt)r  in  his  native  Wales,  then  sunk  down  in 
formalism  and  impiety.    He  visited  from  house 
to  house,  and  preached  in  the  open  air  to  thou- 
sands, who  were  drawn  by  the  novelty  of  the 
scene  and  the  burning  zeal  of  the  preacher. 
God  owned  his  word,  and  great  numbers  began 
to  be  aroused  to  seek  after  God ;  and,  when 
they  had  obtained,  "  like  precious  faith  "  in 
Christ  Jesus,  they  joined  their  efforts  to  those 
of  their  ^  beloved  teacher,  and  thus  the  work 
spread  like  fire  among  the  dry  stubble.    In  a 
few  years,  Mr.  Harris  had  established  300  so- 
cieties or  churches  in  South  Wales.      Several 
clergymen  of  the    Episcopal   Church  joined 
themselves  to  him,  and  the  great  work  operated 
like  the  Reformation  in  Scotland,  or  Wesley- 
anism  in  England.      Mr.  Harris  and  his  asso- 
ciates itinerated  through  the  country,  so  that 
in  1742  he  had  10  clergymen,  and  nearly  50 
lay  preachers  helping  him.    In  the  mean  time, 
North  Wales  began  to  be  aroused  in  a  similar 
manner.    The  Rev.  Thomas  Charles  of  Bala, 
afterwards  one  of  the  founders  of  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  was,  towards  the 
dlose  of  this  century,  a  prominent  instrument 
in  this  great  work  of  God.    In  1811,  the  socie- 
ties formed  themselves  into  an  independent  con- 
nection with  4  polity  similar  to  the  English  Wes- 
ieyans,  but  differing  from  them,  as  their  name 
imports,  in  some  doctrinal  views.    In  1853  they 
had  207  ministers,  234  local  preachers,  and 
58,577  members. 

Previous  to  1840,  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  Me- 
thodists, operated  through  the  London  Alission- 
arij  Society  ;  but,  in  May  of  that  year,  an  as- 
sociation was  formed  among  them  for  sending 
missionaries  to  the  heathen,  and  in  November 
following,  a  mission  was  commenced  in  the 
north-east  part  of  Bengal  among  the  Kassias, 
a  hill  tribe.  Besides  this  mission,  they  have 
a  mission  station  in  Brittany,  south  of  France 
— the  language  of  that  country  being  a  sister 
dialect  of  the  Welsh.  The  Bretons  themselves 
are  a  branch  of  the  Welsh  nation.  The  Cal- 
vinistic Methodists  have  also  a  mission  to  the 
Jews,  which  is  now  served  by  the  Rev.  John 
Mills.  The  General  Secretary  of  this  society 
is  the  Rev.  J.  Roberts,  12  Huskisson-st.,  Liver- 
pool, England. — Prize  Essay  Jctliro ;  Census  of 


Religioits  Worship  in  England  and  Wales,  by 
H.  Mann  Esq.;  and  Annual  Reports.— Hkv!  W. 

liUTLFR 

WEST  INDIES  AND  GUIANA  :  We 

have  connected  Guiana  with  the  West  Indies 
because  they  are  thus  connected  in  missionary 
operations.  The  following  table,  which  ex- 
hibits a  list  of  the  West  India  Islands,  with 
the  date  of  settlement,  population,  &c.,  is  taken, 
with  some  modification,  from  the  '•  Missionary 
Guide  Book,"  published  in  London  in  1846. 
The  author  of  that  work  gives  as  his  authority 
as  to  the  population  of  the  British  Islands, 
Murray's  Encyclopedia  of  Geography." 


TSI,A\D3. 

to  4J 

"si 

"3:3 
1-^ 

1^ 

BRmsH. 
Barbadoes 

1624 
16-23 
1628 
1632 
1650 
1665 
1660 
1628 
1670 
1632 
1769 
1763 
1763 
1783 
1797 
1803 
1612 

1492 

1492 
1493 

1632 
1636 

16- 
16— 
1733 

1781 
1785 

120,000 
23,492 

9,250 
33,726 

3,080 
380,000 

7,731 
13,920 

4,643 

7,119 
19,375 
26,633 
23,642 
18,718 
43,678 
16,320 

8,720 

830,000 

432,000 
100,000 

114,000 

96,413 

12,000 

900 

6,080 

2,430 

31,387 

6,000 
20,000 
1,600 
8,600 

8,000 

66,000 

15,667 

9,226 

23,360 

2,300 

265,290 

4,318 

9,078 

2,127 

6,126 

11,664 

18,114 

19,009 

7,734 

17,639 

10,328 

3,314 

600,000 

198,000 
20,000 

112,000 

87,207 

10,000 

600 

4,500 
2,250 
29,164 

16,000 
■7,300 

4,000 

Nevis 

Antigua 

Anguilla 

Jamaica 

Virgin  Isles 

Tobago 

Honduras 

Montserrat 

Dominica 

St.  Vincent's 

Trinidad 

St.  Lucia 

Bermudas 

LVDKPEXDEXT. 

Hayti  or  St.  Domingo 

Spanish. 
Cuba 

Porto  ^co 

Frkxch. 
Guadaloupe 

Martinique 

Marigalante 

Deseada 

DA.V1SH. 

St.  Thomas 

St.  Jan 

St.  Croix 

Dfltai. 
St.  Martin 

St.  Eustatia 

Saba 

Curacoa 

SwEDisn. 
St.  Bartholomew 

Totals ■.. 

2,377,227 

1,449,682 

JTie  Bermudas. — These  are  a  UQnieroua  clus- 
ter of  small  islands,  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  ex- 
tending about  45  miles  from  south-west  to 
north-east,  and  having  their  northern  point  in 
long.  630  28'  W.,  and  lat.  32^  34'  N.  St 
George's,  the  principal  island,  is  about  sixteen 
miles  long,  and  three  in  breadth.  The  inhab- 
itants are  chiefly  engaged  in  shipping  and 
trade. 

Bahamas. — The    Bahama   Islands  are  the 


m 


WEST  INDIES. 


of  the  "West  Indies,  extending 
•long  th«  coMt  or  Florida  towards  Cuba. 
They  arc  400  in  number,  most  of  them  mere 
Ipcks.  About  14  of  them  arc  large;  Bahama, 
the  princii>al  one,  being  63  by  9  miles.  They 
e^}oy  a  mild,  equable,  and  delightful  climate. 
The  inhabiiants  are  chiefly  employed  in  fishing 
nnd  wrecking. 

Jamaica  is  oval-shaped,  160  miles  long  by  45 
broftd.  lUi  scenery  is  magnificent  and  delight- 
ftil  It  is  reckoned  as  one  of  the  most  roman- 
tic and  highly  diversified  countries  in  the 
world.  The  Blue  Mountains,  an  elevated 
ridge,  towering  in  some  places  nearly  8,000 
feet  above  the  sea,  run  through  the  island 
from  east  to  west 

Hat^i  is  a  very  fine  island,  lying  between 
Jamaica  and  Porto  Rico,  450  miles  long  by 
110  in  width.  In  the  centre  rises  the  lofty 
range  of  the  Cibao  mountains,  the  highest 
peak  of  which  is  9,000  feet.  These  mountains 
are  covered  with  vegetation  nearly  to  their 
summits,  from  which  descend  numerous  streamsj 
that  unite  in  four  rivers,  which  render  the 
plains  below  exceedingly  fertile.  This  island 
was  settled  about  the  middle  of  the  16th  cen- 
tury by  a  daring  band  of  French  buccaneers, 
The  French  revolution,  in  1791,  which  pro- 
claimed universal  equality,  produced  a  con 
test  between  the  white  and  free  colored  popu 
lation ;  and  while  they  were  contending,  the 
slaves  rose  and  drove  out  or  massacred 
both  classes,  and  became  possessors  of  the 
French  part  of  the  island.  Since  that  time, 
the  island  has  been  the  scene  of  successive 
revolutions  ;  and  at  the  present  time,  the 
French  part  is  governed  by  a  black  empe- 
ror, and  the  Spanish  part  is  an  independent 
republic. 

St.  Thomas  lies  in  lat.  18°  22'  N.  and  long. 
640  60'  W.,  and  is  18  miles  in  circumference, 
having  considerable  trade. 

St.  Eustatius  consists  almost  entirely  of  the 
sloping  sides  of  one  high  conical  hill,  termi- 
nating in  a  rocky  summit,  but  it  is  productive, 
and  cultivated  with  care. 

St.  Kitts  or  St.  Cliristophefs  is  peculiarly 
ragged  and  mountainous,  but  the  plain  along 
the  sea  shore  surpasses  in  richness  and  beauty 
the  other  islands. 

^  Nevis  b  a  small  but  beautiful  and  fertile 
iriand,  consisting  of  one  conical  mountain, 
about  20  miles  in  circumference. 

AtUigua  is  about  21  miles  in  length,  nearly 
the  same  in  breadth,  and  50  in  circumference. 
John's  Town,  the  capital,  is  admired  for  the 
agreeableness  of  its  situation  and  the  regula- 
rity of  its  buildings,  and  is  a  favorite  place  of 
resort 

Montserrat  is  about  9  miles  in  length,  and  as 
many  in  breadth,  about  twenty  miles  south- 
JW8t  of  Antigua;  a  beautiful  and  pleasant 

_  BarbaJoes  is  about  22  miles  in  length,  by  14 
in  breadth  ;  its  rich  plantations  being  diversi- 


fied with  gentle  hills,  which  present  a  dtflight- 
ful  landscape. 

St.  Vincent's  is  a  very  beautiful  island,  about 
24  miles  long  and  18  broad,  and  contains  the 
only  active  volcano  on  these  islands.  It  is 
said  to  contain  small  remnants  of  the  aborigi- 
nal race,  mingled  with  the  negroes. 

Grenada  is  about  20  miles  in  length  by  10 
at  its  greatest  breadth.  It  is  mountainous, 
abounding  with  streams  and  rivulets. 

Tobago  is  a  small  but  fertile  and  beautiful 
island.  The  heat  of  its  southerly  situation  is 
tempered  by  breezes  from  the  surrounding 
ocean,  while,  at  the  same  time,  it  appears  to 
be  out  of  the  track  of  those  hurricanes  which 
have  desolated  so  many  of  the  other  islands. 

Trinidad  is  separated  from  the  coast  of 
South  America  by  a  strait.  It  is  a  fertile 
island,  in  extent  next  to  Jamaica. 

British  Guiana  lies  on  the  coast  of  South 
America,  and  includes  Essequibo,  Demerara, 
and  Berbice,  or  all  the  maritime  tract  between 
the  river  Coventen,  the  western  limit  of  Su- 
rinam and  the  frontier  of  Spanish  Guiana,  at 
Cape  Nassau. 

Surinam,  on  the  coast  of  Guiana,  consti- 
tutes the  most  important  of  the  Dutch  western 
possessions.  They  have,  of  late,  made  very 
considerable  efforts  for  improvement,  and  it  is 
rising  in  importance. 

In/iabitants. — When  Columbus  first  discov- 
ered the  New  World,  he  found  the  whole  con- 
tinent and  every  island  thickly  peopled  by  dif- 
ferent classes  of  Indians.  But  within  a  few 
years  after  the  discovery  of  the  West  India 
Islands,  these  native  races  had,  for  the  greater 
part,  perished.  Millions  of  them  had  been 
swept  from  the  earth  or  sent  to  work  in  the 
mines  of  South  America,  where  they  sunk  into 
a  premature  grave,  the  victims  of  avarice  and 
cruelty.  When  the  Spaniards  found  how  rdr 
pidly  the  aboriginal  population  perished  under 
the  system  of  forced  labor  which  they  had  in- 
troduced, they  resorted  to  the  expedient  of  im- 
porting negro  slaves  from  Africa,  and  their 
example  was  soon  followed  by  the  Portuguese, 
Dutch,  French,  and  English.  At  the  present 
time,  the  population  of  Guiana  and  the  West 
Indies  consists  of  three  descriptions  of  people  : 
whites,  mixed  races,  and  negroes.  The  whites, 
or  Europeans,  chiefly  British,  consist  partly  of 
proprietors,  superintending  the  cultivation  of 
their  own  lands,  and  partly  of  agents  and 
overseers.  The  negroes  have  always  formed 
by  far  the  largest  portion  of  the  population. 
Since  the  1st  of  August,  1834,  they  have  en- 
joyed a  state  of  freedom  in  the  British  portion 
of  the  West  Indies.  As  the  negroes  are  of 
African  origin,  we  must  refer  to  Africa  for  a 
description  of  their  native  character  and 
habits. 

MISSIONS. 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society. — Antigua* 
—Nathaniel  Gilbert,  Esq.,  the  speaker  of   ' 


gucum 

1 


yji^  Of  THE 

'UBJVBRSITTl 


WEST  INDIES. 


763 


House  of  Assembly  in  Antigua,  coming  to 
England  for  the  recovery  of  his  health,  was 
led  to  attend  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Wesley, 
which  he  found  to  be  the  power  of  God  to  the 
salvation  of  his  soul.  Happy  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  Divine  favor,  and  full  of  holy  zeal, 
he  returned  to  Antigua  in  the  year  1760, 
where  he  began  to  teach  Christianity  to  the 
African  slaves,  many  of  whom,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God  upon  his  labors,  were  made  the 
Lord's  free  men.  Nearly  200  persons  were 
united  in  fellowship  under  his  superintendence. 
While  thus  usefully  and  honorably  employed, 
(though  encountering  bitter  hostility,)  he  was 
removed  by  death,  and  the  flock  he  had  ga- 
thered were  left  "  as  sheep  without  a  shep- 
herd,"' yet  they  were  not  finally  forsaken. 
John  Baxter,  of  the  royal  dock  yard  at  Chat- 
ham, who  had  been  connected  with  the  Metho- 
dist society  about  12  years,  and  had  also  for 
some  time  been  a  class-leader  and  a  local 
preacher,  was  sent  out  by  the  government  as  a 
shipwright.  He  collected  the  remains  of  the 
society,  and  writing  to  Mr.  Wesley  under  date 
of  April  2d,  1778,  he  says  :  "The  work  that 
God  began  by  Mr.  Gilbert  is  still  remaining. 
The  black  people  have  been  kept  together  by 
two  black  women,  who  have  continued  praying 
and  meeting  with  them.  I  preached  to  about 
30  on  Saturday  night  and  Sunday  morning, 
and  in  the  afternoon  to  about  400  or  500. 
The  old  members  desire  that  I  would  inform 
you,  that  you  have  many  children  in  Antigua, 
whom  you  never  saw." 

For  about  eight  years  he  continued  his  la- 
bors, working  in  the  dockyard  for  his  support. 
About  2,000  were  united  together  in  religious 
society ;  when  he  was  at  length  relieved  by 
the  arrival  of  missionaries.  In  1786,  Dr.  Coke, 
having  embarked  for  Nova  Scotia  with  three 
missionaries,  two  of  whom  were  destined  for 
North  America,  and  one  for  the  West  Indies  ; 
after  being  tossed  about  for  a  long  time  by  the 
winds  and  waves,  and  nearly  suffering  shipwreck, 
they  were  obliged  to  put  in  to  the  West  Indies, 
and  were  carried  directly  to  Antigua.  Land- 
ing on  Christmas  day,  they  met  Mr.  Baxter, 
as  he  was  going  to  conduct  public  worship. 
They  embraced  each  other  with  a  joyous  sur- 
prise; and  the  Doctor  that  day  occupied  Mr. 
Baxters  pulpit,  and  administered  the  Lord's 
Supper  to  the  people.  He  remained  about  six 
weeks  in  the  West  Indies,  and  while  there  had 
an  offer  of  a  salary  of  £500  to  remain  in  Anti- 
gua ;  but  he  was  too  intent  upon  the  spread  of 
Christ's  religion  in  the  world,  to  confine  his 
labors  to  one  place.  He  visited  several  of  the 
islands,  and  having  fixed  Mr.  Warrener  at  An- 
tigua, Mr.  Clarke  at  St.  Vincent's,  and  Mr. 
Bammet  at  St.  Christopher's,  he  sailed  for  the 
American  continent.  From  this  time  the 
Wesleyan  mission  in  the  West  Indies  was  car- 
ried on  with  increasing  success. 

1'he  mission  in  Antigua  appears  to  have  en- 
joyed for  many  years  an  almost  uninterrupted 


prosperity.  Such  was  the  importance  attached 
to  it  by  the  authorities  of  the  island,  that  in 
the  year  1795,  when  they  dreaded  arj  attack 
from  the  French,  the  missionary  was  requested 
to  organize  a  military  corps  from  the  members 
of  his  society  to  assist  in  defending  the  island. 
This  request  was  promptly  responded  to  by 
both  the  missionary  and  his  people :  but  hap- 
pily the  French  never  came.  In  1826,  this 
mission  met  with  a  most  melancholy  loss,  all 
the  missionaries,  with  part  of  their  families, 
13  in  all,  having  perished  at  sea.  This  sad 
event  occurred  as  the  mission  party  were  re- 
turning from  a  district  meeting,  which  was 
held  in  St.  Christopher's.  They  encountered 
a  storm,  and  as  they  were  approaching  Anti- 
gua, their  vessel  was  thrown  upon  the  breakers 
and  broken,  and  they  were  precipitated  into  the 
sea.  Some  of  the  party  were  left  clinging  to 
the  >vreck  for  two  days  and  nights,  but  none 
but  Mrs.  Jones  was  saved. 

In  1839,  Rev.  Mr.  Codman  wrote  from  An- 
tigua :  "  The  number  of  members  in  our  so- 
cieties is  now  some  thousands  more  than  when 
I  came,  (1826)  and  the  scholars  have  more  than 
doubled.  Nor  must  the  great  number  who 
have  died  in  the  Lord  be  forgotten.  1  should 
think,  that  five  or  six  thousand  have  left  the 
church  militant  for  the  church  triumphant. 
The  work  is  prospering  in  several  islands,  es- 
pecially Antigua.  In  the  island  of  St.  Kitt's 
the  attendance  at  all  our  chapels  is  increased, 
and  some  of  them  have  been  enlarged,  and  new 
ones  built." 

In  the  year  1843,  a  violent  earthquake  visit- 
ed the  island  of  Antigua,  by  which,  with 
scarcely  an  exception,  every  edifice  constructed 
of  stone  was  left  a  heap  of  ruins.  Out  of  nine 
Wesleyan  meeting  houses,  only  one  escaped 
without  serious  damage.  This  sad  event,  how- 
ever, did  not  essentially  retard  the  prosperity 
of  the  mission.  It  has  still  gone  on  increasing 
in  numbers  and  influence.  In  1853,  the  num- 
ber of  church  members  in  connection  with  the 
Methodist  mission  on  this  Island,  amounted  to 
2,472.— See  Rep.  Meth.  Miss.  Soc.  -1853,  p.  106. 

St.  VincenVs  District.— In  January,  1787,  Dr. 
Coke  and  three  of  the  Brethren  visit<:d  St.  Vin- 
cent's ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Clarke  remained,  encour- 
aged by  the  promise  of  several  planters,  ^h^^r 
their  houses  should  always  be  open  to  n 
him,  and  their  negroes  ever  ready  to  iv. 
his  instructions.  His  congregations  were  large, 
and  his  exertions  appeared  to  be  crowned  with 
considerable  success,  yet  he  was  not  without 
opposition.  But  for  several  years  it  was  con- 
fined to  some  lawless  individuals  who  on  one 
occasion  broke  into  the  chnpel,  dcfacetl  the 
benches,  and  stole  the  Bible  and  hung  it  on  tho 
public  gallows.  And  at  length,  the  arm  of  au- 
thority was  itself  turned  against  the  missiou. 
In  December,  1792,  the  Assembly,  with  the 
view  of  rooting  out  the  Methodists  from  the 
island,  passed  a  law,  that  no  person  except  the 
rectors  of  the  parishes  should  preach  without  a 


764 


WEST  INDIES. 


UoetHe ;  and  that  no  individual  sliould  receive 
» license  ouUl  ho  had  resided  at  lea.st  twelve 
nootbson  ttte  Wand— a  clause  admirably  cal- 
caliit«(i  to  haiufth  tbe  Metbodistij  from  among 

.-  V    !  ;:  :.  'ins  would  ncvcr  consent 

r.  in  order  to  have  liber- 
..i  liie  end  of  that  period  for 
ullor  all,  would  probably  be 
;  !       1 1,0  first  olfonce,  the  culprit  was 

to  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  £18,  or  by  impris- 
onment ;  for  tlie  second,  bv  such  corporeal  pun- 
iimcnt  as  the  court  sliould  think  proper  ;  and 
bv  iMinislimcnt  from  the  island  ;  and  to  crown 
'  '  if  he  returned  from  banishment,  he 
c  jK'nalty  of  death!  In  justice  to 
ill  general  it  may  be  well  to  say  that 
!  V  were  hostile  to  the  law.  But,  the 
1  iiuth  after  the  passage  of   the  law, 

Mr.  L^mb,  the  missionary,  preached  as  usual. 
lie  was  apprehended,  and  on  refusing  to  pay 
th»»  fine,  was  thrown  into  prison.  Wlien  the 
pt'riod  of  his  imprisonment  had  expired  he  was 
released,  but  it  was  a  release  only  to  silence  or 
volunlary  banishment.  He  preferred  the  lat- 
ter, and  retired  from  St.  Vincent's.  The 
law,  however,  was  in  force  only  for  a  short 
time,  beinjr  disallowed  by  the  kin^.as  contrary 
to  the  principles  of  toleration,  which  were  now 
an  established  part  of  the  British  Constitution. 
In  1794,  Messrs.  Thomas  Owens  and  James 
Alexander  were  sent  to  renew  the  mission. 
Before  this,  the  members  of  the  Methodist  So- 
ciety amounted  to  about  1,000  ;  but  soon  after 
its  passage,  they  were  reduced  nearly  one  half. 
Many  now  returned  from  their  wanderings,  and 
the  congregations  began  to  increase  ;  but  the 
spirit  of  hostility  was  rather  smothered  than 
gubdued.  In  March,  1797,  a  mob,  headed  by 
a  magistrate,  attacked  the  Methodist  chapel, 
threw  down  the  railings,  broke  the  lamps,  pull- 
ed down  the  communion  rails,  and  tore  the 
Bible  in  pieces  and  scattered  them  on  the 
ground.  About  a  year  after  an  attempt  was 
made  uix»n  the  lives  of  the  missionaries.  Their 
hoase  was  broken  open  at  the  dead  of  night, 
and  some  ruffians  armed  with  cutlasses,  entered 
the  slti'ping  apartments,  turned  up  the  bed  and 
searched  for  them  in  every  corner.  Happily 
the  mi^-jiouaries,  anticipating  the  attack,  had 
taken  refuge  for  the  night  at  the  dwelling  of  a 
friend. 

ir.  ti,f.  year  1841,  a  young  man,  who  was 
'  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  through 
n,  hearing  of  the  sad  mortality  at- 
tending the  agents  of  the  Methodist  Missionary 
Society  in  South  Africa,  offered  himself  as  a 
missionary  to  that  land,  where  he  is  now  ac- 
tively laboring. 

Trinidad  and  Demerara. — During  the  past 
few  years  thousamls  of  immigrants  have  been 
iiitrudnr.  ,1  Iiiti.  TiMtiidad  and  Demerara,  from 
1,  for  whose  religious  iu- 
•^  .  .11  Missionary  Society  has 
endeavored  lo  make  provision.  This  emigra- 
tion has  had  an  unfavorable  effect  on  the  mis- 


sion, and  preceded  as  it  was,  by  a  reduction  of 
wages,  it  led  several  of  the  church  members  to 
leave,  while  the  newly  arrived  immigrants  from 
Africa,  with  few  exceptions,  only  tended  to 
demoralize  the  people  by  their  heathenish 
practices.  It  is  very  much  questioned  too, 
whether  the  church  members  from  Sierra 
Leone  were  much  improved  in  their  temporal 
circumstances,  by  emigrating  to  Trinidad  ;  but 
it  is  certain,  that  there  is  no  comparison  be- 
tween the  two  countries  as  to  religious  advan- 
tages. In,. Trinidad  the  greater  number  of 
Wesleyan  emigrants  from  Sierra  Leone  were 
placed  beyond  the  reach  of  their  own  mission- 
aries, or  any  other  Protestant  ministers ;  and 
were  thus  exposed  to  the  temptations  of  joining 
in  the  barbarous  practices  of  their  heathen 
countrymen,  or  of  being  led  astray  by  the  delu- 
sions of  Popery. 

A  review  of  missionary  operations  in  Deme- 
rara, during  the  past  thirty  years,  gives  rise  to 
the  most  grateful  recollections.  The  mission- 
ary during  the  first  year  of  labor  in  that  colony, 
was  often  denounced  as  "  an  execrable  wretch 
who  ought  to  be  put  out  of  the  world,"  and 
himself  and  his  people  frequently  suffered  per- 
secution. At  a  public  meeting,  held  only  20 
years  since,  all  the  leading  persons  in  the  colony 
unanimously  resolved,  that  the  Court  of  Policy 
be  forthwith  petitioned  to  expel  all  the  mis- 
sionaries from  the  colony,  and  a  law  be  ]i;i-id 
prohibiting  the  admissionof  missionary  pii  a cli- 
ers  into  the  colony  for  the  future.  But  in  1  .^15, 
the  principles  and  designs  of  the  mission i;ries 
had  been  so  well  ascertained  and  so  hfghly  a|> 
predated,  that  all  the  leading  persons  in  the 
colony,  including  the  Governor,  have  cordially 
and  liberally  subscribed  towards  the  erection 
of  a  new  Wesleyan  chapel. 

About  the  year  1850,  various  causes  ex(  i -ed 
an  adverse  influence  on  the  missions  in  Di  rue- 
rara.  Emigration  from  India,  Africa,  and 
Madeira,  introduced  classes  of  persons  siml:  in 
gross  superstition  and  wickedness.  IJiiiisb 
Guiana  witnessed  during  this  year  the  erec- 
tion of  the  swinging-pole  ;  and  human  Ij*  ings 
have  been  suspended  from  it,  to  the  wild  ad- 
miration of  the  wretchedly  deluded  Hindoo, 
and  to  the  agonized  mortification  of  the  Chris- 
tian. Many  thousands  of  the  Creole  laborers 
have  withdrawn  from  the  cultivation  of  the 
estates,  and  have  retreated  to  the  backwoods 
and  river  districts  above  the  Falls.  This 
painful  state  of  things  has  furnished  a  new 
motive  for  effort  on  the  part  of  the  missionaries. 
"  The  countrv,"  they  write,  "  is  becoming  daily 
more  missionary  in  its  character,  and  more 
difficult  of  moral  cultivation ;  it,  therefore, 
commends  itself  to  the  truest  sympathies  ol 
the  Committee."  An  important  opportunity 
for  effecting  extensive  good  is  presented  on 
this  island,  by  the  esse  of  some  thousands  of 
emigrant  coolies.  These  persons  have  lately 
applied  to  the  missionaries  for  instruction  in 
their  own  language  ;   and  Eev.  Mr.  Bickford 


^^  or  tbtk"^^ 

[WIVBRSITr] 


WEST  INDIES. 


765 


sent  home  to  the  Committee  a  document  drawn 
up  by  one  of  them,  Samuel  Johnson,  who  had 
been  baptized,  and  who  felt  intensely  for  the 
moral  and  spiritual  improvement  of  his  wretch- 
ed countrymen.  This  document  was  accom- 
panied by  a  request  for  a  returned  East  India 
missionary  to  labor  among  them.  The  Com- 
mittee immediately  sent  out  a  supply  of  Tamil 
Scriptures  and  tracts;  and,  in  1852,  Rev.  J. 
E.  S.  Williams  was  sent  to  labor  among  them, 
thus  carrying  the  Gospel  to  5,000  heathens. 

The  work  of  the  mission  at  Georgetown  and 
Essequibo  proceeds  in  an  encouraging  man- 
ner, upwards  of  60  having  been  added  to  the 
Society,  and  the  congregation  enlarged  by 
African  emigrants ;  36  of  whom  have  been 
baptized,  and  52  are  on  the  schoolmaster's 
roll-book. 

In  1853,  the  missionary  to  the  coolies  visited 
many  of  the  estates  where  they  were  employed, 
and  many  of  them  called  on  him  for  instruc- 
tion ;  and  he  had  received  much  encourage- 
ment from  the  interest  manifested  in  his  work 
by  official  persons  and  others,  in  the  colony ; 
but  no  special  results  are  reported  among  the 
coolies. 

The  number  of  church  members  in  this  mis- 
sion, in  1853,  was  4,813. 

,S^.  Eustatius.—ln  1787  Dr.  Coke  visited  this 
island;  but  in  consequence  of  the  jealousy  of 
the  Dutch  government,  he  was  not  allowed  to 
preach  to  the  negroes.  However,  he  employed 
himself  in  instructing  small  companies,  in  the 
house  of  a  free  black,  with  whom  he  lodged 
In  December,  1788,  he  again  visited  the  island, 
and  notwithstanding  persecution,  the  Method- 
ist Society  numbered,  before  his  departure,  no 
less  than  258.  He  preached  once  ;  but  next 
morning  received  a  message  from  the  governor 
forbidding  it,  under  severe  penalties.  He  left 
the  island,  and  afterwards  went  to  Holland  to 
endeavor  to  secure  from  the  Dutch  government 
the  toleration  of  the  Methodists  in  St.  Eusta- 
tius ;  but  his  application  was  unsuccessful.  In 
1810,  two  Methodist  missionaries  waited  upon 
the  governor  of  St.  Eustatius,  which  had  lately 
been  captured  by  the  British,  and  obtained 
liberty  from  him  to  establish  a  mission.  They 
experienced  considerable  hostility  at  first,  but  at 
length  triumphed  over  all  opposition.    The 

Iking  of  Holland,  to  whom  the  island  has  been 
restored,  has  ordered  a  grant  of  600  guilders 
annually  to  be  made  to  the  mission.  The 
tranquillity  they  now  enjoy  forms  a  striking 
contrast  to  the  intolerance  of  former  years. 
The  congregations  are  large ;  and  many  of  the 
white  people,  as  well  as  the  negroes,  hear  the 
Word  with  great  attention.  In  1853,  the  num- 
ber of  church  members  was  315. 

Barbacloes.— In  December,  1788,  Dr.  Coke 
and  Mr.  Benjamin  Pearce  visited  Barbadoes ; 
and,  having  obtained  liberty  to  instruct  the 
slaves  on  several  plantations,  Mr.  Pearce  re- 
mained, and  commenced  his  labors  with  great 
energy  and  zeal.    But  he  soon  experienced 


violent  opposition  on  the  ground  that  he  was 
disseminatmg  among  the  negroes  notions  in- 
compatible with  their  condition  as  slaves. 
Repeated  attempts  were  made  bv  the  mob  to 
interrupt  the  meetings  for  worship,  in  which 
they  conducted  in  the  most  violent  and  out- 
rageous manner.  Mr.  Pearce  applied  to  a 
magistrate  for  redress,  who  heard  his  state- 
ment with  apparent  indignation  at  the  rioters, 
issued  warrants  against  several  of  them,  and 
promised  to  do  him  justice.  But  when  the 
outrage  had  been  clearly  proved,  the  magis- 
trate gave  this  extraordinary  decision  :  "  The 
offence  was  committed  against  Almighty  God  : 
It  therefore  does  not  belong  to  me  to  panish 
it !"  Mr.  Pearce  was  left,  with  all  his  expenses 
to  pay,  a  prey  to  a  lawless  mob,  at  once  the 
scorn  and  pity  of  his  foes.  This  emboldened 
the  rioters,  and  they  again  attacked  the  chapel, 
and  attempted  an  assault  upon  Mr.  Pearce ; 
but  on  his  appealing  again  to  the  law,  the 
magistrate  reprimanded  them,  and  ordered 
them  to  pay  the  expense  of  the  proceedings. 
But  persecution  did  not  cease.  Soon  after- 
ward the  rioters  attacked  his  dwelling  with 
stones  during  his  absence,  and  struck  his  wife 
with  violence. 

In  1791,  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Lamb, 
who,  on  his  arrival,  found  the  prejudices  of  the 
planters  so  far  dispelled,  that  he  had  access  to 
more  estates  than  he  was  able  to  visit.  Pei-se- 
cution  had  now  nearly  ceased,  but  it  had  given 
place  to  a  settled  contempt  for  divine  things. 
But  in  October,  1823,  intelligence  was  received 
I  that  an  insurrection  had  broken  out  among 
the  slaves  in  Jamaica,  and  the  Methodist  mis- 
sionaries were  accused  of  being  accessory  to 
it,  by  teaching  sedition  under  pretence  of  giv- 
ing instruction.  This  intelligence  raised  a 
storm  of  wrath  against  the  mission,  and  everv 
indignity  was  heaped  on  the  missionary.  A 
moh^assembled  and  tore  down  the  chapel,  and 
Mr.  Shrewsbury's  life  being  in  danger,  he 
left  the  island  and  went  to  St.  Vincent's. 

These  outrages  led  to  a  censure  upon  the  in- 
habitants of  the  island  from  the  British  House 
of  Commons  ;  and  to  relieve  themselves  of  the 
odium,  94  of  the  principal  men  signed  a  de- 
claration, expressing  their  regret  at  the  occur- 
rence, and  their  concurrence  in  the  sentiments 
of  the  House.  But  when  another  missionary. 
Mr.  Raynor,  was  sent  to  the  island  in  1826, 
placards  were  posted  up  on  the  day  of  his  land- 
ing, calling  upon  the  mob  to  tar  and  feather 
him,  and  the  president  refused  him  a  license  to 
preach.  Yet,  afterwards,  he  proceeded  in  his 
work  without  molestation.  A  new  chap^  was 
erected,  the  prejudice  against  the  Methodists 
subsided,  and  a  prosperous  mission  was  estab- 
lished. 

Virgin  Islands.— In  January,  1<89,  Dr. 
Coke,  with  other  brethren,  visited  Tortola, 
and,  finding  a  prospect  of  usefulness,  Mr. 
Haramet  remained  and  soon  collected  a  largo 
society.    On  the  arrival  of  other  preachers, 


m 


WEST  INDIES. 


thCf  tttfloded  their  labors  to  Spanish  Town, 
•nd  Htffirj  of  the  other  isUna  which  are  scat- 
tered up  tiKl  down  in  that  vicinity,  and,  hkc 
•oUtary  rocks,  lift  up  their  heads  above  the 
wmvet.  1^  several  o!  these  they  i)aid  frequent 
Tkits  In  open  boats,  at  the  risk  of  health  and 
lilk  in  orfc  to  preach  to  the  few  forgotten 
thnilies  who  inhabited  them.  The  governor 
of  the  island,  on  a  threatened  invasion  by  the 
French,  solicited  the  superintendent  of  the 
nission,  Mr.  Turner,  to  place  himself  at  the 
bend  of  the  negroes,  as  he  was  unwilling  to 
trust  them  with  arms  under  the  command  of 
any  person  of  less  influence.  As  there  was  no 
other  means  of  defending  the  island,  Mr.  Tur- 
ner considered  it  his  duty  to  comply  with  the 
request  But,  happily,  the  French  abandoned 
their  design  and  withdrew  their  squadron.  In 
December,  1805,  a  most  brutal  outrage  was 
committed  on  Mr.  Brownell,  one  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  Tortola,  by  a  mob,  by  which  he 
came  near  losing  his  life,  in  revenge  for  an  al- 
lied publication  of  his  in  England,  respect- 
ing the  morals  of  the  people  of  the  island. 

Before  the  commencement  of  this  mission, 
every  species  of  wickedness  prevailed  among 
the  negroes,  and  among  others,  a  lascivious 
dance,  called  camsen,  in  which  all  manner  of 
iniquity  was  practised,  and  a  pretended  inter- 
course was  carried  on  with  the  spirits  of  de- 
parted friends,  who  directed  them  to  seek  re- 
venge of  injuries  they  (the  spirits)  had  received 
during  life ;  and  the  scene  begun  in  mirth 
often  ended  in  blood.  But,  since  the  Gospel 
entered,  these  superetitious  practices  have 
been  abandoned.  The  church  in  Tortola,  in 
1853,  numbered  1,604 

Jamaica. — Dr.  Coke  visited  Jamaica  in 
1789,  and  was  received  with  such  extraordi- 
nary kindness,  as  to  encourage  him  to  com- 
mence a  mission,  and,  soon  after,  Mr.  Hammet 
was  appointed  to  Kingston.  But  he  fery 
soon  met  with  violent  opposition  and  abuse 
from  the  white  people  ;  his  meetings  were  dis- 
turbed, and  attempts  made  to  burn  and  to  tear 
down  his  chapel ;  and  when  he  sought  legal 
redress,  ihe  culprits  were  acquitted  against  the 
clearest  testimony,  and  the  grand  jury  declared 
the  missionaries  and  their  chapels  to  be  nui- 
sances I  ITie  prejudice,  however,  after  a  time, 
subsided,  and  they  were  allowed  to  labor  in 
peace  for  a  number  of  years.  But  the  storm 
again  burst  forth,  and  raged  with  greater  fury 
than  before.  The  Legislative  Assembly  of 
Jamaica,  in  1802,  passed  an  act  that  no  per- 
son, unless  duly  qualified  by  the  laws  of  that 
island  and  of  Great  Britain,  should  preach  or 
teach  in  meetings  of  negroes,  or  people  of  color, 
under  the  severest  penalties.  The  Methodist 
ministers,  being  regularly  licensed  in  England, 
did  not  consider  themselves  endangered  by  this 
arbitrary  law.  Mr.  Campbell  continued  to 
preach  as  usual  at  Kingston,  and  met  with  no 
interruption;  but,  on  preaching  at  Morant 
Bay,  he  was  seized  and  imprisoned.    On  his 


release,  he  obtained  license  at  Kingston,  but, 
on  returning  to  Morant  Bay,  he  was  again 
persecuted,  and  believing  his  usefulness  at  an 
end,  he  left  his  flock  at  Kingston  in  charge  of 
Mr.  Fish,  and  returned  to  England.  But  the 
king  of  England  refused  to  sanction  this  in- 
tolerant law  ;  and  after  two  years,  they  were 
permitted  to  resume  their  meetings.  But,  in 
1807,  the  Common  Council  of  Kingston  passed 
a  law  of  similar  import,  but  of  a  still  more 
stringent  character,  which  forbade  unlicensed 
preaching  ,or  exhorting,  and  all  meetings 
earlier  than  six  in  the  morning,  or  later  than 
sunset  in  the  evening,  which  completely  cut  off 
the  slaves  from  public  worship.  And,  not 
long  after,  one  of  the  missionaries  was  sen- 
tenced to  a  month's  imprisonment,  because  a 
newly-arrived  missionary  had  sung  a  new  tune 
in  meeting!  The  Legislative  Assembly,  in 
the  mean  time,  passed  an  act  equally  cruel  and 
intolerant,  by  which  a  complete  stop  was  put 
to  the  labors  of  the  Methodists  in  Jamaica. 

These  unrighteous  laws  coming  before  the 
home  government,  were  immediately  repudi- 
ated ;  and  the  king,  to  prevent  the  repetition 
of  such  shameful  proceedings,  issued  a  general 
order  to  the  governors  of  the  West  Indies, 
commanding  them,  on  no  pretence  whatever, 
to  give  their  assent  to  any  law  relative  to  re- 
ligion, until  they  had  first  transmitted  a  draft 
of  the  bill  to  England,  and  received  the  royal 
assent.  This  greatly  enraged  the  Assembly, 
and  led  to  violent  proceedings,  in  consequence 
of  which,  the  governor  fDuke  of  Manchester) 
immediately  dissolved  tne  assembly.  It  was 
not,  however,  till  the  mouth  of  December, 
1815,  that  the  missionaries  obtained  permis- 
sion to  resume  their  public  labors.  Mr.  John 
Shipman  obtained  a  license,  and  immediately 
began  to  preach  again  in  Kingston,  after  the 
chapel  had  been  shut,  with  one  short  interval, 
for  more  than  eight  years.  Other  missionaries 
obtained  similar  licenses,  and,  having  divided 
the  island  into  districts,  they  proceeded  in 
their  labors  with  increased  energy  and  zeal. 
They  now  received  more  invitations  from 
planters  to  preach  on  their  estates  than  they 
had  ever  done  before.  Their  congregations 
greatly  increased,  and  their  societies  were  aug- 
mented to  an  extent  unknown  in  any  other 
island. 

In  1824,  the  spirit  of  opposition  again  broke 
out,  in  consequence  of  the  House  of  Commons 
having  taken  some  incipient  steps  towards  the 
extinction  of  slavery.  The  missionaries  were 
accused  of  being  agents  of  the  African  Insti- 
tution, and  every  effort  was  made  to  blacken 
their  characters  and  send  them  away  from  the 
island.  The  Assembly  again  passed  a  law, 
which,  though  it  left  Roman  Catholic  and 
Jewish  teachers  at  liberty,  cut  off  the  Metho- 
dists from  their  public  duties.  Under  this  act, 
one  of  the  missionaries  was  imprisoned  ;  and, 
instigated  by  an  inflammatory  sermon  preached 
by  the  rector  of  the  parish  against  the  Metbo- 


WEST  INDIES. 


767 


fiistg,  a  company  of  militia  attacked  the  resi- 
dence of  the  missionaries,  and  left  seven  balls 
iti  the  walls  of  the  house,  though  none  of  the 
inmates  were  injured. 

Two  others,  Messrs.  Whitehouse  and  Orton, 

were  imprisoned  in  a  filthy  cell,  at  Montego 

f>ay,   on   a   charge  of  preaching   without   a 

license  for  that  parish  ;  but  on  being  brought 

ixifore  the  chief-justice,  they  were  discharged, 

and    the    lieutenant-governor.     Sir    Thomas 

Keane,  dismissed  from  office  the  two  magis- 

'•ates  who  had  committed  them.     Another 

:'ve  act  was  passed  by  the  Assembly  similar 

the  rejected  ones,  and  approved  by  the  gov- 

iior.  Earl  Belmore,  notwithstanding  the  in- 

ructions  of  the  king  to  the  contrary ;  but  it 

was  promptly  disallowed  by  the  home  govern- 

^ncnt. 

In  December,  1831,  an  insurrection  broke 
out  on  the  north  side  of  the  island,  in  the  par- 
'~'i  of  St.  James's,  and  quickly  extended  to 
elawney,  Hanover,  Westmoreland,  St.  Eliz- 
'cth,  and  partially  to  Manchester,  Port- 
id,  and  St.  Thomas  in  the  east.  It  does 
■t  appear  to  have  been  the  design  of  the 
slaves  to  take  the  lives  of  the  white  people, 
their  object  being  simply  to  obtain  their  free- 
dom, which  they  erroneously  supposed  had 
been  granted  by  the  king,  but  was  withheld  by 
the  local  authorities.  A  violent  outcry  was 
now  raised  against  all  missionaries,  particularly 
the  Baptists  and  Methodists,  as  if  they  had 
been  the  cause  of  it.  Without  trial,  without 
evidence,  they  were  proclaimed  guilty,  and  a 
violent  outcry  was  raised  for  summary  mea- 
sures to  be  taken  with  them.  Some  of  the 
missionaries  were  arrested,  but  as  nothing 
could  be  proved  against  them,  they  were  dis- 
charged. Immediately  after  the  suppression 
of  the  insurrection,  associations  were  formed 
throughout  the  island,  the  object  of  which 
was  to  expel  from  the  country  all  ministers 
except  those  of  the  established  church.  The 
proceedings  af  these  associations  were  of  the 
most  violent  character.  A  mob  was  raised, 
the  chapel  of  St.  Ann's  Bay  was  destroyed, 
and  the  missionaries  hung  in  effigy,  and  every 
indignity  offered  them. 

During  these  persecutions,  the  societies  in 
various  places  were  left  without  pastoral  care, 
and  the  congregations  without  public  worship, 
the  missionaries  not  being  allowed  to  exercise 
their  ministry.  Meanwhile,  Earl  Mulgrave 
arrived  as  governor  of  the  island,  and  showed 
Ills  determination  to  maintain  the  cause  of  re- 
ligious liberty,  and  to  protect  the  missionaries 
in  ihe  enjoyment  of  their  rights  and  privileges. 
In  January,  1833,  13  months  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  disturbances,  a  royal  pro- 
clamation was  issued  in  Jamaica  for  putting 
down  the  lawless  colonial  church  unions,  and 
maintaining  religious  toleration.  This  was 
accompanied  by  a  circular,  requiring  the 
prompt  obedience  and  cooperation  of  the  ma- 
gistrates in  enforcing  it.    It  was  now  decided 


by  the  grand  court  that  the  toleration  laws  of 
England  were  applicable  to  Jamaica;  yet, 
notwithstanding  this  and  the  governor's  pro- 
clamation, one  of  the  magistrates,  on  Mr. 
Greenwood's  applying  for  license  according  to 
the  provisions  of  the  toleration  act,  behaved 
in  such  a  violent  manner  that  Mr.  G.  was 
obliged  to  retire  from  the  court,  to  save  him- 
self from  personal  injury.  But,  in  consequence 
of  the  energetic  course  of  the  governor,  the 
missionaries  were,  after  some  time,  allowed  to 
carry  on  their  labors  without  molestation. 

On  Friday,  the  1st  of  August,  1834,  slavery 
was  abolished  in  the  West  Indies,  in  conform- 
ity with  an  act  passed  the  preceding  year  by 
the  newly  reformed  Parliament  of  Great  Bri- 
tain— a  memorable  event,  mainly  brought 
about  by  missionary  labor  and  suffering.  A 
graphic  description  of  the  inauguration  of 
freedom  at  the  Wealeyan  chapel  at  Kingston 
is  given  by  Bev.  H.  Bleby,  but  our  limits  will 
not  allow  us  to  give  it  at  length.  A  sermon 
was  preached  the  night  before,  by  the  mission- 
ary ;  after  which  the  whole  assembly  knelt  in 
prayer,  and  remained  on  their  knees  till  the 
town  clock  struck  the  hour  of  midnight,  when 
thousands  of  voices  joined  in  the  shout,  ''Glory 
be  to  God!  we  free!  we  free  !'^  Free  scope  was 
then  given  to  the  general  outburst  of  joy  ;  after 
which  a  hymn  of  praise  was  sung,  a  prayer 
offered,  and  the  crowd  dismissed  with  the  ben- 
ediction. 

The  emancipation  of  the  negroes  was  quick- 
ly followed  by  very  important  changes.  The 
Sabbath  was  observed  with  hallowed  strict- 
ness. Nothing  was  to  be  seen  on  that  day  but 
decently-dressed  people  going  to  and  from 
their  places  of  worsnip  ;  congregations  were 
increased  and  multiplied  ;  old  chapels  were  en- 
larged, and  new  ones  erected.  Education  was 
also  greatly  extended.  A  great  change  took 
place  also  in  the  public  opinion  of  Jamaica  as 
to  the  Methodist  missionaries.  Formerly  no 
names  were  too  vile,  no  treatment  too  bad  for 
them ;  even  their  chapels  were  shut  up  or 
razed  to  the  ground  as  public  nuisances.  Yet 
within  five  years  after  the  late  insurrection, 
the  House  of  Assembly  of  Jamaica  made  a 
grant  of  £500  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  a  Me- 
thodist chapel  in  Kingston  ;  and  in  the  discus- 
sion of  the  subject  the  highest  eulogiums  were 
pronounced  on  the  usefulness  of  the  Wesleyan 
missionaries.  The  Common  Council  of  King8» 
ton  and  several  of  the  parochial  vestries  fol- 
lowed the  example  of  the  Assembly,  and  made 
grants  for  similar  purposes.  Yet,  though  at 
first  the  prospects  of  the  mission  seemed  to 
brighten,  after  a  few  years  they  grew  worse. 
Many  of  the  colored  people  purchased  small 
lots  of  land,  sometimes  in  the  mountains,  built 
cottages,  and  cultivated  the  ground  for  their 
living.  Many  left  their  old  homes  and  sought 
employment  elsewhere,  often  at  a  distance  from 
the  house  of  God.  Many  grew  worldly-mind- 
ed, made  money  the  great  object  of  their  pur- 


7^ 

•ait,  and  iought  for  happiness  in  earthly  things. 
Boneeren  rvturniHl  to  their  vile  heathenish 
nmctica,  which  it  was  hoiKxi  tlicy  had  utterly 

Til  1 B53.  the  number  of  church  members  in 

tion  with  the    Jamaica  mission    was 

a  considerable  decrease  from  former 

(or  in  1844  they  amounted  to  26,585. 

a  ions  of  the  missionaries  are  no  longer 

coi.tiiieil  to  the  chief  town,  but  are  to  be  found 

in  all  p&rts  of  the  island,  both  in  the  towns 

and  in  the  country  places. 

Bermudas.— lu  1779,  Mr.  John  Stephenson 
commenced  a  fnission  on  Somer's  Island  where 
he  had  to  encounter  the  prejudices  of  the 
whites  and  the  heathenish  superstitions  of  the 
blacks ;  the  latter  of  whom  he  found  under 
the  slavish  dominion  of  witchcraft,  as  it 
prerails  in  Africa,  and  for  a  description  of 
which,  and  the  bondage  under  which  its  vic- 
tims are  held,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
article  on  IVestem  Africa.  It  appears  that  a 
particular  species  of  charm  called  Obi,  was 
made  and  sold  at  these  islands,  and  was  sup- 
posed by  the  negroes  to  have  great  power.  It 
was  to  a  people  sunk  under  such  superstitions 
that  Mr.  S.  came ;  but  it  was  not  long  before 
the  Gospel  began  to  exert  its  influence.  Yet 
this  was  no  sooner  manifested,  than  the  hos- 
tility of  the  whites  was  aroused.  Laws  were 
passed  similar  to  those  in  Jamaica,  and  Mr. 
S.  was  imprisoned  six  months  in  the  common 
iail,  by  which  his  health  was  so  impaired  that 
he  was  recalled,  and  the  island  was  left  without 
a  missionary  for  six  years.  In  April,  1808,  Mr. 
Joshua  Marsden  proceeded  from  New  Bruns- 
wick to  Bermuda,  but  found  the  society  gather- 
ed by  Mr.  S.  dispersed.  He  obtained  permission 
from  the  governor  to  preach,  but  he  met  with 
no  very  great  success.  In  1853,  the  number  of 
chorch  members  in  connection  with  the  mis- 
sion in  this  island  amounted  to  445. 

Bahama  Islands.— In  October,  1800,  Mr. 
William  Turton  arrived  at  New  Providence, 
where  he  obtained  permission  to  preach ;  and 
though  a  law  had  previously  been  enacted, 
prohibiting  the  instruction  of  the  slaves,  he 
was  attended  by  considerable  congregations, 
and  snccecded  in  raising  a  small  society. 
Other  missionaries  havig  afterwards  arrived, 
they  extended  their  labors  to  Eleuthera,  Har- 
bour Island,  Abaco,  and  others  of  the  Baha- 
mas. On  some  of  these  their  prospects  were 
highly  encouraging  ;  their  congregations  were 
large,  attentive,  and  respectable,  and  a  great 
reformation  followed  their  labors.  But  in 
1816,  the  legislature  passed  an  act  prohibiting, 
UDder  severe  penalties,  meetings  for  Divine  wor- 
mip  earlier  than  sunrise  and  later  than  sunset, 
thus  deprivinff  the  slaves  of  the  privilege  of 
attending.  Many  of  the  negroes  came  to  the 
mL^-vionaries  in  tears,  lamenting  the  loss  of 
their  religious  privileges.  It  was  truly  affecfc- 
1k^  ^?a  ^^'*^  ^^^l>ath  morning  to  see  some  of 
theoldes*  members  ascending  a  neighboring 


WEST  INDIES. 


hill  to  see  whether  the  sun  was  risen,  before 
they  durst  begin  to  sing  the  praises  of  their 
Creator.  After  a  few  years,  however,  the  le- 
gislature retraced  its  steps,  and  repealed  the 
restrictions  which  it  had  laid  upon  the  poor 
negroes.  In  1853,  the  members  of  the  Me- 
thodist Society  in  the  Bahama  Islands  were  as 
follows  : — 

New  Providence,        .        .        .810 

Eleuthera, 804 

Harbour  Island,  .        .        .    538 

Abaco  and  Andres  Island, .        .    264 
Turk's  Island  .        .        .378 


Total,  .  .  2,800 
St.  Domingo. — Having  been  previously  in- 
formed by  the  secretary  of  state  of  the  repub- 
lic of  Hayti,  that  Protestant  missionaries  would 
not  only  be  tolerated  but  welcomed,  Messrs. 
John  Brown  and  James  Catts  sailed  from 
England  for  Portrau-Prince,  in  November, 
1816.  They  soon  gathered  a  numerous  con- 
gregation at  the  capital,  and  in  the  country 
they  were  uniformly  treated  with  kindness  and 
respect.  The  inhabitants,  indeed,  were  ex- 
tremely ignorant,  wicked,  and  superstitious ; 
yet,  in  a  short  time  a  number  of  them  appear- 
ed to  be  impressed  with  divine  things,  and 
were  formed  into  a  society.  By  the  govern- 
ment they  were  treated  with  great  condescen- 
sion and  kindness.  President  Boyer  mani- 
fested the  greatest  readiness  to  encourage  and 
promote  their  plans,  particularly  in  regard  to 
the  education  of  youth.  Tet,  after  a  residence 
of  about  two  years  in  St.  Domingo,  they  were 
obliged  to  withdraw  from  the  island,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  tumultuous  opposition  of  the  po- 
pulace. But  on  their  departure.  President 
Boyer  not  only  expressed  himself  highly  satis- 
fied with  their  conduct,  but  transmitted  a  do- 
nation of  £500  to  the  society.  The  constitu- 
tion of  Hayti  recognized  the  church  of  Rome 
as  tbe  religion  of  the  state,  but  tolerated  all 
others.  It  may  be  questioned,  however,  whe- 
ther the  principle  of  toleration  was  at  all  un- 
derstood ;  practically,  at  least,  the  Methodists 
enjoyed,  nothing  like  religious  freedom.  The 
small  society  that  the  missionaries  had  collect- 
ed were,  after  their  departure,  greatly  perse- 
cuted chiefly  through  the  influence  of  the  Ca- 
tholic priests  over  the  ignorant  people,  in 
which,  however,  they  were  too  much  seconded 
by  some  persons  of  high  rank.  They  could 
only  meet  by  stealth,  and  in  small  companies  ; 
and  when  assembled  for  worship,  they  were 
sometimes  assaulted  by  the  populace  with 
stones  and  other  missiles.  On  one  occasion,  a 
number  of  them  were  seized  by  the  police,  and 
carried  to  prison,  and  on  being  brought  before 
the  chief  judge,  they  were  prohibited  by  him, 
in  the  name  of  the  president,  from  meeting  to- 
gether. "  No  one,"  said  he,  "  can  hinder  you 
from  worshiping  God  as  you  please ;  but  let 
every  one  abide  at  home ;  for  as  often  as 
you  are  found  assembled  you  shall  be  put  in 


WEST   INDIES. 


769 


prison  ;  and  if  you  unhappily  persist,  I  have  re- 
ceived orders  to  disperse  you  everywhere." 
Several  wished  to  reply,  but  he  refused  to  hear 
them,  saying,  "  It  is  not  from  me ;  it  is  not 
my  fault ;  these  are  orders  given  to  me." 
There  is  reason  to  apprehend  that  these  were 
the  orders  of  President  Boyer.  Yet  the  poor 
people  continued  to  meet.  In  1834,  John  Tin- 
dall  was  sent  to  Hayti ;  'other  missionaries  fol- 
lowed, and  settled  at  Port-au-Prince,  Cape 
Haytien  and  Samand.  Their  congregations 
■were  generally  small,  and  they  had  no  great 
encouragement  in  their  labore.  There  was 
reason  to  believe  that  numbers  saw  the  absurd- 
ities of  the  Eomish  church,  but  ignorance, 
superstition,  and  vice  maintained  their  domin- 
ion over  the  great  mass  of  the  population. 
Notwithstanding  the  unsettled  state  of  afifairs, 
arising  from  changes  in  the  government  and 
war  with  the  Spanish  part  of  the  island,  the 
principle  of  religious  toleration  has  made 
marked  progress.  In  1853,  the  number  of 
church  members  in  connexion  with  the  mission 
in  this  island  amounted  to  429. 

Other  missions. — Besides  the  missions  already 
noticed,  the  Methodists  established  others  in 
St.  Christophers,  Nevis,  Grenada,  St.  Bartho- 
lomew, St.  Thomas,  St.  Martins,  Anguilla, 
Montserrat,  Tobago,  and  Honduras,  the  present 
state  of  which  will  be  seen  in  the  tabular  view. 
In  1853,  the  African,  Creole,  and  Asiatic 
church  members  in  connection  with  the  Wes- 
leyan  missions  in  the  West  Indies,  amounted  to 
over  48,000  souls  ;  and  other  general  results  of 
the  mission  will  be  seen  in  the  tabular  view. 

Though  in  the  preceding  account  of  particu- 
lar missions  we  have  given  a  few  illustrations 
}f  the  nature  and  difficulties  of  missionary  labor 
n  the  West  Indies  in  the  days  of  slavery,  we 
ihall  here  add,  in  conclusion,  a  remark  or  two 
)f  general  application  to  the  whole  of  these  mis- 
ions.  It  was  a  great  disadvantage  to  the  ne- 
oes,  that  the  Lord's  day  was  assigned  them 
,  their  masters  to  cultivate  the  grounds  al- 
^wed  them  in  lieu  of  provisions,  and  that  the 
^ular  market  throughout  the  West  Indies 
we  on  that  sacred  day,  when  the  chief  towns 
jdiibited  all  the  noise  and  bustle  of  petty  com- 
.erce.  After  breakfast,  on  one  Sabbath,  a 
river  or  overseer  accompanied  the  slaves  to 
e  negro  fields,  where  they  spent  the  Sabbath 
iling  all  day  under  a  burning  sun.  On  the 
llowing  Lord's  day,  they  went  to  market  to 
A\  the  produce  of  their  grounds  and  to  pur- 
hase  such  articles  as  they  were  not  allowed  by 
leir  masters,  and  they  closed  the  day  in  drink- 
iff,  dancing,  and  debauchery.  Such  was  a 
abbath  in  the  West  Indies.  The  Christian 
aves  had  to  perform  the  same  work  as  the 
thers,  unless,  as  in  some  cases,  their  masters 
llowed  them  the  Saturdays  for  that  purpose. 
bey  went  to  market  in  the  forenoon,  and  from 
lence  to  the  chapel.  It  was  no  uncommon 
hing  to  see  the  chapel  yard  covered  with  bas- 
ets,  while  their  owners  were  attending  wor- 
49 


ship.  The  missionaries  did  not,  however,  as 
was  insinuated,  excite  complaint  among  the 
slaves  on  this  subject.  They  were  no  doubt 
grieved  at  the  profanation  of  the  Sabbath,  and 
the  beneficial  effects  of  their  labors  were  mate- 
rially counteracted  by  it ;  but  they  accommo- 
dated themselves  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
slaves,  seized  upon  the  broken  fragments  of 
their  time,  and  made  the  best  improvement  of 
them  they  were  able. 


TABULAR   VIEW. 

PRINCIPAL 

CTATIGNS  OR 

CIRCUITS. 

1 

4 
1 

1 

2 

1 

79 

1 

1 

.5 

& 

6 

1 

I 

1 

i 

9 
§ 

I! 

10 

13 
4 
4 
9 
1 
1 
2 
2 
9 

32 

61 
6 

13 
9 

16 
7 
6 

15 
6 

11 
8 
8 
7 
4 
2 
3 

13 
6 

10 
9 
6 
8 
3 
8 
7 

i; 

391 

7 
1 
3 
3 
9 

2 

6 
6 
6 
6 
7 
9 
4 
4 
29 
2 
2 
1 
2 
1 

2 
1 
1 
2 

2 

I 

1 

1 
1 

C 

s 

3 

a 

2.472 

'916 

404 

1,608 

3,687 

315 

100 

367 

831 

1,604 

2,380 

2,433 

'671 

807 

1,086 

1,549 

468 

649 

3,045 

3,210 

767 

824 

965 

1,007 

466 

657 

669 

712 

1,233 

2,056 

473 

1,133 

1,511 

607 

772 

659 

636 

491 

830 

646 

816 

447 

367 

638 

249 

15 

878 

180 

166 

20 

41 

22 

15 

6 

6 

6 
18 

1 

1 

1 

5 
10 
12 
7 
6 

}^ 

6 
6 

80 
6 
4 
2 
2 
4 

4 

2 
2 
6 
4 
1 
6 
6 
2 
2 

1 
4 

2 
9 
3 
8 
8 
6 
4 

2 

1 
4 
1 
8 

1,706 

260 

321 

810 

1,780 

151 

63 

90 

352 
639 
671 
253 
290 
850 

1,436 
380 
440 

1,700 
414 
210 
210 
115 
264 

126 
176 
92 
156 
160 
113 
128 
270 
120 
209 

190 
96 
507 
279 
860 
191 
410 
208 

328 
800 
148 
88 
201 

9,000 

2,360 

1,000 

6,000 

9,260 

1,000 

500 

1,000 

1,000 

3,550 

4,580 

6,020 

1,620 

1,600 

2,200 

2,300 

1,403 

1,759 

9,500 

7,500 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

600 

600 

1,000 

1,100 

1,832 

2,066 

1,000 

1.500 

3,000 

900 

1,000 

1.000 

1,000 

1,600 

l.OOC 

1.860 

1,700 

1,400 

1,000 

1,800 

'986 

80 

1,210 

600 

600 

140 

MO 

400 

Dominica 

Montserrat 

Nevis     

St.  Kitts 

St.  Eustatius 

St.  Bartholomew.  .. 
St.  Martins 

Anguilla 

Tortola       

Kingstown 

Biabou 

Grenada  

Trinidad 

Georgetown 

Mahaica          

Victoria         ....... 

Barbadoes 

Kingston 

Montego  Bay 

Spanish  Town 

Morant  Bay 

Guy's  Hill 

Grateful  HiU 

St.  Ann's  Bay 

Beechamville 

Bath  &  Port  Morant. 

Port  Antonio 

Clarendon  

Mount  Ward 

Brown's  Town 

Yallahs 

Mount  Fletcher 

Linstead          

Manchioneal 

Belize  &  Charibtown 

New  Providence 

F^euthera,  1 

Eleuthera,  2 

Harbour  Island 

Abaco           

Androa  Island 

Turk's  Island 

Port-au-Prince 

Port-au-Plaat 

Cape  Haytien 

Cayes 

Totals 

ue 

48,689 

259 

18,247 

1124Q6 

There  was  in  general  no  such  thing  as  mar- 
riage, in  the  common  sense  of  the  word,  among 
the  slaves  in  the  West  Indies.    They  herded 


770 


WEST  INDIES. 


toMtlia>  like  the  beasta  of  the  field,  without 
Mj  ceremony.  Some  lived  tojrothcr  many 
toan ;  others  «ooo  parted,  and  each  chose  a 
new  mate  Promiscuous  intercourse  was  com- 
moo,  mod  the  planters,  when  they  made  the 
tttempt,  found  thcinaelves  utterly  unable  to 
brenk  it  Marriage,  however,  was  uniformly 
introduced  bvthe  Methodist  missionaries  among 
the  convert;^';  but  with  respect  to  this  they  had 
many  difficulties  to  encounter.  They  were  fre- 
qnentJy  at  a  loss  to  know  which  was  the  pro- 
per husband  or  wife.  A  female,  for  instance, 
wished  to  become  a  member  of  the  society ; 
but  the  man  with  whom  she  lived  was  not  the 
first  to  whom  she  had  been  united.  She  had 
lived  with  many  others,  and  the  person  with 
whom  she  was  originally  connected  had  in  like 
manner  had  many  more  women  since  he  left 
hex  ;  and  perhaps  was  living  at  that  time  with 
one  by  whom  he  had  children.  Sometimes  the 
missionaries  were  content  with  an  engagement 
on  the  part  of  the  woman  that  she  would  abide 
with  the  man  with  whom  she  lived  when  she 
joined  the  society.  At  other  times,  they  acted 
to  the  best  of  their  judgment  in  selecting  the 
person  whom  they  thought  most  proper. 

Though  we  have  given  several  instances  of 
the  hostility  of  the  white  inhabitants  of  the 
West  Indies  to  the  labors  of  the  Methodists,  it 
would  be  an  act  of  great  injustice  both  to  the 
planters  and  to  the  missionaries,  did  we  neglect 
to  mention,  that  such  feelings  were  by  no  means 
universal.  Jn  some  of  the  colonies,  there  were 
not  only  no  persecuting  laws,  but  they  were 
greatly  encouraged,  both  by  the  local  govern- 
ment and  by  the  owners  of  the  slaves.  Even 
in  those  islands  where  they  met  with  persecu- 
tion, they  had  many  friends  among  the  plant- 
ers and  others  of  the  white  inhabitants.  Some 
built  chapels  on  their  estates,  others  subscribed 
handsomely  to  their  erection  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. There  was  scarcely  a  place  of  worship 
of  any  size  in  the  West  Indies,  in  the  building 
of  which  the  gentlemen  of  the  island  did  not 
anist  by  their  contributions,  or  in  some  other 
form.  Subscriptions  of  £10,  £20,  £50,  and 
£100  for  such  purposes,  indicate  both  the  rank 
in  life,  and  the  sentiments  of  the  contributors. 
Even  in  Jamaica,  where  the  reputed  dark  and 
dangerous  fanaticism  of  the  Methodists  was 
detected  with  more  than  ordinary  sagacity,  the 
most  liberal  assistance  was  afforded.  In  other 
islands,  planters,  merchants,  members  of  colo- 
nial assemblies,  presidents,  chief-judges,  gover- 
nors, not  only  subscribed  to  the  erection  of 
chapeh?,  but  in  some  instances  paid  regular 
stipends  to  the  missionaries,  as  a  remuneration 
for  their  services  in  instructing  their  slaves 
In  several  of  the  islands  indeed  the  proprietors 
Of  estates,  and  other  inhabitants,  were  so  fully 
satisfied  with  the  conduct  of  the  missionaries 
and  so  sensible  of  the  political  as  well  as  moral 
and  religious  advantages  resulting  from  their 
labors,  that  they  defrayed  entirely  the  ordinary 
expenses  of  the  mission.    Since  the  abolition 


of  slavery,  the  views  of  the  white  people  in  tho 
West  Indies  in  reference  to  the  Methodist  mis* 
sionaries  have  been  greatly  changed ;  and  it 
is  probably  now  matter  of  wonder  to  many, 
that  any  hostility  should  ever  have  been  mani- 
fested to  so  zealous,  laborious,  and  useful  a 
body  of  men. — Marsden's  Missionary  Narrative; 
Brown's  Historij  of  Missions  ;  Jackson's  Cente- 
nary of  Methodism  ;'  Duncan's  Mission  to  Ja- 
maica ;  Memorials  of  Miss.  Labor  in  W.  Indies, 
by  Moister. — Kev.  W.  Butler. 

American  Missionary  Association. — /a- 
maica. — Tlfe  mission  to  Jamaica  is  occupied 
mainly  with  labor  in  behalf  of  the  emancipated 
colored  people  of  Jamaica.  It  was  commenced 
by  five  Congregational  ministers,  who  sailed 
from  New  York  in  the  fall  of  1839.  They 
went  to  Jamaica  with  the  expectation  of 
receiving  a  plain  support  from  the  eman- 
cipated people  themselves ;  but  in  this  they 
were  disappointed,  and  as  there  was  then  no 
missionary  society  in  the  United  States  that 
could  undertake  the  support  of  a  mission  there, 
they  were  reduced  to  circumstances  of  distress- 
ing privation.  A  committee  was  formed  of 
gentlemen  residing  in  New  York  and  New 
England,  called  the  West  I^idia  Missimary  Com- 
mittee, who  received  and  forwarded  contribu- 
tions for  this  mission,  but  without  undertaking 
its  support.  In  1847  the  mission  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  American  Missionary  Association, 
under  whose  care  it  remains.  In  1843,  the 
missionaries  formed  a  Congregational  Associar 
tion,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Jamaica  Congre- 
gational Association  ; "  and  the  mission  is  now 
known  in  the  island  as  the  "  American  Con- 
gregational  Mission." 

TABULAR     VIEW. 


STATIONS. 


Brainerd,  including  Mr.  ) 
Patience's  school. ...  J 

Good  Hope  (an  out-station) 

Oberlin.... 

Eliot 

Rock  River  (out-station) . . 

Union,  including  Hermi- ) 
tageand  Chesterfield  j 

Devon  Pen 

Providence 

Brandon  (out-station) 

Golden  Vale 

Totals 


•f^ 

i 

.2 

a 

5 

B 

a 

1 
■7. 

% 
a 

1 

< 

1 

<1 
1 

1 

2 

a 

1 

^ 

o 

S 

;S 

d 

s 

1 

1839 

1 

1 

2 

1 

1 

133 

176 

1853 

1 

1 

1 

80 

1839 

1 

1 

1 

44 

68 

1842 

2 

1 

80 

63 

1863 

1 

5il 

1839 

2 

1 

66 

90 

1839 

1 

1 

44 

69 

1844 

2 

1 

4(1 

70 

1861 

1 

22 

1851 

1 

1 

1 

14 

80 

2 

13 

4 

8 

433 

716 

For  the  purpose  of  leading  the  people  to 
take  more  interest  in  the  education  of  their  chil- 
dren, and  to  accustom  them  to  responsibility 


rx^CSt  THH     """^^ 


WEST  INDIES. 


771 


in  the  conduct  of  the  schools,  the  missionaries 
formed  a  voluntary  school  association  in  1852. 
Two  of  the  directors  of  each  school  are  chosen 
from  among  the  people  of  the  station,  and  as- 
sociated with  the  missionaries  and  teachers  in 
the  general  management  of  the  school.  With 
the  results  of  this  plan,  after  two  jears'  trial, 
the  teachers  are  well  pleased.— -Ekv.  G.  Wiup- 

PLE. 

Moravian  Missions.— Danish  W.  1.  Islands. 
—The  first  Moravian  missionaries  to  the  West 
Indies,  were  Leonhard  Dober,  "  the  potter,"  and 
David  Nitschmann  "  the  carpenter. "  Their  at- 
tention was  first  directed  to  this  field  by  a  ne- 
gro, who  stated  that  he  had  a  sister  in  the 
island  of  St.  Thomas,  who,  with  many  of  her 
enslaved  companions,  desired  to  be  instructed 
in  the  way  of  salvation,  and  earnestly  implored 
the  God  of  heaven  to  send  some  one  who  was 
capable  of  giving  them  religious  instruction. 
In  the  hope  of  being  of  some  service  to  these  be- 
nighted people,  these  young  men,  laymen,  of 
the  occupations  above  named,  set  out  from 
Herrnhut,  in  Denmark,  with  only  six  dollars 
each  in  his  pocket,  and  arrived  at  St.  Thomas 
on  the  13th  of  December,  1732.  The  next 
year  two  companies,  one  consisting  of  18  and 
"■■"'.  other  of  11  persons,  sailed  from  Europe, 

any  of  whom  fell  victims  to  the  insalubrity 
■A  the  climate.  In  1736,  three  persons  were 
baptized.  In  1738  a  negro  named  Mingo  was 
1>aptized,  and  became  a  zealous  assistant. 
Through  his  preaching  an  awakening  took 
:  1  ice  over  the  whole  island.     But  the  planters 

;  iosed  the  work,  and  persecuted  and  impris- 

d  the  missionaries.     Count  Zinzendorf,  how- 

r,  who  unexpectedly  arrived  in  the  island, 

cured  their  liberation.    In  1741,  90  persons 

re  baptized  at  a  plantation  called  New 

rrnhut.      Princess  plantation,  in  the  island 

St.  Croix,  became  a  permanent  station  in 

")1.  A  church  was  erected  in  Friedensthal, 
_..  Croix,  in  1755,  and  this  became  the  princi- 
pal station  in  the  Danish  islands.  The  place 
was  destroyed  by  a  hurricane  in  1772.  Bethany, 
in  the  island  of  St.  Jan,  was  occupied  as  a  sta- 
tion in  1754 ;  and  in  1782,  Emmaus,  in  the 
same  island,  became  a  station.  Friedensfield, 
ti  St.  Croix,  became  a  missionary  settlement  in 
1805.  In  1832,  a  centenary  jubilee  was  held, 
lud  the  important  and  encouraging  fact  was 
•eported,  that  during  that  period  37,000  souls 
liad  been  baptized  in  the  Danish  islands.  The 
S'ear  1848  was  rendered  memorable  by  the  i» 
mrrection  of  slaves  in  St.  Croix,  and  by  the 
iraancipation  of  the  negroes  in  all  the  Danish 
sles. 

In  the  three  Danish  islands,  St.  Thomas,  St. 
Jroix,  and  St.  Jan,  there  are  at  the  present 
ime  8  stations,  35  laborers,  9,398  converts, 
)f  whom  2,892  are  communicants. 

Jamaica. — The    Moravian    brethren    com- 

nenced  a  mission  in  this  island  in  1754,  en-     ,  ,  •     .,  -     r  o* 

jouraged  by  several  of  the  planters,  who  pre-  ground  was  purchased  m  the    town    ol    bU 
ented  them  an  estate  called  Carmel.    In  one  John's,  and  a  place  of  worship  was  erected  for 


year  the  Sabbath  congregation  numbered 
700  persons,  and  26  had  been  baptized.  In 
1804,  fifty  years  from  the  date  of  the  mission, 
Ifce  brethren  observe:  "Though  we  cannot 
exult  in  an  abundant  in-gathering  of  souls, 
which  these  fifty  years  have  produced,  or  even 
over  our  present  prospects,  yet  we  have  suffi- 
cient cause  of  gratitude  to  the  Lord  for  having 
preserved  a  seed  in  Jamaica.  From  the  be- 
ginning of  this  mission  to  the  present  time, 
938  negroes  have  been  baptized." 

In  1824,  a  serious  insurrection  broke  out  in 
the  island;  and  in  1831,  another  still  more 
general  and  bloody.  To  this  last  outbreak  the 
slaves  were  provoked,  say  the  missionaries, 
"  by  inhuman  treatment,  instigated  also  by 
hearing  of  the  sympathy  which  their  lot  had 
excited  in  England  and  its  parliament." 
Much  hatred  was  excited  against  the  missions, 
and  several  churches  of  different  denominations 
were  broken  up.  In  1834,  a  system  of  eman- 
cipation was  commenced,  but  complete  liberty 
was  not  granted  till  1838.  "  From  that  time," 
say  the  brethren,  "  our  mission  in  Jamaica  has 
prospered  greatly.  Our  six  churches  were 
over-crowded.  At  the  church  in  Fairfield, 
which  contains  800  sittings,  above  2,000  per- 
sons sought  admittance.  It  was  therefore  ne- 
cessary to  keep  two  meetings,  either  at  the 
same  time  or  in  succession.  The  schools  were 
equally  over-crowded.  The  souls  under  our 
care  numbered  8,000.  New  preaching  places 
were  established,  and  many  school-houses  were 
erected."  In  1842,  an  institution  for  training 
native  teachers  was  established.  In  1850,  the 
souls  under  the  care  of  the  mission  at  the  se- 
veral stations,  was  estimated  at  13,000.  25 
elementary  schools  were  in  active  operation, 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  missionaries. 

The  Moravian  Church  Miscellany  for  May, 
1851,  contains  a  review  of  the  Jamaica  mia- 
sion,  representing  it  as  comprising  13  stations, 
at  the  west  end  of  the  island,  each  station  con- 
sisting of  various  buildings — a  church,  a 
school- house,  and  a  dwelling-house,  with  out- 
offices.  With  each  station  a  congregation  is 
connected,  living  within  a  circle,  tne  diameter 
of  which  is,  in  most  cases,  about  20  miles. 
Besides  the  principal  stations,  there  are  17 
school-houses  and  out  station  schools,  making 
the  number  of  churches  13,  and  of  schools  30. 
The  number  of  negroes  in  connexion  with 
these  churches  anwuuted,  at  the  above  date,  to 
13,388,  young  and  old.  Many  white  families 
also  regularly  attended  the  churches.  Theae 
statements  are  not  essentially  modified  by  any 
later  returns. 

Antigua. — The  brethren's  mission  was  com- 
menced in  this  island  in  1756.  It  originat<^ 
with  the  missionaries  at  St  Thomas,  and  the 
first  missionary  was  from  that  place.  Little 
interest  was  excited  in  the  minds  of  the  ne- 
groes, however,  till  1761,  when  a  piece  of 


77» 

tiMMgrocs.  In  1772,  a  religious  awakening 
■pratd  over  the  island.  A  desire  for  religious 
inBtnictioo  was  increased  among  the  slaves, 
and  in  1775  the  attendants  on  pul)lic  worship 
Dombered  2,000,  and  from  10  to  20  were  bap- 
tised aimoet  every  month.  The  converts  were 
tabject  to  many  temptations  and  troubles, 
toda  a8  famine,  sickness,  persecution,  depreda- 
tk>D8,  and  the  excitements  consequent  upon  the 
taking  of  the  island  by  the  French ;  yet  the 
cause  was  firm  and  progressive,  so  that  after 
the  restoration  of  jxjace,  in  1783,  60  adults 
were  received  into  the  church  at  St.  John's, 
in  one  day,  and  in  a  year  700  were  added  to 
the  congregations.  The  missionaries  preached 
on  different  plantations,  and  one  native  assist- 
ant built  a  house  of  worship  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, to  seat  400  persons.  Many  of  the 
planters  saw  that  the  effects  of  the  Gospel 
upon  the  slaves  was  highly  beneficial,  and 
when  any  of  them  were  refractory,  they  sent 
them  to  the  missionaries  for  reproof,  instead  of 
administering  corporeal  punishment.  But  others 
were  decidedly  hostile,  and  would  punish  their 
slaves  severely  for  attending  on  the  means  of 
grace.  One  negro  was  compelled  to  give  his 
own  wife  fifty  lashes,  because  she  had  sought 
the  protection  of  the  local  authorities.  At 
another  time,  an  aged  female  negro  was  un- 
mercifully whipped  and  put  in  irons,  from  ha- 
tred to  her  religion,  and  the  next  day  she  was 
chained  to  two  negroes,  and  dragged'  towards 
the  field  to  work,  but  died  on  the  way.  Amidst 
these  persecutions  the  church  in  Antigua  re- 
sembled the  burning  bush.  In  spite  of  oppo- 
sition, the  word  of  the  Lord  continued  to  run 
and  be  glorified,  and  the  two  congregations, 
in  1788,  numbered  more  than  6,000 ;  and  so 
many  new  doors  were  opened  for  preaching  the 
Gospel,  that  the  missionaries  were  thankful  to 
find  useful  assistants  in  many  of  the  converts, 
who  visited  the  sick,  gave  advice,  and  minister- 
ed in  many  ways,  though  they  were  not  employ- 
ed in  preaching. 

In  1796,  a  third  station  was  formed  ;  the 
names  of  the  three  stations  being  St.  John's, 
Grace  Hill,  and  Grace  Bay.  In  1810,  they 
commenced  a  school  on  the  Lancasterian  plan, 
at  St.  John's,  with  80  scholars,  which  soon  in- 
creased to  700,  who  made  surprising  progress 
in  learning.  In  1812,  owing  to  the  dryness  of 
the  season  and  the  war  with  America,  provi- 
sions became  dear  and  scarce,  and  famine  and 
disease  prevailed,  which  carried  off  more  than 
200  of  the  congregation  at  St.  John's.  In  1817, 
the  brethren  commenced  a  fourth  station,  at  a 
place  called  Newfield,  for  which  the  colonial 
government  presented  them  with  ten  acres  of 
land,  £1,000  towards  the  erection  of  buildings, 
and  an  annual  grant  of  £300  for  their  support! 
Two  other  stations  were  added,  Cedar  Hall, 
and  Mount  Joy,  and  large  congregations  were 
collected.  In  1823,  they  celebrated  the  50tH 
anniversary  of  the  opening  of  the  church  at 
St.  John's,  when  it  appeared  that  there  had 


WEST  INDIES. 


been  baptized  and  received  into  the  church  in 
that  time,  16,099  negroes,  young  and  old. 
Among  a  people  so  ignorant  and  oppressed, 
however,  some  allowance  must  be  made  for 
spurious  conversions.  In  1826,  the  mission  in 
Antigua  Wiis  strengthened  by  the  arrival  of 
several  brethren  from  Europe.  The  number 
of  slaves  receiving  instruction  at  this  period, 
wjis  14,823.  Bible  and  missionary  societies 
were  formed  among  the  negroes  in  1832  ;  and 
in  1834,  unconditional  emancipation  was  pro- 
claimed in  the  island,  the  negroes  being  consider- 
ed sufficiently  advanced  in  knowledge  and  intel- 
ligence to  render  such  a  measure  safe  and  pro- 
per. In  1838,  Lebanon,  the  sixth  station,  was 
begun,  and  1839,  Gracefield  was  commenced 
in  the  north.  A  training  school  was  opened 
at  Cedar  Hall,  in  1847,  but  the  buildings  wore 
destroyed  by  a  hurricane  the  next  year.  They 
have  been  rebuilt,  and  the  institution  is  in  a 
flourishing  condition.  There  are  not  so  many 
under  the  instruction  of  the  missionaries  in 
Antigua  at  the  present  time  as  there  were  a 
few  years  ago,  owing  chiefly,  as  is  supposed, 
to  the  increase  of  churches  of  other  denomi- 
nations;  still  the  number  as  last  reported, 
amounted  to  about  8,000. 

St.  Kitt's. — A  mission  was  begun  in  this 
island  in  1777,  at  Basseterre.  In  a  year  or 
two  a  general  interest  was  awakened  among 
the  negroes,  which  continued,  with  some  inter- 
ruptions, so  that  in  1790  the  Gospel  was 
preached  on  upwards  of  50  plantations.  In 
1800  the  number  of  converts  was  estimated  at 
about  2,000.  A  second  station,  Bethesda,  was 
formed  in  1820  ;  and  in  1832  a  third  was  be- 
gun at  Bethel,  From  this  time  the  activity  of 
other  missionary  societies  increased,  and  many 
who  had  attended  the  Moravian  meetings  fell 
off,  and  joined  congregations  nearer  and  more 
convenient.  Estridge,  a  fourth  station,  was 
commenced  in  1845. 

Barbadoes. — The  Brethren  entered  upon  a 
mission  in  this  island  in  1765.  The  first  con- 
vert was  baptized  in  1768  ;  but  there  has  been 
no  such  general  desire  for  the  word  of  God  as 
in  many  of  the  other  West  India  islands.  Two 
stations  were  established,  one  at  Sharon,  in 
1794,  and  one  at  Mount  Tabor,  in  1826.    In 

1831,  both  these  stations  were  destroyed  by  a 
hurricane,  and  upwards  of  4,000  souls  perished 
in  the  island.    These  stations  were  rebuilt  in 

1832,  when  the  congregations  numbered  about 
1100.  A  congregation  was  established  at 
Bridgetown  in  1836,  and  another  at  Clifton 
Hill,  in  1841,  making  four  stations,  which  are 
still  occupied  with  a  good  degree  of  success. 

Tobago. — The  Moravians  have  had  a  mission 
in  this  island  since  1787.  At  several  different 
times  it  has  been  suspended,  but  resumed  again, 
and  it  still  exists,  as  one  of  the  many  proofs  of 
the  blessing  of  God  on  missionary  perseverance. 
There  are  two  stations,  Montgomery  and 
Moriah. 

Dutch  Guiana. — Into  this  field  two  of  the 


WEST  INDIES 


773 


Brethren  entered  in  1733.  One  of  their  lead- 
ing objects  was  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the 
Arawacks,  a  numerous  Indian  tribe  in  that 
part  of  Surinam  called  Rio  de  Berbice.  Their 
first  station  was  at  Pilgerlmt,  on  the  river 
Wironje,  a  tributary  of  the  Berbice.  At  the 
end  of  ten  years  the  mission  was  favored  with 
the  presence  and  labors  of  Theophilus  Solomon 
Schumann,  called  "  the  gifted  apostle  of  the 
Arawacks."  By  his  great  talents  and  "  won- 
derful combination  of  wisdom  and  firmness," 
he  was  enabled,  under  God,  to  triumph  over 
the  opposition  of  the  whites,  and  300  converts 
crowned  his  labors.  But  in  1757  difficulties 
of  every  description,  among  which  were  fam- 
ine and  epidemics,  thickened  around,  and 
almost  dispersed  this  little  flock.  By  removals 
they  sought  a  more  peaceful  abode,  and  much 
might  be  related  of  the  heroic  perseverance  of 
the  Moravian  brethren  in  these  primeval  for- 
ests. In  1700  Schumann  was  called  from  his 
labors  on  earth.  The  work  was  continued  by 
other  missionaries,  though  amid  appalling  diffi- 
culties and  discouragements.  Station  after 
station  was  invaded  and  burnt  by  the  Bush 
Negroes,  and  the  converts  dispersed,  and  finally, 
in  1808,  the  mission  among  the  South  Ameri- 
can Indians,  after  existing  70  years,was  brought 
to  a  close. 

A  mission  among  the  negro  slaves  in  Suri- 
nam, was  commenced  in  1735,  at  Parimaribo 
as  head-quarters.  The  missionaries  went  out 
with  licenses  for  several  trades,  by  which  they 
supported  themselves.  The  first  convert  in 
Parimaribo  was  baptized  in  1776,  and  the  first 
church  was  erected  in  1778.  From  1799  to 
1816  the  colony  was  a  scene  of  frequent  wars 
between  the  Dutch  and  the  English,  but  the 
mission  was  at  no  time  entirely  interrupted. 
In  1821  the  "  Harmony  of  the  Gospels,"  was 
translated  into  Negro-English,  and  was  heartily 
welcomed  by  those  who  were  able  to  read.  In 
1828  the  brethren  opened  a  new  church  in  Pari- 
maribo, with  a  congregation  of  2,260.  The  most 
respected  inhabitants  formed  a  society,  which 
still  renders  valuable  assistance  to  the  mission. 
In  1830  Berg  en  Dal,  on  the  Surinam,  90  miles 
from  Parimaribo,  was  opened  as  a  preaching 
place.  During  this  year  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society  printed  the  Negro-English  New 
Testament  for  the  Surinam  mission.  It  had  pre- 
viously existed  only  in  manuscript.  Several 
new  stations  have  been  formed,  but  the  largest 
and  most  important  is  still  at  Parimaribo, 
where  the  congregation,  in  1850,  numbered 
5,500  souls.  The  other  negroes  under  the  care 
of  the  mission  are  scattered  over  several  hun- 
dred plantations.  The  Brethren  have  also  a 
mission  among  the  Bush,  or  Free  Negroes,  on 
the  upper  Surinam,  a  country  which  can  be 
reached  only  by  dangerous  voyages  in  sma  1 
canoes  up  the  streams,  the  navigation  of  which 
is  rendered  extremely  perilous  by  cataracts. 
The  heat  is  extreme,  and  the  climate  fatal  to 
most  Europeans.    Into  this  region  two  of  the 


Brethren  penetrated  in  176o.  One  of  them 
died  in  two  months,  the  other  labored  12  years, 
and  was  the  means  of  bringing  a  few  souls  to 
accept  the  Gospel  invitation.  New  Bambey, 
a  station  some  miles  lower  down  the  river,  was 
established  in  1785,  for  a  company  of  20  ne- 
groes. Considerable  desire  was  manifested  for 
several  years  in  the  interior  of  the  country,  to 
hear  the  Gospel,  but  sickne&s  and  death  among 
the  missionaries  proved  a  great  hindrance  to 
their  labors.  In  1813  the  congregation  in  New 
Bambey  numbered  50,  but  there  was  little  vi- 
tality among  them,  and  the  field  was  relinquish- 
ed ;  it  was  afterwards  resumed,  but  owing  to 
the  death  of  missionaries,  was  given  up  again 
in  1848. 

English  General  Baptists. — Jamaica. — 
The  Baptists  entered  upon  their  mission  in  Ja- 
maica in  1814.  The  first  station  was  at  Fal- 
mouth, where  a  school  was  opened,  and  preach- 
ing commenced  on  the  Sabbath,  attended  by 
both  negroes  and  white  people.  Two  more  mis- 
sionaries arrived  the  next  year,  and  settled  at 
Kingston.  Encouraged  by  early  indications  of 
success,  the  society  pressed  forward  its  work,  in- 
creasing the  number  of  laborers  and  forming 
new  stations,  till,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
missionaries  in  Falmouth,  in  April,  1831,  the 
following  tabular  statement  was  presented  : 


C11UKC3IES. 


Kingston,  Queen-street 
Hanover  " 

Yallahs 

Spanish  Town 

Montego  Bay 

Gurney's  Mount 

Falmouth .... 

Anotta  Bay 

Charles  Town 

Port  Maria 

Ora  Cabessa 

Brae  Head 

Mount  Charles 

Ol<l  Harbor 

Hayes  Savanna 

Crooked  Spring 

Port  Royal 

St.  Ann's  Bay 

Ocho  Rios 

Savanna  la  Mar 

Fuller's  Field 

Rio  Bueno 

Stewart's  Town 

Lucea  — 


TotaLj. 


50 


S  & 


383    393    1941  IWl   10,838 


2,037 

769 

103 

1,036 

1,572 

125 

8S5 

510 

112 

410 

45 

36 

319 

265 

257 

723 

202 

52 

89 

83 

22 

128 

108 

60 


The  mission  continued  to  prosper,  and  the 
churches  had  at  no  time  been  in  a  better  con- 
dition than  when  the  act  of  emancipation  was 
carried  into  effect,  in  1838.  Yet,  those  who 
were  unfriendly  to  this  act,  and  wished  to 
make  its  results  appear  to  the  worst  advan- 
tage, raised  numerous  reports  against  the  mis- 


774 


WEST  INDIES. 


sionarles,  and  sought  in  every  way  to  embar- 
rass their  operations.  This  led  Sir  Lionel 
Smith  to  make  some  explicit  statements  in 
their  defence.  In  reply  to  an  address  from 
the  Baptist  brethren,  he  said,  "  On  my  assum- 
ing tiie  ffovernment  of  this  colony,  I  strongly 
expressed  mv  reliance  on  the  whole  body  of 
niisstionaries,  in  their  high  integrity  of  purpose, 
and  in  their  loyal  principles.  You  more  than 
realizLKl  all  the  benefits  I  expected  from  your 
ministry,  by  raising  the  negroes  from  the  men- 
tal degradation  of  slavery  to  the  cheering  obli- 
gations of  Christianity,  and  they  were  thus 
taught  that  patient  endurance  of  evil,  which 
has  so  materially  contributed  to  the  general 
tranquillity.  Even  with  the  aid  of  a  vicious 
and  well  paid  press,  both  in  England  and 
Jamaica,  the  enemies  of  your  religion  have 
never  dared  go  to  the  proof  of  their  audacious 
accusations  against  you."  After  alluding  to 
the  peaceful  working  of  emancipation,  and  the 
disappointment  of  those  who  had  predicted 
violence  and  blood,  the  governor  added,  "  The 
admirable  conduct  of  the  peasantry  in  such  a 
crisis,  has  constituted  a  proud  triumph  to  the 
cause  of  religion  ;  and  those  who  contributed 
to  enlighten  them  in  their  moral  duties,  through 
persecutions,  insults,  and  dangers,  have  deserved 
the  regard  and  esteem  of  the  good  and  the  just 
in  all  Christian  countries."  This  was  said 
after  one  year  of  freedom  had  passed  away. 
The  returns  made  from  the  respective  mission 
churches  in  1839,  evinced  that  the  work  of 
God  continued  to  advance  in  an  encouraging 
degree.  A  nett  increase  of  2,617  members 
had  taken  place  during  the  preceding  year, 
and  the  whole  number  of  members  was  21,337. 
There  were  also  over  20,000  inquirers.  A 
large  increase  was  reported  in  the  number  of 
pupils  receiving  instruction  in  the  schools. 
The  day-schools  contained  5,413,  the  evening- 
schools  577,  and  10,117  were  taught  on  the 
Sabbath,  making  a  total  of  16,117  scholars. 
As  a  further  proof  of  the  rapid  growth  of  those 
habits  and  feelings  which  are  the  best  security 
for  the  social  welfare  of  a  community,  the  mis- 
sionaries had  solemnized  1,942  marriages  dur- 
ing the  year.  In  1841,  the  number  of  church 
members  had  increased  to  27,706.  At  the 
association  of  the  Baptist  mission  churches, 
held  in  Kingston.  January,  1842,  the  ministers 
unanimously  resolved,  as  an  appropriate  com- 
memoration at  once  of  the  day  of  freedom  and 
the  jubilee  of  the  mission,  to  detach  themselves 
from  the  funds  of  the  parent  society  after  the 
first  of  August  ensuing.  From  this  period,  the 
churches  in  Jamaica,  although  continued  with 
no  \cis  efficiency  than  before,  are  not  formally 
reported  as  mission  churches. 

Bahamas. — A  mission  to  the  Bahama  Islands 
was  commenced  by  the  General  Baptists  in 
1834.  ITie  missionaries  established  themselves 
at  N»ew  Providence,  and  in  two  years  they  had 
extended  their  labors  to  Andros  Island,  Eleu- 
thera,  Exuma,  Rum  Key,  Crooked  Island,  For- 


tune's Island,  and  Turk's  Island.  Connected 
with  the  churches  at  these  places  there  were 
490  members,  217  having  been  added  during 
the  preceding  year.  This  field  has  been  steadily 
and  perseveringly  cultivated,  and  has  yielded 
much  precious  fruit.  In  1850,  Mr.  Littlewood 
wrote,  "  We  have  six  native  agents,  assisted 
by  their  wives,  exclusive  of  140  Sabbath-school 
teachers.  Their  work  is  divided  between  45 
churches,  1,475  members,  3,045  attendants  on 
public  worship,  and  1,226  scholars,  the  fruit  of 
whose  labors  is  evidenced  in  the  steady  acces- 
sion to  our  churches,  and  in  the  increased 
knowledge  and  piety  of  the  people."  Mr.  Lit- 
tlewood, speaking  of  his  field  of  labor,  says  : 
"  Imagine  an  expanse  of  water  spread  out  be- 
fore you  some  500  miles,  studded  with  sea-girt 
isles,  varying  from  100  miles  by  40,  to  bare 
rocks  of  100  yards  in  circumference.  Amidst 
these  islands  I  am  continually  navigating, 
where  the  ocean  is  frequently  as  smooth  as  a 
mirror,  or  as  often  lashed  into  a  foam  by  the 
tempest."  The  members  of  these  churches  are 
represented  as,  for  the  most  part,  very  poor, 
but  as  humble  and  consistent  Christians. 

Trinidad.— In  1842  the  attention  of  the  So- 
ciety was  directed  to  this  island,  only  about 
one-tenth  of  whose  80,000  inhabitants  are 
white  people.  Mr.  Cowen,  the  first  mission- 
ary, described  the  people  as  in  an  awful  state 
of  destitution  and  spiritual  ignorance,  and 
nothing  to  encourage  missionary  operations 
except  the  existing  necessity.  In  1846  the 
Secretary  of  the  Society  visited  Trinidad,  at 
which  time  the  number  of  evangelical  minis- 
ters on  the  island  was  eight,  and  the  attend- 
ance upon  day-schools  about  one  in  twenty. 
The  great  body  of  the  people  were  Roman 
Catholics ;  and,  by  popery  and  slavery  com- 
bined, the  energy  of  the  people  had  been  de- 
stroyed, and  the  finer  features  of  the  negro 
character  nearly  obliterated.  The  Secretary 
says,  "  We  have  two  groups  of  stations  in 
Trinidad,  one  of  which  is  in  and  around  the 
port  of  Spain,  the  other  about  20  miles  to  the 
south,  in  and  around  the  Savanna  Grande. 
Since  1843  two  small  chapels  of  wood  have 
been  built  near  the  port  of  Spain,  in  one  of 
which  a  school  of  90  scholars  is  taught.  An- 
other chapel  has  been  built  about  three  miles 
distant,  close  to  the  sea,  in  the  midst  of  a  con- 
siderable population.  About  20  miles  north 
of  the  port  of  Spain,  Mr.  Cowen  has  three  sta- 
tions, where  he  labors  with  much  self-denial." 
In  1850  the  missionary  wrote  with  expressions 
of  grief :  "  What  with  rum-drinking,  supersti- 
tion, and  something  like  paganism,  the  cause 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  makes  little  progress  in 
Trinidad."  He  added,  however,  that  increas- 
ed attention  was  being  paid  to  the  cause  of 
education ;  that  thousands  of  religious  tracts 
were  in  circulation,  and  that  during  the  pre- 
ceding year  more  than  a  thousand  copies  of 
the  Scriptures  had  been  distributed.  The 
number  of  communicants,  as  last  reported,  was 


WESLEYAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


80  ;  schools,  8  ;  teachers,  12  ;  scholars,  181 ; 
all  under  tke  superintendence  of  one  mis- 
sionary. 

Honduras.~Th\s  island  has  been  the  scene 
of  missionary  operations  by  the  English  Bap- 
tists since  1822 ;  but  their  labors  have  been 
quite  restricted,  and  no  very  full  reports  of  a 
recent  date  have  been  received.  The  largest 
number  of  communicants  reported  at  any  one 
time  was  132  ;  schools,  9  ;  scholars,  227. 

Church  Missionary  Society.— This  Soci- 
ety commenced  a  mission  in  the  island  of  An- 
tigua in  181.5,  another  in  Jamaica  in  1826, 
and  one  in  Trinidad  in  1836.  Later  still,  a 
good  work  has  been  begun  and  carried  on  in 
British  Guiana.  In  Jamaica,  as  last  reported, 
the  Society  had  five  stations,  viz.,  Siloah, 
PrattvUle,  Chichester,  Rural  Hill,  and  Church 
Hill.  At  Siloah  the  house  of  worship,  which 
YTBS  adapted  to  seat  850  persons,  was  crowded 
with  a  congregation  of  about  1,000.  The 
communicants  numbered  312,  and  there  were 
114  candidates.  In  two  schools  there  were 
218  scholars.  The  Prattville  station  had  279 
communicants  ;  one  day-school,  with  138  chil- 
dren, and  one  Sunday-school,  with  230  scholars, 
At  Chichester  there  was  a  congregation  of 
450,  of  whom  105  were  church-members,  and 
39  candidates.  Of  the  other  two  stations  no 
definite  account  is  given.  Little,  if  anything, 
is  at  present  done  by  the  Society  in  Antigua 
and  Trinidad.  In  British  Guiana  considerable 
attention  has  been  paid  to  schools,  and  though 
the  number  of  scholars  is  not  large,  their  pro- 
ficiency is  remarkable.  The  highest  class 
read  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  study 
general  and  church  history,  and  geography, 
besides  learning  hymns,  catechism,  and  por- 
tions of  Scripture. 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel. — This  Society  has  missions  in  Barba- 
does,  Grenada,  Tobago,  and  British  Guiana. 
In  Barbadoes  they  commenced  operations  as 
early  as  1818,  and  they  have  now  eight  or 
nine  stations,  and  as  many  missionaries.  Cod- 
rington  College,  an  important  institution  of 
this  Society,  has  been  in  operation  since  1829, 
and  has  supplied  the  West  Indian  Church  with 
upwards  of  sixty  clergymen.  In  Grenada  the 
Society  has  but  one  missionary ;  also  one  in 
Tobago.  In  Essequibo,  Pomeroon,  and  Do- 
marara,  belonging  to  British  Guiana,  there  are 
five  or  six  missionaries. 

London  Missionary  Society. — The  London 
Missionary  Society  commenced  a  mission  in 
Jamaica  in  1834 ;  and  at  later  periods  it  has 
established  miss'ions  in  Dcmerara  and  Bcrbico. 
The  latest  reports  received  are  to  1851,  when 
the  Society  had  in  Jamaica  12  chapels  or  sta- 
tions, 8  missionaries,  and  over  800  commu- 
nicants. In  Demarara  there  were  7  chapels, 
5  missionaries,  4  teachers,  1,000  communicants, 
and  550  scholars.  In  all,  19  missionaries,  4,000 
communicants,  and  3,000  scholars. 
United  Scotch  Presbyterian  Church. — 


775 


,r  ^\ 


on.<» 

the 
Lucca,  Port 


This  Church  has  taken  charge  ■ 

till  lately  maintained  by  the  S. . 

ary  Society.     They  are  in  Jam; 

following  places,  viz.,  IJampden 
Maria,  Cornwall,  Carron  Hall,  Gi-een  iHland. 
Brownsville,  and  Rose  Hill.    Their  statistics 
are  not  given.— Rev.  E,  I).  Moore. 

Baptist  Free  Mi.ssion  SoriKTT.— This  So- 
ciety, which  is  organized  on  anti-slavery  prin- 
ciples, and  has  its  seat  of  operations  iu  Utica. 
rs.  Y.,  has  had  a  mission  for  a  number  of  ycarg 
in  successful  operation  in  Hayti ;  with  1  mi«. 
sionary,  3  female  assistants,  1  native  paator, 
and  4  native  teachers. 

general  tabular  view. 


Wesleyans 

English  Baptists 

Church  of  England 

London  lILssiooary  i?oc. 

Moravians 

Scotch  Presbyterians . . 
American  Miss.  Asso.. 


Totals. 


18,003* 
f96 

4,000 
17.000 

3,900 


92,494 


^ 


18,247 

753 

348 

3,000 

3, 000 
613 


15,861 


IU40fi 


59,596 


17-i,001 


•  Includes  the  churches  not  now  aided  by  the  Sk>c2«ty. 

WESLEYAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIE- 
TY.-— Methodism  has  often  been  complimented 
as  being  "  essentially  missionary  in  its  charac- 
ter." This  is  true  in  a  higher  sense  than  is 
generally  understood.  Indeed,  the  very  origin 
of  the  system  can  be  traced  to  a  high  and 
devoted  missionary  spirit.  The  founder  of 
Methodism  was  a  missionary  before  he  was 
an  evangelical  Methodist,  having  gone  forth  in 
1735  in  the  service  of  the  Sociely/or  Propa- 
gating the  Gospel  in  Foreigii  Parts,  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  North  American  Indians.  His 
subsequent  conversion  to  God  wa<*  accom- 
plished through  the  honored  iib'  "ty 
of  a  Moravian  missionary,  Peter  n 

on  his  way  to  his  field  of  Iab(/r  

heathen.  And  almost  prophetic  wn 
words  of  Wesley,  when  parted  from  tiii^  ,;.■ 
voted  missionary,  who  had  bwn  to  him  a 
father  in  the  Gospel :  "  0  what  a  work  hath 
God  begun  since  his  coming  into  England ! 
Such  an  one  as  shall  never  come  to  an  end  till 

heaven  and  earth  pass  away. "  V •  *^ft y-two 

years  from  that  time  as  an  -  achor 

he  nobly  acied  up  to  the  ."^i  •  hoscn 

motto  :  "  The  World  is  my  Parish. '  During 
this  period,  such  "  full  proof  of  his  ministry 
ditl  lie  make,  that  he  generally  delivered  two, 
and  frequently,  three  or  four  sermons  every 
day ;  and  traveled  about  4,500  miles  every 
year,  chiefly  on  horseback.  And  so  wonder- 
fully did  God  own  his  great  missiocnry  plant. 


776 


WESLEY  AN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


•nd  eflbrts,  that,  at  his  death,  the  work  had 
mntA  through  all  parts  of  Great  Britain  and 
MaimI   (where    there  were  300   itinerants, 
1  !-"•>  '      I  preachers,  and  80,000  members,  in 
t  .)  and  also  into  the  Isle  of  "Wight, 

iu...  ....  i  .0  of  Man,  and  the  Channel  Islands, 

through  the  United  States,  the  West  Indies, 
Oaoada,  and  Newfoundland. 

We  might  almost  say  that  Mr.  Wesley's 
missionary  spirit  was  hereditary.  His  father, 
Rev.  Samuel  Wesley,  felt  deeply  for  the  hea- 
then, and  about  the  beginning  of  the  eight- 
eenth century  we  find  him  in  correspondence 
with  one  of  the  English  prehites,  projecting  a 
mission  to  Hindostan  on  a  ma{«nificent  scale, 
and  even  oflFering  himself  to  take  a  part  in  it 
as  a  missionary.  Mrs.  Susannah  Wesley,  also, 
the  gifted  mother  of  John  Wesley,  shared  the 
missionary  ardor  of  her  husband.  During  Mr. 
Wesley's  absence  in  London,  attending  the 
Convocation,  she  read  the  journals  of  the  mis- 
sionaries sent  out  by  the  Danish  Society  to 
Trauqucbar ;  and  so  powerful  was  the  effect 
produced  upon  her  mind,  that  she  gave  herself 
anew  in  covenant  to  God,  and  resolved  in  fu- 
ture to  be  more  devoted  to  his  service.  She 
began  to  labor  systematically  with  her  child- 
ren, and  then  with  her  husband's  parishioners, 
assembling  them  together  on  the  Sabbath  eve- 
nings, during  the  long  months  of  her  husband's 
absence,  and  giving  them  religious  instruction  ; 
and  pleading,  in  justification  of  this  unusual 
step  for  her  as  a  woman,  the  example  of  the 
Tranquebar  missionaries.  Much  good  was 
accomplished  by  her  eflbrts,  and  she  imbued 
her  children  with  her  own  spirit ;  and  perhaps 
it  may  be  seen  in  the  light  of  eternity,  that  the 
missionary  ardor  of  the  followers  of  Wesley 
owes  much  to  the  mother  of  the  founder  of 
Methodism. 

The  Contingent  Fund,  instituted  by  Mr. 
John  Wesley  as  early  as  1756,  was  designed  by 
him  to  be  the  means  of  sustaining  the  home 
missions  of  Methodism  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland.  But  the  work  soon  began  to  spread 
beyond  the  ability  of  a  home  mission  agency 
to  manage.  One  step  after  another  led  the 
Methodists  onward  until  they  reached  the  pa- 
gan world  ;  and  it  soon  became  apparent  that 
a  foreign  missionary  organization  was  needed 
to  take  charge  of  the  spreading  work  of  God. 

The  first  mission  beyond  the  limits  of  Great 
Britain,  undertaken  by  the  early  Methodists, 
was  that  to  the  North  American  colonies.  In 
the  minutes  for  1769,  we  find  Mr.  Wesley  ask- 
ing in  the  Conference,  "Who  are  willing  to 
go  to  America  as  missionaries  ?"  Two  breth- 
ren immediately  rose  and  offered  themselves, 
Richard  Boardman  and  Joseph  Pilmoor.  But 
there  was  no  foreign  missionary  fund ;  and  Mr. 
Wesley  proposed  that  they  should  take  up  a 
collection  among  themselves,  and  £70  were 
contributed  on  the  spot.  This  was  the  first 
Methodist  missionaiy  collection  ever  made; 
ADd  as  the  whole  number  of  preachers  at  that 


time  was  but  110,  and  only  about  half  of  these 
usually  attended  Conference,  this  collection 
would  probably  average  nearly  ^7  each  from 
this  company  of  poor  itinerants.  Of  this  sum 
£20  was  appropriated  to  pay  the  passage  of 
the  missionaries,  and  the  remainder  was  given 
thera  to  assist  in  the  erection  of  the  first  Me- 
thodist meeting-house  in  America.  Other  mis- 
sionaries were  sent  out  afterwards,  but  in  a 
short  time  this  portion  of  the  work  assumed 
the  independent  position  of  the  Methodist  E. 
Church ;  and  being  able  to  provide  for  her 
own  necessities,  ceased  to  be  regarded  a3  a 
mission  of  the  parent  community. 

But  the  missionary  spirit  which  Mr.  Wesley 
had  evoked,  soon  called  into  existence  opera- 
tions too  extensive  for  the  superintendence  of 
one  man,  even  of  Mr.  Wesley's  versatile  pow- 
ers ;  and  in  this  emergency,  God  sent  to  his 
aid  Rev.  Dr.  Coke.  The  friendship  between 
these  men  began  Aug.  13,  1776 ;  and  after 
traveling  through  the  home  work  of  Metho- 
dism, and  visiting  America  to  organize  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  in  1784,  Dr.  0. 
became  General  Superintendent  of  Methodist 
missions.  He  traveled  extensively  through 
Great  Britain,  making  collections  for  their 
support,  soliciting  subscriptions  from  wealthy 
individuals,  wherever  he  coiild  gain  access,  and 
selecting  suitable  men  for  the  work.  He  also 
maintained  a  regular  correspondence  with  the 
missionaries.  From  the  time  of  Mr.  Wesley's 
death,  in  1791,  to  the  year  1811,  under  his 
active  and  vigilant  superintendence,  the  mis- 
sionaries among  the  Africans  in  the  West  In- 
dies, and  those  in  British  North  America, 
were  increased  from  21  to  43,  besides  11  em- 
ployed in  the  Irish  mission  among  the  neglect- 
ed papists ;  and  the  members  in  society  in 
these  foreign  stations  were  increased  from 
6,525  to  13,382.  After  the  Conference  of 
1786,  Dr.  Coke  sailed  in  company  with  three 
brethren  for  Halifax ;  but  Providence  drove 
the  vessel  to  Antigua.  He  distributed  the 
missionaries  among  the  islands,  and  thus  began 
the  Wesleyan  missions  to  the  West  Indies. 
He  returned  to  England,  and  spent  the  next 
18  months  in  visiting  the  principal  towns, 
begging  for  the  missions  with  unabated  zeal ; 
and  at  the  close  of  the  Conference  of  1788,  he 
sailed  again  with  another  detachment  of  mis- 
sionaries for  other  islands  among  the  West 
Indies.  He  again  returned  home,  and  having 
sent  out  several  more  missionaries,  he  once 
more  started  with  another  band  of  devoted 
men  for  the  West  Indies,  in  October,  1790. 
As  the  missions  multiplied  abroad,  the  Con- 
ference in  England  relieved  Dr.  Coke  of  a  part 
of  his  labor,  by  establishing  an  annual  mis- 
sionary collection  in  all  their  chapels,  to  sup- 
port this  growing  and  blessed  work. 

In  the  next  ten  years  the  Doctor  paid  four 
more  visits  to  America,  to  extend  and  strength- 
en the  work  already  begun.  At  the  Conference 
of  1813,  though  then  in  his  67th  year,  he  ex- 


WESLEYAN  mSSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


777 


pressed  an  earnest  desire  to  proceed  to  the 
East  Indies  to  establish  a  mission  there.  Eight- 
een times  had  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  for  mis- 
sionary purposes ;  yet  his  godly  ardor  was  un- 
abated. Some  of  his  brethren  attempted  to 
dissuade  him  from  his  purpose ;  but,  after  hear- 
ing their  arguments,  he  burst  into  tears,  and 
exclaimed,  "  If  you  will  not  let  rac  go,  you 
will  break  my  heart !"  His  brethren  withdrew 
their  opposition ;  and,  accompanied  by  seven 
missionaries.  Dr.  Coke  embarked  for  the  cast 
in  December,  1813.  But  on  the  3d  of  May 
following,  his  spirit  suddenly  returned  to  God  : 
he  was  found  dead  in  his  cabin.  Thus  ended 
the  life  and  labors  of  this  estimable  man, 
whose  name  will  ever  be  remembered  in  hon- 
orable association  with  the  history  of  the 
Wesley  an  Missionary  Society. 

The  Wesleyan  Home  Missions  may  be  con- 
sidered to  have  commenced  when  Mr.  Wesley 
instituted  "the  Contingent  Fund"  for  their 
support  in  1756,  98  years  ago.  The  Foreign 
Missions  of  Methodism  were  commenced  by 
Mr.  Wesley  in  1769,  when  he  sent  missionaries 
to  America.  In  the  year  1784  he  planted  a 
mission  in  the  Isle  of  Jersey;  and  in  1785  he 
sent  out  seven  missionaries  to  establish  mis- 
sions in  Nova  Scotia,  Newfoundland,  and  in  the 
Island  of  Antigua.  The  next  year  he  sent 
additional  help  to  these  missions,  and  also  oc- 
cupied Guernsey.  In  1787  he  sent  missionaries 
to  St.  Vincent's,  St.  Christopher's,  and  St.  Eusta- 
titis,  and  also  strengthened  the  mission  in  the 
Norman  Isles.  In  1788  he  appointed  five 
more  missionaries  for  the  West  Indies.  The 
work  continued  to  spread,  and  in  1789  Domin- 
ica:, Barbadoes,  Saba,  Tortola,  and  Santa  Cruz 
were  added  to  the  list  of  Wesleyan  missions. 
Mr.  Wesley  sent  out  two  more  missionaries  the 
next  year  to  the  West  Indies,  and  he  added 
Jamaica  to  the  list  of  stations,  and  also  ap- 
pointed a  committee  of  nine  preachers  to  take 
the  management  of  those  missions.  This 
closed  Mr.  Wesley's  connection  with  the  early 
missions  of  Methodism.  A  few  months  after 
this  Conference  he  was  called  to  his  reward. 
The  statistics  of  the  Wesleyan  Foreign  Mis- 
sions at  the  Conference  before  Iiis  death  were 
as  follows  :  The  fields  occupied  were  the  Nor- 
man Isles,  Newfoundland,  Nova  Scotia,  and 
the  West  Indies.  The  number  of  missionaries 
wa.s  23,  and  of  members  5848  ;  of  whom  498 
were  French,  350  were  mulattoes,  and  4377 
were  negroes.  The  same  year  that  witnessed 
the  death  of  Wesley,  witnessed  also  the  death 
of  the  first  missionary  who  fell  in  the  service 
of  this  society.  Robert  Cambcll  died  of  putrid 
fever  in  the  Island  of  St.  Vincent's.  Upon 
Dr.  Coke  now  devolved  the  management  of  the 
Wesleyan  missions.  To  assist  him,  however, 
the  Conference  appointed  a  committee  of 
finance  and  advice,  consisting  of  all  the  minis- 
ters of  the  connection  resident  for  the  time 
being  in  London,  and  by  them  all  missionaries 
sent  out  were  to  be  examined,  and  all  accounts 


to  be  submitted  to  their  inspection,  and  corre- 
spondence to  be  maintained  with  them.  'I'hia 
Conference  sent  out  three  more  missionaries  to 
the  West  Indies,  and  also  projected  a  mission 
in  France,  William  Mahy  being  appointed  to 
this  latter  service  the  next  year. 

In  the  "  Minutes  of  the  Conference  "  of  1792 
we  first  find  Africa  on  the  list  of  the  Wesleyan 
missionary  stations.  Sierra  Leone  being  the 
part  occupied. 

The  Conference  of  1793  established  a  geno 
ral  collection  to  be  made  in  all  their  congrega- 
tions for  the  support  of  the  missions.  During 
the  next  five  or  six  years,  notwithstanding  the 
commotions  throughout  their  connection  on 
account  of  some  questions  of  discipline,  as  well 
as  the  disturbed  condition  of  the  political 
world.  Dr.  Coke  and  the  Conference  continued 
their  care  of  the  missions  already  planted,  and 
gave  them  what  enlargement  they  could.  In 
the  minutes  for  1796  we  find  the  names  of  A. 
Murdoch  and  W.  Patten  set  down  as  mission- 
aries to  the  Foulah  country  in  Africa,  to  which 
service  they  were  solemnly  set  apart  by  the 
Conference.  In  1799  the  Rev.  G.  Whitfield 
was  appointed  treasurer  for  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sions ;  and  Gibraltar  was  added  to  the  list  of 
stations.  In  the  minute?  for  that  year  occurs 
the  following  entry  :  "  We  in  the  fullest  man- 
ner take  these  missions  under  our  own  care, 
and  consider  Dr.  Coke  as  our  agent."  The 
Conference  also  requested  Dr.  C.  to  draw  up  a 
statement  of  the  work  of  God  carried  on  b^ 
their  missions,  for  circulation,  and  took  addi- 
tional steps  to  give  greater  efficiency  to  their 
missionary  work.  At  the  next  Conference  a 
body  of  rules  was  compiled  for  the  regulation 
of  the  Foreign  Missions ;  and  authority  was 
given  to  Dr.  Coke  to  send  a  missionary  to 
Gibraltar,  and  another  to  Madras.  In  1804 
Mr.  Hawkshaw  was  sent  to  Demerara,  in  South 
America.  At  this  time  the  number  of  mem- 
bers in  the  Foreign  Missions  was  15,846.  The 
first  missionary  secretary  (Mr.  Entwistle)  was 
appointed  this  year,  Dr.  Coke  being  general 
superintendent,  and  Mr.  Loraas  treasurer,  each 
of  these  officers  being  amenable  to  the  Mis- 
sionary Committee,  consisting  of  all  the  Lon- 
don preachers  ;  so  that  the  whole  apparatus 
necessary  for  the  guidance  of  the  missions  took 
form  as  the  necessity  arose. 

In  1813  the  Conference  yielded  to  Dr.  Coke's 
solicitations  for  the  establishment  of  a  mission 
in  the  East.  Of  the  seven  missionaries  ap- 
pointed for  Asia  and  South  Africa,  it  was  in- 
tended that  three  of  them  should  be  stationed 
at  Ceyl&n,  one  at  Java,  one  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  the  others  to  be  placed  where  Dr. 
Coke  might  think  best  and  as  Providence 
opened  the  way.  The  result  will  be  seen  in 
the  history  of  the  Ceylon  mission. 

The  Conference  of  1814  strongly  recom- 
mended "the  immediate  establishment  of  a 
Methodist  Missionary  Society  in  every  district 
where  it  had  not  already  been  done.    They 


778 


WESLEYAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


dto  appointed  two  secretaries  for  the  Foreign 
M3»ion<(.  in  connection  with  llic  General  Mis- 
fliouu:  f  ! tec  in  London,  and  designated 
rigl-;  1  missionaries,  three  to  Ncw- 

Hmuii"."",  . ..  o  to  Demarara,  one  to  Canada, 
and  two  to  Australia.  The  missionary  income 
W«B  ascertained  as  having  amounted  this  year 
to  £12,177.  ^     ,  ^  .    ^ 

At  Dr.  Coke's  death,  there  was  no  sufficient 
organization  to  direct  the  operations  of  the  dif- 
ferent missions,  and  to  provide  the  means  of 
their  support  and  extension.  And,  when  all 
of  a  sudden  they  found  themselves  deprived  of 
bis  services,  the  preachers  and  people  awoke 
from  their  supineness  and  keenly  felt  the  neces- 
sity of  some  combined  effort  to  maintain  the 
ground  that  had  been  gained. 

In  this  state  of  anxious  inquiry,  the  Rev. 
Geo.  Morley,  then  superintendent  of  the  Leeds 
circuit,  suggested  the  formation  of  a  missionary 
society  in  that  town.  This  was  done ;  and  a 
new  impulse  was  thus  given  to  the  work  through- 
out the  connection.  Other  places,  in  swift  suc- 
cession, followed  the  example  of  Leeds,  till 
the  Methodist  congregations,  from  the  Land's 
End  to  the  Tweed,  caught  the  sacred  flame. 
Collectors  offered  their  services  in  all  direc- 
tions ;  the  hearts  of  the  people  were  every- 
where impressed  and  opened  to  the  state  of  the 
heatlien,  and  the  communication  of  authentic 
missionary  intelligence ;  and  money  was  from 
year  to  year  poured  into  the  sacred  treasury 
beyond  all  former  precedent.  At  the  same 
time  missionaries  have  continued  willingly  to 
offer  themselves  even  for  the  most  hazardous 
and  difficult  stations;  and  doors  of  entrance 
are  almost  every  year  opened  in  the  most  un- 
expected quarters. 

The  Wesleyan  Missionaries,  ministers  of  the 
connexion,  are  454  in  number.  They  are  as- 
sisted by  catechists,  local  preachers,  assistants, 
superintendents  of  schools,  schoolmasters  and 
scnoolmistresses,  artizans,  &c. ;  of  whom  698 
are  employed  at  a  moderate  salary,  and  8,494 
afford  tncir  services  gratuitously.  These  mis- 
sionaries and  their  assistants  are  preaching  the 
Gospel,  and  communicating  instruction  by 
schools  and  otherwise,  in  35  different  languages : 
In  Europe  in  the  Irish,  Welsh,  French,  Italian, 
Spanish,  German,  and  Swedish  ;  in  Africa,  in 
the  Akra,  Yoruba,  Grebo,  Mandingo,  Nama- 
qua,  Kaffi-e,  Dutch,  Sesuto,  and  Sechuana ;  in 
Asia,  in  the  Tamil,  Portuguese,  Singalese, 
Dutch,  Canarese,  Sanscrit,  Bengalese,  Kassia, 
Teloogoo,  and  Chinese ;  in  Australia  and  Poly- 
nesia they  use  the  Maori,  the  Tongan,  and  the 
Feejcean;  and  in  America  they  employ  the 
Spanish,  Chippewayan,  Mohawk,  Ojibwa,  Onei- 
da and  Muncey  languages.  Six  or  seven  of 
these  are  used  through  the  medium  of  inter- 
preters ;  but  the  rest  have  all  been  mastered 
by  the  missionaries,  and  are  the  medium  of  in- 
struction. Many  of  them  have  been  for  the  first 
time  reduced  to  a  written  form  by  the  mission- 
aries, who  have  compiled  grammars  and  dic- 


tionaries ;  and  into  them  all  the  Holv  Scrip- 
tures are  translated,  and  have  been  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  people. 

In  addition  to  over  1,700  day  and  Sunday- 
schools,  and  several  farm  and  industrial-schools, 
the  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  sustains  a 
few  Normal  institutions  and  some  seminaries, 
where  a  superior  education  is  imparted.  These 
are  situated  at  Colombo,  Jaflna,  Auckland, 
Tonga,  Mount  Coke,  and  Westmoreland. — 
Theological  institutions,  for  training  a  native 
ministry,  are  in  very  efiBcicut  operation  at  Ton- 
ga, Sierra  Leone,  Macarthy's  Island,  Jaffna, 
Auckland,  Graham's  Town,  and  the  Feejee 
Islands.  The  number  of  students  last  year  was 
about  100. 

The  Society's  missionary  printing  establish- 
ments are  doing  a  noble  work.  They  are  lo- 
cated at  Bangalore,  (India,)  Kaffraria,I)'Urban, 
Plaatburg  and  Graham's  Town,  (Africa,)  Jaff- 
na, (Ceylon,)  and  the  Tonga  and  Feejee  Islands. 

"  Th^  Field  "  in  which  the  Wesleyan  mis- 
sionaries are  employed,  as  already  shown,  is 
emphatically  "  the  world." 

Results. — These  have  already  been  stated; 
but  they  will  appear  more  distinctly  in  the  fol- 
lowing summary,  as  given  in  the  report  for 
1853: 

No.  of  Circuits, 361 

Chapels, 1,099 

Other  preaching  places, 1,887 

Missionaries  and  Assistants,     .    .     .  465 

Subordinate  paid  agents,     ....  698 

Do.,  unpaid, 3,494 

Full  and  accredited  church  members,   108,286 

Sabbath-schools, 868 

Sabbath  scholars, 54,737 

Day  schools, 795 

Day  scholars, 42,172 

Attendants  on  public  worship,  362,347 ;  of 
whom  149,802  are  Anglo-Saxons,  and  212,545 
are  of  other  races.  Of  the  church  members  in 
these  missions,  32,070  are  British  and  Irish ; 
1,815  are  German,  French,  Swiss,  and  Spanish  ; 
1,711,  Asiatic ;  4,046,  Australian  ;  8,971,  Po- 
lynesian ;  53,831,  African  and  Creole ;  and 
1,980  N.  A.  Indians. 

But,  besides  what  appears  in  these  statistics, 
the  Wesleyan  missions  have  set  off  mature  and 
large  portions  of  their  work  in  independent 
positions,  which  no  longer  appear  in  the  re- 
ports as  missions. 

Income. — We  present  below  the  income  of 
the  society  in  periods  of  four  years,  with  the 
annual  average  of  each  : 

From  1814  to  1817 £50,760  average  £12,440 

"  1818  "  1821 114,358  "  28,589 

"  1822  «  1825 143,283  "  35,820 

"  1826  "  1829 206,256  <'  51,564 

"  1830  "  1833 216,658  "  54,164 

"  1834  "  1837 316,781  "  63,942 

"  1838  "  1841 384,644  "  96,161 

"  1842  "  1845 422,810  "  105,702 

"  1846  "  1849 442,090  "  110,522 

"  1850  "  1853 424,390  "  106,097 

1864 114,498 

Total  in  41  years,  £2,836,528 


WETTER— WITCHCRAFT. 


779 


This  exhibits  a  regular  growth  of  the  mission- 
ary fund,increasingat  every  period,from  £12,000 
to  £106,000,  and  from  £12,177  in  1814,  to 
£114,498  in  1854.— Jackson's  Centenary  of 
Methodism;  Aider's  Weslei/an  Missions;  Coke's 
Life;  Minutes  of  Annual  Cmiferences ;  Notices 
and  Reports.— IXey.  W.  Butlkr. 

WETTER  :  One  of  the  Banda  Islands,  a 
group  of  the  Moluccas,  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago. 

WHAMPOA  :  A  city  in  China,  on  the 
Pearl  river,  14  miles  below  Canton,  being  the 
anchorage  for  foreign  shipping.  (See  China.) 
WILBERFORCE  :  Town  of  liberated 
Africans,  in  the  parish  of  St.  Paul,  Sierra 
Leone,  West  Africa.  Station  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

WITCHCRAFT:  "The  practices  of 
witches  ;  sorcery  ;  enchantments  ;  intercourse 
with  the  devil ;  power  more  than  natural." — 
Webster.  "  A  supernatural  power,  which  per- 
sons were  formerly  supposed  to  obtain  posses- 
sion of,  by  entering  into  a  compact  with  the 
de\\l."—Buck.  "  The  pretended  or  supposed 
possession  of  supernatural  power,  in  conse- 
quence of  an  alleged  compact  made  with  the 
devil ;  the  object  of  which  was  eitlier  to  pro- 
cure advantages  to  the  persons  thus  endowed, 
or  their  friends,  or  to  do  evil  to  their  enemies. 
That  persons  supposed  to  be  possessed  of  super- 
natural endowments,  in  consequence  of  a  com- 
pact made  wilh  Satan,  or  who  pretended  to 
such  endowments,  have  existed,  is  an  opinion 
that  has  more  or  less  obtained  in  every  age." 
— Edinburgh  Encyclopedia. 

There  certainly  can  be  no  question  of  the 
fact  that  persons  have  existed  who  were  sup- 
posed to  possess,  or  who  pretended  to  possess, 
such  powers.  Whether  the  witchcraft  forbid- 
den in  the  Bible  was  real  or  pretended,  is  a 
question  on  which  learned  men  are  not  agreed. 
The  writer  last  quoted,  says  :  "  Before  the 
Christian  era,  and  at  that  time,  the  arch-enemy 
of  mankind  was,  undoubtedly,  for  wise  pur- 
poses, allowed  powers,  and  held  a  visible  inter- 
course with  our  species,  which  have  long  been 
denied  him."  But,  whether  the  witches  and 
wizards  denounced  in  Scripture,  were  real  or 
pretended,  their  strict  prohibition  will  appear 
to  have  been  equally  wise  and  necessary,  when 
we  consider  what,  terrible  consequences  have 
always  and  everywhere  followed  the  delusion. 
It  is  important,  however,  to  observe  with  this 
writer,  that  "  the  modern  witch  is  a  consider- 
ably different  personage  from  any  we  read  of 
in  the  Bible."  The  ancient  witches  seem  to 
have  been  somewhat  similar  to  our  modern 
fortune-tellers,  for  "  they  made  great  gain  by 
their  divination  ;"  and  we  may  add,  also,  like 
our  modern  "  dairvoyants"  and  "  spiritual  me- 
diums," and  the  African /rf/sAwen  also,  instead 
of  the  innocent  persons  whom  they  accuse  of 
witchcraft.  Witchcraft  was  universally  bc^ 
lieved  in  Europe  till  the  sixteenth  century,  and 
even  maintained  its  ground  with  tolerable  firm- 


ness till  the  seventeenth.    Tlic  latest  witchcraft 
phrensy  was  in  New  England,  in  16(52.  when 
the  execution  of  witches  became  a  calamity 
more  dreadful  than  the  sword  or  pt^tilence. 
Ihe  following  description  of  the  supposed  cha- 
racter of  the  modern  witch   is  given  by  the 
writer,  in  the  Edinburgh  Encyclopedia  :  ••  This 
compact  (with  the  devil)  was  not  reckoned  va- 
lid, until  it  had  been  written  out  with  blood 
taken  from  the  vein  of  the  person  who  thus 
resigned  his  life  to  the  service  of  Satan.    The 
individual  who  in  this  wav  became  a  witch, 
gave  up  to  him  soul  and  body,  and  at  death  ho 
necessarily  went  to  the  regions  of  horror  and 
despair.     The  devil,  on  his  side,  guaranteed 
that  the  persons  who  thus  sold  themselves  to 
him,  should  want  for  nothing  they  desired  in 
this  world  ;  that  they  should  be  avenged  upon 
their  enemies ;  that  they  should  have  the  pri- 
vilege of  inflicting  disease  on  whomsoever  they 
wished;   and  that,  in  short,  their  power  of 
doing  evil  should  be  very  great,  if  not  unlimit- 
ed.    To  accomplish  this  purpose,  a  familiar 
spirit,  or  gnome  was  given  them  by  Satan, 
which  was  ready  to  attend  them  at  a  call,  and 
was  entirely  subservient  to  their  will.    The 
witches  could  assume  any  shape  they  chose, 
and  transport  themselves  through  the  air  with 
unspeakable  rapidity,  on  a  broomstick,  or  nut- 
shell, or  any  such  article,  for  any  purpose,  par- 
ticularly to  attend  meetings  of    witches,    at 
which  the  devil  himself  always  presided." 

The  reader  need  not  be  reminded  how  un- 
scriptural  and  absurd  is  the  idea  of  the  pes- 
session  of  such  power  by  any  human  being ; 
but  it  is  easy  to  see  how  the  belief  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  such  power  by  perscns  regarded  as 
witches,  should  produce  the  terrible  effects  de- 
scribed in  the  witchcraft  excitements  of  the 
16th  century ;  or  that  a  similar  idea,  in  the 
mind  of  an  ignorant  and  superstitions  heathen, 
should  hold  him  in  such  terrible  bondage  as 
that  described  by  missionaries  and  tourists.  Bat 
it  k  a  noticeable  fact,  that  the  belief  in  witch- 
craft has  always  disappeared  with  the  progre« 
of  civilization,  education,  and  true  religion. 

The  belief  in  witchcraft,  however,  is  not  con- 
fined to  barbarous  tribes.  Ilindostnn.  which 
lays  some  claim  to  civilization  aivl  '.■,;,,„  jg 
overrun  by  profes.«:ors  of  those  n  an- 

tations,  called  Mantras,  and  of  t !  sci- 

ences generally.  The  greater  part  of  the  crooi 
accidents  in  life  are  attributed  to  this  canae. 
For  the  first  twelve  months,  a  ITind(X)  mother 
carefully  conceals  her  child,  lest  the  evil  cjre 
should  fall  upon  it.  A  highly  resoectaMe 
Hindoo  landholder  at  Saugor,  named  Baboo 
Bight,  refused  to  sell  one  of  these  men  a  piece 
of  land ;  whereupon,  the  |nan  vowed  to  comuro 
the  Baboo's  life  away  in  a  year.  He  fixed 
himself  on  a  plain  near  the  Baboo's  land,  and 
every  night  kept  up  his  incantations,  the  fire 
blazing  away  in  his  earthen  pot  After  wmd 
time,  the  Baboo  became  ill,  his  appetite  beiof 
gone,  and  he  having  become  restless  aod  fefor* 


780 


WITCnCRAFT— WORLD. 


iflh.  He  af!bct«(l  lo  tmit  the  man's  incanta- 
tions with  contempt  ;  but  they  were  evidently 
Bppermost  in  his  mind.  A  low,  destructive 
fijver  insinuated  itself  into  his  system,  and, 
before  the  twelve  months  were  ended,  he 
j{^ evidcotly  the  result  of  a  Buperetitious 

few.' 

The  terrible  influence  of  the  belief  in  witch- 
craft, among  the  natives  of  Southern  and 
Western  Africa,  are  thus  described  by  Rev. 
John  licighton  Wilson,  formerly  a  missionary 
of  the  American  Board  at  Gaboon,  now  one  of 
the  Secretaries  of  the  Prcsbyt<5rian  Board  ; 
and  the  reader  will  observe  how  the  African 
idea  of  the  power  of  witches  corresponds  with 
the  foregoing  description  of  the  opinions,  which 
formerly  prevailed  in  both  Old  and  New  Eng- 
land : 

"  This  idea,  or  belief,  is  of  such  long  stand- 
ing, of  such  constant  recurrence,  and  so  inti- 
mately interwoven  with  all  their  actions,  their 
projects,  their  rejisouings,  and  their  specula- 
tions, that  it  seems  to  form  an  essential  part 
both  of  their  mental  and  moral  constitution. 
It  ascribes  to  those  supposed  to  possess  this 
mysterious  and  hateful  art,  power  not  only 
over  the  health  and  lives,  but  over  the  property 
and  fortunes  of  all  around  them.  Every  event 
in  life,  if  adverse  or  calamitous,  is  ascribed  to 
this  malignant  agency.  Sickness,  no  matter 
what  its  type  or  how  contracted,  the  loss  of 
property,  no  matter  by  what  means,  or  under 
what  circumstances  of  mismanagement,  the 
disappointment  of  cherished  hopes,  however 
extravagant  or  unreasonable  they  may  have 
been  ;  the  loss  of  friends  by  death  ;  are  indis- 
criminately ascribed  to  some  one  who  is  sup- 
posed to  exercise  this  mysterious  power.  A 
death  seldom  occurs  in  one  of  their  villages, 
which  is  not  atoned  for  by  the  life  of  some 
one  else.  Other  feelings  than  those  of  heart- 
felt sorrow  are  awakened  by  the  sound  of  the 
death  drum.  It  is  the  voice  of  the  accuser 
that  sends  a  thrill  of  concern  to  every  heart. 
No  one  is  exempt  from  the  suspicion  of  having 
caused  that  death.  To  fly  from  the  scene  of 
anticipated  danger,  is  a  virtual  confession  of 
the  charge  of  guilt.  Uprightness  of  character 
and  benevolence  of  heart  afford  no  shield.  The 
intimacy  of  friendship  and  the  endearment  of 
kindreil  ties,  are  alike  unavailing.  Suspicion 
may  fasten  upon  the  son  as  the  cause  of  his 
father's  death,  or  upon  the  mother  as  the  de- 
stroyer of  her  own  offspring.  How  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Africa  can  have  any  repose  at  all,  un- 
der such  a  system,  is  a  matter  of  surprise  to  all 
who  are  familiar  with  their  superstitious  creed." 
— Dccmonologie,  by  King  James  VI. ;  Baxter's 
World  of  Spirits ;  Reginold  Scot's  Discovery  of 
Witclicraft ;  Cotton  MatJier,  Hutchhison,  and 
Hawkins  on  Witchcraft;  Recs'  Cyclopedia; 
Edinburgh  Encyclopedia;  MoffaVs  Southern 
Africa,  and  the  Journals  of  Missionaries  and 
Tourists  in  Africa ;  Spry's  Modern  India.  Sec 
also,  Africa  West. 


WORLI>  :  We  have  furnished  ample  means 
in  this  volume  for  ascertaining  the  religious 
condition  of  the  world.  We  give  the  follow- 
ing general  survey,  which  presents  an  approxi- 
mation to  the  world's  population,  and  the  pro- 
portion of  different  religions,  and  an  enumera- 
tion of  Protestant  missionaries  and  their  con- 
verts, as  near  as  it  can  be  obtained  from  mis- 
sionary reports. 

POPULATION. 

Asia,  including  Pacific  Isles  (see  Asia) . . .  762,806,493 

Africa  (Encydrypidia  BrUannica) 100,000,000 

Europe  (see  Europe) 262,300,000 

America  (Encyclopedia  Britannica) 52,800,000 

1,167,906,493 

All  attempts,  however,  to  ascertain  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  globe,  are  based  to  a  great  ex- 
tent upon  conjecture,  as  comparatively  a  small 
portion  of  it  has  been  determined  by  actual 
census.  Balbi  makes  the  total  population  of 
the  earth  736,700,000  ;  but,  according  to  later 
opinions,  based  on  better  acquaintance  with 
China,  he  underrates  that  kingdom  about  200 
millions.  It  is  probable,  however,  as  we  inti- 
mated in  the  article  on  Asia,  that  the  above 
estimate  of  that  continent  is  too  high  ;  and, 
comparing  all  the  estimates  we  have  seen,  we 
are  inclined  to  regard  that  which  puts  the  pop- 
ulation of  the  globe,  in  round  numbers,  at  one 
thousand  millions,  as  probably  near  the  truth. 
The  following  estimate,  with  reference  to  reli- 
gious profession,  has  been  based  upon  that 
number : 

Christiana ....  200,000,000 

Jews 14,000,000 

Mohammedans 140,000,000 

Heathen  Idolaters 646,000,000 

1,000,000,000 

The  following  table  will  show  something  of 
what  has  been  done  during  the  last  half  cen- 
tury, for  tbe  evangelization  of  this  vast  multi- 
tude : 


d 

§ 

fi 

i 

.2 

h 

COUNTRIES. 

.2 

'Sx 

.2 

1^ 

II 

Nomin 
from 

Asia 

577 
613 
150 

28.372 
27,241 
49.729 

84,168 
31.547 
45.186 

122,000 
50.000 
200,000 

Africa       .       ... 

Pacific  Islands 

West  Indies 

256 

92,494 

25.513 

1,200,000 

North  America.. 

177 

13,653 

4,331 

Totals 

1,673 

211,389 

190,745 

1,572,000 

This  statement,  though  far  from  being  com- 
plete, exhibits  a  band  of  over  1,C00  mission- 
aries, the  results  of  whoso  labors  show  over 
200,000  members  of  mission  churches,  with 
nearly  the  same  number  of  scholars  in  Chris- 


1 


Zi^  Ot  THE 

lOBITBRSITT] 


WUDALEY-YORUBA. 
tian  schools,  and  a  nominally  Christian 


781 


lation  of  not  less  than  a  million  and  a  half,  all 
redeemed  from  heathenism  in  half  a  century. 
But  this  gives  but  a  very  imperfect  view  of 
the  work  accomplished.  The  foundations  have 
been  laid  deep  and  broad,  for  a  rapid  advance- 
ment in  the  next  50  years.  These  mission- 
aries are  scattered  throughout  the  world. 
They  have  established  Christian  institutions  ; 
reduced  barbarous  languages  to  writing  ;  es- 
tablished printing-presses ;  and  translated  and 
printed  the  Scriptures  in  almost  every  language 
under  heaven.  Idolatry,  Islamism,  Romanism, 
and  every  false  religion,  are  trembling  to  their 
foundations.  And,  whoever  lives  to  the  end  of 
this  century,  will  see  the  wonderful  works  of 
God  in  the  earth. 

WUDALEr :  Forty  miles  north  of  Ah- 
mednuggur,  in  Hindostan,— became  a  station 
of  the  American  Board  in  1845. 

WUPPERTHAL :  A  station  and  a  mis- 
sion colony  of  the  Rhenish  Missionary  Society, 
in  South  Africa,  near  Clanwilliam. 

^  YAVILLE  :  A  Karen  village  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Tavoy,  Burmah;  an  out-station  of 
the  Tavoy  Mission  of  the  American  Baptist 
Union. 

YORUBA,  or  YARRIBA  :  The  Yoruba 
country  is  situated  some  distance  inland  from 
the  Bight  of  Benin,  between  Dohomey  on  the 
west,  and  the  River  Niger,  or  Quorra,  on  the 
east  and  north-east,  extending  far  into  the 
interior.  This  territory  once  formed  one  of 
the  most  powerful  kingdoms  in  Western 
Africa,  composed  of  a  large  number  of  pro- 
vinces, having  their  separate  governments, 
and  owning  a  sort  of  allegiance  to  one  king. 
But,  about  the  year  1817  or  1818,  a  civil  war 
broke  out,  originating  in  a  quarrel  in  the 
market,  between  persons  of  different  tribes, 
about  a  cowrie's  worth  of  pepper,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  man  rose  against  man,  town 
against  town,  tribe  against  tribe,  the  slave- 
trade  helping  it  on  ;  till,  in  a  little  more  than 
30  years,  the  country  which  travelers  descrilv 
ed  as  everywhere  richly  and  carefully  culti- 
vated, was  turned  into  a  barren  wilderness, 
and  the  people,  previously  agricultural  and 
trading,  mild  in  their  manners,  and  hospita- 
ble to  traders,  became  brutal  and  ferocious, 
from  constant  war,  revengeful,  thirsting  for 
blood,  and  ready  to  barter  their  fellow-men  for 
gold.  From  the  broken  fragments  of  145 
towns  of  this  kingdom,  chiefly  of  the  Figba 
province,  destroyed  about  1825,  has  arisen  the 
city  of  Abbeokuta,  the  location  of  the  Yoruba 
mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society. 
This  city  is  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river 
Ogun,  in  latitude  7°  8',  about  GO  miles  from 
Lagos.    It  stands  in  the  midst  of  an  immense 

Elain,  on  the  two  highest  of  several  detached 
ills,  which  ascend  gradually  on  the  N.  E.,  and 
terminate  in  a  bold  and  perpendicular  bluff  on 
the  N.  and  S.  W.,  being  surmounted  by  masses 
of  smooth  gray  granite.    On  the  sloping  sides, 


and  around  the  bases  of  these  two  hills,  en- 
closed within  a  wall  and  ditch  of  about  15  milea 
m  length,  are  the  dwellings  of  100,000  inhabit- 
ants. The  fugitives  from  tlie  Gesolated  vil- 
lages  fled  to  this  spot,  then  a  wilderness,  making 
the  great  rock  Olumo  their  resting-place,  tiU 
at  length  the  forests  were  cleared  away,  the 
town  arose  ;  and  in  1829,  they  were  joined  by 
Sodeke,  a  man  of  great  parts,' who  was  choeen 
their  ruler.  The  town  was  called  Abbeokuta, 
from  "  Abbe,"  under,  and  "  Okuta,"  a  rock, 
from  its  situation.  But  the  people  of  the  vari- 
ous  towns  united  at  Abbeokuta,  still  have  each 
their  governor,  their  judge,  their  captains  of 
various  grades,  and  their  court-house,  ft)rming  a 
sort  of  federal  government.  But  since  the 
death  of  Sodeke,  they  have  had  no  general 
ruler. 

Every  town  in  the  Yoruba  country  has  ita 
market,  where  trade  is  carried  on  in  the  vari- 
ous productions  of  the  country.  The  people 
are  chiefly  agricultural,  and  they  cultivate 
their  fields  with  care  and  neatness.  But  they 
have  made  considerable  advances  in  the  useful 
arts,  having  their  blacksmiths,  tanners  and 
curriers,  saddlers,  shoemakers,  rope-makers,  pot- 
ters, carpenters,  architects,  tailors,  &c. 

Religion. — The  religion  of  the  Yorubans  is 
a  Polytheism,  and  they  believe  largely  in  de- 
monology  and  witchcraft,  divination,  charms, 
&c.  They  have  no  correct  idea  of  the  one 
true  God,  but  seek  to  fill  up  the  void  in  their 
minds  by  creations  of  the  imagination.  Dei- 
ties, endless  in  variety,  are  conjured  up,  each 
having  his  own  peculiar  sphere  of  action. 
Thus  they  have  gods  of  thunder,  lightning, 
air,  earth,  rocks,  trees,  water,  rivers,  brooks, 
animals,  &c.  Tlie  chief  of  these  are,  Sau- 
go,  the  god  of  thunder,  raised  up  by  their 
fears,  and  Ifa,  the  god  of  divination,  the  fruit 
of  their  hopes.  The  worship  of  the  former 
begins  on  Thursday  night,  and  is  kept  up  till 
Fridaj'  morning,  with  noise,  drumming,  and 
licentious  dances. 

Ifa,  the  god  of  divination,  is  consulted  on 
every  undertaking.  Palm'nuts  are  offered,  by 
means  of  which  the  oracle  is  consulted,  by  a 
sort  of  lot.  If  the  response  is  unfavorable,  a 
sacrifice  must  be  made ;  which  put.«  it  in  the 
power  of  the  priest  to  impose  burdens  on  the 

feople.  If,  for  instance,  a  house  is  to  be  built, 
fa  must  be  consulted  ;  then  the  demon  of  the 
ground  must  be  propitiated  :  then  fetishes  or 
charms  must  be  brought,  to  keep  away  evil 
spirits  ;  and  thus  the  whole  sj-stem  becomes 
burdensome  and  oppressive. 

Ifa,  the  country  of  Rakanda,  bordering  ou 
the  Nile,  said  to  be  the  birth-place  or  the 
prophet  Obbalofun,  is  the  heatl  quarters  of 
their  religion.  To  this  prophet,  human  sacri- 
fices were  offered  on  going  to  war.  Such  an 
offering  was  made  at  Abbeoktita,  but  a  few 
years  ago,  and  the  practice  still  exitts  In  othw 
towns,  though  there  it  is  done  away  throagli 
the   influence   of    Christianity,   Commodore 


789 


YORUBA— ZULUS. 


F^irbci  hvring,  in  1851,  iodnoed  the  chicfe  to 
dgB  A  tictty  for  ever  abolnhiog  hnman  eacri- 


Bat.  of  ftll  their  saperrtitioiM,  the  Oro,  (or 
M  it  «  called  br  diflerent  tribes,  the  Egugun, 
Egm,  or  MwrnbthJumbo,)  exercises  the  meet 
powcrAU  ioflneooe  npon  the  people.  Although 
the  Torabaos  have  no  distinct  ideas  of  a  lu- 
tnre  state,  jet  they  appear  to  believe  in  the 
iBUBortality  of  the  sool.  It  is  their  universal 
practice  to  pray  to  the  spirits  of  their  deceased 
Mben.  The  Lgun  is  the  supposed  spirit  of  a 
dead  Bian,  representing  different  parties  de- 
ceased, and  called  up  for  different  purposes. 
The  part  is  acted  by  a  man  in  masquerade, 
clad  in  the  most  grotesque  manner.  The 
spirit  is  supposed  to  dwell  in  a  sacred  grove, 
called  Igballo,  in  which  there  is  a  priest ;  and 
whoever  wishes  to  raise  the  spirit,  goes  into 
this  grove,  and  after  various  mummeries  and 
incaDtations,   the   £gun    makes  his    appear- 


The  system  of  Oro  is  intimately  connected 
irith  the  government  as  well  as  religion.  It  is 
a  secret  society,  bound  together  by  solemn 
oaths,  into  which  no  woman  is  allowed  to 
enter  ;  and  if  she  witnesses  its  mysteries,  either 
by  accident  or  design,  she  is  instantly  put  to 
death.  By  this  means  the  women  are  kept  in 
sabjection.  When  Egun  passes  through  the 
streets,  or  Oro  takes  possession  of  the  town, 
the  women  run  to  the  most  obscure  places,  and 
hide  their  faces  till  it  has  passed.  Through 
the  influence  of  Oro,  also,  the  whole  machinery 
of  the  government  is  carried  on,  and  in  its 
name  laws  are  passed,  and  their  penalties  exe- 
cuted ;  and  in  the  latter  case,  the  Oro  is  said 
to  have  taken  the  culprit  and  eaten  him  up, 
and  no  questions  are  asked.  Mr.  Hinderen 
describes  an  execntion  of  this  kind,  the  of- 
fends being  one  of  the  wives  of  the  king  of 
Ibadan,  in  which  about  100  of  these  Eguns,  ] 
after  dancing  around  the  chiefs  house,  playing 
with  the  woman's  head,  boiled  it,  and  mixed 
portions  of  it  with  their  supper,  and  then  car- 
ried the  polished  slfuU  about  town  sevotd  days, 
the  whole  ceremony  lasting  a  week. 

Population. — It  would  b^  impossible  to  as- 
certain the  numbers  of  the  Yoruba  people ;  but 
there  yet  remain  many  large  and  populous 
towns,  which  have  escaped  tl^  general  devas- 
tation. The  Church  Missionary  Society,  in 
their  report  for  1852,  enumerate  four  towns, 
within  two  or  three  days  of  Abbeokuta,  with 
an  aggregate  of  200,000  inhabitants,  and  to 
the  eastward,  the  territory  of  the  Ijebus,  con- 
taining 160,000;  and  beyond  these,  many 
more,  to  all  of  which  the  door  is  open  for  the 
entrance  of  the  Gospel,  which  we  may  hope  is 
destined,  at  no  distant  day,  to  put  an  end  to 
these  dark  and  cruel  superstitions.  All  these 
tribes  speak  the  same  language,  which  will  fa- 
cilitate missionary  operations.  Many  of  them 
have  embraced  ^lohammedanism,  which  shows 
that  they  are  not  strongly  entrenched  in  their 


superstitions.    For  an  account  of  tie  Yoruba 
missions,  see  Africa  Western. 

Z0HARITP:S  :  A  sect  of  the  Jews,  who 
reject  the  Talmud  and  the  authority  of  the 
rabbies,  and  follow  the  book  Zohar.  They  arc 
sprung  from  one  Shabbathai  Levi,  who  in  the 
middle  of  the  17th  century  appeared  in  Smyr- 
na, as  the  Messiah.  In  Germany  and  Poland 
they  are  called  Hasidim  or  "  pietists."  In  Tur- 
key they  go  by  the  name  of  Dunmdis  or  "  con- 
verts," because  they  make  an  outward  profes- 
sion of  Islamism,  though  they  secretly  cherish 
the  Jewish  faith,  and  practice  Jewish  rites. 
These  latter  are  most  numerous  in  Thessalonica, 
where  the  missionaries  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 
have  their  attention  directed  to  them,  and  hope 
that  their  conversion  may  be  the  door  to  that  of 
the  Mussulmans.  Their  doctrines,  founded  upon 
the  Kabbala  and  the  book  Zohar,  are  mystical 
and  somewhat  allied  to  Gnosticism.  They  pro* 
fess  faith  in  the  Trinity,  and  soine  of  them  ac- 
knowledge Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the  Messiah, 
in  a  sense. — Rev.  E.  M.  Dodd. 

ZULUS  :  A  tribe  in  South  Africa,  inhabitr 
ing  an  extensive  territory  in  the  vicinity  of 
Port  Natal.  The  country  of  the  Zulus  is  pre- 
eminent for  the  beauty  of  its  landscapes,  the 
fertility  of  its  soil,  and  the  healthiness  of  its 
climate.  The  mountains,  not  large,  are  rather 
tabular  than  conical  in  shape ;  and  when  view- 
ed from  the  sea,  they  rise,  table  above  table,  as 
they  recede  in  the  distance,  having  the  summit 
and  the  sides,  with  the  intervening  plains, 
covered  with  verdant  groves,  or  thick  shrub- 
bery, or  large  fields  of  green  grass.  The  whole 
picture  is  diversified,  with  here  and  there  a 
river,  or  a  dark  and  deep  ravine,  with  fields  of 
Indian  corn,  or  gardens  of  indigenous  grain 
and  fruit 

Climate. — ^The  climate  is  one  of  the  most 
salubrious  and  agreeable  in  the  world.  In  the 
summer  it  is  of  course  warm.  In  the  winter 
it  is  occasionally  cool  enough  to  make  a  fire 
agreeable.  But  for  the  most  of  the  year  the 
climate  is  such  that  one  could  hardly  wish  it 
otherwise. 

The  People.— Id  1847,  the  natives  within  the 
colony  were  estimated  at-  from  80,000  to 
100,000,  and  they  were  continually  increasing. 
ITie  whole  number  of  the  tribe  is  not  known, 
but  it  must  be  very  large. 

Physical  Appearance. — ^The  corporeal  and 
phrenological  appearance  of  the  natives  is,  in 
many  respects,  highly  interesting.  The  de- 
graded condition  and  the  employments  of  the 
women  are,  indeed,  unfavorable  to  their  reach- 
ing and  preserving  a  proper  stature  and  form. 
Still,  many  of  these,  as  well  as  the  men,  are 
very  regular  in  their  features,  symmetrical  in 
form,  of  a  full  chest  and  commanding  stature. 
The  men  stand,  walk  or  run  very  erect,  and 
they  have  for  the  most  part  a  high  fojehead, 
and  an  intelligent  and  expressive  couhtenance. 
A  few  feathers  upon  the  head ;  a  profusion  of 
beads  upon  the  neck  and  arms,  and  sometimes 


ZULUS-APPENDIX. 


783 


upon  other  parts  of  the  body ;  a  small  piece  of 
the  skin  of  some  animal  about  the  loins ;  and, 
perhaps,  a  brass  rin^  upon  the  wrist  and  a  strap 
covered  with  hair  about  the  ankles,  constitute 
as  much  wearing  apparel  as  most  of  the  na- 
lives  are  in  the  habit  of  using. 

Du-ellmgs.—Theh  houses  are  simple,  small 
and  rude;  hemispherical  in  shape,  having  a 
diameter  at  the  base  of  some  eight  or  ten  feet ; 
being  in  height,  at  the  centre  and  apex,  only 
four  or  five  feet ;  having  but  one  aperture,  and 
that  at  the  base,  about  two  feet  high,  and  made 
to  answer  for  doors,  windows  and  chimney. 

Langvxige.~The  language  of  the  Zulus  ap- 
pears to  be  very  simple,  and  yet  highly  philo- 
sophical in  its  structure ;  and,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  few  clicks,  mellifluent  and  euphonic. 
Moral  Character. — Polygamy  is  practiced 
here  to  a  very  great  extent.  The  principal  re- 
straint upon  it  seems  to  be  the  number  of  cat^ 
tie  that  a  man  can  acquire  to  purchase  his 
wives.  The  marriageable  daughter  is  counted 
by  the  father  as  so  many  cattle,  and  disposed 
of,  not  on  the  principle  of  affection  or  prefer- 
ence, but  to  the  highest  bidder.  From  this 
system  come  many  evils  ;  so  that  an  utter  dis- 
regard of  all  the  principles  of  true  fidelity 
among  those  who  are  married,  and  of  virtue 
among  those  who  are  not,  is  as  frequent  as 
it  is  surprising  and  sinful.  It  is  one  of  the 
chief  obstacles  against  which  the  Gospel  has 
to  contend.  Lying  and  deception  are  as  com- 
mon as  the  truth.  Cases  of  stealing  from  each 
other  are  frequent.  Murder  is  occasionally 
committed,  and  creates  but  little  excitement. 
Dancing  and  singing  impure  songs  are  univer- 
sal. Drinking  intoxicating  beer,  taking  snuflT, 
and  filthy  conversation,  are  daily  indulged  by 
all.  Almost  every  thing  relating  to  their  man- 
ner of  life  is  very  filthy,  and  tends  to  debase 
and  degrade. 

Redeeming  Qualities — Desire  of  Improvement. 
— ^They  are  a  brave  and  spirited,  though  not 
a  revengeful  people.  None  of  their  number 
have  ever  been  kidnapped  and  reduced  to  sla- 
very. Perhaps  no  nation  in  South  Africa  has 
ever  exhibited  so  much  skill  in  military  affairs, 
and  so  much  desire  to  rule  as  Chaka  and  Drn- 
gaan  and  their  people  ;  and  the  natives  around 
Port  Natal  are  their  immediate  descendants. 

They  are  a  social  people,  fond  of  company 
and  conversation.  When  a  woman  begins  to 
harvest,  she  calls  all  her  neighbors  to  help  her. 
In  many  things  they  exhibit  skill,  particu- 
larly in  making  baskets  and  mats,  shields  and 
spears.  And,  with  a  little  instruction,  they 
will  turn  their  hands  to  a  variety  of  useful  em- 
ployments, to  which  they  are  unaccustomed. 
They  are  an  industrious  people.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  thing  for  a  single  wife  to  raise  for 
her  husband  some  50  or  60  bushels  of  corn  in 
a  year. — Missionary  Herald  for  1847,  pp.  399 
to  403  ;  Annual  Report  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  1846, 
p.  87,  and  1850,  p.  93.  For  Mission,  see 
South  Africa. 


APPENDIX. 


Results  of  Md!sio.vaky  Labor  among  thk  In- 
dians—Letter FROM  Rev.  Mb.  Byington. 
Stockbridge,  CnocTAW  Nation,  ) 
June  20,  1854.  f 

My  Dear  Brother — You  say  i"  '•— -  '  'tcr 
of  Jan.  1  :  "  I  should  like  to  rec  ,a 

a  letter  conveying  your  imprcssio-  ^re- 

sent state  and  future  prospects  of  the  mission- 
ary work  among  the  Indians."  I  must  confine 
myself  principally  to  the  Choctaws,  to  whom 
I  was  sent  by  the  American  Board  in  Septem- 
ber, 1820.  My  impressions  arc  f  '  '  in 
regard  to  our  missionary  work,  if 

laborers  of  suitable  qualification^  ...„^,,  iLie 
field.  The  blessing  of  God,  I  have  hoped, 
would  attend  our  exertions  here.  I  should 
prefer  to  give  you  a  few  leading  facts,  rather 
than  to  -offer  bare  opinions.  The  character  of 
the  facts  I  wish  to  present  will  show  you  the 
state  of  this  nation  (1)  when  existing  without 
the  Gospel;  (2)  after  having  come  to  its 
knowledge.  I  wish  to  put  honor  on  the  Gofr 
pel  of  our  Saviour,  whenever  it  can  properly 
be  done. 

I.  The  state  of  this  nation  ieithovt  the  Gospd. 
— This  embraces  the  whole  period  of  their  ex- 
istence, so  far  as  we  know,  till  within  the  mem- 
ory of  many  now  living.  (1)  They  were  with- 
out  God,  and  had  no  forms  of  religious  wor- 
ship, with  reference  to  the  true  God,  or  any 
false  God.  They  were  ignorant  of  the  God  of 
the  Bible.  We  had  no  false  system  of  rclitrion 
to  oppose.    (2)  They  had  various  supers!  :• 

as  a  belief  in  witches,  conjurors,  rain-n; 

"  doctors,"  ghosts,  fairies,  and  the  like.  '1  bey 
had  a  belief,  to  some  extent,  in  an  evil  spirit 
or  being,  and  a  good  one.  But  all  this  was  dim 
indeed.  (3)  The  value  and  immortality  of  the 
soul  were  new  subjects  to  them.  Many  said, 
"  When  I  die  that  is  the  end  of  me."  How 
true  it  is,  that  God  only  can  instruct  us  about 
himself  as  a  Spirit,  and  about  ourselves.  (4) 
The  nation  were  ignorant  of  many  things  use- 
ful to  them  in  this  life.  How  could  it  be 
otherwise  ?  A  little  tribe,  hemmed  in  at  home, 
for  ages,  through  fear  of  hostile  neighbors  ;  so 
much  so,  that  we  find  but  few  words  in  their 
language  borrowed  from  other  tribes.  They 
had  no  books,  no  history,  no  science,  no  lawg, 
nothing  in  writing.  A  few  traditions  existed 
among  them.  Put  your  soul  in  Just  their  po> 
sition,  and  what  would  it  be  ?  Put  your  body 
there  also.  (5)  They  had  many  wrong  OMigei, 
such  as  that  women  must  perform  all  the  bard 
labor,  that  polygamy  was  right,  that  childrsB 
could  inherit  nothing  from  their  father  or  mo* 
ther,  that  it  was  a  disgrace  for  a  warrior  to 
labor  in  the  field,  and  right  to  destroy  tiidr 
own  infants.  (6)  They  were  not  only  a  natioB 
of  idle  warriors,  but  of  drunkards.  Only  one 
man  was  named  to  the  early  miflBicniary  who 
would  not  get  drunk.  Men  gloried  in  being 
drunk  as  a  proof  of  manhood.    (7)  They 


T84 


APPENDIX. 


poor  indeed,  at  their  homes,  in  all  reBpocte. 
ItwM  rare  to  see  a  man  who  wore  shoes,  pan- 
taloons, or  a  hat.  It  was  rare  to  see  a  house 
with  a  bed,  table,  or  chairs,  or  to  find  at  any 
place  good  farmuig  or  mechanic  tools,  a  good 
CoQse  or  farm.  Formerly  there  were  no  fences. 
(8)  They  had  no  literature,  but  a  branding-iron 
for  calves  and  colts,  and  pieces  of  cane  slit  up 
and  tietl  in  bundles,  used  in  calling  assemblies. 
Each  piece  numbered  a  sleep.  One  was  to  be 
drawn  out  and  thrown  awav  on  each  morning, 
till  there  was  but  one,  which  marked  the  day 
of  meeting.  The  chiefs  could  do  nothing  more 
in  calling  councils.  They  had  songs  at  dances, 
and  for  the  sick.  However,  the  words  which 
were  sung  were  few.  (9)  The  murderer  was 
executed  without  a  trial.  He  and  his  friends 
looked  for  none.  He  made  no  attempt  to  es- 
cape. He  would  not  disgrace  himself  or  fam- 
ily by  being  a  coward  on  such  an  occasion. 
He  dressed  and  adorned  himself,  painting  his 
face  and  breast,  singing,  dancing,  and  whoop- 
ing, to  show  his  bravery,  and  would  point  to 
the  place  where  the  ball  should  enter  his  heart. 
He  was  not  sorry  he  had  killed  a  man.  Nor 
were  the  warriors  of  his  family  sorry,  if  he 
only  died  like  a  brave.  His  grave  was  dug, 
and  he  lay  down  in  it  to  see  if  it  would  J5t  his 
body.  (10)  They  were  exposed  to  diseases, 
such  as  the  measles  and  small  pox,  and  knew 
not  how  to  treat  them.  They  were  wasting 
away.  Many  were  killed  as  witches,  being 
accused  of  causing  death  by  their  arts.  (11) 
They  had  no  regular  form  of  government,  no 
written  constitution  or  laws.  The  chief's  brave 
called  councils,  which  often  proved  to  be  times 
and  places  of  great  drunkenness. 

I  will  stop  here,  and  ask  from  what  region, 
above  or  below,  is  any  ray  of  light  seen  beam- 
ing on  these  benighted  men  ?  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  say  there  was  then  no  Sabbath,  no 
church,  no  Christian  school,  and  no  followers 
of  the  Saviour,  among  all  the  Choctaws  at 
that  time.  One  colored  man,  a  native  of  Af- 
rica, who  professed  to  be  a  disciple  of  the  Lord, 
was  found  after  a  while  by  the  missionaries. 
Now,  here  is  one  of  the  bays  in  the  great  Dead 
Sea  which  sin  has  formed  on  efcrth.  We  en- 
tered it  wii;h  the  Bible.  I  must  now  speak  of 
the  nation  in  its  state, 

II.  After  having  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
Bible. — ^These  evils  have  been  gradually  pass- 
ing away,  not  entirely  ;  many  still  remain,  and 
there  is  much  for  us  to  do,  that  we  may  bear 
onward,  to  a  better  consummation,  the  bless- 
ings already  received,  as  well  as  gain  those 
which  are  still  promised.  The  improvements 
made  are,  (1)  The  nation  now  knows  the  only 
living  and  true  God.  He  is  acknowledged  in 
various  ways,  in  their  General  Council,  in  their 
courts,  as  well  as  in  schools,  families  and 
churches,  and  in  regard  to  his  Sabbath.  (2) 
Their  cruel  and  base  superstitions  are  passing 
away.  They  have  formed  laws  on  these  sub- 
jects.   (3)  The  soul  of  man,  its  worth,  its  na- 


ture, are  now  widely  known.  (4)  Knowledge 
has  greatly  increased,  through  the  schools, 
books,  newspapers,  the  post-office,  and  the 
direct  instructions  of  the  different  missionaries 
and  other  agencies.  (5)  The  warriors  have 
gone  to  work.  They  clear  land  and  fence  it, 
and  cultivate  the  same  with  horses  and  oxen. 
This  is  a  new  era  for  the  women,  who  stilL 
help  in  the  field  and  in  other  places.  It  is  nowj 
a  disgrace  to  lead  an  indolent  life.  Marriage 
between  one  man  and  one  woman  is  regulated 
by  law.  The  descent  of  property  is  secured  to 
children.  Infanticide  is  punished.  (6)  The 
nation,  as  you  know,  have  lived  under  the  pro-  i 
visions  of  what  is  called  the  "  Maine  law  '  for  / 
about  30  years.  (7)  The  comforts  of  life  have  ' 
increased  a  hundred  fold,  in  food  and  raiment, 
house  and  home.  A  legal  fence  must  be  ten 
rails  high.  (8)  They  have  a  large  number  of 
books  in  their  own  tongue,  and  many  men  and 
women  can  read  and  write  well  in  the  English 
language.  They  have  educated  chiefs,  judges, 
and  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  (9)  For  murder 
and  other  crimes  there  are  special  legal  enact- 
ments. Trial  by  jury  is  the  right  of  such  per- 
sons. (10)  They  also  have  acquired  much 
knowledge  about  diseases  and  their  most  hope- 
ful and  approved  remedies,  and  such  as  are 
known  to  Americans.  "  Indian  "  doctoring 
was  no  better  than  Indian  farming,  when  they 
planted  corn  without  a  fence,  and  without  re- 
garding "  rows."  (11)  They  have  a  regular 
written  constitution,  and  a  national  legislative 
body  which  enacts  laws.  There  is  a  judiciary 
and  an  executive  body.  They  have  large  pro- 
visions for  the  education  of  their  sons  and 
daughters,  as  the  reports  in  the  Missionary 
Rooms  will  abundantly  show.  We  have  now 
nine  ministers  in  our  Indian  Presbytery,  and 
13  churches  under  its  care.  The  members 
amount  to  1,275,  and  the  contributions  from 
these  churches,  as  reported  at  the  last  meeting 
of  Presbytery,  amounted  during  a  period  of 
about  20  months,  to  $2,431.  The  Methodist, 
the  Baptist,  and  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
brethren  all  have  churches  in  this  nation,  and 
are  all  doing  good  in  their  various  fields  of 
labor.  You  must  make  your  own  inferences 
from  these  facts,  of  what  the  blessed  Gospel 
may  be  hoped  to  accomplish,  even  when  preach- 
ed by  very  imperfect  men  to  "Indians." — 
Enough  is  said  to  show  what  a  people  we  found 
when  we  brought  the  Gospel  here,  and  what  is 
the  nature  of  its  influence  on  the  red  man's 
heart  and  life.  These  facts  I  deem  worthy  of 
record,  that  the  infidel  may  be  silent  till  he  can 
exhibit  an  example  of  greater  and  better  suc- 
cess, through  other  books  in  which  he  believes, 
that  political  men  may  not  attempt  to  legislate 
the  Indian  from  the  earth,  because  he  will  not 
become  wise,  and  that  the  Church  may  go  on 
in  this  blessed  work,  till  it  is  finished  on  earth, 
and  the  fruits  gathered  in  heaven. 
Ever  yours, 

Cyrus  Byingtov 


IIDEX 

OF   PRINCIPAL   MATTERS 


ABBEOKUTA,    . 

Abenaijuig, 

AB7SSINIA,        ,  .  .  ' 

Inhabitants  of  .  . 

Language, 
Government,    . 
Religion, 

Conversion  to  Christianity,  . 
Papal  Missions, 
Mission  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
Afareaitu, 
AFRICA, 
Map,   .... 
Geographical  description,    . 
Progress  of  discovery. 
Rivers, 

Climate,  People,  Copts, 
Nubians,  Moors,  Negroes,  Foulahs, 
Languages,  Government,  Industry, 
Commerce,  Slave  Trade, 
Religion, 

MrssioNs,  with  tabular  view, 
AFRICA,  EASTERN,      . 
Geographical  Description,     , 
Mission — Church  Hiss.  Society, 
AFRICA,  SOUTHERN,  . 
Boundaries,  Topography, 
The  Great  Lake, 
Climate,  Native  Population,  . 
Map,    .... 
Missions — Moravian, 

Tabular  View  of  Stations,  . 
Xondon  Minsionary  Society, 
Tabular  View  of  Stations, , 
Wesleyan  Jliasiojiary  Society, 

Tabular  View  of  Stations, 
Gospel  Propagation  Society, 
Scotch  Missions, 
Glasgow  African  Society,  . 
French  Protestant  Missions, 
Tabular  View  of  Stations, . 
American  Board, 

Tabular  View  of  Stations, . 
Bhenish  Missionary  Society, 
Tabular  View  of  Stations,  . 
Berlin  Missionary  Society, 
General  Tabular  View, 
AFRICA,  WESTERN,    . 
Boundaries,  Grand  Divisions, 
Physical  Aspect,  Rivers, 
Map,      .... 
Climate,  Inhabitants,  Government 
Social  and  Moral  Condition, 
Religious  Belief,  Superstitions, 
Fetishism  and  Devil-worship. 
Traditions,  Funerals, 
Missions, 

Church  Missionary  Society, 
Reverses  for  want  of  laborers. 
Evils  of  connection  with  government. 
Sierra  Leone  a  nursery  of  missionaries 
Education,  Native  Agency, 
Translations, 

Character  and  Ability  of  Natives 
Calls  for  Instruction, 
Missionary  Tours,  . 
General  Improvement, 
Work  of  Grace, 
Character  of  Converts, 
Church  Discipline,  . 
Remaining  Superstitions,  . 
Desire  for  the  Word  of  God, 
Mlaiionary  Spirit,  . 

60 


7 

7,622 

7 

7 


8-9 


10 
11 
11 
11 
11 
11 
13 
14 
15 
16 
16 
16 
17 
17 

17-18 
18 
20 
20 
21 
22 
22 
22 
27 
27 
86 
86 

48-44 
45 
45 
47 
47 
49 
60 
54 
55 
67 
57 
68 
63 
58 
68 
63 
59 
09 
60 
60 
64 
&4 
65 
67 
67 
ft3 
68 
69 
69 
69 
69 
70 
70 
70 
71 
71 
71 
71 


Timneh  Mission,      . 
Yoruba  Mission,      . 
Present  State  of  the  Missions 
Tabular  View, 
English  Baptist  Mi»».  Soc', 
Wesleyan  Miss.  Soc, 
I.  Sierra  Leone,  . 
II.  Gambia  District, 
III.  Cape  Coast  District,    . 
Tabular  View, 

Visit  of  Mr.  Freeman  to  As'hantee, 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Union, 

Tabular  View, 
Atnerican  PresbyteHan  JOMioru, 

Tabular  View, 
American  Board,     . 
United  Pres.  Synod  of  Scotland, 
American  Episcopal  Mission, 
Map  of  Cape  Palmas, 
Tabular  View, 
Metkodiit  Episcopal  Mission, 

Tabular  View, 
Southern  Bupti«t  Convention, 
Amer.  MiM.  Asso.  Mendi  Mission 

Map  of  Mendi  and  Sherbro, 
Basle  Missionary  Society,  . 
General  Tabular  View, 
Ahmednuggur,    , 
Aintab,     .... 
Ak-Hissar, 

Akra 

Akroful,  .... 
Akropong, 

Akyab,  .... 
Albany,  .... 
Alderville, 

Aleppo,  .... 
Allahabad,  . 

Arobnla,  .... 
Amboyna, 
America, 

AMERICAN  BOARD  OP  COM.  FOR  FOR. 
Origin,  history,  Ac,    . 
Organization,  mode  of  operation,  Ac 
Annual  and  aggregate  receipts, 
Financial  embarrassments,  . 

MiSSIO.NS, 

Tabular  View, 
AMERICAN  BAITIST  MISSIONARY  UNION*. 

Number  of  Missionarieii,  missions,  and  sUUods, 

Tabular  View, 

Receipts, 
American  and  Foreign  Christian  Union, 
American  Missionary  Association, 
Amherst, 

Amoy,      .... 
Aneltcum, 
Annaroaboe, 
Antigua, 
Arabkir, 

Arcot,  .... 
ARMENIANS,     . 

Armenia,  boundariea  and  exteot. 

History, 

Map  of  Armenia  and  part  of  Asia  Minor, 

The  Armenian  Church,  .  . 

Language  and  Literature,     . 

Population,      .  .  .  • 

Character,        .  .  •  • 

MinMion  of  M«  Am«rieam  Board, 
Map  of  Constantinople  aod  YIeialtj, 
Beginning  of  success, 
Opposition, 


101 


11188.. 


tAom 

T) 

n 

74 
74 
74 
75 
75 
73 
80 
84 
8S 
8< 


n 

9S 
90 
96 
9T 
98 
96 
108 
lOt 
108 
104 
104 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
108 
110 
111 
111 
113 
119 
118 
114 
114 
118 
IIT 
117 
ill 
118 
118 
118 
118 
118 
118 
116 
118 
119 
119 
191 
198 

m 

184 

196 
196 

196 


786 


INDEX. 


.  180 

.  180 

.  181 

.  181 

.  181 

.  182 

.  182 

.  183 

.  133 

.  183 

.  183 

.  184 

.  185 

.  185 

.  187 

.  187 

.  187 

.  18T 

.  188 

.  188 

.  189 

.  140 

.  140 

.  141 

.  141 

'.  142 

,  143 

,  146 

,  146 


■■  of  Annenlan  prictU,  .    186 

_j  of  mlMloo  preu  from  Malta  to  Smyrna,    125 

Pint  Monthly  Concert  in  Torklih  Language,     .    126 
OwUnnod  raoeoM,  ^^Hol 

»Mrw  of  tht  banker*,       .  •.       •,      ,'    ^^^ 

Brcaklof  up  of  mluion  high  school  and  found- 

lof  of  ScaUri  College     . 
(hrtrthrow  of  the  bankers'  power, 
ParMontioa  begun  by  the  patriarch, 
The  per«e«atora  rebuked,  . 
Death  of  the  Sultan, 

Fire  at  Pera,  .... 

The  truth  apreadiog, 
Day  of  fasting  aod  prayer, 
Greek  and  Armenian  patriarchs  deposed, 
Return  of  Sahakyan  from  banishment,   . 
Increase  of  inquirers, 
Openini;  of  Seminary  at  Bcbek,    . 
Indications  of  a  thorough  reformation,  . 
Quarrel  between  the  bankers  and  tradesmen, 
Bemoval  of  the  patriarch  St e pan, 
Special  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
Interference  of  Mr.  Soutbgate,    . 
Progress  of  the  work  in  the  interior, 
New  impulse  at  Nicomedla, 
Visit  of  Drs.  Anderson  and  Hawes, 
Appointment  of  Matteos  patriarch, 
Persecution  rigorously  renewed,  . 
Death  of  Mrs.  Van  Lennep, 
Map  of  Aintab  and  Vicinity, 
Burial  refused  to  Protestants, 
Kccleslastical  position  of  the  converts,   . 
The  conrerts  anathematized  and  excommuni 

eated, 

Other  violent  measures,    .... 
Interference  of  Sir  Stratford  Canning,    . 
Orders  of  the  Sultan  in  favor  of  the  Protestants 
Attempts  to  break  up  the  Bebek  Seminary,        .    146 
Organization    of  the     evangelical     Armenian 

Church, :    147 

Ordination  of  a  pastor,     ....    147 
Other  churches  formed,     .  .  .  .147 

Anomalous  position  of  the  Protestants,  .  .    149 

Second  Protestant  funeral,  .  .  .149 

Death  of  Pastor  Khachadiiryan,  .    150 

Successor  ordained,  .  .  .  .150 

Two  pupils  licensed  to  preach,     .  .  .150 

Friendship  of  Lord  Cowley,  .  .151 

Ordination  of  Pastor  at  Adabazar,  ,  •    151 

Tabular  View  of  stations,  .  .  .  .152 

Great  fire  in  Constantinople,        .  .  .153 

Failure  of  the  patriarch's  plans  for  the  overthrow 

of  Protestant,  and  his  removal  from  office,     .    153 

Present  State  of  the  Mission,         .  .  .153 

Amount  of  printing  done  by  the  Mission,  .    154 

Arracan, .  .154 

Ascension  Island,  .  ,  .154 

ASHANTEE 154 

Extent  of  the  kingdom,  .  .  ,154 

Domestic  Slavery,  Polygamy,  .  ,155 

Koads,  Uouses,  Arts,  Trade,  Religion,        .  .    155 

ASIA, 156 

Geographical  description,    .  ,  .  .156 

Races  of  People,  .  .  .157 

Religion,  ,  .  .158 

Population,      .....  158 

Tabular  View  of  Missions,    .  .  .  .159 

ASSAM,    .  .  ,      '    .  .  .  .160 

Mission  of  the  Am.  Bap.  Union,      .  .  .160 

Tabular  View, .  .  .163 

Athens, 163 

Auckland,  ......    163 

Austral  Islands,  ]  \  163 

Australasia, 168 

Australia, 164 

Boundaries  and  Extent,  .  .164 

Inhabitants,    ....  164 

MtssiOBS, [164 

United  Brethren,      ....  164 

WeeUyan  MUa.  Society      ,  .  .164 

Tabular  View, 16S 

.>'*P. 164 

Avj, 169 

?»dagry, 169 


Baddagao 
Bagdad, , 


Bagdad 

BAPTIST  MISS.  SOCIETY  (Enrilsh). 

Keceipts,  . 

Tabular  View  of  Missions, 
taale  Miasicnary  Society, 


Bath, 171 

Bassein,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .171 

Bassa  Cove,        .  .  .  .  .  .172 

Batavia 172 

Bathurst,  .  .  .  .  .  .173 

Batticaloa 172 

Batticotta, 172 

Beaufort,  .  .  .  .  .  .172 

Beersheba,  ......    172 

Belgaum,  ......    172 

Belire 172 

Bellary, 172 

Benares,  ......    172 

Berbico,  .  .  .  .  .  .172 

Berea,      .......    172 

Berhampore,       ......    172 

Berlin  Missionarfflociety,        ....    172 

Berlin  Missionary  Union  for  China,    .  .  .172 

Bermudas,  .  .  .  .  .  .172 

Bethany,  .  .  .  .  .  .172 

Bethabara,  .  .  .  .  .  .172 

Bethel, 178 

Bethftlsdorp, 173 

Bethesda, 173 

Bethulla, 173 

Bettigherry, 173 

Beulah,    .  .  .  .  .  .  .173 

Bexley, 173 

Beirut, 178 

Bhagalpur,  .  .  .  .  .     -      .    178 

Bhingar,  .  .  .  .  .  .178 

BIBLE  SOCIETIES, 173 

Origin,  .  .  .  .  .  .173 

Bible  Societies  existing  before  the  American  Bible 
Society,        .  .  .  .  .  .174 

Origin  of  American  Bible  Society,  .  .  .174 

Origin  of  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,     .    175 
Origin  of  American  Bible  Union,    .  .  .175 

Results, 175 

Tabular  view  of  receipts  and  appropriations,        .    J 76 
Bombay,  ,  .  .  .  ,  .  .176 

BOOK  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES,      .  .  .176 

Religious  Tract  Society  of  London,  .  .    177 

American  Tract  Society,        .  .  .  .177 

Systematic  distribution  of  Tracts,  .  .  .178 

Colportage,      .  .  .  ,  .  .178 

Foreign  Distribution,  .  .  .  .180 

Languages  and  dialects,        .  .  .  .180 

Publications, 181 

Tract  House,  .  .  .  .  .  .181 

Receipts  and  issues  of  American  Tract  Society  in 

29  years, 182 

Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  .  .    182 

Methodist  Book  Concern,      ....     183 
American  Baptist  Publication  Society,        .  .    183 

Congregational  Board  of  Publication,         .  .     183 

List  of  Principal  Book  and  Tract  Societies,  .    184 

General  increase  of  Religious  Books,  .  .    184 

BOOTAN, 185 

Borneo,    ......        185,481 

Brahma,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .185 

Brahmins,  .  .  .  ,  .  .185 

BRAHMINISM, 

Ideas  of  God,   ....  .186 

Character  of  gods,      .  .  .  .  .186 

Character  of  Priesthood,        .  .  •  .186 

Religious  Mendicants,  .  .  .  .186 

Character  of  Worship,  .  .  .  .187 

Hindoo  notions  of  Sin,  .  .  .  .187 

Ideas  of  Atonement,  .  .  .  .  .187 

Fate,  Accountability,  .  .  .  .187 

Notions  of  Futurity,   .  .  .  .  .183 

Ages  of  the  world,      .  .  -  .  .183 

Caste,  . 

Dr.  Allen's  Testimony, 
Superstitions,  . 
Cruelties  of  Brahminism, 
Holy  Days, 
Holy  Places,    . 
Degradation  of  Females, 
Brahminism  and  Popery  Compared, 
The  Remedy, 
British  Guiana,  . 
Brusa,     . 
BUDHISM, 
Origin  of  Budhism,    . 
Doctrines  of  Budha,  . 
Sacred  Books, 
Modes  of  Worship,     . 
The  Modern  Priesthood, 


190 
190 
391 
193 
192 
198 
198 
198 
194 
194 
194 
194 
196 
193 
197 

1 


INDEX. 


T87 


Bungalow, 
Burdwan, 

Burisal     .... 
BURMA  ir, 
Topography,  Population, 
tSocial  and  Political  Institutions,  Arts,  ic 
Religion, 
MapofBurmah, 

Mission  of  the  Am.  Bap.  Union, 
Burmese  War  and  persecution  of  missionaries, 
Karens, 

Christian  villages  formed,     . 
Visit  of  Dr.  Malcolm, 
Persecution  of  Christian  Karens 
Dr.  Judson's  visit  to  the  U.  S., 
Separate  organization  of  the  Burman  aad 

Missions, 
Return  of  Dr.  Judson  to  Burmah, 
Deputation  from  the  Board, . 
Summary  View, 
Bushmen, 
Bussorah, 

Cabalist,  .... 
Cairo,  .... 
Calcutta, .... 
Caledon,  .... 
Callff,  .... 
Calpentyn, 

Caltura,    .... 
Calicut,     .... 
Calmont,  .... 
Cameroons, 
CANADA, 
Early  Settlement, 
First  Missions, 

Endowments  of  Papal  Institutions 
Canada  ceded  to  Great  Britain, 
English  Missions, 
Condition  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
Statistics  of  different  churches, 
Canton,    .... 
CANNIBALS,      . 
Ancient  cannibals, 
Horrible  practices  among  the  South 
and  the  Kookies  in  India, . 
Cape  Haytien,    . 
Gape  Coast  Town, 
Canon,     .... 
Capuchins, 
Cape  Colony, 
Cape  Palmas, 
<Cape  Town, 
Caravan, 
Caravansary, 
Carmelites, 
Carnival, 
Carthusian, 

Carmel,  .... 
Caste,  .... 
Catholic, .  ■:,         • 

Caunpoor, 

Oavalla,  .... 
Gelestins, 
Genobite, 
OBYLON, 
Geographical  and  Topographical  Description 
Population,      ... 
M1SS10S&— Portuguese  Missions, 

Government,  Language,  Arts,  Religion, 
London  Missionary  Society, 
Snglinh  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
American  Board,    . 
Tabular  Views, 
Printing, 

Medical  Department, 
Female  Education, 
Temperance, 
Native  contributions. 
Present  state  of  heathenism  and  prospects  of 
the  Mission, 
CJiurch  Missionary  Society, 
Tabular  View  of  stations,  . 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society, 
Conversion  of  an  Ava  Priest, 
Public  contest  with  the  priests 
Tabular  View, 
General  Tabular  View, 
Jhaldeans, 
havagacherry, 
)herrapoonge,    . 


.  19S 

.  19S 

.  198 

.  198 

.  198 

.  198 

.  193 

.  198 

.  199 

.  200 
201,  497 


.  207 
Karen 

.  209 

.  210 

.  211 

.  213 

.  214 

.  215 

.  215 

.  215 

.  215 

.  215 

.  215 

.  215 

.  215 

.  216 

.  216 


.  216 

.  216 

.  216 

.  216 

.  217 

.  217 

.  217 

.  218 

.  219 

.  219 

.  219 
Islanders 


.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  221 

.  222 
183-189 


.    222 


Cherokee, 

ChettingsviUe,    ..'*'' 

Chichacolc,         ..'**' 

CHINA,   ...''** 

Territorial  extent.  PoUtical  DlTlsloni,  Oompara-' 

tive  Dimensions,      .  . 

Map,  ....*'■ 
Mountains,  Desert  of'Gobi,  Rivers  and  Lakes  * 
Boundaries  and  Civil  Divisions  of  China  Proper  ' 
Chmale  and  Soil,  Persons  of  the  Chinese, . 
Intellectual  character,  Population,  History.  Na- 
tional works.  Great  Wall,  Grand  Canal. 
<7i«<M,  Peking,  .  .  .  \ 

Canton,  Wliampoa,  Macao,  Hong-Kong,'  '. 

Amoy,  Fuhchau,  Ningpo,  . 
Map  of  Fuhchau,    .  .  .  '  ' 

Nanking,  the  Arts,  Agriculture, 
Productions,  Commerce,        •  .  '.  ' 

Pishing,  Literary  examinations.  Classics,  ! 
Chinese  Schools,  Language, 
Ability  to  read.  .  . 

Industry  and  Frugality,  Marriage,  !  '. 

Condition  of  Females, 
Funerals  and  Burying  Grounds,      '. 
Government,  .  .  .  .  ' 

Revenue  and  Disbursements,  '.  .'  ] 

Physical,  Social,  and  Moral  Condition, 
Opium  Trade  and  Opium  Smoking, 
Female  Infanticide,    ... 
Tauists,  •...!! 

Confucianism,  the  ancient  popular  idolatry, 
Missions,  Ncetorian, ..... 
Papal,  '•..'.'. 

London  Missionary  Society, 

Tabular  View,         ...'.'. 

American  Board,     ....'. 

Interesting  facts  respecting  the'orfgln'of  the 


rxan 
244 
844 
S44 
844 

844 
844 
845 
Ut 

84« 

84T 
84S 
849 
880 

vo 
8S1 

9M 
S» 

8M 
886 

SS6 
856 

856 
855 
25T 
85T 
258 


sn 

888 

868 
865 
2T0 
871 


224 
224 
224 
2.30 
230 
230 
280 
230 
281 


281 
282 
283 
236 
240 
842 
248 
243 
243 
844 


271 
27T 
27T 
278 
879 
879 
880 
880 
880 
990 


986 
986 
888 

990 
99S 
99S 
999 
994 
994 
996 
996 
996 


American  Mission 
Tabular  View, 
Southern  Baptist  Convention,         .  '. 

Church  Missionary  Society, 

Tabular  View,         .... 
Amer.  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Society, 
English  Gen.  Bap.  Miss.  Soe. 
Miss  Alderseif's  Female  Seminary, 
Swedish  Mi>>xion, 

Free  Ch.  0/ Scotland,  .  * 

Amer.  Episcopal  Board,     . 
Presbyterian  Board, 

Tabular  View, 
Amer.  Baptist  Misnonary  Union, 
Metfwdist  Episcopal  Jfissions, 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society, 
Rhenish  Jfiasionary  Society. 
Canton  Baptist  Miss.  Society, 
B'lsle  Missionary  Society,  ... 
General  Tabular  View, 

Chinese  Revolution,  .... 

Concluding  Remarks,  ... 

Chinese  Evangelical  Society,    ... 
Chinese  Evangelization  Society, 

Chinese  Society  (for  supporting  natire  Erancellsts),    996 
Chintadrepettah,  .  .  ...    996 

Chinsurab,  .*         .  .  .  .    S8f 

Chittagong, ne 

Chunar,    .......    996 

Chundicully,        ......    996 

Chumie,    .  .996 

CHURCH  OF  ROME 896 

Separation  of  the  Kastern  and  Western  Churches,    99T 
The  various  rites,        .  .  .  .297 

Support  of  the  Clergy,  .  .997 

Monastic  Orders,        .....    298 
CHURCH  OF  ROME,  MISSIONS  OF    .  .999 

Missionary  Societies,  ....    800 

Receipts,  .  .800 

Missionary  Stations,  .....    800 
jFurope— Turkey— Greece,    .  .  .  .900 

^*ift— Turkey  In  Asia— Persia— India,        .  .    900 

Further   India,    China,   Corea,    Mongol    Tartary, 

Manchuria,   Thibet 901 

East  India  Islands,  Japan,    ....    809 
J/rica  —  Congo  — Barbary— Egypt— Abyssinia- 
Madagascar — other  parts,  .    809 
Ooeanica,                                      .  .80$ 
America— Spanish  Missions,  .809 
Portuguese  Missions — United  States  and  Oanadas.    90t 
Church  lllll.                                         .           .           .901 
CHURCH  MISSIONARY  SOOirrr,    .  .901 
Tabular  View,  Income,          .           .                       .904 


788 


INDEX. 


of  MissioDs, 


804 

805 


8<)& 
805 


.  805 
.  805 
14,805 
.  806 


806 


lock, . 
la,      . 

Imlore, 
OUBberland  Prea.  Board 
CutUck,  . 
Dacca,     . 
Damara  Country, 
Daijeeling, 
UarlUtoD, 
DarytoD, 
Ded^aoiD, 
Dataware, 
Ddbi,      . 
Dharwar, 
Ditp  River, 
Uindigul, . 
Dlni^poor, 
DroMs,    . 
Dnke  Town, 
D'Urban, 
Dwight,   . 
Dyaaldorp, 

£ARLY  CURISTIAN  MISSIONS, 
Christianity  essentially  Missionary 
Century  //.,  Century  III.,  . 
Century  IV.,  Missions  to  Ireland  and  Phosnicla, 
Missions  to  Georgia,  Persia,  Armenia,  Gaul,  &c.. 
Century  V.  St.  Patrick's  Mission  to  Ireland, 
Nestorian  Missions,  .... 

Conrerslon  of  the  Picts— Baptism  of  Clovis, 

Century  VI., 

Progress  of  Christianity  in  Wales  and  Cornwall, 
Pope  Gregory's  Mission  to  Britain, 
Austin's  violent  proceedings, 
Columba's  Mission  to  Scotland,    . 
Centuries  VIJ.  and  VIIL,  .... 

Missions  in  Saxony  and  Germany, 
Century  /X— Missions  among  the  Danes,  Swedes, 
Sclavonians,  &c.,     ..... 

Century  jr., 

CenturyXL, 

Century  XII., 

Centuries  XIII.  and  XIV., 

The  Waldenses,  Albigenses,  Wickllffe,     . 
Century  XV.,  .  .  .  . 

Owaury  jrr/.— The  Reformation, 
Mission  to  Lapland,  .    -        . 

Dutch  Missions  to  the  East, 
Missionary  Colonies  In  North  America,  . 
Century  XVIII.,      .  .  . 

Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel 
Danish  Missions,     .  .  .  . 

Origin  of  Moravian  Missions, 
Missions  of  Wesley,  Whltefield,  Brainard,  Ac, 
Mission  of  Swartz,  ;  .  . 

Commencement  of  Modern  Missions, 
Lrtt  of  MisslonanWocietlcs,       .,  ..  881 

Estimated  progress  of  ChrTsUanity,  each  cen- 

,    ,^7, 882 

East  Cape, 883 

Kbenezer,  .... 

Edina, 

EOTPT— Boundaries,  Population,  Ac, 

-church  MiaeUmary  So<deiy, 


806 


806 
806 
807 
SOT 
807 
807 
807 
784 
807 
807 
807 
307 
807 
307 
309 
810 
811 
312 
813 
818 
3i3 
314 
814 
3  If. 
316 
817 
817 

818 
319 
321 
822 


.  325 
.  326 
825-827 
.  327 
.    828 


830 
331 
881 


833 
833 


EUot, 

Emmaos,  .... 

*^oo»       ..... 
EPISCOPAL  BOARD  OF  MISSIONS, 

Tabular  Views  of  Missions  and  Receipts, 
Enemanga,        .... 

Erarum,  ..... 


3.34 
234 
834 
834 
334 
834 


EUROPE— Area,  Population,  Languages,  Indepen- 
dent States,  ..... 
Religious  Classification  of  the  People, 
Estimate  of  the  Spiritual  Condition  of  Europe, 
m  Condition  of  the  Clergy, 

(2)  Estimate  of  the  Sabbath, 

(3)  Religious  Reading        .... 

(4)  Family  Worship,  .... 

(5)  Discipline,    (6)  Social  Meetings, 

(7)  Revivals  and  Conversions, 

(8)  Religious  Education,    .... 

(9)  Christian  Union,    (10)  Missionary  Laborts, 
Means  and  men  of  the  European  Missionary  So- 
cieties, tabular  view  of,       . 

Greek  and  Roman  Catholic  Churches, 
Agencies  eniplo;j_ed  to  disseminate  the  Gospel  in 
Europe,     ...... 

(1)  Common    Schools,     (2)  Temperance,      (8) 
Preaching  and  distribution  of  tracts  and  books, 

What  may  be  done  to  evangelize  Europe,  . 
Hindrances,  (1)  Union  of  Church  and  State, 

(2)  Social  penalties  attached  to  change  of  re- 
ligion,       ...... 

(3)  Literature,    (4)  Philosophy,    (5)  Popery,    . 
Present  condition  of  the  Roman  Ilierarchy,  con- 
sidered as  an  aggressive  power,    . 

Review  of  the  European  States, 

(1)  England,  Scotland,  and  Ireland, 
Churches  and  attendance  in  England,Scotland, 

and  Wales,        ..... 

(2)  Holland, 

(3)  Scandinavia,    (4)  Belgium,    (5)  France,     . 

(6)  Switzerland,      ..... 

(7)  Italy,    (8)  Germany,  .... 

(9)  Russia,   ...... 

(10)  Spain  and  Portugal,  (11)  Greece  and  Ionian 
Isles,         ...... 

(12)  Turkey  in  Europe,       .... 
Methodist  Jlissiati^  in  Huropc, 

Bodies  engaged — Countries  occupied. 

Mode  of  operation — Success, 

Switzerland,  Germany,  Sweden,  . 

Irish  Methodist  Home  Missions,   . 

France,  Italy,  and  Corsica, 

Tabular  Views,         .  .  .  .862 

Fakir, 

Fernando  Po,      ...... 

Free  Town,  ...... 

Free  Church  of  Scotland  Missions, 

Free  Will  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 

Friendly  Islands,  ..... 

Furrackabad,      ...... 

Futtegurh,  ...... 

Gaboon,   ....... 

Genadendal,        ...... 

General  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  . 

Geog  Tapa,  ...... 

Georgian  Islands,  ..... 

Ghi^zipoor,  ...... 

Glasgow  Missionary  Society,    .  .  .  . 

Gorruckpore,       ...... 

Gossner's  Missionary  Society, .... 

Gowhatti,  ...... 

Grahamstown,    ...... 

Graaf-Reinet, 

GREECE, 

Geographical  Description,     .... 
Greek    Church — difference   between  it  and   the 

Latin,  ...... 

Missions— American  Board, 

American  Episcopal  Moard, 

Am.  Baptist  Miss.  Union, 
Greegree,  ...... 

Grequa  Town,      ...... 

Hadgee,    ....... 

Hawaii,    ....... 

Hervey  Islands, ...... 

Hierarchy,  ...... 

Hilo, 

U  IN  DOST  AN 

Map  of,  .  .  ,  ". 

Boundaries  and  Surface,  Rivers  and  Lakes,  Coast 

and  Climate,  Native  Population,  . 
Foreign  Settlers,  Religions,  Languages,  Literature, 
Science,  Arts,  Agriculture,  Physical  and  Intellec- 
tual Character,  British  rule. 
Missions,  ...... 

Am,erican  Board, — Bombay, 

Map  of  Western  India,       .... 

Satara,    ...... 


887 
887 
888 
888 
883 
888 
888 
88S 


840 
840 


842 


342 

343 


845 
845 

846 
849 
849 

850 
851 
352 
853 
854 
855 

356 
857 
368 
858 
859 


864 
364 
364 
864 
364 
366 
366 
366 
866 
36S 


368 
869 
869 
370 
870 
870 
871 
871 

871 
871 
875 

875 
878 
378 
378 
378 
378 
379 
379 
379 
879 

879 


881 

332 
8S2 
885 
8S6 


INDEX. 


T89 


District, 


Hi- 


Aiimednug{jur,  Seroor, 
Kolapoor,  Madura,  .  * 

Map  of  Southern  India  and  Ceylon 
Madras,        .  ,  . 

Arcot,  .  .  '  ' 

Tabular  View,         .  ] 

Church  Missionary  /Society— Madr&B 
Abdool  Messech,         .        .  , 

Syrian  Christians,  .  ,*  ] 

Names  of  Missionary  Districts,    .* 
Wonderful  movement  in  the  Tinnevelly 
Bombay,       .... 

Map  of  Bengal, 

Calcutta  and  North  India, 

Benares,       •  .  .  .' 

Birdwan,  Krishnagur,        .  ' 

Chuhar,  Mirut,         ,  .  | 

Agra,  Jaunpore,  Gorruckpore,  Bhagulpiir 

malaya,     . 
The  Punjaub— Tabular  View, 
Society /or  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel, 
Bishop's  College,     .  ,  . 

Cawnpore,  Madras, 
Tinnevelly,  Bombay, 
English  Baptist  Missionai'^y  Society. 
Notices  of  Stations, 
Tabular  View, 
London  Missionary  Society, 
Vizigapatam, 
Madras,  Cuddapah, 
Belgaum,       .... 

Bellary,  Bangalore, 
Mysore,  Saledi,  Combaconum, 
Coirabatoor,  S.  Travancore, 
Calcutta,      .... 

Chinsurah,  Berhampore,    . 
Benares,       .... 

Mirzapore,  Sarat,  Mahi-Kantha,  Almora 
Tabular  View,  .  ,  . 

Free  Church  of  Scotland,  . 
Madras,  Bombay,  Poonah,  Nagpoor, 
Calcutta,      .... 

Irish  Presbyterian  Mission, 
General  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
Cuttack,  Pooree,     .  . 

'     Balasore,      .... 

British  support  of  Idolatry, 
Free  Will  Baptist  Missionary  Society, 
Tabular  View, 
'  American  Presbyterian  Missions, 
Map  of  Northern  India,     . 
Organizatfon  of  a  church  at  Lodiana, 
Tabular  View, 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society, 

Tabular  View, 
Welsh  Calvinistia  Methodist  Missionary  Society, 
American  Baptist  Mission  among  the  Teloogoos, 
Basle  Missionary  Society,  . 

Tabular  View, 
Berlin  a7id  Leipsio  Missionary  Societies, 
North  German  Missionary  Society, 
Gossner^s  Missionary  Society, 
General  Tabular  View, 
Letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Scudder,      . 
Holapoor,  .... 

HOME  MISSIONS, 
Early  Home  Mission  efforts. 
Home  Missionary  Societies  in  New  England, 
Home  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
Average  salaries  of  home  missionaries,      . 
American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
Tabular  View  of  receipts,  expenditures,  labors 
and  results,  ..... 

Methodist  Home  Missions,     .... 

Tabular  Views,        ..... 

American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society, 
Board   Domestic  Missions  Protestant  £plscopal 
Church,         ...... 

Board  of  Missions  Reformed  Dutch  Church, 
General  Tabular  View, 
Honolulu,  .... 

Hottentots,  .... 

Iluahine,  .... 

Human  Sacrifices, 

Idol,  Idolatry,    .... 

Indians,  ..... 

INDIAN  ARCHIPELAGO, 
Nicobar  and  Andaman  Islands,  Sumatra 
Java,  Map,      .... 

Lesser  Sunda  Islands, 


897,  400 
398 


898 
401 
401 
401 
402 
403 
405 


.  406 
.  407 
.  407 
.  407 
.  408 
.  409 
.  409 
417,  422 
.  422 
.  422 
.  422 
.  42-J 
.  425 
.  426 
.  427 
.  428 
.  429 
.  430 
.  431 
.  432 


489 
405 


Moral  CondiUoD,  4M 

.    W 

201, 4»T 


.  434 
.  435 
,  485 
,  4-35 
4.35 
436 
437 
441 
443 
444 
444 
445 
449 
449 
453 
454 
454 
456 
45S 
458 
458 
459 
459 
459 
465 
465 
465 
466 
467 
46S 
468 

469 
469 
471 
471 

478 
473 
474 
474 
474 
475 
476 
478 
5S2 
479 
479 
480 
481 


Borneo, 
Celebes, 
The  Molufcas, 
Philippine  Islands, 
Formosa, 
INFANTICIDE,  . 
Among  the  ancients. 
In  the  Pacific  Isles, 
In  India  and  China, 
JEWS,  Missions  to, 
Number  of. 
In  Abyssinia,  . 
Present  social  state. 
Intellectual  position, 
Religious  condition,  . 
Reasons  for  distinct  misslona 
London  Jews'  Society, 
British  Society, 

Missions  of  Presbyterians  in  Oreat  Britaia 
Scottish  Jews'  Society, 
American  .Missions  to  Jews 
American  Society, 
General  Summary,     . 
Jacobites, 
Jaffa,  Jaffna, 
Jaipur,     . 
Jains, 
Jalna, 
Jassore,   . 
Jaunpur, 

Jesuits,     .  .  * 

Jooneer, 
Juggernaut, 
Jiyu  or  Jewjew,  . 
Kaffi-aria, 
KAFFRES, 

Government,  People,Reb'irion3  and 
Kandy,    . 
Karens,    . 
Kat  River, 
Kauai, 
Kharput, . 
Khundita, 
Kingston, 
Kiosk, 
Kissor,     . 
Kissey,     . 
Rolobeng, 
Kraal,      . 
Krishnagur, 
Kamasi,  . 
Kuruman, 
Kumiss,    . 
Kyouk  Phyoo,     . 

LABRADOR  AND  GREENLAND, 
Geographic:U  Position,  Climate,  kc. 
Map,     .... 
Description  of  the  natives,  . 
Missio.Nd— Z>a«t«A  Miesion  in  Greenland. 
Moravian  Mission, 
Discouragements,   . 
First  Conversion,    , 
Tabular  View, 
Labrador,     . 
Tabular  View, 
Lagos, 
Lahaina,  , 
Lahalnaluna, 
Lahor,    . 

LEW  CHEW,  or  Loo  Ohoo, 
Cities  and  Villages,    . 
The  People— Products— DweIUags—Dref»->Lan* 

guagc — -irts. 
Religion — Government— Foreign  Policy, 
Mission  of  Dr.  Battclheim,     . 
LIBERIA— Government,  Education,  Extent, 
Map  of  Liberia,  ..... 

Harbors— Productions— Native  Inli:ibit.tnts— Dis- 
covery. 
The  Pope's  grant  not  recognised, 
Portuguese  Missions, . 
Character  and  influence  oftha  slave- 
Origin  and  History  of  the  Colony, 
Missions  in  Liberia,   . 
Lodiana,  .... 
LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOOaCTT, 
Origin  and  Hi«tory,    . 
Mis.'^lonarlcs  and  Churcbet,  . 
Translations,  . 
Macao      .... 


411 


486 


4sr 

487 


10 


480 

481 
481 


487 
487 
487 


48S 
488 


488 
486 


Ml 
606 


510 
611 
611 
61S 
618 


.■)U 
6UV 
616 
61 S 

51S 
.M» 
619 


790 


INDEX. 


MADAeABOAR.. 


PMVlAtlen,  OoTtrnmcnt 
Migioa  M     " 


680 


•Dd  Morals,  .081 

.Londom  MiMionant  Socidy,     .  .    C31 

iMolU  of  flftMn  jeara*  labor,      .  .621 

Oammoaeomentofporseoutlon,    .  .    622 

Broakloff  up  of  tb«  Miuion,  .625 

lUrUrrtloai  of  Ratalama,  and  rlolent  persecu- 
tion of  others,      .  .627 
Oootioaed  violeuce  and  bloodshed,         .         62S,  629 
Baeape  of  a  party  of  conrerta, 
tireat  awakening,  and  conversion  of  the  Queen's 
son,           ...... 

Hrightentng  Prospects,      .... 

MADKIKA 

6«ograpbical  Description,  Oorerument,  Ac, 
MmSns— Scotch  Frt«  Church, 
Oommeocement  of  a  work  of  grace,  under  the 
labors  of  Dr.  Kalley,  .... 

Beginning  of  Persecution — Imprisonment  of  Dr. 

Kalley 

Departure   of  Dr.  Kalley— his  return  with   Mr. 
Ilfwitson,     ...... 

Violent  proceedings  against  the  converts, . 
Mr.  Ilewitson  leaves  the  Island,       .  .  .684 

Peril  and  escape  of  Dr.  Kalley,        .  .  .    634 

Kscape  of  Converts  to  Trinidad,      .  .  .    685 

Ordination  of  Mr.  Da  Silva,  .  .  .  .685 

Madras 685 


Madura,  . 
Malta,      . 

Mutaban,  Marsovan,    . 
Maronites, 

MARQUESAS  ISLANDS, 
Mission  to, 


640 


641 


MAURITIUS,  or  Isle  of  France, 

Mission  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
Methodist  Kpiscopal  Church,  Missions  of 
Mexico,   ....... 

MICRONESIA— Situation,  Extent,  Population,  Pro- 
ductions,     ...... 

Mission  of  the  American  Board, 
MINISTERIAL  EDUCATION, 

Tabular  View  of  the  number  of  ministers  from  New 
England  colleges,  arranged  in  periods  of  10 
years,  from  1540  to  18.M    .... 

Decrease  of  candidates  for  the  ministry,    .         642-643 

View  of  the  religious  state  of  the  country  as  to  the 
coniparative  number  of  churches  and  ministers, 

Education  Societies,  ..... 

Mirut, 

Mlraapore,  ...... 

MISSIONARY  SOCIETY  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH, 

Tabular  Views,  ..... 

MOHAMMEDANS— In  Abyssinia,       . 

In  Turkey,       ...... 

In  the  world,  ...... 

Molokal, 

MoUah 

Momba4,  .  .  ,  ... 

Monrovia,  .  ,  .  ,    '       , 

Montscrrat,         .  .  .  .  , 

Monophysites,     ..... 
MOSUL— History  of  Mission,  .... 

Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  Marsh, 
Mufti 


Muttra,    ....,.! 

Mynpuric,  ••...! 

Mysore,    .......* 

Nagpore,  .....! 

Nanking, ....... 

Nassau,    ..>..' 

Nassack, 

NaUl 

Natal  Harbor,  D'Urban,  Petermarltaburg,  Scenery, 

Climate 552 

Negapatam,  Negroes,    .....    553 
Nellore,    ......  550 

NESTORIANS '.    ^^3 

Map  of  the  country  of  the  Nestorians,       .  .    653 

Nestorius  and  his  followers,  .  .  .  .553 

Missionary  character  of  the  Nestorians,     .         654-555 
Their  doctrines  and  character  at  the  commence- 
ment of  missionary  operations  among  them,      .    655 
MUnon  of  the  American  Board,  .  .  .556 

Tabular  View  of  mloslonaries,       .  .  .557 

Object  aimed  at-  -cooperation  of  ecclftsiastics,       557 
British  and  Russian  protection,    ."■*'.  .    557 


rAos 
The  Press,  Translating,  Schools,  .  .  .,  ISfiS 

Preaching,  Native  Helpers,  .  .  ,    &69 

Opposition,  ......    660 

Revivals,      ......    561 

Efforts  for  the  Mountain  Nestorians,       .  .    562 

Tabular  View,       .  .  .  .  .664 

Letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins,    .  .  .664 

Netherlands  Missionary  Society,         .  .  .    666 

New  Hebrides,    .  .  .  .  .  .668 

New  Brunswick,  .....    668 

NEW  ZEALAND, 569 

Map  of  New  Zealand  and  Tasmania,  .  .    569 

Climate,  soil  and  productions,  inhabitants,  .    569 

Tattooing,        .  .  .  .  .  .669 

Religion,  ......    670 

MiamoKa— C /lurch  Missionary  Societp,    .  .    670 

Discouragemetlts,    .....    670 

Success,        ......    671 

Native  prayer  meetings,  general  improvement,  .    672 

Power  of  the  Gospel  to  tame  savage  tribes,       .    678 

Rapid  growth  of  Christianity,      .  .  .    674 

Tabular  View,      .  .  .  .  .675 

Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,        .  .    676 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,       .  .  .    676 

Tabular  View,  •  .  .  .  .681 

General  Tabular  View,  ....    681 

Nicomedia,  .... 

Ningpo,    ..... 

NORTH  AMERICAN  INDIANS, 
lUs&ioti^— Presbyterian  Board,     . 
Map  of  Indian  Territory,  . 
Tabular  View, 
Am.  Bap.  Miss.  Union, 

Statistics  for  1854,  . 
Miss.  Soc,  Meth.  Epis.  Church,     . 
Mission  begun  by  a  colored  man,  . 
Remarkable  Success, 

Missions    among  the   Creeks,  Snakes,  Yellow- 
heads,  Cherokees,  .... 

Among  the  Choctaws,  Putawatomies,  Oneidas, 
Shawnees,  Kansas,  Iroquois  and  Kikapoos,    . 
Tabular  View, 
Wesleyan  Missionary  Society, 

Tabular  View, 
American  Board,     . 
General  history  of  early  Indian  missions 
Mission  to  the  Cherokees,  . 
Invention  of  Cherokee  Alphabet,  . 
Trouble  with  the  authorities  of  Georgia, 
Arrest,  trial,  and  imprisonment  of  Messrs.  Wor- 
cester and  Butler, 
Removal  of  the  Indians,    . 
Choctaws,     .... 

Tabular  View, 

Slavery  and  action  of  the  Board  thereon,        613 

Osages,         .... 

Chickasaw,  .... 

Creeks,  Oltawas,     . 

Ojibwas,        .... 

Dakotas,       .... 

Tabular  Views, 

Abeaaquis,  Pawnees, 

Oregon  Indians, 

Indians  in  New  York, 

Moravian  Missions, 

Church  Missionary  Society, 

Episcopal  Board,  . 

American  dEssiotun'y  Association, 

Tabular  View, 
General  Tabular  View, 
Letter  from  Uev.  C.  Byington, 
NOVA  SCOTIA— Boundaries  and  extent, 
Church  of  England  in  N.  S.,  . 
Presbyterian  Church, 
Church  of  Scotland,     . 
Free  Church  of  N.  S.  . 
Reformed  Pres.  Church, 
Baptist  Churches 
Wesleyan  Methodists, 
Evangelical  Lutherans, 

Oahu 

Oceanica,  .... 

Ojibwas,  ..... 
Old  Calabar,  .... 
OodooTille,  .... 

Oorfa, 

ORIENTAL  CHRISTIANS  MISSIONS  TO 
Bishop  Gobat  and  Church  Missionary  Society,       .    631 
Mode  of  conducting  missions  to  decayed  churches 
in  the  East. 682 


682 
682 
582 
686 
686 
691 
691 
691 
592 

594 

595 
697 
598 
601 
601 
601 
604 
606 
607 

603 
609 
611 
614 
614 
615 
616 
617 


624 
625 
626 
625 
626 
626 
783 
626 
627 
627 


929 


631 
681 


INDEX. 


791 


Bishop  Southgate,      •  .  .  . 

Nazareth,  Jerusalem,  Nabloua,  Syra,  Smyrna. 
MalU  Prot.  College,    .  .  . 

ORISSA, 

Population— Santals  and  Bbumijas, 
Oroomiab,  .... 

Pagan,  ..... 
Pagoda,  ..... 
Parseeism, 

The  Zand-Avasta— Idolatry  of  the  Parsees, 
Paris  Protestant  Missionary  Society, . 
Pasha, 
Patna, 
Patriarch, 
Paumotu, 
Pedang,   . 
Peking,     . 
Pilgrimage, 
Polynesia, 
Pontianak, 
Poonah,   . 
Port  Elizabeth, 
Port  Lokkoh, 
Port  Louis, 
PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OP  MISSIONS,  . 

Mode  of  Organization,    '       .  .  . 

Mode  of  transacting  business, 

Tabular  View  of  its  Missions, 

Mission  House,  ..... 

Yearly  Receipts,         ..... 

Presbyterian  Church  of  Nova  Scotia  Board  of  Mis- 
sions,   ....... 

Primitire  Methodist  Foreign  Missionary  Society, 
Puna,       ....... 

Rajah, 


Rangoon,  ...... 

Rarotonga,  ...... 

Regent's  Tov^,   ...... 

Rhenish  Missionary  Society,     .  .  .  . 

Safet,       ....... 

Saharanpur,       ...... 

Samarang,  ...... 

SANDWICH  ISLANDS— Geographical    Description 
and  Map,      ...... 

Population — Social,  moral  and  religious  condition. 
Mission — American  Board, 
Preparation  at  the  Islands,  Arrival  and  recep- 
tion of  the  missionaries, 
Obstacles,        ...... 

Reinforcements,  Position  and  influence  of  chiefs, 

four  years'  missionf-ry  labor. 
Regency  of  Kaahumanu,      .... 

Kapiolani— Visit  of  Lord  Byron,     . 
Opposition  from  foreigners,  WhaleshJp,  Dolphin, 
U.  S.  Sloop  Peacock,  Vindication  of  missionaries- 
further  outrages,     ..... 

Letter  from  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
Papal  Missionaries,    ..... 

Results  of  first  ten  years'  missionary  labor, 
Death  of  Kaahumanu,  reaction,  progress,  schools, 
The  Press— Churches— Great    Revival— Benevo- 
lence, .... 

Civilization — Government— Laws— Seiaure  of  the 
Islands  by  Loi-d  Paulet — ^Independence  acknow- 


Decrease  of  population,        .... 

The  Mission  dissolved,  .... 

Summary  and  Statistics,        .... 

Teachers  sent  to  the  Marquesas  Islands,    . 

American  Missionary  Association,  . 

Letter  from  Rev,  Titus  Coan, 
Satora,     ....... 

SEAMEN— Numbers,  Origin  and  progress  of  missions 
to, 

Results,  ...... 

Serampore,  Seir,  ..... 

Seroor,     ....... 

Settra  Kroo,        ...... 

Sevagunga,  ...... 

Seychelles,  ...... 

Shanghai,  ...... 

Sheikh, 

SIAM — Government,  Religion, 

Missions — Presbyterian  Board,     . 
American  Baptist  Mission, 
American  Board  and  American  MiiHonary 
Association,        ..... 

Sierra  Leone,      ...... 

Singapore,  ...... 

Smyrna,  ....... 


SOCIETY  FOR  PROPAQATLNQ  THE  GOSPEL  IN 

FOREIG.N   PARTS,  .    ""'•**'  ^    ^ 


Average  and  total  receipts  in  81  years, 
Society  Islands,  .... 
Southern  Baptist  Convention,  . 


641 
642 
643 
643 
644 

644 
W6 
646 
646 
646 
647 
647 
647 
643 
648 
643 

64S 
649 
649 

650 
651 

652 
654 
655 
656 

657 
658 
658 
660 
661 

.    6C2 


aw 
w 

697 

701 
701 
705 
705 
7<>7 

706 

.    708 


fr35   SOUTH  SEA  ISLANDS-GeographlcalDeK^pUon,    <78 
686       Map  of  Southern  Pacific,      .  .  .  .    «78 

636       Productions,    .....*    nan 

Inhabitants,  Language,  General  Characteristics! 
Tattooing,  Dress,     ..... 

6S3       Mental  Capacity,  Marriage,  .Moral  Character,  The 
Arts,  ••.... 

"Wars,  Government,  Religion,  .  .*  \ 

Missions— ZoTK/ort  Missionary  Society,    . 
Georgian  Islands, 
Tabular  View,         ....'. 

Society  Islands,  .  .  .  .  ' 

Tabular  View,         •  .  .  .  . 

Hervey  Islands,  •  •  .  .  ! 

Tabular  View,  ..... 

Samoan  or  Navigator's  Islands, 

Tabular  View, .  ..... 

Austral  Islands,         ..... 

Tabular  View,  ..'... 

Paumotu  or  Pearl  Islands,    .... 

Marquesas  Islands      ..... 

New  Hebrides— Mr.  Williams's  last  voyage  and 
death,  ...... 

Pres.  Ch.  of  Nova  /Suo^a— Mission  to  New  Hebrl- 

tle 710 

Description  of  the  Island  of  Anelteum,        .  ,    7io 

Origin  and  History  of  the  mission,  .  .  .711 

Tabular  View  of  Western  Polynesia,  .  .    713 

Wesleyan  Missionary  Society,       .  .  .718 

Friendly  Islands,    .  .  .  .  .714 

Feejeo  Islands,        .....    720 

Tabular  View,         .  .  .  .723 

Temperance,    ......    724 

(Jeneral  Tabular  View,       .  .  .  .725 

SOUTH  AMERICA— Brasll,      .  .  .  .726 

Missions,         .  .  .  .  .  .727 

Sunday  Schools,  .  .  .  .  .729 

Surat,       .  .  .  .  .  .  .782 

Suttee,      .  .  .  .  .  .  .732 

Sydney,    .......    783 

Syrian  Christians,  .  .  .  .  .738 

SYRIA  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND,         .  .  .783 

Map  of  part  of  Syria,  ....    783 

Population — Numbers  of  different  sects,    .  .    73* 

Druses,  ......    784 

Missions  of  the  American  Board, .  .  .    734 

Wonderful  movement  at  Hasbeiya  .  .    739 

Tabular  View,  .....    743 

Tabu,  .  .  .  .  .748 

Talapoius,  .  .  .  .  .  .748 

Tamtam,  .  .  .  .748 

Tamlook,  .  .  .  .  .748 

Tananarivo,        ......    744 

Tangeua,  ......    744 

Taouists,  .....         260,744 

TARTARY  AND  SIBERU,       .  .  .744 

Geographical  Description,    ....    744 

Population — Religion,  ....    744 

MissiON»-  United  Brethren,  SooUish  Mit9.  Soc.  .    74« 

Jjondon  Missionary  Society,       .  .  .    T4T 

TASMANIA,  or  Van  Dicman's  Land,  .  .748 

Map, 5<» 

MlsHon  of  the  Wedeyan  Ml»$.  8oe.  .    748 

Tabular  View, 749 

Tattooing, M9,749 

Tavoy,     .  .  .  .  .  .749 

Tenasserira.        ......    749 

THESSALOXICA, 750 

Map  of  ....  751 

Thugs,      ......  46\ 

Tinnevelly,  .  .  .  •         .  .  7.V< 

TouDgoo,  .  .  .  .  .  .     T.-i 

Travancore,        .  ....     T.v^ 

Trebizond,  .  .  .  .  .     IM 

TURKEY, 751 

Boundaries  and  extent,  .  .751 

Turkey  in  Karope,      .  .751 

Turkey  in  Asia.  .  .  .751 

Turkey  in  Africa, 751 

Population  tables,  by  coontries,  .751 

Population  tables  by  races  and  creeds,  .    79t 

Ecclesiastico-Political  Government,  .    70t 

Reforms,  ......    TOt 

Ultenhage.         -^  .  .  .  .  .    78i 

UNITED  ST.Kim-Extent  of  Territory,  .    TM 


<78 
678 
678 


T9S 


INDKX 


rAOK 

nurile«l  TMoorcet,  Commerce,  .    7M 

itioa,  Publte  Works,  Geographical  position,    755 

of  people,  .  .755 

BcUctea, 766 

and  Orlne,  Temperance  Reform,         .    757 
BEITHRIM'8  lOBSIONS,    .  .758 

Tabular  View,    ' 769 

London  AMocIation  in  aid  of,  .  .  .    760 

rartabed, 760 

feda., 760 

ViiMtapaUm, 760 

WtnTofton. 7C1 

nrelth  Calrinislio    Methodist  Foreign    Missionary 

Society 761 

mCST  INDIES, 761 

Table  of  population,  .  .  .761 

Description  of  the  Islands,   .  .  .        761-762 

Mups,  .  .  .  .  .     760,763,764,771 

—  ■         iOmionary  Society,  .    762 


Tabular  View,  .... 

Moravian  JUUnions, .... 

Sngllsh  JiaptM  Missions— T)ihn\a,r  View, 

Church  Miiinionary  Society^ 

Soc.for  the  Prop,  of  the  Gospel,    . 

London  MLnsionary  Society, 
General  Tabular  View, 
WE3LEYAN  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 

Results,  Income,         .... 

WITCllCRAPT, 

WORLD— Population— Religions     Sects— Table 

Missions,          ..... 
YORUBA, 

Map  of,  ..... 

Qcographyt  Religion, 

Population,      ..... 
Zoharites,  V  .  .  .  . 

ZULUS— Climate,  People, 

Dwellings,  language,  moral  character, 


771 
778 
776 
775 
776 
775 
775 
778 
779 

780 
781 
781 

781 
782 
782 


INDEX  TO  THE  MAPS. 


il  ..k  \  South  of  the  Bqoator,  . 

.      10 

AJ  »cw,  Southern, 

.      22 

Aftrfca,  West,      .... 

.      68 

Cape  Palmas,  .... 

.      97 

Bberbro  and  Mendi,  . 

.    104 

Armenia  and  Part  of  Asia  Minor, 

.    119 

Vicinity  of  Constantinople,  . 

.    125 

AInub  and  Vicinity, . 

.    140 

Australia 

.    164 

Burmah,  Slam,  kc. 

.    198 

China,  Part  of,   .... 

.    244 

Fuhchau 

.    250 

India,  Missionary  Map  o^ 

.    878 

Western  ludia. 

.    885 

Southern  India  ind  Ceylon, 

.    891 

Bengal 

.    401 

Northern  India,  .  .  .  .  .    444 

Indian  Archipelago  and  Western  Pacific  Isles,         .    48C 
Labrador  and  Greenland,         ....    498 

Liberia, 512 

Nestorians,  Country  of,  ....    562 

New  Zealand,      .  .  .  .  .  .569 

North  American  Indians,  Territory  of,  .  .    582 

Sandwich  Islands,  .....     648 

South  Sea  Islands,  .  .  .  .  .678 

Syria,  Part  of,     .  .  .  .  .  .733 

Tasmania,  ......    669 

West  India  Islands — ^Jamaica,  .  .  .    760 

St.  Kitts,  Antigua,  and  Mosquito  Coast,      .  .    763 

Tobago  and  Barbadoes,         ....    764 

St.  Thomas,  St.  Jan,  St.  Croix,  Surinam,     .           .    771 
Yoruba, 781 


^TJiriVBESITT] 


vP 


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